New Year’s Revolution

Have you made your Resolutions yet? Instead of resolving to do something you probably won’t continue, how about a New Year’s Revolution? By that I mean do something radical – just take care of yourself, whatever that means for you.

It is only by looking back and reflecting on our lives that we can truly see that we have been given precisely what we needed exactly when we needed it. At the time, we may have ranted and raved and played the ‘why me’ game, but rest assured it was what we needed at that moment to continue our spiritual growth. I know there were times in my own life when I felt deprived, depressed, deserted; but looking back on those times, I have grown and flourished because of those hardships.

Life isn’t all sunshine and roses, except for everyone else. But what we see in others isn’t necessarily true. How often have you admired someone who seemed ‘all together’ only to find out they, too, had times of blackness and despair and feet of clay?

Live your life the way you are meant to live it; don’t live your life according to someone else’s idea of what that life should be. Take time to refresh yourself every day; each day is ours for such a fleeting moment and will never come again – make it count. If today was a disaster, try again tomorrow. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, success is going from failure to failure but never giving up. Eventually, you win.

May 2010 bring you everything you need, exactly when you need it, even if you don’t realize it at the time.

Care and Feeding of the Soul

Soul/spirit is a nebulous concept, but is the essence of who we are. Our spirits need care and feeding just as our bodies do. So how do we do this?

In a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams, it’s important to focus on self. This is not selfish by any means; if we don’t take care of ourselves, how will we have the strength to take care of anyone else? It’s important to take time out every day and do something we love. Sometimes it’s as simple as a few minutes by ourselves just sitting, or walking, or whatever it takes to just be. Enjoy a sunrise or sunset; a beautiful painting; soothing music; a cardinal in the snow; a simple house sparrow wallowing in the dust. All of these can be food for the soul. What feeds your soul?

Giving Thanks Part 2

Thanksgiving is over, but that doesn’t mean we can stop giving thanks. There is so much to be thankful for, even if you can’t see it right now.

I can remember one of the darkest periods in my life: I had moved to a new place by myself and was recently divorced. For a period of about 2 months, I felt totally alone, depressed, had nobody to discuss things with. I became withdrawn, didn’t go out except to walk the dog and shop for groceries. Gradually, I began to notice my surroundings and began to appreciate where I was. I began a gratitude journal and resolved I would find at least 3 things every day to be thankful for. At first, it was so difficult to find even one. But with practice, I found much more than 3 things every day; some days I had a hard time picking only 3. And so on to today.

I still have so much to be thankful for; even things that seem negative at the time. Yes, there are days where it is difficult to find one thing to be grateful for, but when I persist, the grace begins to pour.