Once upon all the time, something challenging happens, followed by something amazing...




Sunday, February 28, 2010

The Man In the Moon

So I was looking at the moon tonight... and it was breathtaking.  Big, full and golden, amongst a sea of clouds, close, yet so far.  I went into my yoga class and when I returned, it was smaller and white... just an unimpressive dot in the black sky.  It made me realize just how much things change, and yet never change.



The moon is not a planet, but a satellite of the Earth... The surface area of the moon is 14,658,000 square miles or 9.4 billion acres of which only 59% of the surface is visible from earth...also, we always see the same side of the moon; the other side is always hidden.  Yet someone in Australia sees the moon at a different time, from a different angle, in a different hemisphere than someone in the US... and someone in the US sees it differently at a different phase, different location, or a different time even.  Some people see a man in the moon.  Some watch it's phases for astrological signs.  Some see it as the nighttime sun.  But no matter what you see or how you interpret the moon... you're right.

We are all like the moon, we have a physical body that some see as big or small depending on where they're looking from... yet our surface area is the same no matter what they percieve.  We all represent different things to different people... to some we're a teacher, to some a friend, to some a threat and to some the world.  Whatever they see is true to them, but no matter what people see you as, or like, it doesn't change who you are.  It doesn't change what you do or why, it is only what they can see from where they are based on their own experience.

Just like the moon, you are an important part of a system that is in fact working together.  You can only shine at whatever phase you're at whether full or new and keep going through the cycles as they come.  You can only stay amidst the stars and do whatever it is you're here to do, and know that it is perfect for you... because like the moon you're more than just what is seen, there's a man (or woman) inside, even if it's not always visible.



Today's Silver Lining:

"Monopoly, twenty one, checkers, and chess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Mister Fred Blassie in a breakfast mess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, See you in heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Hey Andy, did you hear about this one? Tell me, are you locked in the punch? Hey Andy, are you goofing on Elvis? Hey baby, are we losing touch?  If you believed they put a man on the moon, man on the moon, If you believe there's nothing up my sleeve, then nothing is cool."  Man on the Moon - by REM








Remember these!!!  So much fun, I think I'm gonna get a new pair : )

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Days like this

Nothing special happened today...  I ran around town and did a couple things... some yoga, ate some yummy sweet potato, with a side of girl scout cookies, (caramel delights, my fav!)... but for some reason I'm really grateful.  It's cold and rainy... the sun never showed his face today... but I'm still feeling gratitude for being here.  I talked to a few people, some up, most down... but I was grateful to talk to them.  My roommate got on my nerves a bit, which we trade off doing to each other... but I'm still grateful for her.  Weird... or maybe not so weird.

These are the days that are often forgotten because there's no dramatic event, no tragedy, no new life changing occurrences... but it's the days like these that show you more than most...  The ones where things just kinda flow, you can relax, you have no where to be, no one to answer to... and you get to see who you are, how you feel and where you are.  Today, I am grateful. 

I'm grateful to be in a place where I am truly happy to simply be me... it's taken me years to get here, but boy was it a worthwhile adventure.  I don't need the bells and whistles... although I still enjoy them.  I don't need to be constantly entertained... although I usually am.  I don't want anything... and yet I seem to always have everything I need... and so I am grateful.

I am grateful that I can have days like this, where the world suddenly becomes brighter for no reason other than that's how I see it... where I can be grateful for the simple fact that I am fortunate enough to feel gratitude... where I can be completely here with no thought of then or there... where I can breathe in and smile because I am here... and in moments like this there's no where else I'd rather be but me.

Now as for tomorrow... we'll have to wait and see... but for now... thank you!

Today's Silver Lining:

"There's nothing you can say or do that can change the way  I feel about you, thinking of you as time flies, watching the beautiful people go by,  I sing in the breeze, knowing every thing's alright with me, with me, and I, I'm smiling from the inside cause we, we've got nothing to hide...I love days like this, yeah, I love days like this, it's here, here comes the sun, whoa, I love the sun, whoa whoa." Days Like This - by Shaun Escoffery

(I like the original video, but the remix of the song... you can decide for yourself which you prefer! )

Original


 
Remix
 

Friday, February 26, 2010

Going Insane

According to Webster's Dictionary, insanity is formally defined as:
 Insanity:
n - a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as schizophrenia), such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civil responsibility, extreme folly or unreasonableness

Or as Albert Einstein puts it: 
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
 
I prefer his definition, such a genius in so many ways that man!!  I've been thinking about this a lot, not only in my own life, but in others... and I wonder, are we all insane in some ways??  We wait for people to change, we keep trying the same things and wonder why things never change...  but in some ways maybe insanity is the only way to get anywhere.
 
I mean, I've tried some things over and over and gotten different results, so maybe sometimes insanity pays off.  I've taken chances that even I knew were insane... but I've always been glad I did, even if the results weren't what I was looking for, I was grateful.  So is it the action or the expectation that makes you insane... the result or what you do make of it?

There is someone in my life who keeps doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results... now they're starting to have more severe consequences.  And though I can see the insanity, I can also see the way these things just seem to find this person... Is our insanity more like a groundhog day... something we need to keep doing to get a different result?  Or is it something we are manifesting into our lives, and until we can shift the focus of our energy, the cycle will keep repeating... driving us insane?!

Insanity comes in all shapes and situations, and affects everyone in different ways... there are many reasons that we keep ourselves in these insane patterns... laziness, stubbornness, stupidity... or maybe if we're just insane enough, we might eventually get a different result!


Today's Silver Lining:

"And I’m giving all my love to this world, Only to be told, I can’t see, I can’t breathe, No more will we be,
And nothing’s going to change the way we live, ’Cause we can always take but never give, And now that things are changing for the worse, See, whoa, it’s a crazy world we’re living in, And I just can’t see that half of us immersed in sin, Is all we have to give these, Futures made of virtual insanity now, Always seem to be governed by this love we have for, Useless, twisting, of our new technology, Oh now there is no sound, for we all live underground." Virtual Insanity - by Jamiroquai


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j-CjgSMtcs

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Making a Mess

Sometimes when I think too much I start to feel like my life is a mess.  I start to try to rationalize the decisions I've made in my life and feel like they don't make sense.  I wonder where I'm going, what I'm doing and why I can't seem to just be 'normal'...  I listen to what others say about just settling down, getting a job, starting a family and think maybe that they're right and that does make more sense... 

Then I remember who I am, all I've been able to do and learn in my life, the freedom, true freedom I have, and the genuine peace I've found... and I know in my heart that I wouldn't want it any other way.  It's not always easy following your intution, taking risks, and going againt the norm... but it's always worth it!!  And although my life may seem like a mess according to the standard, it feels wonderful to live it... and I'm grateful for being able to!!  I am grateful to be able to go out in search of more than I've been told is there... I'm grateful that I can live as I choose and not as I'm told.  I read a great article by Andrew Cohen that says:

Evolution is a messy process. So anybody who really wants to make the effort to strive for something new is going to have to be willing to make mistakes, take wrong turns, even to fail, but never give up. The simple truth is this: if not failing is more important to you than genuinely succeeding, you’re never going to make it. If you really want to succeed, you have to have the big heart, heroic will, tenacity, courage, and commitment to fearlessly engage with the evolutionary process until something profound, mysterious, and extraordinary happens that cannot be undone.


Amen to that!!!  So here's to making a mess and loving it!!
 
Today's Silver Lining:
 
"I am no Superman, I have no reasons for you, I am no hero, Oh, that's for sure, But I do know one thing,
Is where you are is where I belong, I do know where you go, Is where I want to be, Where are you going?
Where do you go? Are you looking for answers, To questions under the stars? Well, if along the way, You are grown weary, You can rest with me until, A brighter day and you're okay."  Where are you Going - by The Dave Matthews Band






This is the magazine the article is from, full of great stuff!!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

You've Got the Whole World In Your Hands

When you change your mind, you change the world... really. When you change, it's because the world is changing... and then you change it. Everything, everything, matters.... which is why you don't need to take anything too seriously. You create everything in your world... good, bad, rainy, funny... so you can't possibly make a mistake because there are no limits... but your fate is already set. And it changes with every move you make, but no matter what you do the result is always the same, as it should be. We are all one, and everything you do affects the whole, and vice versa...So have faith in the universe, your life is in your hands. Doesn't seem to make much sense when you think about it does it?



Trust me, I've thought about it a lot. Lately though, I've just let go of it, believed it, and wouldn't ya know... I've found it's all true!! We are all one, and I am a part of that one. Everything I do changes the world... *... that star just changed the world. Yep... it's the truth. And there are many books that explain it, and they all make soooo much sense... and they all contradict each other... and they are so full of this juicy profound enchanting information... and they all are the same... and they are all there in the exact moment I need them... and they are all color coordinated on my bookshelf because that makes me smile... and at the end of the day, that's all that really matters.


Being able to just be happy. Getting you. Going with your flow. Not having to figure it all out logically, but just getting the feeling of it all.  Being present, aware, and respectful, but true to you. Surrounding yourself with things that are practical for your world... even if those things include a rubber ducky, a kite, a slinky, a room full of salt and pepper shakers, glitter, or a barrel of monkeys. Marching to the beat of your own drummer, even if others look at you like you're out of step.   Doing whatever makes you feel like you're growing and learning and loving.  We're all so different which is what makes us all the same.

So it's good to read and learn and explore, but don't take it all too seriously... after all you're only changing the world! : )

Today's Silver Lining:

"OH! Rubber Ducky, Your the one, You make bath time, Lots of fun! Rubber Ducky, I'm awfully fond of you! (bobobodeo) Rubber Ducky, Joy of joy, When i squeeze you you make noise, Rubber Ducky, You're my very best friend its true!" Rubber Ducky- Sesame Street


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

All Aboard

Bliss is it... Right now, right here.  You have eveything you need to get here, to be here... so where are you?  Are you where you want to be?  Sometimes we seek answers, and ask for help, but then we don't like what we are told.  We complain that life is unfair, yet don't do anything to change it.  Happiness seems to be the place we all want to be, and though our ride is here waiting... we feel stuck.

We try something that we thought would take us there and got nowhere.  The thing is we keep looking around, instead of within.  There's a great line I read that says, "Go within, or go without."  So simple, so true... so how do we get within??  Amma tells this story about how we can all get to the same location in many different ways, by boat, train, plane, foot, car, rickshaw... and no matter which way we choose, or how long it takes from where we are, we will all arrive at the same destination.  It is the same in life, depending on where we are, we have to figure out what will work for us, and not compare ourselves to others.  Sometimes it's hard to know because we think it should be a certain way.  We keep trying to get there our way, and keep failing, and lose hope. We keep calling for the taxi, but if it's not yellow, we don't get in.  We blame it on everything and everyone but ourselves... here's a great example:

It had been raining for days and days, and a terrible flood had come over the land. The waters rose so high that one man was forced to climb onto the roof of his house.


As the waters rose higher and higher, a man in a rowboat appeared, and told him to get in. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the man in the rowboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters rose higher and higher, and suddenly a speedboat appeared. "Climb in!" shouted a man in the boat. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the man in the speedboat went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.

The waters continued to rise. A helicopter appeared and over the loudspeaker, the pilot announced he would lower a rope to the man on the roof. "No," replied the man on the roof. "I have faith in the Lord; the Lord will save me." So the helicopter went away. The man on the roof prayed for God to save him.
The waters rose higher and higher, and eventually they rose so high that the man on the roof was washed away, and alas, the poor man drowned.

Upon arriving in heaven, the man marched straight over to God. "Heavenly Father," he said, "I had faith in you, I prayed to you to save me, and yet you did nothing. Why?" God gave him a puzzled look, and replied "I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more did you expect?"
How many rides have we missed because we're too busy looking for what we think we should see?  Where do we look to see inside?  Smile.... Right now..... Smiling always helps to ease tension, and if it doesn't for you... Smile bigger, because you can...... because bliss is it, and there are many ways to get there, but you've gotta get on board somewhere, so pay attention, be open to recieve... you never know what you'll find to take you on your way!! : )


Today's Silver Lining:


"I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine, On a cloud of sound I drift in the night, Any place it goes is right, Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here, Well, you don't know what we can find, Why don't you come with me little girl, On a magic carpet ride, You don't know what we can see,
Why don't you tell your dreams to me, Fantasy will set you free, Close your eyes girl, Look inside girl,
Let the sound take you away."  Magic Carpet Ride- Steppenwolf

Monday, February 22, 2010

Bedsheet Sails


In life you've gotta do what you can, where you are, with what you've got.  You've also gotta believe in what you can, where you are, despite what you've got.  As we get older this seems to get harder and harder... we believe less and want more... Do less and think more.  When did we stop using our imagination and taking the time to enjoy things rather than judge them?

 I was in line at Trader Joes Today and there was a mother in front of me with her little boy.  He was surrounded by his toys and playing with a bag of chips.  "No matter how many expensive toys he gets, he always finds something else to play with," his mother laughed. 

I remember those days, using my moms old sheets to build hammocks in trees and boat sails in my room... Turning toilet paper rolls into bedazzled pencil holders... Turning into a mermaid every time I jumped into the pool... Always putting the extra in front of ordinary... making life extraordinary!!!

Sometimes we limit ourselves based on knowledge, past experience or judgements... We don't allow ourselves to see the extra in the ordinary because we take ourselves too seriously as 'grownups.'  We think how silly would we look singing in the rain, playing with a floating flower, dancing on a park bench, with a box of crayons on our desk... instead of how good all of these things could make us feel.

When we open up to our dreams, let our imaginary friends have a say in our realities, suddenly our dreams start to become truth, because we believe again.  We see things not as they should be, but as they could be, and suddenly they are. We look beyond what we're told and find what we love.  Rather than complaining about all the things we don't have and waiting for all the things we want, if we take the time to appreciate and utilize all we have we might be surprised.  It's like when you have no food left and haven't done groceries, and then end up making this delicious meal using the things you'd overlooked until then.  How many things in life do we overlook that could be more than we see them as... how many situations are full of opportunities we never create because we are too busy looking for something else.  Try looking at things, people, places, situations, the sky and whatever else you can in a new light today. What else is there?  Maybe you'll find the thing you've been looking for has been here all along... Or maybe you'll find what has been looking for you.

When you spy with your middle eye, there is always enough, there is always something new, there is always a silver lining, there is always a way to make a boat out of a bed sheet.







                                                                                                           Today's Silver Lining:

"Before you met me i was a fairy princess, I caught frogs and called them prince, And made myself a queen,
Before you knew me i traveled 'round the world, I slept in castles and fell in love, Because i was taught to dream, I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top, To capture Tinkerbell, They were just fireflies to the untrained eye, But i could always tell, I believe in fairy-tales and dreamers dreams like bed sheet sails, And i believe in peter pan and miracles, And anything i can to get by, And fireflies."  Fireflies- by Faith Hill








  Here's the song and CD, such a good one!!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Love Maybe

I'm at that age where everyone is waiting for me to find true love, get swept away, married, and live happily ever after.  Funny thing I'm also at a place in my life where love has become so much deeper to me than something you write in a card on Valentines day.  It isn't something that can be understood through a definition...


Love: n- a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person, affectionate concern for the well-being of others, Chiefly Tennis. a score of zero; nothing.

Love: v- to have love or affection for, to need or require; benefit greatly from


That is like trying to explain what sugar tastes like to someone who's never had anything sweet. Love isn't something I seek from people anymore, it's something I give and in turn receive... It's something I see in places I least expect... It's more than a verb... It's what life is made of... It's the opposite of fear... It's constantly evolving... It is infinite... It's something I am constantly learning more and more about, and realizing how little I know. So what is love? Where is love? I'd like to think the answers are everything and everywhere... but there are no exact answers in/of/about/to love. So I've realized love today will not look the same as love tomorrow, that there are no boundaries in love only moments, and what we label as in love can be out of many other things. So... is there a love actually?  Maybe.


Maybe, love is simple, and as easy as it should be... and one day a boy will sweep my off my feet and just like a fairytale, I will fall hopelessly in love, and I will be loved in return... courted, taken care of, and safe in the strong arms of a man who may as well be a prince and we will live happily ever after.

Maybe.

Or perhaps after years of searching and wishing and waiting I will finally have an epiphany, and realize what life is all about... I will do all the things I've dreamed of, I will wear long flowing skirts that blow in the breeze as I walk along the beach every night, and create art in life's most simple moments... I will learn to love myself and finally feel content.

Maybe.

Then again perhaps this confusion about love is all part of life, and it will remain in various forms throughout my life as my love continues to evolve and change... it will inspire me, enrich my soul and create my dreams, it will keep me burning to be a better person and though I will never arrive at a destination... I will have a fabulous journey.

Maybe.

Or maybe, just maybe I will never know what love actually is, but I will always have it... maybe I will learn to stop looking so hard for answers, because I will stop asking questions, and instead create bliss and love in each moment.

Maybe...

Today's Silver Lining:

"Some people go around the world for love, but they may never find what they dream of, What you won't do, do for love, You've tried everything but you don't give up, In my world only you makes me do, For love what I would not do." Bobby Caldwell






Saturday, February 20, 2010

Home Sweet Home...

I'm home after my trips to LA and Chicago.  While in Chicago I kept referring to LA as home, in LA I couldn't wait to get back to my home in Vegas.  Now that I'm here, I've heard news that makes me consider going home again... to FL.  So.  Where is my home?  In me... I AM home... right now, always, no matter where my gypsy spirit flies me away to. 

As I lay in my comfy bed, with my easily accessible computer, in my snuggly robe, with plenty of time and space to write and free my mind... I will say that this home is a nice place to be right now, and much easier for me to focus on what is and not miss tomorrow or hope for the past and just do this.  Write... and breathe.  Aaaaah.  Thankyou.  Thankyou for bringing me home again Vegas, who'd have thought it would take the city of lights to show me the light.  Adorable, really.  Time to shine.

Today's Silver Lining:

"This is my temporary home, It's not where I belong, Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through, This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going, I'm not afraid because I know, this is my, Temporary Home."  Temporary Home- by Carrie Underwood

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Explanation is the Enemy of Freedom

There is a popular saying that states:

"Expectation is the enemy of freedom."
 Now, I agree with this entirely.  When you have those great plans in your head, you limit the possibilities for your reality to create, and often end up disappointed.  Going into things with expectation doesn't give the moment a chance to allow whatever is best for you now, and instead, counts on your idea of what was.

I have tried to let go of many expectations in life, and when I do I am always glad I did... and when I don't I'm usually laughing at myself for making things so difficult.  Lately though, the thing that's been getting me more than my expectations, are other peoples expectations of me, and my need for an explanation.  Every time someone asks me why I'm doing something, or what I want to do, I feel I need to explain myself... but not only explain, justify my reasoning.  We are born wanting to know why... Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green?  Why do birds sing?

The thing is, I'm not really sure how to explain, to others, or myself, a lot of the why's?  This is a real challenge for me because although I've been going through a major transition for a while, (and I will always be growing and changing in some form),  I was in India and Asia, where people are all doing that and don't ask why.  Now I'm trying to figure things out here; to trust, follow the signs, take chances, sit still, run faster, do, be, stop knowing... and no matter what I come up with, none of my explanations seem genuine.  They don't seem to explain much... they only seem to limit my experience and surrender my power into the hands of the questions they're trying to satisfy.

Then I realized how many why's I have tried to answer, that are really beyond explanation... and when I stopped expecting an explanation, I found the answer was simple... because it is. My own answers are no different, I don't need to explain what I am doing, I just need to live in a way that the why's explain themselves.   It's not important what you do, it's important why you do.  So even if you can't explain your why's; be love, be truth, be light... and then you will be why.


Today's Silver Lining:

"I wrote these words for everyone who struggles in their youth, Who won't accept deception, in--instead of what is truth, It seems we lose the game, Before we even start to play, Who made these rules? We're so confused, Easily led astray, Let me tell ya that...Everything Is Everything, What is meant to be, will beAfter winter, must come springChange, it comes eventually." Everything is Everything- by Lauren Hill 

Monday, February 15, 2010

Highs and Lows

I'm in Chicago with my Aunt and her adorable family.  Its snowing, and because I don't live in snow, I still think its a treat!  We got up and went to volunteer with the kids, went to lunch, walked around the shops downtown, played glow in the dark golf, then came home and made some yummy wholesome dinner.  As we all sat down for dinner and gobbled up the delicious food, my aunt asked the kids the same question she'd asked the night before, "Okay kids, what are your highs and lows?"  We went around the table and everyone says their high and low points from the day.  We all said the helping with the kids, golf, and dinner as highs, the kids low was going back to school, and I couldn't think of one today... but to me just the highs and lows was a bonus high... It was so cool to just be with a family that eats together and shares like that.

I asked my aunt later in the night how long they had been doing the highs and lows.  She told me a while, and that its just a way to be grateful for things and when you say your highs, your lows don't seem as big of a deal.  It was true, saying all of those highs really made me grateful, more grateful then I was already!  It kinda reminded me of the silver lining, my way of finding the highs of the day, when the lows suddenly seem to fade.

My Uncle Matt is a pilot, so he got home later in the evening and we were talking, and I don't remember exactly what we were saying about the day, something about some of the people I met or something... but he said something like, after all this you're never gonna come back, half kidding... The funny thing is, it was seeing the highs and lows of things that really made me love it here. There are some things we want so badly, but they will never make us happy and then there are those random moments when the kids are being kids and get upset when they're losing a game, the crazy people every town has who add some sort of drama, the running from one place to the next trying to fit too much in, the way parents handle their kids and the tricks they create that are so brilliant, goodnight routines kids create that are so loving and priceless... Unplanned little things that weave together to form this beautiful life.  Those are the things you may not remember to put on a wish list, but they touch you in a way you'll never forget.  Those are the highs and lows that we forget about unless we take the time to remember... And when we do, we're suddenly back on a high.

Today's Silver Lining:

"Oh you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need." You Can't Always Get What You Want- by The Rolling Stones

Sunday, February 14, 2010

New Message

Everywhere we look these days there are things trying to change our mind, get our attention, pull at our heart strings... everywhere we look there seems to be a new message waiting to be heard:

Lose Weight.  Go Green.  Buy More.  Think Less.  

Be like Mike, or whoever it is these days.
They're put everywhere, on signs, TV, the computer, on cars, t-shirts, bus stops, even other messages have messages.  There is no denying that we are a heavily influenced era, but there are other messages too, ones we may not see as often, and ones we are sending.

Everything you say, do and think is a message to your being to your higher self.  It is your way of manifesting things into your life, it is your way of delivering what you are.  What kind of messages are you sending?  Ones of gratitude, complaints, fears, joys... what messages are you creating for others to see?  Ones of compassion, frustration, anger, love...

Try to send out a new message today and see what happens, whether it's to a person of just a message of thanks to yourself.  It's amazing how many people are listening, and ready to respond.


Today's Silver Lining:

"I'll send an SOS to the world, I'll send an SOS to the world, I hope that someone gets my, Message in a bottle."  Message in a Bottle- by Sting and the Police

Saturday, February 13, 2010

A Living Truth

Today was the memorial for my deep, insightful, highly misunderstood friend Justin.  I was sad going there... I suddenly got that weird feeling, like the one you get when you're about to jump out of a plane and you feel the wind and it makes your stomach twist.  It hit me that he was gone.  I still had so much to tell him, so much to ask him, so much left unsaid.  I knew deep down, as I always did even if we hadn't spoken, that he already knew what I had learned and we both had the same answers we were seeking.

When I got there, and saw all of his beautiful art, photos of him and his amazing smile, and all the people he had chosen to teach and share his magic with, I couldn't help but feel a little inspired and happy for him.  The boy knew he was going to go young, from our first conversation, to the last we talked about things that other people would find odd or worry about, but we both just somehow got about life, and the transfer out of it.  

And wow did he live!!  He lived more in his 27 years than most do with 80.  He did everything he felt passionate about, from acting, painting, skating and music, to trying and show people a bigger picture, one painted with truth and light... One far too radical for most.  His ideas were way ahead of our time, but created at the time we need them most.  Ideas like being love, repenting for our normalcy, and the unity of things... How we can't believe everything people tell us and we need to live our truth and, "breed peace."

The truth is always hard to swallow when it involves admitting to your own lies.  Most judged him, thought he had problems... Those who refused to see things as they were and instead as they ought to be.  I know he didn't blame them for it, or judge them... Its hard to make sense of what is beyond logic, and he knew that. But he got it.  He was it... He is it.

When I look at all he did, all he said and how he lived... LIVED what he loved, it makes me glad to be one of the lucky ones left to keep shining his light.  It shows that it is possible to walk the walk, to do and not just say, to be and not just try... To love with no expectation.

So I left full of gratitude, that he did it his way, with intention, and awareness.  That he left the world better than it was before, and that is exactly how he would want to leave it... Knowing that, I was able to muster up a smile and leave knowing that his energy is as alive as ever in all of the people he inspired in his life, who will continue to inspire because of him in their lives.



Today's Silver Lining:


"Smile when you're heart is aching, Smile even though its breaking, when there's a cloud in the sky you'll get by, if you smile through your pain and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll know that life is still worth while, if you just smile." Smile- by Michael Jackson

Friday, February 12, 2010

Chicago



Wearing warm hats is a must to fit in!!

Today's Silver Lining:

"Chicago, Chicago--that toddlin' town.
Chicago, Chicago--I will show you around. I love it.
Bet your bottom dollar you'll lose the blues in Chicago, Chicago.
The town that Billy Sunday couldn't shut down." Chicago- by Frank Sinatra

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Just a Single Silver Line

A great quote I heard today:

"Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed."

Sometimes it's the simple things...

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

All or Nothing

In life, there is very rarely a middle ground worth taking... lukewarm is not pleasing to the palate, it's gotta be hot or cold.  So many times we try to wait and see, take the easy way, the safe way... we try to compromise what we know is right because neutral has better odds of fitting into our plan.  I have learned that sometimes in life, you just gotta go all in.  You have to have real honest to goodness faith that life will take care of you.

Tonight we played some blackjack, and I won a couple, lost a couple, then I was down to $30 and I had a feeling to go all in.  The dealer dealt the cards, my first card, a queen, my 2nd one face down.  Before he flipped it he asked, "So do you think it was it worth it?"  To which I replied, "It's always worth it to give it all you got."  He flipped my card, and whadda ya know, an ace!! 

Now, I'm not saying you need to go put all your money down, or do anything drastic, but there are times in life where you just know, there's a risk that needs taking.  Whether it's a move, telling someone how you feel, or a game of Blackjack, you just know that at that moment, it's not about if you win or lose, it's about if you play, and if you have the faith to go all in.

The thing is, in moments like that when we trust, when we take a chance without a doubt, we've already come out on top, because the real victory is in going for it.  Even if I had lost, I would've been okay with it, because I did what I had to do... and that my friends, is part of playing the game of life. 

So... take a chance, take that leap, JUMP... and see how life catches you; the net may appear... but if you're really lucky, you just might grow wings : )

Today's Silver Lining:

"You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away and know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.  Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin', Is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep. 'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser, And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep." The Gambler- by Kenny Rogers

Monday, February 8, 2010

Looking for the Seal

I came across a story today that was cute and I can totally relate to: 
When the mother returned from the grocery store, her small son pulled out the box of animal crackers he had begged for, then he spread the animal shaped crackers all over the kitchen counter.


"What are you doing?" his mom asked.


"The box says you can't eat them if the seal is broken," the boy explained. "I'm looking for the seal."

I feel like I am always looking for the seal, and people are trying to show me the right seal to check. There are so many times when we try to follow what we think are the directions, and have an Amelia Bedelia moment. We misinterpret what we are supposed to do based on what our perspective is, convinced it will get us to where we are going. Just like the little boy, we are looking for the seal, just not the one that was intended... however that doesn't make it wrong.

We see things the way we do for a reason.  Those moments we spend looking for our seal, though to others appear wrong, help us find whatever seal is intended for us.  They allow us to be who we are and find things others wouldn't... to see things for what they mean in our lives.  They keep us innocent and childlike.  They show us what we want to see, magic.  If we just set our mind free, and look from within, things are a lot different than they appear and anyway can be the right way : )


Today's Silver Lining, (one of my all time favorites!!!):


"All of us were ordinary compared to Cynthia Rose, She always stood at the back of the line, A smile beneath her nose, Her favorite number was 20 and every single day, If U asked her what she had for breakfast, This is what she’d say, Starfish and coffee, Maple syrup and jam, Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine, And a side order of ham, If you set your mind free, baby, maybe you’d understand, Starfish and coffee, Maple syrup and jam."  Starfish and Coffee - by Prince


Sunday, February 7, 2010

Follow Your Instinct

I'm not very knowledgeable about football stats.  I know the basics, but I'm no pro, especially as far as making bets go... But for some reason I wanted to bet on the Saints this year.  Not only that they would win, but by at least 11 points.

Now, I should have just placed the bet, but instead, I asked opinions of people who I thought had more knowledge of this kinda stuff.  I was told that was a gimmick bet.  I was told to just bet the odds, and bet on the Colts... by several people.

Now the one thing I did stick to was to bet on the Saints, but I bet less and just on the odds.  Well whadda ya know, the Saints won 31-17, by 14 points.  And even though I won, I feel like I lost, because I didn't listen to myself.

Now, of COURSE there's a silver lining here... haha!!  And for me, it was that it's okay to do what I feel even when others tell me their opinion, and try to explain why mine is not logical or right in their eyes.  It reminded me why I live like I do, and that it's not until my game is over, that people will understand.  Until then, I need to trust myself, my angels, my guides and God, to know what's best for me, and not what makes sense to everyone else.

So thanks to all my Divine guidance for getting me here, this time, I'm all in!!!

Today's Silver Lining:

"Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew, When I bit off more than I could chew, But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall, And did it my way. I've loved, I've laughed and cried, I've had my fill - my share of losing. But now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing. To think I did all that, And may I say, not in a shy way - Oh no. Oh no, not me. I did it my way.  For what is a man? What has he got? If not himself - Then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels And not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows, And did it my way."  My Way- by Frank Sinatra

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Balloons over Vegas Blvd make me smile!!

Being Happy

Sometimes in life it's not until you stop trying to find things and figure everything out that you begin to really appreciate life and all it has to offer... sometimes when you are trying to get away from it all, you finally find it, and realize it has been there all along... disappointments may still linger, but they now make sense, and seem like gifts. They become part of you and you realize that you aren't all positives or negatives and you never will be and that is okay... you realize you aren't crazy you're human, and so are all these other people that surround you.

It is when you are wanting, that you are constantly unhappy until that want is filled... you are waiting for the chance to be happy. And when you get that want, and you have a moment where the want is gone, and that feeling is labeled as 'happy.' However, when that wanting is not an issue to suppress, and you are suddenly just grateful for what you have, and trust what will be, than you are always in that happy place. When you finally let go, your hands are open to receive all the happiness they can hold!!

 You find good in places you never thought you would, and you are finally aware of how great being you is, not concerned or afflicted or cautious, but alive and present and so content that you are unaware of anything else... other people's reactions to you, what they are doing; better or worse, what you need, what you want... because all of a sudden, it's all taken care of. Rather than compete with the world you join the team and start to cheer everyone else on.

Life, it's the most complex form of simplicity unknown to man.... it is beautiful and everything else that comes out of beauty... it is rainy, windy, cold, and alone... but with a good book, tasty cup of tea, warm comfy clothes, and a person that you couldn't live without, yourself.

You can't get happy, you can only be happy!!  Try it, you'll be happy you did : )

Today's Silver Lining:

"And there are some who say there are so many things I need, So I run or I fight and I crawl or I scream and I bleed, I bleed, I bleed.  Well it's a lie, it's a lie-don't you believe it, If you're fine, then you're fine-it's all how you see it, Oh, there will never be no conspiracy of happiness,  I'm on a high, on a high, There's nothing more to it, I have the sun, it's a star, Why should I refuse it? And there are so many reasons I could give you why I should be down, There's not enough money or time and my love, you're not around, around, around."   On a High- by Duncan Sheik

Friday, February 5, 2010

Don't Stop, Believe-In

Lately, I really like looking into definitions.  Especially those of things I've only defined by my own experience and beliefs... I found that though many of the definitions are quite obvious, sometimes putting them in simple words, seeing them for what they are changes how I view them, and what I believe them to be.  So, what exactly does it mean to believe in something?


Believe: v.  accept as true; take to be true; be confident about something; follow a credo; have a faith

I believe in things,
Colors, smells, feelings they inspire,

I believe in what I feel,
more often than not it is real,

I believe in life, and in living it,
In loving it, and things it includes,

I believe in change,
I believe it leads to success,
It leads to fresh new drops of life,
Pouring from infinite skies,

I believe that things happen,
For a reason, in good time, and eventually...
If you believe them to,

I believe in love,
Despite recent loss, and pain,
With no proof or evidence,
But with a great faith...

I believe in faith,
I have to, it is hope,
It is the opposite of knowledge, but just as real,
It is truth, it is what I am,

I believe in Happiness,
The fun and laughter, and sadness and tears,
that lead to joy and real love,
Real life, and emotion,

I believe in reality,
It will find me one day, and I will become active in it,
I will dream what I now do,
And embrace that which I now fear,

I believe in you.
I believe in me.
I believe in God.
And that we are limitless...
Bound only by belief.

I am grateful for the change,
of mind, heart, and faith
That keeps me believing.

______________________________________________________


“Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning.” -Mahatma Gandhi

“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.” -Joan of Arc




Today's Silver Lining:

"Some will win, Some will lose, Some were born to sing the blues, Oh, the movie never ends, It goes on and on and on and on, Don't stop believin', Hold on to the feelin', Streetlights, people, ohhhhh, Don't stop believin', Hold on." Don't Stop Believing - by Journey

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Life or Death

Death: n.  the event of dying or departure from life; the permanent end of all life functions in an organism or part of an organism; the absence of life; the time when something ends.
I've always found it odd that we encouraged people to live like they were dying, not much life left at that point.  It clearly states, "departure from life." And yeah, I get it, do the things that you've always wanted to do, but isn't that what life is for?  To fill it's pages with stories and pictures right up til the part where it reaches, The End.  Why do we have to wait for things to end, to begin?

I know we live in a time where procrastination is thriving, where things are always put off til the very last minute... and I'm no exception to the rule, but if it wasn't for the last minute, would anything get done?

It seems we are ok with letting things wait until everything is perfect; til we're ready, older, have enough money.  The thing is, tomorrow never comes.  I'm not saying to drop your responsibilities and go sail around the world, (although that is a good idea if you're into it, hehe), but there are little things we can make time for everyday.  There are things we can make happen regardless of work ,or money, or time.  Buy yourself that new music you've been wanting.  Go to eat somewhere you've been waiting to try.  Call that person you're always too busy to talk to.  Start that new hobby/ project you keep putting off til you have time. Check flights to that place you've been wanting to go.

Life: n. the period from the present until death; the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities; the course of existence of an individual; the actions and events that occur in living; the period during which something is functional

So maybe it's time for us to start a new motto: Live like it's your life! Make a bucket list with all the things you want to do now, and cross one off everyday. This will change the way you live, and give you at least one thing to be thankful for each day.

*Side effects may include: being pleasant to the people you interact with, being there for people when they need you, listening... really listening to people, smiling for no reason, random acts of kindness, a decrease in the intake of TV.

                                        So, what's first on your list?


Today's Silver Lining:
 
"So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin, You're waiting for someone to perform with. And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do, The movement you need is on your shoulder." Hey Jude- by the Beatles

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

For the better

I had a friend pass away today that I hadn't talked to in a while and that made me sad.  He was an amazing person... people thought he was crazy because they didn't understand him, which is why we got along. 

It was just a reminder to me that it's always a good idea to call someone if they're on your mind, say sorry if you need to, and just be grateful for the people who you have in your life.  No matter how long it's been or what has happened along the way, people are in your life for a reason, and just knowing them somehow changes you, even if it's in a way you may never realize.  I realized today that some of the things I understand, are based on fundamentals I explored with him.
So Justin, thanks, for always being you, someone I understand. 

Today's Silver Lining:

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason... Bringing something we must learn, and we are lead, to those who help us most to grow if we let them... and we help them in return."  For Good- Wicked the musical

Things I LOVE right now

* Unsweetened Green Tea from Trader Joes

*EnlightenNext Magazine

*My fuzzy pink and White stripped socks

*Voluspa Candles

*My new yoga class

*Sending people cards in the mail

*Having the house to myself

*Old Pictures

*Krishna my Fish

*My family

*Reuniting with long lost friends

*Skype

*Listening to Lelia tell me fun stories

*Writing in my blog

*The effects of gratitude


Today's Silver Lining:

"My moon, my man, So changeable and, Such a loveable lamb to me, My care, my coat, Leave on a high note, There's nowhere to go but on." My Moon My Man- by Feist

Monday, February 1, 2010

Take the Time to Change... (and read this, hehe)

Tonight I watched FOOD Inc and started crying.  I was so sad, then angry, then furious!!  Not so much because any of the information was so surprising, but more so at how hopeless it made me feel.  At how mechanical we've allowed ourselves to become.  We pollute, manipulate and destroy what has been perfectly created to function for the world and everything in it, and for what, to save a dollar?  In the words of BJ Palmer:
"One reason why the dollar will not do as much as it used to is that many people do not want to do as much for a dollar."
We want everything to be value priced, but we become less and less willing to put in effort to get it. I was watching the way these living animals were being produced and treated, and realized we are no different.  One of the chicken farmers says, "We aren't really producing chickens, we are producing food."  Well, we aren't really producing people, we are producing robots...We are taught what to think, feel, eat and do with our lives, and brainwashed into believing there is a definite right from wrong according to what everyone else says.  We are not as free as we think.

I looked at the smaller farmers who were losing traditions that had been passed down for generations, the beliefs that created the makeup of their DNA.  And again I realized, it's across the board, not just in food.  Drugs are being produced at an alarming rate for every minor thing that people don't like, regardless of the fact that prescription drugs are now the #3 killer of Americans!  Many jobs are being eliminated due to new products and technology.  We are still selling dreams to the youth of success and prosperity, but college graduates are a dime a dozen these days, and what's out there for them is becoming less specific and substantial, and many are doing whatever they can to get by.  I just read an article by Elizabeth Debold on women and our roles in society in which the author states:
"For how many thousands of years has a woman's reproductive role been the source of her value and identity?  But women no longer have this unique role to play in culture.  Bearing children has become optional- particularly for the most privileged among us.  Being a mate and mother, which has been the source of our dignity and standing in society since tribal days, is no longer an imperative. we are freed of the necessity to reproduce- liberated from our biological role- but the choices we've won have left us unmoored. Who are we or who should we be, now?"
Yes, we are amidst a great change, and although we are creating all these new advancements we are so proud of, we are also creating a new list of consequences.  No matter what you believe in, God, Buddha, Allah, or Scientology, you can't miss the fact that our bodies are these amazing machines that can heal and have been surviving, and thriving for thousands of years without ANY of these moderations.  Yes, we are constantly evolving, and I'm all for it, but why can't we evolve together?  And by together I mean, with our support system, the trees, animals, rivers and oceans that are a huge part of what keeps us alive.  We seem to forget that the one thing we ALL use more than anything else, the one thing we never seem to notice or be grateful for is the one thing that we would die without, oxygen.  We always take a breath assuming the air will be there, having faith in that, so why can we not trust in these other things far less important to our survival to do the same?  Why do we have to manipulate and recreate things that were serving their purpose, especially when we're harming our very existence in the process?!

I was at a chiropractic seminar and was listening to how many chiropractors were jailed for their natural and totally practical treatments, while drugs were being handed out left and right!!  I mean if we can be prescribed the same things we can also go to jail for having, there's gotta be something wrong there.  Now farmers are being put out of business and questioned for not using Genetically Modified Crops... I mean, when are we gonna WAKE UP???  We're being forced to buy into these things that are killing us to stimulate our economy.  Just as these genetically manipulated chickens can't keep up with the increased rate of their growth, neither can we.

So... "Now what?", I started thinking,  "How is there anyway I can even make a dent in this HUGE problem??"  And then it hit me.  I could start to change my habits!  Yes, I can get upset, and see the problem, but I AM also a part of it. I try to live a basically natural life, but I buy products that are enabling these conditions. I get lazy sometimes and  don't recycle.  I go for cheap, instead of substance.  I allow the fact that I am just one person enable me to think that what I do doesn't matter.  I go with what I've been told sometimes, rather than researching and making an informed decision for myself.  Another great quote by BJ Palmer states:
"It is a known and accepted fact that the process of learning is largely a process of unlearning."
Well, I couldn't have said it better myself.  That's basically what needs to happen, we all need to start unlearning all these things we were taught, and start realizing that mother nature does a pretty good job of taking care of her own.  We need to unlearn the belief that we are one up against millions, and replace it with the fact that we are part of the millions that create one!  We are all changing the world with every thing we do.  LITERALLY!  Everything we put in our mouth, on our bodies, or in our minds, is actually changing the world. 

So, going along with what I've already seen happen in my own life based on thoughts that create energy, I realized it's time to change my thoughts.  From focusing on the negatives of the corporations, to the positives of the individual.  The farmers markets that are all over the place, and how they've grown in popularity.  The increase in sales of organic foods.  The mom and pop places that still exist due to their few loyal customers.  All the amazing parks and hikes that are preserved and beautiful as ever.  As Henry D Thoreau says:
"For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root."  
So yes, we could all bash the Food Industry, and many other modern additions, or we can be the change we want to create, rather than feeling helpless.  We still have a choice, we still have a mind that can look at the simple truths in life and see what REALLY makes sense in the long run.  What has made sense since the beginning of time.  We can start with very small and easy changes and in turn make a big impact on our life and the lives of those around us.  Find a local farmers market to get all your produce from.  Buy locally produced products.  Go to a Chiropractor and throw out your drugs. Try to create less waste.  Recycle.  Smile at people.  Go outside everyday, walk or ride your bike places if you can. Forgive people who have hurt you, including yourself.  Help people as much as you can, open a door, lend a hand, listen.  Laugh.  Plant a garden, or even buy a plant. Do one thing you love everyday, even if it's listening to your favorite song on your way home from work.  Surround yourselves with things and people that make you feel good. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Be thankful. Start NOW!
 
Yes there are lots of problems out there, but there are more of us, and WE are the solutions!
 
Daily Silver Lining:
 
"Me and all my friends, We're all misunderstood, They say we stand for nothing and, There's no way we ever could, Now we see everything that's going wrong, With the world and those who lead it, We just feel like we don't have the means, To rise above and beat it, So we keep waiting, Waiting on the world to change, We keep on waiting, Waiting on the world to change, It's hard to beat the system, When we're standing at a distance, So we keep waiting, Waiting on the world to change."- Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer