A Vestibule for Our Fear.

“You must not hate those who do wrong or harmful things; but with compassion, you must do what you can to stop them — for they are harming themselves, as well as those who suffer from their actions.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

I had a most interesting conversation with my workmate this morning. He had read an article indicating that the United States was fast becoming the most hated nation in the world.

More specifically, that hating America was, in a sense, becoming its very own 'religion.'

I can't imagine a darkness to this level. And, I can't imagine a heart so devoid of compassion that it would strike the arrow of hatred towards someone who's spirit is not yet even known.

To hate, without ever knowing why - my dears, that is the most frightening prospect of all.

Have we so hopelessly lost our connection to our "one human family" - that we allow Fear to determine our way forward?

My dears, yesterday evening...just before dawn...I heard the sound of gunshots breaking through the stillness of a cold winter night.

It was inside that moment, that a young boy died - his life's sum relegated to a simple news headline. 

My dears, I believe hatred is trying to destroy our 'view' - born of our deepest fears, and engaging a most primal instinct to fight.

But, what is it that we're so very afraid of? Is it the pain of life itself? Or, the uncertainty of death? Are we so paralyzed by our fear of the unknown - that we've left only one tiny, dark space for our spirit to go?

“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them.... I destroy them.” ~ Orson Scott Card

Or, can Fear become Compassion's vestibule?


My dears, what is it that you believe?

Russell Brand: The Only Thing That Matters to Any Of Us Is Love.

“What a privilege it was to edit the words of one of the greatest men of our generation.” ~ Timothy Shieff

 
Published on Nov 21, 2013 


This video is presented through the brilliant creative spirit of Timothy Shieff, who so painstakingly pieced together the better portions of  a most simple truth.

That, there is so very much we are unable to see – but, that doesn’t diminish the power of its presence.

Love permeates our every being… and underscore our every thought, every word…and every action.
We are not ever alone, my dears – rather, we are inseparably intertwined in this fabric of love.
Here’s a download link to the audio for you to carry with you, always.

https://soundcloud.com/timothy-shieff…

Much love, and namaste…my most beautiful friends.

And remember, through love all things are possible.

The Magic in a Snow Covered Day.

"She stuck her head out and took a deep breath. If she could eat the cold air, she would. She thought cold snaps were like cookies, like gingersnaps. In her mind they were made with white chocolate chunks and had a cool, brittle vanilla frosting. They melted like snow in her mouth, turning creamy and warm.”  ~ Sarah Addison Allen

Oh, it's a snow day here today - a day in which all offices are closed, and simply because a fine dusting of glorious white winter powder has fallen once again from the sky.

My own opinion is that those who govern the opening and closing of offices during these winter weather events are, actually, quite fond of building snow forts.

But, I digress... :)

When I was a little girl, we lived in an area referred to as, "The Snow Belt." From our house, we could see Lake Erie - who was a notoriously stormy vixen, who thought nothing of delivering a full two feet of snow in one single visit.

And, each year, my Mother would curse the foul, frigid sloppiness... 

Oh, but I...I could wait to find my way through those lofty drifts.

In those days, all we had to do was play - stopping only for a quick refuel, and just enough to get through the remainder of the day.

I do so love my winter days.

I love the sound of muffledness - the sound the earth makes when 'all tucked in.'

I love the sound of howling winds, and the creak-crack-shlooshing of ice-encrusted trees.

I love the way the flurries play, like little white house cats swirling around my legs.

And today, I watch in wonderment - as the this new snow gently forms against my window - 'politely begging entrance', and in the hopes that we might once again, play.

Oh, my dears..I do so love my winter days...and the long awaited arrival of Mother Nature's invitation to stay.

Video: Snow Circles (I might just try this today)


Snow Circles from Beauregard, Steamboat Aerials on Vimeo.

When the Path Becomes the Teacher.

 

“The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.” ― Paulo Coelho

And, isn't that just the most simple truth?

That we wish so much for only the best things in life, but are often too bothered to wait for their arrival?

And, when it so happens that it's not quite as expected...well, we tend to forget that sometimes the Universe has a much greater plan.

My dears, in life patience and courage go hand in hand - where one is absent, the other must stand.

We must have patience enough to realize, that nothing in this world happens by chance.

And, courage enough to know that no matter what, we will be ok.


Our spiritual path is often a long and winding road - and though, at times it may not yield precisely what we may have wanted... trust, my dears, that there is always a reason.

Because, isn't it true..that in the end, our spiritual path becomes our very best 'teacher'...?

That is, if we can learn to just simply let it...to let patience and courage go hand in hand.

Namaste, my most beautiful friends...and just for today, have a little faith, my dears -

Because, you see...your journey is only just beginning.

The Magic of Believing.

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” ― J.M. Barrie

When I was a little girl, I believed in Santa Claus.

In fairness, I also believed in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny...and that pixie dust could make you fly. But, the big guy and I...we had a very special bond.

It started one year, when I had been unfairly implicated in the breaking of my Dad's new staple gun. Tools were always 'off limits' in our house - and my brother, having been unceremoniously stripped of his 'youngest child' honors, was continuously on the look out for new ways to throw his baby sister under the proverbial bus.

It was the first time I had ever been in such 'very big' trouble.

I rehearsed my speech to the Big Guy for weeks - carefully reconstructing the true series of events, and in hopes that I might right the wrong of an unjust 'naughty' status.

And, as I hopped up onto his lap inside that crowded Higbees's department store - tears flowed, as I began to pour out my heart,

"My brother..." sniffle, snort, "is stupid."

Yes, after weeks of painstaking preparation - that's all this little heart could muster. I could feel the dark clouds of doom rolling in.

Not only had I botched the representation of my own case, but I had committed further trespass by revealing my true feelings about my brother.

But just as I began to run away, Santa pulled me in closer to say,  "Ah...it's a good thing Santa loves you anyway."

In those next few short minutes, he shared with me the meaning of Christmas - that we must always share of our hearts, and to believe in the greater good.

I've carried that lesson with me, even still to this day. As, it was the first time I recall understanding what it meant to believe.

When we are small, our beliefs are formed without prejudice and without those awful preconceived notions that are learned through our later years.

We believe without the complexity of having to ever know why.

And, when we believed - we believed with all of our heart; and without the expectation of 'something in return.'

But then, something happens...and our ability to believe, sadly changes.

We allow fear to take our willingness away.

My dears, we all feel the sharp pains of sadness. And we are all met, at times, with seemingly insurmountable odds. Challenge and hardship will always find us, and no matter how careful the planning.

But, isn't this where compassion begins? These events which humble us, which bring us to our knees ~ form the thread which connects all of humanity.

And, that is what helps to make our believing even stronger still.

My dears, it is belief that ignites the fire of our purpose. It defines us, carries us forwards...and guides us to the divine essence of that which we truly are.

When we believe in a cause, we fight for it.

When we believe in others, we support and uplift them.

Belief is the basis for all of our being. And, belief will defy any barriers that dare to stand in our way.

History is replete with stories demonstrating the power of belief in the saga for good.

Ghandi believed so very strongly in a free India, that he gave his very life to support the continuance of this most simple dream.

Martin Luther King, Jr. stood, unwavering, against the hostility of an entire nation - and for the single purpose that all men be treated as equals.

They did so because they believed in humanity...they believed in compassion.

They believed that with hope, all things are possible.

In 1948, author Claude Bristol wrote a most wonderful book entitled, The Magic of Believing. In it, he describes the common thread that connects all cultures and religions - that is, what you believe becomes your reality. It is the power of belief that shapes the form and patterns in our lives.

 My dears, what do you believe? If you could make one wish this year, what might it be?

And why, are you standing in possibility's way?


p.s. - I still believe in Santa Claus...and I think this year, I've made the nice list, once again.


Video: Charter for Compassion: Karen Armstrong

People want to be religious, says scholar Karen Armstrong; we should help make religion a force for harmony. She asks the TED community to help build a Charter for Compassion ~ to restore the Golden Rule as the central global religious doctrine.

Watch this most wonderful video, as author Karen Armstrong provides her wish for a much better world. 

A Little Something About Those Giant Singing Rabbits.

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” ― T.E. Lawrence

I've been having the silliest of dreams, as of late.

Nothing too serious, mind you....well, I suppose, that depends on how you feel about a six foot four inch, broadly grinning, Cabaret singing rabbit.

(insert 'jazz hands' here)

My dreams can often quickly venture into the space of 'that which just can not be.'

And yet, still I wake...so brilliantly refreshed. No cause for worry, or concern - no lingering doubts, or unsettledness.

Instead, I just simply stretched.

My dears, wouldn't it be wonderful if our 'waking dreams' could be this way? To turn off that inner dialogue with Impossibility, would be...in fact..a most amazing thing.

We humans are such odd creatures...embracing, without question, all that we see on the news - while our own dreams, we allow so easily to fade....having convinced ourselves that there's just no way.

You know, I used to think I was such a foolish child...always walking about with my head in the clouds.

But perhaps, it's quite the other way around...?

For those who'll let their dreams slip past....my dears, they are the greatest fools of all. 

Namaste, my most beautiful friends ~ and please excuse me, as I've a world to watch spinning 'round.. ;)

Video: The Fool on the Hill

If You Must...

If you must wait

Wait for them here in my arms as i shake

If you must weep

Do it right here in my bed as i sleep

If you must mourn my love

Mourn with the moon and the stars up above

If you must mourn

don't do it long

If you must leave

Leave as though fire burns under your feet

If you must speak

Speak every word as though it were unique

And if you must die sweetheart

Die knowing your life was my life's best part

If you must die

Remeber your life

(Beacause)

you are all

If you must fight

Fight with yourself and your thought in the night.

If you must work

work to leave some part of you on this earth

And if you must live darling one

Just live...

YOU from William Williamson on Vimeo.

Beware of the Second Arrow.

"We are not punished for our anger, we are punished by our anger. In other words, anger is its own karma." ~ Eknath Easwaran

A prominent Buddhist in our community was once given the task of lecturing a small group of students on the topic of pain. It was part of a larger lecture series on mindfulness. Sadly, as his talk was positioned to the end of the evening schedule - he was left with only just 10 minutes to speak.

It seems the other Buddhist lecturers were not so very mindful of time management.

But, I digress...

All eyes followed as he took his place at the podium. What could possibly be shared in the timespan of ten short minutes that would lend itself so fully to this topic of mindfulness?

And as he stood there shuffling his note cards, and stroking his beard in careful contemplation - with a knowing smile, he leaned forward to say,

"Beware of the second arrow."

He was referring to a concept in Buddhism called 'dukkha' - a Pali word that has been used to describe the spiritual side to trauma...the anxiety, the stress...the inescapable fear and loathing that captures our mind in an endless dialogue of dread.

These are the emotions which are built upon the stories we tell...and in most cases, form the basis of our own internal suffering.

In the United States, we tend to use pain and suffering interchangeably. But, the Buddha taught that there is a critical distinction between the initial pain brought about by an intensely damaging physical or mental event, and the pain we develop in reaction to that event.

The Buddha also taught that although pain is inevitable, there is a path that leads to the end of our suffering.

And, that path isn't wrapped up inside the perceived 'security' of our stories.

Neither is it nestled within the, 'what if' or 'what might have been'  scenarios.

Rather, the end of our suffering resides within our recognition of that which just simply is.

The flowers will bloom magnificently, and we will be honored by the grace of her fragrance. But, eventually the flower will wilt towards the earth.

Thus begins the cycle, once again.

"It's part of being human to feel discomfort. We don't even have to call it suffering anymore; we don't even have to call it discomfort. It's simply coming to know the fireyness of fire, the wildness of wind, the turbulence of water, the upheaval of earth, as well as the warmth of fire, the coolness and smoothness of water, the gentleness of the breezes, and the goodness, solidness, and dependability of the earth. Nothing in its essence is one way or the other. The four elements take on different qualities; they're like magicians. Sometimes they manifest in one form and sometimes in another.... The first noble truth recognizes that we also change like the weather, we ebb and flow like the tides, we wax and wane like the moon." ~Pema Chodron; "Awakening Loving-Kindness"

There is a most brilliant analogy to demonstrate this conflict of clinging. Clench a coin tightly in your first, and with palms upward - open your hand. Now do the same thing with your palm facing towards the ground.


In both cases, the coin is in your possession but how you hold it is up to you.

If you want to feel the true nature of happiness and bliss, you must find a way to leave behind the negativity of desire...to look deeper to where true contentment resides.

My dears, nothing in this world is ever permanent - and it's always our choice how we respond to that 'second arrow.'

Namaste and much love, my most beautiful friends. And remember, that which we allow is that which continues.

A Little Glimpse of Wonderful.

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” ~ John Lubbock

I happened upon the most delightful of stories this morning, one that so clearly demonstrated the capacity of all living things towards love.

When I was much younger, a 'well-intentioned' school teacher tried to convince me of something most absurd - that there was no such thing as a truly unselfish act.

We were discussing the works of author, Mark Twain. More specifically, his essay entitled, What is Man? - which so poignantly captures the dialogue between an idealistic youth, and a jaded old man.

It is a powerful analysis of the 'human condition' - begging further examination of man's motivation towards other men. The jaded old man, of course, arguing vehemently that all conduct stems from one single motive - that of self-satisfaction.

It was by far, Mark Twain's most spiritual, and philosophical book - which he ironically kept locked inside his desk, only to be published long after his death.

And, if the conversation I had on that day was any indicator - I could most certainly understand why.

We Southerners are quite skillful, you see, at shaking up the proverbial bees nest - and leaving before the welts have had their chance to form.

For some reason, I was reminded of our conversation this morning - and in watching this video.

I have always believed action to be a reflection of spirit - and that love, is the most powerful motivator of all.

But, what do you think?

My dears, are we so firmly bound by the destiny of genetics?

Or...is there something much greater coming into play?

VIDEO: How A Leopard Reacts When It Finds Out Prey Had A Newborn

Formed on the Wings of Happenstance.

 “Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

A friend sent something wonderful to me, just the other day. And though, we've only just really 'met' - in a sense, I feel I've known her forever.

Such is the nature of these such things...when friendships are formed on the wings of happenstance, and tucked inside the curious fold of this, the everlasting.

I have always been blessed in just this way...fate weaving it's threads through life's delicate sheers.

And I am left, always...so wonderfully amazed.

Fate will always find you, my dears. Even into the darkest hour...there she waits, "Hello, my friend...it's so good to see you once again."

And, with smiling eyes I shall return her glance...knowing Fate will soon  yield to Destiny's hand.

When we're able to give Fate her chance...we'll find a whole new world is born...right within our grasp.

Much love, and many blessings my dears ~ and may we be ever-mindful to the magic of happenstance.

Variation on a Theme by Rilke:

by Denise Levertov

"A certain day became a presence to me,
there it was, confronting me -- a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out; metallic -- or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what i heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can."

A Backdrop of Trees Along an Old Country Road.

“Some roads are so beautiful that you cannot know not whether you travel on the road or the road travels within you!” ~ Mehmet Murat ildan

I paused along a winding road this morning. It was wrapped within the loveliest of hues, and I so desperately needed to capture it. 

There's something about these magnificent scenes, that stop me dead in my tracks and steal my breath away. 

This path was no exception - as its branches bowed forward to pull me into the grace of its divine radiance. It's in this letting go that my spirit can truly 'dance.'

I've often wondered, what is it that brings these paths to life? 

To awaken our senses with child-like innocence and a hope that is everlasting? 

When something as simple as a splash of red can set our whole world back to 'right'?

And the backdrop of trees against an old country road, can remind us of the purpose of being alive.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn any negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown

And Now for Something Truly Wonderful.

“Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but from what we give.” ― Ben Carson

I was a little disheartened by the news headlines this weekend—frenzied shoppers toppling barricades, and all in the spirit of giving.

Why, just this morning I nearly lost a limb reaching over for that very last carton of milk - the other shopper, though slight in appearance, had claw-like daggers on her fingertips.

Sigh....just when did the act of giving become so darned competitive? Have we forever lost the true meaning of this holiday season?

I remember as a child waiting with great anticipation for Christmas - my Mother stealing away to the kitchen to begin her holiday baking ritual. She always stashed the very best cookies in a Charlie Chip can to the very back of the cupboard shelf. And, each year, my brother and I would stealthfully nibble our way through.

It wasn't until many years later, that I learned that these cookies to be the 'cast offs'...my Mother, it seems, was always one step ahead of my brother and I. 

And as for those Christmas tunes blaring steadily over the airwaves? In those days, the crackling and hissing of a roaring fire was all the 'music' we ever needed.

All year long, I would scrimp together whatever small change I could find ~ and, all in the hopes of bringing a smile. My Dad always made such a grande gesture, and no matter what the gift - "Oh, look at this," he would shout, "this is exactly what I needed."

You see, in those days...the holidays were more about the giving.

"O Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
 Where there is hatred, let me sow love;  
Where there is injury, pardon;  
Where there is error, truth;

Where there is doubt, faith;  
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;  
And where there is sadness, joy.    
For it is in giving that we receive;"

I suppose, it may seem rather odd for a hippie Buddhist like myself to be quoting scriptures - but, for some reason.. this one very much 'speaks' to me.

Perhaps, there's a reason to these few words finding me here? In hopes, that the 'gift' inside the giving may, once again, be found.

Because, my dears, it is through giving that we receive.

In closing, I hope you won't mind that I share with you this most beautiful story - of a young man, who in remembering his holiday's past, decided it was far time to do something about it.

This is the story of Dickon Johnstone, who sat outside a busy coffee shop, holding the following sign;

You see, he was also frustrated with the frenzy - and hoping so very much to make a difference.

At first, he was mistaken as a beggar - but, just watch as these faces begin to realize his kindness.

Much love, and many blessings ~ and may we all push aside this frenzy for awhile.

When We Are Awakening.

"Once the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment." ~ John O'Donoghue

Mornings are the very best time for me - this blissful solitude reaching me before the 'thinking' ever settles in.

Alone, and just simply being...I dare say, is the most wonderful feeling of all. Where beliefs may be formed before judgement steals them away? 

When we have this opportunity to stay...we find there's really nothing more than our own self getting in our 'selfly' sort of way.

Maybe this is the key to our awakening? When we realize tucked inside these moments right here, is the very spark that lights Passion's eternal flame?

My dears, when we are awakening...even the softest of breaths, has the capacity to take on an entirely new meaning.

And, when we are awakening...we find that even these, the emptiest of moments, are filled with quite nearly everything.

When we are awakening...we realize, the morning is here to greet us each day, with the knowledge that we are so perfectly limitless.

Much love, and many blessings, my dears ~ and know, that each day I am most grateful to awaken to you.

Video: Awakening

The True Meaning of Friendship.

 

 “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” ~ C.S. Lewis

’
I was so very proud of my daughter yesterday evening as we sat curled up and on our couch. We were settling into a night of ‘silly program watching’—something we do together when we feel our energy needs just a little ‘lightening.’

And, then it began—that god-awful buzz, buzz, buzzing of my daughter’s mobile phone text and email alerts.

Irritated, and in order to offer a bit of a ‘nudge,’ I said,

“You have so many friends. Do you know how many I have? Just, one.”

To which she replied, and without missing a beat, “And, do you know how many friends you really need, Mom? Just only one…to love.”

Yes, indeed—friendship is not measured in quantity, rather in the brilliance of that just only ‘one.’

It’s in that gentle extension of compassion and acceptance, and the sharing of that most unconditional kind of love.

And the unending offerings of trust and of hope, even when all other paths seem to fail.
But mostly, friendship is that sense of just knowing—knowing there’s no other who will care for you in much the same way.

She’s right, you know, my daughter..that is…all that we ever really need in this life, is that ‘just one’ the one that we love.

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” ~ Henri J.M. Nouwen

And so, that’s what the true meaning of friendship is—as told to me by my most brilliantly beautiful daughter.

May we all find our just ‘one’ to love.

Bonus Video: The Beatles, All You Need is Love.

 

My Favorite Buddhist Quote (by Someone I'll Bet You Didn't Realize Was Buddhist).

“Learning to let go should be learned before learning to get. Life should be touched, not strangled. You’ve got to relax, let it happen at times, and let others move forward with it.” ~ Ray Bradbury

Though he may often refer to God in his stories, Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles (as well as, 600 or so other odd stories) when interviewed on the occasion of his 90th birthday had this to say,


“I’m a Zen Buddhist if I would describe myself. I don’t think about what I do. I do it. That’s Buddhism. I jump off the cliff and build my wings on the way down.”
It’s one of my most favorite quotes regarding Buddhism, life, and the truest form of living. Not thinking, rather doing, and figuring it all out ‘on the way down.’
I have faced many challenges in my life. Some, a little more recent than those which have gone before them.

Nevertheless, with each new day—and, no matter how I may feel—I smile in the biggest and most special sort of ways. For you see, these days, I am smiling because I am grateful—grateful to simply greet and embrace each and every single one of my days.

And though, my mobility may be just a bit wobbly at times…like the bird, my wings are formed each time I leap from ‘life’s cliff’ and always before my feet hit the ground.

I take great comfort in this, most gentle ‘knowing’—this understanding, that no matter what, I’ll be, always, okay.

Namaste, my most beautiful friends—and remember, sometimes you’ve got to ‘leap’ in order to ‘fly.’

Grateful: A Love Song to the World ~ And, To All of You, As Well!

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." ~ Albert Schweitzer

My dears, I have been in a bit of a funk these past few days - owing to the longer hours, and limitations of the day.

It happens, you see ~ even to the best of us, the most hope-filled of souls. Because, my dears...we are, after all, just simply human.

And, what a most beautiful blessing this being human is.

With these eyes, we may see the true miracle of life - in all things, both great and small. A child's first steps, a heron's graceful path...or a simple kindness shared between friends.

With these hands, we may embrace this great earth ~ holding dearly to the promise of our future.

And, with this heart we may offer a love that is limitless.

Because, we are...my dears...so brilliantly and most perfectly human.

Amazing how quickly a stubborn mood might be lifted, with just a little nudge of 'consider what you've been given.'

My dears, I hope you'll enjoy the following video, entitled, "Gratitude: A Love Song to the World."

Musicians Nimo Patel and Daniel Nahmod brought together dozens of people from around the world to create this beautiful, heart-opening melody. Inspired by the 21-Day Gratitude Challenge, the song is a celebration of our spirit and all that is a blessing in life.

For the 21 Days, over 11,000 participants from 118 countries learned that "gratefulness" is a habit cultivated consciously and a muscle built over time.

As a famous Roman, Cicero, once said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others."

This soul-stirring music video, created within a week by a team of volunteers, shines the light on all the small things that make up the beautiful fabric of our lives.

Giving Thanks is the Highest Poetry.

 

“Stop this day and night with me and you shall possess the origin of all poems,
You shall possess the good of the earth and sun.... there are millions of suns left,
You shall no longer take things at second or third hand.... nor look through the eyes of the dead.... nor feed on the spectres in books,
You shall not look through my eyes either, nor take things from me,
You shall listen to all sides and filter them from yourself.”
~ Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass: The First (1855) Edition

Celebrated poet Walt Whitman was once asked his thoughts on the Thanksgiving Day holiday. To which, the aging poet replied,

“Thanksgiving goes probably far deeper than you folks suppose. I am not sure but it is the source of the highest poetry…”

His most beautiful thoughts, have for many years, reflected the sentiment of our collective humanity - a profound realization that in the light of gratitude, our world takes on an entirely different hue. 


Within each pause, there is an opportunity - to see, to appreciate...to assess and redefine the value of this one human life.

Indeed, in these moments we are offered the richest of blessings - a chance reflection into Empathy's mirror, to understand the 'oneness' of all humankind.

“Scene. — A large family supper party, a night or two ago, with voices and laughter of the young, mellow faces of the old, and a by-and-by pause in the general joviality. 'Now, Mr. Whitman,' spoke up one of the girls, 'what have you to say about Thanksgiving? Won’t you give us a sermon in advance, to sober us down?'

The sage nodded smilingly, look’d a moment at the blaze of the great wood fire, ran his forefinger right and left through the heavy white mustache that might have otherwise impeded his voice, and began: 'Thanksgiving goes probably far deeper than you folks suppose. I am not sure but it is the source of the highest poetry....

Gratitude, anyhow, has never been made half enough of by the moralists; it is indispensable to a complete character, man’s or woman’s — the disposition to be appreciative, thankful. That is the main matter, the element, inclination — what geologists call the trend. Of my own life and writings I estimate the giving thanks part, with what it infers, as essentially the best item."

My dears, tomorrow and in celebration of our giving thanks holiday - perhaps, we might all take a peek around that proverbial table, to acknowledge the fullness of this one human life.

And so, on this day, what am I most thankful for?

My dears, just simply this...

"That you are here—that life exists, and identity; That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.” ~ Walt Whitman

Much love, and many blessings my dears...

What Might Our Moments Be?

“Sometimes it's the same moments that take your breath away that breathe purpose and love back into your life.” ~ Steve Maraboli

What if we approached each day with an irrepressible gratitude, unlike none we've ever felt before?

To embrace each instance with equanimity and grace, and with all the love this universe has to share?

To behold the miracle of life, with a curiosity that shines with the brilliance of one million stars...?

And, to hold each human heart as a most delicate flower, which has so generously shared it's bloom into the last of the summer's hours?

My dears, then...what might our moments be? 

A Psalm of Life

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
   And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!
   And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
   Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
   Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
   Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
   And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
   Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,
   In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
   Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!
   Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present!
   Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us
   We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
   Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,
   Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
   Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
   With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
   Learn to labor and to wait.

The Greatest Blessing Ever Known.

“All the possibilities of your human destiny are asleep in your soul. You are here to realize and honor these possibilities. When love comes in to your life, unrecognized dimensions of your destiny awaken and blossom and grow. Possibility is the secret heart of time.” ~ John O'Donohue

I've been under just the smallest bit of stress these past few days. With the holidays fast approaching, I am well reminded that son will not be joining us this year.

And though, I always knew one day my children would grow up and venture outwards - still, I find myself pining over a extra dinner setting that won't be used.

Yet, in all things, there is always balance - and, even in these passing years I am so very gently reminded.

You see, I raised my children with a single intention - that they should always be fearless explorers.

I want them to ponder the impossible...attempt the unimaginable...and fall headfirst into a life worth living.

To seize each moment with the voracity of a young child standing at the doorway, and looking out after the season's first big snow.


To cherish even the harshest of challenges, knowing there's something to be gained in facing one's fear.

To carry the light of hope with them always, even in those moments they may feel most overwhelmed.

And yet, here I stand in my own 'having forgottens' - mulling over the very thing I wanted most of all.

To have raised a child to believe in possibility, is the greatest blessing ever known.

"Look, and look again.
This world is not just a little thrill for your eyes.

It’s more than bones.
It’s more than the delicate wrist with its personal pulse.
It’s more than the beating of a single heart.
It’s praising.
It’s giving until the giving feels like receiving.
You have a life- just imagine that!
You have this day, and maybe another, and maybe
Still another…

And I have become the child of the clouds, and of hope.
I have become the friend of the enemy, whoever that is.
I have become older and, cherishing what I have learned,
I have become younger.

And what do I risk to tell you this, which is all I know?
Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world. ”

― Mary Oliver

The Art of Living: Lessons From a Tai Chi Master.

“We all have inner demons to fight. We call these demons ‘fear’, and ‘hatred’, and ‘anger’. If you don’t conquer them, then a life of a hundred years… is a tragedy. If you do, a life of a single day can be a triumph.” ~ Yip Man

I began sessions with a Tai Chi master this morning, and at the gnawing nagging request of my dearest doctor.

"Movement is so good for you," she insisted, "and you'll really like this dear old man."

My doctor is super-crafty, as evidenced by the ease of her guilt tripping ways.

And so, I went - with toes dragging deeply behind me in protest. As I walked into the room, I felt so completely out of place. The faces surrounding me were far more weathered from the years - their bodies hunched over under the advancements of age.

I nearly ran away. Why are we so darned afraid of getting old? What is it about the passing of time that strikes a cold fear through every aspect of our being?

Is it perhaps because we know we've been passing this time without ever really fully living?

Are we afraid of simply just existing?

But, not so soon after I had these thoughts did this little muppet of an old man shuffle in. 

*gah* I was stuck...

The class is intended as therapy for people with 'movement disorders' - and this old man was no exception. As he introduced himself, I learned - he also had Parkinson's.

So, I settled my mind...and opened my heart, to welcome with gratitude this brand new experience. 

And do you know what? My dears, after just a few short moments....

IT GOT WORSE!!

Everyone else was moving with such grace - like well-rehearsed dancers gliding across the stage. And me? I fumbled and strained and sniffled my way into an inconsolable mess. My face already beginning to twist into tears - I wanted so badly to get the heck out of there.

“Most of us do not take these situations as teachings. We automatically hate them. We run like crazy. We use all kinds of ways to escape -- all addictions stem from this moment when we meet our edge and we just can't stand it. We feel we have to soften it, pad it with something, and we become addicted to whatever it is that seems to ease the pain.” ~ Pema Chödrön

And sometimes, that 'addiction' can be running away.

"Don't think...let body follow spirit," he said, smiling and taking my hand...he could see in my eyes that I was right at my edge. And then he winked and walked away.

Boy, talk about a 'wax on, wax off' sort of moment - because, with those few simple words everything just sort of fell into place.

I finally understood what it meant to be healed - when we turn off our minds, we can finally tune in...

And, when the body follows spirit - it will find it's balance, as well.

Much love, and many blessings my most beautiful friends. And, here's to all of our moments standing with toes to our edge.