Dad’s Christmas Legacy To Me

My Dad loved Christmas and his love for the holidays colored my childhood and has stayed with me.  He would put up the Christmas tree complete with twinkling white lights and play Christmas music throughout the holiday season and beyond.  Many times the artificial tree would stay up past little Christmas (January 6th) simply because it brought him peace and joy.

Our childhood home was full of nostalgia – precious ornaments from his childhood that he’d inherited from his parents.  Our stockings were hung by the fireplace of his childhood home where we also grew up, filled with many of his family heirlooms.  The manger we had was his parents’ and the old train which circled the tree was his childhood treasure.

I remember him sitting quietly in the living room with the only lights on being those on the tree and Christmas music playing on the stereo.  In that serenity he would relax into a calm that was enticing and I find myself often during the Christmas season doing exactly the same.  There’s something about Christmas that brings gratitude to the surface, brings magic to the air and healing to those who seek peace.

I remember his father’s favorite song was Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas which as a child, I learned to play on the piano.  My Dad would pass by as I was practicing sometimes and request it and of course, I would play it for him.  While I didn’t understand why he wanted me to play his father’s favorite carol and not his own, as an adult and a parent and missing my deceased Dad, I understand.

Christmas can be full of hustle and bustle and sometimes fraught with family plans that keep us busier than we’d like.  My remedy is simply to carve out some special quiet time to feed your soul with the goodness of love.  Hold your loved ones close.  Remember those who have passed.  Be grateful for all that you have.  Enjoy the magic of little ones and Santa, but remember the blessings that His birth has given to us.  Lift your voice to sing those carols and hymns.  Find your childhood nostalgia and feel the blessings.  Look around at those whom you encounter and smile.  Share the kindness in your heart.  Embrace those that may not have family nearby.  Open your homes and hearts.  Love finds a way to heal us all when we allow it.  Angels are everywhere – just keep looking!

May you find peace, healing, joy and hope during the Christmas season this year.  May you take the needed time to relax and to sit quietly watching the twinkling lights with a heart full of the magic of this special season.  May you find comfort in nostalgia and strolling down memory lane.  May you find the stars shine brighter for you in the night sky, twinkling their messages of love to you and yours.

May you keep your heartlights shining for all to see!

Shine On!

xo

 

 

Fall Is In The Air

Yesterday’s sudden temperature drop wreaked havoc on me with a monstrous migraine.  Luckily it was a Saturday so I could rest at home.  But the chill in the air, engulfed the old house so I snuggled under blankets for most of the day.

I love fall when it creeps in during the month of October.  What I’m not a fan of is really warm days changing overnight to a barometer change with a body stunning chill.  I like when the seasons change gradually, but that was no to be this year.

It was chilly this morning, 44 degrees, when I woke up and a chilly 60 degrees in the house.  After getting my coffee, I was off to turn on the heat this morning.  As the heating system rumbled in response from its sleepy summer slumber, the smell of newly turned on heat permeated the house.  Ahhh…heat!  I’m so grateful!!

I love fall and all of its bejeweled colors!  While I still haven’t bought our yearly mums and pumpkin, I’ve decorated the hearth, enjoying the warm candlelight and orange colors that seem to make the house cozier.  Of course, nothing can make the house seem cozier than Christmas, but fall is a great beginning!

May your October day be lovely with rest, relaxation and blessings abounding!  Have you decorated for fall and perhaps even for Halloween? What do you do for decorating?

Keep shining your heartlights!

Shine On!

xo

 

Surviving Tilt-A-World

Have you been feeling it still?  That sense that everything is coming to peace by being cleared out?  For me, I feel like I’m riding turbulent waves with only a small life ring to keep me from drowning.  I have been talking with others who are feeling it as well.  Are you too?

It’s been going on for awhile now.  I wrote about it here at the end of August.  Some of what we’re experiencing with no rhyme or reason as to why are:

Turbulence in relationships

Malfunctioning/breaking of all types of items (locks included)

Miscommunications

Unexplained health problems

Insomnia

Exhaustion of body, mind and soul

Lack of feeling centered

Losses

Bad behaviors

Atmospheric/Climate abnormalities

Appliances, Computers, Electricity problems

Etc., Etc., Etc.

It’s a time for clearing out the old muck to begin again in a new way.  It’s a rearranging and re-balancing of the old stuck ways of thinking and being which causes this upheaval.  Whatever we haven’t dealt with in the past is now center-staging itself in plain sight in order to be dealt with once and for all, even if it’s not what we want to do at this time.

It’s been difficult for most of us.  It’s a matter of staying on course and allowing the flow of energy to take us where we need to heal.  Navigating the hills and valleys as we clear and heal isn’t for the faint of heart.  Staying centered and balanced feels like an arduous task, but we just have to keep on trying to recenter after each crisis.  Staying authentically true to ourselves, opening up those raw wounds to heal them and to forgive takes great effort.  Sleep is kindness to ourselves as it restores our depleting energies as we traverse this difficult time.

We can’t charge through this time quickly.  We can only take baby steps as each clearing comes which means that there’s no way to make it go any faster.  Hold on.  Go with the flow.  Be patient with yourself and others.  Don’t try to force things to work, but instead surrender to the healing.  I truly believe all will re-balance itself, maybe not in the short time we want it to, but yes, in time.  All in good time.

Hold on dear friends.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Rest.  Meditate.  Surrender and Grow.  Balance the yin and yang as best you can.  Hold onto trusted friends.  Count your blessings.  We are here for you!  Keep shining your heartlights!  We need more light!

Shine On!

xo

 

September 1st Rabbit Rabbit

In honor of September 1st and our tradition of Rabbit Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit, I thought I’d include this special page from the book The Velveteen Rabbit.

May your September begin with much health, love, and gratitude!  May you have the loveliest month ahead!  Keep shining your heartlights please because many of us are still on TILT and our world could use all the kindness, compassion, patience, understanding and love that we can give!

Shine On!

xo

Are You Experiencing Energetic Madness?

Lately with the full moon, the planetary alignments, the climatic changes and atmospheric push/pulls, it seems as if the world is on tilt.  Do you remember playing pinball machines when TILT came on?  Well, that’s how some highly sensitive souls are feeling right now.  Are you one of them too?

It seems very chaotic lately in personal relationships as well as financial and business.  What I’m finding is machinery isn’t working or is very wonky which is frustrating.  There are long wait times and phone calls are being dropped for no apparent reason.  Not to mention people seem to be angrier than usual with their frustration levels peaking over little inconveniences that normally would only elicit a quiet sigh.  Has the world gone on full tilt?

So much agony, frustration and abnormal behavior seem to be clogging up the healthy flow in our world.  Patience, kindness and compassion seem to be misplaced for the moment.

So what can we do?

Support one another.  Be the kindness and compassion as we wait patiently (or maybe impatiently) for the return to calm.  Don’t allow the energetic chaos to deter you from staying centered in peace and healthy love.  Take good care of yourselves as we navigate these stormy seas.  Pray, meditate and balance yourself.  Shine your heartlights as beacons of hope for those who are feeling lost and abandoned.  Be grateful for the little things, even when the big things seem to be in upheaval.

It’s just a phase of change which will return to balance soon.  Keep treading water as we navigate these stormy energetic seas.  Go with the flow – for what you resist persists.  Perhaps it is a time of global learning and with time, we will reunite and reassemble how we are meant to be with peace, love, compassion and kindness leading the way.  At least that’s my hope.

Is it just me or are you feeling similarly?

Shine On!

xo

Broken And Fixed

I wish I could remember where I found this posted on Facebook, but the story touched me in such a way that I had to share it with you.  Read on…

I was in Dollar Tree last night and there was a lady and two kids behind me in the LONG line. One was a big kid, one was a toddler. The bigger one had a pack of glow sticks and the baby was screaming for them so the Mom opened the pack and gave him one, which stopped his tears. He walked around with it smiling, but then the bigger boy took it and the baby started screaming again. Just as the Mom was about to fuss at the older child, he bent the glow sticks and handed it back to the baby. As we walked outside at the same time, the baby noticed that the stick was now glowing and his brother said “I had to break it so you could get the full effect from it.” I almost ran because l could hear God saying to me, “I had to break you too show you why I created you. You had to go through it so you could fulfill your purpose.” That little baby was happy just swinging that “unbroken” glow sticks around in the air because he didn’t understand what it was created to do which was “glow.” There are some people who will be content just “being” but some of us that God has chosen, we have to be “broken.” We have to get sick. We have to lose a job. We have to find our own path. We go through divorce. We have to bury our spouse, parents, best friend, or our child because, in those moments of desperation, God is breaking us but when the breaking is done, then we will be able to see the reason for which we were created. Trust me, I do not look like what I have been through.
You are loved, you are valuable, and you have a purpose.

Dear friends, when you’re asking that eternal question of Why?, perhaps you can find some relief in the story above and feel more at peace.  We see your heartlights!

Shine On!

xo

When Our Parents Get Older

I guess I’m on a theme considering yesterday’s post.  But as I told my friends, when you have chances to visit with your elderly parents and loved ones, stop and take photos and videos of them.  Having my father pass away years ago and not having a lot of videos of him nor voice recordings, it’s one of my regrets.  Sure, I have photos, but not many as we were all in the moment most of the time and didn’t take pictures.  Having learned this lesson the hard way, I now take more photos and videos and with the cell phones, it’s so easy to do!  I just thought I’d suggest this to you.  Honestly, this goes for all family members though as we have no guarantees for tomorrow!

Calling more often is a great way to stay in touch and to know that they are ok.  If you haven’t started this already, I suggest you begin slowly to make your calls more frequently so as not to surprise them with vigilant calling (unless it’s necessary).  You don’t want to make them think you are hounding them!  LOL  But it’s nice to reach out more often to your parents and other elderly relatives, isn’t it?  Getting older can be a lonely time for them.  Put some silly stories or anecdotes on a card by the phone so that when you call, you can keep the conversation flowing if you find that it gets quiet.

Sometimes parents or elderly loved ones don’t want to be a burden to their children/next generation so they hide the ugly parts so as not to worry you.  Be aware of the whole scenario at home.  Notice the relationship between your parents as frustration levels can surge as they get older.  Check the refrigerator to make sure that they are eating properly and look around to see if bills are piling up, if the place is clean, the heat is on, the water working etc.  Be attentive and be kind.  Old age ain’t for sissies and it’s hard to get older and begin to decline.  Nobody looks forward to this stage so please, be patient, be understanding and be careful with your words/actions.  Don’t criticize.  Help them if needed.

Not losing our patience with loved ones, especially our parents can be challenging, especially if they are living with us.  But that’s a subject for a different post.

Whatever you do, shine your heartlight and be aware of the love you give out and receive.  It’s there.  Sometimes you just have to put yourself in someone else’s shoes to experience it.

Shine On!

xo

Do You Have A Case of Holiday Hiraeth?

I saw this on Facebook this morning and it struck a chord in me that I felt needed to be shared with all of you.  For at the holidays especially, there are those of us may be feeling hiraeth, but never had a word for it.  For the English language, to my knowledge, does not have a word which encompasses these feelings as hiraeth does.

So what do you do about it when you are feeling this way?  How do you go on with this feeling through holiday festivities?  My own solution is to allow the feeling, to engage in it, to acknowledge the hiraeth as it comes.  To turn ourselves into jolly merrimakers is to falsely and ineptly disengage with our souls.  To be in stillness with the feeling is to be true to ourselves and to allow hiraeth to process in our lives in order for us to heal.

I’m not saying to throw a pity party for ourselves during the festivities at all.  I’m not recommending that we pout or make others uncomfortable with our sadness.  No, not at all.  I’m suggesting that we allow ourselves the gift of hiraeth in our quiet alone time so that we can find the joy when we are celebrating the holidays.  To feel hiraeth and maybe even to share it with those willing to listen in a compassionate manner is to find the peace within us when we allow our feelings space to heal.

For there is healing in allowing hiraeth.  There is much joy to be had in life especially during the holiday season.  Allow your heartlights to shine, spread the love and understanding that you innately carry within you and reach out to others with your kind heart.  Know that I am here with you.  I understand.  I acknowledge our feelings of hiraeth and I hold them tenderly in my heart.

Bless you all this holiday season.

Shine On!

xo

 

*Gratitude to MAngel for sharing on FB so that I could see this post.

Bend and Sway With Change

The oak fought the wind and was broken,

the willow bent when it must and survived.

— Robert Jordan

I recently found this quote and had to share it with you as it goes along with my last post on How To Embrace Change. When we fight changes with the child-like attitude of “I don’t wanna,” we lose our power in whatever situation is changing.  I’m not suggesting to be a doormat and just let changes steamroll over you.  Oh no!  Not at all!  Neither am I advising you to fight the changes like a warrior, with armaments drawn and ready for battle.

I’m asking you to bend and sway…

Flow with life…

Observe the changes…

Embrace yourself…

Allow kindness in your heart…

Looking for the good in every situation isn’t easy, but you can do it.  Sometimes the good hides when the situation changes for what we deem the worst ~ we lose our job, a loved one passes away, we have health problems, relationships go sour, finances become depleted etc.  It happens to many of us over a lifetime.  We are not given the right to have a perfect life without rough patches.  But we are given the Divine Right to have experiences which grow us emotionally, mentally, soulfully and spiritually which test us and help us to expand ourselves in new ways to be better, kinder and more loving people.

Without the highs and lows in life, we could never appreciate peace.    It comes at a price though.  We have to stay flexible and to stop banging on the closed door in front of us.  Simply look around, observe the whole ‘room’ and find the gift of the open door on the other side of the room.  Yes, it’s that simple dear friends.  It just takes embracing change.

I’ve endured many changes in my life, many of which I did not choose, but I am still here as are you.  Together we can bend and sway with kind, loving hearts.  We can shine our heartlights, connect with others and keep walking on our life journey.  No matter what difficulties you are experiencing right now, know that change is inevitably beautiful and this too shall pass.

♥ Namaste ♥

Shine On!

xo

How To Find Gratitude In Having A Tough Life

Many of us have had difficulties in our lives, some not of our own making, but all the same, ours.  We’ve had health problems, family issues, dysfunctional relationships, financial difficulties etc.  You know who you are and what you’ve had.  So when you want to raise the white flag in surrender after you’ve hit the wall crying, “UNCLE!” I understand.  I’ve been there.  When you want to toss your toys from your crib like a toddler with a tantrum, I understand.  I’ve been there.  You may even want to throw a pity party the size of Yankee Stadium,  I understand.  I’ve been there.  When you want to cry, “Why me, Lord?” and fall to you knees, I understand.  I’ve been there.

It’s frustrating.  It’s depressing.  It’s mind-blowing.  It’s all encompassing and exhausting.  You can drag yourself through life feeling overwhelmed and bemoaning your difficult situations as having a tough life.  You can just add up everything and proclaim “I’ve had a hard life” and allow that blanket statement to define you.

Or….you can find gratitude and use your power for good!

You can inspire others to keep shining their heartlights!

What????  Some of you may be asking ~ Has she lost her mind?  Feel gratitude for the poop I’ve endured?  Does she not know what I’ve had to deal with?  Blah Blah Blah…(Insert complaints all around).  I didn’t deserve this, I didn’t ask for it!  I’m not finding the good in the poop, etc.  This was awful.  She doesn’t understand.  Use my power for good?  No way! Etc.

Slow down dearest readers.  Deep breath.  We’ve all gone through hardships, heartaches and endured what we deemed awful.  We can let those things define us or we can define ourselves by what we’ve endured and use our wisdom from living through hell for good and be grateful that our suffering helps others who may be walking similar paths.  We can use our power for good.  We can inspire others and help them when they stumble.  For you are here, right now!  You’ve endured unthinkable things and yet you are still here reading my post!  I’m so proud of you for sticking with this life and continuing on!  (Or have you left and stopped reading?)

Does that make sense to you?  Or do you still think I’m full of hooey?

It’s what I try to do everyday when I write my blog.  I choose to continue to inspire those around me.  So come along, connect with me.  Reach out your hand.  We are a Soul Family.  We are here for each other, to support, to love, to praise, to respect and to find kindness at every turn.  Use your power for good in this world and you will remain happy in this life.  Turn on your heartlights so I can see you!  We learn from each other’s mistakes.  We hold hands and move forward, one baby step at a time. ♥

Shine On!

xo