A life well lived

Posted on May 23, 2013 by

“Fear of the past is like a HAZMAT suit that shields you from harm but never lets you experience new beginnings.” … Susanne

 According to Statistics Canada the average lifespan these days is almost 81 years old!  Wow … that’s a lot of years.  During that life you will probably experience highs and lows … really easeful moments and hugely challenging ones.  At the end of things … looking back and reviewing everything that was said, done and experienced … will you be wishing that you had spent less time wrapped up in fear or will you be able to consider this to have been a life well lived?

Somewhere during my long walk through Medical Crisis Land … when my regular mode of transportation broke  down … the rain turned into a deluge … and  the maps and road signs floated away in the flood … I learned that “the only thing to fear is fear itself”. (“Thank you” Franklin D. Roosevelt)  During those soggy days when my whole world turned itself upside down I realized that I had a choice … I could either crawl through whatever time I had left … overwhelmed by fear … or I could walk forward for that same period of time with my head held high and my resolve and love-of-life intact.

Well I guess it isn’t hard to tell which one I picked.  My awesome friend Capital “L” Life kept sending amazing people my way to give me course corrections and help me to find new roads and paths.  Perky Polly traveled pretty much the whole way holding onto my hand to give us both courage and Sunshine Sue did her best to substitute pretty umbrellas for snazzy eyewear whenever possible.

Fear is now like a bogeyman that sometimes rears its ugly head and then slinks out of the room when greeted with our unenthusiastic response.  The Celestial Clean-up crew and I have donated our HAZMAT suits to the Universal Recycling Centre and it looks like sunny days are ahead.  There are so many new beginnings happening that I sometimes need to give my head a shake … nonetheless I’m a very happy little camper!  Well got to fly … the girls and I are off to shower Life with tons-of-hugs … and who could say no to that!??!

Godspeed and Joyful Journeying Everyone

Susanne

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It’s time to shine, shine, shine!

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

“It’s time to shine! Let your awesome Spirit light up the world. Hand out sunglasses to those who complain.” … Susanne

 There are so many opinions in the world about how everyone should think, feel and act.  Every political party … religious organization … and authority figure is convinced that they and they alone have the final answer on what is right … and sadly … a great many of them are willing to use varying degrees of force to ensure that their will is the only will that counts.

I’ve been doing a lot of watching these last few years and it seems to me that although each person may have a reasonably good idea about what thoughts are right for them … how they wish their lives to proceed … and what path they feel is the right one for their own heart … they have forgotten that every person must be free to walk their own path … in their own way … or we become nothing more than a society of pre-programmed robots.

With so much upset in the world and so many loud voices clamoring to be heard it seems to me that it is time to remember how to hear the voice of our own Heart and Spirit.  In a world filled with chaos and upheaval Capital “L” Life is calling on each and every one of us to be true to Who-We-Truly-Are … rather than who-everyone-thinks-we-should-be … and to shine … shine … shine.   Everybody’s light is going to be as unique as they are so whether you shine in a big way or a small one … it’s all good … because shining the light of your Spirit is always setting a great example for others.

Miss Perky is really excited at the prospect of sharing her “perk” with even more people.  Our latest resident: Joy, is gearing up for … well … a joyful time and Ms Sunshine has invested in sparkly eye-wear for all those wishing to “Spread-the-Love” and in dark shades for those wishing to grumble about the increased light in the area.  Come join the party as Life and I gear up for sunny days … sparkly evenings … and awesome sharing.

Godspeed and Joyful Journeying Everyone

Susanne

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Turning up the volume on radio station H.E.A.R.T.

Posted on May 16, 2013 by

“Do the things that make your Heart sing louder. Fill your days with the music of your Soul.” … Susanne

It is a sad fact that as we grow older ….as we become adults … as we are trained to leave the joys and ideals of childhood behind … more often than not we stop hearing and listening to our own inner knowing.  The funny thing is that we’re born connected to Life … even when we’re not aware of it we walk through this awesome world connected to Life … and when we die we return to Life.  How come there is so darn much forgetting going on in the middle part of things?

When I watch infants I’m always amazed at the way their eyes seem to look right into me.  I love seeing them start to connect-the-dots that link the things that they see in the world with whatever understanding it is that their souls brought into their tiny little bodies.  When my kids were wee I did my best to allow and even encourage them to keep those connections alive and well.  Like all of us … sometimes it worked really well and sometimes not-so-much.  The good news is that I have discovered that it’s never to late to reform those awesome connections to Life … to our Hearts and to Joy.

Over the last few years Life has taught me to clean out my ears … turn up the volume of radio station H.E.A.R.T. … and fill my days with Joyful noise.  I like it!  Miss Perky, Ms Sunshine and I now spend our days dancing!  My life is good … Life keeps sending more people my way to join in this exciting, new dance … and I am thrilled to hear all their new music and learn all their previously unknown-to-me dance steps. We’re becoming quite the “Flash Mob” of Joyful-Living.  If you see us … let your Heart sing louder and come on over and sashay around the floor with us … we’re all looking forward to meeting you!

Godspeed and Joyful Journeying Everyone

Susanne

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Love – food for the body and soul

Posted on May 13, 2013 by

“Breathing is the life of the body and love is the life of the soul” … Osho

  A human being can survive a few minutes without oxygen … 3 -5 days without water and 30 – 50 days without food … proof positive that Osho is correct … breathing is pretty darn important!  But what of love?  If you perceive love to be simply a quantity that is manufactured by the greeting card industry then it’s probably something that you can live without.  However, if … despite any grumpy or cynical protestations to the contrary … you believe that love is as indispensable as the aforementioned Oxygen … then you would probably be correct.

About 100 years ago … in what can only be described as horrible circumstances researchers found that 99% of babies who were living in orphanages … well fed and clean but deprived of touch … died before they were 7 months old!  Thankfully the stark conditions of a century ago have mostly disappeared; however, even today research shows a direct correlation between lack of touch and behavioral and emotional problems. (see: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=infant-touch)  So … is love important?  Oh yeah!!

Osho says that “Breathing is the life of the body and love is the life of the soul”.  I would say that love is far more than simply that.  It has been my experience that love lifts me up out my sometimes funky state when I’m down.  It gives me hope in a sometimes seemingly hopeless world … and it provides me with a strong foundation from which I can leap out and accomplish almost anything.

As long as I’m open to receiving … Life provides love in a seemingly infinite variety of venues.  It rarely looks like I think that it’s going to … and it never looks the same twice … but despite that it’s always recognizable.  I really like how love … real love … is so non-judgmental.  It doesn’t matter if it comes from within me or is directed towards me the warm fuzzies of non-judgmental love are one of it’s very best features and one at which  Capital “L” Life excels!   Life is such an awesome role model that these days I’m doing by best to be just like It … so … if you feel a cool, loving breeze blowing … it’s probably just me dashing by … sprinkling love sparkles  on all and sundry … and trying to keep up.

Arinaste Everyone (from my heart to your heart)

Susanne

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Dream big. Have faith. Act “as if”.

Posted on May 9, 2013 by

“Pre-pave your road to a bright future ~dream big today.” … Susanne

Nothing gets done without dreams.  Moms know this ~they dream of happy children, a good relationship and being the best that they can be.  Kids know this instinctively ~ they dream of flying high, being superheroes and being even better than the best they can be.  Decent, inspired leaders know this ~they dream of leading nations to better times, inspiring those following them to have better lives and of being the best that they can be.  Nothing gets done with dreams

 It really doesn’t matter whether your dreams are the big, world altering ones or the simple, make-your-little-patch-of-Earth-better variety because all dreams that come from the Heart have behind them the power and support of your awesome Spirit.  If your mind can conceive of it your Spirit … co-creating with Capital “L” Life … can make it happen … and all you have to do is dream and have faith.

 Faith isn’t about looking around you at the 3-D world and deciding whether or not the appearance of things seems favorable.  It also isn’t about some pie-in-the-sky idea that little-you has no control or input in your life.  Faith is about “acting as if”.  When you act as if your dreams are already here … despite any appearances to the contrary … you walk yourself forward carrying your dream future with you.  And when your dreams are that real … Capital “L” Life just wants to leap in and help them come true.

To assist in this process Ms Sunshine has equipped us all with one of her latest, new inventions ~spiffy, dream clarifying eyeglasses.  Now … not only do Miss Perky, Ms Sunshine and I look really cool … it’s also super easy for us to see the awesome synchronicities that Life keeps sprinkling in our path.  I’m dreaming big again.  I’m dreaming of flying high, being happy, being the best that I can be … and helping others to dance down this road with me.  I’m wearing the glasses … I’m acting as if … and even better … I’m dancing the co-creation dance with Life.  The future definitely looks bright.

 Godspeed and Joyful Journeying Everyone

 Susanne

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Healing and Gratitude – the keys to a brighter tomorrow

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

“Yesterday is a memory. Tomorrow is a hope and a dream. Now is where we can affect the future and heal the past.”… Susanne

I was absolutely shocked a couple of weeks ago when I heard myself explaining to someone how I had “lost” my hip, femur and 4 years of my life.  “Why was I shocked” you ask?  It was because in that instant I discovered that, even though I had successfully completed my trip through Medical Crisis Land I apparently had not healed the scars of that journey … in reality I was stuck in grieving.

I’m a big believer that looking back leads only to the recreation of more of the same … so you can understand why I was pretty horrified to find out that my inside self’s gaze was still firmly locked on this particular, challenging aspect of my life.  I realized that it was time for me to sit myself down and have a serious … but loving … chat with myself.

After calling in my good friend Life and the Angelic Counseling Crew … and indulging in a big group hug … we set about bringing aforementioned fragmented, inner-self into the present … reassuring it that today really is a good day … that we really are building a pretty nice tomorrow … and that although yesterday is indeed gone/”lost” … it has contributed in a positive way to who we are Now.

 Yesterday’s events are memories now.  Some of those memories are carried in and on my body and when I look in the mirror I can see them like pictures in a photo album.  Thankfully I know that it’s what I do about them that really makes today … and tomorrow … a good day or a sad one.  I’m learning to see the scars and give thanks that Life saw fit to Grace me with a new life … new opportunities … and new chances to move ahead.  An Attitude of Gratitude fills my Now … heals my past and lays the foundation for a great tomorrow.   “Thank you inner-self for reminding me of the huge trip we took together and thank you Life for your awesome assistance on aforementioned trip!”

Godspeed and Joyful Journeying Everyone

Susanne

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Creating Happiness ~from the inside-out

Posted on May 2, 2013 by

“When you believe that your happiness depends on someone or something other than you ~you give your power away.” … Susanne

It has been my observation that there are a lot of people in the world who are giving their power away to someone or something else.  Sometimes it’s a societal thing … sometimes it’s institutional or religious indoctrination … and sometimes it’s simply because we don’t know anything different.  If our role models never learned the fine art of Boundary-Maintenance … how could they teach it to us?

It seems to me that we’re all running around trying to find external sources of happiness because we never learned how to keep the wellspring of the unmitigated-joy-of-childhood alive.  Now I know a lot of people who are sputtering: “But my childhood wasn’t happy!  A, B, and/or C did things to me so I couldn’t be happy.”  And, whilst it is true that way more children than I would ever wish to see have very unhappy and sometimes downright dangerous childhoods if you go back far enough … even if that means infancy … there is a Joyful spark inside of them.  Pretty much all babies smile.

So … somewhere between the smiling-and-still-connected-to-Life baby stage and here things happened.  Now the question is: ”What are we going to do about that?”  Well … as I haven’t found a way yet to go back in time and change the scary and/or unfortunate things that happened to me I have learned to clean up the fall-out instead … that way my internal landscape looks less like a war-torn disaster and more like the welcoming countryside that I desire.

I am happy to report that this experiment in cleaning-up-the-mess-left-by-historical-interactions is working really well.  The more the Celestial Clean-up Crew and I clear out the internal junk the better my outside world looks.  The clearer the internal atmosphere gets the easier it is for Life to send me happy news flashes.  So … the long and short of this is that I am no longer looking for something … or someone … outside of me to make me happy.  I have learned that I have all the ability and power inside of me to do just that.  As my late son would often say: at 3 years of age: “I do by Self!”

Arinaste Everyone (from my heart to your heart)

Susanne

Posted in Choice, Happiness, Inspiration, Life | Tagged , , | 3 Comments