August, 19 2007

You are alive!

Someone complimented me this week by saying, "You are alive!", and I am thrilled. In fact, I think of it as just about the highest praise one can receive. It is my intention to live each and every minute that I'm on this planet with consciousness, being present and connected. I know that I don't always achieve that and yet that doesn't diminish my goal. ALIVE means that you are often enthusiastic because the wonders of the world and the mysteries of the Universe tantalize. It includes finding the magic in the moment and enjoying simple pleasures. I have had a great week and I am grateful so I am expanding that joy so that it is even bigger. We can always do that -- live large! I am alive, I'm happy to say, as I appreciate art, music, food, natural beauty and so much more. I love to experience new sensations and I still find peace and happiness with the familiar.

Every now and again, I go on auto-pilot and I ignore the glory that's all around me. What a shame... So far as we know, we are only on earth one time and it is as if we have an obligation to give and receive at our fullest capacity while we are here. Hooray for being alive!

August, 08 2007

When stuff happens

Lately, a number of unusual situations have occurred that I did not plan for. Life lessons. Challenges. Call them what you will -- all have been disruptive. # 1. I couldn't get the garage door open and I had a meeting to go to (I didn't ever get there.) Something happened to the circuit breaker and the property manager couldn't figure it out so it was several hours before I could retrieve the auto and there was no manual system (THEN) to free the door...#2. A few days after that, I took the car in to be washed and it became a "runaway." It went into drive in the tunnel -- an employee managed to pull my car door open before it hit the car in front of mine and stop it, but I now have scratches on the door. (The folks at the carwash have been terrific and it will be fixed but it will take a couple of days -- no car again.) # 3. The cable company came to fix someone else's cable and somehow diverted the wires in such a way that I had no phone or internet service for 3 days...the frustrated cable guy came and finally fixed it -- though he wasn't any happier with his company than I was. I have been pretty mellow about all of this. It's pretty hot right now so staying in with the air conditioner is not punitive. But any time unexpected events happen to us, it throws us for a loop. And I'm learning to just say "Thank You." It's life and we need to just go along with it. I could read messages into each of these situations but that's just more analysis and that isn't necessarily helpful either. The truth is that we are not in control. Our plans are ego-driven and based on what we think is best for us, but so what? Our growth comes in being able to handle what comes. And though we may be given significant and important issues to work on, we also have inconveniences and what we do about them also contributes to our maturity and future resourcefulness. When I told a friend about all this, she said, "You have made my day." Alas, that little remark made me feel a bit better as I laughed, and I'll get through all this nonsense.

July, 25 2007

Few Words

Life is like weather.
Storms to spoil your best made plan.
Then, sunshine returns.
(Written by A. Knight...Haiku)

I have been noodling with writing "Haiku" poems since the subject was brought up in my writing class this week and, as I was looking for inspiration and understanding of the art form online, I came across this example and liked it so much, I wanted to share it. It's amazing how much can be said with just a few words. Each time I read this, I come to a different conclusion about the meaning. It's instructive to me as I internalize the thought that less can be more.

July, 12 2007

Finding Your Voice

A couple of weeks ago, I read Armistead Maupin's latest book, "Mr. Tolliver Lives." I'm a HUGE Maupin fan and have read all of his novels, given them to friends and family and talked about them endlessly. His latest is wonderful and I highly recommend it. I was thinking about what I like so much in this story and I know that what stands out, besides a tale elegantly and perfectly told, is the voice of the novel. I feel like the writer is talking to me. To me, his book is him -- not that it's autobiographical (likely) -- but that the voice is distinctive. This has had me thinking about my own writing, others that I know who write, and people in general. We all have our own voice. We have an imprint that is uniquely our own. And my question is: do most people let us see who they truly are? I think the answer might vary in degrees by the region that one lives in. Now living in the deep south, I notice that many people don't wish to give away who they are. That wasn't so true in the mid-Atlantic area, where people seemed more up front. But wherever we live and whatever we do, who we are should make us proud. No one is just like me or you or anyone. Therefore, how we present ourselves to others is also one of a kind. Many people I know try very hard to be like someone they admire. They want to adapt another voice. And if we do that, all we will be is a second-rate adaptation. Russell Simmons new book, "Do You," is wonderfully titled and his tips for success do revolve around being the best that you are -- showing off what you like the most and doing the best you can with your own style. Say what YOU have to say in the way you want to say it -- that's your voice and it's just perfect.