What Is Love?

A hat tip here to "Davey Wavey".


LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL
hate is conditional

LOVE IS STRONG
hate is weak

LOVE RELEASES
hate obligates

LOVE SURRENDERS
hate binds

LOVE IS HONEST
hate is deceitful

LOVE TRUSTS
hate suspects

LOVE ALLOWS
hate dictates

LOVE GIVES
hate resists

LOVE FORGIVES
hate blames

LOVE CHOOSES
hate avoids

LOVE IS COMPASSIONATE
hate pities

LOVE IGNITES
hate incites

LOVE IS KIND
hate is afraid

LOVE IS BRAVE
hate is afraid

LOVE ENERGIZES
hate saps

LOVE EMBRACES
hate repudiates

LOVE IS AN ELIXIR
hate is a poison

LOVE CREATES
hate negates

LOVE INSPIRES
hate worries

LOVE HEALS
hate hurts

LOVE DESIRES
hate joneses

LOVE IS PATIENT
hate is nervous

LOVE ACCEPTS
hate rejects

LOVE DREAMS
hate schemes

LOVE IS RELAXED
hate is pressured

LOVE WANTS TO PLAY
hate needs to be in control

LOVE IS BLIND
hate is judgemental

LOVE BELIEVES
hate deceives

LOVE FREES
hate imprisons

LOVE RESPECTS
hate disregards

I LOVE YOU!

Create a beautiful day,

Rob

As Summer Ebbs To The Past

Yesterday, I woke to the sound of acorns loudly falling upon the skylights in our bedroom.

The acorns are dropping early because of the dry weather we have had this Summer.

Today, I woke to the sound of our geese beginning to migrate for the winter.

As I walked to my office, enjoying the beauty of the day, I felt an internal acceptance of the reality that Summer is nearing its end, but promises to return, with or without us.

This was a particularly blessed Summer for me, complete with new and wonder filled memories.

Our memories of Summer are often intense because it is a season blessed with a vividness unsurpassed by any other time of year. Our senses are delighted by bright colors, fresh scents, vibrant flavors, brilliant sunlight, and the warm caress of the Summer Sun.

There is a particular sumptuousness about Summertime, as both flora and fauna come into their own, regaling us with natural beauty.

Our day-to-day circumstances may not change as seasons change, yet we nonetheless feel refreshed.

Particularly during Summer, our burdens seem lighter, and we feel compelled to play, to travel, to relax, and to experience all of life's joys to their full extent during our extended sunlit hours.

Frank & I did all of that this Summer, and this has probably been the best Summer of our lives, but there is so much more that we would like to have done.

Rituals specific to the Summer season empower us to attune ourselves to the changes that take place in nature as well as within ourselves as the weather grows warmer.

They prepare us for what lies ahead and, if we allow ourselves, we can absorb the beauties that each season holds and bask in those moments, as well as look forward to the next season with fond memories of the past season, and anticipation of the next.

Some Summertime rituals are remnants of past traditions we have unconsciously preserved through practice as children. There are barbecues, tomato picking, swimming, laying out in the sun, afternoon naps, listening to the chirping of crickets and tree frogs, picnics, slow evening walks gazing at the heavens above and many others we can add and smile warmly as we recall them.

Some of these rituals can be incorporated into our lives whenever we feel the need to experience Summer's significance. As a dear friend of mine taught me, we can store these times and mine them as we require their resources.

I have a favorite photo of me barbecuing outside in 2 feet of snow and another of the indoor pool, where my office is, where the windows had 4 foot tall snowdrifts one year.

My Summer never really ends ... at least not in my heart.

Summer is, at its core, a season of light.

God grants us long days of sunshine and great warmth, allowing the beauties of Creation to flourish, thrive, and put forth their fruits.

By opening ourselves and our spaces to this light, we honor all the joy associated with the season.

As Summer approached, we unbolted our windows and doors, arranged bright-golden blooms in planter pots and vases, furnished our patios with comfortable and conversational seatings, prepared places for birds to feed, and soaked in as much of the warmth as possible while turning our faces toward the sun, all of which is a prayer of celebration when done with intent.

Summer is a wonderful time to practice focused listening, as the air is filled with beautiful sounds particular to the season, the buzzing of bees, children's laughter, birdsongs, or the gentle sound of a breeze lifting the leaves of our trees.

Those beautiful sounds stay with us throughout the cold, harsh months of Winter.

Thoughts of Summer evoke numerous pleasant images in our minds. However, if what we envision seems little more than a piece of our distant past once the season has changed, we can reacquaint ourselves with the joys of Summertime by immersing ourselves in its pleasures.

Wake up with the sunrise, take a day trip to the beach, indulge in an ice cream cone, or simply sit quietly in nature's embrace.

Many years ago, we held a beach party in our loft at home in the dead of Winter.

We cranked up the wood stove, furnished the loft with beach chairs, dressed in swim suits, and invited our friends to join us in their beachwear.

Seasons pass quickly, but while we cling to the final embraces of Summer, we can revel in the richness of life and renew ourselves in the wonder of the light.


With love, light, and a Summer breeze in your heart,

Rob

Rain

It rained the other day.

This may not seem to be an event worthy of reflecting upon, but we have had very little rain this Summer.

So, much of our time is spent tending to our tomato plants, watering them early in the morning before the scorching Sun hits and in the evening once the heat has ebbed.

It's fascinating to see what the results are the following day.

We water the gardens and while we sleep the thankfully reward us with delicious tomatos.

Last Summer we had too much rain and our little tomato crop suffered greatly.

So did we.

This year, there has been an abundance of tomatos, allowing us the gift of being able to share our tasty blessings with others and to brew up lots of sauce for the freezer, giving us the comfort of Summer memories during the harsh Winter months which lie in wait ahead.

Walking past the gardens, the little cherry and grape tomatos are like candy, rich with freshness.

I needed to harvest these little candies on the day it was raining before we went away for the weekend.

I love the rain.

There are times when we might feel the need to wash away all of our troubles and call forth freshness into our lives.

Since the most cleansing substance on this earth is probably water, we can think of the joy rain brings as an energetic bath, rejuvenating our minds, bodies, and souls.

Just being able to spend a few moments every time it rains to become aware of the healing powers water brings to us can renew us in so many ways.

As we do this we will find that the more we appreciate God's gift to us in the form of rain.

We can then see that a gentle rain shower is a strong reflective tool that has the ability to cleanse our entire being.

The next time it rains might be a good chance for us to experience the rain through all of our senses, allowing us to truly understand the importance of each and every drop of water.

Take a few minutes to look outside and notice how each individual raindrop seems to come down in a continual stream.

By noticing this we can contemplate how it takes many small accomplishments to create the whole of our existence, for nothing exists in isolation.

We might wish to focus our attention on the sound of the rainfall, letting the sounds of drops penetrate into the innermost recesses of our selves.

Listening in this way may bring us a greater sense of connection with nature and the world around us, knowing that the sounds we hear are an integral part of not just the physical sustenance we require but that they also nourish our spirit.

Consciously using our senses to feel nature’s healing energy as it comes to us in the form of rain is an act of internal cleansing.

Just as the rain physically washes over the earth and rinses out any impurities and imperfections, it also bathes our spirit in the joy that comes from knowing that we are one with the world around us.

With love, and wishing you rainbows,

Rob

The Dance of Intimacy

Coming Back to Center in a Relationship

Frank & I joined a friend today in celebration of his union in marriage to the love of his life.

We were welcomed by family & friends, and we enjoyed an afternoon of hospitality and wonder-filled conversation with not even one moment of quiet lapse.

Graciousness abounded, and we were quite content with the beautiful energy that surrounded us.

So now we send this couple off to begin a new stage in their intimate relationship, but I must take this as an opportunity to build upon our own 22 year relationship.

Twenty-two years .. almost half of my earthly existence.

How blessed am I?!

Relationships are challenging, but the rewards outstay the trials ... if we are lucky.

I am lucky.

However I appreciate the realities and difficulties of life and growth.

I believe that growth, as in the growth of a tree, is a valuable key in a relationship.

Anyone in a long-term relationship knows that the dance of intimacy involves coming together and moving apart.

Early in a relationship, intense periods of closeness are important in order to establish the ground of a new union.

Just as a sapling needs more attention than a fully grown tree, budding relationships demand time and attention if they are to fully take root.

Once our relationships become more established, the individuals in the union begin to turn our attention outward again, to the other parts of our lives that also matter, such as work, family, and friendships.

This is natural and healthy.

However, if a long-term relationship is to last, turning towards one another recurrently, with the same curiosity, attention, and nurturing of earlier times, is essential.

In a busy and demanding world full of obligations and opportunities, we sometimes lose track of our primary relationships, thinking they will tend to themselves, and that is a mistake and neglect of the love that we have for our partners.

We may have the best intentions when we think about how nice it would be to surprise our partner with a gift or establish a weekly date night, yet somehow, life gets in the way.

We may think that our love is strong enough to survive without attention.

Even mature trees need water and care if they are to thrive.

One of the best ways to nourish a relationship is through communication.

If we feel that a distance has grown between us and our partners, we might be able to bridge the gap by sharing how we feel.

We tend to tell our friends how much we love them, but we often neglect expressing our feelings and emotions to our partners.

This is not to say that we need to accept blame or regret.

However, this is a call for us to focus instead on the positive, which is the fact that we want to grow closer together.

Sometimes, just acknowledging that there is distance between us has the effect of bringing our relationship into balance.

In some cases, more intense effort and attention might be required.

We may want to set aside some time to talk with our partner and come up with solutions together.

At any rate, we must remember to have compassion for each other.

We are in the same boat together and we try to maintain the ballast, the right balance of space and togetherness to keep our relationships healthy and thriving.

It is when we express faith and confidence in our partner that we can enjoy the slow dance of intimacy.

Love is a gift from God which is meant to be shared, and no one can take that away from us.

There are many people we love ... friends, spouses, family ...

We need to give thanks with every heartbeat for those we love, and accept their love in return.

Lastly, you know what?

I love you.

Rob

Gazing Upon Goodness

The Importance of Seeing the Good in All

Sometimes, adversity and bad times happen to us.

On a recent trip, I had my wallet stolen.

I responed in anger, but only as an affect of the violation I felt.

The anger did nothing for me and only served to almost lose an important day and special time with good friends.

It is important to see that there is good in all we experience and there are blessings in every aspect of our reality.

The potential for grace exists in all beings, even those who offend or hurt us through deception.

Our perception shapes the lives we lead because the universe adjusts itself almost instantly to our expectations.

When we look for negativity, we are bound to come across it in abundance.

Conversely, we create positive energy when we endeavor to see the goodness around us.

As easy as it is to criticize the people and situations that frustrate or hurt us, we do ourselves a disservice in the process.

It is important to see the good in all as there are blessings hiding in every aspect of our outer-world reality, and the potential for grace exists in all human beings.

When our lives are flooded with challenges, grief, and pain, we may be tempted to believe that some individuals or incidents are simply bad.

However, if we look for the good in all, good reveals itself to us, easing our doubts and reminding us that the universe is a place of balance, and we rise above the situation, denying negativity to grab a hold of us.

There is a perceptible energetic shift that takes place when we choose to see the good in all.

The unnecessary tension that comes into being when we dwell on negativity then fades away and is replaced by sympathetic tolerance and understanding.

We can forgive those who have wronged us because we recognize in them traits we admire, and we may even discover that we can bring out the good in one another as forgiveness is offered.

This requires a spiritual strength which can seem daunting, yet enriches our own being.

Though loss still grieves us, we recognize the beginning of a new phase of existence that abounds with fresh opportunities.

Each new challenge becomes another chance to prove ourselves, and we learn to show great patience in the face of difficulty.

There are few pleasures greater than gazing outward and seeing beauty, wisdom, and harmony.

These are the attributes of the universe that help us to cope when we encounter their opposing forces.

Since we create our own reality, we make our world a better place each time we acknowledge the good in our circumstances and in the people we encounter.

As we draw attention to the positive aspects of the world around us, our understanding of the affirmative nature of all existence will grow.

There are few lessons we will learn in this life that will prove as instrumental to our happiness and satisfaction.

In appreciating the all pervasive goodness that exists in the universe, we internalize it, making it a lasting part of our life.

So, it is important and crucial that we let go of the negative happenings that occur to us and we focus on the positive side of each experience.

Perhaps we do have a third eye within us, and perhaps we can use that to seek a balance of peaceful tranquility when adversity and happenstance affects us in order for us to maintain a peaceful existence.

Perhaps that third eye exists in order for us to look within ourselves.

Wishing you peaceful insight and balance,

Rob

I'm tired

I'm sorry, but perhaps I'm not.

You might also feel the same.

I am just tired of trying.

Dead tired ... exhausted.

My life used to be so easy, so steady, so constant.

What ever happened to turn this all upside down and over and out?

I know that it is not only me ... let's look at our own lives.

There are times in our lives when it seems our bodies are running on empty.

We become tired, useless, literally sick within our own bodies.

We may or may not be sick, nor are we necessarily pushing ourselves to the limit—rather, the energy we typical enjoy has mysteriously dissipated, leaving only fatigue.

Many of us grow into feeling this way because we might not know that it is possible to exist in any other state.

However, deep inside of us exists a spiritual self, our own body’s natural state.

However, once again, there exists a balance of energy, clarity, and calm.

That balance is our spirituality and our faith.

Once we discover, or rather realize, these realities as our own life sustaining virtues, we can move forward in healing.

Cultivating these virtues in our own bodies so that we can combat feelings of depletion is a matter of developing a refined awareness of our situation or condition, and then make changes based upon our observations.

Typically I end these Wandering Thoughts with optimism for our own growth and an optimism for our spirit.

However, this Wandering Thought comes from loneliness, so I do not know where this will lead us.

This Wandering thought comes from a loneliness that is so deep, it cuts through the bone, and it terrifies me.

I was alone in New York the other day, and I missed my partner.

Now, I understand that we all need time alone, however, I don't do that well.

I do understand though, that even those of us who are social butterflies need some time for ourselves in order to tend to the colors of our wings which help to make us unique to the pleasure of others.

Solitude is necessary for meditation and quiet reflection, as well as appreciation of those whom we love.

Often, it is the solitude from our relationships which helps us to appreciate our love for others.

I speak with my own Mom more often when she is thousands of miles away than I do when she is about the corner.

I miss my partner terribly when I am less than one mile from home.

I have friends who I can't bare to be one email away from, and I have family who can pick up a conversation three months in, as well as others who are concerned if I miss my weekly cocktail with them.

Life is a gift; family and friends are the wrapping that you just don't want to tear open without saving for later use.

Back to topic, we sometimes choose to isolate ourselves when we are busy and need to meet a deadline, or when we have a heavy burden.

One friend of mine has finally learned that "radio silence" from me means a time for prayerful meditation.

When we choose such "radio silence", we may cherish the time to be alone while we give ourselves over to art or music, lose ourselves into a good book, or delve into a personal project.

Sometimes we need to be alone to simply do nothing but enjoy the sounds of silence,
and listen to the whispers of which I wrote in my last post of quiet whispers.

Regardless of what we choose to do, our alone time revitalizes and replenishes us, grounding us into our own company, thereby solidifying us within ourselves.

I have a very dear friend in New York who always reminds me to take "Rob Time".

I also have an equally dear friend nearby who reminds me to "seize the moment".

Easier stated than done.

Typically, I tend to withdraw when my feathers hit the fan.

However, too much isolation, especially when our intention is to hide, withdraw, or not deal with the realities of our lives is not physically, mentally, or spiritually healthy.

As we grow into our lives, we age and are presented with challenges.

Some of us deny them and others embrace them.

My belief is that it is those of us who strongly embrace our challenges with faith, survive.

That might sound to be a strong statement from someone like me, and I typically do not write in this manner.

However, it is during moments similar to mine, when being in isolation takes us away from our lives, rather than enhancing it.

If anything, too much isolation can create a buffer whereby we believe we do not have to deal with our problems, and so we neglect them.

On the other hand, dealing with our issues and allowing others into our lives who care about us, rather than isolating ourselves,is one of the best gifts we can give to ourselves as well as accept from others.

We have been granted the gift of friends and family, which truly are one in the same.

Now, granted, it is important for us to have our "alone" time; however, we need to remember that as human beings, we are by nature social creatures who on human contact.

Our lives cannot occur in a vacuum, and we cannot fully live in this world without interacting with others.

That was not God's plan.

However, we may consider using the times we might feel the need for isolation in the form of a spiritual retreat in silence, in order to rest, transform, and grow.

With prayers for insight, silence, and use of our daily lives,

and with so much love,

Rob

Beneath The Noise, Peace Awaits Us

I don't seem to hear as well these days.

I used to pride myself on being able to hear several conversations at a time in a crowded and noisy setting, and I used that to my advantage in my career. However, lately I seem to have to ask for many conversations to be repeated.

I thought of a friend of mine who wears a hearing aid, and probably enjoys the opportunity to lower it and peacefully reflect as chatter increases in an active room.

There is a quiet whisper that reassures us that everything is okay and it delivers its message with quiet confidence.

We may have noticed that if we want to speak to someone in a noisy, crowded room, the best thing to do is lean close and whisper.

In the 1970s, there was a television commercial to that effect for Nuance perfume ... "If you want to capture someones attention, whisper".

We live in such a busy world of loud noises.

At any time, one can tune in to any one of several news programs, only to hear up to eight people on a split television screen yelling over one another in disagreement.

Yelling in an attempt to be louder than the noise in a room generally only hurts our throat and adds to the subsequent chaotic atmosphere that abounds within the noise.

Similarly, however, there is a strong yet very quiet voice within us that does not even try to compete with the mental chatter that exists on the surface of our minds, nor does it attempt to overpower the volume of the raucous world outside.

It simply waits in silence for us to listen, and is often ignored and neglected.

However, despite its subtle nature, it holds more power that all of the loud and angry voices combined.

It is only when we want to hear it that we need to choose to tune in to that soft, soothing voice that holds so many answers and so much peace for us.

Generally, the more insistent voices in our heads deliver messages that deliver feelings of panic or fear, and are also of questionable authority as they strip us of our faith and meditation.

These voices may generate from childhood fear, or from societal culture.

As such, they barely represent half truths and their urgency is disconnected from our center and balance, which is what catches our attention.

The soft, soothing whisper inside of us -- which is our faith -- reassures us that there is a calmness within the tempest, and that everything is actually okay and offers us a quiet confidence.

Once we hear this, we know it speaks the truth, and we we allow it to capture our attention, the other voices and sounds, previously dominant and negative, fade into the distance and no longer have control over us.

We may even find that our own communications in this world can begin to be influenced by the quiet certainty of this peaceful whisper.

Perhaps we will be less inclined to participate in idle chatter as we become more interested and in tune to the whisper of truth that broadcasts its message like the sound of the wind shaking the leaves of a tree.

As we align ourselves more and more with this quiet whisper, we become an extension of that whisper, and we penetrate the noise of the world, generating a peacefulness with truth and confidence in our faith.

Wishing you peaceful quiet,

Rob