Growing Pains

We have decided to tear up our front yard and enlarge the pond which lies in front of us.

This has been a plan of mine for a couple of years now, and I have decided to proceed with this project. Despite some serious financial concerns, I believe it will be an improvement to our lives, providing us with space for reflection and appreciation of nature.

Also, much to Frank's chagrin, I can't sit still. I need change and growth.

The original pond suffered some difficulties and truly needed to adapt to its changing environment. So, we cut down a bunch of trees and tomorrow morning the big trucks arrive to make this little pond a different community.

This comes during some very frightening times. Finances are tight here at home, throughout the nation, and even more across the world.

We worry about our own future and we are torn apart when we look at the situation here in the U.S. as well as globally.

The greater picture is truly heartbreaking.

Where is Mother Theresa now that we need her most?

I imagine that she is asking a similar question;
"Where are you now that you need you most?"

Times are uncertain politically and there is even a presence of revolution, at whatever level, in our own nation.

It can be very challenging to maintain a positive attitude and a measure of faith when we are in the midst of difficult times.

This is partly because we believe that if God loves us we will experience that love in the form of positive circumstances.

However, we are children of God, our wise Mother, who knows what our souls need to thrive much more so than we do.

That is how God created Moms, in their beautiful and nurturing ways, and certainly in God's own image, so God is our Mother just as much, if not differently more, than our Father.

God is each of these, but God is also our Teacher.

Teachers are also gifts from God, as they are recreated in God's image as mentors. care-givers, and tender leaders.

Within the Holy Trinity exists another; Mother, Father, Teacher.

I'm willing to bet that many of of have witnessed that with one or more parents, or others in our lives.

I know that I have witnessed that with my mom, my partner, my family, and my friends.

However, just as a young child does not benefit from getting everything she or he wants, we also do benefit from times of constriction and difficulty to help us grow and learn.

If we keep this in mind, and continue to trust that we are loved, even when times are difficult and trying, it helps us to bear the difficult times with grace.

This period of time in history is full of difficulty for a lot of human beings, and many of us may feel less alone knowing that we are not being singled out, but rather that we are victims of our own times.

There are extreme energy changes pulsing through the universe at every level and, of course, we are all part of the growing process and therefore the growing pains.

It helps when we remember that life is one phase after another and that this difficult times will inevitably give way to something new and different.

When we feel overwhelmed, we can comfort ourselves with the wise saying: This too shall pass.

Now, this writing will fall well into the category of "Wandering Thoughts" or perhaps "Ramblings Thoughts" (which was the first title I intended for this blog back in the day)

Anyway ... "This too shall pass".

The Celebration of Sukkot has just passed, and so I celebrate my good fortune daily, yet I worry about my own future and that of my household.

However, I seek the wisdom of Scripture and of own own human history.

One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot, which gives you six months to find it.”

“If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?”

“It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.”

Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then Summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring.

On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet.

“Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah.

He watched the old man take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it.

When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity.

“Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after?”

All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone’s surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, “Here it is, your majesty!”

As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face.

The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band:

Gam zeh ya'avor ...

This too shall pass.

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he too would be nothing but dust.

Those who have wealth shall one day lose it all.

Those who have nothing, shall one day gain it all.

Equality in the unconditional love of God.

As for these things on earth?

These things shall pass, with the exceptiom of the Unconditional love of God.

That does not pass.

Our good times are fleeting, and our bad times will soon matter no more.

God's unconditional love is eternal.

If we truly feel that nothing is going right for us, it’s never a bad idea to examine our lives and see if there are some changes we can make to alleviate some of the difficulty, or to accept our realities and give thanks to God that we are able to do so.

It is when we gently and compassionately explore the areas which give us the most trouble that we may see the things we hold onto and need to release: unprocessed emotions, unresolved transitions, or negative ways of looking at ourselves or reality.

As we take responsibility for the things we can change, we can more easily surrender to the things we can’t, remembering all the while that this phase will, without doubt, give way to another.

This too shall pass.

Now, once we realize that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small.

Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, where sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I talk about a change for at least two years before taking those steps toward change.

Thus my new pond.

I prefer to move slowly and take time to appreciate change as much as I do what was.

I took time time afternoon to walk the pond with a glass of wine and give thanks fot its being, before anticipating the morning when the big trucks come in.

When we see that we might need to contemplate the choice to start over again, to change, to grow; we can decide to take it slowly, think things through, plan intelligently, budget, monitor, and move forward; sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction.

It is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it does not actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped or could afford.

This is similar to the way I planned my pond to have a stream passing the Wine Patio. However, after two years, I understood that the pump from the crawlspace would only flood the stream and return the water to the crawlspace, whereby deteriorating the foundation to our home.

Do you see now?

By embarking on our paths slowly, we have the chance to look around and consider other options as we learn and grow.

We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not.

Taking small. baby steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.

Okay, life does not always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us, but by choosing one thing to work on at a time, and focusing our attention on something manageable, eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit.

Forcing change, without serious thoughtful prayer, meditation, or consideration, is in essence, a sign that we do not trust in God's wisdom.

Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, right for our earthly domain, and right for the future of this existence, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe of God's Will.

Wow, that was quite a bit.

With prayer for balance and much love & light,

Rob

The Hatred of Anger is evil

Have you ever been "wronged" by someone?

Have you ever worked hard for what you truly believe in, only to have it take away at the hands of an evil, truly evil, evil person?

This happened to me today and I was consumed with rage, anger, hatred, and the hunger of revenge.

What would that accomplish?

It nearly destroyed my Friday evening, could have destroyed my weekend, and almost dented my relationship at home.

Thanks be to God our relationship, and my own sense of being, is stronger than such vindictiveness could ever dare to achieve.

The hatred of anger can be irrational, and it has a greater impact on the individual who hates than the person or object being hated.

Overcoming such hatred is difficult because hatred reinforces itself and causes greater enmity to come into being. Therefore, the most powerful tool one can use to combat hatred is love.

I must confess that I do have difficulty loving the person who is trying to destroy my career, and therefore my ability to provide for my homestead.

This person holds multi-millions. Me? I'm happy to give what we have to those who need or those who spread the saving Grace we've been granted.

I have spent some time this evening telling my loved ones how I do hate this man, always preceded by the quintessential "God forgive me, but ..."

Do I regret my anger?

Yes. I do.

This person holds no right to disturb my peace-filled existence.

I sat at my desk today and took time to watch 8 deer frolic and graze outside my office patio door.

A gentleman walked the road and the deer did not move.

They understood that no threat existed.

Deciding to love what we hate, be it a person, situation, or even a part of ourselves, can create a profound change in our feelings and our life experience.

There is little room for anger, dislike, bitterness, or resentment when we become busy loving what we hate.

The practice of loving what we hate can transform and shift our emotions from hatred to love, because there is no room for hatred in a space occupied by love.

You see?

When we understand what we believe to be what we hate or what angers us, we understand what it is that we love about our own selves and our own love in this world.

Granted, it is difficult to forgo judging someone, love our enemy, and seek the good in situations that seem orchestrated to cause us pain or anger; but in deciding to love what we hate, we become one less person adding negativity to the universe.

We understand the wrongs in the universe and we become a part of the solution.

On a simple level, loving what we hate can help you enjoy your life more, as it offers insight to who we are and the way we offer positivity and unconditional love into this world.

On a more complex level, loving what we hate sets us free because we disengage ourselves from the hatred that can weigh down the soul, never allowing us to soar free from the bitterness of others.

Responding with love to people radiating hatred transmutes their negative energy.
We also empower ourselves by not letting their negativity enter our personal space, into our soul.

Rather than lowering ourselves to their level of hatred, we give the other person an opportunity to rise above their feelings and meet us on the field of love.

Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Loving what we hate sends a positive, beautiful energy to people while spreading peace and harmony throughout the planet.

Instead of reinforcing hatred, we can become an advocate for love.

Hatred responds to hate by causing anguish.

However, hatred responds to love by transforming into blissful peace.

I wish you peaceful happiness and understanding.

Resist anger, and always seek the peace with which we have been blessed.

With love & light,

Rob

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