wednesday December 21, 2022 Quote of the day

“Death is not the worst thing. Life without love is far worse.”

Dr. Bernie S. Siegel

Embracing joy does not mean to deny your sadness. A myriad of emotions come and go throughout the day, but love is constant. Unwrap the gift of joy that is rooted in love’s foundation.

The moments we spent with our loved ones were a gift for which we are so thankful. David Steindl-Rast reminds us that gratitude for the loves we’ve had is how we instill joy within. He says that, “Whatever life gives to you, you can respond with joy. It is the grateful response to the opportunity that life offers you at this moment. It is not happiness that makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.”

“Whatever Life gives to you, you can respond with joy.” I arguably disagreed, so I leaned heavily into this phrase. How can we be joyful when what we want doesn’t happen? How can we be joyful when our loved ones are taken away? How can we be joyful while grieving? We reach for hope and trust.

Choosing joy means we are not defeated by the events we cannot control. If we didn’t get the job, it was not intended. The day our loved ones were taken, it was because it was time. The experience of loss is devastating, but even more devastating is to have never loved at all. Amid the darkness of grief, is the flicker of joy.

Today is the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. Ever so slowly though, the days will get longer and eventually, light will return. And that will be joyful. Darkness will lose its power to light, just like grief will lose its power to love.

Hope, peace, love, and joy. See you in 2023

Tuesday December 20, 2022 Quote of the day

“Joy is the happiness that does not depend on what happens.”

David Steindl-Rast

There are two possible outcomes for every new day; God will either extend his hand for us to grasp, pulling us into another day, or He will sweep us up into his loving arms to take us back into His glory. Either outcome, we have no choice but to accept the will of what we cannot control.

To accept what happens is difficult because we want control, but that is an illusion. Let’s commit to faith and trust instead. Cicero, a Roman statesman, noted that faith and trust are the most sacred to establishing a good life and strong society. He furthered his thought suggesting that when faith and trust are interwoven, loyalty manifests acting as the glue, which binds people together.

Loyalty nurtures our spiritual growth as well. The Universe delicately, yet deliberately, orchestrates our lives, choosing what is best every moment of our lives. Good times are celebrated with ease, but when the not-so-easy times are sprinkled in, we can lose sight of faith and trust. Conversely, Dr. Bernie S. Siegel observes setbacks not as unfortunate but rather as “delays or redirections.”

I read somewhere that prayers are answered with yes, no, or not yet, so through the course of my day, I can take heed from Siegel's perspective. I have a faithful trust that the Universe will provide me what I need and at the right time. If I stay loyal to God, I can still experience joy even in the most adverse of times.

Although we mourn those who have transcended, their love is still with us. We cry through our brokenness, but death cannot destroy love, for as Rumi said, “the wound is where the light enters.”

Let your light shimmer.

Wednesday December 14, 2022 Quote of the day

"The simplicity of love unites all on our earthly journey.”

Harold W. Becker

Embrace life’s inevitable challenges because they persuade us to look for the good, to look for the light when all we see is darkness. We may perceive death as darkness, perhaps even as evil, but as Alice Feeney quotes in her novel, Daisy Darker, “the circle of life exists in every aspect of nature, and we all just play our part for as long as the universe decides.”

When Jim passed, people from all over the world were offering prayers and condolences. I received countless intention cards telling me who was praying for my family. An order of nuns, named the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, commonly called Pink Sisters because they wore pink habits, offered up my family at Mass. I distinctly remember thinking, “holy cow, there are a bunch of little pink nuns even praying for me.”

My friends, Anne, picked me up to take me for a drive, and Justine walked through my door numerous times, always bringing me something even if it was just a bag of lettuce. Carol would come over anytime of day and just sit with me. My daughter, Jessica, never left me. She gave me a journal, so I could write down whatever it was I needed to. I credit my writing journey to her.

I was reluctant to name a few because there were so many who bathed me in their love. They were gentle and subtle, but the strength of their loving presence rekindled my light. They looked for nothing in return. The quote by Dwight L. Moody fits perfectly here. “Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining…they just shine.”

With what life the universe has in store for us, make the choice to allow love to be triumphant. Absorb the light that others offer knowing that it will heal the deepest portions of your suffering. Death created an unwelcome space in our being, however, love is the ultimate victor.

Sometimes we are the lighthouse, and sometimes we are the vessel. See you Tuesday

tuesday December 13, 2022 Quote of the day

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."

Mother Teresa

In his book, Peace is the Way, Deepak Chopra proclaims that “understanding is the knowledge that suffering is shared by everyone. When you understand that you aren’t alone in your suffering, there is the birth of love.” To know that others traverse along the mountains and valleys, offers strength of shared compassion. Although our paths are unique, the roots of life connect us.

Losing our loved ones isn’t as tragic as being denied the privilege of having them in our lives. Imagine how our lives would have been if we had never known them! The adventures, the experiences, the joy and the laughter would never have happened. That would have been the greatest tragedy of all.

The world in which we live gives us no guarantees. We imagine and dream of what we wish, but the universe gives what is intended. Envisioning our life to be predictable and safe is unrealistic and is “counterproductive to spiritual growth” as Sarah Young writes. Loosen the ropes of control, live life as it comes knowing you are never alone.

Pausing to reflect back to Mother Teresa’s quote, our departed ones left behind an abundance of happiness and love! Although we grieve their absence, we are joyous of the love they left with us!

Strive to show compassion and express love to all.

wednesday December 7, 2022 Quote of the day

"There is peace even within the storm.”

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh weathered many troubles throughout his life, and his impressionist style expresses a myriad of his emotional responses to those events. However, I believe his art exposed his longing for peace. Peace is what he was searching for in the slathering swirls of color.

In his book, Peace Is The Way, Deepak Chopra writes of seven practices for peace, and one of them is “Creating for Peace.” Chopra wants us to consider creating ways of bringing peace back into our lives as well as into the world. Whether we have lost a loved one, or maybe we have lost ourselves and have wandered away for our own authenticity, we can rediscover our peace within.

Van Gogh found painting as a means of peace, but perhaps your creativity is entirely something different and unique. After a loss, creating new habits will eventually need to happen. Suffering will continue until restorative and healthy changes are made. Peace has never left us; we have just failed to let it lift us.

When life’s storms rear themselves time and time again over the horizon, we can choose to weather it. Finding a creative outlet for our grief will bring us back to peace. Capture moments with photos in a scrapbook, remember to cook or bake their favorite dishes or desserts, or plant a tree in their honor. Although simple, you are creating and recreating timeless and honorable treasures.

What is your new creation? See you Tuesday

tuesday December 6, 2022 Quote of the day

"There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.”

Mahatma Gandhi

We often find ourselves grappling for even a few extra minutes a day for ourselves. The numerous holidays, which are joyously celebrated this month, can drain us of money, patience, and peace. Memories of those lost bring us tears of happiness and tears of suffering, so it is essential we make time for self-care.

I found refuge with the words of David Kundtz, who writes practical suggestions in his book, Quiet Mind: One-Minute Retreats from a Busy World. His entry, “A Place At Home,” was a one-minute retreat I read a few days ago. The one minute actually led to several, and finally culminating in my reflection I am sharing with you now.

Kundtz writes about the need for sacred space other than in places of worship. He was inspired by an article written in Metropolitan Home that suggests such spaces need to be created within our dwelling. If we fail to find peace within the walls of our home, we will be unable to rediscover our peace within. The magazine article is quoted to say that “people have long been devoted to their homes; what we have begun to see are homes that are themselves devotional.”

Where is your place of peace, your devotional space of serenity? A friend of mine from years ago called the bathroom his five-minute serenity seat! He was raising a young family, so that was the best alternative, but he created it, and it worked for him.

Peace is not elusive; peace is accessible for us anytime. Gandhi’s reflection made me realize that peace is truly within us. We need to honor that gift by creating our personal sacred space.

Your sacred space is not a luxury.