wednesday, November 30, 2022 Quote of the day

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come whispering it will be happier.”

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Hope is infinite, so never lose sight of the possibilities to come. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote that, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Nothing in this world will last forever, so loosely hold onto who and what we have. Clinging and clutching to the physical world will leave us depleted, yet yearning for the next fix.

Despite the darkness, eventually light will return. Let’s align ourselves to something much greater, and that greatness is discovered within ourselves. In the Gospel of Luke, he wrote that, “for indeed, the kingdom of God is within you,” so we already intrinsically possess all we need to heal.

As each new day unfolds, it promises the limitless capacity for hope within us. Hope is a miracle. Seldom do I feel alone because I am choosing to appreciate the miraculous moments once shared instead of the moments I still wished I had.

Our loved ones have served us by simply existing. Therefore, we are honored to carry them along with us as we go about living our truth and purpose. Eckhart Tolle, the author of The Power of Now, stated that, “acknowledging the good you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” Although gone, those lost to us are the foundation for our strength to continue to persevere.

Alfred Lord Tennyson mentions being happier as time progresses. We will weather the ebb and flow of sadness and happiness throughout our journey, but hope is everlasting. Hope gently whispers to us that we will be okay.

We are now standing at the threshold of a new year. Listen for the whisper.

See you Tuesday

tuesday, November 29, 2022 Quote of the day

“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.”

Samuel Smiles

When I was a child, I would hope for extrinsic treasures; treasures that are fleeting, goals that are impermanent, and results that only left me longing for more. I once considered hope to be a word that was finite, but time and experiences have redefined what hope truly is for me. Hope has infinite capacity.

Anytime we face challenging changes, we hope. We hope we can find a new job, or we hope to have children. Even more simplistically, we hope the grocery store isn’t too crowded because we were hoping to get home in time to start cooking the evening meal! Hope is thrown around haphazardly, which is fine, but hope is so much more.

While suffering a loss from something we had hoped for, like a new job, or maybe purchasing a new home, our hope is extinguished. When we are grieving the burden of the loss of our loved ones, we had hoped for so much more time. Now we hope to just make it through the day, the hour, or perhaps even just the next few minutes. And somehow, we do.

“Hope,” as Desmond Tutu wrote, “is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” I see the light of hope in the dawning of each new day. I see the light of hope in the stories I read who experienced the darkness. I see hope in the eyes of my friends and family…eyes that encourage and lift. Those are what I choose to journey towards, for they truly cast the shadow over my longing.

Let’s look around and notice how hope, which “is the thing with feathers,” is frequenting your day.

Thank you, Ms. Dickinson, for showing us the promise and capacity of infinite hope.

tuesday, November 22, 2022 Quote of the day

"Loss does not change you…it reveals you.”

John Green

The waves of grief are unpredictable, so be patient. With the onset of the holidays, accept there will be both joy and emptiness. The “firsts” are especially challenging; the first Thanksgiving, the first birthday, and the first anniversary are demanding. We battle gnarly emotions while searching for the strength to simply muster through these times.

Author, Anne Rophie, writes that, “Grief is in two parts. The first is loss. The second is the remaking of life.” In a 2008 interview, recently widowed Rophie said that grief robs us of our lives if we let it. She said, “It (grief) tends to distort like a fun-house mirror. Nevertheless I indulge myself — heavy helpings of self-pity. Then I stop."

I completely relate to the “fun-house” analogy. My environment changed. Time even passed differently for me; the depth of my world appeared two-dimensional. The passing of time enabled me, however, to move beyond just getting through. It is only then that I was able to create something new.

Although we already have it, Rophie gives us permission to feel whatever we need to feel. Moreover, she suggests exercising the power to set a boundary and then take steps to move forward. Experiencing a giant loss can be debilitating, but our strength gained from the love we shared prevails. The support from our family and friends, as well as the work we have left to do, is the perfect kindling for new creations. “Hopefully, the process exposes a good side to everybody involved,” Green states, "and you all use words to encourage each other."

Allow yourself time. Happy Thanksgiving! See you Tuesday

wednesday, November 16, 2022 Quote of the day

“Empathy is the capacity to think and feel oneself into the inner life of another person.”

Heinz Kohut

I woke up around 2:20 in the night and was compelled to write the following:

I know what it’s like to lose my dad, but I don’t know what it was like for you to lose yours.

I know what it’s like to lose my mom, but I don’t know what it was like for you to lose yours.

I know what it’s like to lose a sibling, but I don’t know what it was like for you to lose yours.

I know what it’s like to lose my spouse, but I don’t know what it was like for you to lose yours.

Although we experience loss, it is difficult to know completely how others are handling their own. We all struggle, but we struggle differently. However, we can’t let fear and apprehension stop us from helping someone suffering. It is uncomfortable, perhaps awkward, but nonetheless, it is a shoulder, an ear, or a hug that they need the most.

Psychoanalyst, Heinz Kohut, mentions capacity. For me, capacity is bottomless, and capacity overflows. Capacity is infinite. When we are privileged to accept the invitation to aid in another’s grief, the love and compassion that bubbles up from our heart-filled capacity, is miraculous.

I overheard an elderly woman at the car repair center tell the shop manager that her husband had always handled the car issues. She continued to tell him he recently passed, so she was now the one to make the decisions. I sat down by her. I turned to her and said, “I overheard you talking with the man; I am recently widowed too. How are you doing today?”

Sure, this was way out of my comfort zone, but we had a sincere conversation. I learned about their children and what they enjoyed doing together. There was so much we had in common, but our stories were so beautifully different.

Dip into the capacity of your heart. See you Tuesday

tuesday, November 15, 2022 Quote of the day

"Empathy is walking a mile in somebody else's moccasins. Sympathy is being sorry their feet hurt.”

Henry Davis Thoreau

My dad lost his fight from pancreatic cancer when I was twenty-seven. He was sick only for a few months before passing away at home on a hot July morning with Mom at his side. I promised him in the days leading up to his end that I would take care of Mom for him. She lived twenty-seven more years without him.

Although she stayed active and involved in my family's lives for many years, she became a recluse during her few remaining ones. The world grew to be too big for her; technology replaced a kind voice on the phone and emails replaced handwritten letters.

I struggled to understand her desire to pull away. I was aggravated that she did not want to celebrate her life. I reminded her that Dad would have loved to have seen his grandchildren grow and to eventually meet his great-grandchildren. I was angry and frustrated that she didn’t want to enjoy the blessing of life, something of which my dad was deprived. I sympathized with her, but I couldn’t understand.

At twenty-seven, I had no idea what it was like for her to be sixty-five and widowed. I had no idea what it was like for her to be ninety-one and the last survivor of her generation. She never really spoke of her grief, how she was processing it and how she felt. I could only offer sympathy, but now I have an empathetic viewpoint. We have worn the same moccasins.

Henry David Thoreau asked, “Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for an instant?” It is impossible to authentically feel what the griever is experiencing, but to rest in the space with them and to shoulder the burden, can make all the difference.

Make the space for yourself and for others.

wednesday, November 9, 2022 Quote of the day

“Be brave enough to write your own story...and then rewrite it”

Maria Shriver

As Ms. Shriver suggests, we have many opportunities to create abundance into our lives. Upon reflection, we then go forward to redesign, to realign, our lives again and again.

Please join me in this adventure as I introduce to you my book,

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I am one of forty contributing authors in this anthology that write of resilience despite setbacks and adversities.

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See you Tuesday

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tuesday, November 8, 2022 Quote of the day

“Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

During Mass this weekend, the readings were about the afterlife; a mystery that we will only fully gain knowledge of when we transcend to the other side. Before the homily, the priest engaged the congregation with a light-hearted little story.

A couple planned a vacation to Cancun, but the wife was delayed in coming by one day. Once the husband arrived, he sent an email to her. However, he typed in the address incorrectly, and it accidently fell into the inbox of a recently widowed woman. The widow opened up the email and fainted. Her daughter heard what happened and came running to assist her mom. She glanced up at the brightly lit computer screen and read the following:

My Dearest,

I miss you, and I look forward to seeing you again. I will be expecting your arrival tomorrow afternoon.

Your Loving Husband

PS. It sure is hot down here.

Laughter filled the church. He then continued talking about what that moment will be like; that moment when we are reunited with our loved ones. The priest concluded his homily stating that, “There is no death; there is just change.”

I feel the presence of those departed at the perfect time. A blinking light, the special song, perhaps a smell, or lately coins showing up in very odd places. When we choose to accept these as supernatural messages, we are embraced with miracles.

Stay in the moment, breathe, and watch what happens.

Wednesday, November 2, 2022 Quote of the day

"Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

Anton Chekhov

A Zen proverb declares that “we cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.” After a loss, much needed time to nurture our hearts is important. Allowing the stillness allows a deeper vision of who we are to become. Once our hearts and thoughts are strengthened, we begin to move, to make ripples as we find a new way to continue.

David Farley, a freelance writer, recently wrote an article in the fall edition for the magazine AAA Explorers, titled “The Ripple Effect.” Farley traveled to Ukraine as a volunteer to assist refugees. His work was to distribute shoes and coats to families fleeing from the battles. At the time, he did not see the fruits of his labor, but by the end of his time spent there, he most certainly did.

He met with the people. He listened to their stories of uprooting their families and running for safety. He met another woman who was helping as well. She was well into her 70s, so Farley asked her why she was doing this. She replied, “To get the light, you have to go through the darkness first.”

At the end of his volunteering, he watched a young boy smile as he looked down at his new shoes David had given him moments before. At that moment, Farley said he, “... couldn’t shake the feeling that the ripple effect was real.”

When we reach the level of healing that creates the space to heal others, we rustle the water. We are the ripple effect. Words spoken and action performed permeate to others. The ripples broaden, and we cannot fathom how far they will reach.

Watch your ripples become tidal waves. See you Tuesday

tuesday, November 1, 2022 Quote of the day

“Life is a reflection of how you think.”

Oprah Winfrey

My first cup of coffee in the morning is one of my most decadent indulgences ever. Sitting out on my back stoop, with my hands wrapped around the warm mug, welcomes every new day. Actor Hugh Jackman even stated that “...the smell of fresh-made coffee is one of the greatest inventions.”

I gazed down into the steaming cup and saw the crescent moon undulating on the surface of my coffee. Gazing upwards, I saw how beautifully it was floating in the blue-velvet sky. I breathed in a deep breath and rested the cup down gently on the concrete patio, continuing to watch the pre-dawn show. As I reached down for my mug, I noticed the surface had stopped swirling, and it was completely still. It was at rest, so now the moon in my cup reflected the exact vision as the one from above.

The faintest sound of an approaching truck was rambling up along the road behind me. Even though the truck was still quite some distance away, the vibration rippled the coffee’s surface. It was sobering to imagine an energy so far from my cup influencing it to react.

Albert Einstein noted that, “Everything is energy…match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality…this is not philosophy. This is physics.” Our thoughts become our actions, and our actions manifest into our being. If we are wanting to grow from our adversities, we must be cognizant of the energy that we receive and the energy we release.

Just like the vibration from the truck, our energy is also vibrational; what we say and do reflect who we are.

What is the energy of your reflection today?

Storylight A transformational journey SHARON M WIBLE