Silence and the Purity of Authentic Thought

"Traveling alone is a learning process;

some people travel for leisure,

I travel to run into myself!"

C. JoyBell C.

When my lovely daughter graduated from college, my journey to be with her stretched from an under two hour drive to a lengthy six hour drive, now turned eight.  There were hours to explore my choices, behaviors, and the depths of silence waiting for the purity of authentic thought.  

In all seasons the roads were beautiful.  In time I had selected my safest places to stop and a few shops for diversion when bored.  I knew the route by heart, and always felt as though I were being  pulled into my daughter's presence which continued to be a spiritual rest in a sacred haven.

The drive home often began with tears, but soon nature would pull my eyes  to watch the beauty and precision of the sky bound birds. The gracefulness of the deer stroked a natural sense of energy within me.  Watching the sky led to my understanding of the language hidden in the midst of the clouds.  The gentle movement in the sky reflected the necessity for me to gently change.

Without Uttering a Word

"Sometimes the things that are felt the most 

are expressed between two souls over the distance

and over time ... where no words abide."

C. JoyBell C.

Water takes on many forms and brings comfort to all peoples.  Our bodies require an intake of water, and showering our bodies can wash away stress from the day.  Water boils food or creates steam for many cooking, cleansing, or warming purposes.  Water also has a magical element of connection whether we are submerged in an ocean, teasing a tide with our toes or simply listening to the sound of waves.

Memories run parallel to the functions of water.  They can bring comfort, required for daily functioning, and an escape from reality.  Both can startle by serendipitously splashing against us.  Both sudden memories and water can turn us towards laughter or tears of sadness.

We can be triggered instantaneously without a single word.  The touch of a rain drop upon our face can remind us of a gentle kiss whereas a rising flood can threaten life.  Memories or water can knock us flat without uttering a word.  

The Lotus and Honey Bees

"A water lily has always been a water lily for that whole time that it was sprouting out of the wet soil, reaching up through the dark water towards the sunlight, stretching and grasping for the surface; where it then buds and blooms on the outside in the sunshine."

C. JoyBell C.

We can only change ourselves and the shift must begin from deep within.  Our light is but a flicker until we continue to fuel it with hope, direction, and faith.  Eventually, our path out of darkness is reflected from our physical presence as we shine our true nature at long last.  Strength to be authentic is thickened as we grow in place, emerging as we have always been meant to be.  

So no more waiting for the knight on the white horse to rescue the fair maiden.  The end to seeking a teacher who will magically change our interior without our personal effort.  The marking of days until the special one arrives where the world changes is no longer available on the calendar.  The time is now.  No more distractions or retractions.  Moving forward at will.

And the day does come, when the sun does shine and the birds sing of freedom.  Where the sway of the trees calms us and the fragrance of flowers nurtures us.  Our roots run deeply into the rich earth and while our stems reach grasp for the sunlight.   Honey bees kiss our petals until we at long last unfold.