Journey, Not A Destination

Nothing is taken from you
without something better
replacing it.

Sanders G. Laurie
Melvin J. Tucker
CENTERING

It seems that many people are going through a transition right now whether physical, mental or spiritual.  In order to embrace the forthcoming change, we need to make room.  This means getting rid of the old in preparation for the new.   We have behaviors, thoughts, and beliefs that have seized to sustain us.  Perhaps we harbor grudges or criticisms from earlier on taking up space and weighing us down.

If we have a glass of spoiled milk, we do not pour fresh milk into the soured milk.  We throw away the old milk, clean the glass, and pour fresh milk into the glass.  The same is true with our selves.  When we release, we are letting go of things no longer serving us.  When we detach from negative emotion or dependence on  material things, we in a sense cleanse our selves so we can welcome new insight or abundance. 

Results are not always immediate.  The timing is not our own, so it may take awhile for us to notice that a shift has been made.  In hindsight, we see more clearly how things slid into place.  There are times, however, if we are alert, we can experience an 'ah-ha' moment when inspiration, insight, and wisdom overwhelm us all at once.

Measuring progress is a difficult task.  It is best to not be attached to the outcome, but to enjoy the process as it unfolds.    If we daily pay attention, we will realize how goodness arrives in very subtle ways.   In the words of Steven Tyler, "Life is a journey, not a destination."

Largest Art Festival in USA at Coconut Grove

We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion. ~ Max de Pree

 

Traveling with our friends, we drove through all of the Florida Keys headed for Miami. It was a three hour drive, but the views along the way were very inspiring. Our friends explained the history of each Key and how it had significantly grown or suffered. This long drive took us to the largest art festival in the United States. The Coconut Art Festival was celebrating 50 successful years with over 350 artists on site and more than 500,000 people expected to attend. This is a juried show with highly skilled artists, best quality work, and exceptional offerings from across the United States, Canada, and a few other countries.
 

The skill of each artist was so unique nothing seemed replicated. There were oils, water colors, multi-media and even embroidered I had never seen displayed before. There were etchings in pencil and glass, pottery in Miami style, unique jewelry for all occasions, spectacular glass pieces for walls, vases, and table top decorations. Much to my surprise, I came upon a jewelry maker I had purchased from at the Peoria Art Festival in Illinois. (I knew she was counting on me, so I bought from her again. I couldn't let her down!) Other artists offered metal works, sculptures, fibers and painted silk, wood creations and leather designs. In addition, there were performing artists and individual musicians scattered throughout the show. In the attempt to not exclude any artist, there was an entire section of culinary arts with amazing food and chefs.
 

This was an amazing experience. I have attended art shows and festivals for years now, and I have to admit even though this was the largest scale art show I have ever attended, not one tent nor exhibitor had failed to reflect their unique interpretation of what they had honed their skills to create. 
 

These artists truly reflected the concept of remaining focused on individual interpretation, extending time and money on the preferred skill, rather than spending energy on duplicating some one else's creation or style. They followed their personal instincts with passion and the results were extremely creative gifts. We found some of the artists visiting other artists to buy what they honored in others. One jewelry artist was looking at a beautiful silk painted shawl. She was willing to support others in what they did best. Artists respecting the exceptional qualities in others promotes diversity and good will.
 

One particular young woman will always stand out in my mind, Teresa Merriman.  Her business is MIND'S EYE JOURNALS.  She was from Colorado and created exceptional journals. She had made the paper which was high quality, and then prepared leather of different shades to cover each journal. She also bound all of the journals her self. There were three different sizes and not one a like. The higher end prices were on the journals adorned with leather covers plus uniquely individual metal disks. These journals were high quality artistic offerings. I loved talking with this artist at length and regretfully didn't buy one. I felt I would never have anything worthy enough to say to grace the lovely pages in this exceptional journal.  Her skilled crafts (woman) ship can be viewed at: 
www.MindsEyeJournals.com
 

We also attended the neighboring art festival (We walked out of one and right into another) composed of artists applying too late to get juried for the larger show. It was also very entertaining. In a delightfully older school building, High Tea was being offered with fresh strawberries on scones. We of course wanted to support their efforts as well.
 

After stimulating the economy in this creative heaven, we were ready to head home. With a three hour return drive a head of us, we had plenty of time to share our favorite experience or food from the day. Half-way back we experienced a wonderful dinner at The Green Turtle giving ourselves time to rest and regroup. We had left our rental house by 7:30 am and returned exhausted by 10:30 pm, but what a magnificent day.

Answering When We are Called

 

"Love only grows by sharing.  You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others." 

 
―   Brian Tracy

 

 

There is a lot to be said for defining boundaries and clarifying limitations when in relationship.  It is only when these two things are addressed that giving will not exhaust us.  It is the gift of giving when it is reciprocated back to us.  This is not to say that reciprocation will come immediately nor will it necessarily be returned by the same person.  Frequently, our random acts of kindness are returned to us in quite a different way and at a different time.

 

Some of us will say we glory in the feeling of joy once we extend our selves or resources to some  one else.  The joy of giving in unmistakable, but even though our intention was never to receive in turn, goodness shall be returned. 

 

We do not extend love in order to be loved in return, as life will repeatedly show us this isn't how relationships work.  We give out of love and our love for our selves swells by our kind actions.  When we are filled with love for our selves (I am not talking about ego here) we will attract love back to us.  The joy of giving creates love for all involved. 

 

We extend our selves without an intention for an outcome.  We give freely in spite of what will unfold.  We do our part and leave the rest.  We answer when we are called without any agenda.

My favorite example of this is the the story of two men walking down the street passing a disheveled homeless woman begging for money.  The one man looked the other way while the second man immediately extended cash to the "down on her luck" woman.  

 

The first man asks if the second man is crazy.  "Do  you really think she is going to go buy milk or food with that money," the first man asks.  The second man smiles at the first man and explains that his obligation is to respond to the needs of others and then it ends there.  Whatever the woman does with the money is up to her.     He does not have an agenda or intentions for a specific outcome.  He is simply answering the call.  Too often, we relinquish our part by judging the other.

 

Today is my significant other's birthday.  In my eyes, he is this second man.  Although prudent, he frequently will immediately respond to a call once received.  He is willingly to accept the responsibility of helping another without a return.  He will never mention his good deed again as he just takes it in stride.  He does not worry, get overly involved, or further engage.  He simply does what he is nudged to do.

 

I celebrate his birth and his presence in my life.  He is my teacher and infrequently my student.  We are dramatically different, but our hearts are coupled, giving and receiving as our love grows.

 

 

 

"It is in the giving that we receive"

I am a promise.

I am a possibility.

I am a great big bundle of potentiality.

Children's Song

Looking for a little spiritual support, I pulled out COMPANIONS OF THE HEART by one of my very favorite authors, Alan Cohen.  As I usually do, I opened the book up to a random page.  The quotation was in reference to overflowing like water falls.  In my less than uplifting mood, this concept of having so much spirit within us we can pool over onto others, just caused me to feel even more empty.

I then randomly turned to a different section entirely.  There was a quote from the BEATLES about what goes around comes around.  This section didn't seem to speak to me at all, so I moved on.

Finding myself in the Letting Go chapter, there was a quote from St Francis:  "It is in the giving that we receive."  These words immediately brought my daughter to mind.  Not so long ago, she willingly came to my side, offering generous emotional, physical, financial and spiritual support.  She gave without anticipation or expectation of any personal return.  How thankful and grateful I am to have such unconditional love and support in my life.

My thoughts became happy in acknowledging that indeed she is being reimbursed handsomely for her efforts.  This unexpected turn of events arrives in a very timely manner as her home has just sold and she looks for another.  In her effortlessly giving, she is now effortlessly receiving!

Now smiling and feeling totally uplifted for the first time today, I turn to the next page and an envelope falls out.  I recognize the envelope as being mine, but what in the world is in it?  I peek inside finding ten twenty dollar bills!  My laughter cannot be curtailed!  I am 'overflowing';  what has "gone around" now comes back around;  and in giving we receive!