Do you take time to reflect?

 Good morning!!

I was on a zoom call yesterday and I am realizing....there are so many people that don't spend their time reflecting and connecting nearly enough for the building up of their aspects of well-being.

I realize that not only do I get in daily journalling, I am also in study time with my boys and then connecting with others in various communities in my life.

It wasn't always so...I was quite lonely for some time. Lacking in being surrounded by those that shared in a similar like-mindedness enough that it would help me to grow and develop in my own right. For most ALL of my life I have been quite the "outlier" in the circles I was in. At school there were few "like me". Among family friends, I was often compared against. I was quite the "Tomboy" and wasn't as into "girlie" things as much as I was about being out in nature and exploring. And my own perspective of the world, ASIDE from the things I experienced, has always been unique as well.

The stats on those that feel alone and isolated are still surprising to me Almost a quarter of the population have reported feeling lonely and isolated. 25% on average! And to think that this social "isolation" thing hasn't made it any better.

So...what do you do when you feel alone and unsupported? For me, I had my toys as friends (LOL some I still have ). I also had 2 particular "friends" I would converse with, and "one" is still in my life today (#thankyouJesus) I figured it was a good idea to get my thoughts out of my head. SO I often spoke it out when I was alone. I had a diary for a while, but that didn't seem as safe a space to share my thoughts based on the movies at the time and some of the experiences I heard about with others reading it.

I still wrote a LOT of it down though. And now, I go back over what I have written and reflect....checking in with myself, with compassion, and then building on and up from there. I saw myself. I saw and appreciated who I was, often unapologetically LOL, and I still do today. There were some moments in my life where I did let that go, and went deep into a depressive state (maybe not as deep as some of those around me) I had to REMEMBER who I was and connect in with myself again.

We do have to see ourselves in some way first in order to choose to connect outside of ourselves. That's how we know what we are wanting to connect to....that like-mindedness we all seek.

There is a word that fits this perfectly. Sawubona. Once I learned of its deeper meaning, I've continued to use it since. It means "I see you". And I want to extend an invite for others to join me in learning and "seeing" more about this and other practices over the week, and in an opportunity I will be sharing soon

So today, I will reflect on "seeing me" as I dive into my "reflect and connect" time for the week. What do your like-minded connections look like? What are ways or groups that you connect with that help to build you up and enjoy more of yourself ?

#thankyouGod #throughtheLookingGlass #Iseeyou #Iam #WeAre #madeforcoonection #oneanotherlove

Allow and accept to release what no linger serves

 Good morning!

My "words" be but images this morning. ALL pieces within the last 24 hours calls me to RELEASE and set free.

To be honest, I was feeling pretty "done" with certain interactions. I'm not alone in the "fatigue" I had been feeling. And through the grace of God (through divine teaching...), I allow and accept. Where I have been at...where they are at...and in recognizing the gift of omnipresence I look to the place and to the peace of omnipresence

#thankyouGod #DivineGifts #openup #freedom #unity #oneanotherlove #Psalm139

Veggie bowls for dinner

 Last night's dinner...bowl time!

#vegetarian #glutenfree #familymeal #vegan #wholeingredients

Who can tell your life story?

 

Good morning!

I gave a challenge to a loved one yesterday...."Tell my story."

I realize that there are many in my life that I can honestly say, I can not tell the fullness of their story. I want to say part of the reason is because we haven't spent enough time together....but that is a lie. I know it's not so true because, there are friends I know that I have only captured what feels like a minute with them yet, their stories and the details are rich in my mind. How is that so? They went there! That is what they shared with me...is the depths and details of their stories with vivid technicolour details and then....we started laughing about the lyrics to baby shark and who knew it best (they did )

There are many people that I know their stories, and they would not like to hear it again. It's stays locked up with me...as a reminder and gift that stays as a treasured depth of their soul. It's an unspoken "knowing" that I see deeper into their moments than some perceive on the surface. Still, I would love to connect in more to fill in some of the gaps I realize when I am "reciting" their story in my head. More of how they taste joy and cherish with pain, those that they love. Goals and desires left unmet that burn at them throughout the day.

I remember sitting to have lunch with a lovely sister one time behind the library downtown when a man approached us. His clothes were weathered and his hands and face told the story of hardship yet he came to tell us that he loved our smiles. I returned the complement and said that we are fortunate that he would smile with us, and then.....he shared his story. A story of love savoured and love and life lost. He shared of his dreams and you could see in his eyes that he could still see the beauty of the vision for his life he held....and then it faded into his tears of remembrance. I thanked him for sharing such hope and love and he went away feeling appreciated (because he was).

But all that said brings me back to the fact that there are so many that guard the details and blow them off in their own heads. They don't even get the to the journey from their own appreciation to their tongue to be shared with another.

We see many asking for suggestions of what to watch on Netflix yet, have they shared their own story with someone near and dear to them? Have they valued their own experience and allowed their details to inspire and connect in with another?

Is it because of a lack of feel safe with sharing our details? Can we foster relationships where we get the freedom and gift to share so fully? Do we hold our vision and love with such high value that they flow off our tongues with praise like the stranger we encountered? Do we trust in the value that others will see and hold in and of our lives?

Let's just start with us first then. Speak your story to yourself like a movie trailer. I get so filled up personally just thinking about how awesome it is to be connected to the beauties I call my family, that I get choked up sometimes. I'm choked up now. They're amazing! And the stories I would tell would be magnificent.

How deep do you allow yourself to love, cherish, and savour those around you and the "you" that you have become?

Let's love and cherish deeply today... Much love to you

#thankyouGod #LovedandCherished #biggerPicture #Lovestory #WeAre #greaterstill #divinegifts #INJoy