a gift of grace

gifts come in funny ways and they are not always wrapped with a pretty bow. they arrive daily if we have our eyes open. one was given to me today; it appeared in my email inbox.

a reader of of one my books, Simple Grace - Living a Meaningful Life, sent a letter from the heart. it was her blog posting highlighting a couple thoughts that touched her. we're having coffee together one brisk february morning.

besides it always being a gift to hear from readers, she showed me how thoughts can be put into actions. read on. and let me know when you come up with your theme song. we're still working on ours.

blog of sharon rainey
www.sharonsnook.blogspot.com

the perfect moment

have you ever experienced a perfect moment? if you think you may have then you haven't. if you have you know with every bone in your body. these moments are rare.

it is the opening of your heart where before it was sealed. it is lifting your eyes and knowing, absolutely, that life is greater than you can imagine. time stands still.

euphoria.

nirvana.

your inner truth is revealed in a blink. if you capture it and prolong it you will experience more and intensity burns but it is alright.

for a girl who can't live in grey - it is too uncomfortable - for a girl who has the defect of creating boxes and needing to put people, places and experiences into compartments - the perfect moment is a gift.

it is a gift that brings breathing space where all is right with the world. there is no anger or resentment and all hurt is healed. the past is meaningless. i let go of anything negative. the future doesn't exist. the perfect moment is when my heart is vulnerable.

stars are brighter. the air is more crisp. the mountain's peaks are sharper than they were. the tides flow in rhythm. music is heightened and every note revealed.

maybe love is felt for the moment. i'm still, for once, space in time - and i wait for another. it gives hope i can be better than i have been. maybe the boxes open a bit more and the grey is less fearful.

facebook, time and energy drains

today i shut down my facebook. it is a fairly silly thing, the decision to do it or not, but i debated it for a day or two. pros: nice to connect, reconnect, share funny happenings and see what my little piece of the world is up to. cons: why? why bother? how about picking up the phone. call a friend or shoot an email if you want to connect. fb could easily become a time waster. and here is a big reason why...some fb lurkers who have nothing better to do than let you know they are:

wiping their kid's snotty nose - or going out to dinner - or watching The Office - or listening to "the old" Clash - or - or - or - or...

i make a rule in my life to avoid toxic people and energy drains.

then there were those who got pissy if i didn't respond right away...

"didn't you get my kidnap invite to share your top five favorite cooking secrets that helped you catch that special guy who needed your 80's quiz to know if you liked polka dot leggings or v-nectk forenza sweaters better so you can watch the Breakfast Club dvd or listen to Blister in the Sun and grab a fruity pina colada while you do this together or perhaps your more of a dirty martini girl or maybe you like...... "

you can block or ignore but that only works for so long. odd little subculture. and i'm guilty of it too. looking back over my posts i see how i once was "reading" or i want "off for the weekend" or i'd post pageant pictures or kid pictures that really, who cares?! i will admit is was a lot of fun to gear up for my 20th reunion. a useful tool.

imagine a quick, fun, harmless pop-in to take a looksie... say, ten minutes a day. well, seven days a week and there goes at least an hour of my life.

hhmm, next blog could be: ten ways to use an extra hour per week.

or, i could write about blogs are top time wasters, but then i wouldn't be very "2009" now, would i? plus, i'm an author. we are supposed to write and pontificate.

Calm Forgiving

You know I can't resist sharing a quote I stumbled across in my weekly reading. Here is a lovely one... This by Mark Twain - Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.

In other words, no matter the situation, the phone call, the email, the traffic, my response should always be - Bless Them. Heal Me.

healing

Two weeks ago I heard someone speaking about how cruel people can be. His suggestion, say a short prayer for the other person. Even if in traffic and some driver cuts you off, instead of getting angry which is what you want to do, simply stop, breathe and say this: "Bless Them. Heal Me."

Repeat as often as necessary - in traffic, in response to rudeness, after being treated unfairly, or even when you have justified anger or you know you are in the "right" and the other person has been clearly cruel, mean, or just plain wrong.

Bless Them. Heal Me.
Bless Them. Heal Me.
Bless Them. Heal Me.

Guess what? I tried it. So did a girlfriend of mine. We put it to the test. And, it works. It saves emotional energy. It reminds me what is important and if I get spun up about little rude things then I am wasting my precious time. Better for me to say, "Bless them. Heal me" and move on.

live in truth

A reminder to speak and live in truth -

I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for the truth; and truth rewarded me.
- Simone De Beauvoir

A reminder to love and be kind to each other -

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.

- Dalai Lama

Help Ever Hurt Never

Love all serve all... help ever hurt never...

Today I was reminded of something I hadn't heard in a long, long time. Help ever, hurt never. I believe the saying goes something like, "Love all, serve all...help ever, hurt never."

Got me thinking about how closed off we (I) can be, that is to say I close off love, unconditional love, and keep it, don't share it, am not of service as times, and how selfish is this? It can be a quiet prison of sorts. And something I must be very watchful and mindful of is my isolating. Isolation = not a good thing! It starts me on a spiral down. But if I'm helping and not hurting others then I am of use and purpose and outside of my isolated self, more free from ego and less self-centered.

Some ramblings I found here and there that make sense to me-
People have forgotten the meaning of love and affection. They don't know to love people, serve people. They are lost. Is this ego? Ego is another problem that has raised because of this. Once if a person has ego he loses his character and once character is gone every thing is gone. Is this a way a human should behave?

Follow these lines "love all serve all... help ever hurt never". This is said by SaiBaba. Its absolutely true. If you start loving people unconditionally, you will never hurt any one. Helping tendency flows within you and you will begin to serve people.

If we all start doing this we will have peace and harmony in this world. Transformation is necessary in me, and you, and you to over come this problem. It can be transforming.

I'm thankful for hearing help ever, hurt never again today.
It was too long. It is good to remember.