Life. I am. Thankful.

It happens in a blink. Life. I have cradled you in the arms of me for times beyond my own knowing. I know no other way than to journey toward you. I walk. The path opens like doors leading me there into the unknown. Closed inside of openness. My soul. I breathe you and I exhale that I might not grow too comfortable with the holding. Freedom is all I know, and even as I know what it means to be free, I find attachment in things. I find myself desiring that which cannot last forever. There is but one thing withstanding. Change. Cont'd Life. I am. Thankful., by Kissiah Young

I dance. Inside of God. Breath.

I have danced there along the shores of my very own soul. Nothing lured me like the scent of God. Still. Even in mindful sitting did I walk there along the sea of timeless time. Awake. I awaken that I might come to know freedom. Whose eyes can see the way of the path when they look not in the direction of truth? Nothing cleanses us from unrighteousness like the road of authenticity. The beggar knows. 

Cont'd I dance. Inside of God. Breath., by Kissiah Young.

Where love is...

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note: 

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find. I am wherever there is love.

Love, God

Spiritual voices...

Whether speaking, writing, or singing, we each have a voice. Our own way of communicating. Our Spiritual voice shines thorough from within. It may be with gestures, for some it may be with our eyes or sign language; how fast and how intense... is it done and accompanied with face and eyes to get the point across. Our present state of life is always evolving, cultivating growth, gaining new perspective into others. "There but for the grace of God go us." I was told as a child. I know I AM others...God / Spirit/ The Divine is all. There is so separateness. My voice is raspy, I have never been good at whispering, my laughter loud and joyous, I am open to spirit and grateful.

The voice is a mirror of our being, of our state of life. Our voice forthrightly reveals our true character, our cultivation as a human being. Our voices are ourselves.

Daisaku Ikeda Buddhist Philosopher

YOU matter. YOU are LOVED.

Past experiences are there to inspire me, if not teach me important lessons. If I do look back, I look back with a smile. I laugh. I do my best to let go no matter how hard, it's only hard if I think it's hard.

Perception is my weapon against attachment. I achieve what I perceive. I receive what I perceive.

I will not wallow in a harsh or unpleasant situation or I will end up getting trapped there. I will move. I will not remain in a frozen state.

The future- I won't even worry about it, I have no power to foresee it, nor do I have the right to predict, and even if I did I wouldn't waste time on it. That will only bring me further away from where I should stand, in the present moment... 


BECOMING WHO I AM.

BELIEVE ~You are a beautiful being of God. YOU have come to this lifetime to BE... love, GIVE love and RECEIVE love. YOU have the ability to make a Difference. YOU will make a difference just by choosing to Be Compassionate, Be Kind and Be Present for another being - human or animal. You make a HUGE Difference... YOU matter to the rest of us and YOU are LOVED.

~Julie Elder