Living Large

I wrote in my journal for this coming year that I wanted to do something to make a real difference in the lives of other people. I was thinking just this evening that I have already done that; I have played a key role in saving the lives of at least two young men that I know of and I have notably had a positive impact in the lives of many others. I am sublimely grateful to have been of service and appreciate what an honor it is to play that role for another human being so I can’t help but wonder at this sense of dissatisfaction I feel at not yet having done enough. I actually think about things like; is being an artist and writer really enough to be of service? As I mentally meander down this path of what is enough and think of the things I have done like the 6 cats I am currently the care taker of; all of whom are rescues and yes, I do feel like I am on the verge of being a crazy cat lady. Then I get to this point where I realize I didn’t “do” anything to get to the point where I was acting to save people’s lives. The time when I was a kid out riding my bike and I helped stop a fire from burning down a neighbor’s town home; started by two kids who had been playing with matches. Or when this kid mentioned in a meeting that two years prior I said something to him that changed his life and his relationship with his alcoholic Mother, I had no idea at the time I was saying something that would be so profound. When I followed a nudge to visit a friend from Vietnam who didn’t speak much English and neither did his family only to find out that he needed to immediately be taken to the hospital because he had sever appendicitis. The surgeon later told me if they had operated a moment later he would have died because it rupture as it was removed. Or the time I realized that one young man’s threats of suicide were a dispirit cry for help from someone who had been abused and simply needed to be heard. I counseled him for a number of months when I finally was able to get him to a point where he felt he could go to a professional for help. When sexual abuse comes from an authority figure in a child's life it can be extremely difficult if not impossible for a person to feel safe going to an authority figure to ask for help. 

It is in dwelling on how I had arrived at each of these experiences I realized that I had been given the privilege to serve by trusting my intuition, listening to others, paying attention and stepping fully into those moments. It also means having courage. Courage doesn't mean you aren't afraid; what it does mean is that you know what needs to be done and that you are going to do it anyway, or find someone who can, even though you may be afraid. So I guess what I am saying here is that to really live your life BIG you have to be present in the moment because you never know when life will give you the opportunity to make a difference and on those blessed times when you actually get to witness the results – to see how your actions have allowed you to be of service to another soul (not all of them are human) embrace it with gratitude. There is nothing so humbling, beautiful, divine or moving as to know you mattered; you made a difference in another’s life. And if by chance someone has made a difference in your life be generous and take the time and share with him or her and who knows, you might get the chance to return the favor.

And though I have to keep reminding myself YES, being an artist, writer and following my dreams is enough. In doing what I love I am being a source for that love and compassion in the world. Why do I say compassion? Well, in learning to be more compassionate with myself I have a greater capacity to give that love and compassion to others because; you can’t give what you don’t have. 

An Interesting Evening

It has been an interesting evening . . .

First a cute little calico girl shows up in need of rescue just as I go outside to chat with a friend. She is starved for food, attention and is quite the talker. Tonight she is in the bathroom and tomorrow she will go to the vet (oh yippee for both of us). Truly it is really not my intention to become a crazy cat lady. 

Second I went to dinner with my dear sweet friend Norma who worked for me when I had the art gallery. We were exchanging our Christmas pressies and she gave me a very nice hand carved, hand painted figurine that looks like it's out of a fairy tale and a magic wand (yes that's right I've got a magic wand now and it even glows) so look out. 

Third my dog Sydney was acting odd; didn't eat all of his food (never happens), acting a little lethargic, laid down and was just drooling (never happens). Of course I called the emergency vet, but luckily was able to figure out that he had gotten into the high protein, grain free bag of cat food I had gotten out to feed the rescued kitten and eaten about 4 cups of it and was probably just nauseas and having a tummy ache so luckily no ER Vet trip, thank you God. 

Like I said, it's been an interesting evening. Not to mention an entire bowl of water getting spilt on my bed but let's not go into that one. 

You Can Only Give What You Have

You really can't take care of everyone else when you don't take care of yourself. How you treat yourself is how you broadcast to others to treat you. When you sacrifice and put yourself last you tell others to put you last, that you don't deserve better. If this is you I'm here to tell you that you can't trade yourself for love, respect, positive attention or to be valued. When you take care of yourself and your needs you are in a better place to care for others; you tell others that you matter and you understand the value of that and thus can give that value to others. When you take care of yourself you tell others you matter. If you don't believe you are enough, if you don't believe you deserve best life has to offer, if you don't believe that you deserve to pursue your dreams then God/Life/The Universe will live up to your expectations and give you exactly what you, your actions, your choices, your beliefs say you deserve. You are enough; right here, right now, just as you are - you are enough; I know what it feels like to feel irreparably broken, it was the biggest lie my ego (my false/little self) ever told me. Every time you think you can’t do something, you don’t have enough to accomplish something, every time you think you aren’t good enough, smart enough, fill in the blank enough – take a deep breath and say out loud (so you can hear yourself) oh, that’s just ego; the more you recognize it the more it diminishes. Every time someone presents a possibility, a different way of thinking, a different approach, opinion, etc and some part of you jumps up in anger – that’s ego. When other people present something that is outside of our perspective, outside our way of doing thing or thinking about things including ourselves and we feel; angry, scared, upset, sad, afraid, etc – that’s ego. Another person presenting something different is nothing more than a different perspective with no reflection on us, just a different way of thinking and the true self knows that this can’t hurt us and that there is nothing to fear. Expanding your understanding of this will help you realize that peace is not about circumstances, and that happiness is within your own heart and not outside of yourself. You may respond to certain people and things that come into your life with joy, but that choice and that feeling comes from within you and that source is always there, but the ego is good at hiding it away as it tells you that someone is lashing out at your, that you need to be afraid, that you aren’t enough, etc. It is the true Father of Lies – recognize it for what it is and it diminishes and you regain your own true person power that was always there waiting for you and then who knows what you’ll accomplish. What better gift could you give yourself this coming new year? You deserve it. 

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9 Quick Truths about Creativity, Happiness and God

A great artist is one whose work you can connect with; those are the ones that inspire others – connecting through the human condition.

Whoever said creativity has an order? It is more about getting out of your own way and other than that a serious of choices.

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Just because something pops in your brain or just because you feel something doesn’t mean it should pop out your mouth.

A happy person is free of the ego, the false self. Also, studies show that the happiest people have the most connections with others; yep that whole human contact thing really does matter – more than age, health, wealth, . . . etc.

Good sentiment is like moral outrage, fairly useless.

People are fascinated when ordinary things are put in a new/compelling perspective.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

Thoughts are real things; they are where actions come from so you might want to work on developing some discipline in regards to what you think, especially since that’s in large part the source from where your life is created.

To achieve a sense quiet/of being one must learn, in this world of extreme and continuous stimulation, to be quiet from within – a challenging but utterly powerful and worthy goal.

God works in efficient ways; nothing ever serves just a single purpose?

Change is an absolute inevitability, but it does mean that things can potentially get better.  

My response to, “8 Quick Truths about Creativity, Happiness, and God”

In Memory Of You

Well, it’s been about a month now of either animals being ill, traveling, scrabbling to recover and repack, more traveling and then a nasty sinus infection from which, though not quiet 100% yet, I am happy to report in recovery. I’ve missed my writing and art making. I’ve missed hearing from all of you and seeing what bits of creativity you all have been up to so I felt it was time to foray back into it if even only a small step. So, how about some creative inspiration already eh? Okay, so get your medium setup and plop down, or stand as you like and get busy painting / drawing / photographing / sculpting, etc. “you”; but here’s the real challenge – from memory; NO mirrors, photos or the ilk simply from memory. Something else I would suggest is DO NOT worry about it being realistic; have fun and be as abstract and colorful as you like and don’t judge. If you will just allow yourself to play and have fun / be creative then you might surprise yourself and you might even discover something new. Remember you don’t have to share it if you don’t want to but if you do, post away because you may just be an inspiration to someone else or even just simply help someone else have the courage to share. 

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