Maybe She's Mental

The term Anam Cara is a Gaelic/Celtic term meaning soul friend.   We bump into them in various stages of our lives.  They may be siblings (or former siblings :)).  They may be friends.  They may be lovers.  They may be our own children. Sometimes they stick around in your life.  Sometimes their time is limited, but not without impact. I recently ran into an anam cara.  Each one discovered is so unique.  Each connection precious.  It's a feeling of comfort and familiarity.  There's a deep desire to be close to this person.  It doesn't matter his background or his history.  Our hearts are bound. Anam cara.... what a blessing!  Thank you for recognizing me!

Since your mother is no longer with you on this earth and you have no older sisters, I feel as if I might be the one that can impart to you some wisdom on motherhood before your little one arrives.  I say these words in complete love and reverence of the role of motherhood.  I share my experience with you because I feel like mothers need to be truthful with each other. Before I begin, I share with you a blessing...because we're Irish and Irish folk recite blessings and toasts, but today we're not drinking... we're serious. :)  This blessing is my own.   "May the wisdom, strength and courage of all the mothers that have come before you be instilled in you today and every day as you walk in the footsteps of the mother you are to be.  Know that your love is felt by all children and your hopes, dreams, and tears for your child will help to form their being.  Never is there a more significant role than mother.  You are ready for the joys.  May...

A child's response to the expanse of Lake Superior I was reflecting lately about two relatively recent experiences with praying for others... or having intentions for the benefit of others.... one during a visit from some angels and another during a Native American fire and water cleansing ceremony. The angel visit was a 'Pay it Forward' kind of mission that I was asked to do by a friend who was hosting the angels (3 angels of the higher realms) before me.  She asked if I would like to host them as well.... OF COURSE I DO!  I had to let the angels in at 10:30 pm on a certain night (I really could feel them when they entered - like invisible butterflies had entered and were creating waves).  I had to prepare a place for them with a white candle and keep it lit as much as possible.  I was to write 3 requests on a piece of paper and put it near the candle.  They would stay for 5 days and I would make sure the candle was lit and that I tried to spend time near...

Balance on one foot... I don't know if I ever really thought about it much until I started practicing yoga.  This has been a journey.  When you first are shown a pose where you are to stand on one leg and do other horizontal things with your body, you wonder how in the world you will ever get to the point of being able to stay there suspended.  But you just keep trying... and slowly over time, you learn how to adjust weight and position your body in alignment to be able to hold the pose and breathe without really thinking about the fact that you're now on one foot and sideways.  What an amazing transformation! And then you are taught patience again when you injure an ankle and try to do this same pose on an ankle that's not at full strength - still swollen from a nasty turn.  If you remember all the little details about the pose that got you into the pose properly on your strong ankle, the pose becomes accessible to you again... you spread out the energy and...

 Alice in Wonderland ride at Disneyland... crazy story?  maybe I don't want easy, I want crazy!  I think this has just become the motto of me!  I can't decide if I am upset or proud that my sanity is in question.  Crazy, like all labels, is relative. Crazy for Lady Gaga is certainly different than crazy for Martha Stewart.... Can you imagine Martha in a meat suit? She'd be more interested in seasoning it and searing it... ha! Crazy love:  YES!  Crazy stinky:  No thanks.  Crazy brilliant - YES please!  Crazy tension... well you get my drift... Mentally ill... another difficult one to put in a box.  The Special Olympic athletes that I have experienced are the happiest people around! I'm pretty sure we all have our own definitions of crazy and our own levels of craziness.  Only when you really don't care what others think of you do you reach your 'authentic crazy'. :)  This version I accept with joy!

This is a promise.  You will get off-track.  You will get pulled into the drama.  You will get caught up in your daily existence.... until.... something major pulls you back.  Something major rocks your core.  Maybe you don't ask why. Maybe you have no desire to know the reasons.  Who knows why major rocks shift?  We could never understand the significance. But I do know this:  Major things bring people closer.  Major things bring cleansing tears.  Major things bring out the compassion in friends, family and acquaintances.  Major things bring us back to our foundations.... that of love, support, and friendship.  Major things challenge us to trust..... trust in something we can't comprehend. When you're numb and in the midst of something major, remember to breathe.  "This too shall pass."

My daughter(5) brought home a few drawings this winter of a snowstorm.  She used every colored marker and crayon that she could find and swirled them round and round in a tornado-like fashion.  My day, body, mind, essence, direction, heart feels like this right now.  Here's my version of her drawing done in the ever professional "Paint" program. :) Yes I know, I didn't stay on the paper.. my lines got kind of crazy.  I was trying to make it as close to the original as possible.  :)  You see, I ran into a mindfulness teacher yesterday and he sent me a link to a talk given at a very successful business which taught mindfulness as a road to happiness.  This talk highlighted mindfulness, self-knowledge, and daily habits as the road to personal happiness and ultimately to world peace.  Chills! So the picture of the snowstorm above... is me... trying to figure out what to do with this information... what is my contribution to world peace?  I re...