Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have so much to learn in this life. Daily, we all should learn something. But, my lifelong lesson, I believe, is to learn patience, and have it become a part of my being. I don’t know HOW to be patient. But, I’m TRYING to learn it, and accept life as it comes. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but, I truly want to learn it, and master it. There are so many wonderful people in my life who embrace patience with their every breath… and these people are ones that I look up to. My mother is the queen of patience. My sister has a plethra of it as well. And my lover was blessed with an abundance of it. Now, if three AMAZING women in my life have so much patience, wouldn’t you think that some of it would rub off on me? I know that if I can become a patient woman, then I think that I will have a much better life… filled with happiness like I’ve never known.

Being vulnerable doesn’t have to be threatening. Just have the courage to be sincere, open and honest. This opens the door to deeper communication all around. It creates self-empowerment and the kind of connections with others we all want in life. Speaking from the heart frees us from the secrets that burden us. These secrets are what make us sick or fearful. Speaking truth helps you get clarity on your real heart directives.
– Sara Paddison

I think that communication is probably the single more important basis to a relationship… and then more time that you spend getting to know someone, and share of yourself, and listen to what they have to say, then the more two people can grow closer. Just spending time talking… even if it isn’t deep… daily, makes a world of difference. I know, for me, it creates a level of trust that I desire. And it makes me feel safer with sharing those harder things. Holding all that crap in, locked inside my head, all alone, is a lot of pressure, for me. It’s healthy to have a way to release it. There are very few people that I trust, and even less that I let in… but, those that I do invite inside, I trust with my life.

A true friend is one who not only basks with you in the sunlight, but stands by you in the shade, and holds your hand through the darkest of nights.

~Kris Rucker

“If you’re motivated to be of service to others while being authentically detached from the outcome, you’ll feel on purpose, regardless of how much abundance flows back to you.”

Never do something with expectations of receiving something in return. It just doesn’t work that way. And when you give of yourself, in a genuine way, you feel such a reward, inside, that you don’t need anything else.

In order to float an idea into your reality, you must be willing to do a somersault into the inconceivable and land on your feet, contemplating what you want instead of what you don’t have.

My room is all painted, and I’m going to look at buying a dresser, this afternoon. The slevles are here, and will go up sometime in the next week, I think. The arbor is built, in the front yard, and next week the new lanterns will be installed along the front yard. I’m making things happen, and it feels soooooo good.

Life may not be perfect… but, it’s my life, and I’m going full speed ahead.

The snow, the wind, the sun, and the sounds of nature can all be reminders to you that you’re and integral part of the natural world.

We are a part of everything… and everything is a part of us. It’s just the natural part of life. All living things… not just humans and animals, must co-exist. We are each a piece of life…

You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.
~Friedrich Nietzsche

I love this quote. To me, it seems quite logical. We do need to have chaos, or a lot going on in our lives, in order to make something out of it. In order for a star to be born, there is much chaos (movement) happening. So, if we are to have movement in our lives, we have to have things going on in order to create that movement.

“Cherish the energy you share with all living beings now and in the future – as well as those who have lived before you.”

It’s important to respect all living things. We have to learn how to do that… but, it isn’t that hard. None of us are better than other people, or animals. I cherish my family, friends, and my pets (my children). But, I also need to respect those around me, even if I don’t know them, simply because they are beings, like me… alive, living, breathing!!!

Practice catching yourself when you have a thought of what others want for you, and ask yourself, Does this expectation match up with my own?

For a long time now, I’ve really not cared what others think about me. And I still don’t. What others want for my life is their own wants. It isn’t mine. So, I’ve never really paid too much attention to what those people think, or want. And I think that it’s a practice that more people need to learn. Live your own life… because it’s the only thing that is truly yours.

“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get – only with what you are expecting to give – which is everything”
~Kate Hepburn

Too many times in life, we humans are looking for what we can get. We do things with the expectation of something being given to us in return. We expect that if we help someone out, they will, in turn, do the same for us. And then, when others don’t give back to us, we are upset, disappointed, and even feel that we will never do something for said person again.

I try to give, out of the kindness in my heart… and in return, I hope that the person that I’ve done something for will turn around and do something kind for another person. It doesn’t have to be to me. It’s a “pay-it-forward” kind of attitude that I seek to have.

Sure, there are times where I do kind things for certain people in my life… even if I’m not really in a lot of contact with them… and I feel disappointed, because they never do a thing for me… but, in all honesty, I don’t EXPECT anything in return. Sure, it would be nice for those certain people to show that they too can do something… and I’m not talking monetary value return here… I’m just talking doing something, in general. And, for me, when those certain people don’t show any sort of true kindness in return, I tend to write them off. Yes, I will still keep in contact with them… but, I won’t go out of my way for them, again… unless I feel that it’s absolutely necassary.

Still, we people, as a society, need to stop being so dang me focused, and start looking at the world around. There are things that we can all do, on any given day… in any given situation… to make a person’s life just a pinch better. Opening up the door for a stranger, because their hands are full…. and not being worried that you’ve now let them in and they are now in front of you in line. Stop being in so much of a hurry. I mean, two extra minutes isn’t really going to kill you. Picking up the phone and calling a friend, or relative, and just taking a moment to see how they are really doing. Asking someone if they’d like to sit and have a cup of coffee (or whatever) and a little chat. There really are many things that we can do.

We need to slow down, appreciate the moments that are passing us by, daily. We need to stop being so busy in our own live… being selfish, in my opinion… and start finding those moments that can make a difference. It isn’t that hard to do… unless you’re too selfish, or stubborn, to really care.