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Hello Beloveds,
It’s a “Happy Birthday to Me” day!
It was Saturday afternoon when I wrote this, with Wednesday in mind. I chuckled when I realized that I would be queuing this to be sent at the exact time my birth certificate testifies to my entering the world 64 years ago. July 8, 1:30am PDT. Being a home-birth baby, delivered by my dad who was never into the astrology thing, I imagine no one was paying much attention to the clock, so the exactness is debatable.
There is another thing that’s great about 1:30am. That’s the time my flight is scheduled to leave Ecuador tomorrow morning, Thursday, finally taking me to my sweetheart’s arms. Now that’s a birthday present!!!! (crazy update ….flight cancelled just now … Maybe I’ll be in those arms of July 12th, fingers crossed.)
Quite a few of you sent me notes after my “Enough” message a couple weeks ago. As I reflect on the full-range of thoughts you shared, I am appreciating the way we each sift a message through our unique filters, beliefs and points of view. Every note speaks to each of us in a unique voice. How wonderful!
That “ Enough” post is still percolating in me. During this birthday week I’ve been basking in deep reflections for the gift of this life. Every moment is always perfectly enough, just the way it shows up.
Once upon a time, my birthday week was a time to set goals and make a plan to improve, achieve more, and make big changes. (My family name is Gohl … pronounced “goal” which could explain some of my tendencies to gravitate toward that modus operandi. {Darleen, I can hear you laughing right now})
I’ve slipped away from that kind of strategic planning. As I have become much more intrigued by the astonishing mystery of Life that lives through me, my birthday week has become filled with gratitude and celebration of this life that I have the privilege of inhabiting.
As part of my gratitude, I followed a thread into my past experiences, remembering a potent exercise that I experienced during a workshop, 20-odd years ago. I want to share that with you right now …
To begin, make a list of all the words you’d use to fully describe yourself.
My list starts with wife, coach, adventurous, friend, sister, playful, strong, 5’8’, business-woman, USA citizen, brown-eyed, healthy, kind, mischievous, educated … Take a few minutes to write your own list. I remember the list I made in that workshop being three full columns on a sheet of notebook paper, probably college-ruled!
After you’ve made your list, you’ll want a 45- 60 minute uninterrupted block of time for the next step.
One at a time, take each descriptive word and put it into this inquiry…
If I was not fill in with one of your descriptive words would I still exist?
If I were not a wife, would I still exist?
If I wasn’t a coach, would I still exist?
If I did not think of myself as adventurous, would I still exist?
Go all the way through your list, asking and answering the question “would I still exist?” for each word.
Take your time.
Come to each statement fresh and curious.
When all the labels are explored, what remains?
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sharing The Mystery with You, in Love,
Sharon |
