This Is Now...

"It takes courage to heal.

It takes courage to speak on behalf of the whole, to be a voice, a full expression for the Earth and for its diverse species, for all human life, for a consciousness that knows that peace is our inheritance and that our responsibility is to reveal our interdependence.

It takes courage for science and spirituality to dialogue and illuminate new possibilities for humankind.

It takes courage to reach towards the manifestation of a vision that transforms enemies into allies and disillusionment into hope.

But you were born for such a time as this."

~ James O'Dea

...another beautiful spring day here on Vashon Island...

amazing how exposure to sunlight over two consecutive days can alter my mood - for the better!

oh, and remembering that other people's moods and issues are not necessarily anything to do with/about me - they MIGHT be, but chances are they're not...

and reminding myself just to stay in this very moment, in the NOW, where everything is OK...

"When you go home to the present moment, you touch the wonders of life that are inside you and around you.

Just enjoy this moment; you don't have to wait for tomorrow to have peace and joy."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

and reminding myself that I'm powerful and strong and can/will deal with whatever the next step is...

and that it's up to me, how this story ends and how I experience that ending...

and at the same time, while...

... I am not alone in this...

... it's all in the perspective ...

That Was Then...

...having a blah day...

there's tension in the house where we're staying... too many people, not enough space, no privacy, teenage boy stuff going on, family struggling with change also...

And...

waiting for court decision...

And...

no idea how to fund the next step away from here, whether it's to stay in the US or go back to Oz...

And...

boring female issues - am in tail end of peri-menopause, body's trying to menstruate and feel like crap, with backache from sleeping on couch too long, and sore, stiff joints from drinking too much coffee, eating too late each evening and sitting around too much...

And...

finding this change time in the external world hard to take - really weird feeling we're living in revolutionary times and knowing that things will get much worse before they get better... feel sad and mad and frustrated all at the same time...

And...

feeling everyone's angst and resistance...

And...

fed up with feeling pessimistic and negative...

"If you're experiencing a difficult time in life, you'll need to bolster your feelings of happiness before you can work on your challenges.

It might seem as if the reverse were true.

But by nourishing yourself with happiness first, you lay the groundwork to address your pain."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

so - let's enjoy the sunshine and put a little love in our hearts: