Stop...look...listen...

I was completing my morning ritual today and I was reminded of something that we do, we teach our children to do, and came up with the title for this post. This comes when we are teaching our kids how to safely cross the street to avoid being hit by a car. But, then I started thinking how that can be applied to life. We are so busy running errands, transporting kids to and from everywhere, making dinner, working, cleaning the house, etc, that we don't do any of these things very well, if at all. But what happens when we take the time to Stop...Look...Listen. We get a chance to regroup and be calm. We get to see those things we have forgotten about and maybe needed a new perspective on. We hear those tiny whispers that are prodding at us, hoping we are paying attention. Do you take that time? Why not? Those things that want our focus, will come into focus at some time or another. Sometimes, those times come when it is not convenient or hits us so hard, we feel like we are spinning around on a merry-go-round. We cannot live being on auto-pilot. Not forever, anyway. Really evaluate what you want, what you can change, who can help you, and be patient. Baby steps still gets us in a different place than where we started. Going for it takes a bit more courage as those are giant leaps. Either way, you will be somewhere different and that will teach you something. Stop...just for a moment every day. Breathe. Slowly concentrate on what is telling you something that you cannot explain. Look...at things in a different perspective. Really see them. View life and the people that share their lives with you as a blessing. Listen...to your heart. You will not be able to decipher it. It will be something you MUST trust. Once you have done all three consistently, then you will be in a place where you cannot return to your old life. You have seen more...you will want more...you will become enthusiatic about possibility...you will be who you were meant to be. It will be as simple as turning on a light swith that can never be reversed. NEVER. On occassion, people, places, and events will do that to you as well. You cannot go back. Allow yourself the time to be YOU. Stop...look...listen...

Listen...

Really listen. Do you hear it? I heard it 20 months ago and I still hear it. I listen to it on the solo runs I take when my feet carry me along my normal route as I finish my 5th mile. I hear it when I find new music that inspires me to keep moving forward. It is found in those places that no one ever gets to, but people can see it. I can feel it almost every day. And believe me, I am paying attention. I am talking about my heart...heeding the message it is sending to me as I follow the path before me. I dismissed it for so long, never probably acknowledging its existence. How can that be? How could I have just skated through by the seat of my pants for so long? Why wasn't it important until now? I am not sure that I will ever be able to answer those questions. The best part is that I don't have to. They don't matter anyway. The message I get every day mkaes it so worthwhile that even when I stumble through something, I have to get back up and keep going. Especially when I stumble. The silence can be deafening when you listen. Listen to what you are meant to do...how you serve others...by being you. For the first time in a really long time, I am all ears.

Are you listening?

Are you listening? Not just pretending to hear, but really listen? When we take time to quiet all of the other voices going on around us, and listen to what our hearts are trying to tell us? We have to make that time. HAVE TO! We all are busy in our daily lives, with kids, spouses, work, other responsibilities, etc. It seems like it never ends. I know time is my biggest enemy. I need more of it or need to use it more wisely to accomplish more. I really am trying to listen because there seems to be signs and occurances that seem to be trying to get my attention. I have to listen to whatever is being shared with me. Some times our plans do not seem to serve those we are meant to serve in our life. I am meant to serve others with my ramblings here and in person. I don't hear what I say when I am talking to others but have been told after the fact that it was neat to watch. I have never seen it and I am such a hard critic of myself, that maybe me watching it would not be a good idea. Listen to those that seek you out - they are coming to you for advice or help. Be willing to share what you have with them. They will always remember that. Listen to what is not said - sometimes we learn more from a touch, from a smile, from a kind gesture. It costs you nothing and you may have just made someone's day by saying, "hello". Listen to your heart - it will never steer you wrong and will provide you with all of the answers you seek. Use your heart as your internal compass and it will ultimately guide you to where you are meant to be. Listen to the joy when you can give it away. It is too much for you and you are repaid two-fold when you give it to someone else. Be humble and appreciative for where you come from, how you are today, and what road you must still travel. If you choose to listen, you will be amazed at what you hear. But you have to be open and really concentrate...even on those things that never make a sound. Those are the ones we all search for, but you know it when you find it. Don't ever let go.

Listen to your heart

I have been wide awake since about 3am my time. I am not even sure why. I am anxious to get back out and run again this morning as the temperature is a balmy 55 degrees. YAY!! I am sure my inability to rollover and get more shut eye may have something to do with some of the work I have to do for these new ventures/projects, but do not really feel overwhelemed by them. I have no expectations (other than I expect to do them well), but really whatever happens after they are done is ok with me. If it is something that gets done once and then we move on, I am ok with that. However, I think they may actually lead to other avenues yet to show themselves. In fact, as I was telling a friend yesterday about these new ventures, she wanted to include me on her list of possible classes that her clients would need to take. We will see. I just know that the more I share more of my passion for helping kids and adults see what life has to offer them, the more I feel alive. Like I am finally giving the world my self, my true self. I have hidden it for so long that I was asked recently that if I had to choose between putting money in my pocket or following my heart (with no guarantee of money), I would have to pick following my heart. I have told this same friend that it is not always about money, and it isn't. You can make more money, but you cannot always follow your heart. Money cannot guarantee your dream coming true. Pursuing your dream and making it a reality will reward in more ways than you can ever imagine. You feel alive...you feel happy...you feel complete. I have said that I cannot stop this momentum and have to at least say I tried it. Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn't. Maybe it works out better than I ever imagined, or maybe it crashes beyond all repair. I have to try. Do you have something that is tugging at your heart that you have to try? That just seems to be nagging at you, even though you have tried to ignore it, but it will not go away? It will keep presenting itself to you in an attempt to get your attention. When are you going to listen? You have to quiet your mind and listen to your heart...it will take you where you need to go. Be brave. Be strong. Hold true to what you believe. Listen to what is being said. Then act on it. It will never go away until you do something about it. You have to try.

I was so excited!

The other night, I took our youngest son to the first meeting for confirmation this year. I saw our pastor and said hello and briefly mentioned this journey I have been on for the last 8 months. He told me he would love to hear more about it and I told him I would come and share with him soon. He also asked me if I would stop in a time or two on Wednesday nights - I told him I would do what I could. Then, I went back to my seat and a thought overcame everything else that I should have been thinking about. I began to wonder if I needed to come on a couple of nights to talk to the kids about what's been going on with me. I love working with the kids, and especially love to plant the seed and then walk away. I don't need to be there to see if it will grow or not - it really doesn't matter to me. The unknown is just fine with me. I could not wait to get out of the meeting because I was so excited, I had to call someone. I called my running partner and she, (of course) thinks I should pursue it more. I wrote down exactly what I was thinking and feeling and ended up writing almost 3 pages. Then, I asked, "Is this it?" "Is this what I am supposed to be doing?" I guess we will see. More to come later. Have a glorious day - remember, it starts today.