peace

It's a word that conjures up so much for me. A place, a space, a sense of calm; of quiet; of presence; of being in the moment; of having your body and soul and heart aligned. In harmony. A sense of knowing who you are so strongly that nothing could sway or de-rail you. The breath you inhale. The relaxing of the muscles around your eyes, your spine and your soul. A magnificent and oft-sought place. One that is so hard to find. Something I wish more people could know; could experience; could trust that they could find. It is there... it is! You just need to pause; breathe and trust.

Oh beautiful day of energy...

Today was a day of energy.

I gave energy and received so much in return. Amplified.
I used my hands and my heart. I felt light and free. It was so little to do and to give.
And I got so much in return.

And when I sat. Quietly. In contentment. Sipping some lemongrass tea. I saw it.
An opportunity. One that rocked me.

It seemed like it came out of the blue.

I love those moments! When you feel your worlds align and the power that comes from that groove.
I have no expectations, but I sure did feel the impact of that energy.

Here's to keeping my fingers crossed and to G Adventures hearing the call....

Discovering your perfect career

That's my reading for tonight. The Complete Idiot's Guide to no less.

Hi, My Name is Lisa. I am 40 years old. I don't know what I want to do with my life.

*sigh*

What does Christmas mean for you?

Gina asked me what Christmas meant to me. After a short consideration, I realized that it means the best (and sometimes only) time that people express love.

It's a space that we have carved out-that we have given ourselves permission to have-which allows us to remember that we are a community. A family. That I love you as much as I would love my blood. That the world we live in is actually small. That the person whom you think lives across the world and whom you feel you despise could actually be your brother, mother, sister, lover, friend.

For that one day, many of us come together. We are generous and free spirited. We kiss with abandon. We hold each other close. We revel in laughter. We make an effort to be social. To break bread with each other. We acknowledge our humanity, our connection and the beauty we know is around us, inside us and available to us.

Just imagine what that could mean for the rest of those 364 days of the year. What could we build? What mountains could we move? What amazing things could we do with that amount of love and compassion?

It frightens us, I think. That power, that intensity, that sheer possibility.

So we tuck it away. For months. We forget about it. We go about the work and play and life that we lead.

Until we hear the seasonal songs and feel the crisp cool air bite our noses and our cheeks.
And our hearts begin to thaw and we feel that familiar tug...

what do you dream of?

I am reminded frequently - by the conflict in the world, the Buddhist difficult-ness of life, the pain that is present in so many people's hearts and souls, the fear that propels each of us to react, retreat, retaliate- of how short our time is on this earth and how, even more critical it is to make sure it’s the life that YOU want for yourself. I have no visual picture of what that life is, right now. I don’t dream about a future on my own or in a certain place or even knowing what I want to do with my life. Surely, at 40, I should have some glimpses? Some ideas? Some aspirations? Or maybe I have too many and they render me paralyzed.

Perhaps by starting small – learning Spanish, taking a short trip to somewhere new, let go of some of my newly acquired baggage of the last few years (partying, being wild, being sexy…) – that these realizations will surface? More vividly? Or maybe it’s in the act of doing that the desire manifests?! I will watch this and see what I learn.

I am watching my fingers type in my laptop screen as I enter these words. I see these strong, square fingers, so much like Julie’s and my Dad’s. I see a long-haired, wrinkled but smiling face silhouetted in the background. What would she tell my younger self? What wisdom, capacity and opportunity is before me. I am feeling more and more compelled to find out what that is. 

- lml, November 25, 2012

Beautiful

"If you look for the beautiful, you will find it." ~ Ron Atchison


I looked for the beautiful today and found it in an early morning cuddle with a friend and lover, the feel of a furry baby implanted on my chest in the middle of the night, the taste and smell of fresh bread and melted butter in the morning, a long, dark drink of good coffee, brain games, opportunities to make friends, laughter, sunshine, summer and a full night of deep, dreamless, happy sleep.