Service.......
It's all about the journey to an awareness of our gifts. Its all about being open to sharing them. Whatever the venue. When we give, we receive more in return. Sometimes what we end up receiving is new awareness of how we are being perceived, both negatively and positively. Sometimes, there is a clear indication that our gifts are not welcome.....not wanted. Sometimes they are embraced by the receiver with gratitude. It's a bit of a crapshoot because all you can do is give. Your gifts. Be who you are. Say how you feel. Share kindness. Be a good friend. Listen and learn. You have no control really over how the other person will react, respond, receive. You can choose only how you give and what you give out.
The key is trying to find the right venue, because if you're stuck in a place where wings are clipped and free spirits are not welcome nor understood, gifts collect dust in the back corner of the pantry.
Meaning.......... Our lives are a journey of gathering awareness while letting go of our egos. What I may want, what I hunger for is more than likely driven by obsessed ambition. And we all know that when our vision is clouded over by salacious needs, we lose our footing. We lose our way because our Spirit disconnects from our ego driven actions. It doesn't want any part of it.
Luckily our true Spirit...... like God is patient. It knows that most of us humans are slow on the uptake. WE seemed to need several toe stubbing, head slamming, body jolting, heart stabbing life events to finally realize that our lives are in good Hands if we allow our own to be open to give and to receive.
So, how does one marry the two? Service and Meaning? God knows.
Hey God! You wanna shine a little more blue light on me? Just a little more of that meaning-full blue light? I promise I will sit still more often this month.......I have a feeling that's what you would like me to do. To stop, look and listen........ with an open heart and a pair of open hands. It's time to seek out answers to just exactly what venue would I fit in to be able to be of good service....where is this place that will allow me to offer up my gifts? It continues to be a mystery. My destiny is still behind a curtain.
If anyone is looking for me this month? I'll be close to some body of water. Light catches in blue down by the water. And it is blue light that I am seeking..........
11 comments:
Lovely blues. I love the water. And the post, enabled me to look inward and try to analyse myself. We are quite critical when it comes to ourselves and that is what is awareness.
Blessing in this month of July dear Dana. Isn't it amazing that we have already completed six whole months? We are more than conquerors!
Joy and passion,
Susan
enjoy the blue. Happy Canada Day :)
I get it. And I believe that there's millions and millions walking in very similar shoes...
Modern-day life isn't all that healthy, particularly when folks are compelled for various reasons to be doing as much as possible as much of the time as possible. I actually know folks who cannot bear to be without something to do, so they take on all sorts of responsibilities and such that, ironically, they end up complaining that they have little or no free time. They're not happy.
So I believe that honestly questioning one's life's current position and direction is healthy, and that more folks should do it. Yup, I do all the time, of course, even if I don't always do anything much to make changes. You're right that it takes something shocking to motivate one to "get going" and such. That's human nature, as well as the nature of human civilization- becoming too content with current routines to change direction, etc.
When you see Him with the big blue light, remind Him to shine some over my way, 'k? Can't hurt. :)
Following that, perhaps it's not so much how much or how little "free time" one has, as it is more about what one does that fills one's time, or what one's not getting to do because the other stuff is taking up too much of one's time to "get around" to the stuff one needs to do, like "unwind" completely at the end of the day so as to be refreshed and ready for the next. Like, coming home late all the time and only being able to have a quick bite and then head to bed, only to find oneself unable to sleep due to being unable to first unwind and let the day's many chaotic events and concerns dissipate from one's mind. Got to unwind, rest, so that the next day one will be able to deal with stuff more easily, smoothly and comfortably.
I think you're pretty much normal, Dana- I see the same things going on in the average folks, in their own ways.
But your awareness is stronger than that of the average person. Therefore, this might be something you can put to use for others as well as for yourself, somehow. Perhaps a book, perhaps about self-assessment, assessment of one's current position in life, whether it's the life one wants, or is at least a nice enough one without too many cares, whether one is able to feel calm and serene with sufficient frequency to make everyday routine, however draining, feel less taxing... that sort of thing.
Your sharing of your experiences, thoughts and feelings is quite inspiring and motivating. I believe you were saying that the trick is to share it where it will do the most good, where it will matter most, as opposed to where it'll just be taken for granted by spoiled folks and barely acknowledged. This is part of what you seek. Not too far off, am I?
Hope you had a lovely Canada Day. Mine was fine- so very rarely do I get a paid day off in the middle of the week, so I used it to unwind, just unwind, not worry about anything for the day, and just think what I really wanted to think. Couple of good naps I was able to fit in, and that sure felt good. Already feeling ready to get up and back at 'er in the AM...
That deleted comment was one of those facepalm-inspiring double posts, btw... *Facepalm* :D
Susan.... I love the water too. I spent the day seeking out a hidden waterfalls in the woods and FOUND IT! I had an amazing blue light day. More to come. More to come. Yes, we are more than just conquerors and I believe the more we learn what role we play as the extension of God (Service and Meaning) the less we even want to conquer. :)
Twain.... Had a great Canada Day. A different sort of fireworks. Hope you've had a nice day too.
Thank you CS. :) The whole process of preparing for delivering that sermon last week was an enlightening personal experience....... the writing, editing, prepping, rewriting, while reflecting on what has happened in my life lately combined with recognizing the abundance in my life has been an eye opener.
On top of that, I had a big light bulb moment at work yesterday which ONCE AGAIN has foisted me into some navel gazing about my career future. I didn't think I'd be there again, but it seems as though someone UP THERE with a sense of humour is trying to send me a message or two about where I should be headed. It ain't counselling as I am doing now. :) Though I don't really know how it will happen or HOW to make it happen (and I know you are in the same boat) but somehow, sometime......... writing and facilitating is where I should be. This is the service and meaning. And if I can use my writing and the learning/awareness I have gleaned over the years through life events and analysis to help others, I will be happy, happy, happy....... and maybe just maybe a little more internally serene.
What i do know? I've got to find a way to be self employed, and independent. I don't fit inside a bureaucratic mold. Hence, Miss misfit. :)
ps. this is where I've been....... a lot on my plate. ;)
Quite amazing how, though our lives are quite different, they're so obviously parallel in the general, fundamental sense, way down beneath the visible details. No wonder I can understand what you're talking about, even though your own experiences and career and so on are quite different from my own. We do, however, share the love of the written word, obviously.
To the lazy observer, we look almost entirely different, but beneath the surface, we're not really so different. And I suspect many are just like us as well, and don't realize what's going on, unlike those of us with a developing self-awareness.
And now I understand why you named your blog "Awareness". ;) Takes longer to figure that out than the title of mine, eh! :D
Yes, a full plate... Got to eat 'er up, for sure. Hope it's full of Chinese stuff- nothing better than a towering plateful of Chinese din-din... :D
It's a bit uncanny how parallel things are. I see it too. We aren't really so different. Except, you're a right wing crazy man. I have a wee bit more red in me. Oh, and I'm a girl. ;)
The blog title? Our mutual friend who urged us both to become bloggers suggested it. It came from a book he lent me, Awareness by Anthony de Mello. It was one of those life changing books that come arrive just at the right time. Well, it did for me. It woke me up! I liked the title because it gave me a broad based theme to work with..... writing has always been my most favoured venue for self learning. I often begin writing from one concept and as a means of trying to figure it out, I will let the fingers fly on the keyboard. It happened with this post. I didn't know what I wanted to say, or what how I was looking at these two words....... the writing helped me glean some personal "awareness.." And so it continues......
I'm the one diving in behind you!
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