Enlightenment

Hello from my hearts to yours....

"Stupidity and superstition unite mankind more readily than knowledge and enlightenment."     Joseph Jacobs, Former Prez of the Jewish Historical Society

There are so many apps these days that my phone is always giving me a "low storage" message and I am shuffling and deleting and re-installing things at least once a week.... my niece told me to install "Timehop", which is an app that goes through your pictures, facebook statuses, instagram posts, etc. daily and shows you what you posted on that date "years ago" .... 

The above quote was my Facebook status 5 years ago today.... and so apropos really since I am dealing with a female stalker... stupid and superstitious.. who has united with "someone" on my "friends" list on facebook to obtain all of my personal information... instead of trying to "know" me, she has formulated her own assessment of me and has made me her focus...even to go so far as have strangers send me "friend" requests...  I have blocked her from making contact me as best I have been able to, however, we all know that that is impossible..... 

Anyway, I am not wasting my energy on writing about her today (but I did have to get that off my chest) ... Today, I choose to be an "enlightened" one.... again, with the idea that uniting with people, who are of the same morals and convictions as you are.. uniting with people that are ready and willing to lift you up... uniting with people who want their hearts filled with light... and uniting with people who thirst for knowledge of God... all those things and more....  brings us to "enlightenment..."

When we hear the word "enlightenment", we think of the "New Age" ... I have written about the "New Age" before... I think around the time that the world was going to end on 12-21-12 ... (according to the Mayan Calendar) ... as a Catholic, I am not supposed to entertain these "New Age" thoughts of enlightenment, however, as a Catholic, I do read documents and letters written in order to make sense of the whole phenomenon and to make sure that I am not deviating from my faith.... In February of 2003, the Vatican released a provisional document titled "Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian reflection on the New Age.". .. and though it does "warn" about the problems of following this "New Age" thinking, it does not forbid it completely.... it says, "you have to look at your understanding and worldview to see if it is in concert with the Catholic faith." .... that is kind of broad maybe because my understanding of my faith may not be that of my brother... but at least, it allows for growth in the "faith" .... and, in my belief, a strengthening of my faith.....  there are charts that compare the teachings of the bible with the teachings of the New Age movement... and frankly, as hippie and progressive in the way I live my life, I do not agree with "New Age" ..... I look to my religious groups and the spiritual adviser, who oversees them, for "enlightenment"... 

Since you all know that I like to connect with my Jewish friends, I read something about their connection with these beliefs...  In 2005, two groups of Jews attempted to move towards the "New Age" thinking, however, their beliefs were not compatible with Judaism and fell outside the teachings of the Torah and the Jewish Law.. thought to be of an Atheist nature by changing the Jewish prayers into chants and songs that ended with dancing similar to Native American dances and other Pagan rituals.... there is a lot of controversy with "New Age Judaism" as well... this movement is using Jewish mysticism as a back door into adopting "New Age" philosophies...  probably the only thing that can tie the Jews and the New Agers, is their similar beliefs in reincarnation... but, they cannot even agree on that.... 

If you are interested enough, here is a link to "Religion Facts": www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm ... you may find that you believe in some of the ideas or practices in a religion that is not yours, however, as I went through it, I found that there is over-lapping themes... prayer, meditation, services, fasting, etc... Anyway, I am no expert in any of this... I can make some statements about what I have read and my interpretation of all the information out there, but I offer these statements for you to question and research and grow in your knowledge and your faith (whatever it may be) .... 

so..... back to "enlightenment" ... Merriam Webster defines it as: the state of having knowledge or understanding: the act of giving someone knowledge or understanding... that's pretty simple and can be used is so many different types of sentences that have nothing to do with anything I have written... (but then, you all know how I go off on random tangents) .. if we go back to the opening quote, without going into any deep philosophical thinking, it is a clear and precise statement that can be explained like this........... People who do not have some kind of faith.. people who do not follow some kind of religion, culture, ritual, etc., will unite with the same kind of people...and though we would like to stay away from the word "stupid", these people may just be considered that...(ignorant might be a better word) ....  they live their lives in fear.. superstition brings them together in a frantic way... they believe nothing can help them...they cling to one another hopelessly... 

This is how people of faith and beliefs in the same things should behave... I can see how we may actually find it harder to come together simply because we all have our own opinions regarding our "common" knowledge of our faith... or maybe we do not understand it well enough and do not want others to think we are ignorant...  this opens it up to more discussions and the likelihood that we will have to defend our beliefs... I think that maybe the "New Age" belief (that is so prevalent right now) and basically says that "we are equal to God" might play a part in us not being as unified as we really think we are or as we should be as the blessed people we are....... 

Alright already... let me get off the podium...... of all the things I read this morning, this statement by G.K. Chesterton, A Christian apologetic, probably gave me the most "enlightenment" ..... "When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing — they believe in anything."  ... 

Unite with your people... share your knowledge.. tell stories.. listen to stories... enlighten others.. be open to be enlightened by others in return.... .believe in God and trust that you can know yourself through Him..... and remember that you are loved beyond measure... 

Much love and light,

Elena

The Bonds that Unite Us ...

Hello from my heart to yours....

“There's one thing stronger than magic.... sisterhood." Robin Benway

I belong to a sisterhood. I have belonged to this sisterhood for 10 years now. We our bound by our faith. We come and go and come back again. We are bound by our desire to journey together. We call one another "My Sister in Christ." Whether we maintain a friendship outside of the sisterhood or not, twice a year, we gather and pray and laugh and cry and walk the road to Emmaus together as if we have never walked it before. Each time, a different experience.. a different "AHA" moment... a different connection... finding ourselves again... finding God again... setting our hearts on fire all over again.... 

I think that last night was the first time I had ever been to a meeting.... I usually just parachute in on the weekend of the retreat and serve wherever I am needed... I don't  like to make commitments.. and going to all the preparation meetings leading up to the retreat, commits me to a specific task or job during the retreat... I like to go where the Spirit leads me once I get there... Anyway, while that seems fine and dandy, I thought, "It's time i grow up and commit to going to the meetings this time..." I have made a new commitment to God through the moon phase... and I intend to keep it..... in knowing myself and loving myself better, I will know God better... Of course, He knows what I need, but He cannot possibly give it to me, if I don't know what I need in order to be the blessed person He wants me to be...

It felt good to be in the prayer circle last night... it made me realize that sisterhoods (or brotherhoods or yoga groups or fitness groups or "whatever your heart desires" groups) are beneficial to everyone involved... I just happen to choose the Emmaus Ministry as my group... I do have other groups though... I have my "childhood friends" group... We are bound by childhood memories.. ice cream trucks, bicycles, barefoot kickball, Nehi soda, jolly rancher candy, Miller Road, Lake Catalina and Hidden Valley.... as adults, we come together as often as we can to continue "playing" .. just like when we were kids... except now, we bring our kids and we create new memories..... 

I, also, belong to a group bound by the Spectrum... a group of people (mostly women) who share what goes on in their daily lives while trying to raise children in the Spectrum... I don't always relate to every story they post, but I offer my support and receive support from them when the day doesn't go so well for me with my kids... it's comforting to know that total strangers can connect on such a level that, by the end of the day, we feel the love from one another... 

I hadn't really thought about the "sisterhood" thing until around 2:00 am... (yes, I was up at that time after a strange phone call from someone who clearly is alone in the world) ... this morning when I woke up, I wondered if it was all just a dream... I feel sad for this person today.. I feel sad for the people whose lives are being affected because of the frantic ranting... I could almost relate to it... I have had my share of breakdowns.. it's not pleasant for me or anyone around me, however, I like to think of breakdowns as "break-throughs" ... a time to come to terms with what stirs all those frenetic emotions and allows them to explode with practically total disregard for the people around you... the fortunate thing for me is............ I have a place to go back to to recover.... I believe God lets us stumble along, finding our way, giving us chances to pick each other up... and so, I go back to my sisterhood.... maybe I am wrong in thinking this person doesn't have a support group to turn to... if they do though, I hope they make their next midnight phone call to one of them...

 

Anyway, may you all have a "group" you can take refuge in... a group that lifts you up and sparks the light in your hearts until the flame is as constant as a beacon... (By the way, I neglected to mention family here because in my family, it is a given)..... however, sometimes I believe that in order to know yourself completely, you must extend your love to all of your brothers and sisters in the world.. those bonds are "chosen" ones... there is always an outstretched hand somewhere looking for a friend they would like to call "sister" .. or "brother" or simply "family" .... remember that you are loved beyond measure... you are a cherished blessing to the world... 

May your weekend be blessed with bonds of LOVE.... 

Elena

Duty ... Storytelling ... Listening

Hello from my heart to yours.....

"Duty is the stuff of human existence." Rod McKuen, poet, composer and friend 

Yesterday, I went to visit a tenant who is moving out... the alarm company told me that the system had not responded for a week...  I had been trying to reach her by phone, but now the voice mailbox was full.. when I drove up, she was sitting outside on the porch... most everything she owns has been moved into a storage unit... personal things are at her new apartment where she will now live alone... the  garage is still full of boxes that "someone" (she is not sure who) is supposed to pick up for her.. and she has some furniture that she is willing to give to whoever wants it... her electricity and water have been cut off since last week.. (hence the reason the alarm was off) ..... she is 83 years old... 

I performed my duty as the "property manager" and walked through the house making sure that everything was still in working order and in good condition... We spoke about how much more time was needed to vacate the house and what she was leaving behind for us to deal with... she was very embarrassed about the reason why she had to move.... she was worried about the grass being so overgrown... I got her new number and told her I would call her again tomorrow to check on the progress.... I gave her a hug and I left........

And then.... I performed my duty as a human being.....

I went to Subway and picked up some lunch and went back to the house... she couldn't believe it... she just kept shaking her head saying,  "no se porque hiciste esto?" (I don't know why you did this).... but she cleared the patio table of the small boxes she had there and set up the chairs... and we ate and we talked about life... and faith and hope and love... she is a beautiful soul... and brave and strong ... as I listened to the stories that made her such a strong and independent woman, I felt so small and insignificant..... it was quite humbling....  I really enjoy listening to the stories from "the old country"...  people who really remember what it was like before they came to "El Exilio" (the Exile..as they refer to the U.S.) have such fascinating tales to tell and some can even transport you there with their memories...(and she could do this)... I could totally see myself in Varadero with her...  (course, maybe because I have my father's memories engraved in my heart, too.. so I recognized the beach as she described it...)  .... regardless, you would think she came here just a few years ago, when in actuality, she has lived here longer than she lived in Cuba.. 

Anyway, her husband passed away a little over a year ago and she says she is living a new exile.... her family members have taken advantage of her loving and giving nature and treat her as if she is incapacitated .. they have used her and taken her money and left her all alone... yet, she is unafraid... she says she has lived in God's grace and none of them can take that away from her.. she is a woman of conviction and good morals... she reminds me a lot of my mother.......she was so animated and full of energy as she was telling me about her great-grandson... I was having the best time with her..... somehow the conversation turned to the stars.. so, I took the opportunity to tell her about the "New Moon" phase that we are experiencing and she was excited by what it could mean for her... a new "emancipation" she said...... she sat in silence for a few minutes.. it was really hot... technically, we are done with the "dog days of summer", but in South Florida, I think they should adjust the dates and extend it well into September.... suddenly, she got up and went to the garage... she came back with a votive candle in her hand and placed it in the center of the table.. "Let's light this candle for our intentions", she said and continued, ..."because you must be an angel" ... I was already in tears when I saw the candle... now they are streaming down my face like a waterfall........ we prayed.

I learned so much from her in the 2 hours that we shared... I could go on and on about her philosophies and beliefs, but the constant theme of the afternoon was what I have always written about... faith, hope and love ... THAT is what we need to sustain us... everything else falls into place.. God sends us His angels when we need them... and to me, she was my Tuesday angel.... 

Bryce Courtenay said, "Each of us has been designed for one of two immortal functions, as either a storyteller or as a cross-legged listener to tales of wonder, love and daring. When we cease to tell or listen, then we no longer exist as a people." 

Yesterday, I performed my duty.... as an employee and then, as a human being... I had lunch with a story-teller... and I listened .. WE were one people ... 

May you always be able to perform your duties.. may you be the best storyteller.... may you be the best listener... and most of all, May you be blessed with all things filled with faith, hope and love......

With love,

Elena

Glitter.. Silence... New Moon... Love

Hello from my heart to yours.....

"We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence' see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.... We need silence to be able to touch souls."  Mother Teresa

This morning, I awoke in a melancholic mood... daydreaming from the minute I went outside and felt the morning sun on my face... during these "mood swings", the same song will play over and over in my mind and heart... "Glitter in the Air" by Pink... and I cried...several times during the day... that's the kind of love that everyone should experience.. not just romantically, but I think spiritually as well... to me, it's about letting yourself be vulnerable to truly love someone and allowing yourself to be loved by another.. love is about taking that "leap of faith" ... the uncertainty of it all creates many emotions inside.. excitement, fear, happiness and disbelief... "the tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn, the thunder before the lightening, the breath before the kiss, the walk before the run" ... all those lyrics stirring emotions... the line in the song that brings me to tears every time is "there you are, sitting in the garden.. clutching my coffee.. calling me "Sugar".... you called me "Sugar" .... OMG... seriously??? imagine that for a moment..... of course, you are thinking about "romantic" love.... as you should....just as I have a million times.....   but, for just a moment (indulge me here) ... imagine that it is God speaking to you... and asking you if you "have ever felt this way?".... imagine if you were to take that "leap of faith" and "closed your eyes and trusted.. just trusted" .... imagine that in the silence of your garden, you go outside and there He is..... sitting in your garden... yeah, okay...... maybe it's a way out concept for some of us.... and until the very moment that I wrote this, I never thought of it that way.... but that's how it happens... that's how the Spirit moves me.... and.. I found a little inspiration today......... :-)

Being the loon that I am though, I, of course, thought.. I better check the moon cycle... it might explain the melancholy.... and why I have been practically hypnotized by the song....  oh and big surprise.... it's the "New Moon" ... this is what was said about it, "The energy from the New Moon up to the Full Moon (September 8th.. which by the way, is the Harvest Moon) is gradually building in strength and intensity; thus the New Moon is a great time to set your intentions, write down goals or begin new projects for the forthcoming cycle. Consider sitting in ceremony or personal meditation and affirming to the Universe your intentions & inner-most heartfelt desires for the cycle."  ... so there you have it... as if saying "Wake up, Elena..." ..... 

There is no possible way that any of you can imagine what all this means to me... besides the song and the moon.... I received a text from an earthly angel, whom I haven't spoken to in almost 2 years I think.. it read, "thinking of you.. wanted you to know you are loved and adored immensely.. I see you. " ... and on Saturday, another friend, who I also, haven't seen in about 2 years, asked me why I haven't written... "lack of inspiration," I shrugged... and he said, "We have to find a way to help you get it back" ...  totally unrelated things.. all random God-incidences, if you ask me.... all sending me a message... saying "close your eyes and trust in Him... have faith in God... remember you are loved beyond measure.... meditate in silence and offer your intentions to God" ..... and maybe some day down the road, I'll have that romantic love, too....... lol......(I don't always practice what I preach)....   I mean, I am all over the place here... really just unable to gather my thoughts completely... but, at least I am inspired some.. and I am feeling the love right now.... ... and I wanted to share that with you all.... 

May you be able to use whatever you need to get to the point that you feel the love on fire in your heart... be it romantic or spiritual... at whatever level you want to connect to the world and the world's people... may you be able to get to the place of silence where you will be able to touch others souls.... and may you be able to hold your breath and ask "will it ever get better than tonight....?"  

Much love and light.... you are cherished blessings to the world... may you be blessed and may others be blessed by you.... I lift you all in prayer ... may you all feel the love that is yours in your Divine Right as children of one God...... and may it make you want to throw a fistful of glitter in the air.... xo

Elena

Happy Passover ... Happy Easter .... Celebrating OUR Freedom ...

Hello from my heart to yours...

"We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden."  Johan Wolfganf von Goethe

Happy Passover.... Happy Holy Week.... 

I always worry that you all will notice when I “recycle” what I have written and posted, so I asked one of my faithful readers what she thought and she said, “Huh? When I read something you have written from last year, it’s new again crazy girl… it’s not like I memorize what you write… and besides, who cares?... sometimes people need to read things over and over to “get it” because maybe when they read it last year, they couldn’t connect to it, but this year they may actually need the message.. post whatever you want, I mean it’s not like you are writing daily anymore anyway…” ……………………….. Oh wow…and alright then… all I wanted was a quick “yes” or “no” response… I need to learn how to phrase my questions better….. lol…..

Anyway… sooooo, every year, since 2006, I say this…

“This is my absolute favorite time of the year..!!!” 

This is when I feel closest to God… this is when I feel closest to the people in my church community…  this is when I feel closest to my Jewish friends... because the "freedom" festival has begun... the "Holy" week has begun... and our hearts are filled with faith, hope and love in abundance... .

Every Lent, I try to change and renew myself... I know that my heart needs changing... it’s almost as if my spiritual year runs from Lent to Lent… I recognize that as Ash Wednesday approaches.. I have the ups and downs.. starting off strong during Lent and possibly into July.. then a lull period through to about Thanksgiving.. a little pick-me-up occurs in December, at the birth of Jesus, and then, back to what I actually call, “my fat time of the year”, which ends on Fat Tuesday usually…. it’s not that I forget that I have God in my heart, it’s as if I just forget to tend to my vineyard… I forget to remove the weeds and the rocks and cultivate the soil year-round so that my vineyard can thrive… and, naturally, my grapes become sour… so, come Lent, I always kick it into high gear and go crazy because I know that I have 45 days to make sure I have the finest wine as I rejoice on Easter Sunday with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ….….

Fortunately, there is always a retreat (or two) that gives me the extra push I need since we all have a hard time with God’s “Will”… that’s why He gives us reminders in the form of people… family, church ministries, temple groups and even school groups.. most any kind of group whereby you can connect with good people (notice that I said “good”), can help you cultivate your vineyard… or maybe you merge two or three vineyards together with these people so that you will all have fine wine all the time…. it's up to us really… we have to decide if we are willing to change our  hearts so they aren’t strangled by the weeds... but it takes strength and perseverance for sure... and a whole lot of praying...

In making the connection of the holidays we are celebrating this week, I offer these thoughts regarding following the “Will” of God….

When God told Moses that He had chosen him to free the Hebrews from slavery, he was not sure he could do it, however, he did not throw his staff and give up, he did the "will" of his father and simply said, "Let my people go." Of course, Pharaoh did not listen, and then, God sent the plagues... giving Pharaoh an opportunity to change his hardened heart each time, however, it wasn't until the 10th plague (where the Angel of Death "Passed Over" the Hebrew homes, which had been marked with lambs blood over the doorposts) that Pharaoh finally relented since his son was dead.

When Jesus returned to Jerusalem on Thursday for "The Last Supper", he already knew what was going to happen to him, however, he was going to fulfill the "will" of his Father in order for our sins to be forgiven and so that we could have eternal life in heaven with him and God.. imagine if he would've left the Mount of Olives and run away avoiding what was to come instead of trusting God... 

And so... tonight, as the Lenten season comes to an end and the Paschal Triduum begins, I offer this prayer: 

I am sorry God, although I say "yes" to You, I realize that I continue to stumble, and sometimes, I let myself be led totally off-course by those who do not bring me closer to You... but I am here and I promise to fight the good fight.. the sour grapes, well, they belong to me, but so do the sweet ones that I have cultivated during Lent.. Let me not forget that they are sweet because of You..... Thank You, God, for giving me strength to work in the vineyard.. Thank You for “earth angels” who always help me to get through the dry soil.. Give me the courage to destroy the toughest weeds and the grace to survive the pricks from the largest thorns... I trust You.. Your "Will" be done .... and if I forget, help me to change my heart immediately... as I wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, I will be open to receive all Your graces... Amen, Amen.

May you all be able to change and renew your hearts always so that they are never hardened... remember that you are loved beyond measure and are a cherished blessing to the world.. come drink some sweet wine with me and let's celebrate OUR freedom as we await Shavuot and Pentecost...

Again... Chag Same'ach and Happy Easter.... 

With love,

Elena

Spring...Lent...Can I Keep You?

Hello from my heart to yours...

"Can I keep you?"  from Casper the friendly ghost......

Every Spring, like so many of us do, I clean… not just the closets and the drawers and the garage and the shed, etc, but, I, also, clean up my facebook and my life… I use Spring and Lent simultaneously as almost an excuse to rid myself of people that I just do not want to “keep” anymore… usually it’s something as simple as we have lost touch, however, other times, it could be that they simply do not add anything to my life that might keep me on the road that I so desire to be on… that road that, I believe, will lead me to heaven…. I use this time of “re-birth” and “renewal” to “retreat” into a more reflective mode…  in order to find peace within my heart, I eliminate the people that take that peace away from me… every year, my "keepers" list changes… and that’s normal… new needs pull people in new directions or in no sure direction at all… we are all ever-changing… so, as harsh and as selfish as it may be, I let people go on their merry way…. My path takes me elsewhere and sometimes back to where I was supposed to be all along…. I am open to receive during this time.

Anyway, this past weekend I went to serve at the Lenten Emmaus Retreat.  This is the 10^th year that I have been going… When I did my first “walk to Emmaus”, I honestly went to take a break from my 3 boys… it was my birthday weekend so I asked each one of my siblings to take a child as their birthday gift to me… I really don’t remember much about the retreat itself except that I ate a lot… when you go back to serve is when you realize all the preparation and hard work that goes into the weekend… course, I think I have been to 5 meetings, in total, the last 10 years, which is horrible because I cannot make a “commitment” to serve… I just show up; get a sense of where I may be needed, and help in whatever way I can… and so, I always seem to end up with the kitchen and dining crew…  and the ironic thing is… we don’t have time to eat anything all weekend…  lol…

I have had many memorable experiences at the retreats and it’s usually the same familiar “Sisters” that I share the weekend with… the Emmaus Sisters I have “kept” in my life for these weekends... however, when I walked into the kitchen, I only knew the school chef and two other girls… one veteran mama like me and one other girl, who worked at the bank I used to go to (not because I knew her from the ministry) … it was a strange feeling.. kind of like that “one of these things just doesn’t belong here… can you tell which one” song from Sesame Street… not that they weren’t welcoming, but they had a different rhythm going from that of previous Sisters… and they were younger and excited.. it was their first time in the kitchen… so, okay… I can usually play well with others and if I can’t, well then, I just find other playmates…

Of course, there were girls that I met throughout the retreat that I wanted to “keep” right away.... their smiles or their eyes or the way they would let me hug them as if they knew me forever… Sisters and Candidates alike… some I had known in passing and  some I had never seen before in my life… there was a great energy … there was so much faith, hope and love surrounding us all….. as close and fabulous as I felt with all these girls, I probably won’t make friends with any of them… I am just like that… yep, in the moment, I feel as though they have been my friends for a lifetime already.. but then, the weekend is over and I say my good-byes.. and I just hope to see them again the next retreat… crazy, crazy me…. whatever it is, I think it all goes back to one of my favorite quotes...

"When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself."  — Ernest Hemingway    (A Moveable Feast) 

Here in South Florida, we have had signs of Spring for a while now… the “false Spring” when the rest of the U.S. still has snow falling.. the weather has been beautiful.. the blue jays and cardinals have been in my garden bathing in the birdbath and eating from the feeders since February.. they fill my soul with love... the orchids are in full bloom.. the rose tree sends it fragrance through the courtyard… it is easy to be happy in the solitude of my yard… I enjoy being alone and working the land…I realize that it almost bothers me to have people interrupt my relationship with nature… when it is a gorgeous day, I cannot be inside… the chores inside of my house will always be there… (this kills my mother because nothing ever gets done.. but I am trying to balance that…)

Anyway, in the past I have written about the idea of the Lenten season being a time of "reflection, reconciliation and reformation"… The word “Lent” means “Spring” so even if you are not Christian, you can still use this little exercise to “re-new” yourself…. use this season of your life as a time to “reflect” about your loved ones.. spouses, significant others, parents, children, co-workers and friends …. think of the reason you wanted to “keep” them in your life in the first place and be happy.... if you need to, then, “reconcile” with those you want to “keep” but have been distant from for some reason… ultimately, “reform” by either “keeping” them or letting them go if they do not add light to your heart… take the time to tell people why they are "keepers" .. express your love to them... because we all need to be reminded sometimes... .. make loving people your way of life during this time of “re-birth” and “renewal”….

And by all means… CELEBRATE all the people whom you have "kept" and have "kept" you back... my heartfelt wish to all of you is that you are able to see the "Spring" in everyone you encounter so that you are always asking "Can I keep you?" because YOU are loved beyond measure… be always as good as Spring and know that you are as good as Spring to me...   

May your day be blessed with all things good... Namaste....

I love you,

Elena

We are all connected... be one another's miracles...

"Love is seeing God in the person next to us, and meditation is seeing God within us." 

~Sri Sri Ravi Shankar~

I went to visit a long-time childhood friend…. We weren’t actually “playmates” when we were young, but we are connected by other friends and so it feels like we have known each other since birth… we were talking and talking and talking… (we’re good at that..lol) and she said, “I don’t believe in God, you know” … I replied, “that’s funny because I see God in you” … “well, I do believe in a higher power” … “yeah, okay girlie, call it whatever you want… you are love… and someone who has that much love and light radiating from their eyes and smile is filled with a higher being…” …….. she put her head down slightly and smiled at me.... “okay.”

….. I call Him God… that is my belief… and because God is LOVE to me.....

I believe that I can see the Divinity in all those who so freely show it to me… maybe it's because I desire to see it...... and I try to get a glimpse at those who do not, as well because I know it's there...  Believing that we are all connected in this universe by something greater is sometimes difficult for us to comprehend and absorb and incorporate into our lives, and then, it’s even more difficult to truly LIVE that belief…. To live in such a way that we are aware of our surroundings and the people in our surroundings and how everything we do and say affects another is probably one of the greatest every day challenges we have…

I went on a date with my middle son on Sunday night to see “Winter’s Tale” … I initially wanted to see it because I thought it was a sappy love story…. Well, it was a love story, but not that kind really…. It was a spiritual story of love… a message in our universal connection… a story about good and evil and how everyone, yes, everyone that we come in contact with in our lives, even if we just brush shoulders on a crowded street with them, connects us to the universe... course, I believe that the reason we come in contact with that person is because it is as God has written… these contacts do not have to be physical however and we all know that because of the cyber phenomenon of being able to connect virtually with people all over the world and feel as though we know them personally…

Anyway, back to the movie… the message that I received from it was simple…. We are one another’s miracles …. We will meet people in our lives that will be “our miracle” …. And we will be someone else’s “miracle”… recognizing this is yet another challenge we face… even in the film, they all misinterpreted the “signs” they were given…  and while evil lived content with himself thinking that he had stopped the miracle from occurring..  good was still alive roaming the streets for years without any recollection of who he was or where he came from, until, he met his true "miracle" … (I don’t want to give too many details and spoil it for you if you plan on seeing it) … but it was a story of unselfish love… true love…

The feeling of “miracle” people is easily equated to when you feel as though someone is your “angel”…  and we actually do get that feeling… or a least I do… about certain people in my life… this is an underlying theme in many movies actually… for example, this little dialogue from “A Walk to Remember”  

“Jamie: You know what I figured out today?

Landon: What?Jamie: Maybe God has a bigger plan for me than I had for myself. Like this journey never ends. Like you were sent to me because I'm sick. To help me through all this. You're my angel.”

Aha! (that’s it!!) … the “Aha” moment…… not at all difficult to comprehend now… even I am subconsciously running down the list of all the people I know for sure I can call “angels” in my life… I can see their smiling faces as I type.. (you know, those slideshows that just pass in front of your eyes without you thinking about it)…. And I am really smiling now…. I have a lot of “angels” and so many more to meet I am certain…

We all have so many of those stories… maybe we just take it for granted because it may happen to us often… that people seem to just appear all the time to kind of “rescue” us and so we don’t take notice really… My brother was my friend’s “miracle” to perform when we were in college… they were at a club on South Beach and were drinking and dancing… she noticed that he went into the bathroom with his friends and that all of his friends came out except him… and she waited… and waited.. until finally she went into the men’s room and found him sitting on the floor… she carried him out, and I mean CARRIED him out and put him in the car and drove him home… years later, my friend and I meet again and she tells me the story.. I call my brother and say, “Wow, she was your angel… I am so happy that she was there with you.”  he responded, “Who?” …… there was silence…. I said, “you didn’t know who???” …. “no, never… give me her number so I can thank her now.” …. He was her “miracle” to perform … She was his “angel” …

And so now, back to my friend.. the one who believes in a higher power, yeah… she carries my heart… when she hugs me, I feel her angel wings wrapped around me… I believe in miracles… wouldn’t it be fabulous if we all took the time to use our insights to see God in the person next to us? That person just might be your “miracle” ….

Believe in the connection that we all have as brothers and sisters… we are cherished blessings to the world and we are here for one another… we are all “miracles”…

With that said….. May you be able to see the “miracle” in every person on your journey through life… May you allow every person to see the Divinity within you because you might be their “miracle” … May you be open to receive all that is yours in your Divine Right… May you be able to meditate and pray and see God within you…. And may you be blessed with all things miraculous always…

Thank you for being earthly angels… Namaste….

With love,

Elena

I love you in my life. Happy Valentine's Day.

(birthday sentiment received last week)

That sentence will be forever engraved in my heart.  I have been extremely sentimental since the New Year… and birthdays always make me reflect on the year gone by… last year on my birthday, I received a wedding proposal to which I declined.  It broke my heart to do it actually, but I believe in “star-alignment” and I did not see any stars in the midnight sky… and it was a “waning crescent moon” … a time to let go of bad habits and bad relationships… a time for divination (to be inspired by God) …  and so with Lent around the corner, I gave him up… sounds so cold and rotten of me really… but then, no one has ever said that I am the nicest person in the world… however, someone has said,

“I love you in my life.”

   

I spent most of my year not really growing spiritually.. just kind of stagnated… (which is evident in my lack of writing) and then, my daddy died and nothing seemed to get better in that regard.. I realize I did not socialize very much with my friends and family… I avoided making commitments (not that that is anything new.. I am good at that) but I did not give anyone new an opportunity to enter my private sanctuary…  and I hid behind my boys… allowing them to consume my every thought and action… I used them to not have a life of my own… I did, however, have a life on-line with a new-found aspergers support group… I have grown to love those cyber-people very much.. there is such an exchange of energy through every story that is posted… a sense of “these people understand that little part of my life and they do not judge me or my child” … I find myself praying and laughing and crying with so many of them…  and I went to meet the “founder” of it all this past weekend as a birthday gift to myself… what a JOY that woman is… I felt so at home with her family… as if we had grown up together as sisters… and my kid, he loved her kids… no melt-downs.. no screaming.. no lunacy really… I did get an earful by her 18 year old about how I should not drink alcohol and curse, and he is right… so I listened because it was worth it to be able to relax on his memory foam bed and listen to Christian Alternative music as he preached… (this is US)

   

Anyway, I have decided this year that I am definitely going to find my way back… I feel that there is a true “Spiritual Awakening” happening all around me…  I read that Pope Francis told someone something like, “I believe in God, not a Catholic God, but in the One and only True God… that is my being.”  I have been saying that all along in all my blog rantings throughout the years… Yes, I like to take from all beliefs and practices… I like to incorporate different sayings and blessings into my daily life with my children.. those of you who have been with me a long time know that we have our own “secret” greetings… Salaam Alaikum, Sat Sri Akal, Tikuun Olam, Namaste… to name a few…. I do read about the Sun and the Moon and how they affect our lives because it is in the bible… “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule by the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars, also” Genesis 1:16 .. but the best passage (referring to the moon) to me is Isaiah 66:23, “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.”  And so, no matter what transpires during that time, as long as I come back to God on Sundays, I feel that I am not too far off track.

Alright then, back to my birthday…. I received so many messages (thank you Mark for reminding people on Facebook) and I even had a friend from Junior High “surprise” me at the happy hour where I chose to celebrate it…  I did not formally invite anyone, I simply said, “there is free champagne from 4:00-7:00 for the ladies… guess where I’ll be…” lol… I do not like to set myself up for disappointment… I would die if I invited someone and received a “no” response, or worse still, if someone said “yes” and then did not show… being rejected is not one of my strong suits… the people who did show up, made my afternoon extra special… and I will forever carry that in my heart… their presence is just like saying ...

“I love you in my life.” 

(here are just a few of my favorite friends and family)

So....THAT is the motto I am going to adopt this year…

“I love you in my life.”

First and foremost, I will say it to God because through Him all things are possible... and then, through prayer and meditation, I am going to ask Him to help me surround myself only with people who I will love to have in my life… I will be open to receive and make new friendships throughout, but I will consciously try to make sure that the relationship only brings me closer to God somehow… closer to my own spiritual awakening… this will ensure that I stay on the path that God has already written for me.. the path that will lead me to stay in His grace… this may, also, sound cold and calculated, but I am not here on this earth to “entertain” anyone or have “false” friends… I am here to be the blessed person God wants me to be.
I am real.

I even set up a page on Facebook called “I Am Real”, but because it is not private, no one wants to play along so, I will be deleting it soon… I find that it defeats the purpose of telling and showing the world (through pictures) who you are, if it has to be a private group… oh well, another lesson learned about human nature… no biggie.. I will continue to interview random strangers and post their stories right on my personal page.. it is interesting to connect with people that way.. everything is a connection… a synchronicity of sorts.. I read somewhere (I read a lot) that the lessons in life are hidden in the details like shadows cast in a cave and that everything happens for a reason.. we just need to observe the details better… we are all actors in the great play of “Life” and everything changes from Act to Act and Scene to Scene.. nothing ever stays the same. We all know this to be true… I believe that the key to being able to observe the changes is in being open to receive with all our senses… and that is what I am going to focus on… the love and light that we each carry in our hearts… I want to "see" people and I want them to "see" me so that we can love one another in one another's life.

Well....... I know this is lengthy and I may have lost some of you (if not all of you) with my tangent writing, but I haven’t written in a while and I have sooooo much to say…. I will wrap it up simply by thanking all those people who show me somehow, either daily and/or throughout the years, that they love me in their life. It is almost Valentine’s Day, and though I do not have one Valentine, I feel as though I have millions because of the love that is shown to me.. because of the smile that I am welcomed with.. the kiss "hello" ... the hug that never seems to end.. the quick phone call.. the voicemail…. the text message.. the email.. the post on my facebook wall.. the picture tags.. etc… because of all of these things and more, I want to tell you all that …

I LOVE YOU IN MY LIFE ….

Happy Valentine’s Day lovers of life… I carry your hearts.. I salute the Divinity within you.. I wish you peace… but most of all, I love you…  

May you be blessed with all things good and loving always,

Elena