Lightarted Living: The Only Thing that Makes Sense

Lightarted Living: The Only Thing that Makes Sense:  

The Only Thing that Makes Sense

 

The Only Thing That Makes Sense 

"The only thing that makes sense

is to hold it all tenderly— 

as if it can break, as if it won't be here forever,

as if the moment that is this moment 

will give you everything if you let it.

The only thing that makes sense is to celebrate 

the exactness of you, to take your own face 

in your own hands and declare yourself worthy, 

to wrap arms around the orphaned parts 

that didn't fit, didn't follow, refused to march in straight little lines.

The only thing that makes sense 

is to make art that is your art, art that swings, sways, 

tangos its way through every midnight, as if life, this very exact, 

disappearing life, depends on it. To scatter 

kindness-confetti until walls become wings, 

hard melts to soft, not-enough 

becomes a feast of fabulous plenty—

a wild, belly-laughing celebration

where every tender, breakable thing 

is invited, invited to the moment that is this

moment, the moment that will give you everything 

if you let it."

Julia Fehrenbacher

Thanks to my sis-in-law, Lee, for sending me this poem by Julia Fehrenbacher.  I was compelled to share it with you. 

Hold your moments tenderly!

The Only Thing that Makes Sense

 

The Only Thing That Makes Sense 

"The only thing that makes sense

is to hold it all tenderly— 

as if it can break, as if it won't be here forever,

as if the moment that is this moment 

will give you everything if you let it.

The only thing that makes sense is to celebrate 

the exactness of you, to take your own face 

in your own hands and declare yourself worthy, 

to wrap arms around the orphaned parts 

that didn't fit, didn't follow, refused to march in straight little lines.

The only thing that makes sense 

is to make art that is your art, art that swings, sways, 

tangos its way through every midnight, as if life, this very exact, 

disappearing life, depends on it. To scatter 

kindness-confetti until walls become wings, 

hard melts to soft, not-enough 

becomes a feast of fabulous plenty—

a wild, belly-laughing celebration

where every tender, breakable thing 

is invited, invited to the moment that is this

moment, the moment that will give you everything 

if you let it."

Julia Fehrenbacher

Thanks to my sis-in-law, Lee, for sending me this poem by Julia Fehrenbacher.  I was compelled to share it with you. 

Hold your moments tenderly!

Lightarted Living: The Grace and Grit to Overcome Hardships

Lightarted Living: The Grace and Grit to Overcome Hardships:   

The Grace and Grit to Overcome Hardships

 

A Heart for Any Fate

"Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to Labor and to wait."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Dragonfly~

A Symbol of Courage and Strength

The dragonfly has become one of our symbols of the courage, adaptability and strength needed to overcome hardships.

Perhaps we're so drawn to these attractive and adept creatures because they're such tiny creatures of grace and grit.

We need our symbols like dragonflies to inspire us to keep going--to be 'up and doing--still achieving, still pursuing'--when difficulties arise  to arouse the courage within us to persist and conquer what is put before us. 

Let Us, then, Be Up and Doing

Who among us, when faced with the hardships of life, doesn't desire 'the heart for any fate'--a hardiness of spirit based in our ability to be courageous and adaptable? Who doesn't want to be a person who when faced with difficulties can handle them with grace and grit?

Life has a way of throwing us curve balls that test our endurance for handling life. 

Each time we wonder "do I have what it takes to get through yet another 'difficult life lesson'?" 

We do. We discover what we're made of the moment we begin to face the difficulty head on. 

Even if you don't start with the courage and strength, the current challenge will show you that deep inside you is a well of intestinal fortitude for you to draw on.

Courage Means to Take Heart 

So what is the key to having the courage and strength to overcome yet one more hardship? You step into life and keep on laboring--'learn to labor and to wait.'

We're all afraid when we first come face to face with a major life difficulty. But as Susan Jeffers said so many years ago, the way to deal with the fear is to "feel the fear, and do it anyway." 

Step into action. Face the fear. Fly in the face of fear. Take one step, and then another. Your courage and strength will emerge when you face your fears head on.

Take Heart in Your Struggles

Do you know the origins of the word 'Courage'? First known use was in the 14th century. The word courage  has been traced  back to  corage (Middle English;, curage, quer, and coer  meaning  heart (Anglo-French); and cor (Latin) meaning  more at heart.

Courage Synonyms: great heartedness, guts, gutsiness, hardihood, heart, heroism, intestinal fortitude, moxie, nerve, prowess, stoutness, valor, virtue

Find Great Heartedness within Yourself

Like the tiny dragonfly you have the grace and grit to deal with life head on. Get on with the business of living with confidence and courage. Take a step, and then take another. 

Sign Up for Free E-mail updates

For more than 40 years, Susan J Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. 

The Grace and Grit to Overcome Hardships

 

A Heart for Any Fate

"Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

Learn to Labor and to wait."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Dragonfly~

A Symbol of Courage and Strength

The dragonfly has become one of our symbols of the courage, adaptability and strength needed to overcome hardships.

Perhaps we're so drawn to these attractive and adept creatures because they're such tiny creatures of grace and grit.

We need our symbols like dragonflies to inspire us to keep going--to be 'up and doing--still achieving, still pursuing'--when difficulties arise  to arouse the courage within us to persist and conquer what is put before us. 

Let Us, then, Be Up and Doing

Who among us, when faced with the hardships of life, doesn't desire 'the heart for any fate'--a hardiness of spirit based in our ability to be courageous and adaptable? Who doesn't want to be a person who when faced with difficulties can handle them with grace and grit?

Life has a way of throwing us curve balls that test our endurance for handling life. 

Each time we wonder "do I have what it takes to get through yet another 'difficult life lesson'?" 

We do. We discover what we're made of the moment we begin to face the difficulty head on. 

Even if you don't start with the courage and strength, the current challenge will show you that deep inside you is a well of intestinal fortitude for you to draw on.

Courage Means to Take Heart 

So what is the key to having the courage and strength to overcome yet one more hardship? You step into life and keep on laboring--'learn to labor and to wait.'

We're all afraid when we first come face to face with a major life difficulty. But as Susan Jeffers said so many years ago, the way to deal with the fear is to "feel the fear, and do it anyway." 

Step into action. Face the fear. Fly in the face of fear. Take one step, and then another. Your courage and strength will emerge when you face your fears head on.

Take Heart in Your Struggles

Do you know the origins of the word 'Courage'? First known use was in the 14th century. The word courage  has been traced  back to  corage (Middle English;, curage, quer, and coer  meaning  heart (Anglo-French); and cor (Latin) meaning  more at heart.

Courage Synonyms: great heartedness, guts, gutsiness, hardihood, heart, heroism, intestinal fortitude, moxie, nerve, prowess, stoutness, valor, virtue

Find Great Heartedness within Yourself

Like the tiny dragonfly you have the grace and grit to deal with life head on. Get on with the business of living with confidence and courage. Take a step, and then take another. 

Sign Up for Free E-mail updates

For more than 40 years, Susan J Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: Amazing Grace How Sweet the Calm

Lightarted Living: Amazing Grace How Sweet the Calm:   

Amazing Grace How Sweet the Calm

 

The Maze

Running, running, running,

restless and unsettled as can be.

Frenetically chasing after the maze of life--

always pushing; always forcing; always striving

to 'make it' and to be what you can be.

Why not stop and be still awhile

and let your mind be free?

Why not surrender to a moment of calm

and give in to letting things just be.

"Nature does not hurry, 

yet everything is accomplished," said Lao Tzu

so long ago. Why not follow nature's lead

and let life unfold naturally.

  

There is no hurry in plant time,

just the simple flow of life in the right time.

Stop running yourself ragged trying 

to find your way through the maze of life.

Let yourself be filled with Amazing Grace

how sweet the sound of calm.

Pull back to quiet your mind, and allow the simple flow 

of your life to happen in the right time

with your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Thank you to Pam for sending the picture of her in the maze.

Amazing Grace How Sweet the Calm

 

The Maze

Running, running, running,

restless and unsettled as can be.

Frenetically chasing after the maze of life--

always pushing; always forcing; always striving

to 'make it' and to be what you can be.

Why not stop and be still awhile

and let your mind be free?

Why not surrender to a moment of calm

and give in to letting things just be.

"Nature does not hurry, 

yet everything is accomplished," said Lao Tzu

so long ago. Why not follow nature's lead

and let life unfold naturally.

  

There is no hurry in plant time,

just the simple flow of life in the right time.

Stop running yourself ragged trying 

to find your way through the maze of life.

Let yourself be filled with Amazing Grace

how sweet the sound of calm.

Pull back to quiet your mind, and allow the simple flow 

of your life to happen in the right time

with your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Thank you to Pam for sending the picture of her in the maze.

Lightarted Living: And All That Jaz

Lightarted Living: And All That Jaz:   One Dog's Dance of Life

 

And All That Jaz

 

One Dog's Dance of Life

I settled in.

I found a home.

I'm so thankful you saw me

and brought me home.

Together we made a life so sweet.

I thank you from the tip of my wet nose

to the bottom of my Jaz dancing doggie feets. 

And now it's time to say good-bye. 

I'm off to prance in the great by and by.

So hold me deep within your heart,

and I'll remain by your side even after we part.

For Jay Strazdas

'And All That Jaz' is a tribute to Jaz who has gone over the rainbow bridge. Happy trails, Jaz!

Lightarted Living: The Sun-Kissed Day

Lightarted Living: The Sun-Kissed Day:  

The Sun-Kissed Day

 

Early in the morning

I stretch and kiss the day.

The sun-kissed morning

welcomes me back 

to loving life another day.

It's an Ode to Joy in the morning

as sunshine kisses my soul.

I sing praises of Hurray! and Hallelujah!

as I'm gifted another beautiful day to play. 

Original Photo by Diane Offenbacher

I sing praises of hurray! and hallelujah! for another simply

exquisite floral photo by Diane for me to play with today!