Inside our Flowering Spirits the Sun Shines

 

WE ARE THE SUN

As they gathered together

waiting for the sun to rise and warm their hearts,

They realized

Together, we are THE SUN

able to warm the hearts of all with our radiance.

Shine.

THE SUNNY SMILE

"It was only a sunny smile,

And little it cost in the giving,

But like morning light

It scattered the night

And made life worth living."

F. Scott Fitzgerald

INSIDE THE SUN SHINES

Inside our flowering spirits

The sun shines,

Burning bright,

And powering us on.

Outside the spirits of Hope and Goodwill

Call us to engage in the world to do good.

You have a light that shines.

Share it.

You have an inner fire to ignite

Good energy.

Use it.

Set the world on fire

With positive deeds.

Bring your best, sunniest self.

THE SUN QUIETLY LINGERS

The sun quietly lingers,

Warming our spirits and brightening our thoughts.

Oh Joy.

Today is a new day.

I'm filled with hope;

I'm filled with a quiet joy.

I shine.

Lightarted Living: Goodbye to a Honey of a Dog

Lightarted Living: Goodbye to a Honey of a Dog:   Goodbye Good Girl 

I've Come to say Goodbye

Honey was a lady, and a lady never leaves 

without saying her goodbyes.

So the day after she passed 

Honey returned to Nancy's garden

as a Wood Moth surprise,

flying free, and happy as can be.

Goodbye Good Girl

Goodbye to a Honey of a Dog

 

Goodbye Good Girl

My sister's dog, Honey, was a dog 

with impeccable dog manners. 

I always thought of her as a gracious lady 

who invited others to be with her in a state

of calm as she sat with her front paws demurely

crossed and quietly waited for events to unfold.

But in life, Honey loved flying the most. 

When it was time to go out into the field for a run, 

Honey was like a gazelle leaping through the grass as

she flew straight up towards the geese flying overhead.

She was pure unbridled joy!

Boy, could she run! Boy, could she fly!

In the end, Honey's final days were more difficult, 

with her eyesight and hearing failing. Her flying through the air 

days were over except in her dreams. 

Joyfully Flying Free Once More

But when it was her time to go, her 

dreams of joyfully flying and leaping through life softly

carried her over to the otherside after her passing.

And when a giant wood moth flew into 

my sister's garden the day after Honey passed 

she knew it was Honey flying in 

for one last flyover; for one last goodbye--

because Honey was a lady, and a lady 

never leaves without saying goodbye.

METAMORPHOSIS

I've Come to say Goodbye

Honey was a lady, and a lady never leaves 

without saying her goodbyes.

So the day after she passed 

Honey returned to Nancy's garden

as a Wood Moth surprise,

flying free, and happy as can be.

Goodbye Good Girl

Lightarted Living: A Lust for Life

Lightarted Living: A Lust for Life: THE LOVE AFFAIR Despite the hardships; Despite the challenges; She realizes she's always had a love affair with life. 

A Lust for Life

THE LOVE AFFAIR

Despite the hardships;

Despite the challenges;

She realizes she's always had a love affair with life.

Her affair began in secret with a deep longing--

Pulling her like a moth to flame.

Hers was a life on fire, 

and now, she suddenly realizes why

It was life itself~in all its glory; 

Inflaming all her senses;

Bursting open her heart

 

 Filling her with light

And a lust for living.

Flapping her wings, 

She opens her eyes from a night of repose

To embrace her life, 

And meet it head on in the clear light of day.

 

Lightarted Living: Your Choices Today Create Your Life Tomorrow

Lightarted Living: Your Choices Today Create Your Life Tomorrow:   " To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders ." Lao Tzu, 6th century BC 

It is only in a state of calm we are able to open ourselves up to see the vast riches of the universe available to us all.

Your Choices Today Create Your Life Tomorrow

 

"To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders." Lao Tzu, 6th century BC

Trust Your Inner Wisdom

I love this painted tile by 8 year old Edwin Tickner. It makes me wonder what Edwin's dog is contemplating as he silently watches the moon. And what about his little 'alter ego' who lives underground? He too sits quietly looking in the same direction as he considers life.

It was Lao Tzu, the father of the Chinese spiritual tradition Taoism, who said "To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders." Edwin's dog intuitively understands: Taking a calm, quiet moment is important for us all. A still, calm mind allows us to see choices we are blind to when caught up in the often frenetic activity of daily life.

It is only in a state of calm we are able to open ourselves up to see the vast riches of the universe available to us all.

 Calm Contemplation of Life

If you've been feeling off-balance lately or something has been bothering you that you just can't put your finger on--take a cue from Edwin's dog--still your mind and calm yourself before you open yourself up to look into the horizon.

When your mind is calmed, take a moment to reflect on how your choices today will create your life of tomorrow. Consider your current situation and what factors would create good or poor, pleasant or unpleasant outcomes down the road.

With a calmed mind, consider these perspectives and outcomes. Write a list of factors for each that contributed to the outcomes. Don't be afraid to look through the eyes of innocence and trust in yourself as you contemplate your future. You can make good and better choices.

Start with the End in Mind--What Choices Today Got You There?

Perspective 1: Looking five years down the road, you are still working for the same organization or still in an intimate relationship with the same person. What did the organization or your love interest do right to keep you? What does your life look like now?

Perspective 2: Looking five years down the road, you have left the relationship or organization. What happened? Why did you leave? What could they have done differently to keep you?

Perspective 3: Looking five years down the road an issue you're struggling with right now has resolved in your favor. What does your life look like now? What made you choose the path you're now on? Why is your life better today than five years ago? What choices did you make to support a good life? What are you most proud of?

Perspective 4: Looking five years down the road you are unhappy about the choices you made. What different choices could you have made to end up with better outcomes?


Meet the Artist

Edwin Tickner, 3rd Grader

Ten Years Later

I had the good fortune to run into Edwin Tickner, who is now 19 and doing interesting things with his art, at the Ashland Grower's Market the other day. It was so fun to see him 'ten years down the road'. 

I dove into my archive of Lightarted Living posts from 2013 to find this one featuring Edwin's art to send to him. As I read through it I was struck by how his 'CALM' dog tile inspired such a depth of thought in me.

I also realized in the ten years since I wrote this post, I had in fact used this method of 'looking five years down the road' numerous times to help me make important decisions. My outcomes were better 'down the road' because of this calm approach to contemplating the future.

It is a practical and useful approach for us to find our calm, and then to look from different perspectives to determine the life we want to create down the road. Take the time to plan for your life, especially in times of stress.

Still your mind, and dream about your future. 

The Dog Tile Art Project for the Jackson County Animal Shelter

In 2013 I worked with Debi Blair's 3rd grade students at Walker Elementary school in Ashland, Oregon to paint dog tiles to create a bright, cheerful entrance to the dog kennels at the Jackson County Animal Shelter. Their creative and fun spirits came through in their art.

Lightarted Living: Nature Shows us we're all Connected

Lightarted Living: Nature Shows us we're all Connected:   Nature Shows Us We're all Connected Nature Shows Us Together we Bloom Nature Shows Us Together we Thrive Nature Shows Us A rich soil f...

Nature Shows us we're all Connected

 

Nature Shows Us

We're all Connected

Nature Shows Us

Together we Bloom

Nature Shows Us

Together we Thrive

Nature Shows Us

A rich soil for all

Results in abundance for all

Nature Teaches Us 

To Sow Love

And to Sow Kindness to Harvest Love

Original Photo of Cascading Flower

by Diane Offenbacher

Thank you Diane for allowing me to scribble over your awesome flower photos!

Lightarted Living: Winter Grace and Gentle Mornings

Lightarted Living: Winter Grace and Gentle Mornings: 

Another Gentle Morning

Another gentle morning unfolds;

I wipe the sleep from my eyes and greet the day.

"Good morning, sunshine! The earth says hello."

I open my arms for another day of loving.

Winter Grace and Gentle Mornings

Another Gentle Morning

Another gentle morning unfolds;

I wipe the sleep from my eyes and greet the day.

"Good morning, sunshine! The earth says hello."

I open my arms for another day of loving.

Winter Grace

Silently the snow falls on Moscow, Idaho,

Feathering the Idahoan heart with wonder and cheer;

Out pop the spirits of hope, love and goodwill,

Singing songs of grace and peace.

"Dashing through the snow,

with one horse eating hay...."

Soubhiye'

Softly, softly the sound of silence.

Soubhiye' is that time in the morning 

when no one else is awake; 

Only you.

It's such a lovely time to quietly gather your thoughts 

without interruption, without purpose and without deadlines.

Soubhiye' is that time in the morning when the rest of world still sleeps 

And you have a refreshing and peaceful moment to yourself--

Letting your mind wander wherever and land wherever 

over that warming cuppa coffee or tea.

Who knows what inspiring or renewing path will

reveal itself during this golden time of renewal.

Gift yourself with soubhiye' daily.

Wishing you gentle mornings and Winter grace.

The Origin of Soubhiye'

I was introduced to the word soubhiye' in an NPR article about

words with no translation into English that have interesting meanings

that were submitted to the Webster Dictionary.

Soubhiye' is a Lebanese Arabic word submitted by Stephanie Thompson.

Lightarted Living: Let Your Life Dance Lightly on the Edges of Time ~...

Lightarted Living: Let Your Life Dance Lightly on the Edges of Time ~...:   💓Dance Lightly💓 "Let your life dance lightly on the edges of time like the dew on the tip of a leaf" Rabindranath Tagore 

💓Dance Lightly💓

"Let your life dance lightly on the edges of time

like the dew on the tip of a leaf"

Rabindranath Tagore

💓Listen💓

For words can not describe the sound of silence.

Unknown

Let Your Life Dance Lightly on the Edges of Time ~ Rabindranath Tagore

 

💓Dance Lightly💓

"Let your life dance lightly on the edges of time

like the dew on the tip of a leaf"

Rabindranath Tagore

💓Listen💓

For words can not describe the sound of silence.

Unknown

Lightarted Living: Opening the Floodgates of Relief

Lightarted Living: Opening the Floodgates of Relief:   The Divorce "This is the time to be slow; Lie low to the wall; until the bitter weather passes.

 

Starting Over

The cleansing rain pours down,

opening the flood gates of relief--

A little water letting 

to switch the flow of emotions 

to cleanse the soul.

Good thing? Bad thing? Who knows?

Opening the Floodgates of Relief

 

The Divorce

"This is the time to be slow;

Lie low to the wall;

until the bitter weather passes.

Try as best you can

not to let the wire brush of doubt

scrape away all sense of yourself.

Time will come good again."

John O'Donohue

Recovering from Unwelcome News

Uncovering the shit-disturbers

I release the disturbing effects of others.

I rebalance and bless the earth's energy around me,

and replant my garden with love and compassion.

Slowly, one step at a time I move towards healing.

Moving Out of Darkness 

While cleaning out the shit what did I find?

A big pile of love for life rooted so deep in my heart.

The pendulum swings toward the ladder of hope.

I climb out of the darkness into the light.

Starting Over

The cleansing rain pours down,

opening the flood gates of relief--

A little water letting 

to switch the flow of emotions 

to cleanse the soul.

Good thing? Bad thing? Who knows?

The Story Behind

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine was blindsided when her husband came home to say he had been having an affair for two years, he was moving out, and he wanted a divorce. 

As often happens when we're overcome with emotional turmoil, the physical world around her began to crumble, providing the perfect metaphor for how she felt and and how--through action--she could begin to move on and rebuild her life.

First, the rains came and flooded her backyard, and then the septic tank overflowed and needed cleaning out (thus the 'shit talk'). 

Two years on things are still settling out. The sump-pump of her heart has keep the emotional turmoil from overflowing, and her garden of life has flourished. 

Moral of the Story: Life happens. It is up to us to find our way through and to turn a potential pile of shit into a potential pile of love. It's hard and dirty work, but in the end, it's worth it. Keep on keeping on.

Lightarted Living: For Every Evil Under the Sun, There is a Remedy or...

Lightarted Living: For Every Evil Under the Sun, There is a Remedy or 

For every evil under the sun,

There is a remedy or there is none.

If there be one, try to find it;

If there be none, never mind it.

Old Nursery Rhyme