The Swandive

3 things

Faith, Hope and Love.

Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of Gandhi's untimely death. A quite beautiful post and story can be found at Anchors and Masts. The post got me to read again the Wiki on this wonderful man and his lifes work / search for justice and non-violence.

Today this quote illuminates my heart. Indeed - require faith, hope and love. Happy Thursday.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always." Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

paying attention

"Everyone should carefully observe
Which way his heart draws him
And then choose that way with all his strength."
-- Hasidic saying

This saying for me embodies what it is that I am trying to do, focusing on LOVE. I am trying to direct, or in some cases re-direct, my attention, my heart, what I see and how I respond to where my heart is leading. I am a double cancer, in some ways I have always been led by my heart, my emotions. What this new task for me has been is to follow the good emotions, the love - and leave the bad habits, the crappy-guilt ridden stuff behind.

Its not easy.

I like this saying so much - so much wisdom packed into less than 20 words. The first line calls me (us) to pay attention, to 'carefully observe'. Hard to do when your plate is full. Even harder if you have for most of your life focused on someone elses (fill in the blank) and not your own. I don't know about you, but I have gotten so used to looking to see how I can help someone else, that it has taken the love of my sweetie, friends and some sheer determination on my own part to focus on my own stuff.

And still I fail. But I just get up the next day and find the up-and-at-em' attitude. Today is a new day, a do over, to listen to my heart beat - listen for the places that fill my spirit, listen to God speak quietly to my deepest joy-spots. Then, choose, and choose again to follow my bliss with all of my heart, all of my strength, all of my mind.

In the words of prayer offered by Anne Lamott "Help me, help me, help me" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you." Amen.

love in a movie

I know, I know. I have already written about this flick. But I really just can't listen to it enough, just finally picked up the soundtrack instead of watching all the youtube clips. Here is the first track, falling slowly.

Its not often that such a simple story catches my heart, my imagination. Simply put, I love this movie. Have you seen it? What did you think? Go on, rent it if you haven't. Then come back and lets chat.

This movie to me represents a story of the right place, the right time. Its a story about love, in real time, not sped up or in slow motion. Its about making music, from the heart. Its about searching, and finding - but not in the classic hollywood sense. I love this little film that could, I love the music and I love my friend that it reminds me of. So much love. Only one thing I can do... share it.

back home, filled with love

You know the saying, 'wherever you go - there you are'?
Just home from a lovely weekend, full of love, in Chicago. Like last time, we had a blast.

I keep reflecting on how the people I love, the people that live in my waking moments and thoughts, blog friends and commenter's, pokes (slaps, smiles and hugs) on facebook, and of course all of the up close and personal friends and family, shape my world.

Case in point.

I love my friend (who I have not yet met in person) Mindy. So when I am out in the world, I carry her with me. And - I carry her love of cows.

The best part about me running into this lovely moo-friend ... its like the perfect mix. This cow lives in the Chicago Hilton (where we stayed) - just outside their little Irish pub. I love all things irish, and Mindy loves cows.

Lots of my friends go with me everywhere I go - they just don't know it. Yet.

LOVE: 3: Notes

Do you know how to tell when you are on the right path, going in the right direction?
The universe lets you know in some way. You see signs, you begin to see prayers answered, roads that were mucky start to become clear.

My evidence comes in the form of my note from the universe today.

            I'd say the biggest decisions of your life, Swandive, were not your career, your marital status, or your home... they were choosing to love as often as you have.

 

        And that's a lot.

LOVE: day 2

You know what I really love? Great, unbelievably amazing, holy crap that was awesome - service. So far I have been in Chicago for less than 5 hours, and I have experienced some of the most amazing customer service, I don't know if I feel good about calling it that - because it was more like personal attending.

Even better - I never would have expected it. Not here. And certainly not here. But, its just true. Tonight I have been waited on like a princess, or the queen of sheebah. I don't mean waited on like hand and foot - more like people went beyond meeting my needs, exceeded my expectations of what I could possibly hope for.

These are days that make me believe in the principles that I once learned as a young person first working in the restaurant industry. Make someone smile, make someone feel helped, listened to, make someone laugh - Make someones day.

LOVE: Day 1

So to organize my thoughts about how to start my 30 days - my mid reels with people, places, subjects... there is just so much love in the world, why is it that we focus on bickering, lack, and Britney Spears latest escapades?

I don't know - and don't want to spend one more minute of this one wild and precious life I have thinking about it.

Speaking of!
Poetry, I love poetry.
Sweetie is a poet, this is one area of our life that I hope will grow, continue to unfold, share - in our many years to come.  My friend A is quite a word smith. I still lurk over at Abbey of the Arts, looking and longing for words that jerk and pull at my spirit, words that heal and cut.

My admiration for this practice, for this language, for the art - is still growing. But something deep within knows a love when I hear it. I believe it is no accident that my beloved is an artist of words.

I especially love Mary Oliver. So I'll close day one with part of a fave.
from Summer Day, by Mary Oliver
I don't know exactly what a prayer is. / I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down / into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, / how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, / which is what I have been doing all day. / Tell me, what else should I have done? / Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? / Tell me, what is it you plan to do / with your one wild and precious life?

30 days

A while back I did a 30 day love-fest posting extravaganza. Sweetie and I were headed towards our one year anniversary. I had been about 90 days into my new job, and had just begun the process of letting go of so much of my recent self (and much of my identity has been / had been wrapped up into my work/ministry life, anyone ever felt like this before - you are your job - your worth is your work?).

Anyway... I am bringing it back. The 30 day love fest. For a few reasons...

1. I need it.
2. I am a sucker for Valentines Day and all its trappings.
3. I like focusing on one thing that I love, or that brings me joy - at least once a day. I found it keeps me from those horrible downswings or pity parties.
4. Rose colored glasses look good on me.
5. I have some demons - some hanging on ick-mosters - that I think can only be released through the greatest of these, love.
6. I have found this is one of the only spiritual practices that I really excel at, so I think I'll just give it a whirl again.
7. I have a lot of love to share - photos, words, thoughts, reflections. It would not be fair to keep them all to myself.
8. I need to practice what I preach. Take my own medicine. Walk the walk.
9. Somehow - I think this will lead me back to my true center again. I feel off balance. Out of sync. Love seems to be a key to finding what I am looking for.
10. Love never ends. It never did, and it never does, and it never will. So why fight it? I am going with the flow, letting the river of love wash over me, baptize me, so that I am not such a
    
    1. Debbie Downer
    2. Sally Sad Sack
    3. Polly Pits
    4. Pain in my own ass

So starting tomorrow, check in. Love is in the forecast.

the headline in MN: the weather

Its cold out. I mean really cold. The kind of cold where you shouldn't be exposing skin for more than like 30 seconds at a time. Its all the talk - the cold snap we are having.

I think it has frozen my brain, slowed down my writing, increased my reading other blogs, but slowed down writing for mine. (Don't read this as an apology - I think its all good - write when it comes, don't when it doesn't.)

These seem like good days to just go home, curl up and catch up on some movies I have been meaning to rent for a long time. Yes, January in Minnesota is here.

So - what movies are on your "MUST RENT" or own list? I am thinking something good, provocative, classic. Don't worry if you think I have seen it before, either I haven't or I'd watch it again. So bring those ideas on please.

what is the color of bliss?

I am in search of,
kickin' it Nimoy style.

I am convinced of the Laws of this world. Some of these Laws can be found in the OT, some in the NT, and still some are just plain common sense.

Like getting my fat ass to the gym - to create a habit of health and love for my physical body which God willing - I will be living in for a while. Gotta make this life, this body, groove in joy. Groove in bliss.

So what is the color of bliss? A fave site of mine, ThinkSimpleNow, posts this great piece - Train Your Eyes to See Color, Again. She writes ...

Have you ever been particularly annoyed by a person or situation? The more we complain about it, the more we notice it. The more we notice it, the worse it becomes. The next time we interact with that person or situation, we almost expect to be annoyed and thus subconsciously look for those small triggers that’ll make us annoyed.

(Swandive says... uh, duh.)

Feeling Sick - When we don’t feel physically well, do you notice that we like to tell ourselves that we’re not feeling well? We like to tell anyone at any opportunity that “I’m sick”. While you are entitled to saying anything you like, what will actually help you get better is by focusing on being healthy. Enjoy this time as your body rests and recovers. Focus on the image of you in perfect health.

Interested? I was. Check it out... its all here.