Life is weird, funny haha, strange, challenging, beautiful, painful, hard.  Recently I had a talk with my life coach, Dr K, and I made the statement “life was unfolding beautifully”.  He then asked me, “…what is life when it is not beautiful?”.  Hummm.  I answered “…it is life!”  Dr K: “Is it a different life or the same life?” Me: “…it is the same beautiful life!”  Dr. K: So, we BE with what is.”
I am taking a quick lunch break and sitting on the bench facing the most amazing view of Manhattan and the East River. I am thinking on the fight that we all have in life.  Just today, I was awakened by a friend’s message of frustration and temptation to give up what they had begun.  Another visit with my Barista and I am told that “she hopes she will be happy again someday”.   Everywhere you go, if you are listening, you will see that everyone struggles in this world, regardless of where you come from, what you have or don’t have, or how equipped you are.
The birds fight for a piece of my lunch on the park bench.  I am their enemy.  The girl at college fights to get good scores.  Self-confidence alludes her.  The lover fights to keep his love.  Distraction is his enemy.  The child fights for attention.  Someone else’s needs trumps theirs!  I could go on and on, but you know these scenarios because you live them, play them out everyday.  But I have realized that just BEING with what is (thank you Dr. K) is a secret to embrace and to learn. Being alive is the gift. Being grateful for this life is the right step toward finding your place.  And yes I get it.  For some it is just unfair.  There are those that seem lucky and those that seem cursed.  But yet, it is what it is and we must accept our circumstances, “kiss the chains that bind us” then work like hell to break free!  To BE.
Here is the crux of what I am feeling.  Simply: life is a kaleidoscope. It is what we make it and yes, how we think!  Life is not all work, in fact, life IS soul.  Don’t limit yourself because someone told you “you have to pay your dues”.  We do not have to wait for great things.  We have them now.  My meditation today read:  “The Master asked: Do you smell the mountain laurel?  Yes, replied the student.  There, the Master answered.  I have held nothing back from you!”  To become aware. To BE here in this moment, is the greatest thing we can attain.  I believe it is the secret to our power and our happiness, no matter what we are going through.
The NOW is in this moment, in your own awareness, and, how you choose to perceive the YOU in YOUR world.  As Miguel Ruiz says in his book The Four Agreements (paraphrased), each one of us has our own movie reel running in our minds of our life.  No one writes our script but us.  We are in control over our perceptions and how we choose to believe and act on those beliefs, and very importantly, how we choose to respond to our circumstances.  What is your movie saying about your life?
Love and Peace!
Sandy