Good Karma - The Ultimate Random Act!

I was just thinking about what I tell my kids about manners and, now, upon asking "Why do we use good manner?" they reply, with a well-tuned robotic response "...because it makes the world a better place to live..."  Which leads me to karma.  I've heard for years that when you do good deeds you are creating good karma.  It's like there is a "good juju" bank and you're making a deposit.  But that bank doesn't belong to just one person.  It belongs to all.  Like paying money toward social security.  You're not ensuring that YOU will get social security in your old age but others ARE benefitting from that deposit now.  And so with karma.  You're not guaranteeing good things will happen to you.  But you are making the world a nicer place to live from which all people benefit.

Never too old...or too young!?

Met an interesting young fella at the park today. I was just talking with a friend about what it means to eat healthily and along he came with his Great Dane and 4 year old daughter. Turns out he's a former body builder with a passion for health with an mindset of eating to fuel the machine and efficient and safe fitness. His goals are to become a certified trainer but he needs to get his GED but has hit some snags along the way. The thing is, this guy was so knowledgeable, passionate about health and fitness, and very personable to boot. I wished him the very best in his pursuits. He's only 26!!  I too have been thinking about getting certified and I hope I relayed effectively to him, if it's not too late for me, it CERTAINLY isn't too late for him!  It's never too late.
But we get in our own way.  Me too!
Goal: this time next year I will have some sort of fitness certification.  Bam!  Done!  :D

First World Problem

Sometimes when my husband catches me complaining about small things he says "first world problems".  This is an opportunity for me to give my head a shake and put things in perspective.  It's times like that I wonder if I really know what a real problem is? And complaining for the sake of complaining seems like a huge waste of time to me.  Each of us have our own struggles and burdens but, when I step outside myself and look at things, it seems to help me really get an idea of the depth or gravity of it all.  So far, nothing really to complain about!  

More Than Meets the Eyes

(Originally written February 20, 2013)

So, I went to the funeral and it was beautiful.  Everyone did a wonderful job celebrating the life of Amalour.  As I looked around the church, I thought how interesting, how amazing, that all these people (and I'm sure it was just the tip of the iceberg) were somehow touched by Amalour's 46 years present on this earth.  It was remarkable and humbling.

As I sat there, I was reminded of my own story.  How my father died at the age of 40, leaving a wife and 6 children; I just a mere baby of 2 years and 1 month.  I have thought, as all of my babies passed that significant age, that if I died right now, they wouldn't remember me.  But then I look at my family, my siblings.  In the beginning, they did their best trying to help me remember my dad by taking me around the house, showing me pictures of him.  But those memories did fade.  However, the stories have not.  I have heard time and time again (always eagerly!) the various escapades from each of them about their times (and each others' times) with Dad; stories of me being his "Pooch" (glad that nickname didn't stick!) and how much he adored me in the short time we had together.  When I looked upon Amalour's children as the priest spoke of how much she loved them, I remembered my mom telling me, when I was very young, that daddy died because God needed more doctors in Heaven.  Well, that explanation didn't hold much water when I was old enough to conclude, that doesn't make sense because there were no sick people in Heaven??!  So, upon reflection, Mom said that God felt Dad could do more from up there, than he could ever do from down here.  And, after 40 years, 6 healthy kids and spouses, 12 healthy grandchildren, and one healthy wife/mother of his children, I truly believe that his influence from his lofty vantage point was exponentially more valuable.  We lost our dad but never the protection of our Father.  

There were tears of loss today; for those that were present and for all those who have felt loss.  So, it was wonderful the emphasis on the impact and joy of Amalour's life.  Do not weep for me, sang the choir.  Like Amalour herself was telling us all.

I strive to live this way:

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.
Live your life so that when you die,
the world cries and you rejoice.
Cherokee Expression

We don't know the why but, with faith, and time, it all fits.  Today is a day to celebrate.  Every day.  

Animated Spirituality

What's it called when the actions of something actually reinforce the event actually happening?  I'm not really articulating this well; but I know there must be a word for it.  I had this thought last night before going to bed and, knowing it would keep me up if I didn't record it, I  wrote it down:

I believe in a plan. When you go towards one thing, you go away from another. Avoid one thing to go toward another.  But I think there are options.  Like the books where are you choose your own ending.  When we make choices we choose our path. Things come up that we have no control over.  But we have control over what we choose to do with those obstacles or opportunities, depending on how you look at it.  

This morning, (lazy Monday mornings) Holly chose to watch "Kung Fu Panda", which we haven't watched for ages, during couch cuddles.  There was a quote I heard that I really liked so I went to look it up and when I did, I found this one first:

"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it."

Master Oogway, Kung fu Panda

Hmmmmmmm...that's weird.  So, what I'm really saying is, I think I'm getting all my spiritual enlightenment from animated features!!  :)  Well, I did say to Ben just this morning (after he pointed out on his test paper that he learned the meaning of the word "inn" from playing a video game), you just never know where you're going to learn something!

So I found my destiny, writing about destiny?  My brain hurts. But it's a good hurt!

Get Out Of My Way! (Oh, are you still here?)

Living a more mindful existence opens your eyes to a lot of things.  For instance, I can be a REALLY big baby.  Or, perhaps more accurately, a temperamental, stubborn 2 year old.  I woke up this morning with one thought: where do I start?  Yoga?  Ugh..I know it will make me feel better but it takes so much tiiiiime...  Shower?  Ugh...but if I shower now, that takes away from "me" time; I can shower when the kids are awake.  Computer/concentrating stuff with conscious yard-apes about?  Not so much.  I just want coffee.  Coffee, coffee, coffee.  So what do you suppose I did?  I did the yoga.  I did the yoga because it's good for me and I know it will incrementally help me feel better by stretching out these limbs after a long(ish) night's sleep.  Did I jump out of bed glad to be alive with a spring in my step and joy in my heart?  Well, the joy was there but buried under my acute want for coffee!  No matter how you start your day, like the 3-toed sloth, upside down and going about 1.2 mph (1.9 km/h) (yes, I looked that up), or like the zen buddhist that rises gratefully at the first toll of the bell, may each step bring you to peace in your heart.  I'm going to get out of my own way now and have another cup of coffee!  

What I See In Movies

So, yesterday I went to see 5 movies nominated for Academy awards.  Each one resonated with me in some small, yet significant, way (especially Beasts of the Southern Wild (not in any small part due to the fact that their home reminded me of my dining room table and therefore reserved all judgement!!).
One in particular, in this moment of my journey, was Life of Pi.  As it happens, I am currently reading the book and am looking forward to continuing it to see how the book plays out compared to the movie.  (And, not for the last time, seeing the movie is RARELY, if EVER, the same as reading the book!!)  The life of a young Indian boy turned man and the trials he faces in between.  In no way do I mean to belittle his journey that was most extraordinary.  But his connection to the 3 religions of Abraham is the thing that really captured me.  He connects himself to each and is a self-described Christian, Muslim, and Hindu.  In the book, he is called out by the leaders of these three faiths in an unexpected encounter on the street.  (I was going to say "unfortunate" encounter, but I think that would be a flimsy translation of the incident.)  The are confounded that Pi can partake in each of their rituals and faiths; each leader defends their faith as one true path to God, condemning each of the others for this and that which conflicts with their own deep beliefs.  In the end, Pi expresses that all he wants to do is love God and show God's love in the best way he knows how.  Pi sees God in each of these things.  He sees how they are connected.  He unites them in his one being.  I love this so much because when I speak to my Christian friends, my secular friends, my Muslim friends, Jewish friends (well, you get the idea), I'm always looking for likenesses.  How do we see things similarly?  On what can we agree?  None of us are the same.  None of us are clones, physically, mentally, or spiritually.  But the more I see how we are alike, the closer I find myself to peace.   Each of us have trials we must face.  Each our own burdens to bear.  This is a quote from the movie with which I will leave you:

Adult Pi Patel: Faith is a house with many rooms. 
Writer: But no room for doubt? 
Adult Pi Patel: Oh plenty, on every floor. Doubt is useful, it keeps faith a living thing. After all, you cannot know the strength of your faith until it is tested.