When Questions Get Exponential...And People Get Real

Today we answered a question together:

"For whom are we responsible?"

As a primarily work-focused training trip to Rollins College (@RollinsCollege), we joined the Ask Big Questions Team (@AskBigQs) to experience and be trained on how to 'Ask Big Questions' on our campuses. In practice and in intentionality, the questions that are Ask Big Questions questions, get to a place that is deep and unexpected but once you share and connect and decide to take action - you're so glad you visited that place of reflection.

I think deeply and at times, too often - I have lists and lists of questions I use as journal prompts and pose to my close friends to reflect and explore, which result in our connecting on a deeper level.

"For whom are we responsible?"

We began with questions, we answered them in the group and in pairs, we brought more questions with us as we traveled together and wrapped up nicely with...more questions.

The beauty of life can be found in the simplest questions. The real question is, are we willing to ask?

Many will find the approach of "Who are you?" or "Where do your passions lie?" to be sufficient in getting to know a person. So before someone asks those questions of you, ask those questions of yourself.

Warning: Questions in the mirror (ones you ask yourself) are sometimes larger than they appear. (like a rear view mirror) ;)

Questioning can get exponential...so write them down. You'll see that one question will lead to more, so pace yourself as you answer.

Use pen and paper when possible, you'll want to remember, revisit and reflect.

~Hasta Pronto

Always,

@AmBBitious

*Sent via BlackBerry

Pride and Privilege

It is not my usual steelo to post about myself, but there are just some messages of inspiration and forward processing and thinking that need some context and space for details.

My dating life has been one of many options, but most don't make it past our first meeting.  And here's a few reasons why:

• No genuine attraction (mental, physical, etc.)
• Good conversation but no 'spark'
• Ambition but no action
• Inconsistency or flakiness (the only flake I like is a snowflake or puff pastry...)

One thing that I do acknowledge and am aware of however, is how privilege manifests within romantic relationships.  Privilege has its way of dividing groups of people, of preventing discussion and of fostering resentment or unawareness and misuse of power.  Add love to that and let's see what happens...

I come from humble beginnings.  One family house, single parent home with the support of grandparents and close family members.  In high school, I don't even have any memory about wanting to have a car, much less having the means to purchase one.  My mother worked hard at the United States Postal Service (love the USPS) and found herself struggling to help me through college.  I say all this to say that a tangible goal in my life has always been to make enough money to have decent savings and be flexible and able to travel on occasion.

I've realized lately, however, that these facts play a part in my journey in knowing others in a romantic capacity.  And because I know that a person's upbringing directly affects their perspective on the world, I've found myself making assumptions about those whom I've gotten to know, who come from another world - a world where parents can pay for things, where children can afford to fail at entrepreneurial pursuits, one where you can excitedly welcome your potential partner home to your large, spacious house.

And because I am closer to the life I'd like to live (financially), it may be assumed that I also come from this place.  A result, the misconceptions about where I come from, initially leave the conversation open to negative comments that normally wouldn't be shared.

Another reason they don't make it past the first date

• Clear disregard, false assumptions and lack of respect for the working class, demonstrated by lack of respect to servers at restaurants, or ostentatious flashing of money.  Like Shania says, "That don't impress me much..."

This presents a conflict for obvious reasons.  I would never welcome someone home to meet my family if they will see them as less, as lower than them...And in another thought, am I contributing to this by showing up as who I am and not where I come from?

As time continues on, I find that I attract second or third generation college graduates, most of whom have the means and the time to pursue what their hearts desire.  Like attracts like, right?  Our interests, past experiences with travel and knowledge are well matched, despite the disconnect in life experience.

I've had a few conversations with friends who have had similar struggles, even read a great article about it and perhaps it is our own apprehensions about truly releasing our resentment about what we did not have that holds us back.  So instead, embracing the opportunity to lay pride aside and allow ourselves to feel deserving of a person who can see beyond our beginnings can be an internal step.  The next, allowing our resentment to fall away and seeing their story too, knowing that perspective can change the more a relationship grows.

Would love to hear your thoughts, reactions and experiences.  I welcome you to share...

~Hasta Pronto

"I wandered lonely as a cloud..."

Through the sheer curtain of my temporary living quarters, I reminisce on the memories of what it means to be in a romantic partnership and if indeed it is necessary and required for life success.  Even captured a great photo of a cloud as it drifted by...

So instead of focusing on myself in this moment, I decided to zoom in on the anatomy of a cloud.  A lonely one - at least as we perceive it to be externally.

Lately, there has been an influx of decisions by friends and acquaintances to "take a year off" or to "plan ahead without pause for the arrival of a romantic partner."  These decisions, because there have been many in such a short time, have caused me a moment of pause.

I revisit my capturing of cloud and now see this as a free cloud.  One that makes decisions on where to drift on its own.  Having a close regard and almost helplessness to the forces of the wind - all along, floating in a straight path as I watch it move left to right.  No, it is not a cloud large enough to block out the brightness of the sun, or the glint of the distant moon in the largely clear blue sky, but enough to catch notice (at least by unsuspecting me).

Even the sheer curtain prevents me from seeing the clear and wispy outline of its form, but my spirit impacted enough to record it in history, to share it here with you.

Clarified decisions.  When we are motivated to sit up and take notice.  To acknowledge the difference between being whole and missing something that society has defined as necessary to the human experience.  Wandering as a cloud now, no longer lonely.  Instead we take our journeys alone and have our lives fulfilled by personal growth and reflection.  Together, separately, and aligned with a resiliency that uncovers the delicate and impactful presence of a cloud (ourselves), in a space as open as the blue sky, what possibility is as vast as this?!

Wordsworth was onto something with his words.  Allowing for room to experience the joy of solo contemplation accompanied by the beauty of nature.  We have so much to learn from her (nature), that could reveal to us the secrets of life and of development.  Of relationships and our obligation to ourselves, our hearts as Wordsworth says "...they flash upon that inward eye."  We've got some good solo work to do.  Let's start today.

I Wandered As Lonely As A Cloud

by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Thanks for reading,

~Hasta Pronto

I remember...

Pressed rewind some prose-es ago
Hoping to find the answers, and accidentally finding a non-truth

However lightly lived, life is meant to be heard, felt, arranged, in disarray, full, empty, direct and directionless too.

Fast forward isn't the greatest option either, but this whole "press play" thing is moving really slow...

The time comes when one must decide:
1. Stick through the slow beginning, there's a tremendous climax and ending up ahead
2. Think to oneself, "I should have waited for this to come out of DVD"
3. ...Fall asleep

We have reviews and critics that persuade and show examples prior to walking in and play is pressed. It is our own minds though, that regard reviews as non applicable expectations.

Anyone hear of any good films lately?

Times presses on play anyways, and time does indeed tell much right away. It is the waiting that propels rash deciding.

But, beware of rewinding, as it often replays regret. There are good scenes and epic quotes that should be written down, recorded, etched in stone. And there are also places that you must look away, the scene too gory or action too fierce.

Yes, press play now, I'm back from my trip to the concession. Back with plenty of not so good nutrition that is affecting the length of my own feature film.

The story is yours to watch, while simultaneously in the dark, your feet sometimes glued to the floor, unable to move forward.

Next time, choose a better seat, or wait for it on DVD.

Or better yet, make your movie count.

~Hasta Pronto

Always,

@AmBBitious

*Sent via BlackBerry

This one's for you, 2012...

When at a crossroads, artists are employed. Major highways, flooded with thoughts, minds are, hoping to avoid the police of reason along the way...

Avoidance of decision making leaves no time to feel, only long hours of mindful time wasting that is relieved when time finally tells.

Must it be, that all of the things that are meant to be, be always placed so far away??? Keep stretching.

Listen more for what is real within. Interpret what your gut is saying, use your intuition, share amongst journal pages your doubts, confirmations and forward pushing fears. Reclaim what can only exist and flourish by your command - happiness.

Own it.

Live what you seek, rather than waiting for someone to build it. Learn the skill of biding time usefully. Time. Is. Short.

Time....is not promised to any of us.

It is detrimental then, to revisit the ideas, situations and people that are of little 'mutual benefit.' What drains, rather than sustains and motivates. Time to close those unproductive doors: "Everything Must GO!"

Once the final sale is made, one can start a new beginning, with investments that bring returns. With a heart that gives on purpose, automatically and by default, symbiotically.

It is amazing how much of this world's art (paint, photographs, music, writing), grows out of anguish. Instead, I'd like to see what manifests, when we bring our authentic and selfish happiness work to paint the world...

~Hasta Pronto

Always,

@AmBBitious

*Sent via BlackBerry

My First Language

Press Play...then read :)



Sitting on lines on staffs with elongated necks and accurate posture, music notes have floated into my language space with such easy and fluidity.

As years pass and the sampling continues, there is one origin of language that needs no translation. Music.

It is a piece of life, a sweetness of life, that at times, transcends the speakable explanation of a feeling. A medium through which we can bridge life, love, sorrow and compassion. We listen to heal, we listen to relate, we listen to sing, we listen to understand.

There are some words and remnants of beats that continuously pull us into remembering. To reminisce of that time when that song was played. To join memory with present and bring feelings to surface level.

As healing and expressive as it is, we take it for granted. Preferring silence is admirable and when used with meditation and reflection beneficial. But at times the mind is just too loud with thoughts and angst. We must then override with song.

Singing aloud in our spaces, losing our voices in the process while gaining them at the same time is a wish that we should experience more often.

Music is freedom. Music is indeed for life. Check the below track, expect expletives. Lowering your volume in a shared space is advisable.

~Hasta Pronto

Who Are You?!

As we continue to search for love and live a life that matters, I have some food for thought items that your mind has surely been craving...please, indulge your intellect and give nourishment to your mind by reading and reflecting on the following post...

To those who continue their search for the one, with whom they feel a long term commitment can be shared...

Back Up.

Take a break. Pause. Spend time with you and only you. Clear the clouds that keep you from seeing what the surface of your life, your earth looks like. Let the mountains, peaks, valleys, earthquakes, icecaps and streams of your life's happenings be crystal clear.

Know Thyself.

Take that time and discover who you are. Ask yourself questions, write them, write your answers. Record who you are at that very moment in what you think and feel. Who am I? What do I like? What is love? How is God actively blessing me? How am I being true to myself? In what ways am I being who others expect me to be? What do I want most out of life? What are my flaws? How have I grown? What are my goals? Why are these goals important to my life? What are your struggles? What is your purpose in life? Who do you want to be? What are you afraid of? Define beauty.

Know Thy Wants.

Now that you have created an accurate picture of you right now. Use this momentum, after a short pause but still in a mind of clarity, to then narrate (not list) what you want in a partner. What characteristics do you value in a partner? Annnnd go! Define what you mean by what you mention as you write. Paint the full picture, be clear.

Know Thy Desires.

"If there is something to desire, there will be something to regret. If there is something to regret, there will be something to recall. If there is something to recall, there was nothing to regret. If there was nothing to regret, there was nothing to desire." ~Pavlova

Know Thy Sacrifices.

To whom much is given...much will be exfoliated away. In situations where we are desirous of a person that we find has the things that we want and can support the person who we've defined we are, there comes a point where we must be challenged. This challenge can be a small obstacle or happening, or it can be a part of us that requires further refining or defining. Exfoliation if you will, to remove the useless surfaces of ourselves to reveal the smoothness and receptive nature of new skin. This does not mean that we should compromise who we are for what we want. This instead means that in order to fully receive someone as they are and who they want to be, we have to understand our own journey and be adaptive to that journey together, along the way.

I repeat. The above inquiries to yourself should all be written. Pen to paper. This is so important to do as we make the decisions in life of what career path to follow, who we want to share our lives with and how we want to matter to ourselves and our God as we flow through this world. This exercise and investment in yourself will assist you to, as my dear friend Luqman has highlighted:

"See how realistic you are. What your thinking process is. What's important. [Give a] clear picture. Prevent going on emotions alone. [Provides a] written record."

~Hasta Pronto

Closer...? Maybe...

A presence missed, remiss to say that missing one, some one, some thing is making meaning, misty.

Eyes that are clouded with only seeing their focus instead of reflecting the colors that the sun is helping to reveal.

What to do, what to do?

When this feeling overwhelms even the simplest thoughts....take time out to process. Preoccupy yourself with the doubts, fears, hopes and dreams until your mind has run a marathon and seeks endurance rather than burnout.

Let your processing follow what reality has handed you. What you can see and what is real IS what you get. Do not waste time typifying what you'd LIKE things to be like because if they do not exist in this world? right now? then you are indeed, enveloped in fantasy.

Fantasy breeds disappointment, so do yourself a favor and make an appointment with yourself. The Divine. and then others. Give yourself time to reflect on the lessons that have occured and fed into your current feeling and then let your mind release its burden by turning to the One who can comfort, guide and subside uncertain feelings. It is only then that you can reengage with the world.

If you do so too early, the fun you will have will be half-spent, the joy you will feel will be laced with numbness to keep from tearing, and the love that you indeed long to share will be halted by fear. Don't do that.

That's going to be the phrase of the year.... "Don't Do That." One I have adapted from a good friend and well-respected colleague.

Jumping to conclusions - Don't Do That.

Making assumptions without facts - Don't Do That.

Investing in people who are not investing in you - Don't Do That.

Giving too much of yourself without taking care of yourself as well - Don't Do That.

Giving up hope - Don't Do That.

Remembering The Time...

Sedentary lifestyle. Still lazy when I want to be though. I've learned how to now fight the cozy blues and jump into my suit of fleece in order to greet the day, to greet the sun.

I walk.

I run.

Lather, sweat, rinse and repeat.

Until I make it 5K.

The most daunting moment is not the rousing from my dreams, it is the rising from the sheets that angers me most. Stalking from my room, cursing the absence of morning sun - still creeping across the horizon from the West. Still waiting for my mind to wake up and notice that my body has indeed set in motion.

Zombie.

Time to start the music..."Play it again, Sam!" But remix it with a techno beat this time man, we're not romancing the stone we're pounding the pavement!

Stretch Heartstrong.

Allowing more time for my mind to catch up, I continue moving, or else risk a nap on the carpet and a late to work petitioner phone call.

My app guides me along the way, directing my beginnings and ends, starts and stops, runs and jogs and coolings down, even records my completed workouts - date included.

Impressive.

But most of all, I mentally and passively record them too. I push past the tiredness I feel knowing that I long for the vibration/voice prompt to tell me it is okay to walk now.

Breathe.

Still pushing through each, the now 90 second sprints blurred together with 120 second walks. As the intervals progress and I find myself witnessing the lighting up of the sky - I am rising with the sun.

Pace.

Today I was prepared to run my last cycle before cooldown, the vibration prompted me to run - I ran. Ran until I was sure that the vibration would come soon, telling me to slow my pace, to walk to rest. But it didn't. I kept running. Running until hesitantly peeking at my screen, only to find that I was indeed running on cooldown time.

I slowed down, smiled and commended silently my inside voice. The voice that said "keep going" "you can do this" "almost there"

Motivation, it was nice meeting you today. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

~Hasta Pronto.

JustKiddingJustKiddingJustKidding

Wrapped. Decorated. Strategically Placed. Anticipated. Hoped For.

Since when did "all of the above" turn into:

Loss. Disappointment. Terrible. Empty. Cold. Irresponsible.

The when began where dreams grew confirmation instead of reality.

When lies became more important than truth and integrity.
When the pressure to belong became more important than consistency and truth.

Now the power lies within the one with truth, integrity, consistency and truth. This warrior presses forward as the wind pushes away clouds of gray and replaces them with blue skies and an abundance of light.

When the war developed into an ocean, limitless and home to so much more than what the waves can show.

Use the power within warrior, to continue temperance in the face of iniquity. To turn the situation of detriment into one that solidifies your admirable qualities immeasurably.

Listen.

Time only becomes important when we panic and realize how much we have wasted. Instead, it should be as dear to us as blinking. Usage of this reflex is necessary to lubricate the very pieces of our existence that give us sight. With each as it passes, there is a measure of seconds that continue to tick away along with our usefulness of the rest of us that we use to interact with all that our eyes afford us to see.

There may be times where the very mold that you strive to uphold as strong and impenetrable becomes a prison instead of a protection. Do not be afraid to break and permit your vulnerable self to be shown. Use this newly discovered exposure to allow the Almighty to work on you. No one has ever performed heart surgery on a closed chest.

Open to yourself, to someone you trust, to someone you can and cannot see. Be healed, be more of you, and be ready for all of the beautiful light and warmth that is waiting to greet you. Running.

~Hasta Pronto

Sueños

Last night I dreamed him away. The thoughts lifted off of my unconscious and above my head and into the sky...

He felt me. I am sure that the sentiment is mutual, the longing the waiting, the I'm not so sure why I'm sure but I'm sure - feeling. I understand you too.

I dreamed him away from fantasy and into reality. From what I thought to what I think. From what I knew to what I know and from distance to locality. He'll be local. Near. More than what I've dreamed but all of what I see. My future.

Listening for a response I still hear silence. His distance - fear. Mine - weakness. There is a week less of time that we've spoken but seldom a week less of thoughts to remember - to look forward to - to continue dreaming into existence the very feelings that have always been. Love.

Admiration felt without clinging. The space to be without the dampness of others breathing down our necks. The space to free love and begin in mutual healing. I see this so clear even on the cloudy days.

Links to learning more have vanished and introspection has taken the cake. Meaning more for any relationship had or to have and hold. And is my favorite word because it links the ephemeral and lasting to make it memory and reality. Yes.

This is love as I've seen it, saw it, and dreamed it into reality from sueños.

~Hasta pronto.

Don't Talk...Just Listen

More than just the lyrics of a song, more than what we need on a regular basis. It is also more than tough to carry out. Each day as we pass through life we wander through checking off lists and affirming requirements and duties. No blame on those who use this as fuel to keep moving forward, to keep the mind clear of useless clutter.

Take time though, to stop and listen. Drive with windows down, walk with earbuds out, eat without the accompaniment of sound.

It may be that you hear the birds chirp a greeting of good morning through your moonroof, or that you feel the complete breeze as it cools you and hear the rustle of the leaves on the trees. You may even hear your thoughts grow quieter because they are no longer being restlessly silenced by an inward flow of distraction.

Hearing yourself is a gateway into knowing who you are. It takes that first step to listen to find direction, peace and meaning.

When we are clear about our thoughts, no matter how inspiring, daunting or hurtful they may seem...use that information to inform your decisions, fuel your passions and defeat the illusions that have shaped your fears and reclaim them as strengths.

~Hasta Pronto.

If you ask me...

I'm ready.

My destination has nothing and everything to do with you. Nothing because I choose. Everything because you choose too. Stars will align when they will. The want is enveloped within them.

Outer image has become fluid and character virtuous. Striving for deep reflection we look within ourselves, at times, pulling the energy of others all the while remaining internal. Growth becomes inevitable within new soil and the sun a necessity to prosper.

Blooms are most beautiful just before they open to the world. It is the delicate color that is shown responding to sun. The yearning towards the sky, towards the warmth that covers all sides, that invites the bud to stretch. I see it as clear as I did years past. One open bloom, ready to be chosen, another, just ready to bloom but not willing. A match in soil, nutrients, needs and environment requirements. Both feeling a genuine need for sol...

One cannot rush a bloom. Rain does come. Watering makes for rich soil. Feeding comes from within and from the Sun.

~Hasta Pronto.

♫ "And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight and closed in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom. This is the element of freedom" ~Alicia Keys

Cinder-Ella, Ella, Ella, Eh Eh Eh...

A damsel in distress she was. In her dress she was his princess. She was granted her dreams in bibbity-boppity-boo!

However, reality does not lend this as easily as animation projects. Everyone always depended on her umberella ella ella, but then proceeded to steal it instead. Her life was full of optimism and triumph and equanimity through all things. The story of a fictitious character somehow inspiring youngsters to hope for the same.

This hope is not false, but making truth from fairy tales is taking away from your experience. Living in the moment and appreciating the story that leads to your truth and destiny gives you ownership rather than control. It is not your story to tell or dictate, but you must instead be a willing character in the story of your life written by the ultimate Author.

So next time you once upon a time, make sure you listen instead of writing it how you want it to be, since the Final version may have an alternate and unexpected ending. Enjoy your story as it unfolds.



~Hasta Pronto.

Imitation of Life

Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? Hmmmm.

I believe that art imitates life. We began with life and our reference for creating comes from the living and from those living things that are around us which have inspired us to build art.

Life is trusting and tempting and anxiety provoking in order to push us towards realization of truth. Moving forward in such misty clouds of unknown take us to places that are at times beyond our reach but within our grasp. The mundane becomes a plan and the exciting, fleeting moments become an object for which we are to forever yearn.

These life happenings - the close, near and far are our life's water, our anchor in a sea of turbulence and what brings us to third level accomplishments and passions.

Level 3 - a divinely inspired number, once seen as incomplete and uneven, but known to all as a pair with a Guidance that binds and strengthens. This is indeed related to our goals and our representation as a piece of moving art, an ayah - a sign, as we are coupled with each desire as it comes our way and guided gently by the Leader that permits us to continue or shows us the way.

As we continue to embody life as we reflect its art, let us not forget who we are or where we come from, or we will indeed be lost.

~Hasta Pronto.

Looking for answers? Here they are...

"Be patient towards all that is unsolved in my heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it, and live along some distant day into the answer." From Letters To A Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

Inspiration for this writing comes from a place invoked by pain, merged after the departure of planes landing across an ocean and resulting in the evolution of a lasting friendship, from peace, from love, from truth.

Where are the answers you are looking for? Do they evade you, mesmerize you, sting you, make you laugh, seem elusive, are unwilling to surface, or just plain unwanted...? This, my people, we must decide for ourselves. We must realize that the answers we most seek and deserve may be within us from the start. Answers become surface level only when we decide to leave them behind and not mark them as a goal but as a journey.

The circle of life is living answered. Restless living leads to demise and a mind full of distraught. All the while devoid of mindfulness and overflowing with heedlessness. Oblivious to the outer world surrounding us with beauty and leading us closer to the truth. Or the harsher truf of what might not be pleasing to live. But we must push onward knowing the facts and accepting the dance. The to and fro of what can paint a symphony of notes with the human manifestation of rhythm and connection. Connection to one another and growth that leads to realization. That...that leads to answers.

It is no longer a request, but it is an invitation to live, to like...wait no, "Don't just like." Accept the invitation to love. To love uncertainty as you love black and white, to be attracted to gray as much as vivid color brings you joy, to miss confusion because it pushes you to look for clues, to love the question mark - the curves, the elongation, the signal of an end and punctuation, the period that indeed does close it out...the very sign that the answer is indeed in the question. Will you seek it out, will you welcome it, will you embrace it as it embraces your questions?

Say yes.

She Speaks

Trembling in a corner, the room is enveloped in darkness with the spotlight on red. Quivering forward, she steps into the light and clears her throat. She wonders if what she will say will be heard through the black of the space. She thinks she hears crickets giving their salute to the night, but instead she is hearing the rapidity of her trembling. She recites what is innate and gives her all to the audience she cannot see. The spotlight is hers but can those who hear her see her? She begins again. The first recitation was a mere rehearsal of inner thought. She speaks. Not sure what is flowing out of her she begins to feel the weight fall off as if she is released from the tension of the strings that bind her. She turns, focuses her attention to all sides of the room, hoping her frail voice will echo off the walls and back into her where those thoughts and feelings are safe. She second guesses herself when she hears no response, but realizes that she is still showing the room her skill through her performed prose. When she has finished there is silence again. No snaps, no applause, no approval, no rejection, no thrown off stage, just her, the spotlight, and the corner from which she orates. All the while trembling, but now, feeling a stillness inside. When the heart speaks, it expresses to manifest feeling into reality for itself and no one else.

Excavating --> Exposure

Dig. Dig Deep. Dig Deeper.

Picking up the shovel, which for some may be the most daunting task, is the first step. Clearing your schedule and making nothing know and disappearing into stillness is what you need next. Using the tools that God has given increase the speed at which you discover, but does not change the fragility that lies beneath.

Is this adventure unexplored? Have you started to uncover yourself and just when you see 'you' peeking out of the next layer of dirt, called away to accomplish another task in life? Did you begin to see what is hidden and complex, only to find that you were not ready to see the rest? Ask.

Discover that within yourself has shaped and defined who you are reflecting at yourself each morning. Find that comfort in seeing yourself clearly in and out of reality, with or without stability, having and not having comfort, feeling or not feeling love, learning or not learning truth.

You are perfect just the way you are. There is no need to change or alter your state. That is not your mandate. The you that you are supposed to be is ready. You have to be ready to be informed, ready to be great, ready to feel pain and love and happiness all at the same time. Ready indeed does mean willing, and willing to want to be you is your destiny.

If you are not ready for your destiny, realize that you are looking at a fertile pasture of untouched soil. Rich with longing for seeds of interest that bear fruit of awareness and healing.

So I charge you to dig, dig deep, dig deeper. Keep going and as the sweat rolls down your brow, keep thinking "I'm willing to meet my destiny because I'm ready to keep digging."

Perception is Everything, Perspective is Yours

A wise amigo once told me, "perceived loss is merely the precursor to victory..." Let's take a moment and unpack this shall we?

To lose something, whether beloved, unattached or unwanted is to experience its absence. This explanation shows that it once filled a space that was open and ready. When you do not have space to fill there is no need or want. A perception of loss is determined by the realization of that reality in real life. Do you see this? Do you feel this?

There are moments in life where you feel you have given your all, and at times more than you should or more than you, in actuality, knew you were capable of giving. Categorize these things. Make real what your actions have indicated to you and to the beloved, unattached, or unwanted.

In sports play, there are times where the player seems to have given out physically from our perspective, however, it is their perception "I'm not done yet" "WE haven't won yet" that drives the mind to drive the body to the finish. Energy that comes from the mind telling the body what to do can only do this if the heart is truly in control. Let your heart win. Listen. Develop the perspective to drive others perceptions (yours too) to a level of endurance, push and victory.

Victory - not winning, but overcoming an obstacle or enemy, says Webster. This obstacle or enemy it seems, is only through perception. It becomes an obstacle when you can overcome it, an enemy if you have to fight yourself to get past it. What pushes against us or helps us push against ourselves always ends in victory. Always.

Results are often two fold. One can be victorious in finding what those very opposing forces are, and molding our perception to gain perspective and strengthen our inner motivation and convictions and decisions to push back and push away. Another can be pushing against ourselves, finding the will to want to become one who makes their perspective that of self control and self regulation that molds self improvement, and their perception of that loss in any form is inevitable and indeed anyway, brings victory.

You don't fail because you lose, you win. Because in losing, your perception changes. That change in perception just may be what you need to bring a positive perspective to your situation and how others perceive you.

Ladies and Gentleman, Lend Me Your Ears....

Eyes picking up on images on pages, lips and tongues directing speech where the mind has pursued.

We are living in a time where digits get cardio and the heart gets the couch.

Learning to listen to the beneficial and incline towards nature and the signs showed us has become foreign. How sad.

Buds from iPods make the mind shuffle to the next randomized playlist. The list is playing you for your experience in life. Press pause.

Observe the sun as it rises on the horizon that raises your level of consciousness.
Appreciate the nature of the Creator. Listen.

Nouns that make up the vibe we call life have not made an impact from electronics. Interaction and feeding breeds growth. The most basic infantile need is touch. Not iTouch, but touch.

Should we cease to reconnect in person, in hearing, live and on stage, we risk the essence of humanity. Closeness.

Facebook-ing became the new 'friend' and our networks have expanded beyond control. Step Back. Bring in the reigns and be sure to feed the relationships that mutually matter.

Listen to yourself, listen to what is around you, be open to listening, and just....Listen.