Life, More

The street-side machine worked. I tried it. Insert your garbage, and it automatically compresses your trash to make room for more; yet, it was surrounded by bags of trash.

Was someone impatient? Why didn’t she make that last effort to get rid of her refuse? Was she in a hurry, expecting that someone else would do what she didn’t?

Or, did the person have trouble letting go of what was cluttering life, and just couldn’t quite bring himself to do what he knew needed to be done?

What about your junk? Especially the feelings and thoughts that are self-limiting? Once you’ve identified them, knowing that you really can live without them, get rid of them completely.

It’s the kind of Monday afternoon when posts about a friend tangoing her way through grocery shopping are trending toward viral on facebook.

Wow, to think that, had I not wandered through fb on my way to what’s next, I’d have missed her joyful abandon in dancing the tango, leading her grocery cart on aisle…

OK, I don’t on what aisle it was. This is the closest thing that I could find on You Tube (you have to imagine the grocery cart.).

What I do know is this:

It was pure fun reading her self-disclosure about a playful moment in and H.E.B., and her friends’ responses. The sheer delight of it reminds me that each of us has the ability to creatively transform even routine life-tasks like marketing into moments that relax our spirits into being fully-present in this all-too-brief experience of mortally.

Sharing them, we layer memories that lighten hearts other than our own.  That’s life, more.

What did you spontaneously do today that brightened your life and others’, too?

Charlie Brown’s anemic Christmas Tree, it’s scraggliness seems appropriate this year, it’s simplicity heralding a healthy alternative to holiday’s overindulgence.

Smaller tree, fewer ornaments. Just as well as attention is drawn to it evergreenness, symbolic of Eternity; and, the while lights illuminative of the Light of the World.

If a Christmas Tree can’t inspire thoughts of Jesus, then it just shouldn’t be.

Niggling, clinging, thoughts can distract you from enjoying life, more. A 3-step process can help you to release them.

1. Review them. Bring each fully into your consciousness. Look closely to see if any are incomplete from anything that you need to do.
2. Readjust them as needed. Take action toward finishing anything that you’ve left undone. Can’t complete it immediately? Then, identify what steps to take and begin.
3. Relief, enjoy. Give yourself the gift of feeling satisfying contentment that you have released something that no longer needs to be occupying you.

Question

What positive, productive process to do use to release distracting thoughts?

“I want to have an impact on the world; first through my children, then a larger impact to help more people.”

One parent’s desire, influenced in part by receiving the positive influence of others, acknowledges personal potential, voices the want to do because there is an ability to do.

Consider the math of WANT + CAN x DO = LIFE, MORE

Anne Herbert is often credited with the phrase, “Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.” Those words can remain a gentle reminder on bumpers stickers, refrigerator magnets, and inspirational plaques; or, you can apply the math,

WANT + CAN x DO = LIFE, MORE

You can live intentional kindness. Even a few words that encourage, or a simple gesture that helps, can influence someone’s day in ways that ripple out to comfort others.

You can live intelligent beauty. Even one expression of joy, or one cause of sadness removed, can change a life’s landscape.

WANT + CAN x DO = LIFE, MORE

 Questions:

• What do you want to do?
• To what extent can you do it?
• Now, will you do it?
• Now?

Earlier this week, a woman told me of how her sister, living in another state, is coping with the floods from several weeks of torrential rain. We talked about the disparity – the seeming ‘unfairness’ – of rain there and the drought that drags on here in Central Texas.

This morning, Brushy Creek is awakening to the orchestra of thunder and pouring rain. It’s beautiful noise to us whose land has become tinder-box dry. While this won’t be the ‘drought buster,’ it can be refreshing and spirit-lifting.

Of course, any weather can have that effect on our outlook, because how we choose to start the day really is up to us. Things like weather, and whether or not you’ve slept well, might influence; still, the choice is yours.

You can experience life, more, by deciding how you will treat yourself and others today. Try this:

• Enjoy humility. Allow yourself to be eased of ego and live the freedom of knowing that not everything that happens is about you;
• Live gently. Even as you focus and assertively tackle your to-do list, treat yourself and others tenderly. Make at least one (1) genuine expression of care, of compassion; and,
• Accept other people for who they are, and for where they are in their own choices about how they will live and related with others. While they may have ability to influence how you live, the only power that they have over your attitude and actions is what you give to them.

Question

How are you choosing to live today?