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| The Mystery within... |
Cathy Gawlik’s Facebook page featured the Mark West message imposed on the Jhourey May Weeham Smo’s winter
photo. It astounded me when I saw
it because it made me very aware that each moment in time presents me with a
choice as to how I react to and interact with others, my surroundings, and
myself. West’s words recalled
these lines for me from my memoir when I was presented an opportunity to retire
early.
“I stood stunned in
the early spring sunlight that was streaming through the office window.
Time and choice had
never seemed to exist for me until then.”
Now Mark West tells me, “In every moment we get to choose…” I did choose early retirement back then
and soon came face to face with the toughest decisions of my life in caring for
my aging parents. Answers, and the
courage to make tough decisions, slowly came from everyday experiences and were
growth filled and life affirming--like choosing good self-care over abuse. During those difficult years, the gift
of fear heightened my presence to everything and everyone around me. Since then I have longed for that
heightened sense, but without the attending turmoil. West’s words now give me
some insight and hope for that return.
My December 29, 2014 blog, One Word, told of the challenge I
accepted to choose just one word that would represent growth for me in
2015. I wrestled with words like
listening, courage, freedom, justice and equality but finally declared my one
word for 2015 to be Presence. This
past week I have been keenly aware that it is up to me to choose how I react to
whomever and whatever shows up in my day.
I know Presence resides within me, in all others, and everything. I am beginning to trust I can once
again return to awareness of that gift, and maybe even without tumult. Or perhaps the gift will again be
disguised in chaos.
What if we all were keenly aware that in every moment we get
to choose how we react to whatever and whomever shows up in our life?
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