All Grows Up 30 April 2008

I spent much of last week with my parents. While they put in a little tourist-time, we walked miles in my Manhattan shoes. They met my dear friends, accompanied me to classes and enjoyed an amazing Unity extravaganza. Now, more than ever, I feel comfortable being my whole self in their presence; I have nothing to hide and even more to reveal. Open and honest, I cried sans shame when I hugged them good-bye. I’ve never been brave enough to do that before.

I’ve missed them since they left my apartment on Sunday afternoon. Reading Pixiepa’s email today, I smiled with pride:

“We got home around midnight…All is well here. Moth’ is getting ready for work whereas I have the day off to recuperate, buy groceries, etc. We took a minute over tea and hot water a few minutes ago to agree that many whom we saw have aged and a few have matured. You are at the top of the list of the matured names and we know that you have leaps yet to make that are beyond our imagination–but not beyond our capacity to rejoice, marvel, and thank God.”

Looks like it goes both ways, eh? Here they are in their Pixieparent cuteness:

As my friend, Victor, put it so perfectly yesterday, “(They’re) the only ones we’ll have. Ever.” I’m grateful I got such good ones!

Something Inside So Strong 24 April 2008

My iTunes shuffle sent me this one today. While it speaks a certain message to me, I hope you find your own inside it, as well:

Our Beautiful Planet 22 April 2008

While I escort the Pixie-parents around my favorite parts of planet Earth here in Manhattan, I thought you might enjoy this one:

Why not celebrate Earth Day activist-style & do a little something local? Home is where your help is needed the most!

Being Fearless Fun 19 April 2008

I promised to Pixie-post on Omega’s Being Fearless conference I attended last weekend. While it’s taken me a good six days to recover from this incredibly intense event, I’m ready to recap at long last. I want to impart the wisdom, teacher by amazing teacher, to you. So here’s a few of my favorite nuggets:

Andrew Harvey:

• Figure out what current cause breaks your heart, as it’s the door to an authentic life. Then, with that in mind, ask yourself, every day, “Am I doing everything I can?”
• See Stop-Loss, a true tribute to our current soldiers’ story & a clear call to action
• The mess of the world we’re in now is the “perfect storm;” if we leverage all the power we have to destroy it towards saving our Earth instead, it’ll be incredible
• Be love in action

Iyanla Vanzant:

• Go still & be within everyday
• Don’t let mediocre human challenges keep you from living your truth & doing your work
• Re-frame each “crisis” as a chance to say, “I can’t wait to see how this gets resolved!”
• When others hurt you, go ahead & feel the pain, go crazy but then get your ass to work
• Tell yourself the absolute truth about where you are & what you’re willing to do
• Say “YES” to where you are & work from there

Debbie Ford:

• Your shadow side is a gift; use it or it’ll use you
• We are here for the evolution of our soul
• DENIAL = don’t even notice I am lying
• Embrace your “dark” qualities for what they have given you because they have served you in some respect

Carolyn Myss:

• Be everything your soul tells you to that your mind makes excuses not to be
• Practice reverence & humility
• Reason cannot take us any further
• Suffering stems from our betrayal of our own intuition
• Forgiveness is your first mystical act
• Everything you do counts

Zev Kadem:

• Practice conscious kindness every day

Anne Lamott:

• Do less every day
• Let yourself be big & juicy
• Be vulnerable
• Agree to start something you’re terrified of now & get it on the calendar
• It’s ok to not know what you’re doing
• Courage is being willing to see the truth
• Carry a pen
• Nap more

Sprinkle them, share them, but most of all use them to start re-shaping our world. If I learned one thing, tis this: none of us can afford to do nothing another day.

The Alchemist Awaits 15 April 2008

While I prepare to post a full account of the Being Fearless workshop I attended this past weekend, I wanted to share a little something with you first. I’ve been encountering all forms of the word “alchemy” for many months. On Sunday, inside the Omega bookstore, I stumbled upon Paulo Coelho’s novel entitled The Alchemist. I knew our time had come:

So far, I’m stuck on the Introduction. I can’t get past this part without a mini-meltdown of the cathartic kind:

“But if you believe yourself worthy of the things you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here.”

May you find your way to knowing as well.

Six Short Words 8 April 2008

While too woo-woo (?) for official inspection, I spied these winning words on a resume today:

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I’ve heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.” – Emily Dickinson

I’m a big fan of hope & calling a crumb a crumb so couldn’t resist its charms. In an ironic twist, I’m posting a poem rather than heading off to workshop my own stuff tonight. I feel called, instead, to mind my memoir again.

On this, the eve of my 4-year-cancer-diagnosis-day anniversary, I feel closer to knowing what I want to say. Here are six words I sent to SMITH to start me on my way:

“Here to wake up the world.”

Yes They Can 4 April 2008

Thanks to moviebuddy for making my morning with this:

Jennifer,

Here’s something for your website. It’s a classroom of kids in the Bronx, talking about the race, politics and Barack Obama. Watch what these kids have to say about politics and race in this country:

These kids see a place for themselves in the political process for the first time. It’s truly moving to see young people inspired by a political leader — someone who gives them hope and reminds them that they can be anything they want to be if they work hard.

Here’s to hope having a home in our hearts & in our schools, where we need it the most!

Feelin’ the Flame 2 April 2008

A dream this week brought yet another long-lost love to the forefront of my mind; he came up again the next night in my meditation. Seized by an urgency to make an official amends, I couldn’t wait to call him which was weird. I left Seattle two years ago without telling him, changed my number & threw him into the history bin, revisionist as it is.

What I realized yesterday during our call was that none of the drama or mistakes we made ages ago are important now. He’s moved on with his life, as I have with mine. From here – in an open, honest, intimate way – we’re both simply left with the love. Nothing more. Nothing less. And really, that’s all that ever mattered anyway.

Sure, there’s part of this Pixie that wishes she knew better back then. But mostly, I’m just grateful for knowing we’ll always be connected. Here’s his song for us, in all its Cheap Trick glory: