Love is more than an emotion: it is a conscious decision to accept, trust, protect, defend and support the heart of another. There is no deeper bond between us, and there is no greater gift a mortal can offer.
Mother Teresa considered herself to be a pen in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world. She dedicated her life to changing the world one heart at a time by offering hope and kindness to the castoffs of society.
Mother Teresa lived her faith everyday and did not spend her life talking about love. She spent her days doing love.
I dislike our culture's tendency to worship celebrities, and I consider everyone to be equally worthy in all matters...but I admit to having two heroes in my life. The first is my husband for teaching me what it means to be unconditionally loved by another person. The second is Mother Teresa who reminded me that love is our purpose, and our most important reason to exist.
Yes, love is more important than good grades or being popular. It is more essential to life than social success of any kind. I would even venture to say that love is more necessary than air...because without air the body dies. But, without love the soul withers, the heart crumbles and the reason to live fades away.
This is the traditional, though historically inaccurate, time of year when Christians celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus. We consider him to be our savior and the one who has reconciled us with our God. We listen to Christmas music and make celebratory plans with friends and family while shopping for that perfect gift. We dedicate so much time to the stuff of Christmas, how much time do we dedicate to the reason for Christmas?
You've heard it all before...I know I'm not saying anything new here. But please take a moment and reflect upon the gift we've received: grace wrapped in love and tied up in perfection. Let us take a moment (or two) and not just talk about love, or sing about it...but let's do love and improve the world one heart at a time. Remind people that they are more important than stuff (giving, receiving, or otherwise).
I wish you love and chocolate my friends...and a very merry Christmas and a New Year filled with more love than your heart can hold. And a little more chocolate for good measure.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Mental Clutter
Life is messy, untidy, and unpredictable in the best of times. The princess doesn't always get the prince, the hero doesn't always win, and sometimes the bad guys get away with it...despite what the stories say.
That's just how it is and nothing you do will change it.
Occasionally life gets too messy to handle and things start to wear on you. Even the most seasoned veterans of life's battles need a break. Sometimes the mess begins to pile up and it's time to step back and focus on what really matters. Time to focus on the things that will make a real difference in the world.
We all multi-task to the point of obsession...it's like juggling 27 oranges with one hand tied behind our back. Eventually we'll drop one no matter how good we are.
Time to remember who you are and why you're here.
The first step in clearing away the clutter is to acknowledge it. There is no shame in realizing that you're juggling too many oranges; nothing to apologize for and no need to make explanations. You're human. It's okay to drop an orange. Or two.
The next step is to reevaluate your priorities. Find your passion and hold on to it with both hands (and your teeth if necessary). Working towards goals that excite you and help to remind you of your purpose.
Passion offers us the motivation necessary to face the everyday messes.
Finally, embrace the mess and learn to love the untidiness of life. It isn't going to be easy...nothing worth doing ever is. Each new day brings in new issues, new pieces of debris, and new emotional upsets.
You might be tempted to make excuses, to give up. Don't. It isn't worth it. Put the oranges down and take a deep breath. When you jump back in, be sure you know which ones you will be picking up, and which ones can wait.
This is the adventure that is life. It is beautiful and disastrous and ever changing.
When I feel bogged down by the amount of clutter in my life I take a breather and ruminate on why I am here. I remind myself that I was created for a purpose and that no one can fill my proverbial shoes.
I remember who I am.
If you are overwhelmed by the clutter in life, you're not alone. We've all been there. Feel free to call me up and we can share some chocolate and share our passions. We can recharge each other, commiserate and ruminate.
Or we can do nothing at all.
That's just how it is and nothing you do will change it.
Occasionally life gets too messy to handle and things start to wear on you. Even the most seasoned veterans of life's battles need a break. Sometimes the mess begins to pile up and it's time to step back and focus on what really matters. Time to focus on the things that will make a real difference in the world.
We all multi-task to the point of obsession...it's like juggling 27 oranges with one hand tied behind our back. Eventually we'll drop one no matter how good we are.
Time to remember who you are and why you're here.
The first step in clearing away the clutter is to acknowledge it. There is no shame in realizing that you're juggling too many oranges; nothing to apologize for and no need to make explanations. You're human. It's okay to drop an orange. Or two.
The next step is to reevaluate your priorities. Find your passion and hold on to it with both hands (and your teeth if necessary). Working towards goals that excite you and help to remind you of your purpose.
Passion offers us the motivation necessary to face the everyday messes.
Finally, embrace the mess and learn to love the untidiness of life. It isn't going to be easy...nothing worth doing ever is. Each new day brings in new issues, new pieces of debris, and new emotional upsets.
You might be tempted to make excuses, to give up. Don't. It isn't worth it. Put the oranges down and take a deep breath. When you jump back in, be sure you know which ones you will be picking up, and which ones can wait.
This is the adventure that is life. It is beautiful and disastrous and ever changing.
When I feel bogged down by the amount of clutter in my life I take a breather and ruminate on why I am here. I remind myself that I was created for a purpose and that no one can fill my proverbial shoes.
I remember who I am.
If you are overwhelmed by the clutter in life, you're not alone. We've all been there. Feel free to call me up and we can share some chocolate and share our passions. We can recharge each other, commiserate and ruminate.
Or we can do nothing at all.
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