Are You Rowing or Flowing?

There is a current to life, sometimes smooth and sometimes turbulent but, none the less, ever changing. Heraclitus said "No man can step into the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man." Life keeps going as do we. What we have today may be gone tomorrow and what we lack today, tomorrow we may gain. But how do we handle today?

It is true that there are times in life where the best option is to allow everything to fall in place and other times that, well, everything feels like a struggle. So, there are times when we must flow and times when we must row on this ever changing river of life. We row so that we know we have done all we can and we flow so that we can feel the grace of life and allow things to be as they will. Call it fate or destiny which allows things to flow and free will which allows us to row and change our course. How do we know the appropriate time to flow and the appropriate time to row? When do we surrender and when do we fight? Because there is freedom and beauty in both. Only when we are following our hearts will we know which is best suited. It is not always easy to see which is best, we get caught up in our minds, deciding and deciphering and sometimes we do not allow ourselves the dignity to flow or the courage to row. Even worse sometimes we give other people the power to choose for us.

Although one is not better than the other, the appropriate timing for each is important to understand. Are you rowing or flowing and which energy is better suited to your situation? The question can only be answered by you.

Starting From Where You Are

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Exhausted? Confused? Lost? Hmmmm, ya me too. It happens. In fact, it seems when it feels there is too much to do I want to give up all together..... woe is me, I'll just look away and hope the magic kicks in.... like above when the dishes start to do themselves in the Sword in the Stone, where is Merlin when I need him? Then I can just relax, kick back and let the tough times fix themselves. Cuz the dishes are just the beginning of this girls to do list.

Then I realize I don't have a wizard, if I look away things will not get done, damn. So what now? I think we can all relate to this position. So much to do, you can't decide if you want to scream or fall asleep. I think the best thing to do in this position is to remember you can only start from where you are. Seems simple and logical right? But if you keep this in mind and put one foot in front of the other suddenly things don't seem so overwhelming and before you know it they are done. This is a pretty easy thing to apply to our busy days and our long to do lists but what about when we are overwhelmed with all that life has handed us? As life has a way of doing. When suddenly we are left with too much responsibility, too much heartbreak, too much empty time, too much loss, too much pain, too much of what we never expected and never asked for? Well, the same thing applies, we can only start from where we are and take the appropriate steps to heal and move forward. It's important that we do those two things though and not just let time carry us away, because life will go on but will you go on with it... the way you really want to? Can you honestly judge where you are and do what needs to be done to move on with an open heart, a healthy mind and a connected spirit. We can only start from where we are in this moment, greet the day accepting what has happened and hope for the best in the moments to come. We have to take responsibility for ourselves and do what needs to be done to create the life we desire. So don't waste time berating yourself or your situation, take a deep breath and start from where you are and although the dishes will probably not do themselves life usually throws a little magic our way in the process.

How Much Are You Giving Up for Security?

Secure: fixed or fastened so not to give way, become loose or be lost. Not subject to threat; certain to remain or continue safe and unharmed

We all want life to go by pretty much as planned. For the most part we like things to be predictable and reliable. There is a comfort in the normalcy of this. We know who we are and what we offer, who the people in our lives are and what we mean to each other. So we set things up in the way that they can be most secure. A secure future. Well a wise man once said "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans." That man was Mr. John Lennon. Leave it to the man who said "All you need is love" to speak such simple words of truth. Plan as we may life always seems to have it's way. I agree that it's alluring and perhaps might be best sometimes to take the safe way out. The path that seems to be clear and that most everyone is cheering you on for looks bright and sunny and hard to resist.

But before you head forward stop for a moment and think about what is really in your heart. Are you giving up anything by taking this road? Is the more unknown, dark and twisty road perhaps not easier but more valuable to get to know who you really are and what you really want? The secure path is nearly a sure thing but will it make your inner life light up? The truth is we don't know where either road will lead and all we have is what is right in front of us. Although sometimes we have gone so far down the wrong road it's hard to decipher forward from backwards. How do we know which way to go? The further you have strayed from what you really want the more you will feel like you are putting on a show for everyone and perhaps even yourself. Take a moment to come face to face with what you really want and ask yourself "What am I pretending to not know that I really do know?" and "What will I do now that I know?".

It's nice to know there is a consistency to life, it's great to have security, but if you are giving up who you could be for who you should be well that's no life at all.