It’s June 1st, and I’ve got my woolly sweater on and am cuddled up under the down comforter trying to keep warm and it’s noon!! Something is really wrong with this picture. I’m watching the rain come down for what seems like an eternity. We have had months and months of it. It’s the new moon, a great day to set intentions and plant new seeds, if only I could get out in the garden and get something done. Ah, surrender, surrender, surrender.
Ironically, there is a major drought going on in parts of the country. There are folks that haven’t seen the lovely, low-hanging clouds that bring on a good, steady misting of rain and turn everything a lovely, vibrant green for quite some time. They are looking at clear skies wondering where in the world the rain has gone. I can now tell them. It’s here. I’m looking at it and would happily share it and balance things out, if only I could. But, God hasn’t entrusted me with that much power yet. Probably, just as well.
Pondering the imbalance of things makes me once again surrender to the idea that we are all in the midst of business-not-as-usual. The weather patterns are not predictable. Jobs are not predictable. What the world will look like when you wake up tomorrow morning is not predictable. The only thing that seems predictable is that things will change, and they will most likely change sooner rather than later.
So, how do you keep your balance in the midst of imbalance? I’ll share a couple of things that I do. One of them is that I have to keep my energy moving forward. By this I mean that I can’t afford to dwell in the past or get sucked into fear and angst. There is so much desperation, fear, anger, frustration, and sadness in our world right now; that if I allow myself to tap into it, I can guarantee that I will soon have more of it to keep me company.
By moving forward with something, I can change the direction of the negativity that can dog my footsteps. It doesn’t have to be something earth-shattering, it just has to be something that keeps my focus in a forward, positive direction. Sometimes that is as simple as a hot cup of tea and a rehearsal of my blessings. Other times, weather permitting, it is a walk outside or through the garden. Today, weather not permitting, it is getting warm and putting some thoughts on paper. Other times, it is filling out a job application, or calling a friend, or taking a nap.
Gratitude is the other piece that helps to create balance in my life and it also has an energetic motion that propels me forward. It is difficult to be depressed or fearful when I focus my energy on how I have been blessed and what I am truly grateful for.
Expressing this gratitude to others multiplies the effects as then another is blessed by knowing that they have made a difference in my life. Gratitude is like an alchemical operation that changes one thing into another. By being grateful, you can turn sadness into a deeper appreciation for your own personal growth and development.
I don’t know what you’re facing, but I can guess that it is not business as usual. I invite you to focus on moving forward rather than backward and to use gratitude as a fuel to help propel you there. I know for me, remembering that I have the power of choice in regards to how I will respond to life, gives me the courage to choose those things that take me where I want to go rather than be pulled into some place that I would rather not visit again.
So this new moon, in spite of the rain, my intention is to stay focused on all the beauty that I am surrounded with, the potential that awaits, the seeds that will get planted and blossom, and great gratitude that I am safe and warm. There is so much to be thankful for. My heart goes out to all that don’t have even these basic needs met. Many blessings to those who are in need right now and many blessings to you!
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