Three Cheers for You

Three Cheers for You

You are such an inspiration to me, to so many of us. Your little kindnesses, your cool ideas, your interesting stories, and fun activities are so engaging. It’s good to be around you. And I get such good ideas about stuff listening to you and seeing what you do.

Why are you such an inspiration?

I know there are days when you don’t get it at all. When you feel like you don’t contribute anything, It’s just a feeling, Don’t trust it, and like the old saw, this, too, shall pass.

It’s the little things all day long, the little smile at the stranger you passed, staying calm in traffic, and when that person budged ahead of you in line. It’s the gentleness with a child, a pet, a co-worker. You do these things without thinking.

Why do I share my passion? How do things flow from my heart?

I know there are days when you think no one ever notices, but we do. And we think you are terrific, even if we don’t say so.

Why am I appreciated? How do I feel honored?

And when we see you doing all the little things you do, we feel inspired to do them, too. Your loving ways ripple out, and have a sweet impact on so many of us. Your smile makes us smile, and we pass that on.

What makes me an inspiration?

You do these things spontaneously, from that place of love. You just get a great idea popping into your head that makes things go really right. You get great ideas about a lot of things, and, because you’ve learned to trust you, you bring ‘em out and let ‘em get some air. We love those great ideas. Sometimes we like them so well, we take them for our own.

Why am I so creative?

And here’s another thing. You are so cool, so smart, and talented, and just generally amazing, but you aren’t all arrogant and swell-headed. I can’t tell you how cool that is. You own it, you don’t pretend you aren’t those things, but somehow, because you are so comfortable with them, and you look for them in me, I end up feeling cool and smart and talented and amazing when I am with you. I love that.

I love to know you. I love to hear about the things you do for your family, how you take care of business at work, the ways you contribute to your community. I like to hear about your hobbies. You are so fun to do stuff with, even mundane things. In fact, doing mundane things with you elevates them.

Being around you helps me to remember that any space, any activity I engage in can be a sacred thing. When I remember to slow down inside, when I remember to be aware, when I remember to feel appreciation and gratitude, everything enjoys significance. Thank you for helping me remember that.

How have I changed from muddling through to feeling clear and appreciative?

(c) 2014 Pam Guthrie all rights reserved 01292014

Giving a Rat’s Behind

Giving a Rat’s Behind

What matters to you? What do you care about? Where do you make a difference?

Life is challenging when we are indifferent. Life is challenging when we are self-absorbed. Weirdly, life is less challenging when we feel like we are making a contribution. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but, when I reach out, I take my attention away from the things that bring me down. At the very least, it’s a break.

We are the boss of our experience, not what happens to us, but what we experience. Remember? We get to choose how to respond to the circumstances we encounter.

One of the ways I choose to be a grown up, is to be an inspiration. What an exhilarating thing that is! If I choose to be an inspiration, I am choosing to respond, not to react. If I choose to be an inspiration, I am choosing to act for the good of you, or even of mankind. I choose to act with a rational heart, with a loving mind.

I see you being an inspiration all over the place. I see you being kind to strangers, and sweet to little animals. I see you treating your kids with respect. I see your relationships weather storms and grow stronger. I see the look when you place a loving hand. I see you pay it forward in the coffee shop.

You have taught me patience by example. You have taught me how to bring balance back into my life when it feels tippy. You have given me the gift of taking emotions out of money topics.

Your kindness and attention to what I had to say helped me heal my broken spirit. Your willingness and open-heartedness to give care to your broken loved ones opens my heart.

When I see your real work, I feel motivated to do my real work. Your art, your music, your craft,  your words, your movement; you make it look effortless, and that reminds me that doing what I love is effortless.

When I see you choose to be a grown up, to take care of yourself, to ask for what you need, I feel the courage I need to do the same. When I see you accept each moment as it comes, I know I can do that, too. When I see your gratitude and appreciation shining out from your eyes, I am filled with nice warm feelings, and I feel so honored to be your friend.

And now, here I am, doing what I can to inspire. I believe in what I write to you every day, and I endeavor to live it. I tell you my story to help you find your strength to overcome your story. I tell you what I think and what I believe in because this work has brought me up from the depths of misery, loneliness, and despair to place where I am happy and peaceful most of the time. Really and truly.

And now, here I am, asking you to continue to be your inspiring self, and maybe to up your game a bit. How do you move through your daily challenges with grace? How do you maintain a loving heart? What makes you value and nurture your own self? How do you reach out to me and others?

How have I changed from not giving a rat’s behind to choosing to make a difference for me and for you?

(c) Pam Guthrie 2013 all rights reserved 08232013