Tag: honesty

Keys to Outside.

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Tuscany, Italy. 2017.

Once upon a time, I didn’t understand stillness. The kind that creates a simple balance by blocking out the noise. The noise of faces, words, actions, and ideas. The kind that makes you feel born again, entering the world anew, conscious of your spiritual presence. The kind that is unaware of “ego.”

The way the universe is set up, I know for sure I’m not alone. We are experiencing detachment from self-importance. Since we’ve begun to indulge in moments of stillness, our forever mood is abundant peace. We have become self-less. We have become silent. We have become our own meditation. We’ve had our epiphanies, our awakenings, our moments of reflection, our tastes of fulfillment. Our stillness has opened up the doors of joy, deeply rooted, and growing beyond our wildest dreams. We have become honest and forgiving. We are loyal to our heart’s desires. In any moment of dis-ease, we have grown up onto a level where we remind ourselves to breathe. We know it’s not supposed to be difficult, and when life presents itself to us as the unexpected game of pinball it is, we handle it.

We’ve decided to no longer pay for tickets to get on the emotional roller coaster, when we’re the one in control of the power button. We’ve learned to let the emotion run its course, and we have learned to gracefully move right along! We’ve matured into giving ourselves about a day to feel the feels, and then we get back on our feet, check in with our heart’s greatest desires, and we push through. We’ve been still. We’ve learned lessons. We’ve grown, so much, and we know our best days are ahead of us.

The greatest advice I’ve heard to date is to “Fall upwards into the embrace of the supreme. Stay low in the arrogance of person-hood, and we will taste the suffering. Choose the higher, even not having any firm conception of what it is. Overcome all attachments.”

Be Still. Be Free. Be You. Be True.

With love.

Unfiltered.

.Reading time 4 minutes.

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Brooklyn, NY 2015.

Recording… We typically say, “honesty is the best policy.” Then we cover up in many ways. In moments of extreme comfort, we may take the opportunity to unveil our true selves, slowly. Spirit listeners, we are stepping further into a life of freedom. We are making the best decisions we can, for ourselves! We are removing the suits, the hats, the wigs, the false eyelashes, the labels, social circles, the lies, the drinks, the drugs, the caffeine, the filters, the pretense, and all things that contribute to the people we really don’t agree with being. We are becoming more honest, and mindful of every feeling and every action. We are moving closer to things that come naturally to us, because we are feeling natural within. We are beginning to see one another for who we really are. I want to see you. I want you to see me. Let’s not lie. Let’s not cover up. Let’s remove the filters. We are proving to others that they can trust and believe us, and believe in us, and understand our loyalty. We are letting down our guards, and paying attention to ourselves. We love who we are, especially when we’re in our natural state. We’ve also noticed that we attract the people and lifestyle that’s destined for us, because we’re not pretending. Life is awesome in this light of living. We feel comfortable sharing with others how amazing this journey can be. Not everyone will understand. The misunderstanding creates annoyance. All it really takes is getting to the basics. Real recognizes real. If people don’t respect your natural living, it’s because they’re struggling to get to that place. It’s definitely not easy. There are too many pressures to “keep up” and “carry on.” We, spirit listeners, are diving deep. We’re moving away from trying to “keep up” with a life of fiction, saving that for the books we write. We’re moving away from trying to cover up our faces and our personalities, saving that for Halloween. We’re working toward being unfiltered, everyday.

“Ask yourself what is really important, and then have the courage to build your life around your answer.”

“If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies, how very different our ideals of beauty would be.”

“She threw away all of her masks, and put on her soul.”

“There is beauty in simplicity.”

“You are naturally beautiful, when you are yourself.”

“Being different is one of the most beautiful things on earth. Embrace your YOUness.”

“Beauty isn’t about having a pretty face. It’s about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and a pretty soul.”

“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will be beautiful.”

“A confident girl doesn’t show off her naked body, she shows off her naked face.”

“Blessed are those who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.”

“Spend less time in the mirror and more time feeling wonderful.”

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.”

“Being natural is not a statement. It’s the closest I can get to being myself.”

Be true, to yourself!

 

Trust Me.

.Reading time 5 minutes.

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When I wrote Peers, Cheers, and Volunteers – I had no idea I was creating such a timeless story. I didn’t notice the effect it would have on children; the way they’d find themselves relating to it in multiple ways. Malik is the main character. He’s approximately 8 years old and in the third grade. Malik is quiet and standoffish, and is often considered rude. He doesn’t like school, doesn’t like his classmates and doesn’t like people. We all know a “Malik”. He feels he can’t trust anyone since his mother abandoned him, and his father. The result of a missing mother has caused Malik to have trust issues. He can’t fathom the fact that the one human who was supposed to love, protect and guide him most, is the same one who seemed to have left without guilt, or even hesitation. Maybe she hesitated, but I haven’t gotten that far yet. Then, you have Ms. August, Malik’s teacher. She’s concerned about him, and that subjects her to be clever in her approach of encouraging him to loosen up, open up and try new things. Her goal is to prove to him that there are people in his life who want to care for him. Her message is that a family is not only the people who brought you into the world, or live in your home. She wants him to know that in her class, they are family; they’re a community, and in their community – everyone shows compassion for one another. Although two of his classmates – Angelica and Ani don’t know the best way to show that they care about him, and find it easier to tease him for his differences – they too, evolve in the story. Ms. August introduces Michael and Val; two volunteers who ended up working in a group with Malik, Angelica and Ani. Once Michael got a chance to observe Malik’s disinterest in school, it made him think of his own childhood – and automatically felt connected to Malik’s persona. Michael then decided it was his duty to act as a “big brother” and give Malik some advice – all the while teaching Angelica and Ani how to be compassionate. Overall, Malik is dealing with trust issues – similar to many of us.

When I find myself reading this realistic fiction to groups of students – I notice even more, the gap that exists in children’s literature. Peers, Cheers, and Volunteers creates a platform for people to identify with life-like characters, and dive into discussions exploring: trust; compassion; the value of volunteering; the value of male mentors; the golden rule; community; misunderstood children, the iceberg effect and more. It amazes me every time! Especially when I ask, “How many of you think you are similar to Malik?” and they actually admit by raising their hands. Then you have the teachers who thank me for reading the story, because they have students who can relate. So many children are angry, confused and resentful toward the adults who try to shield them from the truth. How can we blame them for their outlandish behavior? The truth is, we can’t. We have to acknowledge them, their feelings and their wisdom – because they’ve been through situations that have forced them to grow up quickly. Don’t be frustrated with the children who don’t behave like “children” – it’s not their fault. They’re being raised in environments where situations are brushed under the rug, yet when they go to school, their teachers challenge them to use their brain – find answers, conduct research, ask questions, aim for intelligence, learn, think, grow. When they are home, their parents/guardians shield them from life’s truths. It doesn’t make sense! The only thing children want from adults, is guidance. They yearn for information to help make sense of why things are the way they are. It’s natural to be curious. Why did Malik’s mom leave, and why is his father choosing not to discuss the situation? Maybe if Malik had an explanation, his behavior in school would be different.

All of this to say, I’m finally working on Peers, Cheers, and Volunteers II. We all have more than deeply-rooted trust issues, just take a look at your habits – yes, they stem from childhood.