We Are All Healable

Kathy Trocelli writes, give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love. Many times I bow beneath the cross of Christ. We are all mendable. We are all healable. We are all restorable. He will set you free. Believe that He can set you free.

"...Give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."

Isaiah 61:3

Love Hurts

How do you know when you love someone? I think you know when your heart feels like it is overflowing. Overflowing with love and sometimes with pain when you have to say goodbye. When I fell in love with my husband, that love was fast and furious. It was glorious and magical and all the things that one would hope love could be. New love with my then beau was sweet and tender and I wanted it to always stay that way.
When I put my small hand in his strong hand, it fit perfectly.

Years later my heart still swells with pride and love for him. Our love has been tried and remains true. His love is still all the things that I had hoped it would be. Each time I slip my hand in his I still feel the same love, the same feeling of coming home. And if anyone ever asks me how you know when you love someone? I'll tell them you know when your heart feels like it overflowing and your hand fits perfectly in his.

The Hazy Days Aren't So Lazy

Entering into these last days of July where I already see summer closing on the north shore makes me feel a little melancholy. There is still a lot of gardening left to be done and vegetables to be harvested and put up for the winter. The breeze blows through the wind chimes and sings songs of a lazy afternoon spent underneath the big maple tree out back.

The winters are the time for slowing down around here. I will spend my winter months dreaming of my summer days in the garden surrounded by the butterflies that are drawn to the flowers that bow so gracefully to the sun as it rises in the blue morning sky.

The Bear

We live in bear country. We moved into his territory, not the other way around. Or is it? We've had a bear hanging out here this summer leaving his muddy paw prints on the siding below the windows, stealing my bags of cocoa shell mulch (yes, they smell like chocolate, and no I wasn't thinking) and generally leaving us alone during daylight hours. We don't feed the birds in the summer. There is plenty for them to eat in the forest. The hummingbirds scold me every day for taking down the hummingbird food that they love. But we really don't want to invite the bears to feel comfortable here. Our hope is that we can live somewhat peacefully together. The night is another story altogether...and then he started showing up in the early evening hours.

Unfortunately, the bear breached that unspoken contract by getting a little too close for comfort. He came to the patio door with only the screen separating us. My poor little kitty snarled at the bear and the bear snarled back and I yelled and luckily he ran into the woods. I GOT THE WHOLE THING ON VIDEO. Based on the video and the evidence, the DNR has determined that this bear needs to be removed. This brings me to my next point.

Do we live in his home or does he live in ours? He is comfortable enough that he walks up to my door! He looks in our windows. What is he looking for? What does he want? My thoughts are that he is driven by instinct. He wants food, water and shelter when he needs it. I need to feel safe. I just wish I knew what he was looking for. I'm sorry bear.

Wise Mind

Taking things personally and the comments someone makes.

There is a place between our emotional mind and our reasonable mind called our "wise mind" where we know the truth about ourselves. Our wise mind knows what our emotional mind does not. Our emotional mind tells us that: they are mad at me, he is tired of this, he wishes he were somewhere else, I'm not being validated, I'm not being taken seriously, I feel useless. The reasonable mind knows that I have been getting things done, I have been making progress, things are okay, I don't have to jump every time someone makes a comment.

The Wise Mind

I am strong and alive and worthy of love.

Even if they are tired of this, we care deeply for each other

and will walk through this together, I am tired of this too, but we will continue

to love and to care. My partner is a loving and caring person who

always takes my concerns to heart.

I am personally responsible for my feelings. My wise mind knows the TRUTH.

One of the Four Agreements

Don't take anything personal. I'm embarassed to say that I have a problem with this. Don Miguel Ruiz says in his book The Four Agreements that if we take things personally it is the ultimate in selfishness because we make the assumption that everything is about "me."

He says that during our education we learn to take everything personally. Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves. He goes on to say that all people live in their own dream, in their own mind and live in a completely different world from the one you live in.

Ruiz says that taking things personally makes you easy prey for those predators trying to send you emotional poison. He states that they hook you with one little opinion, and feed you all their garbage. When you take it personally, it becomes your garbage.

He states that by taking things personally we set ourselves up to suffer for nothing. Ruiz suggests that we write Don't Take Anything Personally on a piece of paper and put it on the refrigerator. I'm going to work on this and trust myself to make responsible choices.

Finding What Works

What Heals Me has been a blog about healing, love, therapies and inspiration and now, Validation with a capital "V". To be able to sell something that you have made with passion and love certainly brings validation. However, validation should ultimately come from within and I really need to remember that. I've found myself sometimes feeling a small sense of failure if that validation hasn't happened for a time.

Validation, whether in a relation or work or anything else in life ultimately needs to come from within. The encouragement that we get from family or friends is a welcome nudge that says they are with us, that they understand, they care, they notice, they are paying attention, they hear.

Encouragement is always welcome and I will validate myself!

Where Have I Been

Where have I been? Healing? Yes. Busy? Whew! Summertime fun, gardening, crafting, starting a small business, carting around the teenager, wait a minute...Did I just say starting a small business?

That is a sign of healing indeed. I still need to learn to pace and slow down. But I am having so much fun. Isn't that what life and love is about?

Check out my online store at www.northshoreclay.etsy.com