As I was typing these first few lines first thing I thought of is pretty soon I won't be typing 2021 anymore. We will have moved on to a New Year. 2021 has been a humdinger of a year in soooo many ways. Soooo much of what I've been reading is soooo sad and thankfully soooo many beautiful things are happening too. One astonishing note I read is that Covid has been completely eradicated in India and Mexico and parts of Japan and then I read that in the US people are being refused treatment until they need to be in the hospital so that the hospital can capitalize on the huge payments they receive. Corporate greed is soooo astonishing and sad. Then I also read about the many athletes who are sooo generously supporting the HBCU schools who are soooo consistently underfunded. These stories are just a few examples of the enormous range of things happening throughout our world.
I've had some very powerful and interesting new thoughts lately. One is the connection between compassion and emotional intelligence and that you can't have one without the other, they go together! Compassion is a heart connectedness and that is exactly what emotional intelligence is too. It means we care about ourselves and each other and that is certainly how conflicts of any kind are resolved and how we go forward in Peace and it is soooo important that we have the will to do this!!!
The other thought I had today is the difference between gratitude and thankfulness. Gratitude is an inner Awareness of who I AM and who I AM here to be. Thankfulness is a recognition of what I have been given in the outer. I think I have said this before but it feels very new today. Both of these expressions are soooo very important for our happiness and well-being. It's rather amusing that I have these thoughts as we move toward our celebration of Thanksgiving. I have said before that for me Thanksgiving is not just a once a year celebration. It is an every day every moment recognition of what I have been given in soooo many ways. Sooooo many times I have been gifted with totally unexpected acts of kindness and it's such a game changer for all of us. Kindness is an expression of our ability and willingness to see ourselves and each other and to reach out and care and do something about what is needed. It means everything to me to be kind in every way possible. It makes me laugh as I also realize the connection to patience. It's not possible to be kind when we are not patient. That's a very important awareness!!! It's the difference between Peace and conflict.
Another thing that is very important to me is the celebration of Samhain, the celebration of the New Year in the Goddess tradition. Many westerners celebrate this day as Halloween but for me it is the celebration of one of the high holy days in the Goddess tradition. The Goddess tradition is based on interconnectedness and oneness, not duality. Everything and everyone is seen as sacred and holy. We are all unique and yet we are one, we are all connected. For sooo many of us this is such a huge learning curve and yet again it is the pathway to Peace and Understanding.
As we move toward the New Year we are on a heck of a learning curve in soooo many ways. There's soooo much to be grateful for and thankful for and there is soooo much that needs to be done so we can live together in a Spirit of Oneness, of Peace and Faith and Understanding. It means sooo much to me to be welcoming and sometimes that takes great Courage. It makes such a difference when we are willing to expand our field of Vision and see from a Spirit of Understanding and not the clouded vision of fear and separation.
As we move forward toward 2022 I know I will be navigating some learning curves, we all will, and I AM always committed to doing that from a Spirit of Peace and Understanding. One of my buddies jokes with me about how much easier it is when we're willing to live from Peace and Understanding and I certainly know the Truth of that perspective. I also know how locked we all are in the unconsciousness of duality because that is such a huge part of how we are taught in the world and it takes constant Awareness and Willingness to expand our field of Vision so we can learn to see beyond the lie of duality and separation and live from Compassion and Understanding.
One of the things that I AM soooooo grateful for is the opportunity to be with my friends more and more and to experience our laughter and playfulness. As humans we are social beings and it is soooo imperative to be hugging each other to keep our immune systems boosted up and get beyond the fear and misinformation that the pandemic has created.
Another issue I have mentioned soooo many times because it is soooo important is how we use our Power. The true sense of Power is knowing who we are, that we are Spirit in Expression and Love in Action. Fear is not our true identity. Fear is the lie of separation and the misbelief that we are not good enough. People who rule by fear try to control what others think of themselves and how they live their lives. That's not Power. That's intimidation and fear and cruelty. No one needs that. True Power is based on Self Love, Understanding and Compassion. True Power is based on the Understanding that we are here to make a positive difference in the world.
As I go forward into the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 it will certainly be interesting to see and experience what lessons and blessings are mine to experience. I know it will be a continuous journey of Peace Strength and Understanding for all of us and I AM certainly willing to ride the wave of whatever learning curve is mine to experience. One of the sweet great compliments I receive so often is what a difference I make when I AM present wherever I AM. I have spent my entire Life being dedicated to being the best I can be and that is certainly how I intend to continue this journey. Blessings to all of us as we go forward in Peace and Faith and Confidence and Understanding being the best we can be. Take care!!!!
