Slow Down for A Moving Poem

I'm hoping to get the Maui pictures up starting maybe even tonight, but in the meantime, p-l-e-a-s-e visit Milton's blog Don't Eat Alone and read this poem. It's soooo good and worth the pause in your day. It's called This Can't Wait, and it really can't.

That Is What I Do

I wanted to share with you a special meditation from the book that I am currently reading in my quiet time, "The Book of Awakening" by Mark Nepo:

"In Indian, there is a story about a kind, quiet man who would pray in the Ganges River every morning. One day after praying, he saw a poisonous spider struggling in the water and cupped his hands to carry it ashore. As he placed the spider on the ground, it stung him. Unknowingly, his prayers for the world diluted the poison.

The next day the same thing happened. On the third day, the kind man was knee deep in the river, and, sure enough, there was the spider, legs frantic in the water. As the man went to lift the creature yet again, the spider said, "Why do you keep lifting me? Can't you see I will sting you every time, because that is what I do." And the kind man cupped his hands about the spider, replying, 'Because that is what I do.'"

I love this story, because it validates being authentic to who you are and to your values despite the consequences, a topic that has been on my mind these last several months. It also demonstrates the subtle power of intention and prayer in doing good.

I have been challenged recently in several situations to define what is important to me and who I am, and have found answers that have disturbed and even ended some of my relationships. Everything has ended up being for my overall good after all (as I believe is the case, but now get to experience). In addition, I have discovered more about "what I do", i.e., who I am and who I am not.

Just now, turning 50, I am finally starting to learn to refuse to just sit back and allow others to invalidate me for my values and choices. In everything, from friendships, to business, to bio-family relationships, to my stepchildren, this seems to be my lesson. I spent the first 50 years of my life more filled with self-doubt and trying to please others, and less being able to articulate and stand up for my values. I do believe that being in Maui clarified so much for me as far as being able to trust my intuition, to trust myself and what I believe in.

I have wondered about trust---is is better to trust someone and be taken advantage of---where is the balance---and am learning this important lesson too. I will always be one of those people who trusts and then sometimes is disappointed, because I do believe that far and away most people are worthy of trust. However, I will also do much more "due diligence" before involving myself in close relationships with people, especially in business situations. A balance is needed, to come to a type of "wise trust"---trust that is backed by diligently evaluating the relationship, checking and listening to my intuition, and then going ahead, knowing that by opening up, I am leaving myself open and vulnerable. That vulnerability is guarded by Spirit, I believe, and only those learning experiences that are really important for my overall good will get through Spirit's protection.

What do you think of the story? Did it touch you as it did me? Can you relate to it, in the same or maybe a different way than I did?

~Picture by Hubbie Mark from Maui 2007 Birthday Trip

Spectacular Maui Pictures

Hubbie and I are working on downloading pictures from multiple cameras to accumulate our Maui picture collection. No, they're not here yet, but soon...we're listening to Hawaiian music and processing them NOW...can't wait!

Dove's Latest Pro-Age Ad Banned in US

Catching up on back emails, I recently read in Melissa Gayle West's newsletter that this ad was "shown in the UK and Canada" and "was banned from TV in the US." Can you believe it? Melissa writes, "Seems we can show "perfect" teen bodies doing just about anything, but this tasteful ad is off limits." What do you think?

Coming back from Hawaii, and seeing sensuous bodies at all ages dancing the hula and more, I am shocked that such a tame ad would be rejected by our culture. What is up with our American culture, ladies?

If you missed it, click here to see Dove's Banned Pro-Age Ad.

I'm Back From Maui

Hi, all! I've been back from Maui for exactly one week, but hit the ground running and am just now getting back to blogging again.

This vacation was by far the best vacation I've ever had. It was to celebrate my 50th birthday, coming up next month. I hosted (in other words, paid for) my husband, best friend, and stepdaughter to come with me. This was a big deal breakthrough for me because I haven't been good in the past in making money; my intention is to change this in my fifth decade of life, starting off with the vaction! It was a great privilege for me to gift them; in return I was incredibly blessed by all of them.

I don't have pictures from my camera downloaded to share with you yet. I'm still not really "back" yet emotionally, which is completely normal for me. Whenever I go to Hawaii, I merge so fully with the culture that it takes a bit of time for me to really bring my soul back to where my body is---here in the rainy woods of the Pacific Northwest. I'm still reverberating from leaving behind the Uluākea, which means "immense inspiration stimulated by the thriving spiritual essence of Hawai‛i skies, mountains, oceans and the kānaka, people". My husband and I are still speaking to each other in Hawaiian (the little we know). Every time I look outside or look around me I feel surprised at what I see, as in my heart I expect something very different.

I love where I live; it's just that I'm in that adjustment period.

ALOHA!

I am leaving for vacation soon, and won't be back until mid-July. I will miss all of you!

~Picture by Hubbie Mark

Smile

~Picture via Cute Overload

Happy Solstice!

Summer Solstice is celebrated here in the Pacific Northwest. Yesterday was the longest day of the year. Here is a lovely Solstice poem by Milton of Don't Eat Alone. Beautiful. Simply beautiful!

For knock-your-socks-off photography to celebrate the day, visit Liz' Be Present Be Here.

~Picture by Hubbie Mark

Rate Your Blog

Go to "What's My Blog Rated?" to rate your blog or other favorite blogs in the blogosphere.

happyluau is rated:

~via Mingle² - Online Dating

Originally found in Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei's blog "Eye on DNA"

Getting a "G" Rating surprises and pleases me, since I have discussed some mature subjects here, and used words like "clitoris" in my title.

Around the Blogosphere Today

More inspiration from Lulu's Good Thoughts. This blog should get way more attention than it's receiving. Love it!

Check out this great video of "500 years of female portraits in Western art condensed in a three minute morphing video"---pretty creative. This is via Jennifer Louden's LoudenMouth. It's a great meditation on oneness, too.

And Brad Schorr can always be counted on for a great post. The word for today was aplomb, a word that Hubbie used yesterday to describe the way he put the fresh trashbag in the trashcan---and it was completely appropriate.

If you want to keep up with your teens, check out The Urban Dictionary. Today the word of the day was "email bankruptcy", which is "When you are so inundated with email, both genuine email and spam, that you have to delete everything and start over again".

Dr. Mercola writes a spiritual post on types of pride, differentiating between "authentic pride" and "hubristic pride". Good distinction.

Now...back to my company :)

~Picture by Hubbie Mark

Occasion to Apologize

I took the opportunity today to make some courtesy calls to repair some relationships in the business community today, relationships that had been fractured by someone who had worked for us and who had represented us in dealings with other businesses. I am of the opinion that it makes sense to always treat people well, no matter who they are or what they do for or with you. Being kind, respectful, and honest is always in order. I didn't feel like I could leave on vacation without handling the repair of these relationships in a responsible way.

So I called and apologized on this person's behalf (since we had hired them) for the way in which interactions were handled. The response was universally the same; each person was appreciative and thanked me. It made me feel so good to have things settled and to have apologized; even though it had not been us (me and Hubbie) who had been directly responsible, we were indirectly totally responsible because we had hired this individual.

It feels sooo good to clean up messes. It also feels really good to take responsibility when it's yours. It really, really feels good to treat people as they deserve to be treated---kindly, and with gratitude for their contributions. It makes you...well---me, feel good about life.



~Picture by Hubbie Mark

I'd Forgotten

I'd forgotten:

How good it feels to be known, understood, and loved simply for who you are.

How much fun it is to have a long history together.

How family has little to do with blood and everything to do with love.

How happy the "path of no-drama" is...after weeks of high drama. This phrase borrowed from Carla Blazek.

How special Hubbie really, truly is. I forget and remember this lots of times, but I'm remembering it especially hugely today.



Yes, how good it feels to be known, understood, and loved simply for who you are. (It bears repeating.)


~Picture by Nephew Extraordinaire Daryl

A House Full of Company and This Trip

As of yesterday, I have company! So I may be blogging a little less.

I've saved for three years to take some of my friends to Maui for my 50th birthday. I am also taking Hubbie. It is the first time he has been "taken" anywhere, although he has provided vacations to others (including me) throughout his life in his position as "main wage earner". So it is a big huge deal for me, especially to be able to take him. I'm not sure he still as yet believes that it is really happenning, and that I've actually done it :) I have a history of years of being underemployed, and of having difficulty earning money. However, this is all changing (!) and this trip is the first step. It is hard to really express how big a deal it is for me, and for my belief in my self and in my abilities to actually be able to do this.

This trip as I originally conceived it started out with several special friends coming with me. Over the three years of saving and preparation, my friendships changed (some of them very long term), and basically, I lost some friends who I'd planned would come with me. This trip ended up being sort of a sorting or sifting process. I thought this was very hard at the time of each loss, but now that this trip is here, it feels absolutely perfect. This will not only be a time of fun, but a deeply spiritual time, and a time of personal growth for all of us. I am learning that everything always works out perfectly for our learning and growth, whether we recognize it or not.

Anyway, I'm sooo excited. More soon.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there! Today I am missing my dad, the first Father's Day without him (he died a few months ago), but he's with us in spirit---We Love You, Dad!



And a Happy Father's Day to Hubbie, who will get to be with our daughter this Father's Day. All of our children are adults, but rarely get to see their dad, so it is very special for us both.



I also felt moved to wish my estranged bio-dad a Happy Father's Day and to tell him I love him, which I do. I emailed him since I don't have his phone number. I doubt I'll hear back, but it felt good to do. I hope that all of you fathers and all of you who have fathers have a wonderful time celebrating, even if it is just in extending peaceful and loving thoughts.

Aloha,

Olivia

~Picture of Dad by Hubbie Mark
~Picture of Hubbie Mark by Me

If You Missed It

If you missed the Not To Be Missed Moment, you can revisit it here, and see an update, with another Paul Potts performance. This is all over the Internet, and worth the time. Hubbie and I keep on watching it again...and again...and again :)



~Picture by Hubbie Mark