Last week we did something we have never done before. We took the whole family minus the dogs to the mountains for the weekend. Nine of us with all the accoutrements that accompany small children, travelled to the Rockies in three separate vehicles. Rental skis were picked up and stuffed in. Food for an army was packed. The house sitter and Kanti-spoiler was arranged. Other family dogs were delivered to caretakers along the way. There was a stop to breast feed the youngest grandchild. And then there were the clouds.
One of the things I love is driving south and seeing the Alberta Rockies appear on the west horizon. They pop up out of the prairie, all majestic and certain. Gigantic ancient slabs of rock with a permanence that feeds my spirit. I was waiting for them to show up and they didn't. Even when we headed west on Highway 1 straight into the foothills, there was no evidence of any Rockies ahead of us. The clouds hugged the slopes, hiding our destination from us.
Those clouds hung so low in the valley they got tangled in my hair and my spirit. Well-laid plans to write the blog post came undone. What does one write about when everything feels like it is hidden from you and when others around you keep dropping head-slapping one liners into your life?
My tendency is to fight back when someone figuratively slaps me up the side of the head, even if they love me. When there are buckets of ideas sloshing around in ones head it is hard to sit still with the wisdom of others. And lately, the ideas and gifts of wisdom aren't just sloshing around. It is as though someone has put an enormous mixmaster in my head to churn up all the stuff that is being funnelled into it. Here are some of the thoughts I have been churning around for a while:
"...helping others discover their souls." Richard Rohr
Thinking ones story is not impactful - "that's not for you to decide." Steve Browne
"Fixing broken spirits." Laurie Reuttimann
"Your words are seeds, they have an effect." Pastor Keith Taylor
"Using business as a vehicle for improving lives." Simon Sinek
"...put it down and get it out on paper or a canvas, where you can look at it and then if you do not think it is good, continue to act by asking God and his angels for a light on it..." Brenda Ueland
"Wear forgiving pants. The world is too hard as it is, without letting your pants have an opinion on how you are doing." Anne Lammott
Eckhart Tole - "The entire universe has been moving to this moment in time forever. Don't fight with it."
All of that was followed up last week by a treasured friend sending me an article on fear. Not just fear, but FEAR. The article was really good, but it poked at me and stirred up insecurities. Have you all been sensing that there is more to come which I have been sitting on? Has my blogging given away my fears without me realizing it? Did the universe nudge my friend to send that particular article to me on that specific day?
When you are lost in idea overload or discouraged, seeing the path ahead clearly is all you long for. If you've ever driven towards the mountains in clear skies you know the route. As long as the mountains are visible you have confidence you are heading in the right direction. When you see the mountain tops in the distance with sun shining off the slopes your spirit is invigorated by the possibilities, beauty, and anticipation of reaching the mountains.
If the mountains are hidden from view it is hard to keep going. When the route is uncertain we struggle with moving forward. Even when the cloud cover is low and the route is unsure, we can watch for signposts close to the road. Just follow from one sign to the next and eventually you will reach the mountains. What is the universe trying to tell you?
Would you be so kind as to help me find my way too? It is time to re-jig the blog and finish some other writing that has been cooking in the background. Several weeks ago, I purchased several domaine names and I'd appreciate your input to help me select one which will become the new home of the blog. The survey link below will take you there. The results are anonymous and I'd be very grateful for your feedback.
Thank you for sharing the blog with your community and your thoughts with us.
One of the things I love is driving south and seeing the Alberta Rockies appear on the west horizon. They pop up out of the prairie, all majestic and certain. Gigantic ancient slabs of rock with a permanence that feeds my spirit. I was waiting for them to show up and they didn't. Even when we headed west on Highway 1 straight into the foothills, there was no evidence of any Rockies ahead of us. The clouds hugged the slopes, hiding our destination from us.
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| Rocky Mountains on a clear day. Photo by Jessie Schmidt |
My tendency is to fight back when someone figuratively slaps me up the side of the head, even if they love me. When there are buckets of ideas sloshing around in ones head it is hard to sit still with the wisdom of others. And lately, the ideas and gifts of wisdom aren't just sloshing around. It is as though someone has put an enormous mixmaster in my head to churn up all the stuff that is being funnelled into it. Here are some of the thoughts I have been churning around for a while:
"...helping others discover their souls." Richard Rohr
Thinking ones story is not impactful - "that's not for you to decide." Steve Browne
"Fixing broken spirits." Laurie Reuttimann
"Your words are seeds, they have an effect." Pastor Keith Taylor
"Using business as a vehicle for improving lives." Simon Sinek
"...put it down and get it out on paper or a canvas, where you can look at it and then if you do not think it is good, continue to act by asking God and his angels for a light on it..." Brenda Ueland
"Wear forgiving pants. The world is too hard as it is, without letting your pants have an opinion on how you are doing." Anne Lammott
Eckhart Tole - "The entire universe has been moving to this moment in time forever. Don't fight with it."
All of that was followed up last week by a treasured friend sending me an article on fear. Not just fear, but FEAR. The article was really good, but it poked at me and stirred up insecurities. Have you all been sensing that there is more to come which I have been sitting on? Has my blogging given away my fears without me realizing it? Did the universe nudge my friend to send that particular article to me on that specific day?
When you are lost in idea overload or discouraged, seeing the path ahead clearly is all you long for. If you've ever driven towards the mountains in clear skies you know the route. As long as the mountains are visible you have confidence you are heading in the right direction. When you see the mountain tops in the distance with sun shining off the slopes your spirit is invigorated by the possibilities, beauty, and anticipation of reaching the mountains.
If the mountains are hidden from view it is hard to keep going. When the route is uncertain we struggle with moving forward. Even when the cloud cover is low and the route is unsure, we can watch for signposts close to the road. Just follow from one sign to the next and eventually you will reach the mountains. What is the universe trying to tell you?
Would you be so kind as to help me find my way too? It is time to re-jig the blog and finish some other writing that has been cooking in the background. Several weeks ago, I purchased several domaine names and I'd appreciate your input to help me select one which will become the new home of the blog. The survey link below will take you there. The results are anonymous and I'd be very grateful for your feedback.
Survey
Thank you for sharing the blog with your community and your thoughts with us.
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