In It Together. . .

"Shared pain is no longer paralyzing."

- Henri Nouwen

"Everyone who enters our life becomes a part of us and we become a part of each of them. We are all the same stuff; we are interrelated; we are inseparable. We experience mutuality all the time."

- Douglas C. Smith

"Our true nature is not some ideal that we have to live up to. It's who we are right now, and that's what we can make friends with and celebrate."

- Pema Chodron

It seems that we live in interesting times. Please turn off the news. Please remember to stop, and to breathe deeply. Stop. Pause. Inhale. Exhale. If this suggestion is irritating, then you really need to do it ;-)

Being in the moment isn't about "winning" over thought. All you need is closer than you think, relaxation invites wisdom. Mental effort defeats itself. "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." This doesn't mean that the 'end' is near: it was written thousands of years ago. No. It means that if you can pause from the movie of your life and your thoughts long enough, you will begin to see that "heaven" is within your reach. If you will, you can remake your life. Do you dare to be happy while others panic? Well, for one thing it is reassuring to everyone to be around a calm presence. Don't just 'do' something. Stand there and notice the beauty all around you. Life goes on. No one gets out alive. We're all in it together.

Kinda cool, isn't it? So go out and VOTE!

A L O H A! cloudia