Finding the Positive

Merry Meet again...

We all have difficult days. Were we honest with ourselves, we would admit that we fight to keep a positive outlook and not give in to disappointment and discouragement. Things so easily weigh us down. And once we give in to that negative thought, the negative piles on like leaves raked together in autumn. The weight of them holds us down and takes our peace.

When we take time to relax, breathe, find our center, we overtake those thoughts that would take our peace. It doesn't have to be a special place. We can take cover in the corners of our mind. But I would guess that each of us has a place that calms our souls. Mine is water.

I love the picture of the boats and the harbor. How beautiful is the shadow of the boats in the water? And how amazing is the sunset? When my troubles tug at my heart, I go to the water. I get lost in the movement, lost in the joy that is Creation. It is here I find my center, my Spirit place, my knowing place. It is here that Goddess speaks to me in a clear voice and says all is well and my soul is at peace. I speak positive affirmations about myself, my issues, my life. In this time Goddess comes and lifts me up.

I encourage you to find that place of refuge, your knowing place. Take the time to be quiet, calm you mind, and set yourself free from that which binds you. Allow Goddess to heal you and show you the way of peace.

Blessed be,

Cindi

Spring...New Beginnings

Merry Meet, my friends...

March has definitely come in as a lion. The daytime temperatures are warm and inviting. The cherry blossoms and dogwoods are blooming. In Mobile, we are enjoying the azaleas (Mobile is known as the "Azalea City.").

It's been a short winter, as is usual here, and quite warm. Even though, I've been slow in taking on the daily tasks of life. For some reason, the winter season leaves me lagging. But spring is another story.

As the trees begin to bud and the flowers bloom, there are birds of all kinds in the yard. This year several starlings have taken residence in the rafters of our carport. All is coming to life again. I find myself feeling the need to stretch my muscles and get active taking care of our home.

I'm feeling this is going to be a year focusing on health and home. It is a focus that is well past due. I find that the clutter that so easily takes over throws life out of balance. And it's not just the clutter in the home. It's the clutter surrounding my health, as well.

Yes, clutter in the home must go. There can be no quiet of the mind in the mess of a home. There must be order. There must be balance. But, the clutter surrounding health can be overwhelming. I must learn that my body, wonderfully created by Goddess, must be treated with honor and take the steps necessary to respect that creation. That means learning proper nutrition. It's easy to fall prey to the clutter of fast food and fast times. We avoid the exercise and food our bodies need and give in to the easy way. The easy way is not the healthy way and our bodies suffer for it.

Goddess has given us, in creation, all the things we need for balance. There are fruits and vegetables, meats and grains. All are blessings from Goddess to bring us health in this life. We must move our bodies to keep them well. So many of us have jobs that are sedentary! We come home exhausted from sitting all day. We are emotionally drained from dealing with others.

It is this that draws us to meditation and mindfulness; quiet moments in nature, the Cathedral created for us. We must eat well and move our bodies to find energy for the next moment. And we must take time to get alone with Goddess and ourselves to find spiritual recharging and connection with the Divine. Without each, we falter. Our lives become unbalanced. We find no peace. We become weighed down with stress.

So, this year is a year of health and home for me; to focus on balance both in the material and the spiritual. I challenge you, as well, to take time to bring balance to these areas of your life. Hopefully, along this journey, we will be able to share with each other how our energy and spirit connection have grown and changed.

Blessed Be...

Goodbye Joe

My old and dear friend Joe passed away this past week. I cannot believe he is gone. We are the same age. We graduated high school the same year. We remained friends for some time after that. But, as the years drew on and our lives took us in different directions, we lost touch.

Joe was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He could make you feel like a lady...and treated you like one, too. There are few people in my life that have done that for me. As a lesbian, men tend to think of you as someone for their girlfriends and not a real person. But Joe was a different sort. Joe loved people and people loved Joe. He had an infectious laugh and a quick wit.

My fondest memory is of coming out of church on Sunday and having to look for my car because Joe had grabbed it by the bumper and moved it to another spot in the parking lot! I lost track of how many times he did that. Every single time it was funny. You ask how he could move the car? Joe was a hulk of a man. But every bit of him was a gentle giant.

I must admit my heart is heavy. This comes under the heading of "why do all the good ones die?" But I know that God/dess in infinite wisdom needed Joe. He's probably moving all the cars in the parking lot of heaven and laughing the entire time he's doing it! I think God/dess continues to smile at this big man. And even though I have lost someone whom I held dear in my heart, I know we will meet again. That is our hope.

Joseph G. Vickers

1959-2007

Rest in Peace