"It takes Courage"

Everyone is in awe of the lion-tamer in a cage with half a dozen lions- everyone but a school bus driver.  -Unknown

The theme across all my readings and journaling today was courage.  Not only in the BIG things, like leading an expedition to the north pole or jumping from a plane but in the everyday things… like, staying true to yourself and your path, your integrity. Those things take courage! 

I remember shortly after my mother passed; I had a dream of her.  I got a chance to sit and ask her many questions about life. One thing she communicated to me when I asked her, “mom, will I ever be, ok? (I meant here in this life without her, she meant something way bigger than that).

She looked directly into my eyes and said: “It takes courage”.

I realized later what she meant.  It takes courage to live this life with an open heart. Heart break after heartbreak.  It takes courage to walk through life fully present, not distracted or numb.  It sometimes takes more courage to do the ordinary things in life than the really HUGE things.

Sometimes courage is found in the monotony and mundane. Sometimes it’s found in the heartbreaks of life just being willing to live your life one day after the next.  At least life, the universe, gives us space to heal after tremendous heartbreaks.  Gaps of peace and healing and if we’re present enough, we can sense these subtle gaps in time and space.

Courage is found in the heartbreaks that life offers you when you are resisting the urge to close off your heart to prevent any further pain. 

But what could be more painful than going through life in a contraction?  Like that song by Garth Brooks says… I could’ve missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.  

And that’s the thing… we don’t get to shield ourselves from “some” of the stuff and still be present for it all. Maybe life will continue to offer heartbreak after heartbreak until we learn to keep our hearts open.

If you’re in one of these spaces right now… I offer you this: slow down, breathe deeply and settle into your body.  Appreciate the way the light touches the trees or streams through your windows in the morning.  Notice the beauty around you.  Open your heart to it.

Stay present in your body.  Move, stretch, and listen to a beautiful piece of music.  Savor a cup of coffee or tea.  Mindfully feel the warmth as it soothes your throat.  Breath slowly and say thank you to ALL of life.  The beauty, the pain, the growth that heartbreak offers and always, always choose to keep your heart open.

Sending BIG love your way!

Meeg