December 1st, Monday Morning Message…

“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't.”

~ Richard Bach

Good morning Y’all…

We’ve been granted another day of simply being alive and as always, I am grateful!

Life remains Beautiful.

We are not done – yet.

Ever since I was a lonely kid dodging the slaps of my mother at home and of angry nuns at Catholic school, I felt as if I was here to do something of value. And, for all my efforts and all my attempts, I don’t believe I’ve done it – yet.

With each new health scare I find myself thinking, “But I’m not ready yet! I still have something I’m supposed to do!”

I think the art of cooking lasagna or creating a lifetime is intuitively understanding when all the ingredients are present in the best proportions and under the best of conditions, and when - it’s done. I’m not done yet. Are you?

This morning and every morning we are all on a mission.

We can’t do anything about the madness in Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, Pyongyang, Washington or Ouagadougou. But we can choose sanity and wellbeing in our own lives and within reach of our lives.

We control our own perspectives and choices unless we choose to be a victim of the choices and whims of others. I’m not a victim. Are you?

Every moment of every day we need to strive to:

Letting go of everything outside of our control.

Being actively and wisely engaged in everything of value that is within our control including our perspective, choices, words, deeds, and sense of wonder, loving -kindness, and gratitude.

Counting our many Blessing – literally, in our minds we need to list a bunch of blessing every morning and night, just so that we start and end every day feeling grateful. A Life of Gratitude is the Gateway to a Life of Joy.

Discounting our burdens – remind ourselves that “fairness” and “justice” are human constructs unknown in nature. These are not things we can “expect” from the world, but they are things we can choose to give to the world. Challenges are opportunities for learning, growth, and living in the moment while looking forward.

Remembering to Respond by choice, not react by emotion.

Our emotions are the result of chemical reactions to our thoughts within our biological bodies. We cannot control the chemical reactions unless we control our thoughts and perspectives.

“Everything is survivable but the last thing” and the last thing may simply be a transition to the next thing – who knows?

Control your perspective and you control much of your emotions.

My perspective is largely based on gratitude and abundance which leads to feelings of Joy.

Being Present – pay attention to the way your coffee tastes, the way birds sing, the way tree leaves tumble, the way wildflowers give life to bees and butterflies as the bees and butterflies give life to the flowers. Pay attention the way our breathing lungs and beating heart gives us life while our brains act as the radio transmitters that translate our essence into the music of our minds.

Being Loving -Kindness – With everyone you meet, and every living being from the birds to the trees. Let things be Alive and Well… just as they are.

Being Brave – You can stand against the lesser aspects of human behavior by standing up for the greater qualities of humanity- Love, Kindness, Curiosity and Problem Solving, Resilience and Adaptability, Mutual Respect and Collective Responsibility, Generosity and Gratitude, Forgiveness and Acceptance.

Never Giving Up – To paraphrase the character Rocky Balboa. “Life isn’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can be hit and keep getting up and moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”

We never “arrive.” We have to Keep Casting Forward.

This little message of Hope and Empowerment

is my first gift of the new week for anyone

who might benefit from it.

Namaste’ Y’all!

~ Steve