Monday, September 21, 2009

It Doesn't Take Much Or Does It?

Saturday, I had an amazing conversation with a fellow NLP 'er and we discussed the various aspects of our lives with respect to the power of personal change. Each of us has had some transitions in life that, in retrospect, have turned out to be hidden pearls. By that I mean, situations that were definitely emotionally and mentally challenging, yet over the course of time have created richer and fuller lives.

The adage, "No pain, no gain" comes to mind.

In order to grow and develop, some pulling and parting occurs and can be temporarily devastating for us. The key word is temporarily. We may chose to hang on to that devastation for days, weeks or may make it our permanent condition until we opt for something else. The choice is ours.

Some people may object to that notion, that it is our personal choice, and that outside forces have taken our choice away. Something or someone outside of us has created the havoc and we are blameless victims. That thought only works if you chose it.

You cannot control anything outside of yourself ... and within yourself you have the reserves to control how you chose to respond to life's dilemmas, problems, and pains. Only if you want to.

I suspect that the decision to take charge of our change centers around our ability to embrace it and learn it well. Then move onward.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

September Sun

September has always been an enigma for me. Not quite summer but definitely not autumn. A transition month of epic proportions. After removing the back to school thoughts, this month has a certain glow that distinctly makes it retrospective.

My daughter was born in September and that has held moments of total joy for me from the past and with each celebration of her birthday. For the rest of the time, I remember the ripe tomatoes still warm from the sun, the color of roses, the tastes of the herb garden, all slowly passing into the last stages of summer. I am reluctant to let that go each year because the horizon of frost robbing life is expected.

Each September, I struggle with the change of weather which relegates the sandals and flip flops into the recesses of the closet and the restrictive leather of a full shoe pinches toes. Linen lets the cool evening air settle into my bones and fleece jackets ward off the chill. I think "Wasn't it just 90 degrees a few weeks ago?" Where has the time gone? That is what transition does for the mind and the soul.

You cannot grasp a moment and hold it but only in memory. And, as we move closer to the next season, I will hold onto the moments of summer as long as I can.

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