Friday, July 31, 2009

Tools for the Journey #3 - Backing up

Tonight, as I was reading through my first two blog posts, I realized I had not begun this blog with a context for my concept of gathering "tools for the journey". Some clarification at this point may provide readers with perspective about what constitutes a "tool" and how those tools can come to us.

Every person we meet on our path has a gift to share with us. Those gifts once seen clearly, become tools we can use on our journey going forward. They extend their hands and hearts, they exhale out to us, and as long as we are open we can discover what their gift is for us.

It is easy enough to think only the nice people we meet or the "good" things which happen are to be considered "gifts"...but if we don't get too caught up in labeling things as "good" or "bad", then we may be better able to see the "gifts" which can be hidden in plain sight even if they are disguised as something "bad". All of these things are gifts, and collectively they become our tools for the journey.

This blog is my way of sharing some of the gifts I have received along the way. The gifts of heart and wisdom we receive from our fellow travelers are the true and golden treasures of our journey; yet the heartbreaking things born out of our darkest moments - these too are "gifts" and are equally valuable as tools for the journey.

Once we learn to recognize the gifts, the tools, then the most important thing we can do is share. The best gifts get better when we share them and even if we do nothing more than share our gifts we will make a difference in the world.

My path has been dazzlingly rich with treasures and sharing is a way for me to "pay it forward". Perhaps among my "tools" you will find something of use. And just maybe as you read about my gifts, my tools, you will begin to have clearer eyes to recognize the gifts along your journey. If we each do this - passing our gifts and tools along hand to hand and heart to heart, we have the opportunity to create a sea of good ripples which will translate into a technicolor tidal wave of goodness.

A good friend of mine is always reminding me to take deep breaths. The thing I'd add to that is: Don't forget to exhale! Your inhale is the receiving, but your exhale is how you share your gifts, it is what you give back to the world.

Remember all you have to do to find the treasures on your journey is to keep your eyes, heart and mind wide open; and when you find them don't forget to share! Don't forget to exhale!

Here's to the journey!
Cheryl

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