In my retirement, my attention has turned to recognizing, acknowledging and deeply appreciating how immensely fortunate I am to have family and friends that I cherish. For decades, I was drawn to engage in what was, for me, the only way I knew how: caring about and focused on how we, as human beings, were expressing so far below what was possible for us; and how we could become so much more! That was then, this is now and my priorities have changed. I now simply trust that human beings (any and all of us) can and will only walk the path we choose to see.
Now, I welcome every opportunity to spend time with my sons and their partners; my adorable Grandson (yes, I am that highly biased Gramma!); and the amazing friends (not a strong enough word for what this has become) that fill my day-to-day life with such joy, sense of play, curiosity, daring and as-yet still beating heart for that Great Adventure in the world of evolution of consciousness. The difference is that now, only my own evolution takes priority… and whatever might fall from that is a bonus!
Yesterday, I was delighted to spend time with my daughter-in-law, Sarah, who lights up my life! She reminds me to stay true to mySelf, to ask for what I want and keep on truckin’! Sarah is the ‘Wild Child’ in my life…. the smart, edgy, funny and irreverent Voice that makes sure all of that, about mySelf, does not go underground. A no-nonsense approach to her own life keeps me aware of that, in mine. We laugh a lot! And we all know: laughter is good for the Soul!
During our time together, we talked about the world… about change… about what is unfolding around the world. We talked about how fortunate we are (knock wood!) to be so sheltered in the truth of our own experience, as we bear witness to devastation around the world; bear witness to the lives lost and soul-crushing misery being experienced by so many. We recognized that change seems to be moving in from the edges to the centre. In my world, that is a powerful physical metaphor for what it too often takes for us to be willing to examine ourselves: the external challenges press us into that final, essential inner journey; into that deeper discovery of the part we are playing in our own demise.
So, here’s what I realized as Sarah and I parted company.
Things over which I have 0% control:
- movement of magnetic north; possible earth-crust displacement
- solar activity: CME’s, storms, flares, micronova, etc.
- global warming or impending ice age
- Planet X or no Planet X, and its influence on our solar system
- earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamies, etc.
- etc, etc, etc
Things over which I have 100% control:
- my breathing: how I breathe, when I breathe, how deep or shallow my breathing is; when I hold my breath (on inhale or exhale)
- the thoughts I think : whether they are my own or some rehash of someone else’s; same as yesterday’s and the days before or something new
- the people I spend time with : to support my evolution or enforce the status quo; to agree with me or challenge me; to excuse my limitations or press me to discover beyond them
- the ‘reality’ I choose to support: through the stories I tell myself and others; and often, through how and where I spend my money. The lifeblood of our culture is money.. and where it goes, matters.
Now, interestingly, those things over which I have 100% control seem to be tiny and yet, in a world that reflects collective consciousness, ownership of such tiny things can, cumulatively, have a massive impact. It starts with me… with you… with each of us, to take control of our own body and mind. From there, much becomes possible.
It does not have to be complicated. It can be as simple as choosing those things over which you have 100% control and trusting where they will take you. Imagine! A conscious collective! Not because we tried to shift the collective but because we recognize that we are the collective, individually and uniquely shifting.
Simple choices that can lead to powerful and complex results. We are highly contagious – the question is: what are we spreading?
Start with those things over which you have 100% control. You (and we all) have nothing to lose.
Amen to all that, Louise! I have had some success altering the course of rain clouds on several occasions by imagining I am the wind sending it along a different path…I am a godForce after all 🙂 I have no doubt Mother Nature’s disgruntled behavior could be healed by altering our collective thoughts; and, I realize I have next-to-0% control over that! So while I focus on those 100%-ers, I’ll continue to keep Gaia (and my extensive tribe) in my heart as well. Nothing to lose for sure!
Well said! 🙂
Thanks, Louise for these wise words. It is so easy to feel despair these days as we watch what is unfolding from day to day. Focusing on our own evolution as you have always promoted with those of us fortunate to have worked with you, is the only way. I too am finally letting my own evolution take priority. I spent some time early this year to examine the stuck points which were still alive and well. By expressing them, they magically disappeared. Now, I see every new challenge as an opportunity for growth. I love focusing on what we have control of in our lives. Thank you for reminding me that we are the collective.
Hi Carole, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts – much appreciated.
I think you say it so well: “I spent some time early this year to examine the stuck points which were still alive and well. By expressing them, they magically disappeared.” And it really is that simple… and that potent!
Sending you warmest wishes as you continue to embrace the magic! Much aloha!
I love this blog post louise, it addresses the overly judgmental attitudes i feel when contemplating where i fit into the variety of communities and realities life presentes to me.
You start it by saying “I now simply trust that human beings (any and all of us) can and will only walk the path we choose to see”. And finish by saying “We are highly contagious – the question is: what are we spreading?”
As i try new ways of living in my retirement, i become concious of spectrums. They rise and fall away, both awakening to new truths, and letting go of what i once thought of as truth. It seems my happiness is closly related to feeling flow, which positions myself on these spectrums.
As someone once said, “all life exists in a state of tension”, relaxing into that thought is so yummy because inevitably it brings me to feelings of unconditionallove, no matter what community of people i choose to reside in.
Thank you sharing your thoughts about this – much appreciated. There really are no accidents in the Universe. As I read your comment, I was struck by “… contemplating where I fit into…” and realized – in that nanosecond – that I no longer fit into anything. Not a good/bad, right/wrong thing just a realization that in the Great Puzzle of Life, I am a wayward piece! With that realization came cascading insights into so many different aspects as I look around me and find that old interests no longer hold sway and new ones disappear as fast as they arrived. Hmmmm… thanks for giving me much to ponder. 🙂
Happy Trails on your retirement!