Twenty-Eighth Invitation

STATING THE OBVIOUS... "I'm just saying..." 

I am of the belief that every person reading this already knows quite a few things about life –

1.     It comes and goes

2.     Shit indeed happens.  (It is an amazing thing -- how much shit actually happens in a life.  Everyone's life.  And that is how it is.  People and animals die -- unexpectedly and otherwise.  People you would never expect to betray you, do so.  Marriages you thought were made in heaven, fail.  People you thought you could trust without question and believe to be completely honest, lie.  People who you considered to be in your tribe and soulfully kindred turn out to be impostors. People do harmful things that cannot be undone and have dramatic and traumatic impacts on the lives of others for a very, very long time.)

3.     For every single life, in every species, in every season, and for all beings, life continually changes.

4.     Sometimes life changes drastically in a second and what was once full is now empty...

5.     And in the emptiness we unexpectedly meet inner resources that we didn't really know that we had. Stripped to the core, the emptiness inspires what art, poetry, and music are made of. Encountering the darkness with one's soul, the night falls softly...into the dawning of new light.

6.     Life can appear as if there's "nothing's new" happening but the truth is that every day is new and holds possibilities for change and awakening.

7.     We are sleeping most of the time and usually miss these possibilities.

8.     Often the awakening happens through challenges and deep pain.

9.     Living life can feel so hard but we feel sorry for anyone who leaves it.

10.  We are all more narcissistic than we would like to think ourselves to be.

11.  The heart can break into a million pieces and we still keep loving.

12.  The moment never stands still.

13.  Our greatest commodity is time.

14.  We often buy into our stories of why we don't enjoy life more.

15.  People can be exceptionally generous and thoughtful and perform amazing random acts of kindness, which can be immensely impactful and give the meaning to life that makes it feel rich and worth living.

16.  Sometimes the act of reaching out and going out of one's way is extraordinary and courageous and can make such a difference.

17.  When gratitude is not just a concept but rather a visceral experience, we are truly embodying a sense of grace.

18.  What you resist, persists. When you resist something, it becomes stronger.  Accepting the “is-ness” allows for more spaciousness and the ability to actually move forward.  Said in other words, by "cooperating with reality," we soften, open and allow more of the flow and simply, it feels better in the body than making the "is-ness" wrong.

19.  Sometimes we can't do anything else than experience "what is" as wrong.

20.  Forgiveness is the acceptance of all of it, including the challenge and sometimes refusal to forgive.

21.  Sometimes forgiveness is a process that takes a whole lifetime, and then some.

22.  Although the world is getting only more and more fucked up as "global weirding" is upon us and our presence is more and more destructive to the planet and other species who live here, there is a tremendous amount of goodness and humanity in those who unite to speak out (e.g. against the killing of Cecil the lion).

23.  When a crisis occurs, you find out who your true friends are.

24.  Once you start making a list, it can go on and on -- because earth school is full of lessons.

The point is, that we are in this together and we are all evolving in lots of ways....

Please ponder what I have written and then please take the time to add at least 3 of your own and email them to me (devajoy@me.com) and I will compile a composite of everyone's contributions to our list that "States the Obvious, I'm just saying..." about what you are learning lately in this incarnation of yours. 

When you send it to me, put in the subject matter:

 "STATING THE OBVIOUS..."

Bet you anything that what we share will overlap and we will resonate with each other's offerings leading to some 

"ah-ha" moments. And once again, we will have confirmation that we are all in this together.

Love, devajoy