Seeds of Renewal

I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or
catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit."
Dawna Markova  Author of Open Mind. 

Have you noticed that the earth is being painted?  Entire offramps are now covered in white, floral carpets and what was just a dull landscape yesterday is now a colorful parade of dancing yellow, orange and purple pedals!  The seeds embedded during winter are awakening, stretching their leafy arms and lifting their proud, vibrant heads as if to say "I am here!  Look at me, I am alive!"  

 Take a moment today, this week, to spot some of these seeds coming to life.  Take in the splendor of their unique color, shape and purpose.  And then, consider your own "awakening", what has been taking seed, stretching and longing to come to the surface?  What activity, plan, effort, idea or dream has been buried during the winter, and now is waiting to break through?  What will it take to stretch away from "I don't have time" or "I am afraid of failing" and let your heart blossom into new shades of possibilities?  And with every galant, vibrant step toward the renewed you, smile knowingly..."I am here!  Look at me, I am alive!"     

Squeeze your eyes shut, to your de-LIGHT!

When I was a child, I remember squeezing my eyes shut really tight, and trying desperately to envision the inside of my eyelids.  Night after night, I would make my room as dark as possible, no light creeping in under the door or at the periphery of the curtains  I was sure there was a magical set of images that I could capture, if I went beyond the darkness.  Sharp, shadowy sparks would dance in my minds eye, and I was sure I had discovered some mystical phenomenon that allowed the brain to generate amazing visual messages.    

Getting through tough times is much like trying to find shape, substance and yes, even beauty, from the darkness.  Recently, a young female client captured her isolation and sadness in the midst of dealing with the betrayal of a loved one as she said "I was in a dark, dark place.  And now, slowly but surely, there is a bit of light and I am going to keep moving toward it." 

What courage and determination to be willing to revisit emotionally staggering pain, find peace with relationship injustices and shore up for the reconstruction of one's heart.  Conquering the darkness is not about waiting for someone, or something, to turn on a light.  No, it is your own ability to squeeze very tightly, fiercely determined to see past what is no more.  We need to take heed of the darkness, but instead of being stuck in it, push through it, squeeze tightly and we can literally create light, sparks of energy igniting our power to heal and see things differently.