Category Archives: Lilacs

Gratitude Friday

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This post is a mashup of The Little Bliss List and Joy Jam, and as such is meant to celebrate: the little things that brought me hope and happiness this week, the sweet stuff of life, those small gifts that brought me joy this week. By sharing them, I not only make public my gratitude, but maybe also help you notice your own good stuff and send some positive energy out into the world.

1. Lilacs. They are blooming, and I cut some yesterday to bring in to the house. They are my favorite flowers, but they come and go so quickly.

2. Dexter and Sam. I spent a lot of extra time with them this week, we took lots of walks, cuddled, and hung out in the back yard. They make me so happy.

3. Eric. He was gone a lot this week, and missing him so much made me appreciate him that much more. I sincerely do not know what I would do without him.

4. Blogging from the Heart. Today is the last day of class. I will attempt a longer post, a review, a thank you at some later date, but for now I will simply say this class was amazing, and I am so grateful, for it and for Susannah Conway and all that she does. Luckily, her Unravelling class starts on Monday, so we’ll only be apart over the weekend.

5. Fearless Creativity, a writing and meditation retreat at Shambhala Mountain Center led by Susan Piver. I am headed there today, am so excited about it. I won’t be back until Monday. I have some posts set to release so that I don’t miss anything, but I will be otherwise absent. I will return with lots to share, I’m sure.

I is for Inspiration

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Inspiration

  • The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative; arousal of the mind, the heart and the brain, to special, unusual activity or creativity
  • The quality of having been so stimulated, or the product of creative thinking and work; a sudden brilliant, creative, or timely idea; divine influence or guidance, intuition; a person or thing that stimulates in this way, an inspiring or animating action or influence
  • The drawing in of breath, the act of breathing, bringing in air; inhalation

I see something beautiful, confusing, alive, and it causes me to pause, breathe in, and look closely. In the moment before any judgement or understanding, it touches my heart, and my heart in turn opens to it. In the stillness of this moment, something swells. My chest feels full of wind, energy and fresh air, and I want to reach out, touch, connect. This longing hurts. In the purest moment of devotion, I make an offering, a wish, a prayer.

What inspired me today:

  • Lilacs on my writing desk. Tiny flowers, big smell.

  • Spring morning bird songs. Two tiny sparrows roosting in my lilac bushes. The robin on the fence (it’s a female, I’ve learned) who insists on believing that my neighbor’s bathroom window is a viable place to roost (she’s been at this for a few weeks now)–this morning, she was throwing herself against it with a mouthful of grass for building her nest. I am inspired by her, so completely wrong and yet so utterly devoted.
  • Susan Piver, this post especially, and her reminder “that the true meaning of your practice arises when you do one thing and this one thing has way, way more power than trying your super-hardest best or willfully throwing yourself at the dharma—and that thing is this: RELAX.”
  • Music. Some of it came from my computer. Some of it came from the river, full and moving fast. Some of it came from the newly opened Aspen leaves whispering to the wind.
  • Susannah Conway. Today is the six year anniversary of her first blog post. I am inspired by everything about her, everything she does: her willingness to be vulnerable and brave, her wit and charm, her creativity, her writing, her photography, her videos and books, her ecourses and her blog.
  • One of the books I’m reading, “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon.

What is inspiring you today?