The storm

Even in the roughest of times, can YOU create your own rainbow after the storm?

Its funny how people’s true colors come shining through when people are faced with a crisis.  Five nights ago, a terrible storm came through the area which left over a million people without power.   One thing that has come to my attention in these trying times is how much people take for granted, on a daily basis.   It is trying times like this that really allow people to be seen for who they are.

There are the individuals who think the world owes them everything, it is these individuals who will stop at nothing to see that they survive first, get their needs met, and do not consider anyone else’s needs when it comes to realizing their own. 

For the most part, my experience with this storm has been very enlightening for me in many ways.  It has really showed me how much we depend on technology, both, for survival, and to get through our daily routines.  I, personally would not change a thing about the past few days, even though these past few days, I have been a little hungrier, a lot hotter, and a ton more stressed, it has been an eye opening experience, one that has allowed me to reflect on many issues that surround myself, my family, my community, our nation, the world, and just plain old communications and relationships in general. 

Ok, I must first start by being completely honest with you all.  The first day after the storm, when I awoke at 9am and there was still no power, I was like “oh great, what now.”  I picked up my cell phone, no service, tried my computer, no service, no television, heck even my home phone wasn’t working.  I then grabbed some batteries to place in my century old boom box.  This is when I started to lose it a bit, when I realized that the radio wouldn’t even work.  I know this may seem a little ridiculous, but I’m not sure if it was the lack of communication (and not knowing what was going on out in the world) that had me more upset, or the fact that there was no music!  Now, after the fact, I would have to say that it was the “no music” that had me more aggravated than anything.  No matter what is going on in the world around me or in my life, it has never been something that a good song with a funky beat and some great lyrics couldn’t fix, and this was no exception!

I hopped into my VW, and was met by immediate gratitude as the noise from my XM satellite radio came bursting through my car speakers; this was one purchase that will never regret investing in.  Immediately my mood was heightened tremendously as I cranked up the tunes and headed towards town.  As I began my 45min. journey into town, I began to see the level of destruction the storm had caused, and as I arrived into town, I was surprised to realize that they, for once, had it much worse than us “mountain folk” did.

As I arrived into town, the level of destruction was fierce.  All of the stoplights were down, gigantic trees had fallen everywhere, parts of people’s homes were missing and thrown in the most unexpected places, utility poles had fallen on top of cars, there were no stores, restaurants, gas stations, or anything else open, and the whole city was completely out of power.  I was astonished as I drove, slowly, through the city…WOW; this storm had caused way more damage than I had originally thought.  A feeling of sadness engulfed me as I realized the extent of damage that the storm wreaked on the people of my community.

The majority of the mid-Ohio Valley’s residents are middle/lower class citizens who live week to week and sometimes just manage to get by (which isn’t a bad thing because they are some of the most generous and giving people even though).   Being from a hardworking community of middle/lower class citizen, which I too am a member, is one I am proud of because we tend to appreciate the things we do have that much more, and there is a strong sense of community and belonging among the people of this community for this very reason.  Many of these people will not be able to buy new food, fix the repairs on their homes and cars, or even stand to be off work for the days that the offices/buildings/factories will be shut down.  My heart reached out for these people, especially the ones whose homes and cars were destroyed, and who probably didn’t have more than the basic liability insurances on these items.

One example that really touched my heart was a family who is friends with my older brother.  They are a working class family with several children.  They rent their home, work hard, and do their best to raise their children with values, morals, and kindness.  As I drove by their home, with my brother, he pointed out to me the fact that the second story of their rental home had blown off of the structure and had landed in their driveway, on top of both of their cars.  My brother told me that after the storm, they walked outside and was devastated to see that their home was basically gone, their cars were destroyed, and then to top it off, the winds took away part of their fence and their dogs were also gone.  This broke my heart, to know that everything that people have worked so hard for was gone in an instant. 

As I continued on my drive, witnessing the destruction, my mind shifted from one of sadness and despair to one of gratitude and love.  As I drove through my communities, I saw families, together as a whole, sitting on their front porches laughing, joking, playing games, then there were the smaller children playing in the sprinklers in attempt to cool off.  No one was indoors, behind a computer, television, or gaming system, but rather, families were connecting in meaningful conversations and working together to repair and rebuild their homes and communities.   

As I turned each corner, there were more and more people pitching in to help one another, as I witnessed these people connecting to support on another, the sights filled me with the utmost joy.  This is all that I have ever wished, dreamed, and envisioned for the people of our great world, to sit back and enjoy the small things in life, time with family, butterflies resting on a flower, a dog chasing its tail.  Just an overall gratitude for surviving the storm, and the blessing of sitting face to face with their loved ones.  These are the things that blessings are made of, connecting with loved ones, the community, and their “higher power,” to realize that, hey, as long as we are lucky enough to still be standing on this great Earth, there is absolutely nothing that we can’t overcome as long as we put in the effort, all of our hardships will be overcome. 

In my opinion, people should be thankful because it is incidences just like this that give us the hope and strength to carry on, figure out a way, gain knowledge, ask for help, or reach out to others in order to gain that resilience that allows us to keep strong and carry on, no matter what is thrown in our paths!  In fact, it is situations just like these, throughout my life, that I have had to face that have made me into the strong and independent woman that I am today.  There were times, in my past, that I used to say “why me” but now, I thank god for those incidences because they always taught me a valuable lesson, you just have to choose to see it that way!

My interactions with others have been a mixture of good and bad, throughout the chaos that the storm has created.  Some people choose to focus on the bad aspects of the storm and the damage it has caused, which is getting them nowhere, and only adding to their misery because they are attracting more negative energy back into their lives.  Then there are those individuals who choose to see the storm in a positive light, “well hey, no work, yippee!  Guess this means card games with the kiddo’s and time to run in the sprinkler!”  These individuals are not allowing themselves to be weighed down by their thoughts even though they have just as much stress and worry as the other individuals.  I mean, how often is it that people have off of work for an entire week in the month of July?  Sometimes we must choose to leave things in the hands of our Gods, and focus, instead, on the here and now.  What can be done to fix things, if anything?  If you can’t do anything about the problem, why not choose to focus on the one thing that is most important in life, time that we have with our loved ones. 

I have heard that thus far, 12 people have died in this storm, in our area, including a man who had a tree fall onto his car and crush him to his death.  Now think about it peoples, are those jobs, paying the bills, that fabulous new addition that you put on your house, or some extra work that you may have to do really all that bad?  Imagine this man’s family, who, not only have to deal with the mess of the storm and its aftermath, but to lose a loved one at the same time, and trying to plan for that.  Please take a minute and try to be thankful for the things that we do have. 

Has anyone ever thought that maybe, just maybe, it is high time that we stop worrying about things like money, materialistic goods, status, power, wealth, titles, jobs, etc. and start to appreciate the small things that we take for granted each day?  The things, that we may not even realize that we are doing at the time, like giving our undivided attention to our children when they are talking to us or trying to show us something, or stopping to smell the roses and appreciate the natural beauty that we are blessed to have in our lives to enjoy.  With the natural disasters that this Earth has been dealing with for the past few decades, you would think that most people would learn to appreciate things like these, because without our beautiful and healthy nature, we would have no world……without a healthy environment, we wouldn’t have life of any form, or a place for organisms to survive if we continue to take these things for granted!

It is like the people of this world are slowly but surely doing it in.  Almost like a drug addiction, more and more, but yet never enough.  More waste, more wants, more technology, more toxic waste that is produced from these wants, more more more!  Where does it end and when is it too late?  Shouldn’t we just be happy with the simple things like being able to share joyful memories with loved ones, being alive and healthy, being able to enjoy all that mother nature has provided us,  and for being able to live our lives in freedom?  If we cannot learn to appreciate these things, there will be no us, eventually!

In my opinion, most of the things that we want in life are not needs, they are wants.  It is these wants that tend to destroy, both, the world and the people in it.  Most of the time, it seems to me as if what people “want,” isn’t really what they want at all, in fact, their wants seem to revolve around some type of competition.  Everyone trying to compete with the jones, our country competing with other countries, always, people trying to outdo one another or worrying about how they will appear in someone else’s eyes.  Whether it is for power, greed, status, money, or popularity, it is as if everyone is trying to outdo the next.

 Let’s talk about power for a moment, because this is a topic that just seems to get under my skin.  First of all, in my opinion, people who try to exhibit power or control others are just plain lazy individuals.  You cannot get anywhere by pushing or shoving someone around so that they will do or be the way you want them to.  When a person approaches a situation in this manor, it is a temporary fix and will backfire in the person who is “in power’s” face.  If you ask me, these people (controlling and authitarian), no matter what title or how much power that they hold, are just plain lazy and incompetent!

 A person with real power has the power to control themselves, to always act out of love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness no matter what they are being faced with.  Rather than try to control someone through force, these individuals will mentor, role model, support, encourage, teach, and relate to others.  Yeah, this is a longer and more exhausting and consuming process, but like they say, good things never come easily.  These are the strong individuals, the ones who can go and go and go, never giving up hope that a better world, or a better way is out there.  No matter who tries to knock them down, discourage them, kill their dreams, or obstacles they are up against, they persevere and create a much stronger group, nation, world, or culture.

 Now, WHO TO YOU SEEMS MORE POWERFUL? 

(1) The people who push, give orders, act out of fear and hate, compete with others, and HAVE to have control and power no matter who they hurt physically, emotionally, or mentally in the process,

OR

(2) The individuals who act out of love, and no matter what situation they encounter, they always act out of love, understanding, and acceptance and no matter what, no other person or situation is ever able to change this about them! 

In these crisis times, there have been the people who push their way through, cut in front of you for those loafs of bread or tank of gas, do not wait their turn at the broken stoplights, and would basically fight you tooth and nail for survival.  These individuals (which I have seen quite a few in the past few days) remind me of those “mean and selfish” people.  You know, the individuals who have to try to degrade, bully, talk bad about, be mean, etc. to/about others in order to look good or get ahead.  The ones that are not confident enough in themselves and their abilities to reach the heights of others, so much so that they have to knock down others to bring them down to their levels.  I advise these individuals to think again, because these people that you feel the need to degrade are usually the kind of people who do not break under pressure or do they allow their self-concept to be affected by others opinions of them.  This is exactly why they are at the conscious level they are, therefore, not able to be knocked down to your level.  RISE UP, try harder, give everything your all, never think you know it all, always realize there is more to learn and people that are better and smarter than yourself and always strive to compete, only compete against yourself to do better.  Anyone can do it, but it can only happen when you focus on you, only you, and working within your limits to do, and be the best possible version of yourself that you can be.

For those selfish individuals that I have encountered during this storm (like the woman who cut in front of us all at the BP on Rayon Dr. for gas), you may have all the resources that you need for survival; however, I have all the things that I will ever need, myself respect and my pride.  Never, ever would I stoop to your level, even if I thought/ believed that the world was ending, I would never give up my conscious and soul in order to survive because one day, when this world does end, those type of things aren’t going to get you anywhere anyways.

For my fellow lovers, if you are ever faced with a crisis or “survival of the fittest” type scenario like this, please do not let your love, morals, ethics, character, and values fall to the wayside because in the end, it is these things that will open up the gates to an eternity of happiness and love with others who mirror yourself, not the tank of gas, the last bit of water, or the last morsel of food!

Once we give up this power, we open up the gates to growth and success.  We realize that we need others, we need our earth, we need a clean and healthy environment, we need support, we need encouragement, we need happiness and joy in our lives, we need to become aware of who we are and all that we can accomplish in this world, for ourselves, for our loved ones, for our Earth, and for our future generations but in order for this to happen, we must live out of gratitude and love.  Love for our planet, love for others, and most importantly, LOVE FOR OURSELVES!

Be thankful, focus on the good, try you’re hardest, accept your weaknesses, and most importantly, realize that we are all in this together.

If you find yourself unhappy, you must journey within, because nothing outside of yourself is going to complete that void and bring you happiness.  Unhappiness means that there is a part of you that is incomplete or missing, which means there needs to be change, and no one else can figure out exactly what that is, but you! 

So instead of that new purse (that you have to kill all those animals to make...rrrrr), that new car (that burns all that horrid gas and produces harmful chemicals that kill all of our beautiful nature), that diet coke that you “must have” (yet throw away the bottle so that our world becomes consume with waste), the need for oil (to produce all those goods by machine yet dumps into our beautiful and vast oceans), that bag of trash (that you spent all that time containing to the one bag, yet throw it out your car on the side of the road), all the things we do not recycle (that eventually go into the ground and are consumed by us through the water), and everything else, that money “can buy,” TRY TO FOCUS, inwards instead and figure out what you are missing in your life that you have to cover up with materialistic goods.

Imagine a life with clean air, healthy foods, serene nature, no toxic waste/spills, leisure time with loved ones, running through fields of flowers, feeling the sunshine beat on your face or the gentle wind kiss your cheeks…shouldn’t these be the things that bring us the most happiness, yet we are doing all that we can to see that it is taken away from us forever!

MAGICà    LOVE, LIGHT, LAUGHTER, & PLAY....& IN THE END THERE WAS…….BLISS<3

LIFE IN A SMALL TOWN, NOTHING LIKE IT (DIFF BETWEEN PEOPLE FROM THE CITY AND PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTRY) ...GENERALIZATIONS OF COURSE

PLEASE OTHERS, IN TIMES OF CRISIS, DO NOT LET YOUR LOVE, RESPECT, MORALS, DIGNITY, AND COMMON COURTESY GO TO THE WAYSIDE <3  AND WITH THAT, MY THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Growing up in the Metro Area (Maryland, D.C., and Virginia), I very much grew up as a “city girl.”  I was exposed to many different things, some good and some bad, by being raised in such a populated area that had lots of different subcultures.  Moving to West Virginia about four years ago was very much a culture shock for me, and it definitely took some getting used to.  Being born in West Virginia, you would have thought that I would be a little bit more “in tune” with the way that things work in small towns; however, I had no idea just how different it would be.  Now, I feel very blessed to say that I have the best of both worlds running through my veins.  I can put on a designer dress and stilettos, attend an art gathering, jazz/cigar bar, and enjoy a night full of dancing and socializing in the “big city,” or I can throw my hair back in a ponytail, put on my worn in converse, and hit the hills on a dirt bike, coming back with mud dripping off my eyelashes!

Life, in both areas, are almost polar opposites, it is almost like you are living on complete opposite ends of the earth.  Life in the big city is very fast paced, people are always “go, go, go!” and do not take the time to enjoy each moment or take the time to stop and help a person in need.  Traffic is horrendous, and you could possibly wait an hour to get into traffic from a side street because people will line up so tight that there is no way they are letting you in the line of traffic or you are able to pull into it yourself.  It is almost as if “each man for his own.”  People, in my opinion, seem more accustomed to worrying about their selves, instead of how their actions may affect someone else.  I think this comes from the culture that many cities have created because they are reacting to others actions instead of following their heart, intuition, or what they feel is “right.”  Also, many individuals possibly hear what is one the news, which compared to our small town in W.V., is filled with horrific incidences and crime which could possibly keep people wanting to mind their own business and not become involved in the things happening around them, out of fear that something bad could come of it.  Now, although my perception is mainly negative about the people who live in cities, this is just a generalization because I know many fine people who are kind, generous, trustworthy, compassionate, and caring that live in the city, but in ratio, the number of rude people far outweigh these kind individuals, in my opinion.  Now, living in the city definitely has its benefits also such as exposure to different cultures, races, ethnicities, experiences, and FOOD (haha def. one of my favorites).  There is never a dull moment in a city with choices that range from zoos, aquariums, NFL football games, Major league baseball, NHL hockey games, tons of musical experiences and concerts, museums, circuses, shopping and nightlife, variety of restaurants, and tons of fun filled activities available for children of all ages, including us J  Being exposed to all the different races, cultures, and ethnicities is something that I feel most grateful for living and growing up in the city.  My friends were people from all types of cultures, religions, social statuses, backgrounds, and countries.  This helped me to recognize the beauty in all different types of individuals and the realization about how much we can learn from one another.  Most importantly, this is where I learned that no matter what a person looks like, where they are from, what religion they practice, how educated they are, what there financial bracket is, etc. ……….. the only thing that matters, when it comes down to liking and caring about someone, is the size of their heart and their ability to be humble in realizing no one of us is any better than the rest.

Now let’s take a look at life in the country.  When I was younger, say 8 and under, my idea of fun did not revolve around playing Nintendo, watching TV, IPODS, or any other electronic that adults in the city like to shove in their child’s face out of fear of letting them outdoors to be exposed to possible kidnappings, child molestation, or peer pressures.  Our ideas of fun very much revolved around “exploring,” and “inventions.”  By inventions, I mean that we invented our own fun which, in my opinion, is a huge thing when raising kids.  I mean yeah, we could have children who are educated and learn how to do something well, or we could encourage creativity and have a child who invents the “next biggest thing” or idea!  We would explore caves, fossils, different types of minerals, rocks, bugs, or animals as well as use free and easily obtainable materials and sources to create inventions, make contraptions, build tree houses or forts, or to create new games to play.  It was never a dull moment.  From the time the sun rose, to the time it settled behind the trees, we were out roaming the mountainsides, fields, rivers, and forests.  From catching lightning bugs, and swinging from vines,  to blowing the fuzzies off of dandelions (to make a wish, and truly believing they would come true), our sense of fun never revolved around the need for money, expensive toys, or anything outside of our own imagination…..talk about fabulous!  Now, although this is all wonderful, fast forward to life as a young adult.  People tend to get pregnant and married at a much younger age here in the country.  They miss out on so many great opportunities and experiences that the world, outside of the countryside, has to offer.  Many people seem (this is a generalization) to be less accepting to people of other races, ethnicities, and cultures, and are very closed minded when it comes to anything outside of the way that they were conditioned by their parents.  There is very little diversity in the country, and not a whole lot of new experiences and opportunity to gain knowledge as to all the many different types of jobs, opportunities, colleges, people, music, or geographical landscapes that this gigantic world has to offer.  I think if more children, in the country, were raised with true awareness of the world around them, many more would hopefully choose to not get pregnant or married at 17, and instead go to college and open up the many different doors and paths to explore the world that surrounds them.

Now although I am looking at this “lack of exposure to the world” in a bad way, it can also be a good thing.  First of all, the drugs and exposure to crime is less, resulting in a lesser chance of a child becoming involved in gangs, drug dealing or usage, or the “wrong crowd.”  This is not because the country does not have these things, but more so because the ratio of people are far less in the country, which makes them less able to get “lost in the crowd,” or become just another person, student, or child without a name, a personality, a background, or a family, which many times can happens in a bigger city.  Also, another good thing about the lack of exposure too many things would be the fact that it seems to be a major cause for families and communities being “tighter” and more supportive of one another.  In the city where it is “go, go, go,” families rarely have the time to do the most important things in life, the things that will make a strong family, a good moral, ethical, and value system for their children and families such as family dinners, sitting around playing board games, swinging on the front porch swing, just talking about what is going on in their lives.  In the city, it is as if every minute of every day is accounted for and activities are “penciled in,” which can cause people to be so concerned with making it to the next activity, keeping on time goal, keeping up with the neighbors, competing with others, or becoming successful in their lives and jobs, that they lose sight of all the beautiful macro seconds of everyday, the events and experiences that truly matter, CONNECTING WITH OTHERS!  In the country, where there is less to do, people take the time to stop and talk to their neighbors, to help someone that is broke down on the side of the road, help an elder cross the street, hold the door open for someone, lend a hand, and create a sense of belonging and community.  In my opinion, this is what life is all about, and is the main cause of inner peace, contentment, and joy that no amount of money, social status, label, title, or materialistic thing could ever come close to in terms of worth!

And of course there are the issues of landscaping differences between the city and the country.  In the city, things appear to be “dirtier,” whereas things in the country are more natural resulting in a perception of cleanliness.  Cities are, many times, filled with tall building, congested areas, many streets, and tons of litter which is understandable considering the amount of people who are squeezed into the tight little areas.  In the country, the view is spectacular, the lush green rolling fields and hills, the wild flowers that grow in the most random areas, the sunsets behind the mountains, the mist that rises above the trees in the morning, the way the moon seems a thousand times bigger in the country, or the way the sky is so clear that it is as if you can reach out and grab the stars.  These are the things that I love most about living in the country, the sense of belonging and being at one with nature, and its elements.  There is certain peacefulness and tranquility that comes from this that could never be found in the city!

One thing I miss most about where I grew up in the city is the open waters.  I very much grew up as a water baby, it is my ultimate peace and there is nothing in this world that I love more than the ocean.  Growing up within blocks of the Chesapeake Bay allowed me to connect with the world in ways I would never be able to explain, in fact, it was the only way I was able to feel at one with one of my creators, Gaia (Mother Nature).  When life was becoming tough, or I was becoming overwhelmed with things going on in my life, I could go down to the bay and stare out over the water, possibly swim and become one with the waves, or just meditate with the infinite waters as my focal point, either way; it was how I was able to keep grounded.  This is the one thing I miss most about living in WV, there is no water here, not the waters I am used to anyways..More like mud holes…yuck, so when I go to Maryland to visit, the highlight of my trips is the time I get to spend on the bay, swimming with my nephew and niece, Garrett and Julia.  In fact, for years, every time I have gone home to visit them, we spend much of our time at Cape Beach (cape st. claire), which is a local community beach that sits on the Chesapeake Bay.  The beach is close to my sister’s home and one in which she is very much a member of their community.  I have never had any problems when I would go to this beach and spent many hours just playing in the sand, swimming out to the bowies with my nephew, or doing handstands in the water with my niece, either way, it was a time for me to let all the cares and problems in life sort of melt away and just be surrounded with that which I love most, family and the open water.

This past weekend, when I happened to be in Maryland for a few days for an unexpected trip, I attempted to take my nephew and niece to this local beach to enjoy an afternoon of fun and pleasure, as we usually do on our excursions; however, I was met by incredibly rude, selfish/greedy, hateful, and mean people.  The people who live near the little community beach, (a man with a bald head) came out of his house and told me that I could not park on the side street.  I apologized, thanked him and my nephew, niece, and I began to get into my car and move it.  He came to the end of his driveway and said to me, “you shouldn’t even be here; I bet you’re not a member of the community.”  My reply to him was, “no sir, I am babysitting these children who are,” and he said “yeah right, that’s what they all say, and then they come and leave their beer cans and cigarette butts.”  My reply to him, “sir, I do not smoke, I do not drink, I do not do drugs, and I use Jesus as my role model, we are just trying to enjoy some fun on the water.”  He came to the end of his driveway and got very loud and irate and said, “You’re all perfect, we are all perfect, get real.”  I knew, at that moment, to just get in my car before I said something I may regret.  I couldn’t believe it, I had been coming to this community beach for years, I was with two young kids, I am very respectful and polite, and I just wanted to enjoy the bay, which I terribly missed.  I got into my car, and I burst out in tears..I just couldn’t understand how people could be so mean, greedy, and unwelcoming; this is something I am not used to at all.  You see, in WV 99% of people would welcome you with open arms, and give you the shirt off their backs, and never ever in a million years would they deny you something that they knew would make you so incredibly happy yet not really affect them in any way.  WOW, I thought, this just confirms my feelings of “city folks” being rude, selfish, and only out for them.  Two days, in a row, I tried to go to this beach and was met, both times, by two different individuals who told me I did not belong there.  What gets me even more is my sister helps out with all of their local community events in their community, participates in the parades, helps out with the “strawberry festival” that is held every year at the beach, and her children go to school and play various sports in that area, so they are VERY MUCH A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY. 

One thing I am very proud of is my ability to hold it in, and not act on my emotions, no one will change me, and I will continue to meet rudeness, hate, or any other “devilish” ways with love.  I will not allow myself to mirror their ways, nor will I allow myself to react to their behaviors.  I take pride in knowing that I am true to no one but myself and the fact that I will never let anything anyone says or does to me change the way I act…which is out of love.  I am not confident with the person I am, nor do I have anything to prove to anyone about who I am or what I stand for.  I know myself better than anyone else who may claim to, and I can tell you. I am darn proud of the person I am, my actions and choices, and more so, my ability to always act out of LOVE!

This blog is meant to be somewhat of a shout out to the people of WV.  You were leery of accepting me into your community at first, but you have always shown me the benefit of the doubt!  The sense of belonging and community that I feel here is much like that of a large family.  People here are supportive, caring, kind, and always looking for ways to serve and help others.  I hope you all realize what a wonderful gift you guys offer to the world!  Here where people may not have the nicest homes or cars, the best paying jobs, or a college degree…but they have much much more…way more than all you city folk will ever have, the ability to share, help, give back, and you support and encourage one another, these are the qualities that you are sending to your youth, no matter what type of education or jobs they have, they will be raised with these qualities which mean far, far more than anything, especially in this critical time for our nation and economy.  Those city folk who have nice new beamers, and big homes, but are selfish and greedy, you know what, when things collapse, it is going to be us that stand strong because we are UNITED and cherish and love one another just as much as we do our own families.

I always say that there is nothing we can’t do….US, a million lower status, lower financial bracket, but huge hearted people with good intentions, will rise far above those few individuals in the world that own 80% of it, because when it comes down to it, money cannot buy true support, love, belonging, and sincere, honest, and trustworthy individuals.  I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you, but just because people have money, it does not mean that you can get all that you want…yeah, you may be able to buy those supporters, friends, legal team, campaigns, real estate, etc. but when it comes to it, you really can’t buy people, and guess what, if you can, then you are buying people with absolutely no moral, ethical, or value guidelines….lol not quite the type of people id ever want on my side!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that is for my fellow lovers, the ones that believe in hard work, supporting one another, second chances, compassion, reaching out, and sharing what we do have in order to make a better world.  It’s the people who try, whether it be through hard work, encouraging/inspiring goodness in others, helping others to have their needs or overcome challenges, or just a kind word or gesture….Please, please, please do not let anyone ever change that in you because the world terribly needs people like you will stand strong in the face of adversary, challenges, and oppositions!  God bless <3

Love Is the Religion

In today's societies, it seems to me as not only do people view themselves as the center of the world, but also people tend to view their ways, culture, ideas, race, etc. as being better or above others.

There is a name for individuals like this and their practices, its called "ethnocentrism."

ETHNOCENTRISM, the definition:  characterized by or based on the attitude that one's own group is superior.

As people become self actualized (which can only be done through introspection), they should be able to realize just how much of a unique individual they are.  Exploring the meaning of "who am I?" should also help to make people aware of the same aspects and unique individuality's that make up the people in the world around us.

I could never think of myself as better than anyone around me, whether they are rich or poor, a doctor or a dropout, a homeless person or an owner of a mansion, a christian or an atheist.none of this matters, what does matter; however, is what is in a person's heart.  The aura and energies that a person puts off to the world around them is the most important determining factor in whether or not i am going to appreciate this person.  When a person is true to who they are, not falling into social norms or allowing themselves to be a product of their environment, it is a real breath of fresh air because these individuals are the ones who stay true to themselves, not ever allowing outside forces to change who they are as a person.  This is self confidence!

I think it is a good thing to always refrain from allowing yourself to be identified by the group that surrounds you, fall into a stereotypical category, or become involved in any type of cliques.  I have found, from my past experiences, that it is best to play neutral and not pick a specific side, clique, group, or culture because all that is going to do is limit your environments, social circles, and give you "tunnel vision."  I mean if you think about it, any group or label, a person will never fall under all the beliefs, theories, traits, or methods of a specific group or label...so why not choose to be you self, be unique, and mix and match all of the things in life that you agree with, truly agree and identify with, from your heart?

It is a liberating feeling...to allow yourself to be led by your heart....total 100 percent FREE WILL to live life just how you choose. 

I know that religion is one of those topics that seem to act as a barrier and separator of individuals, which is such a shame.  I know that I, myself, choose to pray to Jesus (i am a christian) however, i tend to relate so much more to the Indians (the Earth and it's elements), and my spirituality and many of my practices come from Buddhism and Taoism.  Why should i limit myself to only one type of religions practice?  Instead, i allow myself to try new things, experience new experiences, and really keep an open mind, and as i do this, i allow my heart and soul carry me and decide what practices work best for myself.  One thing is for sure and Ziggy Marley said it best...."LOVE IS MY RELIGION"

The only way that people are going to truly be happy in life is if they are able to decide what is best for themselves, not being told how to do things, who they should be, how they should think and behave, what religion to practice, how different social statuses should act, what they should be when they grow up, what college they should attend to, who they should date or marry, how they should dress, how they should raise their children, etc.  This is all BULLSHIT.  People should be able to look within and decide these things on their own. 

Much of my life i lived life in this way..how i thought i should act, who others wanted me to be, fit in with the crowds, make my parents proud, etc. and it did nothing but fill me with a feeling of confusion, i felt lost, and i felt like i could never  measure up.  Now, i play by my own rules..i decide all of these things and i have come to really know my strengths, my weaknesses, my abilities and gifts, my limitations, and what i desire out of life....for no other reason than it makes me happy, its who i want to be, where i want to go, how i want to act, and because it keeps me filled with that inner peace and contentment that i am living life on my own terms. 

Its funny because being raised just outside of Baltimore and DC, i grew up being exposed to all kinds of different cultures, races, religions, music, financial brackets, and much more.  I now realize just how lucky i was to be exposed to these things because it allowed me to experience many different things, people, and places which allowed me to have an open mind, be non judgemental, and brought so much beauty and variety into my life.  Since moving back to WV about five years ago, and working with at risk youth in placement, i have come to realize how sheltered people in this state are.  Many of these youth, in fact, were raised by very biased and ethnocentric families.  Being in this field of work, i am able to help expose these same children to some really neat things that i have learned while growing up, that hopefully will spark their interest to want to learn more and embrace diversity.  I know that one day i am going to have a huge family of my own, i plan to adopt, and i want a family with tons of color and culture.  I would love to have a child of every race and culture so that i can bring up these children with my same loving, compassionate, caring, and moral/ethical standards so that they can connect with others, from all over the world, and carry on our legacy.....to bring people together and show people the beauty in diversity, love, and acceptance.

Recently i had a little debate with someone over religion and how two people of different religions wouldn't last in a relationship.  Of course i had to disagree with that statement.  So then the person said, "well what about when you have children, you will fight about how you will raise them."

Well i have very strong feelings on this issue.  First of all, when you marry it is because you love them..for who they are as a person, their heart, their compassion, their humor, their morals, character, etc. and not for any other reason.  All else is irrelevant, people should be able to accept the opinions and views of a loved one if they love all the things i have just listed.  It is what is in the heart that matters.....Nothing more.  Okay, i am idealistic, and i DO BELIEVE THAT LOVE CONQUERS!

Back to my thoughts on religion...I do not think that i would have the same faith in my God had i been forced to believe in him or his practices.  My God led me to him..synchronocities, and small steps, he brought me to him, never through force, but through inspiration and spiritual wonders that could not be explained any other way than by the magic of God.  Looking back on my journey, God left me signs at every fork in the road and when i had faith in him, he showed me signs of his power, feelings within myself that were that above any kind of ecstasy that i have ever experienced.  It was as i was being filled with the nature of his being. Now there is no doubt in my mind as to who is my creator.

Had i been forced into church at a young age, and not discovered my God for myself, i cannot say that i would have the same total and complete faith and belief in him.  So this brings me to "someday" when i will raise my own children, i would never want to force (and especially argue) with my beloved on how to raise this child...i would rather my child find their God on their own.  And as far as arguing/fighting with a loved one is concerned...the only thing that i feel is ever worth my fighting for is:
 
1.  A person who is harming another (mentally, physically, emotionally)

or

2.  A person set out with negative or harmful intentions.. because i feel like all the rest of the things in the world that people argue about are only because they feel the need to prove a point due to their "i am the center of the world" perspective or ethnocentrism.

So, when you find yourself arguing with another person, i ask you to take a time out and think about what the person and your own intentions are <3

Please come to your own, become your own unique individual and allow the same respect for all the people in your life and in this world and learn to practice FREE WILL and blaze you own path!  Blessings.

Living in the moment

Synchronicity, the definition:  the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality.


Do you ever feel like, at times, life is going in reverse?  Its funny how, if you pay attention, the universe will speak to you, to guide and direct you, to let you know you are one the right or wrong track, and even inspire you to believe.  The only problem...You must be living in the "now" to notice these signs and synchronocities.  In my past, i never realized that i wasn't living in the "now," as i went about my daily life, but since becoming self actualized, I see signs everywhere!  Synchronocities that let me know that i am on the right track, that my love is being mirrored back to me, and that the Universe knows my wants, desires, and hopes for the future.  Even now, as i think back upon the past, i realize that these signs and other signs were there all along, i was just zooming past them too quickly to pay attention to them.

This is what i mean when i say that i feel like my life is going backwards at times.  With all the serendipity and synchronocities that surround me in my everyday life, it is impossible for me to not believe in the power of magic.  The signs letting me know that i am living on purpose, that there is a fate and destiny made up of all of my dreams and desires, that God that has led me to this point in my life, and the ability to turn my life over to that God and allow the Universe to deliver me to my wildest fantasies and lands of magical and mystical wonders where my imagination can run free.  There has been too many signs along my journey that could never be explained by simple facts, and could only be justified in knowing that there is a higher power, deity, and force that is working with the Universe to see that I am living the life that was meant for me!

Lately, with my spiritual rebirth, I have found myself living more in the moment.  It's a great feeling, not to worry or focus so much about the future.  It allows me the opportunity to really appreciate the beauty that surrounds me, in each moment, of my everyday life.  Do i think about my dreams, hopes, and plans for the future?  Of course, i just don't focus on them to the point that it causes me unnecessary stress or deny me the opportunity to appreciate and experience the "now" that is right in front of me.  In fact, i can honestly say that I am completely content, and i would be fine if my life ended at this very moment for the simple fact that i have already experienced what takes others a lifetime of  soul searching to accomplish and what many may never accomplish which is connecting with my soul or my higher conscious.  Living life in this higher dimension allows me the ability to think, respond, and behave based on thoughts and direction from my superego rather than my ID or my ego!

Its pretty awesome, i must say, to reach this point of inner peace and contentment in my life.  A feeling and destination that can only be reached, by the way, by having the courage to go peel away the layers of your being, and journey to the absolute core within yourself.  I believe this is the reason why so many people live unhappy lives, are never satisfied, or live out of greedy tendencies, because they allow things, outside of themselves, define who they are as an individual.  I am not going to sit here and pretend that life has always been easy for me, or lead you to think that i was always this confident because i know that i used to make this same mistake....what school will i transfer to?  what career path do i want to follow?  where do i want to move (because i am not happy here)?  when will i find the love of my life?  why don't they like me?  why cant or when am i going to get that promotion?  etc....these are all questions that every person deals with, no matter their age, culture, status, or race, at some point in their lives.  If a person is able to muster up the courage to journey deep within themselves,  evaluate themselves properly, and view themselves from an unbiased perception, as well as have the resilience, determination, and strength to go through the change or metamorphosis and become the person that they were meant to be, then all other challenges in life will seem to be a breeze and you will conquer mountain after mountain, challenge after challenge, and even when faced with a loss or failure, you will still view it as a "win" because of all that you have learned from the experience.  These individuals realize that nothing outside of ourselves will ever mean anything as compared to what lies within them, the nature of their being, and all that makes up their spiritual and emotional existence. 

Since i have set out on my journey, through reflection, i can honestly say that i am exactly who i want to be....in fact, i view myself as a hero.  Never once have i let a failure or challenge hold me back, and if a way was unclear, i kept my eye on the goal/finish line and made up my own rules and ways to accomplish the goal, in fact, there are many mountains i still hope to climb and with each victory, i am that much closer to winning the game known as MY LIFE!  I hold myself to the highest standards, i stick to my morals/ethics/and character, i am super confident, and with the trust in my heart, my being, and my God, i know that i will always be led to the answers i am searching for.  My heart is my superego (and also my conscious) and i have learned to trust it one hundred percent because, thus far, it has always steered me in the right direction.  I have always figured out a way to do things, and the "cursed hows" soon become lost in the background! (Thanks Mike Dooley, you are an inspiration to me)  In fact, i have came to realize that I can have everything i want in life, as well as accomplish all of my dreams, all without having to step on anyones toes, competing with anyone, or cheating, lying, or pushing my way to the top.

I do not think any of this would be possible had i not focused inward and built my character, morals, views, opinions, etc. ground up...myself.  You see, for many years i lived off of what i thought others wanted or was acceptable (without even realizing it BTW, this took reflection), conditioning by my parents, social standards, etc.   I actually had to go inside of myself, tear down all of those preconceived notions, theories, and opinions, and i was actually able to decide exactly who i wanted to become....And viola, here i am, the superhero of my own story...the person i pictured that i would become many years ago...and let me tell you, what a liberating feeling.  Better yet, no one will ever change me, I will only allow myself to be changed if i feel the need or find a better way, but always, these changes will be based upon feelings of gratitude, love, and compassion that comes from my heart.  I will use my morals, ethics, and character as a firm base upon which i will build the rest of my life! 

Back to the present moment...........

With this pride in who i am as an individual comes a feeling of contentment in knowing, through the laws of attraction, that with a core and energy field based on love, the Universe will deliver the same individuals and experiences right back to me..My optimistic outlook will be mirrored in my surroundings and happiness and love will always surround me.  As far as my future is concerned..who cares about the details, I already have more than i could ask for..all the things that money could never buy..self esteem and worth, a loving and supportive family, a life on purpose, strong and healthy relationships, my eyes to see everything that mother earth has blessed us with, and the ability to choose my own direction/future.  What more could i ever ask for?  This gives me all the confidence in the world and in my future in knowing that i embody peace, love, happiness, and harmony; therefore, i will be blessed with the same in my surroundings.  Take that you cursed "hows"!!!!!!!!

With this inner peace, i am able to truly live and love each moment.  Its amazing how much things change, and how you realize all of the little details, natural wonders, and bits and peaces of beauty that surrounds your everyday life that you never paid much attention to before.

Such a free and liberating feeling, to no longer be bogged down by expectations, feelings, thoughts, stressors, etc. and the ability to see the world through a child's eyes once again.

The world, is not a picture or a sight that i view through my eyes but rather, a living breathing organism that affects each and every inch of time and space in front of me, behind me, and around me that i am able to witness with every sense within my body..sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.  With this great ability, and my senses feeling  multiplied by a thousand, suddenly it is as if I can not turn my head fast enough,that i cannot possibly take in all the feelings of gratitude as my eyes dart back and forth in awe at the "life," , energy, and beauty that my eyes rest upon.

As i look into the distance at the gigantic and wondrous lush green mountain tops, i am engulfed by a strong feeling of warmth and belonging.  My eyes then are carried to the eagle that soars freely in the vast open ocean of blue above me.  Then there is the butterfly that steals my attention by flying in my eyesight.  Staring, in ecstasy, at the colorful deity, my eyes follow it as it continues on its journey and meets up with its fellow butterflies then lands on a flower that is in the midst of its blooming.  I smile to myself as i realize that these butterflies are a symbol of angels as i attach personalities to each of them of my past loved ones, knowing that they are meeting to share their lives once again which brings me an overwhelming feeling of joy.  A long heartfelt sigh is released from my lips as i shut my eyes and turn my face towards the sky, as i allow the warmth of the sun to land upon my face as if it was welcoming me with a kiss.  The warmth, passion, joyful thoughts, and gratitude i feel for my God in creating such wonders allows me to be overwhelmed with joyful and wondrous thoughts.  Suddenly, a gust of wind blows through my hair, almost as if Gaia is whispering in my ears, telling me to open my eyes.  As i slowly open my eyes, i am greeted with gigantic, textured, white, fluffy clouds.  This brings more feelings of joy as my eyes skip from cloud to cloud, trying to identify their shapes like my brother and i used to do when we were children.  My eyes capture a very unique cloud, one that resembles Valcor, the luck dragon from the movie "Never Ending Story"  floating above me in the sky.  My imagination goes in overdrive as wanders as i imagine the dragon scooping me up and flying me across the sky to visit the Oracle who will tell me how to save the kind people of our world.  I have to smile to myself, at this thought, as i realize that this, too, is a synchronicity because my life, views, and theories about life revolve around metaphysics and the "oracle."  In the next moment, the clouds part, sending a ray of sunlight, like a rainbow, on the land in front of me.  The sunlight hits the water of a creek below, causing the water to twinkle like diamonds with the sparkle of the sun.  My ears take notice of the calming noise of the water rushing over the rocks, the same water that a baby deer is exploring for what could be the first time in its life.   I giggle as i realize that everytime i see a baby deer, i relate it to Disney and instantly want to name it "Bambi."  Once again, i am frozen, in awe as a bunny joins the deer at the brook, how odd, now i have "Thumper" to join my fantasy in nature, a fantasy that is all but that, a fantasy.  Such a beautiful sight that it is hard to believe is my reality, and in living color..right in front of my face!   Suddenly the bunny snaps me back to the moment as it scurries across my feet, its cute little poofy tail bouncing up and down as its little butt carries the rest of it towards its underground den beneath the Earth.  WOW! 

The amount of love and happiness i feel with these sights is immeasurable.  I throw myself on the ground, allow myself to sink in the grass, and smile to myself because i know that I am one of the few individuals that are blessed enough to be able to succumb to the moment and feel it for all of its love and worth that it was meant for.  The love and gratitude that i feel for all of the forms of life and organisms that surround me!

When you live in this "in the moment" way, you tend to pick up on all the little signs, and synchronocities that the Universe sends your way.  I always follow my intuition, and i know that i must do everything in my power to save the beautiful wonders that surround me.  To find a way to help them see the light, to want to work together, and inspire others to see the beauty and worth in all the living things on this Earth.  Whether it be people, animals, flowers, plants, bugs, the sunshine, clean air, etc. i know that i must advocate for the well being of these things because it is my connectedness with them that allows my being to be at peace, my heart to feel complete.  It is these living organisms and my connectedness with them and the world around me that determines my happiness; therefore, my fate.

I guess it is part of my Cherokee Indian heritage, but i have always felt more at home and in tune with the Earth, its elements, and the animals.. and so it is my destiny to always be at one with them. 

Its funny how when you disappear for long periods of time, so that you can find yourself, others will call you conceited, selfish, or other self centered names (believe me I've heard it said about me when they didn't even know i was listening) but what they don't realize is that when you take this time to focus inward, it only connects you more, with greater passion, to all that surrounds you.

The Journey

I have spent the past few years growing as an individual, and went through so many changes hence the Phoenix symbol of rebirth above.  I do not think I would be able to be the person I am today had I not took the time needed to truly get to know myself.  My friends probably thought I was lame, and often wondered what I was doing when I would turn down their offers to go out on the town with them, but i knew that if i wanted to become the best person I could be, i really needed to take a look at my life, my views, my opinions, my habits, my thoughts, my theories, my ideas, my perceptions, etc. and determine what parts of me that i wanted to keep, what parts were to be part of my "past", what parts i wished for my future, and what parts i would abandon altogether.

My journey inwards began when i started working with at risk youth.   Before this time, I had always thought i cared about myself, but i soon noticed that i did not hold myself in high regards, whether for myself or for others.  Let me explain, at first, the changes i decided to make within myself were for all the wrong reasons. (Well not totally)  I knew that if i was going to be the best role model for the children i was working with, i would have to learn to practice what i preached and take on somewhat of a "hero" type role.  So rather than making the positive changes myself (i guess i didn't see myself as worth the effort, which i would later realize), i made the changes for the children i helped counsel.  These children were very important to me, and i was able to see some of me in each of their stories.  My heart went out to them, and there was nothing in this world that i wanted more than to see them become successful, be loved and love others, and go from a victim to a survivor. 


I have never been one to be two faced or hold double standards so i knew that if i was going to be the best possible role model for these youth, they would have to trust, admire, and connect with me.  I also knew that this would be completely impossible unless I practiced what preached and did not ask more from them than i was willing to do myself.  For this reason, i always say that the children have helped me far more than i have ever helped them.  There were many times, in fact, that i would start to confront them or address them on certain issues but would quickly put a foot in my mouth because I would realize...."wait a minute Kelli, you do that." then I would think to myself, if i don't want them to do these things, then maybe i shouldn't be doing them.  I would then attempt to make the changes, and if my life improved or it seemed to help my life in some way, then i wouldn't have to feel guilty about addressing them for these same things.  Another bonus to this method was i was able to explain to the youths that i used to do the same thing, how i tested the method and made changes, and give them specific examples of how my life had improved.  I feel that many kids respected me because i remained on their level, never asking more of them than i was willing to do myself.

With these small changes, and some introspection on my behalf, i soon realized that the more i focused on myself, the better i was able to become.  I feel like this was the main focus of all of my positive changes.  This is when i stopped blaming things on prior experiences, my past, or anything else outside of myself.  This was my key, introspection.  At first i thought i needed to focus on others problems in order to help them, but i soon realized the best way to help them was to first focus inward, down to every last detail of who i was, why i was the way i was, my thoughts, why i thought the way i thought, my feelings, why i have those feelings, my opinions, passions, desires, morals, character traits, and reasons for all of those traits.  The best way to explain it is i really had to think about thinking...i mean view things from my perspective, others perspectives, and from a third person perspective.

This meant that i not only had to think about and identify all these things about my life, who i was, my being, existence, and all the matter and energies surrounding me, but i also had to think about why i feel, think, and view things in the way that i do.  This involved a ton of thinking, thinking about thinking, and then thinking some more, then doing all of these thinkings all over again, from all the different perspectives.  Whew!!! 

Talk about an exciting journey.  My friends used to laugh, but i meant it when i said  that I have spent the last four years dating myself.  I think many of the problems between individuals, communication problems, and reasons for conflict and misunderstandings result from individuals being too concerned with others.. whether it be a concern for what others are doing, or dating or getting to know others, people are always spending their time concerned about others rather than focusing inwards first which would have the ability of creating much happier and healthier relationships and better understanding of everyone around you. 

Some people could call it conceitedness, self centered or anything else of the sorts, and i think that so many people attribute focusing on ourselves as being a negative and selfish thing, when in fact it is the best thing that can happen to a person and the people who associate with them.  Only when one focuses inwards are they then able to become centered and recognize how much we are all connected to and affect one another...not just one another, but every living piece of matter on this earth! 

During the four years of dating myself, i have grown to be a confident, optimistic, self actualized, caring, compassionate, patient, and understanding person, one who i am very proud of and would never settle for anything less than the best.  Although at times on my journey, it may have been a little lonely at times, it was well worth the effort because i have been able to become the "hero" in my own story, and better yet, i do not need anyone else to acknowledge that fact, nor do i need recognition from others because i know the amount of effort it took, and the courage and determination it took me to make the changes i have.  It was not an easy path, there were many parts of me that i had to face, my shadow side, and even parts of my past that i was less than proud of, but i knew that pretending they weren't there would not change things, so i took the bull by the horns, faced it head on, and was able to move on.  There was also many wonderful parts of myself that i had never acknowledged or noticed before which helped to build my self esteem. 

I can honestly say that i am 100% me, all true and authentic and of my own making at this point in my life.  All my thoughts, views, opinions, and theories are that of my own and i accept the fact that not everyone will agree with me; however, that is what makes us all unique right.  That was a main problem in my life, the thing that kept me from becoming self actualized/realized, because i accepted what others told me, the status quo, and followed others ways instead for following what was true and real inside of myself.  In order to find that part of me so that i was able to become authentic, i had to determine that every thought and view within me was of my own liking.  This meant i had to identify and evaluate everything i have ever known.  I had to decide if the things were conditioned in me from a young age, social norms, peer pressure, media influence, culture, or standards.  Once i was able to identify the source of my thoughts, views, theories, opinions,  then i had to educate, educate, educate myself on the topic, gaining the most amount of knowledge on the topic as possible from many different perspectives and sources, then i focused inward and followed my own heart so that i was able to find the "truth for me" on every topic i encountered.

Now its all comes second nature to me.  I love to learn, i will be a lifelong learner.  Every time i encounter a topic I'm not familiar with, i educate myself; however, i am more quickly able to come up with an opinion by trusting in my heart.  There is no longer a need for so much layers of introspection because i have already went in that deep and focused on my core, now i can trust in that core energy (love) and allow the layers of me to determine my direction.  Once one has focused inward and become the true and authentic self, they understand and accept others much better and more freely because they are able to realize the uniqueness in their own nature and relate it to the appreciation for others same uniqueness.  No longer is there anything to prove, and a feeling of peace and contentment accompanies your every though and action because you are aware that every behavior is and outward reaction to what lies within you...the power of love, and all your actions are through good intentions and hopes for all that surrounds you.  Your morals, ethics, character are 100% in check and everything you do, you do it with a clear conscious because you know it is based on good intentions and anyone who may question that fact doesn't bother you one bit because you have already proved it to your toughest critic......YOURSELF!!!!!!!


I hope that every person on this Earth, and beyond begins a journey inwards because the end result of ENLIGHTMENT is the most magical, blessed, and significant experience that one could ever experience.  In fact, all of your worries just sort of seem to melt away and you are no longer focused on the past, or what you'll do in the future(causes of most stress), instead you are living "in the moment" which makes everything so much more beautiful.  It is as if my senses are heightened, the colors are vivid, the air ever so refreshing, the grass between your toes feels like the most plush carpet, all the little creatures and earthly wonders are suddenly brought to the forefront, and it is as if you can talk to the elements of nature, the spirits of the dead, the you of your future, and feel completely embraced by the LOVE THAT SURROUNDS EVERYTHING that surrounds you.

Blessings for your journey!

Here is a link to my other blog that has many of the workings and writings that i did on my journey towards enlightment <3
http://lovemagicenlightment.blogspot.com/