AU CONTRAIRE

I say “au contraire” because the world’s powers that be prefer we all think and act as lemmings…needy, highly malleable, conformable clay-like creatures that do exactly as told. (Unfortunately, even some of our religion fosters this attitude and behavior.) But do YOU believe that’s why we’re here? For me, the answer is a very hard no! To the contrary, in the broadest sense, I believe I’m here to evolve and expand along with you and the rest of the universe. (This, I believe, is the true purpose of religion.)

So. . .  

#1: I CONTINUALLY REMIND MYSELF: THIS IS EASY!...no matter what “this” is. In other words, having the right state of mind is absolutely paramount. (BTW: I don’t use a to-do list. I have a “This is easy!” list.) 

#2: I’M CONSCIOUSLY THANKFUL…or try to be! Nothing unlocks our creativity and generosity like a joyful, thanks-giving spirit. Nothing. 

#3: I KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS. The worst ones keep us thinking while the best lead to better and better questions…and insights. What a great way to expand.

#4: I SEE MYSELF AS A SCRIBE. Let Life/God/Universe/Inner Wisdom speak. Just listen, REALLY LISTEN. Quietly take good notes…verbatim. No filtering. No editing. Just write down what you hear. If it’s good, you’ll think about it later. (This is the essence and one of the key values of meditation.)

#5: I TRUST MYSELF! Again…I try…and train myself at this. We actually do a lot less of this than we think. Further, our culture teaches us NOT to trust ourselves. (See above.) But trust. Trust your gut, your intuition, your leadings. Trust the Voice…and voices you most highly value.

Being contrary can be a very good thing.

TODAY.

LET’S GIVE THE WORLD, EACH OTHER & OURSELVES A GIFT.

LET’S MAKE TIME TO THINK ABOUT BEING AU CONTRAIRE.

P.S. I’d love to hear what some of your top “au contraire’s” are. After all, we’re in this together.

HERALDS

It’s early morning. Still dark. I can barely see trees 

yet robins are a-hopping, hummingbirds a-humming. 

I decide I'm awake. Heat up a cup of cold-brew coffee.

Now a red squirrel chases its tail ‘round a huge jack pine. 

“Oh, that my life was that simple!” I say, sipping.

I sit down with my computer, glance up at the still waters, 

check email, phone messages, appointments, endless etcetera.

Hmm. The flowers already have their makeup on. 

Looks like the Black-eyed Susans stayed out late again. 

Will this be a good day or a “Get me outta here!”? 

Now I see a gaggle of one, two…seventeen Canadians

sashaying single-file down the lake to their feeding grounds.

My question to them: Why not fly? Minutes vs. hours.

But I haven’t seen any of them checking their smartwatches. 

Grand scheming, though, is my life any different? 

I, too, did this exact same thing yesterday morning. 

Here come the chipmunk twins for breakfast. 

Can’t they read the sign? BIRDS ONLY! Seriously!

Why don’t I see any of them checking their calendars, 

their to-do lists, social media accounts or finances?

To my overthinking mind their lives seem enviably simple,

yet they, too, are fulfilling some larger-than-life purpose 

just by doing what they’re doing, aren’t they? My guess is yes. 

In fact, they’re doing it right now. With me. To me. For me.

Breaking in. Breaking through. Breaking up. Breaking forth.

Heralding a different way of being in the world.

Each of them. All of them. Messengers from on high. 

Some of them even have wings.