Tuesday, August 24, 2010

"I want to be a billionaire..."

I am sure that if you have children, you have heard this song to the point where you are singing this song in your REM sleep mode; even if you don't have children, you have probably heard this song to the point that you have each and every word memorized.

Anyways...

Why start a blog entry with this title? I found myself humming this song and had to stop and think...what the heck am I doing that for?! Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was doing laundry and cleaning, but I wish there was a song more spiritual or down to earth that would be so deeply memorized by my brain than that particular song. Then I started thinking about it, as is my way, analyzing the song, me, my children, society as a whole, etc...

So what conclusion did I come to? In these hard times, everyone is praying for a miracle. I know I'm guilty of buying a lottery ticket praying all the while that it will be a winner. But is money the solution to happiness? Sure it buys comfort, objects of desire, but does it buy peace? family security and unity? So I asked myself, why are you singing this song?

Well, it does have a beat one can move to - benefit to that is exercise. For me, the other benefit, is to define what or why do I want to be a "billionaire". I went through the gamut of benefits from siding being repaired that is rapidly deteriorating to reupholstering furniture that either my children or the dog have had "accidents" on to paying of business loans not to mention credit cards, but then a light went off somewhere in these thoughts...

If I or someone I love were to not be here tomorrow, for whatever reason, would siding matter? would furniture matter? clothes? jewels? I heard a resounding NO in my head!

Thank God for the roof over our heads, the health of our children, loved ones, friends; thank God for furniture to sit on and for the food that we can nourish our bodies with. In essence, I am a "billionaire", I just need to remind myself of that.

My prayer is for the world to have such blessings; I pray your lives are filled with billions of reasons to be grateful...and as for the song, sing and dance to it for the shear fun of it...it does have a "catchy" beat...and by the way, who wouldn't want to be on the cover of "Forbes magazine sitting next to Oprah and the Queen" - only problem, what would I wear?! Guess I'll cross that bridge when I need to even if it is only in my dreams ;-)!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Nest

So tonight, after what seems like months, I went out with the "ladies"... "girls night out" if you will. The birthday girl had chosen a restaurant named Nest. The company was delightful and the food was wonderful as was the ambiance, but I kept reflecting on the name.

What would prompt three male owners to name their restaurant this...Nest? Whatever their reasons may have been, I formulated my own. An environment that felt peaceful especially when combined with the company of friends. I felt like I was in a nest waiting to hatch in this warm place - that place deep within each of us. Was it the food? the service? the company that I was with? Probably all contributed to that feeling of warmth; wanting to "hatch" - to talk, to share, to grow - in an environment that felt soothing. Maybe it was seeing friends after awhile and just letting down "one's hair". In any regard, it was a night that felt safe and right.

Friendships with depth are hard to come by; friendships where one can share life's ups and downs and yet feel safe are also hard to achieve, but if you are fortunate, you encounter those rare exceptions and in a "nest" you can feel the warmth and "hatch" freely. The "scary" part is leaving that nest and facing ones realities - flying as it were.

Here's to being nurtured and loved in a nest and knowing that you are free to fly at your own pace and when you are ready. Here's to hoping that the three men that named their restaurant were thinking the same things I was...is that possible, for men to have that depth of expression and thought? I can only hope so.

Going to bed with the imagery of what I hope everyone can feel - security, peace, and openness in an enclosed and safe environment. A home where the walls encompass peace and warmth; where the "eggs"/humans within can grow. Going to bed with the hope that every home is a nest even though I know reality bodes otherwise.

If birds can so willingly and consciously not to mention without thought or malice build such secure homes...why can't humanity? My hope is that we can...simple, strong, secure nests to house hearts, minds and souls. A wondrous thought to envision and pray for....


Monday, August 16, 2010

Rock Bottom

I was listening to a commencement speech that a friend forwarded to me that JK Rowling's (the author of Harry Potter) had made at the 2008 Harvard University graduation. She entitled the speech, the "Fringe Benefits of Failure." I laughed and cried - more of the latter, I hate to admit. Her speech was inspiring to me on so many levels, I have to admit that one of my favorite and inspirational lines that she spoke was that "rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

It is my favorite because too often we view "rock bottom" as a place to wallow, feel self-pity and also a place we just decide to stay. God knows I viewed it as such... but to change my perspective on this very poignant imagery "rock bottom", to view it as a solid foundation to rebuild ones life is so inspirational. In essence, there is no "rock bottom"; the earth supports us metaphorically and literally. What an eye opening thought!

"Stripping the inessential" as Rowling's said, also resonated with me. If you just look at the words - take away or rather, throw away, all that is unimportant to what life is truly all about. To pursue, seek and search ones inner quest and to not be afraid of failure because the earth supports us is such an empowering thought.

She continues to say that some failure in life is inevitable and that if you live so cautiously that you do not fail then you are truly not living - "in which case, you [have] failed by default". I repeated that part of her speech over and over again before moving on. I believe she wasn't implying that we should fail, but that taking risks is what life is about. To live, to take chances, to see the world for its possibilities, to not be burdened or inhibited by others views/expectations - I believe that is what she meant by "failure" in that particular part of her speech.

Why quote or even write about this speech that took place over two years ago? Well, first of all, it was just brought to my attention; but second, and most importantly, as I struggle with my day to day "failures" and view them as something horrific or tragic, I am prompted to try and see it in a different light. I have replayed this speech over what seems like a million times... I am inspired to view "rock bottom" as planet earth/God/mother earth/nature... you choose your own definition, as my foundation not my grave. That my "failures" were meant to happen... how else can I move forward? How else can I touch another person or spark another individual's imagination (which, by the way, is the second "lesson" she inspired her listeners to seek in her speech) ... even if that individual may only be my four year old?!

www.ted.com/talks/jk_rowling_the_fringe_benefits_of_failure.html

I am including the url for you to decide for yourself. I write to encourage myself and those who may read what I write; to view life differently as I try to myself. I may have to "dig" (forgive me on my metaphorical analogies) a little deeper to see a little further, but I don't fear that and pray you don't either.

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I am a mother to four beautiful children who have taught me more than I believe I have taught them; they have also been the inspiration to the products I have developed to help pregnant and nursing moms.