Beautiful - But Use Caution

 

I was going through pictures my granddaughter had uploaded from our recent vacation to Oregon.  This particular picture was taken at the Aquarium just south of Newport, Oregon.  For some reason this really caught my eye as something very peaceful and calming.  It certainly was something I spent several minutes watching while I was there, and I was glad she had taken the time to capture it on film. 

This evening as I reflected on these seemingly fragile creatures, I was awed again by their elegant beauty as they float along with such ease, inviting anyone or anything to draw nearer to investigate them further or be apart of their casual way of being free and just moving along slowly, unhurried, unstressed, free of cares.  Yet as inviting as they appear, it is good to remember that the beautiful, fine tendrils can be very deadly if one draws too near or ventures to touch them.

I couldn't help but think about how often life is much like these jelly fish.  We watch from afar, envying the ease with which we perceive others receive blessing, riches or what we might consider the good things of life.  From a distance we watch, wishing we could live the life they do, wanting to join them or be a part of their group, or enjoy the personal or financial freedom we think they have.   But get closer and sometimes we can get stung or hurt.  We may find they are less than honest and what you think they earned they took by taking advantage of others.   It may appear as though they are coasting through life happy and carefree but when we get closer we find they are lonely or fearful.  Just as the jelly fish immobilize their victims, these people's  depression zaps our personal reserves of energy, enjoyment or gifts until we feel completely drained and empty, unable to cope as we have done in the past.  Then like the jellyfish, once we are immobilized and they have taken from us all they can, they float on as though we were never there, leaving us to hopefully find a way to heal as they sting someone else who dares to come near.  Yet as we heal, we learn the greatest lessons.  Life is not always as it seems.  Sometimes what appears good is not. What appears enticing can be dangerous or deadly.    Be cautious of getting too near or rushing ahead too fast before we know what may happen.  Finally, sometimes what seems tragic brings insight and growth. 
May we all enjoy the beautiful things that surround us and that we come near.  May we learn to use caution and wisdom in our relationships.  May we enjoy many of the things we see without the need to be closer or be a part of.  My we be happy to sometimes just sit back and watch the beauty of life as it happens and feel joy when it appears to be good for others.  




 

Children Will Listen

"Children Will Listen"

from In The Woods

How do you say to your child in the night?
Nothing's all black, but then nothing's all white
How do you say it will all be all right
When you know that it might not be true?
What do you do?

Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see and learn
Children may not obey, but children will listen
Children will look to you for which way to turn
Co learn what to be
Careful before you say "Listen to me"

Children will listen.

Careful the wish you make
Wishes are children
Careful the path they take
Wishes come true, not free
Careful the spell you cast
Not just on children
Sometimes the spell may last
Past what you can see
And turn against you
Careful the tale you tell
That is the spell
Children will listen

How can you say to a child who's in flight
"Don't slip away and i won't hold so tight"
What can you say that no matter how slight Won't be misunderstood
What do you leave to your child when you're dead?
Only whatever you put in it's head
Things that you're mother and father had said
Which were left to them too
Careful what you say
Children will listen
Careful you do it too
Children will see
And learn, oh guide them that step away
Children will glisten
Tample with what is true
And children will turn
If just to be free
Careful before you say
"Listen to me"

Children will listen (repeat 3x)

(lyrics found at www:silyrics.com)

© STLyrics.com 2002 - 2010

Moment by Moment

This morning I want to thank my higher source for my ability at times to simply move from moment to moment without thought. I have learned in my home to take life moment by moment for I never know what the next moment will bring. I have to trust myself that all the parenting, spiritual and natural abilities will come into play without having to stop and ask myself what tools or lessons I am going to use, for seldom is there time to ponder on what to do.
It is probably a cliche' but a true one that sometimes one day is longer than another. I know in reality each day has the same number of minutes, but one day seems to move so quickly, time flies and moments blend together in rhythm and balance. Then there are days that seem to last forever or seem will never end, filled with moments of crisis, decisions, teaching, patience, forgiveness, guidance and responsibility. Why do days seem so different? The difference is in how I move from moment to moment, how I use the moments as they come along and who those moments are spent with.
Moments and minutes are not always the same. Every day has exactly 1,440 minutes to use. However every day does not have the same number of moments for a moment is not measured by time. A moment doesn't just pass, it occurs. A moment requires you to be present in some way for it to be. A moment can last from a few seconds to minutes, for it is the experiences or happening that defines it, not the time it lasts.
I feel blessed that the other evening I was able to move from moment to moment for most of the night with patience and faith in myself that whatever I did or said would be right in that moment There were a few moments, like when I allowed frustration and anger to appear in myself that I questioned whether I would handle the next moment correctly, but I realize that the frustration was what allowed me the strength to be firm in the next moment of confrontration and the anger gave me the desire to stand up for others in the following moment. I had to move from moment to moment without planning for between Cathy, Alex and Antonio there was to no time to think between the demands and experiences of the moments. What someone chose in one moment affected others in the next or required my presence in some way. One moment I had to decide how to deal with a 15 year old boy throwing a destructive temper tantrum and then comfort the hurt adult who is only trying to love this boy in-spite of the abuse she receives because of her efforts. One moment I needed to be firm and set a limit with an oppositional teen and the next I had to be silent as he packed to run away from home because he didn't think he should be asked to do what he was. As he stormed out the door, the moment was filled with questions and worries from those who loved him and I had to call on faith and hope, then the next moment decide which of two options would be the best use of my time, but before I could finish the project chosen, the boy returned and I my moment was filled with tears, anger and his words of despair and failure. Then on to create a new moment of caring and tenderness, filled with understanding of his pain, while showing him he could look at the same instances that were causing him pain and find the love and support that has always surrounded him. His life may not be what he would like it to be, but it so much better than he could ever have dreamt it to be. The difference is in how he chooses to look at the momement or what he chooses to focus on from the moments of his life. Then I got to move from the moments of understanding and connection to a moment of power struggle and then on to a moment of truce and then to moments of sharing things totally unrelated to the events of the earlier evening. Later moments flowed from moments of explanation to moments of request and on to to final moments of a 10 year olds day as she shared how much she loved her brother, but sometimes she had different feeleings, and how bad she felt when she had those moments of thought.
Moments moving are all too often not appreciated or recognized. I sometimes get so busy looking for an answer to my prayers of knowing how to handle or change something that I don't see my prayer is already being answered in how I am blessed in simply following inspiration, staying or creating peace and harmony amidst chaos, confusion and anger. Like others I am looking for a miracle to occur when what I really need is already being given to me moment by moment without my being aware I am being given the miracles in experiencing peace, patience, understanding, gratitude, forgiveness, strength, tolerance, love and countless more gifts and abilities.
Again, I express gratitude today for the moments of my life. I may not appreciate them all as they happen, but I know I am given them as a gift. How I choose to look at the moments as good or bad is up to me, for they have happened and continue to be given freely to use. I acknowledge that I receive far more than I am ever aware of or could express.