Blissed & Blessed...

Forty-three years ago today, a baby girl was born. She grew up to be the woman I am today.



I called my mother this morning to say "Merci, Mame!" Thank you for giving me Life. She was reminiscing... She entered the hospital on a Friday night and I was born by c-section the next day. She did not have heavy labour pains, apparently. I was a wee thing, weighing a mere 6 lbs 2 on. After I was born, my father said: "Merci." (She still remembers that part clearly.) We spent the next 11 days at the hospital. My dad was so excited when he came to pick us up that he locked the keys in the car. But obviously, it all worked out in the end! :-)

Fast forward to this past weekend... I spent some time with a wise woman, a friend who happens to be 20 months into her cancer journey. Her perspective is amazing. Her cancer has been a powerful teacher. She now knows, without a doubt, that - in her words - it's all about the Love!

I believe her. On this day, my birthday, I am blissed and blessed. I am loved by family & friends... and I recognize the presence of God/Love as being the energy that guides my Life.

Pace e bene,

What it's all about...

No turkey...

No stuffing...

No mashed potatoes with gravy...

but PLENTY of Thanksgiving!

Today, I give thanks for:

• an evolving relationship with a God beyond my understanding
• a healthy and strong body that supports me in living the Life I seek
• a life partner who just shakes his head and stays with me anyway :-)
• a functionally dysfunctional family always willing to Love
• my friends
• my home
• my community
• my creativity
• my Life.

We went for a drive today to look at the Fall colours and, at every corner, I gasped like I had never seen anything so beautiful. I kept on thinking: Life is good. How the hell did I get so lucky?!

Thanksgiving - it's really not about the turkey.

pace e bene,

Immersing myself...

IMMERSED (by John D. Engle Jr.)

Immersed in infinite energy and love,
I'm part of the eternal flow of things.
No matter when or where or how I move,
whether on earth with wheels or in air with wings,
I am a part of everything that is,
all that has been, or ever will be.
Designed by the dreams of all the divinities,
all beauty and all truth are mixed in me.
Knowing this, I shed by shell of doubt,
until free in the freedom of the one Mind
and linked to laws of love, I go about
fulfilling that for which I was designed,
which is to sing myself and try to share
the loveliness of which I am aware.

I came across this poem as part of my Lenten reading & journalling activities, and it resonated with me. I love the reference to my being designed "to sing myself" - I don't need to change who I am, I just need to go home to my original song and sing it for all to hear.

This theme of "immersion" also aligns with a thought-provoking interview I listened to recently on the CBC's Tapestry. If you want to broaden your horizons on the concept of God - and the marriage of science and religion - set aside an hour or so and listen to what Michael Dowd has to say.

Pace e bene,