Peace I Give

"Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." ~ John 20:21

Peace is a cherished word for me. I sign off my blog posts with it because if I could wish someone anything, that would be it. The Psalmist today encourages us to be glad in this day that the Lord has made. I see joy and peace linked inextricably. With peace, joy will come.

Jesus appears amongst the apostles today and wishes them peace. All but Thomas are there. Poor Thomas! He must have been so frustrated to learn he missed this event. I am sure his peace was undone when he heard that the others had seen the Risen Christ. How often do we let our peace unravel rather than be happy for the opportunities that others have? When we doubt ourselves and the circumstances we find ourselves in, once again peace crumbles. If we wish others well and trust that all will be well, peace rules in our hearts.

Peace, Jesus reminds us today, is not meant to be kept just for ourselves. The Risen Lord sends us out to share that peace so that all may know it. He breathes on his disciples and bestows upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peace I give you; peace, I leave you. This peace is a gift unlike any other we receive. I end as usual.

Peace,

Suzanne

Joy Now

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are." ~ Marianne Williamson

Joy is an emotion I feel often. As I am distracted by beauty, I move into that space of wonder and awe that leads to joy. When I look back over my life, I realize how deeply blessed I am to have had so many graced history moments. I am not sure that I have had more than most, though my life has had a seemingly abundance of blessings and miracles. I think more honestly, I have the capacity to recognize how good things really are and to be grateful for that.

I had applied for a scholarship for a retreat I hope to take with the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Naht Hanh this August in Ontario and I heard recently that I did not receive it. I was sad for just a moment and then I moved into the space of gratitude that I will be able to hear this wise man speak and teach me.

Life is an amazing journey for me and some days I can hardly contain my joy for all that comes. This does not mean I do not have sorrow knocking at my door from time to time. In fact, sorrow seems to be lounging in the hall waiting for me to stumble over it, but I refuse. I see it there but won't give it more attention than it warrants.

I have an excitement about how many things will unfold in the coming months. If I give in to that emotion, I would scarcely be able to stay in the present moment. One day at a time helps to keep the joy alive and real.

When was the last time you recognized how good things really are in your life?

Peace,

Suzanne

What's Your Worth?

"We are infinitely more than we think." ~ Kahlil Gibran

The topic in class that night was: I am worth _______. We had to fill in the blank. My answer was everything. Someone else's was more accurate though--more than I think. That resonated within me. What surprised me was the response of one of the males. He did not know his own worth. He is someone I have a lot of respect for and I would never have guessed that he would have said that.

More and more I realize that humans are insecure and we do not know our own worth. We do not realize that we are wondrously made and are such gifts to this world. Our purpose is not to play a small part in life as it unfolds but our part which is magnificent and needed. We all need to believe our worth. The world awaits that which we bring. Trust that the gift you have been given is more than you think it is. We do not always see the outcome of what we bring and so we do not know how we plant seeds that flower into beauty that is priceless.

When was the last time you did something that you had an inkling was going to be much greater than what you could see?

Peace,

Suzanne

Choices

When you take a conscious part in life and its multitudes of choices, you won't let life happen to you - you will make life happen for you.” ~ James Van Praagh, Ghosts Among Us: Uncovering the Truth About the Other Side

We have choices to make every second of the day. Do I hit the snooze one more time? Can I get a workout in before heading to the office? Does it matter if I do not get around to brushing my teeth after breakfast? What should I wear to work today? Do I let that person into my lane en route to work? Do I chat with my colleague for a few minutes and try to make up the time later? Do I remember to thank my Maker before noon for all the blessings that I have received already this day?

While walking back to my friend's condo one afternoon via the beach in Mexico, I was pondering Ann VosKamp's gratitude gifts of the day: three gifts uncovered. I was thinking about the conversation I had had with the artist Borsan and how he uncovered my soul in our chats, of how he could see my spirit and my longings. The second gift of uncovering came minutes later when a beach umbrella was caught up in the wind and went flying past me down the beach. I watched it zip by and then decided I should run after it to try to catch it. The "uncovered" owner was sprinting behind me, attempting to retrieve it too. Another man dashed from a different angle to assist too. We must have made quite a sight because most of the people on the beach were laughing which made me laugh too, especially when the umbrella, now rolling down the sand, neared two young boys whose eyes grew large watching it approach. Miraculously it leapt over them and was finally caught by the third man. I could not help but think that laughter was the right choice in that uncovering.

The third uncovering of the day was that evening at the Easter Vigil when the man could not uncover the statues, try as he may. He eventually got Christ's hand free from the white cloth but that was it. He must have felt every single eye in the church boring holes in his back but he did not give up. His persistence included getting a longer stick, still to no avail. He did not let life happen; he still took control of the situation.

The next few months will be very telling for me as I undertake the challenge of returning to school and embrace some new thinking and experiences. I am excited and some days, a bit overwhelmed by it all. I have to stay focused and look at one day at a time. Otherwise I will let life happen to me instead of for me. When I trust the One who opens the doors, I know that all will be well, even if things do not turn out as hoped for.

What choices are you making these days and how conscious are they?

Peace,

Suzanne

Source of Joy

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

I have to smile looking at this photo. It was only a few days ago that I was on that sail boat and even though my scalp is flaking due to a nasty burn (who knew that could happen?) and my back is starting to itch probably before it peels, I still smile. What memories I made this trip.

Tonight I chatted with my Mexican friends about my vacation--they love my tan and the fact that I had an amazing time in their country. We were talking about the food I had there when their youngest daughter piped up: Jicama? I LOVE jicama. The tone in her voice made me laugh.

Joy can be instigated by a smile or the smile can allow joy to blossom. I get that tonight as I remember my time away.

When was the last time you smiled so broadly you lit up everything around you?

Peace,

Suzanne

Education Leads to Freedom

"Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation." ~ Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

Education is something I value. I guess that is why I am returning to university. I am reading this book as part of the preparation for my trip to South Africa. Mandela really is an interesting person. From the small village to presidency is a walk that not many people can say they have done.

During tonight's class, even though it is not a university level course, I thought how fortunate I am to be there. Not only because of the learning but because of the relationships I am forming and the experiences I am getting. We are an amazing group of people with such talent and energy that I am already dreading the last class. Part of the teachings tonight were on money and what value we place on it and on our talents. The truth was startling to many of us. We are rooted in our values and they can control us if we are not aware of how much power we give them.

Education comes in many forms. I keep replaying my vacation and all the things that I learned, especially those lessons about who I am and what I want in life. Travel is a form of education and one I embrace whole-heartedly. I was wrong yesterday about me letting go a little easier of this trip. I was miserable this morning as I drove to work. Not so much was I disheartened by the snow and cool crispness of the day. Rather I was questioning once again how I do not seem to find my joy in this first world as much as in the South. My soul is made to be barefoot and in the heat, living with a simpler lifestyle and a heart unburdened with material things.

This realization along with the money discussion tonight makes me wonder to what am I really being called. I think of the t-shirt I bought in La Cruz--life in abundance. I think a simple life can have all of the things one needs. I have to try to figure out this lesson in the coming year I think.

From my humble youth, where my father worked hard for his money and to provide his family with abundance, to my adult life where I now work hard to live a life of joy and service, this educated woman has made strides to personal development.

What about you--what role has education in its various forms played in your life? How has it transformed you and those around you?

Peace,

Suzanne

Taking a Moment

“All of life is an act of letting go but what hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye." ~ Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Adios! And so it goes...once again I say goodbye. I had an amazing vacation for spring break in Mexico and have lots of great memories to carry me through the remaining snow-covered weeks. My heart is full of gratitude to my hosts and traveling companions. I desperately needed a break and change of pace and received this gift with appreciation especially given the circumstances.

Letting go is an ongoing activity in my life. I meet interesting people, see breathtaking sites, and have new adventures. I took a moment to say thanks and goodbye before I left though. I am maybe getting better at this letting go thing.

Peace,

Suzanne