Thursday, July 17, 2008

Practice


I'm leaving today for BlogHer in SanFrancisco. Another chance to practice what I preach.

To be aware of my spending, my consuming, my acquiring...

I want to live in the present and soak in the experience. I want to come home full of memories and stories and photographs and tribal wisdom...not trinkets and souvenirs and stuff that will stay in the bag.

I will be selective in my choosing.

I will be mindful of my practice.

May joy, abundance, and simplicity be my traveling companions.

Peace to you,

Lisa

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Empty Handed

Last night, for the first time in..well, I don't *know* how long...I left a bookstore without buying anything. And it felt wonderfully liberating!

I didn't even want to *go* to that store, but my husband requested we do so after dinner. I obliged. And you know what, I really didn't want to be there. This is huge for me!

I looked for one book I've been wanting. It wasn't available.

I walked back to my favorite part - the clearance section - where any number of treasures could be waiting for under $3.00. My eyes scanned the shelves and I actually picked out three or four books that I thought might be a good addition to my collection. But they did not resonate with me. I looked through them again. All three would have cost me less than $5.00. And I probably could have even asked my husband to pay for them. But, in the end, I decided they did not need to come home with me.

"Is there someone else who would be better served by owning this book right now?", I found myself asking. "This one, on love and relationships, do I need it? Or could it be a blessing to someone who is *really* struggling with love and life?"

The energy shifted. I *did*not*want*those*books.

It was an amazing moment.

Making the conscious choice to let go. To pass on. To freely, knowlingly make a choice for my higher good. Wow!

I actually did a little dance out in the parking lot. I threw my hands in the air...opening my arms wide...and twirled around. "I left a bookstore empty handed!", I announced to the world.

I gazed up at the rays of the sun bursting through a dark summer storm cloud. And felt tremendous joy, relief and liberation.

You see, my focus right now is on other things:

~The joy, pride, and satisfaction I will derive from spending time with female friends today as we gather for brunch, chatting, and crafty fun (we're making garden troughs!).

~The amazing feeling I will have preparing and sharing my homegrown salad. (I carefully, deliberately, ritually clipped, washed, rinsed, spun, and refrigerated the ingredients last night.)

~The tremendous peace, excitement and anticipation I feel about going to San Francisco this week (THIS WEEK!!!) for BlogHer.

~A sense of 'right-ness' and contentment with my life - even in the midst of many messy unresolved things and relationship. Knowing I am on the right path and *owning* my part of the journey.

Yes, my hands may have been void of books last night, but my arms and life are so full of others treasures. I am blessed beyond measure. Hallelujah and Amen!


Value is not made of money,
but a tender balance of expectation and longing.

~Barbara Kingsolver
in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
 
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