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Supporting Characters …

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If life is a stage, then you are the main character in your life experience, yes?  And, if that is true, then you play a supporting role in the lives of many others.

What does this mean?

It means that each one of us has perhaps much greater impact on others than we have dared to imagine. The choices we make day in and day out can support those around us, can have loving impact. They can also be the source for another’s pain or struggle. While we cannot fully control how another receives the impact of our actions, we can and must choose how we act, how we choose to be in our supporting roles.

And we must realize that we are a supporting character on MANY stages! It is easy to see that we support our partners, our children, our colleagues and friends. Yet, there are people we will not ever meet in this lifetime for whom our choices have an indirect impact. Imagine the “friend of a friend of a friend” … how we are with our friend changes how our friend is with their friend, and so on. Perhaps it is the legacy we leave at the office when we retire, the legacy in word and deed and energy, that impacts those who come after us. Maybe it is our loving presence, our smile, in the check-out line that goes home with the tired cashier and becomes a hug for their special little child.

So I wonder:

For whom are you a supporting character?
What gifts and talents do you bring to the role?

If you saw yourself as a supporting character on the world stage,
what would you bring to your role in each and every scene?

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Paint With Love …

Today’s tidbit is just this …

Paint with love.

In the moments of your day, as you engage with people at home, at work, at play, wherever you are and whatever you do, imagine you are painting with love. Imagine you are creating and co-creating the effects of your life using love as the only color, love as the energy.

Now imagine this: Love is the canvas.

What do you create when you paint on love with love?

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Gratitude…

This morning, I lit the candles in my sacred space then paused with that first cup of coffee. As I looked around slowly and really took in each object in the room, I noticed something: so many gifts from so many people! 

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Gifts filled with many shapes and sizes of love:

  • furniture from the estate of that very special aunt
  • retirement gifts that came with a huge dose of encouragement and appreciation
  • thoughtful gifts that my husband knew would make my life better and easier
  • handmade gifts from our children
  • music reminding me of those who started my journey with the piano, guitar and songwriting
  • gifts from collaborators and relatives and colleagues
  • purchases I made with the gift of money left to me

What do you see when you look around you?

Behind those physical gifts, I feel the depth of love from people who helped me on this journey, who opened their hearts and their homes, who were friends through thick and thin. I feel the impact of those who believed in me and invested in my growth throughout the 30 years in a technology career.

What do you feel when you  gaze behind the physical?

I witness here the creativity that has come through me which wouldn’t have been possible without my sacred support team who always saw more in me than I saw in myself and didn’t let me forget it.

Who has helped to mold the person that you are?

It is through tears of gratitude that I enter this day. To each one of you who sees yourself in this post, there are no words to express how much I appreciate you. Know, however, that I am committed to let my life reflect your gift today and every day that I am blessed with life on this planet.

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For the love of money …

What do you do for the love of money? Do you work long, hard hours because you love money?

I bet you don’t. I’m guessing that what you love – or appreciate – are the things that money can buy (as well as some things it can’t buy!):

  • A comfortable home
  • Family vacations
  • Good food and your health club membership
  • Education for you or your children

And the list could go on. The next time your thoughts and energy go toward:

  • I don’t want to go to work or do this particular task
  • My boss is a real SOB
  • I want to quit

or wherever else you go when you are unhappy with what it takes to bring home a paycheck, consider the deeper “why”. Call to mind, heart and spirit the reason you are there and practice:

I willingly do this for the sake of –>
the children I love
or health
or security
or …

Then, take it one step further. Bring the energy and attitude of love for your children or the value you place on health and security to the task at hand.

What if I worked with the energy of love, of play, of gratitude?

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Celebrating Fathers

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Today is a day set aside to honor those who have served as father figures in our lives. For some, this is Dad. For others, it may not be. Some of us are celebrating the father that guided our children. Whoever you may be honoring today, consider asking yourself:

  • What qualities do I most admire in this father figure?
  • What lessons did I learn?
  • What am I most grateful for?

Then, if you are so fortunate that you can connect with this person, please tell them! If not, perhaps today you recommit to bringing their qualities and values alive in your life.