‘not afraid to tell’

driving home one afternoon after picking up my daughter zoe, she said to me “mama, promise not to tell anyone or say anything as i have something to tell you, and promise not to smile or say, oh thats cute zoe or say anything or laugh if i tell you” i assured her that i would not say or do anything. she said “why does cole (her friend at school) want me to be his girlfreind” (it was hard for me not to smile as it just sounded sooo cute) i didnt say anything, and after a moment she told me i could comment on her question. “well zoe, its because you have a very caring and kind heart with a wonderful smile and big brown eyes, and that you are a beautiful little girl inside and out” there was a moment of silence and she said “i know why mama” i said “why zoe” and she said” because i wear nice t-shirts, and because Jesus made me me” i said “oh zoe thats wonderful that you know that Jesus made you and i am very very proud of you that you know that” i couldnt help thinking about what she said, it just melted my heart, and i realised that at the tender age of five, zoe knew more than most adults ,and was proud to tell!

Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill

Lifetime Television is sponsoring a petition urging Congress to ban “drive-through” mastectomies ? the practice in which women are forced out of the hospital sometimes only hours after breast cancer surgery.

The legislation would require insurance companies to cover a 48-hour minimum stay for mastectomy patients and a 24-hour stay for a woman undergoing a lymph node dissection. The legislation ensures that a doctor and a patient will make a decision together about staying at a hospital after a mastectomy.

While both the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association believe that most patients require a longer hospital stay, “drive-through” mastectomies have become an unwelcome reality for women who are battling breast cancer. Against the advice of their doctors, women must leave the hospital while still in pain, groggy with anesthesia and with drainage tubes still in place.

Please take a moment to click and sign this petition, helping to pass legislation which will end this practice.

Dreaming. . . forward

Perusing the Integral Naked Forum, Arthur introduced me to an organization called Responsible Wealth. Arthur explains the organization as

a bunch of rich Americans who believe that the Bush tax cuts are outrageous and obscene, and are advocating a fair system of taxation which can support the kind of society that allowed the rich to become so wealthy in the first place.

And then I find Shawn’s inviting words:

I would love to explore the fringes of existence and the knowledge that is always there just beyond the boundaries of the moment.

I find myself in a place I frequently visit… a space of dreaming potentials and possibilities that exist just beyond the boundaries of the present moment, and strategizing effective and feasible means of dreaming them forward into reality. I aim to balance dreaming space with action space. . .to make contact with the fringes of existence and ground that essence in this blooming moment.

It’s motivating to read stories about people taking action to address a need greater than themselves. It’s inspiring when the fuel for taking action is an individual’s or group of individual’s passion.

Will you dream with me for a moment? Will you take a breath and feel, burning in the core of your body, a fire that is your passion? What does it want to do right now? How does it want to be in the world? If that fire could talk, what would it say? There are no right answers to these questions… the challenge is to listen and trust what we hear. . .

of course your comments are most enjoyed!

Life is Magical

I so adore and appreciate the circle of ‘friends’ and ‘family’ that has formed around this easily amazed playground. It warms my heart unendingly to feel each of us touched by one another in the many ways that we have of reaching out and sharing our innner selves. Here’s a message from Becky:

we returned from spain and morocco sunday night, and part of my getting caught up within my life was checking out your blog. i was warmed and touched, as usual, by the stories and thoughts you and others shared on the blog. i was particularly drawn to the candle story and site. i went there to light a candle. as i’m sure you’ve already done it, you know it asks you to reflect on your reason for lighting one. well, although i have plenty of people in my prayers, i just wanted to write one saying thank you God, i am grateful for my life, as i truly am and feel so blessed for so many reasons. regardless, i wrote my little note and pressed continue. it gave me a little chill to see that the site was gratefulness.org! i had no idea that was the name of the site, and to think that being grateful just came to my mind as my reason made me feel, again, like i was right where i was supposed to be at that moment. you may think my story silly, but for me it showed the serendipity of life in all its little coincidences (is there such a thing?) and moments of awareness.

…life is indeed magical, if we only pay attention. don’t you think?

I definitely think.

"please, just listen to me"

one evening the children were playing nicely together, then zoe decided to play a movie. so jared decided he wanted to play one too. a dissagreement broke out. i try as much as possible to let them work it out between them, but this one was harder for them. zoe pushed jared out of the way, so jared pushed zoe a little harder and she fell to the ground. unfortunately for jared, dad saw this and things didn’t go too well, as jared ended up in his room very upset.

i left him for a minute and then went and sat on his bed by him. i could see the pain ripple through his body as he wriggled and squirmed, breathing as if it hurt. i reflected to him that he was feeling upset, he said “mom, it’s not fair, i got sent to my room and zoe didn’t” i reflected once again that he didn’t think he had been treated fairly, i asked him if he wanted me to tell his dad that he was upset, he said “wait until im asleep.” as we talked i watched him relax and he breathed a big sigh of relief. dad came in to say goodbye to him and he said “mom, tell dad now,” so i did. dad sat and listened to me. he said to jared that zoe wasn’t for pushing even though she had pushed him first and that was why he was sent to his room. they gave each other a big hug and kiss, jared then held up his pinky for a ‘pinky hug’ and said “i love you dad” and dad said “i l0ve you too bud” and jared drifted off to sleep.

ashley, jared says thanks!