I Am...

I find that I don't post as often as I think about posting...so many words and thought swirling around in my mind, that I'm never sure I'll do them justice, bring them to life the way I want them to come across...so many connections, mixed emotions, contradictions....will you understand what I'm trying to say?  This year, I am telling myself to relax a bit and just put the words out there.  I've set a goal to do this at least twice a month, hopefully more often.  It might not be pretty or poetic, but I'm happy to be here among friends, so thanks for reading!

I sat down on the morning of January 1st and watched the documentary "I Am" by Tom Shadyac.  http://www.iamthedoc.com/
It sums up a lot of what I've been feeling and thinking and what seems to be a rising consciousness in our world - we are all connected.  Each one of our actions has an impact on the world....what are our actions doing?  Are they protecting, preserving, sharing, caring?  It was a good way to start the year, thinking about who "I Am"......

That's how I started this blog, trying to think about the actions I was taking and see if I could inspire and be inspired by others.  Who am I?  I guess that's the universal question.  Some of us know much earlier than others.  Another connection to 'I Am'...Mattie Stepanek.  A young man who wanted to be known as "a poet, a peacemaker, and a philosopher who played."  Wise beyond his years, inspirational beyond his life here on earth.  He wrote a poem entitled "I Am/Shades of Life" and Billy Gilman recorded a song using his lyrics.  Mattie's mission was peace.  He thought a lot about what each individual's impact was in the world and knew that it meant a lot.  You can read more about him at http://www.mattieonline.com .  I had the great honor of meeting his mom, Jeni, in September when we traveled to Maryland to visit a park built in Mattie's honor.  I took my family there because I have 3 sons who I hope will be inspired and encouraged by Mattie....One of them is named after him.  Jeni Stepanek continues to spread her son's vision of peace.  When you read the 'Pathways to Peace' publication that she has created, you will see the incredible wisdom of her son:  http://www.mattieonline.com/brochures/Pathways_to_Peace_brochure_NEW.pdf

Who am I?  I think it takes some slowing down to ponder that question.  It seems to swirl around in my head a bit louder now that I am 3 months away from turning 40.  Age is just a number, but milestones have a way of making us slow down to think about things.  I have a son who will be a teenager in 1 1/2 years.  How can that be when it doesn't seem that long ago that I first became really aware of the fact that my actions impact another, when I was 'eating for 2' and wondering why we don't all eat as though we are eating for 2.  Not that long since, as a new mom, I moved into a new townhouse with my husband and infant son who would not sleep unless he was upright (which I later found out was due to a milk intolerance, passed on through breast milk since I was drinking lots of milk).  Because of this, he slept in his carseat, right on the ground, on the newly installed wall-to-wall carpet that 'would be perfect for a baby to crawl around on.'  The same carpet that I believe gave him asthma.  Nope, it's not scientific, just a mother's intuition....another one of my gut feelings.  After almost 40 years, I'm finally starting to trust my gut.  To continue to question who I am.  To try to make sense out of this gift we call life....

It's such a beautiful thing.

I have so many things I want to write about....some you might like and some you might not.  I welcome the agreement, the disagreement and everything in between.

Thank you for sharing my journey and stopping by to share yours, too!

“In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, are mosaic of gifts,
to nurture, to offer, to accept.”
— Mattie J.T. Stepanek

I Am.....Someone who considers you a brother or a sister.
I Am.....Looking for ways to be a better person so that my positive changes have a positive impact on you.
I Am.....Not perfect.
I Am.....Grateful.
I Am.....Ready.

I Am....


Are you?

For Our World - Reflections of a Peacemaker and The Circle of Life

I know I've commented many times before on the way things come around full circle - the 'circle of life' - and how everything is connected.  Please bear with me as I do this again!  I was recently reminded of a young man who was "a poet, a peacemaker and a philosopher who played", Mattie Stepanek.  He was a true saint.  If you don't know about him, you can learn more at http://www.mattieonline.com .  On 9/11/01, he wrote the poem, "For Our World".  It speaks many innocent truths about how peace can be achieved.  I believe it connects so strongly to how we can attain sustainability.  We need to just stop....to think...to do better....to do our very best.  I'm slowly decluttering my house and my life.  I see all of the 'things' that have come into my life over the past 39 years.  How did they get here?  For most things, I can't even answer that question.  They got here somehow in the unconscious.  From this day forward, though, I am going to be conscious...of everything that comes into my life.  There are so many things that come into our lives each day.  We can just let them pass by and not reflect on their meaning, or we can choose to be conscious and make sure that what is coming into our lives reflects the values that we hold dear to our hearts.  For us...and For our world....

FOR OUR WORLD

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment…
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment…
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment…
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice…
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment…
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.
Mattie J.T. Stepanek ©
September 11, 2001

Hope Through Heartsongs
Hyperion, 2002
Just Peace: A Message of Hope
Andrews McMeel, 2006