Sunday, August 25, 2013

Heros In Our Midst

The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy."
John F. Kennedy

Heroes in Our Midst

There are many aspects to the definition of courage but the one that usually comes to mind is the ability to act in a heroic way. To be a hero or to display the quality of courage does not mean that one is fearless; courage is the capability to be in action and to move forward with your fear. Acting without regard for self in order to help another is the epitome of the courageous act. And as you are well aware, over this past week we have witnessed many acts of extraordinary courage. I would venture to guess that if you asked some of the people who rushed to aid others during the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing I am sure you would hear them say that they acted out of an almost instinctual drive to help, regardless of the fear they were experiencing. We call them heros and we have witnessed their feats of valor in every past disaster and undoubtedly, we will meet them again and again in the future tragedies that may come.

Watching the heroism, courage and strength displayed by hundreds of people in Boston, Cambridge and Watertown compelled  me to to contemplate the courage that I witness in the ordinary, uneventful day. Weekly, daily, hourly, I encounter the every-day-hero.  These are the heroes that you have never seen on television, they are seldom written about online. You won't find their names in the newspaper nor will you hear them interviewed on the radio. These are the heroes that live quietly every day next-door to you and me. You pass them on the street without a second thought, they wait on you at restaurants, they scan your groceries at the market, they live their lives with quiet, unheralded courage. 
 
 When I think of the "every-day hero" I see people in my family. I see the faces of friends and I recollect the stories shared with me by my clients.  I reflect on the courage I have witnessed which was garnered ever so reluctantly through unthinkable loss.  I know many who move through their days courageously carrying overwhelming grief, having lost a child, beloved family member, friend or lover. Their grace mystifies me. Others have shown steadfast courage and strength in the face of that which seems inevitable and unchangeable. These heroes have faced disease,  devastation or loss of home. When it comes to friends I am very fortunate. They have taught me how to be unafraid to stand up and speak out in the midst of adversity.  While others have shown me how to have the courage to simply and quietly just do what needs to be done. I have learned about the courage to never give up and to always give the best you know how.  I thank my husband for that. He smoothly maneuvers through life as an amputee, uncomplaining and fiercely independent. 
 
Life is extremely challenging. Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason for what happens in the world. The world can feel like a dark place. But in the madness, in the chaos, there is a vibration of the energy that I call love. A quality of that vibratory field is courage and it exists in you and in me. Somehow we manage to find the thread of light in the darkness. We take hold of that thread and we weave a cloth of healing and renewal. We survive, go forth, heal and love again.

Many of you reading this are every-day-heroes moving forward courageously, no matter how hard the day seems, no matter what burdens you bear, what sadness you are experiencing. You are my heroes, each and every one of you. I honor you and thank you for your courage, for your fortitude and for enriching my life.

Love and light,
Nora
Courage lives inside of me. I face the day with strength, fortitude and the infinite energy of love

Packing Up My U-Haul

Packing Up My U-haul

 
"In the end the love you take is equal
to the love you make" 
  The End, Paul McCartney

 While giving a reading a few weeks ago, I listened as a client reminisced about her father. She recalled how he would frequently explain his philosophy of life by simply imparting the time-worn adage,  "You don't see a u-haul following a hearse." The rather comical image of a hearse towing a u-haul lead me to question, if I could take something with me, what would I take and what would I leave behind? It was not long before I concluded that my imagined u-haul held nothing from the physical realm. Love was the substance of value I would carry with me and my expression of love was the tool with which I would leave my mark.
Imagine a world where the most precious commodity is not gold, silver, oil or coal but love. How would we conduct our lives if we knew that we could only "take" with us the love conceived through our actions and our thoughts?  Suppose the earthly assignment of our souls is to ensure that our physical chemistry will be composed of the elements of love, kindness, and harmony as well as oxygen, carbon and nitrogen.
Through my work I am granted a glimpse of the unique light that resides within all my clients. The core essence of each individual shines through as an expression of beauty and grace no matter how blind they are to it. What blocks the awareness  of this exquisite light is an attachment to unrealistic standards measured by a flawed yardstick. The measuring device is often composed of criteria rooted in the physical world.
 
Do you believe that you missed out on success because you are not rich or beautiful by today's standards? Do berate yourself as you reflect on what you should have accomplished, achieved or created? Imagine that life is a stage furnished with various props and set designs. It is on this ephemeral stage we express our gifts and learn our lessons. Ultimately, it will be of little consequence where we live, the fortunes we have amassed, what school we graduate from or how many honors have been bestowed upon us.  What will matter most is the harvest of love we have engendered while occupying our unique space on the planet.
How would we live our lives if what multiplied our worth was the action of love rather than the accumulation of wealth or the strength of our might? Decide to practice the art of love. Instill your thoughts with kindness. Breathe and be patient.  Return again and again to that imaginary u-haul and fill it with the brilliance of your unique light of love.

Love and light,
Nora

I am an illumination of light, my love shines.