Tag: accept

Wonder

Sunkissedsoul

If I wrote all the things inside of me right now absent of any fear of being judged an awkward individual at best; and at worst, someone to be embarrassed for…if I wrote all of those things I wonder what would even happen. I guess it’s okay to be awkward but for the love of all things good; I would despise anyone believing I needed them to be embarrassed for me. Acceptance…it matters.

If I explained in detail how last night was abundantly full of love, laughter and God winks that came unexpectedly, after I’d spent a day crying and mourning what my life once was and grieving what wasn’t to come…if I shared all the blessings and struggles within the last 24 hours…I wonder the likelihood of conveying the wonderfulness and wackiness of life with authenticity in a way that didn’t make you say pityingly , ‘aw, bless you your heart.’ For, I don’t want to be pitied; I want to be understood.

If I told all the ways I had spoken to myself hatefully this past week; while pouring my love into others…I wonder if you would wonder at what point I lost respect for boundaries and for myself. When did I make the decision to put away my own self in favor of others?  Where am I in here?  In saying this, I want it understood that I am no saint, nor am I martyr.  I do certainly get my rewards from pouring my love out; it’s oddly natural for me.  What’s not natural is the reception of the same love; or the steady discernment to know if it is a true love being given or one that comes with certain conditions.

If I told you that you know me in intimate, intricate ways, yet you really hadn’t begun to know me at all….that I protected my shame like a champion; would you want to know more or would slowly disappear from the scene?

If you knew how I could feel a billion feelings in a nanosecond and at the same time; stay protected in my invisible bubble to protect this tough and tender heart of mine. Would you run away, stay in silence, stutter an uncomfortable response, or something else? Would you take my vulnerability as desperation or would you see me here in the light that I stand? Would you stand there beside me and hold my hand and my heart in safety?

I wonder what I am supposed to do now.

…

Surrendering yet again

Sunkissedsoul


Oh Sarah! I am getting ready to pay bills and I think I’ve been so crazy busy that I haven’t opened my personal computer since the end of February. I hate that bc it means I haven’t done any serious writing and that’s so important to me. Good reminder, right?

Anyway…I opened the computer to something I had started writing and had never finished.

I had written….

“I am furious with myself this morning. I wonder when the day will come that I will value my own worth.”

“Online dating has made it so we can connect with men of whom we have no knowleged. They can reinvent themselves each time and we don’t have the benefit, (nor do they), of relying, at least to some extent, on reputation for integrity or lack therof.” These are wise words from my dear new friend that my brain currently has on repeat.”

“This notion is obviously not limited to men. It just hit me so hard. My dating experiences as of late have not been what I would hope for at this time win my life. I have met shallow and decietful men who do not affirm their words through their actions. Still, I am no man hater. I love and adore men. Truly. Every experience has held value for me, even when it hurts. The bottom line for me, know your worth, respect your own boundaries, and remember that no amount of bandaids heal a wounded heart.”

There it is! And that experience my loves, came shortly before going on the date with Mr. Married (I did not know, shortly followed by getting a jolt of reality regarding my last ‘relationship’.

I realized my pattern of years of dating men who are really not good for my soul and I think that’s quite enough! Enough of my poor choices and settling, enough of not respecting myself, enough of seeing my dreams vs accepting reality.

I made a conscious effort to let go of the unhealthy ‘situationships’ that I had in my back pocket and have been praying hard. I’ll write more on the whole situationship thing later, it deserves it’s own accolades. I am not interested in being used or in using.

There is beauty in surrender. I needed to remind myself of that. Letting go and waiting…I heard nothing from any of the aforementioned. I told myself not to be bitter. Not to be angry. This is all opportunity for growth. Still, ouch.

Today…I am here. Waiting for date number three with a treasure of a gentleman. He is kind. He is smart. He is goofy. He asks how I am and seems to really want to know. He makes me laugh. He is affectionate and compassionate. He seeks God. He is tall. He has dreamy sparkly eyes and he is goodness. I know that.

I have no clue where this is going; nor do I have expectations. I didn’t expect him at all so I have no right to try and determine the outcome. I am simply enjoying the experience with all of my heart and I overflowing with gratitude for these moments.

I also know we are both quite human and on
our best behavior as this unfolds. Trying to seek adventure over anxiety in my heart.

However this ends up, I trust that he is not a part of a pattern that I am accustomed to. What.a.gift. I have learned the ick. Now I must unlearn the ick and learn my value in healthy situations.

I keep praying that my boundaries stay healthy, that I remember whose kid I am (God, Bill and Joyce all share custody), that my walls tumble down, and that I open myself up to the experience of goodness, no matter the outcome.

I’d like to say this isn’t hard for me. I’d be lying. Instead, I will say this…I welcome the challenge of healing.

Briefly forgotten

Sunkissedsoul

Sometimes I get stuck in the muck. Focusing on the lack does that for me.

I forgot my word this year is abundance…as in I have been provided with an abundance of all my needs.

I forgot I have the option to love myself despite someone else’s actions.

I forgot I can choose acceptance over struggle. We are all fighting our own battles and traveling our own journey.

I forgot about grace for all. Forgiveness is healing. Love is stronger than fear. Emotions are okay and gratitude is growth.

Today, I remember these things.

It’s okay to be hurt. It’s not okay to accept the perception of others as an interpretation of my own worth.

I AM WOMAN

Sunkissedsoul

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace;

What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time…

Ecclesiastes 3

I mentioned recently that I am a late bloomer.  This persona goes with this whole “old soul'”, “wise for my age”,  “good girl” theme that I was dropped smack in the middle of on September 5, 1972 (this would be the day of my birth).  This has always been a belief about myself that I bought into…until recently.

Sometimes, one’s world is turned upside down by the uncontrollable circumstances of life.  Personally, things that have rocked my world in the past few years include, but are not limited to:

  • Walking through Alzheimer’s disease with my precious Father and losing him after he bravely battled it for 12 years.  Every day in Alzheimer’s land is a day that you say goodbye in some way to your loved one and hello to a new change in them.
  • Infidelity, followed by three years of intense therapy with my ex husband
  • A divorce from my best friend after 23 years together
  • A big move for my beautiful Momma out of our family home and into her new home (which is lovely by the way)
  • Helping children cope.  Children teaching me to be a grown up.  Welcome to teen world.  Enough said.
  • A couple of career changes
  • Financial stress, financial stress, financial stress
  • Weight loss, weight gain and now onto loss again

Goodness knows, there is much more.  This is an excellent starter list though.  Surprisingly, I’m still here to tell my story and for that, my gratitude is overwhelming.

There are “firsts” happening too:

  • There have been a couple of dates for me.  Shocking, but dating at 19 is a completely different game than dating at 45.
  • My kiddos are experiencing tons of “firsts”…growing up; junior high; high school, dates (kind of); and all the challenges that accompany their experiences
  • I have begun graduate school, tonight as a matter of fact
  • I have a new career that I treasure!
  • New friends.  I feel like I am in college all over again with the new friends I am making.  I was just discussing with one of them (my new friends) how cool the process is; we agreed that there is a feeling that some of the friendships we are forming now, in our 40’s, are forged for a lifetime.
  • I am making grown up decisions for myself without regard (or less regard) to the judgement’s of others.  This is a drastic change for me.
  • I’m working on replacing words like shame, guilt and should’s with surrender, forgiveness and healing.
  • I am letting my mistakes be what they are…a growing experience that does not indicate I cannot accept myself with imperfections.

So….back to the late bloomer.  I have come to the conclusion that I’m not ‘late’ afterall.  I have certainly not arrived.  I am simply journeying along, just like we all are.  I wrote out Ecclesiastes 3 because it’s always been a favorite of mine, yet it’s only now that it seems to apply to my own life.  (I know…forgive my recent egocentricity.)  I am viewing myself in a different light.  There is a path ahead of me that is full of beauty and delight, I get to decide (generally speaking) which directions I will go.

During a party I recently attended, I watched in awe as several beautiful women danced to the song, “I am Woman” by Helen Reddy.  The lyrics fit where I am right now beautifully…..

“I am woman, hear me roar in numbers too big to ignore, and I know too much to go back or pretend cause I’ve heard it all before and I’ve been down on the floor No one’s ever gonna keep me down again.  Oh yes, I am wise, but it’s wisdom born of pain, yes I’ve paid the price, but look how much I’ve gained.  If I have to, I can do anything.  I AM STRONG.  I AM INVINCIBLE.  I AM WOMAN.  You can bend but never break me cause’ it only serves to make me more determined to achieve my final goal and I come back even stronger not a novice any longer cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul.  (chorus)  I am woman watch me grow see me standing toe to toe as I spread my lovin’ arms across the land.  But I’m still an embryo with a long long way to go, until I make my brother understand.  (chorus)  

Yep…this is right where I am and right where I am is EXACTLY where I am supposed to be.