I am listening to the last of the peeper frogs, viewing the myriad of stars this morning, and welcoming in the owl I hear at four am off my deck. After this I heard complete silence…
Last night I went to bed with the sunset and arose early thinking about how important it is to rest as well as create.
I am awakening this early morning thinking about how “an act of attention is an act of connection”, once again inspired by my writing mentor Julia Cameron. I am also thinking about a quote I read by Deepak Chopra that read “A quiet mind is better than a positive mind.” These quotes by my esteemed mentors got me thinking about my own life and how they might apply, although at first glance they may seem contradictory.
It is an act of connection that saved my life one day and it is my persistence in seeing the positive in the most difficult times is what gets me through and even takes me a step further…to thrive.
I coined the term “inspiration ideation” in fact to name my mindset in looking for the silver linings, the miracles in the everyday, so I can quiet my mind at the end of my day to give into rest.
There have been many a time I have fallen prey to my darkest thoughts and in my struggle to reclaim my life I have relied on my positive mind to get me through. If I have one thing to look forward to I can do the important work it takes to be able to thrive. Maybe this stubborn aim came from my father who became an eternal optimist, in my view at least, when I was in high school. He taught me how to pay attention to the lyrics behind the song. He taught me how to always question things and to think for myself. He also taught me how to forgive the unforgivable. His gifts, his music, and love for words are what have shaped me and his optimistic nature apparent by his laugh lines has been the background to my transparency. I live to tell the tale another day I often say when faced with hard times. It is my faith that says…”this too shall pass” when I can’t seem to see the other side.
Inspiration Ideation is an opposite approach to suicidal ideation. It is a mindset to always be looking forward to something. When I took this picture I was so enthralled by the sun setting on the tree and could see the red buds of the trees reflecting the light. This eye for the extraordinary in the ordinary is a gift. It is an act of connection. It is what permits me to rest easy every night and give in to sleep.
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