Peace, Love Beads, and Orchids

There
can be
no Peace
anywhere
if we
do not
each
first
start
with
our own
selves.

I truly believe this. If it's not too much trouble, copy and paste this link into your browser, to go to this site. It expresses how I feel about Peace. I've tried, for as long as I've had this blog, to add links, but cannot get them to work.

Here is the link: http://www.beliefnet.com/features/peace/test2/containter01.html

The last four letters is html. For whatever reason, it isn't showing.

When I started this blog, it was with an intent. I wasn't sure, regarding all the aspects of the intent, but there was intent, all the same. It was to start the Journey back to myself. Somehow, I always seem to get off track, and I had really wandered off Path, lost in my grief, from my husband having shot himself. Dead. In body, not Spirit.

Spirit never dies, especially when there are those, who have loved you, who have remained, carrying a part of that Spirit in their Hearts, for all time. He effected me that way. For all time. As did his death. However, I choose to take the good that came from his death, and live with that, not the grief. How could there possibly be good in anyone dying? Trust me, there can be. It is dependent upon what we choose as our reality. Victim? Or Victorious! Even his death has given me something which I didn't have before. I would, however, trade that, any day of the week, for his life back. He has 3 children, afterall. But, no can do, so we live with what is before us.

I've mentioned a few of the folks, along the way, who have contributed, in unforgettable ways, to my Journey. I started the blog from The Beginning, starting from the time I was a little girl, working my way up to... now and beyond? Which reminds me of Swami Beyondananda's Tour Guide To Enlightenment... Driving Your Own Karma. I probably need to read that book again, it's worth a few good laughs! The stories, of my life, have been pretty successive, with a few present day stories in between. I can't ignore today, for it does effect how swifty I move past yesterday, and how fast I recover what has been lost. Or, at least, how effectively I can recognize and pick up the pieces that must be picked back up, in order to continue moving forward, while not losing sight of Sarah.

I have to pick the pieces back up. Or else I have nothing to build on. But, aren't the broken pieces going to be fragmented? What good could they possibly be? They would only be who I used to be, no? Or, more precisely, who I never want to be, again. Well, it's my intent... and goal... to mend them, those broken pices, so that you can hardly see the trace of a broken heart... or, even, of broken dreams. What would happen if I started anew, without picking up the broken pieces? Would I be able to re-create a reasonable fascimile of who I am... or want to be? I dunno. I've never tried it that way.

I believe, firmly, that we can't possibly find true happiness, without working from the base of who we came into this world, as. How could we be who we were meant to be, if we do not recognize and work from at least that very first vantage point? Wouldn't we be then, always, seeking to be someone who we are not, if we do not recognize, acknogwledge, and deal with our past? Would that not be trying to pretend that our past did not happen? Would it mean, then, that we were not making the most from the very worst? Wouldn't all of our sorrow, then, have been for naught? And wouldn't we, sooner or later, finally break, when we could no longer wear the face of some imposter, who had come to take our place? And let death and dying be for a cause, other than pain and suffering.












The above is the beatiful card that Singleton, from The Hippie Parade sent, sweet message inside, as an added bonus from this wonderfully creative artist, when she sent me a set of Love Beads. As well, it came in a beautifully adorned envelope, that greeted the Post Mistress with a bright and shiny spot in her day, unlike the usual plainly addressed envelopes. The return address, on the envelope, was scripted around the circumference of an artful peace sign, with a small red Heart off to the bottom right of it. Besides the lovely beads, that came from the Heart, she took the time to send along a 'from the Heart' message. If that wasn't enough, the little peace sign to the right of the card, was also adorned with a fantastically beautiful beaded peace sign, which you see at the top of this posting. Man, the girl rocks!

I now have the peace sign hanging off the rear view mirror of my car, right behind my dream catcher, which has little wind chimes that tinkle gently, whenever I make a turn, or run the air... and right in front of my sun catcher crystal, that once hung on a chandelier. It reflects beautifully, as the light from the sun catcher glimmers through it, catching all the rays of the Sun! And adds to my little collection of things that I love to hear and see, reminding me of the things in life that are important. Peace, which we all should be living... the Sun, that mighty Creator of all living things, and the myriad strands of rainbow colored Light, reflecting the colorful strands of this tapestry, that living a life does weave... and Dreams, which carry us forward in life, fresh and pure and full of gentle tinkling sounds.

I recently related to a blog friend, that I felt I was approaching a very peaceful place in my life... standing at a threshold of peace, if you will. And this is why the big tatdoo over the peace sign. Years ago, a very dear and old friend had brought me a gift, from his visit to Venus Beach, California. You know, that really cool, laid back place, where many songs have been written. It was a sterling silver peace sign, with earrings to match. I adored the thing. I'd always wanted a really nice quality peace sign, but had never really owned one. It was sorta like a walk back in time, and full of so much symbolism. I'm into symbolism, because I believe that ritual is the basis for 'bringing down to Earth' that which, otherwise, remains in the heavens. In short, in my life, it makes tangible that which we might only dream of. Symbols help me in my rituals. But that's another post. The thing is, I gave my peace sign away, about 12 years ago, or more. I gave it to a very dear heart sister, who is a mid-wife, herbalist and ceremonialist. She was, and is, a very wise woman. At the time, she had taken on the role of peace maker. I felt compelled to gift her with this thing that I held very close, in my own heart. And so I did. Since that time, I had often wanted another, but had never seen one that I felt was worthy of spending money on. Most of the ones that can be found are little trinkets, made for teeny-boppers. But, now I have one. And it's a beautiful one. I would have spent money on it, had I seen it for sale. What makes this even more special, is the way in which it came into my life.

When I first began my conscious spiritual Journey, beyond my roots, the first place I stopped was to explore Native American type spiritualities. There, I learned about the heart beat, when I had possession of my very own drum. I also learned about giving and receiving, in a loving way. It was during this time that I gave away my peace sign. Years later, I would give away my drum. Two drums, actually, another that had been passed down to me, which had a lot of symbolism in it, too. Oh, I loved my drum. But I wanted someone else to experience it, too, so I sent it across the sea. The other went in another direction. It's been about 8 years, now, since I held a drum. But I know that I will again, one day. And it will appear at just the right time, just like this peace sign, which came from another's Heart. A gift, like this, is much more than any that I might have chosen for myself... because it comes with Love, and is born into Love... Love from another Heart, which makes twice as much Love, had it come from my own Heart, alone. This is very majical, in my world, because the things that are most important, are the things which are gifted to us, from another's Heart. The peace sign, that I had given away, was now coming back to me. It gets confusing, but you'd have to know the story. Time.

These are the love beads. The original gift. I wish I could've gotten a better shot, this was the best of three different scenarios. Little did I know that the original gift, that she offered, would turn into an enormous gift... but that's what unselfish giving, Love, will do. But there is more to giving than just giving, to make the majic work. There has to be acceptance, in order to receive the gift. Often times we miss what would be ours, just because we won't accept what is freely given. She offered, and I fully accepted. Bless you, Singleton! Bless your Heart! I was prepared to pay for these beads, but her gift was truly "a gift". There was an exchange, of giving and receiving, that turned into majic... just because both of those transactions were of the Heart. I tell you, Love is Majic!















I was fully expecting three beads, just like hers. Instead, I got seven. I was already trying to figure out what they would symbolize, for me, even before they arrived. Would it be Peace, Love, and Harmony? Peace, Love, and Joy? Peace, Love, and Further Enlightenment? Oh, the possibilities were unlimited, lol. As soon as I held them in my hands, and saw that there were seven, I knew, immediately, what the beads meant to me. North, South, East & West, the Four Directions... East, being the place of new beginnings, new birth, springtime, and where the sun rises... South, being the place of our youth, where playfulness is found, and the summertime of our lives... West, being the place of the dreamtime, of our going within, the fall season of our lives... the North, the place of rest, the place of deep wisdom, the winter time of our lives. And then there is the above, Father Sky... the below, Mother Earth... and the within, which is symbolic of our own connection, from the Heart, to all of the above. Indeed, the middle bead has more pink, the color of the Heart. When I thanked Singleton and shared, with her, what they meant to me, she replied, "I knew you would find a whole Universe in them." A whole Universe, indeed... for we have to remember to honor the Seasons of our Lives... for, in remembering, we allow ourselves to slough off the old, to make room for the new... we find acceptance for what we cannot change, and allow for what we can and must change.

















This is my baby, today. I can't quite get her to open up, fully. Her purple lip (or slipper?) should drop all the way down, and the top part should raise upright some more, but she's being a bit shy. Gary says that they sometimes stall if you move them around too much. I admit, I moved her quite a bit, the first week, trying to protect her from harsh things like cold air and cooking grease. He said it's possible her roots were damaged, a bit, too, when she was apparently crammed into this pretty little container, that we found her in. It does seem much too small, and he says that when they are sold in commercial places, such as where we found her, they are, basically, selling them as cut flowers, rather than with the idea of keeping the plant alive, once the bloom is gone.

If you read the previous posting about her, you might remember that she, too, is symbolic of many things, in my life.

For Electric, here is what the tag says, exactly as is it appears:

Paph. Raisen Pice 'Hsingying') x SIB
(Paph. Supersuk 'Eureka' AM/AOS x

I get the feeling it should read: (Paph. Supersuk 'Eureka' AM/AOS x Paph. Raisen Pie 'Hsinying') x SIB

What does it mean??? I assume it is a cross between a supersuk eureka and a raisen pie hysinying? But I don't even know what that means, lol. And the SIB?

Gary doesn't think she will survive. Then again, he doesn't think like I do. I believe! I have to, for all that she is, and all that she is to me!

If you want to know about believing, check out Maithri's blog, on my sidebar, The Soaring Impulse. Scroll down and read his posting entitled, I Can. Not only is Maithri a beautiful, giving, and totally unselfish individual, he's also a movingly beautiful poet, with a story to tell and an abundance of Love that he shares. He is the definition of compassion, my friends. Sometimes it's hard to read, because it forces you to examine your ownself, but that's what it's all about. We sometimes live stoically selfish lives, but reading his blog gradually wears you down. Suddenly a very small, sad, and selfish world seems so much more less important, when you see how your energy could be used for so much more, to help the lives of others. One day at a time. Vision and Believe!

And check out Singleton's blog, too, The Hippie Parade. She's a very gifted writer, continually weaving beautifully majical, if not sometimes impish, tales out of everyday life. She's also an extremely beautiful and soulful poet, and a fantastically awesome artist! I never fail to leave there with a sense of connectedness to my fellow Brothers and Sisters, and a bit of spritely playfulness. She makes, light, the Heart... and assures us, one and all, that Peace and Love are not only possible, in the world, but you can feel it happening with each stroke of the key, as she's weaving her majical tales, sprinkling fairy dust along the way. Watch out, if you go there, you just might get sprinkled! If you do, you'll be sure to leave there smiling!

While I'm at it, I also want to mention a few other bloggers who mean so much to me. All of their blogs can be found on my sidebar.

First, I'd like to introduce Matty, whose blog is called Running On Empty. When she says running on empty, what she really means is running on Love, because I don't know where she gets the energy to do all that she does. She has a very fast paced, high energy blog, she doesn't miss a thing, and she hardly ever skips a beat. She is an incredibly strong and loving grandmother of two adorable grandchildren, that she raises, as her own... and she has enough warmth, in her big heart, for not only them, but their friends, as well, whom she aways welcomes into her home, with open arms. Her grandson is waging a war against cancer, and winning... and she is just the sort of grandma that he needs! Besides being a corner stone of strength, for him, she still finds the time to raise her granddaughter up to be a very loving and caring little lady. Matty is the first person I met in blogger land, the first person to visit my blog. As soon as I made my very first posting, she was right there, encouraging me on. There were times when life was hectic, but she touched my Heart with her powerful words of encouragement, and gave me the strength to keep on blogging. Blogging is something I need to do, at this juncture in my life, and if not for her, I would have given up, early on. Thanks a million, Matty!

Another blogger I would like to mention is Dust Bunny. Dust Bunny's blog is called "A Comforter Is Not A Bedspread... And Other Observations." She was the 2nd person to visit my blog, and for a very long time, it was just Dust Bunny and Matty. Dust Bunny is a dynamic and lovely person, inside and out, who sometimes lives a parallel life to my own. She is always running in and saying she can't believe what I just wrote, because she has just had something, similar, in her own life, that has just occured. There have been times when I've been over at her spot, and had to tell her that I had something, in draft, at that very moment, reflecting many of the same thoughts as her own. It's been amazing, and it's always nice to know we are not alone, when we are experiencing sometimes unpleasant or difficult aspects of life. It's always good to know, as well, however, that there is someone who can share of our Joys, and the small miracles we experience, in our daily lives, too... and she is always one for that! Dust Bunny has found a wonderful way to combine two families, making a happy home for two growing teenagers. That, alone, is a feat not easily accomplished. She has a sometimes challenging job, at home, as well as in her career, but she manages to pull them both off with a sense of grace, kindness, and undying faith. I admire those qualities! Thanks for making my days brighter, Dusty Bunny. Your comments are always so welcomed!

I couldn't go on without mentioning Enemy of The Republic, whose blog is called Cruel Virgin. Enemy is a beautiful heart, and her posts never cease to amaze me, in their intellect, depth, and passion. She will spur you on, making you think, even if you don't want to. She's a teacher, by trade, and a true teacher, at heart. She isn't afraid to speak her mind. At the highest and most respected place, she is an Initiator, and one who Ignites with Fire! But she pulls it off with such kindness, and of the quality that keeps you comin' back. She's also one of the busiest bloggers around. I could never keep up with the volume of the posts that she pulls in. And she has incredibly evocative artwork on each of her posts, that's an added bonus. If you wanna know what the rest of the world thinks, about nearly anything controversial, or otherwise, ya gotta check her blog out... but watch yer tail feathers, 'cause the fire there is always poppin'. It's a wonderful place to rant, while remaining on equal and solidly stable ground. It's much more than a rant, however. It's a place of learning... both, of the emotional, social, and political world around you... as well as a forced look within, once you see the world through other's eyes.

Spread the Love!