Keep Your Head Up, My Love.

This morning, I awakened to this world with a sense of joy and peace. Even more so than usual. With each new breath, I learn more about man. About myself. About the nature of life, in general. These things are very important to me. To change things about myself, daily. I know I cannot achieve perfection, but yearn for progress, always. If I lie down in bed without having learned something about myself, I feel off.

For anyone reading this who has not spoken to me in 6 years, you would not even know me. I would be as a stranger to you. I could even say the same in regards to 2 years...even 1...

All of this, because of choice. I choose to be. 

My first choice is to break patterns. This is something I must work on daily. Patterns did not earn their name for their inconsistencies. They are something that must be worked against and resisted. I believe the most difficult part is to locate these patterns. To dig deep down within oneself and discover something that is repeated, that may not serve them well. This is when it becomes tricky. But not impossible. We all have our own grain. All we have to do is learn to go against the grains that do not benefit our lives, but rather cause negative things to repeat. 

Patterns may very well be one of our worst enemies, if we do not break them.  

Einstein wasn't just babbling when he stated that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". If it doesn't work, try something else. Take another road. React in a different way. Open up your mind to new ways of thinking and understanding. Entertain the idea that you may be part of the problem, then fix it. If you are part of the problem, it's okay. As long as you realize it and remedy it. If it goes unaddressed however, you will only hurt yourself, in the future.

The most immense pattern I had to learn to break was to have patience with others. This is not about them, however. 

It is about you. (the individual in charge of choice)

Which standard will you choose to hold yourself to? Bitterness, resentment, gossip, and grudges? Or will it be understanding, love, forgiveness, and grace? Will you smile at the one who hurt you most? Or will you perpetuate the cycle of bitterness by stooping to their level? 

When I smile at someone who may have hurt me in the past, it feels good. I know I am breaking a pattern. I am destroying any chance at cyclical animosity. I am taking the high road.

Because when I behave otherwise, it hurts. It grieves my spirit and dims my light. You see, I choose to love. I choose to live in a loving and positive atmosphere. The way the other person behaves has nothing to do with me. I am the one who has to live with myself and my own decisions. I do not have to live with theirs.

It is a blessing to live in this skin. This body. To think with this mind. I am far from perfect, but my heart smiles as though it holds the biggest secret of all. A secret so beautiful that it carries me throughout this world, walking taller and flying higher, every single day. 

A dear friend of mine calls me "the pheonix", but I do not see it that way. Not anymore. Not for years, now.

Now? Well now, I walk along the highest roads I can reach. The view is breathtaking and the air is sweet. And with each passing day, I try to find a new road, smooth and straight and above all others. 

Sure, I fail. I fall from grace, at times...but always find my way back. (I secretly leave little pieces of candy along the way so I do not veer too far) 

So today, I felt myself shine as I walked downtown. And every day, the shine grows brighter. 

And whenever my emotions take away my light for that brief moment, I try with all my might to retrace my steps and do it right. 

Never forget, we are all broken in some way, or another. That doesn't mean we all have to live this life as victims. We do not have to stay stagnate forever. It is our life and our choice. We can outshine the sun if we so wish. Never limit the new days we are given. 

Life is too short for that.  I speak from experience. I have walked a million roads to arrive to this one tiny point on the map. I have stepped outside of myself. Outside of my comfort zone. I have forgiven and loved, without measure. Taken chances...risks. And somewhere inside of all the mileage, I found me. A "me" who is capable of almost anything. 

There is no crying in baseball and no self pity in life. :-)

So, Keep your head up, my loves, and watch how quickly life begins to carry you into magical places. Places you never thought existed.

It is never too late for a miracle. I love you all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvY9ZaJRjSw