For your contemplation...

The root of sorrow lies in the dearth of heroism and courage in the character of the average man. Paramahansa Yogananda

Our Children

I love this passage from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, and I love it when it appears before me, "magically," when I need to re-read it.
"Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness; for even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."

Legacy

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one come to you without leaving better and happier."                   --Mother Teresa
      I'm reading a very interesting book by Caitlin Doughty titled Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory. She's a young, licensed mortician taking a historical, serious, and humorous look at death. She is the founder of The Order of the Good Death. Her website is http://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/ and there you can find some VERY entertaining videos.
      As Caitlin indicates, the chance of each one of us dying is 100%. We don't much care to spend a lot of time thinking about that. I surely don't. But when I do, it leaves me considering my legacy. That leads me back to the Mother Teresa quote I started with. Our greatest power is to love. Let's use it, and live as Mother Teresa suggests.
      I love my readers!
               Leta

Have a FIRST today

    I am currently working with a group of awesome women, and one of the assignments I have given them is to experience some sort of "first" in their lives. It doesn't need to be anything earth-shattering, like walking on the moon (but it could be!). It may be something as simple as smiling at someone you don't know. A "first" involves paying attention, because we probably experience more of them than we realize.
    One example is that a few weeks ago I had an airbnb guest (www.airbnb.com--I am a host) who is an artist, and he did a pencil and watercolor portrait of me while we chatted in the evening. Having a portrait done was definitely a delightful first for me.
    Regarding a "first," I offer this suggestion of encouragement from author Jane Beach:

Make a list of all the times you've broken through fear to do something new. Then ask the questions:
--What is Spirit calling me to do now?
--Am I willing to listen to the voice of my inner wisdom?
--Am I willing to take the next step? 

Have fun with your FIRST today!
           Leta