Forgive it Forward: Follow Those Footprints

Sometimes it helps to follow in someone’s footsteps – even if only for a short while. For that reason, Ray and I have started this series; a virtual footprint forum for muses with stories, ideas and tips that we think worth sharing. We hope your ‘walk’ with them makes your day a little lighter and brighter –and that you leave with something that inspires you to forgive it forward, backward, upward and downward!

This story is being shared under the category of forgiveness as a reminder. In the flurry of day-to-day living, it is moments like these, shared between a young boy and his mother, that capture the heart and are worthy of our capacity for memory – not the ones that disappoint. And when someone we love loses their ability to remember, these are the ones that we hold for them as well as ourselves. Which is why we found “A Fortune in Dough” by Ray Harwell priceless. So, sit back and pour yourself a cup of coffee, or tea if you prefer, and travel back in time with us as we share a precious memory in the making.

GUEST MUSINGS BY: Ray Harwell, Agricultural Research Assistant

 “Tell me the story, Momma.” It had been a while since the last time I had asked and I knew that if I asked too often she would say no. She acted as though she hadn’t heard a word I had said. I stood behind her, over near the fireplace, watching as she prepared her work on the breakfast meal. I stuck a thumb in my mouth and contemplated whether or not she had, in fact, heard me. This was somewhat dangerous ground. One false move here and there would be no story this morning. Why, it may even be days if I pushed too hard. In a flurry of action she had turned on the stove eyes and the oven, gotten stuff out of the fridgedair and had made several trips to and from the sink. I had to act soon. Making my way around the table (it was an extremely large table where all members of the family had a designated seat) I saddled up close to her right side. She looked down at me and in those big beautiful brown eyes I could actually see the love pour out and down on me.

“Oh, not this morning!” she said turning once again to her work. “Your daddy will be in from the barn soon and I need to have things ready.” It was time for a bold move. Removing the thumb from my mouth and wiping it on my shirt, I started tugging on one of the many straight-backed chairs that surrounded that grandest of all tables. I pulled and pushed and pushed and pulled until I had it right up against the cabinet to Momma’s right.  A quick glance assured me this had not caused her to stray from her task. The chair was in place with its back pushed tight against the cabinet and after a brief struggle I found myself in the most perfect place in the whole wide world.

Momma was still acting as if I was nowhere around and this was good. She pulled open the cabinet door that was directly in front of her and below. From there she retrieved the dough board and sifter. In one action she loaded the sifter with the right number of handfuls of flour (White Lily if you please) and placed it on the cabinet in front of her. I was amazed at how fast she could sift that flour and never let it spill over the sides but land perfectly in the dough board making a mound. Once again she stooped into the lower cabinet and came back up with just the right amount of pure hog lard in her right hand. Those hands of hers were a great mystery to me. With those same hands she had rendered the lard that she now rubbed onto flat pans and mixed into the flour. Those hands, that wiped with all tenderness the tears from my eyes, had picked cotton and hoed rows and rows. The little finger on her right hand was bent at the second joint and was stiff. I had asked her many times why that was but she would only say she hurt it as a child. I still can not rightly say. Even with that stiff pinky she worked that lard into the flour until it was exactly like she wanted it. She made a valley in the middle and poured in the fresh milk a little at a time with her left hand while mixing steady with her right.

My thumb had once again found my mouth and I leaned in close to her, my head against her hip. Even now when I think of this moment in my life, repeated so often before so many meals, I can still feel her warmth beneath a faded dress. Her smell fills my senses and I find, if only for an instant, that feeling of greatest love and security that can only be that of mother and son, the way it was intended to be.

The moment of truth had arrived. If Momma were going to tell me the story it would be now. She had kneaded the dough until it suited her and with a pat she pinched off the first biscuit.

“This is Ray on the day he was born.” she said as she rolled the tiny bit of dough in her hands and, patting it flat, laid it onto the greased pan.  “It was one of the hottest days in July.”  The story had begun.

Pinching off a slightly larger piece and rolling and patting it flat she said, “And this is Ray when he turned one year old.” She placed it in the pan next to the first one and I could see that I had grown in size. “This is Ray when he will start first grade and he will learn how to read and write.” Momma said, as she placed this even larger biscuit next in line. “You’ll have lots of fun there and you will be so smart!” she would say. “Who will my teacher be?” I would ask. “Will I like her?” “Maybe you will have Miss Thornton or you might have Miss Fleming.” she would reply. As she answered my questions she was preparing the next biscuit. In like manner, she took me through grammar school and into high school. I noticed the biscuits were now much the same size as her regular ones and she told me that I would continue to grow but not as fast and I wouldn’t notice it as much. Sometimes she would tell me of girlfriends I would have, of learning to drive and working on the dairy with Dad. She would usually take me through high school graduation and tell me how proud she was of me for getting through school. Then she would add a slightly smaller pinch of dough and place it on the pan really close to the last in line. “And this is the lucky girl that Ray will marry and he will love her very much and she will love him too!” she would say.  “What’s her name?” I would ask.  “That’s for YOU to find out!  You’ll know her when you see her.” was all she would ever say.

On a daily basis Momma made many pan-fulls of biscuits. Usually two, sometimes three, every meal for a long time. I only asked for the story at breakfast and have often wondered why. It may be that after the sun was up there were too many other things to hold my attention. It may well have been because that was the routine and like the cows, from which we gained our living, I was merely a creature of habit. For me, however, it was because that was MY time with Momma. My sister was still asleep; Dad and what brothers were still at home were at the barn milking. There was only the two of us in that small country kitchen as Momma told my fortune in dough and with it gave me insight into phases of life and love and even the heartbreak that would forever be part of me and of us all.

Many years have come and gone and in their goings have taken away many of the memories created so long ago.

 Several years ago, as Momma was struggling so valiantly against one of the worst diseases of this world, Alzheimer’s, I was watching her make biscuits. She was eighty-two, I was forty-six. She could still do pretty well. I eased up against her and said, “Tell me the story, Momma.” She stopped immediately with her preparation and after a brief moment she looked up at me with those same clear brown eyes of so long ago and smiled at me with a smile that could only have been sent from God. I swear that it warmed me like the sun breaking from behind the clouds on a cool day.  She did not attempt to tell me the story nor was I expecting her to. The moment was just that – a moment.

But in that fleeting moment we connected again on that level that was the love of mother and son, the way it was intended to be. Time nor disease will ever take away nor change this memory of mine. I will not let it.

My wife and sons and daughter (by the way, all foretold in long ago dough) have heard this story. My sister, Faye, has heard this story.  And now you can hear it, too. And with each telling or reading or remembrance time is rendered impotent in its abilities to steal.

I miss her. I miss her a lot. Writing this has been difficult for me but necessary. Not to share this great gift – so freely given to me by my mother so long ago that started me on my life’s journey and provided the ground for a connection years later – would be the most selfish of action.

So, that is the story. As I sit here in front of the computer screen and read it over with wet red eyes and tears on cheek, I think of how much I loved her – how I love her still.

Ray is a retired Agricultural Research Assistant with the University of Georgia.  He lives in Madison with his wife of 36 years. Their three children are grown and gone with five children of their own.  He is now occupied with the care of an old friend, 93 years young, and making wind chimes from glass and recycled materials. He is also finding the path from which he strayed in days gone by and is learning to reframe, forgive forward and reconnect with that inner artist abandoned so long ago.

Did you miss the Forgive it Forward video? Click here to see the 3-minute video!

Curious how it ALL started?  CLICK HERE to see the 2-minute video book trailer that started it all!

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. If this is a guest post, permission will be needed from the writer as well. Together we grow.  

Did this make your day a little brighter? (Then “LIKE” this or SHARE this!) And feel free to comment or share a story of your own!

Photo Courtesy Karla Zdroik

“How fortunate we are to make our life’s work centered on experiencing life with depth and creating a soulful response to it.” – Linda Saccoccio

Dancing Fantasy, a group from Germany, had a song that played on the radio a number of years ago, entitled Walk of Life.

Something about this song resonated so strongly with me that, whenever it played, I would find myself lost in a daydream that never failed to lift my spirit. I would see myself dancing alone in the center of a large circular clearing deep within a forest – happily twirling about like a leaf carried on a gentle breeze.

One day a question popped into my head. What would happen if I “invited” people I knew who were troubled or challenged to join me in this imaginary dance? And what if, no matter where they were or what they were doing in the “real world,” they found their day lighter, their spirit brighter because of it?

At first, just a few joined me. Some came to the clearing and hopped right into the rhythm of the dance. Others timidly lingered on the edge, only to take a rain check for a later date.

It was not long before I found myself moved to buy Walk of Life so I could choose when I wanted to experience this dancing fantasy. I learned to let go of any need to control the visuals as it was not unusual for my little daydream to take on a life of its own. Sometimes people from the past showed up, or people that I needed to do healing and forgiveness work with. Often, by the time the tune ended, I would be surrounded by countless twirling bodies and bobbing heads. Many of whom I didn’t know. Friends of friends of friends. Dancers and music-makers sharing the joy of a communal experience.

This fantasy remained a happy pick-me-up for a few years before life got busy with the distraction of two cross-country moves. Between packing and unpacking, settling and unsettling, I didn’t think to listen to it. The path to my magical forest clearing soon lay hidden beneath overgrown brush and fallen leaves.

I was settling in from one of these moves when I met a woman with whom I felt an instant connection. She hired me to come to her home to do a little Feng Shui and to help organize her “whimsy room.” (She was a writer in the throws of writing a novel and in need of a sanctuary that would sustain and inspire her.)

Her home was nestled far off the main road where she and her husband owned a fair acreage of forest. As our friendship deepened, she shared a dream that was about to become a reality for her. She had a labyrinth tucked away in the forest by her home and was in the process of putting the finishing touches on it. She had plans for a special labyrinth walk. A ceremony that would share her vision for peace and joy and oneness with many.

One afternoon, just prior to this event, she invited me to walk it with her. To feel its power. Leaves and twigs crunched under our feet as she led me into the woods. The site she had chosen was impressive and substantial. As we silently spiraled our way into the center of her labyrinth, a mystical stillness settled into everything around us. The land felt sacred. The air felt charged. When we finished our meditative walk, we sat and talked about her plans for the ceremony. She asked if I would lead the labyrinth procession in a dance. Honored, I said yes.

Her vision manifested into an amazing event. There were well over a hundred people invited from all walks of life and religious practices. Her writing coach facilitated it. A Taoist monk blessed it. A Baptist minister brought his choir to sing Amazing Grace for it.

A ceremonial drummer provided the beat for our symbolic “walk of life” as I led her guests – in dance – into the labyrinth’s center and out. I was halfway in before I “came to” and realized that all the smiling faces and twirling bodies around me were strangely reminiscent of my own dancing fantasy! 

A fantasy that took on a life of its own and celebrated our oneness in a way that I could never have imagined – and continues to amaze me to this day!

CLICK HERE to HEAR it on YouTube!   “Walk of Life” by Dancing Fantasy from their CD “Day Dream.” Treat yourself to a listen. Who knows, you might discover your OWN dancing fantasy!

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you wish to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow!

If you like this, then “LIKE” this and SHARE it with your friends! Have a dancing fantasy or oneness synchronicity of your own? Don’t be shy, share it here!

Where on Earth?

Guest Musings by: Shellie Enteen of Astralessence

While many know that the positions of the Sun and planets on the birthday can tell about a person’s nature and even predict life events, not as many realize that the same birth chart holds important information about which locations on earth are the most favorable places for that individual to live.

A Total View

When considering relocation charts, the astrologer keeps the person’s strengths and weaknesses in mind and also their goals and desires. Planetary line charts are consulted first to see areas to be pursued and areas to be avoided (some planets bring more challenges and are best in the background where they can’t make too much mischief). Certain reasonable places in desirable areas are noted and then the birth chart itself is relocated for the location and examined for the total planetary picture. The choices begin to narrow down and several are described in detail, listing their strengths and weaknesses so the client can make their own choice. Nowadays, it is also wise to consider potential geological influences to avoid zones that have the potential for major events.

So, How Does It Work? Look Up!

As if it were a telescope that could view the entire sky all around the globe, the planets, Sun and Moon can be seen to shed influence over parts of the astrological chart. That circular map represents their geophysical space at the time of birth, too. If you spin the chart around for the different time zones, the planets appear in different locations.

• A very basic example would be for someone born at sunrise. For this individual, the Sun is a prominent energy along the latitude line of the place of birth. We call a planet rising in the eastern sky, Ascending. But elsewhere at the same moment in other countries on the globe, that same Sun is found to be at the noon or Midheaven position, or in the western sky, setting at the descendant position or it is midnight, with the Sun directly below at the immum coeli at the bottom of the chart.  As an ascending position, it brings the strong solar influence to the appearance, health and the impression the person makes on others, in the Midheaven position it influences the career and public life/reputation, at the descendant it influences important partnerships, legal matters and marriage and at the IC, it influences the home itself and the family life.  So, if the individual were relocating with a desire to bring the strong light energy of solar self expression to the Career then they would want to choose a location that is located along the longitudinal planetary line of the Sun on the Midheaven.

While there are big moves, sometimes just a few degrees of longitude can make a difference, too. Moving slightly to the east or west can shift planets from one house to another in the birth chart.

• For another simple example, if a person was born when expansive Jupiter was in the sector of the home and family they would already experience having a large, nice place to live and benefits for and from family. If they relocated just far enough west to move Jupiter into the astrological ‘house next door’ of creative self expression and romance, they would keep their luck with home and family, but also increase their experience and expression of creative talents and possibly find a good romantic partner or at least have some fun times!

Ask the Stars!

If you are contemplating a move and wondering where to go or if the place you have chosen to relocate to is the right decision, having a Locational chart drawn before you commit to the move is a great idea.

Shellie Enteen: Astrologer & Aromatherapist

Shellie Enteen, RA, BA, LMT has been a practicing astrologer for over 30 years and an Aromatherapist since 1987. She is the author of several articles for trade publications such as The Mountain Astrologer, The Aromatherapy Journal and Massage Today magazine (which can be viewed online). She teaches nationally approved continuing education classes for Massage Therapists and a Professional Level Aromatherapy course. Shellie has lectured for the South Florida Astrological Association and teaches healthy lifestyle classes in several holistic modalities in her current hometown of Greenville, South Carolina.  View her monthly astrology forecast on her website.

Click Here to Find Shellie’s Spot at Astralessence or to Sign Up for Her Newsletter!

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you wish to share or quote from this article please share us with it. If this is a guest post, permission is needed from the writer as well. Together we grow!

If you like this, then “LIKE” this and SHARE it with your friends. And if you have questions or comments for Shellie this is the spot to speak up!

Forgive it Forward: Follow Those Footprints

Sometimes it helps to follow in someone’s footsteps – even if only for a short while. For that reason, Ray and I have started this series; a virtual footprint forum for muses with stories, ideas and tips that we think worth sharing. We hope your ‘walk’ with them makes your day a little lighter and brighter –and that you leave with something that inspires you to forgive it forward, backward, upward and downward!

In this post, we invite you to follow Suzanne’s footprints as she shares a magical story about how far a $20 bill will travel!

GUEST MUSINGS BY: Suzanne Smith, Travel Consultant

Recently, my 14-year-old daughter and I went on a road trip. Mother-Daughter bonding time that I felt was needed. Even though there are only the two of us in this house, we spend a lot of our time living separate lives. What better way to force us to talk about more than “pick up your clothes” and “take me to the Mall” than a thousand mile road trip in the middle of summer during a 95+ heat wave!

We started our journey from Charlotte, NC to Baltimore, MD midday on a Thursday. I didn’t want to push my 13-year-old car too hard so we stopped at just about every rest area between Charlotte and our first night’s stop in Fredericksburg, VA. My daughter was irritated. “Do we need to stop at every rest area? You have already pe’ed twice!!” (Hey, I am old, what can I say? We kept stopping.) Six hours into the drive and fifteen miles from our exit I saw another rest area.

“No way”… “Yes way”… We pulled in.

After “resting” and emptying the “travel” trash, I started to get into the car and looked down. A nice crisp $20 bill was there on the pavement. I looked around. No one in sight. I went to the minivan next to me and peered in the windows. No one in the van. I hesitated. Should I pick it up? I knew it wasn’t mine. I looked around again; still no one to ask. Feeling guilty, I picked it up and put it in my pocket. I didn’t steal it but felt like I had as I joked with my daughter, “see, if we hadn’t stopped we wouldn’t have made $20″ and so far our trip was “free”… but in the back of my mind I still felt funny with someone else’s $20 bill in my pocket.

We checked into our Fredericksburg hotel, settled in for the night and left the next day for Baltimore. As a travel agent, I attend a lot of sales seminars and travel shows and, earlier this year, I had won 2 free nights at the Intercontinental Baltimore Harbor so that was why we were going to Baltimore. Cruise lines are starting to sail out of Baltimore year round and I had never been there. We arrived in Baltimore with plenty of time to start sightseeing – but believe it or not that $20 was weighing on my mind. I still felt bad. I didn’t really need that $20 and kept thinking that maybe I should have left it there in the rest area for someone else to take.

The next morning, we hit the streets again and ended the day wandering around the city trying to find Edgar Allan Poe’s grave (my daughter loves him). The streets are confusing downtown, where he’s buried, with all sorts of one-ways, twists and turns. And finding parking on a Saturday night that the Orioles played was even tougher. We finally parked a couple blocks away, in front of a hospital, and walked to the cemetery. At the entrance was the marker for Poe’s grave – with flowers and a bottle of whiskey adorning it. We were “clicking away” when I looked up from the camera and saw a man walking down the street. He noticed that I saw him and stopped – then approached us. He didn’t look too scary. He asked if I was familiar with the area and I told him that we were just visiting. He then went on to tell me his story.

“I live in Battle Creek, MI” he started out … He was on his way to NY and had a long layover in Baltimore so he thought that he would see the city before he went on to NY. He wandered into the wrong area and was beaten up so badly that he had to be hospitalized. (I started to think that his story sounded like the ones email hackers use to try to get people to wire money by saying you are hurt and stranded in a foreign city.) He proceeded to show me his hospital wristband and discharge papers. He had just been released and wanted to get on a Greyhound to NYC that was leaving in 20 minutes but he was $18.30 short of the fare. Shoving his papers towards me and showing me his wristband, he said he was embarrassed – that he had never had to ask for money before. He was very upset so I just stopped him and asked, “What do you want from me? Do you want me to give you money to get on the bus?” He said if I could spare anything that he would send me the money when he got where he was going. I asked him, “Would $20 be good?” He said yes. I gave him the $20 and told him that he didn’t need to send anything back to me – and that I was sure a fellow Michigander standing in front of Poe’s grave would not be lying to me.

He took the $20 – thanking and blessing us – and left. I told my daughter, who had been standing next to me listening to everything, that regardless of whether he needed that $20 for the bus or for “whatever,” he seemed to really need it and that I was glad that we could help him out.

We were finishing up with the pictures when a police car pulled up and a female officer stepped out. I thought “oh, oh”… but she was there to lock up the cemetery due to the area not being safe at night. She then told us that where we were standing was just a monument to Poe and that his actual grave was in the back of the cemetery and she would be more than happy to show us. She told us that she was supposed to lock up immediately but would wait until we had a chance to go through all the graves and take our pictures. She was very nice, even asked where we were parked in case we needed a ride to the car.

Sometimes the Universe works in mysterious ways, don’t you think? That $20 needed to get from that rest area outside of Fredericksburg to that man in Baltimore. I didn’t need the money and it never felt like mine. But I do like to help out others. I had won the 2 free nights. We saw him the second day. We parked near the hospital he had just gotten out of. My daughter loves Poe. And a nice policewoman, who was more than happy to give us a private tour of the graveyard, rewarded us for our good deed.

We are back to our old routine of “pick up your clothes” and “take me to the Mall” but we both remember the good feeling that we got helping that man from Battle Creek that needed $20. It will be one of those memories we can fall back on the rest of our lives.

Suzanne loves travel, people and parties and has brilliantly embraced all three through her company, Champagne Vacations. In addition to being spotted near tombstones, Suzanne is occasionally found researching hotels, attractions and restaurants around the world so she can make personal recommendations to her clients. She is currently surviving a teenage daughter and a four-legged crew of 4 rescue kitties and 1 step-dog. She has assisted as a hospice volunteer and says she will give you the shirt off her back if you need it as long as “I am wearing a bra.”  (We can personally attest to both her generous spirit and wacky sense of humor!)

“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.” – Hilaire Belloc

You will find Suzanne and Champagne Vacations wandering around Facebook if you CLICK HERE!

Or You Can Check Out Her Website: CLICK HERE!

Did you miss the Forgive it Forward video? Click here to see the 3-minute video!

Curious how it ALL started?  CLICK HERE to see the 2-minute video book trailer that started it all!

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow.

Did this make your day a little brighter? (Then “LIKE” this or SHARE this!) And feel free to comment or share a story of your own!

Photo – Courtesy of Casa Dresden

When Ray and I posted this article back in 2008, little did we know where THAT little forgiveness project would lead us. The concept of Forgive it Forward could not have been further from our minds! And yet, here we are with you. We are re-posting this to share how important it is to pay attention to those little nudges we get along the path … including those to forgive. You never know where they will lead or, in this case, WHEN they will take seed and lead.

This Year, International Forgiveness Day is August 8, 2010

This original article was posted: August 1, 2008

Sunday, August 3, 2008 is International Forgiveness Day. An article by Michael E. McCullough, entitled Vengeance 101 in the July/August issue of Spirituality & Health lists projects that can be implemented in the spirit of encouraging the world to be a more forgiving place. Those of you who know Ray and me know this is a big topic for us. Neither of us would be here today were it not for our willingness to forgive and our willingness to accept forgiveness. 

So, we cannot let this day go by without support. We are picking Project #4 on the list – with our own twist, of course. It states, “Promote a climate of apology and compensation in your family, neighborhood, congregation, or place of work.” We wish to promote a climate for consideration, contemplation, and conversation – if you care to join in – as to where our lives would be without the willingness to forgive and accept forgiveness. 

When we say forgiveness, we are not talking about the “pardoning” kind. (The kind that says, “You’ve done me wrong. You’ve hurt me bad. You’ve altered me. I will suffer with this pain forever but I will forgive you.”) Yes, pardoning is a starting point. But pardoning, at best, offers a compromised peace. A peace that teeters atop past offenses, stashed yet never forgotten. Throw a few more offenses on top of the pile and this version of forgiveness crumbles rapidly. Pardoning would never have gotten Ray and I around the block after our reconciliation. 

When we say forgiveness, we are talking about the kind that erases the “offense” forever; the kind that shifts our perception, converts the offense to a classroom, the offender to a teacher, the experience to an opportunity for growth. A growth that allows us to say, ” I forgive you.” with the subtext being, “I see this differently. I was mistaken when I thought you harmed me. Look at what I have learned. Look who I have grown to be. Look who I have uncovered. I’m okay. There is nothing to forgive here.” This kind of forgiveness does not crumble. 

Yea. Yea. Easier said than done. You’re right. But it is doable. It took Ray and I eighteen years, nine months, and a betrayal to give birth to that kind of forgiveness between us. (It’s all in B’s Pages.) We signed up for the class, became teacher to each other, and grew up in spite of ourselves. We wouldn’t change a thing in the way it happened. We needed every bit of that classroom to receive – and share – our gift. (Including the additional fourteen-plus years of practice that have come afterward.)

So, in the spirit of encouraging the world to be a more forgiving place, Ray and I invite you to consider where you are with (or without) forgiveness in your own backyard. 

• If you find yourself looking back on a moment where you truly forgave and are reaping its benefits today, extend gratitude. (And share it. The world needs gratitude, too!)

• If you are struggling to find the willingness to forgive, what purpose is your pain serving? (There’s a hidden “payoff” somewhere. Find the payoff and you’ve taken your first step to freedom.)

• Imagine for a moment, waking tomorrow morning with no memory of past hurts, slights, or failures. Do you feel relief? Or anxiety and fear? 

Forgiveness is not just an ideal to strive for. It is a tool that radically changes lives – always for the better. Ask anyone who has given it. Ask anyone who has received it. 

We are not limiting our forgiveness project to August 3. We welcome your comments and any experiences you would like to share on the topic. Every thought for forgiveness is a prayer for a more forgiving world. Peace be with you.

“Let us start our process of reawakening with just a few simple concepts: Thoughts increase by being given away. – The more who believe in them the stronger they become.”

Did you miss the Forgive it Forward video? CLICK HERE to see the 3-minute video!

Curious how it ALL started?  CLICK HERE to see the 2-minute video book trailer that started it all!

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow.

Did this make your day a little brighter? (Then “LIKE” this or SHARE this!) And feel free to add to the conversation below! 

Forgive it Forward: Follow Those Footprints

Sometimes it helps to follow in someone’s footsteps – even if only for a short while. For that reason, Ray and I have started this series; a virtual footprint forum for muses with stories, ideas and tips that we think worth sharing. We hope your ‘walk’ with them makes your day a little lighter and brighter – and that you leave with something that inspires you to forgive it forward, backward, upward and downward!

In this post, we invite you to follow Michele’s footprints. (And we encourage you to pay close attention because, though she has a big heart, she has little feet that like to break out in dance.)

GUEST MUSINGS BY: Michele Sevacko, New Thought Minister

Note: If you always get what you desire … if you only attract “good” … then you might want to skip this post. (Or better still, contribute to this post!) 

If, like me, you’ve been involved in New Thought or Metaphysics for a while (even just a little while) or if you’ve explored the Law of Attraction, you may have heard the expression “what did you (or I) do to attract this?” 

I call this “Metaphysical Malpractice.” Often, all this question results in is feelings of guilt – ’cause if you’re attracting it, then you must’ve done something “wrong” or “bad.”  Right? 

Well, not really. There may be something that you could possibly do differently; but it’s not about making a judgment of bad, good, better, etc. That just takes you one step further into the land of guilt. (OR possibly resentment of the person(s) that suggested that you must have done something to draw this to you.) In either case, you’re now presented with an opportunity to practice forgiveness. And, in those times that forgiveness doesn’t seem to come easily, you’ll be happy to know that your willingness puts you halfway there. As well as dealing with the opportunities for forgiveness this brings up, you may also be interested in some ideas for how to eliminate this scenario. 

Enter the concept of being “divinely aligned.”    

With books, speakers and movies about the Law of Attraction being so popular, the power of our thoughts has come to the forefront of interest. This really isn’t anything new. It’s something the ancients knew, as in Romans 12 (The Bible) we read, “Be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind.” And more recently – but over 100 years ago – James Allen’s “As A Man Thinketh” was published.  And, yes, our thoughts are things, or as one song puts it “our thoughts are prayers,” so it’s important that we take care in the thought seeds we plant. However, to me, it’s about what I call being “divinely aligned.” 

What are you in alignment with? You are in alignment with universal law. 

Universal laws are those “eternal Truths” that work for everybody, all the time, no matter where they are. AND we don’t even have to know the law for it to work. And, just as we trust in the law of gravity, we don’t have to know HOW this works – we just have to know and trust that this DOES work. That’s the “good” news. 

It’s simple.

• To be divinely aligned starts with a thought. 
• Then whatever you think becomes a feeling. 
• Taking action and what you say then follows. 
• Once you have all these things working together, you’re in a position to manifest what you desire. 

Does it sound too simple? Are you thinking, “I already knew that”?

Sometimes, simple Truths aren’t easy Truths. The part that can be a little more challenging is that some things seem to come easily and others take more time. And, in those times we wonder what we’ve done “wrong.” Remember it can be an ongoing 24/7 process. And, because we are not isolated individuals, there are people, events, situations, etc. that pop-up and give us opportunities to grow. It requires focus and a conscious effort. 

So, the next time you’re faced with Metaphysical Malpractice, remember to practice forgiveness.  Or, if you participated in Forgive It Forward, remember (with a smile) that you’ve already done the forgiving. Give thanks for the opportunity for growth and understanding – and affirm your good. Then, as you take the steps of divine alignment – working on manifesting what you desire – remember to embrace all the good that shows up along the way!

Michele Sevacko is an ordained New Thought minister and lives in the Triad area of North Carolina with her husband and 4-legged kids. With a Ph.D. in Philosophy, specializing in Pastoral Counseling, she works from home (and heart) providing spiritual support services. Additionally, Rev. Michele serves through her Music Ministry sharing music and songs in churches, spiritual centers, the community and beyond. 

To find out more about Rev. Michele Sevacko and her Pastoral Counseling Ministry CLICK HERE 

To find out more about Rev. Michele Sevacko and her Music Ministry CLICK HERE 

You may also enjoy meeting Rev. Chele’s ”alter-ego,” Metta Fizzical, Ph.D. who received her education from the School of Life. Blending the wisdom of a meta-physician and some down-home advice, it is Metta’s joy to offer you her opinion on just about any of life’s most pressing questions – whether she knows anything about the topic or not.

Here’s one of Metta’s musings that we are going to try:

My favorite exercise for letting go of issues is to go on a rock hunt and collect rocks of all shapes and sizes that represent the issues, (i.e. – this rock represents getting fired and this rock represents being stood-up, etc.). Put them in a sack and when you can’t think of anything else (or your sack is full), tie it around your waist and haul it around.  At some point, (I hope) you will become tired of hauling around the “baggage.” At that point, cut it off and surrender it to the Universe, taking notice of how light you feel after releasing it. If nothing else, you will burn some calories carrying the extra weight so you win, no matter what. Now, doesn’t that sound like fun???

For more Metta CLICK HERE

Prayer: Be Positive … Be Practical … Just Be … As the title suggests, this e-Book explores the many various aspects of prayer with a focus on being positive and practical in your approach.

To find out how you can get a copy CLICK HERE

Did you miss the Forgive it Forward video? CLICK HERE to see the 3-minute video!

Curious how it ALL started?  CLICK HERE to see the 2-minute video book trailer that started it all!

Or check out Bernadette’s Pages. CLICK HERE to find out more! 

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. If this is a guest post, permission will be needed from the writer as well. Together we grow.  

Did this make your day a little brighter? (Then “LIKE” this!) Are you divinely aligned? Waiting and wondering? Celebrating? Here’s your chance to walk and talk with Michele – or Metta, if you prefer!

One of our spots turned out to be Charleston, SC.

Where Would You Like to Live? Findyourspot.com is a fun way to explore the possibilities!

Most of us have had at least one opportunity to move. Maybe to further a career or advance an education. Maybe to care for an aging parent. Or maybe just because a nudge from a small voice within said we are supposed to be someplace else doing something else. No matter where it comes from or why, when confronted with that opportunity, we all have to make the same decision. Where do we rest our heads?

A point on a map may tell us how to get there but beyond that, then what? That little point encompasses a lot of territory. But what does it define? If you live there already, it defines everything. If you do not, it defines nothing usable as a personal experience from which to make a decision.

We have a friend who was looking for her spot not long ago. She sent us this link for FindYourSpot. Being “gypsy-esque,” Ray and I have a happy little system of our own that has worked rather well – chuckle – but we decided to take the survey and see how FindYourSpot’s ideas compared to ours. 

We were a little surprised to see that Asheville, NC was not on our list of top 24 recommended spots. (Maybe because we rated our housing costs to include the creative fixer-upper neighborhoods that get our creative juices flowing.) But we were intrigued with some of the cities that did show up as potential “spots.”

At the very least, we now have 24 places that we can put on our vacation list because they include the atmosphere and activities that we love!

Another spot. Reedy River Falls, Falls Park in the middle of downtown Greenville, SC.

This free service from findyourspot is not all inclusive but is a pretty good start in getting the conversation going. Being a Feng Shui Practitioner and Clutter Coach who assists many people who are not living in their spot but are trying hard to “make it work,” I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know yourself before making that move!

So, we’d love to hear, where is your spot? And why?

If you have a four-legged baby, you might enjoy Smitty the Kitty’s version of how critters find their spot! CLICK HERE.

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow.

Like this? Then “LIKE” this … and SHARE it!

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Anon

Have you ever had an idea, a dream, or a creative inspiration that wouldn’t let go of you until you did something with it? If you have then you know what it’s like when the muse strikes and you are the match.

Whether your idea is for something that resides in uncharted territory or an ingeniously twisted reincarnation of an old theme, it doesn’t matter. Muses are relentless – and perhaps unforgiving. (Hmm. A topic for another post.)

But this post isn’t about hearing the call. It’s about after that. After you answered the call. Painted your heart out. Sang for your supper. Written your novel. Built your homeless shelter. Erected your church. Re-mortgaged your house. Maxed out your credit cards. And sacrificed your retirement fund.

It’s about what happens after you hang your shingle and send out invites for the concert, poetry reading, gallery showing, taste party, patent demonstration, animal adoption clinic or wellness workshop – and find yourself waiting for the world to show up. For the world to embrace this gift that you burned to share. Waiting with – God love ‘em – the usual suspects/supporters who always show up. (If you are not a creative-activist-entrepreneur who’s had this experience you might want to stop reading now while the rest of us wait.)

Okay, so where am I going with this? It is my belief that those who continue to invent and create when confronted with the ‘not attending’ know a lot about forgiving it forward. See, the very act of continuing to dream and dare and create is what forgiveness looks like to a muse. 

Some might say that the act of gifting the world – anyway – with something that may not be recognized or even noticed in the span of one’s life is a precarious kind of forgiveness. Agreed. That’s why I am writing this. I’m back at the Pandora’s box and lifting the lid.

Thirteen muses contributed to this forgive it forward project. Muses that Ray and I have the utmost respect and admiration for and that, we suspect, have a lot to say about the forgiveness challenges found in sustaining their creative process in a distracted, overwhelmed, not attending world – whether it be with the world or with themselves.

So, we are opening this post to some honest “do you dare” discussion. (Even if it is just amongst us.) The world needs us to keep sharing, creating and contributing our gifts. And WE need to be able to do the same while knowing peace and joy regardless of the outcome. We all need to forgive it forward while answering the call of our muses.

Pick a point and jump on in!

Did you miss the Forgive it Forward video? Click here to see the 3-minute video!

Curious how it ALL started?  CLICK HERE to see the 2-minute video book trailer that started it all!

Or check out Bernadette’s Pages. CLICK HERE to find out more! 

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow.

Irene Rose.
Seen through the eyes of a seven-color palette.
Alizarin crimson and
ultramarine blue compete for starring roles
while bristle brushes encounter the terrain of a prepared canvas.
Piercing blue eyes of subject and artist
mother and son
struggle to make peace with 96 years
while filberts #4 and #6 solicit to capture a wordless truth.
Each application of paint renders layers of
Guilt. Innocence. 
Disappointment. Hope. 
Expectation. Acceptance.
Until the last piece of paint pronounces
Forgiveness
and
Irene Rose.
Seen.

“My preference, in doing portraits, is about the relationship I develop with the subject I paint. When I ask myself the RIGHT questions, they give me the answer. Uncovering that abstract story … emotion … beauty … THAT is the joy of creativity.” – Ray

When Ray told me that he wanted to try his hand at portraiture in oils, I was curious.

When he told me his mother would be his first subject, I was surprised. When he said he needed to start and complete the portrait before the summer was through – well, he had my full attention. (Oddly, she fell and broke her hip about a month after the piece was completed.)

A portrait can capture a likeness or an essence. 

What Ray captured in ‘Irene Rose’ is an essence not often seen in our day-to-day life with Irene – and that is what I love about this piece. He was able to rise above all the negative conditioning that often presents itself in this relationship with his 96-year-old mother to see and paint the woman without the fears that have driven her to drive others. (Anyone in a challenged relationship with a parent knows what I’m saying here.) 

That an artist can accomplish this feat in portraiture is maybe not so amazing. But when that artist is the son of the subject and the painting is a first attempt, it is. (Just my opinion.) And it makes me want to stick around and see what else he captures as he continues to explore his fascination for painting people in the chiaroscuro style of the masters.

So, when Ray told me his next portrait is to be a self-portrait, I smiled. THAT subject might be even tougher than the last!

To see another “Ray step-by-step” post click here: Art in the Making: A Confession

To see what other “creatives” have to say about their process click here: Muses Among Us

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow.

Title: Lumiere
Muse: Juliette Mansour
Gift Giveaway: 5×7 photo, matted for framing

Muse-Creations for Our Forgive it Forward Giveaway – Because forgiveness and creativity go hand-in-hand for us, Ray and I thought it would be fun to spice up our 35-day Forgive It Forward project with a focus on the arts. So, we sent a call out to the muses among us for a little assist and some inspiration.

Between June 14th and July 19th, we introduced artists, sculptors, potters, musicians – and more – who forgave it forward with us by donating a gift for a random drawing giveaway. 

Ray and I asked each muse to answer two questions and share with us a little bit about their creative process and passion. We hope they will inspire you. 

Juliette Mansour: Photographer & Web Wizard

Were it not for this muse’s abilities and patient persistence, you would not be reading this blog. You also would not have a Forgive it Forward video to watch or a Facebook page to visit. And there definitely wouldn’t be any tweets, chirps or twitters coming from this part of the world.

Why? Simply put: I’m a “procrastinate until it is obsolete” technophobe when it comes to computers and the internet, Ray is a “just put a pastel or paintbrush in my hand” artist and Juliette is a saint. (Okay, maybe not a saint but certainly an angel for sharing her wings.)

I’ll never forget her first remarks when I asked her what she thought about Enlightened Ink’s new website back in 2006. After she said it was “nice” – yeah, THAT got my curiosity too – I asked her to be honest. (I mean, nice? Just NICE?)  Juliette likened our attempt at a website to “putting a poodle sweater on a Great Dane puppy.” (Cute at first but no potential for growth.) When I asked her to go on, I had an eerie sense that I was opening a Pandora’s box. The next thing I knew, our online presence was under construction!

This muse single-handedly poked, prodded, cajoled, coaxed and oftentimes tricked us into embracing the internet as a creative medium the same way we would a blank canvas and box of paints. She instinctively knew all the buttons to push and the frequency with which to push them. On her resume, Juliette says, “my day job can be captured in one headline: “Bilingual chick with a knack for creative stuff and with years of experience in web stuff helps overwhelmed, small biz clients find their voice.” We say that’s an understatement if ever we heard one. Just browse this site and watch the videos and you will see how well this muse collaborates to support all our creative whims, which is why we are excited to be able to share HER in our Forgive it Forward Giveaway!

From Juliette:

I love symbolism, I love stories and I have a love-hate relationship with ambiguity. Not being comfortable with the unknown, I’ll often want to expose what’s there even further and study it. In 2003, an artist friend told me I had a knack for taking pictures and that comment was like lighting a match near gasoline.  It uncovered a lost memory of me as a 10 year-old, obsessing for hours with an old Polaroid camera. Photography then became a new way to blend gadget love with story love. I immediately upgraded my Sony digital 2.0 and my creative mindset all at once.

For me, taking pictures feeds the connection with all that IS life.  I feel compelled to capture that connection and share it online and offline. What I love about this form of art is that I can offer a view to others without the burden of judgment. Photos have an innate power to merge someone with an experience in a unique, personal way. I simply pass on the experience – combined with a personal narrative – in whatever way you want to interpret them. And the web work I do helps support that.

So, tell us Juliette …

R&B: What does forgive it forward mean to you?

JM: I don’t remember who said, “Love is what we’re born with. Fear is what we learn here. Forgiveness is our most important contribution.” That contribution translates into a genuine healing on our part and is simply bound to have some sort of positive effect on the world.

Photo: Carmel By The Sea

Forgiving it forward for me means …

• Being willing to welcome change in ourselves and others.
• Making a global commitment to question our perceptions.
• Saying “yes” to letting go at the expense of what our minds may tell us.
• Saying “no” to the anger and defense within us and around us – across cultures, generations and decades.
• Believing that the anger and defense are merely shadows of learned fear and righteousness.
• Knowing that those shadows are not who we are.
• Waking up to the idea that globally, we are feeling the effects.

Photo: Before You Call Me Homeless

• Embracing the knowledge just as we created the effects, we can create healing.
• Getting in touch with our unhealed perception of ourselves and others.
• Rejecting our own resistance to healing.
• Allowing our healing to be born without the constraint of past or future.
• Feeling empowered by the experience of a genuine shift in our thinking.
• Welcoming the new global paradigm of healing.
• Delighting in the idea that others can join us here.
• Asking the world to join us.
• Leading by example for a world that needs us.

R&B: How do you feel your creativity enriches your life and helps to heal our world?

JM: My creativity allows me to tap into that deep space within that is already healed, already forgiven. I am in the flow with no past, no future – just in the now. Combining a love for writing and photography, I look for hidden stories and contrasting perspectives. Just like the light and shadow sides of us that battle it out, healing occurs when I allow myself to be the observer of what is. I leave the interpretation open. Nothing is labeled and the story exists as it is. Being that removed from beauty and, at the same time, at one with it is incredibly enriching.

Photo: Vibrant Street Art In San Fran

Juliette (Casa Dresden) has been online since 1996 and originally began as Pubu Web Team, derived from nicknames and inspired by Juliette’s love for her dogs.

If you would like to see more of Juliette’s work, visit her photo blog and website at: http://casadresden.com/blog

You can also follow her as  Casadresden on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo: Serendipity Train

If you missed our previous Muse, Ray Smith: Click here to see his work and leave your comment.

Did you miss the Forgive it Forward video that Juliette collaborated to create? Click here to see the 3-minute video that started it all!

Did you miss the book trailer that Juliette created for us? Click here to see the 2-minute video that inspired Forgive it Forward!

©2010 Enlightened Ink – If you are inspired to share or quote from this article please share us with it. Together we grow.