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| If you take a look, you'll see this lovely rose is frayed around the edges. |
Saturday was wonderful, sensational and thrilling. It was a day of challenge, which I am always up for. Speaking regularly before others is something I've done since fourteen.
Public speaking is fun. It allows me to wed different parts of me. I love studying. Talking before others allows me to share my research and what I am passionate about: principles that encourage, help and heal others, ideas that allow me to tend to and invigorate roses browned by the stresses of life.
Communicating before others is a form of drama. This most recent experience was no different. The whole time I'm before an audience, it communicates with me. And so it was. I only needed eyes and a heart that truly look and listen.
After speaking, I was besieged. People lined up, their hurts, tears, pain, and joy they brought when we visited. For a half hour, I got acquainted with those whose smiling faces I saw when I was on the platform. Others stood by, trying to glean from the mini conversations I had with each person. It looks like I have several new clients.
People are hungry for principles that allow us to surmount our vulnerabilities. For some that are helpful, please click here.
This is who I really am: a speaker. Being the innkeeper to this inn is the challenge. My strength is not writing prose. Give me a subject and I can write outlines in my sleep. I'm sure you can tell. Outlines allow me to move from thought-to-thought. I fill in the gaps when I speak.
It's an entirely different style conveying thoughts, word-by-word, sentence upon sentence. It requires a different discipline. Writing---as I do here---reins in my racing thoughts, It slows them down. Writing is labor. When I speak, my thoughts gallop away, enjoying the beautiful country roads of invigorating principles at a breath taking pace.
However, the permanence of the written word propels me to plug away and post. And post. And post, one word at a time. I've been under the regimen of writing, daily, for two or more hours, for the past two years and nine months. This is the result of tending to this inn, and when it was located at two previous addresses.
Being a dutiful innkeeper provides blessings never imagined. I'm growing in an area where I was weak. Thoughts are recorded that otherwise would flit by if they were only spoken. Best of all, I've met new friends---you who cheer the innkeeper with your comments and visits.
Success depends not in how well we do the things we enjoy, but in how conscientiously we perform those duties that we don't.John Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You
I am humbled and thankful for having an amazingly fulfilling profession. I help people. Doing so, I love. It's not my job, it's my joy and privilege. It requires much effort, work that goes beyond my time with those I counsel or teach. The great thing is that I love every aspect of my career and every second of what I do.
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In addition to giving a talk, Saturday I rode bikes with my youngest son, Josiah. Afterwards, he and I gathered with friends and my other sons, for an early celebration of my birthday. The big day is today.
This is the day I emerged into the world in human form. I celebrate my life and all that is within it, including knowing a loving, gracious, patient, God. I love my family and friends. They are incarnational ambassadors of God's love for me. I deeply enjoy my work, music, nature, books and the night.
I have stars to explore, clouds to ride, mountains to climb and books to publish. Thank you for joining me in this journey. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for dropping by the Attitude of Gratitude Inn.
A happy innkeeper
P.S. I'll also let you know something personal about me, too. Let me just say: "a woman." Is that intriguing? Did I get your attention?
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10 comments:
I love to visit your inn. You communicate a joy that I never thought possible. Your job is so incredible, I am glad you still have time to visit with us online.
Happy Birthday to you, Pablo! We are blessed to have you here with us!"Keep coming back (pen in hand...), it's working!
My three gratitude's for Memorial Day are;
1. I could attend a Mission Peak Picnic today with my #2 son Danny to hear a moving speaker and relish a fine burger. And (sneaking another one in...) for the world class quesadilla my #3 son "built" me for dinner. (What is it with men and food?)
2. For the new found patience, tolerance and stop 'n think-ism family and friends teach me daily.
3. For HALT if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired! Gives me time-out to breath and think.
Greetings Innkeeper - thank you for sharing the results of your Saturday event. i knew you'd have an enriching time. Your passion and commitment to the aid of others at all levels could only result in a glorious and fulfilling speech!
You inspire me - thank you - to share my gratitudes for today:
1. For completing a household task of redressing an old bathroom window - staining the inside and hanging curtains for the first time in this room. I usually avoid projects like this - but after listening to you, I committed to tackling and completing tasks that intimidate me. I am thankful.
2. I am thankful for addressing financial task - reviewing and reporting our current financial state with my family - something I generally avoid as it is a trying time. But I completed the task and have made plans to correct the situation - another success.
3. grateful for the oppty - every day - to start anew and strengthen budding habits that reflect my highest qualities.
Thank you, Pablo, for the inspiring reminder of what's possible. Lowry
Hello Pablo my friend! I am dropping by this post too to say how glad i am that people like you exist. People who love so much what they do! You didn't settle and you followed your heart! That gives hope.
You really must be an incredible speaker, i can tell from the description you gave!
Greetings from Greece! And Good Morning!
Hi, Pablo!
Very happy that you had such a stellar Saturday. I know those in attendance were certainly blessed with a powerful and strong channel of Agape Love from God in the form of a man called Pablo!
My 3 gratatitudes for today:
1. Recognizing that I was not doing well today and making several attempts to do something to aleviate this state of mind.
2. Admitting to myself that I really cannot do something I agreed to do for a special person who has helped me so very much. I am embarrassed and ashamed, and yet rather than continue to make myself incredibly crazy and miserable and STILL not get the job done while failing on the task, I finally chose a different action - coming clean with and to myself about the situation, and then coming clean to this person knowing that this will certainly disappoint and that I risk not only disappointing this person but also perhaps I will now be held in a lesser light. This is tough. Growth, in my experience, is not always easy and can sometimes be costly. I am grateful for this growth today, regardless of the cost because I have regained some of the person I am meant to be.
3. Very humbled and therefore deeply grateful that someone took notice that I was not doing so well, and then took a moment to check in with me in a very meaningful way for me, me who has always felt unseen and unheard, even tho I'm a tall person.
Here's to a good evening and a better tomorrow.
Vanessa,
Thank you for your kind words. Happiness IS possible. If you knew my past you'd see that we can transcend any past, any pain.
Over time, I think the guests of this inn will know me better, including the journey that has placed me where I am right now, at a place where I know not only serenity, but tremendous joy and vitality.
I appreciate knowing you. You are special and have helped me, too.
A grateful innkeeper
Carl,
I value your visits and your humor. What a fantastic birthday gift: you're depositing three gratitudes in the inn. You must know I love it when guests do that.
I'm happy hearing you're learning principles that help you grow in patience, tolerance, responding---not reacting.
You are on the road to excellent personal growth!
One of your cheerleaders,
The Innkeeper
Lowry,
Great to see you back. :) I'm glad the inn inspired you to do a honeydew project. I bet your honey is happy.
I'm impressed. You faced your fears regarding your finances---you are training your inner adult!
I'm hearing that you have been placing principles above your personality----kudos to you!!
Thank you for your visit,
The Innkeeper
Hello Nalia, my friend!
Do you know how hard it is for me to blush, with my olive complexion? Your comments are doing that to me.
I have high hopes for you. You are a talented, intelligent and gifted woman. I enjoy your writings and your visits here.
Thank you for your kind words. If the guests of the inn would like me to, I can leave an outline of my recent talk here, in the inn. I can make it a blog post.
It's on three critical things we need, that allow us to have an Attitude of Gratitude.
Thank you for your visit. I pray you'll do well in your exams,like the Oscar Wilde project.
Pavlos
Aileen,
You are making me blush, too. Reading your words again, are making my cheeks turn red. Thank you for your kindness.
I'm in agreement with you. Awareness is key. You can contact me privately if you'd like support regarding overcoming your malaise.
You are a very courageous woman. Wow! That took a lot of character to know and state your limitations. That is a sign of strength, not weakness.
It is also the first step towards sanity and serenity. If we have to be more than what we are to be accepted or loved, then we are telling ourselves that who we are is not good enough. And that is a lie. Every person is worthy of dignity and respect. If we want others to treat us with these qualities we need to also treat ourselves with these two virtues.
One thing that helps us, when we feel pressure to please is realizing that neither our worth nor our loveliness depends upon what we do or do NOT do. We are lovable simply because we are God's children, and we breathe the breath of humanity. (See Courage to Change, p. 217)
I'm really proud knowing you. Thank you for your amazing, transparent honesty. Really. May your tribe increase!
I want you to know that the angels in the "personal growth" heaven are applauding the action you took with this person---acknowledging your limitations. This is a fantastic step. Please hold you head up high, dear.
A proud-of-Aileen innkeeper,
The Innkeeper
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