If you missed the previous season-related tale, my third favorite, you can find it here. I wrote the followingin2011.You may not be familiar with it. Wishing you a peaceful and happy Christmas, The Innkeeper *********************************** Gather round the fireplace warming this inn. You may be frazzled by the call of Madison Avenue. QVC and the Home Shopping Network assault you with gifts options for loved ones. Commercials from
Good evening, one and all. I hope life is treating you well. For many, this is a frantic, mater-ialistic season. Needn't be so. In the inn, we're having a countdown for the biggest day of this month. For this, and the next few days, I am sharing stories I've written related to Christmas. My hope is
There was balance to the day. Even though I traveled more than two hundred miles this evening. I rose at 6:00 a.m. Throughout the day, I made time to breathe, mentally, as well as physically. Slowing down nurtured my inner self. It helped me keep company with my thoughts. I held them- - - examined them--- gently, during downtime that was inserted between today's appointments.
It feels good taking care of myself. More relaxed, I am.
Gratitudes for Tuesday:
1. It's nurturing and satisfying, celebrating life. That happened today. It takes place when I let go of control of people and outcomes. It's an accomplishment---and can be a struggle---holding everything with an open hand.
I am.
Relationships, the future and my career are treated with this perspective. That is possible when I am not anxious or fearful. When I am mindful that I am a loved and innocent man, it's easy to let go of my controlling death grip on my circumstances and relationships with others.
That's only possible when I am live within a nurturing community. I do. Freedom from anxiety is knowing recovery from codependency. It involves overcoming scars from my past. I have.
2. Grace was revealed at a business meeting I attended in Sacramento tonight. It is a marvel, feeling its presence. Always uplifting.
3. I enjoyed the catharsis felt when penning my previous post. I like the craft involved when writing. It's about adding, through subtracting. Verbal sculpting, it is.
4. Feeling God flow through me today was humbling. Relaxing, too. I don't take such occasions for granted. While working with one client, stuff came out of my mouth that I didn't know I had within me.
It was a special positive time. I had to make a note of what I said. I didn't want to lose the moment.
I am tired. I'll add to this post tomorrow. After getting rest.
How About You?
What are your three gratitudes for today? I'd love hearing from you.
Thereis no suc-cess without pain. Sometimes progress means little sleep. At times, there is no time to eat. It re-quires denying ourselves, pushing beyond our limits.
We can't become the person we want to be by remaining the way we are. "Success depends not merely in how well we do the things we enjoy, but in how conscientiously we perform the duties that we don't." John Maxwell, Developing the Leader Within You.
Tonight required every ounce of me. The evening was good. Fearwasfaced.Big time. Myheartpumped wildly.
It felt as if I was at the end of a seven mile run. I could barely breathe. Tak-ing the next step without analyzing, is what I did. I was present.
More than twenty calls, I made. This is part of my Sacramento training. Donations for a good cause I sought. Eighteen calls were with people I did not know. The responses were beyond my imagin-ation.
Every. Person. Said. Yes. I was stunned. Earlier, I had visions of quitting, giving up. I thought of bailing out in the last mile of this four month training marathon. I felt like throwing away all the hard work I've done, wasting the thousands of miles I traveled to Sacra-mento.
No way could I accom-plish this assignment. That was my mental chatter. I was certain. I was also cer-tainly wrong.
Being exhausted, coupled with a migraine headache didn't help. Fear crippled me. Feelings of failure overwhelmed me. I was sunk beneath a pile of negative feelings. That's when the value of living within a caring community kicked in.
It helped me spit out the dust of despair. I was gulping it down when sprawled on the ground of despair.
Stuart.
My upward progress started with a phone call. I spoke with a friend of more than three decades. He pulled me out of a pit. He joked with me, raising me out of my darkened mind.
He didn't shame me. He overlooked my cow-ardice, my doubts in trusting the process.
"Just make the calls," Stuart said. "That's all you have to do. That's the hard work. It does not matter the response you get. Pablo, you haven't asked me.
You haven't told me what you want."
His encourage-ment was sunshine after a storm. He helped grow my confidence. Gradu-ally, I overcame the terror I felt. The smile in his voice lifted my attitude.
I took a deep breath. My heart pounded as I asked, "Stuart, I am involved with fund raising. Would it be possible for you to help?"
The words barely left my lips, when he replied. "Yes, Pablo. I will provide two items the silent auction. I will donatemoney too, towards the food for the dinner."
What planet did he come from?? The planet of compas-sion. Demons of apprehension that had tormented me fled. Because of Stuart. Support received from a dear friend. The encouragement of a loved-filled community enabled me to climb the cliff of fear that overwhelmed me.
The curtains to my house were shut today. No light was let in. I was in a dark space. Not only physically, but emotionally. Gripped with anxiety, I was paralyzed mentally.
I was surrounded in a dark cloud bank of fear. With Stuart's help, not only did the storm clouds part. I was given the beginnings of hope.
It would not have happened if I had isolated. If I had not called him. When our conversation finished, he gave me telephone numbers to use for the night's task. My encouragement was strengthened as the night progressed. I was unexpectedly embraced by a caring community.
I was moved by these strangers I called. Stuart went through the training I am going through. The numbers he gave were of past members who have had the same experience. They cheered me on when I asked for a donation. Gladly they gave more than I expected.
"You will reach your goal!" they told me. Smiles beamed through the phone as they spoke. Each was eager to help. The success I had tonight was the result of wrenching my guts. At first. I pushed beyond my fear.
I reached out for help. Because of the support I received, I feel like birds flying high. Like the sun in the sky. Like the breeze drifting by or a blossom on a tree. It is a new dawn, a new day, a new life.
I'm Feeling Good! You might want toListen to the song below. It expresses how I feel now.
Gratitudes:
1. I was invited by an author to write a chapter for an anthology on gratitude. I need to follow through with this opportunity. She wants to use what I've written here. I love opportunities to spread the healing, life-giving power of gratitude.
2. For the results of calls made tonight. It didn't happen by my power. Success tonight was the result of being bathed in a community of sup-port. Stuart, a long-term friend encouraged me.
The people I enlisted for help were kind, understanding.
3. Someone I didn't even think of, texted me. She asked what she could donate. Wow! Before I even made a request, this kind, sensitive woman, who found out what I was doing tonight, approached me. I was humbled and overjoyed simultaneously. Thank you, Debbi.
4. I am thankful tonight I overcame fear. It slowly happened while dialing for donations. With each additional "yes" my confidence and hope grew.
5. I am a professional listener. Tonight, three wonderful people lent me their ear. It felt good, nurturing and satisfying my soul, pouring out what was bubbling within. I was happy these three, Stuart, Teresa and Tony, cared enough to listen. It was terrific, the roles reversed. I took care of me by asking for their attention.
I asked for what I wanted. Just like the phone calls made tonight.
How About You?
What are your gratitudes for today?
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This day is fantastic. Its focus is the same as this inn. Enjoying this day with family and friends appeals to dearly held values: closeness, community with loved ones. This day is an opportunity to snuggle in the blanket of warmth that being in the company of good friends provides.
Today is a cele-bration of the banquet of good that life offers. I visit with you after enjoy-ing this day of gratitude. This is not Turkey Day. Calling it that misses the point. Today is about heartfelt appreciation for His providence.
Gratitudes are expressed routinely in this inn. There's much to be grateful for. Thank you, each one of you who drop by.
I hope you enjoyed your day. I did. May God's blessings and a spirit of gratitude be yours during this holiday season, is my prayer.
My Gratitudes for Today.
1. In the midst of the holiday stresses, I'm thankful for the peace God offers. It can transcends our circumstances when we focus on what is good, lovely, noble, excellent and worthy of praise.
2. I'm thankful for family and friends---including many of you here, in this community.
3. I'm grateful for family and loved one who cherish me. I appreciate sharing laughter and heart-felt conversations those dear to me.
4. I treasure the decades-long friends I've have.
Discovering new friends is a joy. Old friends, who've known us through weal and woe are rare. They uplift us when we need it. The nurture they provide can't found anywhere else.
5. I give thanks for the gifts God gave me. Those are my abilities. What I do with them is my gift to Him. (John Maxwell)
6. I'm thankful for the values of home, hearth, and community.
7. I'm thankful for my faith. It is a gift. I didn't seek out God.
He found me.
Many minimize God, spiritual values. I'm grateful faith allows me to enjoy life fully. It empowers me to do far more than I could relying upon my strength alone.
I'm thankful for my relationship with the Almighty. He reached out to me as a bewildered, young man. This is the greatest thanks I have on this day which commemorates gratitudes.
Good evening everyone. Many suffer from worry. Multitudes en-dure thecripplingpower of depres-sion. Frustration and self-loathing is the plight of many. An Atti-tude of Gratitude counteracts these ills. Tomorrow is the central day of this inn. May this Thanksgiving Day be your best ever.
Saw clients Tuesday morning. Traveled to Sacramento afterwards. I'm on overdrive, going beyond my comfort level. Not my style. My schedule is stretched. Woke this morning at 5:55 a.m.for an appointment after
Gratitudes for Today
1. My right hand is almost normal. Constant pain in my wrist. Still can't turn the knob on a door. It's the result of breaking my hand four months ago.
2. For personal growth. I don't
"I'm mindful that our thoughts affect the words we use, our words influence our actions, our actions shape our character and our character determines our destiny."
From "My Character Determines My Destiny." To read it, pleaseclick here.
"Progress not perfection, is better than no progress at all, especially when we're trying to rid ourselves from unwelcome dragons that dwell within the closets of our soul."
I hope you enjoyed your day. I did. May God's blessings and a spirit of gratitude be yours during this holiday season, is my prayer.
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