Embrace Your Gifts and Soar!

Breaking The Rules

Alone, I stand on the top level of the Eiffel Tower, gazing through a cyclone fence upon a city I have always dreamed of visiting. The strong breeze caresses my skin and I am grateful to have a small respite from the crowd of people who obviously have shared my dream.

Suddenly, a dark headed boy, about eight years old, appears. As I turn to see who has joined me, I watch the little boy quickly tuck his guilty hand back into his coat pocket. He is attempting to hide a small piece of paper that is begging to be set free. With a big smirk, he looks up at me and silently says, “I wasn't really going to do it.”

Without thinking, I whisper, “i won't tell.”

Upon hearing my words, a twinkle returns to the little boy's eyes. After a second of hesitation, the paper goes sailing from the little boy's hand. We watch the paper sprout invisible wings as it comes to life and dances in the wind. As I watch the paper magically sail away into the unknown, I wish that I could have attached myself to it. The paper looks so free and here I am, stuck behind a fence that keeps me safely confined to a spot I have already grown tired of.

The little boy breaks the spell that the flying paper has cast upon me. For the first time, I hear him speak out loud. “Wow! That went a lot farther than I thought it would!”

As I turn to respond to him, I see him dash away. The little girl in me is puzzled. Why are you leaving so quickly? Do you think I will tell on you? Are you tired of this game? The adult in me returns. I know the little boy is responding to the energetic tug of his nearby parents, calling him back into the safety of their arms.

I turn my eyes back toward the spot where I last saw the flying paper. Sadly, my vision can not recapture it. I know I will never see the flying paper or the little boy again. I stand there feeling empty for just a moment because I didn't get to tell either one of them good-bye.

I take solace in knowing that I was the only lucky person who got to watch that little boy throw a little piece of paper off of the Eiffel Tower. Oh how I loved sharing that experience with him! 

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Text by Beverly Keaton Smith, Copyright 2009

Photos by Greg Smith, Copyright 2009

You Never Know What You Are Going To Encounter...

 

I love how my teal blue, linen skirt flares out around the hem. I’m inclined to purposely sway my hips when I walk or at the very least, twirl until I lose my balance. My summer sandals with the floral design whispers "I am woman" to anyone who notices them. As I dash out the door to run a few errands, I delight in feeling girly and carefree.

I shift my green Miata into gear and settle in for a thirty minute drive. Within two minutes, I catch a glimpse of a white, majestic horse with grand wings trotting away from his castle. I am sure that this beauty is preparing to take flight so I make a left turn into the long gravel road that leads to the castle. I want to notify the king at once. My tiny two-seater forces me to drive slowly so the gravel will not attack the car. It seems to take forever to reach the entrance of the castle. When I do, I am disappointed. The castle is merely a modest home with a screened in front porch. There is a wrecked car parked under the carport and an open building that resembles a small barn. Next to the barn, there is a grassless, fenced empty pen.

What if I get shot for trespassing? Someone with a driveway this long has to be keen on privacy. I discourage these thoughts by focusing on the horse. I’m afraid he is getting too close to Interstate 20. What if he forgets how to use his wings and runs smack-dab into a car? I open the porch door and ease up to the main door of the house. I knock and ring the bell at the same time to convey my sense of urgency even though I already know that no one is home. The house feels too quiet and of course, the horse has wisely planned his escape.

The horse almost makes it to the Interstate before I find him. After getting a better look at him, I realize he looks old, tired, hot, underfed and neglected. His coat is a dull, dingy, shade of dirty snow with extra black markings speckled along his tummy. The majestic wings have vanished. Maybe he has a good reason for running away. I admire his attempt to go for it, yet I know that I cannot bear to see him get hurt because of reluctance on my part to sidestep a few errands.

Miracously, the horse turns around and heads toward his house. I’m thankful to see him move away from Interstate 20 even though I doubt he is going to simply trot home and go back to bed. I reach for my cell phone and call my husband. "Greg, give me the number for the local police! There’s a loose horse on the road and I’m going to save it." You would think this kind of news would invoke a substantial response, but my husband just says, "Where’s the phone book?"

As I call the police, a couple drives up and joins my horse rescue mission. The guy in the driver’s seat shouts from his car window to mine, "Call 911!" I want to say, "Don’t tell me what to do!" but I politely respond, "I’m calling the police now!" I continue to follow the horse while the other couple follows me. I stop my car, get out and briefly talk to the concerned couple about the horse. I’m glad to have their company and feel more hopeful that this horse ordeal will soon have a happy ending. As I return to my car, I say, "You never know what you are going to encounter in a day, do you?" Everyone laughs and nods because none of us expected to be on horse duty this afternoon.

With my car’s help, I herd the horse toward the side of the road. When I get a little too close for comfort, the horse shoots me a look that says, "Give me a break, would ya? I was just trying to have some fun!" After this, he picks up speed and gallops into my neighborhood and disappears. When the police arrive, I tell them all I know about the horse and wave good-bye. Relieved, I take a deep breath and focus on my list of errands again. 

I doubt that horse is going to be happy about being captured. My guess is that he will pursue freedom again. If he does, I hope he will sprout magnificent wings and safely travel to a magical wonderland with green pastures, cool breezes and waterfalls of love before happily returning home.

by Beverly Keaton Smith

Copyright 2008; Beverly Keaton Smith

Sisters

Do you recognize this man? I'll always see him as Willie Wonka even though he's better known as Gene Wilder. One thing that has always struck me about this icon is his amazing blue eyes so it was a real treat to see those blue eyes in peson!

Gene's latest book is The Woman Who Wouldn't and even though I've not read the book yet, I've got a signed copy in my possession now.

I'm away from home spending time with family while waiting for my new nephew to be born. My sister-in-law, Mendy, will be giving birth any day now. Doesn't she look great?! 

If you have any suggestions for encouraging a baby to be born, I'd love to hear them. I really want to see this little guy before I go home! We've been taking daily long walks/hikes, sipping Raspberry tea and enjoying a few spicy meals.

Speaking of births and sisters, a big Happy Birthday goes out to my sister, Becky today! 

There is much to celebrate today and everyday. Today, I am celebrating and giving thanks for my sisters.

What will you celebrate?

Blessings!

Beverly

Connect, Dance, Love and Write!

This mug has been in my house for two years and I've never taken a sip out of it until this past weekend. I couldn't find my standard travel mug so I tossed this one into the small bag I packed for my trip to Atlanta, Georgia where I attended a workshop on combining physical movement with writing called "Write of Passage" presented by Lori Saltzman. (If you ever have the opportunity to work with Lori, go for it. She is a masterful leader and this particular workshop is powerful and fun!)

I bought this mug when I was in Taos, New Mexico attending the Writer's Spa led by Jennifer Louden and Suzanne-Falter Barnes. I have enjoyed admiring the mug but never felt inclined to actually use it. Now that I've christened this mug, I am eager to hold it in my hands and enjoy many more sips of hot tea while being reminded to "Connect, Dance, Love and Write" since it now holds sacred energy from the powerful workshop that I attended. Isn't it interesting how there is a time and place for everything to unfold in divine perfect order?

What infuses your special, sacred objects with meaning?

Blessings!

Beverly

Sacred Kitchen

If the kitchen is truly the heart of the house, my house was slowing moving toward a heart attack.

Okay, sounds dramatic, I know, but I really hated my kitchen until last week. It felt small and cluttered and it needed a good spring cleaning. My answer? Avoidance! Since my husband does most of our cooking, I had a good excuse to stay away from the kitchen.

While visiting friend and colleague, Susan Freeman, in Boulder, Colorado, I walked into her immaculate, inviting kitchen and got a good dose of inspiration to give my kitchen a mini make-over. Thank you Susan!

My husband and I cleaned out the kitchen cabinets and let go of many items we did not use. This created a lot more space in the cabinets so nothing is stored on the counter tops anymore. Now, our kitchen feels bigger and healthier! Next, we cleaned out the pantry and tossed out food that was expired or unwanted. Then, I pulled out the rubber gloves and cleaned under the sink, in the cabinets, the pantry and the appliances. 

To top all of this off, on sacred Sunday we went to Linen's N Things and purchased a new set of pots and pans along with a few other odds and ends. I've also decided to wash more of the dishes instead of relying solely on the dishwasher so I picked up a dish rack too.

Since I plan to learn to cook, I knew the first step was to make the kitchen as inviting and functional as possible. Yes, really! I am going to learn to cook. As someone who grew up haunted by eating disorders and body image problems, I spent many years seeing food as an enemy instead of my friend. However, there was something about visiting Susan that made me want to step into a new perspective with food preparation, the kitchen and making healthier choices. While the eating disorders of long ago have been healed, I guess a little residual dysfunction was still hanging on and separated me from the joy of cooking.

Here's to happy kitchens, delicious healthy meals and strong beating hearts that pump aliveness into bodies and homes!

If you'd like to recommend good cookbooks or share healthy, easy recipes with me, I'd be grateful! You can post them in the comments so others can enjoy them too or send them to Bev @  EmbraceYourGifts.com

Blessings!

Beverly

No Show, Rocky Flow, No Woe

The final performance of "Tuesdays with Morrie" was presented at New Stage Theatre yesterday and I really wanted to see it. Greg was not available to go with me and I didn't know of anyone who would be free at the last minute, so I decided to enjoy the performance alone and call it an artist's date.

I learned about the concept of an artist's date years ago after reading The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. The idea is to have a date with yourself once a week in order to feed your connection to your creativity.

I have noticed that since I've been working on a few creative projects, I have felt the need for a creative connection to something outside of my own stuff. Perhaps the concept of an artist's date not only feeds creativity but brings inspiration and a break to those who are already in a creative mode.

After driving into a very full parking lot, I got a little intimidated. I am a little rusty at going to these kinds of events alone. Now that I've been married for almost seven years, I usually have a companion. Nonetheless, I got out of my car and walked into the theatre. Apparently many others had the same idea because several other hopeful people were waiting to get tickets. I decided to wait it out and assume that I would get to see the show. When they told those of us who didn't make it into the coveted seating area that the show was sold out, I was so disappointed that I almost cried. I walked back to my car feeling as if I'd lost my best friend.

Coach Beverly came out to give me a little pep talk. "Everything is how it is meant to be. Everything happens for a reason. What did you learn from this? How do you turn lemons into lemonade?" Before I knew it, my car was heading toward a women's clothing store and I found some great, fun tops that suit me perfectly. I topped off the afternoon by going shoe shopping and even though I didn't find any that I liked, it sure was fun trying on shoes and being selective about all of my purchases.

Big lesson here? Go with the flow. When the music changes, find a new way to dance. Everything does happen for a reason and everything is how it is meant to be. I really believe that.

I'm still feeling inspired to schedule weekly artist's dates with myself. Now that we have entered the the glorious season of spring, the juices are really flowing. I want to do everything I can to support the ever expanding right side of my brain. If you have any fun, suggestions for a solitary artist's date, I'd love to hear about them. Just leave a comment and share if and how you nurture your creativity.

Happy belated Sacred Sunday!

Beverly

PS: Photo of Rainbow Falls in Hilo, Hawaii taken by Greg Smith in April 2007.

Expansion

It is cold and sunny on this sacred Sunday so I built a fire and hung out in my sacred space. Inspiration to take inventory of 2007 set me in motion and I spent some time reflecting on the past year and my slow steps into 2008.

Taking Inventory

Last year I got the idea to write 100 things I did in 2006 from Carla Blazek. Making that list showed me that 2006 was much fuller and richer than I realized so I vowed to make a list every year. As I made my list today, I enjoyed being reminded that 2007 was packed full of good stuff. While it may sound daunting to list 100 things you did in a single year, I encourage you to play with this idea and see how it works for you. This is a great way to get an overall view of the past year and acknowledge your triumphs while taking note of what you would like to change in your life for the next year.

What do you want for yourself for 2008?

That's the big question. Usually, I embrace this question with great gusto during the first few days of January and create a theme for the year. This year, I didn't feel like thinking about it.

I had already decided that I wanted this year to be about LOVE. That seemed good enough to me. I looked at my other themes from years gone by and realized that I didn't want to feel limited by a theme anymore. So, today I made a giant list of things I want for myself in 2008.

I am out of the box with the idea of creating a theme and it feels great to know that I can have it all! The first steps are reaching clarity on what you want and then setting the intention that you will have it. (Thankfully, I had inspiration to expand on the theme idea from good friend Lil McKinnon-Hicks as I witnessed the blessing of her new studio with positive words written on a poster board.) 

My themes from the previous years have manifested so I am ultra excited about stepping into this BIGGER place with creating a New Year's theme. (Read more about Setting a Theme for the New Year.)

Letting Go

Since I had all of this positive mojo going, I decided to take advantage of the fire in the fireplace and do my own private "letting go" ritual. I said good-bye to depression, low energy and procrastination. These things have been getting in my way lately and I'm tired of them. I'm ready to shift into higher spirits, more energy and inspired action that calls me forth into the direction of my dreams and deepest desires. I wrote  the unwanted words on a piece of paper and set an intention to release the negative energies as I threw the paper into the fireplace and watched the paper turn into ashes.

I notice that this sacred Sunday feels like the very beginning of my new year. Isn't it great that we can make all of this up as we go along and we really don't have to follow anyone's rules or a date on the calendar?

Happy New Year to Me!

and you too!

With Love,
Beverly

Shirley is out of the closet....for good!

My Shirley Temple doll came into my life after I pointed her out to Mom as we walked around a flea market. I said something like, "Oh, she is so pretty. I love Shirley Temple!" and Mom turned her into a Christmas present for me about twenty years ago.

Unfortunately, Shirley has spent more time in the closet than she has on display. The truth is I put her away shortly after I got her because I could not bear to look at her. Shirley represented joy, playfulness and femininity. I felt very removed from those traits when Shirley came into my life. I was lonely, depressed, making bad choices on a regular basis and resented being a woman. Somehow, Shirley became a mirror for my despair so I hid her in closet after closet as I moved from apartment to apartment in my twenties and thirties.

Finding this new comforter on a fantastic shopping trip with Mom prompted me to take Shirley out of the closet and reunite with the original love I had for her the moment I first laid eyes on her.

Bringing Shirley out of the darkness caused me to reflect on how far I've come and how objects that once brought me sorrow can now bring me joy. I'm so glad I hung on to Shirley. I knew in my heart that one day there would be a place for her in my life again.

I know this may sound silly to some, but I can't help but believe that God led me to this comforter because He knew this would finally get Shirley out of the closet and into the light where she belongs. Shirley loves reminding me to continuously embrace joy, playfulness and femininity.

What kind of old, treasured objects do you have that hold significant meaning to you?

Blessings!

Beverly

Living In The Present

Just as my coaching call with a client was starting to flow, something made me take a look at Buddy who just happened to be happily chomping on a chunk of rat poison he found in one of our closets. I calmly explained the situation to my understanding client and turned the phone off. Next I went into a full blown panic. I could not get all the gunk out of his mouth and I had no idea how long he had been chewing it. Luckily, my husband was able to take Buddy to the vet's office immediately. Buddy is home now and all seems to be fine even though we are still watching him closely. 

This ordeal made me think about how quickly life can take a sharp U-Turn. One minute everything is great and suddenly, it feels as if the world topples over and you have to shift gears and hold on tight. I am reminded to be grateful for the frequent smooth patches when all is right and good in my life.

Thankfully the sun has set upon this day and all is well. My freshly cleaned office is once again my cozy, inviting, peaceful space. Buddy sleeps at my feet as if the whole ordeal never happened as I listen to Jim Brickman's relaxing piano music while I write and give thanks.

Blessings to you.

Beverly

Tag - You're it!

When I first discovered that Julie tagged me, I was not thrilled. Who wants to read seven random/weird things about me? And then I realized that this is just a blog post! Why not go with the flow, be honored that Julie thought of me and simply play the game?

Here are the rules of the game: Link to the person’s blog who tagged you. 2. Post these rules on your blog. 3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself 4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. 5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

Seven Random/Weird Things About Me

1. I love Dan Fogelberg. I started listening to hiis music around age 11 and continue to be charmed by the musical gifts he has shared with the world.

2. I wish I could move and scream like Prince.

3. I adore Cinderella and I think Lesley Anne Warren is the best Cinderella ever.

4. My favorite song by Prince and The Revolution is "Baby, I'm A Star". There is no way to be still when that song is playing.

5. I gave myself permission to be “princess for a day” even though I was thirty-eight years old on my wedding day.

6.  The vanity tag on my little green Miata says "SOAR"

7. Almost every day, I go on Arte’s Gem Hunt in Webkinz world. I am determined to get the "legendary crown of wonder.”

Okay fellow bloggers, I'm passing the torch to you. Everyone is welcome to play. Thank You for tagging me Julie!

Eileen, Lisa, Kate, Karin, Autumn Moon, Cheryl, Claire   

Blessings!

Beverly