Cold and rain came to New England this morning. And wanting. More like m-i-s-s-i-n-g. That feeling comes over me. Fall in western North Carolina, the Smokies, is unlike fall anywhere. Even in charming and quaint New England.
Living along the coast is consistently breathtaking. But growing up near the Chesapeake Bay set my course. Water. Water cleanses and nourishes my soul.
Torch singer Nora Jones asks listeners to "come away with me." I am away and near. It is soulful music and gets at that inner space within. Where the knots and tangles, memories and fears, joy and jubilation reside.
Sitting by the window in a North Shore restaurant with its California eclectism, there is a crossroads. A intersection of the emotional poles. My north beckons. Honor your story, follow your heart.
YES! I miss the Smokies. I don't miss the loneliness. That was more than abundant. Like the foliage. Yet in that loneliness is a calling within. Be still. Quiet. Take the time.
I want to go back. And I don't. I want to be done with it all. The beauty beckons. It is a place to be with self. A place to be with others. Sharing the joy, the mountains, trails, rivers.
Lunch is over and I find my way into the mall.
POTTERY BARN. My missingness dissipates. Lust takes over me. There is so much I love in this store! Two hydrangeas in hand, I leave the store more than happy. For a time. Fleeting. Acquisitions aren't sustainable. I know that. Still, I do love my purchases. But I love my life more. The opportunity to see things as they are. Well, most of the time.
My mind wanders to my life style. Where I spend my time. How I spend my time. My thoughts. Are they more than 80% healthy, happy ones? And compassion to those who annoy me. Compassion to all who suffer. We all suffer. We all struggle.
This is a worthwhile TED X talk. The first ten minutes are an introduction, followed by a good piece on 'followers' and then this 18 minute talk on compassion.
http://new.livestream.com/accounts/1485232/events/1592800/videos/4517234
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
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