Smelling the Flowers

One May morning, I awakened to the green-scented air flowing in my bedroom window and the songs of birds as they started their day. I love May. I lay there for a little while, letting it all infuse my energy.

I couldn't do that when I was younger. It felt like a guilty pleasure. Since as a kid I'd been accused of being lazy, I took my schedules, deadlines, responsibilities seriously. I put simple pleasure at the bottom of my list of priorities.

Now I'm a bit older, I can't think of anything more important.

I had a friend who told me she never used to stop long enough. She'd be drinking coffee while folding laundry and thinking ahead to the 17 other tasks she had to finish before bed. But she changed. She found that by taking that short break to enjoy her coffee, she felt refreshed not just in body but in spirit, and better able to tackle her responsibilities.

Taking a moment to enjoy the melody of church bells carried across the fields, or the warmth of clothes fresh from the dryer is important to me. In that timeless place, thoughts and worries have been put aside. I have no need to control anything. It lifts me a little out of my self and reconnects me with the grace and beauty of spirit.

In that moment, it's all I have. And it's all I need.


A joyful intention:
Today I'll stop to smell the flowers, and the cinnamon buns and the coffee.

Power - The Banker Story

I used to run into trouble when people in positions of power found out what I do for a living. Psychic? You can almost see the emotions rush across their faces. Is this real? Is she a fraud? Aren't they all? Does she know about my affair?

I rush in to reassure them if I want to smooth the way. "I'm sure you are good at this too," I said to the banker. "I imagine there are times when you sit here at this desk across from someone who has all the right paperwork, but something feels off. Do you trust your gut?" "Yes," he said, visibly relieved. I continued, "Same thing. I just specialize in that."

I'd disrupted his comfortable position. It challenged his beliefs and his position of power in the room. I didn't intend to disrupt his day, I just wanted a new credit card for the business. So I was willing to soften the challenge by reaffirming his status.