Tag: growth
Lighted From Within
Oh, the view that blesses
when the horizon glows
whether morning or evening.
The bright moon in the distance
also inspires
as it illuminates the soul.
Seeing light from a distance
is an invitation
that instructs…
For I can wander in the darkness
for days
or even months…
but when the light enters in
from afar,
a new energy
begins to germinate again
as its beams touch me.
I become sprouted and fed –
even if only for a bit.
These glimpses provide for me.
As I grow and heal
and new branches form –
stretching me beyond
all the ways and limits –
daring to ignore the broken places –
the glow given grows.
I know healing has arrived
when I have less need
of the horizon
and all its sparkling colors.
Sure, the hues and brilliance
still are a gift and reminder…
They show me what lies deep within me –
the colors that shine and beam
through me
in a never ending way.
I am lighted from within
and I know where to look
when I need the horizon.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Entering the Dance
When the winds are shifting,
and change is here,
I sometimes shudder with
fear, which blankets my heart
in a covering so itchy…
the restlessness it brings
grows like a cancer,
consuming health.
I wonder out loud,
and through every pore –
my cells scream
No!
The resistance builds a wall
around my soul,
and I begin to hide.
I grieve…
the tears wash over
all the tensions and aches,
bringing yet another baptism.
Eventually, I remember
that changes bring a
kind of birthing process…
and I know there is
something beautiful coming
after this pain.
I love how tears
release and inform
all at once – as if
we must break, deeply –
apart and before
we can be refashioned.
These very insights, eventually
bring gratitude.
I know,
it does’t make sense
to the logical mind…
but it is the dance of Spirit
within and beyond me.
When I learn to
accept the invitation to
the dance of life,
letting go of my need to
lead it,
I get lighter on my feet,
and my being
finally hears the music
and is wrapped in comfort
and delight.
I am set free.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Each One, A Mountain
Everyone has something…
It is a mantra that is inwardly voiced
more and more
as I get older.
We each have our own brand of challenge.
As life progresses,
these challenges unfold
and introduce themselves.
Sometimes they swallow us up
with the force of a big ocean wave…
Or, they might creep upon us
like a spreading mold.
We get to choose
how to respond
when our personal mountain
shows up.
For some,
the mountain may be too vast
to climb alone –
so we bring loving souls with us.
For others,
the mountain may be a series of hills
which warrants a solo journey –
each vista building strength within.
We may fool ourselves, thinking
that our mountain
is bigger than anyone else’s –
that somehow,
our mountain warrants
special attention…
But as we mature,
and build our climbing muscles,
our compassionate heart opens,
our personal nature fades,
and our vision widens
to see what others endure.
Our climbing becomes
the road to awakening
to what this life
is all about.
Yes, we each have a mountain –
especially designed for our own unfolding…
but as we meet it,
with grace and courage,
the vista that comes,
connects us to the
suffering of others.
This is the stuff of
a life well-lived.
So, I bow to my mountain –
giving thanks for its lessons…
for without its presence,
I would walk with blinders on,
tripping on my own feet,
and all alone.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Acquainted With Grief
Somewhere between meeting the new
and releasing the comfortable
there will always be grief.
It is that separation thing
that is oh, so inevitable –
and as predictable as
melting ice cream.
It is the tug along the way
that pulls at the heart,
sometimes tearing it painfully –
leaving scars that
mark the spot.
Nothing lasts –
or so it seems.
It takes a lifetime to figure this out.
Eventually, we learn
that grief is the price of love –
given and received.
I bump into grief every day.
When I see it in another,
its embers are sparked in me
and the familiar ache of it all
shows up,
reminding me of its
ready presence,
pouncing on me,
like a mugger on a morning walk.
Grief has an I get it quality
when witnessed in another…
Our earthly existence
comes with loss
woven deeply into its tapestry.
We can see it in each other’s faces –
when we dare to look up.
Loss is the glue
that connects us
and joins us together.
Some think God causes this sadness
as if to manipulate us
to devotion
by bringing us to our knees
with heartache.
I disagree.
To me, God is all trust and love
with an unimaginable capacity
for wisdom and compassion –
and is not the cause
of our suffering.
If anything, God gets it –
suffers and grieves with us ,
weeping as we weep.
God knows that the answer
to grief
is the loving embrace –
the one we share with one another,
and the one
God gives with
Everlasting Arms –
through us.
We are not alone,
ever.
This must be realized.
When it comes to grief,
and life (as it turns out)…
well, we are in it together –
and once we get off the floor,
after extreme loss has arrived,
we can move forward,
side by side,
learning a deepening resilience
together.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Transitioning
When in an unfamiliar place,
you are on your way.
It usually comes with lots of tension.
You become unsettled,
and maybe even a little bit scared.
Transitions are that rocky time
when your usual patterns are useless
and you have to allow for
change.
The big ones are literally
earth-shattering,
setting you off kilter,
making you feel raw and
vulnerable.
But when you get to the other side,
you are in that shiny spot of
All New.
You have grown new muscle, and
you are reborn.
When this freedom flowers,
you realize that
the pain of change
was nothing but
the peeling of the layers
that are no longer needed.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Floating Through
