Living a Week of Thanksgiving

The Spirit of Harvest is present all the time

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day (November 26, 2020) — A day which we celebrated this year amidst a week of life-changing dynamics worldwide. Amidst it all, I, for one, feel blessed with a palpable sense of Thankfulness that is freely mine for the having and sharing, come what may!

Autumn Leaves (Photo cred: Jakob Owens on Unsplash)

While we celebrate a harvest season once yearly, the Spirit of Harvest is present all the time.

Sunday
This week (like the calendar routinely tells us) started on Sunday, when my morning activities included two back-to-back hours where unique, hour-long group meditations were scheduled.

Albeit each of those sessions began with an unscheduled, withdrawn silence, then different participants began to, openly and vulnerably, express their being unsettled, worried, yet keenly supportive of their own children (some grown up), as well as others who now face uncontrollable challenges mounting in their own life, or that of someone else close and dear to them. 

One broke into fragile tears epitomizing acute burdens now besetting the “Heart of Mankind”.

Monday
In the wee hours of the morning, I awoke — suddenly startled by an indelible impression that I was not alone. I laid there in bed, not moving a muscle, with rapt attention to the Unknown that I sensed close by. My home’s surround was utterly silent, yet it was not at all like the “withdrawn” silence of yesterday, nor did it feel “unscheduled”. It was right on time in every meaningful way!

And within the capacities of my Soul — every cell in my body; my mind brimming with a vivid awareness, and my emotions breathing in pure Peace — I asked cogent questions of Myself:

“What do I have right now that I can give? To whom? When and HOW best should I give It?”

The answer began to emanate in the form of a kind of vibratory current — one which began with an inherent iridescence glowing in the otherwise total darkness of my nighttime room.

If I were to translate that current into the forms of language we use to communicate through our five senses in this earthly realm of time and space, I would hear it saying, “You will know what to do in new ways, in three days’ time …!”

Well, I envisioned three days moving apace, providing me with step-by-step keys to progress:

Tuesday
At my Tuesday morning “Toastmasters” meeting (where we members practice our leadership and public-speaking skills), I facilitated the proceedings, with the “Theme of the Day” being “Self-Governance” (ie. “Function of oneself or a group free from any external intervention.”)

There, I heard myself say, “Self-Governance is, by no means, selfish or self-satisfied — nor is it encumbered by self-denial. On the contrary, it is others-oriented, humble and kind. It is satisfied with the rich and robust experience of doing one’s very best in each and every present moment. And it is fully cognizant of being solely responsible for its every thought, word, and deed.”

(Incidentally, our Toastmasters meeting ended up being an enriching hour!)

Wednesday
This was a day when I saw, with consummate clarity, how very personal this Truth can be in expression. It states:

“I am here on Earth to radiate a “worldview” that enfolds, uplifts, and ultimately releases the widespread fear and the heaviness of Heart that currently afflicts human consciousness.”

“What can I give of myself that will allow that which is possible to come forth?” Good question. The perfectly freeing answer would be to:

Give the Easiest, the Simplest, Most Humble & Kind, Naturally Inherent and Immediate Gift that One Can Ever Give of Oneself: A Consistent Abundance of Thankfulness —

And feel free to call such a noble act of courage by its most well-known name, “Thanks-Giving”.

Thursday
Thanksgiving Day is the perfect “Harvest Day” for Giving Thanks — with the intended goal to express Thankfulness for Everything, Everywhere, Every Time, and in Every Way Possible!

Together, Let’s Enjoy Giving Thanks to the Fullest, Here & Now …
Happy Thanksgiving!PenDell

Month-by-Month, Letter-by-Letter

Wanna play a game with me?

After concentrating on maintaining my physical health and overall wellness (what with the “Healing Journey” that Melanie and I had been experiencing since August of 2016), I was searching for ways to further clarify my mental acuity, memory, and cognizance.

Dare to Dream

After researching various methodologies for “brain training”, I developed a simple word-search game that may well lower one’s “brain age”! If you would enjoy playing this with me, do this:

++ First, print out, in order, a list of the 12 months of the calendar year:

January  February  March  April  May  June  July  August  September  October  November  December (As you can see, when the 12 months are spelled out, they total 74 letters.)

++ Each letter in each month is also the first letter of a related word. Hence, you will want to place each of the 74 letters in a vertical column — with one letter and a word, per line (row).

For example, each of the 3 letters in the month of “MAY” will host a specific word, like this:
M    Much
A    Awaits
Y    You

Now, print each of the 47 letters. When you have finished your ‘letter list’, you will have a year-long, ready-made template for your word game.

The object of the game is to author a text with each word (in order) beginning with each successive letter in your template. 

Your game’s central goal is to write a text with a coherence of meaningful thoughts.

An example can be suitably displayed like this:
N   Not
O   One
V   Virtue
E   Ever
M   Manifests
B   Before
E   Evidencing
R   Results

The game’s larger goal will be to write a message that inspires an inherent sense of purpose.

Hence, a sample message for a total year would be something like this:

November — Not One Virtue Ever Manifests Before Evidencing Results,
December — Dismissing Evasive Challenges Evinces Misgivings Besetting Everpresent  Resolve …
January: —  Just As No Untamed Anger Riles You,
February:  — Faith Eternal Bequeaths Rich, Unheard-of Abundance Restoring You.
March:  — May Assurance Reveal Characteristic Honor
April:  — And (the) Privilege (of) Rest in Love …
May:  — Much Awaits You!
June:  — Jealousy Usually Negates Every
July:  — Joyously Ubiquitous Luxury Your
August: — Amazingly Unique Gifts Unveil So Thoroughly …
September: — Such Egress Prior to Each Moment Brings Eventual Reversals
October:  — Of Cogent Thoughts or Blessed Emotions Required.
November:  — Nevertheless, Oblige (the) Veritable Explosions (of) Momentous Blessings Ever-present to Restore (You)!

A final welcoming note:
I am pleased to invite you to enjoy playing the game, using your own words. Have fun with it. 

And when you’re done (or even holding a “work still in progress”), I would certainly enjoy sharing in your “story” for my enjoyment and enlightenment! If you would like to play, feel free to comment with it here!

Enjoy! I look forward to yours and my Month-by-Month, Letter-by-Letter missives!

In the Meantime, Warmest of Regards …
PenDell

Abundances of the Heart

May we each bespeak the Tone of Love

My Toastmasters club meets first thing every Tuesday morning, where, in addition to presenting our prepared speeches, we share a group exercise called “Table Topics”.

“Table Topics” addresses a general “topic of the day” by calling upon each of us, in random order, to immediately improvise a specific answer to a unique question. This week’s topic, “Halloween”, was timely. I was asked, “Would you rather hug a witch or a ghost?”  

“I would prefer to hug a witch,” I replied without hesitation. “A witch is a real person I can get ahold of!. She is a good, down to earth, loving person who is a symbol of feminine energies so needed, as well as vital essences to be guided in our world. She’s a good witch; I’m for her!” 

Angel-Incarnate

Witches can be good; they can be great! They may well be “Angels-incarnate”, able to intercede for our being human. Plus, they can be silent, and still tell us so much by their very presence.

Forthwith, rich abundances of the Heart compel me to bear witness of the Angel-incarnate manifesting and expressing sublime magic through my beloved partner, Melanie!

Melanie epitomizes a patient, humble and kind being who trusts, honors, and protects me, our family, and many others in her world. Her gracious presence is a constant Godsend in my life.

With her, I am privileged to have the blessed honor of loving and being loved. Words spoken are often not needed, because the currents of Love are ineffable (ie. unspeakable beyond words).

When we walk our favorite path along the rolling river, flowing waters over rocks speak to us. Autumn leaves falling from many tree families there create an enfolding carpet under our feet.

And sunlit mountain vistas in the distance silently remind us of both the mighty power and merciful provisions of Mother Earth, when our aware stewardship respects and protects Her. 

There is an insightful, uplifting Bible passage (in 1 Corinthians 18) that imparts these words: “Love is patient, Love is kind. Love does not envy; it does not boast, nor is it proud. Love does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking. Love is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. It always protects, trusts, and perseveres. Love rejoices in the truth. Love never fails.” 

 “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. May we each bespeak the Tone of Love.

From Our Children

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.”
(Chief Seattle)

Interesting, the insight that this proverb provides —

A humble and kind outlook that includes giving credit to each of the younger of us for their unique and unprecedented contributions to the living of us all here on earth.

 

These wonderful younger generations will be obliged to grow up now in these modern times of constant change and global complexities, yet amidst a world where they can exude fresh energies that — when maturely guided and nurtured in a surround of upright character– can and will manifest vigor, freshly self-governed thought, and powerful innovations anew!

Well, lo and behold — as the proverb states — I, for one, find myself borrowing from my own (now-grown) children a palpable boost of vim, vigor, and vitality; a deepened sense of Destiny for us all, and an amplified awareness of mission and purpose on Earth.

SO, given that blessed reality in this present day, I am now aware that:    
We DID Inherit the Earth left from our ancestors.
And, as a matter of course, We in turn will return the borrowing of it to our children.
Let Us — For Earth’s Sake
Commit to Return It Far Better than We Were Blessed to Find It.

Give a Woman

“If you give a woman …

You may well remember me mentioning my wife, Melanie, in the last entry, ”Home Again”. The following entry today serves as my tribute to her.

In 1954, William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies, made this comment: “A woman multiplies and enlarges whatever is given to her. So if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of sxxt”!

Author, Carrie West, wrote her own quite similar poem intended to capture the spirit of Mr. Golding’s words, updated for the 21st century. Here follows selected lines from her poem:

Give a Woman

If you give a woman your pain, she will give you compassion,

If you give a woman a voice, she will sing you a song of hope,

If you give a woman an idea, she will build it with a community,

If you give a woman hope, she will give you transcendence,

If you give a woman your story, she will give you trust,

If you give a woman a goal, she will achieve it with grace and joy,

If you give a woman a dream, she will build you a reality,

If you give a woman freedom, she will give you wings,

If you give a woman voice, she will give you the truth.


I was inspired to share this of my personal experience with Melanie:

If you give a woman yourself in assurance, she will give you the truth.

If you live your true longing to love and be loved, she will actuate it with you.

If you share your vision with her, she will share with you in a mutual Life Purpose.

If you give that woman your unfettered love, she will fill your lifetime with joy!