Lisa Hannigan - I Don't Know

Imagination's Gift

You’re sitting at your desk. And you’re fretting. Not about everything but about something that’s been bothering you for a while now. It’s like an ornery sliver under your skin. Something you’d really like to eliminate but you just haven’t figured out how. You close your eyes, hoping to somehow erase it, not realizing you are also clenching your fists. You really want to resolve this.

You open your eyes. Room’s still the same. Then why does it feel different? Your eyes scan around you. No one is there …and then…you see it. Are you going nuts? What? In your office? You decide to go over to it, to see if it’s as real close up as it seems from a distance.

Its faded, colored with a smoky paint brush or with the steam of a hot cup of brew. As you touch it, it feels entirely real. The railing is cool, hard as real metal in your hand. Hell, you say to yourself, why not? And just like that, you start walking, winding up and around in circles like a crazy on a wild trip. You chuckle every time your shoes make a funny ping on the steps.

At the top of the staircase you step onto sand. Beach sand. You take off your shoes and throw them to the side. You walk toward the water. On the near-horizon, you see a boat. It looks like it is coming toward you. Yes, it is.

When it arrives, a beautiful woman in flowing gowns gets off and walks to you. She welcomes you by name and is visibly happy to see you. She tells you they have been waiting for you for a long time. She invites you to board the boat. You do and with the driver, the three of you go out to sea.

A few minutes later, you see the faint outline of an island. Your hair damp with sea water, your face warmed by the sun, you can’t help but smile. You feel safe. You feel good. You even feel a bit excited.

On the dock before you stands a number of people you have loved from your past, all dressed in white and eager to greet you. They welcome you with open arms, telling you how happy they are that you finally decided to visit. You can tell they have been waiting for you for a long time. Your heart swells as they guide you to a large building where more people dressed in white await your arrival.

In the middle of the room is a table. In the center of the table is a box. A white haired elder and someone you know well, either from your past or present, motions for you to pick up the box. You open it. What do you find? What do you feel?

A few minutes later, you thank them. They nod and smile, grateful that you finally came to pick up what was always yours. They invite you to visit again, telling you that your means may be different but your path will remain the same.

Later, after you have reconnected with many you haven’t seen for years, you know its time to board your boat. You say your goodbyes. There are some tears for you know you wont be seeing most of these people again for a very long time. You ride across the sea, the wind licking your face, your hands clutching the box on your lap, your heart swelling with appreciation.

When you say your last goodbyes and make your way down the staircase you suddenly realize that what seemed like an issue to you before, isn’t anymore. You see with great clarity and no worry follows this knowing, just peace. As you sit at your desk again you look over to watch the staircase fade like smoke into air. You smile to yourself, thankful that you haven’t lost your imagination. For without it, your worries would still take center stage, your heart would still be in hiding. No longer are you trapped in a world much smaller than it was ever meant to be. Your vision is bigger now. Much bigger. You touch your new box, feeling the wisdom housed inside. Finally, you remembered to reclaim what you had so long ago forgotten.

When do we forget to stop and smell?

No meat, no ripping up the house, just a stuffed bear...

LACONIA, N.H. – A black bear walked into a New Hampshire house through an open door, ate two pears and a bunch of grapes, took a drink from the family fishbowl and grabbed a stuffed bear on its way out the door.

Mary Beth Parkinson says the bear apparently took advantage of the open outside door to get into her kitchen Tuesday in Laconia, about 20 miles north of Concord. She thinks the garage door going up scared the bear enough that it fled the house.

She says she arrived in time to save the fish.

Parkinson said her 6- and 9-year-old boys made sure the doors were locked before they went to bed

The Gift of Quiet

For the past week or so I have been jogging in a new gym. The first few days were almost painful. I told myself it was the altitude (its over 6400 feet high here) that I had gotten out of shape, anything I could to soften the dread of going back. And then, today, something happened. The man who worked out next to me, stayed home. And guess what? I could have run for hours! So what happened? Was it his scent, his conversation…his energy?

The older I become, more and more I recognize how different people’s energies affect mine. Some literally drain me. Others fill me up. When I am out of touch with myself, rushed or stressed, I don’t notice the specifics of how energies affect me. I don’t seem to have time to hear what is going on around me. But when I slow down enough to hear and honor what I feel, everything begins to make sense, I know what I need to do to feel better. Luckily, I had help this time.

Mark is a super nice guy. He never hit on me, made me feel uncomfortable, or even talked too much. He even made sure to give me enough space to exercise in peace. But, honestly, his energy just didn’t jive with mine. It sucked me dry.

Energies aren’t ‘wo-woo’ anymore. They are real and their effects deserve to be honored. But to honor them, we must feel them, and to feel them we have to give ourselves the gift of quiet. Time alone to check in with ourselves and how we genuinely feel isn’t just good for our spirits, its necessary for our health and wellbeing. When was the last time you gave yourself that gift?

Moments touched by Grace

When such a moment occurs, when the mind is touched by something larger than its ability to understand, when the heart is moved by something deeper than its capacity to dive, when the impulse to speak is stirred by the presence of something that cannot be named, things happen that defy the boundaries of time. In such moments we are made aware of a unity that is always present but seldom clearly known, and the flood of that presence, even when its conscious wave has passed, changes the life of the being who encounters it.

--Mark Nepo

Are you feeding the half that begets magic?

One blustery winter eve beside a fire crackling in the hearth, an old scientist with messy white hair and glasses that hung off the tip of his nose decided to tell his grandson about the nature of the human brain.

He cleared his throat then said, ‘Son, there is a battle between two wolves inside each of us. One wolf is anger, jealousy, sorrow, greed, arrogance, inferiority, superiority, and ego. And he,’ he said touching the left side of his brain, ‘lives here.’

The other wolf is love, compassion, empathy, peace, connection, joy, infinite energy, and reverence for all things. Some have been known to call this wolf our heart but,’ he said touching the right side of his brain, ‘a large part of our heart lives here.’

The bright eyed grandson thought about it for a moment and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf is stronger? Which side wins?’ The elderly scientist leaned down as if to share a secret, then whispered in his raspy old voice: ‘The one you feed.’

(Modern version of an old Cherokee parable)

Free Hugs in Sondrio, Italy

How would the world feel if we all hugged one another more? Smaller? Kinder? More meaningful? Gentler? Even magic? Try it on, see how it might feel to you...

Nature Speaks...Will You Listen?

Dare Digital: Togetherness Originally uploaded by Dare Darlington

Responding to Anger with Love=Magic

Before talking on cell phones wasn’t allowed in cars, I used to talk while driving a fair amount. I had a long commute and it was the perfect time to catch up with friends or family. On this particular day, it happened to be raining, there happened to be heavy traffic, and I happened to have a car without anti-lock brakes. So when the car in front of me screeched to a halt and I instinctively slammed on my brakes, I slid directly into his back bumper with a loud bang.

“I have to call you back,” I said to my husband at the time, “I just hit a car.”

I got out to survey the damage only to be greeted with one of the most obscene mouths I had ever before encountered. It went something like this minus the swear words:

“Who do you think you are driving like that? Do you know how much this car costs? The bumper alone probably costs more than your entire car! And I saw you talking on the phone, too. Cars are for driving, they’re not social playgrounds…” This well-dressed businessman went on and on, his tirade practically changing weather patterns, say nothing of his blood pressure or the color of his face. I stood facing him, looking him straight in the eye the entire time. Occasionally, I nodded my head in agreement. When his speech slowed, I dared to respond.

“You’re right. All of this is completely my fault and I take full responsibility. I understand your anger, you have a right to it, and whatever I can do to make this situation better, to make you feel better, I will do. You have a beautiful car and I am sure you have invested a lot of money into it so go ahead, yell at me some more.” And then a little quieter I said, “Of course I’d prefer less swear words, but that too, is your right.” Then I smiled, but barely.

The man didn’t start up again but instead, put his hands in his pockets, paced a bit around his car looking at me then the ground, and then back at me again. He walked to the bumper which was oddly unscathed, staring at it and scratching his head. From where I stood, I couldn’t see any damage but I wasn’t about to defend myself. It was, like I said, entirely my fault. Finally, he came up to me. He pulled out his wallet.

“I’ve never met anyone that handled a situation quite like you just did and I’d like to offer you a job.” He handed me his business card. He was the CEO of a large, well-respected company. “You are exactly the kind of person I want working for me.”

I was speechless but managed a thank you and a heartfelt smile.

He outstretched his hand, “No,” he said. “Thank you.” And he got in his car and drove away.

I got in mine only then realizing my knees were shaking. I took a deep breath just as the cell phone rang. It was my husband.

“Are you alright? What happened?” He was worried, and rightly so.

“I’m ok. The man I just hit thanked me and offered me a job.”

“What? Are you kidding me?” He was shocked but I could hear his smile.

“I’ll explain it all when I when I get home.” I said with a toothy grin, a giggle escaping just enough for him to know that everything was going to be just fine.