I am a highly sensitive and intuitive person and have been deeply affected with all that is going on in the World. In the beginning of 2017, I took a Foundation Course. A part of the curriculum was studying the Yamas and the Niyamas (The Yamas are the "don't do these" list of self-restraints, typically representing commitments that affect one's relations with others and self. The complementary Niyamas represent the "do these" list of observances, and together Yamas and Niyamas are personal obligations to live well.) To compliment these teachings, there was suggested reading, encouraged sharing and relationship building that extended past the four walls where we came together each week. In hindsight, those 10 weeks were a jump-start to what would become an amazing journey into self and a personal pledge I made to myself, with myself, to carry the message and not the mess.

The course took place in a group setting, although we had individual, weekly assignments. I poured by heart and soul into this course. Come to think of it, I pour my heart and soul into everything I do. After I completed the course, I wanted more. I had more questions and I needed more answers. I wanted to begin giving away what I had received. In doing so, I found that just I because I wanted to give, didn't mean that there were those who wanted to receive. How do I know this? Because I was a non-receiver, too. I can still be a non-receiver; but when I default to this old pattern, I am closing off my heart, mind, and soul. I may not follow or believe what others are telling me, what I am reading; however, I listen, pause and remain open minded. I put your words, your memes, the pictures of your trips, your inspiration and even the negative posts into my subconscious. Otherwise known as my junk drawer where I store stuff, until I can't store it anymore and I let it go. I turn it over. I have to. I am an empath.

On the nightly news, they used to devote 5 minutes at the end of the broadcast that highlighted something extraordinary that someone did for his (or her) fellow man. Of late, that segment has been eliminated. What happened? Too much bad stuff OR do we choose (as a whole) to always look at the negative? I want to know what's going to and I do watch the local and evening news, read social media and every now buy a newspaper. I choose to look, read and decipher in small doses. Truth be told, it’s hard for me to take it all in and it’s not because I think there something I should be doing about it because I am. I'm praying. I'm praying for myself. I'm praying for you. I'm praying for us.

I sleep well and night and dream. I like my dreams because they reveal something to me that needs to be resolved in my life, be it past or present. Just having celebrated another year of living (most commonly referred to as a birthday), I thought about how much living I have yet to do. I was speaking with a friend the other day where I proclaimed, "If I come across "found money", I'm going to travel." No, I don't talk in quotes (ok sometimes I do - air quotes - who doesn't!), but my point was is that I want to travel, and I want to start with The United States of America.

We have such a beautiful country and I have only seen bits and pieces, and I want to see more. I want to see and feel winter, spring, summer and fall. I want to take a road trip. I want to stop at unnecessary places and order drip coffee from a diner or enjoy a piece of pie that my waistline tells me not to have. By the way, does anyone else have a waistline that talks!? In these turbulent times, I am not looking to escape, I'm looking to find out how I can help. I'm always looking for ways to help and that's why I began to write, blog, and journal. I have a gift. I have many gifts and so do you. I used to let others' opinions influence the way my life should be lived. I literally used to ask, "Do you think I should do..." Today, I listen to my voice and trust that my questions will be answered. And the answers usually don't come in my time. They comes in subtle waves of just try...start here...wait there...and sometimes the answer is not today, so I try again tomorrow and the day never, ever disappoints.

Later on this week, I will take my annual pilgrimage to Adrian, Michigan for a Women's Serenity Retreat. This will be the 4th year that I will be gathering with a group of women who have changed my life. I leave the window open at night and enjoy the crisp air that the Midwest has to offer at the time of year. I hope that you find yourself doing something (a lot of somethings) that renews your soul. I need it. You need. And our worlds need us. Now lets go, there's work to be done.