Independence Day

Happy 4th of July to Everyone!

A day of independence from British rule, a federal holiday celebrated here in the United States commemorating July 4, 1776.  This day is usually filled with parades, flag waving and lots of fireworks.

This morning when I woke up, it occurred to me that this being a day of independence, how did I want to celebrate it in order for it to have meaning in my life?  This doesn't take away from the fact of how important the men and women that serve our country in the military are to us.  In fact, it is the opposite....it is to look within ourselves to see how we can individually stop the suffering of the world by beginning with our own suffering.  If everyone of us started working on our own issues, wouldn't that have an impact on world peace....well you get the picture don't you?

Simply put, if something in our lives makes us sad or unhappy....what do we do?  Well I don't know about you, but I think about it and think about it....then brood about it....sometimes even beating myself up about it.....UGH!  Enough already!

So today I am choosing to just let it go.  I am choosing to do something different.  I am declaring my independence from all that worry, and fretting that only leads me to more worrying and fretting!

Instead, I am choosing to stop feeling sorry for myself and learn to let it go.  It's funny how this has been coming on recently and the telltale sign has been in my recent choices of books to read. 

In addition, it is thanks to a man that I am so grateful to, who at this stage in our friendship showed me why I repeatedly went back for more of the same verbal abuse from him.  I didn't recognize it as abuse.  I really thought it was because he cared about my future.  It was he that started me on the path of self-awareness.  It was he that helped me to realize that I was just numbly going through life. 

However, I am now declaring my independence from him today.  I realized that I was buying into all the negative thoughts he had about me.  Just a form of self-abuse on my part.  I pray for him....because at this stage in his life he is angry and battling for more time.  Something that is beyond his control.  I wish him Peace, much Love and Appreciation.

According to the book....The Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living by Gary R McClain and Eve Adamson, as mentioned in my earlier blog article, NOW is what it is all about.  I am choosing to make NOW very precious to me.  Not worrying about the future, not regretting about things in the past....but NOW. 

How can I make NOW more wonderful?  Little things like planning what to eat for lunch makes every day more meaningful.  I'm finding that I enjoy my home more when I am at home.  I'm finding that I enjoy my work more when I am at work.  I'm finding that I enjoy meeting friends when I am with friends.  I am in the NOW more now and finding that I am savoring all of it NOW!

I invite you to become more aware of your NOW....now. 

Happy 4th!