Ocean Dance

Come with me
to the seaside
Dance with me
on the shore

Under our feet feel the fine grains of sand
formed centuries ago

Our feet touch the sand together and
leave imprints of a dance

Two sets of prints merge together
under, over, circles in the sand
It is no longer clear where your footprints begin and mine end

Follow me into the ocean
Feel the water rush up to meet us
Come, come! Swim in my depths!
I have been waiting for you, she says

Feel the currents pushing and pulling us together
We ride the swells
Each of us jump and turn to face the oncoming waves headfirst
letting the waters rush over us again and again
And when the wave passes you are there, right there, holding my hands
tasting the salt on my lips
the salt of the ocean that has been there for an eternity and will continue to be so

We turn to the shore and watch the waves crashing upon it
The tide rushes up and threatens to change the shoreline as we knew it, altering the landscape

But when the winds die down, and the tide goes low
It is still the same beach, only more beautiful than ever before
Sand smooth again, waiting
ready
for our footprints and
for our dance to continue
making spirals together in the sand

Reflections and Gratitude

Today is the last day of my 30s. Tomorrow I will be 40 and will start my fifth decade. Amazing how fast this all goes. Makes me reflect on my life thus far. Did I do what I thought I would do? What have I created? How have I changed the world? And how have I improved the world? What gifts have I received? Who have I loved? Who has loved me? If today were the last day of my life, what kind of obit would be written about me? What would God say to me at the pearly gates? Maybe he'd say...."She was a good woman. She did her best. She loved as much as she could and moved through fear as best as she could. She tried to bring happiness to all who were part of her life. She lived without regrets. She's done a fine job with her children. Yup, let her in..." Ha!

So, what's different about this birthday than all of my other ones? Well, I if I had to see how I am different, I guess I would have to say that these days I see the world though a slightly different lens....a lens I never really thought much about. And that lens is gratitude.

Living day by day on my normal path has been fine, but now I wake up every single morning and feel a sense of amazing gratitude for all I have been blessed with -- every person, every tangible thing, every experience, every moment I am given on this earth. I am thankful that my children climb on me and hug and kiss me and say "I love you Mommy". I am grateful that I have beautiful, awesome love in my life. I am thankful for family that has been there by my side to support me and for my friends who have listened and held my hand through the hard times. I am grateful that I have very good health -- physical, emotional and spiritual. I am thankful to be able to work from home, working on projects I love and dealing with fascinating people. I am thankful for the things I have that make my life easier and more fun.

I am equally grateful for the tremendous challenges I have been handed...especially these last few years...because I have found that I really do have the courage and the integrity and the will to move through these difficulties and come out nothing less than a better and more complete person.

And most of all I am thankful that I have made the conscious decision to live my life in the most authentic way that I know how. I will leave no stone unturned. I choose to say YES to life and never live with regrets. I will live with love guiding my way. There is no fear that I cannot move through anymore. I hold the keys to my happiness, my success, and everything good in my life, because I make my reality. Knowing that I have that awesome ability right within me makes me stronger and stronger and gives me the ability to love others around me even more....and yes, it makes me even more grateful than I thought possible. The wheel continues to turn....love, challenge, strength, resolve, gratitude, peace...around and around. How wonderful is that?

40s....here I come!!