“Even if you cannot change all the people around you, you can change the
people you choose to be around. Life is too short to waste your time on
people who don’t respect, appreciate, and value you. Spend your life
with people who make you smile, laugh, and feel loved.”
―
The Light in the Heart
Have we set good firm values for ourselves so we might be gifts to the world that has waited for us? I have said before, we are the answer to some ancient mother’s prayers. That is quite the responsibility. What we believe, we show through actions, during fierce storms in life, and in the quite moments of grief.
Who do I respect? Why do I respect that person? Respect has many connotations. We can respect out of fear, out of shame, out of love, and out of honor. That person you admire/respect shows you what you value. Have we carried that respect/admiration on through into our own lives? I respect those who have fought many battles and have come out the other side of such with grace and dignity and sharing their stories so I might have hope. Yes, I respect and honor those women who have known the fire and how to rise to be a light.
What is something that has sentimental value to you, and why does it? No matter how many times I moved from fly-in communities, to semi-isolated areas dragging along with me my sacred things. I carry a cloth my mother got in Bolivia. I carry my other blankets and throws that I received as gifts in give aways when I lived in the far North. I carried with me, my sacred items, including rocks and artifacts. I carry gifts my children have sent me from Japan, from Korea, and gifts that they knew spoke to me, and still do. I have my birth mother’s ashes. I have my sweetheart’s ashes. I have tokens of love and feathers sent from beyond the veil. I treasure my children and I have kept things from their childhood to pass along back to them oner day. Before my maternal birth family, my children were my tribe. They were the only bits of flesh and bone I knew. I have gathered many things that I hold dear. Have you?
What social or cultural issues are you passionate about? Why are you passionate about such? I am passionate about crating, about encouraging and sharing creating because I know, for me, in the midst of creating, I am closest to Creator. Creating is my meditations, my prayers, my time of soul connection. I wish others to have such feelings and peace that comes through those deep-thought times. My heart has been lost for most things patriarchal (including politics, of course) and I have promised myself to stay passionate about First Nations’ teachings and ceremonies and culture. When I find myself wondering about something that matters to me, I always turn to an elder, a medicine person, or do the research for First Nation thought about such because the way they think sits right with my soul. Mainly, living a service-oriented life.
What time(s) in your life did you feel rewarded or fulfilled? Once I thought Creator had given me a gift for my hard-service-oriented-heartfelt work I was doing. After a couple of years, I lost that gift. I was shattered. I had to learn to be careful what honor I gave to Creator. I have had many honors given to me. Those are some of things I carry with me whenever I move and wherever I go. I have been greatly loved and have loved greatly in return. I have learned to keep the good stuff I have learned and cast away the not good things. Those things remind me that |I have been and am capable of being loved and give great love.
Sometimes I really struggle with conflicts of any kind. If I want to be known as Love, then I have to learn how to deal with conflict. I have not mastered it yet, and may never, but I am trying. How we deal with conflict is glaring truth of what kind of person we are. I react emotionally rather than logically. And, because sometimes my emotions are blurred one into another thing, I do not always react in a way to feel proud. I can, most times, step back and step away and go off alone somewhere to (yes, I walk in circles talking to myself when I am trying to get past the emotion) calm myself down before I act. How do you react to conflict? Do you stop, think, calm down and then do something about conflict? Do you run from it? I am trying to pare down my life so I have as little conflict as possible. I always worry that I might start some conflict. I am not a contrary person, but I can stand for what I believe and for what I value and that can create conflict. I have had to learn to pick my battles. How about you?
I think we do not ever “grow up” and I wonder who gets to decide when we are? I think that as long as we keep our eye on the gold (the truth of ourselves; what we value, what we believe, how we act; and choose the most peaceful, ideal way we can; then, we are working towards being what we value, believe and will always be practicing in our way we act/react. I honor all you in this group. Each of you represent something good that I see and feel from your posts and replies, from your welcoming and considerate ways. I value each and every one of you.
©Carol Desjarlais 9.29.21
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