Royal Happiness

I was avoiding the royal wedding today because of my skepticism in "happily ever after".  Only in story books I told myself.  But I'm tired of that story so I decided to change the storyline... it went like this...

Not across the ocean in jolly old England but a few blocks away in my cozy college office space I treated my coworker, and royal enthusiast Debby, to a celebratory royal wedding tea party.  I made heart shaped scones, special early grey tea, set out fine china including an antique tea pot, scrumptious chocolates and sweet strawberries. It really did look special.with fancy napkins on a pretty blue table covering.  I prepared it all for her last night going back to set it all up so when she arrived at work this morning it was waiting for her.  All the details including a commemorative royal wedding magazine for her to read while she sipped her tea.

Wow, did I have fun getting it all ready, I felt like one of Santa's helpers preparing toys for the kids on Christmas Eve. Life instantly felt lighter... and the light was coming from within.  Nothing outside of me had changed... only my decision to participate in a joyful way rather than being a cynic.   Being a cynic leaves no space to envision the best... only the worst in myself and others.  In that state life gets heavy and cloudy... I want no part of that and I am at choice to do better, think better and feel better.   

I made a choice to believe in Debby's dream of celebrating the royal wedding with fanfare and enthusiasm.  The result was an abundance of laughs, smiles and pure gold happy energy. 

It was not only me who would have missed this joy had I kept my mind in a place of thinking limited negative thoughts.  Like ripples in the pond that move outwards from the effect of one tiny stone the joy spread exponentially as Debby invited some of her friends and colleagues to her tea party.   Spontaneous happiness flowed as they chatted about the brides' dress, the regal festivities and the overall excitement of the day.  Truly happiness shared is happiness multiplied. 

The happiness I have felt all day from seeing how happy Debby was at having received the tea party was totally, totally awesome!  I am grateful that I put aside my sarcastic judgements of the royal wedding to rise to the occasion of love.  By being mindful of another's happiness I increased my own.  As I feel happier I feel more love for myself and others... as others are invited into this loving energy so too do they have the potential to expand the energy even more.  Multiply this feeling throughout our families, our communities and around the world instead of fear and watch the miracles unfold. 

Isn't that what "happily ever after" is all about? 

Top 10 Ways I Support Your Dream

Top 10 Ways I Support Your Dream 

1.  I listen to you when you talk about your dream...even if I don't understand it.  I want to hear the big picture and the details... as wild and wonderful or small and simple as they may be.

2.  I ask questions that help you dream more... "when will you take the next step?", "who is going to be there", "where will you go first?",  "how will you get from A to B... a unicycle perhaps?".  I can also help you brainstorm if you get stuck on an answer... I love that part.  Dreaming together is fun.

3.  I check in to see how your dream is unfolding....more than once because it sometimes take a while to get the dream rolling.

4.  I remind you of your dream when you forget it and feel dreamless.

5.  I share my dream with you so you know that you are not alone in being dreamy.

6.  I send you encouragement notes... tucked into a book, scribbled on a sticky note, posted on facebook, typed out in an email message or sent with care in a hand written card.

7.  I am mindful of events, people, situations and information that may help you connect to your dream... then share my discoveries with you so you can link up as you see fit. 

8.  I ask you to lay on the grass beside me and watch the clouds go by... let's find dragons, giraffes, clowns and eagles in the movement of the vaporous masses floating by.  Let's have fun imagining and playing.

9.  I take steps to live my dream  too so I walk my talk. 

10.  I ask you to make a list of how I can support you... because these are my ideas... I want yours... that's part of my dream.

I'm rethinking politics...

I'm rethinking politics or more specifically one politician, Michael Ignatieff.  I know him as the author of the book I'm currently reading called "The Lesser Evil.  Political Ethics in an Age of Terror."

Today my son said, "hey that guy who wrote that book is running for Prime Minister."  Wow! I have so disconnected myself from current events that I didn't even know this fact.  I've been on a multi-year media fast that for the most part has really cleansed my system of the garbage of the world.  I learn what I need to learn when I need it.  I've become accustomed to a new process where information comes to me.  Like today. 

Now I want to know.... now I want to find out who this man is who would write such a compelling book and who is interested to lead this country.  What's the connection?  Could someone so seemingly conscious of the humanity within events and people also be a politician?  Ahh...shake up my world...perhaps the answer is yes!  hmmmm...

He's a master journalist, educator, researcher and writer.  Before I knew he was a politician I was underlining important thoughts in his book.  He's not just a writer of opinion but a one who questions the underlying philosophies, the thoughts behind the actions...the thoughts behind the thoughts.... yes, now we're getting somewhere different.

I'm not sold on him yet... actually I don't want to be sold.  I want to be inspired.  I want to believe again in the nobility of a leader who blends action with heart and mind.  To feel even a shimmer of that would expand my limits of what I believe is possible.  Possible not just for individuals but for bigger and bigger groups of people. 

I am reawakening something deep inside me that I once felt very passionate about; the larger collective good.  My journey for some time now has been one of moving inwards getting my own house in order.  Now perhaps, if this leader is who I see he may be, then it is time to start moving from within to without.  It's time perhaps to loose the layers of cynicism that adds negative energy to the world and step forward into a different experience of governance.   

From the pages of  a dark and heavy book I may have found some light in a positive politician.  Possible?  Perhaps.  I'm willing to open my mind and do some rethinking.