New beginnings

It's been quite a week, filled with new beginnings, change, and a celebration acknowledging what is and good things to come.

I celebrated my birthday with two special friends, making vision boards. A vision board is sort of like a collage except it is filled with photos and phrases representing all your dreams for the future. It was an incredibly meaningful experience and a whole lot of fun!

A few days later, I found out that a dear friend was moving back to Europe...next week! Although she and everyone who has had the pleasure of meeting her would rather have her stay here, it has become clear that staying in Chicago is not where she is meant to be at this time. It's been amazing to witness all the "blessings" that have occurred during this transition: everything necessary for the move has appeared. So many people have come together to help and it's been a privilege to watch this unfold. It is a wonderful example of the power of faith and service.

My therapist once told me that if something is meant to be, there is nothing that I can do to stop it from happening; conversely, if something is not meant to be, no amount of force or manipulation will make it so....no matter how badly I want it.

I thought of this today as I reflected on my friend's situation: no matter how badly I want her to stay, right now, at this point, it is not meant to be. Clearly, her beautiful spirit is needed back home. The ways in which everything has unfolded supports this move. Who knows what is in store for her? Who knows what's in store for any of us?

What I have learned over the years is, fundamentally, all is well. I have always been taken care of and I have faith that, if I continue living my life with integrity, that will continue. I know that my life just works better when my spiritual connection is strong. Daily meditation and prayer help me maintain that connection. Having a positive attitude and surrounding myself with like minded people helps me to notice all the blessings in my life as well as the lives of others. It also makes life a heck of a lot more fun! I have had remarkable experiences simply because I chose to say yes to opportunities that presented themselves in my life.