From our series of reader submitted stories comes this beautiful account from Elizabeth Wescott …
Visit Elizabeth Wescott on Facebook
What I do is little. I do it at home, each day. I do it in an hour’s time, more or less. The results aren’t easy to measure or define.
That what I do is all of these things, is part of what makes it important to tell about. What I do is use some of my moments to extend love, peace and healing thoughts to people. In those moments I love people I know, and don’t know, and sometimes people I have trouble getting along with. In those moments I remember what is important and I get as close to it as I can. It can be called healing work. It doesn’t matter what it’s called.
Each day those moments change me. Each day those moments refresh for me and my purpose. And, so, I live more peacefully, more gracefully, more generously than I otherwise would. I live my life closer to what’s important to me than I otherwise would.
Part of the reason I do this is because I experience a lot of physical limitation in my life that makes participating in ways that are more recognizable an unrealistic option. But I refuse to believe that I cannot participate fully, and that I cannot offer peace and love and life altering things to the world, because I can’t do it in ways that we recognize culturally as significant.
Sometimes people feel better when they are amongst those included in those moments I spend sending goodwill. Sometimes I don’t know what people experience. But I do know that moments count. And in little things we can see peace present.
What each of us has to offer is enough. Each of us has moments. And that counts.
Visit Elizabeth Wescott on Facebook
Podcast: Play in new window
| Download (Duration: 3:55 — 4.9MB)
music by Kevin MacLeod, Daybreak
Recorded by a stream in a damaged forest five months after a fire, the redwood forest doesn’t stop to mourn its loss or consider its tragedy. The forest immediately begins the process of regeneration, of rebirth. Seeds immediately drop, seedlings sprout and life moves forward. What may appear to be a tragedy may well bring new life, new beginnings, changes we don’t immediately understand.
Have you ever found yourself in love with someone who does not love you?
This is a painful place to ponder, for no matter how many people surround you in your life, on this wounded wayfare you are forced to wander alone.
Rejection.
Loss.
Hurt.
Pain.
And these rips and tears in the private papers holding the ruminative stanzas that define our inner self can leave us scattered and crumpled.
Love is a mystery.
Love is perhaps, the greatest mystery.
When love pours into us, we brim until we overflow with its airy elating lightness.
When love infuses our vision, the colors of our world reflect a surreal bright trueness.
Love is the story woven into our lives and the definer of our world.
Moreover, all we can do with this glorious mystery is rejoice when it enters our lives, even if it disappoints us.
It is a gift given to us, in whatever form it comes to be ours.
Whether offered by us to another or offered to us from another.
Whether given to us or felt from within us.
For we can never, never forget, love is a gift and gifts are to be given.
So give. Give. Give. Give. Love.
And….receive, receive, receive…..LOVE.
Give it to the person who brought it to you, if only as an offer of ever kindness in your heart.
Now, give it to all the others who can benefit from your gift.
Your love is a gift for the world; please do not keep it to yourself.
Love does not have one purpose in you, or one person.
So reflect, be thankful and celebrate yourself. For you possess the warm heart and openness of spirit to embrace the love that moves within you.
You feel. You feel deeply. This is magnificent. You are magnificent.
Embrace the feelings of high that come with understanding that love came to live in you.
Hold this close in your heart and remember…..you do not choose love. It chooses you.
Podcast: Play in new window
| Download (Duration: 12:42 — 17.4MB)
It seems popular right now to write songs asking you to consider, if today were your last day, what would you do with it?
This moment is ALWAYS the first moment that begins the rest of the your life. If this moment is both the first moment of the rest of your life and the beginning of the last day of your life, how is your perspective on your life changed?
What will you do differently?
How will you love differently?
How will you treat the people in your life differently?
Starting today…
Podcast: Play in new window
| Download (Duration: 24:31 — 33.7MB)
Melody Thacker looked out the window of her office in Phoenix, Arizona, USA each day to the disturbing sight of homeless women and men walking along the street and standing idly in the empty lot across the street. One morning as she watched homeless people shivering in the cold without any warm clothing she decided it was time to give something back.
From a simple starting point she created A Heart For Humanity.
Little did Melody know that unforeseeable twists in the fabric of her own life would cause A Heart For Humanity to evolve to serve two very diverse populations.
Visit Melody’s website:
Visit A Heart For Humanity
How can you help A Heart For Humanity?
Donate vehicles within the Phoenix metropolitan area by visiting this page.
Volunteer your services for peer counseling for families and loved ones impacted by drug abuse.
Call or Email for peer counseling support from A Heart For Humanity.
Melody has expressed the need for a webcam and computer that will allow her group to expand to provide peer counseling to groups beyond the Phoenix area. If you would like to help with this or in any other way, please contact Melody at aheartforhumanity@yahoo.com or call 623-606-8668
If you or someone you know needs help:
It’s hard to find your way to help when you are in the middle of a crisis. Here are some good information resources to help you if you or someone you know needs information or assistance now:
Alcohol Abuse
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – A page with FAQs about alcohol abuse, treatment and resources for treatment. Resources for people of all ages.
Rethinking Drinking - Resources from the National Institutes of Health to help yo determine what are unhealthy drinking patterns and what you can do to change them.
Drug Abuse
National Institute on Drug Abuse - Information resources about drug abuse, treatment research, drug testing, addiction science and more…
World Health Organization (WHO) - General and technical information about drug abuse with more global information.
Eating Disorders
National Eating Disorders Association – VERY helpful and inspirational website with an 800 helpline, downloadable information, the latest reasearch and more…
MedLine – A department of the National Institutes of Health Information about diagnosis, coping, prevention and organizations that help you with eating disorders.
National Institute of Mental Health – Downloadable information about eating disorders.
TheLastStation.com
