Receiving the gift of joy from giving...

Recently, I have been shown in my own life the true joy of what must be the greatest paradox of all time: the greatest gift you can receive is the gift that comes from giving to someone else.

I am very blessed and fortunate to be sharing my life with someone who, like myself, gets great joy from sharing love and "being there." A couple of days ago, this point was brought home very strongly to me. I had a really rough day at work. When the day was over, I spent time with my loving soulmate who listened intently to what I had to say and vent. When I was finished releasing my thoughts to her, all I wanted to do was show her how much I care and how wonderful she is. I have been thinking about that evening a great deal. It "drove home" the notion to me that I receive my greatest happiness and contentment with life and the Universe when I am giving to her. I all but completely forgot about how rough my work day had been and found myself enjoying the simple pleasures in life as we walked a trail near a lake, hand-in-hand, just sharing our love, thoughts, and time with one another.

It is in my prayers that everyone can find such a place in their lives and come to know that tremendous pleasure and rewards that come from giving yourself completely to that one person you know you want to spend the rest of your life with.
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A quote on meditation...

This has been a very mixed and interesting week for me. I have had some fabulous moments, buffered by some really trying moments. Throughout all this, I have sought to both pray and meditate more than I usually do, largely out of necessity. And the answers are coming in by ways quite unexpected yet more beautiful and effective than I would have ever come up with using the purely "human" side of myself. Yes, miracles are taking place in my life and things are being revealed that are forever altering the course of my life for the better.

To that end, I would like to share a quote with my friends from the poet Franz Kafka, regarding the importance of stopping now and then - both physically and spiritually - to ALLOW the answers to reveal themselves:

"It is not necessary that you leave the house. Remain at your table and listen. Do not even listen, only wait. Do not even wait, be wholly still and alone. The world will present itself to you for its unmasking, it can do no other, in ecstasy it will writhe at your feet."
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The journey is as important as the destination...

I ran across something recently that resonates strongly in my heart and mind. It speaks of the importance of living each day with a keen sense of awareness of the blessings and beauty that surround us. For me, the greatest blessing by far is sharing my life with the woman I truly love, respect, trust, and admire. Yes, we have some "specific" dreams of what we want in the future, just as everyone does. But the thing that makes our relationship so very special, our bond so very strong, is our mutual appreciation of the other one for simply "being there." That said, I will share the quote that has been rolling around in my head for days. They are the words of one of my favorite authors/speakers, Dr. Wayne Dyer:

“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way.”

I can honestly and humbly say that just as much as I look forward to sharing the future with the most amazing, beautiful, and loving woman I have ever known, I very much enjoy and am thankful for every opportunity I get to show her - TODAY - how much I care.

I hope the above quote from Dr. Dyer will perhaps lead you to think, as I have, about the importance of appreciating the journey as much as the destination.
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The Power of Connecting to Your Purpose in Life

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”

- Patanjali (Considered to be "The Father of Yoga.")
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Success Redefined

I was recently involved in a conversation that led to a brief discussion on what "success" really means. Without even thinking, I pointed out to a friend that success is not about how much money you make or how much status, prestige, or authority you gain. Rather, success is a matter of living your life - meaning personal, work, social, everything - in such a way that the person you love most in life always stands by you, trusts you, and encourages you to persevere, even when things get tough.

I have faced some really trying situations lately, most especially at work. I am thankful to have someone in my life who is there, everyday, to listen when I am frustrated or stressed out, and to remind me that as long as I do my best, I am successful in the ways that matter most.
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