let go

It’s in the Air

Posted by Barbara Techel
It's in the Air.
photo credit: Mary Kohls Blanke

How does nature do it? This subtle shift that begins to take place with the changing of seasons.

The light dances early in the morning in my Zen writing cottage with a different rhythm than earlier this summer. It almost looks as if it is a soft ripple of a wave cascading over my hardwood floor. I want to swim in its magic!

This photo above I saw on Facebook this morning, by one of my favorite local photographers Mary, and it made me catch my breath. Another indication that we are moving ever-so-gently toward autumn.

Fall…my most favorite time of the year! I truly wish there was a place on earth that was fall all year-long. Ah, but as I write this, it would likely take away the magic and the anticipation -two things I’m not willing to sacrifice.

Autumnal season…It conjures up in me the most delightful feeling – one I find hard to express in words – because fall is all about emotion for me.

I find myself wanting to listen to piano music. I want to declutter and organize and am thrilled to say my walk-in closet, plus jewelry and make-up has been freed of its staleness and the letting go of what no longer sparked joy. Many clothes and shoes I have tired of are headed to St. Vincent De Paul this week…to be loved by another. I wish them well.

I want to immerse myself in nature more with walks. My heart melts into a welcome slowing down around our chiminea as the geese have returned and begun their nightly honking and fly-overs.

This summer has been much about letting go for me and a time of embracing new possibilities. Opening and expanding which isn’t always easy work, but serving as a beautiful response in how I feel about my life.

And just like nature, we must allow our lives to flow without trying to control it, knowing that each season brings with it just what we need.

It’s in the air…and I welcome it all.

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Bursting through the Layers

Posted by Barbara Techel
Bursting through the Layers
Gidget

For three years I felt in transition. While at the same time, I saw myself getting to where I am now — though I wasn’t quite sure how “getting here” was going to happen.

I’ve got so many wonderful opportunities happening right now. It makes the time of transition now feel like it went fast, though when I was in it, it was difficult at times to trust the process– and how I fought to not just push it along so I could move past feeling uncomfortable.

My faith was being called upon often during those many months of feeling I’d lost my way– but really, what I learned and had to practice (and still am practicing!) was allowing my path to unfold organically. I had to learn to let go of control.

Much of this I’ve been writing about in my new book called, “Wisdom Found in the Pause.” The process of writing this book has been a practice in itself also of allowing and not forcing it out into the world until it feels ready– but I feel closer to that point now than ever before.

I’ve come to realize that I had to experience what I call the “full circle” of transition. There were many layers I had to work through – some took longer than others — and there are many layers of which I still must work through. And as author Joan Anderson says, we are “unfinished” women. I love that because it means we just have that much more to explore and learn about ourselves– and it’s what life is all about.

Of late, I’ve had this burst of feeling on purpose and in align with right where I should be–something that eluded me since Frankie passed away in 2012.

Though I admit, I find myself worrying about the one thing I want to let go of– and that is balance. Not that I don’t want balance in my life, because I do — but trying not to control it — but to let my life bring me the special opportunities that feed my soul and know this is right where I’m supposed to be– and trust the rest always works out.

As I contemplated so many of these thoughts this morning, brushing my teeth, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye.

It was dear, sweet, Gidget peeking around the corner from the bedroom looking at me as I was deep in thought.

A burst of pure love washed over my heart and brought me right back to center. I sensed she was reminding me to ride the waves of these wonderful new feelings and opportunities coming my way, while at the same time, she was here to remind me that I could slow down when I need — and everything will still work out.

I was grateful for that connection in that moment of what is the ebb and flow of life. And how grateful I am to be in this time right now of bursting through yet another layer of who I am and where I want to go.

—

We celebrated 60 days Monday, the 15th of Miss Gidget having no seizures! Woo hoo!

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