Help! How do I Get off this Ride?

Nothing like unemployment time to help you find perspective.
Think of this image of the Great Wheel in Seattle as a big giant hamster wheel in our own cage of life. We are running around in circles going around and around but going no where. We are going from our jobs to our families and then to bed wishing we had more time. The truth is, we will never have enough time or is it?
So far in this 4 months of free time, I have learned that time STILL goes by quickly.
There is always something to do, someone to visit or somewhere to go. The question really is HOW do I use the time that I have?
As an artist, I now realize that God has given me a gift. God has given me the gift of time to reflect on which direction to go with my life and passion. Prior to this, I was too busy paying my bills and working my job to see the truth. I was living in fear.
Now that I am actually not working, I have learned that my world is not falling apart.
I am learning that I want to have a life of purpose and meaning. I am connecting with friends that I love and appreciate even more.
I want to take classes to get better with my craft of photography and take business classes to help me get my work out there. I now realize that in order for more people to see my work, I have to put my work out there for people to see.
I love to travel and explore so I am finding out about travel tours to be able to do that.
My first gift to myself will be to go to my whale watching tour in September. This has been part of my living list for a long time. I want to connect with these beautiful giants and hang out with them.
Use your time wisely. Do what you need to do but put some time for yourself to enjoy your passions. It is not selfish but necessary. You will be a happier person and it will open doors that you didn't dream of.
Happy Tuesday everyone!

Facing the Fear 2 Find the Faith.

Fear and Faith.
The only thing they have in common is the letter F.
One of them restricts and paralyzes you while the other has no restriction or boundaries.

I did an exercise in You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay.   Who understands more about the mind, body and spirit connection more than her?   I thought it was time to go back to the basics to see how well I understood and applied this philosophy in my everyday life.

My first assignment was to make a list of 5 or 6 ways to finish this sentence:   I Should
My list was as follows:  I Should take better care of myself.
                                    I Should photograph more.
                                    I should be doing what I love to do.
You get the gist of this.   Now, you read what you wrote and ask the question 'Why' after it.   The answers allow you to understand what your beliefs and limitations are.  Louise goes on to say "You see, I believe that should is one of the most damaging words in our language.  Every time we use should we are in effect say "wrong".  Either we are wrong or we were wrong or we are going to be wrong.  I don't think we need more wrongs in our life.  I would like to take the 'SHOULD and replace it with the word COULD.  Could give us a choice and we are never wrong."  Now, lets reread our list again but with this at the beginning of each sentence:  "If I really wanted to, I could...........".  This puts a whole new light on the subject.  Now, I can ask the question "Why haven't I?"   As I look at my list because there were more than the 3 you see up here.  All of my answers came from FEAR.   Yes, fear.  I was my worst enemy.  I was the limitation that was hindering me from my full potential.  Amazing how powerful words are.

I went to a church that I never went to and the sermon was about Faith.   What do we put our 'faith' in?
Faith in money? Faith in the newest gadgets?  Faith in our government?  Where is the faith in God?  Have we lost it?  The lessons that we learn in life are never easy and sometimes, down right painful.  I have had friends that have lost their husband or a parent.  I have friends who are dealing with health issues.  It is hard to have faith during these times.

Fear can make you want to run away and not face it.  I realize that I have not been taking care of myself and it is time to face the fear.  I want to be able to do all the things that I want to do but I can't do it if I don't take care of myself.  I have to be healthy in mind, body and spirit.  All 3 are connected.

I went to a Naturopathic Doctor today.  Some news, not so good but others are fine.  The point is that it can get  better but it won't if I don't take the necessary steps to change them.   It is a lifestyle change.  I knew I was at the right Doctor when I saw her Tree of Life art on the wall.   We are working as a team to get me where I need to be.  With her knowledge and following her guidance, I will be just fine.

Face the fear and put your faith in God.  The Divine will guide you where you need to go.  Also remember the word patience.  It takes time to get where you're going.  Enjoy and learn from your journey so you can help others.

The Animals at the Zoo are not Always the Animals at the Zoo

"Carol, even animals in captivity need our support and love."  Kathleen Shelton

Going to the Zoo should be a fun and educational experience.   I know that the Zoo is not an ideal or natural way for the animals to live but it is an easier way to see, photograph and connect with the animals in my neck of the world that are not naturally in my neck of the woods.   I love to say hi to my animal friends and hang out with them.

Whenever I go to the Zoo, I always hope that there are not many people there and I was not disappointed.
Why do I say that?   The less people, the less distraction for me and the animals.  To get that one special shot, one has to wait patiently.  I want to photograph the animal's essence as much as I can even though it is not in it's natural element.  I also love to hang out with the animal and observe them.   It fills me with a sense of wonder.

I was lucky on this particular day indeed.   There were 2 Cheetahs resting by the window gazing out.  I sat beside them and spent some time photographing them.  1 of the Cheetahs looked right into my eyes.   The expression on the Cheetah's face reminded me of my cat Chance who always gives me this particular look.
My heart melted and it reiterated the connection that we have with the animal world.  I was blessed to have these moments with these beautiful big cats.

I heard the sound of adults with their children and I knew that my time was up.  I always say thank you to the animal that I was able to photograph and spend time with.  I got up so the children could experience what I was so blessed to have witnessed.  A little boy had his toy car and threw it against the window where the Cheetahs rested.   This action and sound startled the Cheetahs which made them jump.   My mouth has a mouth of it's own and told the little boy that we do not throw cars at the window of where the animals live.   I must admit that I was shocked by the action of this child but I have seen teenagers do the same thing with their hands banging against the window.   All I can say is that they were all lucky to have a piece of glass between them.

People need to understand that when you are at the Zoo be respectful of the animals.   They did not volunteer to live there.  They are not living in their natural environment.   They are living in a enclosed area where they usually go around and around in circles trying to keep themselves occupied.   On top of that, there are people tapping on the windows, yelling at them.  Some are even calling them stupid and ugly.  I have seen this time and time again.   It is up to parents to teach their children Zoo etiquette.  Each animal has it's place in the circle of life.   How would you like that to happen in your own home?

Animals are a wonder and delight.   They can teach us about ourselves.   Whether they live on the farm, the zoo or out in the wild, isn't it time that we give animals the respect they deserve?  They are not a commodity.
They were not created just for us.  Each and every animal has it's purpose on this planet, not just

the cute and fuzzy ones but ALL animals.  Let us give them ALL the love and respect that they deserve.

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What Is the True Meaning of the Holidays?

'Tis the season' where Hell seems to break loose.  Stores start showing all that you can buy in October and last till the very last day of December 24th.   People are rushing trying to buy that perfect Christmas dinner or have those perfect gifts for their loved ones.  Some people get upset whether you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.   Can we just say STOP?
I for one love the Holidays.   I love to see all the colorful lights and hear all my favorite Christmas Carols.  I enjoy seeing all the different religions celebrating their traditions.  Then what is the problem?
Did we forget along the way what the Holidays are really all about if we just take the time to look?
It is a very simple answer really, it is about Love.
The Holiday season is about  giving love and showing kindness to the people that are all around us, especially to the ones we do not know
I for one, do not follow a particular religion.   I believe that God is in everyone and everything.   I know in my heart spiritual truth when I hear or read it.   It doesn't matter where the spiritual truth comes from because God is there.
We need to reconnect to what is true.   We are more concerned with the commercialism during the  Holidays.  I do not know why, but people become more stressed and rude during this time.   What should be a joyous time becomes a chore.
What I want to tell all of you, is to enjoy your special day with the people you love.   Look at all the blessings that are all around you and be grateful.  Be kind to people you don't know.  Respect the planet and all that live on her,   Teach your children to do the same.   Remember, this is something that should be done everyday, not just one day out of the year.
Because of God's love for each and everyone of us, all of this is possible.
Happy Holidays and God bless~

 

Lessons in Catechism

You're probably all thinking 'why are you telling us all this information?   Which is a good question since I am an artist and I should be telling you about artsy things.   Right?  But part of being an artist is how we see the world around us.   It is my lost years that led me to the person that I am today.  One has to look back in order to move forward.  One has to understand the self, the true authentic self.   Once we understand and look back with detachment, we can begin the healing process to move forward with our lives.
When I was kid growing up, I went to Catholic church every Sunday. I loved looking at the statues of Mother Mary and Jesus.   I loved the colorful stained glass windows.   
I just didn't like or understand the message that was being taught to me.   God loved me so I was told, but only if  you went through Jesus,   Now, that didn't make any sense to me at all. Jesus was the only way to get to God and Heaven.  Now, that wasn't fair!   How about the people who didn't know about Jesus?   Were they going to Hell too?
Remember, I was a kid back then! 
Where was the Love?   I learned about the Spanish Inquisition, not a very nice group of Catholics at all.    Yes, things were starting to change within me.   This was not the God that I wanted to know, my God was a nice God.   I decided that Jesus was not going to be a part of my life.   I would still talk to Mother Mary and God but no more Catholicism for me.  
I loved hearing stories about St. Joan of Arc, St. Francis and St. Bernadette.   My mother even brought me a bottle of the Holy Water from Lourdes which I am embarrassed to  say that I drank.  Maybe that is why I do not get sick very often.
When I was 15, I went to see St. Bernadette's body that is in a crystal coffin at the Church of St. Gildard at the convent in Nevers.   St. Bernadette lived there for 13 years.   She has remained undisturbed and on view since August 3, 1925 and that was a special moment for me.   One of God's many miracles that I have seen.
It is kind of funny when I look back, in my 20's, 30's and even part of my 40's, I lost touch with God.   I loved the stories yet, I fell out of touch with the one thing that created it all.
I was the hamster running around and around in the wheel of my cage until I stopped and asked why?
Be careful what you ask, you may not like the answers.

I love photographing Mother Mary.
She is peaceful and beautiful.

Dazed and Confused.

When I first started this journey about 10 years ago, I was so lost and confused.  I didn't know who I was and where I was going with my life.

I was in a dead end job and I was in dysfunctional relationships.  Boy, I was just going around in circles.  I was so unhappy and unfulfilled.   I just kept on asking the question what was wrong with this picture?

I call it my lost years.

What was wrong with the Picture?   All the answers were on one single word and that word was ME!   Yes...me!

At first, that was a hard pill to swallow.  My ego was not going to allow that answer.   It had to be my job, the people that I knew or the men that I was dating but NOT me.  It was everything outside myself.   I didn't want to know the truth.

I then asked God (yes, I believe in God) to show me the truth.   I asked God to give me the answer to the question I was asking.  Don't worry God, I can handle the truth.  The simple truth is that we really can't handle the truth.  Funny how that works.

But, God in his infinite wisdom showed me in baby steps.   To get my attention and this was back in 2005, I was hit by a car.  Not an easy way to start my search but it did get my attention.  You can only bitch for so long when you're in pain.  I was blessed that no bones were broken and that I wasn't killed.   Physically, I spent a week in bed and healing with the help of Ibuprofen and a good chiropractor.    Emotionally, I had the help of great friends and the help of the Unity Church.

I had just started going to Unity Church before I was hit by the car.   The Course of Miracles gave me the tools that I needed to handle this situation.   To be honest with you, it was  free therapy and boy did I do alot of crying during that 1 hour.  Unity Church started my emotional healing and started me on my personal relationship with God.   This was class 101 in who is God really?

In order to understand previous comment, you have to understand one simple thing.   I was raised in the Catholic Church.  Ahhh...you say.  Now, you get it.   Not that Catholics are bad people but this will have to continue on the next blog.   I seem to have run out of space.

What is a girl suppose to do?