Living More Directly

This lesson yesterday from The Book of Awakening has to be the one that many years ago jarred my world the most. And it continues to stick in my mind and cause me to observe carefully my interactions with others. It made me look much more closely at how I do or don’t communicate my needs, and how I might be manipulating others instead of having good boundaries and taking the risk of as Mark says, being hurt.

Give it a read and see how it lands. Maybe some people might not think it is a big deal or much of an issue. I’ve discovered in my quest to have better boundaries, and by seeing my friends to the same, that if yours have been weak, you might overcompensate and can come off as seeming harsh or overprotective of your time and energy. I think it takes time and practice to balance it out. What’s your experience? How directly do you live?

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Weekly Letter Of Gratitude

Pictured below is my great aunt Marian and her neighbor Buttons along with an excerpt from my letter to her.

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“As I am sure you know, you are one of my favorite people on this planet and have been my whole life. I wanted to send this extra letter to make sure you know how much you mean to me.

You have been a wonderful example to me of someone with integrity and deep caring for others. Someone who does the right thing, who shares a lot of joy and laughter, and who also won’t hesitate to address and talk about real things and be their authentic self.”

One of my fondest memories is an experience in NYC sitting close to the front row of a Van Halen concert at Madison Square Garden. The tickets were a gift for a woman I was dating at the time, who was a super fan, and we danced the whole concert. Hearing about Eddie’s passing reminded me of that experience and then I came across this article on Inc.com.

Click the article link below and have a read. It’s a short but powerful lesson.

The Passing of Eddie Van Halen Reveals an Uncomfortable Truth About the Power of Praise - INc.com

“If someone you don’t know made a real difference in your life, don’t wait. Track them down and tell them. Especially if you think you someday might regret never having done so.”
— Jeff Haden, Contributing editor, Inc.

Reading what Jeff Haden wrote was the last straw for me to commit to another writing goal. One that I have been considering ever since I sent my great aunt a letter this year for her 95th birthday. Normally I would visit her in PA. but that was not possible this year. It felt like I needed to really tell her how important she is to me and why. She was very moved and it made me consider why I didn’t send more letters like that to all of the other people I appreciate. There’s a whole range of individuals to consider who impact my life. All the way from the person that stocks the shelves at the grocery who I don’t know, to my most cherished friends and family. Some of the letters might not get read or maybe the person is already gone, but I still think it’s a beneficial practice.

My commitment is to write and share one letter every week to a new person. Want to join me? If you try it let me know how it goes.