The Awakening!

A time comes in your life when you finally get it! In the midst of all the fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere - the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.

And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is the awakening!

You begin to come to terms with the fact that you are neither Prince Charming nor Cinderella, and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with 'you'. In the process, a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are...and that's OK! They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself, at which point, a sense of new found confidence is born. You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you), and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is God!

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you, and that it's not always about 'you'.

That's when you start to stand on your own and to take care of yourself, with God as your pilot, and in the process -- a sense of safety and security is born.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are, and you begin to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties. You start to feel a sense of peace and contentment, and in so feeling it, you begin to understand what forgiveness is 'truly' about.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your head over the years.

And you start sifting through all the junk you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should marry, how to raise your children, and what you owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and 'needing' and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with...and in the process you learn to go with what 'he' tells you 'in your heart' - 'His' revelations!

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing, and so you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You realize you don't know everything, you can't 'save' the world no matter how much you want to, and that you can't teach a pig to sing, unless you speak his language.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries, and of course, learning to say 'NO'...especially to yourself.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one that God wants you to bear. You also learn that not everyone beleives in 'HIM' or will do what 'He' wants them to do, and there isn't much you can do about that, unless 'He' chooses that for you!

Then, you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. You learn to look at relationships as they really are, and not just as you envisioned them in the fantasies of childhood.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes and you learn that 'alone' does not mean 'lonely'.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and trying to make everyone be who you want them to be, just because you think it will make you feel more comfortable if they were more like you.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect, and even more important, others deserve it too, so it's your responsibility to treat others just as kindly.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty, and so you take more time to rest.
And, you learn that just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something doesn't always work...so, you learn that working to make it happen is vital.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline, perseverance, and you need God to stand behind the steering wheel.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone ... and that it's OK to risk asking for help.

You learn another very important thing, that the only thing you must truly fear -- which is the greatest robber of all: FEAR itself!

You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it, and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it, living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things and you learn that God has his way of teaching each and everyone of us, what he wants us to know.

You also learn to deal with evil in its most primal state -- the ego!

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected, or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

Most of all, you learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted -- things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator; clean running water; a soft warm bed; a long hot shower and clothes to keep you warm in the middle of the winter.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself and by yourself. You make yourself a promise to never betray yourself again.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window, just so you can remember to listen to the wind. Then, you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. That's when you start to notice the beauty around you in everything.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live, as best you can.

You are no longer a prisoner to satan, yourself, or the world around you. You have grown into the wonderful person you are and you know you will keep growing, daily. You've learned to accept yourself and those around you, and that's just the way 'He' wants you to be.

You have awakened!