Santa and the Phone Booth

The Divine Universe is always sending us beautiful messages and often through the most amazing avenues.  Last Christmas I received an exquisite gift. I did not realize how truly extraordinary it was until a few days after I opened it.  It was a facsimile of Santa Claus standing in an elegant phone booth (which, in itself, is an interesting concept). However, the breathtaking thing about this gift is that when turned on, the phone booth immediately flooded with  infinitesimal, dazzling gold lights which circulated unendingly  throughout the booth.

A couple of days after Christmas I placed this curious Santa on the top ledge of a high bookshelf built into the wall where it overlooked several other beautiful lights arranged on the shelves below:  alabaster fir tree candles, a three dimensional figure of a yoga with a lotus flower adorning it and several small battery operated candles in lovely shades of pale blue and green. The  effect of the luminescent ballet was stunning but my eyes were constantly drawn  to the top shelf where Santa in his phone booth continued to shimmer and glisten in Aurelian splendor. 

After a while I realized something extraordinary about this gift.  Santa, of course,  is a symbol of generosity and love.  And the glistening lights in the phone booth were clearly there, I realized, on special assignment.  They were drawing my constant attention in masquerade, a celestial reminder of my Higher Self, I realized, always there connected to my heart, available for  consultation and guidance.  Whether I can see her or not, my Higher Self  is clearly shining brightly through every moment of my day.  
   
There have been some challenging moments for us all this holiday season and now, for Christmas, I have found myself again being given the gift of remembrance of what is already waiting for me.  EVERY time I have looked up at Santa in the phone booth I have seen it glisten and sparkle.  There is no question in my heart that I might be left in difficult moments without heavenly resource and support.

I am wondering...Is there something glistening on your metaphorical bookshelf or perhaps tucked away in a subtle corner of your life  that can help you also remember the   energy that is circulating so vibrantly, ready to envelop your life with the wisdom and beauty of love.

What a lovely reminder I have been given with this gift:  MY Higher Self is always present, energized, sparkling… ready to share its glorious energy of love.

Take a moment and check in to the beauty and wonder of the season.  Perhaps you, too,  have been a messenger this Christmas of an important message or even a recipient of a very special delivery just for you.

                                      Marie Helena

Set Your Intentions for the New Year

I am enjoying wonderful HEALTH and WELL-BEING. My body is functioning perfectly just as designed. My senses are WIDE-open, appreciating all of the  GIFTS awaiting me.

When I awake in the morning, I always look forward to the delightful DAY ahead of me. I include JOY and GRATITUDE in my thoughts and activities and many moments of being especially  MINDFUL of what I am experiencing.

My body is always leading me to a PATH of Vibrant Health. I LISTEN to its wisdom and HONOR its messages.

Mystic Marks: Bookmarks for the Soul

A New Year’s “Light” Show

After the magical days of Christmas holidays…when pine-scented boughs and cranberry candles perfumed the air and glittering lights whispered their grace-filled secrets into our happy hearts…decorating our spaces with joy and celebration…

after these magnificent days have passed and things have grown so very quiet and restful the steady, sure-footed march of the New Year alights on our doorstep, enters our homes and slides into our hearts.

It’s time…to renew and redirect our energy to the wonderful life we have imagined and make the changes that were placed on hold as we made merry and felt merry and loved the "merry" of the holidays.

Now, there is a NEW JOY that awaits us and it is born of reflection and inspiration and discipline…our New Year’s Resolutions.

Much has been said and advised about NYR’s…suggestions that we examine our lives, compiling a list of every changewe can imagine…suggestions that we make NO resolutionsand not place ourselves under that kind of stress... even a suggestion that we only try to improve ourselves by one percent in the category we identify as “most needed” or, even better, “most desired” and, thereby, let our accumulated steady, slow progress become its own source of motivation.

This morning in the quiet moments when I found myself awakening a different thought occurred to me.  

I had been searching for a simple resolution…one that would be easy to hold onto and yet would change my perspective and this is what arrived in response to my request:

As you go through the day and encounter many moments…some relaxing and some difficult and challenging…as you go through the day, just take a moment and imagine how your Higher Self would respond to what is happening. Do not put any pressure on yourself to do what Higher Self would do. Only imagine it and take note.

This sounded wonderful to me…and it feels instinctively that just choosing to put myself in the place of imagining a Higher Response would do some subtle, behind-the-scene work for me even while I went busily about my day, impressing my consciousness with a more beautiful, more loving, more joyful way to navigate it…and, most importantly, a way to be my own SOURCE of happiness and satisfaction.

And it actually sounds and feels quite practical, too, to become, on a continuing basis, the ANCHOR for my joy.

So I am going to give it a pop! This means I may pause a few seconds before I react and respond to what is going on…allowing myself the time and perspective I need to call up a Higher inspiration than what would automatically appear on my default button.

It will be very interesting to take this journey and, no doubt, it will have its own BRILLIANT LIGHT SHOW as I enter into this universe!

                               Marie Helena

                                 

Dolce Far Niente

In the midst of the holiday season when so many preparations are being made…Christmas trees bedazzled with shimmering lights, ingredients assembled for an array of culinary pleasures, on-line shopping planned to catch the latest sales, spotlighting of porches and roofs with illusionary reindeer…

In the midst of all of this, does it seem strange that I would wish you Dolce Far Niente... 

The Sweetness of Doing Absolutely Nothing!

And yet, what more perfect time to just BE in the midst of all of these treasures?

Time moves so quickly now as we hasten to finish our self-appointed tasks for the holidays and, if we don’t pause to take in the ambiance and flavor and spirit of these moments, they will be gone before we know it. We will be left with crumbled Christmas wrappings to clean up, dishes to wash from the fabulous dinner we have prepared and an exhausted body for our reward. 

So let’s imagine another dimension to our celebration.

I invite you (and myself as a reminder as I write this), to not miss a single breath of this breathtaking season. To allow the brilliant red poinsettias to nourish and sustain us with their glorious color and powerful presence. To honor the trees populating our landscape outside as they abide winter’s passing and keep their spring secrets warm inside their roots for us. To enjoy the delicately flavored herbal tea and gingerbread one sip and one small and succulent bite at a time as delicate snowflakes descend outside our windows. To watch the faces of the young and young-at-heart as they embrace the magic of families gathering and the waves of joy layering the room as gifts expected (and surprised) are revealed.

Let us all fully embrace the beauty of this season, honor its festive and joyous rhythm and reverence the  MAGNIFICENT MOMENTS  being given to us!

                                Marie Helena                                                                                             

For our experience to feel whole, our body must be allowed to permeate our experience, BE our experience, entirely. And our awareness must be released from living in our heads and allowed to flow into EVERYTHING.

Meredith Murphy

EXPECT WONDERFUL

The Chief

You got a problem with that?  Take it up with the cat.

                    Duane Brewster

Sometimes what causes us the greatest grief is the absence of boundaries in our life.    Duane Brewster's humorous comment "Take it up with the cat" is a delightful reminder NOT to feel responsible for everyone else.  

WE are the only ones we are responsible for and, when we  "usurp" other's roles, we mess with our peace of mind and the peace of others.  I know "usurp" is a big word to use here.  After all, you may be thinking,  "I am only trying to help."  But this particular job doesn't have our name on it.  

WE are not responsible for fixing someone else's problem.  It's their responsibility and their privilege (to help them in their own evolution).  We can hold space for someone while they work through an issue, make suggestions if asked and express our faith that the individual will find the heart-answer, but we don't OWN the problem and are, therefore, not responsible for the solution.  And trying to make things better ourselves tends to communicate the feeling to someone of "I'm not sure you can figure it out."

We all have a real (or metaphorical) list of things we would like to do for Christmas.  In case you are trying to solve someone's holiday issues, consider sending them a prayer, acknowledging your faith in their ability to navigate the challenge, encouraging and applauding their efforts and, then, leave the heavy lifting to the cat.  : )

                                         Marie Helena

image:

Cheshire Cat by Manuela Lai Alice in Wonderland Tattoo Framed Fine Art Print

Shinrin-Yoku

Not long ago it might have been a rare and unusual experience to witness someone with his arms encircling a majestic tree, seemingly lost in profound contemplation of our spiritual connection to nature.  Today, however, there is a growing awareness of this healing modality.  Many individuals are seeking the wonders of what is now described as forest bathing.  Japan has sixty-two sites designated for just this reason celebrating the magic of Shinrin-Yoku.  

Scientists tell us that trees emit phytoncides to protect themselves from insects and plants such as lichen and moss.  These molecules are absorbed by humans through respiration and are considered beneficial in dealing with stress management, regulating blood pressure and boosting the immune system.

I was excited recently to discover this information in a YouTube video.  I have been hugging trees for many years without knowing the scientific validation.  I just do it because it feels good.  It connects me with the earth.  It makes me feel grounded, conjoined with the trees, our roots together extending deep into Gaia. 

Shinrin-Yoku.  Perhaps this is a subtle invitation from the Divine Universe to our over stimulated psyches awash with so many concerns and tribulations.

I have come to believe there is so much more to discover about the gifts available to us from Mother Earth.  We already know of stories from our ancestors of the healing properties of many plants.  

Perhaps EVERY insect, flower, stone, blade of grass...every manifestation of nature...holds a secret we have yet to ascertain.  Perhaps ALL necessary healing modalities are already accessible to us residing in Gaia in stark contrast to the medications we take to ease our pain.


Perhaps that pain exists to alert us to whatever is blocking the corridor to our expansion...emotions not accessed, experienced or released.  And perhaps our environment....EVERYTHING in nature we see or feel or touch...is here to minister to our pain and soothe us on that journey.


Could Shinrin-Yoku be the key, the sacred entrance to the mystic messages awaiting our discovery?

    

                                                 Marie Helena


image from pinterest.com
Gleb Goloubetski

Resistance

Resistance to the disturbance 
is the disturbance.  

Vernon Howard 



The only way out of anything is through.


Whenever we try to find ways to sidestep the lessons of life we place them deeper inside us…ensuring their resurrection at a later time. And most probably, a resurrection which will be more dramatic and more painful.


We have entered into our earthlife so that we can learn the lessons we have chosen. The learning calls for courage and strength and truth. Interestingly, the more deeply we embrace the lessons, the more courage and strength and truth we have.


There is beauty in the SURRENDER. 

And wisdom awaits on the other side.

Bless your life by fully engaging in it.

                                                                                    Marie Helena

Heaven’s Casino

Here’s what we know:

People like casinos.

And in our earth density this is what our casinos are like: crowded, noisy, full of smoke and, sometimes, reckless squandering of money that should be used for the basic needs of living. It’s true that people do enjoy themselves there because there is always the “promise” of the win…the hope of doubling and tripling the money and maybe even scoring really BIG.

These casinos are an earth density version of a GAME.

Then there is the GAME of pretending…pretending that we are alone and not the creators of our lives. This game is like a casino, too, and in this casino we experience ups and downs, fun-filled times and challenges and suffering of our own making, but suffering nevertheless. We question why things happen and sometimes feel we are victims of what we call fate. There are many great moments but also lots of upsetting surprises (which we have programmed in and have forgotten). We are playing a GAME that we have forgotten the rules to. Which is actually pretty risky and foolhardy…like gambling in a real casino…but this is a virtual one.

And since we seem to love the concept of casinos so much, perhaps we could up the ante and take a look at the ultimate casino, ETERNAL LIFE.

Here’s what’s different about this casino.  
EVERYBODY WINS BIG. ..EVERY TIME!

Instead of rolling dice and pulling handles on slot machines we are watching ourselves in the movie called The Challenges of Living in Earth Density. And everything we see is an illusion. But this is an awesome game and, therefore, everything seems real. This includes the very wide range of experiences that humans encounter. Including conflict and fear and suffering. We have literally forgotten that we have dreamed these up so that we can learn the lessons we want to have.

The big part of the game, the part that gives us the truly BIG WIN is when we understand that we are already perfect…we are Divine Beings having a human experience…and all of this is a highly sophisticated illusion we need to move through in our attempt to make the connection with our Divine Selves. And when we really get that it is our Divine selves who are running the show…who have actually constructed this casino so that we can play this game of remembering who we are….that is when we become the really big winner. 

Imagine the celebration when one of us gets it. Hear that excitement, the roar of the spiritual crowd. Listen to the comments from your soul family:

“Aha, I knew he was on to us! Way to go!”

“Here’s comes another breakthrough. What fun. And earlier than I expected.”

“What a fantastic job she’s doing. Awesome!”

Now, that is the ultimate casino. And it’s full of the most beautiful and fun-loving creatures, our Higher Selves. And they are just waiting for us to play the GAME of catch-up. 

Let’s play ball!

Why My Soul Craves Chocolate

Last night close to the moment when Lady Midnight sweeps onto  center stage adorned in her ebony velvet gown I found myself wandering through one of the groups I belong to on Linked In. 

 I decided to see if any fellow wanderers  were out and about in this particular neighborhood of cyber space.

It wasn't long before a fellow group member answered my call.  I proceeded to ask my newfound correspondent how the day had gone and where beauty was to be found within it.  I finished my request with the comment:  My soul craves connection.

The answer I received to my request for evidence of beauty was a delightful description of an encounter with a giant frog perched on a window panel next to a front door at eye level.  My cohort commented to me that the frog appeared to be a happy amphibian. 

His coloring was soft and soothing - a velvety grass green.   His toes had little suction cups and his eyes blinked as if smiling and saying "hello".

I myself was smiling happily at this description when I noticed a postscript to the message:

...Oh, by the way - maybe your soul is just craving chocolate - 🙂

Shortly after this interchange... this delightful, random "moment"...I happily and sleepily turned in for the night.

During the wee ours, in the midst of my deep sleep, some level of my consciousness sprinkled all of these elements into the mix...my late night wandering, my newfound cyber friend, the darling frog perched on the window pane, the longing for connection and the "chocolate" of my soul.

As a result of my nocturnal processing, I feel it was no accident that my cyber friend responded to my search for roaming night owls within MINUTES of my request.  We were MEANT to connect in this way.  

The frog perched on her window panel undoubtedly came to bring her a message but I think he came for me, too, because she described him in answer to my question, "Where did you find beauty in your day?"

And there is beauty also in the symbolic meaning of the frog (Intuition, creativity, transformation, metamorphosis) which, I believe, was meant for both of us as encouragement and inspiration for our spiritual journeys.

My cyber friend saw the frog (in all of its awkward glory) and then helped me see it through her eyes.

And now to my cohort's comment:

"Oh, by the way - maybe your soul is just craving chocolate."

 

Chocolate, I find, has a strong, symbolic meaning of love, passion, care and a happy life.  It is a great simple gift that surprises us...

Like the frog at eye level blinking a hello while he balanced himself adventurously with the suction cups of his toes...

Like the beautiful bonding and camaraderie that developed between my cyber friend and me in just a few moments of full-hearted attention...

Like the wondrous possibilities of connection that the institution of Linked In provides.

I think my new friend was right.  

My soul DOES crave this "chocolate" sweetness.

These moments do constitute the beauty of the day and they telegraph LOVE...through the frog's smiling eyes, for example, and his encouragement  for transformation and celebration of intuition.  (We are both writers who ."listen" to the messages of the universe).  

Finally, the lovely bonding of the late night cyber travelers (the pure joy of human interaction) was, in itself, a sweet surprise.

We are all so lovingly "LINKED IN".

Oh, yes, my soul does crave "chocolate" in whatever clever surprise the Universe delivers it to me.     : )

                            Marie Helena

                 

  image from birdfood.ie

Help Me Understand

I worked for many years for a wonderful boss. I loved going to work every day and that says a lot. I felt appreciated, valued and enjoyed. And I had fun. All the time. 

The office “crew” I worked with was composed of delightful, bright, fun-loving and creative people who embraced life with a passion. And my boss recognized, rewarded and even inspired this. One of his favorite sayings was, “What am I running here…a country club?”. And that’s exactly the kind of work atmosphere we had. Open, creative, silly, passionate, caring and, most of all, hardworking. We would do everything it took to get the job done and get it done superbly but we had so much fun it didn’t feel like work. 

My boss and I gave many gifts to each other as we collaborated and negotiated our way through our work life. Whenever something urgent appeared, we went quickly and very efficiently into action. And one of the many other important ways we helped each other was to advise the other when it was time to "Cool Your Jets." Not that either of us wanted to hear it at the time, but it always came when it was most needed and most helpful for stabilizing the situation.

Of all of the many things I appreciated about my boss, the greatest for me was his use of the beautiful phrase, “Help me understand.” Whenever we had locked horns over an issue or I felt misunderstood I would invite him to join me in a conference room for a private conversation. And he was always eager to comply. As I explained to him (usually with intense emotion) what my issue or problem was, he always sat close to me and gave me the most exquisite eye contact, following my story and letting me explain everything. Afterwards, he would almost always say, “I was not aware you felt this way at all. Help me understand.” 

HELP ME UNDERSTAND...three words which became for me one of the biggest lessons of my life. I found this phrase to make such a difference in the feeling I had about my work life. And I find this phrase to be so important in the context of interpersonal relationships. The potential applications are unending. I have so admired the ability of my boss to drop into that beautiful state of caring and I have come to realize how important that message is, especially to someone who is feeling lost or misunderstood.

Is there someone in your life who would love to hear those words from you?

                         Marie Helena

The Gift We Give Ourselves

What really fills the human being is 

  not the power and the money...it is 

  a full encounter with yourself...a 

  discovery of your own self...and a 

  strengthening of your energy and  

  your manner of life full of activities 

  and satisfactions.”

               Gerardo Moreno

It's Christmas morning and we are surrounded with wonderful presents... things we have really been wanting.  Ice skates, perhaps a Gucci bag, surround sound, tickets to a Nicks game, coffee shop gift cards, CD's, books to read, games to play...yadda, yadda, yadda.  And...Are we happy now?

Well, for sure, we're plenty excited...at first.  I mean we got exactly what we asked for.  Wrapped in a gorgeous box with a silvery ribbon...perfection!  

However, as wonderful as it is to receive exactly what we desire, the shelf life of this pleasure has an expiration date.  It's so nice to know we are loved and thought of and cared about, but as we reach deep inside ourselves, we find that there is something even more important and longer lasting than the affection and regard of others...and THAT something has infinite staying power...loving OURSELVES.  Having what Gerardo Moreno calls a "full encounter" with ourselves...the discovery of who we truly are.  A full on assessment of our hopes, dreams, feelings, reactions, responses, the dark and light of us, what our emotions are telling us, the messages of our body.  And then, after some deep, authentic soul-searching. an intention and commitment to keep ourselves evolving, to strengthen our energy, to grow into the Next, Grandest Version of Ourselves.  

To do this takes effort, activity, releasing, risk taking and, most important of all, giving ourselves a boatload of love and compassion for the many adventures we will navigate in life.

This very personal work IS the Christmas gift we give ourselves.  No price tag on it.  Can't buy it anywhere or have someone give it to us.  WE have to do the work.  We have to care about ourselves enough to look deeply into our hearts, to uncover and release the pockets of pain and satisfy the longing.  

And, beautifully, this challenging work is a very inspiring enterprise.  We are handsomely rewarded for this effort because it "fills our souls" and when we truly love ourselves, this beautiful, grace-filled Joy spills over onto everyone around us and reaches out to help change the world.

              

                       Marie Helena

Image from Watercolor Christmas cards, Christmas... pinterest.com

Mary Oliver’s Question

“

What are you going to do with your one wild and precious life?

           Mary Oliver

“To live in gratitude is to enjoy every moment of this precious gift that comes from God.”

                             don Miguel Ruiz

Yes.  Your one wild and precious life Mary Oliver describes is being lived through a pandemic.  You are being challenged with discouraging and disruptive issues.  Physical, intellectual, emotional trauma.  But it is YOUR “one wild and precious life”.  And it counts.

What are you going to do with it?

You are going to start with facing the reality of what is.  You are going to use your considerable emotional intelligence to see FOR YOURSELF what there is to know.  Not blindly follow the interpretations of others nor the exaggerations and hyperbole of their theories.  

You are going to ask YOUR heart how it wants to respond and see what brings you calm and peace.  What action you can take to make a difference in this devastating experiment your soul has volunteered to be a part of.  

You are going to recognize the profound significance of your participation.  The depth and intensity of this moment.  And the glorious opportunity you have to support, encourage and influence others.  To work with your global family to collectively move planet earth into a new dimension.

Yes.  It is a wild and simultaneously precious time.  There is work to be done.  And you are here to do it.

                                                                                 Marie Helena

Image from i.pining.com

This is SHOW BUSINESS, folks

Do you suffer from a distressing reaction when someone around you is upset and even though it's not about you, it still FEELS like it is. 

 ouch...Ouch...OUCH!  That is no fun place to be, carrying all that gloom.

I've got an idea about how to get OUT from UNDER that web of co-dependency on someone else's emotions.  And it's frivolous and silly and no one else will even get the humor of what you are doing but YOU will be laughing inside (and tickling your funny bone).

Here's my thought.  Become Alice...you know, Alice in Wonderland but this wonderland doesn't belong to the original Alice.  It's YOUR "wonder"land.  And here's what you're wondering about.

You're wondering how these strange characters (your family, your friends, everyone you run into) got into YOUR story...that's YOUR life, YOUR Wonderland.  And, you're wondering about the curious, quaint and sometimes mystifying ways they think and do things.  And so you're enjoying watching them as they go through their individual routines (that's right...I said routines...this is show business, folks).

I wonder if they are there to entertain you with their perplexing and sometimes offbeat moves.  Each one is an original character with a back story and adventures to take on.  How DID they land at your tea party!

Of course.  I forgot you're Alice and you've gone down the rabbit hole they call earth school and now you get to meet these characters, watch their antics, interact (play) with them.  Remember, this is a fantasy drama, a PLAY for goodness sakes.   

                                                                                                                 

NOW...what does your story look like?

                                                             

                                                                                               Marie Helena

 

top image from johoffberg.com

bottom image from movies-wallpaper.net

Do you suffer from a distressing reaction when someone around you is upset and even though it's not about you, it still FEELS like it is. 

 ouch...Ouch...OUCH!  That is no fun place to be, carrying all that gloom.

I've got an idea about how to get OUT from UNDER that web of co-dependency on someone else's emotions.  And it's frivolous and silly and no one else will even get the humor of what you are doing but YOU will be laughing inside (and tickling your funny bone).

Here's my thought.  Become Alice...you know, Alice in Wonderland but this wonderland doesn't belong to the original Alice.  It's YOUR "wonder"land.  And here's what you're wondering about.

You're wondering how these strange characters (your family, your friends, everyone you run into) got into YOUR story...that's YOUR life, YOUR Wonderland.  And, you're wondering about the curious, quaint and sometimes mystifying ways they think and do things.  And so you're enjoying watching them as they go through their individual routines (that's right...I said routines...this is show business, folks).

I wonder if they are there to entertain you with their perplexing and sometimes offbeat moves.  Each one is an original character with a back story and adventures to take on.  How DID they land at your tea party!

Of course.  I forgot you're Alice and you've gone down the rabbit hole they call earth school and now you get to meet these characters, watch their antics, interact (play) with them.  Remember, this is a fantasy drama, a PLAY for goodness sakes.   

                                                                                                                 

NOW...what does your story look like?

                                                             

                                                                                               Marie Helena

 

top image from johoffberg.com

bottom image from movies-wallpaper.net

The Gift of Light

Saturday, December 22, 201

To heal others with light start by drawing in as much light as you can imagine and putting it all around you. Then imagine yourself as clear as a crystal, so that you are a pure transmitter of light. Send the other person an image of light.

Imagine light going out from your hands, your heart, or the top of your head as if you are sending a stream of light from you to him or her.

That is all that is necessary; your Higher Self will handle all the details. You need only to have the intent to send healing energy as you transmit light, and you will.


Spiritual Growth: Being Your Higher Self  
Sanaya Roman



As we connect with our Higher Selves we become aware of new and powerful ways to experience our beauty. One of these is by the transmitting of our love and concern and compassion to others and especially when those others are enduring suffering and pain.

Light transmits energy and we are energetic beings. We can share our energy with others by focusing on this gift and sending it with love to those we wish to help heal. 

(Incidentally, we can also send it to our bodies…to any place where we are experiencing pain or discomfort.)

Light is one of the most glorious ways we have to reach one another.  

We are all vibrating Beings of Light and this kind of communication is natural to our Higher Selves.


May you know the force is with you.

Adaptation from Yoda

Star Wars 

                                 Marie Helena 

All Voices

To achieve greatness you must listen to the smallest voice.  All voices have something to say. ✨

   J. Richard Jacobs

                 

The beautiful melodies of Christmas carols encompass a bounty of musical offerings from the powerful, majestic strains of the herald angels to the whisper-soft murmurings of a silent night.  Many messages are flowing to us during this awesome season inviting us to celebrate, appreciate, honor and, especially, grow in awareness.  A heavenly reminder of the importance of paying attention to everything that is unfolding in our lives.

Including the voices that speak to us.  Some forcefully and with great authority that are impossible to resist.  Some honoring the gifts of the world that draw us into festivity and merriment.  And the much softer voices that can be easily passed by but that represent so saliently the message of a heart.  And, therefore, a truth that can engage and instruct us.

All music celebrates the human spirit.  All voices have something to say.

                                                                                      Marie Helena

image from clipart-library.com

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When I can't sleep, I sometimes listen for the trains that run through Rockville at night.  For some reason, that relaxes me...            

 Duane Brewster

I think the sound of trains is relaxing, too. Unfortunately, I live miles away from a train track!  But when I was a little kid I could hear the trains in the night and it was a reassuring, comforting sound.

Susannah MacDonald

When we finally turn in for the night and settle our weary bodies onto the comfort of an inviting mattress and sumptuous, down-filled pillows, there is an elusive, mystifying silence that seems to overlay the moment.  It's as if this silence has always been there nestled gently under the rush of activities of the day, but now we are finally quiet enough to hear it. 

And this silence has a very dramatic property.  It is a reminder of the beauty of the stillness of our souls, the stillness of peace and serenity when we are not engaged and engulfed by our to-do lists.  The only thing able to flood the stillness now is the treadmill of our mind making its daily run over what remains unfinished or unresolved.  It is now that we desperately need to put that mental exercise to rest.  It is now that we need to breathe into our hearts and surrender our cares.  And it is now that the steady and gentle hum of the passing train reminds us that we are safe...we are "home"...as we fall softly into that peace.

Interestingly, if we could peek under the many sparkling Christmas trees standing tall in our homes filled with gorgeous lights and adorned with our traditional ornaments, we would often see a child's beloved train circling the beautiful "celebration".  

"A Little Child Shall Lead Them" Isaiah 11:1-10

                                                                                               Marie Helena

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