The Awakening

THE AWAKENING - author unknown

A time comes in life when you finally get it.When in
the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop
dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside
your head cries out.ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying and blaming and
struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting
down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and
begin to look at the world through new eyes. This is
your awakening.

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for
something to change, or for happiness, safety, and
security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren't
always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of
"happily ever after" must begin with you.and 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.

You learn the importance of loving and championing
yourself.and in the process a sense of new found
confidence is born of self-approval.

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 the unexpected. 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
everything isn't always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take
care of yourself.and in the process a sense of safety
and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin
to accept people as they are and to overlook their
shortcomings and human frailties.and in the process a
sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

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. You learn that there is power and
glory in creating and contributing and 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integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era,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 learn that you don't
know everything, it's not your job to save the world
and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one
you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the
stake. Then you learn about love. You learn to look
at relationships as they really are and not as you
would have them be. You learn that alone does not
mean lonely. You stop trying to control people,
situations, and outcomes.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and
responsibility and the importance of setting
boundaries and learning to say no. You also stop
working so hard at putting your feelings aside,
smoothing things over, and ignoring your needs.

You learn your body really is your temple. You
begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You
begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and
take time to exercise. You learn that being tired
fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take
more time to rest. And, just as food fuels your body,
laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to
laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life
what you believe you deserve, and that much of life
truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that
anything worth achieving is worth working for and that
wishing for something to happen is different than
working toward making it happen. More importantly,
you learn that in order to achieve success you need
direction, discipline, and perseverance. You also
learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it's
ok to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing to truly fear is 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 into fear is to give away the
right to live life on your own terms. 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.and you learn not to always take it personally.
You learn that nobody's punishing you and everything
isn't always somebody's fault.
It's just life happening.

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

Then, you begin taking responsibility for yourself
by yourself and to never, ever settle for less than
your hearts' desire. You make it a point to keep
smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every
wonderful possibility. You hang a wind chime outside
your window so you can listen to the wind.

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

When the Heart grieves over
What is lost...
The spirit rejoices over
What is left.