I was blessed this weekend with the Gift of a Women’s Retreat. Family and friends keep asking me, “What did you do?” and “What kind of a retreat was it?” How can I possibly explain the miracles of emotional healing and the feeling of sisterhood that filled each moment. My heart is overflowing with gratitude to God and to my sister-friends.

We shared food, drink, thoughts, feelings, memories, and hugs. We surrounded each other with love and unconditional acceptance. We asked questions of each other, encouraging communication on such a deep level that we became each other’s healers. We spoke as wise women, tapping into our intuitive gifts.

This weekend was a break from our normal realities as time seemed to stand still. I am meditating now on the lessons I learned, the inner wounds that were healed, and the encouragement I received. Women are natural healers. When we shift from a framework of competition to one of embracing and drawing out other women’s beauty and strengths, miracles can and do happen.

As each woman becomes empowered to no longer accept abuse or disrespect of any kind, we become an amazing force for good.  A sisterhood of empowered women can inspire each other to be the highest version of ourselves and to spread love, hope, and healing to our families, communities, countries, and the world. 

I thank God for this Gift of a Women’s Retreat on the Journey and look forward to many more to come!

I am so very thankful that I am not currently experiencing these terrible depressing feelings, but I’ve definitely been there many times. Here is my 1994 attempt to describe how I felt and to encourage myself not to give up. This is dedicated to all who are suffering from depression and any form of mental illness.

DEPRESSION

Despair in my heart

Tears in my eyes

Depression engulfs me

Hope dies

Pain overwhelms me

My soul cries

Where is the rainbow?

Where is the sun?

Where is the promise

This war will be won?

When will this sorrow

Be over and done?

Hold on till tomorrow

Hold on through the night

Believe in yourself

Don’t give up the fight

Perhaps in the morning

All will be bright

CREATIVE HEARTS

Since I was a little one

My heart has burst forth with emotion.

I wondered why God made this so

For to Him I gave my devotion.

Feelings hurt and feelings pierce;

They even make me want to die.

But feelings also can spread joy,

Can make me feel like I could fly.

This depth of feelings seems to be

The cost of sensitivity.

The poets and the artists share

The price of creativity.

Written in 1994 at a difficult time in my life. Dedicated to all the sensitive souls on earth.

Hi everyone. I just went through a dry spell with my writing. However, I am enjoying re-discovering poetry I have written in the past. I am remembering what a healing balm writing has been in my life, definitely a Gift on the Journey. My words have brought me joy. I hope they do that for you as well. The following poem was written in 1994.

WINTER’S END

Coldness, dark skies, snow and wind;

I wait and pray for winter’s end.

Melt my frozen heart and send

Your warmth of love towards winter’s end.

Help me, Lord; My soul do mend;

Hold me close till winter’s end.

Lead me on around the bend;

I’m holding on till winter’s end. 

Stay tuned for more Gifts of Poetry from the Past on the Journey!

Do you know that you are a gift…to yourself, to your loved ones, and to the world? God has given each of us this priceless gift to recognize, receive, unwrap, and share. I’m re-learning so much on my journey now that I instinctively knew as a child and gradually lost as I grew up.

At the age of nine I knew that I was special, despite my shyness and low self-esteem. I wrote on the cover of a school project, “Look in and you’ll see the magic in me.” I knew inside that I was saying that about myself, not about my project or the subject of it. I was not popular or athletic or as pretty as I wished I were. Yet, in my daydreams on the school bus I was beautiful, loving, and powerful. As children we generally believe that anything can happen and we can be what we want to be. I prayed every night that when I woke up I would look in the mirror and see that I had become this magical me. Often, however, we grow up not remembering or recognizing the gift that we are.

If we are fortunate enough, we may start to remember later in life and even begin to recognize this reality deep within our souls. Many times this happens through therapy, life coaching, or 12 step programs. By doing “inner work” like this, we learn that despite our shortcomings, we do have immeasurable value and worth. Then we have the ability to receive the gift God has given us and unwrap ourselves, revealing our inner beauty, and developing authentic love for ourselves and respect for our individual journeys.

Finally, when we really know we are gifts to ourselves and others, a growing desire builds to share who we are and the wisdom we have gained on earth. We want to know others fully and be fully known. We want to go deep in our communication with those who are willing so that we can all be blessed by this mutual offering of ourselves to others. There is no room anymore for comparison, arrogance, low self-esteem, or judgment…no room for fearing what others will think of us, because every gift is unique and special with equal potential to bring joy and love to those who receive it with open arms.

Let’s thank God for blessing everyone with the Gift of Ourselves on the Journey!

Do you know what you want to be “when you grow up?” Even in mid-life, we can regroup and clarify what we really want in life. I have had the opportunity lately to revisit the vision I want for my myself and my life. Sometimes it takes well into adulthood to get this level of clarity. I encourage you to engage in this process with me regardless of where you are on your journey.

What is number one on your bucket list? What do you most want to accomplish in life before you die? Why do you want to achieve that dream? Someone recently pointed out to me how important it is to figure out WHY we want something. That plays into how motivated we are to work towards it. Do you have multiple goals? If so, is there an overarching theme that perhaps is what you would consider to be the purpose of your life or your mission? Praying, meditating, writing, and processing with another person can help to bring clarity to your vision.

Once you have a clear vision, consider if you are on the path that leads to that end. If not, you may need to make some adjustments. For instance, how much of your time are you spending on what is most important to you? The older I get, the more essential it is that I use the precious time I have left on this earth in the most meaningful ways. That doesn’t mean that we can’t relax and have fun, however. In fact, we can often think best when we are in a state of relaxation and joy.

My life is becoming more exciting day by day as I realize that there is no reason I can’t reach my vision as long as I am clear on what it is and do one thing each day to bring it into reality. I am thankful to God for my life and this Gift of a Clear Vision on the Journey!

I have been thinking lately of how much we grow through our challenges and how similar it is to the development of a pearl from the irritation of a foreign body in an oyster. Something very beautiful can come from a difficult situation in our lives. The “irritation” can help us to develop compassion, empathy, faith, confidence, empowerment and other beautiful inner qualities.

Another positive connection I feel to pearls is that they are feminine. I’m learning about the beauty and strength of an empowered woman who has been through more than her fair share of challenges, but has turned them into pearls. I often find these women are able to combine love and power in a balanced way.  I admire their courage, resilience, and wisdom that they share with others who are perhaps at earlier stages in their journeys. 

As my 56th birthday is just around the corner, I find myself contemplating the three mythical representations of a female life cycle–Maiden, Mother, and Crone. While I don’t particularly care for the word “crone,” I embrace the meaning of the older wise woman who takes her place as an elder in the community and guides the younger women. 

Not having children of my own, I desire to pass along the lessons I have learned in order to leave a legacy in the world. I want it to count that I was here on earth and survived my challenges and am now learning to thrive. My pearls of wisdom can be the summation of my life and my gift to other souls. I just need string them together in a book or workshop and I will be able to fulfill what I feel is one of the purposes of my life.

What pearls of wisdom, beauty, and grace do you want to share with your children and grandchildren or the world? Let’s thank God for the miraculous Gift of Pearls on the Journey!