Category: Emotions

I am so grateful that you exist

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

Dear friends, orchid 2

This is for you, Anna Mae. As I arose this morning, I folded my hands in prayer. The long awaited day has finally arrived. No, it’s not Christmas; no it’s not my birthday; nor is it my graduation or other milestone of this kind. A day long awaited with anticipation for one sole reason.

This is a day many people celebrate you. Some play your music, or dress like you. Others express their appreciation in words to you or thoughts of you. Others will raise their glasses, and cheer with you, and shower you with presents and flowers, kisses and embraces. As varied as the many tokens of thankfulness and celebration might be, I bow my head in gratitude and say thank you.

I am so grateful that you exist.

I thank God for such a generous creation of you, a soul and human being so beautiful – inside and out – simply beyond imagination.  A soul and human being letting her light keep shining in the darkest moments of life. Gone through trials and tribulations in your early life, you have had to learn harsh lessons since your human existence here. Never diminished by those, you rose like a phoenix into the realm of a spiritual teacher. I could not agree with you more. I truly believe that God put you here for this very reason. It’s as if God brought an earth angel beyond comprehension in the midst of us. How could anybody have known that in little Anna Mae such an earth mother beyond our humble human awareness would emerge someday? This is why I, on this day, I pray and thank God for your existence. When I see you I see the timeless bond of unconditional love. It is the eternal bond that connects all of us like a thread, regardless of time and space. Nevertheless, I celebrate this day as my best day of the year. It’s the day when you came into existence.

I wish I could look into your eyes today and feel your wisdom, courage and love. I wish I could let you know how much I appreciate, honor and love you. I wish I could tell you what an amazing human being you are, and how much your soul and spirit enlightens the little me. As Dr. Maya Angelou said, “I would love to be with you right now but I can’t right now. So I love you”. She knew that unconditional love liberates and does not bind. So I love you. So my tribute to you is unconditional love.

So on this day, I bow my head and say thank you. I thank God for your existence. May the angels watch over you, on this day and every day, and shower you with continuous health, happiness and unconditional love.

Happy Birthday, Anna Mae.

In humble gratitude and love, Barbara

 

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock, Photo credit 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Works cited: Dr. Maya Angelou

 

You don’t have faith, you are faith

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

Dear friends,

           Have you ever heard that you are actually a spiritual being having a human experience? What do you think this means? I think that it means that there is a part of us, somewhere deep inside of us, which connects us to the divine. I believe that that we are eternal souls that incarnate and reincarnate into our third, physical dimension to have this earthly, human experience. I believe that this inner essence of the divine is ever present in our lives and physical bodies. I believe that it enables us to have thoughts, feelings, receive divine guidance while on earth as well as to remember our divine essence which I believe is unconditional love, abundance, and faith. You might call it your soul, spirit, intuition, or higher self. Whatever you call it, just know it is there with you, right this moment. This inner form of energy is part of you. Let’s have a look at how you can connect to this part of you.

               There are many ways to connect to your own divine essence. One way is to know that you are faith. No, I don’t mean to have faith. Perhaps you are going through a rough patch of your life. Perhaps you have just lost your job, are worried about your finances, concerned about the future, praying for a loved one’s recovery, grieving someone, suffering from depression, or simply have the blues and are confused about what’s next in your life. If you asked someone for advice on what to do, perhaps that someone would tell you to have faith. I would like to tell you that you don’t have to have faith, but that you are faith. Undoubtedly, there is some sort of higher power/intelligence at work in our lives. I know that everything happens for a reason. As human beings we often don’t understand the meaning of an event or situation that has occurred in our lives. I believe that we don’t have to. But I know that we are faith.

            As spiritual beings having a human existence, I believe that all we have to do is to remember where a part of us comes from. All we have to remember is that we are a part of the divine. Wherever you seek it – outside of yourself such as in an omniscient God, or inside of you, such as in your inner self – just know it is there and you are a part of it. Whatever you might be going through right now, know that you have that inner light within you. Know that you are light and love. Know that you have the abundance, wisdom, and power to change your life. Know that you have the strength to get through whatever you are going through right now or whatever might come. You know that because you not only have these qualities in you but you are these qualities, right in this moment as a spiritual being having a human experience. The feelings you are feeling might not feel good. It is easy to lose hope and want to give up. However, do know that you don’t have to. Your feelings are just telling you that you are human. If your feelings are not good, you know that you can turn to your divine essence for the comfort and faith that you are seeking.

            This post is dedicated to all my friends, who are going through a rough patch in their lives. Know that I am always here for you. Know that you don’t have to have faith that everything is going to be all right. Know that you are faith. You are a spiritual being having an earthly existence. The divine is faith. And so are you.

Love and faith,

Barbara

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Why is change so hard?

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

           foliage

          I am sure you are familiar with the famous saying “the only constant is change”. This month, with fall upon us and change in the air, I am wondering what this really means in our lives. Just recently, I went for a walk through a park. It was one of the last days of summer. The sun was bright, the temperature warm, birds were singing. At first glance, it did not seem as one of the last days of summer. It could have been a cool summer day. Then I noticed something – a tree. I think it was a Japanese maple tree. Its leaves had started turning red. When those leaves turn red, it is a certain sign that fall is coming. Fall foliage is a sure sign of autumn and certainly a sign of the end of summer.

           The change of seasons is a natural change you might say. You might also say that you have no problem with this kind of change. When temperatures drop, you just change your wardrobe. When summer activities seize, you simply move indoors. You might also look back in agony and wish that summer would never end. You might try to resist this change. I belong to the second group. Change is hard for me. Why can’t we, as human beings, not simply accept it as our Mother Nature does? Mother Nature does not hold on to the leaves. She lets them go. Why? Because she knows that the tree needs to rest so the new leaves, which are still hidden, can grow once spring comes. One could also say something similar about the oak tree. From an acorn mighty oak trees grow. This saying is a good reminder of how much good can come from this change and something so little if we just trust and give it time to grow.

           Change can be many different things. It can be sudden; it can be gradual; it can be joyful and hoped for; and it can be hurtful and literally depressing. I believe that change can seem scary because the future is uncertain. However, if you look at nature, nothing is uncertain there. Everything is already planned and ready to be born when the time is right. Out of something old, something new comes. Out of something little, something big is born. This is the law of nature. Take a small, unknown town in the countryside which wants to grow. Add an attraction, a museum, offer something unique. Polish it up, get the word out. Do what you can to put that place on the map. Don’t look back into the past and how great this place once was. Embrace change and create its future. Plant an acorn today. Change can be hurtful for a while. Take a relationship with a colleague, who leaves the company you work at for example. How many tears have I shed already when I liked my colleague very much? Uncertain about whether we would ever see each other again, we hug and say our good-byes. Such a change is hard. I usually miss my beloved colleagues terribly. However, when we meet again, I realize why this change had to happen – so we could change and become friends for life and not only coworkers from 9 to 5. Our acorn developed into an oak tree, which will stand and continue to grow for a long, long time.

          You see, I still think that change is hard. However, with faith that something good comes out of every change, I take change for what it is. It is not a loss of any kind. It is just a sign of life that something new, and perhaps something even greater, is about to be born.

 Love, Barbara

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Photo credit: Barbara Bullock 2014