Category: Gratitude

This Spring, look Up, not down!

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

 

Magnificent cherry blossoms. Look up and enjoy!

For many of us living in the northern hemisphere, spring is the current season. If this is so, then this month, I invite you to look up, not down. Here is what I mean. Chances are that, during your commute to work or school, your Sunday afternoon stroll through the park, or a walk through your own garden, you come across many trees. However, have you seen them lately? “Sure”, you might tell me. “I see them every day. I know where they are. I pass them every day.” Could it be that you notice a glance of them looking down on your steering wheel while driving by? Could it be that you barely notice them as you walk by looking down on your cell phone? Could it be that you catch a glimpse while rushing through your front yard looking down to get your paper?

If any of these scenes sound familiar to you, I invite you to look up. Next time, pull over, put your phone away, and walk slowly through your garden. Next time, especially now in the spring, look up and look into the trees. Better yet, stand under a tree that blossoms. Then, look up. What do you see? I see a sea of blossoms, smell the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms, and marvel at the creation of cherry blossoms in divine perfection. After a long, cold, and dark winter, spring flowers surface everywhere and teach us that, no matter what we have just gone through, we always emerge stronger, more powerful, and more beautiful in order to enchant everyone around us.

This spring, I invite you to look up, not down. Look up into the blossoming trees, let Mother Nature heal and amaze you with her spectacular show of spring blossoms. This season will not last forever. So enjoy the display of divine love while it lasts. Mother Nature worked so hard on it during winter time. Please stop for a moment, and give her some credit. Capture these annual blessings to enjoy throughout the year. Share these memories with others who are not so lucky to experience this wonderment of our Mother Nature. But hurry up! This spectacle will not last long. Don’t let it happen that in a few weeks from now you’ll regret not taking enough time for this beautiful time of the year.

As you walk away from the tree in awe, your body, soul, and spirit will be enlightened. Then share the love, share the light, and share these moments of bliss for all to enjoy. Thank you, Mother Nature, for your amazing blossoms. I stand in gratitude under a blossoming tree.

Look up, not down, it’s spring!

Love,

Barbara

 

Copyright © 2017 by Barbara Bullock, M.F.A., spiritual writer

barbarabullock.wordpress.com

Photo credit © 2017 by Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Photo taken by Barbara Bullock, M.F.A.

#blossoms #tree #trees #blossom #bloom #blooming #petals #spring #March #spring 2017 #beauty #mothernature #nature

If only I could help

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

 

Counting my blessings at the beach
Counting my blessings at the beach

These past few weeks have been tough. Opposite emotions have emerged in my being. I have been sad, angry, and frightened. I have been amazed, grateful, and glad. How come? If you have been following the news, you will probably have heard of all kinds of natural and man-made disasters, from the latest earthquakes in Italy, wildfires in California to floods in Louisiana, tornadoes, and wars. If I was to make a list, I would probably not finish it in my lifetime. Each disaster, no matter where, no matter how big, has an impact. This strike of tragedy can affect a single person, a small family, a village, a metropolitan area, a country, a small group of people, or millions. No matter what size, each calamity evokes a story of sadness to be told to future generations. Each catastrophe leaves death, a trail of destruction, and shattered dreams behind. Each time I hear such news, I am devastated too.

 
Then I become grateful. As I take a walk at the beach collecting shells on a vacation, commute to work to earn a living, and return back to a safe home and warm bed to sleep in, I give thanks for my protection and all my blessings in my life. Next, I remember the child that got rescued after hours of uncertainty and fear for her life, I keep thinking of all the people who aren’t so lucky. I cannot imagine what life is like in an emergency shelter, a refugee station, a tent city. I cannot watch the news any longer. I cannot bear seeing the anguish in the faces of all the victims having lost everything in a matter of seconds. I don’t even try to understand why these catastrophes happen. All I know is that I feel for the people and animals. I might not know them personally, but that does not matter.

 
Each time I hear such news I feel for everyone because I am an empath. I can feel pain across the miles even if I am safe myself. Back in my comfortable bed, I feel helpless. If only I could help. If only I could help, I would pay for new homes, new things, and a new start. The shop owner could rebuild his business; the children would have a school again; the family would have a home to come home to; the churchgoers could rebuild their place of worship; the local hospital could perform miracles of recovery again. If only I could help where help is needed.

 
It is my dream to have a foundation one day so it can help many people. While my resources to do such might be too limited at this point in time, I use my inner strength as an empath in the meantime. I pray for recovery, new homes, and reunions of missing people. I pray so that one day I can pay for new homes, new things, and a new start. No questions asked. Nothing wanted in return. Just help where help is needed. For now, I pray for you, beautiful people and gorgeous places. Stay safe.

 
Love,

Barbara

Follow my Word press site for more inspirations here:
http://www.barbarabullock.wordpress.com/

Copyright © 2016 by Barbara Bullock, Photo credit © 2016 by Barbara Bullock, taken in Venice, Italy, May 2016

#Italy #Earthquake #Catastrophe #End #Death #Natural #disaster #flood #Louisiana #Southern #California #Fire #disaster #Amatrice #Empath #Empathy #Gratitude #Grateful #Money #Donations #Charity #Help #Helpless #HumanBeing #Humanity #Assistance #Response #compassion #blessings #protection #news

On inner Strength and Candy

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer
Beautiful blossoms along the way from work nourish the soul.
Beautiful blossoms along the way from work nourish the soul.

Perhaps you remember my earlier post on my resolution to take better care of my body this year by making healthier food choices and letting my soul dance more. If not, you might want to read it to understand what I mean as I would like to inspire you today with my next step on this journey.

I used to look for ways to reward myself after a stressful day at work. While waiting for my commuter train on my way home, I would treat myself to several candy bars from the vending machine at the train station thinking that I would feel better. I started to literally look forward to my treat at the end of my work day while still at work. I found all kinds of excuses to eat candy bars as well as other snacks from that machine and made sure that I always had enough coins (and the right ones) with me.

While I thought that the chocolate and sugar would make me happier, relaxed, and feed my soul, the actual ingredients damaged by body uncontrollably by eventually making me overweight, as heavy as I had never been before, and sick. Furthermore, I was still unhappy and sad about many aspects of my life. Finally, at the end of last year, I realized that I had to do something about my health. Since then I have shed almost 30 pounds through tracking my food, exercise, reading books, and listening to hypnosis recordings to try to change my patterns. The latter has just started working in the most miraculous way I can imagine.

I recently had a tough and long day. I really fought the craving and urge to eat at least one candy bar. The old me kept saying: “Eat one, just one!” However, the new me resisted. I had to walk by the vending machines really fast to get away as quickly as possible. My eyes focused on the yummy candy inside when my new me said: “These won’t make you happy, but music or a video will do.” I almost ran downstairs to the platform in order to get away from those vending machines. Sitting on the train, while searching the Internet, I came across a very inspirational video, which indeed lifted me up like no candy ever could!
By the time I came home, I no longer even thought of any sugar and had a healthy dinner instead. Writing this after dinner sipping relaxing tea, I am not just happy. I am proud of myself and grateful for how far I have come. I am on my way to normal weight. My new me cannot wait to pass those candy bars easily tomorrow thanks to my inner strength and what those candy bars taught me.

Love, Barbara

Copyright © 2016 by Barbara Bullock, Photo credit © 2016 by Barbara Bullock
#Selflove # Soul #Music #Video #Food #Growth #Craving #Diet #Health #Lifestyle #Weight #Weightloss #Overweight #Candy #Work #Commute #Vendingmachine #Inner #Strength #temptation #stress #overcome #train #trainstation