All alone in a crowd

 

City lights in modern life
City lights in modern life

Recently, while I was standing at a busy street corner, I realized something. Every few seconds a person passed by. Some people stared at me while they slowly walked by. Others rushed by so quickly that they seemed not to notice me standing there at all. For a few people I even seemed invisible as they almost ran me over. In moments like this one, I wish I was a statue that cannot be knocked over remaining sturdily no matter what goes on around it. Four streets interconnect at that particular intersection. Traffic is intense no matter what time of the day it is. While the street seemed getting noisier and more crowded with every minute that passed, I became more and more silent.

Standing there surrounded by people, cars, and modern city noise, I became thoughtful. On the one hand I realized that our planet and the world we live in becomes more and more crowded with each day that passes. On the other hand, many people, perhaps even more than ever before, including myself, are often lonely. Standing on that street corner, in the middle of traffic, pedestrians, and modern life, I became lonely. I realized that, yes, we have family and friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Most human beings alive today communicate more with others than ever before in history. We call each other, text each other, and e-mail each other. We greet each other in the hallway or on the street. We quickly ask each other about our well-being just to hear “I am fine. How are you?” Too busy for a truthful response or a thorough discussion, we often walk on.

Our fast paced modern life leaves almost no time nor space for the big, philosophical questions about the meaning of life and why we are here. “Too busy”, many say. I, on the other hand, always make time for thought provoking questions. I simply have too. I would not feel complete if I didn’t. Many people call me weird. Some call me a spiritual person. A few awakened. Indeed, I call myself a spirit having an earthly existence. When I remember my soul’s longing, I become lonely. It is in this moment that I feel all alone in a crowd standing on that busy street corner. It is not easy to be a spiritually awakened person when so many are not. Suddenly, I feel a light touch on my cheek. No, it is not the wind caressing me softly. It is my spirit guide sending me a sign from heaven to let me feel her presence and know that, I might feel lonely here on earth, but I am never alone.

Love, Barbara

 

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Copyright © 2016 by Barbara Bullock, Photo credit © 2016 by Barbara Bullock. Photo taken in Universal City, Los Angeles June 2016.

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A sign of love

Flowers as a sign of love
Flowers as a sign of love

I am experiencing a lot of negativity these days. In the news I see violence; on the street I notice poverty; on the train I am pushed away; at home I hear the neighbors screaming; at work, I hear complaints. As I look around me, I realize that there is a lot of negativity in my life. I look up to the heavens wondering whether this is all there is. Is that all we live and strive for? My mind tries to tell me yes, but I don’t want to listen to it. Deep in my heart I know there is more. Longing for love and happiness I try to hold positive thoughts and feelings as much as I can. However, sometimes, I just can’t stand it anymore. Standing in the middle of a crowded place filled with people running me over, I wonder why. Why am I here? I don’t want to be here. I don’t belong here. There has to be a better life waiting for me. Just as I start fighting my tears, I see it. Immediately I feel comforted. In the midst of this chaos, there is a sign of love.

The white feather on the ground reassures me of the angels above. I know that my guardian angel put it there to let me know that all is well and that I am safe. The other day, as I was washing my hands in a restroom, I suddenly smelled the scent of incense. I was not even near a shrine or altar, and it could not have been perfume as the fragrance lasted only a few seconds. My favorite though is when I hear sounds. Suddenly, a love song is played on the radio. The lyrics resonate with me right away as a message of love that I needed to hear at exactly this moment.

In the midst of the negativity and chaos, I am reminded of signs of love. I believe that we are here to get through our challenges in life in order to learn and to grow. I also believe that there are guardian angels, spirit guides and as well as living people all around us to help us and remind us that we are loved and we are safe.

February is considered the month of love. However, let’s not confine love to just one month. Instead, look out for signs of love from above and beyond any time. Better yet, be a sign of love to someone. Smile at a stranger, help your colleague, speak a supportive word to your friend, or give someone flowers to brighten the day. In the midst of the chaos, be a sign of love.

Love, Barbara

 

Copyright © 2016 by Barbara Bullock, Photo credit © 2015 by Barbara Bullock

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Black is beautiful. Not just in February. A tale on perspectives and colors

Light and dark in February
Light and dark on Oahu, Hawaii

Dear friends,

I took the photograph, you see here today, in Hawaii last year. Hawaii is known for gorgeous beaches, beautiful flowers, stunning scenery and the famous and welcoming Hawaiian spirit of “Aloha”. Imagine a picture perfect sunny day, lush, green trees, flowers so colorful that no paint would suffice if you’d tried to color them, and blue skies melting into the turquoise Pacific. On my walk along the beach I arrived at a lagoon. I stopped and took the stunning surroundings in as much as I could. Any thoughts of winter disappeared way back into my mind. I did not want to be reminded of any cold, wet, and snowy weather this time of the year. This was February after all.

Suddenly, I felt a presence. I turned around but could not see anyone. I shrugged my shoulders and walked on. There it was again. “Who is it?” I asked. No answer. I had had someone in spirit communicating with me before. Still, no answer. So I walked on.

Then my eyes fell on my camera. “Maybe I should take another picture”, I thought. And so I did. I have always liked taking pictures of something beautiful as long as I can think. I have also been very blessed in my life being able to travel around the world and capture many picturesque sites. I was used to pointing my camera to something amazing. This time it was different. There seemed more at work here than just me. It felt as if someone or something was taking my camera and guiding my hands into something I had never seen before. As I looked through the lens and let my hands and camera go where they wanted, I realized that they were pointing into the sun. Immediately, I remembered any knowledge of photography I had. “Don’t take pictures right into the sun or they will be too bright”, is what I had always been told. However, spirit seemed to want me to do exactly that. So I took the picture.

The photograph you see today is the outcome. It was not taken at night; nor was it altered. I believe that spirit guided me that day to look directly into the sun, take a picture and see what happens. What happened is amazing. What happened made me realize that things are never as they appear. Green palm trees were suddenly pitch black, flowers were gone, the water murky, items unrecognizable, and the sun barely there. If you imagine scenery like that, you would never think that I am still speaking of the paradise of Hawaii. At a first glance, it seems that everything is just black. That’s not considered beautiful, right? Now, take a closer look. Isn’t it beautiful? Isn’t it magical? It’s not colorful for sure. It’s black and it’s white. Isn’t it gorgeous combined that way?

That day I learned that where there is light there is dark and where there is shadow; there must be a light nearby. Each cannot exist without the other. Colors cannot exist without each other. Otherwise, there would be no difference. Everything would be the same. Everything would be just one. No colorful flowers, no stunning landscape, no vibration raising our spirits, no color. I also learned how beautiful black can be. In addition, I learned that no color is what it appears to be. It depends on your perspective. It depends how you see it and what kind of lens you use. If you don’t like what you see, change your perspective and take a closer look. You might find that it is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. Even in black. Just as spirit guided me on that day to trust its guidance instead of my judgment and knowledge, open your heart and mind when you take a closer look at things around you, people around you, and colors around you.

Isn’t it beautiful? Aren’t people of all colors just as beautiful as the exotic and colorful Hawaiian Islands? Black is beautiful. Not just in February.

Love, Barbara

Copyright © 2015 by Barbara Bullock

Photo credit © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

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