The Corner of Spirit & Brave

THE SPACE BETWEEN

10/27/2017

THE SPACE
  BETWEEN

Have you ever thought about the space between?

The space between the thought and
saying it.
The space between the idea and doing it.
The space between the ring of a phone and saying hello.
The space between the moment of opportunity and the miss.

The space between is that sacred second of decision? That instant when you make a decision to do something – or not.

Hawaii has a phenomenon known as the Green Flash. It is a blink-of-the-eye blaze of intense emerald green that occurs in the second that the sunsets on the horizon of the ocean. The mystical space between day and night.

The Green Flash is just that – a flash that lasts a second, or maybe two. It isn’t visible with every sunset and because of the quickness of its presence it is easy to miss.

We are given “the space between” many times in our days and our lives. When missed, we feel regret, remorse and sorrow. We fear we will never have the chance again to say the words, implement the idea, pick up the phone or grasp the opportunity.

The space between often times is not something we can predict or create again. We don’t always get a do over, but we can hone our sense of understanding of the Green Flashes in our lives.
Never allow closed eyes to stop you from seeing them and never allow fear to keep you from taking action.

Use the space between.
Use your sacred second to take a breath and…
Put your thoughts into words and say them out loud.
Take your idea from your mind to reality.
Answer the call.
Recognize the opportunity and jump when you see the opening.

Don’t blink in that split second when the sun sets. Open your eyes and be ready for yourGreen Flash.
  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Never allow closed eyes to stop you from seeing opportunities and never allow fear to keep you from taking action.”
   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
Why I wrote:
THE SPACE BETWEEN

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to watch for your sacred seconds of decision - don't miss a Green Flash in your life!
YOUR TURN -
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
PennieHunt@gmail.com.
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2017 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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CLEAN YOUR VIEW

10/20/2017

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The window washers just left. I can see like I have never seen before!

Yes, I have cleaned my windows in the past, but this is the first time in the years that I have lived in my home that I hired a window service. They cleaned all my windows and doors quickly, systematically and professionally.

I watched from the inside of my house as they soaped the window in front of me. The deposits of the seasons and weather ran down the glass in a muddy rinse. As the squeegee moved back and forth the clarity opened with every stroke until the window was a bright exposed screen to life outside.

I had no idea the windows were that dirty. I had been living (I thought) comfortably in my home glancing occasionally out the window with little thought to whether I was able to see clearly.

Isn’t that how we live our lives?
We skip along day by day not even noticing what is in our view.

We are numbed by our thoughts and memories of the past and occupied by our hopes and dreams of the future.
We survive in a comfortable chaos somewhere between the two without realizing that we are missing out on our present purpose.

Our present purpose is to breathe this breath,
walk this step,
see, smell and taste this moment.

It is not to be so clouded by the dirt of the past and the film of the future that we don’t see the sparkling canvas of now right in front of us.

Is it time to clean your windows?
Is it time to soap away the preoccupation of what has happened, stop dreaming of what might happen and live in the sparkle of what is happening?

Wash clean the window of your mind.
Today, right now, this moment is an amazing sight.
Relish the reality of now!
See like you have never seen before!

Enjoy the view!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
Wash away the preoccupation of what has happened; stop dreaming of what might happen and live in the sparkle of
what is happening!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
CLEAN YOUR VIEW

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to live in the moment- clean away thoughts of the past and dreams of the future and live in this moment with a clean view!
YOUR TURN -
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
PennieHunt@gmail.com.
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2017 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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MAYBE I’M NOT REALLY HERE

10/15/2017

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MAYBE I’M NOT REALLY HERE

The rest area had been a welcomed site after hours of driving. I stood in front of the sink waving my soap filled hands back and forth. I moved closer and then far away and then tried jumping back into position thinking the magic eye of the faucet would see me.

Standing still for a brief moment I looked in the mirror wondering if anyone could see the reflection I saw.

Convinced the faucet was not working, I stepped over to the next sink to try my luck. After several creative hand movements the water finally came on.

Moving to the paper towel dispenser I experienced the same problem. The other ladies in the restroom didn't seem to have any trouble when they stepped up to the sink and the paper towels came out just fine for them. What do I have to do for these automatic machines to see me?

It was as if I didn't exist.
I felt ignored and invisible.
Stepping outside the wind felt like it whistled right through me.
Maybe I’m not really here.

It happens to me all the time with these type of machines. Equally disturbing is the fact that no one in the room ever acknowledges my dilemma. It is a mystery to me why my DNA doesn't seem to set off the mechanical eyes.  Am I the only one this happens to? Why don’t others notice?

How many times in life do we make others feel like these machines make me feel?

When you see someone with a disability do you avoid eye contact?

Do you power your way through your day pushing your agenda and not allowing others the opportunity to speak?

And what about the brown sign carriers—you know the ones on the corner with their life message scribbled on cardboard? Do you speed your car by them so that you don’t give your eyes and heart time to feel their message?

Standing in front of the faucet I just wanted to be seen. I wanted someone else to acknowledge my circumstance. I wanted to feel like I matter. Isn't that what we all want? We shouldn't have to jump up and down, stand in creative positions or shout to be noticed.

Maybe if we are honest, we don’t want others to look too deeply or see us too clearly as they will see our imperfections, our shame and our guilt.

Maybe this is why we walk by others without looking at them. We fear that by seeing them - their imperfections, shame and guilt will reflect our own.

Look at them anyway.

See them with eyes wide open to their heart as the heart outshines all of these fears and opens the space of commonality that connects us. The gift of reflecting me in you and you in me is not one to fear. It is this heart opening that will make us feel seen and acknowledged.

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
    “See and acknowledge others –
as in them we see and acknowledge ourselves.”

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
MAYBE I'M NOT REALLY HERE

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about how you feel when you don't believe you are seen and acknowledged. And, how you do this to others.

YOUR TURN -
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
PennieHunt@gmail.com.
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2017 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR

10/6/2017

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TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR

My car has a feature called the Blind Spot Monitor.

When turned on, this life-saving invention warns you when a vehicle is detected in your blind spot. You know, that spot to your side and just over your shoulder that you can’t see. When a vehicle is detected a warning light flashes in the side mirror to indicate a potentially hazardous lane change. The light stays on until the vehicle in the blind spot is safely ahead or behind you leaving you free to change lanes.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had a Blind Spot Monitor? Think about all of the things we don’t see that are hidden in our personal blind spots. You know, that spot to your side and just over your shoulder that you can’t see; OR choose not to. This spot is probably overflowing with items in three categories: actions or failures to act, tolerations and grace.

Actions or failures to act.
When was the last time you did something, even unintentionally, that caused direct or indirect pain? This is the cause and effect syndrome. Examples of this include: not following through on promises, telling small untruths, or arriving late to an appointment or event. Hidden in our personal blind spot is the hurt we cause others by our broken promises, untruths, and undependability. All of these type of actions that we either take or don’t take fall into this first category.

Tolerations.
Yes, I may have just created a new word. Definition ala Pennie:
Tol-er-a-tions: the people, places,
circumstances or things that cause us
to participate in the act of tolerating.
This could very well put us on the opposite side of the scale from the first category. We permit people to take advantage of us by breaking promises or telling lies. We tolerate laziness, sloppy work products, and misbehavior by ourselves and others by pushing it into our blind spot and telling ourselves it isn’t a big deal. We ignore our own health, fitness and happiness. All of these tolerations fit nicely into our blind spot.

Grace.
This may be the saddest and most important category of all. The idea that so much love, laughter and goodness in life slips into our blind spot where we don’t appreciate them. They become wasted grace. Close your eyes and feel hugs from your partner, the laughter of a child, the smile from a stranger, the smell of morning coffee and the wag of your dog’s tail. Yes, I said feel because I want to intentionally stir the emotion these examples of love and grace create. How many times does grace go unnoticed in a day and huddle in our blind spot?

Now imagine with me what life would be like if we turned on our personal Blind Spot Monitor. It would flash a beacon in our mind to indicate a potential hazard and guide us into the lane of safety. When we came close to not following through on a promise the beacon would spark to warn us to change course. When we tolerated our slipping health or unhappiness the beacon would remind us that loving ourselves is a priority. And most importantly with every act of grace we encountered the loving light would spotlight the event so we wouldn’t miss it.

Yes, I believe we all have the capacity of this personal life-saving feature. We all have a Blind Spot Monitor. We just need to turn it on and watch for the flashing beacon.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
“Turn on your personal Blind Spot Monitor to enjoy all of life through open eyes.”
~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
TURN ON YOUR
BLIND SPOT MONITOR

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be aware of all that goes on in your life...little and big. Do not allow your blind spot to cheat you out of the wonderful moments of grace that surround you. Turn ON your blind spot monitor!

YOUR TURN -
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
PennieHunt@gmail.com.
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2017 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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PEACE FEELS LIKE...

10/1/2017

2 Comments

PEACE FEELS LIKE…

My grandson drew a picture with a caption that read,

“Peace Feels Like Sitting in a Warm Chair.”

At six years old he understands his
Place of Peace.

It is a place where he feels safe, loved, centered and warm. His Place of Peace is in the safety of a chair with the sun warming his heart and looking into the magical wonders of the ocean.

It reminded me of my meditation chair.
It is growing old and tattered and as with the wisdom of age, has become softer, safer and stronger. It has held me for years of long hours of meditations, journaling and prayers.

The spirit of these practices layer into every aging wrinkle of the chair’s fabric. I feel a sacred sense of love and kindness every morning as I sink into its safe arms… settling into my Place of Peace.

What does Peace feel like to you?
Where do you feel safe, loved, centered and warm?
How often do you visit this sacred space to warm your heart and center your soul?

For me, I agree with the wisdom of a six year old, -
“Peace Feels Like Sitting in a Warm Chair.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Find your Place of Peace. Visit it often.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PEACE FEELS LIKE

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
PEACE FEELS LIKE

I shared this with you to encourage you think about what PEACE feels like to you.
Tell me where your Place of Peace is!

YOUR TURN -
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at:
PennieHunt@gmail.com.
Thank you!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013-2017 Pennie Hunt
This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: Penniehunt@gmail.com

2 Comments

THE SPACE BETWEEN

Pennie Heart to Heart
Why I wrote:
THE SPACE BETWEEN

CLEAN YOUR VIEW

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
CLEAN YOUR VIEW

MAYBE I’M NOT REALLY HERE

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
MAYBE I'M NOT REALLY HERE

TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
TURN ON YOUR
BLIND SPOT MONITOR

PEACE FEELS LIKE...

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
PEACE FEELS LIKE

Author

Archives

Categories

THE SPACE BETWEEN

Pennie Heart to Heart​Why I wrote:THE SPACE BETWEEN

CLEAN YOUR VIEW

Pennie Heart to HeartThe reason I wrote:​​CLEAN YOUR VIEW

MAYBE I’M NOT REALLY HERE

Pennie Heart to HeartThe reason I wrote:​​MAYBE I'M NOT REALLY HERE

TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR

Pennie Heart to HeartThe reason I wrote:​​TURN ON YOUR ​BLIND SPOT MONITOR

PEACE FEELS LIKE...

Pennie Heart to HeartThe reason I wrote:​​PEACE FEELS LIKE

Author

Archives

Categories

Pennie Heart to Heart
Why I wrote:
THE SPACE BETWEEN

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
CLEAN YOUR VIEW

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
MAYBE I'M NOT REALLY HERE

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
TURN ON YOUR
BLIND SPOT MONITOR

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
PEACE FEELS LIKE