The Corner of Spirit & Brave

PEACE FEELS LIKE...

10/1/2017

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

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THE ROAD TO TRANQUILITY

9/23/2017

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On the way to my home I turn a sharp corner.
I say sharp because if I didn’t make the turn I would drive right into a barricade. The special thing about the corner is the sign above the barricade. It says,
“Tranquility”
with an arrow pointing toward my home.

Every time I drive by the sign and make the turn I take a deep breath in agreement. My home is a place of safety, peace and, yes, tranquility.

For years I have called my home the, “House of Zen.”
From the moment I enter I am greeted with the serenity of water trickling over slate stones in my waterfall. There is no television on the main floor of my home and only the sound of serene music mixes with the water. The views from my windows are of nature in its glory. In every corner are items that bring me joy and comfort.
My home is my sanctuary.

How does your home create tranquility for you?
When you walk through the threshold do you feel safe? What do you need to do to create calmness and serenity?

You would be surprised as to how the littlest things can make a huge difference.
Think of your senses.... What you see, hear, smell, touch and taste in your home spurs feelings. Music, candles, water, fire, flowers, texture..... these are things that can change the entire feel of a home and create a place of tranquility.

Isn’t this the way we should feel as we are entering our private space?

As I turn the corner this in-my-face visual reminds me to leave all my worries, concerns and negative experiences at the corner.
When I turn onto that road to tranquility I am at peace.
I am at home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
“Home is your space for safety,
     peace and tranquility.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:
THE ROAD TO TRANQUILITY

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to create a space of calm in your home... a place for you to feel safe and loved.

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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WHO IS CHAUFFEURING YOUR LIFE?

6/22/2017

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WHO IS CHAUFFEURING YOUR LIFE?

Our lives are driven by stories.
We travel the road yielding to them as they climb into the back seat.

We turn left, we turn right and choose the forks in the road that we hope will lead us to our happily ever after.
With every turn we pick them up.
A story here.
A story there.

Some are interesting. Some are scary. Some are fun. Some we want to lock in the trunk and forget. They all merge together to create the book of our life.

Occasionally we are jolted to completely stop at a red light and a story forces its way into the front seat with us.

Some are powerful and push us out of our driver’s seat and takes over as the chauffeur of our lives. The story becomes the theme that overshadows all the other stories and events that we experience.

The story becomes who we are.

Every turn we make is because of the story.

Every decision is because of the story.

For you, this may be a happy chauffeur taking you to just the right places – school, a career, a life partner, children and success. The chauffeur takes you on the drive you hoped for and the life story you dreamt of.

Or, the story may be one of grief, desperation, loss, or despair. The story is sad and takes over your life. You no longer have control of the wheel.
The story has control and circles you as if you are stuck in a round-a-bout reliving the tragedy over and over. You feel like you can’t put on the brakes or turn a different direction.

We all have experienced stories of good and bad; happiness and sadness. It is up to us to melt our stories into a collective balance for our life. Don’t allow an event or tragedy to lock you into park or worse-- navigate you to a dark, dead end street.

Decide who you want to chauffeur your life. Take control of your stories.
Each one can be told from many perspectives.
Concentrate on the great stories and look for ways to see lessons and grace in your challenging ones.
Keep your steering wheel balanced and driving happily through your life.

Who is chauffeuring your life?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Don’t allow one event or tragedy to drive your life.
Take control of your own steering wheel.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about the life stories you repeat over and over allowing them to define what your life is and who you are. Are they the stories you want to be in control of that? Hmmmmm...

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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THE MAN I NEVER KNEW

6/10/2017

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THE MAN
I NEVER KNEW

It was the third cemetery I had walked through in less than 24 hours. While visiting the state where my grandparents lived, the passing of time lead me to where snapshots of my childhood were now tucked within the granite speckled grass.

My mind flash-danced through memories as I walked.
The laughter of my handsome uncle who I was certain I would grow up to marry, until he passed away as a result of a truck accident.
My aunt’s impish smile and her black cat-eyed glasses that were popular in the 60’s. She brought a new word into my vocabulary and world – Cancer.
My grandmother whose kind gentle hands taught me how to paint, decorate cakes and see the magical, spiritual side of life- and death.
My cousin, one year older than me, that shared my memories of homemade ice cream on our grandparent’s porch and reminded us all that life can end with one attack to the heart.
The man I called Grandad. It was a name that fit. He was tall, gentle, quiet and grand in the way he blended strength and kindness. My dad was 4 when Grandad came into his life and took over the role his dad had left vacant.

Now, on my third stop, I searched for a name that held no memories for me. No snapshots of the past. I searched for the man who passed away from tuberculosis when my dad was 9 months old.

Up and down the grass I walked. Then in the area marked by a crumbling post that once read, Section 3, I found a simple flat stone.
Loren Franklin Hunt
1904-1931

I am not sure what I thought I would feel or learn from this discovery. I am not sure if I expected a connection of heart or spirit. I was sure that I needed to, in some way, meet the man I never knew- yet without him fathering my dad I wouldn’t be here. I needed to feel the same love and respect for him as I did all the others I had visited in the grass that day.

I stood a long time to study his name. I wondered what his laugh sounded like; what his smile was like; what his hands felt like as he held my newborn Dad; and I wondered if he was as grand in his strength and kindness as the man who stepped into his shoes.

Life repeats in serendipitous ways. When my son passed away, also at a young age, he too left a 9 month old child, my granddaughter. I realized as I stood there why I had been driven to find the marker of a man I never knew.
It was for him.
It was for my dad.
It was for me.
It was for my son.
It was for my granddaughter.

I closed my eyes and sent a wish of hope that someday someone will care enough to search in the same way I did for the name of a man they never knew and share love and respect for his life and the generations that followed him.

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Love doesn’t stop when you leave this life. Send gratitude to all who came before you.”

Loren Franklin Hunt 1904-1931

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to remember not only the people you knew in this life, but also the ones you didn't know.
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

Pennie HEART to Heart
The reason I wrote this post.

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THIS KIND OF LOVE

5/6/2017

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THIS
KIND OF LOVE

Every bump in the road caused me to hold the door handle tighter as my contractions grew stronger. A few short hours later my young 19-year-old self is syphoned into a whirlwind of new experiences. A washcloth is put in my mouth to muffle my expressions of pain and my legs are strapped into stirrups. I hear,
      “The baby’s heartbeat is dropping,
   we have to move fast.”
Pushing, forceps, fear – these were not covered in the prenatal classes. The cry of a tiny soul and the tears of his mother are ignored as he is swept away.

My bed is wheeled to the hallway for a makeshift recovery room. I watch every face as it passes and in a foggy drugged daze I wonder where he has been taken.
Several hours later I hold the most beautiful gift I have ever been given. I understand for the first time this kind of love.
His name is Jeremiah.
~ ~ ~

Two years pass-- I wake up to a sharp pain. Grabbing my swollen belly I stand as warm red fear flows down my leg. In a blink, I am on the maternity floor.
There is no heart beat and yet my body contracts in the effort of labor. I am alone in the sterile room as the tiny baby leaves my body.
I squeeze the emergency button calling for help. Stopping at the edge of my bed the doctor puts his arm around my shoulder and says,
     “Some ladies take this well and
   some have a hard time.”
I am numb… which would I be?

Twenty-four hours click by. I walk by rooms where new moms are snuggling their babies. I hear their newborn cries as I ride the elevator down, empty handed.
I reach to pick up my beautiful toddler. Someone stops me saying,
     ‘Be careful…
  it’s like you had a baby."
My heart bleeding, I swallow the words I want to shout – I DID HAVE A BABY – His name is Jake.
~ ~ ~

She is an angel. Her round cherub face landing in my life through a sweet, simple birth. The room glows with happiness. The 9 month fear and worry about this pregnancy is now covered with everything soft and pink. She fits in my arms as if she has always been there. Together we are happy and content.
It’s my 22nd birthday and I bring her home. Her name is Sarah.
~ ~ ~

Five years later football is on the television in the birthing room. The process is different from the first time. I’m an expert now, wanting to experience and remember every contraction, every moment of birth, as this will be my last. His eyes twinkle with a warning of who he is… an impish let’s-get-this-party-started boy joins my life. I hold him in fierce protection to keep him in this moment forever.
His name is Jameson.
~ ~ ~

Motherhood arrived for me four times over eight years. In easy and difficult ways.

Jeremiah and Sarah are now grown with children of their own. They are adults with successful resumes, education, and accomplishments.

Jameson hit the world ready to have fun and for a short 22 years brought love to all who knew him. As a toddler, he played endlessly with his imaginary friend, “Jake.” I believe the two were a prearranged team who now watch us from the magical space we all come from and will all return to.

Mothers are celebrated one day a year, but mothers celebrate day by day, moment by moment, breath by breath We celebrate the moment we give birth and every moment we have with the special souls we call children. We cry at preschool graduations and cry when college diplomas are awarded. We celebrate their success and accomplishments and hold pride for how their lives grew. We hurt when they hurt and are painfully scarred if they pass before us.

The title of “Mother” and the gift of motherhood should not be taken lightly. Mothering is not a finite venture. The love we feel for our children is one of powerful connection. Whether they are with us for our lifetime or leave this life ahead of us, the love and connection is of equal strength. We are bound to our children through magical golden cords that are not separated by age, by distance or by death.
Mothers understand THIS kind of love.
  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Motherhood should be celebrated day by day, moment by moment, and breath by breath.”
     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about your mom, what motherhood means and how you can celebrate Mother's Day every day!

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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DON’T CONNECT THE DOTS!

2/25/2017

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DON’T CONNECT THE DOTS!

Have you ever experienced a meltdown…the kind where you find yourself in a messy puddle on the floor?

I have a concept called, "Pennie’s DOT Theory", that states:

“Any event that happens to us, around us, or concerns us is just one tiny DOT in the grand adventure of life. If we over-think one DOT it becomes magnified and joins with other DOTs to form a mass of stress that creates imbalance and unhappiness.”

If we blow one DOT out of proportion it can consume us, make us irrational and ultimately we end up in that messy puddle. The problem is we over think a little DOT allowing it to become a big DOT.
Remember this –
D--O--T-
     DON’T OVER THINK the DOT!

It happened to me.
It began with a flu shot.
Well, the flu shot is not responsible for the entire meltdown but it is the DOT that began the snowball rolling. For three days after the shot I felt tired, drained and far from the perky, optimistic, personality I am known for.

My fatigue turned into a colossal cold. Another DOT.

I stopped working out, stopped meditating, stopped eating right…DOT… DOT… DOT!

As the days continued my snowball began rolling faster. More stressful DOTs showed up. The imbalance grew. I broke dishes, forgot things and my blood pressure went up.

As the DOTs continued to connect, overwhelm set in. I began allowing the profanities of human emotions to marinate with the DOTs…. You know the ones… words like, jealousy, resentment, anger, insecurity, and ultimately the BIG four letter word
   - FEAR!

Then it happened.
It doesn't matter what the “IT” was… it was just another DOT, but the most dangerous kind for me…my feelings were hurt. The snowball aimed right for that DOT rolling around in it until every dirty bit of it was connected to the DOT party forming in my head. It was just the DOT to heat up the snowball enough for it to come to a full stop, a complete meltdown and a DOT EXPLOSION!

The pity party wasn't pretty.
The meltdown was ugly.
The DOT explosion was epic causing a massive heart attack. You see, when you over-think little DOTs they join with other DOTs in the same way blood cells stick together to block your arteries. You don’t function well and it eventually leads to a heart attack.

Thank goodness DOT heart attacks don’t send you to the hospital. Yet, they have the power to do just as much damage. Accumulating and over-thinking DOTs stifles your happiness. Fear takes over attacking your heart and breaking down its protective covering until an explosive meltdown occurs. A crack is formed and your heart is scared in hidden ways.

Finally, I stepped back from the dirty puddle I was sitting in and realized I had broken my own DOT rules. By over thinking every little DOT I had given them the power to become huge in my mind. I allowed them to connect one, by one, stripping me of my calm, my contentment and my happiness. They blinded me and I couldn't see around them.

I carried the huge DOT mass around like a collection of boulders in a backpack. Only as I dropped the backpack did they tumble out before me and I could see the tiny pebbles each of them really were.
Just tiny DOTs in the grand adventure of life!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Any event that happens to us, around us, or concerns us is just one tiny DOT in the grand adventure of life.
  Don’t Over-Think the DOTs!"

***Since we all learn from each other, I would love to have you share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. Thank you!***
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 2013 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
Thank you!

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THREE ABILITIES THAT DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS

2/3/2017

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THREE ABILITIES THAT DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS

Are you searching for the secret to happiness?

Do you wonder why other people seem to be more successful than you—even if you believe that you work harder than they do?

It comes down to three attributes.
Here it is 1 – 2 – 3!

1. The ability to accept and adapt to change.

2. The ability to believe you are Good
     Enough to love and be loved.

3. The ability to express gratitude.

Let me break these down for you.

I learned as a little girl growing up in a military family to make friends on the playground or stand alone. I learned that I needed to accept the changes that occurred when my father received orders that moved us to a new community and that I needed to adapt to my new environment, make friends and enjoy the new normal.

This has served me well through career changes, divorce and grief. While others live in the Who-Moved-My-Cheese stagnation unable to accept that their life has changed and unable to adapt to the new adventures ahead of them, successful, happy people hone the ability to accept and adapt. You may not always like the event that spurred the change, but cultivate the ability to bloom in the space you find yourself – no matter what!

We are bombarded with the message that we are Not Good Enough! We all protect that space inside where we believe we are not thin enough, smart enough, rich enough…the list goes on and on. The newest guilt inducers verified by the over 300,000 self-help books on the market are that we are not happy enough, healthy enough or holy enough.

Here’s the thing – WE ARE ALL GOOD ENOUGH!!  Just by the pure biological chance that we were created proves this –it is no accident! We were all meant to be here! I can tell you this all day, but YOU must do the work on this one. YOU have to believe right down to your inner core that YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH!

It doesn't matter what trauma you had as a child or what wrongs you have committed, you must come to a place of knowing that you are Good Enough to love and be loved. If you don’t believe it no one else will believe it of you. Relationships, love, happiness and success will avoid you—after all you are sending off the vibe that you aren't Good Enough and don’t deserve it!

Lastly, you must express gratitude. You will never receive more if you are not grateful for what you have. If all you have is a pair of shoes and a burger to eat, be grateful for that! Be grateful for every step, every breath, and every moment you are given and for all that your life is filled with.

Don’t just say, “Thank you,” feel gratitude with every cell of your body. Tell others why you are thankful for them. Write thank you notes, make phone calls, journal, pray, sing, dance – whatever moves you to a loving place, do it!

You cannot hold on to a negative like hurt, anger or fear when you are filled with gratitude. Practice the ability to express gratitude until it becomes your DNA.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie's Life Lesson:
“To be happy and successful cultivate these three attributes:
The Ability to accept and adapt to change; The Ability to believe you are Good Enough to love and be loved;
The Ability to express gratitude.”
      ~ Pennie Hunt

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to practice these three attributes until they become part of your daily living! Monitor how this positively affects 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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WHAT I LEARNED IN A DARK MOVIE THEATER

1/28/2017

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WHAT I LEARNED IN A DARK MOVIE THEATER

I bought one ticket.
I bought the large popcorn and drink combo.
I sat in the last row. Middle seat.
I had never done this before.

There is something about seeing movies in a theater. The big screen mesmerizes me. The sound swallows me. The popcorn tastes like it could be the last gourmet meal of my life – to me it’s that good. I love going to a movie theater, but I had never in my life gone alone.

There was a movie I wanted to see. The timing wasn’t right, no one wanted to see it with me, so I thought I would have to wait until it was out as a rental.

The movie chased around in my thoughts. It was about someone who had lost a child. Of course that is what drew me to it. The common thread. The curiosity. I wondered if the movie would portray my thoughts and feelings. I wondered if I would learn something I didn’t know about grief.
It followed me around pulling my heart along, not allowing me to push it away. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to see the movie.

Driving an hour to the shopping area, my whole body smiled. The entire day was mine. A day of “me” time.
After a little shopping and lunch at my favorite place, the movie flashed in my mind. I quickly looked on my phone. It was playing at a budget theater nearby and I had just enough time to make it there.
But…I had never done this before -- gone to a movie alone.
Is that weird?
Is it weird that I am kind of afraid to do this? Is it strange that this movie has such a grasp on me, constantly taking space in my thoughts?
My fear played ping pong with the movie.
The movie won.

The back row wasn’t bad. It felt safe. No one could see me – or the giant bucket of popcorn I balanced on my lap. At 1:00 in the afternoon on a weekday there were 6 other people there to share my theater. None of them came alone. Except me.

I shut off my phone. Two hours went quickly. The movie was amazing.
I cried. I hurt. At times I wanted to shout at the screen. There were moments I wanted to pray.
I understood why I needed to see the movie. The message was for me.
I sat in my seat until the last credit rolled, the lights were bright and the workers came in to clean up any abandoned popcorn buckets.

A few things became very clear.
It was clear to me that I would not have received the message the movie brought to me if I hadn’t listened to my heart pushing me to see it.

It was clear to me that although going to a movie alone may seem like a silly fear to some, it was real to me. Walking into that theater was empowering.
It was clear I had missed opportunities in my life when I allowed fear to win.

It was clear to me that I did need to see the movie. I needed to see it alone. I needed to be able to cry alone. I needed to absorb the meaning of the movie’s message --alone.

Life is magical how it manipulates us, bringing us messages we need to hear, putting us in places we need to be, pushing us to do things that we are afraid to do.
All of it done with the intent of giving us clarity.

And yes, I ate the entire bucket of popcorn….

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Listen when life is pulling, pushing and prodding you to do something that stirs fear. Until you walk into it, you will never fully gain understanding, clarity and strength.”

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to walk into your fear. Don't allow it to keep you from the clarity it brings.

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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MEDITATION SAVED MY LIFE!

1/20/2017

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MEDITATION SAVED MY LIFE!

I began meditating over a decade ago during a very stressful time in my life.

I was certain my mind and body would explode from the pressure, as I tried to handle many highly emotional life situations. Desperation set in as I struggled to gain some essence of control in my world of chaos.

My first attempt at gaining relief from this tension was when I sat down, closed my eyes and with the sound of rain falling in my headphones said to myself over and over and over again,

"Clear my mind...

clear my mind...

clear my mind."

I didn't know what meditation was, nor did I realize that was what I was doing. I just knew I needed peace in my mind, heart and soul

I lasted about five minutes, before I jumped up believing I had failed as my mind hadn't cleared at all.

Determined, I continued this routine daily and soon I became more and more successful. Some days I could actually sit for the 5 minutes and my mind would clear. The minutes turned to ten, then fifteen and at times I would sit for hours.

Meditation saved my life.

I learned how to separate myself from the world outside of my body and control my emotions, thoughts and feelings. I could handle the stress of all that was happening in a clean, clear and calm way.

After years of learning about the many various types of meditation, I have settled in to what works for me.

I believe you do not have to follow a certain meditation dogma or philosophy to receive an emotional and physical benefit. The basic premise is to quiet your thoughts and allow calm, contentment and peace to fill the space of your mind and body.

Now, whether I want to relax and release tension or concentrate on one thought, I turn to daily meditation as my life saving method.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
"Quiet your mind and allow calm,
contentment and peace to fill you."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to find your own place of quiet, place of solitude, place of peace.

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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THE WALK

1/6/2017

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THE WALK

I began this year with a walk.
I had walked around this lake many times, but this time was different.
It was cold. The wind raw.
Not my typical walking weather.
I bundle up in layers of protection and begin.

A wind gust stings my face and I think of January of 2016 when my dog, Yogee, passed. Like the wind, the memory stings my heart. I draw my scarf tighter around my neck and dig deeper to pull warm memories of her around me. Happy memories of her.

I turn a corner and remember March, when a new joy filled my heart. I named this fur child, Gracie. I smile at the way she has added love, energy and, yes, Grace to my life.

A sequence of three planes fly over me. I look at them remembering all of the flights I have been on, the trips I have taken, and the adventures I have enjoyed in life.

Couples walk by and I think of the paths I have walked. Sometimes with a partner holding my hand keeping me stable, safe and secure. Sometimes alone struggling to see the road ahead. Equally teaching me and taking me to my next destination in life.

Cars rush by on one side of the lake and I feel the rush of my life. How I have pushed through spaces in such a hurry to move on… missing the little things, the important things, the meaning of things.

I hear a squeal and turn to see children running across the frozen lake, their dog chasing them in a game of frozen slip and slide. I reach for my heart fearing the thickness of the ice may not be strong enough to hold them. Then I see myself, ice skates on racing across the ice, circling my brother as he ice fishes and my dog running close behind. I feel the pain of the times I fell, laughed and bounced back up.
When did I grow up?
When did I become afraid?
When did I learn fear?
When did I stop enjoying the game?

Halfway around the lake the bitter wind makes me want to turn back. The distance ahead is shorter. I’ve seen what is behind me. My only choice is forward.

And then I stop.
The sun is reflecting off the lake and shining in my eyes. The frozen water dances like glitter and warms me. I close my eyes and remember my times being at the ocean, watching the sun shimmer across the waves. To me each sparkle from the reflection is a person who was here and gone….jumping and shouting at me,
“love this time, enjoy this life and even though you can’t see us we are still here!”
I feel them with me as I push forward.

Coming to the end of my circle I reach a bridge. Stepping on its wooden frame I see the bridges I have crossed when life gave me no other choice than to jump the gap below. I see the bridges I have burned and the ones that have burned me. I am silently thankful for being brave enough to cross all of them.

Running down the slope of the last hill the walk goes faster, the memories flash quicker, time speeds by. I think of things I have done that I wish I could undo. Things I have said that I wish I could take back. I think of things I have accomplished and people I have helped and my heart hopes that my honorable actions outweigh my wrong doings.

January 1st is no different than December 31st or any other day. Sunrise to sunrise the days blur.
The years pass.
The walk continues.
It isn’t the turning of the calendar page – its memories that turn time. It’s how we loved and how we were loved. It’s the hearts that met ours to create the scenery in our journey.

Geese fly over sounding their horns of celebration. Celebration of joy, of love, of life.

I began this year with a walk.
t was cold. The wind raw.
I bundle up in layers of protection and continue.

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Be grateful for this walk you take through life. Enjoy every fall, every bridge, and every step.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to experience this walk we take through life. Be grateful for all the paths, the falls and the steps forward.
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
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If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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