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Welcome to July!
Summer has arrived in Seattle... at long last. As I sit here eating my dinner of fresh fruit and vegetables, I marvel at the bounty of our wonderful earth. I'm also grateful that I've come to a place in my 'eating maturity' where fresh fruit and vegetables are a wonderful, indulgent treat. Who says things don't change? I'm proof positive that they do!
I was recently diagnosed with a pretty severe Vitamin D deficiency. Evidently it is a common issue, especially for women in regions without a lot of sun. Vitamin D deficiency is emerging as a pretty important health discovery. I'm delighted that my doctor decided to check my levels during my physical. I'm hopeful that it is going to make a difference in some other health related issues I've been having. I'm also going to be letting myself get a little more sun exposure this summer. Usually I'm super careful about constant sunscreen application. I'm beginning to see that 'balance' is the most important aspect of health issues. Extremes, in any direction, are not helpful.
As summer embraces us I wish for everyone a healthy and joy filled time. Eat seasonally, get out in the fresh air, move your body and address any health issues that are calling for your attention. Use this season to move into new levels of health and happiness!
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~ Inspiration for the Path ~
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers."
~ M. Scott Peck
"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions."
~ Naguib Mahfouz
"Has fortune dealt you some bad cards? Then let wisdom make you a good gamester."
~ Francis Quarles |
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Let Freedom Ring
Embracing our Independence
This month, in America, we celebrate "Independence Day" on July 4th. While most consider this a patriotic holiday, I like to look a bit deeper at the meaning of independence and its applicability to our lives as individuals.
Freedom is a beautiful thing. Being able to direct one's own course in this world is an enormous gift. Even if we can't control everything in our surroundings, we can always control what goes on in our own mind. We can't control everything that happens to us, but we, and we alone, have the ability to direct our reactions to those experiences. That is ultimate freedom. Knowing that we have dominion over our interior world is a powerful realization.
I also think in any consideration of freedom, we need to take a look at how we treat other people. Sometimes we abuse our influence over other people. Some of us have issues with control. We try to control people and their actions in order to feel safe in our world. This infringes on the freedom of others. It is a difficult undertaking to get honest with ourselves about this issue. It seems like we are trying to be helpful. We look as though we are trying to do 'what's best' for those we attempt to control. It can all look quite virtuous, yet there is a dark undercurrent in these actions.
Control can wear various disguises. No one likes to be controlled and manipulated. If we have problems with controlling others, we will not be able to have true intimacy and connection with the people we care about. Compliance is not love. When people 'go with the flow' to 'keep the peace' they are not fully expressing themselves. No one can be in an authentic relationship if they hide or subdue their essential nature to make someone else happy. It might look 'good' on the outside, but it will be 'hollow' on the inside. As we celebrate freedom this independence day, I encourage each of us to look for ways where we might be infringing on the freedom of others. Freedom is a beautiful thing to have for oneself, and it's also an amazing gift to give those we love. Dealing with our control issues, learning to 'let others be' is as important to our own freedom as it is to those around us. When we handle our control issues, we set ourselves and those around us free! Let Freedom Ring!
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Inspired Path® Living Blog
Each week day, I use my blog to share my thoughts and spiritual perspective on the events going on in the world - both close by and around the globe.
Through my blog I seek to inspire, uplift and stimulate ever widening and deepening perspectives on life and how to best live it. I invite you to check it out!
www.inspiredpath.blogspot.com | |
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Inspirational Song
Life Uncommon - Jewel
My theme this month is FREEDOM. This song by Jewel was a natural match for this theme.
I truly love this song. It speaks to the fact that we share a responsibility for the freedom of ourselves as well as those around us. We can do a lot to further peace on earth by changing how we treat those closest to us. How we look at and treat people is critically important to whether we will ever find harmony on earth. This song communicates that idea with great beauty and wisdom.
Here is an excerpt from the song:
Lend your voices only
To sounds of freedom
No longer lend your strength
To that which you wish
To be free from
Fill your lives
With love and bravery
And you shall lead
A life uncommon
I've heard your anguish
I've heard your hearts cry out
We are tired, we are weary
But we aren't worn out
Set down your chains
Until only faith remains
Set down your chains
I had trouble finding a good recording of this song that I like. I'm not a big fan of her 'extreme' vocalizations in this recording, but they were all that way! The album version is much much better than any of the youtube recordings I found, but this will give you a bit of a taste of this wonderful song. You can listen to it on Youtube at this link:
"Life Uncommon" by Jewel
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Nola's Movie Pick
Amazing Grace
Movies are one of my favorite ways to relax and inspire myself! Many movies have profound messages for us, embedded within the stories they tell.
Amazing Grace has quickly become one of my all time favorite movies! This movie is an amazing true story that celebrates freedom and shows what is all too often overlooked: how difficult it can be to secure freedom in this world of human frailty.
This movie tells the story of William Wilberforce, who almost single handedly ended the British slave trade. The film chronicles the journey of Wilberforce, who felt he was inspired by God to end the slave trade. His purpose and mission caused him grave physical and mental hardship. He was labeled as a traitor for standing up against those who supported the slave trade. Friendships were tested. This was not an easy road he traveled.
What I love most about this story is that it shows the true battle, internal and out, that was necessary in order for this momentous victory to occur. Too often, we fail to realize the sacrifice and difficulty involved in huge social and political changes. The danger is that if we expect things to happen too quickly or easily, we might give up on those causes that are ours to champion in this world. This film is an inspiration, because it shows what one person can achieve with commitment, passion, dedication and great sacrifice.
The world owes William Wilberforce a debt of gratitude. He was a great humanitarian and lover of animals. He started Britain's first society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. He also was a reformer of the British educational and prison systems. Ending the slave trade is his greatest achievement, and I personally consider him to be one of my all time heroes.
If you haven't seen this movie, run out and get it! Make sure you watch it to the very end, after the bagpipes play. All I can say is WOW!
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Give thanks for the freedom that you DO have. Reflect on the freedoms that you seek. Claim the freedom that you always have - inside your own head. Give some thought to ways that you can grant other people their freedom. Rejoice in freedom!
Let Freedom Ring! |
Nola Drazdoff
Inspired Path, Inc. |
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July 2009
