70 Days to Go - Stay Focused and Have Faith - An Inventory of Grace

During this morning's meditation I was recalling two quotes on optimism that recently came to me:

From Gil Hedley:

Optimism isn't merely a disposition. It is a skill, a viewpoint that can be chosen. Genuine optimism doesn't pretend that awful stuff isn't going on. It isn't in denial of all that the pessimist sees. Optimism simply represents a willingness to see the best in a given situation or person, notwithstanding the accompanying hard realities. Worth experimenting with!

And this from Winston Churchill:



My monkey mind was in full force this morning as I jumped from anxiety about two upcoming fund raisers for Singing Boston Strong to feeling the pangs of grief around the 3/4 anniversary of my nephew's suicide 3 years ago and various other items I threw into the mix.

And then I said to myself, be calm - stay focused and have faith and Martin Luther King Jr's quote floated into my mind:



I allowed tears to swell and then I took a grace inventory...I reflected on moments of grace in my life reaching back to when I was 5 and contracted paralytic polio to how fortunate we were on 4/15/13 to escape after the bombings.

I thought about Friday night's Kirtan and how people have been sharing my poem,
"If Only" from Elements of Healing
If Only I could stay in the sacred space of my spirit
to feel the delicious warmth and leaps of joy.
If only I could sweep away all the fear,the doubt
to allow my spirit to take center stage.
If only I could live in love
and allow trust to take the spotlight.
If only I could let peace wash over me
and watch anxiety go out with the tide.
If only I could wholeheartedly believe what i know to be true
and allow my heart to bathe in delight.
If only I could allow myself to experience the magic and wonder that life has to offer.
If only I allow my heart to break wide open
crushing the walls of protection and divine love comes rushing in.
If only I live my truth
and allow me to be my authentic self
when i throw off the shackles of the past.
If only becomes now.


I realized that all I need to do is stay focused and have faith and trust because time after time after time, everything has always worked out. And as one of my dear friends Mandi Monique Bateman posted on facebook: