the other side of shrinking

and so the shrinking theme (see post below) continued...
only it took this really awesome twist upward......

it went to the other side of it all - to the expanding and growing side.
as if to affirm that yes, terri, you can grow even in the darkest times.

and these themes just take a life of their own, with their timing so perfect.
which is the coolest thing.

this is how it went.......

after i wrote the blog below,
i was still thinking about it all.
i got a note from a friend with a picture showing me her tattoo.
on it are the words 'life is beautiful.'

i actually put my hand up to my mouth, smiled, and shook my head.

what timing.

you see, if anyone's life had a reason to shrink, hers did.
she lost a son to suicide.
and here she is with a 'life is beautiful' tattoo.

i wrote her, shared the blog with her and started talking to her
a bit about it.

she talked about belief and believing.
and how she really wanted to heal.
and how really wanting something is tied into really believing you can
have it.

isn't that a gem of wisdom right there?

the whole 'really wanting it' stuff is big stuff.
i know that from my own struggles.
i say i want to love with an open heart.
and then man, i can close up that heart of mine like a darn pro.
and sometimes opening it again takes muscles i really don't want to use.
i really would honestly rather stay closed or stay angry,
or be petty. sometimes the want of that stuff is stronger than
the want of the stuff that will really do me some good.

i've watched this over the years and been amazed at all that lies
behind the scenes of ourselves when we say we want something.
a lotta times we really don't.

she talked of that.

and then the believing you can have it......

isn't that a whole topic in itself?

do you believe you can heal?
do you believe you can be happy?
do you believe you can feel love?
do you believe you can grow more?

those are not just questions for someone who's journeying thru a dark time.
those are questions we should all be asking ourselves routinely.

i know i need them.
and i'm going to take them and tuck them in my pocket today.

do you want it?
do you believe you can have it?

she did and does.
and she's living it.

and there she was......tattoo and all,
reminding me that it really can work.