Blowing bubbles ...

Sun's been shining.  Top's been down.  Since Friday.  Refreshing ... relaxing ... lots of head-clearing going on ... in between the here-there-and-yonder that has been my work filled weekend.

... it's been much needed after the week just past.  So full of drama.  And blindsides.  And some plain 'n simple mistakes.  In my life.  In the lives of my friends.

Waiting for me when I arrived at the Post ... way too early on a beautiful day like today .... was a regular-who-is-becoming-a-friend-of-sorts.  He stays confused.  He thought today was the day the dancing started at 3 o'clock.  But it's not.  That's next week.

He followed me in with an arm-full of bags. It's always interesting to me how different people ... with different circumstances ... manage their lives.  He'd been shopping.  Then hopped a cab here ... because it was better than simply heading home ... alone.

After some friendly conversation, he decided to take a walk down to the River Market until things livened up here.  Before he left though, he reached into one of the bags and said, "I know it's a little early ... but I have something for you ... "

And he handed me a bottle of bubbles shaped like a bunny ... it's pink.  It made me smile.

There's no way he could know that bubbles are ... way cool ... to me!

Bubbles are amazing!  It's hard NOT to smile when you are blowing bubbles. They are like tiny little bitty rainbow-ish orbs ... shimmering ... floating ... before disappearing ... into thin air.

 I love 'em so much that it's not uncommon for my friends of all ages to receive bubbles & sprinkles on their birthdays ... cuz anytime you have bubbles and sprinkles ... it's a celebration!

Sitting in the window sill in the bathroom is one of my favorite messages -- a plaque on an easel:

The more you celebrate life ...

The more life you have to celebrate!

I smiled this morning after my shower at the thought of that.  Celebrating life.  It reminds me of choosing happy.  And since a smile came my way yesterday that had been in hiding ... for weeks ...

I fell asleep ... smiling ... woke up ... smiling ...

It occurred to me that it was somewhat ironic to find something to smile about ... to embrace ... to celebrate ... as the ripples of the catastrophes of the week just keep ... rippling ....

That's pretty much what Del talked about this morning, too.   His message was titled, "Finding An Open, Awesome Life". 

He started with a discussion about super heroes & masks.  Of course, everyone got to wondering how ole Superman is surviving these days ... since there are no telephone booths around for him to change in ... any more ... who knows?!? ... maybe he's retired ...

Masks.  Something to hide behind.  So that no one gets to see the REAL you. 

And then he moved onto what it meant to be "without clothing" --- NAKED --- totally open ...

Clothing, he said, is a picture of covering ourselves ... hiding our true selves from others ... and God.  Naked, on the other hand, is being totally open .. without shame.

It resonated with me deeply. 

 ... and it crossed my mind that there a lots of people who are hiding in their "nakedness" as if it was a mask ... thinking if they go straight to the "unclothed" union that somehow that will result in true intimacy ... and then wonder why the emptiness is even more profound then before ...

Have a lot more pondering to do on all of that ...

Del said there were some things we all want in our lives ... to be seen ... to be known ... to be named ... to be loved.

I'm thinkin' he's right about those things.  Except that at times it feels more like the ole be careful what you wish for story ... you know .. I WANT to be seen ... but wait ... that means I will have to let someone peek behind my walls ... and I WANT to be known ... so hmmm ... guess that means I will have to open the door & invite them inside my life .... and I WANT to be loved ... holy cow ... after someone SEES me ... and KNOWS me ... is it even possible that they will LOVE me?!?!

... to have those things in your life ... you have to be willing to live openly ... genuinely ... honestly ... without a mask ... without pretense ... to believe in yourself .. to take a chance ... believing in someone else ...

Pretty scary stuff. 

To have an open, awesome life ...

... you need a faith that refreshes ... not a life that locks you in ...

... you need a faith that touches ... not a life spent trying to control things ...

...you need a faith that brings celebration ... not a life that is empty  

The spirit of God is like the wind ... it blows where it will ... it refreshes .. it touches ... it's a natural celebration of life!

So I am going to continue taking down walls ... throwing open doors & windows ... blowing bubbles ... shouting into the wind as I ride with the top down ...

HERE I AM!  I hope it's enough ... cuz all I have to offer is ... ME!!!

http://www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com/

(c) April 2011