Perspective ~ Songs, Travel and Breathing...

It's amazing how loud the breath can be...or how quiet...and how deep dreams can get when you haven't visited the dreamscape for so many consecutive hours in months. Literally.

Times have changed around here.  With the little one pushing 9 months I decided to count how many times I was waking up with him in the night, because it felt like a lot. Yep. Seven times. 7!!!!
He's almost 9 months and I was still averaging more than an every two hour wake up with him to feed.  I seem to remember at 4 months he was only waking up once during the night...what happened?

He has become more aware, and with more awareness came more attunement to sounds and with that - sleeping in the same room as mom meant waking every time I so much as wrinkled a cover...at least that's what the averages say.  So, last night - into another room with you!  Placing the growing toddler down the hall into his own room equated to more sleep for everyone.  One wake up call at 3 am and not again until morning.  Wow.  Is my breathing really that loud?

As I start this day with new eyes I am starting to see the growth patterns everywhere and how they work together to create the pattern I find myself within.  Choices equal texture -- experiences - -> equal feelings--> equal thoughts--> equal more choices... By choosing to create a new choice I am affecting everything in my world. Everything.

Today, as I sit by the open window and hear the water rushing down the lovely falls outside the dining window I am contemplating how loud things can be...and how quiet.  My son, for example, 7 years old and likes to take a particularly long time in the bathroom.  When he does said activity he sings to himself...it is cute.  However, when little brother was sleeping in the wall-sharing room, these sing-songs from the porcelain seat seemed extremely loud.  Now, with the nap space moved...again his songs are sweet as I listen from the other side of the wall. Hmmm.




It's all about perspective, isn't it?

This week I happened upon a really cool children's book company offering great educational and entertaining quality children's books.  It's one of those things where you throw a home party and everyone gets together, snacks a little, looks at products together and buys stuff if they want.  Sounds like a win for everyone. Fun too. I love a good gathering.  So, since I am staying with mom for a bit, decided to get a hand organizing such an event by tapping into her network of friends and church acquaintances in the area.  Mormons all know each other.

This was a great experience for me, having been out of the "religious loop" for sometime, walking around hand-delivering invitations really brought me into a perspective I appreciated viewing.

 I had say, 50 invitations all located in the immediate neighborhood (Utah is largely populated with Mormons).  It was interesting to note that in the neighborhood here, though there are many who attend church with my mother, there are also, equally as many homes who are not named religious preference.  So, I found myself skipping all these house, seeing children's bikes and sandboxes, basketball hoops and hoola hoops.

 I kept feeling like I was being exclusive only inviting the people on my list, which I was super grateful to have in the first place.  But it changed my perspective.  Now...I somehow had a key into the neighborhood...I knew some of the people...but who were all these other people? Many of them had children too...I didn't want to leave them out.

I started having conversations with everyone I saw, knocking on doors and running back to the house to print up more invitations.  Now the numbers are exceeding 75...gee, I am sure not everyone will be able to come ... but this is getting fun.  I have longed for this opportunity to "break the neighbor barrier"...that unseen strange veil that keeps neighbors from meeting one another beyond the surface hello as you walk the block...here was my conversation piece.  I need more of these.

Somehow, the perspective changes when you have something to share, something to talk about, some reason to start a conversation.  You see, these people, you people, all of us people...we are all family... that's how I truly feel.  We are all One.  But it is often hard to feel that way, to know it and live it when we keep ourselves behind closed doors.

 Then it becomes "the noisy neighbor honking early in the morning" or "the inconsiderate guy shooting off fireworks at midnight" or "the house who is watering their lawn while it's raining"...and so on.  But as we get to know each other, our perspectives change, we develop empathy, a story begins to be told that excuses one another's short-comings and looks for the positive.

With this new vision, the things that were before loud and maybe obnoxious, become quieter, and the previously unknown "quiet" aspects...well, they become easier to hear.  Life is all about perspective. Sometimes we just need to move down the hall to notice it...take a break from each other or meet a neighbor.

Speaking of breaks...my partner and I were reunited this past week after 4 months of being apart.  It has been difficult.  But nothing was sweeter than our reunion and the words spoken, the gazes exchanged and the new commitments forged.  All those things which previously rubbed us the wrong way about each other...well, they seemed to have vanished.  Gratitude replaced miscommunication and adoration replaced unfulfilled needs. He is off again to take the next steps in our family's unfolding adventure...just a bit ahead of the rest of us...and I am so appreciative.  What an amazing thing perspective is...and sometimes we don't get it without time.

So, my insight for the day...if you don't like what's happening in the now moment, move it down the hall ...and wait.... Or maybe knock on the door of someone new.

                             Always, with new perspective comes a new way of seeing.

Oh, yeah. and now that new way of seeing has afforded me new computer glasses....guess my entire world view is changing.  What the eyes don't see....

May you find your house - inside and out - filled to over flowing with Bliss today.

Bliss in the house ~ this is Stasia ~