Looking through the mirror into the window of my soul, I see a floating being, with stories yet untold; I see a bouncing baby and a woman turning old; I see a heart so full of warmth, yet at times so bitter cold. Looking through the mirror into the window of my being, I see a woman whose lived her life as though she were sightseeing; Who never truly embraced the world with zest of fearless flight; Who carefully lived each day in surity she’d sleep through another night, And awaken to the dawn; weary eyes appearing bright. Reaching into the mirror to grasp a clear vision of myself, I grasped a fleeting spirit, that nearly took my breath! She hauntingly laughed at me; wicked laughter laced with fear; She cursed me as a liar, all was not as it appeared; She said I was like an empty house; no personality of its own, My inhabitants, friends and lovers, often made this house their home, I changed my personality to fit the status quo; My decor changed with each owner, and disappeared once they would go; I could not grasp this entity, although she was so close and clear; Each time I thought I had her, she’d up and disappear; And then someone would magically arive with the gift of identity, So for a time I’d harbor such, and thus it would become me, The mirrored being took a seat, looked me straight into my eyes, She watched me closely in her stare, and straightened her demise, She said, for once be true to self; and you will have a clue; Of the beauty of the spirit and the beauty of what is uniquely you! Do not be afraid to be what you know is deep within your soul! Release the fears of rejection, release the need to gain control; Dance with the fairys in the night, sing lullibys with the moon, Walk in the rain in mornings, sleep till the afternoon... Speak your truths with love and passion; don’t do it just because you’ve heard its right... And you will find the answers to questions that haunt you in the night, But most of all my kindred one; you will find the light! ~By Cordieb.

She walked away from smoke into the darkness . . .
She trusted the unknown would let her breath
Although the unknown darkness scared her...
Its possibilities of life were what she seized
The smoke was slowly suffocating...
She felt life fade with each shallow breath
Though she knew not where the darkness lead
The smoke would surely cause her death
Into the abys, she fiercely walked
Away from all she'd ever known
Despite her many darkenend nights
She breathed fresh air; that of her own...
-CordieB

I'd be ever so grateful if you would check out my spiritual art. I'm new at the art thing; so your views are so important to me. . . It can be found here. . .

Beautiful artwork courtesy of SanityFound

~~~~

I have been blessed through out the years

by kin and strangers alike who have caught my tears

Who have gave me strength; eased my fears. . .

Into their basin of unconditional love supreme . . .

and turned those tears so magically

into a blessing; making sad eyes gleam

who have turned nightmares into dreams . . .

All webs in life are weaved together

we all are one; from begining until forever

though we may be close or lightyears apart

our actions send endless waves rippling to all hearts

So often we may not realize

What we do and say travel endless miles

When we feed the hungry; or simply give a smile . .

However we relate to our fellow man

is chain reacted across the land and back again

Thus far I've been blessed beyond compare

From the whole of humanity, timeless; everywhere

And so I feel compelled to pass on a blessing

to aide humanity in not regressing

into the darkness of separation and instinct

because were're all connected by a common link

So though you may be close or very far,

your light warms humanity like a distant star

Without you there would be no me

Thus, I'm grateful for your being, eternally

For the love you share, I say UBUNTU

I am what I am because of all of you!

Sun brings forth life as a distant star

As such, I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE!

~Written especially for YOU - By CordieB.

Photo Courtesy of Brittlestar

The Wise Woman's Book

Nia had been prepared to inherit the wise woman's book. The old woman was the salvation and the backbone of the entire villiage. She was wise. She was loved. But she had become too old to carry out her duties. In return for twenty-two years of training, Nia was to inherit the old woman's key to life. The ceremony was long. The people were many. The responsibility was great. Nea was prepared. She was eager to get started. She believed the book would reveal the answers to all of life's questions. It required two strong men to carry the book to her chamber. When they placed it on her table, she quickly waved them away. The book was solid gold, trimmed with emeralds, rubies and sapphires. In the middle of the front cover sat a seven-carat diamond. Nia's heart was pounding. Her mouth had gone dry. With her eyes closed, she fondled the cover of the book. The time had come to open it. She was about to learn life's secret. She opened the middle of the book. She looked down at the page. Nia had inherited a book of mirrors.

From, Acts of Faith, Iyanla Vanzant

The Four Burning Candles

The Four Candles burned slowly. Their Ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak... The first candle said, "I Am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to keep me lit." Then Peace's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely. The second candle says, "I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer indispensable." Then Faith's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely. Sadly the third candle spoke, "I Am Love and I haven't the strength to stay lit any longer." "People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them." And waiting no longer, Love goes out completely. Suddenly...A child enters the room and sees the three candles no longer burning. The child begins to cry, "Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end." Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, "Don't be afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we can re-light the other candles." With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other three candles. Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life. With Hope, no matter how bad things look and are...Peace, Faith and Love can Shine Brightly in our lives.

Why ?
On the street, I saw a small girl cold and shivering in a thin dress, with little hope of a decent meal. I became angry and said to God: 'Why did you permit this? Why don't you do something about it?'
For a while God said nothing. That night however, he replied quite suddenly: 'I certainly did something about it.
I made you.'
From 'Chicken Soup for the Soul'

Love. The One Creative Force.
“Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house... let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness.”

A college professor of sociology instructed his class to venture into the Baltimore slums to get case histories of 200 young boys. As part of the assignment, his students were to include an evaluation of each young boy's chance for success in the future. In every case, the students concluded that these young boys from the slums "hadn't got a chance to succeed."

Twenty-five years later, another professor happened across the study and had his students follow up on the project. They discovered that 20 of the boys had either died or moved out of the area, but that 176 of the 180 remaining had achieved above average success as lawyers, doctors and businessmen. When questioned as to what they attributed their success to, each and every one replied that there was one special teacher who inspired them.

This teacher was still alive, so the professor sought her out and asked the very old, but still very alert, educator what magic formula she had used to pull these boys out of the slums. The teacher's eyes sparkled and her lips broke into a gentle smile, "It's really very simple,"she said. "I loved those boys."


Muddy Road
Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.
Coming around the bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.
'Come on girl, said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in her arms, he carried her over the mud.
Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. 'We monks don’t go near females,' he told Tanzan, 'especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?'
'I left the girl there,' said Tanzan. 'Are you still carrying her?'

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
Mother Teresa

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEFH-HVks4c&hl=en]
Photo, entitled, "Generations." Courtesy of toddheft's photos and is licenced under the Creative Commons

Grandma's hands
Clapped in church on Sunday morning
Grandma's hands
Played a tambourine so well
Grandma's hands
Used to issue out a warning
She'd say, Billy don't you run so fast
Might fall on a piece of glass
Might be snakes there in that grass;
Grandma's hands

Grandma's hands
Soothed a local unwed mother
Grandma's hands
Used to ache sometimes and swell
Grandma's hands
Used to lift her face and tell her,
Baby, Grandma understands
That you really love that man
Put yourself in Jesus hands
Grandma's hands

Grandma's hands
Used to hand me piece of candy
Grandma's hands
Picked me up each time I fell
Grandma's hands
Boy, they really came in handy
She'd say, Matty don't you whip that boy
What you want to spank him for?
He didn' drop no apple core;
But I don't have Grandma anymore

If I get to Heaven I'll look for
Grandma's hands

~Bill Whithers

Miracles Happen Every Day

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. – R. Buckminster Fuller, 1895-1983, American Architect and Engineer

Inspirations

Various biological studies have shown that if a toad is placed in a container along with water from his own pond, he will remain there, utterly still, while the water is heated, even when the water reaches boiling point. The toad does not react to the gradual increase in temperature and dies when the water boils. Fat and happy. On the other hand, if a toad is thrown into that container when the water is already boiling, he will jump straight out again, scalded, but alive! Sometimes we behave like the boiled toads. We do not notice changes. We think that everything is fine and that anything bad in our lives will simply go away - that it’s just a matter of time. We are close to death, but still we sit, unchanging and apathetic, while the water around us gets hotter by the minute. We end up dying, fat and happy, without having noticed the changes going on around us. Boiled toads do not understand that, as well as being efficient (doing things right), they need to be effective (doing the right things). And for this to happen, there must be continual growth, with room for dialogue and clear communication, room to share and to plan and to build an adult relationship. The biggest challenge lies in having the humility to respect someone else’s views. There are, however, boiled toads who still believe that the most important thing is obedience, not competence: those who can, lead, but those with any sense, obey. And where does this leave real life? It is far better to emerge from a situation slightly scalded, but still alive and ready to act.

~~Warrior of the Light, Paulo Coelho~~

More Reflections

I Know a Survivor!