Tag Archives: freedom

WHAT FEAR IS STILL KEEPING YOU FROM YOUR FREEDOM

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Beloved,

I am just realizing that my spiritual journey back to myself began many years ago. I was “terrified” of spiders as my older brother used to torture me with them. One Sunday I was at the beach with friends and I was lying down on a blanket with my young toddler so he would take a nap. Suddenly, I saw a spider crawling on his back and I just got up and ran away from him. It was instinctual with no forethought. Of course, my son was startled and ran after me and that made me run even faster. I finally took a breath and realized I had terrorized my own son. How could a mother run away when her son was in danger? I was mortified and ashamed of my action and it caused me to look at my own fears. If my love for my son was not enough to protect him, I needed to do something about FEAR.

We were living in a project (low income housing) and I had no dryer so I had to hang clothes outside. When they froze, I had to bring them back in and hang them in a hallway so they could thaw. Of course, this dampness drew many spiders especially daddy-long-legs which were the scariest to me of all spiders. When I saw one, I would take a deep breath and run for one of my husband’s shoes as I could not bear to use my own shoes because then I would need to wear them. It took two years for me to conquer that fear enough to use my own shoes to kill them. But I DID IT! My love for my son enabled me to have the courage to face my biggest fear. ) Today, as a Reiki Master, I honor all life even spiders)

I then, one at a time, looked at my fears and faced them down but with LOVE. Love for myself as I was not truly free until each and every one was conquered. Right now, I am facing down my fear of putting my face in the water. When I was around 8 or 9 years old, I was at a lake and I decided this was the day that I would reach the raft, I felt like I was strong enough to swim that distance. I did make the raft but every time I would put my hand on the stairs to climb up, some boys would push me away. They thought it was a game. I knew I was drowning as I just got too tired to stay afloat. I passed out and when I came too, I was alone on the raft. I have no idea how I got up on it, I am assuming that the boys realized I was in trouble and got me up there but then were too embarrassed to wait for me to come to.

Of course, I was too scared after that to ever go over my head in water. In fact, I could not float without a noodle, my feet needed to be able to touch ground. I just learned two weeks ago the secret to floating. Imagine all these years and I have not been able to float. A friend who I did not know was a swimming instructor in the past, told me to put my ears in the water. I tried it and my feet came right up. You are never too old to learn.

Ocean State Job Lot had wet suits for $20 and when they offered 25% off for seniors one week, I took a deep breath and bought one. I thought well, I have wasted $15 on other things so I was ready to try. I don’t go in cold water so I also do not have the freedom to go in the lake until August. Maybe this wet suit would solve that concern and fear. I went on line to find more info about them and when I went to try it on, the zipper would not come down. I have no idea why but it was stuck really tight, so I brought it back and got one with a zipper that worked, I tried it before I bought it. Was the Universe trying to tell me to not do this? I did not know but I had to try everything before I gave up. I managed to get it on and off which I felt good about but I still could not muster the courage to go into the lake with it on. That was when I received a booklet in the mail about the YMCA and I decided to give that a try.

I made up my mind that this summer I would swim in my own lake. Watching others swim with so much ease and freedom makes my heart sink. I joined the YMCA where they have two pools, one is a lap people kept at 81 degrees and over my head at one end and another warm pool which is not over my head but kept at 90 degrees. Two weeks ago, I began going to the warm pool to do exercises for arthritis and I just LOVE warm water.

I checked out the opportunities and found that I could take swimming lessons but it would have to be in the lap pool. I had my first lesson with three other people last Tuesday. I had done my research and had goggles and swimming cap and also ear plugs. My goggles were too tight and the cap kept pressing the ear plugs into my ears, very painful. On top of that my body would not stop shaking, I was so cold. I can hold my breath for quite a while as I meditate so I am used to that but he wanted us not to hold our breath but to blow bubbles out of our nose. I could hardly do that for any time at all so I kept breathing the water up my nose. It was not a fun experience, I will tell you that.

But I am stubborn and I try to keep the commitments I make to others and to myself. I was not ready to give up on my dream of swimming in my own lake this summer. I asked if I could wear my wetsuit next week and was told yes. You see, I have wanted to learn to swim for so long so I tried to think of all that would help me achieve that dream. In the meantime, I bought a cap that will fit over my ears so I don’t need ear plugs and I found and bought another pair of goggles which keeps the water out of my eyes. I have been practicing breathing through my nose every time I went to the warm pool for exercise. Either I practice before or after the exercise program. Yesterday, I finally realized that I could open my eyes under water and I felt a rush of freedom. I had been concentrating so much on breathing and I always closed my eyes under water so I never even realized that it would be safe to open my eyes. Talk about baby steps, it takes all these small steps to conquer any fear but most of all it takes commitment to yourself and your dreams.

WHAT FEAR IS STILL KEEPING YOU FROM YOUR FREEDOM?

Do you love yourself as much as this dog loved his family? You are worth it and you are loved.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/dog-emerges-tahoe-forest-2-years-reunites-family/

Can you imagine being hugged by this young girl and feeling the love she has for you? Hug yourself and allow yourself to feel the love you have in your heart for the being that is you. You are worthy and you deserve the same love that you give to others.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/girl-gives-hugs-suicide-prevention-walks/

You can change your perspective and become who you are really meant to be. If he can, so can YOU. See yourself as this child and know that you are taken care of and nurtured by some unlikely beings that are put on your path just for you to know how much you are loved. Even when they don’t appear exactly as you expected angels to look like.

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ex-con-saves-baby-side-georgia-road-plays-gospel-music-calm/

—
Love and Light

Mary Grace

http://www.IAmMaryGrace.com
http://www.TheWoundedChalice.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE

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Beloved,

I know our brothers and sisters in the military want us to
celebrate this day. Be in joy on this holiday yet be in gratitude
also for all they have done and are doing and especially OUR FREEDOM.
The biggest freedom is: THE FREEDOM TO BE YOU! Be who you are in
celebration of all those who came before us.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG,

OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ,

AND TO THE REPUBLIC,

FOR WHICH IT STANDS,

ONE NATION UNDER GOD,

INDIVISIBLE,

WITH LIBERTY

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.

A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform;
So young, so tall, so proud.
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
He’d stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil;
How many mothers’ tears?

How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?

NO, FREEDOM ISN’T FREE !

I heard the sound of Taps one
night,
When everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant ‘Amen.’
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea.
Of unmarked graves in Arlington .

NO FREEDOM ISN’T FREE

Enjoy Your Freedom
And
God Bless Our
Troops.

When you receive this,
Please stop
for a moment
And say a prayer for our servicemen.

Of all the
gifts you could give a U.S.
Soldier, prayer is the very best one.

THANK YOU ……..

Love and Light,

Mary Grace
www.IAmMaryGrace.com
www.TheWoundedChalice.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html

PO Box 403
Wales, MA 01081, USA
413-245-3977

FREEDOM

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Beloved,

I woke up one morning and as usual, spent some time gazing at the
lake to get my daily dose of tranquility. I noticed a lot of white
things on the lake and could not figure out what they were. I even
used my binoculars, which are always handy, and I still could not
make out what they were. I couldn’t get close enough to see clearly.

I watched as they appeared to get closer to the shore although the
whole lake had white things on it. I said my prayers and meditation,
then looked out again and sure enough they were close enough I felt
to physically go out to see what they were. I brought my binoculars
with me just in case. I walked through the gate (this is not my
beach, it belongs to a private beach club) across the beach and onto
the dock.

I noticed as I was walking on the beach that there were some white
feathers on the shoreline but since that is where the ducks and geese
preen themselves, that was not unusual. As I got to the dock, where
rope holding the buoys so no boat gets too close to the raft and
swimming area was, there were many white feathers hanging on
to the rope. ????? I was completely puzzled about the amount of
feathers. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that
these feathers were all completely white which is not normally what
we see around the lake.

Canadian geese and local ducks might have white on them but the
feathers are not “completely” white. There is always some grey
brown, or black coloring on each feather. As I continued to scan
the lake which had different amounts of white things bobbing around,
I suddenly realized that these feathers were down like in a down
blanket. Suddenly I started laughing out loud. The only solution
to this dilemma was that someone had a pillow fight using down
pillows and one of them broke spewing the feathers everywhere. Just
the picturing of that made me laugh and then giggle.

I never know what the lake will offer me but this had human hands
involved and in 16 years, I had never seen anything like that. I
wonder what meaning the feathers held for me. When something
unusual happens or something unusual shows up, it is a gift for
you. It is a way that the universe or the Divine is speaking to
you.

I came up with a few meanings: feathers are from creatures that
have wings…maybe my angel wings are sprouting, maybe the white
feathers were from a white angel’s wing (after all, I see many angel
clouds in the sky), maybe my ideas and wishes are taking flight to
completion. Our Indigenous people or Native Americans use feathers
for many things, perhaps my Native American heritage is coming to
the forefront. They really were and are quite wise beings that
we could gain a lot of wisdom from especially the medicine man or
woman.

Pay attention when something shows up that is unusual, even an
animal running across the street in front of you or a bird comes to
your window or an unusual insect shows up. All of this
has meaning and it is fun to try to decipher it. If you ponder
long enough, your heart will reveal the true meaning. Or….you
can have fun fantasizing just like you did as a child.

For me, I am going to choose that all of these feathers belonged
to angels and they were showering them upon me like blessings. I have
always wanted to fly so now that my angel wings are sprouting, it
won’t be long now before I take off into Freedom.

What represents Freedom for you?

Think about it and mark them down on a piece of paper. Keep that
paper where you will see it so you can claim your freedom again and
again! Practice feeling free and you will become aware that you
are free. You always have a choice, which one are you choosing?

This is an incredible story with breathtaking photography.
These birds symbolize real freedom to me but I always feel such joy
in just watching them. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EUEZkwJulBY

Love and Light

Mary Grace

www.TheWoundedChalice.com
www.IAmMaryGrace.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html

PO Box 403
Wales, MA 01081, USA
413-245-3977