LOVE CLOUD

** I wrote the following for my mother last year on Mother's Day. In honor of her and all mothers, I am sharing it today. Happy Mother's Day!


Its nothing new how I feel about my mom. Everyone knows it. The thing that makes it so wonderful, is not just the way she feels and treats me, but the way she feels and treats others. I have always said God gave me an angel for a mother. It couldn’t be truer.

My mom’s ability to touch the people that come into her path however brief or long, intimate or new is done without a second thought. It is what she was born to do. To love. There isn’t a person she has met that she has not understood. That she has not known to be worthy of love. Because she knows and understands that there is no such thing as an unworthy human. She loves them like they should be loved. She is special to them because she knows they are special.

There have been times in my life where I found myself jealous of her feelings and kindness that she has shown to others. It tore me up. I felt it was unfair that she should be giving to “them” what belonged only to me. I see now how those were nothing but fearful thoughts. Fear that someone would take something away that belonged to me. That she wouldn’t have enough left for me. That she might find someone more worthy of her love and affection than me. Ridiculous, I know. Ridiculous because when you are so filled up with love, there is always more than enough. Always. When you give love so easily and naturally, like my mom does, that love only multiplies. And multiplies. Not just for the people who receive it but for the giver, too.

I learned that lesson this week. I was part of a Love Flash Mob. Two women struggling with serious illnesses were in need of permanent transportation. A request was sent out for a Love Flash Mob. We were asked to help these families. There was a limit on what we could donate. The reason was so we could have as many givers as possible. So the love could multiply. And in that was the true purpose of the Love Flash Mob. To spread the love. To as many as possible. Being part of the giving with 5,000 other givers was one of the most joyful experiences I have had. It is all about the giving. The giving of love. And that is a lesson my mom can teach in her sleep.

Remember Pig Pen from the Peanuts cartoon. He was so dirty that the dirtier he became the dirt cloud around him grew and followed him everywhere he went. That is the same for my mom. Only it’s a love cloud. All around her. Following her everywhere she goes. That cloud is strong even when the storms come. She always seeks loves. Always chooses love. When you are around someone with some kind of cloud around them, it is impossible to not be affected by it. Whether it is a dirt cloud or a love cloud.

How lucky for me it is a love cloud. How lucky for the world.

I love you, mom. With all my heart.

Long Live the Queen

I have been a participant in my friend, Andrea's Power Play 90 program and it has been like having cataract surgery. Through her own life experiences and her journey to her true self, Andrea has helped me move throughout my life with clearer vision. It has been an incredible experience and one I highly recommend.

I am pretty excited to say that I am a "guest" writer on Andrea's website. Check it out here. Happy reading!

The First Time is the Hardest

Today's the day. This is getting posted. No bones about it. I am not going to spend hours contemplating it's worth. I'm just going to put myself out there. Once and for all. I am going to get over it and get on with it. I created this blog on January 27th and have yet to find the courage to post anything. I have been too afraid. What if it isn't good enough? What if it becomes another ball and chain I have to carry around? What if, what if, what if. They could go on and on and on.

I asked myself, "If this is so hard to do, then why are you doing it?" The answer is pretty simple. I love the connections I have made with other bloggers who have put themselves out there. I have been following a few blogs for a couple of years now. I feel I have a pretty good idea who these people are and that we could be great friends. But rarely, do I leave a comment. They don't even know I exist. Am I in middle school or what?

These "strangers" have shared themselves with me. I have gained insights and new perspectives. Some of which have really helped me when I felt I was in a time of crisis. Without them, I might still be stuck. I have shared several of these posts that have helped me with friends who have gone through similar difficulties. And not surprisingly, they have been helped as well. These writers have opened their lives, shared their wisdom, their hearts and I have let myself in. They have become a part of my journey. It feels a little unfair of me not to share myself in return.

My thirteen-year-old son wasn't going to tryout for his school basketball team because he didn't think he would make the team. I told him he definitely wouldn't make it if he didn't tryout. He thought about that and decided to give it a try. I was happy for him that he put himself out there. The experience wasn't painful. He didn't make the team, but he survived the tryouts and will tryout again. And not just for basketball. He now knows he will survive whatever he tries. The trying won't kill him. He knows he won't get very far if he doesn't try, if he doesn't put himself out there. Then I realized, like so many other things I do and say to my kids, that I need to practice what I preach. How can I get anywhere if I don't try? It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be pretty.

"Pain and discomfort are a firm hand in the middle of your back pushing you toward something better. You need to consciously make a choice to either grow or stay the same." This was sent to me by my coach and very dear friend. Truer words could not be said.

I have some stuff to share. Some experiences that you might relate to or find helpful. Or maybe, you will just find it all sort of humorous. Whatever. I am doing this. Because I want to write. I want to make connections. The connections make the journey more joyful, more loving, more creative and way more fun. So here goes...

One down. Who knows how many more to go. But who's counting!

love,
Shareen

P.S. My son tried out for volleyball and he made the team!