I asked God for a sign. Then on Sunday, when church was live-streaming, the feed got "stuck" on repeat like a vinyl record on the word "renew." (Okaaaayyyyy...)
I was wondering if that event met the criteria for my request that the sign be "as clear as a bell" when, out of the blue, a text popped up from a friend of mine who is always using the word "renew." (OK again.)
I recently posted a series of videos on TikTok documenting a "vocal journey" in which I spent 30 days running outside while also doing vocal exercises. It was a lot to do exercises and also film, edit and post, so I only posted on TikTok. Consequently a lot of my friends did not see and I'd been considering renewing the journey by posting on other platforms.
I decided to go ahead and do that. :)
Here's the original "Vocal Journey Explainer." I'll be reposting each of the thirty days. It's become a bit of a lifestyle. Glad to be able to share it with you all.
My morning run is often the only time I have to myself, to let my thoughts flow. I had just been thinking about how, despite all of the most recent changes in the world, we have the ability to continue being our unique selves when I noticed the pavement looking back up at me.
I stopped to take a picture. It's not often I jog by what looks like a giant pastel eyeball.
Returning to my thoughts, it occurred to me that while we may need to get creative about how we are able to express our individual talents and abilities, it's been positively heartwarming to see people doing what they do and being who they are. Whether it's being helpful by delivering food to those in need, making people laugh, mobilizing teams to raise money, organizing community services, doing yoga, dancing, teaching, cooking, nursing, writing, etc., people all over the world are finding ways to help each other (and the world itself) with a sense of purpose as never before.
We all go at our own pace. We might each, in our own time, stop and evaluate our path deciding how best to proceed. As we are forced to adapt we might temporarily be in what I call a blind spot - that place we find ourselves when we can't yet see our own future. Faith is necessary. Hope is necessary. Even when these are in short supply, we can keep going. Even when we can not see what is ahead, we can continue our journey with deliberate intention. We might take a new direction. When we don't know where to start, we can just start somewhere - anywhere.
As I put my phone away to continue my run, there was another sign...
I love when the pavement speaks! Who knows where our journey will lead? I ran along the chalk outline until the numbers faded away and finally disappeared completely, but by then I was running again so I just kept going.
I had a writing session in Manhattan this week. The first thing I noticed after I parked the car was the giant "TD" on the building across the street. :)
With a smile, I headed to Starbucks. I ordered two sandwiches and some drinks for myself and the other writer. After spontaneously bursting out into song and dance when The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" came on - at THE SAME EXACT MOMENT the cashier did the same thing (causing several other customers and me to laugh) - my drink order came up and I hurried out to my session.
I had almost already passed by the homeless man out in front by the time I noticed him sitting there. I mentally reviewed my purchase, regretfully thinking that I had nothing extra to give, and kept moving, when I realized that I didn't even have my own sandwiches. I left without them! I turned around and headed back in, this time getting a full view of the man on the bench holding a sign. I inquired at the counter and was directed to the station that would be producing my two sandwiches shortly. The girl called my name and held up three sandwiches. I asked which two were mine.
"All of them," was her response.
"I only ordered two."
"You paid for three. You can get a refund at the counter if you'd like." She indicated where the registers were. I didn't have time for that and collected all three from her. As soon as I turned toward the door, I realized who the third sandwich was for.
"Ohhhh!" I said aloud as if God was standing there waiting for me to get it. I walked out and gave it to its intended recipient. "They gave me an extra sandwich. It's turkey bacon." The genuine "Thanks!" and smile had me thinking of all the signs we're given that we sometimes miss when we're too busy to notice. I almost hadn't noticed this man at all and was rushing to arrive to my session on time. God probably talks to us all the time like that. If only we heard the message more often.
The rehearsal studio was undergoing construction and the lobby on the main level was down to wall studs. My eyes scanned the elevator doors and their unfinished and wall-less edges, looking for the button. The attendant sat nearby like he was posing for a video shoot where he was playing the role of the despondent doorman. Smiling as I met his gaze, I asked him if there was a button or if it would just open when it came down. He pointed to the center of the two elevator doors and said, "the arrows." I laughed out loud when I followed his finger to a sign with THREE LARGE ARROWS pointing to a button to "PRESS HERE" for the elevator. He laughed out loud too! He said he got that all day long. Talk about being oblivious to the signs! There it was, in neon arrows! The day's events were reminding me of this scene in "Bruce Almighty."
Here's wishing us all a week in the God zone, where we see the signs. ;)
I had forgotten about this Angel that I got last Christmas.
Now when I look at it, in this season of miracles, I'm reminded of all the Blessings that came my way in 2016. It's as if my last-year self was given a message to keep the faith - good things were about to come.
Here's to believing in all the Miracles that are still to come, to keeping the faith.
Last week looked like it was going to include a LOT of drive time. The plan was to drive from Western New York to NYC and back. Thankfully, the plan changed and I was afforded the luxury of some much appreciated relax time.
Sometimes you just have to follow the signs...
Sometimes the slower way is better.
Amish horse and cart
This sign from a yard sale reminded me that the best things in life are free...
#BestYardSaleEver
Then, there were THESE signs...
These reminders that we don't often fit one simple label made me smile...
So as the new week begins, I'll take in all that I see and remember that...
Saturday morning, I asked the Angels to show themselves to
me. It was a simple prayer. I had been stressed out and wanted to feel a sense
of peace and reassurance of faith. “Let me see you,” I asked of them. Shortly
afterward, Russell and I drove to a Greek Orthodox Church to attend the funeral
of a friend’s wife, who had succumbed to cancer.
During the service, I found myself saying the same prayer
for the deceased that I had said for myself earlier, before I realized how unnecessary that was. There I was, asking that Angels show themselves to her and
comfort her spirit, just as the priest was saying that the dearly departed was with her guardian Angel at that very moment. Of course!
At the end of the service, the casket was guided down the aisle behind the priest, who walked backwards, singing prayers of Blessing and swinging incense
before it. I imagined that the smoke rising from his vessel was actually Angels accompanying the
dearly departed, guiding her way. As the fragrant cloud swirled and trailed off
in the air, it looked as if those Angels were doing some kind of ceremonial dance
with twirls, gracefully and joyously leading her back home.
Immediate family followed the casket down the aisle and I was
jolted back to earth as I saw their expressions and felt a sense of loss. I could scarcely imagine what it must have been like for them. I realized that THEY were the ones
who needed to see the Angels and be comforted. I silently repeated my prayer for them. They had lost their mother, wife, friend; and while we knew she was now at peace, she would also be dearly missed. They had written a beautiful remembrance of her that was read as part of the ceremony. It was a moving tribute for a very special woman whose kind spirit, generous nature, and manner of touching people's lives served as heartwarming inspiration for her closest loved ones and for all of us there.
Driving home, I was startled as something swirled and twirled
in the air before the car on the highway. It was a big feather! It lingered and
danced in the air before us just like the smoke from the priest’s censer had
done! I gasped aloud as my mind registered the significance. Russ noticed my reaction and momentarily
interrupted his phone call to ask what had triggered it: “What?
The feather?”
He had seen it too! I had not just imagined that Angel feather!
(I’ve heard it said that feathers are signs from Angels - and
I’m going to go ahead and believe it.)
Isn’t it funny how we find what we seek? I had said a prayer
(or, as some might say, I had set an
intention) and it was answered. I’m reminded that we can choose to see what
we desire to see. We can see an Angel in a feather, in the smoke cloud of incense, in a
child’s smile or in anything of beauty. Even in times of difficulty, we can
choose to believe that Angels are hard at work; guiding us, challenging our
limited thinking, or pushing us toward higher understanding and greater
patience – or stronger faith. They can be anywhere – and EVERYWHERE we CHOOSE to see
them. I wanted to see them and I did, simple as that.
This week, I hope we can set positive intentions (or
prayers, or wishes, or however you want to word it) for ourselves and for all
of our human family, and that we believe strongly enough in them – that we see
them come true.
Last week: Came out of a building in NYC and saw these two puzzle pieces on the ground...
This week: Was forty-five miles away from NYC and saw these two puzzle pieces on the ground...
What's THAT all about???
After packing and traveling, I ended this week at the total opposite end of the spectrum from NYC - in Amish country.
Traffic last week:
Traffic this week:
Last week, I had to stop the car for this:
This week, I had to stop the car for this:
But hey, I know how to read the signs...
(Sign from Monday)
(Sign from Saturday)
What do I make of all this?
Though sometimes we can go from one extreme to the other and it may not seem to make any sense, I'll trust that somehow, some way, the pieces will all come together.
