Arguing with Angels

 Isn't it interesting how we don't trust the Universe to have our backs? 

Why do we insist on having things our own way instead of going with the flow - knowing that our best interest is always at work? It's hard to imagine in tragic times. Why aren't things going according to our plan? THIS is God's plan??? When we see the horrors that abound, why would we trust?

Maybe sometimes our circumstance is the result of our own free will. That makes sense. Sometimes we have to accept things we might not like as what is best for us though. So how can we tell the difference?

When we pray, or meditate, or make a wish for some specific circumstance - how do we know if that particular request is what's best? We could just wish for whatever is best, but then we REALLY have to trust that what ever happens is somehow, ultimately what's right. Can we? 

I've been there before. I remember before Zachary was born. I wasn't sure if he would ever show up and had to, after several unsuccessful fertility assists, surrender my fate to God. Then all of a sudden, there was baby Zachary.

These trying times hardly seem like an appropriate time to surrender. We have battles to fight, injustices to fix, solutions to find... this is no time to coast. Where's the line? When do we fight like hell and when do we accept and trust? 

We probably have to determine that for ourselves. There may be no right or wrong answer. I've heard that the time to walk away from a situation is when your health is being affected negatively. 

I suppose at the end of the day, it is ourselves who are responsible for our circumstance. We can't control everything, but we are in charge of our own choices. We have to live with the decisions we make and the consequences they bring. 

Today I was deep in thought and made a wish. Actually, I made a command. It felt like an Angel answered me back, "Are you sure about that?" I could qualify my wishes: "only if it's best' or "thy will be done" but sometimes I just want what I want. Maybe it's not best. Maybe my own limited perspective is preventing me from seeing a greater plan. Maybe I am getting in my own way. Then again, maybe I am finally going for it with gusto! The benefit of hindsight is always late! LOL.

Here's wishing us all good choices this week. Arguing with the Divine might not be the best idea. We might just do all we can do - and then trust. 

Love,

T

Keep Going Angel Face

Happy Monday everybody!

I started off last week in the studio in Buffalo.  It's always such a joy to work on new music with my dream team!

with Joey and Russ

Tuesday, I saw an Angel in the sky.  :)  There were guys working on the house when a friend texted to ask how I was doing.  I took this picture of the ladder and responded that I was "Movin' on up."  Do you see the Angel face in the clouds - just to the left of the ladder?

raw photo - no retouches

When Russ left for Milan, I thought I might have a minute to relax, but no.  I received a confirmation for a pending Saturday show and the rush was on to get hair done, update website, learn songs and get back to the NYC area.

At the gig in the Hamptons, I was pleasantly surprised to see old friends!

with Wes (drums)

And I always love working with this amazing group of singers!  :)

with John, Chevonne, Brian

By the time I got home, I was too tired to get out of the car.  (Hey singers - does this happen to any of you too?)

So on Sunday, I didn't want to do ANYTHING.  A day of rest... Aaahh... (If only this were one of the commandments or something.)  ;)  

Seriously though, it is SOOOOOO good for us to just sit and breathe.  We all really need to do this more often.  I had the Blessed opportunity to rest and reflect and let the thoughts flow freely on Sunday.

As I thought about what I might write here today and looked for a common thread that ran throughout the week, I recalled many conversations, comments and Facebook posts about love, relationships, personal boundaries and standing up for one's self.  All week long these topics kept coming up.  They were in the love song we worked on in the beginning of the week, in the songs I learned for the gig, in the casual conversations, in the funny stories I heard from friends and in the serious stories on the news.  

I remembered someone's story about how a friend of theirs had been afraid to stand up for themselves in a work situation, and someone else's story about how they HAD spoken up for themselves and how things had changed for the better after that.  I recalled a time when I had spoken up for myself.  I recalled a time that I didn't, but wished I had.  I remembered that oftentimes it seems easiest to ignore an issue and pretend that it's not that bad or offensive.  Sometimes it's hard to face the possibility of letting go and easier to let wishful thinking blind us to the truth.  I thought of someone last week who said, "It is what it ain't!" - rather than "It is what it is."

I saw these posts on Facebook:

"Sometimes on your way up

you have to stop and

let some people off"

- from Enchanted Minds

"You will never get what you truly deserve

if you remain attached

to what you're supposed to let go of"

- from Enchanted Minds

Then I saw this post:

click here for: "The Difference Between Healthy Love & Unhealthy Love" - by Joe Martino

I thought of all the positive affirmations and quotes that I see so often on social media.  While we are encouraged to be positive and love each other, sometimes we forget to love ourselves first.  Setting boundaries doesn't have to mean conflict.  We don't need to get someone else to act in any particular way - but we DO need to be honest with ourselves about the decisions WE make about how we will or will not allow ourselves to be treated, or who we choose to be around.  Loving someone does not mean allowing ourselves to compromise what we believe is right for ourselves.  We can set our own limits and respect the choices of others while we take responsibility for our own.  

Then Steve Harvey came on TV with Oprah, giving advice and talking about his book "Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success."  (I bought it as an eBook.)  He talked about how he doesn't have time for people's negativity and how "You cannot pull everyone along in your wagon of success.  You have to know when it's time to cut certain people loose."

click here for: Steve Harvey on "Oprah's Lifeclass"

I remembered the Angel's face in the clouds and thought of "movin' on up" and wrote these words:

"I take responsibility for presenting myself to you 

as someone you could take advantage of...  

That's all over with now.

- My Higher Self"

In case you didn't see the Angel before...

So here's what I got for this week (to remind myself):

1)  Take the time to rest and breathe and let your innermost thoughts and revelations bubble up to the surface.  Don't get too busy for yourself.  Don't drown yourself out with busywork.

2)  Keep climbing.  Keep making everything better.  Keep raising your own bar.  Blessings await.  Don't be afraid to let go of the old.  Trust that the new Blessings will come.  Keep going!

3)  Hey!  I should write a song about this stuff!  ;)

click here for: Tanya Diona's song "Stand"

Namaste,

T