2020

Here we are at the end of another year. And what a year it has been. We've gone through "Black Lives Matter", "Me Too", killer bees, earthquakes, fires, political unrest, and the all consuming Covid19. Covid is something we never heard of before, but it's been the center of our attention for over nine months now. We're doing things we never dreamed we'd be doing: wearing masks, socially distancing, quarantining, using hand sanitizer every time we turn around, working from home and so many other things we never thought we would have to experience. Because of this, many people can't wait for 2020 to be over. But just because 2020 is over doesn't mean the virus is going to be over. And if the virus WAS over, we have no way of knowing what else is coming our way - good OR bad.

In many of my blogs I try to explain energy and how it works. We are like magnets. Whatever energy we send out in the form of thoughts, words and deeds, is the same kind of energy that comes back to us. People that love to complain get things to complain about. People who are grateful for what they have get more to be grateful for. If you love to worry, you get more to worry about. You get the idea.

2020 has certainly been an interesting year, but I'm sure there have been things for which we all can be grateful. I am grateful that my health and the health of my family has been good. I'm grateful for technology that has kept me connected to my son and daughter-in-law that live in California since we couldn't visit them this year and they couldn't visit us. I'm grateful for the most beautiful autumn weather - my favorinte time of year. I'm grateful for my beautiful family...every single one of them...and for my great friends.

Instead of taking the energy of complaining about 2020 into the new year, I intend to take the energy of gratitude. I challenge you to do the same.

Happy New Year! Love, Paula

Storms

We had an incredible storm the other night. When I went to bed there was thunder, lightening and lots of rain. But when I woke up in the morning and opened the curtains, it was beautiful. The sun was shining and the sky was blue. But more than that, everything was brighter, clearer. Outdoor plants and flowers were vibrant. The grass was greener. The air itself seemed cleaner. It was like the storm "washed" the entire city and changed everything.

I think the same holds true for the "storms" in our lives. While we are going through the storm, things are dark, ominous, and maybe even frightening. But once the "storm" is over and we're on the other side of it, life usually seems so much better. We're stronger for having gone through it and we're much more appreciative of the wonderful lives we have been given. Often what seems to be a "bad" thing, turns out to be the best thing that could have happened. At any rate, we got through it and life goes on.

I read, "Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." -Photokopi.com Let's hope that is always the case for all of us. Hang on tight...things are "falling into place".

Love, Paula

A Reminder

I try to always appreciate EVERYTHING, big and small. That's what many of my blogs are about. I've had several reminders of that lately.

A facebook friend made an entry that he didn't have any luck on a particular night seeing the space station. Although that was what he was looking for and it would have been really cool to see it, I have to wonder if he looked at anything else. It was a beautiful evening with a gorgeous moon shining. There were lots of stars and planets showing their magnificence. It would have been such a shame to miss all that.

I live on Lake Erie. We have this paddle boat - The Victorian Princess - that takes people out on the bay and lake for sunset cruises, parties, dinner cruises and such. My husband and I, along with some friends, decided to do a music/sunset cruise. The weather was a little uncertain earlier in the day and we weren't sure if we were going to be able to go or not. As the day progressed though, the sun came out and the winds subsided. It turned out to be the perfect night for a cruise. We met our friends and had a nice evening. Unfortunately shortly before sunset, clouds rolled in on the horizon...just enough to block the sunset. But what I call the "after glow" - the setting sun's reflection on the southern and eastern sky while it is setting in the north-west - was AMAZING!!! It was beautiful shades of pinks and purples against the dark blue skies. So as people were disappointed that they didn't get to see the sunset, I was marvelling at the beautiful splashes of color in the opposite direction and reflecting off the waters. Besides all that, we saw eagles and a heron in flight close by. It was a special, magical evening, yet many people left disappointed.

I'm sharing these stories as a reminder to everyone to not live life with blinders on. If what you're expecting doesn't happen, look in a different direction. Look for the gifts that are all around you...I promise, they're there.

Love, Paula

Gifts

We all have our own gifts, talents, and abilities.  Unfortunately sometimes we don't see our own gifts, but instead envy everyone else's.  I have always had that problem.  I can see everyone else's gifts.  If they don't see their own, I can tell them what it is, why it is needed and how wonderful and special they are for having this to offer to the world.  I on the other hand sometimes don't see my own gifts.  I feel very ordinary and not special at all.  Not in an "I feel sorry for myself" kind of way.  I actually like myself and think I'm pretty okay.  I just don't think there is anything particularly special about what I do.  I have friends that do crafts, knit, crochet, draw, paint.  I have friends who are very athletic or super intelligent.  I have friends who are gifted healers, intuitives or mediums.  You get the idea...amazing, talented people.  I'm just average me.

Then I go on my blog site and see that people all over the world are reading my blogs...people from some places that I have never even heard of.  It blows me away.  I am grateful for all of you and truly humbled by your support.

I am writing this as a reminder to everyone that we ALL have our own special gifts.  Even if you don't consider what you do a big deal or anything very important, it could mean a lot to someone else.  I read, "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do".  Let's all try to focus on what we CAN do and then go out and DO IT!!!

Love,  Paula

Fievel

While I was looking at the last full moon, I had a "Fievel" moment.  For those of you that don't know what that means, Fievel is a character in the 1986 animated film "An American Tail".  It's about a sweet little family of mice that are immigrating from Russia to the US by boat because they lost their home.  There was a storm  and Fievel got swept away and separated from his family.  He made it to the US in a bottle and with some help. set out to look for his family.  One night while looking at the moon and stars, he sings the song "Somewhere Out There" while one of his family members was looking at the same moon and stars and singing the same song.  That connected them.

While I was looking at the full moon, stars and planets that evening, I felt that same kind of connection.  I have a son and daughter-in-law that live in California and thought, "They'll be looking at that same moon and stars in a few hours."  I have family that live in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania.  I have friends that live all over the world.  Even though we'll be looking at the moon and stars at different times, it will still be the SAME moon and stars.  My heart just swelled with love at that moment.  I felt so connected to all of them AND to all of you that read my blogs.  I often talk about how we're all connected and how we're all one...that night I truly felt it.

My hope is that the next time you look at the night sky, you'll remember this blog, feel the connection to all of humanity and know that you're never alone and always loved.

Love,  Paula
 

Shingles

I was diagnosed with shingles.  The doctor told me that if you had chicken pox as a child, the virus lives in you.  As you get older your immune system sometimes weakens and the virus can flare up and become shingles.  Blah, blah, blah...

If you know anything about me you know that I believe everything happens for a reason and there are almost always lessons involved.  So obviously I wasn't going to settle for the doctor's explanation.  That was only one small part of what was going on.

I belong to a Thursday night meditation group.  I decided that during my meditation I was going to ask my guides, "What the hell was this all about?!"  I was immediately "told" that the shingles were on my right side which is considered the masculine side.  I was told that I needed more balance between my masculine and feminine.  I need to be a little more assertive in voicing my wants/wishes/needs/desires to other people...not being selfish or everything has to be my way, rather giving myself permission to have and express my opinion to others.  I'll give you an example.  If I'm meeting a friend for lunch and they ask where I want to go, I usually say, "It doesn't matter, you pick."  But it actually DOES matter.  I'm a vegetarian and some restaurants aren't vegetarian friendly.  Oh, I can always get a salad, but I don't always WANT a salad.  I always make do to accommodate everyone else.  Basically I was "told" that it's not only okay to give my opinion, I should give my opinion.

The other day my husband asked me if I was doing Reiki on myself.  Of course I wasn't.  If anyone needs me, I'm always there...ready and willing to help them out.  I love people and always make myself available for their highest and best good.  So I guess one of my shingles lessons is to  learn to love and take care of myself as much as I love and take care of others.

As I was speaking with a friend of mine the other day, she reminded me about my PTSD.  I was in an automobile accident 4 years ago.  I still have flashes of that which is how my PTSD manifests.  As we talked, I realized that my immune system has been under attack for 4 years now because of this.  It could be why I was a candidate for shingles.

I'm sure as I go along, there will be more lessons to add to these, but for now, I just wanted to share what I have so far.  I wanted to hopefully help YOU look for the lessons that are going on in YOUR life.  Don't always accept things as they look on the surface.  Dig a little.  See if there is something more to it.  It helps to make the things that happen to you and your whole life make much more sense.

Love,  Paula

Covid19 - Part 2

Things are not normal in our lives right now.  They are actually far from normal.  As you are all well aware, we are being asked to stay home unless we have to go out.  When we do go out, we are asked to wear masks to cover our noses and mouths.  We're being asked to wear gloves.  We're being asked to stay at least six feel away from people that do not live in the same house as we do.

Because of all this, many people are experiencing anxiety and depression.  Some people feel like their lives are out of their control.  It has been a very difficult time for many, many people.

The other day while I was outside something occurred to me.  Although MANY things have changed recently, MANY things have not.  The sun, moon and stars are still shining.  The rain is still raining.  The snow is still snowing.  The wind is still blowing.  Trees are still blossoming.  Grass is growing.  Flowers are blooming.  There are still fabulous sunrises and sunsets.

I guess what I am trying to say is that although a lot has changed, a lot is still the same.  So if you are starting to feel a little anxious, try to focus on the things that have stayed the same instead of what has changed.  Hopefully it will help you feel grounded and help you remember that these changes aren't going to last forever.  Hang in there!

Love,  Paula

Covid19 - A Different Perspective

As I've mentioned in previous blogs, I am a Reiki Master Teacher.  As such, I am often asked to give talks to different organizations.  Since Reiki is an energy therapy, I usually start by talking about energy.  You're made of energy, I'm made of energy and the space in between is energy.  It's ALL the same "stuff" and that's how we are all connected - all one - no matter where in the world we live.  WE ARE ALL ONE.  WE ARE ALL CONNECTED.

Let me give you a visual.  Look at your hand.  At the tip of your hand you will see four fingers and a thumb.  They are all individual, right?  They even have separate names;  we have the thumb, the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger and the baby finger...separate.  BUT they are all connected to the hand which again is separate.  We have a left hand and a right hand.  They are totally different hands, but look.  The hands are connected to the arms which are connected to the body.  The head and legs etc are also connected to the body.  You get the idea.  All these individual parts make up ONE body.

It's the same with all of us.  We're individual people, but all connected by the space/energy in between us.  Together we make up the human body.  Add all the plants, animals, air and water.  That makes up the body of planet Earth.

What we do as an "individual" affects everyone and everything on our beautiful planet.  If you don't believe that, look at what is happening all around us now.  The Covid19 Pandemic is world-wide because of how much we connect as the human race.  Because of the spread of the virus and the unbelievable amount of hospitalization and even deaths it has caused, we are being asked to change the way we live...to envision a different world, a better world for the future.  We are being asked to stay home unless it is necessary to go out.  Families are becoming families again and doing things TOGETHER.  They are not just people that live in the same house and nod at each other while they pass by.  They are eating together, playing games together and talking.

You could look at this pandemic as a time of darkness, but I prefer to see the light.  Families are healing, friendships are healing, priorities are healing and even Mother Earth herself is healing..  Her air quality is better than it has been in a VERY long time.  Her waters are getting cleaner and more pure as each day passes.

Our thoughts, words and actions are very powerful magnets that draw the type of things that we focus on into our lives.  If you focus on all the negative things that are going on because of the virus - and there are many - then you will probably draw fear, anxiety and depression into your life.  But if you can see and focus on all the positive things that are coming because of the virus - and there are many - you will get through this with peace, joy and love in your heart.


YOUR CHOICE!

Love, Paula

LOVE

As sometimes happens with me, I was thinking of a whole different blog and then this one happened.  As I was meditating the song, "One Bad Apple" kept running through my head.  I thought, "Well that's odd.  I'm supposed to be meditating.  STOP IT!!!"  When I tried to meditate again the song "What The World Need Now" ran through my head.  Then "Everybody".  OKAY...you got my attention!  Apparently there are messages in these songs that people need to hear.

If you go to www.lovepaula.net and go down the right hand side, you'll see my archived blogs.  Go to the year 2012, April, then the blog "Everybody".  Since I've already written about the song "Everybody" I won't do it again.  Just read that.  You can even listen to the song there.

But the other two songs that were given to me intrigued me ,so I printed out the lyrics.

"I can tell you've been hurt by that look on your face girl.  You need love but you're afraid that if you give in, someone else will come along and sock it to you again.  One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch girl.  Give it one more try before you give up on love."

"One Bad Apple " is a love song from a guy to a girl.  But as with many things, there can be more than one meaning.  I can see this also meaning love in general.  Many people have been hurt by people they loved and trusted.  Maybe a parent, an aunt or uncle, a teacher, a sibling, a friend.  It could have been physical or emotional abuse.  It could have been some sort of betrayal or disappointment.  People then tend to put up walls around themselves...around their hearts.  They try to protect themselves and keep people away so that they won't get hurt again.  Unfortunately they are shortchanging themselves.  Sure, by being open we MAY get hurt again. But by closing yourself off, you're strangling love.  Human beings NEED love in order to grow and thrive.  I'm not talking about romantic love.  I'm talking about self love.  I'm talking about the beautiful, unselfish, unconditional love that comes from our Source.  Humans need that to survive.

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love.  I'ts the only thing that there's just too little of.  What the world needs now is love, sweet love.  No not just for some, but for everyone."

Right now, with everything that's going on in our world, what the WHOLE world needs is love.  People need love.  Plants and animals need love.  The Earth herself needs love.   Love is healing.

I've posted this meditation before.  I'm going to share it again.  If it resonates with you, please consider doing this as often as you can.  You can do it for a minute or an hour.  It doesn't matter.

Sit quietly.  Take a deep breath in.  Blow it out.  Take another breath in.  Blow it out.  On the next "in breath", imagine you are breathing in all the love there is in the entire universe.  Now with the "out breath", intend that you are breathing that love out to the Earth and ALL her inhabitants. - land, sea and air.  With each "in" breath you're gathering love.  With each "out" breath, send that love to the Earth and all her inhabitants.  Do this for s long as you're comfortable.

In times like these, people sometimes feel helpless.  They wish there was something they could do.  Well, this is something  everyone, everywhere. can do no matter what your circumstance.  You won't believe how good it feels!

Love,  Paula

Live to the Fullest

I've lost a lot of people close to me in the last year and a half, especially in the last four months.  Part of processing, for me, is to examine my own life.

I'm sure most, if not all of these people had plans and dreams for their future that they never had the opportunity to complete.  "Some day I'll do this", "Next year I'll do that", "In the summer I'll do...whatever"  We all put things off until a better time.  The problem is, we don't know how much time we have.  We could be gone before we know it.  OR our health could be gone before we know it.

While reflecting on the friends and family that have passed, I've reached some conclusions.  Do the things you want to do NOW, not later.  Don't put things off.  Live in their stead.  I think the best way we can honor those we have lost is to live our lives to the fullest.

Love,  Paula