There's Beauty in a Sunset...

What comes to mind when someone says "sunset?" When I think of them, aside from the wondrous array of colors that I imagine, I also think... 

• The end of the day
• The cowboy riding into the sunset after his story is done
• The end of an epic journey
• An old couple living their final years together
• well, basically, I guess I think "The End!"

Okay, I'm being a little too much to my point. If I'm to be honest, I also think of 

• Hawaii (where I saw sooo many beautiful sunsets)
• The time I sat with Keith and two of his friends during my first week in Bethlehem, outside a sushi restaurant where we met for dinner, and were lucky enough to see the most beautiful sunset I think I've ever seen outside of Hawaii! And this, my friends, was a BEGINNING.
• Driving around California looking for the best place to watch the sun go down while I lived in Fremont
• Days spent at the beaches in Northern California, sitting on the sand until the sun crashed down into the Pacific
• Also, countless sunsets viewed from Sunset Beach, Cape May, New Jersey, where our family spends a week every summer

Sunsets definitely mark an end of a period, most of the times. They mark the end of a day, which, if you've had a tough one, is felt as a positive thing. If you're having a great one, then maybe it's bittersweet. But if you learn to enjoy the beauty of it, then its arrival is always amazing... and this is where I come to my point. In my 50s now, I finally see the true beauty of The Sunset. I have learned so much about who I am. I have painstakingly created the Me that I love. I feel a sense of satisfaction and joy with what I have been through, experienced, learned... to the point that as I reach that bend in the road that leads me towards my body's expiration date, I also welcome what awaits in that final sunset. I understand why physical immortality isn't needed. 

We ARE immortal, my friends. I hope you know this. Physics tells us that nothing can be destroyed, only changed or transmuted. We are energy and energy never dies! That is the miracle of Life that we seem to forget. Our soul and spirit continue as we return to God/The Universe/Ether... however you wish to see it. Many feel that we close our eyes in our used up bodies and then wink out of existence. That would be a true miracle! lol Because that would defy the laws of physics!! No, my dear ones... I can't explain how I KNOW this. I know it like I know my own face. We don't go into nothingness. For proof, listen to the stories from people who have returned from their death to tell the tale. Near Death Experiences are not actually "Near death" as many actually WERE dead for many minutes. Their bodies literally had stopped working. The definition of death. But they came back because they were given a choice sometimes, or they were told they weren't done here on Earth, and were sent back to their bodies. And they came back with stories. I've heard so many of them, and the similarities are stunning. Not to mention that I had my own experience that changed my view of the afterlife. More on that in another post. 

Let me just say that this is not all there is. There is SOOOOOOOOO much more, and folks, when you experience your own, it will outshine any sunset anywhere, because it will be like you were shot straight into those rays of the sun, except it's not hot... it's brilliant, yes, but it's like looking into a gorgeous diamond up close with the sun shining and all the refractions of rainbows and more spectrums of light than you have ever been able to see with your human eyes, plus ALL the love in the universe suffusing every molecule, merging with you.... and you will sigh with your soul and you'll say: I AM HOME. You will remember that THIS is you. You are again one with Divine Source Energy. You are and always have been one with God. You just forgot.

Blessings and Love xoxo

The Highest Authority

 I don't know what your stance is for the existence of extraterrestrials, inter dimensional beings, angelic beings, or multidimensional beings, but mine is that they all exist, and they're all around us. There. I said it. I believe.

Why do I believe? For one, the Universe is greater and more mysterious than we can imagine, and it's being proven to us all the time if we only open our senses to receive that information. I have seen things. I have heard things. I have felt things. I know beyond doubt that others exist that are not US. They also aren't NOT us. I believe we are connected on all levels and with all beings through God. Let me make clear: I am not religious. But I also am not an atheist. I was born a spiritual being and remain a spiritual being. My experiences in this lifetime, as well as past lives, have taught me that we are greater than the sum of our parts. I think that's why mystical experiences are so expansive for humans... they remind us that we are part of the Divine. Mystical experiences teach us that we ARE mystical if we are able to experience the mystical. In the experience, we become.

As I've gotten older, I've been able to acknowledge that there is more and greater understandings to absorb than I could have hoped there would be. Our lives are not just: You're born, you live, you die. Rinse and repeat. We actually contribute to the vast fabric of Life with every thought, action, awareness, understanding, and intention. Our vibrational frequencies go out and make the fabric of life more complex, more beautiful, and more rich and diverse for what we add to it. And when we move on to the next dimension, when our human bodies stop functioning, our soul rejoins the Great Spirit, Mother Father God, and our experience as a human is shared with all. We are but individuations of God, experiencing Itself. When we do something to another, it is done to ourselves, and it is done to God. I can't quote the Bible, but I know that there is something to the statement, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This is because we are all One. We are all God. That includes extraterrestrials. That includes angelic beings. They were the first of God's creatures, right? Mother Father God wanted a way to reflect back to Itself, and angels were the first. We all came a little later. I'm not just making this up... this is what is written in many various spiritual texts throughout time. All religions teach that God was first, and then angels, and then everything else. 

What many DON'T know is that we are all multidimensional beings, with access to other dimensions outside of time and space. Because we are connected to God, and to all other beings (including our past selves from other life times) we can access those timelines and dimensions if we only know how. And some people know how already. I'm on the path of learning... I want to learn to connect reliably with my higher self, and with my angels and guides. I've had some contact with them that felt very one-sided... meaning I asked them for help and received it. Thank you! But I'd like to learn how to hear them. How to answer their calls, and hear their messages. I know that we are meant to hone our intuition, which will lead us to greater awareness and understanding... but I think I need to trust myself more. I KNOW I need to trust myself more. That's one of the problems we humans face every day, I think. We just don't trust our own intuition. We don't know how to listen to our higher selves, and so they become silent. But they're not gone. They're just waiting until what they say is heard. Then they will speak more often and with more authority. We are all greater than we know. And we don't need to look outside ourselves for authority. We can be our own authority. If we only learn to trust ourselves. In trusting ourselves, we are trusting in Mother Father God. The Universe. The Highest Authority.

In what ways are you contributing to the vast Fabric of Oneness? How are you honoring your higher self, your ancestors? What messages have you received from your guides that you listened to? What were the results? And how will you connect to your higher self now? Or your Spirit Guides, Angels and Ancestors? We each have our Team, and they want us to succeed in our Soul's Journey. We are each a hero in our own story, so how are you showing up for your role as Hero? Just some questions to ponder... if you sit with these questions, and ask your Higher Self these questions, see what comes. Journal if that helps. (That always helps me!) I welcome advice and comments! 

Love and blessings to All. xoxo

Paying It Forward

About a year ago, one of my friends, who was also a coworker, passed away. She was a very dear, sweet, open person, and her death affected all of us. Last year on her birthday, in her honor, the owner and many of the employees, went out into the community to do good "Deeds For Diane," which is what we started calling it. I was at home with the baby, and not able to participate. However, this year I was able to.

The boss giving a resident a hand massage

The therapists, the owner (who is also a therapist), another receptionist and myself, all went to an assisted living retirement home. I brought Elie with me, and she walked about, making people smile. The folks at the home just loved her! The therapists gave free massages to anyone who wanted one. All of this was on their own time and no one was paid for it.

We handed out bags of quarters for bingo, and mints. It was quite a hit with the folks there! 

Clover enjoying the day & her work

Some of the people didn't want massages, but they stopped by to visit with Elie, asking me questions about (him) her. Even though she was in a dress, many of the residents didn't think she was a girl, ha ha! Not that we cared. One sweet lady, Dotty, had Alzheimers and asked me the same questions over and over, but Elie really liked her. It could be because she had a fuzzy little monkey on her walker! Dotty LOVED her massage, too, and wanted to take Doug home with her, ha ha! He's the guy massaging Dotty's shoulders and back in the first photo.

Many of the residents just came by to see what was going on, and to chat with Elie, who was eating her goldfish crackers and sitting on my lap. She basically was glued to me the entire time, but ventured out a little bit once she got more comfortable. Her effect on the residents was amazing. They would see her and approach her, with huge smiles on their faces... she responded, too! She was very interested in them, as well! She would yoyo between me and the residents, though not getting TOO close to them. She's pretty wary still, of anyone not in her immediate family. It was just really cute to see her bringing them so much happiness.

I fully enjoyed being part of this awesome day of helping others for our friend, Diane. It also really helped us. Doing something for others, without expecting anything in return, really brings a wonderful light into your soul... and is a huge, unexpected reward.

Helping People in Japan

Hello Everyone...


If you've been following along with the situation in Japan, and have wanted to help in some personal way, you can take a click over to She Who Eats... Chika lives in Japan, though luckily has not been hurt, and she has set up a donation site to help. If you would also like to be entered to win some sakura flavoring (Japanese cherry blossom) then just put that into your comment, on the donation form. It's a very generous donation, as you can't find this flavor just anywhere... and in fact, you'd probably have to go all the way to Japan to get it!


I found my way to Chika's awesome blog via Mowielicious who just posted about Japan, also. He has a lovely looking dessert, which uses sakura flavoring in the buttercream frosting...  yum.... :-)

Image from Mowielicious

I feel so proud of everyone who is doing what they can from home... wherever that may be, to help out the people of Japan. Whether it's through blog posts, or donations, it has been all about supporting people in need. I saw that Aran from Cannelle et Vanille (one of my favorite food blogs) posted about Japan, as did Lenore of Lenorenevermore, and Brandi at Brandi girl blog, along with so many others. 


We are ALL connected, on a very basic level, and at times like this, we are reminded of that connection. 


I hope today finds you happy, healthy, and feeling loved....   

My Letter to the Universe

Dear Universe,


I know you're busy, but hear me out. My name is Shari. If you've been paying attention, you'd know that I was going along all status quo for most of my life (I'm not saying how long, because if you're paying attention, you already know!) until last year. Before last year, I didn't live the life that I'd imagined for myself. I was hiding in comfort and wearing a mask. 


Last year I decided to throw all caution to the wind, and I made big changes to my life that I was afraid to make. I made them anyway, and as you know, change is difficult. Also, change can hurt on a basic level. Still, I took a deep breath, wiped the sweat off my brow, the tears from my face, and I left my career. I left my friends and family, and the familiarity of my home state. I packed up very few things, along with my two cats, and I went to the other side of the continent.


I want you to know that I've been listening to you. That's why I left and faced my fears. You told me that life is full of risks, and that if you don't risk anything then you can't gain anything either. You told me that there are billions of amazing things out there, and that I haven't seen one millionth of them. You asked me to open my eyes, my heart, and my mind, and I did that. My heart is wide open and for the first time in a long time, it beats a different tune. 


My heart feels like it's ten times bigger than it was before I moved. I've had to stretch every part of myself during these difficult, changing months. Transformations were never easy, and I don't think they're supposed to be. Caterpillars to butterflies.... Teenager to adult.... Life to the after-life.... but there's always a reward, it seems to me. Whatever the transformation is, the energy unleashed by it is magic.

Photo by A. Tortorich

That fear that you built into my system to keep me from pain, well it worked sometimes. Other times I don't think it did, but that's okay. I'm learning when to pay attention. I've learned to let go of the fear that stops me from living life fully, and I've learned to pay attention to the fear when I'm driving and it's dark and rainy out. There's a big difference, I see that now. The difference between living and hiding, or living and dying, or living and thriving.


So, Universe, I want to thank you. I took your advice, and my life is FULL. My heart is full. My soul feels rejuvenated, and my spirit feels reborn. I think I'm through with most of the pain of transformation, but if not, that's okay! I know that on the other side of it, I will understand the reasons and I will come out better than before! You've taught me to find my strength and how to use it. You've shown me the beauty around me and how to open my eyes and my soul to it. THANK YOU. 


Love,

Shari

We are all ONE

Image Source

If you start with the Big Bang Theory, which you may or may not believe in, you start with the understanding that Life As We Know It began from one moment, from one basic material, at one starting point.

What this means to me is that we are all cut from the same cloth, which is made of the same fabric. And by "we" I mean: the earth, the sun, the stars, the animals, the trees, the humans, the oceans, the rivers, the clouds, lightning, bugs, butterflies, mold, paint, paper, scissors, rock. All things share the beginning with each other. Everything is connected!

Sometimes I feel it when I'm in nature, or feeling sublimely happy. It's when I'm feeling "at one" with the Universe. Do you ever feel it? Quantum physicists would say that at the level of the Unified Field I'm totally correct. We really are ALL ONE! I think that's amazing! We're not all islands. We don't die alone. We may FEEL alone sometimes, but in reality, we're always connected. Even when we don't know it or see it. It's true, you know?