My mom recently passed and I feel like now is my time to spread my wings. I can apply all the lessons she taught me, find strength in the laughter we shared together, and see what my identity is like in this new version of me. I’m not sure where the journey will take me but a part of me is excited to what joyful moments are still left in this life. I want to soar because that’s what my mom would have wanted for me too.
I am sorry for your loss as well but glad you know that your Mom would want you to live a great life! She will always be with you. I lost my Mother 25 yrs ago. 🙏🌹
I’m sorry to hear of the loss of your mother,
dear Courtney . . .
it sounds like she left you
with wonderful gifts
that you can carry for the rest of your life. ♥
Every new day is a day to unfold. Being invited to spread my wings? I will sing today and play music, exercising my inner wings with joy and tenderness for the space inbetween. Sometimes this may help to become aware of what might be an invitation I don´t know of.. May you all have a lovely day full of lovely sounds.
There has been a lot of tension at work as my boss will be going out of the country for a week and a half next month. We are all feeling the pressure of being able to handle things while she is gone. Today I had my mid year review (which went very well) and although lately I have been only thinking about retiring I decided only to be positive and focus on kindness. She deserves this vacation big time!
I am also (as I said yesterday) looking forward to my daughter’s visit soon and hoping for some great weather during her visit to do some fun things.
Back in the day,
I hatched a seagull from an egg . . .
it already had a chip in the shell,
so I knew he was ready.
When he grew his flying feathers,
I’d take him to the top of the bluff overlooking the harbor
and set him on the roof of my 1959 volkswagen,
go down the hill
and call out to him . . .
he would flap, flap, flap his wings,
jump,
and fall on the ground.
Over and over
we’d repeat the exercise
until finally he lifted off,
and it was exhilarating to watch him finally fly.
He continued to stay with me,
going off to be with the other gulls,
and flying home for something to eat and a visit . . .
eventually,
he became a full-fledged herring gull,
and joined the community he was meant to be a part of.
I’ll always remember that first flight
and my heart still leaps a little when I think of it.
I have had many false flights . . .
flap, flap, flapping my wings,
jumping,
and falling to the ground
over and over again,
sometimes remaining airborne for a few heartbeats,
but never quite able to soar into the sky.
But I have faith
that someday
I will fly. ♥
I also loved reading this story. What patience and love you showed this herring gull. I also thought of the song ‘Seabird’ by Alessi Brothers, have you heard it?
Wow– thank you for sharing this beautiful, moving experience and connection with another living being, Sparrow! I didn’t realize that birds aren’t always successful on their first attempt at flying. I thought that instinct kind of just kicked in and they would fly the first time they tried.
I happen to have four birds’ nests around my house
(that I know of),
dear Elizabeth . . .
two wrens, a phoebe,
and a robin’s nest.
When the young are of an age to fly,
the parents sit in nearby branches
and call out to the children,
coaxing them out of the nest . . .
it can get quite noisy around fledgling time. 🙂
Yesterday’s question was about trying something new.
I was interested in a few responses related to letting go
of self limiting beliefs.
Letting go of these beliefs would be something new.
It would be freeing.
I would be able to see more possibilities
and have more confidence to act on them.
Today’s question is about becoming free.
I know it’s time to drop my my limiting beliefs about who I am,
but I am wondering about how to do this.
I think that part of the answer is to push ahead even when I am doubting myself.
Another part of the answer is to start leading with my curiosity,
and then deal with my doubts as they come up.
I think that’s it.
Leading with my curiosity is the way for me to begin.
What helps me is to remember that everyone I may interact with knows something I do not. On the other hand none of humankind is better, worse, more, less than anyone else in particular. I am enough. We are enough. Thank you Mary.
The first thing that came to my mind is an event that I am hosting in a couple of weeks which is something new and a risk for me. But I love the idea that some who have responded here have shared of thinking of this new beginning of a day as an invitation to spread my wings. I think of this line from “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis (I changed the pronouns to feminine):
“She that loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; she is free, and cannot be held in. She gives all for all, and she has all in all, for she rests in One highest above all things, from whom all that is good, flows and proceeds.”
I can see why the gratefulness team chose today’s quote from Jean Shinoda Bolen: “That moment of inward breath, that pause and awareness of “how beautiful this is” is a prayer of appreciation, a moment of gratitude in which I behold beauty and am one with it.” to accompany today’s question: How am I being invited to spread my wings right now?
For me and maybe it is because of my age, spreading my wings is synonymous with “being willing.” I was searching my journal archives and I found this beautiful message from Terry Hershey and pasted it below. And so, this is how I will spread my wings today and hopefully every day I am given. Wishing blessings on each and everyone of you.
“Here’s the alternative [to complaining]: You begin each day by saying a blessing.
In fact, Jewish tradition tells us that we should probably say a hundred a day.
They’re little things, really. I’m grateful for the new day. I’m grateful for the ability to walk to the coffee pot and the taste of that first cup of coffee.
Blessings are ways that connect us to the wonder of daily life.
And here’s the interesting thing. Once you begin to acknowledge blessings and gratitude, you begin to feel blessed.
Then when you feel blessed, those inconveniences that you noticed before — they’re not quite so visible now. ”
— Terry Hershey
New Morning Treasury
I’m being invited to trust in myself, my training/practice, and my body. I have a triathlon coming up soon, and I’m nervous, but I have been consistent and just need to trust at this point!
Oh wow– I hope that the triathlon will be a great experience for you, Drea! I have thought sometimes of what you shared awhile back about thanking your muscles as working out, and I have applied that when I have been doing arm strengthening exercises. You REALLY have been giving yourself opportunities to thank your muscles! 💪♥️
Thanks Elizabeth! Yes, this training has certainly compelled me to think about energy reserves and using them wisely. Also it has become clear to me that muscles are how we act in the world! Without them we wouldn’t move at all. So I’m definitely humbled by the process.
The last 2 months without Ngoc has allowed me to spread my wings. I’ve been putting myself in a more favorable position to receive care from my root people and working on integrity. It’s all finally paying off. She’s returning home for extended time, and I’ll be going with my parents this evening to pick her up.
Elizabeth, as a 2nd generation Vietnamese American with a mild case of autism and mental health struggles, I’ve become too good at backstage politics out of protection. Along the way, I’ve picked up on curruptive habits as well. Your line reminds me that it’s entirely possible to branch out while connecting to the root.
2024 and 2025 have been filled with months of growth. I don’t know exactly when and how I will be spreading my wings but small things at work and personal life mixed with prayer and reflection are leaving a feeling of anticipation that a faithful leap or leaps are coming. I use faithful leap cause gonna have to rely on those wings too unfold and work.
There are so many good quotes about taking leaps of faith… I like what Barb shared, and here’s another one:
“She took a leap of faith and grew her wings on the way down.” ~ David Brinkley
I also like – “Leap, and the net will appear.” ~ Julia Margaret Cameron
This reminded me of this quotation: “When you come to the edge of all that you know, you must believe one of two things: either there will be ground to stand on, or you will be given wings to fly.”
― O.R. Melling, The Summer King
Like many questions, this took me a minute. I mean, I’ve learned not to wait for invitations. Things have happened in my life when I have decided to stop waiting for someone or something to come along. Maybe I’m reading this wrong.
On the other hand, there are always opportunities that are presenting themselves and it’s my job to be present enough to recognize them. Staying present and in the moment is the best I can do.
Charlie, your words remind me to stay present, too. Sometimes it’s too easy to get locked up in some idea of the future and bypass all the opportunities right here.
My path is opening up with more opportunities to share the practice of Yoga, which is allowing me to continue working on releasing all the old stories about myself that are not true… the ones that told me I wasn’t good enough or worthy of happiness and success. I know better now and accept the offer to spread my wings and fly!
Learning to trust in Life, God, the Universe has been one of my greatest lessons. That, and letting go of what others expect me to do over what I truly want to do. I’m so grateful to be sharing yoga in the capacity that I am!
To soar above the tree tops and over the mountains. Alas I have no wings, so I must wait for one of those elusive flying dreams. Peace, love and may all observe the beauty some winged beings in flight today.
Last time I saw one of those marsupials was in a campground by Aransas Pass ,Texas. The fellow I was with had never seen an opossum before. He thought it was a giant rat, just ambling along by the camp fire and was freaking out! Thanks for the memory jog Michele. That was about 43 years ago, come November.
How cool that you saw a possum. We don’t have them where I live, but I am generally in awe of urban wildlife. Possums are such an old species. I’d love to see one again. Have a wonderful Tuesday too.
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My mom recently passed and I feel like now is my time to spread my wings. I can apply all the lessons she taught me, find strength in the laughter we shared together, and see what my identity is like in this new version of me. I’m not sure where the journey will take me but a part of me is excited to what joyful moments are still left in this life. I want to soar because that’s what my mom would have wanted for me too.
Courtney, my condolences on your “mother loss,” and Blessings on a new Journey. Her love is forever and will guide you. Nameste
I am sorry for your loss as well but glad you know that your Mom would want you to live a great life! She will always be with you. I lost my Mother 25 yrs ago. 🙏🌹
I’m sorry to hear of the loss of your mother,
dear Courtney . . .
it sounds like she left you
with wonderful gifts
that you can carry for the rest of your life. ♥
My condolences to you, Courtney. I’m very sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. It sounds like she left a beautiful legacy.
I’m sorry about your mom, Courtney.
My condolences to you on the loss of your mom.
Every new day is a day to unfold. Being invited to spread my wings? I will sing today and play music, exercising my inner wings with joy and tenderness for the space inbetween. Sometimes this may help to become aware of what might be an invitation I don´t know of.. May you all have a lovely day full of lovely sounds.
There has been a lot of tension at work as my boss will be going out of the country for a week and a half next month. We are all feeling the pressure of being able to handle things while she is gone. Today I had my mid year review (which went very well) and although lately I have been only thinking about retiring I decided only to be positive and focus on kindness. She deserves this vacation big time!
I am also (as I said yesterday) looking forward to my daughter’s visit soon and hoping for some great weather during her visit to do some fun things.
Congrats on your good review, Robin Ann, and I hope you and your daughter have a lot of fun and good weather.
Back in the day,
I hatched a seagull from an egg . . .
it already had a chip in the shell,
so I knew he was ready.
When he grew his flying feathers,
I’d take him to the top of the bluff overlooking the harbor
and set him on the roof of my 1959 volkswagen,
go down the hill
and call out to him . . .
he would flap, flap, flap his wings,
jump,
and fall on the ground.
Over and over
we’d repeat the exercise
until finally he lifted off,
and it was exhilarating to watch him finally fly.
He continued to stay with me,
going off to be with the other gulls,
and flying home for something to eat and a visit . . .
eventually,
he became a full-fledged herring gull,
and joined the community he was meant to be a part of.
I’ll always remember that first flight
and my heart still leaps a little when I think of it.
I have had many false flights . . .
flap, flap, flapping my wings,
jumping,
and falling to the ground
over and over again,
sometimes remaining airborne for a few heartbeats,
but never quite able to soar into the sky.
But I have faith
that someday
I will fly. ♥
I also loved reading this story. What patience and love you showed this herring gull. I also thought of the song ‘Seabird’ by Alessi Brothers, have you heard it?
No,
I hadn’t heard of the song,
dear Drea,
but it sounds a little
like a gull soaring over the water. 🙂
Wow– thank you for sharing this beautiful, moving experience and connection with another living being, Sparrow! I didn’t realize that birds aren’t always successful on their first attempt at flying. I thought that instinct kind of just kicked in and they would fly the first time they tried.
I happen to have four birds’ nests around my house
(that I know of),
dear Elizabeth . . .
two wrens, a phoebe,
and a robin’s nest.
When the young are of an age to fly,
the parents sit in nearby branches
and call out to the children,
coaxing them out of the nest . . .
it can get quite noisy around fledgling time. 🙂
♥️
I agree with the others, loved reading this beautiful story, thank you Sparrow.
It was a beautiful experience too,
dear Michele,
but I don’t recommend that you try it,
as I have since learned
that it is illegal.
What a wonderful story! Thank you for sharing.
It was a wonderful time of my life,
dear Barb , , ,
perhaps some day
I will share more of it. ♥
Beautiful, Sparrow!
Such a beautiful post.
This is poetry. ☀️
It was the bird who was poetry,
not me,
dear Mary . . . ♥
What a wonderful experience. Thank you for sharing that lovely time in your life, dear Sparrow.
It was,
dear Joseph . . .
a lovely time in my life.
I forget sometimes. ♥
Yesterday’s question was about trying something new.
I was interested in a few responses related to letting go
of self limiting beliefs.
Letting go of these beliefs would be something new.
It would be freeing.
I would be able to see more possibilities
and have more confidence to act on them.
Today’s question is about becoming free.
I know it’s time to drop my my limiting beliefs about who I am,
but I am wondering about how to do this.
I think that part of the answer is to push ahead even when I am doubting myself.
Another part of the answer is to start leading with my curiosity,
and then deal with my doubts as they come up.
I think that’s it.
Leading with my curiosity is the way for me to begin.
Leading with curiosity is very rewarding in my experience, Mary. Wishing you much to be curious about.
I too,
think that curiosity
might be the way for you to begin,
dear Mary . . . ♥
Yes, Sparrow. That feels right to me. ♥️
What helps me is to remember that everyone I may interact with knows something I do not. On the other hand none of humankind is better, worse, more, less than anyone else in particular. I am enough. We are enough. Thank you Mary.
Thank you Joseph. ♥️
The first thing that came to my mind is an event that I am hosting in a couple of weeks which is something new and a risk for me. But I love the idea that some who have responded here have shared of thinking of this new beginning of a day as an invitation to spread my wings. I think of this line from “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis (I changed the pronouns to feminine):
“She that loves, flies, runs, and rejoices; she is free, and cannot be held in. She gives all for all, and she has all in all, for she rests in One highest above all things, from whom all that is good, flows and proceeds.”
Thank you for that quote, Elizabeth.
Yes, Elizabeth, I agree.
Each new day is an opportunity to spread my wings.
(And actually, the same could be said for each new moment.)
What a gorgeous quote, Elizabeth.
Wishing you strength and insight as you approach your event, Elizabeth.
Thank you, Drea!
I can see why the gratefulness team chose today’s quote from Jean Shinoda Bolen: “That moment of inward breath, that pause and awareness of “how beautiful this is” is a prayer of appreciation, a moment of gratitude in which I behold beauty and am one with it.” to accompany today’s question: How am I being invited to spread my wings right now?
For me and maybe it is because of my age, spreading my wings is synonymous with “being willing.” I was searching my journal archives and I found this beautiful message from Terry Hershey and pasted it below. And so, this is how I will spread my wings today and hopefully every day I am given. Wishing blessings on each and everyone of you.
“Here’s the alternative [to complaining]: You begin each day by saying a blessing.
In fact, Jewish tradition tells us that we should probably say a hundred a day.
They’re little things, really. I’m grateful for the new day. I’m grateful for the ability to walk to the coffee pot and the taste of that first cup of coffee.
Blessings are ways that connect us to the wonder of daily life.
And here’s the interesting thing. Once you begin to acknowledge blessings and gratitude, you begin to feel blessed.
Then when you feel blessed, those inconveniences that you noticed before — they’re not quite so visible now. ”
— Terry Hershey
New Morning Treasury
That’s good stuff. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Carol, and blessings to you too.
That’s great, Carol. Thank you so much for posting Terry Hershey’s message!
Thank you Carol.
“Blessings are ways that connect us to the wonder of daily life.”
I have found all of this to be true,
dear Carol.
Thank you for posting Terry Hershey’s message. ♥
I’m being invited to trust in myself, my training/practice, and my body. I have a triathlon coming up soon, and I’m nervous, but I have been consistent and just need to trust at this point!
You’ve got this, Drea!
Thank you so much Sunnypatti!
Good luck on your upcoming triathlon 🙂
Thank you Michele!
Wow, Drea!
I admire your level of commitment.
I’m sure you’ll even wow yourself!
Thank you Mary, I appreciate your encouragement!
Impressive to say the least Drea. May the wind be behind your back.
Thank you Joseph!
Wow that is awesome!
Thank you Robin Ann!
Oh wow– I hope that the triathlon will be a great experience for you, Drea! I have thought sometimes of what you shared awhile back about thanking your muscles as working out, and I have applied that when I have been doing arm strengthening exercises. You REALLY have been giving yourself opportunities to thank your muscles! 💪♥️
Thanks Elizabeth! Yes, this training has certainly compelled me to think about energy reserves and using them wisely. Also it has become clear to me that muscles are how we act in the world! Without them we wouldn’t move at all. So I’m definitely humbled by the process.
The last 2 months without Ngoc has allowed me to spread my wings. I’ve been putting myself in a more favorable position to receive care from my root people and working on integrity. It’s all finally paying off. She’s returning home for extended time, and I’ll be going with my parents this evening to pick her up.
May your reunion with Ngoc be all you expect Loc Tran.
Loc Tran, this reminds me of a line from the hymn “Spirit of Life”: “Roots hold me close; Wings set me free”.
So glad that you and Ngoc get to be together again ♥️
Elizabeth, as a 2nd generation Vietnamese American with a mild case of autism and mental health struggles, I’ve become too good at backstage politics out of protection. Along the way, I’ve picked up on curruptive habits as well. Your line reminds me that it’s entirely possible to branch out while connecting to the root.
2024 and 2025 have been filled with months of growth. I don’t know exactly when and how I will be spreading my wings but small things at work and personal life mixed with prayer and reflection are leaving a feeling of anticipation that a faithful leap or leaps are coming. I use faithful leap cause gonna have to rely on those wings too unfold and work.
They will unfold; I can vouch for that!
There are so many good quotes about taking leaps of faith… I like what Barb shared, and here’s another one:
“She took a leap of faith and grew her wings on the way down.” ~ David Brinkley
I also like – “Leap, and the net will appear.” ~ Julia Margaret Cameron
🙂
This reminded me of this quotation: “When you come to the edge of all that you know, you must believe one of two things: either there will be ground to stand on, or you will be given wings to fly.”
― O.R. Melling, The Summer King
Lovely.
Love this!
What a beautiful expression of trust,
dear Barb!
Thank you for posting it . . .
it is a keeper. ♥
I like the term faithful leap, Deann. Thank you.
Like many questions, this took me a minute. I mean, I’ve learned not to wait for invitations. Things have happened in my life when I have decided to stop waiting for someone or something to come along. Maybe I’m reading this wrong.
On the other hand, there are always opportunities that are presenting themselves and it’s my job to be present enough to recognize them. Staying present and in the moment is the best I can do.
Charlie, your words remind me to stay present, too. Sometimes it’s too easy to get locked up in some idea of the future and bypass all the opportunities right here.
My path is opening up with more opportunities to share the practice of Yoga, which is allowing me to continue working on releasing all the old stories about myself that are not true… the ones that told me I wasn’t good enough or worthy of happiness and success. I know better now and accept the offer to spread my wings and fly!
Yes, that old story about not being good enough has bedeviled me.
I’m happy to see you putting yours to rest.
I’m working on doing the same! 🌷🌷🌷
It has been quite a process, but so worth it! I know you can do it, too 🙂
You are very inspiring Sunnypatti!
Thank you, Robin Ann!
Sunnypatti reading your posts through all your leaps have been inspiring- your moves, changes in professions. So very happy for you.
Learning to trust in Life, God, the Universe has been one of my greatest lessons. That, and letting go of what others expect me to do over what I truly want to do. I’m so grateful to be sharing yoga in the capacity that I am!
To soar above the tree tops and over the mountains. Alas I have no wings, so I must wait for one of those elusive flying dreams. Peace, love and may all observe the beauty some winged beings in flight today.
Joseph, my flying dreams were always nightmares. I had no control over the movement of my body as it flew.
I hope that you have a non-nightmare, beautiful flying dream sometime soon ♥️
Thank you Elizabeth.
Nothing comes to mind this morning. I just saw a opossum in my backyard which was cool, no wings, but cool.
Happy Tuesday ya’ll.
Last time I saw one of those marsupials was in a campground by Aransas Pass ,Texas. The fellow I was with had never seen an opossum before. He thought it was a giant rat, just ambling along by the camp fire and was freaking out! Thanks for the memory jog Michele. That was about 43 years ago, come November.
How cool that you saw a possum. We don’t have them where I live, but I am generally in awe of urban wildlife. Possums are such an old species. I’d love to see one again. Have a wonderful Tuesday too.
Each day is an invitation to begin again, to expand and include whatever the day offers.
Such a great answer, Laura!
Very true, Laura.