When I returned from work yesterday, I needed to rest, so I sat down with a magazine I had picked up at mother's. "Good Housekeeping" for September 2008. Opening the magazine at random, it opened to a page which was an essay by Kate Braestrup entitled "Open Your Heart". Perfect, I thought,.... and it was!
When we are in times where fear is being spread, we must breathe deeply and learn to reach out to those around us. Here is my favorite paragraph from her essay....
"The spiritual challenge we're offered as human beings doesn't vanish when times are hard. If the economy is contracting, a human heart can nonetheless continue to expand, finding new opportunities for gratitude, compassion, and generosity. To stay open to love is doubtless an effective way of weathering a recession, and I could recommend it for that reason alone. If I am honest, I have to say it more plainly still: To stay open to love is simply and always The Way. "
Other blog posts encourage us to open our hearts. If you missed the trip Maryam made to Rwanda, see my previous post.
Colette of "A Bird in the Hand" had a post about more local needs.
[note: the photo above, of the open window, was saved in a desktop file. I save photos for inspiration. However, I have no record of whose photo this is. Please leave word for me in the comments or email if it is your photo....I apologise for using it without permission and would like to correct the issue!]
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Don't forget to leave a comment on my October 1st post if you'd like to be entered in my birthday art giveaway... through tomorrow. I will be drawing a name on the 16th.
AND.....please go by Julie's blog (Celtic Lady...in my sidebar) and vote for a winner (vote for me!!LOL!) in the Fireside Fancies art contest!
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Another place to open your heart, for a young friend with ALS.
6 comments:
Read Colette's post and your comment. I care too! Have tried to help especially when I worked downtown where there are alot of homeless. Yes I've noticed others look away in disgust,as if they weren't human. So sad!
Unfortunately however I am still self absorbed hanging in there picking up pieces of my life.
Hmmm someone's Birthday tomorrow I hear????
love that picture!
and yes to love, and forgiveness too ;-)
Don't forget to post a link to my blog so people can vote for you!
I enjoyed the excerpt, Lila! And I VOTED! Good luck!
I'm going to enjoy reading your blog! Love the photograph and reading the excerpt!
Hi Lila. I saw your lovely doll on Carmen's blog. I came to your post and read your words. I just did some opening my heart which was a bit scary. I have a feeling now what I did was the right thing. Thank you for sharing the paragraph with me.
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