Sunday, May 8, 2022
A Search for Belonging to Self
Friday, October 29, 2021
The Beginning Of A Journey. A Life Changing Journey For the Better
One cannot image the deluge of thought that plagues your mind when after 40 or more years of breast self-examinations (BSE), how haunting it is to discover a lump. I became more diligent and pedantic in my actions from that moment forward. Every day attempting to diffuse the discovery to nothing more than just fatty tissue or just big breast, my breasts. Then the pain began, striking fear into the very heart of the matter. It was searing pain like engorgement with breast milk, and you cannot pump or allow your baby to suckle just to release the tension.
The truth had arrived, and my
truth was that it was time to do something about it. Did the thought of cancer
cross my mind - resoundingly YES? But again, that was not possible, ME have
cancer. NO damn way and not now - in the prime of enjoying life such as it is
in the middle of an almost 2-year pandemic.
I learned from my late husband
the phrase - "Trust but verify." It was time to trust what I
felt and have a medical professional either deny or concur with my findings. Late
September and it was a beautiful sunny day. Unafraid I sat patiently in a room,
fidgeting as if something major was about to happen. I sent a voice note to my
soul-heart best friend, Jon while I agonizingly waited. The minutes ticking by
slowly. It was dreadful, then in a hiss and gentle roar in bounds my physician
with a broad beaming smile, saying Hello and what brings me in to see him. The
nerves gone; I find myself sheepishly expressing my concerns about a lump in my
breast.
Upon examination, the evidence
right there before both of us, eliminated any doubt that this was not something
else and a lump. The usual prescribed mammogram was up for bat and to my
surprise availability was only two days away. As I slowly walked down the
hallways of that hallow space, I felt relieved but now markedly concerned. A
mammogram, my first. Yes, I was a mammogram virgin. My breasts over the years
had not had the pleasure of smashed, fondled into a corner, squished, or laid out
for all the world to see up to this point.
I knew instinctively what was
about to happen. This was not a forecast but a deep knowing and yet I was not
afraid, that came later when I watched one of my best friends and my youngest
daughter crumble into tears at the news. The news that based on the mammogram,
without biopsy, I had breast cancer, however not a lump but two. My reaction
that day was to call all my family to let them know, it was not easy being
brave to share the news. It takes strength not to personalize reactions and yes,
I had my moments of wanting to hang up, say something mean but as my wise Mum
said you must understand how they must feel hearing that you, someone they love
has cancer.
The journey of Cancer is not
only about the patient but the family too. They need support and understanding
just as much as I do. Their hearts hurt, feel, and know at the worst, the price
is death, a loss of someone they have spent their whole lives knowing - a best
friend, a colleague, a sister, an aunt, a daughter, a niece, a grand-daughter,
a mother, and a wife. The toll for those left to endure such a horrific illness
is worth a hundred lifetimes.
Lifetimes have passed and I am
not the first or last to have a diagnosis of Cancer. I will be the first to see
the gift of this experience and find my courage, lessons, and strength in it. About
two to three days after this moment that I joked that I had the two for one
special and how do you buy bras for different sized breast. Will that be one
cup or two I said to one of my girlfriends in the wake of the aftermath.
God blessed me to be a well-endowed
woman and now the prospect of losing a breast caused me to feel the pain
emotionally of understanding what that loss may mean if it happened at all. I
left the forecasting of what was to come behind, understanding I had another
medical procedure that would seal the radiologists’ findings. The biopsy procedure
is the very moment, where certainty revealed, without compunction or question. I
was not afraid, I was grateful, yes grateful that in my lifetime, a cancer
diagnosis at this time and place gave me the opportunity to have hope because
science and technology had evolved so much more.
With a smile and being
unapologetically myself, I ventured into the place of discovery and found two
amazing woman made of the best soul heart connectivity I had ever chanced to
meet in such a life altering moment. Their care, concern and conversation made
all the difference especially when that vulnerable childlike soul swallowed
back the tears in a wincing reaction to pain, the understanding of what was
happening and feeling alone. Alone in the moment finding my courage and
strength to breath, appreciate, and find patience with the process. It was my
moment to stand into myself, believing that I had not come this far for
nothing.
I had not experienced a serious
depression, buried two children and a husband, been homeless and made redundant
twice to give up now. This was my moment of really digging in. A vision of
seeing what I capable of creating to overcome. The results were in and even the
Radiologist had to contain her emotions as she told me I had the most common
breast cancer - Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
My truth, my reality, I have
Cancer with a small 'C". When you face such a diagnosis, a shrill sound
goes through your soul heart and mind as stand in the reflection of your own
mortality. But it is a moment, it is not a definition of who I am now, and I am
not closing this chapter on my life as if I were handed a death sentence. I
understand for a handful of newly diagnosed cancer patients, which is exactly
how they feel; nothing prepares you for that. I feel your loss the moment you
closed your eyes, drew breath, and gave up. I have given up a million times, most
especially, in 2005 when I lost my son, only to stand up and remember that I am
worth fighting for, creating about, and living into.
I unapologetically wear my heart on my sleeve, cry over dog, babies, small children, 9-11, taps, a tragedy, chic flicks and a first kiss with someone special. I love life, remember that I am committed to forgiveness and gratitude in every breath I take. My heart sinks when I hear my Mum's voice say goodbye on the phone and it feels like the very last time especially now.
There is a deep knowing of life experiences
that I chose to use my shear will, moving forward, one step at a time. These events
in time, because that is all they are now, have not defined me. It is a refinement
of my soul perspective that chooses to see the deliciously, deliriously amazing
feelings of joy, hope, love, craving, passion, happy, purpose, wonderment,
surprise, learning, achieving, giving, serving, laughter and so much, much, more.
My anthem is this ...
I CAN-CERTAINLY WIN EVERY
DAY WHEN I CONNECT TO SOUL LANGUAGE POWERS
C - Constancy in belief of self
and my courage to have joy in this MOMENT
A - Answer to the call to live
into your NOW
N - Now has arrive to be
present to all my life CREATIONS
C - Champion your soul
languages as a SOURCE
E - Embrace energy that grows
from a choice of
POSITIVE POWER
R - Release all unbelief to
restore FAITH,
HOPE, LOVE & JOY
Sunday, October 24, 2021
A time to Create, A time to Stand
The statement that reigns frequently on my mind lately is that I have allowed myself to be an option with me and others around me rather than a choice. I can candidly say while that may have given me a payoff to serve others, it in the long run has left me out. Left me out of living into myself and the natural strengths and abilities that lay dormant like a volcano. What I am about to say is going to sound quite harsh and very judgmental but it is a truth. We are abusing ourselves when we choose to make ourselves an option not a choice. The very essence we create breaks down the very fiber of our being, our soul, our hearts. Granted this is my opinion but elementally the fabric of our lives are build on our soul, heart mind connection with ourselves.
This truth, of soul, heart mind connectiveness has never been more relevant and necessary for each of us. We stand at a time like no other before and the very synergy and design of our humanity is at risk, is at the center of life. In a blink of an eye life changes and we are never ready or all are at the epi center of an energy that can make or break us.
My life, my moments have brought me to realize something very simple. I choose myself, not out of greed or selfishness but because the greatest relationship I can ever create or develop is the one that I have with myself. I am not an option, living life fully is not an option, it is a gift to ourselves and those we love. I choose myself, my care, my word, my soul heart reactions to life and that by doing so, I will enrich the lives of others through how my perspective grows and truly sees. To see is to know, a deep knowing, without explanation just following. This moment, this time to create is part of that thinking. This is the season for me to write and capture my gift inside the lives of others.
I am on a journey to touch lives. To share stories, to elevate hope, bring joy, light, laughter and a giving energy into your lives every day. It is my goal to share my moments with myself and those that touch the lives of others, the unsung extraordinary heroes living ordinary lives.
Join me as I launch the written and spoken word of Michelle Moments - a place, a space where love, unconditional love, joy, hope, compassion and kindness dwell. Where we celebrate and champion each other.
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
An Extraordinary Gift
Have you ever been in search of light and love
in the darkest of moments? Did you find the light, inspiration, and hope that
you needed OR did it find you? Often, the message reached you just as it needed
to and in timeliness.
In a world of noise, a
message is created for you, yes you - wherever you are now; shared with love
and light.
Extraordinary - it is an
adjective to describe a state of being, beyond the usual, it is of character of
worth and remarkable. In the truest sense moving beyond ourselves in a
state of service with character that optimizes a connection to humanity.
Humanity which demands our compassion, forgiveness, hope, love, kindness in
disproportionate portions such as unconditional - without expectation of
return.
Being extraordinary is
to take the time to understand what matters most to those around you and live
into their perspective without judgement or coercion of our beliefs, without
manipulation to ensure you first. Simply put Extraordinary is taking the
ordinary and going the extra mile.
Gear yourself up and put on the mental vision of what light and love you can give to others in such an ordinary way. Ordinary is not mediocre, it is brilliance on fire because when coupled with extra, we can give marvelous gifts that do not cost you anything but your time, your energy from the soul and heart. It is small ripple effect it has will be felt for a lifetime. Let me share a deeply personal experience recently to illustrate this point. It is not being shared to gloat or ask for your sympathy but merely to invite a vision of effect.
Extraordinary is not as difficult as you may think. To be extraordinary takes a momemt to just decide to take the journey of discovery. A discovery of self, who you are and those things that intrinctly are you. For me it is to be kind, compassionate, forgiving, share what you have without reservation and give with a spirit of joy - wholehearted joy. In that very moment lives are touched forever changed. Stand tall, live into who you are on the inside, take a risk to give without reciprocation or expectation. I give because I am living from a space of creating, knowing my ripple, my kindness, care, heart, and soul is touching another, making a difference. A difference as I have often said lasts a life time.
It is about choices. The choice to follow what you know instinctively. To know is to feel. To feel is to truly hear, and to hear is to hear the sound, rhythm your soul speaks. In that conversation you will connect on a level that receives and gives with greater impact.
Stop today and listen for the soul queues that lead you into your humanity. Gifts that may be as small to you but greater to the other. Perhaps - hold open
a door, say Thank You or Good Morning with heart in your voice. Stop
today what you are doing now and make that call to someone you know is alone. Take a basket of
goodies with a note to a family you know is struggling. When the blessing
and generosity comes to you as it has to me, give to someone else your soul connected abundance and you will see how extraordinary looks and feels on you.
A smile broadly seen, a tear of thanks gently moving down a cheek, a long hug in appreciation is the vision of splendor dancing in my heart today and every day because Christmas, giving and Extraordinary are 365 days.
Monday, November 2, 2020
Unsung Extraordinary Heroes Living Ordinary Lives - A tribal Celebration of Light and Love - A Family Affair
Following my soul heart intuition, I find myself in a precariously happy place. That space on the vibration continuum was fueled by a preliminary get to know you interview with a family. The universe had spoken. I felt the call to action and my heart sent me packing with computer in hand and enthusiasm graced on my voice.
The next three blogs will be about the influence, individuals, families and communities have with one another and the family I will be introducing in this new series, carries a heart, soul light that radiates from the inside out despite tragedy.
We will not be visiting the tragedy because that is cruel and unusual punishment to embellish the dark of a moment in time when all seemed lost, lonely, uncertain, weary, and cold. Much like that lost puppy in the cold looking for a way home. Yet in that chill of life, they found refuge amongst the warm of love, support and coming together. Instead we will celebrate their victories through a life change that muddied the water but filled their buckets with sunshine.
There is more to tell and in truth there is not one morsel I want you to miss out on so I will leave you with this thought, knowing there is more to come soon. Here is your nugget of inspiration.
How do you feel about your Happy?
Saturday, October 17, 2020
Life Experiences - Will They Make or Break Us?
Realistically it is
better to stop, wave a fond farewell to our past selves and give ourselves
grace - forgiveness. This very key unlocks the potentiality to move
forward with renewed life. It is a key because it allows us to renew
hope, faith, and belief in ourselves. Forgiveness is a call to action
word. The root word FORGIVE is defined as to feel resentment against an
offender (yourself) - we no longer incite punishment or redress toward
ourselves. We make a concerted effort to censure ourselves for our past
misgivings. Do you get a sense of how powerful FORGIVE & FORGIVENESS
really is?
At that crossroad we
FORGIVE, let go of and put one foot in front of the other, knowing how
imperfect we really are. With that grace in hand, we then, step toward
that pool of water, that puddle on the ground, that reflection that catches our
eye and face it with a broken heart, heavy soul and tear stained cheeks,
quivering lips. Why must we face that image?
We face the image to
come to a place of indulging ourselves in celebrating all that we are.
Giving credence to our lives. Through the tears we can surely take a
moment to think on those instances however brief or long where we were our true
soulful self. You know those moments, when you decided not to yell at
your children for breaking curfew but smiled at them because you were so glad,
they were home. OR ... when your wife just found out her Dad died, and
she snapped at you. You held her tight. For me, it was giving grace -
forgiveness to the person(s) who harmed my daughter, my grandchildren, and
me. It is those moments in your life when being kind and sharing
all you must be given to one who has none. Those instinctive, soul driven
moments we denied we ever had and left at the curbside at the train station of
life.
It is time to find that
intuitive, instinctive self and be innovative in your vision, passion, and
purpose. Stephen De Sede often has said, "Life is not about
you." It is and I agree about everyone else around us. Which
brings me to the next learning - find a way to serve and give to others even in
that moment of facing a life changing path. Giving a part of yourself
away, will lead you to a journey of finding yourself. It is not just
about random acts of service because in truth, giving and service is an
everyday event. Ask yourself prayerfully, when in meditation or pondering
life to be guided to ways and people that you can serve. By making that
your intention, it will give you the strength and courage to keep going with an
attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude is a virtue
that every day we ought to practice with a passion. When we find the
grace of gratitude, we find everything that we have is enough. We
find that we have more than we ever realized. Gratitude gives us the opportunity
to celebrate life and its rich blessings of abundance even in a moment of hurt,
pain and suffering. This is not said to be morose but after the flame of
the fire has died down, there is a quintessential time and place to give
gratitude the grace it deserves in our life. Gratitude and giving to
others are great partners in the healing of the soul, heart, and mind.
Life is an evolution, a
journey where the destination is not nearly as important as the experiences we
have. Experience teaches us but does not define us. We define who
we become, and character is built by our intent.
I - I give selflessly
N - Nurture others and self
T - Timeless Gratitude
E - Empower with Kindness
N - Nirvana - transcend your suffering with
love for others
T - Touch lives soulfully every day.
My last words to champion YOU is this ...
Find your bliss point, your passion and give yourself permission to follow it. When you choose to do that very act, your soul, heart, and mind will celebrate. Listen to the whispers of the universe for your call to action because happiness, true soul depth happiness is up to us every step of the way. Others, things, and titles cannot give us happiness as much as we try to believe that. We, in the end, will garner happiness within ourselves through acts of self-loving, rather than self-loathing and incrimination. Do not take my word for it, perhaps it is time to put action behind your words and see how your perspective and vision changes.
Monday, October 12, 2020
UNNOWN HERO - A hero in the Making
Passionately spoken and articulated with empowerment, Stephen said, "Most people are trying to refocus what they are set on by forcing yourself to change and you are not going to.
"What matters to me, with all my soul and heart is that I write what my intuition and heart feel. Even greater, that it touches a life, (one soul) that indelibly inscribes a moment on their soul."
SOUL HEART RECOMMENDATION:
If you want to know now to shift your mind sight, your vision and purpose then check out the video link. Stephen De Sede's content will soulfully move you. His passion and purpose is clear. He is driven by his conviction to move humanity one soul at a time.
https://youtu.be/WgVEn19CAgk
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IMAGE: FIND YOUR PASSION: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/07/24/study-creating-your-passions-more-effective-finding-them
IMAGE: PHOENIX https://www.amazon.com/JAWO-Fantasy-Tapestry-Volcanic-Tapestries/dp/B07HBQK5LT
IMAGE: KEY https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-skeleton-key.htm
Saturday, October 10, 2020
UNSUNG EXTRAORDINARY HEROES - THE FEAR FACTOR and OUR NAKED TRUTH
Ironically, this month as we know asserts itself as the spook-able fall season where we deliberately go out of our way to get scared, feel the fear for a thrill. Amidst the ghouls, goblins, ghosts, the witching hour of truth is upon us. In retrospect, my first sentence speaks volumes about life and its impossibilities that we face fearfully every day and yet in the month of October we deliberately find courage to go to that haunted mansion, spook house even though we are scared out of our wits. In contrast, where does that courage to face that fear come from.
Why would we, again deliberately with passion, forethought and conviction go our of our way to experience a scare and yet those day to day moments where fear is present every moment do we not summon the same sense of courage.
at what I bring to the universe will not even help one person even though I know the truth - that it's a self driven ego and critical brain that steps in the puddle and garner's supreme doubt and self adversity so that I can keep the status quo.
As that sense initially starts to lessen it's grip, think for a moment, Who today, can I serve and be kind to? Shift your thinking to someone else instead of self. I have found as I think of how I can serve someone else in my moment of fear that those negative emotions do not suffocate me as much. Often it is a simple as sending a heart felt text or call to a friend.
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