.....choosing

Yogis,

I’m back from a gorgeous week at the beach.  Relaxed and tan.  Bottoms of my feet toughened by the sand, stones and black top. My season has arrived……summer! Wild and free. Not a care in the world.  And more in love with my grandson then ever…………

Checked the garden first as I always do.  Saying hello to all of my plants who have suddenly become so green and lush.  The wrens singing their song as I check my green beans and peas, expecting a large harvest but instead finding them eaten to the ground by one of my furry friends. Oh well. 

I sort the pile of mail and can’t help but notice the large postcard on top providing guidance on how to protect myself and my family from the Zika virus.  Yes, it is good to understand how to avoid inviting large mosquito populations, but I notice they don’t mention the bats, for which I offer plenty of housing.  But honestly I know the summer will also gift me with some mosquito bites. 

I unbag today’s paper and notice the front page. No, I am not going there and send it unceremoniously to the recycle bin.

I unpack.  Set my alarm, open my window and am ready to dive into bed when I notice the flashing light on my phone.  Messages.  Eight of them!  I never answer the home phone (hint, hint) and rarely check the messages and hope no one who still calls my home phone was trying to reach me last week. 

Here is the rundown:

·         Have I or any member of my family suffered from internal bleeding from the user of Xarelto?  If so, call this number

·         What do I think of Donald Trump?  Will I take this quick survey.

·         Mr. Herman from the IRS stating this is his second call and if I don’t call back there could be serious implications.

·         Have I had complications from a pelvic mesh implant?  This group is here to help me. 

·         This is the final call regarding my required grand jury appearance.  Now that one sounds serious………..

·         Etc., etc., etc.

Fear.  I almost forgot while soaking in the sun, surf and stars. 

Although even there I did here discussions on how could friends still be traveling abroad with all of the danger.  Possibilities of terrorist attacks on our homeland over the 4^th as we are probably due.  The potentials for our country after this election, and of course, Brexit.

Fear.  I am choosing not to go there. But let me be very clear….  It is a choice. 

We are surrounded by the news of all of these events.  Disease.  Politics.  Gun Violence.  Those who wish us harm.  Fear seeps in and contracts us.  Yet when we stop and notice this moment, 99.9% of the time everything is fine. The world shines. This 99.9%  of the time is love.  But Love does not sell. 

Everything has its roots in one of two energies.  Fear and Love. Everything. Each and every moment you chose one or the other.

So as you go through these next few days I challenge you to notice.  Notice the headlines in the paper.  Notice the first words when you turn on the news.  Notice the conversations around you. The mail, billboards and web sites.  Notice your thoughts.  Name all of them.  Fear or Love.  Because only when we notice can we then choose. 

As I left the Nationals baseball game a couple of hours ago, this quote hung on the fence as I turned the corner:

Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.

                                ~Yogi Berra

Love….and baseball,
SARAH