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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Well Below The Surface

Sometimes…. Uh-oh. Whenever I start a post out with “sometimes” I turn all reflective and deep. I’m tired of reflective and deep. I want some shallow fun. I want giggles and twinkies. I want window shopping and red toenails. I want my favorite movie with extra buttery popcorn. NO MORE DEEP!

I should have been born with scuba gear on because my soul isn’t content unless it’s well below the surface, being carried away by mystical currents to esoteric places. I thrive on discovering the sunken significances of life—treasures lost by ancient vessels with limited days—much like you and I. The winds prevail, the ship sinks, (the ship always sinks) and the booty is pitched into the common deep, where aqueous angels guard the murky loot, sharing it with only those bold enough to brave the brine and claim the inheritance of past generations.

The ship needn’t sink in vain, nor life be lived for naught, for each soul is, in and of itself, a pearly treasure, having suffered many years of abrasions and barnacles in hopes of discovering the Jiminy Cricket truth on how to live this life. And how shall we live it? Bored and bitter? Mad and maniacal? Unhappy, unsettled, depressed and drunk?

Being somewhat practical in nature, I focused my search on the simplest aspects of life: the breathe in and out—get up and go of living. Like how to rise with joy and close my eyes at the end of the day in peace. Simple enough. Right? Wrong! I’ve thrown blue-faced tantrums before surrendering to a flood of Gethsemane tears. I’ve read a litany of mystics ( some with some pretty iffy spiritual connections) and then studied the scriptures in both Greek and Hebrew. I’ve fallen from more bandwagons than a drunken gypsy, and in the patient silence of nightfall, scanned the dark heavens for Divinity only to find a trillion sets of ironic eyes winking back at me.

I’ve tried it all. I even met Jesus on a deserted beach when I was 19, (who looked nothing like his pictures) only to have him say to me, “Seek, and ye shall find.”. Well gee Jesus, I thought you’d give me a free booklet of sagely wisdom. You mean I still have to learn how to live this life? I have to go back to error and experience? Yeah, that was a huge bummer, but luckily I didn’t have to return to the search alone. I now had a friend I could drag through the mess with me. Lucky Jesus.

Many years later, on a very ordinary day, I discovered the answer to my question in a book that had been in my possession for quite some time: The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle (thank you Oprah for recommending it). Like Dorothy in Oz, I discovered that the answer had been with me all along I just hadn’t recognized it. How shall I live this life? I shall live it one lip-licking moment at a time. Ha!

I know it seems I’m overly simplifying things here, but it really is that simple, for in this present moment is where God has set His throne. It’s where the magic lives. The love. The creativity. The peace. I have the power to hush the ghosts of my past and dreads of the future when I live in the ever present now. Always. New. Like right now. Here. With you.

Life is still a huge challenge littered with the debris of experimentation on how to actually stay in the moment and ignore my ever chattering thoughts, (that’s another 100 posts) but at least now I have a blissful basilica right here on earth where my life is contemporary and vital.

So there you have it: the culmination of 55 years of Leah’s scuba-souling, nutshelled into one simple moment. It amazes me how much you can fit into a moment.

Okay, enough deep stuff for today. I’m heading back up to the surface. I have some Christmas Shopping to do. Perhaps I’ll pick up some Rudolf-Red nail polish for these toes of mine. They’ll be real Christmassy—mistletoes!

Sorry. I couldn’t resist. Tis the season isn’t it?

30 comments:

Marie Loerzel said...

I love your eloquent reflective deepness! Submerge! Submerge!

Leah Griffith said...

Marie, I was just heading over to your place for some fun! Salt Lake City here I come;)

Dangerous Linda said...

I was thinking the same thing about taking a dance on the lighter side -- we are in sync as usual.

I enjoyed The Power of Now, although I think there's a bit of a paradox because we, as humans, are made to grow and 'accomplish' things IMO. Possibly 'striving', even striving to understand, has gotten a bad rap in the New Age.

Going to incubate on magic and fun...TTFN ;-*

Jessica M said...

I always love your posts...You have an articulate and elaborate writing style...Very descriptive and engaging. I could relate to when you wrote:

"I should have been born with scuba gear on because my soul isn’t content unless it’s well below the surface, being carried away by mystical currents to esoteric places."

Great post! :)

Leah Griffith said...

We usually are in sync Linda. LOL!! Soul sisters;)

I agree it is a paradox. What I have learned is that there is a difference between fretting and working hard. Fretting comes from fear and hard work from inspiration. Striving in the Spirit;)

Let me know what you come up with for fun and magic!

Leah Griffith said...

Thank you Jessica. When I write spiritual stuff it comes out differently then when I'm writing fiction. Anyway, this was a post that I'd been thinking of doing for a while. Just thinking out loud I guess;) You're a scuba diver too Jessica. I love your writings.

Cperz said...

You and I have a lot in common. Every post you do, while always stated far more eloquently than I could, bears out some of our similarities.

I think, generally, children that have dealt with some chaos in their lives, grow up looking for happy endings. Always looking for the Prince to save us, leaves us unsettled.

I always see humor in your posts, and I continually laugh my way through life. My point being that I suspect we both have profoundly funny senses of humor. That isn't to say that both of us don't analyze and contemplate all aspects of our lives. (in my own case, that might be over-analyze and over-contemplate)

I tend to live in the moment. A psychologist friend tells me that children that were abused tend to do this to protect themselves from worrying about the future or remembering the past. The problem with living only for today is that you literally forget some of the past and are caught off guard by things that come up unexpectedly....but they shouldn't have been unexpected at all.

Karen Wojcik Berner said...

I was having a particularly introspective day today as well, Leah. I hear ya about having some fun! P.S. Your phraseology is eloquent and amazing--just like you, I suspect.

Adriene said...

Misletoes, I like that! ;p Don't stop being deep, Leah. It suits you. Besides, I think deep people have the most fun because they understand how precious each moment is.

Julia said...

Oh, damn! I seriously couldn't love you more, Leah Griffith! You have no idea how relevant and right on these words are for me today.

Brooke & I were sitting in her living room this morning laughing our asses off at how much our f***ing minds love to complicate what is so f***ing simple...come back, come back to HERE, to this very moment! That's it.

"How shall I live this life? I shall live it one lip-licking moment at a time. Ha!"

I love the f***ing simplicity of this. Sorry to use the f word so much but, damn...I'm tired of the mind trying to f with it all. I'm just tired and want to simply BE where I AM.

Thank you for being yet another reminder of truth.

Loving you so.

Leah Griffith said...

Cheryl, we are alike in many ways and I'm certain that our difficult childhoods have something to do with it. I still believe in happy endings, although "happy" is open for interpretation. It might not appear happy but all things work for our good. I no longer wait for the prince to ride in and save me. Okay, sometimes I wish for him to appear but deep down I know that I am my own prince-ess;)

I think I would have lost my mind years ago if it wasn't for my sense of humor. I love to laugh and play. It keeps me balanced. That's what I love about your blog. It makes me laugh and carries me away to places I never would have visited on my own.

I appreciate your presence here Cheryl. You always give me such a boooost!

XO

Leah Griffith said...

Karen, there must be something in the water that is making so many of us reflective today. Although I must admit, I'm like this most of the time. LOL!! Christmas brings out the mush in me which sends me over the top sometimes. I love it though. It's who I am.

I wish we were neighbors so we could have tea and a good lengthy chat. That would be sweet.

Leah Griffith said...

Adriene, thank you dear lady. Yes, I'm deep as I suspect you are too. Let's enjoy our moments and remember to always say thank you...and to stock up on whoopie cushions and fake doggy doo. LOL!!

Leah Griffith said...

Julia! F***ing A!!! It's so damn simple yet so f***ing easy to forget! I love the image of you and Brooke laughing at each other. What a pack of dunder heads we are, complicating life as we do.

I was telling Karen that there must be something in our water today because so many of us are on the same wave length. I love when that happens...it validates the spiritual connection we all share.

Stay in the happy moment sweet lady. I love you soooo much. Give Brooke big hugs too;)

Martha Jane Orlando said...

"Like Dorothy in Oz, I discovered that the answer had been with me all along I just hadn’t recognized it. How shall I live this life? I shall live it one lip-licking moment at a time. Ha!"
At so many points in this scuba-diving journey of my own, have I heard in heart and head quotes from this movie. It has been a beloved one since childhood. When we seek outside of what is already in our backyard, we miss the boat and the message. It truly is ever in our power to "go home", to get it right, to meet Jesus on the beach or in the mountains, in the cities, the towns, the farms. He is there.
We may need to dive deeply to see Him, but once we recognize the Him in us, we can thrive anywhere.
Thank you, dear Leah, for this amazing post. My heart is rejoicing because of your words.
Love and blessings!
Martha

Rimly said...

The Power of Now really turned my life around. I still struggle to be in the moment but most of the time I am here, in the now. Loved your easy flow of words.

http://rimlybezbaruah.blogspot.in/2012/11/breaking.html

Leah Griffith said...

Yes Martha, The Wizard of OZ has always spoken to me on many levels. I remember seeing it for the first time. Those flying monkeys scared the shoes off me. Then that witch with the green face! Yikes! Now I know that my life is not so unlike Dorothy's. We are all on this epic journey where passions collide with purpose and dreams really do come true.
I love you my sister.
Big hugs and blessings!

Leah Griffith said...

Rimly, I have a collection of books on hand that speak about living in the moment, quieting one's mind, being grateful and brave. There are so many wonderful people in this world with so much to share. Each of us are amazing and full of purpose if we will only see it.
Love and hugs,
Leah

Corinne Rodrigues said...

Just checking if my earlier comment went through, Leah.

Leah Griffith said...

Corinne, I have no other comment from you but the one you just sent. Try again honey.

Galen Pearl said...

I love that book, too. A Course in Miracles calls this the holy instant, the gateway to eternity. I love that sacredness of it.

Poet Desh said...

well-written.
-Poet Desh

Corinne Rodrigues said...

Sorry about the missing comment, Leah. Your post really got me thinking (as always) and this might spiral into another post someday soon. I was wondering if those of us who are introspective have a harder time in life? We're always looking for answers within ourselves - trying out new ways of thinking and believing...Sometimes we manage to complicate what can be so simple by over analyzing. If we're lucky, we find the inspiration to work things out. I do hope I'm making sense. :)

JANU said...

Diving deep into oneself...being reflective and your words...so profound and full of wisdom.

Leah Griffith said...

Galen, I've always wanted to read a Course in Miracles. I've read a Return to Love and it was amazing. I'm reading it again....

Leah Griffith said...

Corinne you are making sense. Some people don't look for answers. They are satisfied with the seemingly obvious answers. They feel very at home here on planet earth. I have never felt at home here. And yes, we do tend to over think life, making the simple things complex and often giving ourselves a hard time/mental trip. But I'm glad to be who I am and that you are who you are. It's so us;)

Leah Griffith said...

Desh, thank you for your kind words and for the visit.

Leah Griffith said...

Janu, you're a deep sea diver too. Do you think women are more apt to go deep than men? It seems that way.

Deepak Kripal said...

Hey Leah.. nice post..
It amazes me how much you can fit into a moment.. great thought..

living in the moment is an art..
i wish we could always do that.. but the past and future often hinder the joy and pleasure that present brings..

beautiful thoughts..

Melissa Tandoc said...

Well, I truly love you for who and what you are. I haven't met so many people like you. I so love that you respond to the 'call' to dig deep.

Plus you're funny in such a graceful way ;) Lots of love :)

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