Sparks

 

Yesterday was another 'Web-less Wednesday' and I found it harder than usual to avoid the web.  I did get a zillion things done -- I have been hit lately with "Martha Stewart-itis" and I made curtains for our kitchen windows out of vintage bed sheets (I know--but it looks better than it sounds--trust me.) and then continued on to make sheers for our 'salle de bain' to camouflage the bumpy textured privacy glass that prevents our neighbor (who just happens to also be our land-lady) from being able to see us standing in our shower. Not so fun accomplishments; about five loads of laundry and cueing-up five more for today.

Petite Fille is on nap-strike.  For two days in a row she has decided that one nap in the morning pretty much takes care of it and she steadfastly refuses to be put down to bed again until nighttime....and then she pushes her normal 8-ish curfew to 11-ish-midnight.....strange.  That makes about a 9 to 11 hour stretch without sleep even though I have reminded her that she is only five months old and needs her beauty rest!

So to pass the time while I was sewing and NOT on the web...and Petite Fille was NOT napping, I plugged in a taping of the Oprah season finale and two-part gala shows.  I missed the entire last season (nope--no Oprah in France!) and truthfully I have really missed it.  At first I was skeptical that her last show would have no guests....and when it began I thought her dialogue was a bit Randy Pausch-Last Lecture--esque, and I was worried because that is one 'good-bye' speech that cannot be topped----ever.  (And his book is even more spectacular--read it if you get the chance--talk about reflections on life--wow!)

Oprah's final 'farewell' was inspiring to put it lightly--I found myself with tissue in hand and pen and paper as I furiously jotted down notes--this was after the first ten minutes of starring at the screen with jaw hanging...... so here is my summation--and remember these are her words, I am just paraphrasing because they ressonated so strongly with me.....and they may with you too.

What is your SPARK?  What sparks life in you?  What are things that wake-up your soul...inspire you....ignite your passion?  DO THESE THINGS--have them in your life.  Although we all need to 'make a living' and maybe we are not the lucky few that gets to turn passion into income....find your STAGE....and throw yourself out on that stage....

....and if you do, you will receive in direct proportion, what you gave.  

My stage is writing.  It has been for a very long time.  It began with one of my earliest inspirations; my second child, my 'bon vivant!'.......the day the floor fell out from beneath me when I learned he had Autism.  Four years later I had written enough to publish a book, and I did.  I threw myself out on that foreign stage and as mothers do--gave it everything I had....and got back, a million trillion times more in blessings, even more than I felt I deserved.

What is your stage? Is it listening? Mothering? Nurturing? Writing?  Singing? Dancing? Creating?

Second to writing, photography has become a strong passion for me.  Two years ago I picked up a camera and my passion for capturing a visual 'slice-of-life' continues every day.  This fall I will shoot 'Belle-Niece's" wedding--that will be a new 'stage' for me....one that both thrills me and makes me a teensy-tiny bit nervous.

Back to Ms. 'O'...... three last things:

You....YOU...are responsible for your life....not anyone else.  Not your mom, spouse, father, friend..... 

....and next;  No one else completes YOU.

and finally; WORTH ---YOU are worthy of happiness....because you are here.  HERE, here.... in this life, on your stage, living for your passion and we are the only one who can block our blessings... so don't.  Don't block them...live them.

That's the blog entry that I scratched out on paper after listening to Oprah's last show, but I will end this post with some words from another truly fabulous thinker and writer (world changer), Maya Angelou:

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style"

Wishing you all, passion, compassion, humor and style.......Find your spark--and enjoy!  

A bientot, mes amis!