I Forget to Remember

Jack Kerouac Road in Frisco. copyright Diane Ludeking 2010

I forget to remember that nothing is permanent.

I forget to remember how much I enjoy the therapeutic effects of essential oils and minerals.

I forget to remember how beautiful the Driftless Region is.

I forget to remember my gifts as a horsewoman, writer, teacher, friend.

I forget to remember that cayenne pepper makes my ears burn.

I forget to remember to laugh and cry.

I forget to remember to meditate, sweat, write and play everyday.

I forget to remember that consuming too much sugar is a slow death.

I forget to remember the rancid smell of puppy farts and the magical odor of jasmine.

I forget to remember the medicine in music and travel, friends and strangers, animals and nature.

I forget to remember that my body prefers raw, vegetarian foods and lots of pure water.

I forget to remember to embrace winter before the heat and humidity of summer.

I forget to remember that an acorn can only become a mighty oak.

I forget to remember that my barefoot shoes will give me the enthusiasm of a kid again only when I wear them.

I forget to remember the blessings of people I don’t see often enough.

I forget to remember the actual words to that song I love to sing.

I forget to remember that nothing is permanent.

You are a valued reader and friend, how can I help you know this?

I really enjoy reading your comments – please write your own version to “I forget to remember…”

I also invite you to share your favorite posts with friends and family or contact me to let me know what’s on your mind.

Blessings and Smiles, Diane

The Alien Other

Jack Kerouac Road in Frisco. copyright Diane Ludeking 2010

I have been pondering the heart for many moons now.  Inspired by today’s holiday and my current read, “Healing the Heart of Democracy by Parker J. Palmer, the ways of the heart, my own and others, have raised much interest in me.  The concept of the alien other is what I want to speak to today.

The most obvious aliens are the ones from outer space, but I am curious about the most ignored ones.  I am most intrigued by the people on my planet that are different from me.  And not the obvious aliens that sneak into our country, but my neighbors, the homeless guy I once passed daily when I lived in Minneapolis and that radical religious zealot.

These aliens have created a variety of heartbreak in my life.  I yearn to know my neighbors but let excuses keep them separate from me.  My heart bled extra hard every time I drove right on past that homeless guy.  And someone I perceive as a religious zealot has been ostracized from my life because they are different from me (even my choice of words here and how I use them solidifies alienation – zealot).

What if I could get beyond my fear of these people and their differences?  What if I had a conversation with the alien other to inspire compassion for our differences?  I may not agree with them, but is my heart not capable of being broken open to our differences instead of shattered by unfounded fears?

How can you make everyday a heart-expanding day?

Soulution

Avatar-esque Tree in Frisco. Copyright Diane Ludeking 2010

I had a dream last week that ended with a former boss reprimanding me for using the wrong tool for a task.  The tool she wanted me to use was very similar to the one I had used but would have been more cumbersome and less efficient.  Confused by the accusation, I was about to ask her for clarity when the dream suddenly stopped.  I began to stir and wake when the word soulution popped into my head, deliberately spelled with the word soul.

“How cool is that?  I’m playing with words in my dreams!”  I thought as I lay in bed wondering what the peculiar spelling could mean.

Solution – noun – the act of solving a problem, question, etc.

Using the dictionary term to look at this dream, I found the question before me to solve was who’s right?  Clearly I was in the right because I chose the correct tool for the job, but I am familiar with these “conversations” and where they end – Blameville.

By looking at the unique spelling of this word, an obvious message for me and my soul work, I took myself deeper.

Soul – noun – the spiritual part of humans regarded in its moral aspect.

Looking for a definition of a word that does not exist, I was able to flex my soul muscle and come up with:

Soulution – noun (maybe it’s actually a verb) – the act of solving a problem using my spiritual practices and the seat of the soul, compassion.

This process also reminded me of my vow, a Plato quote:  Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.

Can you come up with another definition of soulution?  Leave it in the comments so I can continue to expand my own definition.  I think the work here is not done and I need your input.  Thanks.

What Does Soul Fitness Look Like?

Finding My Soul in Lake Michigan

The phrase physical fitness brings to mind people that look great in swimming suits, people running marathons, Olympians and mindless drones in the gym. The phrase mental fitness brings to mind people meditating, people concentrating on a game of chess and people in the middle of a life-changing exam. The phrase emotional fitness brings to mind people knowing and asking for what they want, people with a forgiving heart and people with a life threatening illness and the people that love them. But what happens when these two words are put together: soul fitness?

The phrase muscle memory brings to mind people riding a bike, typing, fastening their seatbelt and playing a video game. The phrase mental memory brings to mind people with great numeric recall, photographic memories and fluency in languages. The phrase emotional memory brings to mind people reacting, raging, acting out pain stories and swearing when they stub their toe. But what happens when these two words are put together: soul memory?

I want soul fitness, don’t I? Some sort of integration with the rest of me would be nice. Soul muscles that flex when I ask because I have done the work to make them fit and strong. How would you stretch a sore soul muscle? A soul mind that recalls what I came here to do would be phenomenal! Is there an emotional soul? What would that look like?

I want soul memory too, don’t I? Or do I? A soul that behaves without much input from me, like muscle memory? Hmm…I don’t know. What would a soul with instant recall be good for? Is the soul the seat of the emotional body? I don’t know about you, but I am grabbing my journaling to have a conversation with my soul to find my own answers.