I am sitting in my backyard soaking in some sun. Looking around at the gardens, I notice  blades of tall grass that have gone to seed in our flower beds, along with the thick crabgrass,and my first thought is, ” We are having company on Sunday.  What will they think?”  And then I  laugh because no one who comes to my house, comes because I have immaculate gardens.  They come because our family welcomes them with open arms of love.

This reminded me of all the weeds I have growing in my own life.  The weeds of self-doubt, disorganization and disconnectedness often pull me from my authentic self and keep me from doing the work that I am meant to do.  What I know is that the more I struggle with these dark parts of my self the more they show up in my life.  Sometimes, I can only see the weeds and not the flowers that are blooming all around. Sometimes I focus too much on what I am not getting accomplished rather than the steps I have taken in the right direction.

Everyone has weeds.  They show up in gardens and in the parts of ourselves that we try to hide from others.  What would happen if we just admitted to others that we weren’t perfect?  What if we weren’t afraid to let others know  we struggle sometimes, and allow our real selves to shine through?

The only way to take action against the weeds that pop up is to first acknowledge their existence.  I have to be brave enough to face my weaknesses and that often means sharing them with others.  And when I share my struggles, amazing things happen.  I connect to others because they have struggles too.   There is no such thing as disorganization when you are fully present in the moment,because the present moment is all that matters.  And when I am connecting with others in the moment, all self-doubt disappears because I am living my authentic self. One step at a time, I turn my self-doubt into something good because I inspire someone else who doubts their ability to make a difference.   The weeds  are there to make us stronger and to help us become more aware of all the good already in our lives.

So what weed are you ready to acknowledge today?  Today, I am going to turn my thinking toward the ways I am already organized and use those strategies to help me keep organized in my business.  What small step will you take today and how can you turn your weeds into blessings?

Have you ever had one of the weeks when you felt like you were in the right place at the right time?  This week was one of joy and excitement for me.  Monday evening, I facilitated a writer’s workshop at Metro State.  15 women showed up and in a two and a half hour period, we laughed and cried, and walked away knowing the importance of writing as a healing tool.  On Wednesday, I led a retreat for 8th graders. I have been working with 27 students for 8 weeks with a book called Success for Teens, and yesterday they shared memories of grade school and middle school, celebrated the good they see in each other, and created dream boards to carry them into high school.  This morning, I spoke at the Tamarac Women’s Optimist Club, and shared my story about how L.O.V.E can move mountains.  Love is everywhere and it is up to us to open our eyes to see how it shows up.  Embracing the Obstacles in our lives can help us gain wisdom and live more fully with joy. Recognizing that our Value lies in who we are and not what we do frees us up to be our more authentic self.  Expressing Gratitude for all the good in our lives gives us the strength to move through the tough times and steadily, step by step, move our mountains.

I am grateful to be meeting new people, working with youth, and inspiring others to live more fully in the present moment.  I look forward to showing up to whatever life brings to me!  So how has joy and excitement been a part of your week?

I still have to pack for tomorrow’s journey to Minnesota where Becca will be graduating on Saturday.  But I am taking a few minutes to sit in the quiet  and remember what this time means to me.  It seems funny to think that as my children slip so easily into young  adulthood, I have the occasional desire to go back in time, when  three girls would sit under large colorful umbrellas in the middle of summer, licking popsicles and playing school.   I sometimes long for the giggle of little girls, Easter dresses, and curling up on the couch to read a story.

And just the opposite is true too.  I look forward with anticipation to the future, where Becca will be adjusting to life as a volunteer in Africa, Hannah will be living in community in an eco house on St. Ben’s campus, and Sarah will be enjoying her last year of high school.  There is so much to look forward to as they all learn and grow and keep developing into amazing women.

But today,  I am sitting still, aware of  the passing of time, and finding myself at peace in this present moment.  Tomorrow is a long drive- a chance to listen to a book on tape and catch up on conversations with Tony.  I know that our time with Becca will be scattered as she says good-bye to her family at school.   She will be wrapped up in the arms of friends and graduation festivities.  And I don’t want to miss a minute of it.  I don’t want to live in the past of little girls under my wing, and I am not ready for the future where Becca will be half way across the world.  But I am ready to be in Becca’s light and love, and watch as she walks with grace from the achievement of college graduation into a future unknown.  I want to experience the joy of living life to the fullest.  The best gift I can give myself this Mother’s Day is the gift of love found only in the moment called now.  My wish for you is that you also find yourself in this place of love!