Winter of the Heart

Winter seems so unnecessary at times. The temperature drops. The sun hibernates. The cold seeps in and the brutal wind seems to cut right into our bones. We try to find the warmest of sweaters, socks, and blankets.

Everything dies in winter. The trees go bare; the skies are gray; and, the lakes freeze. There is an unusual silence that comes with the whisper of the cold; and we find comfort within our homes. We cook hearty meals, cuddles up on the couch, and smile at a cup of hot cocoa with whip cream, of course. The simple pleasures of this complicated life.

God works his winter magic on our hearts as well. A necessary freeze of the heart so that it can retreat to the soul and find its way back to spring. God needs our hearts to be whole and in sync with His plan not ours. We get so caught up in all the distractions that we forget what the heart is truly for. We forget that we have a major role in God’s plan and that our sole reason for existence is to fulfill His plan not ours.

Hence, a winter of the heart where everything stops within us slowing down the world around us. It’s so cold and our hearts barely beats. We hide under thick blankets, our bodies soar and tire, our head pounding, and when we thought nothing else can go wrong, we’re burning up, and all we can do is shut our eyes and listen. And, there in the silence, our faith is tested.

We need winter for without winter there is no promise of spring and rebirth. Without the bitter cold, we cannot appreciate the warmth of the sun. Without the frozen lakes, we cannot enjoy the feel of the ocean waves. Without a retreat of the heart, our souls cannot find comfort in this world.

It is when all goes dark and we think we’re blind that the light is brightest. We just need to stop, have a warm cup of hot chocolate for the soul, and believe.

Same Old Lang Syne

Something happens when you bump into someone from the past that you thought was in the past forever. It’s as if time stands still for a second, you try to remember, and then in a blink of an eye, it all comes back to you. Your heart stops, you catch your breath, and smile.

Unfortunately, we can’t turn back time , we can’t look forward, and are left standing in the present. This is it. This moment is all we have, all we will ever have, and you’re lost trying to find the words that won’t make you feel like a complete idiot. It doesn’t matter because just one smile and you are seriously stumbling and wishing the moment would never end, but it does.

We rarely are given second chances in life. Rarely, given the opportunity to “fix” what was done and make it right. So, why when given the chance do we not take it? Why when the Universe resets to give us a second opportunity, do we pass it up? Why do we choose to live among the memories instead of making new ones?

We don’t say what is in our hearts and the moment is gone, yet again. Left with nothing other than a wound that has been opened, we bow our head, say “so long”, and wake away from our destiny.

I wonder how many opportunities does the Universe grant?

Copyright ©Lucy Tamajon 2010

Do you see what I see

It is so easy to forget about the true meaning of Christmas. We get caught up in the lights, pretty boxes and bows. There just never seems to be enough gifts under the tree. We want more, more, more and forget the message.

I understand. It is so easy to get caught up in the glimmer and luster of all those beautiful gifts. I love the gifts in pretty boxes with bright bows too. I adore them. However, it's never been about the gift for me, it's always been about the person giving the gift. If you really think about it, the gift means little when it doesn’t come from the heart.

Christmas is about new beginnings, about letting go of all the old ways of the past, and starting over. Christmas is about giving of ourselves from our soul, not giving meaningless objects. Christmas is a smile to a stranger, a helping hand to a friend, a note of inspiration, a kind word, a good laugh, and a warm hug. Christmas is a message to the world that there is love for all and that God's gift is so much greater than any pretty little box under a tree. Christmas is believing that there is more than all the earthly distractions.

Christmas is believing in Santa Claus who magically gives all that he has to all that truly needs it. Christmas is knowing that regardless of what is wrong with the world, our hearts can heal it all because love is so much bigger than anything else. It’s the hope that one baby brings to a dark universe.

This Christmas my gifts will be hard to wrap. Some of my friends may not even know that I gave them a gift, but I have. My children will get their Christmas wishes because their mom still believes in Santa, and I've put in a good word for them.

As for mom, well, the only thing I want for Christmas is to be able to get back into my size 2 skinny jeans. Man, all this eggnog and fruitcake is brutal on a girl.

Copyright ©Lucy Tamajon 2010

Nip Tuck

It’s that time of the year, when we look at ourselves, look back, analysis, and set resolutions for a new year. A couple of my friends have recently set goals to do a little “nip tuck” to help them with their personal “new you” appearance. I have to admit, I’m all for it. Listen, if I had the extra cash, I’d do a little nipping and tucking myself. This got me thinking about what exactly would I nip and what exactly would I tuck?

Strangely, it wasn’t my physical that I was so much wanting to change but my personal life. Isn’t it funny how we gather baggage, sagging attitudes from friends, and excess negativity that we really don’t need. It all seems to gather up, bunch up, and build up without our even noticing it until we find ourselves in a rut and can’t understand why.

Recently, I spent some time with a friend who seemed very upbeat and positive from the surface, but once I was able to spend more time with them, I realized that this wasn’t the case at all. Every story they shared was a negative one, something “bad” was always happening to them or someone they knew; they were always in a personal crisis or with someone else in a crisis. Believe me when I tell you that at times I wondered, how much negativity can be in one person’s life? Not only that but because there was so much negative energy in their lives, they needed to suck out the positive energy from mine! It was all about them, all the time. What they had done to “help” someone else, how they had helped, and who else they helped. I was astounded about how many friends in “crisis” they had that needed help all the time! As much as I liked this friend, I just couldn’t continue the relationship. It was making me old and tired. Time for a little nipping.

The people in our lives need to bring us up, not just bring us down. They need to help give us the emotional “lifts” that we need not just drag us into an emotional gutter. They need to re-energize us not just suck the life out of us.
So, this holiday season, we need to take a good hard look at our lives, our friends, the people in it, and make some hard decisions. It may hurt to take that scalpel out and we may need a little recovery time, but it is so essential. Nip the ones that need to go; and, those that feed our souls tuck next to our hearts.

Ground Hog Day

The quiet of the morning tells us so much about ourselves, and we realize what’s truly important and what’s not. This may be it. This day may be all we get and it is up to us how we choose to spend it. We can agonize about situations. We can be mad at people. We can cry, pout, and worry. Or, not.

One more day, how lucky are we? One more day to do it all over again and set it right even if for just one day. One more day to love, laugh, hug, dance, eat, drink, and smile. We get to forget, erase all that happened yesterday. It’s gone and done with.

Therefore, today, as I walk out of my door on this very beautiful crisp December morning, I will smile more especially at strangers. I will sing and dance and love. And, when the day is over, I will hope to get another and do it all over again but with a little more passion than today.

Caution Handle with Care

Don’t you wish men came with a big label plastered on their forehead that read, “Caution, psychotic man enclosed. Handle with care.” Wouldn’t that make our lives so much easier? But, they don’t, unfortunately. Therefore, we need to proceed with great caution.

When we were 16, it was okay to rush in. If things got a little too hot, we quickly let go, and moved on. It was okay to go a little fast, it was all part of the learning curve. But, we’re not 16 anymore. We have learned from rushing in too fast too many times; and, the lessons have been hard, difficult, and painful at times. We had the time to spare then, now not so much.

In our quest for “Mr. Right”, we have learned how to sift, carve, and find that unbelievable man that is out there waiting for us. It’s okay if we stumble, fall, and get our knees skinned on occasion. It happens. No biggie. The important thing is to enter with caution. Slow it down a bit, no need to speed into relationships. Stride in slowly, carefully, and with patience. And, ladies, listen to that little voice that is always so right.

Listen carefully and never doubt, conversations and much time spent together will slowly reveal what lies beneath and no label will be necessary because truth always prevails and rises to the occasion. Just slow it down and if he is right, he’ll wait; and if not, it won’t matter.

Poker Face

We are dealt a hand; we study it; and we do the best we can to play it. Time and time again, we fold. We smirk at the hand we’re dealt. We sigh in disbelief. And, at times, we put all we’ve got into the pot only to walk away empty handed leaving all that we are on the table.

Frustrated, we wonder if we’re ever going to be able to reap the rewards. How many more hands do we need to play? Is it worth it? Should we stop and just quit the game altogether?

Exhausted, from losing time and time again, we wonder why some take the pot so easily while we struggle endlessly.

Somehow, we find the courage to jump right back in the game and praying that this will be our hand. The one we’ve been waiting for. The one that will get us to that pot that we’ve been dreaming of for so long. But, our chip count is low, we’ve got very little left to give and what if we give all we have yet again only to walk away with nothing one more time.

We sit still. We stare at our hand knowing that it may never ever be this good again. Knowing that this is the winning hand, we hesitate. Do we have the guts to bet it all or will we fold? Throwing it all in the pot with nothing left, we forge on in the game of life.