Transitions
As I sit here in Ohio looking out the window at the gently falling snow trying to figure out exactly how I want to write this post I feel an overwhelming sense of calm and a soft knowing that everything is OK. Not “going to be” OK… is OK. I’ve always struggled with transitions. And the transition from Hawai’i to Ohio and believe it or not Ohio to Hawai’i has always been difficult. My first night back in Hawai’i I sat in my room crying just wanting to be back in Ohio, tucked in my bed cuddling my puppy. And now I’m here in Ohio again and all I can think about is the warm tropical breezes of Hawai’i, my other home. For some reason this transition is feeling especially difficult. Over the weekend as I was traveling back to Ohio I found out two different friends had a parent transition and another friend was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This got me to thinking again about how precious and fragile life is. Through my life experience working as a spirit medium I know that death is never a bad thing because our spirit never ceases to be and we remain in close contact with our loved ones whether we here on earth are able to physically perceive that contact or not, it is still real and true. But the transition for those left behind can be excruciatingly difficult. That being said, in every life experience and transition that occurs whether big or small we have a choice of what to focus on and how we are going to perceive it. Do we focus on the loss and the deprivation we are feeling or do we focus on the love and joy of the experiences we had and the many more joyful experiences we are about to endeavor on in our lives. Those who have transitioned are still very much interested in our lives and experiences here on earth and their greatest desire is to see us living joyful love-filled successful lives. It us up to us to focus on those things that make us happy, so we can create the life of our dreams in every moment.
So when I first got back and I was layering on clothes trying to adjust to the extreme drop in temperatures I felt this sick feeling in my stomach that I remember so well from previous transitions. I sat with it for a minute, trying to figure out why ‘once again’ I was unhappy with the now. And it came to me so clearly. Brian, you’re just thinking in the ‘wrong’ direction. Instead of remembering all the wonderful friends, loving family, great opportunities and fun places to be, I was focussed on a ‘loss’. And not even a real loss, but rather a temporary transition. The sun was shining!! Yes, it was cold as *bleep*. But the sun was shining!! It’s Ohio in the winter and the sun was shining!! Win for me! I grabbed my puppy who licked my face like crazy and we jumped in the car to go hike the lake. We pulled into the drive and I noticed not a soul was around. Who else was crazy enough to hike the lake on a freezing cold winter day. Haha. We hiked the perimeter, Finny (my pup) pulling me along with the excitement and enthusiasm of a child at Disneyland. I started to see the world around me with new eyes again. Instead of cold dead and barren, I found hidden life around every corner. Beautiful green moss on tree stumps with tiny sprouts of life reaching up toward the sun. I walked out on the dock over the ice-covered lake that glistened like glass. Total silence except for the occasional bird calling in the distance. Then I heard what sounded like a rumble under the ice. It sounded again and echoed across the entire lake. The water was moving underneath creating an eerie but beautiful creaking sound that would rumble every few minutes or so. The ice patterns formed across the lake would crack as the water moved at various places along the shore creating this underwater symphony of sight and sound. Then silence again. I suddenly became overwhelmed with the beauty of it all. And tears started flowing again. This time tears of utter joy and amazement at the natural splendor that surrounded me. All it took was a simple shift in focus.
No matter where you are or what you’re experiencing in this moment, no matter how big or how small the transition is, there is always something beautiful and life-giving to focus on, even in what might seem like cold, dead, frozen tundra. Every moment we are living life is a precious moment. Why not spend those moments seeking out that which brings us joy. And when things feel bad (and sometimes they will ) and you don’t feel like looking for something that makes you feel better then just try to remember you are loved by so many, both here in the physical plane and the spirit world beyond. Just reach out for that love and I promise you that you’ll feel an overwhelming sense of warmth and love surround you in ways you never thought possible. Here’s to the next big adventure and wonderful transition. Whatever and wherever that may be.
Big Hugs & Aloha
-Brian
