FOR ERICA

October 11, 2009 Sunday

This is for Erica, you know who you are ; P

Today a group of women spoke of many things. One of which was the recent deaths at a sweat lodge out in Sedona, AZ. The leader of the group is the man who is responsible for that book, The Secret. So as we discussed the horror of that day where 2 people died, and several were hospitalized for severe dehydration, we all pretty much came to the same conclusion ~ what drives people to follow someone so devoutly as if it is a religion? The promise of taking all your problems away? To promise you riches to dig out of debt with? The promise to "fix" the bad relationship you're in? The questions all had a common thread, DESPERATION. Why is it that we as a people tend to look to some outside source to fix all our worries or problems? Do we simply not want to own them? Without the struggles, who would we be? Isn't it better to embrace what we face and take it on, figure out the way to solve our problems, and take action? For the most part we are raised to trust that a Higher Being has a plan, and I'm sure that is so, however, we must be active participants in the plan. We can't just hand over buckets of money, an expect someone to fix it, and on this I mean on a spiritual level. We pay doctors to diagnose illness and disease. We pay them to cut out that which might kill us otherwise. We pay teachers to teach us, retailers to clothe us, grocers to give us food so we don't starve, but what about the spiritual? Should we pay obscene amounts of money to someone who professes to hold all the answers? My opinion? No. I feel we must dig down deep within ourselves and ask of ourselves why we feel the way we do. How did I get here? Why do I stay? What do I want to do about it? Some may say "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I'll give it to God and he will fix it." I, however, am curious. I want to know, so I seek the answer. If I don't like where I am, I seek to move. If I know I must change something, then I choose to do something.

Which brings me to this cancer. Who knows why I got it. The important thing is I found it, and with the team of doctors I handed myself over to, it is well on its way out. Now the issue becomes since this happened what do I plan on doing with the rest of my life. I want to become an even better version of myself, truer to myself. I have made up my mind to be committed to me. To "Put it in the right place before I make the move." ~ Luigi

Luigi is my Jazz dance teacher and he is very wise. He is a mentor to me and to many other dancers. And Luigi has often said, "If you do something wrong long enough, it feels "right" wrong." Of course this applies to dance technique, but it also has it's applications to other parts of our lives. I feel spiritualism is that way. All it takes is a cocktail of desperation and someone willing to take advantage with the promise that their way is right, and suddenly wrong feels "right" wrong, and lives are lost. What upsets me about this recent tragedy is that the "leader" (and I use the term loosely) was there, and he high-tailed it out of there, and twittered later how sad it was. Where is his sense of right? This was his to own, and he bailed.

Note to self, to thine own self be true.

Nite!

Light and Love!

Melissa