Mother Nature's Light is getting longer each day on a typical cold winter day in the Midwest. Next week I will be in North Carolina for a week where it has been in the 80s. I hope the 80s are still there when I get there  It's getting warmer here too and I am very grateful. I wish people's tempers weren't so hot. So sad to hear about the constant school shootings and other violence and rhetoric being thrown around. I said to a friend recently I went to school for 20 years and never experienced a school shooting in any setting. Now I hear there have been 18 school shootings in 44 days. That's absolutely absurd. I also shared with a friend that politics is truly about how we use our power. We can either abuse the power of fear or we can use the true Power of Love and Connectedness. There is literally a world of difference between those two approaches and on both ends we are seeing the results of what fear does and what Love does. I truly don't know how it could be any clearer. I will always be on the side of Love. No other approach makes any sense!!

As 2018 continues to unfold I AM ever mindful of all the blessings and opportunities unfolding for me. I have always known the Power is within me… nowhere else! I have always known it's up to me how my world unfolds. Hurtful things do happen. How I respond to that makes all the difference in how my Life unfolds. It takes great Courage, Tenacity, Wisdom and Strength to stay centered as Life unfolds within me and all around me. I never take for granted the effort it takes and I AM forever grateful that I have always had the Willingness to make the effort and to never give up on myself!!! That's the key… never give up on ourselves. Use our Energy to grow, to make a positive difference in the world. That's why we were all created. When we are not connected with our Power and Purpose we do hideous things. We destroy our Life and the lives of others.

We are social beings. We need to feel loved and valued. I know of so many people who grew up in horrific circumstances and yet they made profound positive differences in the world. They connected with the Power they are and they went forward to create a new world for themselves and for all others. They dedicated their lives to helping others. I also know of others who grew up with every conceivable opportunity and yet chose to ignore it and misuse it. When we misuse our Power the consequences are always heavy duty. It may not be obvious to us but the person misusing their Power feels it even if they seem not to be aware of it. Some people seem to be endlessly sleepwalking through Life. The wake up call will be rather painful even it doesn't seem obvious to others. The Law of Spirit says there is always an equal and opposite reaction to every action. It's not about vengeance. It's simply the natural order of the Universe. What we put out comes back to us magnified. That's the Power of our Energy. We are Spirit in Expression!!!

I believe with all my heart that we live in a benevolent Universe. I also know that so many people are so disconnected from their Power and their Worth that they close every door to every opportunity. We all have Choice. I have said a zillion times that's why people who rule by fear want every avenue of Choice closed to everyone. My Intention has always been to uplift, educate and inspire everyone and that is what my Intention will always be. It's a Joy-filled uplifting way to live. I don't need a gazillion dollars. Money cannot and does not buy Happiness. I can simply be open to Happiness and It comes forth because It is already and always within me. It is our Nature. When we deny that we make ourselves miserable and we spread that misery everywhere. That will never be my Intention. That's not what I'm here for now or ever!!! I AM here to embody Love and Light and Peace and Wisdom. We all have all of those Gifts. We must use them!!!

I AM inspired and encouraged by all the people and organizations doing such wonderful work to erase poverty and despair from our daily experience. I am very involved in progressive spiritual organizations doing social justice work helping people everywhere get an education, be paid a decent living wage and never accepting the status quo that says “that's just the way it is.” It is the way it is only if I give up or stop caring or pretend to be unaware. I AM none of that!!! I will never be any of that!!! Our Nature is Free and Unlimited!!!! That is how I will honor my Life… to be my best now and always!!!!

As I move forward into this year there are several social justice movies I will be viewing with my spiritual community. We have lots of work to do in this country to dismantle white supremacy and the racism and hurt it has caused so many including those of us who are white. I AM so grateful for all my African American friends and my friends of other heritages. I don't care what color someone is. I care about Integrity, Compassion, Awareness and Honor. Those are the qualities that float my boat now and always. Saying that reminds me of an adorable play on words Valentine that I received from a friend this year: the picture of an Indian princess floating in her canoe and the words, “Canoe be my Valentine?” I almost died laughing because it was an unexpected present from a dear friend. That's another blessing that makes Life so very special… all the unexpected blessings that add Light and Joy to Life. As I've said so many times I never take those blessings for granted. I know emphatically what literal Life savers they have been for me and for others. I have also said so very many times we can never underestimate the Power of one single act of Kindness. We just recently celebrated Random Acts of Kindness week. I have experienced both ends of random acts of kindness: giving them and receiving them. The blessing is phenomenal. One particular moment of giving was so Powerful it was years before I could tell the story without crying. I knew I had saved someone's Life. I was overwhelmed with the Power and Simplicity of the moment. I have thought of her many times and sent her blessings hoping she is happy and thriving. That's how I want all my interactions to be: a blessing to all!!! That is our Choice!!!! That's the Energy and Intention I will carry forward into this year: Being the very best I can be!!!! As always I wish you the very best of Wholeness, Peace, Happiness and Understanding. We all are the Love and Light of the world. That is our Heritage. That is our Nature!!!!!