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Political turmoil and awe....

7/29/2016

2 Comments

 
by Gwendolyn M Plano
      This past weekend, I attended a women’s retreat led by prior retreatants. The setting was nondescript; the content, however, was overwhelming. Each leader shared her journey from early memory to the present. Painfully honest, one by one the presenters spoke of life challenges, of mistakes made and suffered, of miracles experienced or awaited.  

      I knew nothing of the retreat before attending and went only because of a friend’s encouragement. As I sat uncomfortably on the cold metal chairs, listening to one speaker after another, I had a single recurring thought: this is real, very real. And, this realness opened my heart wide to the collective journey and the choices we each face.
 
      The day after the retreat, I co-hosted a BlogTalkRadio show called Aspire to Inspire with author John Howell. It is one of the many shows offered through the Rave Reviews Book Club. This particular monthly program focuses on an inspirational quote and considers various interpretations. John and I talked about the following Dr. Wayne Dyer statement:

      In a universe that's an intelligent system with a divine creative force supporting it, there simply can be no accidents. As tough as it is to acknowledge, you had to go through what you went through in order to get to where you are today, and the evidence is that you did.
 
      John began the discussion by sharing a personal, life-changing accident, and I spoke of my father’s loss of his arm. If you have a moment, I invite you to listen to this short exchange. Curiously, the quote had been selected weeks in advance of the retreat, and yet it addressed the same topic: our individual and collective journey, the choices before us, and the love that upholds all.

      With the turmoil of political noise surrounding us, it is the real responses to challenges, to accidents, that have the power to evoke awe. Don’t you agree?  And with awe, I am moved into hope and the possibility of peace. Do you find the same to be true?

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2 Comments
John Fioravanti link
7/30/2016 07:33:16

Gwen, I listened to your Aspire To Inspire show, live, and both you and John Howell spoke eloquently about your life experiences. To experience the awe, the hope, and the peace you spoke about, first you must stop and reflect on the experiences and real responses. Too often, I get caught up in the moment and don't do that as often as I should. I think we need to search "the cobwebs of our soul" to discover these precious gems. Thanks for sharing these thoughts!

Reply
Jan Sikes link
7/31/2016 12:59:26

Gwen, I listened to you and John on Aspire to Inspire and although I wasn't where I could comment (watching my granddaughter do gymnastics), I related to everything both of you said. When I went through the traumatic experience of my husband having to have his left leg amputated, it changed me forever. I love Dr. Wayne Dyer and the power of positive words and actions. Thanks for sharing this blog!

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Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. ―Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning


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