16 April 2013

our marathon; our manifesto

by Stephanie F. Earls 

We woke up on Marathon Monday with trust: in a beautiful day, in an amazing event and in our community.  We woke with trust in the race, the human race. And in some twisted turn of events on this day of celebration, we mourned. On this day of anticipated elation, we grieved loss. This happy day had too much sadness. These are the moments in life that leave us perplexed. How can such intense love, joy, fulfillment of dreams and culmination of hard work, be juxtaposed with fear, chaos, disorientation and hijacked goals? 

We may not have each run a marathon road race, but each of us has run a marathon of our own. We are still running. We know how it feels to reach some goals and have others feel unattainable. We have set our intentions. We've started and plan to finish. We have healed dis-ease. We have mended addiction. We have endured the loss of loved ones to death or aborted relationships. We have grieved the loss of dreams and expectations. We have made wishes. There have been times when our external finish lines (our hopes) disappeared. There have been times when we crossed those lines, reached our goal, and the thrill was thwarted by something out of our control.  There have been times when distraction has tried to sway our attention. There are times we are inspired. There are times we are afraid. Sometimes our goal looks different than it did while training, than it did when the race began. Than we ever imagined.  And yet, undeniably, we are here. This is our path. We are on it. The question is really, regardless of the outcome, how will we take each step? This is life. 

We will trust life.

If it happens as we live and claim our dreams, that darkness pops up,  we will stay strong.  We will transform the challenge of distraction and clarify our intentions. We will not be defeated by delay. We will refocus and keep our sights on what is at the heart of our matter.

We're all in it now. Just like each runner today, we each have our own personal marathon and collectively something bigger which includes those who cheer us on and those who divert our attention or rob us of something we hope for.  As we marathon to let our spirit through, to let light and hope prevail, it's not just the runners and spectators in Boston today. It's all of us. The world. We're in this race where spirit, strength and light are taking the lead. We are shining and lifting each other up. Darkness is exerting its
Copley Square Sky early April 2013: sfe
last attempts, not just to distract us but to encourage us. With each dark distraction we are asked on some level to recommit and refocus our intention. We are also asked to shine our light and heal the dark. What wins in this human race? There is power in numbers and most of us, lit up, are strong enough to shed our light on the dark and help it heal.  So here's what we do. Not despite darkness, but to transform it: 

We make wishes. We set intentions.  We hope.  

We set our wishes free so that they can manifest. We believe wishes come true. We trust that life, as it unfolds, in all it's clarity and confusion, will yield the answers to our questions, the fulfillment of wishes, the realization of our intentions. Even if it doesn't make sense right now. Especially if it doesn't make sense right now. We trust that things unfold in the best time and in the best way, for our best. We trust that life and love prevail. We love. We love ourselves, our light and our dark. We love all that nourishes us and we love all that hurts (in ourselves and others) so that the hurt heals.  We love the dark and bring it our light. We keep renewing our commitment to ourselves, our life, our hopes. We keep lifting our intention.

This is faith. We keep the faith.

Anything that is truly ours can not be taken away.  By anything. 

As much as 'our wishes come true' rest at that apparent finish line, they also rest deep inside of us. They rest in each and every step along the path. They rest in our resolve to wake up each day and live because we are alive.  They rest in our resolve to keep on wishing. They rest in our ability to reclaim the light when darkness threatens to take it over. Our 'wishes come true' rest in opening our hearts and sharing our strength to nourish those who feel defeated. Our 'wishes come true' rest in opening our hearts to receive the help we need. Our 'wishes come true' rest in looking at all the ways we triumph and keeping our sights on those triumphs (big and small) rather than on distractions (big and small). Our 'wishes come true' rest in the spirit of marathon (LIFE), realizing it goes on.  Our 'wishes come true' rest in the determination of a WORLD of people who despite it all, and in light of it all, wake up and trust. 



15 April 2013

keep the faith, everyone. our light prevails. the spirit of marathon (LIFE) will endure. love energy leads our way, always.  love, steph