I give!

I give!! Did you ever say that as a kid? When someone got the better of you in some kind of contest or circumstance?

It's kind of funny when I think back on those times, like when my brother would have me in some kind of hold I couldn't get out of. He was six years older, and he and his friends would lie in wait for my sister and me to get home from school. Then, they would either shoot us with rubber bands, or practice their new "judo" moves on us. Being much younger and smaller, we were pretty powerless. These were definitely "I give" moments.

Given those kinds of experiences, surrendering certainly doesn't feel like a positive move. It feels like losing. Today, however, surrendering has taken on a much different meaning to me, even though sometimes I have to get to that "I give" moment before I do it.

Today, surrendering to whatever is happening in the moment means knowing that it is the only reality that exists! It's crazy to think you can fight the moment! Instead, by surrendering, I open to the greater energy that exists and allow that conspiracy of love to do its work. It means understanding that I don't necessarily know the best way to approach something from my more narrow focus, and to allow myself to access that greater focus for a new idea. It means letting go of "control" and trusting the river of life.

Recently, I have been practicing this a lot. As a result, I sometimes feel afraid, angry, hopeful, and any number of other emotions, but eventually, I feel peace.

Everything in this world is temporary. Surrendering to the moment, and finding peace and joy in it, is how I wish to experience my life. I am grateful for the chance to live. So, I give!

Love,

Andrea