Searching for Grady

Authentic Self

March 26, 2019January 3, 2020Grady13 Comments

You’ve been kidding yourself about yourself for so long, you’re someone else. Your you is just a fragile fabrication. Every morning, you have to wake up, assemble this busy, dissembling monster, and get him or her on his or her feet again for another round of fantasy ― David Guterson

We are all storytellers. All invested in creating the fabric of our lives by weaving threads to suit our needs and enhance our life experiences. Our Quilt of Life is stitched together in a patchwork of stories. Some truths, but mostly myths. We each create our own personal myths and like myths, our stories contain both good and bad characters that help us or hold us back. People we can blame for our sadly lacking lives or those who motivate and inspire us. We also have the power to rewrite our own history. These fragments of life experiences are woven into our thoughts, desires, passions; our very life force. The social media effect makes it very easy to portray ourselves in a good light. To live our lives in a faux roseate glow. So it is imperative that we don’t lose sight of our Authentic Self.

A rose of iron is strong and everlasting and exquisitely beautiful in its monochromatic hue. It does not have the drama of color, sweet romance in its scent or the sensual allure of a real rose. Both are beautiful in their own way. Neither trying to be more or less of the other. It is how we connect our external reality to our internal reality.

With Balance and Truth.

Spirit of Nature

February 24, 2019Grady13 Comments

Thunder is no longer the voice of an angry god… No river contains a spirit… no snake the embodiment of wisdom, no mountain cave the home of a great demon. No voices now speak to man from stones, plants and animals, nor does he speak to them thinking they can hear. His contact with nature has gone, and with it has gone the profound emotional energy that this symbolic connection supplied ~ Carl Jung

Maybe not. There are those of us out there who still try to preserve the spirit of Nature, if we would just use our inner energy and power of Thought. We live in a world of Illusion. Two worlds in fact. Day and Night. We have laid claim to the Day whilst the night belongs to the animals, the creatures, the plants and Nature’s elements: Earth, Fire, Water and Air. Which is the real world? Most likely the one under cover of night. The one that lives in the moment.

We need to spend more time away from the cyber world we have created and find ways to let nature balance our lives. We need to become more present minded. Everything in the ‘natural world’ lives in the moment whilst we tend to either live in the past or, be constantly wishing ourselves into the future.

This quote was written by a man who was born in 1875 and died in 1961. It is now 2019. We need to prove him wrong. We need to make our personal connection with nature and the time is here and now.

Lessons in Love

December 31, 2018December 31, 2018Grady29 Comments

We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet; and amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog has made an alliance with us.” ~ Maurice Maeterlinck

9634409322_5b64575738_o (1) — photo by Grady

Life and living is about learning how to give and receive love unconditionally. It is imperative that we love and be loved. If not, our existence becomes dull, lifeless and almost monochromatic. The day we turn our backs on each other is a life not worth living. There will be times when we feel abandoned or without purpose or direction. This is when we need to create opportunities for ourselves. When we need to trust in ourselves and each other. Life’s most rewarding lesson is learning how to love and be loved.

The symbol of unconditional love and absolute trust.
A man and his dog.

Spirit of the Wind

November 24, 2018Grady7 Comments

While still in the cage of your being behold the spirit bird before it flies away ~ Rumi

Behold your Spirit and embrace it with unconditional love so that it may fly high on the wind. Even a cage sans bars has the power to hold us hostage. We should not be a caged Spirit caught up in a Universe of limiting thoughts. We are meant to be free. To feel, to experience, to live, to love, to learn and, yes, to teach. We may feel as if we have no purpose at times but even the smallest of gestures, perhaps just once in a lifetime, will make a difference to some one or some thing. If we learn to love and be loved we will embrace our Spirit.

If we learn to love and be loved we will behold our Spirit.
Love is like a bird; it needs to soar!

Migratory Spirits

October 29, 2018October 29, 2018Grady28 Comments

Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving ~ Kahlil Gibran

And so, how do we know when the time is right to follow our Spiritual Path? As with the migrant birds there is a voice within. If only we would listen to it. It whispers to us with such certainty as to when to take flight and even the direction with which to proceed. As migratory birds form a V to make their flight easier so then should we form our own V to ease our Spiritual Journey. If we live mindfully and strive for moral excellence, our V will take beautiful form. Naturally encompassing the 12 Virtues.

Love, Humility, Perseverance, Respect, Honor, Sacrifice, Truth, Compassion, Bravery, Fortitude, Generosity and Wisdom.

If we lead with Love and fly with a Winged Heart, the rest will follow.

Flight of the Daydreams

October 10, 2018Grady18 Comments

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world ~ Harriet Tubman

Whenever we daydream we are able to lose ourselves in a flow of conscious thought. During these seemingly timeless moments, we are able to slow ourselves down enough so as to reach that place of absolute calm. That place where we are able to do anything and go anywhere simply through power of thought. Daydreams take us to a place where we are able to escape the outer world and at the same time we are free to explore our inner sanctuary. For when we daydream, we strengthen our creativity and our well-being. We allow ourselves to be transported to places where ideas take form and fire our passion.

And when we give flight to our daydreams we give spirit a chance to soar.

A Thousand Petals

September 30, 2018Grady14 Comments

Spirituality is a flower with a thousand petals: every act, every thought, every talk, every movement of our heart is a part of it ~ Robert Muller

Sometimes it is hard to escape the hurt, the disappointment, those feelings of inadequacy that have a way of corroding our good intentions. We need to recognize the illusions we carry with us. These negative energies have the power to strip us of our purpose and divert us from our intended course. We need to stay on our spiritual path. Love is what we are at the deepest level and it is what we are here to do. We live for these moments. To love and be loved. To give and to receive. Love can be so simple. If we would just let it be.

When we allow love into our hearts. When we embrace the very heart of us. We become one. Our words, our actions, our thoughts will burst into a cascade of a thousand petals.

Life’s Rocky Road

September 19, 2018September 19, 2018Grady14 Comments

There will always be rocks in the road ahead of us. They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how you use them ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

We tend to allow negative thoughts to amass like great piles of rock. We need to develop the Art of Wisdom and put it into practice. To become more self aware. To reach a state of consciousness where we can achieve freedom of mind and spirit. Balance. When we return to the center of our hearts through mindful living we will come to realize our true authentic self and find our sense of purpose. To Love and be Loved. We should build our Life Foundations on strength of character and replace the rocks heavy with Anger, Hate, Ignorance and Intolerance with spiritually light rocks. Rocks made up of Compassion, Respect, Truth, Humility, Generosity, Sacrifice, Wisdom and Love.

Especially Love.

Journey Within

September 15, 2018September 16, 2018Grady14 Comments

We all have our paths in life we are supposed to follow to find who we are supposed to be, but it’s not always a straight path. There is something inside of us that guides us, and if you are quiet and listen to it, you’ll be all right ~ Kyan Douglas

It takes courage to live, to express oneself, and lead a meaningful life. Be fierce. Be tenacious and above all, have the courage of your convictions to walk your road with dignity and respect. Live your life with purpose and be kind and generous of heart. Be willing to help your fellow travelers on life’s seemingly bumpy road. There will be challenges, forks in the road and distractions along the way but at some point, hopefully, we will stop, be quiet and listen.

When we turn to our compass of life and find our truth, we will realize that the only journey is the one within. Bon Voyage!

Tree of Life

August 21, 2018Grady19 Comments

When we surrender when we do not fight with life when it calls upon us we are lifted and the strength to do what needs to be done finds us ~ Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Just like a majestic tree standing tall in the midst of rain, wind, sleet or hail. It surrenders to the elements, sways with and leans into the great forces of Nature until the clouds disperse, the sun comes out and it’s purpose becomes apparent once again. To give shade and a resting place for creatures big and small. To surround us with beauty and life. To give shelter from the storm.

So then should we be there for each other. To give shelter from life’s storms. To share the fruits of Spirit; Humility, Respect, Truth, Compassion, Courage and Generosity. To provide a Sanctuary of Love. To love and be loved.