Being Resilient

As I was taking a walk the other day I was going up a hill near a golf course and I was taking in all of the trees that were along my path.  One particular tree caught my attention as I had seen the branches broken off for a substantial part of it some time ago, where it had taken a beating from one of those unusual summer storms.  I remember walking by it after the storm had passed and it looked like it had lost a considerable amount of life in it.  However, as I looked at it today, it had not only bounced back from the days of wind swept broken branches, it looked more fuller than ever.  It had some strong roots that were peaking over the top of the grass and it stood like it was opening its arms to me as I stared at it straight on.  I did feel like it was inviting me for a hug and I just smiled as I contemplated its wonderful resilience in the aftermath of wild weather.  As I continued on with my walk I kept thinking about how we also weather all of these storms that some times come out of the blue, like a flash flood filled with an element of ominous surprise.  We all have those moments when we are suddenly battling strong winds and uneven currents while we try to keep afloat in the face of those circumstances.  However, just like all storms in this world they all have a time limit and soon enough one can look for the clearing in the distance.  Over the years I have learned to strive for more life balance that would prevent me from feeling overwhelmed by any downpour in life.  It has not been easy, yet, over time I have come into a place that I can certainly feel that all clearings are in the distance, it is just a matter of time to get through any type of surprise conditions.  What has kept me grounded is to immediately think and meditate about how other people face much stronger tests in their lives that I or anyone else would not even want to contemplate switching with my trials for  those of another.  Many of us always think that the grass is always greener someplace else, however, we all know what truth really lies beyond those thoughts.  If we allow ourselves to be more grateful for all of things that are part of our lives, then it is that thinking that will charge ahead as a beacon of light in the middle of any tempest in life.  Many of us have a great network of support that can provide us with additional comfort and reassurance during those periods and there is a lot to be grateful in that recognition.  It can be so easy to forget one's owns dilemmas if you put someone else first and have confidence that all things will work out for good in the end.  When I walked past the same tree on my way down the hill, I gave it another glance and felt thankful for the reminder that nature had brought to my attention by way of its magnificent creations that not only provide us with air to breathe, but can inspire us to be more resilient in all of our moments in our life.

Finding Harmony

Today I am sharing a future column that will be published next month. 

Inventing Your Life

“Finding Harmony”

By

Rob Claudio

I just completed attending a series on mediation, which I found quite enlightening and more inline to where I want to be in my life.  There were different topics that were explored, which all led towards finding a better balance, inner peace and striving to live a more joyous life.  One of the meditations centered on how to live with more harmony at the center of your life and I decided to do some exploring of this topic.  When I looked up the definitions for harmony I found a few and most of them contained the words consistent, orderly and congruity among them.  I thought for some time about the capability of living a consistent life, where there were less ups or downs while striving to live on a more balanced spectrum.  I am well aware of how we all have those moments when we were humming right along with the rest of the world and then something happens that causes our balance to be thrown into a chaotic spin.  I know that when I was younger I tended to have more of those periods, because I myself had not discovered the need for finding balance in my own life.  When ever I had a peak of some type, I felt like I was on cloud nine and as I floated in that moment of excitement or invigoration, while I was less conscience of what was going on in my immediate surroundings.  Then of course I would also get to a place where all of sudden things became more complicated and I would place lots of pressure on myself to find the right solution for each issue.  I was very good about ensuring that I did not ask for someone else’s assistance, because I always felt that I could come up with the best possible answers on my own.  In retrospect when I think about those moments now, I just smile and laugh at my own ambivalence about those periods and how immature my thinking was in respect to some of the decision making of my youth filled days.  What I have learned with age is that I have to define what that balance is, along with creating the environment that will enable me to thrive rather than feel depleted. I also left that fragmented thinking that I had all of the best answers far behind in the rearview mirror of my youth, as life taught me many lessons about having a strong circle of support.  I know now that all of us have to get better at mapping our own destiny and although the work can be challenging at times, we owe it to ourselves to feel that we are purpose driven.  I recommend looking for the things that you are involved in that bring true joy to your heart, as they become the compass point for where you should be heading towards.  When you find an activity that does not feel like work and it can reinvigorate you by doing it for a short period of time, it is a sign that perhaps you should be paying some additional attention to this.  Some call it the search for passion while others may simply label it their true calling.  I find that anyone of those definitions usually leads you to being more of who you really want to be and that can add much more satisfaction to your own life.  When you think about the written chapters that have transpired in your life, also ponder what the rest of your life’s book will have in it.  Remember that we are the author’s of our own life and as such, we can determine what the rest of our lives will entail.  Think about the things that you do that can attract more harmony and peace of mind, as you look towards achieving the right type of balance among your busy life schedules.  You will have much more fulfillment knowing that the life you intend to finish will be filled with only those ingredients that you determine are the most important.  Finally, remember that harmonious living can be achieved if we pay attention and plan accordingly.    

“I have no methods; all I do is accept people as they are”.

-Joan Rivers

Memories In The Making

I just returned from a long road trip that took me up through the California coast.  There was a part of it that was dedicated to business, however, I decided to make it part of my existing vacation plans.  I made a concentrated effort to take in everything as if it was the first time I had ever seen things.  Even those instances where I had been there before took on a new and interesting meaning for me.  I took my time in being present in the moment wherever I happened to be.  In years past, I believe that I would have leaned to complaining about how long my drive was or about some other item of little significance.  I was amazed at how my entire trip took such a different outcome, as I really enjoyed the entirety of the journey.  I recall that at one point I was stuck behind other tourists traveling slowly through highway 1 in Big Sur and I had a moment to myself where I realized if I had been driving faster, I would not have enjoyed the beautiful scenery that was unraveling before me.  I was in awe at the beauty of our coast in this wonderful state and how diverse our geography is, along with how grateful I am to live in such a place.  When I had the moments to stop and take things in even more deeply, I would take in a deep breathe of the crisp and chilly ocean air as I saw other people stop and pull over to take pictures to memorialize their trip as well.  In different parts of the state, I would always run into someone who was friendly and gracious either with directions or just a warm hello as they were familiar with the journeys of the weary travelers going through their town.  Whether I was in a gas station or at a restaurant, I listened and took the moments in with deep visual bites that were similar to the meal that I had just eaten.  I laughed at the familiar site of people sitting at a table quickly scrolling through their phones and returning texts or other messages as we all seem to be preoccupied with multi-tasking, even when we are trying to eat a meal.  Our ways of communicating to each other and the rest of the world have changed so dramatically, as I remembered my trips of long ago when I was a young child.  Back then we were a captive audience and there were no smart phones or other means of communicating instantly with our friends and family.  We simply had to talk to each other at our own table along with the waiter or waitress that was bringing us our food.  As I sat on a bench in the Monterey Peninsula, I watched as people jogged by with their phone and music device in hand as they wound their way through without paying much attention to their familiar scenery.  In San Francisco, there was a multitude of construction that caused plenty of time delays as I crisscrossed through the spectacular hilly streets.  I also did not mind waiting through multiple lights as I saw all of the buildings that had so much character along with age old architecture that made the city shine even brighter.  At the Golden Gate Bridge, I snapped pictures along with the busload of tourists that stopped for the familiar picture with the backdrop of the bridge behind them.  I smiled as people hurriedly unpacked their cameras and threw on a sweater to brave the whipping cold winds under an overcast and chilly day.  I particularly paid attention to the French tourist, who sat and smoked her cigarette as she chatted in her native language with another lady, while the rest of the group darted from one pose to another at the famed Vista Point.  All of it was spectacular in its own way and I was completely grateful for the moments that I was allowed to experience through out this period of time.  This week seemed to whiz by and yet my memories are completely etched and recorded in my mind and via the use of technology with beautiful pictures along the way.  I was reminded about the many ways in which we can make our own memories that captivate our senses and give us a perspective to think about a moment in time.  The next time you take a small trip somewhere, even if it is a familiar place, try to record new memories for yourself and for your future.  At some point in the years ahead, you will think about the many places you have been and the different people that you met along the way.  Hopefully your memories will bring back a smile as you think about the great moments that you witnessed during a lifetime of travels.  

Planting Seeds

I was reading a quote the other day by the great businessman and entrepreneur Warren Buffet which stated, "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago".  My thoughts drifted to those of being grateful for the many things that people before me have done, that were the catalyst for who I am today.  It is interesting when I think about my life growing up as part of a minority group in a place that did not necessarily make me feel like a minority to begin with.  My era was indeed a much different experience than those brave men and women that paved the way for me to have been able to grow up without the many indignities that most minorities endured long before me.  My grandmother told me stories when I was a child of her experiences as an immigrant, with a 3rd grade education, who left her country in search of a better future for her and the four children that were left without a father when he tragically died in his thirties.  Her stories felt like fiction to me, as I envisioned  what she was telling me was part of a great novel that captivated my attention,  as I was left clinging to find out how the story ended.  What she shared with me ended up being like seeds of strength that were planted firmly inside of me, as I grew up awaiting the day for which I would know when to use this generational power.  I am always amazed at how much was given to me by way of a story growing up, as it was the way that a person with an elementary school education could best communicate her struggle and perseverance in the eye of some of the most challenging instances in a person's life.  One day all of these stories will have to make their way into a book of some kind and as I step my way towards that goal, I am grateful to be able to share and impart any wisdom or observation that can help someone else in their own personal journey.  As in today's observation of that quote, I thought long and hard about the many people that not only struggled, but also died, in their effort to change the world and how their future generations of children would be able to live as a result of that truth and courage that was lived.  I often wonder what great lessons our children of today and those born tomorrow, will be reading about that will give them what we were imparted with so many years ago.  I also often think about who the new change makers will be as we grow older that will capture a generation of people and also help inspire them to be better and do better.  I now think of what I can do to make small and meaningful changes that will continue to inspire me to be more present in every moment as I look for the opportunity that may exist to be able to leave some form of example or inspiration for others.  Remember that all of us were provided with our own seeds via those that nurtured us over the course of our lifetime.  Look for the blossoms that have now grown into existence awaiting for you to realize your true self.  We all have much to be thankful for in those special individuals that sowed those seeds for us so many years ago.  Think about what has been planted in you that can be shared with others as you move forward to self actualization or redefining who you really want to be for the rest of your life.