Summer Re-Run: On the Usefulness of Grief–Gifts from the Child

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Jennifer

Dear Wonder Child Blog Readers,

This post on grieving was first published 2 years ago. Each idea about grief is couched in a quote from the Wonder Child. May this post bring anyone peace and comfort as they move through, and with, grief.

Blessings,

Joseph

Everyday
my child gives me
brief snapshots of things
he would like me to share.
This week, as a significant chapter of my life
drew to a close,
my child gave me several gifts
to help me move through,
and with, my tears.
Here are some of them.

“Tears,” said the child, wiping one from the tortoise’s eye, “cleanse the heart and water the soul. You are so open when you weep.”

“Is there a way out?” wept the wounded man to the child. “Yes, dear one, it’s through your wounds and it’s through me.”

“The sadness is back,” said the old man to the child, “what should I do?” “Embrace it,” said the child tenderly, “and then keep moving.”

“Do not mislead them,” said the child to the angels, “there is sorrow just as there is rain. There is anger just as there are storms.”

“There are tears,” said the child holding the old man weeping. “Let them come. They are healing you, me, the other children, the world.”

“Why fight your tears?” asked the child as the old man wept, “tears are to grief as laughter is to joy. And both are just as necessary.”

“I know you want to take away their suffering,” the child said the man, “but if you did, you would take away their reason to change.”

“So comfort them in their suffering,” said the child, “help them bear it, but let them let it go. You cannot take it away, it isn’t yours.”

The child came to my bedside in his ship of full of light and said, “It is OK-cry. This water I sail on is from the tears of the blessed.”

“Come,” said the child to young man weeping, “look at what your tears have grown!”

“Shh,” whispered the child to the angels, “listen to the old man weeping, “his grief is the moving the stars to shine.”

Thoughts From the Heart, Part III, The Way of Being

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jennifer

Thoughts
From the Heart, Part III

A
Collection of Random Musings and Inspirations,

By Joseph
Anthony

There
is a way of being who you are that matters most. It is the way of being that
sings of wonder, and a deep
sense of radiant gratitude.

As you
walk through the dark woods, open your hand. Feel
the good spirit slip her hand into yours, and watch the darkness open into
light.

Inside
your heart a seed. Inside the seed your heart. From
inside this shared space, alive and breathing, all things grow into
the world.

Spirit
wears the life of matter as we would wear a silken robe –with delight, dignity, and with lavish playfulness.

Within
matter (mater=mother=earth) spirit lives, flowing and filling every cell with sheer and
utter joy.

Struggle
isn’t bad, it only feels bad sometimes–it’s actually a blessing. Ask
the bird, ask the butterfly, ask the baby learning to walk.

We are
here to unlock the treasures of one another’s hearts. Keys
like kindness, compassion, gratitude, forgiveness, and praise work well.

“What
of the feeling of impending doom?” asked the old man. “Notice
your feet,” said the child, “and then look at your hands. Be here
now.”

“Where have you
been?” the old man asked the child. “Sleeping,”
replied the child, “in your heart. Didn’t you look for me there?”

Messages From the Child, Part III

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Jennifer

Messages From the Child, Part III

Moving through the fog of grieving, one looks for light and
listens for music.

They are there. Let your tears clear the way.

There exists cosmic order. When the inspiration comes to
give of yourself and you give,

know you are a part of a Divine celebration.

Write your biography in the pages of the world with the
words of your deeds,

and the empty space you leave for angels to fill with
meaning.

Hold the silence of your dreams like a trembling bird,

and
when you finally open your life,

the song it sings will soar into the heavens.

Where warmth meets light, where matter meets spirit, where
intuition meets thought, there revolve worlds of endless creativity and
purpose.

One needn’t question why the inspiration comes. Simply keep
your hands open,

and watch in wonder as it flows through like healing water.

On Gratitude

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Jennifer

“How is it you are so happy all the time?” the old man asked the Child.

“I stay steady even as the things around me, and within me, change.”

“What do you mean?”

“This,” said the Child. And as he spoke, the Child swirled the winter winds into his hands and tossed them back into the sky as spring. Flowers bloomed over the grass, like a river of color, birds banked turns around them, bees hummed through the sweet, earth-scented air. And as this all turned round them, the old man overheard the Child whispering, “Thank you,” to each and everything he saw, heard, and felt. In a few moments, the Child cupped spring in his hands, shook it a little, cast it into the air where it descended around them, landing as summer. Fresh fruit hung heavily from the trees, fish jumped in the pond, cicadas droned, hidden in the lush, swaying trees. And as the old man and the Child spun around in the field, laughing, the Child paused, looked deep into the world and said, “Thank you.” And just as the old man was thinking of lulling in the summer sun, the Child swished his hands into the sky and turned the air as if it were water. With a flourish, the Child spun the air to a stop and when it did, gold and red leaves whirled everywhere, sheaves of corn leaned against doorways, the smell of mulled cider scented the clouds, a clean, brisk chill flowed through them. And as the two raced about trying to catch the falling leaves, the old man heard the Child stop and say,“Thank you.” Finally, the Child wound the air back up and turned it out back into the moment, where snow was falling, draping their shoulders. The Child looked up into the sky, snowflakes kissing his face, and said, “Thank you.” And after he did these things, he looked to the old man and asked, “Now do you see?”

“Yes,” said the old man, “the way to remain happy is to remain steady in gratefulness, no matter the season.”

“No matter the season, no matter the feeling, no matter the day, no matter the circumstances, no matter anything. Happiness is not a feeling so much as a way of living. And that way of living is to give thanks in all things.”

And with that the old man and the Child walked, hand in hand, towards the blossoming horizon.

Loving Yourself, the Art of Positive Self-Talk

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Jennifer

Once upon a time an old man and the Holy Child sat in silence by the riverside. After a while, the old man heard the Child talking to himself, or so it seemed. As the old man leaned in closer to listen, these are the words he heard:

“You are beautiful. I am so happy you were born. I love you. You are the perfect weaving of Sky and Earth, the keeper of holy fire and soothing water. I want you to be happy, so I will sing this day, sing your praises, give thanks for the life you give me. I am so grateful that you carry me with such grace and generosity. I love you. I appreciate you. Now let’s go play.”

And then he was quiet again. Tears were streaming down his face.

Finally the old man spoke: “That was a beautiful prayer.”

“Thank you,” said the Child.

“You must love God very much.”

“I do, but those words were not spoken for God.”

“Then who were you talking to?”

“Myself,” said the Child, reaching down and cupping his hand into the cool water.

“Yourself?” said the old man surprised.

“Yes,” laughed the Child, “don’t you talk to yourself that way?”

“No,” replied the old man, staring at the flowing river, “never.”

“Now’s a good time to start,” said the Child, as he rose and took the old man by the hand, “never has ended. The time to love yourself has come.”

The Importance of Repetition

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Jennifer

Nestled after the “re” in “repetition,” is the word, “petition.” A petition is a prayer, and comes from the Latin, “petere,” meaning “to seek, or go forward.” Interestingly the base of the Latin word “petere,” can be traced back to the Sanskrit word, “patram,” meaning “wing or feather.” And it this definition which will inform the following story.

“Open your heart,” said the child walking alongside the old man. “How?” asked the old man. “Repetition,” said the child. “Repetition?” said the old man, “Of what?” “Your deepest love,” replied the child, “Let what you love the most be ever on your lips, ever on your heart, ever repeated, ever ruminated over, ever caressed within you. Let what you love be your prayer of the heart. Turn the name of what you love over and over in your mind, in your heart, with every step, with every breath, and soar.” The old man was silent for a long time as the two of them walked through a flock of birds that went scattering into the sky as they passed. At last he asked the child: “What do you repeat over and over?” “We all have our own loves,” said the child, “try not to get caught up in rules. Find what you love and repeat its name over and over.” “But what if I do not love anything?” “That is a lie,” said the child, “Search within yourself. What you love is there waiting for you to call its name.” “I am afraid,” said the old man. “That is why you can’t see what you love,” said the child. “What should I do?” “Should?” said the child as he turned and looked up at the old man. “What do you want?” Tears welled in the old man’s eyes and finally, voice trembling, he uttered, “Peace. I want peace.” “Then let that be your petition, your prayer,” said the child taking the old man’s hand. And as the old man began repeating the word “peace,” over and over, his heart opened, and his prayer took wing and lifted him, carried him directly to the very Heart of Peace Itself.

Sayings of the Child

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Jennifer

Everyday
the child gives me
little messages.
I usually post them
on my twitter account
(thewonderchild).
But today,
as I did back in June,
I am going to share some of them
with you
here.

“Is there a way to open the doors of the heart?” the young woman asked the child. He smiled at her, taking her hand, and said, “Yes, sing.”

“What must I do to feel inspired?” asked the man. The child handed him a broom and said, “Sweep out the doubts and fears, and clean house.”

The child fed the dragon elderberries from his hands. The dragon’s whiskers tickled his arms. The child laughed. The dragon smiled.

“Sometimes there is so much self-doubt,” said the young man to the child. “That’s why we need each other,” said the child, taking his hand.

“I wonder about abundance,” said the young man. “And that is why you are lacking,” said the child. “No more wondering–give.”

“Sometimes,” said the old woman, “I just feel so afraid.” “I know,” said the child as he opened the doors to heaven, “but not anymore.”

“Will I ever see you again?” the old man asked. “When you walk through heaven’s doors,” said the child, “you will live where I live.”

The child stood on the dragon’s shoulders. The dragon walked like a moving mountain. Together they rambled through their fears.

“What is courage?” asked the angel. “Dancing with fear,” said the child, “and watching as it changes, right in your arms, into bravery.”

“What is the Law of Attraction?” asked the angel. “Love,” replied the child, “Ask yourself–What do I love? That is the Secret and that is the Law.”

“Abundance?” said the child, “The key to abundance is not what you have, but what you give away; what you share.”

The child picked up the fallen star and held it to his heart. Suddenly the star began to glow, and soon it flew back into the sky, shining.

“Where is the best place to have peace?” asked the angel. “In the center of a storm,” answered the child.

“What do you get to take with you to heaven?” asked the old man. “Everything you have given away,” said the child, wiping the old man’s tears.

The Wonder Child Blog

Sharing the Journey

Category Archives: Messages from the child

Summer Re-Run: On the Usefulness of Grief–Gifts from the Child

Thoughts From the Heart, Part III, The Way of Being

Messages From the Child, Part III

On Gratitude

Loving Yourself, the Art of Positive Self-Talk

The Importance of Repetition

Sayings of the Child

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