Starry, starry night...

Last night as I was driving home from a family gathering, the crystal clear, voluminously starry night reached down and spoke to my soul. I had no choice but to pull over and gaze up into infinity...into eternity...and witness firsthand the beauty of our brightly shining universe.

I was moved to tears by the breathtaking wonder of the sheer magic of last night's sky. For those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest, clouds very often hide this vision, but after a much needed cloudless day of warm spring sunshine, the stars came out in full force.

It brought back to my memory two things: First, as a little girl growing up in central Texas, I would play outdoors late into the evenings in the long hot summers with my brothers and cousins. I remember having my Mason jar in hand and running to catch fireflies as we entertained ourselves while our parents were on the patio getting caught up on all the latest gossip. The night skies made a big impression on me then, with the stars so bright and shining and innumerable...children's laughter echoing in the dark...any worries or cares long forgotten...such fond childhood memories for me. And I was taken back to that same state of mind as I looked heavenward last night - present, carefree and in love with life itself.

The second memory that came to me was in song, and I heard my soul singing the lyrics during this magical moment. For those readers of this blog who are children of the 60s, I'm sure you already know to which song I refer. Music artist Don McLean penned the lyrics to what was to become a beautiful eulogy to artist Vincent Van Gogh's tragic ending of his life. 'Starry, Starry Night' became a hit in 1972, and its poetic words always come to mind on those mesmerizing starry evenings:

Starry starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer's day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul

One can never plan such moments in one's life when tears come simply from the awe of the natural beauty around us. However, when those moments of epiphanal beauty (my new phrase meaning soul epiphany beauty!) appear in my life, I am learning to take note, to pause if only for a moment, and to allow the flow of the magic to have its way with me. I am learning to listen to my heart at those times, and to enjoy...every single enchanting second of the present moment and the radiant gift of life.

Rainy Mondays and heart rocks...

Yesterday I walked in the rain. That's not unusual for me, living in the Pacific Northwest. While on my walk, what was unusual though, was the Universe shouting to me unequivocally, "I love you!"

"Seriously?" one might ask. "Really?" Let me explain.

Whenever I'm outside, I'm always on the lookout for heart shaped rocks. I collect them, or rather, they collect me. They just come to me ... the law of attraction I suppose one could say. I don't even remember how or when it started. Several years ago I started seeing them and would pick them up and bring them home to display in my garden, on my front porch, at my kitchen window, on a bookshelf ... basically anywhere in and around my home.

Now whenever I'm outdoors, I always look, and they always, or almost always, magically appear. At least one rock, sometimes two. I mean it sincerely and to the utmost degree when I say that I love my heart shaped rocks. To some, they may be "just rocks," but to me, oh to me, they are definitely the Universe's magical language of love. And for each and every 'heart' rock that comes to me, I am immensely grateful! I feel loved and special and nurtured when they appear in my life.

Now back to yesterday ... rainy, gray, dark, new moon Monday morning. Since it was the first day of daylight-saving time, I kept looking at the clock and telling myself it was not really that time, but actually an hour earlier. Ugh. I forced myself out of bed to walk off the cannoli I had eaten Saturday night, feeling sluggish, tired and perhaps a little (well, maybe not so little) on the crabby side.

As I prepared for my cold, dreary trek outdoors, I asked my angels, guides and Spirit to show me signs of love and guidance for this new week. I plugged in my earphones, tuned into my ambient music and opened the door. Immediately the first sign I received was the shockingly loud chorus of birds singing, cheerfully greeting me as I stepped outside. Okay, wow! Thank you for my sign of love. I definitely felt my mood lift and instead of dreading my walk, anticipated the joys of being out in nature.

As I rounded the curve around the lake, I then noticed the flock of ducks swimming in unison on the still, glassy waters and creating such a beautiful ripple effect that I was mesmerized. I stopped to take a picture, which is rare; I don't stop while power walking. Wow, a second time! Thank you again for such a graceful sign of love.

I continued on my walk, then beginning to feel as though I was in a magical space. That's when I saw my first heart rock (pictured). I was so smitten by it, I knelt, did a wee bit of digging to jar it loose from its resting place, and then picked up my treasure. I was as ecstatic as a little kid making mud pies! Wow, a third time! Thank you, Universe, for touching my heart with love again!

It was at that point in my walk that I began to see heart shapes everywhere! I began laughing out loud as I spotted more and more heart rocks. And then heart shaped fallen leaves. Even asphalt patches took on the shapes of hearts. I am not kidding. Everywhere I looked I saw hearts! My, oh my, I was definitely feeling the love!

By the time I had completed my walk, within a 45-minute timespan, my whole outlook had changed. I had returned home with four heart rocks (I left some for others), one heart leaf (pictured) and more importantly, my own heart overflowing with gratitude and love and appreciation for life itself.

Thus, this is my reminder to self: When I'm feeling stuck or grumpy or negative, remember. Remember to do what I know I need to do to get unstuck - to move that stale energy. For me, that's praying, meditating, writing, exercising, listening to music, being in nature, doing an art or craft project, having coffee with a friend, hugging any or all of my grandchildren, etc. My spirit is lifted, I go forward in love, and free myself to be all of who I truly am. Remembering is key. And asking. For help. Always ask. What works for you?

In love ...Victoria Lynn