Redefining Prosperity and Abundance

                In the past 5 months, as I’ve become accustomed to my fantabulous new life, I’ve chosen to redefine what prosperity means to me. Although I’ve “played around with” the idea of minimalism and frugality and talked, ad nauseum, about the simple life, I’ve attached a “wow, aren’t I brave but pitiful” slant on it. I point out, again…ad nauseum…that this level of doing without is a choice. I wanted this.

                Well, maybe, maybe not. I really did not expect that my walk would be so abbreviated. I did, for true, want a new life for that which I was living was merely the American rat race, not the American dream. So I did, for true, quit my job, sell nearly all my stuff. This certainly, for true, got me a new life!

                I NOW am aware of what exactly this “new life” entails…or doesn’t as the case seems to be. Yes, rather than wear sack cloth and ashes and mourn the fact that I have no this or no that or no the next thing, I am learning finally (well, I’m learning this today…I can’t speak for tomorrow) to embrace the beauty of this glorious level of prosperity. So much is missed when we fly through our minutes, hours, days, years. While we are working desperately to pay for this and climb up that, our lives are vacant. We are not even present.

                My level of enjoying EVERYTHING has deepened. In my previous life, I tried very hard to be aware. To experience as much as I could with the brief moments I had before rushing here or there. My battle cry for changing my life was time. I wanted more time to live, to breathe, to touch others, to do the things I wanted to do with no schedule restrictions. Well, folks…now I have it. Sudden and somewhat unexpected but here it is. It’s another transition, another change which we humans really hate. Which is crazy because if you really think about it change is all our lives do.

                So:

·         I now have time to write. Not just write down the words but crawl into the skin of my characters. I have time to sit and stare into the mist and “see” the story, see what my characters are doing.

·         I now have time to develop relationships. I can take time with people and touch them and allow them to touch me. Like with Rickie’s story from the other day. If I spent the rest of my life doing just that, it would be deep and meaningful and wonderful.

·         I now have time to work/play in my fabulous yard. I am abundantly blessed to have such a great yard and I envision a mellow place to relax and entertain. I love outside work and it’s good for me.

·         I now am available to my adult children. They may not have much time for me but I’m available when they do. In 11 days I will be flying out to see my daughter in WA and hold and cuddle that new grandson of mine and play with my granddaughter. I don’t have to plan for vacation time at work. I can go and stay as long as I want. The time that I didn’t give these children when they were children can be rescued now.

·         I now have time to not just watch a sunrise or sunset but to BE there. To observe the changing colors as the sun goes down, to feel the temperature change, to notice the animals ready themselves for night. You see, it’s not just watching the sun go down, it’s BEING a part of that moment.

·         I now have time to look up the various birds and butterflies that flutter in my yard and to nourish them with plants that they need, seed that will bring them back again and again. To repeat myself, not just go to the store and get a bird feeder and throw some seed into it. It’s more…it’s deeper…it’s being that bird or that butterfly. It’s what I could never do in my old life.

·         And finally, (of course the list is endless, right? There is no “finally”), I now have time to meditate. To talk to my Source. To pray for others. There is no timer ticking away. I can sit all day in meditation if I want to. And that is the highest peak of joy and bliss for me…to give myself time to get to know my God.

These things are abundance. These things are prosperity. My basic needs are met. I do not go to bed hungry. Jack the dog has filled my heart with daily delights. She is my constant companion. So maybe there is more to want, more to have, but I’m so totally full and satisfied, I cannot imagine what that something might be.

May you design a life that for you is prosperous and full.  I will be here cheering you on.