So here we are Quilting Bee # 13, a baker’s dozen…I like that. So, in honor of 13 we have a baker’s dozen donuts…. Bavarian cream, glazed, sprinkles, maple dipped & old fashioned. We also have a couple baker’s dozens of delicious chocolate chip cookies; white chips, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, with nuts and without…yummmmmmm! Of course we have ice cold milk to dip them in or a fine Kona roast if you prefer to dip them in coffee. I don’t know about you but one of the joys of being a grown up…I can dip whenever I want to and I do love to dip my cookies!! So for lucky 13 all diets are null and void. I have racked a delightful quilt today, full of curves and angles. Please pull up a chair and join me. So happy to see you again today!
I have always been awed by people who know from a young age what their purpose is in life. They map out a direct line and follow it. Nothing sways them or redirects them. My sister in law is that way! Julie wanted to be a veterinarian… she couldn’t have been later than a teen when she started in that direction. What is she… a Dr.of Veterinary Medicine - Dr. Julie Sullivan! How cool is that! Some of us wander though. Through several ideas and incarnations of ourselves as we search for who we are and wonder if we have a purpose. I’m one of those wanderers.
When I was younger..well for most of my life I have been steeled by fire…over and over again. About ten years ago I hit my knees and just sobbed and begged and asked…..
“ WHAT?????!!! What am I missing here, why do I keep revolving through the same issues or versions there of??? PLEASE… open my eyes already. I’m tired and weary!”
I was truly tired of hearing; Sarah…you will not be given more than you can handle, trust, look for the reason why……you are being put through these things for a purpose.
“ WHAT PURPOSE??!! I give..please just stop torturing me and let me understand.”
Funny what happens when you surrender, when you quit fighting … you tend to get answers. Here is the one I got, loud and clear…
“Sarah, quit being a victim, life is hard. Start using all of these amazing gifts you have been given!”
I do believe my response was a very humble…
”Oh.”
Simple and to the point…there was a direction in my life from an early age. I had to go through all the things I went through to be “ME” the non victim, occasionally gifted person I am today. What does that mean to me and to maybe some of you who have or are in the midst of pain and struggle? What did I learn when I was on my knees…. all the things I had cursed, fought and gnashed my teeth at were my veterinary school!! They are all part and continue to be my education in what is the purpose of my life. Every day I find someone here that I relate to. Why, because I have been in their shoes. Every day here I see all of you reaching out with your degrees in life and touching someone else with caring and empathy. I see your purpose in life! Do you?
I think maybe I have earned my BA, I hope my Masters will be awarded some day. I still stumble into my pity pool now and again – I just get out faster these days. I yearn to reach that amazing place that PhD’s of life reside, the Maya Angelou’s and Gandhi’s and Mother Theresa’s of this world find. Simple honest caring and loving of one another and offering up what their degrees life has given them.
So…what is your degree in life? Has life offered you things that make you a better ear to Moms with children with issues or supporter of someone in the midst of cancer? Are you the one who offers a shoulder to a single Mom in distress? What reaches into your heart and squeezes?? What brings tears to your eyes? What calls out to you to reach out & touch someone else? I’m guessing those are the things that your degree is built on. My question to myself this week, maybe to you also is… are we using our degrees? Is there someone in your life that is using their degree to comfort or support you? Please, if you would like, share with us about your degree in life.
Ok…. I’m going to indulge in a white chocolate, no nuts thank you chocolate chip cookie with a bit of ice cold milk and I’m gonna dip! Please join me!! Nothing like dipping cookies to make you feel like a kid again!! Thanks for stopping by and joining me today!!
Namaste, Sarah
15 comments:
Oh Sarah, where do I begin? First of all: what brings tears to my eyes - this post did! It really struck a nerve! Which brings me to point 2. Right before reading this, I was blow drying my hair and contemplating EXACTLY what you wrote about - how some people know very early on what their life path will be and others, the ENFP's of the world, wander from thing to thing searching for the perfect answer! When I read your post all I could think was that Soul Sister Sarah had been reading my mind!
I don't know my purpose - I am questing, the same as you, to find the answer. Thank you for the post! I hope that one day soon we both find IT!
xoxoxo
THIS is beautiful; I seem to say that to you quite frequently. Don't get bored of hearing it...because I doubt I'll ever stop saying it.
Sarah, omg, can I relate to the moment on my knees saying, "I'm listening! Please, know that I'm listening...you have to stop torturing...I'll do it but give me a sign, I'm only a Human..."
Oh I can remember.
I am a truth teller. That is how I support people. By being the voice they can absolutely depend on to help them when they really want the information and observations to take the next step.
I am a communicator. I help them understand complex things and situations in terms and ideas that make them say, "Ah, now I get it."
I have not always been loved for that. But, I have learned that I can't insist that a person wish to know. I must wait until they come to me and want to know.
That is my life degree...
As a child I wanted to be a teacher. As a teen a psychologist. I completed school for this, but then felt a strong tug on my heart to help the homeless. I believe I'm all of these things today. With the added bonus of finding my true spiritual self.
What makes me cry? Seeing people hurt. Seeing children dying. Seeing people searching through dumpsters for a meal.
I know I can not change the world on my own, but I pray I will be known for trying. :)
Thank you sweet Sarah for the cookies and milk. It fed the kid within and fueled the adult with love.
Sarah you know who you are now. Just sit silent and you will tell you.
The questions you ask, wow. You are so deep Sarah. I on the otherhand am as deep as a mud puddle so I can't even answer these important questions.
You are such a lovely person that anyone who knows you can't but help feel blessed.
xoxoxo
Renee
Really a lovely and authentic post. Thank you for sharing parts of yourself that we call, I believe, can relate to in our deep down places. My husband knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life from the moment he saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show when he was a little boy, and he has never veered from that path. It is always rather poigant to me to see the wistful looks of admiration on the faces of his high school classmates when we have attended reunions. It is a rare thing, I think, to be that single minded these days, and to have made a success of it. I am proud of, and sometimes in awe of, him.
I love the new artwork on your header. We have a Crescent Moon Cafe here!!
Oh Sarah, reading your post is like a calming whisper. I just sat back and let out a soft sigh.
Your picture is just how I had you in my mind.
You are such a special lady.
Gourdie
Wise words, Sarah -- thank you so much for this post.
I appreciated reading your heart-felt and challenging post today. The degree you spoke of is earned by that day-to-day caring you spoke of so eloquently. I'll be thinking of you as you journey...toward more school?
p.s. I'll have coffee with my old fashioned donut--thanks so much :O)
I am at 40 am degree holder in Positivity and Encouragement of all to get through pain, art, social,and Life....I wanted to be a model(went to modeling school)...didnt like all the dress up...wanted to be an Artist.(children and marriages came into play), Teacher, Psychologist. Now I want to be a good person well rounded and and artist in my free time....And friend to one Idaho quacker LOL..
Smiles,
Sonia ;)
This post is definately "Lucky 13". I think it's the best one yet. I know, and have known for sometime, my purpose in life. It is to help the ill. I have been put through many physical struggles and those are the ones that I'm really good at. I really try to help people through their physical struggles as well but I think my purpose is to help their supporters. Several times I have mistakenly happened into situations where I have talked mothers and wives through terrifying illnesses that their loved ones are goin through. At least, I hope I helped.
That reminds me, I need to give a woman I met recently a call. I've got to get off here!
Blessings,
Christine
Beautiful post - love bavarian cream filled donuts! Okay, Sarah - here's my confession. I'm a fulltime artist and I have an MBA. Yep. When I was a single mom, I had to fight and scrape every week to pay the bills. All I had was a HS diploma - as an art baby, I couldn't even type! It was really hard. So I worked two stupid jobs and made enough money to go back to school since tution reimbursement wasn't too common then. My parents helped a lot with babysitting. I got my associates and went looking for a job with tuition benefits. Lied my way in - sure I can type! I failed the typing test twice and got hired because I wanted that job so bad. Worked there for 20 years right into mangement. Got my Bachelors, got my MBA and ended up with a really decent position with a ton of stress (oncology clinical trials - scarey area). Two years ago, I said I had enough. Walked away. Saved my health and my santity. Now I see my husband every day, get to talk to my 85 year old mom whenever I want and spend time with my grandchildren (I had to go back to work when my daughter was 2 weeks old). Tell you the most important thing I learned in grad school --- being your own boss is the best thing you can ever do. Pay may be less however if you can gather up the courage, give it a shot, because it may be the most rewarding thing you can ever do. Luckily for me, my hubby works. But it's really tight without my salary. I'm financially poor now because I chose to be poor and I have no regrets. My wardrobe has changed, I no longer go to hair salon and don't eat out too often or go on vacation. But I feel so rich inside getting to create every day! Degrees are wonderful door openers but we need to give ourselves the freedom to define ourselves beyond our jobs if we need to do so. Just my two cents. Hugs, Lisa
Hello Sarah,
I can tell you have so many gifts and share them generously! Simply I will say that I try to show up in each moment with honesty, kindness and a wee bit of fun. Life is constantly unfolding, building and surprising me with unique expressions of what is and can be.
Thank you for asking these questions.
OMG, Sarah! I just did a post on careers and how we start out as something and find through life's lessons that it just wasn't meant to be. This blog world is getting more and more synchronized! My degree has so many names behind it and none of them are with a huge $ paper to hang on a wall. Wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister...the list goes on and is more and more rewarding every day. I just may make that PhD someday!
What a wonderful topic Sarah! I too have been down on my knees, more then once. I have struggled with ADD, depression and social anxiety all of my life. I used to self medicate with alcohol but have been sober for 18 years. I often wonder which of my degrees I am suppose to be using, I'm a caregiver to a cancer survivor, I am a Mother and Grandmother to children whom have inherited the mental issues that run in my family! I hope I encourage other women to keep trudging on their road to happy destiny. It gets hard but there are so many wonderful things in life that make the effort worth it. I also hope my art reflects my desire to live, not just survive, live, dance, swing, laugh. Because although I too fall in the quicksand of selfpity I know I dare not tarry there for very long or I will be on my knees again! I have what you called "Angel Friends" here on the internet and out here I have Ron who has been my biggest fan for 30 years! Namaste Sarah! I am here to cheer you on! Your talents help many!!
This is a lovely post and has led me to think hard about my answer.
I feel that my degree is in support of others, to help and sometimes inspire or push them further. Yet, until I know where I'm going, I still can't push myself!
I cry at the offhand cruelty I see in the World and then the sudden impulsive kindness of strangers. The beauty of our planet and the love of family and friends reaches into the deepest part of my heart and heals it.
Kim x
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