How Others Show Us Who We Are

Just as we can be unconscious of our wounds and fears, we can also be unconscious of our strengths and beauty. If you are really drawn to the positive qualities in another person, you are being invited to own those same qualities in yourself!

But on the flip side of this, if you are finding yourself irritated with certain aspects of another's personality, chances are you exude that same trait.

It's that old saying:  I know you are, but what am I?  When we project out what another "is" it is actually showing us what we are.

The good news is, we don't have to wait for someone else to show us our weaknesses, we only have to look at how we judge others.  The second piece of good news is:  when you notice something wonderful and lovely about another, you are recognizing it because you hold that same attribute as well!

Now that is something to celebrate!

Happy New Year to all!

My TV Segment- Dec. 29th 2010

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/lifestyle/wellness/get-empowered-in-2011

NEW YEAR'S INTENTIONS WITH A TWIST!
(Outline of Sonoran Living Segment 2)
It's that time again to choose our New Year's resolutions and intentions! How about a resolution with a twist this year?  Most people choose the standard: lose weight, get organized, quit smoking, exercise, but how about working on the core of who you are? How about starting the change from within?
When we change the way we see/be in the world, everything changes around us for the better! So with that, let's start our New Year with personal empowerment.  When we generally feel better about who we are inside and how we show up in the world, our anxiety decreases, we think clearer, we are more positive and happier!  Working on the "inside" directly manifests change on the "outside".

1. Fill your world with positive people - There are so many wonderful people in this world to keep company with. It has been said we are the sum of the five people we spend the most time with. Surround yourself with people who empower and support you!

2. Ask questions - No more assumptions. Remove the fear of asking questions. Our assumptions are only our perception of reality. They are interpretations of words and behaviors and oftentimes they are incorrect. When in doubt, ask! Say good-bye to unwanted drama.

3. Love yourself - Embrace and love all parts of you! Outside compliments only pass through us. Self love makes a home and stays. When we love ourselves fully, we take better care of ourselves and we make better choices!

4. Fully express your authentic self - No more holding back! Celebrate WHO you are! Dance and sing if you desire! Wear clothing that expresses your personality! Embrace all aspects of your self expression and be willing to show the world the authentic, unique and wonderful you!

5. Set healthy boundaries - Know inside what is good for you and what is not. Be willing to say "no" when necessary without guilt. It's about teaching people what works for us and what doesn't. Be willing to show other the best way to love you!

6. Share your love - We all have an abundance of love to give, but many of us hold back out of fear of being hurt. Be willing to be a light in the world! Express your love to others. It may be a smile, a hug, a gentle word… Love is the most powerful force in the universe. Share what you have! Give the gift of your love! What we give freely we get back two-fold!

Wishing you all a life of joy and abundance for 2011!
KB

How to be a Good Listener

What does it mean to be a good listener?  A good listener stays silent while the other person is getting his/her words out.  A good listener “listens” with his/her whole body.  Not only do we pay attention to body language, facial expressions, tonal inflections and words,  we take notice of any empathic feelings (feeling another's emotion) that may guide us to a deeper understanding as well.  A good listener understands that there is much to be learned from each and every person we come in contact with.  We may even learn from small children.  Afterall, they tend to view the world clearly, without judgment and with absolute trust in their inner guidance system.

A good listener does not plan his/her next words while the other person is still talking.  In conjunction with this, a good communicator restates back to the other person how he/she interpreted his/her words.  Oftentimes, this can be called “mirroring”.  This practice promotes appreciation and validation from the speaker and predominantly stops miscommunications!  When the speaker feels “heard”, he/she doesn’t feel the need to go on and on and on!  Furthermore, this encourages the speaker to be an active listener in turn!  It’s a win-win situation.

I invite you to slow down your responses, listen with your whole body and restate what has been said to you.  Watch in fascination how your world changes around you!

Namaste’

Be The Change

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change

Adapted from “Man In The Mirror”  By Michael Jackson

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”.
Mahatma Ghandi

 Two beautiful statements by two men from totally different eras, religions, upbringings, nationalities, educations and careers.  Two enlightened men who knew that change starts within. 

Change starts with you.  Take a look at yourself and know, that you are the only person you can truly change.  How do you view the world?  How do you react and treat others?  Do you treat others as equals?  Do you expect others to change to please you?

Lately, I am in awe of the changes I see clients and friends making every day.  I see how one little adjustment in his/her own behavior starts a ripple effect of change all around him/her.  How they come back to me so much happier and peaceful just by making one small variation in themselves.  How they no longer point the accusatory finger of, “Well, if he/she would only change ___________, I’d be so much happier!”  They take the responsibility on themselves and miraculously there is a shift in all who is around them and somehow, they get the desired result with only having to adjust something in themselves.  It is an awesome event to bear witness to.

Next time you find yourself upset with another, are you willing to modify something within yourself?  I invite you to dig deep and alter your own behavior rather than wishing for someone else to alter theirs.  What bliss you will find!

Peace to all,

KB

Be Honest With Yourself

‎"Our lives improve only when we take chances ... and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves."            Walter Anderson

One of the keys to living a life of joy and fulfillment is to be in a constant state of growth and healing.  We all have something to grow around and we are all healing from something.  This is our human way. When we deny those parts of us that need this attention we are not being nurturing and genuine to ourselves.  We are not taking care of the one person that we truly can take care of on every level.  Remember, to love oneself is the only way to truly show up for others in the best way possible.  It is the only way to be the best person you can be and live a full life of joy.

Many of us are afraid of looking inside.  Some even avoid it at all costs and resort to excessive drinking, drug abuse or other addictions to hide from this person whom they perceive to be so bad.  The truth is, we all are loving beings derived from Source.  We are human, we are fallible, but we are perfect in who each and every one of us are.  On some level we are deeply afraid of what we may see and subconsciously believe that if we do reveal this part of ourselves, a punishment will ensue.  Quite the contrary.  Anything brought up and to the light is healed.  True healing begins when we shine the light upon this part of us that is often called “our lower selves.”

I invite you, my friends, to look inside.  Listen to the little voice that tells you where you have strayed from your path of light.  Instead of hiding it and denying its existence, be willing to acknowledge it, send love to it, and release it to the universe to be healed.  Your life will change in beautiful and remarkable ways!

Namaste’

Time to Blossom!

‎"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

~Anais Nin

What does this mean to you?  What it means to me is that so many of us are so afraid that life may bring us pain that we stay in a tight little bud.  We hold everything in to try desperately to remain in control.  We seal every and all openings hoping and praying that we have successfully protected ourselves from pain.  The problem is this actually brings pain to us.  One, the law of attraction states: that that which we fear, we bring to us and two, missing out on life is so much more painful.  We watch the world continue to orbit around us; people living their lives fully and beautifully while we spend all of our energy holding back.

Would you be willing to view the world as a loving and safe place rather than a fearful, scary place?  Would you be willing to take the risk to blossom?  To get to know yourself well so you may make better choices in your life and with whom you associate with?  Are you ready to start living a life of love and joy?

I invite you to set a powerful intention this year:

- I am willing to open myself up and start enjoying all the wonders of life!  I am safe and protected and will only attract people of integrity into my life! 

And so it is!

We Cannot Control

Our personality likes to be in control. It likes to know how things are and what’s going to happen. Underlying this desire for stability and predictability is a deep fear that the world is a dangerous place. The personality fears it will not survive without continually being on guard.

The truth is: we cannot control what happens in life. And under the natural law of attraction, we tend to attract to us what we focus on. EXPLORE SUBSTITUTING TRUST FOR FEAR and the world becomes a gentler, happier place.

–Excerpt from John and Patrice Robson newsletter

"One thing we can do is make the choice to view the world in a healthy way. We can choose to see the world as safe with only moments of danger rather than seeing the world as dangerous with only moments of safety."

-- Deepak Chopra

My Holiday Letter

Dear my friends and family,

Whew!  What a hectic year this has been...  I will be honest in saying, I will be one happy girl to put 2010 behind me.  Although, I am leaving it with a feeling of gratitude for all the good things that came out of it.  For every trial, a lesson is learned and more is gained.    I will always consider 2010 my "strength" year.  Wow, it makes me tear up to even write that.

I stand in continued awe of the love around me and all that I have.  Every single one of you have contributed to this beautiful life I live and I am forever grateful to call you my friends and family.

I also wanted to stand in gratitude for all my dears who have made it successfully through their health issues this year.  I assure you, you are amazing people and I hold you up to the light everyday.

My children are blossoming at full speed and changing as rapidly as the days pass.  I sometimes find myself just staring in amazement at the beauty of their souls.  I'm excited to see what awesome things this New Year brings for them.  :)

I have set several empowering intentions for the New Year and invite  you all to do the same.   May we all flourish with abundance and love in 2011!  Woot!  Woot!

I love you all!

Kristen

Quote from Esther and Jerry Hicks

The idea of “success,” for most people, revolves around money or the acquisition of property or other possessions, but we consider a state of joy as the greatest achievement of success. And while the attainment of money and wonderful possessions certainly can enhance your state of joy, the achievement of a good-feeling physical body is by far the greatest factor for maintaining a continuing state of joy and Well-Being. And so, there are few things of greater value than the achievement of a good-feeling body.

--- Abraham

Excerpted from the book "Money and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Health, Wealth and Happiness" #663

Identifying Your Spiritual Gifts

We are all graced with several spiritual gifts when we are born.   They oftentimes hold the key to our life's purpose.  When identifying one's spiritual gift(s), a feeling of relief, release and peace oftentimes accompany it.  Are you willing to identify yours and start living your life's purpose?  Below is a list derived from several sources of spiritual literature.  If you're willing, read through.  What spoke to you?  What gift(s) stood out for you and sparked a deep recognition of truth in your soul?

Prophecy- divine interpretation/messenger

Service

Teaching

Exhortation- stimulating faith, encouraging

Giving

Leadership- authority, ruling, administration

Mercy- sympathy, comfort to the sorrowing, Showing kindness

Wisdom- wise advice, wise speech

Knowledge- study and facts

Faith Healing

Miracle

Discerning of spirits- discrimination in spiritual matters

Tongues- speaking in languages never learned, ecstatic utterance

Interpretations of tongues

Apostle

Helps

Administration-governments, getting others to work together

Evangelist

Pastor- caring for God’s people

Celibacy

Voluntary poverty

Martyrdom

Hospitality

Missionary

Intercessions-mediating

Deliverance- exorcism

Aura sightings

Seeing angels or guides

Channeling knowledge: written or spoken

Soul travel

Dream and Interpretations

Holding space

Manifesting hearts desires

Inventing

Poetry

Mediumship

Empathy- feeling what others feel

Clairvoyance- or others Clairs

Spirit communication

Compassion

Intuitive

Astral projection

Dowsing- locating ground water

Gratitude

Animal communication

Sensitive

Inner-child work

Art

Writing

Speaking/lecturing

Angel readings

Clear knowing

Inspiration

Courage

Hands on healing

Clarity

Organization

Leadership

Hospice- working with the dying

Music

The Broken-Heart

Have you ever held space for someone with a broken heart?  And I mean a smashed, bashed broken heart?  For the past 24 hours I have been holding such a space for someone I love very dearly. (I will withhold her name for privacy) Her pain feels like my pain.  My chest hurts and I feel like crying.  Having been through a similar story in my life, it feels like I am living the pain again.  Sometimes we trudge along through our sorrow not really healing from it completely but maybe only healing half way.  It’s enough of a relief that we bury the rest under the shed and commence on thinking “I’m over that!”  and then whammo!  Along comes a situation that digs it all up again and the pain resurfaces.  It may not last as long but it feels just as real and fresh in that instant as when it was happening.

This article is not meant to be doom and gloom so hang in there!  As I’m holding my sobbing loved one in my arms for hours, I had several realizations.  One, I truly know how she feels and I know exactly what (and what not) to do.  Two, I made it through this and so will she!  Three, complete and humble gratitude for those that held space for me during my time.  (How difficult that must have been!) Watching and feeling her pain was so incredibly difficult… The raw anguish and wracking sobs brings tears to my eyes just writing this.   I wanted to go through every single emotion with her.  I was angry, I was sad, I was defeated and I was hopeless right along with her, but I knew none of that would help. I did not want to fuel her fire or give her false ideas. This was hers to go through and all she needed was my time, my energy and my love.  I removed any Ego thoughts of saving her or rescuing her (because we all know we cannot rescue people from their paths) and just simply held complete and beautiful space for her as she and many others had held for me during my moments of crisis and need.  This is all she needed.  All she wanted.  And I am honored to be able to give it back to her no matter how difficult it was/is. 

 I further discovered that when we are hurting the most, we truly just need to know someone cares.  That we are loved and supported as we navigate the inevitable painful events that show up in our lives. A good support system and loving words and touches go a long way.  I encourage everyone to not shy away from the broken-hearted.  Embrace them.  Cry with them.  Wipe away their tears.  Hold them close.  Sometimes having “no words” is the best thing.

Thank you for reading this.  It was a bittersweet article to write.

Peace to all,

KB

Aligning Your Vibration

Align your intention (prayer) and or affirmation with a certain knowingness that you will get what it is you want.  Pleading does not bring you what you want.  It is aligning with the negative (doubtful thoughts).  The vibration you are sending is not in alignment with the vibration of manifestation.  FEEL in your body and soul what it is you would like brought into your life and simply let it go...
The universe (God, Source, Spirit) is here to lead us to magnificience.  Do not doubt the power of the universe for it is something that we can not humanly classify.
Namaste'

Revenge is Unserving

God (Universe, Source, Spirit) sees every wrong that has been done to you.  It sees every person that has ever hurt you.   Leave behind trying to pay people back, trying to get revenge.  The record has been made and certain Scripture states that if you don't avenge yourself, God will pay you back.  You will not only be paid back, you will be paid back in abundance.  Leave it to God.  Live a life of forgiveness and be open to the abundance you will receive.

Benefits of Meditation

Per Hayhouse Publications:


You can hardly open a major news publication these days without seeing yet another scientific study raving about the incredible benefits of meditation.


Meditation has been proven to extend your life . . . create more happiness . . . increase inner peace . . . lower stress levels . . . increase mental clarity . . . resolve long-standing emotional problems, including fear, anxiety, depression, anger, and substance abuse . . . and it's one of the best things you can do for your brain!


With nothing but bad news everywhere you turn (the economy, politics, health scares), people are smothering under a blanket of stress, and meditation is one of the best ways to raise your threshold for stress.


Note from Kristen:
Meditation is not a complicated process nor is it hard to learn.  Simply stated, meditation is about creating a space in your mind/soul to open up to messages and insights from Source.  When  our mind is clear we are in a space of receiving and it has been said that, "Our mind is like a bowl of rice, if it is full there is no place to accept more."
For those that don't understand what meditation actually "feels" like, it is the space that we "daydream" in.  It's those moments of time when our thoughts are free flowing through our minds.  We stay unattached to any of them.  They pass through and oftentimes, clarity comes from this.  Sometimes we may not remember our messages, but rest assured, they have sunk into your consciousness and have elevated you to a higher level.
Meditation has become a daily practice for me.  I feel it is something that serves as the doorway to communicating with Source and helps me daily to follow my pathway with the least resistance.  My life is more peaceful and less bumpy when I listen with my heart/body/soul.
I wish you great success in formulating meditation into your life.  What beautiful changes will accompany that practice.
Namaste'

Wayne Dyer Quote

"Practice being infinitely patient, never being dissatisfied with the speed or the manner in which your intentions are manifesting." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

Stretch Yourself

   This is my invitation to you to try something out of your comfort zone!  Recently, I had the opportunity to appear on a local morning television show here in Phoenix, AZ.  My initial reaction was, "No way!"  But I decided to stretch myself.   Not just a little, but  A LOT!  I said yes and went on the show as a guest speaking Life Coach regarding how we can start to transform our lives like the main character did in the movie Eat, Pray, Love...
   By the time it was my turn, I was hardly nervous at all.  I had a wonderful time and was exhilarated by the experience!  It opened up a part of me that had no idea that I could speak publicly, much less on LIVE television.  I felt as though I had stepped way out of my comfort zone only to find a wonderful surprise on the other side.  That 5 1/2 minute experience opened up a whole new realm of my being.  I'm not sure where it will take me, but I am willing to take the ride!  I say YES to the Universe presenting new and exciting experiences for me to expand my knowledge and experience.
   Is there something you'd like to do?  Have you been offered any opportunities that you have passed up out of fear or self-doubt?  I invite you to stretch yourself!  Allow your innerself to reveal your potentially hidden talents and gifts. Go for it!
Namaste'

The Divine Essence of an Honorable Man

The Divine Essence of an Honorable Man

He lives a life of integrity and faith.  He knows to whom to share his love and to where his loyalties lie.  He is powerful in a gentle way. He is a protector and a safe haven for those whom he surrounds himself with.  He judges not but holds discernment in his friends.  His personal integrity is maintained without obligation to any form.  He is centered.  He is focused.  He is courageous.

From my soul to your soul,

KB

Why?

Why?  The omnipresent, ever evolving question…  Why?  So many times in my life I have asked, “Why did this happen?”  At times I got so caught up in the Why of the moment, I would forget to let go and just let the rest unfold.  I would obsess about the so-called injustice of it that I would literally stop enjoying life!  I would bind myself to digging and searching for the answers when it just wasn’t the time for the answers to be revealed.

         My dear friend’s father once said,  “Sometimes you are not to know the why right now.”  How wise and true those words are.  I have found that as I sit in the mystery of the Why, get quiet, pay attention and watch carefully, it all unfolds right before my eyes.

         It seems the answer to Why comes when we least expect it.  All of a sudden a certain awareness or clarity shows itself to us and it’s like a bell ringing!  Wow!  I get it now…  I truly understand Why this whole thing unfolded the way it has.  And when I truly reflect from deep within my soul, I realize it was all perfect.

         I’m not saying the journey(s) haven’t been incredibly tough at the time, but I am saying I have come out of them as a better, stronger, wiser, calmer and more centered person than I was before.

         I encourage you all- when life slaps a zinger on you, slow down your thoughts, stop trying to find the justice right now and quiet your being.  It will reveal itself to you in time.  I personally know how difficult it is to sit in the gap… But when viewing it from a different perspective of “the mystery”, I have learned to slow it down and allow life to reveal itself to me in divine right timing.

         It is said, “Life is what you make it.”  It has also been said, “Perception is reality.”  I have truly adopted those statements into my life as standard rule of practice.  When I can’t see past the trees to the clearing, I pray for clear perception and I make the best of where I am at!

Namaste’

Wayne Dyer Quote

‎"You practice forgiveness for two reasons: to let others know that you no longer wish to be in a state of hostility with them and to free yourself from the self-defeating energy of resentment. Send love in some form to those you feel have wronged you and notice how much better you feel." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

Message from Dr. Wayne Dyer

PUTTING INTENTION TO WORK:
Act upon the inner picture.
Begin to act as if everyone you meet is a part of your intention to attract ideal people into your life. Share with others your needs and desires without going into detail about your spiritual methodology. Make calls to experts who might be of assistance, and state your desires. They’ll want to help you. Don’t expect anyone else to do the work of attracting the right people for whatever you seek—be it a job, admission to a college, a financial boost, or a person to repair your automobile. Be proactive, and stay alert for signs of synchronicity, never ignoring them. If a truck drives by with a phone number advertising what you need, jot the number down and call. See all so-called bizarre coincidences surrounding your desires as messages from Source, and act upon them immediately. I assure you that they’ll occur repeatedly.

Our Unique Gifts and Talents

I just returned from the bi-annual art festival held in Tempe, AZ.  I walked around in amazement and awe of the talents and gifts these artists possess.  I took the time to "feel" their artistic wares and honor them as the vessels of expression that they are.

We all are born with amazing gifts and talents.  We each possess our own unique qualities to express our love and joy to the world.  Do you know what yours are?  Have you taken the time to honor which gifts you have?  Would you be willing to give yourself the gift of discovering yours?

It's time to share yours with the world!

Peace to all...  :)

Excerpt 2 From "Everyday Grace" by Marianne Williamson

"It can be very hard to love people who are not showing love to us.  But God's love is a person’s essential identity, regardless of how he or she acts.  The miracle worker remembers a part of someone that they themselves have forgotten.  People deserve love not because of what they do, but because of who they are.  When someone  has forgotten their love, they have fallen asleep to who they are; our mystical challenge, and our spiritual power, lies in choosing to remain awake."

And so it is...  Thank you, Marianne, for your books.  They ring true to me and help guide me through my journey...

To: All People of the World

In humble appreciation to all you from all over our Earth who view my blog...  You are obviously seekers of light and join the collective consciousness of a better world.  I honor each and every one of you and send my love your way.  I welcome your comments on any and all posts. 
Namaste'
Kristen

Excerpt from "Everyday Grace" by Marianne Williamson

On what a miracle looks like and how one can allow them into his/her life...

"Perhaps the miracle arrives in the form of an insight that unlocks a riddle in your life, reconciliation with someone, or the opening of a door that had long remained closed.  Try as you might, your efforts to break through using your talents, your power of rational analysis, or sheer force of will had remained fruitless.  It was only when you put God first-when your heart softened, you stopped blaming, you stopped talking so much and started to truly listen-that some wall of resistance began to crumble.  You had not done anything so much as you had released the energies of self-will.  You had asked, in a way, that God's will be done.  A miracle occurred not because you caused it but because you allowed it.  In the words of writer Willa Cather, "Where there is a great love, there  are always miracles."

This just feels so good to me...      Namaste'

Faith Quotes

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can
       be done without hope and confidence.
                                                    - Helen Keller

Without faith a man can do nothing; with it all things
        are possible.
                                                                  - Sir William Osler

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have
     not seen.
                                                                - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.
                                                               - William Newton Clark   

IMAGINE (song) Jack Johnson

A beautiful version of John Lennon's song Imagine...  Timeless lyrics that still take my breath away...  Enjoy...  Peace...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoeHcgQiG_s

Article by Cory Treffiletti- His Coaching Experience

Put Me In, Coach, I'm Ready To Play By Cory Treffiletti

Unbeknownst to you, many of the executives you know engage with a business and/or life coach. These coaches are there to help make sense of the chaos that is everyday life, and can help execs learn the best way to address career issues, maintain work/life balance, and even mentor the employees who work for or with them. Coaches are valuable and effective -- and if you ever get the opportunity to work with one, I certainly recommend you do it.

I was fortunate enough to have my company pay for coaching earlier in my career, and in addition I've had my own coach for many, many years now. I've learned a lot; among my most important lessons is s one thing I learned a while back that has helped me through many difficult times: "No matter what decision you make when faced with a difficult situation, the decision you made was the right decision for that moment in time."
It may sound a bit existential, or even a bit new-agey, but that one statement has helped me many times to get out of the downward spiral that can occur when you start second-guessing yourself and rethinking your past decisions. Being human means you're empowered with cognitive thought, but that can also be a debilitating thing. Human beings, and especially executives in mid- to large-sized companies, are constantly forced to make hard decisions. When you find yourself spending time and energy rehashing old situations, you have to catch yourself and realize that if you hadn't made the decision you made, then you wouldn't necessarily have the information you have now!
What that means is, every decision, whether in retrospect was "right" or "wrong," leads you to an outcome -- and that outcome is a learning experience. When you make the "right" decision, you see the benefits. When you make the "wrong" decision, you learn from it - and hopefully that makes you smarter for the next similar situation that may arise. If you had made the opposing decision, you never would have had the benefit of the outcome that taught you what you needed to know.
Sometimes coaches are the most useful when they help you identify the learning experiences that come from making the "wrong" decision, which you may not have noticed yourself. Life is a series of experiences that help shape you into becoming the person you want to be. If those experiences are in a professional environment, then they shape the kind of professional you're going to be. If they are on a personal level, they have the same effect. What's most difficult is not keeping these two worlds separate, but rather identifying where learning from one world can and should be applied to the other.
The decisions that executives make, like hiring, firing, changing direction or going all in on a product idea; these are very heavy decisions. In almost all of these situations a human being is affected, and the executives are human beings so rarely do they take these decisions lightly. Inevitably the person making the decision will have to choose, and someone wins and someone loses. That's business, and that's life, but no one does it alone -- and a coach of some form can certainly help you to work with all the right information.

Story of Forgiveness

To keep this story of forgiveness short, I am going to refrain from using fluff and extra words.  The following story is true and I hope it leaves you as awe-inspired as it left me.   

He’s about 35 years old and stands about 5’8.   He’s had a career in bounty hunting, private investigating and process serving for approximately 20 years.  He’s on a typical routine serve where a father is about to get notice of losing his parental rights of visitation for his daughter.  On any call dealing with a minor, the police are called for backup.  John makes his call and waits for his backup.  The police seem to be taking longer than usual, so John makes the call again and is informed that they are on their way.  He then decides to go ahead and serve his papers.  He knocks on the door and the recipient answers.  He proceeds with the process.  Due to the content of the process he is to read the details to the recipient.

He begins to read.  Everything seems to be going fine until he gets the point of informing the father that his visitations rights are to be terminated. (The father is a crystal-meth addict.)  John looks up from the paper to be met square in the face with a gun.  Several seconds pass and the father pulls the trigger…  Nothing happened…  The gun did not fire.  John proceeds to get the gun away from the father and “hurt the guy pretty badly”.  Congruently, the police show up.  John hands the gun to the police and informs them that it is not loaded.  An ambulance is called and the father is treated for his injuries.  He is later put into the back of the police car. 

At this point the daughter comes out of the house and sees the whole scene.  She is about 10 years old.  John walks over to the young girl and apologizes for hurting her daddy.  The young one replies, “It’s okay…  Maybe now he can get some help.”  John then walks over to the police cruiser and requests they roll down the window to speak to the father.  John proceeds to apologize to him as well. 

Afterward the police officers start to harass John.  “Dude!  What’s up with you?  You  getting all soft on us!  That guy tried to kill you!  And by the way, the gun was loaded.  The bullet was chambered…  It was a misfire.”

To this day (even knowing the gun was loaded), John stands behind his apology.   He was doing his job and defending himself, but he felt he owed the guy an apology for beating him up so badly.  He felt he could’ve handled the situation differently and felt an apology was in order.  He recognized his “bad” in the situation and was quick to own his part.  What John was able to do, even when his life had been threatened, was an amazing act of forgiveness.

It’s fascinating and amazing to me how a mere 10 minutes in time can affect so many lives.  A terribly ugly scene that could have had a very different ending, in contrast raised the consciousness of so many.  One man chose to recognize and own his behavior, put aside his pride and fear and walk in the light of forgiveness. 

I’m honored to say I know John personally.  He has transitioned out of a childhood of hell (take my word for it) into an adulthood of peace and healing.  If you knew his story, you might not think it possible. 

At any time, at any moment, on any day, we can choose to walk a life of peace.  We can choose healing for ourselves.  We can choose forgiveness.  Forgiveness sets us free…  Not the person who did us wrong…

Namaste’