Just Ask

Have you ever gone out of your way to do something for someone else because it's what you 'thought' would be best for them, only to find out that it really isn't what they wanted at all?
 

Such was the case for me at the beginning of this school year for my six year old son, who is embarking upon his First-Grade experience after having had a … well … pretty awful Kindergarten experience, all things considered. The last two weeks of Kindergarten, he was placed on the special van because he had misbehaved one too many times on the school bus. He knew he had done things that were against proper bus conduct, and really didn't seem to care too much, though he also didn't seem too enthused about the van transportation either. Nevertheless, we managed to make it to the last day of school…a day that couldn't have arrived soon enough for me, as it was very difficult sending the little guy off each day to a place he was vehemently opposed to attending.


Summer vacation came and went with its own shares of ups and downs in the behavior department, and we did our very best to help him view First Grade as an entirely new, fun and exciting adventure. We helped him to frame it as an opportunity to start off with a clean slate, make new friends, and share all of the knowledge he gained over the summer…it was going to be GREAT! 


BUT…then I got a call from the school transportation department. It seemed that they were going to be keeping him on the special van again this year. Immediately, I saw all our efforts in getting him psyched for this new year begin to unravel like the spool of yarn he taped in the shape of a spider web throughout the dining room just weeks before. I was crushed…for him…at the thought of being made to feel like a 'bad kid' at the start of this great new year. 


Crushed, maybe, immobilized, far from it! After several attempts at contacting the appropriate personnel, I managed to convince the "powers that be" that it was not in my son's best interest to be placed on the van this year. After all, I asserted, this is a new year. Of course, my family was in complete agreement with me (or at least, if they weren't, they didn't let on to the contrary) and fully supported my diligence at changing his transportation arrangements. It was going to take a few days for the changes to be put into effect, so I would have to drop him off and pick him up from school each day. No problem, I thought, we'll just tell him that I'm taking him until he gets established in his classroom.


Well, the day came when he was going to be able to ride the bus, and with it a royal fit the likes of which I hadn't seen since last school year. "The bus is TOO LOUD," he shouted, "and if I have to ride it then I am going to have a HORRIBLE day!!!" He just cried and cried and at first, I thought that giving in would only reinforce his fit-pitching behavior. Quickly, though, I considered that perhaps the bus really IS loud and maybe that is part of the reason he had such difficulty on it last year. Just because I didn't like the way he was telling me that being on the bus bothered him didn't necessarily mean I should ignore the message he was sending in its entirety. 


Then it hit me…maybe I should JUST ASK him if he would prefer to ride the van instead of the bus. "Oh, yes," he replied, "I actually LIKED riding the van – and it's quiet too."


Who knew? Certainly not me – for I didn't bother to ASK HIM what he would prefer. 


Fortunately, the "powers that be" at school had a sense of humor when I went in to plead my transportation-changing case again…and within a few short days, my son will be riding the nice, quiet van to school.

Unconditionally,

I Am Angel Pricer

Life…Unplugged

For all the inspirational words and stories to be found on Facebook, websites and exchanged in emails, they all pale in comparison to the natural forces that birthed their creation in the first place. Dear Gentle Reader, please understand the following content in no way diminishes the wonder and value that can be derived from the World Wide Web, for truly how silly would that be, as I am a contributor to the information contained within. Rather, what follows is merely a testament to what I have found to be a very curious occasion in my own life.


It all began way back on Friday, August 20, 2010 – the day the internet was disconnected in my home. It really was an 'accident,' since we signed up for new service to be bundled with our new satellite television, but somehow, there was a miscommunication in the order and we won't actually have the internet in our home until September 1^st.


I was really irritated when I first discovered that it would be 13 whole days until I would be able to 'plug-in' to the World at Large and I began to fall into a bit of a self-righteous pity-party. Even as I contemplated contacting the company that made such a mess of our order, I heard a voice inside saying "it doesn't matter." The wisdom of that voice was validated as I spoke with the representative who, through a false-apologetic screen, let me know under no uncertain terms that there was nothing he could do and my attempts to escalate the situation only reinforced the voice…"it doesn't matter."


Once I decided to settle into the notion of a life unplugged – even if only temporarily – I began to notice 'things' come up in my head that would not be getting done during this interminable 13 day withdrawal. I realized these 'things,' while well-intentioned – were still just 'things.' And that while these 'things' may have a positive impact on others, they certainly were not dependent upon them. Indeed, if I didn't put my 'things' out there, no one would ever be the wiser. And further, I realized that whenever I do put my 'things' out there, it will be the perfect time to do so. 


And with my new-found sense of purposeful no-thing-ness, I detached from the perceived deadlines and surrendered to the lack of connection to the world "without." In so doing, I began to realize what a wonderful opportunity this presented to go within and simply allow the focus to be more on the writing and not so much the posting and sharing of it all.


Oh, this was liberating, and with a great sense of adventure I sat down at my computer to commence the flow of words. There was just one problem…my word processing software was acting flaky and, as I sat there in contemplation as to why on earth it was behaving so erratically, I started to wonder if I was even to be writing at all. In fact, "little thoughts" crept in, like "you're going in the wrong direction with your work" and "what do you think you are doing, anyway???"


As Divine Order would have it, I had just received so much support from multiple sources surrounding my work and writing that I was able to identify those 'little thoughts" for what they were and began to inquire within for an answer to what this challenge really represented. Almost immediately, I received an answer, in the form of a question, of course…"is it the writing or the way?"


Since it was such a gorgeous, cool day, I decided to turn off the computer and head outside to meditate with my handy-dandy notebook to capture those thoughts that well up to the surface both during and after meditation. This time, something different occurred. This time, as questions formed inside of me surrounding my work and its birth, answers began flowing through my open heart and onto the blank pages before me. So much wisdom, love, guidance and support appeared before me that I was moved to a whole new level of inspired creation and felt an unparalleled energy to put it all into form.


Being on the homestretch now of once again being plugged in to the world, I feel a certain sense of peace with how I will use my new found inspiration and creation tools moving forward. Perhaps the best fuel of all is the recognition of all that I gained by going within and seeing it being confirmed 'without,' and all with no need for internet-based materials….it's all INSIDE!


And so it is, with much gratitude for those who have posted and published before me that I take my own renewed commitment to share what is inside of me, with full knowing that it holds the potential to unlock the desire of others to do the same.


Unconditionally,

I Am Angel Pricer

Stop the World…I Want to Get Off!

 
LATELY, THE SENSE OF STANDING WITH ONE FOOT IN EACH WORLD HAS BEEN AMPLIFIED ABOUT TEN-THOUSAND FOLD.  I dare say, this past weekend left me ready to call a halt to both worlds, "stop the ride…I wanna get off!" was how I was feeling inside. Fortunately, the operator didn't hear my plea, and those orbs kept a spinnin'.

I'll say it again, because it always bears repeating…there was no shortage of help available for me…all I had to do was ask and be open to receive.

This time, the help arrived in a well-known and loved package that eerily resembled my six-year old son. OK…it WAS him…but it sure didn't FEEL like the "him that I know that he is." In fact, this pseudo-son even infected the other children in his immediate surroundings, as if they were all in on some sinister plot to destroy the calm, cool, centeredness that the Earth Mother was struggling so hard to maintain. Fortunately, there was a loving husband on the scene who realized the rawness of the Earth Mother, and set into motion his own thankless role of Being the Bridge. 

SEPARATION

This is where a picture is worth a thousand words, but since I am not adept at art, I invite you to imagine two worlds connected by a beautiful, bright, bridge…Fear World, full of Hate, Fear, Suffering, and Separation, and Love World, the all-encompassing visionary utopia, comprised of Unconditional Love. There, you've got it!

Now, imagine Earth Mother straddling the bridge, one foot firmly planted in each world, and…she can't see the bridge. She is confused, laid waste by the lashings of the Fear World and desperately desiring the comfort of the Love World, yet unable to fully make sense of either. She's known both worlds well, having created each one, yet somehow; she has found herself unable to distinguish between the two. 


THE BATTLE BETWEEN "GOOD" AND "EVIL"

So it is that the bloody battle ensues inside the Earth Mother, with great gnashing of teeth and searing swords of words followed by serene supplication and divine dispensation of the experience to be embraced. Duality at its finest, I'd say. While this whole process seemed like an eternity, it really only lasted about three days. And what a ride it was!

Finally, the ride operator changed gears and brought the great machine to a gentle stop. As I emerged, still a bit woozy from the topsy-turvy nature of the Dare Devil Duality Derby, I found myself surrounded by the most amazing gifts…not the least of which was a beautiful family magically transformed back into the "them that I know that they are."

LOVE IS LOVE

Gratefully reuniting with my loved ones, I was amazed at the fire burning within my being…brighter than before I set foot on the ride, it called my name and whispered:

"For well you know and now you see

The ones who stand in front of thee

have carried the greatest gift of all,

the choice, of course, to rise or fall.

The world that you so wish to see

shall only come with firm decree,

to hold the other inside your heart,

as if the two were never apart.

Only then, as you well know,

The Love of Love inside will grow."

 
Author's Note:

WHERE TRUTH COMES FROM

While this truth of my own has been vetted with validation in the outer world, these precious pearls came forth from deep within my own being. What a rare and treasured gift is the wisdom from within when it is allowed to breed, blossom and burst forth untainted by the outer realms, only to resonate with the world upon being revealed.

To some, this may seem a bit of a contradiction for, while it is true that wisdom comes from within, it is also true that sometimes wisdom from within obtains its spark from wisdom without. There…hope that settles the confusion.

Unconditionally,

Angel Pricer

We’re Sorry…the Number you are Trying to Reach Has Been Disconnected…

Have you ever been so blissed out that your greatest desire was to encompass the whole world with your expansive, open heart?

Have you ever been basking in that effervescent sea of eternal oneness, only to be swept away by the swift under toe into the abysmal depths of despair that scream out "the connection you just made no longer exists ~ in fact, it never existed at all?"

I've been blessed to have had several such experiences. Just when I thought I had mastered the art of riding those waves, staying balanced on my freshly waxed board, alas, I was knocked on my butt with a mouthful of sand and salt, crying out…"where am I?!"

What, on earth, causes us to be tossed about in such a manner?


Why, in consciousness, would we choose to be tossed about, allowing ourselves to be ripped open, torn to shreds, and left for dead?


My answer is: FEAR

FEAR is such a trickster, sporting fashions such as the familiar horns and flames look, while also adapting to the trendier "silver-lined seed of doubt" line about who you are and why you are here. It seems that its bag of tricks is deep and wide, and adaptable to whatever distractions you might become temporarily enamored with.

FEAR is like the whip that lashes through to your core, knocking you off balance and daring you to assert yourself with all you think you know. In fact, FEAR LOVES all that you think you know…it's a delicacy. All that you think you know always wants to come out to play, and FEAR is a wonderful playmate, indeed. All that you think you know needs to be defended, after all, and anything outside of your true defense-less nature is up for grabs.

So why is it then, if the heart holds the key to all truth, to all that is…and we "KNOW" this…that we can be so easily knocked off balance in the face of FEAR in one of its latest renditions?

I believe it is because it serves to take us deeper and deeper into the well of love…yes…that blissed-out sea of eternal oneness. It seems to me that each and every time I, within mere inches of my earthly life, manage to escape the clutches of this old friend, I emerge with an enhanced vitality for the love of all-that-is. That, indeed, the ease with which I am able to recognize and embrace FEAR within my open heart ~ stroking it lovingly and acknowledging it for what it is…becomes amplified ten-fold.

The FEAR begins to take on new forms as it fights to survive…it pulls out all the punches.

Are you READY…REALLY READY…to pull it into your heart?

Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus….I didn't think I was at that point yesterday…in fact, I thought it was all over…but that was yesterday.

Fortunately, today is a new day, and many Angels, both of earth and beyond, came to my aid…showing me the way…reminding me what is real.


 
LOVE….

LOVE IS REAL…

Anything that isn't love, isn't real

That doesn't mean it has no power.

All that is not love can appear quite powerful indeed,

That is,

Until it meets love.

Then, it can no longer exist.

For Love and Not Love cannot occupy the same space.

So I say, why try to fight not-love with more not-love….

Let's unify the whole landscape within ourselves.
It's all you, after all.

 
Back in the Love Saddle,
Angel Pricer

All the Money in the World

It is difficult to see the acts of carnage, greed, destruction, and hatred that are so prevalently portrayed in the news, on line, and in the myriad of messages sent back and forth between concerned and loving individuals who just want it to stop.

Indeed, humanity as a whole seems to be trying its best, with the tools it knows, to bring a stop to the violence that plays out in our world. The formation of charities, foundations and causes fueled from a place of disdain, fear and disgust for the acts only serves to ensure the perpetuation of these deeds.

All the money in the world cannot effect the change we wish to see in the world.

It is easy to hate and fear those who purport such acts upon humanity…to see them as 'other' than who 'we' are…in other words…as separate from ourselves.

SEPARATION….

This is the root of what ails us. Unity is the only way we will mend the source of our despair and create the new…from a foundation of love.

All are sinless in the eyes of God. While that may go against the grain of many a religious sermon, it is the truth as I have come to know it. The idea of right and wrong, good and bad, DUALITY, is what causes us to believe we are separate in the first place…and the beliefs are deeply imbedded in our psyche.

However, when we are able to see "what is" for what it is, without judgment, something truly miraculous occurs…we realize that we are free. And freedom is not some far off experience that might occur when we go to heaven, nor is it something we must fight for. It is here. It is now.

Freedom is available to each and every one of us; the one saddened by the violence perceived, the one perpetrating the violence, the one charged with exacting the justice, and those carrying out the sentence. We are all the same…we all have the power to change what we see here before us.

It starts with us.

You.

Me.

It's an inside job.

Pay attention to what bothers you.

Love it.

Surrender it.

Ask for help.

Help is there.

Love never fails.


 
In Love I Am,

Angel Pricer