The Writing is on the Wall - Creating in Faith

The Writing on the Wall

No refunds available! How plain does the message need to be before you actually realise it is meant for you? How many ways can it be dressed up, short of neon lights and a brass band.  That feeling that you put down to coincidence when it's actually time for you to wake up and smell the coffee!

We miss opportunities and then wonder why we didn't step up, we breeze through our teenage years as if time were of no significance, heading into the adventures of our 20's.  Those roller coaster rides of emotion holding on to out-dated beliefs of ourself given to us in anger, dressed up as a gift.  Stumbling into our 30's we assume those grown up titles and gain responsibilitites, and our expectations are met with disappointments - how the grass seemed so much greener on the other side.

The choices we continue to make are not from wisdom and understanding but on lack and come from a place without substance.  Oh how we wish we could turn back the clocks, do it over and take new roads, dampening our rashness, while encouraging our inquisitiveness.  We turn to a generation younger and at the place we too remember being.  They see our wisdom for nagging, our words fall at their feet full of opportunities finding ourselves repeating the words of a generation before..... 'In my day', and 'when I was your......'. We are caught between two ages a unique generation who see the rise of technological advances, who at every turn reconciles the past with the presence as we launch oursleves in to a future unknown.

The writing is on the wall, it has always been there, we have always known yet chosen not to see.  At the back of our mind lays the questions we should have asked, answers we should have given to the child inside, who once more is trying to find its voice. Aging on the outside, insecurities unchecked on the inside.  We wait in line hoping to get a refund, we look at the signs but choose to ignore and rely only on how we feel.  We do not remember the triumps, the victories that we had, the times that we thought we couldn't possibly do, say, go, but we did it anyway.  Our mind dwells briefly to the times when we allowed ourselves to soar, and really believe that all things are possible.  Our thoughts interupted 'NEXT' the voice shouts...

'I need a refund on the 20 years of my life that haven't been used' you say

'I'm sorry, we don't give refunds'

'No refunds, you mean I threw away all those years worrying, thinking I couldn't, didn't know how, couldn't see clearly, where does that leave me now' you say in desperation, your head is pounding and your chest hurts.

'I'm sorry, it's the policy the only thing I can suggest is an Exchange, you really should have read the signs' with that she points to the large neon sign behind her.  With the lingering smell of coffee present you look up wondering what got you to this point, when did it all become so clear, you had been waiting for so long wanting it to be as easy as picking up a remote and rewinding to the best bits..

the sign says....

Wasted Years - Exchange Policy

How ever long you feel you wasted over the years, or didn't use to the best of your ability there is no refund.  We are each given the same amount of time each day and we are charged with the responsibility to use it wisely.  With this being said, if you have got to this point and this has not been the case there is still an option available to you which is known as an Exchange. (See Appx 1.356 Section B paragraph 2 - L.I.F.E and Section 2 of the Purpose manual paragraph 2013x12)

The Exchange - If you accept the Exchange you agree to:

* No longer let things pass you by, and use the time you have wisely

* You will make better choices and weigh up each and every circumstances

* You will utilise the gifts and talents you possess

* You will agree to live on purpose and take the next 20 years or however long you have wasted and do all the things you ever dreamed of, or have yet to dream of.

* You will no longer hold yourself back or convince yourself that you can't.

* You will remember all the success you ever had and hold on to the memory of them in times of doubt.

* You will promise to learn and see new things and will never take your life for granted as there are no refunds for any circumstances on a wasted life

Living on purpose

If you really require change in your life you have to decide to live on purpose.  Your life does have meaning and as you look back, do so not with regret, but with new understanding.  Shine a new light, and shower yourself with words of encouragement, ministering and nurturing your heart.  Take to time to listen, allowing your heart to heal, and remember you have a beautiful life to live out and an incredible story to tell!

My post for Creating in Faith this week looks at regret, the realisation of wasted time and things you can do about it. How quickly time passes and before you know it your back seems to hurt a little bit more than it use to a few years ago, or something you stopped yourself from doing actually is easier than you thought, and you wonder why you didn't do it sooner.  I thought it was going to be a poem, or short story, but it's something that I hope we can relate to, let me know what you think. I encourage you to live your life to the full and on purpose!  Stay blessed and be a blessing.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18

R is for Regret

We all know what it is like to have regret in our lives, something we wished we said or something we wish we did or didn't do as the case may be. Regret can keep us locked in the past of never being enough.  

When I think back to when my mother looked after my dad until he died, she was on her own.  I used to come and visit but didn’t understand what it took her to get though those days.  I realise now how hard it was for her. Is it regret that motivates me now?....I sometimes wonder, ashamed of my 26 year old self who could have done more.

Regret can stop you in your tracks as you burden yourself with all the things that you could have done.  When illness strikes do you wish you spent more time at the office working or worrying about who didn't wash the dishes?  You can’t dwell in regret and have to accept you have the choice to either make changes or stay as you are.

As I reflect I allow it to motivate me, knowing that I am enough and I will do what I can while enjoying the processes in between.  It is important to make the most of relationships and even in illness create positive memories to be able to look back on without any regrets.

How has regret impacted on your life?

Words so far....

A is for Alzheimer’s, B is for Behaviour, C is for Carer, D is for Dependant, E is for Enough, F is for Fear, G is for Guilt, H is for Health Professionals, I is forIdentity, J is for Judgement K is for Knowledge, L is for Love,  M is for Motherhood, N is for Neighbourhood, O is for Opportunities P is for Purpose, Q is for Quietness

These posts are part of the A-Z Challenge taking place during the month of April.  I have been sharing about my experience as a carer to a month with Dementia.  If you would like to know more join the Arts in Health Network and also check out my website for information on some of the work I have done with Creativity and Dementia.