Harbor

Oh boy. It has been almost a month since I blogged! First of all, I can't believe how fast this year is going so far, it's unreal. This may have to do with the craziness that our lives have been lately. I have had many a moment where a fabulous blog idea has entered my brain, and suddenly life picks up and any hopes that I had to sit down and type, are gone.

I know my readers are few and seeming that I am lacking in the blog scene, I'm sure my Faithful Few have dwindled down to one (Hi Mom!).

Today, really, I don't have much to say. Life is busy, but its normal, boring, mundane stuff, that I really don't have the energy to re-live by typing it all out. But I do want to share something with you. Something that is causing me to chew on, really digest and settle into my bones. I am currently in the process of reading "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. If you have not had the chance to read this, I highly recommend it. An inspirational and honest book, one that is easy to pick up, catch a few chapters and put down for a couple days to tend to life. The most recent thing I read has struck a cord so deep, it is so beautifully written, that I just HAD to share it with you.

Please read, and re-read, and read again, fully understanding this beautiful metaphor.

"So I've started being vigilant about watching my thoughts all day, and monitoring them. I repeat this vow about 700 times a day: 'I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore.' Every time a diminishing thought arises, I repeat the vow. I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore. The first time I heard myself say this, my inner ear perked up at the word 'harbor', which is a noun as well as a verb. A harbor, of course, is a place of refuge, a port of entry. I pictured the harbor of my mind--a little beat-up, perhaps, a little storm-worn, but well situated and with nice depth. The harbor of my mind is an open bay, the only access to the island of my Self (which is a young and volcanic island, yes, but fertile and promising). This island has been through some wars, it is true, but it is now committed to peace, under a new leader (me) who has instituted new policies to protect the place. And now--let the word go out across the seven seas--there are much, much stricter laws on the books about who may enter this harbor.

You may not come here anymore with your hard and abusive thoughts, with your plague ships of thoughts, with your slave ships of thoughts, with your warships of thoughts--all these will be turned away. Likewise, any thoughts that are filled with angry or starving exiles, with malcontents and pamphleteers, mutineers and violent assassins, desperate prostitutes, pimps and seditious stowaways--you may not come here anymore, either. Cannibalistic thoughts, for obvious reasons, will no longer be received. Even missionaries will be screened carefully, for sincerity. This is a peaceful harbor, the entryway to a fine and proud island that is only now beginning to cultivate tranquillity. If you can abide by these new laws, my dear thoughts, then you are welcome in my mind--otherwise, I shall turn you all back toward the sea from whence you came.

That is my mission, and it will never end."

pg.178/179 Eat Love Pray, Elizabeth Gilbert