The Stream of Life

The bridges across the flowing stream of eternal life may sometimes be more inferred than apparent–a movement more of soul and heart than of body and mind. Is a piano or violin more real than the melody it produces simply because the instrument may be touched, taken apart and examined while the melody which defines its existence lingers only in the mind once the instrument is silenced? Is a life experience more real only because science may examine it or does a finer essence produce its melodies and define its existence?

This flowing stream which is life in continual expression throughout the universes is both the instrument and the melody, the cause and the effect, the song and the singer. One may not be divorced from the other because it cannot exist without the other. There is a word which is also a sound; it is Om, which simply means, and simply says, I Am–and with that word, that sound, it is said that all there is was created...in the beginning.

~Linda

From our book, Whispers From the Soul: The Divine Dance of Consciousness

Photo by Linda Pendleton

Life

“It is often said that one has but one life to live, but that is nonsense. For one who reads, there is no limit to the number of lives that may be lived, for fiction, biography and history offer an inexhaustible number of lives in all periods of time.” –Louis L’Amour, Author (1908-1988)

“I can find my biography in every fable that I read.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ~Joseph Campbell (1904-1987)

“Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined.” ~Deepak Chopra

“I just found it interesting to talk to adults I admired, and to discover that the path they took was never all that clearly defined. It was comforting to me when I figured out that you don't have to know what you want to do with your life; you just have to take a few steps in one direction, and other opportunities will open up.” ~Anderson Cooper, CNN Television Reporter

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life

“We live in deeds, not years: In thoughts not breaths;

In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart throbs.

He most lives Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.”

~Aristotle, Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scientist and Physician, 384 BC-322 BC

~Linda

Life Lessons

Photo Copyright by Linda Pendleton




"I live for those who love me, for those who know me true;

For the heaven that smiles above me, and awaits my spirit too;

For the cause that lacks assistance, for the wrong that needs resistance;

For the future in the distance, and the good that I can do."

~George Linnaeus Banks (1821-1881)

~Linda

Live Large!

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?”

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Note:

The term "Live Large!" is attributed to my late husband, Don Pendleton and his fictional character, Mack Bolan. Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume II H-O.

~Linda

Life Lessons

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself
and now that everything in life has a purpose.”
~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (1926–2004)

Have you ever wondered if life here on earth is an opportunity for lessons to be learned? In other words, is earth simply a school for learning? Are we here to have many, many experiences that allow us new spiritual understandings as we journey through life?

Surely, there is no denying that life gives us many challenges, many surprises, and lots of opportunity to learn from our misconceptions, our mistakes, or from our emotional reactions to events. It seems that spiritual and mental growth is the main objective of life. Of course, we may not always accept an experience or event as necessary to our growth. But the result, most often, is that we do learn more about ourselves after such life experiences.

We also learn from others as we observe how they move through events in their lives. Even with the most traumatic of occurrences, some are able to move quickly through the trauma and go on.
How do people achieve that? I believe it comes from an inner-strength that we all have. Often we are not aware that we do possess that kind of strength within us and we may not even discover it until we are put to the challenge of having to deal with some kind of devastating event. It is at those times that we must believe in ourselves and trust that we can indeed do what we need to do.

“Sit in reverie and watch the changing colors of the waves
that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.”
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)

~Linda

"Different Drummers For Different Folks."

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” ~Confucius (c.551-479 B.C.)

I read some comments today about the use of the phrase “It is what it is.” Not all commenting saw the meaning of the phrase in a positive light. Some referred to it as being lazy, or depressing, and I suppose some took it to mean surrendering and giving up.

I don’t see it like that. When I use it, I’m using it as a positive statement. But then again, I often see everything in a positive and optimistic way. I really don’t know how to do it much differently. It’s the way I am. As I have read Adam Lambert of American Idol fame, say, "I am who I am." I like that. It’s nice Adam has figured that out at such a young age. I believe I spent a number of years of my life being more of who others thought I should be. And I refuse to do that anymore. Not everyone in my life may like it. But I do, and that is where it counts.

“You cannot please everybody, but to those souls who cross your path, give kindness and love.” ~Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952)

I have used the phrase “It is what it is,” of late, but in my use I am acknowledging and understanding that some things we cannot change, but we can only change our perception and reaction. And also some things just don’t matter and are not worth wasting energy on, worry, anxiety. And that can be a challenge. So for me personally, there is nothing at all negatively intended by using that phrase, It is what it is. I can’t help but think of the Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
~Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” ~Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)

I’m also reminded of the phrase, “rollin’ with the flow.” Not the flow of a follower of public opinion or whatever, but the follower of the flow of life, moving forward and not stuck, and doing it in a special and unique way.

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.” ~Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

I know I’ve often heard a different drum beat. What about you?

Charlie Rich singing Rollin’ With the Flow

~Linda