Open UP!

There has been a most wonderous and interesting theme I must accept about my past few years. It is the motto I've seen in front of my old church, the Methodist Church; "Open minds, Open hearts and Open doors". When I first saw that they had adopted that moto, I scoffed. But today, I am not writing in criticism, I am writing in inspiration. This is the motto of a lifetime!
It is the theme of my journey in recent years. I needed my mind opened. It opened my heart. It has opened my door.
Every human being shares this - change is hard! Changing our mindset is difficult. I don't care if you are rich or poor, conservative or liberal, gay or straight, white or black, Christian or Bhuddist - change is hard. We are a product of our experiences. We latch onto what we believe to be true because.... because.... because.... While the world is full of shades of gray, it is much easier to look for black and white.. right and wrong... no in between.
The world is not one way or the other...it is somewhere in the middle. Open your mind and it will open your heart and THAT opens doors. The doors that open are full of JOY. Cross over to that place. Open up - enjoy - let freedom in.

Create Joy

I looked around a room of 20 women this morning - all gathered early for a Royal Wedding party - and realized how important it is to create simple joy. We wore hats for our own "royal" picture. Hats have become a humorous symbol of several groups of women I know recently. And perhaps the hats symbolize a simple embracing of fun and the creation of joy - a lifting of spirits for no other reason than to lift spirits.

A group of American women gathered in the wee hours of the morning to watch a Royal Wedding. To me, these were no ordinary women and it wasn't about watching a royal wedding. It's was about a reason to get together for a created special purpose. One with no agenda at all except getting together to comment on hats, the young couple, the pomp and have some coffee and crumpets.

I'm part of a facebook group of women who have been doing these kinds of events for over a year now. No one is in charge. Anyone who wants posts an event and whomever can come will come. Sometimes it's coffee in the morning. Sometimes it's an outing. Sometimes it's a birthday celebration. Sometimes a movie night. Always it is a creation of joy. We are building strong bonds as we get to know each other - with no agenda except to create and share joy.

I am learning from these strong women that joy is mine. But it is sweetest when it is shared with as many as possible. I am also learning that no one can steal our joy without our consent. So, don't consent!

If you are reading this and thinking 'it all sounds like a lot of silliness to me', you are right. And that is what makes it so wonderful. It's art. It's playtime. It's getting together for no other purpose than the fun of it.

Why is play time so important for children? Because they learn how to get along with others. From what I've been seeing in the news, on the internet, and on TV, I think we adults need to find a way to get along with others. Play time might just do it.

Over the past year it sure has helped me to see the human side of people I may never have gotten to know otherwise. If you would have asked me a few years ago if I would see myself getting up in the wee hours of the morning to watch a royal wedding with a group of women - some I barely know - I'd have laughed and said 'think not'.

I did. I loved it. I wore a hat. I've smiled all day about it. Simple joy.

Thank you Sonja - our special royal mayor.