There’s a difference between treating someone like a treasured and precious gift, and treating them as though they are a fragile egg to be protected at all costs.  Love them enough to allow them the consequences of their choices.   Love them enough to let them struggle, because that’s the only way they’ll strengthen the muscles that let them stand in their own power.  The egg is never as fragile as it seems.  There’s always a whole lot going on beneath the surface.  From the outside, not much appears to be happening.  But inside: a riot of change and reorganization, feeding, growth, evolution.  My lesson is to stand back and give a space to unfold.  Trust that someone other than I can make it happen.  Don’t deny anyone the opportunity to exercise their own muscles.  Plus, there’s far less karmic backlash than doing it for them and allowing them to become dependent upon me.  That is the cruelest disservice I could do for a loved one: to allow them to look to me, rather than within themselves, to find everything they need to survive and thrive.  Plus, what they come to by themselves makes them far sexier.

Domino just sent a letter to his daughter, upon her boyfriend having asked for her (young) hand in marriage:  “Please forgive me for not answering right away. I had to clear my mind of my own emotional circumstance and experiences to focus objectively. Of course you have my blessing. I want only to see you are happy. You have a good head on your shoulders and are more than capable of guiding your own way toward your happiness. My experience tells me that we change a lot in our 20’s and 30’s so please take your time but follow your heart. My experience does not reflect necessarily on yours. As long as you both actively remain a part of each others dreams and worlds you can navigate and grow into the future together. Make sure that both of your physical, mental and spiritual needs are being met continually and that in all these aspects you are both moving forward together. A stagnant mind and\or spiritual life can be hell as we have both witnessed, don’t allow yourselves to become stagnant. Focus on the good but don’t dismiss the bad. Rather address it and move on. Passive-aggressive natures such as your mothers and I have no fruit to offer to a relationship other than to prolong and build up a larger confrontation. Deal with issues upfront and beware of bitterness and stress. Be the perfect people for each other and concentrate on being the best you that you can be. If you are both doing that you will grow to be independent in your own rights and add onto each other rather than foster a relationship of co-dependence. Forgive me for being so fatherly in my response but I have always spoke to you as an adult and I feel this is the perfect opportunity to embark a little wisdom unto you. I love you baby… and you will always be my little grrrl no matter how growny you get. Big Love, Daddy.”

I’m supposed to be doing billing and answering emails and returning calls, but all I feel like doing is re-routing the grapevines in the east garden.  To be fair, I’ve been up since 4:00am and I’ve answered emails, done several astrology reports and paid bills.  I even balanced the checkbook. I love being within $181.22 of the bank’s balance.  I’ll go with their balance.

Andrea’s note:  For active links, see http://www.brevardtaxcollector.com/Taxcol3.htm#howto

This section below provides basic information on obtaining or searching for a Brevard County Business Tax Receipt.  Continue reading →

Ugh, this is how I get behind on calls: I let myself skip my 4pm to 8pm sleep segment, then when 10pm comes, I can’t stay awake and have to cancel my calls for the night so I can sleep. Not good..

It’s not that anything is a secret.
It’s that it’s nobody’s business,
and it is so entertaining to
watch the speculation unfold.

“We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” ~e. e. cummings

I wrote on Facebook, “We are the luckiest family on the planet, for sure. Even when challenges come up, they are minor and manageable, and usually the best case scenario. May it ever be so.”  My friend Anne Marie Anderson replied, “You know of course, that luck really has nothing to do with it… you do the work, you learn, you grow and your very appreciation creates miracles in your life.”

It’s refreshing when a pal has muscle discomfort and doesn’t describe it as pain, and they reach for heat, stretching and manipulation rather than painkillers. The youngbloods are growing wiser. Thanks to all the mothers and fathers who raised conscious children, I am confident I can trust them to lead us wisely into the next generation.