Category: life

Four Fingers Pointing Back at Me

On By Patti StottsIn change, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, positive thinking, spiritual growth, starting over3 Comments

Judgment is a nasty thing, isn’t it? I was once told that when I point my finger at someone, I have four fingers pointing back at me. This made no sense to me at first. However, when I really thought about it, I realized there is so much truth in that statement. A few days ago, someone passed serious judgment on me. Being as sensitive as I admit that I am, I was incredibly hurt by what was said. I felt that my character was being questioned, and truthfully, it broke my heart. Initially, I felt as though I was a victim, that I didn’t deserve to be judged. So why did it cut to my core so easily? judgement I had to look intently at the person who was judging me. When I really considered what was said, I realized that this person was pointing their finger at me, but there was something in this person’s past experience that caused him to say the hurtful things he said. Now, if I am being completely truthful here, I have to admit that this did not necessarily make me feel any better in the moment. After some time, I was able to accept that it was my actions that were initially wrong, but his reaction was a result of his own biased experience.

My children have been taught by me that before they pass judgment on someone else, they need to realize that they do not know from where that person is coming. I have told them that every person has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them and made them the person they are today. We cannot look at another and pretend to know where they have been. Therefore, judgment will always be unfair. Who are we to pass judgment on anyone?

When we are tempted to judge another, we should first look in the mirror.

~ Patti Crowley

 

Laughter is an Instant Vacation

On By Patti StottsIn change, Entertainment, laughter, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, parenting, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, womenLeave a comment

laughterI have not laughed as much in years as I have this past week. Having my daughter here in town with her best friend has been wonderful. There has not been a dull moment, to say the least. Why is it that when you finally settle down after a huge laughing session, that you feel so spent? What an amazing feeling!

Milton Berle said it best: “Laughter is an instant vacation.” I have spent many years taking myself too seriously, drudging through each day as if I was on some sort of mission, thinking only of the destination instead of the journey. But it is when we live in each moment that we find the most happiness. I remember working myself to exhaustion, just trying to get through until my next day off. But I can have an instant vacation if I simply live in the moment and enjoy every second, finding humor in mundane things.

The other night I went down to the pool with the girls after a long day at work. They were reenacting the scene from Dirty Dancing where Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey were practicing lifts in the lake. Now, may I remind you that these girls are 18 years old. I laughed so hard that I was crying. I realize this is one of those stories where you “had to be there” to find it funny, but I had to pass it along anyway.

lifts

As I sat there with my feet in the pool and tears streaming down my face, I realized that this week, I have been living in the moment. Even at my new job, I have been enjoying getting to know the residents in the community which I manage. I have been taking the time to laugh with them, and listen to their stories, even though I may have files piling up which I know I will get to eventually. It is those little things that make life worthwhile. Laughing at silly stories, taking time to look at the mountains on my drive in to work, sipping a cup of fresh coffee that has just been brewed.

Life is beautiful, not to mention FUNNY, if we simply take the time to look around.

~ Patti Crowley

 

 

I Searched For My Soul

On By Patti StottsIn Entertainment, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, women1 Comment

I searched for my soul but my soul I could not see.seeking

I searched for God but he eluded me.

I searched for my brother and found all three. Anon

 

This was heard last night, spoken by a new friend. I had to ask him to repeat it, as it took my breath away, literally. As a woman who just moved across country, alone, I found myself feeling a bit isolated one evening. All of the anticipation of this move, all of the excitement of a fresh start, a new career, and unlimited potential, slipped away for one short evening. However, that short evening felt like an eternity as the reality of my life appeared before me.

I came here to the mountains for many things. But the most important thing which I was seeking, was serenity. I prayed, hoping to find answers, and hoping to seek my soul that I had believed was hidden deep within the chaos of my life back home. But it is within me, waiting to be brought out. I thought I might find God, here in the mountains. But the truth of the matter is this… when I can connect with another human being, on a spiritual level, I have the opportunity to see my God and my soul…. maybe they are one in the same.

So, I will not isolate. I will continue to get out and say hello to every stranger I meet. For it is in connecting with another human being that I will find for what it is that I am looking. This cannot be misinterpreted as meaning that I will only find happiness in another. I believe we, as humans, are meant to connect with others. We cannot survive in isolation. We crave the human touch. We crave that personal connection we find in others. So I will seek those things daily. In so doing, I hope to find all of the wonderful things I have hoped to find. Truthfully, I don’t need to live near the mountains to find it, but it sure makes it more fun for me! 🙂

~ Patti Crowley

See Ya Later

On By Patti StottsIn change, Entertainment, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, parenting, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, Uncategorized, women2 Comments


uhaul2

 

Last week, I piled everything I own on a truck, hooked my car up for the tow, and drove from Chicago to Arizona. To say this was challenging would be putting it mildly. However, the real challenge was leaving behind my kids, who I hope will eventually join me permanently. My 22 year old son is already out living on his own, but my 18 year old daughter will be staying behind her first year to attend her freshman year of college in IL. She is planning to move to AZ next year to attend school here. But for now, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. I did not realize how much I would miss her. I kept saying to her, “Meg, it’s okay. It will just be like you are leaving me to go to college a little early.” The truth is… I was the one leaving her.

I was in my 30’s, married with children, when my parents decided to pack up and move to Nevada. I was devastated, and thought they were being selfish. But as time went on, I understood that it was something they had desperately wanted to do, maybe even needed to do. They spent the last years of their lives enjoying life in the mountains.

So as Megan and I packed up all of our things, we had different boxes for her. Some were labeled “Arizona”, for when she comes to visit, and others were labeled “college”. We sat on the floor of her room packing those boxes, and I believe that is when the reality of it all set in. I always worried that I would have such a rough time when my baby left for college, but here I was doing the leaving first.

Saying goodbye was heartbreaking, for both of us. But it isn’t goodbye… just see ya later! As I drove away, with tears in my eyes, hauling everything I own in that 20 foot truck, I realized what I carried on that truck was just STUFF. What I really have is love… love for my children, love for the friends I left behind, and love of the life we have all built together. None of that goes away… life changes, relationships change… but they don’t end. Meg comes out to visit this weekend, and I cannot wait to see her! When she leaves to go back and prepare for her first year of college, it won’t be goodbye. We will just say, “See ya later”.

~ Patti Crowley

uhaul

Coming Out of the Fog

On By Patti StottsIn change, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, Uncategorized, women2 Comments

fog

 

St. Roberts, Missouri was the first stop along my 27 hour journey from Illinois to Arizona.  I did not intend to stop, since I was determined to drive later into that first night. However, when I was driving along the winding, hilly road at around 11pm, I found myself driving in and out of a thick fog. I would get up to the top of a hill, become blinded by the fog, only to drop down into a clearing. This up and down, in and out, went on for several miles, until I finally decided it was time to play it safe and find a place to sleep for the night.

I woke early, refreshed, and ready to start back out on my journey. Driving long distances gives one plenty of time to think and reflect. I thought about that fog, and how I had felt such anxiety while in the midst of it, only to come out on the other end into a place of clarity. As the fog was in my rear view mirror, I had felt such a sense of relief and peace at having come out of it.

Such has been my life. How many times have I felt the anxiety of the unknown, the fear of what I cannot see in front of me? Eventually, after each fog in my life cleared, I would have that same sense of peace at having made it through. The fog never lasts forever. Yet each time I have found myself coming out of one, I feel that I have grown stronger for the experience, with lessons learned along the way. The knowledge that this too shall pass never seems to be enough when you are in the middle of a fog, vision impaired. However, once you come out of the other side, there is a sense of strength and accomplishment. So for now, I am happy to be in a place of clarity… at least until the next fog arrives. But then, this too shall pass!

~ Patti Crowley

 

Racing the Sun

On By Patti StottsIn change, Entertainment, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, Uncategorized, women6 Comments

racing the sun

This photo was taken on my 1770 mile drive from Chicago to Arizona last week.  Okay, so I should not have been taking a photo while driving a 20ft U-Haul truck towing my car behind at about 70 mph… but I just HAD TO!  You see, I was cruising along on the adventure of a lifetime, and it occurred to me that I was racing with the sun.  Seemingly, the sun was taking an awful long time to set. I watched it reach the horizon, attempting to settle in for it’s peaceful slumber beyond the landscape, but it just would not go down. Each mile I traveled, it was still there, just out of reach.

This thought astounded me. The sky continually changed between beautiful hues of orange and red, to deep purple. I felt as though it was taunting me, begging me to hurry up. It reminded me of being a child and playing “You’re It”. The faster I drove, the further away that horizon seemed.

All of this made me think of my life, and how many times I have chased dreams, always feeling as though they were just out of reach. But, do you know what? I eventually arrived at my destination. I made the 27 hour drive in less than two days. That is less than 48 hours! I can honestly say that I did not feel fatigued or frustrated at any single moment on the journey. My spirit was simply jumping up and down inside of me with this immense joy and anticipation. The mountains had called to me, and when I crossed over into Arizona, driving through the inexplicable beauty of Flagstaff, chasing the western sun, I said aloud to the heavens, “Mom, I’m home!”

~ Patti Crowley

 

Your Past is Simply a Story You Tell Yourself

On By Patti StottsIn change, Entertainment, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, positive thinking, spiritual growth, starting over, womenLeave a comment

your past is just a story

I personally know so many people that have spent years in therapy trying to sort out their past in a valiant attempt to discover how it has molded them into the person they are today. Many look to find some person, place, or situation in which to place blame for their shortcomings as if the discovery will somehow repair their faults or bring peace where it did not previously exist. However, I firmly believe that our past is just a story we tell ourselves, and like the saying above, it has absolutely NO power over you!

Have you ever seen one of those “tests” where they observe a group of people witnessing the same event at the same time?  When each observer is asked to describe what he or she saw, their experience or interpretation is quite different from those of the other observers? Have you ever had a disagreement with someone, and then afterward, you twist the details in your mind and make it out to be something so big and disastrous, while the other person feels calm and settled, having put the “simple” disagreement completely behind them? By the way, in this particular scenario, the person who is twisting the situation is typically a woman and the other is typically a man… but I digress!

Looking at our own past is quite the same as the two previous scenarios. We tend to think of events from our past through our own distorted lens. We can make mountains out of molehills, so to speak. Maybe we find that it is easier to place blame on our childhood, or on that one miserably failed relationship. Maybe it is easier to believe that the reason we are not successful, for whatever that term means to each of us, is due to circumstances or the unfair hand we feel we have been dealt.

So maybe it is time we stop creating our own fictional story about what our past means to us. Our past is simply how we choose to view it! The key word in that statement is CHOOSE. Therefore, we can choose to either change the way we think about our past, or choose to accept that our past is simply our past, and move on!

We can waste precious time and energy dwelling on a past that is really only a simple story we have created with our own warped minds, and yes, we are all warped in some small way. So I say, stop looking back… it only serves to leave you with a wicked neck ache!

Be in today, focus on the now, and live!

~ Patti Crowley

 

 

 

The World is No Substitute

On By Patti StottsIn change, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, poetry, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, women2 Comments

Take Peace in the Lord-betty's photo
The world is no substitute
It comes from Spirit.

…………Wisdom……

– Betty S.

This haiku was written by a good friend of mine just this morning.  Sometimes I have to stop and marvel at the timing of things that I see, read, and experience. Just yesterday I was having a pretty deep philosophical discussion with a wonderful new friend. I was trying to express what I have been feeling during this week I am here in Arizona as I look out at the mountains, and watch the sunsets each day. Here is what I have discovered.

It isn’t so much the beauty of my surroundings, the fresh air I breathe in each day, or the clear blue skies themselves that bring me a peace I have never known.  Instead, this beauty causes me to feel deep within some sense of KNOWING. Now here is where it gets difficult to explain, but I will make the attempt. When I see something beautiful like the McDowell mountain range which I drove alongside yesterday, I was nearly brought to tears at the beauty. But it was the feeling inside when looking outward that made me pause. Maybe it is because I felt like a child again, seeing Mickey Mouse at Disney World. That feeling of wonder and excitement that we rarely experience as adults. Or maybe it was just a recognition of WHO I am deep down.

I know that for me, I have spent a lifetime wondering how people view me from the outside. I never saw myself for who I am.  As strange as it may sound, looking outward at all of this beauty somehow made me look at myself in a different light. There is a feeling that the real me is emerging. My heart is open, along with my senses which are so receptive now, for possibly the first time since I was a child.

So in the words of my dear friend, Betty, I see that “the world is no substitute”. God, as I know Him, is not found in the mountains, or in the sunsets, or in the clear blue skies. Instead, He is found in the “Spirit”… my Spirit within. Magnificent!

~ Patti Crowley

A New View of My World

On By Patti StottsIn change, life, life on life's terms, new beginnings, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, women3 Comments

Inspiration pours in from every conceivable direction.  Moments like this validate my decision to look westward as a final destinationview from hotel balcony for living my life. Moments like this make me realize how truly small I am, and the realization sets in that there is no doubt of the presence of a power much greater than myself who created all of this beauty. No human hands could have ever created such magnificence, and for that I am humbled beyond words.

This morning, I sit on my balcony and look at out the majestic mountains, knowing deep within that I am exactly where I was intended to be. My daughter lies asleep in our resort room, exhausted from two days of house hunting & sightseeing. The 18 year old girl who very rarely ever picks up a book, choosing instead to watch hours of mindless tv at home, actually read an inspiring book cover to cover in two days from this very balcony. If that isn’t inspiration, I don’t know what is, and if you knew my daughter as do I, you would understand the significance of that!

Today, as I sit here drinking coffee on this balcony overlooking God’s creation at its finest, I feel inspired to begin anew. All of the dreams I have talked about, written about, and thought incessantly about are slowly becoming a reality. There were times at which I thought this was another one of my grand plans that I would most certainly never make a reality.  With still a few hurdles to overcome, I feel confident that another chapter of my life is being written at this very moment. I will not put the pen down, I will not allow myself to be distracted by those little doubts and fears that find their way in, and I will continue to put one foot in front of the other. I am finding that the only way to fulfill your dreams is to simply take one little step in the right direction, do the next right thing, and do everything in your power to not look back over your shoulder.  The moment is now!

~ Patti Crowley

There For The Taking

On By Patti StottsIn change, life, new beginnings, poetry, positive thinking, relocating, spiritual growth, starting over, womenLeave a comment

Looking out of her window on a gloomy spring morningwindow
She can’t help but wonder
Is it out there, waiting ever so patiently for her?

Will she bring with her that childhood anticipation,
That mischievous smile, that trusting soul?
Does she realize that true happiness is already within,
And not outside in any majestic place or in another soul?

Will she realize the hopeful dreams of her youth,
Making proper use of her gifts and talent?
Or will she shrink back into that safe place of obscurity?

Will the extraordinary beauty of her new environment
Allow her the space and inspiration for which she has longed?

I believe she knows with every ounce of her being,
That it is there for the taking,
If she simply trusts,
And reaches deep within.

~ Patti Crowley