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Come Out

4/5/2017

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You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'
~Eleanor Roosevelt

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I’m still that scared little girl. The one who hid behind her mom’s legs. The one who had one best friend in Kindergarten. The one who made sure her closet door was closed each night and that my limbs didn’t fall over the edge of the bed. That one. The one who feared the future and just wanted to play with her stuffed animals (I had names for every one of them). 

That little girl trips me up. I wish I could go back in time and tell her that it really was going to be okay. I wish I could tell her that she would gain the strength to fight her monsters—and win.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
~Mark Twain

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What is it this time? How is she showing up? Today it’s having the courage to burn down closet doors that keep me from being 100% honest with all the people I encounter. If my “spiritual closet” opens and closes once again I really will need a revolving door on it. So I want to burn it down. I don’t want to hide any longer. But that little girl—she’s peeking out from behind the door and telling me to come back inside where it’s safe. But it isn’t safe. I’m losing energy hiding.

People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.
~Thich Nhat Hanh

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What do I have to lose? Everything!! At least that’s the risk assessment going on in my mind. Professional relationships that are genuine are not that easy to come by; and I don’t want to lose what has taken precious time and energy to build. However, I’m still losing out. I’m not able to be authentic in all my relationships and so I’m still hiding in that closet or under the bed wishing people would lighten up. Though I haven’t heard an unkind word yet—but my mind—it stores up all of the what ifs and what could bes. 

We're taught to be ashamed of confusion, anger, fear and sadness, and to me they're of equal value to happiness, excitement and inspiration.
~Alanis Morissette

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The truth is that I’m never going to be “Christian enough” for some people once they find out I’m a minister. Being Christian in the metaphysical world is too religious and not spiritual enough. I’m never going to be scholarly enough for some colleagues—I’m a feeler and a healer and that’s who I am. And I identify as queer—so that’s fine for some and not for others. And what about my abilities to see and perceive what is beyond this physical realm?!—well that’s just weird for everyone so I should just stay quiet about that. But I can’t. But that little girl inside is begging me to be quiet. 

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
~Marie Curie

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I just am. I’m healing. I’m working on emptying my baggage on a regular basis. I’m lighter than I used to be. My calling is to encourage others to do the same. That is what it’s like on the other side of the closet—it’s lighter. I’m telling that little girl at the same time I’m telling you—it’s okay out here. Come out.

Photos: www.pixabay.com
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Don't Judge Me, But...

10/23/2016

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I have learned the hard way to mind my business, without judging who people are and what they do. I am more troubled by the lack of space being provided for the truth to unfold. Humans cannot seem to wait for or honor the truth. Instead, we make it up based on who we believe people should or should not be.
~Iyanla Vanzant

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Art of the Initiate Facebook Page
“Don’t judge me, but I like…” “Don’t judge me, but I just bought…” “Don’t judge me, but I am _____…” How often do we say hear this or even say something like it? Admittedly for me—quite often…too often. It appears that this may be the next adventure in healing. I was pondering this topic and then went to church this morning (10/23) and this was the subject matter for the sermon (based on Luke 18:9-14). The passage is one where Jesus is flipping the narrative (as was typical for him) of who is righteous and has a “pass” on judging others. Well, turns out the story highlights self righteousness and yes, that it is unacceptable to the Rabbi from Nazareth—and it turns out no one has a pass on judging others. One of the take aways from the sermon resonating with me is, “Love is more powerful than being right.” Dang. I've heard this phrased other ways but it packs a punch from the pulpit.
And then it’s time for the rubber to hit the road. I, like the minister in church today, enjoy being right. However, as I’ve gotten older and maybe a *little* wiser, I realize I enjoy friendships and connections. Yes, it’s true—and judging each other and the desire to be right gets in the way of authentic connection. Sure, that’s a no-brainer. How easy is this to practice in our daily routines? How often do you correct people on Internet forums or social media—or see others correcting people? Sure, we can’t participate in the “dumbing down of our nation,” but there is also a way to do it tactfully and without appearing arrogant or superior. 
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Humor and Memes Entertainment

If I feel good about my parenting, I have no interest in judging other people's choices. If I feel good about my body, I don't go around making fun of other people's weight or appearance. We're hard on each other because we're using each other as a launching pad out of our own perceived deficiency.
~Brené Brown

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As the quote from Brené Brown alludes to, it’s about recognizing where we may feel deficient or lacking. In order to fill that void we often feel the need to prove ourselves. When I get real about it, it’s about the deficiency from my childhood in relationship with my sibling. She was the shining star in academics. There was no way for me to compete with that level of genius. She was literally in a league of her own. I, on the other hand, landed in remedial reading groups, remedial math, and just about any other subject. I couldn’t keep up. In all honesty, I didn’t want to. It wasn’t worth it—I was never going to be at that level. After my experiences with family this summer, I realize that my emotional life was overflowing and I had no coping or processing skills—and that took up parts of my brain needed for learning and remembering things. I, too, was in a league of my own—but there was no one there to understand my issues and I couldn’t articulate them.
Fast-forward to when I gained enough confidence to excel at the collegiate level—I became the enemy. I had little patience for people who weren’t willing to put in the time or effort to finish the assignments. Fast-forward to when I was in graduate school…it was even worse. Again, who was there to lend a hand or some sage words of advice? (crickets) Yes, I had to go through some humbling in order to stop being my own worst enemy. I’ve also had to find forgiveness within the deepest reaches of my being so that I can get back to center. It’s been quite a journey to find balance. It will continue to be a journey. As the minister said today, “God’s love is big enough to bigger than our sins.” Thank heavens!! Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to—a recognition that there is a force greater than ourselves that loves us, forgives us, and wants us to share this with others. We can’t do that if our ability to judge others outweighs our ability to see the child of God before us. It’s our choice.
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When you are spiritually connected, you are not looking for occasions to be offended, and you are not judging and labeling others. You are in a state of grace in which you know you are connected to God and thus free from the effects of anyone or anything external to yourself.
~Wayne Dyer

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Everything Is Changing

10/2/2016

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I trust in nature for the stable laws of beauty and utility.
​Spring shall plant and autumn garner to the end of time.

~Robert Browning

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Everything is changing. Perhaps that a silly phrase—of course everything’s changing. Our bodies are actively regenerating, the cosmos continues to grow and shift, organizations experience turnover and growth, and so on. It’s not a silly realization when one is in the midst of life changes: births, deaths, relationships ending or beginning, living situations changing, and so on. We are continually changing; however, it depends on where we are in the cycle as to how deep the impact is felt. And yes, it’s autumn—the season we all recognize as a time to let go of what no longer serves. It’s a period of letting go and preparing for dormancy. What do you need to release?

Progress is impossible without change, and those who
cannot change their minds cannot change anything. 

~George Bernard Shaw

You can probably guess that I’m in the middle of a life/situation change. I am in the process of finding a new home (and no I’m not going to be posting location details on the internet, thank you!). It’s been a long time coming and I feel like I am ready (though excited and nervous at the same time). Because I have been following what’s happening energetically on the planet (and stars, too!), I understand that it is important to pay attention to signs and signals. I’ve been in denial for a while now and it’s time to emerge. My comfort zone has become uncomfortable and uninhabitable. Yes, even spiritually inclined people trip and fall through life. However, I’m back to paying attention and ready to walk the walk of authenticity (though excited and nervous at the same time). 
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Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality. 
~Nikos Kazantzakis

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What has helped pave the way for these changing? Well, yes, I continue to do healing on emotional issues on a regular basis. What else has helped?—the  chakra classes I began a couple weeks ago (click here to learn more). Yes, these class discussions that include meditation and other healings have begun to build the foundation of change. I still am surprised when I see the effectiveness and results of laying the inner foundation on an energetic level. Perhaps I shouldn’t—but it still rocks my world when I see the impact. I’ve also been participating in physical therapy for my ankle and that has given me more confidence physically to do what I need to do for all these changes. It’s not an accident that these classes, physical therapy, and location change all are happening at the same time. The energy of each activity is influencing the other. There are parts that need a confidence boost here and there, but that will come. 
I hope you’ll consider signing up for a chakra class or two.
​I think I’ll be running the series again in the spring—another season of change. 
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A Summer of Pain and Healing

8/21/2016

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First, in case you wonder why I’m so candid about my story, my narrative, I’ve struggled my whole life with the concept of sweeping things under the rug. My gosh, that carpet would have to be HUGE and then the condition of those piles swept under it. Gross! Also, I understand my calling on the planet to be one who sheds light in dark spaces—we were meant to shine for crying out loud and one cannot shine if hiding in the corner, the basement, or the shadows of life. To that end, I share my life: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I choose to use who I am and my narrative in order to demonstrate the power in various healing modalities as well as the presence of God in our struggles working with us to heal and mend. I hold true to a theology where God does not create the pain we experience but allows it. It is up to us to recognize the struggle and create pathways out of it. We have the choice of how to participate.
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​Yes, it has been a summer of pain—starting with my ankle injury in May (which has yet to heal), a massacre in the LGBTQ+ community in June, and personal and professional struggles throughout the other months. I am also feeling connected to the pain of the world which has been difficult to ignore lately. It’s been quite a roller coaster between the struggle and the summer fun I was able to enjoy in bits and spurts. 
I collected experiences throughout the summer and now am in the healing portion of the journey. I have had enough distance from the people, places, and incidents that triggered my emotional pain. I have to remember that I am a soul having a human experience. I have to get in touch with what my soul is telling me, and right now it’s telling me, “Enough already! Remember all the healing you’ve done in the past?! Let’s get back to that. You don’t have to keep suffering.” If we are to participate in this “heaven on earth” thing—maybe it’s time to transform the suffering. 
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I attended incredible enlightenment classes a few years ago. It was an amazing opportunity to discuss the spiritual nature of the world and ourselves.  We would have an opportunity to resolve/heal issues and help our classmates, too. Every so often I recall people asking, "Am I done?" (especially after clearly a major issue/block). Our teacher would respond, "Are you still alive? Then, no...you are not 'done.'" We are far from done. Our world is far from done. The calling upon us is that of transformation. See, when I work on my "stuff" the ripple effect goes out into the world. As I help myself I am also helping civilization. In my humble opinion, that is one of the many reasons why Jesus (one of my many teachers) was so adamant about forgiveness. Forgiveness is not only a balm for my heart--it is restorative for our culture. That, is the heart of Jesus' message (along with other traditions). That is the task at hand. That is why the message is repeated and taught in many and varied ways through the Gospels. "Love one another" calls on not only an open disposition, but one that also forgives and forgives often. Hey, I didn't say it was easy. I said it was our calling. The choice is always up to us. 

The acts of healing, love, and forgiveness we do today are seeds we plant for future generations. The seeds are sown between souls, systems, and cultures. Let us cultivate a future of love. 

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Into the Lion's Den

8/4/2016

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Photo Credit: Pixabay
Family reunions. These two words can conjure just about anything. What comes to mind when you hear these words? Do you eagerly anticipate such events? Or, do you run to the hills screaming when an invitation comes in the mail? Are you the first one to RSVP and arrange your travel? For better or worse, family is part of our lives.  We come to the planet and these are the first people to greet us. And yes, if you haven't figured out by now...I'm preparing to attend my family reunion in the next couple days. 
Our family will be gathering in Falmouth, Massachusetts for several days. I am looking forward to this experience as I have vague memories of a gathering with Tafels when I was a small child. It will be interesting to meet a wide variety of relatives for the first time. Historically speaking, the family gathers every other year and meets in either Europe or America. I am extremely blessed to be able to attend this event. At the same time, I'm kind of shaking in my boots--because of my nuclear family who will also be attending. 
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Perhaps we refer to these relations as nuclear for a particular reason (ha ha ha). As I said above, these are the first people who greet us on the planet. For some, it's a lovely experience with challenges here are there but done in a loving home with a solid foundation. For some, family is a foreign concept and relationships were forged in foster and adoptive settings. For some of us...the experience of childhood and adolescence was laden with minefields and volcanic relationships passing as family. 
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Photo Credit: Pixabay
PicturePhoto Credit: Pixabay Images
My formative years were a flip flop between parents (while they were still married) and a sibling who made it quite clear I shouldn't be on the planet. Sometimes the message was explicitly stated and other times it was sent through body language, energy, or their eyes. I steered clear as often as I could, but I was desperate for their love and approval. I'm the second child, after all. It took years (and yes, decades) before I realized this was unattainable. I had no clue as to the impact this chase would have on my friendships and love interests. The minefield I referenced was the chase for love and attention--only to have it blow up in my face. 
Once my parents divorced, re-marriages were next. For one, it was almost immediate. This was the volcanic relationship I referenced. From this experience, I learned to hide who I was. There was absolutely no point in being authentic if it meant complete annihilation of my whole being. Self worth? Non-existent after a while. Nuclear family--I can tell you what that means. 

PicturePhoto Credit: Pixabay Images
It wasn't until my suicide attempt at seventeen until I really got help. I didn't know I needed it. I was in survival mode--until that didn't work any longer. Eventually the pain got to me. It was overwhelming and swallowed me whole. The summer I turned seventeen was the straw that broke the camel's back. I was scrambling and when visiting family before the school year started a friend of the family attempted suicide. A plan was forged. I didn't really want to die, but I really didn't want to live if it was going to continue at its current trajectory (hell and then more hell). Enough was enough. I didn't have a plan beyond this--but I knew something would shift. 

I made it through the rest of my senior year and to graduation. It was nothing short of a miracle but the end was in sight and I hung on to the promise of freedom. However, what people failed to mention was that “freedom” was a thinly veiled word for lots of responsibility, but I digress. Once I removed the initial layer of pain and grief, I saw that there was a world ready to be discovered. I wasn’t going to attend college full time so I had options before me. I worked and found that I was interested in modeling (people told me I had a pretty face) and then acting school—a love I developed in junior high but didn’t pursue due to not being fully settled and between homes for a few years around that time. It turns out that I’m a bad actress (humbling to realize when you have a love for it)—but I LOVE character development. The human psyche as uncharted territory became a new passion. It turns out that I found a new way to process all these emotions from my past. There were a few times I went a wee bit too far down the rabbit hole—but I had a teacher who helped me find my way back. The possibilities were endless. It was thrilling!
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Photo Credit: Pixabay Images
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Photo Credit: Pixabay Images
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Photo Credit: Pixabay Images
Fast-forward to today. Have I really changed all that much?--God I hope so! LOL Seriously, I went from no tools for processing my past experience (read: the emotions I carried within me from past experiences and my neural processes for coping in these situations)--to an abundance of processing tools. I owe a great deal to my teacher, friend and mentor, Brenda Power. We met through a mutual friend and I learned amazing amounts of knowledge as well as the tools I use today to release the garbage from the past. "Take out the trash," they say. Well, I have. Am I done? Nope. Still living and breathing on the planet which means miles to go yet.
**Don't be afraid to look within--that's where you'll find the answers. I'm not kidding!**
Am I really heading into the lion's den? Not really--that is just an outdated story that is ready to transform. I will be doing some healing homework before I board the plane. 

Does this sound familiar? What are your stories ready for transformation? Hit me up...would love to compare notes. 
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Photo Credit: Pixabay Images
From the book, Animal Spirit Guides by Steven Farmer: 
"If a cat shows up...Whatever you’ve released—relationships, material goods, self-defeating habits—will soon be replaced with something or someone entirely more suitable for who you are presently.” This was a message from what cats have to say as spirit guides that rings true for me.

Cats win one more time!

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What Do We Do With All of This?

7/10/2016

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Photo: Pixabay
Here we are again. It's another week with tragedy and drama unfolding on the news channels. It seems like it's been that way more often than not. 

My take--systems that need an overhaul and have been participating in years of oppression are finally seeing the light of day.

So what do we do with all the pain and trauma porn?
How can we find our footing again?

I'm glad you asked.

As someone invested in helping others and specifically coming from an alternative healing position--it's time to process this negativity.

Maybe you are someone who uses writing as a tool to get things out of your system. This is a great start. It's important to know what it is that needs to come to surface in order to be processed out of one's system.

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Photo: Pixabay

Maybe you need something more. 
There IS something for everyone.

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Photo: Pixabay
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Photo: Pixabay
Personally, I love Emotional Freedom Technique. This is a healing modality that can get to the root of issues and process the negative energy out. Grief, anger, hatred, confusion, and more are debilitating. I believe it is what can lead to a myriad of physical ailments. I know I'm not alone in this. Get that crap out of your body!!

Donna Eden is a pioneer in energy medicine and all-around awesome spirit on this planet. She can help you get going with her energy routines like this one.

Meditation is an ancient cure-all (well, you know what I mean). Centering and grounding are key to getting our feet back under us when it feels like the world is falling apart. Here's a good example. 

Maybe you need to journey with your faith tradition to find answers and healing.

I get that it's not for everyone. The great news is that we have the freedom (in our country) to practice faith in all its variety of forms.

I come from a Christian background and yet I also find ways to strengthen my relationship with the God of my understanding through a variety of spiritual practices. This week, it was a chakra balancing meditation that helped me.

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Photo: Pixabay

And then there is a need for action.
I believe it is healthy to challenge systems of oppression.
We have the right to assemble and speak truth to power.

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Photo: Pixabay
At the end of the day we have to pick our battles. It is my opinion that marching, protesting, speaking out, and preaching from the pulpit in favor of those who are losing their lives unjustly is what can shift the narrative. It's been used for decades as a way to better our nation--we need to continue this practice. By the way, just because I am taking a stand for justice does not mean that I am against other folks. Here is a video that makes this point clearer than I can.

Also, you may need a refresher on the herstory of Black Lives Matter--the movement in question this week--a movement I support.

There is work to be done. Take care of yourself. 
You matter.

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What the HECK Happened to My Ankle?

6/26/2016

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Orchard at Almont New Church Assembly (click for Facebook)
The incident with my ankle injury took place on May 22, 2016
*NOTE: THIS was going to be my first blog post, but the situation in Orlando, FL took precedence. 

The scene looks so innocent. A beautiful lawn. Blooming trees. You can almost hear the birds in the background. And yes, it is beautiful. I've been attending summer camp at Almont since 1978 and I adore the place. A few things have changed but the big, green carpet of lawn has pretty much stayed the same. That is probably why snakes, gophers, groundhogs, etc. consider it a great place to call home.
This is where it all took place.
It was a work weekend and boy were people, both young and old, working their tails off!
Here are some of the efforts pictured below.
Photo Credit: Heather Oelker (pictured below gardening)
And yes, I was riding high (pictured by fire) only to be taken down by an animal's home. 
The result of stepping in a hole in the ground (animal's home) is pictured to the right. I've been doing my best to keep it elevated with ice--but I have things to do and people to see!

I've had plenty of thinking time since being off my feet. Admittedly, not doing as much healing as needed. This feels like a core issue--and those are difficult for me to get excited to tackle from a healing perspective. However, I have been observing A LOT of what has transpired since this incident. One of the first things I did when I got home from the work weekend was look at the Louise Hay information about ankles. Then I used intuition to discern that the issue at hand was about "not being able to receive blessings in life." Boy oh boy, did that ring true. While in observer-mode, I've been seeing what's happened in my life relates to this statement.

So, I have my homework in front of me and I think I am ready to do some healing. I will let you know what I find out.
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This is what's been going through my mind as I take in all that's happened since I got hurt. (Bitstrip is with my mentor, Brenda)
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You can't tell in the picture, but it's elevated!
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This is a good perspective, but still doesn't address healing issues.
What was happening during my time of observation? Well, things seemed to get really wacky in the universe. There was a combination of this particular core issue coming to surface at time when energetically and cosmically things were out of alignment. Perhaps that is WHY this issue came to surface. AMIRIGHT?

Needless to say it's all fun and games until your body, car, home, relationships take a hit. 
I'll share some pictures to illustrate this point.


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AAA to the rescue. Shout out to Bob's Towing in St. Johns.
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Sad, flat tire.
It was a hell of a week this past week: 1) Fighting with care providers who dropped the ball completely to get me into an orthopedist, 2) Getting car fixed (yay!) only to have a tire blow-out the next day occur TEN MINUTES from said orthopedist appointment (weird traffic delay before the blow out, too) (boo!) 3) Ending up back at dealership that replaced bad tire the day before    4) Running errands to appointments the next day and finding whole city blocks without power causing anarchy driving tactics and finding closed roads that were open the previous day. 
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​If it wasn't clear that healing needed to occur--this week drove that point home (pun intended).

Update: I have been to see an orthopedist who informed me that it is a really bad sprain and that recovery will be at least eight weeks. I am doing my best to figure out a balance between my daily routine and taking care of the injury. I'm still going about life--just in a different way. 

I will continue to examine the spiritual issue(s) that led up to such an injury. 
I definitely don't want the next bitch slap from the Universe.

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    Jenn says:

    This is my story. I write to unearth hidden stories and also to show others the way toward restoration and wholeness.

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