Relax and suck it up

One of my favorite things as a kid was using crazy straws. Remember those?

No matter what drink it was, stick a crazy straw in it and it instantly became fun.   Ah, life before the internet…

Are you still using one daily?  NO?  Maybe we should, they have so much to teach us.  Crazy straws want to remind us:

1. BE AWARE -Don’t use yesterday’s straw!!    Don’t let yesterday’s straw ruin or taint today’s drink!  Yesterday’s (or last year’s) residue will only ruin a perfectly great, new daily flavor!   Don’t waste your time trying to clean it all out thinking about how it got gunked up –  just get a new one every morning when you wake up!   New day = New flavor
2. Sometimes it’s going up, sometimes down, sometimes even sideways, and sometimes you can’t even see where or what direction it’s going, don’t sweat it. AND DON’T QUIT!  That’s life. It’s all in line with a bigger plan. It’ll arrive.
3.  Decide what YOU want to drink before you settle on something that someone else just offers you.  Once you start drawing or sucking it, you’ll get it- but by then it’s too late to change flavors, to say “Woops, I didn’t really want that!”  What are you dunking your straw into today?
4. Don’t compare your drink and how quickly you’re getting it, with anyone else!  Find your own speed that’s comfortable, you don’t want to pass out, or drink too quickly, you don’t want a Brain Freeze after all!

Keep your momentum going and you’ll get Whatever YOU DECIDE to drink.  First thing in the Morning, get yourself a NEW straw for your life, and stick it into something clean and nourishing like Universal Goodness, Love, Peace, Happy Thoughts and Knowing that whatever you draw in today, will be best for you.

My deepest wish for you my friend is that you enjoy your drinking of Life. Enjoy all the loops you’ll take.   KNOW that it’s All Good, even when you seem to be going up, down, sideways, or loopty loops.    No doubt, the upcoming year will provide all those choices.

Here’s a little secret for you– the drink never really ends anyway, so don’t worry about it.  ENJOY.

Clucking in the social media coop

Dear Reader – Allow me to ask you a question so I can learn from your perspective. Thanks!   First, let me tell you what initiated the question.

According to Eckhart Tolle’s “A New Earth – Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” –

• the ego “Justifys, attacks, blames, defends its position…“
• “the ego will play a role to get what it needs- “material gain, a sense of power, superiority or specialness, or some kind of gratification be it physical or psychological.”
• “there is nothing that strengthens the ego more than being right.”
• “Awareness and ego cannot co-exist”
• “the truth, in any case, needs no defense. The light or sound does not care about what you or anybody else thinks.You are defending yourself…”

I would say I agree with those ideas, how ’bout you? Now, look at Social media. Yes, even including MY own blog, as well as everyone’s Facebook, Twitter, etc….

Scroll thru any Social Media and you’ll hear millions of chickens clucking. I am one of them, I can admit that.

So, when is clucking like a chicken warranted? You have learned, or created something (like a chicken that clucks when it lays an egg) and you want to share it. You build a platform so you can get YOUR learned message out there. Some people will learn from it. Most will only hear more clucking.

My Question – Is building a platform for any message just an EGO building exercise as a person shouts what they think is right?

I’ve learned a lot from others. I’m glad they shouted, wrote a book, gave a lecture, created a blog, a bible, a mandate, philosophy, or dharma . Their platform’s message helped me live a fuller life.  How can that be just a negative Ego practice of communicating what They Believe is right?

• Like a state fair, every chicken has something to offer that is different from the other chickens. What’s wrong with letting the differences show, or being presented?  Like my website or yours?  Is that only Ego gratification?
• Oprah built a platform. Eckhart built one too. They both have books and shows and even talk about each other.  Millions have lived richer lives because of both.

Yet, what kind of platform does the (ego-less) light, or sound or flower need?