TO EMPTY ONESELF....

..... is to just LET GO! Whatever that means to you. It is different for everyone. I have a friend who says, "Gabriela, my meditation is sitting by my pool, watching the water, and the dim lights in my jacuzzi and how the lights reflect on my plants in the yard". I say, "Right on!!". Whatever it takes for me, for you.
What I love about living a life true to yourself is that this life is YOURS. It is not about living according to Jesus, or Buddha, or any other deity. It is about living your authentic life and what rings true in your heart.
What is good for the goose, doesn't necessarily mean it is good for the gander.
The way I live my life is for me, and it works for me, and along the way, it is up to me to tweak it, to mold it as close to my heart as possible. And I know that along the way I am going to screw things up, as I have, but I also know that I am devoted to living an authentic life. To get rid of the things that don't work for me, and to replace them with the things that do. I discover so much about myself along the way, and it is such an amazing trek for me. I learn so much about me, my friendships, how I can be more to someone, and seek less of myself. It is so easy to be worried about the little things in my nucleus and what is happening, but the thing is, there is a whole life out there with family and friends who are going through very difficult times, just like me, or, worse.
I've learned some very crucial lessons withing the weeks past.
What I love about conscious awareness is that there will always be room to grow, to learn, and to do things differently. And mostly, how to keep chiseling down who we think we are, to how we can just BE. I know in that awareness that I can be of some service to someone. I can still take care of myself and tend to my needs, but there is a grand opening to being available to others without question.
I know I always have my homework cut out for me in the sense that people are in need. I also know that there is a ton of homework in creating healthy boundaries that allows all involved to take responsibility for themselves and to allow the holding of the hands to be there together in helping one another on this journey.
No one said this crazy life would be easy. As a matter of fact, no one ever really said anything about how it would go really. You just fly out of the "shoot" and there it is......... let the games begin. You take on the parental guidance, and there you are, like a parrot. You automatically become a replica of a person or persons. It's not like you get to decide from the get go  how you would like things to roll.
It's not until the unraveling begins and you find you, as a person, with very specific thoughts, that the real life begins. Life outside of rules and regulations. Therein lies your individual self. The one that will take on a life of it's own, and form it to the being that is meant to rise up in this world as.......... whoever you are........whatever you want........ that's what I like about this life. We do have luxuries. And the luxury I am talking about is being "allowed" to be your own individual self. You may have an argument or two, but for the most part, we're pretty lucky. I know I am!
I've chosen a pretty tough life in many ways, but honestly, I would never, in a million years, trade it for the world. Not to make anyone happy or satisfied, but to know that I have chosen what makes me happy, and to be able to stand tall in that, and feel honored.
In emptying myself I know that it is a continuous coming home to myself, and that changes daily.
I check in with myself all day long and have to get quiet to be clear on what all of that means to me.
I LOVE THIS PROCESS. It keeps my mind astute.
Some people may observe and say this or that about my little life. As simple as it is, there is always, always the inquisitive mind that ponders life, it's mysteries and how I fit in with it all.
This is no walk down to feed the ducks....... although this is a side road, believe it or not.
There are a million ways to empty ourselves to become less of who we think we need to be, and also a million ways to become more available for others. To forget about this that and the other thing, and to actually be present with life that is happening on so many different levels.
I know I have my homework cut out for me and I am extremely grateful for any and all situations that allow me to come closer to this realization.
I am so grateful for the tiniest of opportunities to shed the layers that don't belong, to get me closest to my raw, raw soul, that continuously is thirsty to become whole, whole, whole!
Thank you for all of you who help me along this exquisite journey called my life.
I am forever humbled ~