Outside The Box
Here’s a chance for our readers to recount stories or recognize ideas that raise awareness of synchronicity, clarity, humor, joy—you name it—that are out of the ordinary. Share with us those musings or events that explore the richness of being human that speak to your essence—peace, love and laugher are welcome here!
    Essays for the February issue should be limited to 500 words and submitted by January 15. Please include your name, address, telephone number and email address. If you prefer to remain anonymous, please indicate. Email your essay to the following email address:  production@ JavaJournalNOW.com.

    Below is an essay submitted by Java Journal reader Melanie Brown. Thank you, Melanie, for your inspiring thoughts.

December 2011/ January 2012

Is It True For You? by Melanie Brown People often walk away from their dreams and ideas before the universe has had the opportunity to deliver on them. Have you heard something—a teaching, a way of thinking or being—that simply resonates with you? You hear it and you think—no, you know—somewhere inside you, that what you are hearing is the truth, often a beautiful truth about the promises life can hold for us, and it ignites you to want to follow this truth. It resonates with you because it is true and a piece of your deeper self recognizes it and stands to attention. So you follow it—this truth with a capital T—to see where it leads you, expecting to soon find yourself a new person, a changed person with a changed life. Sometimes your enthusiasm fizzles out sooner rather than later, and sometimes you follow it a good, long while, yet, almost always, it seems you find yourself at another dead end. So, what happened? Why didn’t it work for you? If you are anything like me, you have asked yourself this a thousand times. So often I have just wanted to quit this whole concept of growing and expanding and following my truth because it just feels too hard, too full of disappointment. Every cell in my being recognizes truth when I hear it, but how can I make these truths true for me, in my life? I have a feeling it all boils down to worth. It will show up in my life when I believe I deserve it, when I believe I am worthy as much as the next worthy being. And, we are all worthy, even if we don’t know it. I usually wish life felt easier and things came quicker, but  the bottom line is, I am being prepared so that when things come, I’m ready. If they came any quicker, and some piece of me still believed in my own lack and unworthiness, I would probably miss the gift. So, how long does it take to find some underlying sense of peace or fulfillment inside yourself? I don’t know—a day, a week, a lifetime? I’m sure it happens differently for everyone. My question for you is, what can you do today to take one tiny step into the faith of your own inherent goodness? What can you do to make some truth just a little truer for you? Is it a hot bath, a candle and some quiet time simply because you deserve it? Is it taking two minutes to gently remind yourself that it’s okay that your progress is not quite what you’d hoped? You are still right where you are supposed to be. Maybe three minutes of silent stillness to connect with yourself? I’m not sure what I’ll do today, but I know I’ll do something, no matter how small, because some part of me must recognize that I am worth it.