Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Mind, Body, Soul--Kingdom of Heaven

Heaven In All of Us
Kingdom of Heaven—Story of a man in pursuit of Forgiveness. His adventure to the Holy Land is the secondary story. His recently passed wife in melancholy commits a mortal sin at the loss of her newborn. Orlando Bloom, the lost son of a Knight of note, journeys to Jerusalem , “A place to ask for Forgiveness.” Following his recently-introduced—recently-passed—father, Orlando Bloom goes through a series of events in his journey to find salvation. He saves not only his soul, but saves a city from certain death. A common man born of uncommon roots finds gifts in would be tragedies. 

Dark Nights
In every event, we can face life with a melancholy  view. We can view it with open heart. Tragedies are not tragedies until you decide that they are. If you believe life sucks, then it sucks. If your heart weighs heavy, then it will weigh heavy on more than your  body and mind. It weighs on the soul. Trust me. I know. My heart has suffered much. Did not realize the damage done was caused by the pain on my soul. It manifested in CHF. Did not face what effected it. Did not accept the bigger picture. Lost sight of the long view. Hid in work. Hid in denial. Traveled and lived in cities far and away. They were not my home. They were not where my heart was. Hid from what could have been a most glorious times of my life. 

I cried at this loss. Don't want to cry anymore. 

Searched for Forgiveness and now I journey.

Whatever Fates have for me, it will be faced with an open heart. Hope this will heal my soul and in turn my wounded heart.

New Day Coming
Accepted that the Anger and Rages was not mine to own. Thought that this anger, this pain was mine. It wasn’t. Owned it when I should not have. It was another's pain. Another's defense mechanism. It was not my burden, but I accepted it. Did not know that at the time. I remember only the anger and rage. Broken chairs and holes in the walls. Remember that a former life. A passed life.  It was little of me not to see the big picture. It was little of me not step and listen to the angels speaking to me. For this, I am sorry. Could rationalize and say that the stress and anger, depleted my sense of reason.  It did. However, that was no excuse. Could have done so much more these many, many—too many—lost years. I accept all of it. My pain, others. Now, its time for a new day.

Does Making A Man a Knight A Better Fighter? Yes!!!
That Chapter of my Dark Time over now. Its Over now. Here comes the fun stuff. This story has changed. It is now a quest. Hope to find salvation. Hope to be redeemed. Maybe this unburdening in these blogs, will bring real my conviction of change to fruition. First, a Thought. Then, a Desire. Next, an Action. Lastly, A Smile because that pain and anger has become a memory that turned into a lesson remembered.  

My love for movies, for comics, for books stems from lessons learned. Stories, fables, and morals remind me that something better is always there. Just takes work. Just takes some time. Just takes Forgiveness. Just takes courage.  Just takes a belief.

In the beginning, there was a word. . .The rest followed. 

Let that Word Be a Good One.

SOLVITUR AMBULANDOS

Saint Augustine--Solvitur Ambulandos. . .It is Solved By Walking
Sitting in the Domenic Massari Park. In my car, typing away, watching the people pass by. Morning sun is rising to my left. Cars behind me are taking their children to school right now. Pete Knight High. Quail Valley. Parks and Rec employees are busy performing their morning miracles. Two soccer fields in front. Tennis courts, basketball courts, and jungle gyms in the distance. Sun is warming my face and I feeling alive. Awakening as such. A new dawn. A new day.

Enlisted, I Be. . .
Morning walkers. I’ve joined their ranks. My anterior tibialis are just bulging. Still slow, though. The others I walk with are always half a house in front of me. Right now, I’m just happy to be in the running for the moment. It didn’t used to be this way. I used to be the one ahead by a distance. Now, I can barely keep up. Don’t want to say its because its my ejection fraction and lowered heart condition. Don’t want to say it because it would be an excuse for not trying. It would be an excuse for failing. Don’t want that. Don’t need that. Removing all doubts is not easy.

Gone, No Longer
I’m working on it. Haven’t blogged or went to the gym for the last week. Wanted to clear my mind and accept certain things in my life. Certain things that pains me to accept. There is always some rebelliousness inside of me. Always something to challenge the conventional wisdom. It’s just who I am. Always had it. Always cherished the “F You” attitude about what I could and could not do. I am the captain of my own ship. I am the decider of what I can and cannot do. Tell me, “No” I will want it more. Tell me, “It’s impossible.” I say “Been there, Done that.”

I am sure that I am not only one that feels and thinks this way.

Hope Fills My Heart
Watching these ladies and gentlemen putting on their hoodies and sweats, ready to venture on the one to two mile walk, I admire them. Always did from afar. Now, I have joined the ranks. What attracted me to this was feeling of Hope and desire for Change. Watching somebody pumping their arms and legs. Making lips purse when they breathe. Their focused attention on the next step ahead, it made me feel honored. I feel marveled.

I get this thought “Hey, I can do that.” Then this thought becomes a desire, “I will do that.” Then it transforms to an action, “ I am doing that.” I smile at the memory, "I've done that and still do." Watching the dolphins at Sea World as they do amazing tricks, hypnotizes me. Doing flips over their trainers head. Jumping 50 feet in the air to eat some tiny fish.  Escaping earth’s gravity for what seems to be forever.

My niece Prece  produces the same wonderment for me. Doing handstands on the balance beam.  Running at escape velocity speed when she attacks the vault. Joggers in the marathon complete that 13th Mile has me transfixed. Guess, the reason I like watching sports is that something amazing—something marvelous—could be just a blink away.

My Brother's Eyes
Don’t have the same eye as my brother when he watches sports. It still amazes me how he is able to dissect the movements, actions, and strategies of the players during football games. Did my best to follow. Read some of the strategy and concepts in his coaches books about the West Coast Offense or the Triangle Offense, but I don’t know what to look for. Guess, its like chess but with moving parts. Its all a blur to me. My love for sports has not changed much, except I marvel more. Can’t break down the athletes’ movements. Just not in my wheelhouse. However, seeing the human spirit in every step, I can see that. 

Spirits Rises At the Sound of Music
Well, I am marveled by the person’s spirit. Watching a person getting mind, body, and spirit right just lifts me up, it’s a freaking Rocky movie. The Rocky theme song is playing in my head. Sometimes it the Chariots of Fire. Its so uplifting. It’s so life-affirming. It’s so alive.

Daily choice of being healthier, mentally and physically. I marvel how in the time when luxuries of life are at our fingertips: Pay per view, Wii, internet, Facebook, QVC. People still decide to walk. They decide run. They decide to gym it.

It’s inspiring.

Every day one can decide to become something different. Everyday one can decide to be something more. Every day one can decide to shed what one is in order to become what one needs to--and want-- to be. Every day one can do this.

Journey of Thousand Miles Begins With. . .
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Time for me to join the ranks. Time to shed my old self and become something more. Time for the Rocky song to start playing.