Uninvited Guests

Surprises...I’m not a fan.

Perhaps it’s just my experience...

Surprise your car repair estimate exceeds your monthly income. Surprise the cells of your body have decided to quarrel among themselves. Surprise I’m finished participating in this relationship.

My life history has proven Publishers Clearing House moments are Few and Never between.

I’ve fixed all the labels and stickers to secure my eligibility. I’ve mailed my correspondence and cleared my calendar for the arrival of the Prize Patrol. I’ve picked up the dog poop and trained my biceps to balance the big cardboard check.... Nothing.

A few days ago my friend Kristen showed up in my driveway unannounced...worse she brought a stranger with her.

I’m a driveway greeter.

I’d rather stand in my driveway unshowered in my pajamas wearing the crumbs of who knows what than invite any spontaneous arrival - friend or foe- into my house.

The cleaning lady is me...no one would hire her.

Every day is laundry day, tic tac toe is available on the surface of your choosing, good luck finding the kitchen table, and the fur coat ala-Wilson is free with your visit. In fact feel free to lie down, roll around a bit, and take a few extra strands with you.

Bottom line, you’re not getting over the threshold.

I’m serious.

Unless you bleeding or on need of medical treatment...no, sorry, not even then.

Kristen approached the porch like a wary animal.

“She doesn’t know me,” the stranger whispered.

“This is Anne,” Kristen smiled tentatively.

Even while my face registered Get off my lawn, my hand extended in automatic courtesy, “Nice to meet you Anne.”

The pair giggled. “A-n-n-e...” Kristen stretched the letters like taffy

.

My snap from annoyance to delight, handshake to hugs was a sprinting photo finish. BAM

Delight, Full on Joy....and my first decent surprise EVER.

Back story: Anne is my “You’ve got Mail” friend. A modern day pen-pal of sorts. Linked through Facebook our unexplainable instantaneous relationship grew from messages to weekly phone calls spanning several months.

I’ve never thought to stalk her online photos so I had zero clue as to her physical appearance. (if my annoyance hadn’t temporarily caused me to go deaf, I may have recognized her voice)

The hours passed in a blur of connection and friendship, old and new.

I’ve decide to forgive Kristen by the way, and the Hubs who was in on it too.

Who knows what may arrive in my driveway and isn’t that the point of this season of my life?

Showing up as is, come as you are, take it or leave it?

TRUTH: Everyone’s dealing with something and just because some individuals appear more equipped to deal with one pile of gunk than another,

Every Single One of us is Doing Our Best to sort it ALL out.

We're all seeking to add value to our walk through this one precious life.

We want to make a mark and leave a legacy in the steps we take. We want our kindnesses shown and shared to become ripples of expanding and encompassing love.

Together we’ll cultivate a heritage of generosity and gratitude and be an example of expanding resilient hearts LIVING while we navigate our Messy Truth.

From the first breath the world arrived in our driveway like the uninvited guest. Beautiful and Polluted, Happy and horrendous.

There’s no air purifier powerful enough, no bubble wrap thick enough to guard against the rebounding and absorbed impacts touching our heart, mind, body, and soul.

Impact...I use this word often and I mean it.

Contact wanted and unsolicited... bumps and bruises, joy and enrichment.

Each impact changing us...we thrive, recover, burrow in, restore, hold our breath, cover our ears, squeeze our eyes tight, or purge through tears.

Words... spoken and heard... alter the structure of our Becoming.

We carry these impacts with us in the luggage of our lives. A burdening case of locked secrets and big joy, of dreams realized and unspoken.... and underneath the layers of soiled and stinky, the chunks of our Truest truth.

Sitting our Vulnerability... surrounded by the racket of collision, crash and breakdown the opportunity to connect with like souls helps us realize we’re more alike than different.

The relationships available in this season of womanhood are beyond value. Encouragement and support from those who lift you, enrich you, and will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to weather every storm.

Whether broken, mended, thriving, chaotic, frazzled, or weary, at your messiest... provide an opportunity for you to say and hear “I see you, and I’m a fan.”

The world at large has a track record of Doing unto us as it darn well feels like.

Doing unto us in harsh, damaging ways. Doing unto us with verbal out loud fragmented sentences.

Words... the most powerful un-take-backable weapon available without a background check or three day wait.

Youthful teasing “Thunder thighs” “Freckle Face” “Four eyes” make way for grownup barbs “You think you’re always... “Right,” “Better” “Smarter”

Syllables regardless of how false seep in...Even uttered without volume slice our core and leave gaping holes, fragile pink flesh, and nasty scars.

An insightful teen dealing with a bully soccer coach asked with full-hearted, honest, inquiry, “Why is there no discussion about the damage done by words?

I’ve heard all my growing up about good touch/ bad touch, but what about words?”

It’s time for each of us to have the Last Word.

Not argumentative foot stomp of confrontation but a final expression of Self Compassion.

It’s time to sort the fiction and reveal the actuality of the core truth.

Difficult but not impossible I assure you.

Last week a friend shared her ability to recognizing when falsehoods were bombarding but she felt unable navigate around the impact.

“You’re doing it!” I grinned, “WhooHoo!” her blank stare screaming ‘yeah right, Laura’ which really made me giggle...

Seeing the hazard in the road is such a Glimpsing Goddess moment. Her seat belt is fastened and she’s as safe as she can be...now to master the dancing swerve of a stunt car driver and avoid the crash and blistering explosion.

It’s possible...it takes practice...but I’m doing it, and you can to.

Recognition of the pending collision is the key.

Then... the goddess shuffle.... step to the side, twirl if need be, and an added flourish and flair...WhooHoo indeed.

We’re all looking to add value to the world that so readily puts us in our place.

But that’ s just it... Our place.... Ours.

Owning the space we stand in for the moments we’re permitted to do so takes fortitude and gumption.

Open your purse, tote, duffel, or five piece coordinated set and make room.

Find your FIVE.

Enrich one another and when you experience vital truth and goodness shout it out! “I see you, and I’m a fan.”

I’m a fan of your attitude, words, compassion, and candor. I’m a fan of your presence, and the space you fill on this world.

I see you, I hear you, and Your impact in My world is a Good one.

May your luggage be packed with breath giving beauty, impacting kindness, and delightful, even if uninvited, surprises.

The joy of my driveway bombshell continues today with morning coffee and conversation, lunch and laughter, yoga and yawning.... Impacts...

I have to run, they’re expecting me....

Chat soon, Laura

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