Midnight Reflections in the Garden...

We view the world through windows of our soul. From what we see through the glass, we make decisions. Some positive, others negative. Of course, we often fail to see the clarity of the glass through which we peer. It isn't until someone wipes away the grime that we realize the fog we've lived in.

Life is all about perception. Judgments, decisions, choices, beliefs, etc. Each man and woman has free will. The hardest part of life is being yourself. Happiness might be an option, but it always has a price. One man's calamity is another's success. There's a balance, seen and unseen, in the cosmos. And a certain humor to be found in our world that too many fail to notice.

Just over a month of time separates me now from the big 3-0. Thirty years of life gone, spent dancing in a garden alongside both sweet lilies and thistles. The flora has been ever changing and not without a few pricks on thorns. Some seasons blossom with beauty; others wilt into dormancy. New growth emerges in corners long vacant as once steadfast oaks suffer from blight and crash back to the ground to rot. But it's my garden. An entire history lies beneath fallen leaves, compacted as layers of soul below the surface.

Spring is a time of change and rebirth for all life. And this is true with my own. I have much to be thankful for and many prospects on the horizon. I've survived all life has thrown at me and stepped out with humor and optimism. Friendships have faded while ghosts from the past have reappeared. Lessons have been learned. Memories and attitudes noted for future reference. The coming months hold a wealth of promise and new endeavors. While we should never forget the past, we must set our sights on what lies ahead.

And that excites me. I have so many things to look forward to in the coming months. New ventures, reunions with dear sweet friends, fascinating travels. Some hard labors are paying off while others have only begun. Sown crops are nearing harvest; new buds sprout from branches of the tree of life, eager to soar to new heights. Life is not merely about death.

But be prepared; in life (and death), we must expect the unexpected. Hurricanes come without warning, as do sudden windfalls. Sometimes, you have to stand and face the world. Neutrality isn't all it's cracked up to be. I've spent a good portion of my time blogging trying to avoid endorsements and keeping a silly view of the paranormal world. While the latter will not change (nothing in this world will stop me from finding the occasional joke in humanity), the former needs to be addressed. No more "I'm avoiding this discussion as not to step on toes". If some people are controversial, so be it. Not everyone likes everyone else. But I do like, admire, and appreciate a good many people and no one else's opinions of them will change that. It's time for me to defend those who fall into that category, for my own reasons and at my own whim.

High winds may stir dust devils in the garden of my life, but "he who stands for nothing falls for anything". And I'm still standing.