I have been truly blessed in my life to be touched by an abundance of wonderful teachers. I’m 4 months into my journey of “Adventure Toward Freedom” – and I’ve had the great realization it is really “Adventure Toward ME”. The emptiness that I’ve felt in my life is a void, the void of purpose.
A very wise woman who I admire and respect, shared this with me when I started this journey, “I applaud the path you are taking. It is difficult and rare in our culture to have the courage to step outside what we are told is normal/success/laudable in order to find our true Selves and find our way. I tell you with my whole heart that this is the only journey in Life that matters a hill of beans. It will require courage, which you have. True happiness and peace can only be found within, so that is where you will need to go looking.”
At the beginning of my journey my focus was on creating financial freedom and a life of travel and adventure. As time goes on – I find those things by themselves empty and unfulfilling. I have a deep yearning for something much more. Like the Monarch Butterfly, it’s time for me to “shed” my former self.
My Adventure Toward Freedom is now a journey to MY True Self. A journey to discover my purpose here on this planet and also the gift I’m supposed to share with the world.
I truly believe, when I make a decision, a commitment to move forward toward a goal, the Universe embraces me and makes available opportunities and resources that I never dreamed possible. I have experienced this many times in my life. I’m taking this journey one step at a time, trusting in the process, facing the fear and doing it anyway.
As we’re heading to Florida for the next 2 months, I’m eager to walk on the beach, feel the sea breeze on my face and listen to the sound of the waves, sharing their familiar rhythm with me, and excited that more about my journey will be revealed.
I was re-introduced to Oriah Mountain Dreamer recently. I am moved by her words…
The Invitation
“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.
It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty even when it’s not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”
It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.”
― Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Adventure Toward Freedom 