Stalking Oprah....

I'm a closet Oprah stalker... and she says to write things down... goals... dreams... life lessons.  I've been doing that since I was 10 years old.  (I should be Oprah.) Keep a JOURNAL.  Leave your regrets on those pages... and like my TUCK and SCREAM philosophy of skiing, WRITE AND RELEASE on those journal pages!  Angers... fears... regrets... leave them on the page... your journal can handle it!

The other thing Oprah has brought to the forefront (not an original idea, but she is helping spread the word) is that FORGIVENESS is NOT for the other person, it is for US!  I know it's hard.  How can we forgive when it hurts so much?  It festers inside of us like a cancer... and it spreads into all areas of our life.  Forgiving doesn't mean you have to invite them over for  dinner... but try to let it go... just let it go...  I struggle daily with a forgiveness issue.  My dreams are helping me work it out...my journal tracks my progress... I'm almost there... it is a work in progress.

Piccsy

Forgiving yourself is even more important... forgive yourself for the road not taken, and rejoice in the path you are on!  You took the wrong fork in the road?  Follow it until you come to another... and yet another... now step back and look at the beautiful jigsaw puzzle you are creating... it is YOUR picture... your story...

They say that when we are truly forgiven (repent and sin no more) that we have the miracle of forgetfulness that comes along with it.  (Not completely forgetting, for our brains have an amazing ability to remember everything)... but we are allowed to put it the back pocket... in the recesses of our memory banks, rarely surfacing anymore... no longer associated with pain and heartache... it is just something that we used to know (to kind of quote Gotya)...

When we accept that we have truly been forgiven (by others and by God) and most importantly, by OURSELVES, we can finally move forward... get out of the rut of regret...  We can only do this with prayer (to whomever you choose to pray to)... meditation (don't be intimidated by that term - it's just a fancy word for quiet thoughtfulness)... releasing our thoughts on the pages of our journals... and lots and lots (and lots) of music... and THAT's my recycled philosophy... (to kind of quote Lucy)

Don't you love it?  I'll be singing this all day...