So, it’s been a while since my last entry and much has happened. We went through hurricane Irma in the Caribbean and here in Florida – a hair raising experience to say the least – and now Puerto Rico stands naked and begging for help. I have been following a path of self evaluation and consciousness that has always been my direction, but more so now than ever.

I’m spiritual, not religious. I listen to the whispers of my soul and follow the energy that burns brightest, and I live my life knowing that it’s connected to every other single life on this earth. We are connected by ripples of energy, no more are we alone in the spirit/soul, than we are in the flesh. This being said, I look to nature for stimulation, peace, lessons, inspiration and validation, and working in my little garden often offers me morsels of wisdom and food for thought.

Yesterday as I moved from plant to plant, or weed to weed I came around to the front of the yard to see my Esperanza heavily laden with blooms! They opened overnight and the branches hung low over the fence and across the sidewalk. A week or so ago, I had noticed that there were quite a few pods that were dried and brown on the tree, but they were so high or deep inside the middle that it would be difficult to get to them. They detracted from the beauty of the tree and I really wanted to trim them but as I said, it was a bit difficult.

Yesterday however, the tree hung low, heavy with flowers and the previous night’s rain. The usual bees buzzed around the blooms and I had a thought. The tree was almost saying, “now I bow low before you so you can make me look as good as I should”. I was able to walk around it and cut all the ugly brown pods that had already served their purpose. I reached in and cut bunch after bunch, wetness trickling down my arms, dripping on my face and dampening my clothes.

This is the thing folks. We live with ugly all the time. Ugly isn’t always the residue of negative things, just old stuff. We hold on to things that we no longer need, they have served their purposes, done their job but we hang on to the energy, the drama, the sadness, the sense of accomplishment, status, ego…you name it. We need to trim away the husk of yesterday. All it does is take away from our todays. We are so afraid of letting things go that they live with us, blocking our brightness or our ability to move forward. Why is it that when we trim back a plant it only gets thicker and more robust when it grows?

The same is true for us. Don’t be afraid to trim off the husks, or get rid of what you have no need for. Allow room for growth, allow all the goodness to shine and release the things that clog you or keep holding you back. Because a thing was wonderful doesn’t mean you need to drag the entire experience through the rest of your life. More beautiful and satisfying things are there for you, so don’t worry about never having that again. Don’t drag the bad experience with you either, it only darkens your vision. Life is new every day…give it the opportunity to present you with something different as you make your way through it. It’s not easy, but we need to try and let the bad thoughts, the hundreds of experiences, or the ugly yesterdays go. I’m not saying forget the good times, you shouldn’t, just leave it as a memory and make room for more. Sometimes we relive everything day after day and that means we get stuck. Imagine you are that beautiful plant that needs trimming. Imagine the regrowth and the strength.

Remember, we are all connected and we are all beautiful! Just let it shine!