Marc Allen, the wonderful founder and President of New World Library just came into the office with eyes still damp from crying after hearing a song on the radio called, "Bring Him Home Santa" that is sung by a 6-year old girl who wants Santa to bring her Dad home from the war for Christmas.

I was so moved by his heartfelt reaction, that I went to the song's website and found the following video.
It is a poignant reminder about the sad realities of living in a time of war...Something that feels far too easy for me to forget since I don't personally have friends/family who are putting their lives on the line over there.

Please join me in sending love and positive energy to all of our soldiers who are serving in Iraq and to all of their families....Let's all pray that Santa's magic will help bring them home soon.

I spent my day today at the beautiful Spirit Rock Meditation Center at a daylong workshop about perfect timing, syncronicity, and dreams. This was my first visit to Spirit Rock since moving to Marin County a year ago...but it definitely won't be my last. What a beautiful, sacred place.

The teacher for the day was David Richo, a psychotherapist and author who combines Jungian, transpersonal, and mythic perspectives in his work.

I took pages of notes and thought I'd share a few of the highlights here..

**Synchronicity = Coincidence with meaning. It's when chance and meaning come together...It offers us a message that has to do with the fulfillment of self and the contribution we are meant to make.

**Whenever we become controlling, we get in the way of synchronicity. When we let go of ego, we hear the messages more fully.

**Fear is the ego's first name.

**My role as a free being is to say YES to the love that my ego is afraid of but that the Self is made of.

**When fear stands in your way, use the AAA approach...(1) Admit you are afraid (2) Allow the feeling fully (3) Act as if the fear could not stop you

**Fear of grieving is at the heart of all fear.

**Love makes meaning visible. Trust its power.

And so it is! Skip on!

I work with an amazing skipping spirit named Jessica at New World Library who just recently learned that iskip.com exists...She loved the idea right away...and we've been talking about doing some fun skipping stuff on MySpace and Zaadz together...Her positive energy about skipping is like a breath of fresh air! She's a kindred spirit for sure.

All of her good juju inspired me to finally get around to posting what has to be my favorite skipping television segments that was ever done about iskip. It aired on Evening Magazine in the Bay Area.

I'm in awe of the focus and passion that pulsed through my being back then...My spirit was completely running the show. I was a woman on a mission and nothing was going to stop me from getting my message out! As I watch it now, some six years later, having skipped both on that mountaintop AND through a long and dark valley on the other side, hearing myself say, "Skip on" at the end takes on a whole meaning!

I still believe with all of my heart that our world needs as much of the joyful, positive, free-spirited energy that skipping provides as it can get these days...Even though I'm no longer feeling compelled to pick up a megaphone to shout my message to the world, it is delightful to feel the flame of my passion for skipping being reignited in my heart again. I wonder where it will take me this time...and know wherever it is, I'm feeling more willing to follow than I have in a very long time.

For most of my life, I have dreaded mornings. Dragging myself out from under the covers in time to get ready for work almost always takes a gallant effort...I'd happily and easily sleep in until noon if given the chance.

Well, this evening a new friend presented me with a challenge when I confessed what a struggle waking up ready to face the day has almost always been for me. As an early riser and a firm believer in the benefits of starting the day off in an intentional way, she asked me if I would be willing to try a few simple things each morning for a week.

(1) spend the first few minutes i am awake focusing on feeling gratitude (2) drink a large 8 oz. glass of water immediately upon rising (also with gratitude) and (3) sit quietly for a couple minutes after lighting a candle and reading the following affirmation in a beautiful sparkling jewel frame she gave me, "you are illumined and all around you serves your greater good. everyday is the arising of splendor. there is nothing but everyday life. om."

Back when the skipping movement was going full throttle, I did spring out of bed truly excited about my life...and the idea of feeling that way again really appeals to me...Listening to my friend rave about the impact starting her day in a positive, intentional way has on her own life really sparked my curiosity and gave me hope for feeling that way again. I like that she suggested such simple things that don't take very much time at all.

I'm intrigued and feel up to the challenge! Tomorrow will be my first day. We'll see how it goes.