HEARTSONG, ISSUE 11, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2006

WELCOME TO HEARTSONG!!!

In This Issue:
Quote From The Heart
A Note From Kim
From The Lighthouse, With Love
Hope and Healing
Prayer From The Heart
Heartsong Reflection

QUOTE FROM THE HEART
In each issue of Heartsong, I will open with a quote, poem or lyric, which I have found inspiring and uplifting. Today, I'd like to share a sprinkling of quotes with you, my beloved Heartsong readers, that will hopefully remind us all of the need to cherish, and find peace in each precious moment of our lives.

"Be happy in the moment - that's enough. Each moment is all we need - not more."
Mother Teresa

"Nothing is worth more than this day."
Goethe

"Some people are making such thorough preparations for a rainy day that they aren't enjoying today's sunshine."

"When we are present in each moment, the past gently rolls up behind us and the future slowly unravels before us."
Rev. Richard Levy

"Live in the present moment and find your interest and happiness in the things of today."
Emmett Fox

(Today's quotes were all found at Barbara Jean Olson's wonderful site: http://www.inspirational-quotations.com)

A NOTE FROM KIM
Welcome to today's issue of Heartsong! Thanks to all of you who emailed me your well wishes and prayers for my mom's recovery. I'm thrilled to report that she's doing great, and I know your thoughts and prayers made all the difference. Thank you!

I'd like to lovingly dedicate this Heartsong issue to the memory of my beloved friend, Sarah, (November 11, 1980, to October 20, 2006). You'll read about her sudden death in this issue's Lighthouse article. She was such a kind and beautiful soul, and I miss her greatly. She was a loyal Heartsong reader and a dear friend, and I am better for having had her in my life. I know her spirit will live on always, and I believe that she's very happy and at peace now. As for me, my heart is slowly beginning to heal, but I'm just taking it one day at a time. I'm sure Sarah's friends and family would appreciate any thoughts and prayers.

Among many other projects, I'm working on an ecourse about grief and grieving, which I hope will help others on their personal journeys of grief and recovery. And, of course, I'm available for compassionate, one-on-one life and spiritual coaching, as well as other services. Feel free to check out all the details on my site, at: http://www.kimloftis.com/services.htm 
And you're welcome to call or email me with any questions you may have. I'd be honored to assist you in any way I can.

Finally, I just want to let everyone know that I've changed my newsletter subscription settings to cut down on people being subscribed unwillingly to my lists. After all, I hate spam as much as anyone else. When anyone subscribes to Heartsong from now on, they'll receive an email asking them to confirm their subscription. After clicking the link in the email, they'll then be subscribed. I hope everyone will appreciate this change to all my lists.

Until next time, happy November, and enjoy the rest of today's issue!

Love,
Kim

FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE, WITH LOVE
A lighthouse serves as a beacon of hope in a violent storm. A lighthouse sheds light on our worries and troubles, and brings us joy and peace. Therefore, in each Heartsong issue, I will include an article, which will help to guide you through the dark and troubled times, or lighten and brighten your heart and life in a special way. In today's Lighthouse article, I'd like to touch upon the importance of cherishing every moment of our lives, and ways in which we can make every moment truly special and meaningful.

My Last Day On Earth: How to Discover a Treasure In Each and Every Moment

On the evening of Wednesday, October 25, 2006, I was watching the popular TV program, Dancing with The Stars, when I discovered that I'd missed a phone call from a woman whose name I immediately recognized, but whom I'd never met. I was immediately concerned, as this woman, who I'll call Lara (not her real name), was a dear friend and mentor to a very close friend of mine. I wondered why on Earth Lara was contacting me, unless of course, something was wrong with my close friend, Sarah. With these anxious thoughts rushing through my head, my body beginning to tremble like a leaf, and my heart racing, I wasn't really able to enjoy the rest of the Dancing with The Stars results show.

As soon as the show ended, I picked up the phone with trembling hands and called Lara. In calm tones, Lara informed me that my beloved friend, Sarah, had drowned in the early morning hours of October 20. She was only twenty-five.

Grief is a funny thing... I think I intuitively knew that Sarah was dead when I received Lara's call, and when my body reacted so suddenly and violently. After hearing Lara's pronouncement, my body began experiencing even more intense symptoms... moments of tremendous heat, and then terrible cold followed by violent chills. I told friends afterwards that I felt as if I'd experienced some sort of nervous breakdown. To know that my friend was so tragically and unexpectedly gone from this plain, was an enormous shock to my system... to my very soul.

Mentioning Sarah's sudden death is a necessary, if sad preface to the primary topic of this article. After learning of her transition, I was forced to reflect on my own life... my thoughts, deeds, words, and my very mortality. Why was I here? Was I making a difference in the lives of others? Had I showed my love enough to my beloveds?

Death can be sobering and devastating, as this experience has proven for me. And yet, death can also serve as a much-needed reminder to cherish each and every moment we have on God's Earth. Sure, life can be frustrating, trying and difficult at times. But what can we learn from our trials, struggles and difficulties? Can we find ways to find the treasures, even in these? I'd like to share some tips that I use to remain present in the moment, and find the treasure that lies just below the surface of every precious moment.

1. Take a little time first thing in the morning, upon awakening, and just before drifting off to sleep at night, to reflect on the things that are most important to you. During these times, our bodies are usually quite relaxed, and our minds are more languid and calm than at other times during our busy days. Think about those people whom you cherish most, how much they mean to you, and how they have shaped the person you are today. This is a wonderful activity with which to begin and end your day, as it helps us to remember the truly important things in our lives.

2. Look, listen and observe. What sights and sounds surround you as you go about your day? What can you discover about these sights and sounds that make you thankful and grateful? For example, when I hear a bird or cricket sing outside my window, I thank God for the wonder and beauty of nature's bounty all around me. When I put clothes in my washing machine and dryer, and listen to the sounds these appliances make, I am grateful for the convenience of modern technology, so that I don't have to wash everything by hand. When sitting in a car going from one location to another, I am thankful for the fact that I don't have to walk many miles a day, as my ancestors did, to get to where I needed to go. Observing these sights and sounds, along with tastes, smells and emotions we experience, helps us to not take as much for granted, and treasure all that surrounds us.

3. Say "I love you." I was blessed to grow up in a household where we all told one another how much we loved each other. Sometimes, it's hard to tell those we love how much they mean to us. We all grow frustrated with our friends and family members, and we may disagree with them on some things, but showing our love can truly make all the difference in betting our relationships. Expressing our love in our words and actions is a way to make everyone feel good, and deep down inside, people truly do appreciate knowing that they are loved and cherished, even if they don't know how to show their love themselves.

4. Perform kind acts. Sometimes, we forget how rewarding it can be to witness the smile or "thank you" of a stranger when we do something kind for them. Yet, this is another fabulous way to help make every moment count, and find the treasure that lies within each moment. Volunteer your time, give to a charity you appreciate, mentor kids or teens, beautify your community in some way... the possibilities are endless!

5. Find the lesson. Even as my heart goes through it's process of healing after Sarah's death, I look for the lessons I have learned from having this experience. In my case, I am learning to be more gentle, to say "I love you" more, to show my affection more often, and, as this article shows, to cherish each moment as much as possible. I often ask myself, "If this was my last day on Earth, how would I live it to the fullest? What would I say and do?" At first, this might seem rather morbid, but I have found it helpful in that it reminds me to cherish all the experiences that occur in my life, and assists me in being the kindest, most compassionate and most loving person I can be, no matter the circumstances. What lessons can you learn from your own current life situations and circumstances?

To close, I'd like to give you an affirmation, which I often use to get centered in the present moment. "I cherish this present moment, no matter its difficulties. I seek to find the treasures that lie beneath the surface of this moment. I am at peace, and God loves me and is with me, now and in all moments to come."

May you find peace and joy in your present moment. I wish you courage, strength and fortitude. I love you.

HOPE AND HEALING
All of us need to take the time to be gentle with ourselves. Therefore, in the first issue of each month, Heartsong will include tips with which you can nurture, pamper and transform all aspects of your life. Enjoy!

Writing Out Our Grief

I am a huge advocate of writing, no matter what may be occurring in our lives. During times of joy or sorrow, I find that writing down my thoughts, emotions and activities is a highly fortifying and soul-healing activity. During periods of grieving, I find writing to be particularly soothing and calming to my spirit.

Let me stress that, if you choose to journal about your grief, it doesn't have to be Pulitzer Prize writing that you do. This is writing for YOU! It doesn't have to be perfect, polished, or even to make any sense to anyone else. It can be poetry, prose, drawings, or stream of consciousness thoughts and feelings. The important thing is that it helps you to put your grief in perspective and get it out of yourself and onto paper. This externalizing of grief can be extremely healing, as it tends to make many people feel lighter, less stressed, and perhaps even a little less sad.

Writing, for me, is a symbolic way of grieving... it's as if I'm crying my tears onto paper. But I also try to write down things about my lost loved one that makes me smile, that makes me laugh, and that bring me joy. This is yet another step in the healing process on a "grief journey."

May your writing bring you comfort and healing as you journey towards recovery.

Note: I'm considering putting together a teleclass series on writing to heal grief. It would be about four weeks long, and would cover ways that writing can help to heal our hearts as we grieve. Please let me know if you'd be interested in such a class, and ask your friends and others you know, as well. You can email me at: Kim@KimLoftis.com 
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

PRAYER FROM THE HEART
Each issue of Heartsong will feature a prayer, either from my own heart, one which I hold dear in my own life, or one suggested to me by others. I hope they will speak to your spirit, as well.

I open my heart to You, dear God, and let Your peace fill my being. In Your presence, I am peaceful, poised, confident, and strong.

I relax in Your loving care, dear God, and release all my cares to You, knowing that You are upholding me and sustaining me in all that I do.

As I keep my heart and mind centered in You, God, I feel Your peace infusing my entire being and keeping me serene and secure.

To You, beloved God, I release all sense of turmoil. In the comfort of Your presence, I am content and peaceful.

God, Your presence calms me, quiets the storms around me, and leads me to a place of perfect peace. As I center myself in Your peaceful presence, I let go of every concern and relax in the safety of Your love.

(Today's Prayers Taken from: http://www.unityonline.org )

HEARTSONG REFLECTION
Until our next issue, reflect on those people and things which you cherish most. Share your love with others, and treasure each passing moment. What ways can you find to make every moment precious?

Love, Light and Blessings,
Kim

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Heartsong is a biweekly publication, and is published on the first and third Sunday of each month. All content is copyright Kim Loftis, unless otherwise indicated.
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Have any questions or comments about this issue, or about Heartsong in general? If so, please don't hesitate to email me.   Kim@KimLoftis.com 
And who knows? Your questions may inspire an article for an upcoming issue! Your questions and comments help me to make Heartsong as engaging, fun and inspiring as possible, and I thank you in advance!
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For compassionate, personalized spiritual healing and coaching services straight from my heart, please visit my website: http://www.kimloftis.com   I would be honored to serve you today!
Until the next issue of Heartsong, let your heart sing, and I send you all my love!