Standing on my Foundation

This past week in yoga a good majority of the classes that I attended seemed to focus on foundation.  We looked at our physical foundation in poses and I pondered foundation on a deeper level.  The timing of this happened to be perfect.  The following poem by Danna Foulds was read in one of those classes and it certainly resonated with me.

Foundations Stones 
 by Danna Foulds

Here is my past--

what I've been proud of,

and what I've pushed away.

Today I see how each piece

was needed, not a single

step wasted on the way.

Like a stone wall,

every rock resting

on what came before-

no stone can be

suspended in mid-air.

Foundation laid by every

act and omission,

each decision, even

those the mind would

label "big mistake".

These things I thought

were sins, these are as

necessary as successes,

each one resting on the

surface of the last, stone

upon stone, the fit

particular, complete,

the rough, uneven

face of these rocks

makes surprising,

satisfying patterns

in the sunlight.

Everything that I have experienced in life so far has laid the foundation for what will come next.  This means that I need to take the good with the bad and stand tall on top of it all.  It has all been necessary to get me to where I am at this very moment in time and will continue to prepare me for the great things to come.

Words that resonate

So as this whole blog thing is newish I am going to try to post something daily and those things may be an article, poem, quote or song and I will at least once weekly post something that I have written.  I did blog when I was on Semester at Sea but I was on a different sort of journey!!

The following poem was shared by one of my yoga teachers in class and has certainly resonated with me:

"Maybe Not" by Danna Faulds

Begin somewhere.

Take one deep breath and dive.

Plunge into the core of your most persistent fear, or your greatest joy.

Grow comfortable with the act of exploration.

Well, maybe not comfortable, but confident of your ability to be sure footed on slick rocks,
steady while the winds gust.

Well, maybe not entirely confident,

but willing to set out despite persistent doubts,

breathing your way

into whatever you are facing.

Well, maybe not even all that willing,

but you take it anyway,

that first step into the unknown.

Courage is starting where there is no secure outcome,

no sure result.

The secret is you can begin at any time.

Take one deep breath, and dive.

Though not entirely comfortable, confident or even always willing I am stepping out into the unknown and certainly breathing along the way.  I am learning that it is fine to not have a clear plan.  I have had to let go of an idea of some sort of long term plan a little bit ago.  Can I make plans for a summer vacation right now...Nope!!  Can I schedule a time to help out a friend with some work in DC in a few weeks...absolutely. I am taking little steps at a time and to me that is the best plan right now.