I don’t know about you, but holidays have taken on a new, more personal, meaning for me as I’ve aged. I noticed I’m re-focusing from
partying to personal growth.
Take the Fourth of July.
Traditionally, July 4th has been an easy holiday for me. With
my eyes closed, I can reach out to friends, plan festivities with the best food
and drink and provide an atmosphere of fellowship and fun.
Why I’ve decided to
do things differently this Fourth.
Last week, I sat down, turned off my monkey mind and settled
into an open and receptive stillness. Then
I let my mind re-live past July 4th celebrations and the activities
associated with them.
I was surprised to see a pattern unfold.
The common theme that wove its way through almost all past July
4ths was the lack of any sense of what the holiday truly represented for me. It
seems I’ve spent more time partying and less time on the significance of
freedom in my life.
What does this mean? I’m going to personalize this July 4th by
identifying and celebrating ALL the freedoms available to me, not by just acknowledging
our nation’s breaking away from the motherland -- with food and drink in my hand.
In fact, by spending time consciously appreciating all the personal freedoms that our founding
fathers fought so hard for, I am not only filled with gratitude for my life,
I feel I am paying proper homage to them for their monumental sacrifice.
On a more intimate level, here’s what I came up with for a truer meaning of freedom in my life:
