Sound Byte View ~ Looking Back & Charging Forward!

2+0+1+0=3 and we all know that "3...is a magic number." 

Wishing you all a magical 2010!! ♥ 

When I first joined Facebook, I realized that I began thinking in sound bytes.  In some cases, almost observing the moments to label them “status-ready,” before fully participating.  While I still enjoy a good “status,” since the novelty of being on Facebook has waned so has my desire to caption each moment.  

There’s an application which lists all retrievable statuses and gives you your own Status Stats.  One of the stats shows your five most used words, in order.   Bits and pieces of my life map, dating back to the summer of 2008, were assembled & labeled according to the statement du jour.  

The meaning of some moments were more memorable than others, leaving some lines drifting without a context from which to view them.  Without a context, these lines may range from the relatable or poetic to the silly & utterly absurd and back to the banal.  Sifting through the many fragments, I found a few gems which have become mantras for meditation, and others from the rubble that hint at challenges yet to be met.

Moving into the new year, before I look ahead I take a mindful glance back.  On a family bike trip through the Czech Republic, I was riding along leisurely with my mom taking in the interesting topography and vibrant colors.  She pulled over and stopped.  I rode up to her and asked her why she stopped.  She turned to me and said, “Sometimes the view is behind you.”  Sure enough, we turned around and arm in arm we beheld, with awe, the beautiful landscape with fresh eyes.

Here’s a sound byte sampling of a life journey, a "status" scrapbook.  I’ve edited down the list to the ones that might most resonate here, with a splash of daily reality checks every now and then for perspective. (I recommend this as a personal exercise, whether it's status lines from Facebook, a journal or simple stillness. Take a look back, then charge forward.)

Most Used Words:  #1: love used 21 times ~ #2: feeling used 17 times ~ #3: day used 15 times ~ #4: loves used 15 times ~ #5: facebook used 14 times

Status Bytes:

• loved basking in the kindled glow of our menora illuminating our colorfully lit christmas tree next to our beautifully hand-carved wooden buddah. happy holidays to all!
• is sending out healing love and vibrations to those beautiful people in the concentric & intersecting circles of my life who are suffering and coping right now. The love is strong!
• Good morning star shine. The earth says hello.
• Goodnight Moon
• is stretching my creative wings and circling my thoughts with wonder
• voted
• just had a venting session with the poor woman who answered my call at the pediatrician's office. now say, ahhhhh!
• wonders if, as a rule, one must lower or let go of expectations completely in order not to be disappointed.
• is laughing at the silliness of it all!
• head back, squinting into the sun
• has a crush on Cornel West
• Fri October 2, 2009, 5:39 am: Happy Birthday, Ghandi! Namaste, all!!
• is grateful to fb for revealing the beautiful depth of formerly "forgotten" or "lost" friends. I find myself marveling at the gifts you all bring to this world!
• is trying to think of something clever to say about having strep. i got bubkus!
• played the part of soccer coach for a team of 4 year olds, today. is there nothing i won't do for my kids?!!
• is looking back at 108 sun salutations and ahead to an amazing autumn!
• A new year, like a new day, new hour, new minute, new moment, is filled with opportunity & possibility. 
• will bring in the new year with little ceremony & much mindfulness
• put the kids down to sleep and am now putting politics to bed for the night.
• is sometimes torn between always being the peacemaker/cheerleader and speaking my mind, but is grateful for amazing friends who are there to engage equally in thoughtful debate and potty jokes! :-)
• Fri September 11, 2009, 4:42 am: witnessed. remembers. has you all in my heart today.
• is in the stillness between the happiness of celebrating our anniversary on 9/9 and the sadness of mourning the tragedy of 9/11.
• loves the practical uses of Yoga, like twisting around in the car to accomodate the needs of tots or forward bending over the laundry basket to open the door that the 2 year old decided needed to be shut. Yoga, it's good for the soul and helps you get things done! :-)
• is grateful for hot showers
• wonders if "entitled" people realize they're not truly entitled
• loves my neighborhood and all the amazing people who make it the special place it is. You are wonderful gifts wrapped in enchanted centuries-old trees.
• officially, and sadly, announces the end of ARTisZEN ARTS...something special.
• loves that something a simple as a hammock can improve the quality of life and an already beautiful day
• sometimes the easiest things to do are the most difficult to get done
• unwraps a little bit of the gift of life every day.
• is balancing on the edge of here and there. I guess that puts me right here right now
• Goji berries
• is curious how the senses can be heightened at the same time the mind dulls.
• celebrated freedom, today, with Free Space! (You guys rocked!!).  May all beings be happy & free. Have a great 4th!
• actually heard circus music in my head while getting the kids ready for camp this morning.
• is back to one.
• has been dancing under the pines with amazing family and friends in Maine and is now home dancing to a more familiar beat.
• is iron fist in velvet glove wrapped in spinach and covered with frosting
• is feeling the power of words and empowered by their force, when used artfully.
• is somewhere between here and there, but keeps on losing footing and falling into now. Ah...
• is sad and awed, watching the neighbor's neglect result in the tearing down of an old and beautiful tree.
• is taking stock of the meaning & expressions of warriorship at home & abroad, for great causes & everyday challenges and in hearts, minds & bodies. For those who have bravely charged forward in the past and for those who are battling today, thank you!
• laughs maniacally in the face of chaos! moohaahahaha!!
• is connecting the dots.
• is feeling the love
• is feeling all sorts of silly!
• is coming back to the breath. aahh...
• is feeling connected to all the mothers out there and wishes each and every one a beautiful day!
• bows to the light in you
• is on the road again...sort of...loving the now of it all!
• can't stop tapping my toes! Grateful Dead!!!! Can you feel it in the air?
• has become a detail in an item on the list
• still gets the chills when Barbra sings!
• thinks therefore gets stuck
• is free and grateful to be
• is great at starting things but not always as good at finishi
• sees glimpses of clarity through the mist
• "om-ed" in unision with my 3 year old and 19 month old. It was pretty cool.
• is contemplating a Sisyphean journey and wondering if the boulder will be made of rock or expectation
• is in the motherhood spin cycle
• honors each of you for your place past & present
• is so proud of Brian for creating something truly special in ARTisZEN ARTS!
• is pushing pause
• wonders how many clowns can fit into a small mind
• has just been nipped by instant karma. It only stung for a moment.
• is investigating peaceful warriorship. Will let you know.
• trusts the unseen powers
• thinks integrity is sexy
• got the baby down by chanting "OM"...love that!
• is grilling in winter. Oh yeah, that's right
• is abundantly human
• is still tuned in but may need to drop out soon due to bedtime for the tots
• is ready to do what needs to be done
• is feeling the urgency and awe of now.
• is in awe. When else can you feel history while it's being made?
• is comforted that we are all part of great cosmic joke punchline.
• is straddling the river between mythical fiction and misty reality
• loves the magic of simple joys, like hot chocolate on a cold day
• is turning into a Disney character. Hero or Villain, it's anyone's guess.
• wishes you all great moments of laughter, reflection, pause, peace and love this holiday season and always!!
• is reminded daily of the wide gap between theory and reality
• is thinking facebook is the biggest party with a most excellent guest list
• is one step closer
• is happily being held together with scotch tape & string
• is unraveling little mysteries one clue at a time
• is bits & pieces
• is falling apart, but not falling down...yet
• is remembering what it feels like to be five ~ its ups, downs and inbetweens
• is contemplating contemplating
• is admiring the flow from a distance and will rejoin it later
• is going with the flow
• is documenting unlikely beauty, with help from Tanya
• is leisurely floating down the rabbit hole
• thinks facebook is a bit like looking in a funhouse mirror
• is practicing
• is feeling life's magic and its poetry
• senses enchantment in the air
• is going to practice yielding today
• wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for being part of the love-fest that is gratitude.
• loves bic pens
• is feeling the love
• thinks that heart-on-sleeve is a beautiful fashion statement; chip-on-shoulder-pad...not so much.
• believes that magic & reality are not mutually exclusive.
• is grateful for our president-elect, Obama, for raising the national mood.
• can't believe Jerry Garcia has been gone for 13+ years. :-(
• is giggling at life's challenges...everyday!
• is fascinated by the facebook experiment
• is baffled by talking points.
• is not proud. It's Mac'n Cheese for dinner tonight!
• got misty watching the girls experience the magic that is Broadway.
• made yummy dinner with the ever mysterious sweet dumpling squash.
• is open to the idea of hope
• is tickled by the absurd realities of parenthood.
• is feeling very critical of the dangerously low levels of critical thinking.
• loves when new friends become old friends, and old friends become family
• has not had Internet service for several days, finished a novel and is the middle of another book. Hmmm, wonder if there's a link