Want to Know How Evolved You Are? Visit Family - Part 1

I once heard that saying because I laughed out loud.

Nothing can make me crazier than my extended family, to be honest.

That's why I left my small home town in Pennsylvania at the age of 18 and never looked back.

Always filled with drama, I ever felt comfortable being a part of it.

I wanted to get out of our small town and explore the world and ended up settling down over 3,000 miles away in California...

...about as far as I could get from my family outside of moving to a new country.

My mother did the same thing and moved to South Carolina...

...now she's moving to California, so we decided to make a road trip to Pennsylvania before heading back out to the West Coast.

A 12 hour drive with a 7 year old, a 5 year old, and your mother....already a good test for one's consciousness!

As I took my turn driving yesterday, I thought about my prayer before I left...

...I gave thanks for compassion, patience, and protection.

All qualities of God, so my prayer reminded me to receive them as my own as I AM all the qualities of God as well.

I also thought about how, after 7 hours into our trip, all of those qualities were in me.  

I didn't lose my patience with my boys, or my mother.   

I had compassion for my mom as she spoke about her fear of getting cancer, or her fear of losing all her retirement money in the stock market, or many other fear-based ideas she has lived with her whole life.

I tried to give some alternative view-points, but I could tell they went in one ear and out the other.

I wanted to yell and say, "Mom, why do you choose to think this way?"

But, I was always silently reminded of compassion and patience, so I would let it go always remembering that everyone has their own path.

We all have our journey to consciousness and to  a new way of thinking about our lives.

As I parked in the hotel parking lot, my heart fluttered at knowing that the next day, I would see the rest of my family.

I will continue to pray for patience and compassion because that is what I will most have to embody during my visit...

...but remarkably, I am excited to see my whole family.

I'm not sure much has changed, however, that would be a perception as I know how much everyone changes over the years.

I will also pray to let go of judgments that may arise or false perceptions and open my heart to love....

....I know, when we open ourselves to love, we shower others with it.  

No matter where I am in my own growth as a person, I am doing the best I can at where I am in my heart...I know this for everyone and if I simply put my mind on love, I give it to everyone no matter where they are in their own journey.

So, as I write this post, in a few hours, I will be surrounded by my extended family.

This post has helped me know what to pray and meditate on in preparation as it has also shared the true principle of how we approach life...both the good and the challenges...

...by knowing that we each embody the qualities of God, we can take on anything....even our perceived "crazy" families...

....I'll give you an update next week and let you know how I faired :)