Releasing the Old and Making Welcome the New

Last week, I just signed a counter offer for our Center's building.

When we first decided to sell our building we imagined that the buyer would be very similar to us, in that they had a need for a large open space and also would continue to run the executive suites. An owner-user would have been a wonderful deal. We had established that kind of organization would pay top dollar for the building. After months of marketing by our realtor, including sending a  hard-copy brochure to  almost a thousand potential buyers, and holding open houses, we received an offer. We were partially right: the buyer does want a building with Executive Suites but they want to convert the whole building to offices. We have countered the original offer with terms that we can live with including a lease-back option for almost nine months.

 I could be elated, or I could be a little numb.  One of the things that grew clear to us as we determined to sell the building is that this building was NEVER our vision. So we are just like many families who buy their first home because it is what they can afford, and move to a larger space when they can, They considered their first homes as starters.  We have come to realize that huge space was likely a starter for us so we are the opposite of a growing family. We want less space.

I feel waves of joy  and thanksgiving for the right action of being able to buy a much more manageable-sized building and devote our time and attention to our members and friends.

We are asking for your help. If you see a smaller commercial building for sale, please let us know. Our real estate committee is composed of Aidan Greaney, Grant McPhail, Fred Mercado, Pam Rocke, Greg Young , Wayne Davis, Lee Van Slyke, Dena Hart Van Slyke, and me. If you see something that might be of interest please let one of us know. We have already been looking for a new building but without knowing our price range we were not able to move forward very easily. We are looking for a building that is approximately seven thousand square feet. We will net approximately two million dollars.  We are looking forward to being free of a mortgage. (And also being free of the repairs and maintenance of a building that is almost 20,000 square feet.)

We need to work together as a community to find the right place that will serve our needs and allow us to grow.

Although none of us have a crystal ball, and are not skilled in predicting the future, we do see that likely with interest rates going up, investing in commercial real estate becomes less inviting.We feel that the time is right.

The offer we got allows us to lease back from the buyers for up to nine months. (We thought this gestation period would give us enough time to find the right and perfect place for our new home Center.)

How can you help?

Working Together
Photo by Juli Isola

Let's work together. The kids in the photo above have the right idea. Facing the unknown in the ocean of life, it is easy and fun if we do it together. Stay positive. Remember that all demonstration starts with a clear idea. Our idea is to own a building that is self-contained, no further than 10 miles from our present location,, that would hold our fellowship, our social time, our children and our classes. We want a beautiful, safe outside space that reflects a respect for and love of nature. We would like  a sanctuary in which every seat feels like it is a special seat, all people can see the speakers and singers with ease. The acoustics are great. It will would easily seat 150 people. The whole building will  be imbued by a feeling of reverence, it can easily hold the weight of the divine. We need room for our piano, our band, and our choir in addition to needing a room in which it is easy for the speaker to connect with all people in the audience.

If you haven't started yet, please add the Center to your prayer list. See us completing this sale with grace, finding the right building for our new spiritual home, in the right location, and purchasing a new building with the proceeds from the sale. And most importantly see us thriving in our new home, connected with each other and growing spiritually.

I Release and I Let Go

Release and Tend Your Garden Mindfully

Butterflies have a lot to teach us about change. My piano teacher used to tell me that butterflies were a sign of hope.

Metamorphosis is no mild or gentle thing. Those catepillars liquify into a goopy mess before they are recontructed into a butterfly.

We joined the Panhe celebration a couple weeks ago. There was a butterfly tent at the festival which thoroughly captured the girls' attention. They couldn't get enough of that butterfly tent. At the end of the day the kids were called to release the butterflies.

They gathered together and let their butterflies go. Letting go of her butterfly was a painful experience for Kate. Kate cried. She had named hers "Pumpkin" and did not want to leave her butterfly behind. She went to bed crying over Pumpkin, she woke up crying over Pumpkin. She still talks about Pumpkin.

Sometimes change means letting go of what's in our hand. Letting go of what we can see and feel to mindfully plant seeds of a greater good.

Yesterday we received a vial of milkweed seeds from our friend. We are going to tend to our garden and know that Pumpkin will come back to visit and bring lots of friends.

Our time with our butterfly came to an end
We had to let go
Now we're planting our milkweed seeds
Knowing more will come

Letting Go

The artist in this video is Andres Armador. He creates art in the sand knowing it will always be reclaimed by nature. It is profound to me - this idea of creating beauty, putting my entire self into an idea and letting it go. Some of what he says in the video struck me -

"nothing else is on my mind when I'm doing the art work"

"I'm using my whole body"

"I'm not attached to the pieces when they are done...I can't hold on to them"

This is a great insight for any of us with the lesson of giving up control and a glimpse of what is possible!  I consider:  As I give my gift, I let go of my attachment to it and let it become all that it can be. I release my attachment knowing I have given freely and wholeheartedly. When I have given my gift and when the tide comes in with a fresh idea I am free from old patterns, old thoughts and ready for a new creation. I strive to give of myself 100% and let go of my good so that I can experience even greater.

It's not a new idea. Lao Tzu says quite eloquently "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be". Is there something in your life that you can let go of so that it might become something greater, or you might become a greater expression of you? I

How Do You Cleanse Yourself?

"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." ~Victor Borge

     I must admit, my life is very full.  Although some may call it hectic, I love all that I do and all of the people in my life. But at times I really have to stop and remember what I am doing and where I'm going next...my girls' schools, lacrosse practices, games, meetings, work, etc... Thanks to my iPhone calendar I do a pretty good job at staying on task.  Through all of the busyness and continual doings, relief is a simple and cleansing daily practice for me. My beau, my girls and I all love to LAUGH.  There's usually not an evening where we don't sit down to dinner without someone cracking a joke or telling a funny story about the day. In fact, as I am writing, I'm hearing the laughter of my daughters as they recall a past event with their cousin and aunt. Also important is that as we all laugh together, we stay connected as a family unit, and that is priceless.


"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."  ~Victor Hugo

     There was a time in my life when laughter was not a practice, and I was pretty much living in despair. My marriage was failing, I was financially stretched, and my light was definitely NOT shining. Time seemed to move at a snail's pace and rarely would you find me in a happy mood. As soon as my marriage was complete, my beloved sister-in-law surrounded me in her love and her presence, and wow, was that a gift! She and her family were always laughing and goofing off. The times with them were filled with belly-aching laughter and streaming tears of joy. As far as I'm concerned, ROTFLMAO was invented in her household. All of the muck and mire seemed to vanish. My time of winter became the sun that began to shine upon my face and I was healed.

 
"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul." ~Yiddish Proverb

     As a child, when I was feeling down, I found solice in watching re-runs of "I Love Lucy," which would literally make me laugh out loud and everything was alright. I guess it was intrinsic at the time. As an adult in my darkest times, I sometimes forgot to turn to laughter, but now I realize how important it is. If I am alone and feeling overwhelmed with no one to laugh with (on rare occasion), I can turn on my television and catch an episode of my favorite TV show, "The Big Bang Theory" and instantly find something to laugh about. Or, I can read a funny book or logon to the internet and find something to chuckle about. When that happens, the stresses of the day are no longer stinking up my emotions and my consciousness and my soul is cleansed with the healing power of laughter.



     What practice do you best utilize to cleanse your soul? If you don't have one yet, try laughing. You'll be amazed at the results.  After all, as Milton Burle said, "Laughter is an instant vacation," and who couldn't use a nice vacation.  Bon voyage!