Blessed to feel life happening all around me and in me. A new awakening has happened.

This year’s Christmas has taken on a new meaning for me.
I’ve stepped out of the garments of organized religions and dogmas and was given a naked view of things (enlightenment).  It was a complex journey experiencing, practicing, and understanding multiple religions in different times of my life in the past 8 yrs of living abroad in Qatar.

I have embarked on this new journey back to the States and managed to shed myself of those garments. I haven’t lost the meaningful teachings from the different religions they will be forever embedded in my spirit helping me as I transform and grow in life. Does a caterpillar’s essence of life stop Being just because it sheds its skin and transforms into Butterfly?

I thought I would feel cold and lonely not wearing the garments that were decorated with many dogmas and accepted with open arms by others who wore garments that resembled each other in the name of conformity, but I’m not cold nor lonely as I stand naked and shameless! There is a warmth that covers my body its in the form of an invisible cloak made from God’s Love.

Each day since I have returned back home; I am reminded by those that truly matter; that I am loved and accepted as I am.

I’m sitting here on the floor on top of a blow up bed in my Father’s living room drinking green tea this early Christmas Eve morning and pondering about the meaning of Christmas, reminded as I look at the gifts under the small tree in front of me that gifts are given as an expression of our love for each other to represent how Jesus was a gift to Man kind for those who accepted His Love and even those who do not accept Him. I’m reminded how the Lord keeps on giving precious gifts day in and day out, but it’s up to us to open our spiritual eyes see these precious gifts and experience them with awareness.

2012 has been this big beautiful package filled with so many divine gifts from the Lord to me.
REFLECTING:
Earlier this year I made the decision to leave my job in Qatar the country I called home for over 8 yrs. I packed my bags went to Italy too see some great friends and celebrated St. Joseph’s day with them in Bassano Del Grappa, before heading to the USA. I am forever thankful to Paulo & Christina for being a Divine vessel to the Lord showing me and millions of others that there is no impossible nor coincidences, everything happens for reason, and if there is something that my heart truly desires the Universe will conspire and make it happen. 

Arriving back to the states: I Spent the end of Spring and Summer with my handsome Son; what a joy he is!!! I was able to make a new good friend Maria (my yoga teacher while in Anniston, Alabama http://www.yogaannistonalabama.com/ for the summer) She took me strawberry picking for the first time in my life, and help me find that sweet balance that I needed as I transitioned back into the USA.

After spending part of the summer in Alabama off I went to Washington, DC for 7 months, spent time with my friends John and Jay ( I love you guys and thankful for having you two in my life, when I say I love you I mean it from the entire essence of my heart and soul). They help me discover America’s capital mostly by foot and metro.

 The Lord brought my Sister an I closer than ever, she is truly one of my soul mates in this life. I love her so much it was pure joy spending time with her and her family before they moved abroad to Belgium. I love you All and miss you dearly have fun eating all those Brussel Spouts and thank you for opening the doors of your home to me and helping me in so many ways settle in.

I graduated from Aveda Institute in Washington, DC in the Esthiology program earlier this month 1 Dec 2012!!!! On this 6 month journey I gained a new family of beautiful Spa Sisters for life. A new friend (Ashley) that opened her doors to me  in a time of need. Those six months attending Aveda was bitter sweet, I wasn’t sure at one point if I would finish the program, I didn’t know where I would be living, if I would be able to find housing (homeless in DC is not a sight to see or feel), but the Lord kept a roof over my head and food on the table. God is good, answering my prayers and reassuring me that I’m on the right path 111.

I was Blessed to celebrate the precious life of my younger cousin E.J as his Spirit was set free and his body was put to rest. His ceremony of life allowed me to see my other cousins, aunts, and uncles on my Mother’s side of family that I hadn’t seen in over eleven yrs.

Kristen  my bestie of all besties!!! Appeared at my door steps in DC greeting me perm and all in my hair, so we could take a spur of the moment road trip to Philly to see our other bestie Lakia, her husband Jesse (as we call Brother Jesse) and their son little Jabril. I had not seen my girls in over 2 yrs since they left Qatar, in such a short time we created good times just like our great times in Qatar. I’m looking forward to our next reunion Besties. 

I just moved back to Florida earlier this month, and I was accepted into Eckerd College writing program!!!!!!! Yes, I am jumping off the walls and doing cartwheels in the sky!!!

I am feeling very blessed to spend this Christmas with my 90yr old grandma (Mama Cora), my daddy, my best friend of 19 yrs Roderick, and the rest of my father’s side of family here in Florida.  

God is so good to me and I’m so thankful as I travel this complex journey of life.

Thank you Lord for continuously restoring my faith and bringing new meaning to my life.

some photos of my 2012 journey.

Merry Christmas and A Blissful New Year to All!