Love is not always a person. It can be a place as I discovered, that mirrors back soul healing and wholeness.
Traveling to places makes you think and wonder.
…And in my travels, I’ve seen rainbows and sunshine. And light and darkness.
That’s life on this Rock.
My visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, also known as Iceland, made me think. It gave me joy and hope-filled reminder glimpses.
And made me consider opposing darkness from nature’s soot black colors of basalt and sediment on every other corner.
The volcano in Iceland rules the land. Hekla (Volcano) provides the heat geothermal energy for its people. And the hell inferno also has the power to negatively change the dynamic landscape and alter life for the better, for those it warms and comforts.
And in my short Iceland visit, there were moments of bitter cold as winter quickly approaches. This encounter was less than a week ago as I write this.
Some of the days were rainy, windy, sunny, and icy, and many days were all of those conditions.
One of those mornings, I was tested with this…
And how shifting weather patterns can suddenly change your situation.
Because suddenly I slipped on black ice, and before I could blink, my two eyeballs were an inch from the ice on the ground. Scraped up with blood on the pavement, I picked myself up.
I wish I were being dramatic.
But later that day I ended up in a local urgent care facility back in Reykjavik.
I was in the care of people whose first language words are as foreign to me as an IKEA sign.
The Icelandic language more closely resembles German than the Romance languages I had some familiarity with.
But luckily, we share the same Atlantic Ocean with our Icelandic neighbors, and English is widely spoken. There was no need for me to panic.
And in my distant home calm-feeling moment, I had a choice in the pause for my situation that needed medical attention…
I could choose to be anxious or be brave.
Anxiety is my Vata body’s natural first response, but thankfully we are more than our bodies.
I could choose to believe in the best or fall down in more ways than just on the ice.
I wrestled a bit with my thoughts, and not having slept for several days on jet lag. But worked it out and choosing to believe on the positive notes won the fight.
That was my first test on this journey.
In my life’s crosshairs, the journey has taught me to become strong and fearless, and gradually turn why-me? pity party situations to a why-not-me? celebration. 🥳
We get to better evolve as we grow if we choose to.
That’s the better life.
And that’s the better empowered me.
Where I know I’m not a unicorn. Anyone can choose to be an empowered honey badger (who wants to), that btw is known as the most fearless animal to roam this earth. Those little Davids face their Goliaths daily.
They hunt venomous snakes, head-on confront giant lions that would have them for a snack, and crush tough enemy bones and shells all in a day’s work before going home to their rented basements.
They have a red badge of courage because they were born for it.
And so are you and me! ♥️
You too can be the badger, honey. 🦡
Your loving belief, movement, and desire to change is all that’s required.
It starts with your thoughts and the language you allow in your mind.
In my badger test on the day of my accident fall, the main universal language I kept reverting back to was the one in my head…
The Scripture verses from the love letter language of the Bible I had just plugged into recall weeks ago.
…Though I walk through the darkest valley, I shall fear no evil. For you are with me… Your rod and your staff. They comfort me… You place a table before my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows…
That’s what I memorized from Psalms 23.
And…
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
And with those loving words, I felt the still presence of peace wash over me. That’s the feeling of love that you can’t get from expensive things, or in the same way from others on this planet.
It’s a love and comfort cleansing that washes over you from the spirit within.
The warm hugs of healing that are bottled up inside you.
Those moments feeling serenity last, as time passes and the situation is changing before your eyes and flashing you versions of your truth.
Spirit can leave an indelible voice in your mind that impacts the direction of your life, and even more than the person asking you what you want to eat for dinner.
It took me many years to discover this inner voice and love.
And when I did years ago, I realized it was there the whole time for my discovery.
I didn’t need to schedule a time or place to meet with my inner self. I carried this on my body onto the plane, as my 2nd personal item carry-on.
It was the only baggage that didn’t require packing and that weighs nothing, but gives everything.
It had always been faithful to me.
So in my Iceland face-on-ice meeting moment, I was confronted to give back. I was given a life test that felt like a graduation exam: would I exude faith or crumble in fear?
Faith was the character trait word in the Bible my eyes used to skip over: peace, love, joy, kindness, patience, self-control… and then faith.
Faith is believing when you cannot see.
It requires growth and maturity.
You don’t know if you really have it until you’re tested.
Which btw, I would not have known if I really had faith without a potentially traumatizing situation like the one before me.
Faith like most things in life come in gradient shades like from fully blind to color blind. Or you can be wishy washy sometimes with moods like wearing rose colored or blue blocking glasses.
But when you have solid-like-a-rock faith, you know it.. like you know when you pass a test with flying colors before you get the results back.
Because you were prepared and believe you will come out better on the other side.
Faith helps for any curve ball life throws at you.
A feeling of you got this.
And you know whatever you’re blindsided with, it will be something that you can handle.
That comes from an invisible love from above.
Faith is love…
It gives a sense of belonging, in a world that can be cold on any corner and cruel at certain times.
Unconditional faith lets you know that whatever season of life you’re facing, is meant for you.
The situation is there to help you grow and be a better version of you.
That’s the highest point of life, to get to that version.
So take the risks. Enjoy the ride. Believe. This adventurous world has got your back and you’re never alone. Never.
…And most importantly, YOU are loved! 🫶