Daily Bliss Archives · Ashley Barnes

Daily Bliss – May 25

Daily Bliss

In her heart

She feels it rising

Anger, Rage

Unspeakable grief

For one more

And one more

And still another

The end never reaching

The shore of dying hope

When will it end?

©Ashley Castle Barnes

I’m a word person, but there are times that words escape me.

When there simply aren’t words to share that will make anything better or different.

These are also the times when silence isn’t enough either.

When nothing is enough.

The only action that would be enough is change.

Real, lasting change.

Yet it feels so out of reach.

And so we grieve. We rage. We march. We hold each other tightly.

And we keep searching for the right words, the right actions, the right feelings that will lead to the change we so desperately desire.

And we ask: When will it end?

Daily Bliss – May 24

Daily Bliss

Coming back to life

It takes time

And rest

And grace

And she has all of that

Tucked into the back pocket

Of her tired and loving heart

©Ashley Castle Barnes

What a week. Last week and now even this.

Is Mercury in retrograde or something??

Or is it something else? Something more?

An unsettling before the resetting?

The chaos before the next level emerges?

The electricity of the storm before you reach the eye?

Whatever it is, I’m here for it.

Breathing in, breathing out.

Taking each day at a time.

Taking off my plate what doesn’t serve today, with the knowledge that I can add it back tomorrow.

Or let it go forever.

Whatever feeds my soul.

Whatever brings me back to life.

What is bringing you to life today?

Daily Bliss – May 20

Daily Bliss

Spinning out

Spinning in

She comes back into orbit

At her own pace

And what’s next

Except her slow descent

Into the atmosphere

Of her one

Wild and wondrous life

©Ashley Castle Barnes

Sometimes things spin out of control, despite our best efforts.

It was one of those weeks for me.

Controlled chaos quickly turned into a frantic effort to keep four tiny orphaned kittens alive without the requisite skills or knowledge.

Nearly everything else dropped.

My routines went to hell.

A good night’s sleep was nonexistent.

Multiple vet visits and voluminous advice couldn’t save two of them.

Life is a gut punch like that at times.

But two are doing well. And in the desperate process of looking for help, it came in the form of a local neonatal kitten rescue.

And kind words from dozens of people. And thoughtful gifts.

And today, I can feel myself dropping back into my usual orbit.

This life is wild, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How are you dropping in today?

Daily Bliss – May 16

Daily Bliss

What is her gift today?

Perhaps it’s simply

To breathe in the air

Of new directions

As she sits still

And calm

No pushing

No pulling

Yet the energy is there

She can feel it

©Ashley Castle Barnes

The chaos around me is real.

I’m in the middle of home renovations so my house looks and feels like a tornado went through it.

My daughter had junior prom this weekend.

I have a litter of orphaned kittens and I’m planning my days and nights around feedings.

One of my own cats is sick.

I could easily crumble into frustration and overwhelm.

But honestly, I kind of thrive in this place.

There is something new around every turn.

Something to learn, something to vision, something to manage.

It’s all a challenge and although it’s a lot at moments, it’s doable.

It’s doable partly because I’m naturally wired for novelty, change, and challenge.

It’s doable because all these things are rewarding, if not inspiring even.

And it’s doable because I’ve spent a LOT of time getting to a place of being able to step back and stop pushing and pulling and allow for insight into what comes next.

That has not historically been my go-to strategy. In the past, I would have taken on everything to the point of not being able handle it – then not have the tools to say no.

Now, when it feels like a lot bordering on too much, I know better how to recognize that feeling and pull back.

Slow down. Feel the energy. Trust. Ask for help.

How are you feeling the energy today?

Daily Bliss – May 13

Daily Bliss

The sweet smell of change

Is in the air

Swirling all around her

As she reaches out to hold it

Tight against her chest

But feels it slipping through

Her fingers

Fleeting but not forgotten

When we feel a wanted change coming its so very tempting to try to grab at it, to clutch it to us and hold on tight.

Of course, like any action intended to control, that rarely works.

Maybe it’s too soon and it hasn’t come fully into focus yet. There’s really nothing to hold onto.

Maybe we can see it but it’s still forming into what we want, and holding on will stop its full development.

Maybe it looks like what we think we want but isn’t. The thing we need is still taking shape, and now we’re holding on to the wrong thing.

As I’ve shared before, I find my need to control challenging. But at least I can see it now.

And when we see it, we can hopefully stop ourselves from controlling all the things, and just letting them come.

Or letting them go.

Or sometimes both.

What are allowing or letting go today?

Daily Bliss – May 12

Daily Bliss

And when everything feels off

She takes a step back

Sometimes two

Or even three

And she writes the beginning

Of her story

Over and over again

I’ll admit it. When things get overwhelming or even just big and exciting, I’m one of those who’s ready trash everything and start over.

Too many steps to make it happen? Let’s do something else!

This project is multi-faceted and conflicts with some parts of what’s already in place? Let’s wipe out what we have and start with a clean slate!

I’m also one who does not like to reinvent the wheel.

The contradiction of this is not lost on me.

I suppose you could say I like the simple path.

Not the easy path. I’m not trying to get there the quickest or the cheapest, and I appreciate a challenge.

Especially when someone tells me it can’t be done.

With that said, everything doesn’t have to be a fight. Everything doesn’t need to be difficult to be an achievement. And most things don’t require a clean slate to move forward.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as taking a few steps back and looking at the situation from a different perspective.

Taking ourselves out of the intense energy that we feel when we’re really close to something.

Especially when the situation involves our own life. Our own growth. Or that of our loved ones.

When I remember to make some space, I have options.

I can breathe. I can focus. I can feel into what I really want.

And I can rewrite the story, if I choose.

How are you creating space for a new story today?