My Word for 2016

Having discovered Susannah Conway and her web site: http://www.susannahconway.com/, I am happy to say my journey for this next year looks very promising.

After five emails from Susannah, meditating, visioning, reading and studying I was prompted to come up with five words that inspired me.  They were shine, family, beautiful, radiant, and happy.  I narrowed those down to shine and radiant.  On the third day, I woke up to find the creek a half a mile from my house had overflowed into the cow pasture behind my house.  And for a brief few minutes the sun was shining.  The reflection of the sun was amazing and so I snapped a quick picture.  The first word that came to mind was radiant.  The next day my cell phone broke and I lost all my pictures.  I will get them back one day but in the meantime  I have to start all over signing in and learning to use the phone; gone with the old and in with the new.  Then I opened my morning devotional from Daily Word and read these words: “Each day I release old ways of being and give life to a renewed radiant self.”

I have found my word for 2016!  It is RADIANT.  Supporting words include– glowing, love, confident, happiness, luminous, brilliant, and bright.  This is my opportunity to grow spiritually, to become enlightened, and to use the wisdom gained to be the light of the world as I am called to be. I plan to make myself a RADIANT Light.

I know it’s not 2016 yet, but the radiant light that shines in my life is calling me.  Today, when I thought of what it meant to make myself a Light, I thought of the laughter and joy of sharing a game of Uno with my granddaughter laughing as the machine spitted out card after card until we used up the whole deck before one of us won the game.  Or the radiant reflection of sunlight in my friend’s tears as she shared her concern for her grandson’s health. Being present to brighten someone’s day; that’s what I felt this day.

The Conversation

The Science of Mind Guide for Spiritual Living called for essays about a unique conversation with someone including Dr. Ernest Holmes founder of Science of Mind.  This is in regard to celebrating the 90th anniversary of the publication.  This is the article I sent off:

A Conversation with My Granddaughter

When my second grandchild was born it was clear from the beginning that she had some issues.  We were not sure what until she started school and we started putting the puzzle pieces together and realized she was Autistic.  Finally, at age six she was officially diagnosed under the spectrum and now receives help from specialist who have changed not only her life but her family and all those who know and love her.  Before this time, we all managed by trial and error especially when she struggled to use her words and say what she wanted to say.  Alone one day with her and her baby sister, she had a meltdown crying and screaming unable to tell me what the problem was.  She was four years old and I was her grandmother hurting for her.  Finally I sat down and cried and she suddenly put her arms around me comforting me.

Later that day, I had a quiet moment; the perfect opportunity to talk to her. I had no expectations that she would understand what I was saying, but it didn’t stop me from having a conversation with this precious child. I took her in my arms and whispered gently in her ears, telling her that she was loved – by me, all in her family and by God; that she lived so God could live in and through her. I told her she had the power to be the person she wanted to be and that one day her mind and her words would join together and everyone would understand what she was trying to tell us.  I told her to be glad and happy.  She did not respond.

The next morning, I was leaving and my daughter wanted to tell her I was going home.  We found her dancing around the big living area singing, “I have the power” over and over.  My daughter asked me what she was saying, and I said, “She is saying good-bye.”

Now seven years old, she speaks most of the time clearly and distinctly to us unless she gets frustrated or confused and then she can fall back to her old ways of screaming or yelling at someone to get their attention.  We have learned the triggers to help her turn away from the negative behavior to the positive.  And although the doctors insist it could take many years for her to carry on a conversation with us or teachers, we live each day as if she is already there.  Her purpose and power are hers for the choosing.  Clearly, I am grateful for her presence in my life and look forward to many more conversations with my granddaughter.

The power of conversation is a beautiful thing when used with love.  It opens doors, creates thinking and flames our imaginations.  Thank you, Dr. Holmes for reminding me that, “Power is the energy by which everything lives.”

Priscilla N. Shartle