Will YOU be YOUR Valentine?


be mineKiss Me – Hug Me – Be Mine – These are probably the most popular Valentine phrases that we have been forced to look at since Christmas ended.  I took a look back at my posts, and I am honestly surprised that I have not yet talked about the holiday that singles dread the most…..Valentines Day.  The only logical explanation I can come up with is that I was not ready to even think about going on a date for that particular holiday.  So why now?

I still don’t think I am “ready” but it is something that has been weighing on my mind recently.  I even went so far as to arrange a date!  Yep a real Valentines Day date….then I cancelled it.  What in the world am I afraid of?  That is the question of the year and unfortunately I do not have that answer.  Here I was with someone who actually wanted to go on a date with me on that special day, even though I kept saying that it was not “technically” going to be a date…just friends who happen to be going out on the most romantic night of the year, my inner self knew it was a date and that is what scared me.

Since the divorce I cannot look at a happy couple without first getting jealous, then getting angry.   Why can’t I be happy for them?  This year I have no one to blame but myself.  I let my inner fears get the best of me.

Last year however, I was a very brave soul and took myself out and it turned out to be the most amazing date of my new life!  I started out by going shopping the week before and bought an entire new outfit.  Were talking a shirt, skirt, high-heeled boots, jewelry, purse..the whole deal, just as if I were going on a date with an actual person.  I was going to attend a concert alone on that special night and I never felt more ready.  Until I got in the car and headed out.

I almost turned around and went home.  I was panicked!  I was going to a romantic concert alone on Valentine’s Day!  There would be couples surrounding me everywhere I turned, have I gone mad?  Sure enough when I walked in, the pink, red and white heart-shaped balloons made me want to throw up and they were everywhere, tied to every chair, hanging from the ceiling, and surrounding each doorway.  I was in romance hell.  But I was there and since I did not want to waste all the money I had spent, I decided to suck it up and at least try to enjoy myself.  I chose a table near the stage so that I could concentrate on why I was there in the first place, to sit and enjoy the music.  That night ended up being so much fun!  I met a lovely couple who took me under their wing for the entire evening and they were even trying to play match maker half way through the night.  I was surviving not being a couple on a night when usually only couples go out.  Most importantly, I was having FUN being there with myself.  I have to say I really know how to woo me.  I had dinner, I was dancing in the isle, I was singing out loud and I was smiling, not just a little smile…. the biggest!

After that night ended I remember going home and calling mom, I couldn’t wait to fill her in on how perfect the night was and I had made a comment to her I”ll never forget  “this Valentine’s night is going to be very hard to top”.  I had done it, I did everything I wanted and I had survived.

So what is wrong with me this year?  I guess I thought I needed to have a date because that is just what normal people do, so I went ahead and scheduled one.  I’m still not sure why I couldn’t keep it, something in me is saying I”m not quite ready for that yet.  Of course I want to have a partner some day, and I want to be able to go out on romantic dates with someone special.  I just don’t think this year is my time.  smile

Unfortunately I”m getting a late start on planning a date for myself and by myself at this point, but there is still time.   I have this entire week to plan something.  What would you like to do for yourself on this romantic day?  Some fun suggestions may be, a concert, a movie, dinner out at your favorite place, somewhere you always wanted to go.  Or even something as simple as buying yourself flowers, and candy.  Get up, get out, get dressed in your best and woo yourself better than you’ve ever been wooed before.  I don’t know if I will be able to top last year but I sure am going to try.  It’s important at this stage in the game to be able to go out and have fun by yourself, before you’ll be comfortable letting someone else in on the fun.

Have you wooed yourself?  Please share in the comment’s.

Kimberly

Courageous Butterfly

2/9/14

Related Posts/Topics

Gold, Britt Nicole

Six Ways To Be Your Own Valentine

Be My Valentine, Valerie’s Voice

7 Reasons Why Being Single on Valentines Day is fun

Single on Valentines Day, KSSU The Blog

By Myself…For Myself


I apologize for how long this post it, this is something I’ve never done before.  Below is an actual journal entry from my retreat today.

gods gloryFeeling peaceful, calm and relaxed.  My walk to the beach began with a family of geese who flew out of my way as I tried to rush past them.  Mostly because I feared an attack on my head, but I know they were more afraid of me than I was of them.  Then I happened upon a bench tucked away against a white picket fence, where I sat and listened to a bird trying to out-sound a bell ringing in the distance…to me is sounded like the bird was going to win that battle.  I sat and took in what was around me, a beautiful marina, one lonely boat that was covered up for the winter, and this bench that just happened to be right where I needed it to be.  In my bag I had a piece of paper, which held my retreat intention,  a rock and a red ribbon.  The plan was that when I arrived at the beach I would tie the paper to the rock with the ribbon and toss it into the water never to look back.  The bench was kind of tucked away against the fence and in a spot where you would not normally see a bench placed.  I sat for a few minutes and decided to take that time to put the paper, rock and ribbon all together, so that I would be ready when I reached my destination.

The walk was cold but the air felt clean and crisp.  I made sure to bundle up however there were times when I could feel the cold surging through my body.  I had just made the final turn and could see the beach ahead of me when all of a sudden out of nowhere came music, as loud as it could be.  Someone in a nearby home was playing The Star Spangled Banner, I’m pretty sure as loud as their system would allow them.  It stopped me in my tracks and gave me that moment to just look around at the beauty that surrounded me.  I placed my hand over my heart and continued on my walk but at a much slower pace.

There was a slight breeze on the water and the air was fresh, and cold but inviting.  Looking out into the lake and seeing how beautiful it looked with some ice just along the shore made me appreciate that moment.  What a wondrous sight to see winter taking form right before my eyes.  The sounds I heard were only of water and wind.  I stood there alone with just my thoughts to keep me company.  Usually those thoughts would make me nervous, but in that period of time I was calm.  I walked along the shore picking up a few seashells that were not yet frozen in the sand.  Those that had already been frozen were a beautiful sight as they glistened in the sun.

I had gone to this place with a purpose in mind, to let go of my loneliness and begin to be comfortable with myself and of being by myself.  I reached into my bag for the intention tied to the rock that I had prepared earlier on the bench.  I had expected to just be able to grab it and toss it out when I arrived but for some reason I was not ready to let it go.  I started to feel myself pacing along the sand and that was making me nervous.  I tried to walk while looking ahead and out into the beauty rather than watching where I was walking and all of a sudden there was a crunch sound from beneath my feet.  When I looked down I could see that I was standing on ice that had formed over a puddle over the sand.  It was the strangest thing because I was nowhere near the water, yet on this path a puddle had gotten trapped beneath the ice.  I stood there for just a moment and then thought, I really don’t know how far down this puddle goes, girl you are on thin ice!!!  Get off this now and give that intention to God, let it go and be free from it once and for all.  The sound of that small section of frozen sand cracking was so loud it seemed to have awakened my spirit.

The next thing I did was to say a prayer to God thanking him for my ability to let go of my intention which will allow me to move forward and to finally begin to learn how to be comfortable with being alone.  After my prayer I rose my arm up as high as I could and flung that sucker into the water.  I wanted to watch it at first to see where it would end up, but quickly reminded myself that letting it go means not looking back.  So instead I looked behind me up to the sky and what a sight it was!  The clouds had parted just slightly to allow the most beautiful rays of sunshine beam down on me.  When I turned back toward the water the floating rock was gone.  I had done it!  I felt grateful to God for the chance and courage to do what I had set out to do.

I continued to walk for a short time after reflecting on my moment and enjoying the silence and the nature that surrounded me.  It was on my way back that I saw an amazing sight.  A set of footprints in the sand.  I knew in that moment that God was there with me and I was reminded of the verse:  “It was then that I carried you”.  Yes, I know those footprints were mine, they were of my boot, but it still lifted my spirit to know that even though I was physically alone on that beach, God was also with me.  Seeing my own set of footprints was a reassurance for me that I can walk alone and be ok with it.

I believe that God has put someone on this earth for everyone to walk with and for now I am temporarily walking my path on my own.  I know that when I am ready for it he will place that person I am to walk with by my side and in the meantime my journey now is to get comfortable with myself.

This experience today is a perfect beginning to finding faith within myself, I already have faith in God, it’s the love for my self that I have to work on.

On the walk back the sounds of my hurried footsteps reminded me to slow down.  I continued on at a nice slow, restful pace and stumbled upon that same family of geese.  This time they didn’t fly away, they simply moved over just enough so that we could be on the same path.  I felt a very big smile come across my face (beneath the coat and scarf) and I knew then that if they felt comfortable with me on their space now,  then at some point on my journey this morning, I had found peace.  I can feel peace and calmness now within my spirit and I felt happiness knowing that I was able to find that peace by myself and for myself.

On this, my three-year anniversary, I will say that I am saddened a little that it took me this long after my divorce to give myself this time and this retreat….I urge you, if you are post divorce and you have not done this for yourself….do it now!! Don’t wait it is certainly worth every minute.

Please feel free to share your special moments of letting go….

“I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”  Proverbs 4:13

Kimberly

Courageous Butterfly

P.S. below are photos from my walk.

heading outbeautiful day footprints frozen puddle geese family  ice along the shore ice and frozen sand intention letting go marina my moment sunrayes

12/7/13

Related links/blogs

The Glorious Unfolding, Steven Curtis Chapman

Simple Joy, Deep Soul Diving

Feel Lost In Order To Find Yourself, Ismi Damayanti

In The True Spirit Of Letting Go, Bette J. Freedson

 

 

 

Falling Into Place


Tough Decisions Ahead Road SignRemember that age-old question that we were all asked when upon high school graduation and even during some job interviews?  “Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 20, 25…years?”  I totally answered mine wrong, if we were graded on that I would’ve flunked out!  Thank goodness those hopes and aspirations are not written in stone, therefore we can change them any time we want!  But when we are forced to change them, that’s when it get’s tricky.

At this point in my life I am supposed to be happily married enjoying the last of the teen years with my children, and getting ready to prepare for empty nest syndrome. I am clearly not where I planned to be!  During my divorce I often found myself in the “crystal ball” moment.  Saying things like ” if only I could see what was coming”.  I think we all feel that sometimes, if we could see the path ahead we may make our decisions differently.

Those of us that are divorced, or have lost someone near to us never imagined we would be where we are today and coping with it takes patience, perseverance, hope, faith, strength, and most of all courage.  There have been a lot of decisions I’ve had to make over the past two and a half years and not knowing if I was making them correctly was very stressful.  I had no idea how one decision would lead to another, and so on.

In the heat of the moment right on divorce day, I made a decision that has caused, stress, financial strain and fear; surprisingly lately happiness.   Had I been asked that same question again after the divorce I still would have gotten it wrong!  Survivors of loss most often fear change for the rest of their lives because the change we faced was so painful for us; the change that came from my decision was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do since the divorce.

Tonight a little light was shined on my path and I am now finally starting to see that even though I would never have thought this is where I would be, things are actually starting to fall into place.  Perhaps I am on the path that I am supposed to be on.  Ironically, I had been pathlightworking on a literal path just yesterday right in the place that I thought I’d never be.  Here I am and I’m a survivor!  I didn’t know it was happening but I have embraced this very difficult change, faced it head on and I am rocking it!   It is becoming clear that just because I thought I made the wrong decision, doesn’t make it wrong.  It may just mean that the purpose I thought it was supposed to fill in my life was not what I envisioned.

I am where I am today because that is right where I am meant to be, and I will have many more decisions in the future that are connected with this big one.

If there is one tip I can pass along on this subject, it is to trust yourself, even if you think you are making the wrong decision it may actually be the right one down the line.  And also realize that you never know who you are going to need in your life or how you are going to need them.  Keep those that love you close by you so that when you are in a low moment or are ready to celebrate the happy ones they will be there to share in them with you.

Tonight I can see that my initial decision was so  hard  for me to make because deep down I must have known that it would impact my life for a very long time.

Is there a decision you made during your struggle, that will be connected to the next?  Please share.

Kimberly

Courageous Butterfly

Related links/Blogs

Overcomer, Mandisa

Be Willing to See, Kim Nicol

Celestial Messages, You’re On the right path