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One of a Kind News

Table of Contents

1. Welcome Notes

2. Article -- A Learning Journey

3. Words of Wisdom

4. Resources

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Dear Friends,

Welcome to another issue of One of a Kind News! This issue is more personal than past issues. I felt inspired to share more of my journey and myself with you. Enjoy!

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2. A Learning Journey

Life happens one step and one choice at a time. Some of the steps I took and choices I made in the past made me feel like I was climbing a mountain of sand. I often thought of the Myth of Sisyphus. The gods had condemned Sisyphus to ceaselessly roll a rock to the top of a mountain, whence the stone would fall back of its own weight. They had thought that there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor. Like Sisyphus, I often felt like I would make a little progress only to slip back down. Slipping and sliding, I often could find nothing to hold on to and no place to get a solid footing. I was climbing an unfamiliar mountain without a guide.

Now, I feel like I'm climbing a solid mountain with rocks, cliffs, winding paths and beautiful meadows. At times the climb is steep and challenging. These are muscle-building times. At other times, the path levels out, I stroll along with ease and stop to rest and restore myself in a lush meadow. There are crevices to step onto and limbs to hang on to as I pull myself upward.

Sometimes I come to a fork in the road and don't know which way to go. I have a guide now. Actually, I always had a guide; I just didn't know it. I ask for guidance. It's always there if I'm willing to listen. Sometimes I have to wait for answers, other times they are immediate. They always come at just the right time. I learn to trust God.

I meet other climbers along the way. Some more experienced and wise; I learn from them. Others less experienced and wise; I teach. We are all on this journey together and meant to help one another. Helping or being helped forces me to slow down; I learn patience. I learn to listen. I see that my learnings are not just for me, but also to share with others. I see that some of my most treacherous paths have taught me compassion, acceptance and wisdom. I am grateful for these lessons and for the beautiful souls who have crossed my path. Some of my fellow travelers have amazed me with their generosity of spirit. I learn to trust others.

Sometimes I walk for days and it seems like I'm getting nowhere and then all of a sudden things fall into place, the path levels out and all manner of things show up to support me on my way. I learn perseverance, and to trust the process.

When I focus my attention on one step at a time, I am at peace. When I look at how far I have to go, I feel overwhelmed and discouraged. When I look behind, I feel regret at choices and paths I have taken. Then, I remember to bring myself back to the present -- the step I am currently on. I remember to forgive and accept. I remember to just do my best and be open to outcome. I learn to learn from the past, plan for the future and focus on the present.

Sometimes I trip and fall down. I remind myself to lie there for a while and look for what I did that caused me to fall down so that I don't have to trip the same way in the future. I see what boulders I need to remove from my path. I learn self-responsibility and gain self-knowledge.

When I feel clear, I pick myself up, dust myself off and begin
again. I remember that it's not the first time I have fallen and it
won't be the last. I know that it's never too late to start over
again. I learn courage and inner strength, to never give up. I
learn that I am a survivor.

This journey has taught me that wisdom is more important than
knowledge. Wisdom comes from my higher spirit self,
knowledge dwells in my physical self. They are both valuable
and wisdom is better. I spent a lot of my resources (time, money
and energy) gaining knowledge. Living life has given me
wisdom. Wisdom makes my journey easier. I learn that wisdom
is a gift I give myself when I'm open to learning.

Perhaps my greatest learning on this journey to the top of my
mountain has been to climb with a spirit of love instead of fear. I
learn that love pulls me forward, attracting abundant help from
the Universe and fear holds me back and alone.

Living my life in the present (fully focused on my current step)
with the spirit of love has given me the experience of "Heaven
on Earth". I have discovered that in this state lies joy and peace.
I learn the power of my intentions.

Somewhere along this journey, I learned to love myself. I'm not
sure when or how it happened.

Perhaps it was when I really got it that I didn't create myself.
That I was created for a purpose that only my spirit self could
show me.

Perhaps it was when I learned that loving myself was more than
just having good feelings about myself, it meant taking
extremely good care of myself. It meant taking full
responsibility for my life and myself.

Perhaps it was when I began to honor my natural self and quit
trying to be like anyone else. When I allowed myself to be me
and to do things in my natural way and at my natural pace.
When I realized that being fully me is my gift to the world.

Or maybe it happened when I discovered that everything I do
from a place of love is perfect. This is a far cry from the
perfectionism that often kept me stuck in the past.

And, then again, maybe it was when I realized that the most
important person to please is myself. And that what's critical is
that I only do things that make me feel good about me. When I
feel good about myself, I'm not worried about what other's think
of me.

Maybe it was one or maybe it was all of these things and more
that helped me fall in love with myself. All I know is that it is
the greatest blessing of my life. I've learned that people who
love themselves make better life choices.

I will keep climbing my mountain one step at a time, seeking to
intend only love and learning. The higher I climb, the lighter I
feel, the more my energy flows freely, and the more I experience
the full beauty of life living itself.

To those of you who are on this journey with me, I am so glad
and grateful you are here. To those of you who I have yet to
meet, I look forward to the opportunity. To those of you I may
not meet on this journey, I will see you at the top.

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3. Words of Wisdom

"The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day."
--Gloria Steinem

"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how
you do it."
--Maya Angelou

"If we look at a field as our life, the crop we harvest is our
experience of life. If we don't consciously sow out thoughts, the
seeds we plant may just be weeds from our past so that we repeat
the same patterns over and over. If we sow new thoughts and
tend the field with care, we can realize the Kingdom of Heaven
on earth, right in the field of our life."
--Mary Manin Morrissey

"Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling."
--Margaret Lee Runbeck

"I'll walk where my own nature would be leading: It vexes me
to choose another guide."
--Emily Bronte

"To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first."
--William Shakespeare

"How you do anything is how you do everything."
--Zen Proverb

"The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to
oneself."
--Montaigne

"One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of
looking at things."
--Henry Miller

"Beyond the ideas of right-doing and wrong-doing, there lies a
field ñI'll meet you there."
--Rumi

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4. Resources

"When you sell a (woman or a) man a book, you don't sell him
just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue. You sell him a
whole new life."
--Christopher Morley

The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, by
Eckhart Tolle.

This is absolutely my favorite book! It's not an easy read AND
it is well worth the effort. I have the audiotapes and the book
and I highly recommend both. If we were able to glean all of the
wisdom in this book in this lifetime, we would be greatly
blessed! It's a life-changing book! You can go right to
Amazon.com by clicking on this link.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1577311523/oneofa
kindcoa-20

For the tapes click here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1577311760/oneofa
kindcoa-20

The Miracle of Mindfulness, A Manual on Meditation, by Thich
Nhat Hanh

If you are interested in learning to become more present in the
moment, I highly recommend this book. Meditation doesn't
have to only be done sitting in a lotus position. Mindfulness is a
way of doing everything from a place of meditation.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0807012327/oneofa
kindcoa-20

There's A Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, by Wayne W.
Dyer

I have followed Dyer's writings and spiritual evolution for years.
I saw him many years ago and then again at a conference in the
fall of 2000. At this conference, I was deeply struck by his
presence. They say that as energetic beings, the higher we
evolve spiritually, the higher our energetic vibrations are. I
believed that after I saw him. He had a glow about him. I could
see his aura. It was the first and the last time I've actually been
able to see an aura. I've only begun this book and am loving it.
Check it out by clicking on this link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060192305/oneofa
kindcoa-20

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Count your garden by the flowers,
Never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours,
Don't remember clouds at all.
Count your nights by stars, not shadows.
Count your years with smiles, not tears.
Count your blessings, not your troubles.
Count your age by friends, not years.
--Author Unknown

Blessings to you and yours,

Sharon

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Copyright © 2000, 2001 all rights reserved.
U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1536-5891
Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute One of a Kind News so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author of this newsletter is: Sharon L. Demarte, M.A.