Sitting in the living room, listening to music, enjoying some personal time, the mind wanders across the recent pages of life reflecting on the decisions and choices that led to what is my life right now. Despite the lack of material and financial success, I am very happy with where I've been and to where I've come. This isn't the destination, this is part of the journey.

Reviewing what has happened, I see the values that exhibit themselves through my choices; the reasoning behind the result. Individually, they seem to be rationalizations but, seeing them linked over time, I recognize a value or sets of values that have a strong resonance with who I am. I can still wonder why the material and financial success has not happened. I can still wonder why this happened this late in life. Better yet, I can share some truth about the journey of life.

We are raised in a system that educates us and our future choices. This education takes place within the family and within the social structure and schooling of our society. We've become good at accepting the truth from others and have not been given full access to our own creative spirit and truth. Given the fairy tales we are conditioned by, we make our choices and can go astray. When the questioning, doubt, or failures give way to momentary reflection, isn't our spirit calling out?

"Over here, over here! You've been going the wrong way. Your purpose and passion lives this way." the spirit calls. Dismantling the past, dismantling the beliefs, and living a new way takes time and, trial and error. The conflict of the the old life lived can rebel, through the body and emotions, creating conflicting desires and results. With some time to reflect, they can be reviewed and the pattern discerned. A quieter, stronger self is fighting the good fight within, unwilling to settle for anything less than ALL of who you are and what you stand for. One day, you will be grateful for all that you have been given.

The fight, the struggle, the testing, all work to your good. With this battle for our purpose and passion we develop a character that understands much from a place that invites others in. We are not on this journey alone and each person is there for our betterment. Sometimes, rather than through what they give us, our gain is experienced through what we give them.With each step forward, a time comes when we can see the net effect beginning to shape our future, a future we couldn't foresee but sensed.

It is this big a change in your life that is difficult to envision. All that you believed being dismantled and a new possibility, unclear and overwhelming, looming on the horizon. There is nothing else to do but stay in motion and take each step a day at a time. As the days add up, the events unfold, the path of the heart will become clear. As this clarity gains strength new choices and decisions will take a bolder step straight towards your future. The battles will ease up and the blessings will be more clearly seen. The standards you measure with will shift from the values of adopted belief to the values of who you truly are.

The Year 2006 will soon be upon us. The Eve of Promises, of New Year's Resolutions, will hear whispers that will fall down unfulfilled. This year, I give you your power back. With each uttered whisper, each promise to live the life you deserve, I will remind you that you will succeed with each failure that you get back up from and take another step boldly toward your future. Your success will be born of the experiences combined when reflected upon. Give yourself the time. It's more about persistance than anything else.