Warriors Expand...
I always give myself a Friday deadline for my Monday blogs in case the muse that makes my fingers move alludes me. In the face of the deadliest shooting against our citizenry in modern history I feel I must reinforce the idea of expansion in our minds and hearts and take up arms with words against ignorance and hate. These innocent people were gunned down for no other reason than they were being their authentic selves. They were silenced by a madman with the hubris to imagine he had the right to dim their lights. Words can change hearts, words can educate an ignorant mind... Mattie used her words in fourth grade that expanded even her father's mind..."Who are you to tell somebody who they are meant to love.". Who indeed? And who are we not to stand up for the civil rights of our citizens? Expand love🌈...always.
Warriors Expand...
Life is messy. Life is a mad dash and requires energy. Mad, wild, crazy, but harnessed energy. Focused, intentional energy expands exponentially. There is nothing I detest more than laziness. It's one of three vices I cannot tolerate (the other two being disloyalty and dishonesty). Laziness is such a dismissal of ones right to greatness. If your body fights you with a disease your mind sustains you moving forward. I have two dear friends battling fearful diseases, one MS, one ALS, both are brilliant in mind and proactive in words. K said to me recently after reading something I wrote "Words are the way, Miss Dana...". She is right.😋 K, actually text after last week's blog and asked, "endure, evolve, and....????". I rolled words around like hard candy in my mouth until "expand" made me bite. Our warrior lives are meant to expand daily. We can read something new, fight for a cause we believe in, reach a hand to another weary warrior along the trail. We can listen and we can laugh and we can make our lives mean something...but none of that is possible if we choose to be stagnant and concave... EXPAND! Expand your intention. Expand your thoughts. Expand your understanding. Expand your drive. Expand your vision. Expand your wisdom. One of the characteristics about Warrior I always found so admirable was his OWN willingness to expand. He was a bodybuilder who became a world renowned professional wrestler in the midst of a golden era. He was beloved by his legion of Warriors but he was not defined merely by his character or limited to expansion in the ring. He pursued other businesses, other interests, and furthered his self education purchasing and studying The Great Books of the Western World. I was an English major and tackling many of those books is a Herculean effort. I remember reading a comment on a FB post commending Warrior for this endeavor and his willingness to grow in his mastery of language with you as an audience. The comment mentioned people poking fun at Warrior but how brave he was revealing his process. I sat with that comment for a long, long time. I loved the Warrior who wrote it because he saw the vulnerable man laid bare. There is such strength in vulnerability. There is expansion in such an honest reach. My husband was a true inspiration in the mastering of his body and then expanding his mind. This is our journey too. The Warriors Way. One of the greatest ways I have expanded is in the tribe that sustains and supports me. I have all of you (AND I FREAKING FEEL YOUR POWER EVERY DAY I WAKE!!!). I also receive the love and friendship offered to me by such a supportive network. A dear friend Bobby, owner of my favorite restaurant in Santa Fe, Santacafé has expanded my world with his friendship. The girls took me to his wonderful patio for Father's Day last year. It was adorable when they told me their plan and it was a bittersweet drive imagining they actually thought enough of me to fill both roles. We had an incredible meal but when the bill came it had been comped. Bobby had recognized us and knew this day was probably not entirely easy so he gave...and I received...and his constant friendship is an example of expansion in my life. Today Warriors, think of one way you will expand! (I hear Warrior's deep voice in my head saying, "And don't let it be your asses, Warriors!!"). Do one thing that scares you! Do one thing that challenges you! Do one thing you've been putting off! Do one thing just for you! You are not promised the sunrise tomorrow so expand TODAY! This is your one life...ultimate expansion is your destiny after all! I believe in every single one of you Warriors! I believe we are in this together. I believe united we will endure, evolve and expand into our OWN true greatness...Always!!! xo🌈, Dana
