Who Are You | Tracks In The Dust

Archive for the tag “Who Are You”

23 Jan 2013

Beware of Darkness

Beware of Darkness.

There is so much darkness in our lives isn’t there?

There is darkness of night- allowing some to use the cloak of the evening to “go out” and prowl, to move among the darkness unnoticed and secretly meet with others. To be able to move along the shadows, away from the light.

You could find yourself slipping into darkness- like some sadness that comes over you. Slowly like the change from day to-night, or quickly like the wind blowing at the head of a storm. It’s the darkness of the stormy weather ahead in your life, you choose to hide in it.

There is the darkness of evil, like Satan the king of darkness. It catapults you into the most darkness places on Earth. It drives people who are unable to distinguish dark from light to plunge toward it. To take up the evil and combat the innocent or unknowing. It leads to machine guns in schools, murder and lies that will make others do things that are never forgivable by humankind.

So darkness is described as the absence of light; but without it light cannot exist. One small light in the darkness can shine brighter than a 1000 points of light on a bright day. Light provides the ability to reveal the reality of what darkness hides, it allows for progress to carry-on. Light needs darkness.

Darkness can be comfort like the warmth of a dark room, of like a deprivation tank floating like a dream. Staying under a blanket in a safe place that keeps the outside out and the inside in. Like a womb of darkness that will create a safe-place in your mind, a place to reset and rest before coming back to the light. Like the world turning the darkness gives way to the light. For some they never return.

Darkness can be the scariest place where secrets untold. It seems like that can bring a whole new level of darkness that can trap you in a pattern that has little light to offer. Like George Harrison sings, “Beware of Darkness”

Darkness is a combination of all colors- but somehow it when opening your eyes, it can seem like the absence of all color. The light is there. It is out there if you reach for it. If you find a way to let it in.

At the end of our lives, faith tells us that it can be the arrival of the light of the eternal flame… of a Spirit higher than anyone of us. The light that never brings darkness. That is the light of the world and the hope for tomorrow.

Thanks for the inspiration from fellow blogger No Blog Intended her insightful views on darkness in her world.

Darkness and to me

Darkness-the bright side

Also tracksinthedust related post

Controlling Your State of Mind

Finding a Purpose the the Lack of Self Esteem

A great blog full of insight on fighting the darkness:

Agents of Light

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Beware of Darkness, choices, Darkness, Doubt, Eternity, George Harrison, Reality Check, Who Are You

30 Dec 2012

4 Comments

Our New Year’s Resolve

The new year is just around the corner. Every year it seems, it serves as a chance for people around the world mark a milestone on the path of their lives.

In reality the day after December 31st is just like any other day, but as the calendar changes to a new set of 365 days, it gives us pause to recall what we personally have accomplished with the year since the last calendar change. Some big victories perhaps. some big disappointments. It’s really about what we’ve done with them both that makes up where we are now.

When we were down, did we have the fortitude to plow though the adversity and make a difference in our lives? When things were going well, did we make efforts to grow and become better from it?

I tell my kids that even the small accomplishments could help lead to more. Never take for granted what you have and make sure you appreciate it – but take the next step to make the best of those. Accumulating small victories can truly be a richer experience than getting the bigger ones’.

So as the calendar turns, some will celebrate… but let’s hope we can all be accountable for what was good and what could have been better. Make sure you see the difference, reflect on it and build on what you can. Disappointment and sadness is surely ahead, but what you do when that happens will tell-the-tale on your new year.

“Resolutions” are the traditional thing to do at the beginning of each year… but resolve is stronger than “resolutions”. Resolve to be the genuine person you can be, fight adversity and take each moment as a milestone (not just midnight on December 31). Resolve to stay accountable to your values, resolve to stay strong through the tough times and build on the victories when they happen. Look for the opportunities to celebrate the new year each day as it comes.

Related Tracks-in-the-dust

Celebrate Milestones

Levels of Accountability

Finding a Purpose

Control Your State of Mind

Posted in Learning Lessons Along the Journey Of Life and tagged Change, Love, Memories, moments, New Year, New Year's Day, New Year's resolution, Reality Check, tracks in the dust, Who Are You

18 Dec 2012

Soundtrack of Your Life

Hey- I got stuck on this the other day. So many of my friends (both bloggy and non-bloggy) talk about how music is such a part of their lives.

I think music draws a lot into the motions of life, surrounding you with feelings and memories that are indelible.

Liberally borrowing from a recent Entertainment Weekly magazine I challenge each of you (if music is part of your life at all like it is for me ) to answer the following & post it back on comments or on your site and “share”.

What are the songs that make up the Soundtrack of Your Life?

The first song I was ever obsessed with:
The first album I ever bought with my own money:
The song that reminds me of my first love:
The first song I ever sang in front of people:
The artist people don’t know I am a fan of:
My go-to karaoke jam:
The album that reminds me of home:
The album that I will never get tired of, no matter how often I hear it:
The song(s) I listen to to get pumped up:
The song that I wish I had written (and would have been famous for):
The album I want played at my funeral:
My #1 favorite holiday song:

You can explain yourself if you want to as to why you chose it. Just play along! Their are NO wrong answers.

Go ahead. But be sure to share on your site or in the comments for others to see… and provide a LINK.

Posted in Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged Christmas music, holiday song, Memories, moments, Music, Opinion, Postive Thinking, Rock music, Self-Awareness, Who Are You

05 Nov 2012

5 Comments

The Deserted Island Question

So here’s the challenge that a few my friends and I started around the bar stools the other day.

These are pretty common questions, but there is always interesting answers.

1) What are the 5 musical artists (complete works) you would want while stranded on a deserted island? ( Yes you would have some way to listen to them)

2) What are the 5 books you would want to while stranded on a deserted island?

3) What are the 5 movies you would want to have to watch while stranded on a deserted island? (Yes you would have a way to watch them too)

And yes you have all the other key stuff to survive. No you don’t have any idea when or if you would be rescued so these have to last for potentially the rest of your life.

I know it is standard issue kind of question. But waiting for your answers, then I can share mine too I guess. Just wondering what others would say.

Posted in Doing Things That Will Change Your Life, Life's Sound Track (Music) and tagged choices, Favorite Books, Favorite Movies, Favorite Music, Music, Reality Check, Self-Awareness, Stranded Deserted Island, Who Are You

15 Oct 2012

Being Significant

Just watching the recap of the Felix Baumgartner who just successfully landed after free-falling 24 miles down to the ground. It is pretty significant achievement. It really makes me think about what could be something significant I should be planning in my life.

But then I realize that not everyone is going to have the opportunity to do something hugely significant and record-breaking in their lives. I mean for many (most?) of us, life is an everyday thing that has highs and lows, good days and bad, easy days and hard days. The measure of a lot of what we are is contained in a small span of our version of 24 hours.

Not copping out I think, there are plenty of inspirational books and successful people who make videos about going for the golden ring. It’s not impossible. And I am not saying that we all shouldn’t focus on the prize. But we also have opportunities much closer to home. We all possess ways to be significant to others. To our family, friends and the people we meet every day. Sometimes that significance may not be obvious to you, other times to them. At least not at the time. It may not be complicated, or produce a some profound moment.

It feels like its more about sharing what you can offer with others, paving the way for the “possible’ – for some one who in turn may create new horizons for the future, or just pay it forward to someone who will begin a whole new direction in their lives. However subtle or small it may seem. Each of us are unique. We are significant in our own way. We don’t necessarily have to perform a world record free fall, or climb the highest mountain.

What you do could cause a chain reaction of other things to happen and you may never know it. You may see it later. You may not. The start of it all is to understand that God made each of us to be unique, and to make a difference in our lives for others. Take the opportunity to be significant.