Sunday, December 30, 2007

A "kaboom experience" this morning while reading Moving On by Sarah Ban Breathnach this morning.

On 6.16.07 I bought the book Moving On by Sarah Ban Breathnach because some 17 years ago I experienced such awareness and change while reading and following suggested actions in her book - Simple Abundance. I valued Simple Abundance so much, I gifted it to my sponsees (this, of course, was before I stopped recognizing Xmas with gifts).

I only started reading this book Moving On I'd bought back in June. This is what Sarah writes on her intro page to this book: "As a passionate reader, I'm hard on books and other writers. Since I spend most of my waking hours in the company of words, I need books (my own included) to knock my socks off. Ravish my resistance with the first paragraph, or seduce me slowly through the introduction; as long as the feeling is intimate and immediate, I'm yours. I long to be bowled over by an author's insight, to wonder how I lived before her book explained it all to me or how the author knew me so well."

I started reading Moving On, not at the beginning, but in the middle of the book. I was trying to get a sense of whether I wanted to take it with me on an upcoming vacation as a daily meditation book. Well, from the first reading Sarah knocked my socks off. I haven't been able to stop thinking about how right on she is AND how succinctly and flawlessly she says what I think and feel. She tells the story of my life in a few selected pages I've included from her book below. While reading these pages, just substitute her buying and keeping her NY apartment for me buying and keeping my Dixie Cyn house and my ranch. Not bad choices, just wrong choices. Sarah says, "The apartment represented something far more than shelter: To my eye it was what success looked like." Bingo.

I'm living my choice now living here in Rancho Mirage. Sarah writes, "Unfortunately, there's no sure way of knowing the tab until we've lived the choice; we can't see in advance whether the choice was a wise or wrong one. But at least it was ours to make. We also can't really know where a choice will take us, although we might sense its directions." I've been contemplating how long I think I'll be happy living down here in the desert. But I see that's silly. Right now, I am happy. When I'm not, I trust I'll know it and have the willingness to "Move ON" to another place.

So, for me to re-read at some point and time, and for anyone of you who might be interested, the following pages are what spoke to me this morning:

(Clicking on the page will enlarge it enough for you to read.)







What was your "apartment"?

3 comments:

Susan Lowery said...

Hi Linda,

I'm not sure what my "Kaboom" experience is/has been - I guess I've had many. Staying in LA for 16 years chasing a dream; dreams plural, actually - good, bad, smart, wise, destructive? Perhaps all of the above. Moving to the desert? Is this my 40 days and 40 nights experience? Will I have an awakening; an epiffany; an "ah-ha?" I've no idea...... but I bet I'll get one.

Unknown said...

Lin
I have had many "Kaboom" experiences..
The 1983 Jag (my 14 year money pit) and the cell phone are two.

I wish I had bought the book. I can't believe I do not have that book. How did I let that happen? As usual, you left me wanting more.

Thanks for continuing to help me see the "Kaboom" moments in my life.
L, Sandi

lamont said...

lj,
nicely written...great idea of starting in middle of book to gauge your interest...I wish I was "allowed" to do that.
lr