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"The wind is blowing dreams to me." ~James Oppenheim, "Sonnets: VI," War and Laughter, 1916

The winds brought fall to Bend's front door this past week. Cooler temperatures and delicious, desired rain with snow in the mountains to offer a glimpse to the skiers of what winter will bring. The winds also swept out the smoke; ironically however, it is the winds that can blow life into a fire and speed up as well as expand a fire's destruction which teaches us that we cannot control the winds, but as the quote shares above, there are opportunities to be received so long as we work with the wind.

How do we work with one of Mother Nature's most incredible tools of change? We work with it by seeing what it brings, what it is ushering into our lives, what opportunities, truths, realizations are available to be discovered.

I have often found that awareness of certain powerful truths arrive in my life all of a sudden, seemingly in an instant, but as I ponder the knowledge of any number of discoveries - about people in my life, truths about myself, knowledge about living well or what my next best step will be - upon reflection, I realize I was gradually receiving hints leading up to the 'big aha' of what the wind appeared to have blown into my awareness instantaneously. However, the reality is that the wind had just finally blown away any doubt, any veneer of falsehoods I either wanted to accept, unconsciously accepted or others wanted me to accept as true. 

Sometimes the wind can be gentle, and the truth we need to understand merely needs a nudge to the forefront of our attention to be realized, but sometimes the wind must be violent so that we will pay attention, so that we will realize, so that we will make a necessary change if we indeed do want to live a fulfilling and deeply contented life. 

While the wind will always be part of life, so long as we are applying the life discoveries about the truth of what our life journey that aligns with our true selves has the potential to be, we will know how to soar because of it finding the gifts rather than be pummeled by it.

Sometimes the decisions the wind brings to our attention that need to be made are not easy ones, but often they are obvious ones. The key thing to remember is that the wind will only become more violent and destructive if we don't heed the lessons Mother Nature is trying to teach us. So why not let the wind sweep in beauty, sweep in one season after another, and thereby enjoy the beauty that is being ushered in, rather than expend energy fighting a futile battle?

In my own life there continues to be life truths making themselves known to me, some of which reveal truths that I don't want to have to accept as true, but in doing so, upon accepting them, I have brought and continue to bring more peace into my life because I am given clarity which then encourages more courage to make the best decisions for a contented life that supports my journey. Sometimes the hardest choice is the best choice in order to live far more fully and contentedly than we have ever lived before.

As we step into autumn/spring, why not take the opportunity to pay gratitude for the change of seasons and look for the gift that is being offered?

Now to this month's newsletter which is full of oodles of recommendations from the style finds for fall, television shows and season premieres when it comes to international programs, and This & Thats that are abundant with items and events I think you will enjoy. 

May the new season begin well for you, and thank you for choosing to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Until the final day in October (Tuesday), the 31st, I will see you on the blog!

—Shannon

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