Throughout my childhood and into my parenting of small children, I always enjoyed books written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. The crazy rhymes and names intrigued me as a child and made reading the same story over and over again as an adult fun and exciting. I was slightly disappointed when my children no longer needed me to read to them, especially the antics of Dr. Seuss.
It was with much surprise and delight that during my daughter’s college graduation the Valedictorian announced that she would be reading the works of a famous author. In trying to decide just what to say that day, she realized that Dr. Seuss could say it best. She then proceeded to read the book entitled, “ Oh, The Places You’ll Go”. I had personally never heard this one before. I probably shouldn’t admit it, but I couldn’t help but cry as she read through the story. I suppose I was emotional for a lot of reasons; realizing how quickly the time had passed since I read to my little girl and boy, the pride in seeing my child complete a goal and setting out on her own, and then thinking of how my mother use to read Dr.Seuss to me. So many thoughts in such a short time! After the ceremony, I went out and bought my daughter a copy of the book to have as a remembrance of her graduation and one for myself.
A few years passed and I found myself at a cross roads in my own life. As the Universe would have it, I felt compelled to pick up this book and read through it. This time, the words popped out at me as though they were waving a red flag and shouting “hey look over here this is your life!” It seemed this child’s book was written just for me, especially when I came to the part about being in a slump and feeling alone. It basically states you have to get yourself out of this place by yourself and it will not be easy. After all, you got yourself in here and only you can get yourself out. There will be many decisions to make and if you don’t make them you will find yourself in a most useless space; THE WAITING PLACE.
Strange but true, I then realized that was how I felt. I felt I was always waiting for something to happen, someone to say or do something…waiting, waiting, waiting…everyone just waiting and I was waiting with them. For a long time I had placed all the responsibility for my emotions and where I was in life on other people and outside situations when really I needed to take back this control and go within. It was really my own restlessness and discontent that I was experiencing. Why did I feel this way? Of course, I tried to rationalize but found I was really just shuffling blame onto others. How I reacted was all up to me, no one was making me feel a certain way, I was allowing it to happen. I didn’t want to be stuck in this room any longer. It was then I realized just because others were sitting around, didn’t mean I had too!
As Dr. Seuss says, “NO! That’s not for you! Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.” I suppose this was the start of my realization that I did have choices and only I could make them. I had to take responsibility for my life and start living it, manifesting what I wanted to make me happy and discovering my purpose. That was it; I needed to find my purpose in life! I declared one day that I would get out of the Waiting Place where everyone is just waiting.
So my journey began. I meditated more sincerely, listened more intently and believed in the Divine and workings of the Universe more fervently. I learned to follow my own intuition and to truly trust that there was a plan for me – all I had to do was be open to receive the answers to my questions, be aware of the signs and opportunities presented to me and most importantly, take the leap of faith to follow those feelings especially when they led me outside of my comfort zone.
Once the journey of self-discovery and connection with All That Is begins, there is no going back. I also have learned that the trip is not without its bumps and bangs, and often the path is just wide enough for one. Friends and family cannot or choose not to make the trip with me. So much of the learning and growing is a game we play with ourselves. Again as quoted from Dr. Seuss, “ I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.” By keeping our thoughts positive and for the higher good, we will succeed in this game of life. Often I had to remind myself that everything begins with a thought and what I would think I would manifest in my life. If we choose to always wait for the right moment, the right person, to have the right amount of money, the right job, to have kids, to have the kids move out etc, etc, etc, we will find ourselves in The Waiting Place and never getting out. Do we want to spend our time, this moment, depending on someone or something else to make us happy? If we do, we could be missing joy and happiness that is right in front of us and within us just waiting to be embraced.
We each have the ability to move mountains, to make our mark in this lifetime whether it is a giant footprint for mankind or a fleeting moment in someone’s day. Face our fears, move ahead, and accept what the Universe has to offer, be patient with others and especially ourselves. We are all of and are the Divine and all on our own level of self-awareness. I know my journey is far from over and I plan on living each and every moment without regrets. I no longer hold onto the past, only taking positive life lessons from it in order to manifest my future. My purpose is to share with others the way to self-discovery and it all starts with that one giant leap of faith. Life is a journey that we experience by ourselves so get up and get going and get out of your Waiting Place! In the concluding words of Dr. Seuss:
“So ….
Be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
Or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So…. get on your way!