“Now I See the Moon,” by Elaine Hall

 Autism, Books  Comments Off on “Now I See the Moon,” by Elaine Hall
Sep 212012
 

“Now I See the Moon” by Elaine Hall is a story about a mother and son’s journey as he is diagnosed with autism.  As an acting coach, Elaine uses her resources in helping him become more independent.  In the process, she creates The Miracle Project.  The organization utilizes the performing arts as a connecting point for children with autism.  Children at various levels of autism find expression, collaboration, and higher self-esteem as they learn to perform together.  It is an intriguing concept and one I would love to try with my kids.  I can imagine how much enjoyment they could have.

Elaine also describes her struggles and triumphs as she adopts a boy from Russia with challenges.  She must also face a marital environment that poses a further challenge and eventually finds the strength through her spirituality to move on.  She regularly looks to her spirituality to guide her, which leads her to having a meaningful and rich life.:

The title of the book is from the quote by Mizuta Masahide:  “Barn’s burnt down – now I can see the moon.”  Any parent dealing with autism in their children can relate to this quote.  We see the moon every day in our children as barns burn down…

 

The Four Agreements

 Books, Finding balance, Personal Growth, Philosophy, Spirituality, Thoughts  Comments Off on The Four Agreements
Feb 132010
 

One of the nicest collection of words on living life is by Don Miguel Ruiz in The Four Agreements.  I keep the summary of the agreements in sight near my desk.  I am sharing this summary verbatim.  It wouldn’t hurt to read these agreements at the start of our days.

  • BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD:  Speak with integrity.  Says only what you mean.  Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others.  Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
  • DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY:  Nothing others do is because of you.  What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream.  When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.
  • DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS:  Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want.  Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama.  With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
  • ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST:  Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick.  Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will void self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.