Offerings of the Heart, January 4, 2012 ~ I Am Born

The Symphony
by Lynda Allen

There is a symphony born of the wings of birds.
An unseen conductor guides them
first left, then right,
low notes followed by high
with a quick dip, then sharp rise
a gentle, fluid arc of movement and sound.
A crescendo of feathers moving air
as they soar out of sight,
the last note carrying me with them.


Carry me with them they did. Yesterday was my birthday. I share it with my Mother. What a gift she gave me sharing her life and her day of birth with me. In celebration of my birthday and the baby New Year I felt called to visit with my bird friends so I went to see the swans and eagles. I laughed the whole way there as there was an escort of eagles all along the way with at least six that I saw on the drive there.

When I arrived there was an eagle awaiting me as I parked. I just sat in my car and watched him for a while. Eventually he looked up and so did I, where I found another eagle taking flight from the tree above him. They flew off across the water and my heart soared with them.

The rest of my visit was just as glorious. I had gone there because I knew I needed to do a dedication of sorts for my birthday, a dedication of my heart. I was overjoyed that the birds were willing to join in the process with me. As I stood on the bench of a picnic table and spoke my commitment to the sky, the water, the trees and the birds an eagle approached over the water. He banked off to my right and as I finished my statements he floated there, dipping and soaring, turning and circling at the level of the treetops where I got a lovely view of his joyful playing with the wind.

Tears filled my eyes as my joy equaled his. My dedication had been joyfully given and joyfully received. It was a great honor.

Towards the end of my process the words, I am born, kept moving through my mind, until at last as I looked out over the water I stopped and realized the significance of the words. I Am born. Indeed and in deed, I was accepting the birth of I Am through my heart. I Am born of my heart. I Am borne within my heart.

My heart dedicated, the eagles watching over, I am born! I am joy, I am honored, I am humbled.

Pledge of Peace and Love ~ Day 43 I Am

On Friday I went to see a screening of a film I love. It’s called I Am. It’s a documentary by the director Tom Shadyac. He made films like Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty and Liar Liar. Very funny films! I Am is not a comedy though, it’s not fiction either. It’s about a journey that began from pain and desperation but ends up with inspiration!

I had the good fortune of seeing the film initially at a screening in Washington, DC that included a Q & A with Tom afterward. I was impressed with his answers to the questions. I was impressed with how he seemed to be trying to live what he believed.

What I like most about the film is that it is a testament to why I am doing this Pledge of Peace and Love. It confirms for me the power of living from the heart and the impact that has on the world we live in. It reminds me that each choice I make for love or peace is a choice made for all of us, a choice that impacts the whole (even the yogurt!). There is discussion of that impact from a scientific perspective that is fascinating. The power of love and compassion should not to be underestimated. We have the power to change our world for the better, one thought, one heart, one action at a time. The conclusion of the film is a powerful reminder of that.

The film will be released on DVD in the US on January 3, 2012. I would highly recommend it for your path of peace and love. It inspires me anew each time I see it. I’m grateful to Tom Shadyac for sharing his pain and sharing his heart. His journey illuminates us all.

You can find out more about the film at http://www.iamthedoc.com/.