
“We are so unused to emotion that we mistake any depth of feeling for sadness,
any sense of the unknown for fear, and any sense of peace, for boredom.
We are so schooled away from the life below, that anything beneath scares us.”
~ Mark Nepo from “The Book of Awakening”
It’s a scary place to start to look at ourselves beneath the surface. To face who we are when no one is looking.
We are afraid of what we might find and the depth of our feeling. Yet this is the place where the heart can truly open to all the experiences and feelings that have been denied.
Feeling is a portal for transformation. Connecting to our heart is the way.
I like how Mark Nepo reflects, “When we bring up what we keep inside, it is sacred and scary, and the rest of us don’t know if we want to touch it or not, like reaching from a ladder into a nest of baby birds….But I invite you to anyway… For each of us is a fledgling that eventually, if fed, will fly.”
May we find the courage to reach for this sacred place with kindness and a gentle touch.
Nurture your precious baby birds. Let them grow strong and fly.


Years ago, many years ago, I read Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements, in which he stated we have come to earth to experience emotions. That these are what differentiate us from other species, other places, etc. It resonated then and it resonates now. Have a blessed weekend, Val. 🙏🌺
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It had a similar impact with me. I then attended a Coaches conference and he was a main speaker. His presence was so heart filled and relaxed. A true Shaman mystic.
After his dialogues he invited people to come up to say hi and receive a hug. Oh my. It was such a powerful boost of pure love. After 20 seconds he says souls connect to souls.
Ever since then I have been inviting people to hug if they feel like it. It has become a “thing”. 😊
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In Hawai’i, hugs are the handshakes. Across the board. 🙏💕
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Beautifully written Val, that expression of love in words. It is indeed an incredible place to behold when we dare to grow into those feathers, and become something so much more 🤗❤️🙏
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Thank you so Mark for appreciating this share and being with me of this journey. 💐🙏💞
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A beautiful reflection, Val. Mark Nepo’s words – and your own – capture so well how easily we mislabel depth as danger and retreat back to the surface. This post is important to understanding that feeling deeply is not a flaw but a gateway to healing and courage (and what the world needs more of!). Wishing you a beautiful weekend.
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Thank you so much Randall. So much of our conditioning is about thinking and planning and attaining in society. There is little time for reflection or deeper exploration of what the real motivations are.
Being comfortable with others viewpoints and questioning our own becomes such a gift for us all. 💞
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Such wisdom in this
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Thank you Derrick.
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A truly wonderful post! 😍🤗💖
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Thank you so much 💐🙏🏻💖
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Embracing our inner peace is so rewarding. HUGS!
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Great advice, Val.
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Thank you Michele 💖
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