FEBRUARY ISSUE

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Greetings! Do hope you are experiencing a prosperous and joyful 1999! I'm told it's a year of completion - getting old projects finalized to make room for the new millenium! What a *time* we are experiencing! The Age of Aquarius in our midst; new beginnings of the 21st century, just about any information necessary available on internet, new friends through email! It is definitely a time to enjoy every moment!

Our discussion this time includes an excerpt from a book I experienced and collected several years ago. A very special sister-in-spirit and I began playing with writing/sending some sort of message to one another every day! We accomplished this for nearly a year - sometimes a cassette tape, sometimes a letter, sometimes a post card, sometimes a greeting card. We learned to "know" there would be something in the mailbox each day - although we did not take this for granted. It was a love-sharing experience.

A few years later, we continued our correspondence with more detailed cassette tape conversations and sending computer disks with long, detailed letters to one another. We discussed many self-stretching experiences, questions, and aha's. I was, at the time, taking a Science of Mind class, broadening my spiritual concepts. She was with a support group and we found many considerations brought new enlightenment for each of us. We have continued our expansions of awareness from those "beginnings."

I began putting our conversations together in a book as a keepsake for each of us. As I discussed this with others, they requested the book also. Therefore, "Dear Sunny" is now available and, if you are interested, I'll send further information.

Here is an excerpt from the book, dealing with communication. Jeanetta Dell became our "third spirit" through friendship.

JEANETTA DELL:
Your communication reveals depths of feeling and contemplation from each of you. Does this sometimes bring misunderstanding? Tell us how you overcome dissension with one another.

DUSTY:
We have many opportunities for growth through dissension caused by misunderstanding and through total disagreement about specific issues. We continue learning to respect one another's freedom of beliefs, through our continuous willingness to communicate. Our conversations here help bring us closer as sisters in spirit. Sunny, you reflected, when we were talking on the phone, you heard me say, "That wasn't the reason . . ." when I was referring to something you had done. What I remember saying, or at least my intention was, it probably wasn't the reason you did what you did.

Oh, whenever I start answering these misunderstandings, I just get myself in deeper and deeper. I have no intention of answering for you with anything I say. I am answering for me. Yes, this may be a selfish way to look at it. I am applying what you say to self only because I don't live "in your moccasins." It may not sound that way to you. The aim is to say it so there is no misunderstanding, but it gets misunderstood. I deal with three kinds of responses. There are those who don't understand me but don't say anything, those who do understand me, and you.

SUNNY:
Could I squeeze in here? I chuckled aloud at "and you."

DUSTY:
I am grateful you give me feedback but sometimes I feel your desire to claw out my eyes. I hope you are giggling through all this because right now, I am just letting off a little steam.

SUNNY:
I was not ready to claw out your eyes. It is not my style. I haven't been that angry with anyone for years. I am not willing to sell my serenity for the thrills of anger. My flame can still ignite but I can dissipate it more quickly with thoughts of God.

In the reason business, I was sharing some feelings that had come up. They are probably from some residue of the past that lacked consideration or awareness. Perception happens daily. When I shared about the reason, I was probably into some self-centeredness and now would like to justify it.

However, that fault doesn't work for me these days. I know God can and will run my life if I let HIM. I was letting what came up come forth, as you do with me.

This goes to show you some things work for you that don't for me. There was no violent intention there at all. I am sorry you took it that way. I hope your all better and restored to your bubbly self. I will pray about us.

DUSTY:
I scold myself when I misread you. I discerned I ignited some fire. This releases more joy bubbles of relief. You can continue to let me know when I hit your fire button.

SUNNY:
Is it your preference I not be so bluntly honest, even in our writing? If I edited more closely, I fear it would be people pleasing, a negative force for both parties. I must be open, because it is my nature. I believe it is one of the things you like about me, even if it does bring discomfort at times. There is no requirement for you to listen to whatever feeling comes up. If I would tell you when I wanted you to edit, it wouldn't do any good. This is good because I then must be responsible for my words. Giggle! We are ultimately responsible for self, no matter what the other gives permission to do.

I like the spontaneous answering. I prefer ironing out any differences we may have in correspondence. This is so we can ponder and simmer and pray, or because I am a chicken.

I do often read what is not in writing or make allowances for your personality, learning to give you space. Do you want to know what your words tell me or your spirit? My heart hears your spirit and my eyes read the words. I don't know what you want from me. This is a legitimate question. What do you want from me?

"I want everyone to like me and everything I do but they just don't." How is that for desiring perfection?

DUSTY:
I am not sure what I want. I choose to have both. Yes, I desire feedback on what my words say. I appreciate the sharing of the deeper insights. I prefer what your heart hears because I know it is from my Love-self. I probably need to hear what my words are saying, as well.

SUNNY:
I am going to go ahead and respond as I always do: spontaneous. Otherwise I would be allowing you to control me and be resentful. I discussed this with my mentor. She said what they always say, "Be yourself, a nice person." I hope so.

DUSTY:
I agree. I just received a concession. I am going to write, from this time forth, my letters to you as soft touch. It will be an emphasized attempt, at least. You get my journal writings. This includes everything, not always good that goes through my head. Maybe a discipline to sift first will omit what doesn't belong there. My immediate response is, "Oh, it will take too much time and effort and there will be a loss of free-flow." That is not the positive me talking. I am willing. I may slip at times. There is no guarantee of results. This idea didn't come from me, it came from "I Am." "Me" isn't sure she is willing to keep this going. She reasons she needs someone with whom she can free flow.

SUNNY:
My lesson here is to express compassion and consideration. I contemplated little else for a whole day. Of course, I might miss some of your negatives, as they leave, same as mine. This refers to the old and familiar.

I am growing. The update is I want you to be yourself. I know today it is my responsibility to do with that whatever I choose. I knew it in the past but didn't have the courage to carry it out.

DUSTY:
A few of the unfavorable styles of communication are not flying away yet. I have to keep reminding myself to banish them. I have to keep dismissing some until they stay gone or until the Lord shows me another way of removing them. Once in awhile the deletions don't become victories by stomping my foot at them. They do flee when I dismiss them. I then gain energy through positive impressions, affirmations, and counting my blessings.

I just wrote something in my journal I want to share. "What I write to Sunny is my interpretation and how people, places and things affect me."

Some of your built-in understandings of life are things I am still learning. Yes, much of your sensitivity is natural and you are bringing it forth. I too easily slip back to the head knowledge than the heart soft touch. I totally forget to practice getting heart into front and center.

Another thought just began to formulate so will expound upon it and get some clarity. Would you find interest in an experiment? It deals with searching out applicable-to-self thoughts versus the words we use for description. What each of us says is our own picture. What the other receives is a bit different.

Let us do something: Find our personal application of what we picture from what the other says. We don't need to do this with every paragraph. For example, you may disagree with what you presume I am saying. Apply it to what is right for you and reflect it back to me. We often do this. It is just another new description of communication I am beginning to understand at a deeper level. I have, in the past, not made comment on things you say. Recently, I thought of some of them and wanted to go back and get fuller understanding of what you were saying.

SUNNY: Yes. This would be very enjoyable.

Oh, I wish you lived across the street. We would still fight some but it is okay. We know we can survive pleasantly where we could chit chat daily. Oh I would enjoy you all moving right here. I could rest and visit with you then as I do at your house. My final comment on this stuff is, "Do you have the coffee pot on?" I like your free flowing.

I love you, Sis. You are very special in my life. Not everybody can communicate with love, as you do. I am happy to embrace you in sisterhood and be good-natured as your sister in spirit.

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At my site, you can find another excerpt from "Dear Sunny" in the Pathway Books.

And you can visit Sunny at MS Sunshine's Garden

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1999 SLOGAN WINNER! VICKI - KySpirit
"Expansion of Spirit and Time in '99!"
You can see a display, including the other slogan suggestions that came in, at WINNER Email KySpirit

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"Expansion of Spirit and Time!" Sounds like a good topic for discussion! Any comments?

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If you have a site and would like to exchange links, contact me! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May your life be filled with delight and wonder! Enjoy every moment!
- Dusty

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