Reflections on the Year that Was

 Greetings to the end of the year, two thousand and twelve to my gentle readers at www.joelwlamoure.com as we take a step back and reflect on the days and months that were and those that came and went. I stand and salute in memory of my father, Wayne Lamoure (1948-2012), a man who knew what justice really was and stood for it daily.

A time for hope, faith and belief... these are critical elements and we must have Faith that there is a reason for everything and it is what we do with the events that transpire that determine the doors that subsequently open.

This was a year of marked highs and lows for all of us in so many aspects and facets of each of our lives. A time for peace, a time for battles and a time to step back and reflect on the lay of the land. Although the moments themselves traverse like sands of grains through the hourglass, we imperceptibly change and evolve to a point of where we are meant to be. But the changes at the time, with the exceptions of the ground shaking earthquakes in our lives we cannot even detect.

The year started with leaving inpatient psychiatry work with my most monumental earthquake came the period of July 9-10^th with the loss of my Father and to whom todays blog is dedicated. Subsequent changes in the second half were my being named to the UN, UNESCO as Canadian Section Chief of Medical Bioethics a month later and then another family death while the UNESCO was still in print. This followed closely after with the moments of stepping into my father’s role in early September in a CI role with the Forces. Who knows what this year will bring… besides a year of evolution and change? Belief in that.

A strong Belief that even when the chips are down (for we rarely stop and reflect as to why things are wonderful, but get the "poor me" when things are down) that "this too shall pass" and as opposed to cursing our beshitted lot and son of a bi-atch, I get the black marble in life and never the radiant crystal that it really IS for a reason. And most of all is Hope. Hope is the meshwork that channels it all together and is intricately intertwined with the other two.

  In advance of this New Years Day, 1/1/13, it is a time that many are making INCREDIBLE resolutions that will last, well... 1 week. Maybe 2. Sorry folks... most resolutions blow (and blow away). One, and only one wish that I hope to aim towards is to wait for facts and make informed decisions respective of the situation.

   In this week between Christmas an New Years, I have had the incredible good fortune reflect, consider, contemplate and assess the tapestry of the year that was.

  No my friends, I do not wear a tinfoil hat or drool in my porridge but look to these amazing miracles that exist on a day to day experience. They are there and just need someone to shut up and listen to the incredible stories of courage and strength. Amazing indeed. Believe it or not, in North America, India, and Europe etc. there are those still labeled and persecuted for their views. Not able to advance, not being able to live in their own skin, made to be ostracized for our protection. Going to sleep crying of hunger while others cry their ipad was the wrong colour. There is a problem here Houston. Hallelujah, pass the plate. Can you say we are saving the world through bullying? Not at all. Ive talked of bullying before and my advice, take the cotton out of your ears and shove it in your.... mouth. Then we can enact real change and see miracles that abound.

  To believe there are miracles, seeing is believing. "Show me the money!". Want a money shot? Let the scales fall from your eyes. Look as if from the wonderment of a child in actions, thoughts, visions and demeanor. This is what is lacking and yet these are there for your taking you know… and only thing holding you back, is well...a programmed you. 

  So instead…be yourself, often.

                           ~~~ Rev. Dr Joel Lamoure  December 2012

Gifts of magic wrapped in red satin sashes

Greetings my gentle readers to the final and Fourth Sunday of Advent as we head into Christmastime, 2012. As many of you may have noticed by now, there was Not, repeat was NOT an apocalypse that happened on Friday. The world did not end on December 21,2012 for the vast majority of people and just a gentle reminder you have 1 day left to get your loved ones (et moi) something if you give gifts.

This is that magical time when we can sit back and reflect not on the year that was (that’s next weeks blog), but on the sanities and insanities of the week that was and filter it through the retroscope and see what comes out. Generally and overall, these are days and moments where the positivity and enhanced days of enlightment can and shall unfold if we wish them to. The weaving of our beautiful tapestry is well under way and through Christmas we can add our red satin sashes as we look to a few of our most favourite things. A time for sharing, a time for love. A time for family, a time for enlightenment.

  Here is likely my last thought before Christmas and 1 more for 2012, which will be the reflection of the year that was. That day of reflection before we look ahead and if we have enough fortitude to learn from the goods and the bads that was and were and never shall be again. What is a gift and why is Christmas so stressful for so many people? Is it the family, gift buying, uncertainty of what to give, family, financial challenges pre and post, travel and all the music that says we should be happy or family?

  Simple answer is yes.

  We tend to lose ourselves in expectations in this time period. Expectations we put on ourselves, expectations society puts on us and expectations commercialism and family put on us. No wonder so many people get overwhelmed, depressed and even suicidal this time of year. Want to give yourself a gift this year? Step back and reflect on where you are, what you have and what spiritual and emotional and physical gifts that you have, for I guarantee that those will last across the decades if you pay them forward. Your health is a valuable gift to treasure that can be used for yourself and to pay forward to others. That iPad? Already declared obsolete, I hate to tell you. There was a study done that took a look at actions versus items and the meanings they had decades later. No surprise people remember the memories and trips and family. That is true for I remember my trip to Italy in 1987 and my trip to Europe in 2011 and Scandinavia last year, but couldn't tell you what my stereo system or family TV or really even my car looked like. Those are big ticket, agreed but we do remember the laughs and "war stories" that go along with an event...even occurring on a long drive or simply in your own backyard. It’s how I made it to Camp David in Maryland in fact... but that’s another story and one that puts a smile on my face as the other person in the car with me on that trip was lost to this world in 2012.  Family, good friends and close loved ones make the season bright, not just at the holiday period, but all year around. Remembering all the trips that were helps assuage some of the losses of the trips that were conceptualized but will never happen. Some of the best memories are happening right under your nose and the best of times in your own 4 walls or in your very own backyard, with people and loved ones that have a built in expiry date. To approach it that way is to help ensure there is no baggage, no resentments and every moment is a Present.

   Want to give the perfect gift... that’s the right colour, size and impact? It may have a cost (or not) associated with it to set up, but the commercial gifts definitely do. To buy board games and then invest the time to play them is priceless.  Give a happy memory to yourself and someone else and be good to yourself always. Its all about perspective and expectations my friends. Be a kid at heart and in mind and spirit and aim towards the play and gentle healings that come with them.

  To step back and make memories is a positive no matter what that can make you smile years later, and maybe make others smile as well as you be yourself, often

~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure December 2012

It Just Is...

Greetings my gentle readers and listeners to another week’s installment of the “Be Yourself, Often” blog.  Welcome to December 2012!!That time in the week when can look to the days that were with love and nostalgia, fear and apprehension and realize that we made it through the whole crazy thing whole. As usual, the reflections on this blog will be provided in my Tuesday night’s radio show on WULC entitled “Prescribing Spiritual H.O.P.E.”, which is live at 9pm Eastern Time and radio archived at http://www.spreaker.com/show/tuesday_prescribing_spiritual_hope

Through the course of the week as illustrated above there have been moments that were dichotomous in nature for all of us. From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, it just is. Those are three very powerful words that encapsulate so very much. When I heard the expression earlier, it resonated so intensely with myself as transcending far more than the simple planes that we know and in fact cross multiple theories and axis. So much in fact, there will be a three part series on this, with Christmas falling on a Tuesday, so the 4^th and 11^th will be on the trilogy and the 18^th will be my Christmas message. There will also be a special message I am hoping on December 21^st here and on the air simultaneously, just to help validate the fact we are all still alive on that date and now lets move ahead and help ourselves help each other and provide and ensure safe travels, which the message of unity will tie into the Christmas message. It Just Is.

It Just Is demonstrates the essential ideal perfection of everything. It helps and empowers an individual (if they can embrace this simple concept) that all situations that present themselves, are exactly that. The chance to do something, feel something or be something is exactly right for the situation. The individuals and situations that are on their own vectors inherently cross our vectors all of the time. If one stops and reflects in a mindful and meditative way through a filter and prism of positivity… that is absolutely mind blowing and liberating, all in the same time. As mentioned before however, there are too many “isms” out there and sadly, especially in December where people are so fixated on other aspects that this wonderful gift of healing and love and light may be missed.

My friends, this is truly root cause analysis embedded within the exercise of mindfulness. Why are things here and why did they cross my path and why do I need these learnings and why have I been chosen and what can I give to this situation and scenario? As with most things that are truly opening to the mind and heart and Spirit, this generates more questions than answers. Embrace that.

It Just Is will allow us to have quite a bit of freedom when embraced as it allows us to believe that through the topographical map of life, there will be hills and valleys, dryness and watershed, desert and lakes. Even that simple statement allows us to embrace the fact of our uniqueness. That uniqueness is also embedded in our genetic codes and the opportunities afforded to us. That uniqueness means we all have a very special gift and the next wonderful outcome driven goal is to find and embrace it and then share that gift to the betterment of others. For once a person engages in the embrace of giving away their gifts of the moment with the altruistic desire to educate and advance others… in the long run they themselves advance. Incredible isnt it? It Just Is.

To step away, embrace the moment and beginning to feel these insights means one may have to step away from the toxicity of the “isms”, of which narcissism and consumerism  are 2 powerful detractors. Express and find the whole person that you are, which often can be done by stepping back to be the wonderment of a child and being alive and having fun in the moment. Basically, to give yourself permission finally to be yourself, often.

                                    ~~~ Rev. Dr. Joel Lamoure  December 2012