“When we follow our hearts, and choose to be a powerful voice for all, we experience miracles beyond our imagination. The truths we share with our hearts does matter. We may never get to see the ripple effect it has on humanity, or even get a ‘Thank you’ from a thoughtful soul, but we will intuitively know that the ultimate LOVE has been experienced in the physical bodies of spiritual beings on this magnificent Earth.” Bobbie
Self-Note: Definition of Inflame according to Dictionary.com:
verb (used with object) 1. to kindle or excite (passions, desires, etc.).
Note: Image on right by stuffpoint.com
Going back to college after retiring from the Army has been a blessing for me, since I was only able to take one or two classes while working full-time. Granted, there were a few others who managed to work and attend college full-time, but not me. Since I was often a workaholic while in the Army, doing both would have worn me out.
Anyway, you would think that the actual, academic learning experience would be the highlight of this journey, but it’s not. It’s the human interactions that touch my heart and excites my soul, not necessarily the contents of the subject taught.
Being a perfectionist most of my life, stemming from my desperate need to prove to my mother that I was worthy, I always believed that I must attain what society labels as success…like a higher education, material wealth, status, a great reputation, etc.
As I become more aware of my true self/my soul/my Higher Self/God/All That Is/Source…or whatever you’d like to call your higher power that you intuitively believe in, I remember more and more of the truth, and not just what my ego (who I think I am) and society believes I need to do and be in this lifetime.
There have been other beings throughout history who had this understanding…this wisdom that true success is BEING in the physical who we truly are (a part of that is also experiencing who we are not; thus the need for dualism like good and bad)…in essence we are Love energy…ready to be recognized and expressed in its grandest form.
Note: Image on left by peakembs.en.alibaba.com
On the first day of my college algebra class, I didn’t follow my heart, but rather, listened to my mind. My mind was quick to judge my instructor, and labeled her as the epitome of “The boring, old, passive, monotone, librarian type” instructor. As much as I tried to focus, I couldn’t help but to zone out and wish I was somewhere else. I had never been a fan of math. Even in high school, it was my least favorite subject, even though I had a very enthusiastic, animated and assertive math teacher throughout high school.
My Geometry teacher was like an eerie mountain man because 1) he hardly ever blinked while he talked, and 2) he actually looked like a mountain man with his full beard and his giant-like figure. He was very monotone and expressionless, which made the math class even more boring. Since I haven’t had to use Algebra, Geometry, or Trigonometry for over 20 years since high school, I wasn’t very motivated to waste more time on a subject that didn’t seem practical to someone like me.
Afterall, I’m not planning on becoming a doctor, chemist, math teacher, biologist, physicist, scientist, etc. They say smart folks are really good at math, but there are different types of intelligence, and math is just not my strength or forte. Well, regardless of my lack of passion for this subject, I understood that it was a necessary process that I had to get through in order to reach my ultimate goal. And who knows, maybe it’ll be useful someday. Plus, what mattered to me the most was the human experience that I would have during this part of my journey.
Note: Image on right by troll.me
Anyway, around the second week of class, I started to see my instructor from a different perspective. I believe I finally chose to see her through the eyes of God, as I had requested several times. Now, I truly SEE her as a gentle, patient and loving soul who truly has a passion to teach students. The interesting thing is, I started seeing my other instructors from a different perspective as well.
My Fraud, Myths & Mysteries instructor’s whiney nasal voice, which was once like long nails slowly scraping down a chalkboard, now sounded cute; plus, she has a very lovable personality, and is quite animated when she instructs. I really liked my Criminology instructor from the beginning, so I love her now. It’s amazing how a change in one’s perspective can change one’s reality. I even had positive feelings yesterday for my Abnormal Psychology instructor whom I butted heads with recently (in my previous post, “Following Heart Over Mind”).
Note: Image one left by community.beliefnet.com
During the third week of class, I realized it was time for some action. It was like my soul said, “Now that we’ve enjoyed the quiet midnight sky, let’s add some explosion of sparkling and multi-colored fireworks to wake everyone’s ass up!” Sure, my soul could have expressed that more eloquently, but every word was created so that we could use them.
Just like when we’re painting, we can choose to just use light colors, or make the masterful art-piece more beautiful by adding dark colors as well, and even everything in-between. Our canvas of life and the various tools (i.e., paints, pastels, pens, crayons, etc.) are open to our creative and unlimited imagination.
Note: Image on right by shutterstock.com
Anyway, two girls that sit near me in class decided to be more of a pain-in-the-ass then usual. Since they never really got out of control, I never had a reason to say anything to them. However, on this lovely day, they decided to cross the boundary.
As my math instructor was solving a problem with the class on her black board, the girls continued to yap like there was no tomorrow. As their volume increased, and they were also laughing their happy asses off out loud, I could feel that oh-so-familiar, intense feeling in my heart again…that normally means…”Say or do something even if it’s uncomfortable. Speak the truth!”
My mind said, “Bobbie, you’re not an Army instructor or Platoon Sergeant anymore, so don’t even try to put them in their places. This is not your class, and they are not your soldiers. You’re a civilian now…just one of the students. Please don’t make an ass out of us…I beg you. Your instructor is a grown-ass woman, she can take care of her own damn problems.”
Note: Image on left by fyre-flye.deviantart.com
So I waited, but my instructor didn’t say anything. I had no doubt that she could hear them…everyone and their grandmamas could hear them. They were being a bunch of rude, loud-ass, immature, spoiled, teeny-boppin’, wannabe-adult girls. As I looked around, other students looked uncomfortable as well, especially my classmates who sat on both sides of me.
A part of me wanted to bring them to tears by telling them things they couldn’t handle to hear, but I followed my heart and kept it clean. I immediately turned to them and practically spoke through my clenched teeth, “Hey guys, let’s show the lady some respect alright?!” They looked surprised, and replied in a soft tone, “Okay…sorry.”
Note: Image on right by chumpysclipart.com
After class, one of my classmates sitting to my left said softly, “Thank you for saying that. They were really bothering me.” Anna’s a sweet soul, and she, too, is very passive. Since I used to be passive in junior high school, I knew how she felt about being outspoken. Once, right before class started, I watched shy Anna approach one of the loud-ass girls from our class and give her a compliment about her clothes.
The snotty-ass girl gave her a quick, fake smile, and then turned away and continued yapping with her followers. I wanted to say to her, “What…you’re too good to even say ‘thank you’?” However, I didn’t want to embarrass Anna. I even acted like I wasn’t paying attention when she turned around; but I could tell that Anna felt as though her kindness meant nothing to that girl.
I knew how she felt, because I’ve also experienced people like that throughout my life. To my surprise, I continued to experience such unappreciative people throughout my adult years…’til this day. For instance, there are even some people on Twitter who claim to be “spiritual,” “Love & Light” and “helping humanity” who won’t take the time of day to ever say “thank you” for a retweet or mention, or even reply to a direct message or mention.
The funny thing is, someone like Joel Osteen (and/or his team), even took a moment to show his appreciation by replying to a mention that I had made…not once, but twice! I was really surprised and grateful, because I didn’t think he even had the time to do so since he’s so well-known and most likely very busy. I understand that we all have our busy moments; however, if we often don’t make time to show appreciation to others…we’re telling the universe, “Please don’t send us anymore gifts/blessings/miracles since we don’t appreciate them.”
Note: Image on left by thejayfk.com
I got a little side-tracked, but it’s all good (all connected). 😉 Anyway, I really wanted to empower Anna instantly, but I understood that it would take time. Even in the Army, helping passive soldiers to transform into assertive ones was a project in itself…one that was very worthwhile, especially when I saw how excited they would get for doing well on a promotion board, losing weight or scoring high on a physical fitness test.
Anyway, in junior high, I asked God to give me courage to stand up for those who weren’t able to stand up for themselves. I got tired of being a helpless bystander who watched others hurt in silence because somebody wanted to be a mean or rude jackass. The more I practiced, the more I got closer to becoming assertive, and the more confident I became. When I finally remembered that it’s mine…that I own it, I realized that I have a passion to help others remember as well.
Note: Image on right by heavenandearthquestions.blogspot.com
Anna’s simple show of appreciation meant so much to me…that it was worth the initial, uncomfortable moment of speaking out…that moments like these truly matter. I’ve learned that most people won’t take time out of their busy day to show such appreciation, but a few will…and that’s all that matters. As we were walking out together, Anna asked me how I did it. Since she was heading to her next class, I had to make it brief. I just told her that as you get older, you learn not to care so much what others think and just follow your heart.
To my surprise, the next time we met for my math class, my instructor called me by my first name. I’ve never heard her call anyone by their first name in class. I just figured there were so many of us that it was hard to try to memorize students’ names, and that we were pretty much like numbers. At that moment though, I intuitively knew that it was her way of saying, “Thank you” without feeling embarrassed that she didn’t say anything. We had an understanding.
Note: Image on left by faculty.unlv.edu
Then, that same day, there was another surprise. The same, two rowdy girls had the audacity to be loud again, but not as loud this time. I thought to myself, “Heart, I love you, but this time I’m going to allow my mind to take over this matter. I’m going to make them remember this day so that they will never even think about doing this again. Once again, gentle kindness or even assertiveness doesn’t work for everyone. Some folks need to be woken up with flat-out aggressiveness.
I was about to tell them, “Okay, so you guys want to continue being rude, loud-ass, immature, spoiled girls, eh? I got something for ya. Go run home to mommy and daddy and tell them that your ungrateful asses should no longer go to college, and that they should give away the money to someone who will appreciate it! You guys need to join the military so that you can get a taste of a very challenging lifestyle–mentally, emotionally and physically. Maybe then you’ll appreciate college life and respect your instructors. Wake up princesses! Your teeny-boppin’ gossiping’ high school days are over. The real world doesn’t tolerate disrespect and immaturity, so start getting used to it!”
Note: Image on right by juleecwk.wordpress.com
To my great surprise, my soft-spoken and passive instructor transformed into an assertive Goddess that she’s meant to be. She turned around and looked at them with strong eye contact, and said in an authoritative tone, “You ladies need to keep it down or step out of my class.”
It was a powerful moment. She blew me away. I learned from past experiences that it’s in all of us, but you just never know when that magical moment’s going to happen.
Note: Image on left by onepassiononedevotion.wordpress.com
The two girls looked shocked as well. The snotty one decided to storm out afterwards because it probably hurt her pride. Deep down, I had an understanding that she behaves the way she does due to her own past hurt and fears.
I just thanked God for the miraculous moment. I bet it made everyone’s day, especially my instructor’s. I was so happy for her to be able to experience the power within her. I look forward to the day that even angelic Anna will remember the Goddess within her.
Note: Image on right by elegantblackwoman.blogspot.com
The following fascinating videos are about following our powerful hearts:
Metaphysics For Life 105 Heart Intelligence
Gregg Braden, The Role Of The Heart In The Law Of Attraction
Note: Image on left by nextnature.net
Closing: A Beautiful Ending/Beginning
Update for October 15, 2012
God’s unlimited and creative imagination makes life fascinating. Last Friday was Anna’s 19th birthday, so my other classmate and I decided to surprise her with a card, some chocolates and a fresh rose.
Anna was so happy, and she even appeared to get teary-eyed. I recall her staring at another girl in our class with envy when the girl’s friend surprised her with balloons on her birthday almost two weeks ago.
So when my other classmate mentioned that Anna’s birthday was coming soon, we decided to make it a special moment for her in class.
Note: Image on right by glitters123.com
When we handed her a bag of chocolates to share with the class, shy Anna asked our shy instructor to pass it out to the class for her. My instructor happily agreed.
The funny thing was, my instructor seemed reluctant to give back the bag of chocolates before the end of class; but of course, she did with a playful smile. She even let us out early, more than likely as a birthday gift to sweet Anna who’s always very respectful towards her.
Note: Image on left by pstracks.com
Another interesting moment occurred. One of the very talkative girls that I mentioned in this post (the one who stormed out of class) showed up to class after over a week of absence. I just figured that she withdrew, but she had been in a major car accident.
She shared with us photos of her totaled car and the cracked window area where she banged her head against. I felt bad for her. I, too, had been in a few car accidents where my cars got totaled, so I was able to empathize with her. Suddenly, I saw her in a different light.
Note: Image on right by smashingmagazine.com
Apparently I wasn’t the only one. Even though that girl was rude to Anna, gentle and loving Anna comforted her. They ended up exchanging phone numbers. It was such a simple, yet, profound beautiful moment.
I’m so grateful for having the opportunity to experience love, peace, and joy with my soul sisters. These are the kind of memories I will always treasure forever.
I wrote the following e-mail to my instructor:
Ms. E,
I will be withdrawing from ____ this semester due to personal matters.
Thank you for being a great instructor. I can tell that you are a gentle and very kind soul who has a passion to help others.
I appreciate your patience, understanding nature, assertiveness, and your encouragements while lecturing. Please continue being a wonderful being.
Whether or not others express their appreciation…your kind heart makes a difference. You are a gift to humanity.
I wish you unlimited blessings from this magnificent universe and much Love & Light.
Barbara
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I wrote the following closing message in my other post, “Following Heart Over Mind,” related to my interconnected university/spiritual experiences:
Yesterday, I decided to do something “crazy”…something that society would label as “abnormal.”
I decided to withdraw from college that’s paid for by the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, take the chance of highly disappointing my husband and possibly others, e-mail an employer (from a girls’ home) that I had chosen not to have a second interview with in 2011, and fully trust God that my intense feelings are going to guide me onto an unknown but perfect path.
I chose to follow my heart and take a path less traveled…a path that may not be labeled as successful to society, but to my soul, following my deepest passion is the epitome of success. I will write a post about it called, “My Exciting New J.O.B. (Joy of Being).”
Note: Image on left by fineartamerica.com
Right after I made my difficult decision, I was still doubtful, due to my lingering fears. I told my husband that I was sorry that I disappointed him. He gently said, “Look at me. You are never a disappointment to me.”
After my husband and I came home, and while he was parking our car into our garage, he mentioned that there were a lot of butterflies flying around right outside our home. I looked up and was in complete awe. It was so beautiful.
There were so many of them just gracefully flying around. I had never seen anything like that before. I then felt a sudden peace in my heart…like everything was going to be okay.
I chose to see it as a sign from God telling me to breathe, relax, and trust the process/Him/My Higher Self/My Soul.
Note: Image on right by fanpop.com
I had a desire to confirm my belief about the symbolic meaning of the butterfly, and I came across the following post:
Butterfly Animal Symbolism – Symbolic Butterfly Meaning
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I came across this so far interesting presentation on the website “UnCollege” on October 17, 2012 (haven’t finished listening to it yet):
Michael Ellsberg and Dale Stephens hosted a talk regarding the launch of Michael’s book, The Education of Millionaires, called Deschooling Your Mind. <= Click on this link to listen to radical words that ring true to the heart.
Leave a Reply