About Rowena

Hello, my name is Ro, and I believe that it is possible for you to turn your ordinary life into an extraordinary life - to find true happiness, while remaining, selfless, mindful and compassionate towards other living beings. Here at my blog, I interview and post articles by musicians, writers, world travelers, humanitarians and other amazing individuals who are doing just that. I also share with you various anecdotes about my own totally awesome existence as a musician, composer, journalist, environmentalist, and compassionati. My hope is to connect with you, enlighten you, inspire you and lead you down the path to true happiness. Compassion is always in fashion and it starts with you loving that most important of people, yourself.


July 9, 2011

Love It or Leave It, by: Terry Christopher


“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson



I am always delighted to present my readers with a post by my friend and regular guest blogger Terry Christopher.  I am actually at a (very exciting) love it or leave it type crossroads in my own life, and these words of wisdom from my East Coast kindred spirit come at just the perfect time to encourage me in pursuit of my heart's desire!

Several years ago I was talking with a friend of mine who has since passed away. The conversation was about his life journey and his perspective that was formed from it. I was relating to some of the scenarios in his life that paralleled my own experience and at one point in the conversation we looked at each other and said…life is too damn short, you have to Love It or Leave It. I am currently working on a new song just about that perspective but wanted to talk about it here.

It’s amazing to me how many people DON’T allow themselves that margin of flexibility in their lives - to make a decision to LOVE IT or LEAVE IT.  Yes to make a decision to LOVE IT or LEAVE IT sometimes means upsetting the apple cart of life and going in a completely different direction, but if one is miserable, unhappy and unpleasant outwardly to others/the world, why not LEAVE IT and strike out in another direction hopefully with better results? I think it’s because of FEAR. Misery and Unhappiness seem to win out more times than not against FEAR of the unknown. At least with being miserable, unpleasant and unhappy one knows what one has. But LIFE is meant for so much more than that and we short sheet our own experience by not living doggedly in pursuit of being happy, creative, joyous beings sharing the love, the light, the best of ourselves as only we can.

There is someone I know of who goes home for the holidays every year and gets torn to shreds by his “family”.  He tried to avoid conversations that bring up him being gay or his line of work in the creative industry, but some how it always comes up and out comes the poisonous tipped barbs dripping of vile comments, judgment and ridicule. Just typing those words makes me recoil a bit…but nope, this person goes home for another helping year after year. At one point I said, you KNOW that you HAVE CONTROL of this situation and they don’t right? You can always choose to stay home and be surrounded by friends who know and love you for YOU and WHO YOU are. His answer was…”I can’t that isn’t right…I HAVE to be HOME with my “FAMILY” for the HOLIDAYS. Yet when this person comes back they are miserable and making several stops in the evenings at the local bar to drown the pain.

LOVE IT or LEAVE IT. Think about if we moved in the direction of accepting ourselves and deciding to share this world with  those who GOT YOU for YOU, LOVED YOU for YOU, and HONORED YOU for YOU…whoever that YOU is to be or become. There is no point in staying in a place where there is dislike, anger, out right hatred, judgment, ridicule and a flood of other negatives. We alone have the control to make each day better, brighter and more worthwhile on this path in this life. Live your life in the direction of happiness, joy and love to live, otherwise you are cheating YOURSELF and those who DO LOVE YOU. You might as well do it now, because there is absolutely nothing you can do about it from the grave. LOVE IT or LEAVE IT.

Dream.  Reach.  Live.  Do.

Terry Christopher


Ro's notes:

We alone have the control to make each day better, brighter and more worthwhile on this path in this life.   I know what Terry says to be true from personal experience .   On more than one occasion I have had to look deep inside myself, and admit that I needed to face my fears and take control of my life, in order to make this journey a happy, healthy and worthwhile one.   I am at a crossroads as we speak - one which is extremely exciting - let's just say that Good Old Auntie Ro has really upset the apple cart this time!    In the words of Carl Gustav Jung:  Your own vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”  

Now go out and live your extraordinary life, knowing that I love you!  Don't be afraid to upset the fruit cart . . . or at the very least to rid yourself of the rotten apples!

Love,
Ro 



Terry, a regular guest blogger for Rousing Rowena, is a New York based, award winning singer-songwriter, and I am a fan of his as well as a friend.   I love his contributions to this blog as they are always from the heart, very positive and extremely inspiring!    For more information about Terry and his music please click on Terry Christopher.
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