Progress Report from the Universe

"Krissy spends too much time talking and disturbing others."
--Mrs. Sue Evans, Second Grade Teacher

That's the kind of report I used to get when I was a kid. Sounds about right. Although, I take issue with "disturbing." I think I was "enlightening and entertaining" others. Maybe I was "disturbing" Mrs. Evans.

But I want to share with you another progress report of mine...first, the back-story:

Unless this is the first post you have read on this site, you've probably gathered that I read a lot of spirchul books. One of my favorites is The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra. I found this gem at the used book store about a year ago, when I was in a state of flux on several levels.

One, I had been told my rent was going up from $810 to $1030. When I heard this news, I threatened to go buy a house if they didn't give me a break. I wrote a great letter outlining the cost of living increase based on the Social Security index, yada yada, yada. It was brilliant. Well, they called my bluff.

So, I was house hunting.

Two, I had just gone through a pretty difficult breakup, right on the tail of a rather emotional divorce the previous year. When Elizabeth Gilbert talks similarly about her "loss upon loss" in Eat, Pray Love, I know from personal experience what she means. For my whole adult life up until that point, I had "belonged" to someone.

So, at forty, I was alone for the first time since I was nineteen.

And three, my daughter was turning thirteen. Dear God, the yelling. Hers and mine. Life with her was tortuously contentious. Thirteen is a difficult age, I remember, but I still felt like I was losing my daughter.

This was a very difficult time for me. So I decided to do as Deepak asked me, and make a list of my intentions. Law Five is the Law of Intention and Desire, and it states that whatever we wish for in a state of Pure Potentiality (Law One), we set in motion in the Universe. Its "infinite organizing power" will then begin working on bringing that wish to us.

Here is my list as I wrote it almost one year ago in bold print. The italics are my progress report on the wish since then.

I want a beautiful, peaceful home with a room for my creative projects and space for a garden. A good place to raise Wednesday and Max where they will have friends and fun. A sound investment. After losing two houses and backing out of a deal on a town house I knew just wasn't right for me (thank you due diligence), I walked into a traditional, two-story home with my agent and just began to weep. My kids were with me, and they said, "Mom, you have to get this house!" It was everything on my list, plus a large screened porch overlooking a totally private wooded backyard. It was beautiful. And almost a year later, I still love this place.

I want a well-connected, enthusiastic literary agent who is passionate about my writing and will help me attain success. Still looking for this one. Will keep you posted.

I want financial and literary success as a writer. Infinite organizing power is still working on this intention. These things take time.

I want to be financially independent. I think I should have been more specific here. Maybe I should have included a dollar amount...?

I want to paint regularly and to sell my work. Since my divorce, I have painted two pieces, and I am currently working on a third. This one is a commissioned piece. Yay!

I want to inspire others through my writing and painting. The feedback on my blog I have gotten so far has more than covered this one, but I was also very blessed to read a message from an old friend from childhood who saw a pic of my most recent painting on my profile and wrote to me about it. She said it was beautiful, and that she was going through a tough time, but the painting and its words "spoke volumes" to her. Made my day.

I want to be comfortable and complete on my own. I can honestly say, I am living some of the happiest times of my life right now. And I am definitely on my own. I really didn't know if I would ever get here...but here I am.

I want a close, healthy, open, respectful, and loving relationship with Wednesday and Max. Wednesday is almost fourteen now, and what a difference a year makes. We hardly ever yell anymore. There are lots of laughs and games at our house, and she told me her friends all say, "I love your mom. She's so cool." And Max, at ten, still thinks I am part God.

I want to travel all over the world with my children. Well, we ARE looking at China...*

So not a bad progress report, for just under a year. Makes me wonder what the next year holds in store for me. In the meantime, in the Now, I am painting pretty things, writing some good stuff, living in a beautiful place, loving my precious kids, and basking in independence.

And let's be honest. I am probably still "disturbing others." Old habits die hard.

*see "You Can Take This to the Bank."