Dear Ones –
I'm off to Oprah's The Life You Want Tour one last time, here in San Jose, to talk once more about the Hero's Journey — encouraging one more beautiful crowd of souls to answer the call for the own great life's adventure…whatever it may be.
Last night, when I was sitting in the audience listening to Oprah give her testimony about her journey from apartheid-era Mississippi to, well, full-on Oprah-hood, I was pondering the fact that I got to hear her speech 8 times this year. I also got to hear Iyanla Vanzant speak 8 times, and Rob Bell. And every single time I have heard them talk this autumn, I have made the same demand of myself: "LISTEN, Liz. Listen to EVERY SINGLE WORD."
I never sat back and said, "Yeah, yeah…I heard this story already."
I made myself listen with new ears and a fresh heart each time.
I asked myself why the universe might have arranged things such that I would get 8 opportunities to hear these great teachings. All I could come up with for an explanation was this: "You must really need it."
The universe must have been like, "This Gilbert girl ain't gonna learn NOTHING unless she gets the message pounded into her again and again and again…"
So l let it all soak into me, each time anew, with the intention of TRULY learning.
By doing this, I have watched my internal emotional closets get rearranged over the last few months, in ways I didn't even know needed rearranging.
I have absorbed lessons about forgiveness, about spirit, about gratitude, about stubbornness, about grace.
Part of me wishes I could hear it all 8 more times over, but after today it is over…and then it will be down to me to embroider all that wisdom into my own life, and to carry it forward.
I can't wait.
Love to you, and ONWARD,
LG
