how sign language taught me awareness

i've been teaching my daughter sign language, as studies show that it's an effective way for babies to communicate before they develop the skills to verbally communicate, and it's been a beautiful, sometimes frustrating journey.

recently the sign for milk, has been accompanied by the sign for food/eat.
and one day, she did it, consistently, in almost the same pattern, that i've been doing it, and i missed it. not only did i miss it, but i began to discourage her from doing it, simply because i didn't have the awareness to understand her.

i noticed she kept putting her fingers to her mouth, after every spoonful, which was hindering the process of my feeding her, so i pulled her fingers from her mouth, again, and again, and again. it took me 2 days to realize that she was doing exactly what i taught her do.

I immediately aligned this with my own life. i've been through many journey's, i've achieved many strengths, i've read many books, heard many poems, listened to many songs, healed over many heartbreaks, and learned many lessons, my heart, my spirit, my life has, and continues to prepare me for milestones, yet a lot of the pain, and hinderances i experience is simply because i was not aware enough to realize the manifestation of my instincts.

we get so caught up in our present state of being, that we sometimes miss our preparedness. we've been prepared for such a time as this, the strength you need to get through your present circumstance has already been made available in you, but our awareness is off, and because our awareness is off, when our instincts kick in, we discourage our own growth. we are so focused on the bad, we miss the good that is already stored up inside of us, and that is manifesting around us, daily.

how do we become and remain aware?

* open your eyes and your heart.
* be an active participant in your healing processes. if you pray, put legs to your prayer.
* love. continue to love genuinely, and in the pureness it demands.
* mediate, sit in silence, and just breathe. if you must focus, focus only the positive aspects of your  
   situation.
* cry with purpose, cry with the intent to purge, to cleanse.
* believe in your own growth.
* live, and act deliberately.
* be accountable to your actions.
* trust your instincts to have your back.

you haven't been through, what you've been through, without a reason. every step prepares us for the next step we have to take.

what does this mean for me? i'm now parenting with all eyes open. i'm now rewarding my growth as a woman, mother, artistic being, by letting my past work for me. it's time for me to graduate from some lessons loves.

what does this mean for you? only you can answer that.