Living on Island Free

This morning I awoke to the ocean breeze on an island that I have named "Island Free".

When I sat up to look out and think about this new day it was so easy, everything seemed so clear. For a moment, I thought it was all wrong and I asked myself, "How did I get here...here to this place of such peace?" Then I realized, it's because I stopped. I stopped expecting people's emotions and actions. When I stopped expecting people to do something that I wanted them to do, it all became easier. You can't disappoint me when I never placed my hope there. Sure I'd like for people's actions and emotions to be the way I desire, but I will still be okay if it doesn't happen that way. And when a person does say something or do something that I like or makes me smile or makes me feel special or makes a decision in my favor, I know that it is a moment...a moment that I will forever own. You cannot hope in people or hope for people; you can only hope to people so as to transfer this intangible force so one will see the simple joy in life-pleasing one's self. So what makes up you? I know what makes up me. This is why I'm so calm. This is why I'm so at peace. This is why I do what I like, do what I want, live my faith and give my way. I'm having fun because in the end, it's just me who stands...just me alone and my hope is within me and that alone makes me so free. This kind of peace becomes so eerie sometimes but its such a great feeling to always lively live on Island Free.

'Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.
The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.'
~by Edna Ellison~