Show Me What You're Made Of? The Shift...

Oh,God?
After reading Wayne Dyer's The Shift, I wondered if I had fully absorbed what Doc Wayne was trying to get into my mind. Much of it, I already believed, but I didn't know if I had taken it in. How was this book going to prove helpful or inspirational to me? And how in the world do I write a review on it?
I reread it with sure knowledge that I was the worst book reviewer in history. Already my first book review was almost a book itself; not so much review like, but a laymans guide on how I could use the bounty of information given. How would I begin this one?

And surely, God throws me a line. A Facebook friend (let's call him Church Guy- and he's swell, don't get me wrong) Church Guy posts a new status...

Would God prefer to wrestle with rebellious children
or reign over rocks and trees? Any ideas?

Hmmm. Of course I was full of ideas! And where a better place than a Facebook status to have a lovely, yet public religious debate? (I'm kidding). My response...

God wouldn't wrestle with rebellious children or feel
the need to reign over rocks and trees.
God has no Ego, and everything, rocks, trees, and Man, are Of God.

And here I'd done it. Not thinking I was even remotely being controversial, and fully unprepared for any dialogue, I was sent a private message. A long one. My mind was churning over the message I recieved. Was there a wrong or a right? And one sentence in Wayne Dyer's The Shift that I found most profound is this one;

Noninterference becomes a higher priority than being right or dominating others.

This means alot to me, and I didn't know if I should even respond...yet I did, and in that response, I drew much of my inspiration from The Shift. Perhaps in many ways, this book was dropped in my midst at the right time. Why don't I just post the message and response so you can see where this is going to take us...

Hey, I am so sorry but I deleted my status which deleted your post/comment. I didn't delete your post or my status because of what you said. I welcome any thoughts even if they may be diverse than mine.I have been in a long discussion with another more new age person for the past week and the thoughts that I posted were out of a conversation from that.

The point of my post was not about God wrestling with anything, but that he would rather us have free wills and be able to choose than to just be a God over rocks and trees.On a side note, the comment that you made about God not haveing an ego but man does, and then you said that we were of God, implies that God does have an ego...simple math...(man has ego+man is of God=God has an ego)

I don't believe that man is "of" God nor is anything else, but we are his creation. We were created with a free will because He wanted us to choose to love Him, that also opened the door for us not to choose Him, hense the facebook post of God so loves us that He would rather be a God of rebellious free will children than to have created no humans at all.

Again, please note that i did not delete your post because of you are what you wrote but more because I was trying to get thoughts from the group I was with last night, so I moved the status to a private conversation with them.

Sorry,
Church Guy

My response? Yikes...

Hey Church Guy!

Hope your doing well! Didn't realize it was only a post for people of your church friends; No problem. (Oh- can you email me the status you posted? I think it'll be a great jumping point for my Wayne Dyer book review!).

The God we believe in does not have an Ego, though. I can understand your 'simple math'- but while we are Of God, we create an Ego out of what you call our 'free will'. Our 'God having an Ego' for us would be akin to, for example, 'Jesus getting high or running over babies.' Blunt example, but to the point. I don't think Jesus would rob a gas station- unimaginable! But man would.

Quantum Physics tells us that everything is made up of particles, even objects you percieve as one object, like a pen, are actually tiny particles of energy moving at varying frequencies. Everything carries an energy, rocks & trees included. Man, most definitely. God is the source of this energy. God is in everything, every leaf & every raindrop. There are lots of analogies to this in the Bible, but they aren't taken literally in your religion. Men with a need for power were quick to edit the Bible, but that's another entire thing.

So our version of God with no ego wouldn't need man to 'choose him,' but to see that we are Of God, and should learn to love ourselves & others. It's a matter of seeing the 'God' in others for most New Age religions. The God I believe in is humble and intertwined in a different way than the way you believe. It seems that God tries over and over to get the point across. Your very spirit is made of God. The fingerprint on your finger. Maybe God just wants you to be able to see Him in yourself. That's what I believe God would want.

Your view of God and religion is completely the opposite of ours, so I totally understand you deleting the post. Hope all is well with you and yours :)

Here I was with my response, frantic at the idea of this 'simple math', and laden with Wayne Dyer fresh in my memory. Yet also remembering the fact that I should not need ot be right. I should let it go and not respond at all, or respond with a simple "We should just agree to disagree." Unfortunately, I was not yet in a space where I could control myself when it comes to this sort of thing, so I went a wee bit crazy. My husband, on hearing the keys race, looked up the stairs. "Get 'em!" he tells me. I get that 'dog peed on the rug' remorseful moment, but no longer could stop the tap tap tapping of my fingers. To his credit, Church Guy once again responded, but in a softer and more cordial way. He's a genuinely good guy.

And I found my inspiration.

So let's get to it! Wayne Dyer 's The Shift (Taking Your Life From Ambition to Meaning)

The Shift is a companion book to the film of the same name, which I've not seen, so this review is based purely on the book. To me, the statements contained in the first chapter, FROM, while sounding scientific, were some of the most important. In many ways the thought of merging Science with Religion (or Spirituality) has been deadended. But if we try to read through the process, starting with the beginning, you can arrive at the end with maybe a larger sense of reverence for not just God or mankind, but for every little thing.

There is no way to get around it, I just have to jump in with the excerpts. Wayne put it best-

"Remember that quantum physics tells us emphatically that particles do not come from particles. If we reduce that original particle to its subatomic status, it is smaller than chromosomes, atoms, electrons, within the atom- and even the sub-sub-subatomic particles called quarks. Scientists have placed quarks the size of my origination point into a particle accelerator revved up to 250,000 mph and collided it with another quark. The result? Nothing was there. It appears that nothing exists at the moment of the transition into something. Or, as I enjoy saying, 'From nowhere to now here.' All that exists in the world is pure formless energy- no particles.

Modern physics confirms the metaphysics of Genesis, which tells us that everything came from God and it was all good. Similarly, the Tao Te Ching tells us that all being originates in nonbeing. Thus, the question of where we came from is answered similarly by physics and metaphysics. They both conclude that we originated from something that has no form, no boundaries, no beginning and no substance. We are all esentially spiritual beings having a temporary human experience. This is our essence. This is where we come from."

I can feel you tiring of me and the science aspect of this book. We just want to hear about your crazy weekend, you're thinking. But bear with me, because I'm not finished. Again, here's Wayne-

"I conclude that everything is energy; it's all vibration at a variety of frequencies. The faster the vibration, the closer one is to Spirit and understanding where we came from. The pen I hold in my hand as I write these words appears to be solid, yet a glance at it through a powerful microscope shows that it's actually a field of moving particles, with mostly space between those particles. The vibrational makeup of my pen is energy that is slow enough to appear solid to my eyes, which can only perceive objects that fit within a certain frequency."

I'm close to writing the whole book, so let me breathe for a moment. I really wish I could write that entire page, which goes on to talk about thoughts being an energy system, and how they can be measured, but I'll just say that you can find that information on page 14, along with that last paragraph. So do you got that?

Everything is energy (Spirit. Of God. There is nothing that isn't). God did not create us in his image, he created us of his very being. What is God's name? I Am. It may seem mystical, or you may just not connect with the science of it. But let's start with that. I'm not in general a deep person, maybe that's the wrong word; I'm pretty Simple. At times quirky, but mostly simple. So I have to throw in that my mental train of thought does find itself choo-chooing down winding valleys, and the energy/spirit/we begin as energy and end as such made me start thinking of my dog (he's doing well, thanks) and reincarnation.

That never ending question of whether people reincarnate as plants or pets reincarnate as humans kept surfacing. Yes, I understand the goal is to alligned our thoughts-energy with the Source, so does this change our evolution as well? Can my dog reincarnate as a human in a future form? Does our energy shift what we resurface as? Not that I need to know today, but I can't stop the train. The Dalai Lama could have very well been a dolphin in his last life...or who's to say he won't be in his next? Does anyone actually know which species is the more spiritually advanced? My money may be on dolphin. I'll get back to you on that.

So do you have this so far? The slower the vibration of somethings energy, as in the pen/object. The higher the speed of energy, sound, light, thought, all very fast. Faster=more alligned with Spirit. Negative emotions literally make the body weak, as more positive thought keep us alligned with God and give us strength.

The idea is to remember our origin, the need for allignment, and in finding that place & recognizing the Source within us, we can live a life fulfilled. (Can you imagine? A Fulfilled life, not a 'good' life or a 'happy' life- while you'll find that too, and you may already feel you have those qualities, I think people in general are missing the fulfillment part).

We are taught Ambition at an early age, gaining praise for accomplishments. Before long we are running in the rat race, and those of us not 'fast' enough can easily feel out of place, or unnecessary, regardless of what we do. Do you know what your place is... or only what you feel you have to achieve to even have a place?

"Ego insists that we traverse from nothing to something, from being no one to being someone, from oneness to twoness, from unity to separation. It is this journey that requires us to Edge God Out and learn to believe in a false self. Ego's number one job at this stage is eliminating our nobody status by encouraging Ambition and creating a new (albeit false) identity."

Wayne goes on to list six components of the Ego, which I'm going to kinda sorta throw together for the review-Who I Am Is What I Have, What I Do, What Others Think of Me, I Am Separate from Everyone Else, From What is Missing in My Life, From God I fully realize that on the surface, my sweet reader, you don't feel you are what you have or do. You don't care what people think of you. You aren't separate, um, just different. But do we even need to feel 'different' and is that not a sly way of Ego saying that we are separate? Hmmm. Ride what I call the 'night-boat' with this current. Here are a few of my favorite passages from this section (WD)-

"Believing that who we are is defined by what other people think of us cripples the joyful spontaneity of our authentic selves. If others disapprove, and their opinion defines us, then we modify ourselves or shrink from view. Our image of ourselves is located in them, and when they reject us, we no longer 'are' at all. The ego's way of dealing with this dilemma is to adapt to everyone else's opinions. If they think we're stupid, we attampt to convince them to think otherwise by trying to be the person they want us to be. We cease to exist except as a reflection of what others think."

When we give more credence to the opinions of others than to our own self-assessments, we deny the very wisdom that created us. The more we integrate these egoistic beliefs, the more we tend to believe in our own self-importance. Our drive to accumulate and achieve ultimately causes us to forget that our intrinsic value is our connection to our spiritual self. In other words, our connection to our Source of being becomes obscured in favor of pleasing ego's ideas that we are what other people's egos think of us!"

You know already the concept of Oneness, heard in many different analogies, One tree many branches, one wave on the ocean, & Wayne references the fingers and toes, body parts on one human body. This doesn't mean that we all are supposed to do the same things or enjoy the same things...If your right index finger goes digging for gold, the lefthand pinkie may have a harder time with that task, more suited to scratch your left ear, but know this- the gold digging finger will resurface. It never leaves its Source.

Dr. Dyer's The Shift is a book about recognising our Oneness, letting go of our Ego's and therefore finding a greater connection to everything around us. He's been a constant source of inspiration for so many, and while I could write pages and pages from the book, At only 111 pages, you could easily check it out. As I read about Wayne Dyer's own personal Shifts in life, I looked back at my old paperback copy of Your Erroneous Zones, the wild twinkle in his eye, and then to my copy of The Shift, a different man, still ultimately compelling, but more wise. (I am not fooled by it. If you watch Wayne's PBS specials, you see the magic. Dr. Dyer is a stunning blend of integrity and humour. I hope he never loses this playful side). On that note, The Shift is a concise book, getting straight to the point, at some times too straight; Wayne ain't playin. His own mantra-

Let Go and Let God.

You know, long ago I was reading a copy of Light & Consciousness, and there was a passage about throwing pebbles in the river. The water has to go around the pebble, and makes waves. Soon you have rapids, you've thrown so many pebbles in. Many times you see this, people addicted to drama and chaos, even seeming bored when their lives are peaceful. If this is you (I know its not, my sweet little darlings are not pebbles throwers. Never!) take a breath and try to restrain yourself. You don't always have to try to prove yourself. Let it go.

Negativity makes you weak & kindness matters. When you makes things rough for others, you make it even worse for yourself.

I'm making small measures in different directions, like a puddle of water that expands outward, and get a little closer to being the me I like everyday. I should have given myself a wee kick when I found myself hastily responding to my friends religious comments. The U-turn from the Ego can be a slow and challenging process!

If it makes you feel better today, You are right. (I am right. haha! I smile in my heart...) But you (or I) don't have to say so.

"All of us can get into the habit of living a life based on service without expectation of reward by simply adopting a practice of radical humility. This is one of the key components of highly evolved people. Just observe how nature operates: The ocean stays low yet gains tremendous strength. That's because all the rivers and streams ultimately flow down and come to it. As the Tao Te Ching reminds us:

Why is the sea king of a hundred streams?

Because it lies below them.

Therefore, those desiring a position

Above others must speak humbly. "

Just smile, walk away & have a cool day.

Show me what you're made of? You don't have to do that. Just find out what you are made of, then make the most of it. Much love to ya.

( I did receive this book free of charge, but I am not a paid endorser of Hayhouse books or products.)

Chants of a Lifetime by Krishna Das - Taking me out of my box, or um, making me see i was in the box?

I’ve tried for many things, sent out many manuscripts, applied for writing jobs, and to be honest, I may very well have lost more essay contests than I care to admit. I try, I fail, then I move on. So I didn’t really expect much when I applied to review Hay House new releases. Though there was no money involved, merely the chance to read books from a publisher I adore, I wrote it off that I’m generally unlucky.
Surprise…I checked the mail and there was package from Hay House. Did I buy anything? I didn’t remember. I pulled out a letter, and realized they picked me. Based on my blog, they chose the first book to be-

Chants of a Lifetime by Krishna Das.

Hmmm. Strange. An awesome opportunity, but a book that seemed completely out of my box. Could I even read an entire book? As strange as it seems, I’d not read an entire book since my brain surgery, chocking it up to eye issues, or perhaps not remembering what I’d read the previous day. Maybe I couldn’t even read it.
But then, maybe I could. Was there any way that the universe would drop this thing into my lap by accident? I decided to try, and here’s my honest review for ya. With love.

Chants of a Lifetime is a book about a man, Krishna Das, and the spiritual path that led him to Chanting. I always thought that my religious views were extremely open. I’m Unitarian Universalist, leaning towards the New Age side of things. I quickly realized how narrow my sight was, when the main character of the book was brought into play…Maharaj-ji. Maharaj-ji is a spiritual leader many Westerners devotedly followed, someone who had incarnated to the point where they were entirely of love.

This was difficult for me, as I grew up with God Energy and no in between. I had no spiritual teacher that I could stick in that spot in order to relate. How could it be that someone could see another in the flesh and feel that kind of love? I had to think about it for a minute, and found a solution that could work in Steve Bell, an old Jewish guy my family dearly loves. A white bearded Psychology professor, Steve once loaned me the book Ishmael, and after reading it, I couldn’t return it. His scribbled notes and underlinings meant that this was something he cared for, and I clung to it as it were sacred, because what he thought good must definitely be.

After a long Halloween full of excitement, including a birthday party, haunted trail, eating junk food at a restaurant, and a Hayride, when asked what my childrens favorite part of the evening was, their reply?
“When Steve called us his Grandchildren…” my husband and I echoed the girls, knowing there was no better place to be than sitting having tea in those tiny cups with Old Steve.  So for me, I filled in Steve for Maharaj-ji for as far as it would take me.  (Let's not forget Mrs. Bell- pretty spectacular as well as an awesome cook.  If you do a search of this blog, you'll find her chicken soup recipe near the beginning).

Krishna’s relationship with Maharaj-ji at times seemed as though he was one of the apostles of modern times writing about Jesus, and I did gain insight, oddly, into the Christian religion through reading this book. Living in the Bible belt, Jesus is quite the celebrity, which I pushed against, thinking about the Hypocrisy of believers than happen to banish all other spiritual paths other than their own. Reading Chants of a Lifetime opened me up to the idea that maybe I needed to expand my own thought patterns; I may have been wrong to relate Christianity to a closed off point of view. The idea that I thought Christians were closed minded showed that not only was I equally closed minded, but reminded me that as a Unitarian, I was supposed to be supportive of everyone’s right to their path. Because I had no guru, I discovered that I didn’t want others to have that either. Because I did not feel there was a difference between how one arrived at their spiritual niche, a part of me felt that someone was only worthy if they accepted all forms as well as their own. That was me being the Hypocrite.

Krishna Das writes,

“We see ourselves as separate and different from other people. On the level of thoughts, physicality, and emotions, we certainly seem to be. This is the “optical delusion,” and yet it is what we experience. My stuff revolves around a different planet than yours. You have your planet, I have mine. But on the deepest level, our planets are actually each a reflection of the same thing- the Self, the One - like the moon reflected in different pools: one moon, same light, many reflections. When the pool of water is calm and there is no debris floating on the surface, all of the reflections are identical. To the extent that we experience that, the way we live our lives changes. The true guru gradually frees us from this “optical delusion,” whether he’s guiding us from “within” as a manifestation of our own true Self, or from another human body that appears to be “outside” of us. Whether or not we meet the guru outside of us at some point in time, all of us have the guru inside as that place within us knows.”

And with this paragraph, I was able to let go of my need to stick a spiritual human guru of my own in place of Maharaj-ji. The true destination is in your heart; finding a place of self love inside you. Seems easy, right? But was I really a fan of me? And if I had to answer that question, it would end up an easy No. But why? And how do I go about becoming a fan of me? Again, I’m going to quote Krishna Das…

“It’s as if we’re living on the front lawn of our own home. We’ve been locked out of ourselves for so long that we forget there is a house to live in. We buy all kinds of stuff and put it on the lawn. Yes, all that furniture and that expensive flat-screen HDTV are on the lawn. Then when they get rained on and ruined, causing us unhappiness, we thinks that’s the way it has to be. We’ve forgotten what a house was for. We’ve forgotten that there even is a house. We’ve forgotten that there is shelter inside of our own hearts.”

Spiritual practice is done in order for us to get back into our ‘house.’ To rediscover that we are all part of a whole, and the whole is Love. This wasn’t too hard for me to comprehend, as it’s something I already believed, but if I’m part of the One- this God Energy, and God = Love, how am I contributing if I am not a fan of me? I’d tried to meditate before, but it just didn’t click. How do you clear yourself of that debris? Even this week, the fact that someone stole my garden gnome from the bike trail was causing me angst. Albeit dorky, I was fretting and wishing that I could implement a surveillance system in the trees. And this wasn’t the first time he’d been stolen. Also, I envisioned bad juju on any location that poor gnome was now placed, in turn placing bad juju in my mind where I placed the thought. How do you meditate with random trivial things stuck in your head? And this is where the Chanting comes in.
Meditating is not the easiest thing to do; and some people cannot begin to quiet their unstill minds. Chanting is a way to get around this. In the repetition of the Name, or these spiritual songs, you have a focus, and that focus does not let your mind drift as easily as say, a quiet room. Things will come and go, but the fact that you have a steady focus makes it easier to leave behind the clutter.
But what do the Chants mean? Good question, and this was something I looked for while reading the book. Who was this? What was that? My analytical mind wanted stories and explanations, and I found none, but the book is written this way for my benefit. Basically, the Energy of the Names = Love. The best way to explain? Again, let’s go with Krishna Das…

“Shirdi Sai Baba has said that Namasmarana, or the constant inward repetition on the Name, is actually God remembering Himself within us. The power of the presence of God is carried in the name:

Beginning with simple repetition, gradually but inevitably,

the Divine power which is hidden in it, is disclosed and takes on the

character of a ceaseless uplifting of the heart, which persists through

The distractions of the surface life.

I love that phrase, “gradually but inevitably.” It means that even if we’re running through a train from the front to the back, in the opposite direction that the train is going, when the train reaches the station, so will we. So much of my life has been spent running in the wrong direction, only to find that I’ve wound up in the right place anyway.

So despite the fact that we don’t know the true meaning of these Names,
Repeating them is still different from just saying the name Frank over and over. By repeating Frank, we remember every Frank we ever know. Many images arise in the mind. But when we say Ram, what image do we get? Most likely, no concrete form appears. And that’s the whole point. The real Ram is not a person we’ve met in our daily life. The real Ram lives in our own hearts and, by repetition of the Name, we are tuning into that essence within us. If it is something we can imagine or make up in our own heads, than it cannot take us beyond our own heads. In this way, the repetition of the Name can free us from our thoughts and allow us to be here in a deeper way.”

In one of his PBS specials (The Power of Intention), Wayne Dyer talks about how even tangible things have an assigned energy. A banana. A rap CD. Everything, living or otherwise, carries an energy. We gather strengths as well as weaknesses from various energies in our day to day lives. This wasn’t hard for me to grasp, and Dr. Dyer’s discussion on Energy was a great prequel to reading Chants of a Lifetime. It made me more open to the idea that chanting could help me be a 'fan of me,' and the repetition of Names that equate Love could cancel out my gnome angst, etc... perhaps make me see how trivial some of my aggravations are.

There are many things in the book I’d love to point out, but my review is quickly turning into a book of it’s own. Are there places where the book falls short?
There were times when I felt a sadness for Krishna Das, especially when he wrote of his own family ties. At times, I felt a Lonely vibe, but maybe I was reading too much into it.  There seemed to be some resentment toward his parents, and I would have loved to have seen his marriage be written about in some other way other than it was. I guess in a way, I expected too much, mentally envisioning him as someone so spiritually evolved that he'd be able to let go, or at least form some sort of connection to another imperfect human outside of his Spiritual family.  I seeked a sacred bond for him in the form of someone in his family to love, other than Maharaj-ji.   But why? 
In the end, Krishna Das is just one of us, still working through his stuff through spiritual practice- that's what the books about. :) He is no better, no worse; Das is us.  That is pretty much what he means to convey, and perhaps that's why he left things in the book for me to question in those ways.  I wish him healing in these areas, because sometimes things that are obstacles are also blessings.

And near the end of the book, I read a passage by Rumi that hit home, and could have definitely been placed closer to the beginning. From the book…

“…I was afraid of everything. And so nothing was happening in my life. This baba saw all of this, and when he showed me- and I saw it- everything began to change.

These spiritual window-shoppers,

Who idly ask, “How much is that?” Oh, I’m just looking.

They handle a hundred items and put them down,

Shadows with no capital.

What is spent is love and two eyes wet with weeping.

But these walk into a shop,

And their whole lives pass suddenly in that moment,

In that shop.

Where did you go? “Nowhere.”

What did you have to eat? “Nothing much.”

Even if you don’t know what you want,

Buy something, to be part of the exchanging flow.

Start a huge, foolish project,

Like Noah.

It makes absolutely no difference

What people think of you.

Rumi

(on pgs 195-6)

And here I was. Looking around the room at unfinished business, many a half-painted canvas, novels I’d write a hundred pages into, then write then off as unworthy of finishing. Stacks of things I couldn't throw out, but didn’t have time to sort through either. As much as I try to be a positive person, this book has aimed my eyes at places I wasn’t really looking. It is always going to be easier to aim our love outward.  The book that was taking me out of my box could have shown me I was in the box, wanting something great to happen but only making a half-assed effort.

Time to go inward & be a gung ho participant. Let’s see where it goes!

I’m looking forward to chanting, and can see that my self defeating prophecies may not always come true, regardless of my manifestations. Thanks to Krishna Das for writing this book, and to Hay House for sending it my way.

http://www.hayhouse.com/details.php?id=4593&utm_id=3313

Here’s to a year of spiritual evolution with Hay House. Go for the ride with me.

Much Love, yours truly :D 

Morning, May

Good morning, May. I'm glad to see you!
I drove the girls to school this morning, and found that there was absolutely nothing on the radio. Nada. Okay, flipping through, I heard a few bars of 50 cent's In Da Club, and part of me paused- (Geez, what would Oprah think?) -because I like that song, but looking into the rearview mirror, I decided to plug India Arie into the cd player. Already, when Naomi gets excited about something, she throws her hands in the air,
"It's my birthday! It's my birthday, Yeah!" (In my defense, I think her version comes from a tv commercial.) She's growing up too quickly. There's no stopping her, but maybe I can work on some of the content that goes into her ears.
On one of the Wayne Dyer specials, he talks about how tangible items contain energy. His teenaged son was listened to a rap cd, and he relates this experiment. (I'll do my best to explain it!)
He tells his son to grab a banana off of the counter, then try to brace himself. He then tried to push his son over. The son doesn't budge.
He then tells the son to pick up a cd case. His son braced- and his son went down. The energy in the banana verses that in the cd case was enough to weaken the kid! Many of you are reading this thinking I'm crazy. There is scientific proof that tangible things have energy! There's this great book on the studies of water, and how different things change its structure, such as cell phone's ringing beside it, turning it muddy...as well as encouraging words written on the bottle turning the molecular form of the water into beautiful forms. Really interesting.
Did I go off topic? Stay with me!
If positive enforcement can affect water, think of what it can do for your children? It really puts things into perspective. Does your daughter wear t-shirts with sayings? What goes into your kids ears? Hopefully, something along the lines of,
"I'm so proud of you!" or "I can't believe how lucky I am to have such a great kid!"

It's a great start. I have a bit of spring cleaning to do, so I'm off. Thanks for visiting my blog!
Much much love, Yours truly :)