The Phoenix Rises...

The phoenix is a mythical bird...

According to legend, it has a 500-1000 year life cycle...

Near the end of the life cycle, the bird builds itself a nest out of twigs that then ignites...

Both nest & bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again.

The new phoenix is destined to live as long as its old self...

In Chinese mythology, the phoenix is a symbol of high virtue & grace, of power & prosperity...

Think about that for a minute...

It is a beautiful analogy for all of our lives...

We have all been burned - Some more then others...

However each of us continues to rise from the ashes...

Sure we may fall and there are days when there isn't a hand in sight to help us up...

I have fallen and gotten up more times then I care to count...

There are some days when I feel like I am drowning and there is no land in sight...

Like a candle in a hurricane (as Rascal Flatts puts it)...

These are the days that I look back on with pride...

I am stronger today then I ever thought possible...

I am doing new things that I never thought I could do...

I have new/old friends that I adore...

I am becoming happy and for so long I never thought that would return to me...

I didn't stay in the ashes and suffocate...

Like the phoenix, I rose, spread my wings and now I am soaring...

Can you guess where this is?

I am going on a vacation by myself...

This is where I am going for 4 days next month

I will be leaving on Halloween...

I have never gone anywhere by myself as you all know and this opportunity has presented itself in the form of a working vacation...

2 of the 4 days that I will be there will be filled with meetings and conferences...

I am nervous and maybe a little scared but I am going to do this...

I have things I need to prove to myself and this is a good place to start...

I need to find balance within myself and the 2 days I won't be working, I will be alone, on an intense soul searching mission...

If any of you know what I do for a living, then it won't be to hard to figure out where I am going :)

CREED (new song "Rain" released today whoo-hoo!)

I Feel It's Gonna Rain Like This For Days

So Let It Rain Down And Wash Everything Away

I Hope That Tomorrow The Sun Will Shine

With Every Tomorrow Comes Another Life