Lemons, Love, and Rippling Light

One of my greatest teachers of love, generosity, and appreciation lives in my backyard.

She has grayish-brown bark, vibrant leaves, and a canopy that keeps expanding. Every year, she provides enough fruit to feed a small village—let alone friends, family, and neighbors.

It is a mind-blowing exercise to ponder the fact that Lulu, my lemon tree, came from a single seed smaller than my pinkie. She now generates about 3,000 lemons a year, if not more. The joy these little yellow packages of sunshine provide is incredible.

Every year, I save up to send boxes back east and up north to so many I love. I share with the health-conscious crowd at the center where I do cold plunges. We inspire the neighbors’ batches of limoncello. My sister-in-law’s sister-in-law has bonding time with her daughter over lemons. My childhood neighbor and I have rekindled our friendship over citrus joy. And random strangers have felt the love as I play neighborhood lemon fairy!  I keep bags in my car to share with store clerks and service providers.

My folks have shared them with accountants, pharmacists, and doctors who marvel at the toy-football-sized fruits compared to the golf-ball-sized ones in their grocery stores.

A single seed planted so many years ago by someone I’ll never know has grown into a yearly season of love.

And my gosh, the love I experience from this tree is incredible! Every day, I drink water flavored with her sweet-and-sour elixir. I enjoy homemade lemon curd for dessert. I sprinkle lemon powder on my food. I’ve cleaned my sink with lemon vinegar, enjoyed Moroccan-inspired dishes with preserved lemons, created lemon garlic paste, made lemon syrup, lemon honey infused with cinnamon and cloves… and the list goes on!

The seeds of love that you plant will also grow and give in ways you may never imagine.

Many times, those in heaven have shared moments that seemed so small on Earth yet proved to be profound as they witnessed their ripple effectfrom the afterlife. A single kind thought shared with a stranger changed that person’s life, their outlook, and the wisdom they shared with family. It became a good thought passed on and shared on social media by their kids. It rippled in ways they could never have imagined.

In another case, a single wish to help clean up the oceans rippled through souls planning to incarnate, who decided to create entire lives dedicated to this cause. You have no idea how the seeds of love you plant will grow. Share them when you can.

My very giving tree has demonstrated the love of the Divine in so many ways. The year my neighbor moved in and expressed a love for lemons, Lulu sent branches laden with fruit over the fence. The year I joked that I couldn’t reach so high, her branches bent low enough for me to pick half the tree without a ladder. This year, when I said I couldn’t reach the last hundred fruits, she started dropping them as the weather warmed—right when I wanted a few more fresh ones to zest.

So while I am aware of the terrible things going on in the world, I have love growing in my backyard. And I can watch the hateful bombings on the news, or celebrate being bombarded by falling lemons.  I can sink into sadness—and sometimes I do—or I can contemplate the connection and kindness inspired by nature itself and try to emulate her unconditional love for all being. Inspired by my giving tree and all the love she shares, I want to give more, share more, uplift more, and be more. I want to be a positive influence—a bit of sunshine in the lives of those who seek it, to the degree that I am able.

I want to sit in silence and pray for all beings to know Divine love, protection, and grace.

I watch nature, witness her cycles, and remember: all upon the Earth is temporary, but love remains. The lemons come and go, but the connections are forever. The wars and horrors come and go, but the desire for peace, kindness, connection, and compassion grows. In our willingness to refrain from dignifying darkness, we empower a kinder future.

So while we may be powerless over world events, global weather patterns, and mass consciousness, we are powerful within our own sphere of influence. Energetically, with our love, we ripple the pond of human consciousness. When we sow seeds of love, we never know how they’ll grow. Your prayer might be the wave of love that gives someone strength in the midst of chaos.

Every week, I am inspired by brave souls facing tremendous challenges who still reach for the light. I’ve spoken with countless parents who have lost children, and even in the midst of unbearable grief, their love inspires them to reach for and find connection with their dear ones in heaven. After thirty years of readings, I know their efforts will be rewarded with a closeness beyond imagination, and an awareness of heaven’s immense love that would not be possible without that connection.

I’ve worked with people in difficult legal battles—beautiful souls facing attacks from those lost in fear. Yet in their connection with the Divine, they find strength and justice, and I’ve seen them send and stand in so much light that darkness could not prevail.

In even the most dire situations, alignment with the Divine provides strength, guidance, and support far beyond human capacity.  When dwelling in Divine love, which often feels more like unconditional acceptance than “warm fuzzies” of human love, we are open vessels ready to receive more love and wisdom.

It’s not always easy to return to that love. But it is infinitely rewarding.

Here are a few tips to help you stay connected even in challenging times…

1.   Put your feet on the earth

Sensitive souls have a tendency to “pull up roots” when a situation on earth feels unpleasant or unsafe. We can also get tangled up in unpleasant thoughts and become very ungrounded.  (speaking from experience!). And while this little “escape from the planet” might feel safer, you are actually more stable, grounded, and safe when connected to the earth. When your circuits are grounded, your physical vehicle can more easily pick up on the energetic signals of guidance.

So either put your feet on the earth every now and then, or bring in some rocks and let your feet rest on them. Alternately you can imagine the sensations of walking on a beach, a gentle path, or standing barefoot on the grass. Grounding helps your energetic circuits handle the energy more comfortably, even in intense and chaotic times.

2. Love yourself as you are

Unconditional self-acceptance is one of the single best things you can do to facilitate your connection with the Divine.  As you choose to believe in your own worthiness of love, no matter whether you’re feeling positive or negative, kind, sad, or angry, you embrace your true Divine nature.

The human moods are ripples on the surface of a much deeper ocean. When you love yourself as you are, you are acknowledging there is more to you than what you are feeling in the moment, and you acknowledge that all parts of you are worthy of love. That kind of unconditional love is a strong vibrational statement to the universe that says, “I believe I am worthy of love as I am and that I can never disconnect from it. I choose to receive Divine love here and now.”  In understanding your worthiness, you open to receive that love.

3. Give your problems to the Divine

Whether you are fearful, afraid, or have a problem you don’t know how to solve, give it to the Creator and your angels. I often say, “I need you to handle this. Let me know what I need to do and when. Thank you in advance,” and then I go about enjoying my day, trusting that I’ll receive strong guidance when it is time to act. The more you do this with small things. The more you’ll trust that the Divine has your back and will assist you with anything—from “parking spaces to life purpose,” as I like to say.

Choosing to focus on the love in a given moment, even when it is hard, is a skill that can be learned.  If you didn’t have role models who taught you to look for the good, you can practice, become adept at it, and become a role model for others.

When you don’t feel great, stop. Focus on something or someone you can easily love and appreciate. Notice the feelings and sensations of love. See if you can memorize them. Continue to indulge in those good thoughts, and you’ll soon find yourself feeling happier, more loving, trusting your guidance, and more fully alive