Collective, by Shawna Ray 3/11/11

When what we sow is what we reap
The energy will feed and seed
The whole, I am collective

We turn the darkness by receiving light
In understanding another's viewpoint
Asking why and listening
Talking less with heartfelt giving
What we sow is what we reap
The energy will feed and seed
The whole, I am collective

We break the cycle sharing ourselves
Staying connected to the Spiritual realm
Loving each other when we are in Love
Lifting our voices, laughing out loud
When what we sow is what we reap
The energy will feed and seed
The whole, I am collective

As we heal
As we grow
As we feel
And let it go

When what we sow is what we reap
The energy will feed and seed
The whole, we are collective
In peace
Collectively
In love
Collectively
We are one 
This energy will feed and seed
The whole, I am, collective

www.shawnaray.com

The Essence of Life

Not that I have it all figured out, but this song came to me today and I just like sharing in real time now that I've figured out the quick copyright for lyrics and don't fear so much anyway...

THE ESSENCE OF LIFE

You smile and now I'm smiling
You bring the best out of me
Suddenly captivated by a need
Wrapping me up in warm blankets of love...

The essence of life, I finally get it
And feel so alive; completely exhausted
Love multiplies; the sum is the total
I find the essence of life

You laugh and get me laughing
You cry and reach inside of
My soul; it blows my mind when
I look into your eyes
Wrapping me up in warm blankets of love...

The essence of life, I finally get it
And feel so alive, completely exhausted
Love multiplies; the sum is the total
I find the essence of life

Flash forward through your life
You're catching me in height
Asking hard questions
I have to make right
Moments in time
A balancing axis
So please understand
It's imperfectly perfect

The essence of life, I finally get it
And feel so alive, completely exhausted
Love multiplies; the sum is the total
I find the essence of life
Giving me up in the lessons of love...
Wrapping us up in warm blankets.

(I was thinking of my children when they were tiny babies and completely captivated me in love. I still don't understand how some people, including my kids' father- miss that! But then this song broadened and I can also picture any caregiver, lover and life traveler who reaches beyond self to discover the essence of life, even for just a moment) hmmmm 3/7/11 shawna ray
www.shawnaray.com

Expanding my horizon

I've been tumblr blogging this year and have felt safe and comforted there. I enjoy sharing pictures and music and surfing through random posts in that very creative community. But I really do want to stay OPEN and share my songs, lyrics, stories and writing ramblings to a wide audience, in the form of a sort of musical memoir. So, I am trying to figure out what’s next?
Possible rejection from agents, editors and publishers is so freakn scary! To avoid it, I started my own company; Rhythm Ray Inc. to self published my children's book, "Take a Trip to Diverse City" after one and only rejection letter from my unsolicited submission to Harper Collins. It was actually a very nice letter, first from the Children's Division president saying that she was passing my book on to the editor, followed by the Harper Collins editor’s letter saying that it just didn't fit in their program list at the time. Rather than keep trying, I published myself and have enjoyed sharing at schools, community festivals and churches. I figured I needed to build a platform as a first time author. First print of 1,000 with Winter’s Press sold, then Rhythm Ray printed a special edition of 5,000 sold with a CD music version of the book with Atlanta music group B5.
I thought my background in Public Relations would allow me to do it all myself, but I hadA LOT to learn. I absolutely HATE promoting myself is the first thing I learned real quick. As a single Mom, this has been an adventure and humbling poverty experiment. I did have the opportunity to share on The Today Show, nominated by my daughter Kaiya and chosen as one of the finalists on a CBS Special, "America's Favorite Mom" in 2008, sponsored by Teleflora. That seems like forever ago! Last year I self published my first album of original songs, "Open" with an inheritance gift from my Grandmother after she passed away. I had lost my job and have struggled to find work in this recession, moving in with my Mom. We about killed each other at first and writing was the one thing that got me through. I am not sure what I expect to come from all this, but it’s been pretty uneventful thus far. I released an album and only performed three shows this year. What the hell is wrong with me? Every time I got a new band together, the guys would move away to find work outside of Columbus, Ohio. This happened three times and since I have been petrified of being alone on stage, the music was OPEN but few people walked through the door. That’s what it feel like anyway. I mean, it has been out there on itunes and such, but I am still broke and undiscovered.
I feel like I have missed way too many steps for far too long. I also auditioned for Oprah’s OWN show, using my last dollars to fly to Atlanta. I didn’t receive a call back. I had started out in Broadcasting wanting to be like Oprah!!! The mantra of so many. Much like my interest in John Mayer’s music; just one of the millions of fans. My inner critic has a hayday with these pipedreams. It feels sort of like a myth and I am taunted by a looming fear and the reality of rejection as if I am still that 11 year old dreamer. I have been procrastinating while babbling and posting in hidden blogs; dabbling in facebook and twitter circus training. Meanwhile, retracing my misteps and mentoring my younger self while tracking this reinvention process in a sort of musical memoir. My book in process is now at 101, 001 words. It's about time I start searching for more outlets. I promised that young writer that I would help her finally follow through this time! I want to prove to my kids that dreams really do come true if you do not give up. Really? Is that true??? All I know is…IM OPEN.

I love you Soooo Much Kaiya

Today is my daughter Kaiya’s 11th birthday. Here is the, “Soooo Much” home video clip of our “love you hand shake” and song chorus, with lyrics below. Last year Kaiya was in an accident with my uncle at our family farm house. She endured a skull fracture, broken foot, broken pelvis and LOTS of stitches, but recovered quickly and is as smart, funny, lovable and creative as ever. Times like these make you treasure every moment. I have blogged some of Kaiya’s art and letters, (if you are out of work like me her letter to God will make you cry). She even started her own web show with a friend and they make up the funniest character skits and parodies, (winkydotme). She and my son are pure love and joy! Being a single Mom is not always easy, but I have so much to be grateful for.

Soooo Much,
by Shawna Ray to Kaiya

You made me a picture and wrapped it in love
You hug me and squeeze my hand two times,
“Guess What?” “What?” “I love you” three squeezes back
“How much?” This much…Hold it, cherish
“I love you soooo much!” I love you soooo much!
I love you soooo much!

CommUNITY Poem

CommUNITY
By Shawna Ray, ©1/21/09 Ref: John 17:23
Poem inspired by 2009 Inauguration Day.
___________________________________________________________________________

Is there a place called Unity
Where we can live in community?
With love at the center, a true sense of peace
Even when at times we do not agree?

Is there a common ground where we stand?
Open to reach across many lands
Giving and helping with loving hands
Finding the strength to begin again

Are there friendships that break through walls?
Moving beyond what seems comfortable
Breathing the moments when we get to know
New friends that help us to learn and to grow

Is there a place called unity?
Inviting each soul to whole, complete
Walking in faith as we learn more daily
Seeking to understand other’s beliefs

There we accept and humbly embrace
Differences of culture, religion and race
In God I trust, forgive and give grace
Friendships take patience, commitment to wait

Sharing communion, sharing this life
Playing and laughing; spending the time
Showing a love flowing from the divine
Open to questions and wonderings why

Come Unity! Come through, come along
Come forth, Come back, Come one, come all
Come on, come about, come across, come down
Come to the point where hope abounds

Let us live freely; celebrating diversity
Reviving our nation; uniting families
Together with God’s heart, mind, spirit and body
Serving and loving, commUNITY

Celebrate ONE Day of Unity on 11-11-11

With a heart and passion for unified diversity, I received a vision in 2007 for a day of unity, “That ONE Day” as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of in his “I Have a Dream” speech. I have a dream that ONE day, 11-11-2011; we will come together in unity to celebrate our diversity and connect in commonality, building peaceful, mutual relationships beyond cultural boundaries.
Personally stalled while still searching for a job to bring in needed income to support my family as a single Mom with two children, and still writing songs and stories independently, I have no idea how any of this will come about. I just have to get it out there and would love to share more of these ideas and work toward this goal, recruiting a leadership board of empowered visionaries who can help to make this happen. I am sure I am not the only one who received this call! In John 17:21-23, Jesus prayed, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…That they may be one as we are one; I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity…” This is NOT about religious agenda. Every ONE is welcome in my heart. “Seek first to understand, then to be understood,” as Stephen Covey taught in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Auditioning for Oprah’s OWN show in Atlanta with ideas for a program called OPEN that would help connect and foster understanding among people of different cultures and backgrounds, I felt confident that was the way to go, but did not receive a call-back. I still love ya Oprah!
So, I have been drawn to 11:11 since I was a kid and it usually comes with some sort of “aha” moment or when I wake up from a dream of significance, that I notice the time on the clock and say a prayer or make a sort of “wish” when I was younger. For a while I even experimented with holding my breath until the clock changed to 11:12. Ya, that’s just goofy. Anyway, I don’t know what all this is about, but I’m finally getting up the nerve to share the vision I woke up with on 11-11 three years ago. I recently searched 11:11 and found some very interesting articles on the web where people shared similar stories. Some of the 11-11 stuff creeps me out, but obviously there is something going on. I have found some very cool websites and there is a day of peace on 1-1 and some amazing earth work happened on 10-10-10 this year, so that’s cool. It could just be like when you buy a certain type of car; you tend to notice them more on the road. Our mind connects us when we become more conscious of things. Obviously we were made with these senses for a reason and maybe it is a way we might also be intended to connect and unite in this. Incidentally, when I was posting this blog initially, I looked up at it was, oh ya, 11:11. OK. I like to think that it is because we are ONE.
Moving forward, if there is anything you can do to help, I am seeking positive peace partners to join with me in this mission. I would greatly appreciate your consideration, support, and prayers. Email me, info@shawnaray.com to connect. For more information on my qualifications as a Public Relations professional, see http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnaray. And as soon as funds are available, I will get this website up and running at www.thatoneday.com
Thank you. Keep it open,
Shawna Ray
www.shawnaray.com

Season of Change, a song by Shawna Ray

Sentimental seasons, necessary change
Equivalent reasons for joy and pain
Questioning direction, I find I’m asking why
Feel the helter-skelter shifting over time

Silence in the winter, growing in the spring
Laughter in the summer and autumn brings the wind

Blowing by, colors fade and we fall, but get back up again
There’s a time for each season of change

Every shade of color has a different hue
Single source of light is giving each their view
I can’t see the end but circles come around
Evolving creation speaks without a sound

Silence in the winter, growing in the spring
Laughter in the summer, autumn brings the wind

Blowing by, colors fade, and we fall, but get back up again
There’s a time for each season of change

I see light from the clouds and a rainbow appears
I see bloom from the trees and the growth in our years
I see LIFE all around through our laughter and tears
And each season, each season of…
Silence in our winters, growing in our spring
Laughter in the summer then autumn brings the wind
Blowing by, colors fade, and we fall, but get back up again
There is time for each season of change
A time for each season of change