On Friendship

There is a difference between an acquaintance and a friend.  An acquaintance is someone known causally and may even be someone one sees and does things with.  But friends are two people who are close to each other in an intimate and familiar way.  They enjoy each other's company and can rely upon each other, but most importantly they can trust and confide in one another.  Friends share each other's joys and sorrows.  And through sharing and listening, they are able to perceive what each other's thoughts, ideas and situations are, so overtime a relationship develops where there is understanding without words.  A true friend is someone who is compassionate, one who is able to feel the pain and suffering of his or her friend as if it was their own.  A loyal friend is valuable should be treasured and treated with care and kindness.  Someone said once, that "friends are our chosen family."

How Beautiful after the Rain

It is interesting to live where there are mountains but you can't see them.  It is such a thrill to drive down the street, especially in the morning when the sun is coming up, and see the Santa Monica mountains, when before a rain there was nothing.  In Colorado Springs for example, one sees the mountains all the time and usually a bright blue sky.  Smog is one of the well known problems we have in Los Angeles.  Even the word smog, used as a verb, is defined as a covering or enveloping something.  A good rain, however, will not only make the air clear and clean, but the trees are so much greener and the flowers smell so much better.  Even the lights at night from my window sparkle more when there has been a rain, and the stars seem more alive.  I made some analogies last night in my blog and this topic eases into another one:  the rain is like our challenges, they cleanse us and cause new growth as the rain does in nature.  I don't exactly like to be out in the rain, especially driving, but being home hearing it on my roof is comforting.  It is so cozy to have a fire and the company of my kitties Joey and Timmy.  Add a good book or music and the evening is perfect.  We don't get much rain in this area, but when we do, it is always a thrill to see the mountain peaks topped with snow.  Another reason, besides growth, to welcome the rain.

Human Beings and Flowers

I have flowers blooming, and plants growing, in January.  Being originally from Wisconsin it is hard for me to believe I have a garden on my patio now, one of the nice advantages of living in Southern California's climate.  I am hard pressed to tell you the names of the flowers and plants because I just buy what looks nice together and blends well with each other.  I am not concerned with their names, scientific or otherwise.  I do know some of my flowers are carnations, pansies, bouganvilla, geraniums and beautiful rose plant with one red rose.  The bouganvilla, geraniums and the rose plant need to be pruned, and after a period of being dormant, they bloom again even more vibrantly.  It is almost painful for me to cut my flowers back because it is almost as if I am being trimmed as well, and actually, as an analogy, that is true. In the flower world, as well as the human world, we not only go through cycles of inactivity or dormancy, but the trials and tribulations we go through could be considered like the pruning process so we can grow.  My red rose blooms all year and is so beautiful and yet it has thorns.  Making another analogy, we, like roses have our thorns, or flaws.  Perfection is only an ideal.

The Importance of Hope

Someone once said to me that they hoped I would feel better.  I wasn't in a very good place and this didn't seem like a very strong word for someone I thought really cared for me, so I looked up the word in the dictionary.  I was surprised to find out that "hope" is a very effective and encouraging word.  It is the feeling that what is wanted can be had, that events will turn out for the best, something that is looked forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.   We use the word many different ways and to many different degrees:  "I hope it won't rain," to "my hope is that I can handle challenges in the positive way that you do."  Probably the most important use of the word hope is in 1st Corinthians, the famous chapter on love in the Bible.  The 13th, and last verse of Chapter13, reads:  "Faith, hope, and love abide and the greatest of these is love."

People of the Light

In 2009 I wrote a story about light overcoming dark paralleling two types of people, those who live in the light and those who live in the dark.  The following is based on this story.  Have you ever been anywhere when someone walks in the room, and whether you know them or not, something strikes you, and you may not even know what it is?  It is true that some people exude energy, or, if you will, they seem to glow.  I think that people who know God, a Higher Power, a Universal Intelligence, however, you think of that which is bigger than we are, shine a strong light.  By light I mean the fruit of the spirit:  gentleness, goodness, faith, peace, love, joy, long-suffering, meekness and self control.  People not of the light, on the other hand, live in darkness as well as cast a shadow on other people, places and things. They have one or more of the seven deadly sins:  anger, lust, pride, envy, gluttony, greed and sloth, live in negativity and in general are miserable people.  They are often confused, searching for what gives them comfort, but looking outside of themselves to find peace and happiness.  They do not count their blessings and have gratitude for what they do have.  Whereas people who live in light find all these these things as well as work to make themselves the very best people that they can be loving their life, themselves and their neighbors.  People who shine light frighten those who live with sin in darkness because the light holds them up to scrutiny, exposes them, and that is the last thing that they want.  An example of the light of the spirit vs. the darkness, is when someone is in this world who is a truly good person, a person who serves others and loves God.  A person who seems not to be of this world and exemplifies the fruit of the spirit.  The light shinning through the goodness of a godly person projects a calm, a peace and a glow.... the glow you see.  The light of their spirit shows through their eyes and the eyes are the window of the soul.  This is what is the indescribable of what you see when these people walk into a room.

Do you Take Things Personally?

Last night I wrote about being your own unique self, marching to the beat of your own drummer. Tonight I want to ask if you take things personally, because I do.  As much as I would  like to think I say, do and act according to who I know (or think) myself to be, or the image I want to project, there is a part of me that wonders if I will be accepted.  As I get older being accepted is not as important as it used to be, but who doesn't want to be liked and approved of.  However, if we are indeed marching to our own drum and to thine own self being true, then we can't set expectations that everyone will like everything we say, do and how we behave.  But then we need to remember that we can't perceive to know what others think anyway.    If our ego wasn't in there waiting to be recognized we probably wouldn't care what people think of us.  Human beings are so all about them, aren't they?  Have you ever known a red fox to worry about other animals thinking he is too flamboyant with his beautiful red coat, or for that matter, a grey fox envying a red one.  It is not only freeing to not be concerned about our impact on someone, it becomes so much less "all about me."

Do you March the the Beat of Your Own Drummer or are you usually on the Bandwagon?

In today's world it seems like everyone wants to be like everyone else, from what we wear, to often how we behave.  Do we think that someone who stands out is eccentric or trying to get attention? It seems most of us have a need of fitting in and/or being validated.  I wonder why we have lost the sense of being who we are, with not only our God given talents, but our foibles and idiosyncrasies. In 1854 Henry David Thoreau wrote poems and essays living near Walden Pond.  The phrase "march to the beat of a different drum" originated from his writing.  It means the person is an individualist and does not follow the herd but their own heart. I'm in this, sometimes happy and sometimes sad life, to do "my thing" going with my instinct and insight as to what I believe is the truth of myself. Who do you think you are, who do you think you were meant to be, how do you imagine your life to be, what inspires you, what talents do you have and  how can they be used, what concerns you, and what do you think you were given your life to do?  Possibility the answers will lead you in directions that will surprise you and will be uniquely yours.

Do you think you can change your thoughts?

Of course you can, but you have to focus and know what your thoughts are and that isn't easy.  It is human nature to live with a stream of thoughts, that many times drive us crazy, especially the ones we have over and over.  The following are two definitions of think:  (used without an object) = to have a conscious mind, to some extent use reasoning and make rational decisions, to employ one's mind rationally and objectively in evaluation of dealing with a given situation, and think (used with an object) =  to have or form in the mind as an idea, a conception, to have in the mind in order to understand, know or remember something, to consider for evaluation for possible action on.  If we are conscious of our thoughts and can rationally evaluate them, and even form them, that means we can change them.  We just have to make a conscious effort to do so.  I am writing about this because of two very poignant quotes I read not too long ago:  "Freedom from the past, or anything for that matter, always comes the very instant you stop thinking about it," and "There's simply nothing that can keep you from the adventures you decide to think about today."  What freedom, and relief, there is in this.

A verb is an action word

Sometimes we don't realize that words like love, hope, and joy are verbs when we put the word "to" before them:  to love, to hope, to be joyful. When we think of these words as verbs it implies that something happens.  We show someone we love them.  We take action. Love flows all around us in giving and receiving,  To hope is to believe and trust that something we desire will come about. And joy is pure delight in what is happening in life and others can't  help but feel it.  These words are not made of material substance like a house, car or money.  They are nebulous and what some people would call touchy feely words.   I am not describing them as such or as emotions or feelings.  I am talking about them as action words that cause effects.  As far as love is concerned for example I am not talking about romantic love, but rather agape, meaning a virtue representing human kindness, compassion, affection, and a benevolent concern for the good of mankind.  You can't put your arms around these words in their essence, they just are.  Sometimes we forget the impact of what words mean and our responsibility to understand them.  I also remind you that to pray is an action word.

Say yes to the present moment

Eckhardt Tolle is certainly the modern teacher of living in the here and now.  He, and I quote, says: "Say yes to the present moment.  It is futile and insane to create inner resistance to what already is."  Granted, we can look back to the past to learn from it, but we shouldn't dwell on it.  Realize it becomes a memory of an experience in the past and then move forward.  Not too forward though, as in the future.  To live in, and for, the future can be frightening because of all the unknowns.  The safe place is to stay in the present time which is what is happening at each moment.  Science tells us a moment lasts 3 seconds.  I try to bring myself back to mindful thinking of where I am and what is happening, especially when I am being troubled by the past or by the future.  I do not mean to negate eternal life.  Actually, just the opposite.  We are a part of an eternal life.  I believe we come from the essence of God and the Universe and go back into it.

Power of Attraction????

To think positive became very popular when Norma Vincent Peale wrote the Power of Positive Thinking.  Today the modern philosophers and psychologists and many others talk about the power of attraction, positive or good thoughts, attract good things, and negative thoughts attract negative, or bad, things.  It actually makes sense because everything is made of energy and energy has a positive and a negative, just like a magnet.  Have you ever felt the energy of someone when they walk in the room?  We also hear how if we want to be a certain way, or want things to go a certain way, to imagine it being so.  Visualization is a very popular concept and supposedly works.  Other than I know to think positive is a good thing I haven't put much faith in the power of attraction or visualization.  I don't know why, I guess I am just afraid it might not work and I will be disappointed, but then that is kind of like praying isn't it?  And, prayer does seem to work.  I picked this as a topic for my blog today because I am going to see what happens when I think positive about things in my life that I want to happen and also at the same time visualize and imagine them already being true or coming to me. Maybe I will find it works, I'll let you know.   I like the following quote by Alan Cohen, "the best way to get what you want is to realize you already have it. "

It is fine to talk the talk...

but at the end of the day, if you didn't walk the walk, what have you really achieved intrinsically. What we say and do may sound good and even help others, but if we really just preach without practicing what we preach we are not really true to ourselves.  I have so much to say about life and living and try to be real careful, especially when talking about beliefs and principles, that I follow them in practice.

Stop, focus, and don't become overwhelmed

I read a statement yesterday that said....."trying to escape the constant stream of so much information....."   In today's world there is just so much to read, listen to, and just think about.  We have so much information at our fingertips that it becomes overwhelming.  I know for me, reading the paper can be daunting.  I find the healthiest thing for me is to take one step at a time, read one paragraph at a time and not let the next paragraph or the next moment (what we think we should be doing the next moment) interfere.  In other words, focus on one thing at a time.  I know many people watch TV to escape, but for me, I go into the silence and breathe which leads to a quieting of my mind and a relaxing period of meditation

I like the word muse

The word muse, as a noun, means to think or meditate in silence, as on some subject....to gaze meditatively or wonderingly.  As a verb it means to meditate on....to comment thoughtfully or ruminate upon.  And the adjective musing means absorbed in thought, meditative, reflective and contemplative.

Introduction

I am going to write each day about how I feel about life. Today I am encouraged that I am reaching the closest to peace that I have ever been.  It isn't the fun and excitement of a high, but then I am not depressed either.  I am happy actually, albeit a little bored.  I think that will change though because when one is aware they are bored, and if they don't like it, they can do something about it.  It is not that I don't have anything to do, or am lonely, I am just used to having life be more flamboyant, not that I don't think I have personally lost my panache.  It is one of my hopes in this blog that you will get a sense of what joys life can bring and a certain sense of what is right and wrong.  If we had the same policies and procedures, philosophies, and the same sense of of what was right and wrong throughout the world, it would be a better place. Each blog may not exude joy, but there is more to the fruit of the spirit in patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, faith, love, and self control as well as joy.  These things are what I try to live my life by.  I attend a writing class and I have published in the paper, but more note worthy are my personal journals and the ethical will I have left for my family (my beliefs and what I want to leave behind as a legacy).  It is my firm belief that helping others is our purpose.  Helping others to achieve a higher consciousness as to who we really are and what is important in life.