Treasures

There are treasures in life,
but owners are few
Of money and power
to buy things brand new.

Yet you can be wealthy
and feel regal too,
If you will just look
for the treasures in you.

These treasures in life
are not hard to find
When you look in your heart,
your soul, and your mind.

For when you are willing
to share what's within,
Your fervent search
for riches will end.

The joy and the laughter,
the smile that you bring;
The heart unafraid
to love and to sing.

The hand always willing
to help those in need;
Ones quick to reach out,
to labor and feed.

So thank you for sharing
these great gifts inside;
The caring, the cheering,
the hug when one cried.

Thanks for the energy,
encouragement too,
And thank you for sharing
the treasures in you.

I do not have to name them but they know who are my jewels! Yes, they will will always be part of my Treasures.

To Inquire from Within

So many of us are in the habit of looking "Out There" for our answers, invalidating our own inner wisdom by assuming that, in some magical way, others may be wiser than we, even about what is good for us. We become other-directed rather than self-directed. One of the biggest reasons for this behavior is that we are terrified of making mistakes. If we follow someone else's counsel, then it is his or her fault if things go wrong. But if we are to take charge of our own lives, we must have the courage to inquire within, find our own answers, and make our own mistakes.

Some times my friends say, "I don't know" when I ask what they want or need in order to be able to make changes in their lives. To free them from their own inner pressure to give the perfect answer I ask, "Well, if you were to take a guess, what would it be?" Almost always they have an immediate and right-on "guess". We are our own best experts. We know what we should do. We are only afraid we do not know or afraid that our knowing will be wrong. It takes courage to listen to ourselves and act on what we hear.

We can learn to trust ourselves by inquiring within. To practice doing this, sit quietly, close your eyes, and for a moment focus your attention on your breathing. Gently visualize your inner wisdom as a graceful butterfly. Admire her beauty, and encourage your butterfly to sit on your shoulder and whisper her wisdom in your ear. Be still and listen. We do now what we want and need, and we can have the courage to accept the results and the rewards of inquiring within.

Sometimes...

Sometimes� even the best of us get stressed out.
Sometimes� we could all use a break.
Sometimes� laughter can solve the problem.
Sometimes� a light heart can save the day.
Sometimes� a carefree attitude can free the soul.
Sometimes� a smile can warm the coldest of hearts.
Sometimes� the right words can change the situation.
Sometimes� it is just not enough...
Sometimes� there is nothing you can do.
Sometimes� you just have to pray.

Always�

God will listen!

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Loyalty, Honesty, Truth, Justice, Inspiration, Compassion

Year of the Dog

May all of us receive the very best the year has to offer.

A Good Woman

This applies to all the women in the house�

A good woman is proud of herself. She respects herself and others. She is aware of who she is. She neither seeks definition from the person she is with, or does she expect them to read her mind. She is quite capable of articulating her needs.

A good woman is hopeful. She is strong enough to make all her dreams come true. She knows love, therefore she gives love. She recognizes that her love has great value and must be reciprocated. If her love is taken for granted, it soon disappears.

A good woman has a dash of inspiration, a dabble of endurance. She knows that she will, at times, have to inspire others to reach the potential God gave them. A good woman knows her past, understands her present and moves toward the future.

A good woman does not live in fear of the future because of her past. Instead, she understands that her life experiences are merely lessons, meant to bring her closer to self-knowledge and unconditional self-love.

Cheers to all my girlfriends! Much love from me to you!

Look for the Hidden Blessings of Difficult Situations

The people whom I admire most in the world say without reservation that the hardest things they had to face, cancer, the death of a child, a bankruptcy, or job loss, had been their greatest teachers and that they were grateful for the lessons. For Rachelle it has been dealing with pain.

When Rachelle was a senior in college, she injured her back. It was the first time her body ever betrayed her. Until then, Rachelle always considered it just a handy container to take her mind where it wanted to go. However, suddenly she could not move, and she had to pay attention to it.

It has been twenty years since then, and her back continues to be one of her greatest teachers. Rachelle has learned a lot about patience (a hard lesson for her) and impermanence (just because it hurts like blazes today does not mean it will hurt tomorrow). Rachelle have learned the value of physical discipline ("No time to do those boring back exercises?" her body says, "I'll show you!"). Rachelle have learned that she cannot push herself beyond limits that often she still do not recognize until after she have exceeded them. That even doing everything "right" is no guarantee she will be free from pain. She have learned to let go of her wanting it to be better, and she have learned about how much she still exist even if she is able to do absolutely nothing. Now, in theory, Rachelle could have learned these things some other way, and perhaps she might have. Nevertheless, the truth of her life is that she has learned them through her pain -- and she is grateful for the lessons, if not for the pain.

Just a suggestion: write down the ten most difficult things that ever happened to you. As you look over the list, can you see the gifts that each of them brought? When you are suffering from some difficulty whose blessing is invisible to you, try saying the following: �I am willing to see the gift in this experience. May the lessons be revealed to me, and may I become stronger and clearer�.

My Cookies

At an airport one night
With several long hours
Before her flight,
She hunted for a book
In an airport shop,
Bought a bag of cookies
And found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book
But happened to see,
That the man sitting beside her,
As bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two
From the bag in between,
Which she tried to ignore
to avoid a scene.

So she munched the cookies
And watched the clock,
As the gutsy cookie thief
Diminished her stock.

She was getting more irritated
As the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice,
I would blacken his eye."

With each cookie she took,
He took one too,
When only one was left,
She wondered what he would do.

With a smile on his face,
And a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie
And broke it in half.
He offered her half,
As he ate the other,
She snatched it from him
And thought.... ooh, brother!

This guy had some nerve
And he's also rude,
Why he didn't even show
Any gratitude!

She had never known
When she been so galled,
And sighed with relief
When her flight was called.

She gathered her belongings
And headed to the gate,
Refusing to look back
At the thieving ingrate.

She boarded the plane,
And sank in her seat,
Then she sought her book,
Which was almost complete.

As she reached in her baggage,
She gasped with surprise,
There was her bag of cookies,
In front of her eyes.

If mine are here,
She moaned in despair,
The others were his,
And he tried to share.

Too late to apologize,
She realized with grief,
That she was the rude one,
The ingrate, the thief!

How many times have we absolutely known that something was a certain way, only to discover later that what we believed to be true... was not?

Always keep an open mind and an open heart, because you just never know...."You might be eating someone else's cookies!"

Four Seasons: The Measure of Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no -- it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but ONLY one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are--and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life -- can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it is winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and fulfillment of your fall.

Do not let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Do not judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Keep Your Chin Up!

On difficult days,
When you feel like giving up,
Try to shed a smile and remember,
That you are not alone, but loved,
You have friends that care for you,
And wish you the best too...
And when you need a hug,
Or a little pick-me-up...

Just remember I am here...
With a heart full of cheer,
To throw your way...
On those difficult days.

Tuesday, keep your chin up!
Everything is going to be okay.

Reducing Stress Naturally

Stress is often a matter of how we frame a situation, rather than the situation itself, and how we react to potential stressors is greatly influenced by our internal reaction to external situations. Although the components that make up stress can be complex, simple steps can help reduce stress.

Try avoiding the following common stressors and see how you feel after a week or two:

Caffeine and other stimulant drugs. Often these make us more jumpy, anxious and fearful, and interfere with relaxation, rest and sleep.

Sound. With a penetrating influence on the nervous system, it is no surprise that some kinds of sound increase our level of arousal and make us tense and anxious.

News. News reports can profoundly affect your mental state, increasing anxiety and possibilities for worry.

Agitated minds. Being around others who are agitated can easily affect your level of agitation. Whenever possible, stick to interacting with those who are centered and calm.

Reducing stress is one way that we can keep our health in balance and prevent illness .

Small Wonders...

...Little Things That Make You Happy

Life is full of little wonders that can make us happy. The sound of a baby's laughter, a good book, the comforting smell of a favorite old sweatshirt, and the warmth from a cup of hot tea are simple pleasures that can easily put smiles on our faces.

These "little things" are easily accessible to us and can be sources for finding happiness. A key to doing so is taking the time to put those rose-colored glasses from childhood back on so you can easily find the joy in all the "little things" that life has to offer.

Finding a puppy rummaging through the laundry basket, trying on that perfect shade of lipstick, or discovering the extra change you left in your back pocket can turn into moments of delight. Like kids digging in the sandbox for buried trinkets, we may even begin to experience happiness when we engage in the seemingly mundane. Figuring out a software program can feel like deciphering a treasure map, and that first sip of tea in the morning can taste like a forbidden delicacy. Swaying to music playing on the radio can turn into an interpretive jig, riding a bike can seem like flying to the moon, and getting a phone call from that special someone can feel like winning the lottery. A pickup game of basketball becomes an exciting match among champions, and observing an elderly couple walking hand in hand can turn into a meditation on peace and contentment.

When we begin rediscovering that the little things in life can make us happy, we naturally want to share this joy with others. We may gush over a friend when we run into them unexpectedly, praise a street musician for their talents, or blow bubbles for the neighborhood kids to chase.

We may even start to think of the little things we can do to make other people happy, which in turn makes us happy all over again. An endless supply of little things and little moments can make us happy.

Always be reminded that all we have to do is look for them, and they will magically start to appear.

Thank You

Friends are very different
In a thousand different ways,
It is the love and special thoughts,
Within our caring hearts,
That will keep us friends always.

Thank You for Being a Friend!

Becoming an Inner Environmentalist

We are becoming more responsible for our planet by adopting environmentally conscious ways of living on Mother Earth in the fervent hope that she will thrive and continue to support us. But equally important to our lives is an increased awareness of the detrimental consequences of inner pollution, caused by self-condemnation, unsupportive relationships, exhausting schedules, unhealed emotional wounds, and a lack of spiritual conviction.

If we are to feel comforted rather than criticized and encouraged rather than futile, we must become an inner environmentalist, cleaning out unwanted feelings and clearing a space for health and wholeness. If your inner-pain is deep-seated and of long-standing, resulting from such traumatic experiences as incest or child abuse, please do not try to handle it alone. Find a therapist or friend who can compassionately and tolerantly stand by you as you courageously sort, discard, and heal unwanted feelings that are polluting your life.

As a small step towards cleaning and clearing, visualize your inner environment as a garage. Is it cluttered with the debris of old pain, impossible expectations, and devaluing assumptions? Is it polluted by the stench of resentment, envy, or self-condemnation? If so, begin to take out the trash! In your mind's eye, dispose of unwanted and outdated emotional rubbish in ways that feel the most freeing to you, even to the point of tearing down and rebuilding the entire garage if that seems to be the right thing to do. When you're finished, survey the newly cleaned or reconstructed garage and savor the order you have restored to it.

Always be reminded that no matter where our emotional garbage originated, it is our responsibility now to discard it, heal it, and free ourselves from it. It is possible, with commitment and courage, to become happy, healthy, and emotionally uncluttered.

Oh, yes! I am currently clearing space.

If You Can't Say No, Prevaricate

Have you ever found yourself trapped at a social gathering you did not want to attend in the first place because you were caught off guard when the hostess invited you? The truth is you did not really want to go, but you did not have any other plans, and you did not have an excuse ready. It has happened to most of us.

I have a friend who for years just could not say "no". Mary Jean is a strong, dynamic woman who runs a successful business and has never had a problem managing a staff of twenty people, dealing assertively with suppliers, or meeting on an equal footing with corporate executives. But when it came to her social life, she'd always been a pushover. She knew it, but she could not bear to hurt people's feelings.

However, she recently found herself fidgeting through yet another dinner party. She realized that if she'd been prepared with a socially acceptable excuse when Jannice had called to invite her, she'd be at home at that moment cozying up on the sofa with a good book. She decided right there, in the middle of Jannice's condominium, that she would never again say, "yes" when she wanted to say "no".

So she'd learned to "prevaricate". She drew up a list of all-purpose excuses, which she keeps by her home and office phones. Now, when people call with invitations to gatherings she has no interest in, she is prepared. Mary Jean is finally reconciled to the fact that just because she may like someone, she does not have to give up her free time to be with them, unless she wants to.

Maybe your social life will dwindle, but you will have more free time than you have ever had to do the things that really matter to you.

Pampering is Permissible

When I ask friends who seem "drained" what they do to pamper themselves, many of them respond uncomprehendingly, as though I have just spoken in a foreign language. To most of us, pampering brings to mind what we do for others. The idea of indulging ourselves is an alien concept. If it does occur, we avoid the idea because it smacks of being spoiled or selfish. After all, we have been taught to be givers rather than receivers.

Margaret, a workaholic, was married to a man who was still a little boy in terms of accepting responsibility at home. She became in her terms, "a ranting, raving witch". Her "witchiness" came from being the only adult in the household shouldering career, housework, and childcare. In the process of trying to change her husband, Margaret had totally neglected herself and her emotional safety net was virtually nonexistent. Her nerves were frayed to the breaking point and she was lashing out in frustration.

She was encouraged to stop working so hard for him and start taking care of herself and then both of them might learn to believe that she was worth taking care of. It was very difficult for Margaret to change, but she began with the small step of allowing herself one hour a week just for the "luxury" of what she wanted to do.

Eventually she realized that she was not only more confident and rested but also a better parent, worker, and wife when she pampered herself a little every day. She is now able to care for herself in small ways, such as saying "no" when she feels like it, and large ways such as taking a trip she has set aside money for. Her children adapted quickly and have accepted and learned from their mother's ability to take care of herself. Even her husband is changing a little. Most important, Margaret is happier and healthier.

As a suggestion, you weave a pampering pattern into your safety net. Make a list of ways in which you would like to pamper yourself, and then, starting with small steps, indulge yourself. You will be better for it!

Emulating Butterflies

Because butterflies are deeply symbolic of our own struggle to grow into our unique beauty and wisdom, they bring a smile to our faces. As with the swan, which also grows into its beauty and grace, the butterfly in its immature larva stage is not at all appealing. But, following a deep inner knowing, it goes into seclusion to allow its destiny to unfold. Protecting itself from outside distractions, it retreats to the darkness and isolation of its cocoon. In due time, as promised by its inner wisdom, it emerges as a winged creature and spends the rest of its life spreading beauty and joy as it gently flies from one flower to another, a symbol of hope and transformation.

As we move through the chaos, confusion, and challenges of everyday life, we should remember we have a winged and wonderful self within us, waiting to emerge from the darkness. Like the butterfly, we need only go into the stillness and solitude - to look within - to find our wise inner-self waiting to transform us through its knowing embrace.

Being gentle and patient with ourselves as we go within is essential. Transformation takes time, commitment, and discipline. Each day we need to give ourselves the blessing of a few quiet minutes of cocooning. We can have the courage to trust the cocooning process and not expect spectacular fireworks or even insights at first.

It takes a while for our minds to become quiet enough for us to hear the fluttering of our inner wings.

Missed Connections

Much human misery and disease derives from self-centeredness, or the inability to transcend the confining limits of the ego world. Depression, anger, loneliness and other immunity-suppressing emotions are rooted in self-centeredness. To reduce any self-centeredness you may have in your life, try making the following connections. Each will help you get closer to achieving optimum health.

1. Connect with nature and earth. Slow down and observe and appreciate nature through walks, gardening, picnics or outdoor activities.
2. Connect with animals. People with pets tend to be healthier, both mentally and physically. The responsibility of owning a pet can put your priorities in focus. Plus, animals provide unconditional love, which is always rewarding.
3. Connect with family. Instead of thinking of family as "immediate" and "extended," try to consider your family as just that: family. Near or far, family is what keeps us real.
4. Connect with community. Interacting with those around you, and the area in which you reside, is a good way to create a sense of strength and comfort for yourself and others.
5. Connect with a higher power. Regardless of what you perceive a higher power to be, sensing a connection with a power greater than yourself is a way to be part of something larger, and to become more connected with it.

Always remember: don't miss out on a single moment... it may never come again.

Secret Asset

It is invisible, but always with us. It brings growth, but also death. It can be our greatest enemy, but also our best friend. It�s always moving, yet unwavering. It can bring hope but also hopelessness. Its nature is change, and it changes nature. It seasons us, teaches us experience, but also erodes us. It can work for us or against us. It is never neutral, and it never stops.

What is it?

Time.

The human race has conquered space. We have cleared out wildernesses and turned them into cities. Travel and telecommunications have allowed us to transcend great distances.

But what about time: Have we conquered time? Most people would answer that we can�t conquer time. We can manage it, but never conquer it, because the clock continues to tick whether we like it or not. We cannot stop the clock nor can we turn it back.

Time is energy. Each moment is potent, filled with enormous power. Each moment is an opportunity, never neutral. By tapping the energy of time, we conquer it. When we utilize and actualize the energy of the moment, time becomes our ally, launching us into another dimension. If we do not use the moment, the moment �dies�, and like deadweight it contributes to the erosion of our beings, as the clock of our lives ticks down.

We have the power to eternalize each moment in our lives. By filling it with meaning and spirit, time doesn�t merely pass but rather becomes a catalyst for achieving immortality.

Be reminded to �Look at your day. How many of its moments are just fleeting specks lost in the shuffle of life. But then comes that one moment � just one second that can turn into magic, into an experience that lives on forever."

Happiness is a State of Mind

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mrs.. Jones, you haven't seen the room.... just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories.

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

When Life Sends You Lemons

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

When life sends me lemons... there's a Lemon Meringue Pie and Lemonade Pitcher right around the corner!

Unconventional Beings

Life is indeed not at all a straight line. Sometimes it bends, curves, goes up or down, goes round and round. Murphy�s Law tells us that whatever will go wrong, will go wrong. Thus, expect a perfectly laid path to be more intertwined, intersected, and interconnected.

These are essential, however, for people to learn, to achieve, to remember, to live a normal and complete life. At the end of every loop, curve and hill, numerous learnings are available for consumption. There are many things that will surely surface out along that bumpy road, i.e. people, places, events, pains, sorrows, joys, triumphs, mistakes, etc. that will make you say �Hey life rocks�.

Some friends are not really great a friend when you are at your bumpy ride but nevertheless their existence during this phase will teach you things that would be necessary in coming up with a much better and wiser you � of course in an unconventional way only people of their kind will be able to understand, though effective I must say.

They know absolutely how to distinguish the right from the wrong by showing you the more blatant choices and options that would make decision making much easier and faster.

These so-called friends can actually lead you to your bends and curves, because for some cosmic reason, maybe it is time for you to go through the phase for there are many things that you need to learn and understand, well, the hard way. Because that is the only way for the learnings to make lasting impression inerasable by time.

Their intelligence transcends orthodox intelligence for they know how to shake your foundation, rattle your core, challenge your beliefs and agitate your stability. Therefore, they are not for the weak-hearted, those who have unstable foundation and insecure value system.

The experience with this type may be fleeting, for our bends and curves happen once in awhile. But the impressions they live behind are powerful enough for us to claim that life will be better, much, much better.

In the end, the friendship that they can offer may come in handy for future use, especially when you want to validate your core existence, for check and balance, or when you want to make a decision that can only be made obvious by them.

With them, you know that a storm ends with havoc and trauma but you can only be optimistic that a rainbow will shine and that you are ready to go back to that straight path ahead of you.

You just cannot get enough of these people and for some crazy reason you are looking forward to your next bends and curves with them.

Rafael, such a good one, very true and real!

Sharing Your Genius

Each of us is born with a specific genius that was bestowed upon us so we can do our part to make this world a better place. All of us have a role that we are uniquely suited for. Imagine our planet without trees, oceans, or clouds. In this same way, when one of us does not develop or use our special gift, a cosmic void takes place.

This unique talent or ability may be hidden from your own sight like a golden treasure buried under shifting sands. Often, we spend so much time dazzled by the talents of others that we can overlook our own gifts. It may even be that our unique ability is something we view negatively. Perhaps we find it difficult concentrating on any one subject for long; meanwhile, others are thrilled by our ability to weave various ideas throughout our conversations. Or, you might think of yourself as "frivolous," when it's likely your charming approach to life casts a light of inspiration that others can't help but follow. It is important for all of us to try to find our special gift and discover how we can best express it. Ask others to name what they think is your most overlooked talent or character trait. Their answers may change your life.

Explore the riches that are yours to express. You may find yourself helping others discover and develop their own blessings. Acknowledge and appreciate the gifts you see in those around you. Tell your neighbor that loves to garden how much her green thumb enlivens the whole block. Thank your coworker for always greeting your days together with a smile. Tell your close friends that their ability to listen makes your world a better place. Our unique gifts are like golden rays of expression that can encircle the world with light.

Treasures

As we search for treasures in our life
across the world online,
like a ripple in the water it
comes to you in time.

For as we count our many blessings,
It isn't hard to see.
That life's most valued treasures
Are the treasures that are free.

It isn't what we own or buy
That signifies our wealth,
It's the special gifts that have no price �
Our Family, Friends and Health.

The Best Things in Life are Free!

Make a new ripple in the water, it doesn't take much.
A gesture of kindness and a loving touch.

Sentimental Lines

Para sa mga hopeless romantic kong friends tulad namin ni Tuesday (salamat sa blog entry!).

�All I can say is, love is something you give unconditionally something that once given don't expect anything in return. I know it is crazy but if you love someone, don't hold back because once you hold something back you love him less. Do not stop loving the people around you especially those you have emotionally invested in. Malay mo, dumating ang time na he will love you back. Say after 13 years? Nah, I am still waiting for that to happen to me. It is confusing, exciting and scary. However, love is the reason why we are alive, why we try to be alive everyday.�

Josie Geller: Sometime you'll kiss someone and know that's the person you're supposed to kiss for the rest of your life.
---Never Been Kissed

The only wrong thing would be to deny what your heart truly feels.
---The Mask of Zorro

You will see a lot of things,
But they will mean nothing to you
If you lose sight of the one you love.
---At First Sight

If you love someone you say it...
you say it right then,
out loud...
or the moment just...
passes you by.
---My Best Friend's Wedding

I would rather have had
One breath of her hair,
One kiss from her mouth,
One touch of her hand,
Than an eternity without it...
---City Of Angels

You will be doing anything
or the one you love...
Except love them again.
---Faithful

Fate exists but it can only take you so far,
Because once you're there
It's up to you to make it happen.
---Can't Hardly Wait

"When you've found that person you want to spend the rest of ur life with, you want the rest of ur life to begin right away."
---When Harry Met Sally

"Sometimes when you hold out for everything, you walk away with nothing."
---Ally McBeal

I hate the way you talk to me and the way you cut your hair.
I hate the way you drive my car.
I hate it when you stare.
I hate your big dumb combat boots and the way you read my mind.
I hate you so much it makes me sick --
It even makes me rhyme.
I hate the way you're always right.
I hate it when you lie.
I hate it when you make me laugh --
Even worse when you make me cry.>I hate it that you're not around And the fact that you didn't call.
But mostly I hate the way
I don't hate you --
Not even close, not even a little bit, not any at all.
---10 Things I Hate About You

"if two people are meant for each other, it doesnt mean that they are meant for each other now."
---Dawson�s Creek

Lois: You know, if somebody had asked me three days ago who the one person in the world I admired most was, I'd have said you. But, without really knowing what that meant. Without understanding that the hardest thing about being you is all the things you can't do. All the cries for help that you can't answer, and how that quietly tears you apart. But it never stops you. And after living a little of that myself, I realized something... something I never thought was possible.
Clark: What?
Lois: I love you more. More than I ever have and more than I ever thought I could love anyone, and so, I wanna ask...will you marry me?
---Lois and Clark

I know it's a cornball thing, but love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? I say fall head over heels. Find someone you love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart... run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because the truth is, there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love -- well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived... Stay open. Who knows? Lightning could strike.
---Meet Joe Black

Man: "Will you love me for the rest of my life?"
Woman: "I will love you for the rest of mine."
---Phenomenon

I guarantee it won't be easy
I guarantee that at one point or another
One of us is going to want to leave.
But I also guarantee that
If I don't ask you to be mine
I am going to regret it
For the rest of my life
Because I know in my heart
You are the only one for me.
---Runaway Bride

Dear Catherine,
I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in so long. I feel I've been lost. No bearings, no compass. I kept crashing into things, a little crazy I guess. I've never been lost before. You were my true north. I could always steer for home when you were my home. Forgive me for being so angry when you left. I still think some mistake! 's been made and I'm waiting for God to take it back. But I'm doing better now. The work helps me. Most of all, you help me. You came into my dream last night with that smile of yours that always held me like a lover, rocked me like a child. All I remember from the dream is a feeling of peace. I woke up with that feeling and tried to keep it alive as long as I could. I'm writing to tell you that I'm on a journey toward that peace. And to tell you I'm sorry about so many things. I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you so that you never spent one minute being cold or scared or sick. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to find the words to tell you what I was feeling. I'm sorry I never fixed the screen door. I fixed it now. I'm sorry I ever fought with you. I'm sorry I didn't apologize more. I was too proud. I'm sorry I didn't! bring you more compliments on everything you wore and every way you fixed your hair. I'm sorry I didn't hold on to you with so much strength that even God couldn't pull you away. All my love. G.
---Message In A Bottle

"The only feeling of real loss is when you love someone, more than you love yourself."
---Good Will Hunting

"I love that you get cold when its 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle in your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend a day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's new year's eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
---When Harry Met Sally

When you love someone,
And you love them with your heart,
It never disappears when you're apart.
When you love someone
And you've done all you can do,
You set them free.
And if that love was true,
When you love someone
It will all come back to you
---Forget Paris

You cannot find true love where it does not truly exist. And you cannot hide it where it truly does.
---Kissing A Fool

I created my very own first breakup rule: Destroy all pictures where he looks sexy and you look happy. Breakup rule No. 2: Until emotionally stabilized, enter no stores. Breakup rule No. 3: Never stop thinking about him, even for a moment. Because that's the moment he'll appear. And finally, the most important breakup rule: No matter who broke your heart or how long it takes to heal, you'll never get through it without your friends.
---Carrie, from the sitcom Sex And The City

"I miss you so much it hurts"
---Sleepless In Seattle

"Half my days I cannot bear not to touch you, the rest of the time I feel it doesn't matter if I ever see you again. It isn't the mortality, it is how much you can bear..."
---The English Patient

Do you believe in love? I bet you don't, you're probably too sensible for that. Have you ever seen someone and you know that if only that person really know you, they'd dump the perfect model they were with and realize that you are the one they want to grow old with? Have you ever fallen in love with someone you've never talked to? Have you ever been so alone you spent the night confusing a guy in a coma?
---While You Were Sleeping

"Anything less than mad, passionate, extraordinary love is a waste of your time.
There are too many mediocre things in life to deal with and love shouldn't be one of them."
---A Dream For An Insomniac

"I'm here to love you, to hold you in my arms and to protect you. I'm here to learn from you and to receive your love in return. I'm here coz there's no other place to be."
---Message In A Bottle

"Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, of what I did, of who I am. And most of all, I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you."
---Dirty Dancing

"When you kiss someone, everything around you becomes hazy... and the only thing in focus is you and this person... and you realize that this person is the only person you should be kissing for the rest of your life... and for one moment, you get, this amazing gift... and you wanna laugh and you wanna cry... coz you feel so lucky that you've found it and so scared that it'll go away all at the same time..."
---Never Been Kissed

"It's funny how we set qualifications for the right person to love while at the back of our minds we know that the person we trully love will always be an exception"
---Ally McBeal

"How can you assume to be friends with someone when all you think about when you look at him is how much more you really want?"
---Dawson's Creek

If two people love each other, but just cant seem to put things together, when would that point be.. when one would say enough is enough? NEVER.
---The Mexican

"So this is love... so this is what makes life divine. I'm all aglow, and now I know. The key to all heaven is mine. My heart has wings, and I can fly. I'll touch every star in the sky. So this is the miracle, that I've been dreaming of... so this is love."
---Cinderella

Don't you understand? That everything I do, I do for you? Anything that might be special in me... is you.
---Great Expectations

One day, you look at the person and see more than you did the day before, like a switch was flickered somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can imagine yourself with.
---XFiles (series)

I feel like the best version of myself when I�m with you... and that makes me doubt everything else.
---Keeping The Faith

Is it possible to be just friends with someone I have these sort of non-moderate feelings for? Or am I doomed forever to just be in love and ultimately significantly hurt?
---Felicity

"There are some people who meet that somebody that they can never stop loving, no matter how hard they try. I wouldn't expect you to understand that, or even believe it, but trust me, there are some love that don't go away. And maybe that makes them crazy, but we should all be lucky to end up with that somebody who has a little of that insanity. Somebody who never lets go. Somebody who cherishes you forever."
---Ally Mc Beal

So nice!

I've Learned...

I've learned �
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned �
that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.

I've learned �
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned �
that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned �
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned �
that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.

I've learned �
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned �
that it's taken me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned �
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned �
that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I've learned �
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned �
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned �
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned �
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned �
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned �
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned �
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned �
that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned �
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned �
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I've learned �
that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.

I've learned �
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned �
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to forgive yourself.

I've learned �
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned �
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned �
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned �
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned �
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

Keep it real...

January Babies

I am wishing you a Birthday far better than the rest.
Someone as special as you deserves the very best.
I wish you a day full of wishes and dreams come true,
And a year full of love and happiness too.

January 9 - Zarah

January 13 - Rhodz
January 21 - Rachelle

January 23 - Joy

January 27 - Rhea

January 30 - Karen

Have a wonderful Birthday!

Things That Make Me Happy

All the colors of the rainbow,
All the pinks, and greens, and blues.
Are so special when the sun hits them,
As it catches all their hues.

Gentle breezes blowing,
As the wind is swirling 'round.
Just like little tiny fairies,
As they dance onto the ground.

Little baby bunnies,
And little ducklings too.
Are so soft and cute and cuddly,
With their fur so soft and new.

Dancing little raindrops,
As they fall unto the ground.
Kissing petals of the flowers,
As it spreads their scent around.

Bright and twinkling stars,
As they sit in the sky at night.
Hung with silvery moon beams,
As it's ever oh so bright.

Feeling all these special things,
Just reminds me about certain special people.
All the things that make me laugh and smile,

And my friendship to my favorite friends.

A... B... C...

The ABC's that will lift your Spirit in the New Year...

Almighty Creator of the Universe,
Beloved Father, God
Create in me a clean heart this day.
Deliver me from the limitations of the ego.
Exalt your presence in my mind.
Forgive all that I have held against you, myself and others.
Grant me peace this day.
Hold me steadfastly within the boundaries of your truth.
Inspire my heart to know you, my ears to hear you and my eyes to recognize you.
Justify me in the presence of all enemies.
Knead my heart with words of kindness.
Let no harm befall me or my loved ones.
May all I do this day glorify you.
Nourish me with your wisdom.
Open your eyes to know your truth.
Purge my heart of all things that are offensive to your law.
Quiet my soul in the midst of confusion.
Renew my connection to you.
Save me from my secret fears.
Teach me to trust you at all times.
Use all that you have given me to serve you.
Victory for your cause is my desire.
Walk with me so that my strength will never be diminished.
Xamine my heart continually.
Your love and grace are my good fortune.
Zealously I commit myself to your will for my life.

You may not have been aware of the power of knowing the alphabet. Practice making each letter in the alphabet comes alive in your life.

Happy New Year!

Happy Twenty-0-Six!

Wishing each and everyone a New Year sparkling with happiness, success and joy.

Happy 2006!