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!

Farewell to 2005

Before you flip your calendar
To start a New Year bright,
Reflect for just a moment on
The year that ends tonight.

Each joy and every heartache
Has been etched into your heart,
But in a few short hours you
May make a brand new start.

As you review the days and weeks
That simply seemed to fly,
Would you say fortune smiled on you
Or did she pass you by?

Since it's not wise to dwell upon
Those days that made you cry,
The thing to do is set your sights
And aim right at the sky.

Forget those tears and sorrow
As you bid the old, "Adieu,"
And welcome in the New Year,
It's dawning ... just for you!

~ Author Unknown ~

Surviving the Holidays

The holidays we celebrate are meant to reflect traditions, life changes, special occasions and those special times that are sentimental to us over the year.

How often have you found yourself so overwhelmed and stressed-out by your have-to-do lists and obligations that the true essence of the occasion is lost.

There are many unique and satisfying ways to celebrate that do not necessarily "drain" either you or your pocketbook. In an environment that encourages each of us to over spend, over buy and over do, it is especially important to keep the focus on the real meanings of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Now is the time to take "stock" of what really is important to you and encourage others to emulate positive living and carry out random acts of kindness which will continue to have impact long after the holidays have passed. Remember the less fortunate by volunteering at a senior's home or homeless shelter. Often the gift of your time and talents is worth much more than a physical gift.


Create your own family traditions. Take on a new event such as a family walk after the festive meal or add a prayer of thankfulness to the celebration. Do what you can and forget about the rest. And most of all remember the three G's Generosity... Goodwill.... and Gratitude.

Loving Thoughts

I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you.

No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is, won't make you cry.

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.

A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.

The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them knowing you can't have them.

Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile.

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

Don't waste your time on a man/woman, who isn't willing to waste their time on you.

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful.

Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened.

There's always going to be people that hurt you so what you have to do is keep on trusting and just be more careful about who you trust next time around.

Make yourself a better person and know who you are before you try and know someone else and expect them to know you.

Don't try so hard, the best things come when you least expect them to.

While cherishing special moments, be reminded that whatever happens, happens for a reason.

Little Creatures Can Teach us Big Lessons

Few people appreciate mice. To most of us, they are dirty, annoying little creatures who destroy property and invade our personal space. A mouse will make its way through the smallest of openings to come into your home and help itself to the best you have to offer, leaving its droppings behind. Ever try to catch a mouse? They will dodge your broom as they scurry into a hole you never knew existed, leaving you out of breath and out of control! Then there is another side of the mouse you may have never considered.

Because mice are so small, they have the ability to get into places and to see things that other creatures can't. In other words, mice see opportunities that other creatures miss. At the same time, mice are a source of food for many other animals. For this reason, they must be very careful about how they move, where they move and when they move. They don't eat from every hand. They must first know you and feel comfortable around you. Mice know that they must be flexible in order to get into and out of tight places safely. The mouse teaches us to pay attention to details. Things like cheese in a trap! Mice know that there are details, which if ignored, could cost you your hide.

Caution in movement. Focus of direction. Scrutiny of association. Flexibility. The mouse teaches us that it is possible to move in and out of the experiences of our lives without being trapped. The key is to be aware of what you are doing at all times.

Set aside any dislike of little creeping things. Instead, examine how their example could help you.

Divine Profits and Losses

Few of us understand why we are here. We have some vague ideas but are not really sure why we are on the planet at this time. We know that something is going on but we may not be sure exactly what it is. For those who are seeking enlightenment about their purpose in the Divine Plan, here are a few tips.

You are here:

To gain character as you lose ego. To gain integrity as you lose dishonesty. To gain strength as you lose fear. To gain compassion as you lose disappointment. To gain discipline as you lose willfulness. To gain equality as you lose separation. To gain appreciation as you lose resentment. To gain enthusiasm as you lose hostility. To gain tenderness as you lose rigidity. To gain boldness as you lose bitterness. To gain optimism as you lose inadequacy. To gain excitement as you lose embarrassment. To gain gratitude as you lose greed. To gain love as you lose ignorance.

As you surrender one thing, you gain something to replace it. Live life like it is a spiritual stock market...cut your losses and celebrate your gains.

Loving in Unloving Ways is Not Love at All

You can usually tell when someone is afraid of love. They simply will not let you into their heart. A person who is afraid of love will behave in the most inappropriate ways in an effort to turn you off. A person who is afraid of love will find all sorts of things wrong with who they are and will point these things out to you. They will also find all sorts of things wrong with you, which they will also point out. People who are afraid of love cannot not give it, nor can they receive it. They will have so many barriers and defenses that you will end up asking yourself, "Why am I trying to get through this stuff?"

A person who is afraid of love may believe that they will not measure up to what you expect of them. Often, this is because they have not lived up to what they expect of them self. A person who is afraid of love will pull you in and out like a yo-yo. Today they want you, tomorrow they do not. The closer you get, the faster they run. The more you give, the more they want. You will never be able to prove yourself to a person who is afraid of love because they do not want to believe you!

When you find yourself trying to love a person who demonstrates that they are not willing to be loved, stop yourself! Stop trying to force them to accept what they obviously do not want or cannot handle. Stop making excuses for them. Stop accepting their excuses. It is very unloving to push someone beyond the point they are willing to go.

You may not have understood that trying to love someone who does not want to be loved is an invasion. Or that an invasion is not a loving act. Ask yourself if you are trying to force love on someone. If the love you are offering another is not being welcomed or invited in, back up!

Life Does Not Have to be Hard

When we are not clear that we are worthy, worthwhile and valuable beings, we believe that life must be hard. This belief will bring into your experience difficult situations that you will have to fight your way through. On the other end of the fight, you can sit back and marvel at what you have done. You have bragging rights about what you have been through and come through. You are a fighter! It may be difficult for you to understand that you are creating these situations to support the subconscious belief that you do not deserve to live a joy-filled or peaceful life.

Just because you can take a punch does not mean that you must make yourself a punching bag! When we learn how to duck and dodge the punches life sends our way, this process of living can become an exhausting habit. There are people who are in the habit of living hard lives. When you expect to be punched, and you are always looking for the fist, it comes, again and again. Eventually, you become punch drunk - waiting to be knocked down so that you can prove that you cannot be or will not be knocked out.

Life does not have to be hard! There is a good reason for you to be beaten up by the conditions in your life. If this is happening to you check out your expectations. Check to make sure that you are not waiting for the next disaster to strike, just to prove that you can take it.

You may not have been aware of the role your thoughts, words, and expectations play in the creation of your life experiences. You may be creating pain in your life as a reflection of the belief that you are not worthy of anything else. Refuse to fight your way through life...open your mind and your heart, asking that they be filled with a vision and an expectation of a joy-filled and peaceful future.

Counting My Blessings...

This Christmas I'm reminded how blessed I am,
You've been by my side all year long,
Keeping me company, keeping me strong,
Sharing my joys, my not-so-good times,
Giving me comfort, giving advice,
Showing me kindness from a sincere heart,
Proving that a real friend is a work of art...

So this Christmas as I'm counting my blessings,
All through my list I'll be counting you,
For the care that you give and good that you do...
I am so truly blessed to have friends like you.

Celebration of Love

Beneath all the pain, the disappointment, the resentment and fear that your life will never be as you want it to be, there is love. There is a memory of the touch, the feel, the excitement of love. There is a yearning to know and experience that expression of love. Go there! Be there! Celebrate the love that you buried in your heart.

When you celebrate love, the unconditional love that lies beneath all the experiences you have witnessed and participated in, you find a degree of understanding that diminishes mental and emotional anguish. The love beneath the hurt and pain of your life will not allow you to blame anyone. It will stop you from judging yourself and others. The love beneath your pain and the fear of pain will help you to become aware of all the things that you told yourself about love that were just fantasies. Love will remind you not to be upset when the fantasy is revealed. It will remind you of the truth you knew in the first place. The love that lies beneath what happened, will remind you that you have not been rejected, abandoned, abused, or defeated. You were simply being given an opportunity to remember that there is a place within you in which you can find everything you need or thought you lost or wished that you had more of. Go there. Be there. Rest there. The only thing that you need to do to find the love in you is to remember, Divine Love has brought you this far.

You may have forgotten that beneath everything that you have experienced, there is Divine Love. Look for the love within and beneath every experience. Remember all of the love that you have given and received. Fill your heart and mind with thoughts of love. Then celebrate yourself for recognizing love.

Everyone needs a friend like you....

To help them out,
To talk them through,
Tough times and bad situations,
Life's constant up's and downs,
Daily unforeseen complications....

Everyone needs a friend like you,
To share a smile here and there,
A giggle and laughter too
Someone who really does care,
And accepts you for you.


Everyone needs a friend like you!

Christmas Wishes

I wish you the joy of Christmas
The spirit's sweet repose,

I wish you the peace of Christmas
To mark the old year's close;

I wish you the hope of Christmas
To cheer you on your way.

And a heart of faith and gladness
to face each coming day.

Merry Christmas!

Cultivating Emotional Detachment

Do you ever find yourself acting like an emotional vacuum cleaner, swooping into the corners of other people's pain and sucking it up as if it were your own? Although we may think that this is the loving thing to do, it's not. It is important that we emphasize - understand and comprehend another's feelings - but it is equally important that we try not to sympathize - allow other's feelings to affect us in a similar fashion. Sympathizing does not eliminate the other person's distress and it renders us less capable of being supportive, because we become swept away by our own feelings instead of able to concentrate on their experience.

An effective way to support others who are in pain is to cultivate compassionate detachment. Compassionate detachment asks that we feel deeply for another person, and understand the extent of her pain, without immersing ourselves in it or assuming responsibility to solve it or make it better. Compassionately paying attention to someone's distress is more constructive than attempting to fix it. Each person must find his or her own solutions, but being supported and encouraged along the way is a wonderful gift.


Compassionate detachment frees us from "sympathy pains" and allows us to be truly involved with others by providing empathetic comfort, encouragement, and support.

Healing through Feeling

Sometimes we find ourselves suppressing or denying our feelings for fear others will not allow, understand, or accept them if they are voiced. Only through honoring and acknowledging what we really feel can we heal and move on. Many times we are discouraged from sharing, or even knowing, our true feelings.

In the face of such attitudes, it takes deep courage to allow ourselves to explore and express our true feelings. We can help ourselves resist the seductive Dragon of Denial by reminding ourselves frequently that we each have a right and a responsibility to experience our feelings.

Our physical bodies offer good examples of "healing through feeling." When we get the measles or chicken pox, for example, we feel sick for a while and then we become immune to that particular disease. Our bodies intuitively know that to move through the illness is to move toward healing.

Sharing to everyone that the same wisdom is valid for our emotional disease. As we move through our feelings, express them, learn from them, and allow them to heal, we become free of them.

Just a Few More Winks!

Oiling Our Apparatus Aerobically

Often our lives are so hectic we feel we must cut corners somewhere in order to have time for everything. Exercise is frequently one of the things we cut. Yet, if we do not exercise aerobically at least three times a week, we are wreaking havoc on our bodies. Aerobic exercise is necessary to oxygenate our blood, revitalize our immune system, and keep our muscles healthy and supple.

Aerobic exercise is also good for the psyche. When we are depressed, sad, or confused, exercising helps us dispel the cobwebs. That is because one of the greatest side effects of aerobic exercise is the reduction of stress. We can begin exercising feeling stressed and depressed, and end the session feeling relaxed and alert through the body's release of its natural tranquilizers.

When our bodies are fit, well oiled with exercise, everything else becomes easier. Starting small is important so that we do not get discouraged - we can take a ten-minute walk, or ride a bike for five minutes - and, if possible, it's good to make a pact with a friend in order to support and encourage each other. The hardest part of exercising consistently is initially making the decision, and then setting aside the time in our schedule. Chances are, if we can stick to an exercise program for six months, we will be so happy with how we feel, that we will be hooked - and healthier - for life.

Be reminded that although it may be difficult, being kind to ourselves by having the courage to commit to an aerobic exercise program will enhance our health and sense of well-being.

Filling Ourselves First

We know it is important for our sense of well-being to give. In fact, there have been scientific studies which show that the immune system responds positively when we help others and can be activated by merely watching a film about someone helping others.

But it is not healthy to give until we feel drained, used, and deprived. Such giving can be laced with hostility, resentment, anger, and the unspoken message. "Now you owe me!" This is not loving; this is bartering. We love best from a sense of overflow. When we are brimming with the energy that comes with having the courage to take care of ourselves first, our love and caring are freely given gifts, with nothing expected in return.

Our minds may tell us that filling ourselves first is an act of selfishness - it seems to go against society's dictum, that it is more blessed to give than to receive. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to realize that filling ourselves is essential. It takes even more courage to know how to do it, especially if we are out of the habit of thinking about nourishing ourselves.

To help move into the healthy pattern of filling yourself, ask yourself these questions and jot down the answers. What small step can I take today to allow time for myself to fill and refill?

Always remember that we can do ourselves, and those we love, a favor by having the courage to fill our life's vase, by making a commitment to ourselves that, in order to be a free-flowing, clear fountain of love, we will fill ourselves first.

Uprooting "Rootless" Fears

We may decide there is nothing to do but live with a fear that seems irrational to us and grit our teeth in an attempt to bear with it. But there is a healthier way for us to proceed if we are experiencing fears that seem rootless, out of proportion to the apparent cause, or have no logical basis.

We need to give ourselves a priceless gift: time to explore confusing fears. The unknown can be so frightening that confronting fears, the origins of which we can only guess, takes tremendous courage. But it is also freeing, for only when fears are brought to conscious awareness will we be able to discover how to heal them. As long as fears are kept hidden, we are held helplessly in their grasp.

Since the root of our fears most often lies in childhood, we can expect to experience childlike feelings while rediscovering them. Seeking emotional support at such times is not dependence; it is wisdom. Taking the risk and having the courage to examine our seemingly rootless fears is best done in a protected and supportive environment.

Be reminded that before we begin to explore our inner demons, we need to find a person or a group with whom we feel safe, people we can trust implicitly with our vulnerability. It is okay to reach out and ask for assistance. In fact, it is essential.

Laughing with Our Klutz

It takes courage to laugh, to have a sense of humor. Why? Because when something is really funny it is a reflection of our own foibles and weaknesses, those things about ourselves which make us cringe. To have a good sense of humor, we must be able to not take ourselves too seriously - to increase our ability to laugh with, not at, ourselves as we stumble and stagger through the comedy of life.

This is especially difficult for women because we have been taught that how we look is incredibly important. As young people, we are definitely encouraged to be aware of what the neighbors would think, and that left many of us fearful of being judged if we acted in an unladylike manner. Becoming comfortable with ourselves when we have egg on our faces as well when we are doing things perfectly is a challenge, but ultimately makes us more fun to be around.

Helen was terrified of appearing foolish in front of others because she was afraid they would reject her. But that was really only her surface belief. Her deep, underlying conviction was that she was only lovable if she was perfect. When she began to change that belief by assuring herself she would love herself as a queen or a klutz, in strength and vulnerability, slim or chubby, she began to enjoy herself more. In fact, she has become so good at loving and reassuring her insecure inner child that she actually gets a kick out of her klutzy self now.

We can do as Helen did. Instead of seeing our klutzy self as a part of us we must hide, we can choose to view it as a charming and irresistible free spirit.

Refocusing Our Binoculars

All too often, we are overly self-critical. We believe that it is more acceptable for us to maximize our shortcomings and minimize our strengths. We have learned that it is not proper to toot our own horns.

Self-critical people see their mistakes leaping before them festooned with neon lights, while their triumphs wither from lack of attention. They look at their real or imagined shortcomings through powerful binoculars and look at their good points and successes, if at all, through the wrong end of the binoculars. Failures loom large and ominous, and successes look like specks on the horizon, mere accidents of nature.

It is courageous to refocus our binoculars, to give ourselves permission to move beyond self-critical thought patterns and realize what fantastic people we are. We can learn to "SEE": Savor Excellence Everyday by becoming an honest and appreciative mirror for ourselves. We choose to focus on the good in ourselves, learning from the things that we wish we had done better without allowing ourselves to magnify them out of proportion.

Making a list of things, we like and admire about ourselves and tucking it in our purse is a good way to help us reinforce change. If we notice ourselves focusing on the negatives about ourselves, we can take out our list, read it, and then add another positive to it. Maybe our positive will be that we noticed when our binoculars needed refocusing - that is a great habit breaker.

Kicking the Worry Habit

Worry is a habit that knocks the support right out from under us. So one of the most "freeing" changes we can make in our lives is to kick the worry habit. Since most habits are learned, it's important for us to ask where we learned to worry.

Joseph was a chronic worrier who hoped he could find relief from depression and insomnia. He said, "I was raised on worry and secondhand smoke, and I inhaled and absorbed the worry as much as I did the smoke".

Joseph explored the often unspoken but nevertheless powerful beliefs his parents had bequeathed. The majority of them were based on the assumptions that life was difficult, money was hard to come by, and God was a stern and punishing father. Joseph learned to believe that it never rained but it poured, there was never enough to go around, and that guilt was the only thing that could prevent him from being "condemned." Is it any wonder that Joseph became a worrier?

The only lasting antidote for chronic worry is faith, faith in the good, faith that the Universal Mystery is for us rather than against us. If we have learned to believe in the unfortunate and hateful, we have the ability to change that and come to believe in goodness and love. I know it's possible because Joseph did it, and so did I. As Joseph was starting to change his belief system, I gave him a little card that read, "Sometimes we have many reasons to be unhappy and not many reasons to be happy. Our task is to be unreasonably happy."

Always be reminded that if you are plagued by the worry habit, simply becoming aware of worry when it overtakes you and deciding to affirm that life is good will set your feet firmly on the road to kicking the worry habit. What we believe is our choice and we can support ourselves by choosing to be faith-filled and happy - even unreasonably so.

Excusing Is Often Inexcusable

To enjoy intimate and authentic relationships, we must be able to understand and forgive others and ourselves. But we women sometimes confuse excusing with understanding and forgiving. Excusing, a codependent and childish habit, is the first cousin of denial. Excusing others and ourselves lets us off the hook by not addressing the consequences or responsibilities of our behavior. Alcoholic families frequently "pivot" around excuses.

Inherent in the process of excusing is our willingness to take responsibility for the actions of others. Continually excusing unacceptable actions does not create a climate that fosters growth and learning, in fact it may be an implied put-down. When we excuse the inexcusable, we are subtly saying that the person who is excused is not capable of right behavior.

On the other hand, understanding is a strong strand in our emotional safety net. Understanding our own and others' actions and attitudes provides an honest framework in which we can create an atmosphere of acceptance and forgiveness - an environment in which people and relationships can mature and thrive.

Understanding requires commitment, energy, and the willingness to be with others and ourselves in a heartfelt and open way. We need to make the effort to search for the causes and motives behind our own negative behaviors or attitudes and do what is necessary to heal them. Of course we can't do that for others, but we can tell them when their behavior is unacceptable to us and gently remove ourselves from their presence.

Excusing may be initially more effortless than awareness, but it does not lead to intimacy, honesty, or authenticity.

12 Step Program of Recovery for Web Addicts

I will have a cup of coffee in the morning and read my PAPER newspaper like I used to, before the Web.

I will eat breakfast with a knife and fork and not with one hand typing.

I will get dressed before noon.

I will make an attempt to clean the house, wash clothes, and plan dinner before even thinking of the Web.

I will sit down and write a letter to those unfortunate few friends and family that are Web-deprived.

I will call someone on the phone who I cannot contact via the Web.

I will read a book...if I still remember how.

I will listen to those around me and their needs and stop telling them to turn the TV down so I can hear the music on the Web.

I will not be tempted during TV commercials to check for email.

I will try and get out of the house at least once a week, if it is necessary or not.

I will remember that my bank is not forgiving if I forget to balance my checkbook because I was too busy on the Web.

Last, but not least, I will remember that I must go to bed sometime... and the Web will always be there tomorrow!

Loving from Overflow

Because taking time for ourselves is often a foreign idea, we need to have helpful reminders. When Suzanne turned fifty-nine, she decided it was time she had adolescence. As the eldest daughter of an old-fashioned European family, she had been the designated mother's helper and servant. Leaving her parents' home, she married and had six children of her own. Circumstances such as illness, moves, and the usual responsibilities of a large family dictated that she put herself last.

Never thinking of herself was such an ingrained habit that even now, at age seventy-five, she needs to give herself reminders to do so, such as paying her tuition in advance when she returned to school recently.

Many of us are in the same boat as Suzanne. We want to lighten our lives and nurture ourselves, but we do not know how. It helps to make a list of what fills us, gives us joy, and feels nurturing and healing. We need to check how much these people, activities, places, and attitudes we have listed are part of our lives.

In order to absorb the feeling of receiving, sit quietly and close your eyes. Gently ask for the picture of a vase, which represents you, your life's vessel, to come into your mind's eye. If the picture you see is not one you like, change it until you have a vase that pleases you. Now visualize all the fulfilling things you listed pouring into your vase. If good things refuse to fill your vase, stop and write in a journal any reasons you might feel unworthy. Gently reassure yourself that you deserve to have what you want and need.

Always remember that we love others best from our own overflow.

The Lotus Of Love

The human body, is the seat of a network of cooperating energy fields also known as chakras. At the very center of these fields, unifying and filtering them, lies the heart chakra (often called the heart lotus because its influence radiates outward like the petals of a flower).

The heart chakra is believed by many to be at the core of your emotional being. When balanced, it can be a source of love, confidence, creativity, and inspiration. The heart chakra gives us the ability to love, trust, and feel deep compassion for others. A balanced heart opens the mind to the radiating warmth of the universe and makes profound relationships possible. But when imbalanced, those same qualities can become twisted, leading us to feel hate, fear, or jealousy. Blockages in the fourth chakra can manifest as immune system and heart maladies because of the chakra's association with the physical heart, the circulatory system, and the blood.

There are numerous means of energizing and balancing this important energy center. Try sitting up with your back straight, and breathe deeply to center yourself. Rapidly tap your heart center, located in the middle of your chest, with your fingertips. Gradually increase and then decrease the intensity of your tapping over a three-minute period. Jasmine, lavender, and marjoram scents can also exert a balancing effect. Influence your heart chakra by loving yourself and learning to laugh freely. And while existing without its positive influence can leave you feeling disconnected, isolated, and filled with unexpressed emotions, too much heart chakra influence can lead to restlessness, dreaminess, and aimless wandering.

Always be reminded that the heart chakra is the point of new beginnings. Nurture it, and you will find that contentment will emerge from all aspects of your being.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friends far and near,
Blessings big and small,
Smiles all around,
Happiness abound,
Thankful for this year
And the friends who filled each day
With comfort and kindness
In their own special way.

Wishing you all the joy and all the beauty of Thanksgiving!

In All Kinds of Weather

When we are close friends with someone, we intuitively know when they need a hug, a helping hand, or a sympathetic ear. Likewise, when we are going through bleak periods in our lives, we count on friends to support us through loss, illness, and other setbacks, both big and small. In addition, while part of being a good friend means being there when the other person needs us, it is just as important to be there for our friends so we can share in their joyous celebrations and triumphs.

After all, who else would our friends want to celebrate their promotions, graduations, marriages, and good news with than their loved ones and good friends. Yet depending on what is happening in our lives, it can sometimes be difficult to be there for our friends during the good times. We can become so busy with our own lives that we forget to make time. On the other hand, we may be so focused on our own problems that we may not feel like celebrating with our friends. We may even take their joyful moments for granted, assuming that as long as we are there for our friends during the bad times that we are doing our jobs. Yet part of being a true friend means also being there during the good times. Success and happiness can feel empty without someone to share them with, and who better to join in our victory dances than our good friends.

Taking the time from our busy lives to honor our friends' happy moments is a wonderful way to show them that they matter. And in many ways, by wanting you around during their happy occasions, your friends are also honoring you. After all, it is the people we cherish that we want around us to sing at our birthdays, visit our newborn babies, and pop open that bottle of champagne with when we reach a milestone moment.

The next time a friend wants you to be there to celebrate with them, remember to feel honored that they thought of asking you. Together, you can celebrate their happiness and your rich friendship.

Tagged!

I was tagged by April.

Mostly random facts about myself that I am willing to share to the rest.

My side:

Twenty facts about the Damsel:

1. I love my cheeblings to the max.
2. Just recently, I got confirmation that I am a Type 2 Diabetic.
3. I do have Hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's Disease) and that is the reason why I am so chubby.
4. I love traveling.
5. I am an obsessive-compulsive freak.
6. I do believe in Santa Claus.
7. I do love to swim and breaststroke is my forte.
8. I do love playing the piano.
9. I love writing. You should see my paper and cards collection.
10. I love sending greeting cards to friends and families. I never forget a birthday even anniversaries. You will definitely receive a greeting (online, post or a call) on your special day.
11. I love Japanese, Chinese and Thai food.
12. I love taking pictures. I consider them my treasures. I cannot leave home without my digital cam.
13. I still and will not easily forget Joaquin Joseph De Leon. He is the ultimate love of my life.
14. I do love good food with good conversations. Lunch/dinner for me can last for more than two hours with good friends.
15. Rachelle wants me to leave Manila soon and to forget a number of people who made my life hell for a few months.
16. Dad just gave me an iPod Shuffle. Thanks, Dadi! However, I am not a big fan of earphones.
17. I cannot wait for my new mobile phone to arrive. I will miss my Nokia 9210i for sure.
18. I love watching movies. I always go for the first full show during opening day.
19. I miss my EconBlock3A blockmates. Bonding times with them is one of the best times of my life. Paging, Sister Taba!
20. It is almost a month since I last pinched the tummy of my "little sister".

Next to tag is Cynch, Rachelle and Rhea.

Smoothing Transitions

Begin by making small changes or break up large-scale changes into more manageable increments. This can make you feel better about handling the changes you are about to make while making you more comfortable with change in general.

Mentally link changes to established daily rituals. This can make changes like taking on a new habit, starting a new job, or adapting to a new home happen much more smoothly. For example, if you want to begin meditating at home, try weaving it into your morning routine.

Going with the flow can help you accept change instead of resisting it. If you stay flexible, you will be able to ride out change without too much turbulence.

When a change feels most stressful, relief can often be found in finding the good that it brings. An illness, a financial loss, or a broken relationship can seem like the end of the world, yet they also can be blessings in disguise.

Remember that all change involves a degree of learning. If you find change particularly stressful, try to keep in mind that after this period of transformation has passed, you will be a wiser person for it.

Remember that upheaval and confusion are often natural parts of change. While we can anticipate certain elements that a change might bring, it is impossible to know everything that will happen in advance. Be prepared for unexpected surprises, and the winds of change won't easily knock you over.

Don't feel like you have to cope with changing circumstances or the stress of making a change on your own. Talk about what's going on for you with a friend or write about it in a journal. Sharing your feelings can give you a sense of relief while helping you find the strength to carry on.

Give yourself time to accept any changes that you face. And as change happens, recognize that you may need time to adjust to your new situation. Allow yourself a period of time to reconcile your feelings. This can make big changes feel less extreme.

No matter how large or difficult a change is, you will eventually adapt to these new circumstances. Remember that regardless of how great the change, all the new that it brings will eventually weave itself into the right places in your life.

If you're trying to change a pattern of behavior or navigate your way through a life change, don't assume that it has to be easy. Wanting to cry or being moody during a period of change is natural. Then again, don't assume that making a change needs to be hard. Sometimes, changes are meant to be that easy.

Be reminded that "the hurrier you go, the behinder you get" so slow and easy wins the change.

New Certified Professional Librarians

Out of 742 examinees, 240 passed and Top No. 4 is Iyra "Cutie" S. Buenrostro. Along with Iyra are the bodyguards namely, Jeremy Arevalo, Norman Noor Azman and Michael "Pareng Mike" Villanueva will also be present for the oath taking ceremony on Friday, Nov. 25, 1:30 p.m., at the Manila Hotel.

Other board passers that I met this year are Lisette (Top No. 10), Daisy, Loren, and Jhoanne.

Congratulations on your excellent performance! A toast to all of you and a round of applause. Now its time to celebrate and be merry!

The Gemini Woman

"A good-looking woman with brains, a very interesting person. She has a fast movement and she could not sit still or stand still long. She is able to do many things at the same time and do it fast. If you date her, you will feel like dating many women at the same time. You cannot tie her down with the word "Love" because she cares about love but is it not a major factor of her life. You have to be able to adjust yourself to get along with her many different characters.

She is a dreamer and has many dreams. She eager to learn something new all the time. Even she is the 2 in 1 mixed character type, she is quite lucky in love. You have to put all your efforts to win her affection. Even when she likes you and wonder about your wit, she will also see and inspect your bad side at the same time, because it is in her nature.

She able to keep all kinds of mixed emotions without annoying you or letting you know at all. She can cheer you up by acting like a free little bird. Her conversation will not bore you. She able to talk to you in any subjects. She can make you feel like you are the luckiest man alive. She can make you feel like she needs all your care, but once she needs to stand-alone; she can stand-alone firmly and comfortably.

She can be your best friend and talk to you about anything. She can join all your activities with the same energy that you have. She is a quick wit person and learns new things very fast. She can see your projects and she can give you good advice. If she thinks you are not sure that you want her for yourself, she will act like your best friend only, a cool woman.

She can easily make a guy fall in love with her. Her multiple changes and many moods is a "Charm" for many men. She can be laughing for two minutes and later suddenly quiet. She wants to find only one true love and she wants to meet her dream guy. She expects a lot and nearly too much. She is constantly waiting for her knight shinning armor even she is with a steady boy friend. She can fall in love or fond of someone else while she is with you. If you break up with her, she will forget you quite fast, because change is in her nature. The Gemini woman breaks more heart than woman in other Zodiac. Because she is a dreamer and always waiting for her knight shinning armor, so her love life can be complex or a mess.

She hates to write a long letter, so if you write her a letter and expect a prompt reply, forget it. Because she has a multiple personality and multiple ideas, so she hates to put them down in written proof. Because she knows what she, belief today can be different tomorrow.

She could communication with more than one language, a very gifted linguistic. If she wants to tell you any bad comments, she will not say it straight away, but she will talk to you about many other things and accidentally come to that subject without offending you. Normally she will not lie.

She will work hard and once a while take a long rest. She can get bored and tired with her own surrounding more than at work. She never feel content with her present work, money, or reputations, she will drive to have more. Do not ask her what her ultimate contentment is for she will not have an answer.

Once you get to know her, she will be a supportive person and always be beside you. She has a beautiful dream and she loves to have someone walk side by side with her, together and equally."

I am a Gemini Woman... and I love it!

Letting Your Soul Be Heard

When we allow ourselves to be witnessed by another, we cannot help but be transformed by the experience. Whether we are sharing a personal experience, standing in front of friends to celebrate a special occasion, or expressing our unbridled joy or sorrow in front of a loved one, we are allowing ourselves to be seen and experienced in a very intimate way.

Not only are we baring ourselves to someone else, but we are allowing that person to hold a very specific kind of space with us so this powerful act can take place. To be witnessed is to let ourselves be seen as we truly are in that moment.

Our friends and loved ones can easily be witnesses for us, if only we are brave enough to let them. Your next birthday may be the perfect occasion to experience this sacred act: Invite your friends and loved ones to your special day. During the celebration, stand in front of them and thank them for being there for you.

Feel their gratitude, attention, warmth, and support, while noticing the sense of safety you feel as they surround you. If you feel inspired, share your innermost thoughts about the day and your life. You may be surprised at the feelings of peace and validation that arise within you, when you feel safe enough to go deep into your soul and share yourself with those you trust.

Anyone who has ever seen love, admiration, acceptance, or appreciation reflected in a friend or loved one's eyes knows how transformative that experience can be. When you bare yourself to another, you are giving them the gift of you and showing them that they also matter.

At present creating peaceful surroundings and suggesting that in letting yourself be witnessed, you are letting others into your intimate space, stepping in the sacred container they have created for you, and creating a cauldron of positive affirmation, support, love, and goodwill that will stay with you forever.

Really Sad but Truly Meaningful

Learn To Be Lonely
The Phantom of the Opera Movie Soundtrack
Performed by Minnie Driver
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyric by Charles Hart

Child of the wilderness
Born into emptiness
Learn to be lonely
Learn to find your way in darkness

Who will be there for you
Comfort and care for you
Learn to be lonely
Learn to be your one companion

Never dreamed, out in the world
There are arms to hold you
You've always known
Your heart was on it's own

So laugh in your loneliness
Child of the wilderness
Learn to be lonely
Learn how to love
Life that is lived alone

Learn to be lonely
Life can be lived
Life can be loved alone

A second glance at the lyrics and continuous playing of the track, it sank inside my brain and I was moved, it was sad but truly meaningful. I guess that sometimes it is better off alone� You cannot get hurt and you will not cry anymore� It hurts just to breathe.

Remembering Lola Chayong

Today marks the second death anniversary of Lola Chayong, the famous Mrs. Rosario Vicaldo Mackay, our maternal grandmother who joined our Creator last November 1, 2003.

Everybody misses her. I can always bet the whole family misses her, I know they do.

As a tradition, we trekked to my Mom�s ancestral home and prepared for Lola�s death anniversary and our youngest cousin, Kristian Carl�s fourth birthday.

Mom cooked Dinuguan and Baked Macaroni, Auntie Fe prepared Pancit Canton, Uncle Jun ordered Puto and Kutsinta while I prepared the famous Menudo sandwich that Lola Chayong prepares yearly as merienda during All Saint�s Day.

The weather cooperated today with a slight breeze all throughout our stay at Lola�s mausoleum.

I do miss Lola Chayong�s specialties like the Banana Cake, Pineapple Pie and her own style of Spaghetti. Whenever I see Green Apples, Green Seedless Grapes and KFC�s Mashed Potatoes, I cannot help but smile, shed a tear and remember her.

Nowadays whenever I go home to 1635, I can only shout out loud the words, �Auntie Fe, nandito na ako!� yet before, all I know and until now I can still hear myself shouting, �Lola, nandito na kami! Anong niluto mo para sa akin?�.

I know she is happy where she is right now and I should be happy that she is resting in Heaven. I also know she is looking down and keeping an eye on us.

Lola Chayong� how I wish I can bake your famous Banana Cake and I can eat the cakes with Mom and the rest of the family. We miss you!