Random Thoughts... for 2012

"Our life always expresses the results of our prominent thoughts." ~Soren Kierkegaa

This past year has flown by faster than any I can remember.  As a new year it about to begin, I have hundreds of thoughts and memories running through my mind each time I sit to write in my journal or work on my book.  Since I've been too busy to blog much in the past year, I thought I'd add a few of them now.  

• 2012 started Happy, had highs & lows & ended Great.
• The trials in between had much needed lessons.
• Everyone has experienced trauma in their life.
• We should all have more empathy and compassion.
• Traumas can transform if allowed to push us forward.
• I have shared experiences with my best of friends.
• We must leave our comfort zones in order to grow.
• That was needed for my new career and direction.
• We often stay in jobs and situations out of Fear.
• Have Faith! You don't know, what you don't know.
• Sleep deprivation is everyone's worst enemy. 
• Negative environments are not worth the damage.  
• Unhappy people find fault with each other.
• Hurting people, hurt others.  Don't let them hurt you.
• Showing kindness, can stop the negative verbiage
• Standing up for yourself shows self-respect.
• Immature people push blame and want revenge.
• Mature people try to understand why things happen.
• Respect, the words used and tone of voice do matter.
• It takes 10 positives to make up for 1 negative.
• Nikki Haley is my example of strength and leadership.
• She has character and someone I'd like to emulate.
• Being strong annoys the people who want control.
• We're suppose to put our children First!
• No amount of critisisum over the years helped us.
• Volunteering and getting involved is so rewarding.
• I meet the most amazing people when I volunteer.
• We all need our own friends, interest... Lives.
• No one should depend on you for their happiness.
• Anymore than you should depend on someone else.
• When you're direct and honest; don't ever feel guilty.
• It's more important what someone does than says.
• I'm not emotional any longer because I'm not afraid.
• I'm not afraid of dying or the future; I have Faith.
• When I see death, I pray for the souls and families.
• Kindness and Compassion are a Hugh part of my job.  
• The last job prepared me for my current career/job.
• Having the passion for it, makes me really good at it.
• So much accomplished... so much more I want to do!

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." ~John Burroughs

 What we overcome... helps us Grow

The Power of Kindness

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."~Leo Buscaglia

I'm here if You need Me

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"Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow." --Swedish Proverb

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I'm Here If You Need Me ~ by: Pam Fraser

Life's events don't always happen,

Just as they are planned.

For you this is a trying time,

I fully understand.

Moments like the present,

Tend to upset and confuse,

I'll try to give you my support,

In any path you choose.

I'll listen always with my heart,

I'll do what I can do,

I'll hope for brighter things to come.

My thoughts remain with you.

You know your situation.

You're alert to life's demands;

But don't forget I am here.

I'm one who understands!

I am Here

ALTRUISM of LOVE AND COMPASSION

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"I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of their happiness or satisfaction. Yet true happiness comes from a sense of peace and contentment, which in turn must be achieved through the cultivation of altruism, of love and compassion, and elimination of ignorance, selfishness, and greed." ~Dalai Lama

rewireyourbrainforlove.com

So often we use the words above in our everyday life without really thinking about what they mean or what it would be like if all the people in the world live by them.

Let's dig deeper into the meaning of these words.  

Altruism is the unselfish concern for the welfare and well being of others.  It is the active practice of love and compassion. Altruism is demonstrated in daily life by simple acts such as feeding the hungry and providing directions to a stranger in need. Altruism focuses on a motivation to help others or a want to do good a good thing, without a concern for reciprocation or reward. Altruism is related to heroism; however it lacks an element of risk to the helper. Research indicates that altruism is triggered by empathy and driven by compassion. (source heroic inagination.org)

Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment.  In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection.  (source wikipedia.org)

Compassion is also a virtue, one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy for others, are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism.  It is foundation to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personally..  (source wikipedia.org)

What do you think the impact on society would be if these 'words' were 'lived in daily action' by more people?  I believe the impact would be less conflict and more PEACE in the world! 

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” ~Dalai Lama 

Dalai Lama's Peace Prize Acceptance Speech

Having Grace...

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 “Gracefulness has been defined to be the outward expression of the inward harmony of the soul” ~William Hazlitt

What is Grace?  The dictionary offers these definitions:
1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.
2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.
3. Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people.

None of us are or will ever be even close to perfect.  I don't expect it in myself or look for perfection in others by any means.  How we live our lives and treat others ... is what's important.  To me if you have Grace, it's truly in your heart... and that is what matters!

Marianne Williamson, in her book Everyday Grace, teaches that Having Grace is having Hope, Finding Forgiveness and Making Miracles happen.  She says that having Grace is having it 'all come together'!  I totally agree.

Having Grace inside of us is when we show kindness, compassion, beauty and love toward others.  It's an attractiveness, charm, gracefulness, and ease that radiates inward and out.

Having Grace towards other people is the ability to overlook a lot in their lives – not that you have to overlook everything, but that you ought to be able to ignore a lot of failures and blemishes and imperfections.  Grace increases your threshold of tolerance instead of increasing your expectations.  Grace makes it possible for people to have lots of second chances.  Just like you and I constantly have from God.

“Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live.” ~Jackie Windspear

I found the following article and poem while researching this post.  They both explain Grace in everyday lives and well worth sharing.  Enjoy!

Grace... vs Karma   by Faith

Grace transcends karma. When you “get” a lesson without either blaming someone or exacting revenge, when you learn how to forgive and say thank you for every experience you have, then you are learning how to apply Grace to your life. When you give up feeling as though you are a victim of circumstances, Grace enters quietly. Grace frees you from having to repeat lessons over and over again. It’s your get out of jail free card!

Grace does not struggle. Grace simply observes. Grace does not judge. Grace sees the perfection in everyone. Grace is the act of being grateful and thankful. Grace finds peaceful solutions to every situation. Grace chooses to walk away from discord, into the arms of love.

Karma means cause and effect. For every action, there is an equal and measurable reaction. For example, you find your spouse and your best friend cheating on you. If you choose to keep the karmic wheel in motion, you would choose to hate them both and exact some form of revenge on them for their deceitfulness. Perhaps you’d play the victim role instead – you’d become bitter and spiteful. You’d never trust anyone again and you’d make sure that everyone knew how horrible your ex-spouse and best friend had treated you. Then in another lifetime, you would have the opportunity to do the same thing to the people who betrayed you…and so on.

If you choose Grace, however, you would work at forgiving them both. Through prayer, meditation, patience and gentleness with yourself, there would no longer be any more lessons like that one, ever again!

The soul is immortal. Everyone is family beyond the veil. We choose our roles and not everyone chooses to be “the good guy” while on earth. However, the villains that we love to hate, are made from the same cosmic dust as everyone else. The victimizers must play their roles convincingly, so that their victims will have an opportunity to either forgive them through the Law of Grace – or not through the Law of Karma.

Countries have karma, too – and cities – and families. There is individual karma and planetary karma. Applying the Law of Grace to every situation can, in time, clear all of it away.

The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation where you have a choice to make, challenge yourself to take a deep breath and choose Grace. Through the act of forgiveness, divine intelligence will help you to let go and transcend the situation. Soon you will find yourself moving forward and you will forget the pain of betrayal. Observe how much lighter you feel after having chosen the path of Grace. ~ by Faith

“Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.” ~ author unknown

Grace...   by: Sri Chinmoy

"Grace is our true meal. A true devotee can really and truly live on God's Grace. The Bible has taught us, "Man does not live by bread alone." This is true; but I wish to say that man can live by God's Grace alone. If a spiritual person, an aspirant, really cares for God's Grace, then I wish to say that he can live by God's Grace constantly and eternally.

God's Grace is God's self-revealing, self-fulfilling eternal Existence. We have to know that it is God's Grace that will give us illumination, liberation and realisation. The infinite life, the eternal life, God's infinite wealth will belong to the aspirant who really cares for the Supreme's Grace, which is our only meal.

How we treat people is a Choice!!

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"It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”— J. W. Goethe

What very good points this quote makes.  In our life time we will all experience injustices, accidents, deaths of loved ones and traumas of varying degrees.  How we react to the situations ourselves and how we respond to others and treat those in need, are what make those times of trial bearable or unbearable... torture or healing... for those going through it.  Compassion and Character, in my opinion, have a great deal to do with how we react or respond to others. 

There have been many times in my own life, where I have had someone escalate the stress of a trauma or experience, because of their own inability to have compassion or understanding for what someone else may be feeling or going through.  So I try very hard to treat people the way I want to be treated.  No matter what they have or have not done for me personally. 

I see people hurt by comments, judgements and other peoples' 'unhappiness' quite often.  Many times by those who don't mean to upset anyone.  They just don't put themselves in the other person's place;  realize how they would feel or what they would need in the their places were reversed. 

So often over the years, my youngest son has had teachers who could 'tear him down' or 'build him up'... by just the way they talked to him and the words they used.  It finally took a new state, new school and teachers who 'understood' what was needed to "help him become what he has always been capable of becoming!"

How we treat others, whether it is a child or a co-worker... a sister or a friend... can make all the difference in helping them to achieve the best they can be... or help in tearing them down.  The choice is ours!

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." ~Dalai Lama

http://www.dancelightly.com/



"Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are." ~Author Unknown

 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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"Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God." ~Ray Stannard Baker

THANKSGIVING

T is for the trust the pilgrims had so many years ago

H is for the harvest the settlers learnt to grow

A is for America, the land in which we live

N is for nature and beauty which she gives

K is for kindness, gentle words, thoughtful deeds

S is for smiles, the sunshine everyone needs

G is for gratitude... our blessings big and small

I is for ideas, letting wisdom grow tall

V is for voices, singing, laughing, always caring

I is for Indians, who taught them about sharing

N is for neighbors, across the street, over the sea

G is for giving of myself to make a better me

by Judith.A. Lindberg

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." ~ Oprah Winfrey

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"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds." ~Theodore Roosevelt

We Give Thanks

Our Father in Heaven,

We give thanks for the pleasure

Of gathering together for this occasion.

We give thanks for this food

Prepared by loving hands.

We give thanks for life,

The freedom to enjoy it all

And all other blessings.

As we partake of this food,

We pray for health and strength

To carry on and try to live as You would have us.

This we ask in the name of Christ,

Our Heavenly Father.

by: Harry Jewell

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thanksgiving Day.org

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse." ~ Henry Van Dyke

Meanings ... a poem about believing!

Standing for what you believe in,
Regardless of the odds against you,
and the pressure that tears at your resistance,
... means courage.

Keeping a smile on your face,
When inside you feel like dying,
For the sake of supporting others,
... means strength.

Stopping at nothing,
And doing what's in your heart,
You know is right,
... means determination.

Doing more than is expected,
To make another's life a little more bearable,
Without uttering a single complaint,
... means compassion.

Helping a friend in need,
No matter the time or effort,
To the best of your ability,
... means loyalty.

Giving more than you have,
And expecting nothing,
But nothing in return,
... means selflessness.

Holding your head high,
And being the best you know you can be
When life seems to fall apart at your feet,
Facing each difficulty with the confidence
That time will bring you better tomorrows,
And never giving up,
... means confidence

By : Author Unknown

"I truly believe that compassion provides the basis of human survival." ~ Dalai Lama

"Bravery is believing in yourself, and that thing nobody can teach you." ~ El Cordobes

“Dreams do come true if you keep believing in yourself. Anything is possible.” ~ Jennifer Capriati

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." ~ Anatole France

"Believe in yourself, and the rest will fall into place. Have faith in your own abilities, work hard, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish." ~ Brad Henry

"Sometimes you cannot believe what you see. You have to believe what you feel." ~ Morrie Schwartz

“Believe in yourself. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. You must do that which you think you cannot do.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

http://www.endangeredspecieswomen.org/2010/08/12/words-of-wisdom-believe-in-yourself/