Memories with a Smile

Giving unneeded goods on Freecycle.org is more fun than I knew.  We had a dorm size refrigerator that the adult children no longer needed.  We have had it in storage for years so I listed it on freecycle.org.  A response came and we met the sweet family. 

A younger couple brought their son along for the pick up of the frig. An adorable handsome and polite son who loved baseball as his Dad.  The years we spent at baseball fields for practice, games, and tournaments came flooding back into my mind. 18 years we did this with three players in three teams, traveling nationwide, washing uniforms every night for the game tomorrow, a lot of, a lot work. So glad when I decided after 12 years, not to go to every national game away from home, Dad and son had a blast without me, without the mom around... and yes the uniforms got washed every night and yes they ate three times a day and yes Dad brought everyone home safe and sound again ready to travel again next week.

***Yes, Dads are as capable as Mothers to take care of children and when they are trusted to do so, do quite swimmingly. I love men, always have, and I love families together, making the children's dreams come alive, the journey is as exciting as the destination.

Memories, the best days of raising little ones, helping them become civilized adults, is a gift.  Thankful to have had this experience, thankful to have had a father to help, it made a huge difference for the children. Happy for this family, their children will have good memories of their parents.

Smile. 😃

Chosen People? We All Are Chosen

How do I know? We are alive now, breathing air altogether on this earth now. Any group that believes they are special because they are were "born in it," or "joined it by a special calling," and now consider themselves to be saviors of the planet and the people on it...you can climb down from you pedestal, we got this. All of us, got this, no one needs to save anybody, in fact no one can.  No one is responsible for saving the world, we all have that assignment by being here. Being present to relax, take it easy your opinion is not the only one that can can make positive changes. 

Go within, find something good in everyone you disagree with, it's a beginning to unite.  Drawing a line in the sand has not worked so far.

Yes we must endeavor to keep the planet clean and safe and that responsibility belongs to us all, no one person can force everyone to do this. Together we got this. 😎

Thankful to know it is not any one person's job to be Superman or Superwoman, if any of us died today, the world would go on and it would evolve as it will. 

Be the example, live the example of kindness peacefully as we patiently get our work done.

All is well. We are all chosen people here on earth.

Royal Citizens of The WORLD

When you finally get that there is a yin and yang to everything you understand we are one.
On this concept alone, if anyone declares him/her self royal then we all are royal or we all are not.
Since the world of known is what most focus as true then choose to see yourself as royal too.
This does not mean you have the duties or the things of, but it does mean you have as much right to live and be as any royal here.  However hopefully we choose to act more honest, faithful, and kind than those of earth who claim to be royal people, the character is many times less than sterling. Oh yeah, they are human like the rest of us.

Funny I had this concept as a child before I knew that any royals existed in the world. A sense of knowing everyone has value and everyone is respected regardless of economic or social status and therein has been my major disappointment in dealing with the world as I grew up, others did not know this and treated each accordingly.

Some even treated themselves badly because they did not know this.  As a child I was steered out of this belief and told I was less than royal, by religion, culture, and relatives.  I began to treat myself badly, and a result I treated others badly but then I grew up and away from home and I discovered the child in me again. As an adult I am free to think for myself and know now, what I knew when I was very young, we all are royal. Either we are one or we are not, truth is: "We are one." 

When I see people behaving badly from children to prominent people of the media, I know they are not aware of their place in society.  When we know we are one, we are kind to one another, even if we receive bad treatment from another, someone that does not know their value, we that know our royal position, know the other is unaware, weak in mind, and we think before we respond to him or her, and in that moment of thought, we can remember "We are Royal" and remain kind and civil. 

Evolution of the human mind world wide is coming along nicely. How do I know? Because I am waking up to my own unconscious behavior every day and finding more and more peace within and extending this peace outward. In my own awareness of being one with the world.  If I'm opening then the world is opening, I am not different from anyone, not even a royal. Neither are you.

Thankful to know we all are "Royal Citizens of the World."

Accepting What Is

For me is an everyday endeavor. It is so easy to get off track when I listen to others' concerns.  Time and again I remind myself to stay centered in accepting what is.  Things I can control and things I cannot. The past and future are out of our control, this is true.

Sometimes I am so thankful I am living my life and not another person's life. And then I remember oh yeah, I trained myself to be present in whatever MY life brings and that is why another's life can be exhausting to think about, it is not MY life. If another's life is exhausting to me it is because I have not meditated and prepared my mind to accept and live that life. 

Simple, kind, honest, trusting life with my Sweetheart for many years now, it is enough.

Peaceful Actions and Kind Words Much more Beneficial in Any Protest

Look at history, only dictators promote violence and destruction when the people they govern do not give a dictator what she/he wants, inflated egos that think their one way is the only way.  Every day people born in this country learn early on in life that to have a peaceful community of people we must help one another, we must compromise, we don't push our cultural, religious or political beliefs on others, and if we do there are laws to protect our freedom to live here with peace. Much of the disagreements here now are in the details, government is trying to enforce the agenda of a few on everyone. If there is a person who wants to govern and advocates harassment and harm to others, the saner people distance themselves from this person for the community's well being. In America we vote them out, we don't wish violence, harm, or death to anyone.  Who raised these people? Watch actions of anyone, their actions will speak loudly who they are and what they believe. 

In these disagreeable times here in America we are seeing the true colors of many that do not get their way, we see what is happening and "royal American citizens" are voting these people out of office and not buying tickets to the show.  We must protect American Citizens that make the country a place of peace and we that pay taxes to keep this government alive. This government is wasting our tax dollars on their personal luxurious lifestyles and personal agendas, making laws that benefit them not us.

The only place to begin to have peace is to quiet the anger in me.  Inner peace for each person on earth is the easiest way to world peace. Conscious awareness of the insanity of the mind then needs to be practiced daily to maintain this inner peace, outer circumstances must not affect the inner peace of the mind. A peaceful mind is an orderly mind, one that follows laws of positive thinking and kind resolution for all.  The planet is becoming more peaceful, people are uniting, it is exciting to live in these days.

Fear, materialism, identifying with what you own, your position in life, your degrees, will prevent any of us from looking deep within to achieve this inner peace. Peaceful minds have the best ideas to unite humankind. Doing anything with peaceful emotions and kind words these are much more powerful than anger.

Thankful to finally begin to understand this in my life, my life is the only one I can affect.

Today Is Your Day

Today is your day, every day is your day, you can make it so, you can find a rainbow in any situation, you can wait for a better day and in the meantime be present, be thankful, you just might find something really wonderful if you look close enough.  There is one you, there has never been one of you before and there will never be one of you again, what do you, unique and wonderful you have to leave the world? Only you know, only you can find this, but only you can look close enough inside to see the great gift you have to share with the world. Here's a big clue, whatever it is, it comes with peace and leaves with love.

Thankful to know as unique as each of us are, we are connected, we are one.

Stay the Course, All Will Be Well

Of your moral high ground on a personal level.  Name calling, threatening harm to someone we don't agree with or understand, wishing the other ill will, is the behavior of a BULLY.  We all agree we don't want bullying in the schools or on the playgrounds, but as adults we are being examples of the same bullying today on a social media and TV level.

Stay the course, America is an experiment in government, has been since the founding of it, the constitution is a result of much study of things that worked in other countries and things that did not.  The Constitution was created to benefit every citizen, not the governing politicians of the time.  There is much order, respect and peace here, let's keep it that way. We each can do our part on a personal level, hot headedness and anger never united any situation or nation.

The personal characteristics of our presidents past and present are not up to par, never have been, but I believe each has a good heart no matter what anyone says about any of them. Flawed? Yes, but not dark in purpose, all of them really believe each is making America safe and better, this much I believe about each of them. 

Calm, slow to anger, brings answers over peaceful minds.  Thankful in my old age to see this and stop stressing out over everything in this crazy world. All will be well, none of us are alone in any endeavor, our ego justs likes to tell us that, this keeps us separate.

Frankie the Weatherman Has a Book, Buy it!

The YouTube sensation that our family loves has a book out.  Yes I bought my copy and I highly suggest you do too. This guy is amazing and fun!  Love his videos, yes we are a forever fan. If I was his parent I would be extremely proud of him and his gift to the world, his fun personality and his love of the weather.  Quite frankly speaking, yes a pun intended, his world wisdom is wiser than many people we know.  Take a listen and enjoy his funny quips and BUY HIS BOOK!

He's the greatest. 

Thankful to know Frankie has no problem living his dream, what if anything is stopping the rest of us? No excuses, Frankie proves this.

https://www.amazon.ca/Be-Prepared-Frankie-MacDonald-Everything/dp/1771085754

"I will be your forever first lady?" Are you kidding?

In passing I heard that our former first lady was addressing a classroom of students and she actually said,"I will be your forever first lady."  It sounds like she wants to be "Queen." You served your term and we thank you, we no longer need your service. You can move on, go back to civilian life from whence you came. You are not a "Forever First Lady."  Certainly not a queen, again the problem with politicians, they think the rest of America can't function without them, we can, we do. This type of ego is why we have government so divided, every "one" thinks their way is the only way, it is not.

And sideline, we do have hope, every day regardless of who is in the oval office, it is never too late to hope for this great country and its people to remain free.  There are no royals here, one of the greatest characteristics of this free country is we are all equal, equal in value as a human being to any president or first lady that sits in the White House.

Seems the only ones that keep forgetting their place in society is the elected officials. Bless their hearts. Thankful to know the government works for us, in essence they are our employees.  Let's keep reminding them and ourselves of this. We the people... 

Western Women Have More Freedom, Money, and Rights

Let us not forget education yet today, the most seen women are at each other's throats when they disagree.  Women need to unite in respecting each other with differing opinions.  Men can in general travel as a pack when necessary to follow laws and get things done, and yet these celebrity American women immediately go to name calling and judgment of a differing lifestyle or opinion. Women can be vicious in words and actions to another woman or man they disagree with. We see this more than ever on the celebrity platform but we must remember... celebrities are not our American standard, these people do not live in the real world. They make their living imitating others and living in a fantasy world to create their profession.  Grossly overpaid for the service they provide, I do not blame them for the money they make, it is this capitalistic American system that enables them to have this kind of money, so they earned it.

Being famous, being seen, being on stage is more important to each of them than anything, and each have made choices to do whatever they need to do to stand there, to be famous, to be seen, to be validated, some even compromise their own integrity, to have an opportunity for us to look at them... the "Me Too" movement in Hollywood is proof of this. I support these misguided females that walked into the web, because they did not know better than to do so.

We, the everyday American citizens are the real actors in our own lives in the USA.  We work to eat, we live to care for and raise our own children to be civilized and kind people.  Let's not get distracted by celebrities and their short sighted insight into how to live a real life. We, the ones that work every day to pay bills and be at home with our children, that choose to be faithful to our spouse, we create the backbone of American society. We, the parents that work to provide for our children and to be "seen" only by our family or co-workers as honest law abiding people. Taxpayers that vote and when we don't like the president, wait for another election to come around to vote him or her out of office as we go back to raising our own family. Focusing on our community and what we do best, honest work, paying taxes, and enjoy raising our our family.

There are no royals or special people here, This is why America was founded for better or worse, it has opportunities here that women of the world do not. Let's remember this and be the shining example of goodness, with education to be more open minded and compassionate. Alas the celebrity men and women are currently behaving badly here in the USA.  This too shall pass. We older Americans watch these inflated egos of Hollywood and politicians come and go every decade or so, and we do enjoy being entertained by them when they focus on their craft.

Thankful the sun will come up another day tomorrow and until the sun does not come up, thankful.

Set yourself free, think for yourself, do not be a slave to social media, TV, movies, political viewpoints, news, decide for you what is best, study.

Thomas Jefferson, Isaac Newton and I have a Lot in Common

Thomas Jefferson, Isaac Newton and I have questioned the validity of man made verses, additional verses, additional words in the Bible.  I began questioning these as a child of about eleven, there are inaccuracies in the King James Version no doubt. And no one around me at the time wanted to discuss or could explain to me the discrepancies.

Instead of conforming I rebelled in my mind and actions.  I decided to set out on a quest to find my own truth. It has been a path marred with others judging me as wrong, sacrilegious, and even heresy however it has been a breath of fresh air not to feel trapped by the prison of false beliefs that lead to negative name calling and excluding others that simply were different from anything I had ever known.

Yet I know the path of simple, ordinary, is where to begin to understand anything, to see clearly.  Once you know the path to peace, which begins with you in your mind, being kind to yourself first, then and only then can you begin to see how to be kind to the world.  If peace is to be, it must begin with me.

Thankful to love me and those around me even if we disagree. If you look closer at history you will find you are like TJ and IN too. This is the American way, question everything.

Remind Me Why I Like Living up North?

Oh yeah, could it be getting back from 100 degree weather with humidity that makes it impossible to breathe? Yes!  A Southerner may say but you get used to it, you are telling me? A North Carolinian born and raised in that humid heat?  I do believe I can decide what is best for me.  Walking around in a Virginia park for an hour in June, I was drenched in sweat and I had an umbrella.  I felt like a Paris painting that has women with parasols walking in the sunshine. It was hot.

Getting back home in upstate NY to a cool 72 degrees, no humidity is worth all the shoveling in the winter, of course I'm spoiled...Sweetheart does all the snowblowing for me. 😉

Thankful for my northern home on the Hudson, my Hudson Haven with my Sweetheart.  Next vacation, Alaska for us.

Better Educate Yourself Before Believing Anything You Hear or Read

After you live on planet earth for decades you begin to see for yourself through self education what is real and unreal.  You are not spoon fed your reality through a TV, movie, or society.  This is called thinking for yourself.  Even if you are taught things are true at home that are not, there is a sense of right and wrong that will eventually surface.  If this sense is strong enough you will set yourself free of ritualistic thinking propounded by anyone or anything around you.

This has been something I have slowly awakened to throughout my life and I am not alone. The more I read books, the more I listen to others that escaped horrible abuse the more I become excited about the the awakening this earth is going through. 

Documentaries have an agenda. Whenever you see one, keep in mind the message the overall documentary is promoting, and then do your own research.  I watched quite a few documentaries on Netflix and then discussed the ridiculous claims and outlandish outcomes that the documentary summarized with other worldly educated friends, and we all came to realize that there are conspiracy theories being promoted as true. We cancelled Netflix, even the comedians are not funny anymore.

One tell tell sign about everything I see and hear, "Does it promote unity or divisiveness?" In other words is it taking us closer to peace or war? 

Thinking for myself has gotten me in many controversial situations. It has cause me to grow, it has cause me to see where I am thinking wrong, and it has cause me to be more confident. 

Thankful to learn to think my own way, and thankful to know what leads to peace is the way, not to say that the path to peace is lined with roses, but to know the path is available to anyone that seeks it.


 

What My Animal Spirit Guide Supposedly Means

Peacock is my animal spirit guide, at least that is what I saw...

The Peacock is here to remind that nothing, including beauty, should be taken too seriously. This will help you stay centered on what is and allow you to be grateful for what you have. Having a light hearted approach to all things that come our way because laughter really is the best medicine to keeps us healthy and happy.

(I do like the "what is" aspect of this, as I follow Byron Katie teachings: 'Loving what is')

Alternatively this bird could be letting you know that now is the time to acknowledge your dreams and aspirations within yourself. Use this birds gifts to bring you confidence, stature and a sense of accomplishment in all the things around you and all your current projects.

You are a person who always comes from a place of honor and integrity. You stand up for your beliefs and you live by them. You have a tendency towards flamboyance at times and enjoy showing your true colors to all those around you. You are completely trustworthy, self-confident and are good at discerning the truth in all matters. You are always willing to walk your talk. 

Those with this totem often gain recognition for their talents and have the potential to be prominent leaders in their chosen field.

Historically, some traditions equate the peacock spirit animal to the Phoenix, a mythical bird that is said to have risen from funeral pyre ash and to be reborn. Why the comparison? Like the Phoenix, the peacock exudes confidence and offers encouragement to shed the old to make way for the new. Another reason is that the peacock of all birds most closely resembles the phoenix in appearance.

The iridescent blue green color of the peacock’s feathers has often been associated with royalty and the traits of self-confidence and leadership. The distinctive pattern of “eyes” on the feathers is associated with vision and wisdom.

Shamanic traditions often incorporate peacock feathers into their rituals and ceremonies for their healing and protective properties. Symbolizing purity, peacock feathers have historically been placed upon or tied over wounds to draw out poison and negativity.

What You Want to See or Know

Can be found online if you search.  There are many things I have experienced by attending with friends in their search of healing, enlightenment, or knowledge beyond the 5 senses.  Personally I would rather deal with my own reality which is why I prefer Eckhart Tolle and Byron Katie, however, in my life I have received messages from beyond that turned out favorably for all concerned. It seems the universe works its magic through whomever is open to listen and act. 

Yesterday I met a woman who was instructed by her counselor for her homework this week to find her animal spirit guide. She said she had no idea where to begin. If a counselor is going to ask this of a client, give the client an idea of where to go for the answer, I'm jus sayin". I give this to you now.

I went to a few A.R.E. (Association of Research & Enlightenment) meetings with a friend, she is a lifetime member of the teachings of Edgar Casey ,the Sleeping Psychic. Everytime I go to one of these they do some kind of meditation that takes you somewhere. In one I was taken on an animal spirit guided meditation.  I closed my eyes and went along with the instructions just for entertainment to me.  I always enjoy experiencing what others believe but figure if it does not work, I don't mind, I was just along as an escort with my friend. By the way my animal spirit guide was a peacock.

To my surprise I have seen things but it has not amazed me to the point of of no return. I don't become member of A.R.E. because of one adventure.  I believe it is acceptable to me to accept others' beliefs, but I don't join groups.  I wrote about why in a blog a while back.  I must say I accept religious people and groups that are non-violent and peaceful in all demonstration.  Any other I oppose.  This is the land of the free and brave, no violence.

So to the young lady that had no idea how to find her animal spirit guide, I offer you this guided meditation to try:

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+find+your+animal+spiritu+guide+medutation+you+tube+video&oq=how+to+find+your+animal+spiritu+guide+medutation+you+tube+video&aqs=chrome..69i57.15236j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

Copy and paste...

Thankful to share some information I have acquired along the way, if it helps, good.

You Can't Know or Receive Anything if You Don't Know it is Available

Ignorance is not bliss if you need help and you don't know where to get it or how.  My prayer is that if anyone needs help, he/she keeps looking till you find it. Too many give up believing there is no end to a terrible situation, but there is, and if you are brave enough, you will survive and move on to a better day.

I met a woman tonight who told me in 15 minutes some of the saddest events to happen to any one person in a short lifetime. She was in her thirties I believe.  My heart goes out to anyone that has had such a difficult short life.  Better days are coming, she is getting counseling to help herself and her children.  Amazing, she, even in her hardship, is taking care of a much older ex-husband that is in last stages of renal failure and has no one else to turn to.  Women do the most amazing things even when they are suffering they find a way to give others.  Amazing, amazing, women like her...

Somehow I think she will be alright, she is stronger than we know...

Thankful for my life.

That's Right Waldo

How different would each of our lives be if we truly believed every day was the best day in the year?
Every single mistake, every single health challenge, every single job loss, every single lawsuit, every single money loss, every single bad experience, every single triumph, every single new beginning, every single healthy day living, every single time we made lemonade out of lemons, every single monetary win, every single happy new person or situation we meet is a gift to rise above and see how magnificent our mind, body, and life are. Now that would be a life to enjoy living.

This is your life today, believe and watch great and wonderful things happen for you. First you believe and then you will see. Thankful to finally know this and happy to be, just me.

Women Doing Random Act of Kindness

Sometimes I set my week up by choosing something good to notice in the world for the week. What you focus on, you see.  This week by coincidence I wanted to notice the goodness of women.  We had put some items on freecycle.org and I thought it would take a couple of weeks to give the items away. The response was immediate. 

The women I hooked up with are the kindest, most gentle natured souls.  It was such an honor to see these women.  One was a military army veteran, who is the Director of "Arts4Vets," I will be seeing a lot more of her, art? Military Vet? Right up my alley.  I offered to teach art to the veterans and help her organize her storage unit.  She had advice to offer an acquaintance, another military vet woman that  I know, so I passed on that good info.

Another was a dear woman of The Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ, a Mormon. The light coming out of her eyes and the thankfulness was so inspiring. Good woman, we talked a bit and she likes to recycle items instead of taking them to a landfill, like me. So happy to share her belief with me. Gotta love her.

Then yesterday I was in a parking lot and I saw two young women getting out of their car, take off running to help an older white haired man dropping plastic bags and empty bottles he was taking to grocery store to recycle I assume. The wind was so fierce it was taking the bags and bottle everywhere when Gabby and Olivia took off like the athletes. They helped him gather himself. I'll be honest I thought I'd try to help him too but they were much faster runners than I.  I spoke with Gabby after and she and Olivia, her younger sister, had big smiles and a wholesome look. Obviously these two came from a loving family and Gabby told me there was another sister. Wholesome, light in their eyes, big smiles, I was assured that the future of America would be in good hands with more like these ladies and their generation.

The individual women that I met during my travels this week were many, holding doors for me, lending me a key when I need it. Women. Smiles, goodness, the backbone of society, their gentleness will win the world in time.

Thankful to have met such people.

How to Begin to Forgive Someone You Despise

Just saying, forgive and forget does not work. Praying it away, no good. Thinking about it makes me angrier and angrier. So we get it you can't do it, you are human, good to know. 

First think of someone you can easily forgive for doing something you don't like, an animal jumped excited to see you and broke a favorite vase, or your child while toddling fail and bumped head into your glass of water and spilled it everywhere.  We don't like it but after all, it was an accident. So we feel the compassion for these, feel it. Sit with it and feel the compassion.

When you are really at ease, step it up to a neutral person, someone you like so much you can forgive them anything, a best friend, a clerk at a store, you think of a neutral person.  Sit with it feel it.

Now the person you despise, you may not feel compassion now but in this calmer state, say, "I wish myself to be free of judgment and find inner peace. I wish (You fill in the blank with despise name)
to be free of judgment and find inner peace." 

Feel nothing? Right! Now the hard part, do this every day, three times a day for ONE ENTIRE YEAR. It should take about 5 minutes. You can do this anytime anywhere, sitting in traffic, waiting in line at the store, walking in the woods, riding your bike. Time that might have been spent complaining or being inpatient, use it to find the compassion. The light that will enter your mind in time will expand and as the year goes by you begin to have compassion for the person that wronged you.  Don't believe me, try it.

This is a practice I learned in studying.  It worked for me, it might work for you, you decide. Heck, it is worth a try, you gotta do something to rid your mind of anger, this helps. Life is too precious to remain angry too long.😌

Know Your Worth And Move Up

Sweetheart and I were talking about minimum wage and how hard people work for 8 hours a day to get this. Now it is not the employer's fault that people are willing to work hard for 8 hours and get paid minimum wage. In fact if the employer cannot get people to work for minimum wage, the employer will have to raise the pay rate or find someone else. Until she/he can't, then the pay has to raised whether the employer want to or not.

Case in point: While in nursing school I worked at various hospitals in clinicals. One hospital I worked in one clinical rotation, the nurse I was assigned to work with for the day had a master degree in registered nursing, a new grad. She was paid $15.75 an hour.  She was concerned as she thought she would make more, because her student loans and living expenses left her little to save.  She was discussing her dilemma with me. Now I must make a point here, the higher your education in a nursing degree, the more you are liable in a court of law should a mistake be made with a patient under your care.

The Certified Nursing Assistant for that wing of the hospital heard the nursing student and whispered to me "I make $22.00 an hour." I asked, "How long have you been here?" She said, "Two years." I asked, "What pay did they start you at?"  She, "$20.75."

Obviously the hospital had no problem hiring nurses but they did have a problem keeping CNAs.
Fair? Yes. That is what that new grad agreed to.  I saw this at other hospitals as well. Veteran nurses after years of experience making less that two year new grad nursing students. What to do? Find another job that pays more, it is out there you have to look for it.

Now this brings me back to my Sweetheart, he has always worked. He has had good positions of employment and not so good, but in every employment he has found a way to be happy. A a true negotiator of business, he has worked smarter, added value to the position and asked for more money. He has got it. As an observer of this, I can say, he calmly negotiates. He doesn't scream unfair, he honestly went to work and happily did every task, whether he liked it or not. He finds a way to make fun out of his work.  When the work did not suit him for any reason, he found another job before leaving this one.

He now has his own business, after years of watching and learning from his employers, he is happy all the time in business for himself. He says,"He could never go back there, he knows too much now."  The one thing he really knows is that there are many ways to make more than minimum wage but you have to find that job that pays more or start your own business. It is a mindset. "You can do it" mindset.

Can anyone do this? Only if you try.

Thankful to have had this "happy man" in my life to teach me through example how to be happy in employment situations. He has helped to raise my own self-image.

What I have taught him? I asked him, "Spontaneity, no need for keeping up appearances when you know you are honest and have a good heart."

I'd say that is correct about me.

He cared for others too, but he expressed it more after being with me. Some men can be like that. 😉

And now a word from The Little Mermaid...

How Repetitive Thankfulness Leads To Opportunities

Many years of reading many books about people who achieve their dreams has lead me to see that being thankful every day in every way has opened doors of opportunity to each.

These thankful upbeat positive cheerleaders of life learn from their mistakes and try another day to live their dream. Persistence with a positive attitude is a hallmark of these thankful people that live with determination, good work ethic, an openness to learn more, that leads to greater opportunities. Life is like that.

Complaining, asking, "Why me?" Why not you? Everyone has challenges in this life. What makes you think you have a special pass out of challenges that everyone has to face sometime. It is called, "Being human." To act as if you are a victim with no way out will keep you in the prison of your mind. This attitude closes down opportunities right in front of your face because you are too blind to see.

Bad experiences teach us valuable lessons if we lean in to see it. If you don't learn the lesson, these life lessons will be repeated until learned.  Only you know the lesson you need to learn from every situation, that is the greatest gift, only you can know the lesson, you can figure it out, you can think for yourself.

Chin up, keep moving forward, think repetitive thankful thoughts beginning from the moment you open your eyes and patiently wait to see the universe help you win.

Thankful to know this and live each day excited to see what is next but staying present to enjoy now.

How Repetitive Thinking Leads to Violence

The human ego likes to be right. The painful side of this ego loves fuel to validate this rightness.  When you are so caught up in your identity that you believe everyone has to believe you and do as you say, or they are wrong, you become unconsciously negative in your thinking about others. If you take this egocentric thinking far enough, you want to change others by screaming your truth and telling them how to live your way. 

The more you think negatively about the world, more it becomes a habit. In time it can become a repetitive out of your control automatic negative response that will lead to a negative conclusion. Eventually the anger's only way to solve this situation to your satisfaction is with a hateful action. Now you think that this response is the right response because you are so familiar with it, it is comfortable. 

If you do not shed some positive light into this thinking and validate others have a right to their opinions, become humble and give credit that others can be right from their perspective, that there can be another way to resolve the conflict, you throw down a chalice. You scream your defence of why you are right and the other is wrong, this is an act of war. Verbal wars lead to violent outcomes. Silent wars in your head lead to personal injury. The best way to stop this violence is to listen to others, consider another has a right to disagree and still be acceptable in their viewpoint.  Flood your mind with positives about your situation and the world around you. Only you can control your thoughts. 

If you get so completely buried in your egotistic viewpoints that you scream and try to force others to live your rules, your way, you will get a few responses, one: you may find timid personalities that will bow down and do your bidding to shut you up.  This happens too often in families and friends.  Others may leave your presence never to return, some may pacify you long enough to get away and then stay away for their own peace of mind and sanity. 

Others that are as angry as you and do not know better, may engage in screaming back. This is never productive and will end in violence unless someone backs off. These two personalities feed off anger from another. 

When no one responds to their screaming, the pain body loses fuel, loses power over anyone. Ignoring this angry person may work for a while, but if ignoring does not work, you must take action to protect yourself, in some cases, you need the strong arm of the law.  When adults get out of control with their anger, their insane mind believes violence to others is the correct answer. It is not. Your true nature is kindness, you were born of it.

Sometimes those of us who prefer to negotiate and compromise for peaceful resolution will not entertain such a person for any amount of time.  It takes patience and it takes awareness of being in control of yourself not to respond negatively to this anger.  How do you do this?  Slow down, breathe, become present, the universe will give you the action to take, the words to speak, sometimes the answer is to remain silent.  Life is too short to continue to believe that constant fear and long term anger is normal, or to believe ongoing violence will bring you inner peace.  It cannot.

Thankful to learn of these positive truths that have saved me from depression and suicide.  Now I write, but it is up to you to want to understand.  Don't believe me, do your own research. Namaste.

I Know You May Not Believe This

But the universe is helping you everyday to go closer to your destiny that you alone design as an adult.

And here's another clue, the universe wants you to win more than you know.

So don't believe anything I say, just live and watch your dreams unfold, you have good heart, the universe knows it because the universe gave that good heart to you.

Now to convince your mind and soar.

Thankful to finally know this. Less worries, more joy waiting. And if you want someone...

Goodnight America

Thankful for the USA today. Thankful for the US Constitution. Thankful for the citizens.

Another Reason to Live in America

This morning I spoke with a friend from the Philippines who has been here about 3 years. His wife is a registered nurse that was recruited and brought here to work in the hospitals for less money than the RNs that were educated and have been here for years.  Many of the older nurses I knew would tell me about this.  The immigrant nurses are happy to be given an opportunity to work and live in the USA and bring their family members.

This man is one of them.  He and his family are pleasant, educated and he, like so many legal immigrants I know, is currently saving to own his own business here. He really is one of the most positive and upbeat people I know, glad they made the trip. 

Today he told me of his 24 year old daughter that wanted to go back to Italy, she has a boyfriend there 13 years older.  He told me that he and her mother told her, "Everything here in America is better in every way than Italy or other places back East and besides you are not in the Philippines anymore.  There a woman is expected  to marry by 25 years old or be pressured to do so. Here, women don't get married till 30 years old or older.  It is okay to be older to get married."

She decided to stay and he and his wife are thankful.  He said, "You know her to be so young and that boyfriend to be so old, he will shape her life to fit his, she will not be able to find herself and live the way she wants to live. In America a woman can become whatever she chooses in freedom and in peace"

So he says with a smile, "I think that is why she is staying, that, and I offered to buy her a BMW LS, she said,"Ok."  Wink wink.

Thankful more and more women are waking up to the opportunities right under their noses here in the good old USA. Now for American born women to join in and start their own business, being thankful and free from marriage and children if they choose or if they choose to be married with children, be thankful everyday to live here in this country. I know I am.

Listen to Others They Will Tell You Who They Are

Everytime we speak we talk of our own perception of who we are. If we see a thing in another it is because we see this in ourself.  We all make up a story about whatever we think we see in another.
This takes a long time to understand and it has taken me many years to discover and release false assumptions about myself and others. Yet I continue to discover and uncover more the older I get and the closer I look.

Thankful for www.thework.com the fast track to sanity.

There is Something in Everyone's Life That is a Success Story

Maybe as a child you don't know what success is to you. Maybe it is catching a June bug and tying a string around its leg to fly it in a circle and hear it hum.  Maybe it is winning a game of checkers with a friend, or drawing a picture you are proud of at its finish. There is nothing like personal accomplishment and pride achieving something you looked forward to, dreamed about, and wanted.

Truth is you have something you feel successful about somewhere inside of you. Find it, think about that, be thankful for that, and watch another dream unfold to you. Find your future success inside of you, live your life, with your peaceful self.  To have inner peace as you go through life is the greatest success of all.  This is available to everyone on the planet once you find the keys.

Thankful to be aware of inner peace and the peaceful application of it in a crazy world of negatives.

 

The Singing Cowboy In Our Yard

Working on my anniversary present every day, we agreed together to clean up the woods, take down dead trees and build a gazebo.  The discussion moved to the front porch that is non-existent due to carpenter ants destroying it a couple of years ago.  We have looked at a design we like for the porch for 25 years, we did not like the original one.

So today we zeroed in on the final cut.  Sweetheart will build a wood porch with front steps, and we will lay a brick walkway to the driveway.  If we have time, we will do the gazebo too before winter.  He has put in a small vegetable garden for us, because he loves to grow plants, he loves to tend a garden.  Listening to him tell me about the vegetables he will grow so he does not need to build a fence, he chooses plants with leaves the deer and rabbit don't necessarily like. I had no idea.

Every day we walk the driveway for a mile or two. This morning we got up early to clean the deck, rake the leaves out of the rock garden and mow the backwoods.  He has a beautiful design out back which we are thinking of ways to keep mosquitos under control so we can sit out there now.

We walk by the garden and he happily points out, "See how nice our plants are growing?"

"I put in 6 more cherry tomato plants and a few eggplants, you like those." 

Sweetheart is allergic to eggplant so you know that is for me. 

I go to the house to get a protein shake and when I come out Sweetheart is walking the garden path strumming his guitar and singing a Robert Plant song, "The Rain Song." Be still my heart.

Love a man that plays a guitar anytime, especially in our house.  We walked further and he played.
Thankful for the simple life with the simple man I married. My cowboy.

Why Men And Women Perspectives Together Help See the Truth

Sweetheart and I eat raw seeds on our salads and sometimes we get rancid ones when we buy from the grocery store.  We had some sunflower seeds that were inedible and decided to put them outside for the squirrels.

After a couple of days Sweetheart took a picture of a squirrel that was eating a lot of these seeds.  He ran upstairs and said, "I wanted you to see the squirrel that is eating the sunflower seeds, he is a little fatty."

I looked at the picture and sure enough he was huge. "Boy he really likes these seeds!" he said.

Me, "Yes she does, I see 8 nipples, that squirrel is pregnant dear, you bet she is fat, she is eating for more than two it looks like."

It takes two sometimes. to see the truth of it. Thankful for my dear and that little squirrel, the dear thing.

Sometimes I Have to Remind Myself

Every day every person I meet has a different outlook on life and I enjoy it as long as it is not full of hatred or violence.  Every day I study and research going within myself deeper and deeper.  In reality I have done this since I was a child.  What began as writing my innermost feelings in the dark with a flashlight under my bed in childhood has become a passion of having a light go on inside my mind more and more. A light that brings more inner peace and understanding.  Some may say I'm obsessed with this, but I love it.

So many motivational speakers say "Do what you love." This is it for  me.  This is why I am motivated to write the book I write.  It is my passion, to become aware of my own thoughts and becoming released from any ego, pride, pain body, selfishness and any confused thinking that causes fear in me, these epiphanies excite me.

This is why for me, daily meditation is non-negotiable, daily study with expansion of my self awareness knowledge is non-negotiable.  I seek listening to others on their path to peace as another source for my own awakening and find it is always worth my time to listen. I don't need to take their path but I like to hear what they discovered on it.

"No one can bring you peace but yourself." ~RWE

In truth I believe when you are born into a family that is so steeped with negativity, social climbing status pride, ego, jealousy, a family that likes to put on an appearance to the world outside that everything is OK when  there are multiple divorces, domestic violence, hurt children that want to leave home or get thrown out because of differences, families that hold money and inheritance over your head to control you, mothers and fathers that neglect and really don't want to parent the children they brought into the world, illnesses that continue generation to generation, mental illness, there comes a time when someone in the downline says, "Enough!"

At this point that "black sheep" makes big changes. Unless you have carved out an existence that is comfortable enough that you do not want to know more, to go deeper within, you will not change.  Familiar patterns will pull you back in, it is easier this way. I have taken two steps forward and been pulled back five, many times but I keep pushing through. Outward comfort, causes complacency, this is not my comfort zone.

Thankful to notice real positive change in me that occurs without effort more and more. There are people who don't believe any change is needed even though they are not satisfied with the life they live. 70 % of people in the USA today dislike the job they go to everyday, they want more but don't want to do anything to change.

Therapists advise it would do all of us good to look to improve with positive changes our entire life. One does not need to see a therapist to do this.  Sometimes I need to remind myself, that whatever anyone chooses is their choice and I need to accept that is the right for then until it is not.

My husband, children and I are making positive, peaceful, and solid changes like many others around the world now.  What took generations of confused sleepwalkers to put us all asleep and to make us unaware of our actions and words is now coming unravels as we seek inner peace.

The world is changing for the better, one by one, we are clearing the confusion of the human mind thought by thought, one person, one thought at a time.  Life is getting better on earth, the people are aware of their own goodness without ego. 

Thankful for you.

So Controversial I Can't Post it

There are subjects and opinions that I have that are so controversial I don't post them.  I write voluminous pages about my opinion on the subject but I don't post it on my blog or facebook. Why? Because my opinion does not need to cause a fight.  You have as much right to disagree with any opinion as I do and it's OK. We don't need to fight over it or unfriend one another.

So I don't post it. I discuss it with my husband and sometimes he agrees, sometimes he doesn't but we have learned how to love each other no matter the opinion. I will say this, if someone gets really hateful and argumentative on any post I follow, I unfollow this person, but I don't unfollow someone that simply has another viewpoint.  I will investigate further if interested in convo.

Looking for friends, not groupies.  I enjoy friends with differing views but the same core values. I have a confession to make, if any person constantly takes selfies, I unfollow that person too, enough of the selfies that seek compliments, life is much more important than the latest picture of you or me.

The reality, none of our opinions are important enough to fight over. If any lead to violence then the strong arm of the law needs to intervene to stop the insanity.  In this country, we live in "peaceful" disagreement with one another. 

Thankful to know when to keep my opinions to myself now.