CHANGE IS A CHOICE. FROM TINY BUD TO AWESOME BLOOM

"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes." - William James

🤓Yeah.... it sure is. But centuries have been spent in trying to teach it in the home and out there. Many have written books about it too....or spoke about it in seminars around the world. And by many more coming after them...that's for sure.

But the response is almost always like this: It comes in one ear ... and goes out the other. 

Attitude is a comfort zone. A place where we are comfy, satisfied, happy, pleased with ourselves, and loving our habits... where we are our own heroes good or bad. But the downside is you're stuck where you are, good and bad.

Like being suspended in time...no movement, no options nor choices, no progress, no welcome change for better or best.

What to do? Aren't we asked to do the obvious: Change.

We make choices everyday. Change is a choice.  From a tiny bud to awesome bloom!

Have a lovely awesome day of new discoveries, amazing opportunities, mind-boggling potential. With change. Blessings! 😊🥰 💓⚘ 🥰☺️

LIFE SHAPES CHARACTER

 

 

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One bleak afternoon long, long ago I was sitting on a weather-beaten wooden bench under my grandma's guava tree. Oh well, not even a lush green tree for some good shade but a guava tree with sparse foliage and nary a fruit in sight that I could even pick and munch on while contemplating the universe.

Life was rough and I wasn't even too sure that I'd get somewhere... anywhere. You know the feeling i.e. struggling uphill, coming up to a huge wall, or coming face to face with a dead-end. It's like you have suddenly become life's least loved child or life's favorite punching bag. I sat there defeated and brokenhearted. As tears rolled down my cheeks I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder.

Mom sat down and said......

"I can't promise you that things will become better; I can't see that far nor I live that long. And my heart is just as weary as yours is now. But I have lived long enough to say that things will change...do change.

What you need to understand is this.....

All of these about life, both the good and bad, are all meant for your shaping of character. Take it all in and learn where you should learn. Be strong where you should be strong. Be brave where you should be brave. Be good where you should be good. And be gentle with yourself, too. Learn to rest when you should.

Essentially, remember to be kind. Do not think that your pain entitles you to be mean at others or at the world. You cannot do that; you do not know what they are going through in their own lives. Everybody goes through some struggle or another. None exempted. But they sometimes keep it to themselves. Being kind means that you do understand. Reach out to them whenever you can and help ease their pain.

And for those who cause you pain, who make life miserable for you (it happens to the best of us), look at them with an open mind and heart and know that they too may be going through perhaps odd and tough circumstances in their own lives and lash out in the only way (unpleasant as it may be) they know how. Difficult as it may be turn your back on them for surely they will suffer the consequences of their own bad. That being the law of the universe. "Whatsoever you shall sow, so shall you reap."

Pray. Without God you (we) are nothing. With God, there is hope....potential....possibilities....miracles.... joy.... blessings.... continuity of life.

All these things you should be in your character. These are the very things life teaches you. Life's aim is to create a better you. It does this day after day after day. You will one day become your highest potential and good. On the condition that you learn all that you should be learning.

It is alright to cry. When you're done, give the day.. life.. your best shot once more. And do it again tomorrow and the next and the next. Okay?"

I love my mom --- my hero.❤️💕💖💖
God and mom..... quite a team, aye?😇🌹

ALSO LEARN TO UNLEARN

Good morning, folks 'Hope your weekend is coming along just fine. Here's an interesting poster shared from a friend's fb page. I'd like to share it with you, too.

---- Just my tiny thought on that poster. 😊

Life, as many say it is, is one big university of learning. There are many things we should be learning undoubtedly. We did with the past... we do with the present.... and we should with the future. So it never stops whatever your age, whoever you are, no matter the feathers in your cap.

But we should also learn to ---- unlearn. 

Meaning we should try to shed off those layers in our person which do not or no longer serve us a good purpose. Or maybe through the years have shown us nothing. Negativity is one of those. When those habits of negativity stand as a wall or seem to block efforts for further improvement or that of moving on with life, then those should be peeled off and thrown to the bin. Say goodbye to it. The sooner the better. Perhaps not without pain or inconvenience but... worth the effort we would be putting into it. We'll be far off better without it than with it. Comfort zones are a comfortable place to be... yes. But no learning is ever done there. Neither can true happiness thrive in it.

When done, then finally and easily we can and to quote Shakespeare ---  listen well, think well, earn, forgive, feel, try, love, and live! And try be truly happy!

Learning is a life journey taken one day at a time. And if perchance we fail to grasp the lesson or lessons the first time, life will send it back to us repeatedly until we finally get it! 😊

Oh yes... I'm still learning. See you in class!

A PLAY OF OPPOSITES BUT ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF TEACHING US

------------------ I wasn't planning on writing today, was more inclined to sit down with a good book I had started some months back and should be finishing by this time. Some books are easy to finish real fast and then some take about a life time to be done with. Kidding! This one was often interrupted by the writing and painting and me-time moments with family. Not complaining, it's all good.
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Well, what nudged me back to my laptop was an email sent by a good friend. She said ....."You know what this poster means to me. Story of my life. There are many others out there like me. I want you to touch their lives ... for me."
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Nope she's not on Facebook or on any other forum but she's a bright smart person in her early sixties living a life (which in her own words) 'as a sixty-year-old lady happy and content would'.
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I looked at the poster and understood what she meant. Because it really isn't just her story but everybody's. It's mine, too.
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The building-up is the easy and happy part of life. Everything that is of joy... peace.... of affirmations and assurances.... of trust and believing..... of empathy and understanding.... of generosity and compassion..... of connecting with honest intent..... and everything else possible that builds up another to his or her full potential. Awesome!  Helping it along is truly amazing!
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On the other hand, the tearing-down of another brings that person's whole world crumbling down and with it all hopes and dreams vanish up in the air like smoke! Making that person miserable..... unhappy..... frustrated..... depressed..... sad..... suffer..... desperate..... hopeless..... disillusioned..... weak..... unwilling to try again as self-esteem and courage had been crushed to the ground in smithereens! Heartbreaking! Causing such misery is undoubtedly mean and cruel!
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We get both kinds of people in our life journey. But each for a very definite reason. "It's a play of opposites", as my friend pointed out. "But all for the purpose of teaching us."   She added.... "Remember Yin and Yang?"
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Yin and Yang definition
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"Two forces in the universe, according to a Chinese theory: yin is the passive, negative force, and yang the active, positive force. According to this theory, wise people will detect these forces in the seasons, in their food, and so on, and will regulate their lives accordingly."
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As in the Yin and Yang of the rest of our lives, we learn to deal with these two kinds of people with what we know or have learned.
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When we have learned the lessons well, it opens up our minds and hearts to the fact that the good and the bad have its reason for being. We begin to understand what the universe wants us to learn..... and learn well. We need to grow. We must become better persons with the lessons it's throwing our way. There is no other goal for it. Grow, says the universe.
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And you'll be thankful that you listened and did!
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Blessings, everyone!  

POTENTIALS DO NOT DEFINE US. HOW WE RESPOND TO IT DOES.

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Good morning, world!

Well, I woke up about seven this morning and looked out the window and saw Mr. Sun being blocked by heavy gray clouds from shining its best; it still isn't too hot for a walk and I thought 'hey, I could still get my morning walk!'. So I hastily dressed into my walking gear and just as hastily sped out the door. Because gray clouds mean some rain, right? So got to hurry before it does finally pour.

But out on the street I made myself slow down because it was just a lovely morning to start with, threat of rain notwithstanding. Slight breeze, soft sun with its rays peeping behind the clouds whenever it could and bouncing off the trees and plants, and flowers blooming seemingly enjoying a respite from the harsh heat of a regular hot day. Yeah, we have the gray clouds to thank for this time. ('Took pictures of those flowers; couldn't help it cos they were simply gorgeous!)

Back in the house I got into the routine of the morning... sweeping the floor (I sure got a good mound of dog hair and cat hair: that's what you get with pets in the house), dusting the furniture, putting things in order, after which settling down for the day's news on TV. No, I don't stick to one station, local or foreign. Each has his own good and bad in delivering the news.

With the news over I turned to other stations and found this one playing my favorite movie "Patch Adams" starring Robin Williams playing the role of one studying to be a doctor. It's a good movie, good script. In fact, I remember these outstanding lines from the movie.......

"Patients don't need a friend; they need a doctor."

"When a doctor gets emotionally involved with a patient, what's wrong with that?!"

"Let us fight the most terrible disease of all..... indifference!"

"We're all dying, our job is to increase health."
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But one line which stood out above the rest was this......
"THINK POTENTIAL."

Why? Because, I think, practically everything which comes to us good or bad has 'potential' built in it. I don't know but somebody up there when He created us probably thought that we would be needing it in our journey down life's road. 

Potential, as the dictionary defines it, is: possibilities - prospects - promise - unrealized abilities or capacity for future success.

That's a good thing, isn't it?

It's a good thing when life's bad does not stay bad, right?. That can mean life's situations, circumstances, fortune or misfortune, tough luck, and that also includes people who-may-not-be-your-kind-of-people -- may somehow turn into something better which probably might surprise even yourself!

That can happen. But ......that also would depend on you.

Right, because potential, in yourself or in others, happens when you want it to happen. It won't if you won't let it. You, therefore, can become the hand that would bring about this desired change. The choice is yours.

Remember, potentials do not define us. Not really. How we respond to it.. does!

 

 

 

IT'S THE PERSON AND NOT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MATTER

 

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I certainly agree with the above quote.

It's the person not the circumstance, not his money nor connections, not his education nor titles.  These temporal material things don't matter really where it matters most although these may have their uses, too.  But when you are up with tough challenges, it's really who you are which will define how it's all going to end.  Or how the battles will be won.. or lost.

 

OUR LIVES ARE OUR MESSAGE TO THE WORLD

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"My life is my message". 

 Mahatma Gandhi

Short. Concise. Powerful.

So how are we living our lives. Do we stop to wonder? Because in those lines of Mahatma Gandhi it's telling us that our lives hold the power to teach... to influence... to shape the world... Maybe we think that's only the turf of the wealthy, of the positioned privilege, or of brilliant minds to wield this power. Maybe....  maybe not.

Perhaps the difference lies in that they nudge themselves to speak out their minds. Their lives are recorded with events of pushing themselves hard over a cause...... or stepping in where fools fear to tread..... or crossing boundaries..... or making fools of themselves over an unpopular yet worthy subject. It could spell success or on the other hand failure, but either way they have made their point and impact on a world standing by. That's power; that's influence.

We can, too. Maybe not in the same grand or grander manner or scale but certainly we can achieve that same stand of power for positive change. If we at best try to live our lives in the highest standard we can make of it in all the areas of our mundane lives...... we will be creating fertile ground on which positivity can build on.

Yes, we can do this in our small or which others may call ordinary lives step by step, one day at a time, and through incremental changes in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Incremental meaning small steady consistent improvements or making small and consistent progress toward a desired goal.   As we live our lives day by day in that mold and mode we become more and more entrenched in the act of becoming good-of doing good. By walking our talk we send out the message of power, of a can-do-it attitude, of being one with the Divine purpose of our lives ----  that of being our highest potential for good. Because truly our highest good is God's intent for our lives.

Think that we have only one chance to do it. We may never get another one. Only a cat has nine lives, or maybe not.

Making this life work will enable us to say alongside Mahatma Gandhi that .... "My life is my message".

Have a great day, friends. Live your power! God bless you and your loved ones.

IT STILL IS A LOVELY DAY

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Woke up to a rainy and cold morning today. So what does one do on a day such as this? Well, that would depend on your mood, right? We each have our diverse ways of coping with it.  All good as we wait for the rains to stop while looking forward to Mr. Sun's  coming out  bright and warm.

For me, I would try to find something to read. Not a book this time because I don't feel like sitting hours reading one, not this time anyway. Found this old newspaper (I didn't bother to check its date) and leafed through its pages casually hoping that something would catch my attention which now  was tipping dangerously towards boredom.... and even closer by every minute that passed by.

And then I found this....  allow me to quote ----

'If you have something good to share, share it because these small acts of kindness may inspire people to do good.  If you just rant, nothing will happen.'  --  Rey Bufi, founder of the Storytelling Project

That's a good point, don't you think?

I also found this on the same paper's Daily Gospel corner. Something on a similar note... which says -----

'Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,  if anything is excellent or praiseworthy ----- think about such things.'   ---  Philippians: 4-8

As I put down the paper I looked out the window and saw the rains had finally stopped. The day looked gloomy with gray skies and hid Mr. Sun who I strongly suspect might have been fidgeting behind it wanting so much to come out but isn't allowed to... yet.

And then I heard this brave wonderful bird perched on a tree in my neighbor's yard across the street..... he thinks it's still a great day chirping merrily away --- A lovely bird song. I agree it is a lovely day! 

You see, it's what you put into your day which makes it what you want it to be. The weather has nothing to do with it actually. It really is all up to you.

Have a lovely day, too. God bless you all!

EVERYBODY HAS HIS OR HER STORY

(To better read the text in this poster,  click your mouse on the picture. It should take you to a better view.)

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Was talking with a good friend on the phone. It's a fine mid-morning to enjoy a nice chat with friends. Although hot I thought to stay awhile before heading back to my room where it's much cooler. Our conversation covered a wide range of random subjects which always amazes me about my friend. It's like driving down the highway with high speed and changing lanes or shifting gears without warning. (You can see many of those plying the Antipolo route.) That, as we know, is a disaster in waiting. But in a conversation there's not much damage done to it except that more often than not some subjects are left hanging in mid-air. But she manages to make me smile lots. Smiles make my day, as you all already know.

And always she makes me think........

This time she tells of several experiences which dotted her week. A good mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly as I gathered from her story. We all know that it's the normal run of things in our lives. We come face to face with the good and in another moment with the bad and then sometimes everything in one big heap. That's how it works... shifting, interchanging, colliding .... all with the intent to perk up what would perhaps be a boring uneventful existence. We must teach ourselves to see it that way or we'd go crazy. Well, maybe or maybe not ... that would all depend on the attitude we bring into it.

Not surprisingly I have been through those same experiences, too. Connecting or reacting to the same events, things, or people. But this I will say, her take-away from her set of experiences were so much different from my own take-away off similar experiences.

A person which I thought was utterly charming, she thought rude. An event which I thought a good learning opportunity, she thought mediocre. An object which I saw as a good piece of craftsmanship, she thought quite useless.

Did those times make me angry or disappointed with her? Not really. I remember now these lines from a book I had read that.... to quote

'Nobody experiences something or someone or someplace the same way. Everybody has his or her story.'  

Thus it's not just the story .....because all life stories are basically the same -- joy, sadness, fear, conflict, struggle, disappointment, betrayal, victory, anguish, anger (and so much more)  ....but what you (or we) put into it is what makes it yours... uniquely different, interesting though maybe unpopular or controversial but still makes for a worthy telling and listening to. Because it is YOUR story.

So the chat went well, to make a long story short. And as predicted she gave me my ration of smiles for the morning. Now back I'm going to my room as the heat is getting intense by the hour here.

Good morning, everyone, and enjoy the blessings of your day. Blessings too comprise the stories that we tell and share. Let's count blessings!