MOM ---- THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS

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Just a little something which crossed my mind today ......

When I was a young kid of fourteen and in school with dozens of others more of my age there was this unspoken rule among the studentry that whoever the most popular girl or boy would be on the campus was... 'it'. Meaning she or he would be up there on the pedestal of adulation and esteem... a much coveted post. 

Did that bother me? Nahh I was busy with my books (nerdy you would say) and being the nice person Mom taught me to be. Besides I was content with my share of  (so-called but not essentially important) 'adulation' and of genuine respect from people who mattered among my fellow students and teachers as well. This traveled back and forth quite so easily. Whatsoever you shall sow... so shall you reap.

I guess my mother knew all about this long before I could read and write my alphabet as she prepared me early on ... self-worth. She highlighted my talents... ballet dancing, drawing, designing dresses, writing essays .... by giving me the freedom to express myself in the genre I felt comfortable with. She gave me wings of confidence and self-worth at an early age which allowed me to soar in my mind heart and soul..... and I learned to see myself as able in my strengths and not 'disabled' in my weaknesses as I grew stronger in maturity, intellect, and abilities. She taught me to focus on strengths and at the same time understand human weaknesses and limitations, too. She said that human beings are flawed to start with but must discover their strengths and grow with that knowledge. I learned it better by the way she lived her own life on those principles she taught. These words I will never forget, she said......

.....'You don't need anybody's approval to be you. And because someone cannot see your uniqueness and worth does not mean that you don't matter at all. On the contrary, you're very special -- there's nobody else like you. Believe that because it's by God's design.'

From then on, I have used that word in all of my writings.... 'By God's design' It's etched right here in my heart forever. Thanks, Mom.

I am special... you are special. By God's design. Let nobody tell you otherwise.

Prayers for bushels of blessings to rain down upon you and your loved ones. In Christ.

WHEN OLD MAKES GOOD ITS TIME TO LEARN WELL

 

With the sun shining warm and bright, puttering in my tiny pot garden on the patio was not a task at all particularly when a tiny cool breeze started blowing my way. I was in the middle of trimming dried-up branches in one pot when a neighbor living just across the street strode down casually to the side of the patio facing the street and happily extended an invitation to her birthday party on Sunday which she’d rather call her Thanksgiving Party. She further added that she’s so grateful to be 75 and healthy. Indeed Amen to that!

50, 60, 75 or beyond ... it is that time in life when everybody regards you derisively, condescendingly, patronizingly, sarcastically, mockingly, irreverently......‘old’. It just means one thing to them --- old.

Allow me to say something.....

Never mind the aching bones, the weak joints, the failing eyesight or hearing, the pills nestling permanently in one’s bag, and the memory lapses. All that and more is just the natural physical journey of the human body. We know and understand that. But there is something special in being old.

It’s special.......

...To have better learned to consider a fellow being as an equal and loved by the same God. To see him not only through human eyes but through the eyes of God and thus understand that he goes through the same struggles, burdens, misery or pain as everybody else. Then without further ado quickly shoot off a prayer to the heavens creating a grace-filled path leading back to that person. It’s special because you have understood well. For not many learn.

...To have better learned to act kindly and patiently towards the young whose brazen and foolhardy behaviour often get on your nerves. And instead seek to help, enlighten, uncover their potential, unobtrusively train them into the way that they should go, as designed by a good God. It’s special because you have learned to understand the young as they should be understood. For not many understand.

...To have better learned to accept life with both the good and the bad in it, to have understood that both are requisites for growth. It’s special because you have learned to move in step with the music of life’s universal dance and essentially to God’s design for your life. For not many try.

...To have better learned to be friends with the sun, moon, stars, trees, seas, rivers, oceans, and the animals of land-sea-air, all the seasons and its changes and that you have a part in its preservation and continuance. It is special because you have understood your role as a steward of God’s work. For not many will.

...To have better learned to separate the wheat from the chaff, to recognize those of true value amidst those which only serve no good thing but waste.  It is special because you have gained the ability to peel off unnecessary layers or masks which hide truth where truth could have been the better choice. For not many do.

...To have better learned that everything in life passes through heaven’s doors. Joy, sorrow, misery, success, failure, laughter, tears, and fear --- all can find its solution – hope – inspiration – comfort and consolation when it is passed through faithful prayer. It’s special because you have understood very well that nothing is or will be without GOD. For not many learn and learn well.

So there.....Old is special because old made good its time to learn and learn well. Although God isn’t finished yet but with the way it looks now the work is closer to done. And that’s a very good thing if heavenly perfection is the goal. 

So then here’s for a ‘Happy Birthday’ to anyone who may be celebrating a birthday today or in the days ahead before the year ends.  Don’t count the years in numbers but in how much and how well you have learned.

SO BLESSEDLY SPECIAL - SO SPECIALLY BLESSED

Many of us go through life not understanding ourselves well - we have so little regard of who we are. We think that there possibly can't be something good in us. We believe that when God poured out talents for everyone -- it went through our fingers thus we missed catching some for ourselves. And so we see ourselves as just nothing. Nothing. How do I know that? Simple. I have friends who suffer this 'disease'.

So then we think that when we did something clearly brilliant that we were simply lucky? Or that when the soufle came out so perfect that it was because we had a good bake oven and not because we bake so well? Or that when a thief turns a new leaf that it was because he got scared of jail and not because we managed to talked him to change?

I'll tell you what. God never misses a target even if you think he missed you or that you missed catching it. Talent is a blessing God pours out in generous portions on everyone. But this too is true that oftentimes blessings come in plain wrappings, most times contained in very ordinary vessels.

Allow me to refresh your memory to this that "the 'essence' of a thing is far more valuable than its 'form'.."

That's how we should see ourselves. We have been blessed with gifts of talent, wisdom, goodness, intelligence, abilities, empathy, understanding, discernment, gentle demeanor, humility, strength of character, ingenuity, creativity, and so many more which we foolishly take for granted or are quite oblivious of. Or simply said just don't get it.

That's just the problem.. We think we're like empty vessels. Plain ordinary vessels maybe but certainly not empty. We have within us the essence of everything that is good, noble, genuine, and true. That no matter how we may appear on the outside it does not reflect who we are on the inside -- where essence resides unmatched by the form of our existence.

We are blessed far more than we realize or think or feel or deserve. But blessed we certainly are. So blessedly special - so specially blessed. That's who we are!

PERFECT MOMs - BY GOD'S DESIGN

A famous author once said that 'we can't choose our parents, but God made sure that we get what we need'. God gave you a mother tailor-fit for you. It may look imperfect to your eyes. But I'll say this.....

it's imperfectly perfect ----- by God's design.

Trust God to know what He is doing, just like what He does with the rest of your life. Love your mother. No if's and but's. Enjoy your Mother's Day with her and the rest of the family.

JUST SO YOU WON'T FORGET (To a friend)

NO ONE ELSE IS YOUER THAN YOU

Maria (that’s not her real name, of course) only 5’ tall, weighs about 119 lbs, short black hair, black eyes, worry-wart, perfectionist, stubborn, outspoken, multi-talented, conservative, analytical, and reflective. Her life story is quite dotted with disappointments and unhappiness but she’s got spunk which I admire. She lives an hour away from me in another part of the city but we call each other up if meeting up isn’t possible.Ralph is married, in his early fifties, doesn’t have a regular job, gets by with special projects much to the consternation of his wife, has excellent pr with friends and colleagues but isn’t quite successful in the home and with family.

They are just two of countless other people in my social circle -- Same as with yours and too with theirs. Now why should I even mention these? I’m trying to drive home a point – an essential one.

We see zillions of people around us with distinct features and characteristics. Well, in our close circle we can only count about tens or hundreds, if you're lucky. But in the world outside there are zillions of them. Zillions! We’ve been told that no two persons are alike although they seem to be similar but still not the same. So then you, I, and they are distinctly different and separate in our own selves and persona.

I like that thought. It makes me feel very special. Don’t you too?

When you see me do the things I do, talk the way I do, think the way I do, walk the way I do ---- that’s me --- intrinsically genuinely me…Unless I put up a façade, but what for? Why pretend what I am not when being real is a lot more fun and interesting, at least to my point of view. It has nothing to do with being smug or proud or snooty liking oneself --- Although some people may take it to extremes and that’s where the problem begins. The idea of appreciating who I am and what I am makes life simpler and less stressful in a huge measure for myself and for others who move in and out of my turf or vice versa. No masks, no pretenses, no facades.

When I see myself as who I am --- the whole package of traits and flaws – and understand what makes me tick and still be comfortable with that I think am right on track with good sense. So then I can too appreciate others who may display other traits possibly quite unfamiliar to me and yet which I know do genuinely reflect their own distinct personality --who they are. I begin to learn to allow leeway for unpleasantness or idiosyncrasies of character because that too understandably is also in my own physical make-up. Understanding then takes place and then sets the correct mode in my relationships or in dealing with others.

I’m not going to dwell on the idea of changing where change should be, with reference to unpleasantness of character. Let’s leave that for another blog post.

The whole point of this exercise is to highlight how special you are as a person, an individual, a human being, creature, and character. Let nobody tell you otherwise. They have no permission to say that you are not. Neither do they have license to heap words of abuse on your character and person. Defend yourself and stand up for who you are. You are special, particularly in God’s eyes.

Oh yes, you are special, you are one and there is nobody else alive like you. They may copy you or seem to be like you but still they are not you. Get my point? Who else would heap canapés on his sandwich or walk in the park bare foot or look through a magazine back to front? Who else would dive straight into the pool in pajamas or eat dessert before and not after a meal or wear leather jackets in summer? Others may share your taste or preferences but you alone possess your own particular trademark as Mary, John, Peter, Lee, Pedro, Raj, Diwa. There is so much more of who you are that makes you quite unique and special. That was God's agenda when he created you. So like who you are and as you go along with that thought.. also do take time to see where you can improve on 'you' for an even better self.

Dr. Seuss says…..
“THERE IS NO ONE ALIVE WHO IS YOUER THAN YOU"

(Wrote this some time ago. Taking this here now for a friend. Hope this works its purpose.)

LESSON FROM A DINOSAUR

"The dinosaur's eloquent lesson is that if some bigness is good, an overabundance of bigness is not necessarily better." -- Eric Johnston

Let me interpret that on the context of an overblown-up ego. -Those whom the gods wish to destroy - they first make proud.’ I’m sure you have come across that famous line before. Ego and pride indeed has no merit in itself except turn a person into a stupid fool. Here’s this guy with a smug look on his face buoyed up by a successful sales pitch which his staff toiled over the night before. (Give credit where it’s due, man!) Or this young woman who clawed her way up the ladder and now sits in her own office on the seventh floor. (So how many heads did you step on --on the way up, kiddo?!)

You know, if a person is good then everybody will see that – the same thing when he is bad -- It’s easy. Praise or accolade must be deserved; you can’t steal or buy that. Let your deeds speak for you (not your power or position) or better yet let others do it for you. Besides you’ll get what you truly deserve good or bad, it’ll catch up with you sooner or later. So be careful cos that’s how the universe operates. 'Whatsoever you shall sow, so shall you reap!'

There’s just this one thing that you should understand, that we all should understand – that God made you (us) … so then you (we) must be special! Now with that said, let’s go back to the business of being special for others. If there’s anything which will make you feel good about yourself, it’s being a blessing to others. You’ll be surprised how the good vibes get back to you a thousand fold. Be blessed!