LEARN TO APPRECIATE. BE GUIDED BY YOUR HEART.

 

--------------------------------------
Was just sitting on the couch listening to the birds chirping merrily outside my window as a brilliant sun shines ever so brightly and I would presume will be expectedly hot in just a few hours or less. The weather man says it will be the hot season setting in by the middle of the month. Well, it's being felt already this early. But happily with this fine morning comes the wind rocking the tops of the trees. Now that is just the perfect foil to a hot day! Or if not, it would at least dilute its inconvenience to many.

Well, I'm waiting for the morning TV news to come onscreen. There's a lot going on in our time. I'm not political; I'll leave politics to the politicians. But I'm curious just like the rest of you. And we have our own individual views on every matter. All good. Free country.

Sana lang, we try to focus more on the positive. There are a lot of good in our lives, the people, our country if we just look hard enough. The universe says nothing is all bad nor is it all good. There's always a balance there.

"In Chinese philosophy and religion, two principles, one negative, dark, and feminine (yin) and one positive, bright, and masculine (yang) whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things." (Thanks, Google)

Every person has his or her yin and yang, too. We each interact with that. It shapes our relationships, our perceptions and beliefs, our likes and preferences, our choices. We are attracted to certain qualities in a person because it pretty well aligns with our preferences in character and personality. On the other hand, we distance ourselves from what we consider obnoxious in others because it does not ride well with what we consider good.

I remember this being said by Mom long ago.....

"Learn to appreciate. Be guided by your heart."

She spoke in general terms, she meant to appreciate everything. Nothing specific such as beautiful expressive eyes.. long silky hair.. poise and personality.. firm muscles and a fit body.. intelligence and wit.. money and position. Although, she added, that those have their own places and reason in our world.

She taught me a lot, in essence she meant -- "Appreciate all that is in life, the diversity it brings to you, both the good and the bad. Each are there for a reason. And if you're smart you will understand that it's there for you. Each is destined to play a role in your growth, progress, development. Nothing happens by chance or by accident. For that you should be very appreciative and thankful. Because you have all the help you need to grow.

Life is not a leisurely cruise down the boulevard. If it were, you would have certainly missed a lot. And have nothing worthy gathered on your plate.

See with the eyes of your heart. And appreciate its purpose in the bigger tapestry of your life. Appreciate everything around you... life, things, people, nature. And if you're with people family and friends, say it -- speak it -- tell them that you appreciate them. Now. Don't wait till the end of their lives to tell them so.

Remember nothing is all good nor is it all bad. But it's there for a definite purpose and reason. Appreciate what it does because without them you wouldn't be standing where you are right now.

All by Divine Design."

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.
.
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."
.
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'.
.
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.
.
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!
.
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!
.
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?"
.
Yin and Yang definition
.
"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."
.
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.
.
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.
.
And you'll be thankful that you listened and did!
.
Blessings, everyone!  

LIFE'S RIPPLES BUFFETING THE CALM SEA OF LIFE

----- I'm writing this for a good friend ...

life is not as bad as you may think it is. I'm addressing this also to those who are feeling miserable and dejected about life, someone or something this very moment. You feel that you've lost it all. Trials, life's unpopular trials. So much I'd like to say to you just to tell you that all is not lost, that life is worth another try, that nothing can put you down because nothing really can. But you must try, at least try to look at the brighter side of things. Nothing in this life is totally good or totally bad.. or all good or all bad. There's a bit of each. Like what the Chinese say... it's the Yin and Yang of life and living. One balances the other and vice versa. You can't have steak everyday -- sometimes the food is just not to your taste or liking. But you learn to take both sensibly. We get heroes in our midst and villains too. We get sunshine and rain and it falls on both the rich and the poor. We get good times and bad times. We have money in our wallets and sometimes not. Maybe it's so that our egos don't get blown up out of proportion.

So then what do you do?

You stand tall. Life's troubles may knock you down - kick your butt - bruise or scar you - shake you up big time - upset your cart - or make your dreams come crumbling down but.... you must pick yourself up, shake off the dust, and start walking.. walking tall. Because that's who you are --- strong, brave, tough as steel, determined, persevering, and armed with big hope and steady faith. That's how God made you to be.

The best thing you can do with that is to extract or squeeze out the lessons for your good learning. Life is one big university and we're all here to learn. That's why it's there --- for your learning. No other, not to hurt you or make you feel insignificant, not to hurt you mentally emotionally spiritually. Far from that. Because God won't do anything to hurt His dear beloved children. But... He will train and discipline you if He thinks you're getting off the track. Sometimes He must protect you from yourself. Now all you have to do is take heed - pay attention - and learn well. These ripples which disturb the calm of your life are only but ripples and they cannot hurt you.. if you won't let them! Be that wonderful person you were meant to be in the first place. And one more thing, let God help you.

Have a blessed weekend, everyone. God bless. -----