Happy New Year!

                

                                                            Google Images

 Welcome the New Year, a year of hope and promise. The New Year is an unspoiled page in the book of time. It offers the next chance at the art of living. It brings a new opportunity to practice what you have learned during the last 12 months of life. All that you sought the past year and failed to find is hidden in the New Year. It is awaiting to be searched again and with more determination. All the good that you have tried to do for others and didn't achieve last year is awaiting in the New Year if you have fewer selfish and conflicting desires. The New Year holds the potential of all that you dreamed but didn't dare to do, all that you hoped but didn't perform, all you prayed for but didn't experience. These dreams slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of an enduring purpose. Welcome to the New Year! May yours be a blessed one in all ways!

Twas The Night Before Christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AyA2P1ROCM&t=55s 

Google Images

 

Clement Clarke Moore

A Yule Story

Google Images

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DRN2-r4sso2-r4sso

 

 

The Proverbial Glass: Empty or Full?

Google Images

How do you see your world? Half empty? Half full? Partly cloudy? Partly sunny? I won't win so why should I play? Which phrases sound familiar to you?

How we look at our lives, our situation, often determines the outcome, the real outcome, the future. But, it's not the result at the end that counts. Rather, it is the journey that allows us many opportunities to experience life.

The above phrases not only pertain to the proverbial glass or sky or lottery odds, but to our lives as well. When we look at our lives with a half-empty attitude, we feel a lack and think that other half is what's missing. We approach life from a position of expectation when we use that thought process. That attitude skews our future life journey if we allow it to continue.

We do have a choice. We can choose to look at our lives as half-full. That way we perceive fullness and are grateful for what we do have. Looking at it as a gift - not an entitlement. In half-full thinking, we count our blessings, seeing all the elements in place and all the things we do have. This draws positive energy into our lives which attracts more abundance.

How do we allow our glasses, our lives, to be half-full more often? First, imagine your life as an empty glass. No friends, no family, no home, no income, etc. It's just an empty glass, waiting to be filled. Once you can clearly feel that emptiness in your mind, begin filling it. Fill it with people, things, places that make up your life and more than anything else, with love. Don't be surprised if your glass is soon over-flowing.

Blessed Be!

Seasonal Happenings!

Google Images

During the past few holiday seasons I have made a concerted effort to note every-day-like events that reflect the essence of the meaning of the season, those times that make you stop, smile or quiver a lip, a be happy to be part of the brotherhood of man moment. These can be planned events, random acts of kindness, or spur of the moment happenings. The following illustrate what I am referring to.

During the holiday season, a couple cashed in their coins at a local grocery store. A gentleman witnessed them doing so and quickly, discreetly, dropped a $20 bill in front of them apparently thinking they were struggling financially and wanted to help. Awe struck at what happened they recovered their senses much too late to even say thank-you. What did they do? Knowing a jobless, single mother of 8 who was without a doubt struggling in all ways, they passed the $20 on to her. The mother wisely used the $20 to pay for several loads of laundry for her children’s clothes. The children’s self-images rose the next day as they proudly, happily wore their clean clothes to school with a smile and a bounce in their step.

A fragrance was left on hands that day. It is a fragrance that cannot be bottled and found on the shelf of your favorite retailer. It is a fragrance that can start with you and one small, simple act. Let’s call it “Eau de Giving”. Pick some up today!

Another witnessed event occurred at a local retail establishment where I was employed. An adult special-needs man was visiting the store with his father. Unbeknownst to the father, his son decided to use the restroom in the store. The father turned and not seeing his son, went into an immediate alarm state, running through the store, calling for him. The father even ran outside to see if his son returned to the car. Still not finding him he returned to the sore. Store management approached him and he explained the situation. A “Code Adam” was immediately enacted. After a few minutes (seemed like an eternity), his son came walking out of the restroom, oblivious to the alarm or concern going on. The look, the cry of joy, the embrace by his father upon seeing that his son was safe was priceless. The relief and love between the two just gushed a happy ending, indeed.

Or, another year, same store….a lady buying several items to donate to the “Christmas Tree” program was checking out and the cashier commented on such a lovely act of kindness. Suddenly, the customer behind her told her she would pay for the second cart of items she planned on purchasing. Result…, 2 not 1, acts of selfless giving, acts that I’m sure resulted in big smiles on many happy children’s faces.

Or, another year, same store……
I was working on the sales floor when I felt a tug on my shirt. I turned and came face-to-face (well, face to shoulder actually) with a young special needs teen. “Can I give you a hug?” she asked. I glanced behind her to her mom who nodded a yes and I smiled as the girl and I shared a special hug. She then asked if I worked there and when told yes, she said that I had better get get back to work. Wow! Talk about a day-lifter.

Or, most recently, at a local laundromat, a mother and her approximately 6 year-old son came in to do so laundry. The boy, very eager to help, proudly plugged the washer with quarters and then stood back and watched the washer spin. The facility owner called the boy over, after clearing it with mom, and handed the boy a holiday bag of seasonal candy. The bag was received with a huge smile. Wait, there’s more! A few minutes later, another mother came in. This time the child was about 1 year-old and of a different racial ethnicity than the first child. The facility owner, again after checking with the second mom, gave her a similar holiday bag. Everyone went about their business. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the 2 children sitting on the floor across from each other, laughing, giggling and sharing their bags, oblivious to any prejudices that may exist in today’s society. Hatred is definitely not in their vocabulary. I made the owner aware of what happened, pointing out what his act of giving 2 simple bags of candy meant to the children and how wonderful it would be if it were that simple to bring about peace, uniting the world together. Hopefully, this interaction at their young ages leads to them not seeing differences in mankind in their future, but rather the commonality. On another level, 2 youngsters enjoyed some candy and each other’s company for an hour. They most likely will forget the event shortly, but it’s potential to serve as a building block to an attitude of acceptance and understanding will leave an impression to be realized years from now as they reach adulthood and then pass it down to the younger generation. As I told the owner that day, “Well done, well done!”

All these events of giving selflessly during the holiday season epitomize the potential of humankind. Why not practice it year round in an effort to change the world, one step at a time and turn such a dream into reality.

I invite everyone to be on the lookout this holiday season for examples of the real holiday season being demonstrated. If you can't find any, you can always make one! Keep checking back here for updates and what I observed this year.

Blessings to all!

Hello! Who Are You?

Google Images

  Who are you? No, really, who are you? In a one word answer, who are you? I’m not asking what your name is. If you changed your name you would still be the same person. So, who are you? How do you define, describe yourself? Are you (fill in your occupation)? If so, what happens if you would leave that job? Would you stop being? Are you (fill in political affiliation)? If you switched parties do you cease to be?


The most common answers given to the “who are you?” query are labels. While unfortunately necessary to expedite conversations, labels are stereotypes that often do harm in causing misunderstandings. Not much can be put under one label properly. People are multi-faceted. The question asked is what is at the top of those facets? What are the priorities? Labels are others’ perception of you. A reply of a famous individual when asked if he was so-and-so was “I am what you say I am”. A person’s perception is their reality. So, how they see you is what you are to them. That may be completely different to the person standing next to them. Who is right? They both are for it is their perception and thus their reality in their world.

Why is it important to identify who you are? To do so gives purpose, aim, direction to life and peace to your soul. It sets a standard for one to live by in times of trouble, turmoil, decision-making and guidance –seeking.

Are we today what we were yesterday? Unlikely as life’s path exposes us to many experiences and environments in order for us to achieve our life’s goal. These individual events combine to form us into who and what we are today and will be tomorrow. As one is added, we learn from it and are changed (hopefully for the better). We are not stagnant in our personal growth and development at any age.

You are who you are. You cannot force yourself to be someone or something you are not. Yes, often times we must compromise to play the “survival” game, but through it all our soul stays constant. Be who you are. Live your life. Study for the test. The most important question in the test of life is “Who are you?”

Sit down with a pen and paper. Number the paper 1 to 10. Without repeating an answer and using 1 or 2 word answers at most, answer the question “Who am I?” Don’t over analyze or agonize the process, write down what comes to mind.

When done, do not discuss with anyone and hand a paper and pen to a friend. Give them the same instructions, answering who you are. When finished, compare the 2 lists. I bet there is an eye-opener or two on the lists along with some confirmations as you see the common answers. See some of their answers you do not like? Don’t automatically ignore them. Maybe you are giving off unintended images that lead to unwanted receptions. If so, make a mental note and try to make some little changes so that that your perceived image matches closer to your intended image and the real you.

Remember, nobody’s list is wrong. The list reflects the list writer’s perception, their reality. Now, be ready to answer someone when they ask you “Who are you"?