Organize

Organize yourself!

It makes sense- just do it.  Make the time. It will pay back in dividends.  Proof here: 

Giving

I'm impressed by the volume of love that people feel toward the victims of certain tragedies   For instance, those that face Natural Disasters.  And here, in Newtown, CT.  There is a whole warehouse full of teddy bears people have sent to offer solace.  Because no one can really think of anything else they can do to make it better.  Because they can't.

I posit it would be better to give, or pray, or help in your own community to honor those victims, instead of sending a teddy bear to a child that can't hold it any longer, or to parents that would rather not have the reminder that their baby won't ever be coming back.

Give local.  Give daily.  Give without needing anything in return.

Put a spin on it

"Christians famously have the problem of pain: how can a benevolent and omnipotent god permit evil to exist? But atheists like myself have our own paradox to contend with: the problem of joy. Why do randomly good things happen?"

The question of "why bad things happen to good people", and how it is even possible that God would let his loved ones feel pain and suffering is an ongoing struggle.  It takes pain and the experience of getting beyond that pain to truly understand why.  

In reading this article by an Atheist  I found the above quote truly interesting.  Atheists, who don't have God or a Devil to blame for bad things, also have no one to attribute joy too.  I 've never thought of that.  

Dreams come true

As one commentator wrote on facebook (where I found this), "This thrills my soul." Friend, it thrills mine as well. It makes my heart leap for joy for this boy to experience such acceptance and praise, despite his Autism which keeps him distanced from what is considered "normal" of other kids his age.

Good job, Buddy!  Wish I would have been there to cheer  you on.  You keep giving me goosebumps.  Here's an update on this special hero who just finished qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

Happy Holidays?

My dad is such a cynic.  Most nice things someone does- he looks at with a weary eye.  Total skeptic.  Which is probably why it's in my nature to follow suit.  I struggle against that impulse.  In particular, when I read this post about an Islamic Center sending a holiday card to a local Christian Orthodox church.  Why would they do that?  He would look at the below and think it was some sort of scam.

Maybe these folks sent it for the same reason that I send "holiday" cards, although I celebrate Christmas.  Maybe its because I truly don't want to offend my Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Agnostic and Atheist friends.  They all know I'm Christian, but I would never impose my beliefs on them.  Never.  Maybe it's because our Islamic neighbors were trying to be kind.  That's what I'm banking on.

Merry Christmas.  Happy (belated) Hanukkah. Happy Holidays.

How to be a happy couple?

Since N doesn't read my blog, he probably won't see this one.  I did send it to him with a direct request to review via email.  I'll be interested to see if he actually reads it.  If he does, I'd be happy given how much sense this seems to ma

Original article here: 

1. SEEK TO GIVE MORE THAN YOU SEEK TO GET

When they enter in a relationship, they do so because they want to share the best of them with the other person, and their main focus is to make the other person happy.

“Some of the biggest challenges in relationships come from the fact that most people enter a relationship in order to get something. They’re trying to find someone who’s going to make them feel good. In reality, the only way a relationship will last is if you see your relationship as a place that you go to give, and not a place that you go to take.” Anthony Robbins

2. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR PERSONAL HAPPINESS

These people are already happy on their own and because of that their love will last until the end of days. They don’t look for “salvation” when entering a new relationship, but rather they look for ways to make the other person happy, understanding that “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to their own. “ Robert Heinlein

3. AWARENESS

Awareness of the fact that there will be ups and downs, good days and bad days, and that in order for their LOVE to last, they need to invest time and effort in it. You can’t take your hand off the steering wheel and expect to end up in paradise.

4. COMMITMENT

They are committed to: “have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part” and if something gets “broken”, they don’t throw it away (and a lot of times is the other person who you want to “throw” away), they fix it.

5. HOW TO LOVE WITHOUT BEING NEEDY

And even though it may sound quite frightening, it’s not, for you want to be in a relationship with somebody who is aware of the fact that they are already whole and complete and they don’t need another human being in order for them to feel this way. Can you imagine all the pressure you put on your partner the moment you say that it’s their job to make you happy, and it’s their job to complete you?

“It is only when we no longer compulsively need someone that we can have a real relationship with them.” Anthony Storr

6. RESPECT AND ACCEPTANCE

Respect and acceptance of the differences that exist between them, without trying to constantly change the other person, allowing them to be as they are.

“When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences then love has a chance to blossom.” John Gray

7. COMMUNICATION AND TRUST

Trust in the other person and in what they can achieve together as a couple and a very healthy way of communicating with one another.

“The fundamental glue that holds any relationship together is trust.” Brian Tracy

8. APPRECIATION

Appreciation of the differences and similarities that exist between them, appreciation of the work each and every one of them does and appreciation of who and what they are.

9. TEAMWORK

You know how a lot of couples, after their honeymoon stage they start to act like they are enemies? A lot of people do that, but not these people, for they understand that they are moving in the same direction and that they have the same goals and interests, and that they are part of the same team, and because of that, their love flourishes from one day to another.

“I’m here not because I am supposed to be here, or because I’m trapped here, but because I’d rather be with you than anywhere else in the world.” Richard Bach

10. SPACE

They understand the importance of having space in their relationship for they know that:“Space is a unifying field of awareness in which you meet the other person without the separative barriers created by conceptual thinking. And now the other person is no longer “other.” In that space, you are joined together as one awareness, one consciousness.” Echkart Tolle

11. SELF IMPROVEMENT AND SELF GROWTH

The people who are in strong, healthy and  long lasting relationships are aware of the fact that: “When you struggle with your partner, you are struggling with yourself. Every fault you see in them touches a denied weakness in yourself.” Deepak Chopra

They take time to work on their own person, they take time to better themselves because they know that by doing so,  by bettering themselves, their relationship will also improve.

12. FOCUS ON THE GOOD TRAITS OF THE OTHER PERSON INSTEAD OF THE BAD TRAITS

Focus on the good traits of the other person and not on the negative ones. They don’t focus on what the other person is not or on what they think might be missing from their relationship. These people are mature enough to understand that,“Problems in relationship occur because each person is concentrating on what is missing in the other person.” Wayne Dyer

13. NON-INTERFERENCE

They allow the other person to be as he/ she wants to be, without trying to control them, without trying to tell them what to think, what to believe and what to feel.

Added by Luminita Saviuc on 15, April 2012

A bit of history

I love History- there is something refreshing about looking back in time and seeing where we come from.  The perspective is gives me inspires me.

I saw this, and even comparing a place like Greece at the turn of the century with what the United States looked like in major cities is dynamically different.

I can see clearly...

I got LASIK earlier this week.  Since I've worn glasses my whole life (well, since I was 7), I've never known what it was like to see without the assistance of assistance.

The surgery was swift and amazing.  Thereafter, I was able to see things clearly.  The interesting thing I noticed was that I've actually missed being able to pop out my contacts or take off my glasses and just - relax.  The ability to not see, is pretty nice too.

I miss the break.  I miss the luxury of being able to not see everything.

Imagine that.  Oh, and I miss my awesome frames too.  But it sure is great to wake up in the morning and see what time it is!

Opposites Attract

"The bobcat and fawn would not normally be placed together......but a wildfire in Santa Barbara, California last month helped forge some unlikely bonds.  Rescued from the Jesusita Fire, a 3-week old bobcat kitten and 3 day old fawn became fast friends.  The animal rescue in California brought predator and prey together.  But these babies simply took comfort in each other’s company."

This is an old article that came back around in circulation on the internet.  I love the idea of two mammals that should be enemies, became friends out of necessity.

A great reminder to keep your options open-  you never know who may be your next best friend.  Also, fear can drive us to take chances which may benefit us.