Thursday 28 February 2008

Simple Joys.

Do you know that kind of happiness, which comes from simple joys? Like how soap and water smells so clean, it makes you smile? And how everybody has this one shirt, which feels so much better than all the rest? How waking up on a rainy Sunday morning feels so good. How a child's smile or laughter can make you feel at peace.

Unconditional happiness.

It's the kind of happiness you feel when you're around somebody you love. You have no reason to smile, but you just do. To know that you have actually found somebody you can completely surrender to, to know they they're willing to accept you, and support you; flaws and all. It makes you smile for no reason. It feels like a thick blanket in a freezing cold room, while it's raining outside. Nice, isn't it?

Like when you play with a dog. Dogs are so happy when you just give up a few moments of your time for them. When they lick you on the face because they love you for just sharing a minute, that's a good feeling. Like how a cat purrs just because you've been stroking it for a few seconds. Or just because you scratched it in the correct place.

And that feeling, of simple joy.. it's just pure happiness. No splendour, nothing material. Just happiness in its original state. It's just happiness. And it's amazing.

Realizations (not written by me)

If you could go back and change just one thing about your life, would you? And if you did, would that change make your life better? Or would that change ultimately break your heart? Or break the heart of another? Would you choose an entirely different path? Or would you change just one thing, just one moment, one moment that you always wanted back?

Regret comes in all shapes and sizes. Some are small, like when we do a bad thing for a good reason. Some are bigger like when we let down a friend. Some of us escape the pains of regret by making the right choice. Some of us have little time for regret because were looking forward to the future. Sometimes we have to fight to come to terms with the past, and sometimes we bury our regret by promising to change our ways. But our biggest regrets are not for the things we did but for the things we didn't do, things we didn't say that could have saved someone we care about. Especially when we can see the dark storm that's headed their way.

Do you ever look at a picture of yourself and see a stranger in the background? It makes you wonder how many people have pictures of you, how many moments of other people's lives we've been in. Were we part of someone's life when their dream came true, or were we there when their dreams died? Did we keep trying to get in, as if we were somehow destined to be there? Or did the shot take us by surprise? Just think, you could be a big part of someone else's life, and not even know it.

Philosophies.

So I found these Philosophies interesting. My sister scoffs at me for getting philosophy from a bottle. They're inspiring, sue me.

Amazing Grace: Life is a classroom; we are both student and teacher. Each day is test, and each day we receive a passing or failing grade in one particular subject: grace. Grace is compassion, surrender, faith, it's forgiveness, goodness, reverence, and the list goes on. It’s something money can’t buy and being the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, the richest or even the youngest can’t help. Only being a humble person and being a helpful person can guide you through your days with grace.

Amen: The difference between a hero and a superstar is that a hero doesn’t need a crowd; they only need a cry for help. Many of us have lost sight of who our true heroes really are. They are the “a” men and women who defend our country, do menial chores, walk elderly people across busy streets and act as good neighbours. Whether they sweep streets, pick up trash or lead a nation, they walk the talk. We don’t need another superstar; we do need to salute our true heroes. Amen.

Begin again: you took the right road and ended up in the wrong place. begin again. you reached the top of a mountain only to find yourself at the bottom of a new one. begin again. you dotted every "i" and forgot to cross your "t's." begin again. you were at the wrong place at the wrong time and your life changed forever. begin again. you loved hard and lost big. begin again. you won the race but they gave first place to someone else. begin again. you followed your north star and ended up at the south pole. begin again.

A hero: he had a vision, and in that vision he sailed unchartered seas, flying through cloudless skies. he had a vision if superman could move mountains maybe he could move people. he did more. he had a vision that we could all have x-ray vision if we learned to see possibilities rather than impossibilities. he had a vision that medicine could inspire miracles and miracles could inspire each of us to do better, to be better. he had a vision that few could have imagined and no one thought possible, until one mind, one heart, one voice, stood taller than all the rest and said "we can do more, follow me," and we did. But we have not yet reached the finish line.

The Blow Off: when you do not get the job, the call back, the date, or the invitation, the message is not that you did not deserve it. the message is simply, you deserve better. think of the big blow off as the big opportunity. move forward and move away from down wind.
Pure Grace: pure grace is the clean smell of soap and water, the memory of fresh air woven into a set of crisp, white cotton sheets, a cold deep breath on a snowy winter night, the best summer morning you have ever known, the one white t-shirt that feels better than all the rest.

Falling in Love: when it comes to love you need not fall, but rather, surrender. surrender to the idea that you must love yourself before you can love another. you must absolutely trust yourself before you can absolutely trust another. most importantly, you must accept your flaws before you can accept the flaws of another.

Invisibility: become invisible. require no applause. never show off. no people pleasing. take your directives from above, not below. be accountable for your mistakes. consider integrity and perseverance the keys to your success. strive to act on the higher good for yourself and others. most importantly of all understand the value of daily rituals- wake-up, say a prayer of gratitude, brush your teeth, work-out or work-in, breakfast, shower, prepare yourself, prepare your children, and begin the most important day of your life. daily rituals are as important as daily prayers. when we lose them we lose our empowerment and in time we lose our way.

The Gentleman: every man has a gentleman inside of him. he is that well-groomed man with those down-home values that you can easily bring home to mom. he's the man who is easy on the eyes, sports soft kissable lips and the very scent of him can make you swoon. sometimes the gentleman side of him is on the surface and sometimes it may take a little digging to bring the gentlemen out in any man

Thank You: thank you for giving me bread to break with family and friends. thank you for each breath i take. thank you for my good health and my even better cheer. thank you for my safe journey. thank you for the majestic beauty of nature, song, art, dance and the triumph of the human spirit. thank you for a morning shower to renew my body and soul. thank you for any and all acts of mercy bestowed upon.

The Human Being: there are times in all of our lives when we let our daily stresses get the best of us. those are the times when we tend to get a little snippy with those closest to us and we just don't feel like ourselves or even like a human being. this is the time when we need to stop everything and take some time for ourselves, regroup and rediscover our inner beauty.

Peace: To know peace is to know God. Within the contest of peace, we can know joy, love and happiness. In the absence of peace, we know nothing but the carnival of our minds that jump from one negative thought to the next. To find peace you must shut off your mind and open your heart to the only thing that matters, the gift of the present moment.

The Invisible Man: this invisible man is content to work in the background and never be seen. he's your secret weapon that always makes you look good but never takes any of the credit. you're assured to always come across polished and beautiful when you employ the invisible man. The only question that you need to ask yourself is if you're going to let others in on your invisible little secret.

Let go and let Love: let go and let love write your name in the sky. let go and let love plant your secret garden. let go and let love fertilize the impossible dream. let go and let love prevail when you feel fear. let go and let love choose for you. let go and let love be your flashlight in the dark. let go and let love heal the places that hurt. let go and let love hold you when you feel most alone. let go and let love melt down the frozen ice and bitter cold days of your past. let go and let love cherish you and all living creatures for this is the promise of heaven on earth.

Memory: Memory; takes from the past, the sound of music, a photograph, the smell of a mothers perfume or the feel of a baby’s skin each provide us with a holding place for the time of our lives that will always be near and dear to us. Not everyone lives to be old, so embrace each moment as if it was your last.

Razor Sharp: looking razor sharp isn't nearly as important as being razor sharp. we are bombarded with information regarding the importance of working out in order to keep ourselves looking and feeling our best. only when we "work in" do things actually begin to work out

Splendour: too often we are conditioned to believe that splendor comes from only the big events or the roller-coaster rides. yet, the truest splendor is often ignited by the tiny spark of a child's innocent smile, by laughing with friends, or by the daily ritual of falling in love over and over, aging with the same person. discover your splendor in the reality of what is simple, what is pure, and what is real.

Riches: let's review your only true assets. you own your values, your integrity, your thoughts, your words, your actions and therefore, your destiny. question: are you proud of what you own? what is your true net worth to the world and the people around you? are you really rich or do you just have money?

Soulmates: you don’t need to look for love, you only need to wait, for soulmates always find us. and just like a left foot needs a right foot, we all need a soulmate, and not unlike having two feet on the ground, it helps to be grounded before they arrive. and yet even if your goods are a little damaged, a true soulmate will always love you just the way you are. and remember...soulmates come in all shapes and sizes. they are family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and at their best they are our true loves.

Purity: purity is natural. we come into this world with all the right instincts. we are innocent, and therefore perceive things as they should be, rather than how they are. our conscience is clear, our hands clean, and the world at large is truly beautiful. it is at this time we feel most blessed. to begin feeling young again, we must begin with the most basic step of all, the daily ritual of cleansing.

The Perfect Plan: we dream of the perfect life, perfect health, the perfect relationship, even perfect hair. in doing so we lost sight of the most perfect thing there is. we call it “the perfect plan.” it is the invisible energy life force that directs our every move, every triumph and every set back. it is the master plan that requires no perfection. once you surrender to the plan you genuinely see the perfection of God’s plan.