MERRY CHRISTMAS

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE
ANOTHER YEAR OVER, AND A NEW ONE BEGUN
SO MERRY MERY CHRISTMAS TO THE NEAR ONES AND THE DEAR ONES
TO THE OLD AND THE YOUNG
MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE BLACK AND THE WHITE
TO THE RED ONE AND THE YELLOW ONE
LET'S STOP ALL THE FIGHT
I hope I got all the words right from the classic tune by the late and great John Lennon.But even if I might have changed it a tad it still reflects my personal hopes and aspirations for all of us as a human family.From me to you I wish you all the very best of everything.I would implore you to become the unconditional love and to let your light shine brightly now and always. Please ,right now, do a little something nice for someone and become a part of the solution! Happy holidays to everyone ."HUGS"

BE THE THING YOU WISH TO SEE OR EXPERIENCE

I sure hope all you good folks out there are feeling great and that things are going smoothly for you. Once again its that time of year when we think about family and friends with warm thoughts and try to get together to visit.The Christmas season seems to bring out the best in some people and they go out of their way to be nice to others. Back when I was a much younger man I used to send out Christmas cards to my friends in July.July cause it was the middle of the year and usually the hottest month here in Kentucky.They all thought I had gone over the cliff or maybe smoked a little too much wacky weed. But I quickly assured them it was only to remind them and myself too that we should carry the Spirit of Christmas with us all year round.  Not being a religious man myself made no differnece as to what anyone else believed. I figured that if we could remind ourselves to just be nicer and more friendly all year round it would make for a better world.So the message I was trying to convey then is the same one I try to convey now. And that is for each of us to learn the way of "unconditional love" and to be as nice as we can to everyone we meet, not only during some holiday but all the time. Well, I stopped sending the cards years ago but I still try to act as if every day is a holiday filled with love and goodness.It has been said by people much smarter than myself that if you want to see a change in something, you must first become the change.It took me a long time to understand that but now I clearly see that is right.If you want to see a world of happy people, you then need to first become a happy person yourself.If you want to see a world living in peace you must become a peaceful person.I could go on and on but Im sure you get the pictureThe Dalai Lama once stated the following; "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." How very true that is my friends.I will now leave you with best wishes for a safe and happy moment wherever you happen to be.And remember to be the thing you wish to see unfold.And please dont forget to try and do something nice for someone right now!

IT AIN'T MY FAULT

How many times have you heard someone say it wasn't their fault bad things seem to come their way? Or maybe, how often have you yourself used that statement regarding some event in your own life? Probably more than one would care to admit to. I know I have been guilty of that many times in my own life.Granted there are some things that happen to us and it really isn't our fault, or so it seems.But if one would only take a much closer look at their inner most thoughts they may be truly amazed at the times they have subconsciously given birth to the thing they despise.Only an open mind that is able to surpass the human ego will be able to fully comprehend that we are usually the root cause of all our "problems".I know its hard for any one to fully accept responsibility for their ills and to admit that their thinking has sown the seeds of discord in their lives.Thomas Troward once stated:"It is therefore not surprising that the creative power of our thought, thus used in a wrong direction, has produced the limitations of which we complain." I would ask you to think about that quote and see if it rings even a bit true.My hope is that all of you are right now using that creative mind of yours in a way that is not only bringing peace, joy, and comfort into your own experience, but also helping to expunge a bit of the darkness that is so prevalent in our 3d world.I now take leave with hopes of a most wonderful day and week ahead for all of you.And please remember to try and do  a little something good for someone else."HUGS" to all

A LIFE OF SERVICE

For me living a life of service gives meaning to the whole thing.I have read everything I could find on being happy, being free, and living a good life.And don't get me wrong, there are lots of self-help books, tapes, cds etc that can assist one in their search for enlightenment.And even if living a life of service is my "path" I am not saying that is the only path one can choose.But for myself, after all these years of looking a life of service to my fellow human beings is the only thing that works for me.And by living a life of service I dont mean that you must gi ve up anything or suffer in need of anything do live that kind of life.Personally I try to do it by being nice to everyone.By smiling at every "stranger"(is there really a thing as a stranger? I dont think so), by holding a door open, by allowing someone to jump ahead of me in line, to offer a word of encouragement, by calling an old friend, etc. I'm sure you get the picture.It doesn't cost me anything to do those type of things and yes, I do believe that qaulifies as a life of service.Sure, I donate some money to charities even tho I  am far from being a wealthy man(in material things I mean).But even if I did not have a dime I can still be of service. And that to me brings real meaning to my life. Maybe you'd like to try that yourself sometime. I sure hope you will that is if you are not already doing that. In closing I would like to share a couple of quotes. The first one is from Mr. Charles Caleb Colton who stated:"He that thinks himself the happiest man, really is so." And from Rabindranath Tagore comes this bit of marvel:"I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy."I now take flight and leave all of you wonderful people with thoughts of a perfect love, perfect peace, and perfect joy.And as always if you can right now, take a moment and do a little something nice for someone simple becdause you can and you want to! Bless all your hearts!

FINDING JOY IN THE "PROBLEMS" OF TODAY

Have you experienced any "problems" today? If so did you just "feel" your way through it or did you try to learn something from it? I think if all of us would take the time to reflect on the problems of living in todays world, we could arrive at the point when we would actually welcome the "problems, changes" in our world with open arms.Because that is the only way we are gonna learn to be at peace with everything that happens.Within each problem lies not only a solution but also therein lies a joy that we have yet to discover. And after facing each obstacle and learning the lesson from it we will be not only a happier person but a far better one also.The following quote is from Christian Larson who states:"It is the difficult things that we meet that enable us to bring into action the greater power that is within us; difficulties therefore, are the most valued of opportunities, and if taken advantage of as such, will always be met with joy." And also from the Science of Mind comes this tidbit:Nature demands the change in order that we may advance. When the change comes, we should welcome it with a smile on the lips and a song in the heart. My hope for all of you is that the problems you encounter will be small ones and that the lessons learned from them will bring you much joy.

LIVING YOUR BELIEFS

Im sure that like most of us you too have a set of personal beliefs that you live by.Or at least try to.It has to be that way or we all would be living a very chaotic life!So whether we consciously make our thoughts turn into our "way" of living, or unconsciously allow our thoughts to rule, I think we should take note of what we are living by and with.I think many of us would be surprised to find out that we aren't really as attuned to our inner selves as we would like to be. It's way much easier to just react to things as they happen than it is to try and control our thoughts on a daily basis. At least it seems that way to me.And often times the things we live by are not truly our own but merely reflections of what we have been taught and shown by others who claim to know the "way" to living a fulfilled life.I personally believe that each of us must take control of our every thought and make sure we are not just reacting to others.Take a really close look at the events in your life right now and then see if these events are just random or if they are a consequence of your own inner thoughts and beliefs.Believe me, its really harder than one realizes to take an HONEST look at their belief system than one would suppose.Part of the reason for this is that no one actually likes to admit that they are responsibile for whatever it is that befalls them. I once read somewhere this quote:The hardest path I have discovered is the path that leads me back to myself. I love that quote and believe it to be true. In closing I would like to share a couple of quotes with you. The first one is from Florence Scovel Shinn who stated:"Man(people) manifests, on any plane, the sum total of his subconscious beliefs." And the other one is from the Science of Mind magazine as follows:The Law of Mind obeys the orders that are given It whether we are conscious or unconscious that such orders are being given. I sincerely hope you will think about this and then decide to take a closer look at your "beingness" and then decide to really gain control once more of that precious mind you now possess! And as always while you have a free moment why not do a little something nice for someone. Right now, right here. I bless all of you and send thoughts of pure love, peace, and kindness to you and yours.

FORGIVENESS

A verse from the Travelin' Wilbury's hit single titled "The End of The Line" goes like this.
"Well, its alright even if you're old and gray-and its alright, you  still got something to say- and its alright remember to live and let live- and its alright the best you can do is forgive"
I agree!Forgiveness is just so precious if we only realize the power it holds for us.There is no way any of us can go through this entire life without being abused,cheated,or treated in any other negative way by someone else. Believe me, that is inevitable! But the key to having been a victim at some point will enable us to learn the power of forgiveness.Most of the "little" hurts we endure from the actions of others are fairly easy to forgive while the "larger" hurts and injustices, seem to take longer to forgive. And Im sure there are those who have yet to truly forgiven all of their enemies.I know from experience that we can at any time be blindsided by someone we love and trust, or by a complete stranger.Maybe an ex lover? Or maybe the person who sold you a "lemon" of a car etc etc.Again, from my personal experience I know its very possible to think you have forgiven while in reality you have only buried the injustice deep down into the subconscious mind where it doesn't bother you(at least on a conscious basis). And believe me, if that particular hurt or injustice hasnt been totally forgiven it will at some point in your life raise its ugly head and you will again be faced with dealing with it.When I talk about forgiveness, Im not saying that one should forget the injustice or to allow the perpertrator to do it to you again. In my own circumstances when I feel I have been mistreated by someone I try my best to forgive but I keep close to my conscious mind the facts so that I can better protect myself from further hurt.The biggest thing about forgiveness as I see it, is that if we carry around inside of us any old hurts or grudges we are then only hurting ourselves. As an example say someone you trusted to do the "right" thing by you instead chose to take your trust and use it against you to get something they wanted from you.Now, after the fact, you feel angry and rightfully upset.But due to circumstances there is no way to "avenge' the wrong so you instead just allow that "hurt" to become a part of your every waking moment. You want the one who has offended you to have to pay for their actions somehow.And yet, you see that person going on about their lives all smiles and seeming doing really well in life in general.And as you see this happening the anger and resentment you feel for this person continues to eat at you so much you are never fully happy. After some time the pain you feel has subsided but that is because you have buried it once again in the subconscious mind.But believe me, any unforgiveness you are withholding is slowly eating away at your inner peace day by day.The offender has gone on with their life and probably completely forgotten the way they hurt you so they are not suffering in any way. So if that is the case, then you tell me, who is winning? The one who caused the hurt? or the one who has been abused? I think you can see what I mean.As long as we carry a grudge against another soul, we are not hurting them, we are only hurting ourselves by not living with our "inner peace" intact. I also know that forgiveness can be very hard to do. Some folks can hurt us to our very core, and again from personal experience I know how hard true forgiveness can be. But it is an absolute must that we forgive if we are to truly live a life of peace. The author Norman Cousins once stated:"Life is an adventure in forgiveness." My hope for all of you is that you have totally forgiven all for whatever acts they have done, in the best way you know how. For if you have done that, then you should be able to live  your life with  a lot greater inner peace of mind than say those who refuse to forgive.Take care my friends and try to truly enjoy this one eternal moment you now find yourself immersed in. And if at all possible take a moment to appreciate all the beauty around you and within you and try and do a little something nice for someone right now, right here. My wish for all of you is the very best of everything now and always.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Hello my dear friends.Here's hoping that your day or evening is sure going in the right direction you are steering toward and that you are filled with much love, peace, and joy, in your heart.M y regular
 readers of this blog know that I am a very big believer in doing something nice for others every chance that I get.And thankfully, I do seem to get a lot of chances.Most of us, myself included a few years back, just do not realize the opportunities that arise every moment for us to do a "good deed" for someone. I've had to train myself to just be on the lookout for those precious moments.And thankfully after several years of training it has gotten fairly easy for me to be aware of the opportunities to be a part of the solution instead being a part of the problem.At first I thought that in order to really do something good for the world and the people in it, I would have to write a book, hold seminars, print cds or whatever else to get out my message of "love" for others.Looking back to those days I knew I wanted to do something "big" and try in my own way to improve this world for all of us.Well, let me tell you something. I was in for quite a big surprise as to how things were gonna work out in the end.I started out by writing short stories of my own personal life that told of my experiences that helped shape me into being a "giver" instead of being a "taker"., the events that had convinced me that I could and should share my stories with the world so I could at least give back a little of the "gifts" that life had afforded me in my search for wisdom and understanding. As luck(if one believes in luck) would have it the very first story I wrote down and sent in to a magazine was accepted for publication by the Science of Mind magazine.(I am still today an avid reader of the SOM and would suggest that maybe you give it a look see and see if it may be something to help you). Hey, they even paid me 25.00 and sent me 10 extra issues with my story included. I thought, man, that was easy. So to make a long story short I had around 8 stories published by the magazine over the years and while this was going on I decided to write even more.I have to admit that I was still more into my ego self that I would have liked. And that being the case led me to believe I could and should write a book and further my career as a writer.So I penned the book in no time it seemed, and thought well, here I go . Now just to find a publisher and Id be on my way. I couyld see myself on the tv talk shows taking questions about my books and really be a author who was helping others find a better way.And of course Id have lots of money and fame etc, just padding the old ego self.Well right then was when I found out just how difficult it is to get a book published unless you did it yourself.I purchased a Writers Handbook and proceeded to send out solicitations for my book to many many editors of high esteem as well as editors that were not as well known.Every day from that first inquiry to an editor it seemed my mailbox was filled with rejection.Why, I couldnt even get an editor to read my manuscript because I didn't have an agent.An agent, hey I didnt have much money then(or now) so how was I gonna afford an agent. And why should I have to share my money form the book with an agent? I didn't get it at first but slowly it all sinked in to  my brain. It came down to being all about money.The editors did not ant to take a chance on unknown writers cause it cost lots of money to print books. And they only wanted Published authors that they knew would sell no matter what the contents were. So there I was, all this stuff I wanted to share with others but unable to do so simply because I didnt have enough  money. So I did what most anybody would do. I quit! I quit trying to get my book published ( I still have it stored away somewhere I thi nk along with some other essays and poems and personal writings,and who knows maybe one day Ill giv e it a try again, but I seriously doubt it). I decided to just quit knocking my head against the wall and just things be.Funny now as I look back, but running into all those snags and receiving all those rejections, and facing failure more times than not actually helped me to get past the stage of allowing my Ego self to be the ruler.I have to admit now that if my book had been quickly published, and I had attained the fame I then desired and made all that big money, that really would have been the worse thing that could of ever happened to me. I know that may sould a little crazy but it is true.Because now, I can usually keep my Ego self in control(not always but most of the time) and I can operate by allowing Divine Mind to take me wherever Im supposed to be and doing what Im supposed to be doing.And along the way I have found that if I just get myself out of the way and let my Inner Light shine then I feel fulfilled and at peace knowing that I can still do nice things for others and dont even have to have any money to do it!That was really liberating when I discovered that one doesnt have to have a dime to do something nice for others.I still dont have lots of money and you know what-I have no problems with that at all! I wish I did have more at times but then again I truly believe that I will always have enough to get by on and still have a little extra to donate to those less fortunate.During these years I have seen have simple it is to be nice to others. I can hold a door open for someone, I can gi ve someone a big ol smile and and say a warm hello, I can call an old friend I haven't heard from in a while, I can offer encouragement to someone who is feeling a little "lost", I can tell my beautiful wife just how damned beautiful she really is,I can run an errand for someone who is ailing,why heck, I can even just sit quietly alone in the beautiful silence and send out loving, peaceful, thoughts and vibrations to the world at large.I can do so much good stuff for this world and it doesn't cost me one single red cent!How wonderful is that!! I thank all of you wonderful folks for bearing with me and for being a part of my own earthly experience.My hope is that you too , my friend will join me in doing whatever we can to make this earth a more wonderful place than it is now. Forgive me for not checking this entry for typos cause I'm either tired or just too lazy. If you can right now in this one Eternal Moment reach out your hand and make a friend if you can(a thank you to the Staple Singers for that line) and together we will be on a journey that not only helps bring others together, but also makes us a better person.I leave all of you with hopes for a larger love, greater peace, and more abundant joy. And I'd also love to hear from any of you as to what you do every day to be nice to others. I love you all. Bless you my friends

BEING A SURVIVOR

Oh man, how many times do we have to try and overcome a crisis in our lives? Admittedly, most of these "hard" times are ones we bring on ourselves but it never seems to get much easier.One thing all of us have in common is that we will find ourselves dealing with all sorts of "problems" as we wind our way along this soometimes rocky path of life. I feel its how we face these times that make us either a better person or one who continues to lose their grip on things.I read a quote that was attributed to Mother Teresa and I just love it! She stated:"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle, I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." Ya gotta love that quote. But as always I truly believe we can overcome anything when we get our minds attuned with that "inner being" which is truly who we are.From the Science of Mind comes another nugget of wisdom: "Then, as the mist disappears before the sun, so shall adversity melt before the shining radiance of our exalted thought." So may I suggest that you keep a wary eye on your inner most thoughts especially when confronted with any obstacle.And out thoughts today are what makes up our tomorrows.Take the mental part of you and attune the thoughts to what it is you wish to manifest in your life.And remember as Emerson once said;" People only see what they are prepared to see.My hope is that all of you are at this one eternal moment find yourself happy, feeling well, and finding much joy in all that transpires in your life. As always too, please take a moment and do something nice for someone else and then for yourself as well!

CAUSE & EFFECT

In the world today many of us have yet to understand that conditions in our lives are usually there by our own design wheather we admit it or not. It has become so convenient for us to readily place blame on something or someone for the "mess" we find in our lives from time to time. I mean its so easier to place blame than to admit we are responsible for our own ills. And if we cant find blame on something or someone we oft times just put it down as bad luck.While I do admit there are things that seem out of our control I still believe we can and must use our own intelligence to overcome these so called "bad" things.There really is no such thing as luck in my world. I either have caused the thing in my life or I have allowed my thinking to stray from the truth--that being that Me and only me is responsible for things that arise as conditions in my life.Are there other worldly influences in this world that help shape my destiny? Of course there are, but it is ultimately up to me to decide what it is I want to see made manifest in my world. There are times when I would perfer to blame a "devil" or something else for my problems but I know that is not the case.At least for me as I see it.Everything , and I mean everything arrives as a condition in my life directly related to my thoughts and actions. And yes, that is a lot of responsibility to own up to.One of my favorite authors of all time Ralph Waldo Emerson has stated the following and I agree with him completely."Shallow men ( women) believe in luck, believe in circumstances....... Strong men ( women) believe in cause and effect." And a quote from the Science of Mind states this:Just so far as we depend upon any condition, past, present, or future, we are creating chaos, because we are then dealing with conditions(effects) and not with causes.So I feel if we are to correct or change any challenges that we find ourselves confronted with, we must turn within, and then work on creating the cause that will produce the solution we are seeking. My sincere hope for all of us is that we as a world of human beings will soon realize that we are in "control" of our lives and that we can effect any outcome that we may desire. I now leave all of you wonderful folks with thoughts of pure love, peace, joy, and understanding. And as always, if you have a free moment take advantage of it and do something nice for someone.I bless you all and say thank you for visiting me once again.

I"LL TAKE YOU THERE--COME GO WITH ME

For today's entry I am using 2 songs, both of which were performed by the Staple Singers back in  either the 1970's or 80's.I'm not sure who wrote the words but to me the words are just so beautiful while being simple at the same time(which I like a lot, being simple that is). The Staple Singers came out with their first song being played on the radio and it was titled"I"ll Take You There" Here are some of those lyrics---"I know a place ain't nobody crying, ain't nobody worried, ain't no smiling faces lying to the races Help me now C'mon help me I'll take you there I'm calling calling for mercy now I'll take you there you gotta gotta let me take you there". After hearing that song I always wondered just what a beautiful place they were talking about. And after a bit of time they came out with the follow-up song which was titled "Come Go With Me" Here are some of those lyrics--"If you're ready come on and go with me, no hatred will be tolerated, Peace and love will grow between the races. Love is the only transportation to where there's total communication. If you're ready come go with me. No disaster will ever enter there, no wars would ever be declared, no economical exploitation and no political domination. Troublemaker , come go with me you better get ready now, liars, Oh I'm waiting on you, backstabbers, now come on and go with me, yeah and all the terrorists c'mon ya'll, if you wanna be free come go with me, see I'm just moving on just moving on, grooving I can't help it but I'm moving on. C'mon and go with me yeah please c'mon and go with me" Of course I loved that song even more than the first one the Staples did.And for years now I have been a believer that this place they sang about really could exist right here on planet earth if everyone would just take time to love each other, throw out all the hatred, biases, greed , and instead of being mean to one another, try and be as good to everyone as you are yourself.You say I'm a dreamer? I take your point of view and understand why you may think this "place" will never happen.But in "my" world I try my very best to be good to everyone and to treat all life with the reverence it deserves.But even if my "dream" of this wonderful place does not materialize while I am here as a human being, I will at least feel like I  have made an effort to encourage this way of living.If I may even just touch one soul in a way that helps them understand about living in peace and unconditional love then it will not have been in vain.My friends, I wish I could do as the Staple Singers said, and that is to take you there, but I know in reality that you and only you can arrive at that destination. But I can offer my hand in friendship and wish you all the very best.I leave you fine folks now with thoughts of perfect love, peace, joy, and understanding.And please, if you can, do something nice for someone right now!"HUGS" to all.

WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES

One of my blogger friends suggested that I put some of my poetry on here and I may just do that at some later time.But at this time in my life I have been relistening to some of favorite golden oldies songs from the 60's and 70's. Growing up during that period I was influenced greatly by those songs even tho I didn't grasp the meanings as well as I now do. With all the changes going on in the world during the "hippie" movement a tremendous amount of great music was written about love peace and people everywhere getting along and helping each other out. The song I'd like to share with you today was performed by Joe South, I am not sure who wrote the song but the words are so beautiful. I hope you will be inspired by the following words from the song Walk A Mile In My Shoes
"If I could be you and you could be me for just one hour, If we could find a way to get inside each other's mind. If you could see you through my eyes instead of your ego I believe you'd be surprised to see that you've been blind.Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse better walk a mile in my shoes.Now if your world you see around you is just a reflection  and the law of karma says you gonna reap just what you sow. So unless you've lived a life of total perfection, you better be careful of every stone that you should throw. And yet we spend the day throwing stones at one another cause I don't think or wear my hair the same way you do. Well I may be common people but I'm your brother, and when you strike out and try to hurt me it's hurting you.Lord have mercy. Now there are people on reservations and out in the ghetto, and brother there, but for the grace of God go you and I. And if I only had the wings of a little angel, don't you know I'd fly to the top of the mountain, and then I'd cry. Hey walk a mile in my shoes. Before you abuse, criticize and accuse you better walk a mile in my shoes."
 There you have it. Simple really. Whoever wrote that piece said it lots better than I ever could have.Being the dreamer I am I can conceive a world where everyone gets along and lives as one.My next post (hopefully) will focus on a couple of old songs by the Staple Singers.My hope is that some of you at least will find some hidden nuggets of wisdom in these songs that you can take along with you as you continue to be a part of the solution.I leave all of you beautiful folks with thoughts of pure love, peace, harmony and happiness. And as always please try to do something nice for someone today.Remember, we are all one and the sooner we start living our lives as such the sooner this world be one where we all get along.You are invited to join me in my dream of a peaceful loving planet full of beautiful people.Until then, be good to yourself and even better to those around you!

LET"S WORK TOGETHER

A great song from the early 1970's was one by Canned Heat called Let's Work Together.I loved this song when it came out and I was 18 or 19 years old.I have to admit tho at the time I loved it simply because of the music and the beat of the tune and not so much for the words. But as I have grown older and managed to work on my spirituality I now love to hear this golden oldie mostly for the words. A simple ditty it was but filled with much profound wisdom. The lyrics or part of them went like this: Well, united we stand divided we fall come on now people lets get on the ball let's work together and together we'll stand  every boy every girl every woman and man. Those lyrics are just so appropiate even today as it was then,  maybe even more so now. The news is filled every day with stories of wars among nations, anger against one country by others, hate, prejudice, robberies, etc.And until every one of us as humans decide to stop all the fighting and fussing and begin to really work together I'm afraid the same stuff will continue.As Lionel Richie wrote in his song called Sweet Love: If I was at a place where dreams are for dreamers and all you wished came true , I'd wish the world had all happy people, then there'd be no more wishing to do. Wouldn't it be nice if we all could begin to love each other and accept our differences and start working together to bring peace among nations a reality? Yes, I know this is a very big dream I have but I also know I'm not the only one and I will continue to dream of a peaceful world even if it hasn't arrived yet. And I hope you will join with me in this dream because it all starts and ends with each of us. We are all ONE folks and I hope we start realizing that before any more innocent folks are killed or we completely destroy the entire planet we share. I now leave all of you dear friends with thoughts of love, peace, and understanding. Hugs to all of you and if you can today do something nice for someone and start becoming a part of the solution.To you and yours I wish the best of everything now and always.

DANCE OF THE HUMMINGBIRDS

I love Mother Nature! So many wonderful vistas, sunsets, sunrises, full moons, gentle breezes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornados, oceans, outer space, animal and plant life, etc. I could go on forever about Mother Nature even when it seems out of control (hurricanes,tornados etc) but today I would like to write about hummingbirds.I have always loved watching them, So tiny with little wings aflutter and a really long needle like beak which allows them to enjoy the nectar of the flowers. My beautiful wife has a flower garden right along our driveway which she keeps looking so great all spring and summer(she puts in quite a bit of hard work to do this) and I am able to sit on the back steps and watch all the birds and other life that makes this garden come alive.I watch all kinds of plant and animal life doing business in the garden on a daily basis.It really is a world unto its own which goes unseen by all but my wife and I.There are so many great stories I could write about this haven for wildlife but today my subject is hummingbirds.We keep a feeder stocked with sweet nectar for them and it seems as if we are blessed by at least 3 hummingbirds which come and go daily.But over this past summer I have watched more closely than usual and I am amazed at just what goes on with the birds.Now this feeder is fairly small and it has I think 6 different openings around the bottom so in theory 6 birds should be able to get all they want of the nectar at the same time. But as I have learned this summer it just doesnt work this way.Time after time I have watched as the early bird comes first and drinks quite a bit and then just sits away from the feeder on a small plant branch and keeps watch. And its just a quick moment til the other 2 birds arrive at the oasis. As soon as one of them tries to get a sip of the sweetness the one who is guarding the feeder will swoop down and chase him away. While he is doing this the 3rd bird will dart down to the feeder and try and get a quick sip before the other 2 come back.A small sip and he is then chased away by the "guardian" of the feeder, who in turn again swoops to the feeder and chases the 3rd one away again.Then it seems all 3 of them fly away chasing each other and remain gone for a moment or so. Then the 1st one arrives again and sits at the feeder and drinks all he can til he gets full and then goes and sits on the branch once again and waits for the 2nd bird to show.In a quick dart the 2nd bird arrives and lands at he feeder. As he tries to quickly get a sip the "guardian" comes and chases him away. While this goes on the 3rd one stops and gets a quick drink before being chased away once again.This pattern seems to go on and on all day long.Im guessing that when they are all away from my wife's oasis they are in someone else's garden spot repeating the dance of scurrying for a drink.All this reminds me of just how akin us humans are to the animal world.Now I know animals are born with an innate sense of doing what it takes to stay alive and to procreate their species.And about the only thing that seperates us humans from wild animals is the ability to "see" right from wrong. But then again thats an entirely different subject matter.I mean after all, what is right and what is wrong? Again those illusions come into play.Maybe Ill write about that later. But for now back to the hummingbirds.The "guardian" bird I suppopse was the first to find the feeder and staked his claim to it. Then along came bird 2 who decided it was ok for him to share in the good stuff also.Ditto for bird #3. Now even tho bird #1 drank til he was sated he still did not want to share his bounty so he fought hard and long to "defend" his domain.But 2 and 3 figured hey what the heck # 1 has more than enough so we are gonna get our share also even if it means having to fight for it. They decided he didnt need "all" of the sweet stuff so they felt justified in fighting to take some of it away for themselves.I think you are probably beginning to see how all this is happening all over the world in our "civilized" world of humanity.One of us humans finds an "oasis" of good stuff and lays claim to it. Then quickly there are many who rush in and try to take some of the good stuff for themselves even if it means fighting and killing others.And all this goes on when there is more than enough for everybody if only we were to learn the art of pure "Unconditional Love". It would only take everybody being wise enough to take only what they truly needed than share the rest with others who are in need.Like the sweet nectar from our bird feeder there is always enough, it is being replenished daily, just like the things we need as people are replenished daily by Mother Nature.If only we would take what we need then feel good about sharing the remainder with all of humankind.That would be a great state of humanity. Will this ever come about when we share the world with all? I sure hope so but Im almost sure it will never happen unless we all decide to work together as a unit and stop being so damned greedy! I mean how much does one person need to be happy and content? Probably not as much as you would first think. Yes I am a dreamer but I will go to my grave believing that humanity is worth "saving" and that one glorious day all of us will awaken to that fact and then we will at long last be on the path to real "enlightenment". In closing this entry I would just ask you to stop for a moment and ask yourself "Would you be just as content drinking only enough of life's nectar and then sharing freely the rest with all of humankind'? I believe you would be more content if you did this instead of taking and then being so adamant as to guarding your own personal oasis. If you would take a moment right now and try to think of someone you love but have not heard from in  quite some time. Then make a phone call to them just to say hey I was thinking of you and wanted to let you know I still love you.Leave your "oasis" unguarded long enough to do this then come back and see if there is even more "nectar" awaiting you.I leave all of you wonderful folks with thoughts of love peace and joy."HUGS"

A SIMPLE KIND OF MAN

I consider myself  as a simple kind of guy. Even tho I try to understand just how everything works and how to get past all the illusions of this earthly life I try to just keep it as simple as possible.If you are a regular reader of this blog you should know that my intent is to try and share the love with all of us human beings.That in itself sounds simple enough but trying to reach others who have a different way of seeing things can still be rather complex or so it seems.On this blog I have made many friends who I really cherish the friendship.At times there have been readers who disagreed vehemently with my views(which is quite ok by me). Some have said I am an arrogant person which I dont really think is true but then again I suppose it depends on which view you are looking from. But the reason for todays entry is not to try and figure things out or to disagree or agree with anyone else.The point I would like to make is that I feel no matter what the "real" truth is I am gonna remain a simple person doing the best I can to love everyone one and everything.I have made some friends here who have their own blogs and they are filled with much truth wisdom and insight concerning this worlds illusions.I must admit I dont quite understand all the things I read but I have found the blogs quite amazing. They get me to thinking and to asking questions which in turn helps me to become more "awake" and aware of what is going on.There are just so many theories and beliefs out there that it can make one's head spin quite a bit.To you readers who are looking to find enlightenment  may I suggest you check out some of the blogs that are listed as ones I follow.Those folks are lots smarter than me and can maybe help shed some light on things for you better than I can. As for me I will continue to write as the inspiration comes to me.And I will continue to try my best to keep it all simple.As I see it no matter what one may believe as far as to what is real or what is an illusion it will remain dependant upon one's own personal beliefs.To me keeping it simple is to look at things in a way which will serve to bring more love into this world.I feel the only thing any of us do have is this 1 eternal moment and no matter what conditions we find ourselves in if we will all take this 1 moment and send love and goodness to as many people as we can then the rest of it will surely take care of itself. This is why I try to remind all of you to do something nice for someone right now so that we can work together to help make this planet a better place for all of us.I dont care what "group" you belong to, what race you are (aren't we all humans) what political party you subscribe to or any thing else. I do however would love to see all of you join me in trying to make this a better world for all.Thank you for visiting my blog, for sharing your thoughts with us, and for accepting me as I am.And please, if you can take the next few moments and do something nice for someone. It doesnt have to be anything of a great nature, maybe just call an old friend who you know would love to hear from you again, or open a door for someone at the store, or just smile warmly at the next person you see. Tell someone you love them, help your mate out with some of the chores,etc I could go on forever cause it really is unlimited the things you can do for someone and most doesnt cost you a dime. Just a second of your valuable time. Please try that if you can and I think you will find it helps  you to feel better not only about yourself but also about humanity.I leave you now with thoughts of love, peace, and inner contentment.May all of you have a most wonderful evening.Thank you for listening."HUGS"

CAUSE AND EFFECT

One of my favorite authors Ralph Waldo Emerson sure had a way of stating things in simple terms that should be easy for us to comprehend.I have always been amazed by the wisdom that this man shared with all who would but take time to listen.I wanted to share this quote from him with you today.Mr Emerson stated:"Shallow men believe in luck, they believe in circumstances....Strong men believe in cause and effect." Dealing with cause and effect is like trying to cure an ailment's symptons (that would be the effects or conditions) and not curing the underlying cause of the ailment by going to the root cause and finding out how to eliminate the root cause.We as humans often times are just happy allievating the symptons with drugs or any other treatment that will do the job. However when we do that we are still left with the "inner" or "root" cause of the problem and usually the same problem will continue to crop up from time to time. If we are to completely "heal" ourselves I believe we need to work from the inside to the outside.By that I mean trying to figure out the oft times buried reason for the ailment by doing our "inner" or spiritual work.Thus by discovering the "real" reason for that ailment we can then rid ourselves of it permanantly.The Science of Mind textbook has stated the following which I agree with wholeheartedly: "Just so far as we depend upon any condition, past, present, or future, we are creating chaos, because we are then dealing with conditions (effects) and not with causes." So in closing I will wish for all of you beautiful people a ton of happiness, good health,and all good things.May the "ailments" you have be few and far between, and may you quickly learn to be able to discover the root causes, so that you can keep your life filled with inner peace.Again may I remind you to try right now to do something nice for someone whether its a phone call to an old friend, a special hug to someone you love, a warm smile to the "stranger" you pass on the street, or anything else you may imagine.That way when you are retiring for the night, you can look back and see that today you have indeed done a great service in helping all of us humans to see that truly all we do need is love."HUGS" to all.

ROLLING WITH THE FLOW

And on and on I go I just keep on rolling with the flow". Those words from an old Charlie Rich song says a lot to me. I have always tried my best to just take things as they come, try to learn from them. and then just let it go.Those times when I fail to do that is the times when life seems to be in quite a disarray.I often have to remind myself to just experience things instead of always reacting to them. When I can remember to do that then life seems to just go along in rhythm and I find myself at peace with things.My hope is that all of you wonderful folks have learned how to just "be" without expecting things to always come out the way you had envisioned them. If you have then I am sure your life is one that is peaceful and flows gently each moment. If not then I hope you will soon learn the art of just "being" in the one eternal moment. I will leave you with a quote from Epictetus who once stated"Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish; but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life." I leave you with thoughts of pure love, peace, and joy to you and yours.And may I remind you to try and do something nice for another person just because you wish to be a part of the solution! "HUGS" to all

KEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

I love the following quote from Herm Albright:"A positive attitude may not solve all  your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." I love it! Also I say to keep on smiling and people will wonder what you are up to. I leave all of you with thoughts of love, peace, and joy.

THE BEAUTY WITHIN

I honestly believe all of us human beings have within us the innate seed to blossom into a loving, kind, caring, and warm person.Why some never seem to realize this or to even begin to develop into this type of human being is a little beyond my explanation.Those who are sociopaths and believe that they "deserve" everything they desire just because they are here is beyond even my wildest imagination.But whatever the reasons I still believe most of us can and should learn to develop our abilities and try our best to rediscover the inner beauty that resides within us at all times.For those of you who think you have nothing special inside to share with others, I'd like to share this thought from Swami Chetanananda:"Think of a tree, or any living event that emerges from within itself. It is the degree to which it obeys its inner commitment to unfold a certain pattern that enables it to overcome all of the resistance and the obstacles in the environment, and to demostrate itself as  a vast and vital manifestion of the energy of Life." Taking this as fact should enable one to "remember" who they really are inside no matter what the outside appearances seem to indicate. My hope is that each of us can dig down and again become "one" with our inner self and start from there to become a better human being.And as you go about your day how about doing something nice for someone just because you wish to be a part of life's solutions. I bless you all good people and send warm thoughts of love and best wishes to you and yours now and always.

BEING HUMBLE

Sometimes it seems as if a lot of us folks have a real hard time being humble.The human ego is made in such a way that most of us derive a sense of pleasure when we feel as if we are "right" and the ones who cant agree with us are wrong. I know I have battled that issue more than once in my life. After all, if something seems so genuine and real to us then we think it stands out to others in the same way and we cant understand it when they dont agree with us.That is just a human being being human to me.But with that being said I also realize it would behoove all of us to be a little more humble in the way we share our beliefs with others.I have worked really hard on myself to arrive at that point in my own evolution where I can now freely admit that my beliefs are mine only and may not be "right" for you or anyone else as far as that goes. And I hope I am humble enough to always view your opinions as being equally as "right" as mine. One thing I have noticed is that a lot of folks who have their own beliefs so secured within their minds is that they are quick to defend them as the only way.But I think if one will humble themselves just a bit and accept the notion that their beliefs may not be right for everyone that they will be better off.As for me I have my beliefs which I freely share with anyone who wants to hear them but in no way shape form or fashion will I ever "defend" my beliefs. I hope that all of you are secure with your beliefs and that they bring you much joy and inner peace.When we can all be content within ourselves and just be who we are I think the world will be a lot better off than it is  now.In closing I would like to share a quote from Joan Borysenko who has stated:"We know the Godseed within us is growing when we feel the joy, the gratitude, and the optimism of true humility. Humility is the freedom of having nothing to prove because we are completely secure in our identity as children of the Divine." May I once again remind you to try and do something nice for someone right now so you can feel the satisifaction of being part of the solution for the betterment of all life everywhere.

FINDING YOUR HIGHER SELF

Within all living things lies the "perfection" that oft times goes unseen by others. And as human beings I believe that we at times forget "who" we are and that we also fail to remember that underneath all the "layers"we have that "perfect' center that no one nor anything can ever take away from us.We may lose sight of this perfect place but I believe that it always remains ready to once again be discovered by oneself.Why we can easily discover our baser side but have trouble seeing our perfect side remains a mystery to me.But when one remembers they possess this center of perfection and do the necessary work to bring it to the front of our minds, they then realize and accept the inner peace and will be rapt in the one eternal moment they find themselves in.I know from personal experience just how "hard" it can be at times to rediscover this center but I truly believe we all can find it and keep it at the forefront of our conscious mind.I would like to share with you a quote from Emma Curtis Hopkins who has stated:"The only words you can speak and be identified with, wisely, are, "I am my own understanding of God." These words bring you face to face with the highest part of yourself." And another quote from the Science of Mind Textbook states; If day by day, we have a greater understanding and a clearer concept, if daily we are realizing more of the Truth and applying It in our actions, then we are on the right path and eventually we shall be made free. My hope for each of you folks is that you have already discovered this "center" within your deepest consciousness and that you are able to call on  it at any time and in any place. For if you have learned to do that I truly believe you will find yourself living a life filled with much love, peace and joy! And if I may suggest that you try to do something nice for someone today tomorrow and forever.

GOING HOME

I firmly believe that each passing day is bringing me closer to home.I see this human experience as one where we are here to experience everything we can and to learn how to be a better human being, while at the same time discovdering who and what we truly are.Past all the paradoxes and illusions of this 3d world lies that spiritual "place" from whence we come and to where we will one day return.And I mean all of us not just a select few of "believers" or "people of God". Could I be wrong? Yes, I will readily admit that I do not know for sure what happens to the human being at the point of so called "death". But I do not believe in a literal place called "heaven or hell" as both places in my mind are just a metaphorical existence made up by human minds in order to better control or correct human behavior.Now before any of you are quick to write and try to "save" me from my delusional thinking, or to even curse me as an "evildoer" or putting on any label you can think of for me, instead just remember these are only MY thoughts and that doesnt necessarily make it true for you or anyone else. If believing in hell or heaven brings you much comfort and peace then I am happy for you.If your belief in a God that is destructive, petty, and vengeful, brings you calm and peace of mind then again, I am happy for you. Just dont judge me too harshly or condemn me because of what I believe.Personally I believe in a God that is ever present within each of us and in all of life and who will be with us when we once again arrive at our true "HOME" The Science of Mind  Textbook states that an evolved soul judges no one, condemns no one, but realizes that all are on the road of experience, seeking the same goal........... I agree with that statement and I will not be forced to defend my beliefs and I am truly sorry if you choose to turn away from my friendship simply because you do not agree with my beliefs.But for those of you who really "know" what I am saying I anticipate eagerly of holding your friendship in the highest esteem and I will one day no doubt see you when we all get home. Until then remember to try and be the very best human being you can and try to do something nice for someone today just becasue you can.Keep on smiling and enjoy all those marvelous adventures that await your discovery."HUGS"

FORGIVENESS

Well its alright riding around in the breeze
And its alright if you live the life you please
And its alright remember to live and let live
And its alright the best you can do is forgive
And its alright even if the sun don't shine
And its alright we're going to the end of the line

Those lyrics which were sung by the Traveling Wilburys some years ago have always rang so true to my way of thinking! Can you imagine a world where everybody could live their life as best they see fit without having to be bombarded by the so called "do gooders" who think their way of living is the one and only right way to live? As long as one lives their life doing the best they know how and it is not hurting anyone else then I say leave em be! Quit trying to "save" them or to change their ways so it then is relevant to their way of living.As the song "The End of the Line" states the best you can do is forgive. So lets all forgive and get on with living life in peace--what do you say?Hope that sounds good to you all. If today you hold any ill feelings toward a fellow human being I would then dare say you are only dying a slow death by allowing any hatred or hurtful feelings to eat away at your soul.Forgiveness, genuine forgiveness, will free your soul and then you may fly. I'd like to share with you now a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.--"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us." I now leave all you fine folks with thoughts of love peace and forgiveness.

TEACHING YOURSELF FIRST

How many times have you either seen someone or you yourself try to "teach" another the "right" way to live or to handle a situation? Many many times I'm sure. And this in itself is ok , for after all we all need a little help along the way to "understand" things. But one big problem with this , as I see it, is that oft times these wayshowers(including myself) will try to blindly show another the "right way" while not even very self assured that their "way" is the right one for everybody. That is why I always try to tell others that my beliefs are mine only and may not be the right one for them.But I do know lots of folks who seem to think their way of believing is so "perfect" that they are quick to condemn others who do not necessarily see things in the same light. In the Airline Safety Guidelines it states this:In case the oxygen mask falls from the compartment above your head, put your own oxygen mask on first and then help others around you. Now that makes perfect sense to me. So in closing I'd say that in order to truly assist anyone, one must first make sure that he or she teaches themselves as best they can before they even attempt teaching others. Its one thing to teach the "truth" but another thing entirely to just teach "one's personal truth". I send to you all my unconditional love and wishes for a terrific day and lifetime. And if you get a chance today please try to remember to do something nice for someone without thought of getting a reward. "HUGS" to all of you beautiful people.

WHY BE NORMAL?

Does anyone really know what being "normal" means? If you do, I'd like for you to tell me what that entails. Not that I personally want to be considered normal, hey far from that I can assure you.Because from what I have experienced in my life all the so called normal people seemed to live a rather dull life in my book.Not that there is anything wrong with living a dull life if thats what you want to do. Then again what is considered dull? The more I try to think about it the more I confuse myself.Not that it takes too much to confuse me you know.Way back in my younger day I remember having a tee shirt that asked the question "WHY BE NORMAL" I wore it proudly I must say. Cause I never wanted anyone to consider me normal.I can also recall seeing a tshirt that stated "NORMAL PEOPLE SCARE ME" I wanted one of those shirts for myself but never did find one.Now that I've gotten much older I suppose I kinda like being "normal" and just blending into the crowd. I always said if everyone thinks you are normal they expect you to behave in a certain manner. But if you were considered "crazy" or "different" you could do just about anything you wanted short of breaking the law and people would just say ah hell dont pay him no mind he's just crazy. Hey it worked for me! Today as I go about my business I see the young folks trying so hard to be different while at the same trying to fit in with their peers.Man, am I glad I dont have to play those games anymore!  I guess you could say that I have finally arrived at the place where I am just happy to be here. It no longer matters to me what anyone may think of me just as long as they accept me and all my "weirdness" without being too judgemental. And my hope is that each of you have arrived at the place where you too are happy within yourself and no longer need to feel normal or anything else other than what you are within you heart. Because to me that is the highest from of freedom one can attain. I will leave you first of all with a quote from the Science Of Mind which states:I see that the future is bright with promise. It beckons me forward into a more complete realization of my own worth and my rightful place in the Universe. I sincerely hope you can agree with that statement!And now one final quote from Shirley Briggs who once stated:"Let's dare to be ourselves, for we do that better than anyone else can." How true Shirley Briggs, how true! "HUGS" to all.

SOUL MATES

I am going in a little more unusual direction with today's entry and I hope you will bear with me as I share a bit more personal information with you.But as always my entry is one that I hope will serve to help at least one person find some tidbit of info that they can use to help make their life better. Today I want to dedicate this entry to my wonderful best friend, wife, and true soulmate, Susan Marie. You see, I feel that if I was going to find the very best of things in this human experience I had to find that "special someone" who would accept me as I am , and would  help me to grow into a better person. Not to say that one can't find total fulfillment by living alone for their entire life because I'm sure there are some folks who are completely happy and fulfilled while being alone. But for me I think I knew at an early age there was that special woman out there who was looking for me as I was her.And I wont bore you with all my futile attempts to find her and all the events that led to us finding each other.That in itself would be a long story and probably wouldn't hold your attention very long anyway.But I will tell you that ever since Susan came into my life each year, each day, each moment, has been so very rewarding and precious.My quality of life has improved so much and I am blessed to have found my soul mate after all those years. I waited until I was 42 years old before I found her.And I had never married until then.But when I first met her we both just knew we were meant to be together. We recently celebrated our 17th year together and those years have flown by so quickly. Every day we find many little ways to let each other know how much we love and appreciate each other.She allows me to be the person I am even when she may not fully understand where I am coming from. We allow each other the room to grow into our own personal spiritual enlightenment and we share so many things that we both love and also we are free to explore our own interest but we always stay together and respect each other. Most importantly we make sure we are doing our best to make sure the other one is happy. And if we do happen to come upon a disagreement we are sure to work it out right then. We try to never end the day if either of us is angry.I could spend hours telling you just what a sweet, beautiful, and loving soul Susan Marie is and it still wouldn't do justice for her.No One has come up with the words that are beautiful enough to describe my lovely soulmate.My hope and wish for each of you folks is that you have already found that special someone and are enjoying a relationship that makes you both better people.But if you are still looking for them I would say to you just dont ever give up,dont ever stop believing, and keep an open mind, so that one day soon you may find them. I know for me it took so many years of searching, so many heart breaks that weren't even funny, and my making so many mistakes until at last we did find each other. So if I was to make my transition from this world tonite I would be able to say I did find and did experience the highest form of love there is. And that is an "unconditional" love from one person to another.Thank you Susan Marie I love you darling and that love will be eternal. I leave all you folks with thoughts of peace, love, joy, and with a reminder to try and do something nice for someone today!

DID CURIOSITY REALLY KILL THE CAT?

I don't know about you but if not for curiosity this would be a much more drab and unexciting life as far as I'm concerned. I think most of us are curious by nature but oft times we tend to hide that curiosity for fear that we may "look" silly or uninformed. When I was a child just about everything raised my curiosity but I know that even then I was fearful of expressing that to others lest it made me look ignorant.But thankfully I have manage to hang on to that curiosity thur adulthood and at long last Im no longer "afraid" to show my "ignorance" by asking why. Dont expect me to just blindly accept anything as "true" until I have satisified my curiosity as to why it is true.I think I may at last know what Jesus meant when he said that for one to enter the Kingdom of Heaven they must first become again as little children. I hope you can recall all those things that ignited your own curiosity when you were a child.And even more so I hope you still have that "childlike" curiosity when it comes to everything.I would like to share with you the following statement from  Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev: "If you destroy "I do not know" you destroy all possibilities of knowing." I love that statement dont you? I truly believe that in order for me or anyone else to comprehend the meaning of this life it is utterly important to always ask yourself questions as to "why" instead of just believing anything just because someone else says it is so. In closing I want to share another quote which comes from the Science of Mind Textbook:Peace is the power at the heart of God. It is through the revelation of the self, to the self, that one understands life. Please reread that once again and just let it soak in til you realize exactly what it says to you. I now leave you in peace, in love, in joy, in friendship, and in curiosity.

A CHARMED LIFE

Im sure you have known people who seem to have lived a "charmed" life in which almost everything they touch turns into gold.These folks seem to just be blessed with a special "something" that most of us only wish we had.I used to wonder a lot about people like that.Most of them were what I considered "nice" folks but there were some who seemed to be rather selfish and snobbish. I often wondered why some of us seemed to have the knack to live this charmed life and others didnt. I think I always knew it was just a matter of learning to live with the "Universal Laws'' and using them in a way to bring the "good" stuff into our lives. In my readings I came across the following statement from a Victoria Moran who said:"People who seem to lead charmed lives do not have a magical assistant, and they're no better or brighter than anybody else. They have simply put into practice, knowingly or not, the attitudes, aptitudes, and propensities that orchestrate harmonious circumstances." Now I am just a simple guy and that statement has a lot of big words in it but to me at least it just says that the "charmed" folks are just living by abiding and adhering to those Universal Laws I previously mentioned. Simply put I would say this: Try to live your life to the fullest while expecting everything you desire to come about in its own perfect time and place.And dont ever give up and remember that Life has no choice but to give you those things which are the ones you believe in the most.And try not to escape the fact that lots of times we just think we need something when in the long run life knows better what it is we need. So if things dont go as planned try to see it not as a failure but rather a life lesson which will pay bigger dividens in the future.I leave you now with a quote from the Science of Mind which states---Every hour we are meeting the eternal realities of life, and in such degree as we cooperate with these eternal realities in love, in peace, in wisdom, and in joy--believing and receiving---we are automatically blessed. I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. So in signing off I will say this to you, go in peace, go in love, and go with confidence that this one eternal moment belongs to you and you can do ANYTHING with it you so desire. My hope is that you will take this moment and try and do something nice for someone else. The greatest gift any of us have is the ability to help make someone elses life a little better.Enjoy the Moment, for it is truly all any of us have!

REMAINING CENTERED

How do we remain calm and self assured when all hell's breaking loose around us? I know for me it does take quite a bit of adjusting at times just to remain at peace on the inside as well as the outer.But I do believe at the same time that there is a place within my innermost being that cannot ever be roiled up by anything that is going on in this 3 dimesional world. And it remains my burden to see that I always keep this sacred place unsoiled by any one or anything.And this is a burden I gladly bear! One of my favorite authors Kahlil Gibran, AKA The Prophet, has stated the following:"We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them." How true he is, how true! And from the Science of Mind comes this jewel:No matter what our emotional storm, or what our objective situation may be, there is always a something hidden in the inner being that has never been violated. Now that is a very reassuring statement. My hope for each of you kind folks is that you have discovered this "inner" place of your own and that you can always turn to it at any given time to remind yourself that all is well in your life now and forever! And please remember to try and do at least one good thing for someone today just because you can and that you wish to!

THE IMPULSE OF LOVE

Everything good created has risen from the state of love.Simply put pure and perfect love is the cornerstone of all that is right with us and the world we are now in.George Sand has stated the following:" There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved." I agree completely. And in the Science of Mind textbook comes this quote:Love is the sole impulse for creation..... So whatever your condition, your status in life, or whatever anything, whatever you do, do it with love and out of love, and then it will be a gift to all of us!

YOU ARE A STAR IN MY WORLD

As human beings I think we are often guilty of thinking we are the center of everything that is going on. At least it feels that way to us.I mean its human nature to feel our problems are the "biggest" our ideas are the "grandest" and our stories should be front and center.But I think in reality we must realize that we are all a part of everything that is, and no more nor no less important than anyone or anything else.From the Science of Mind comes this quote: Man(woman) already has, within himself, the key to freedom, But he must come to realize his relation to the Whole. This relationship is one of complete Unity. So my hope is that today all of us can see and truly feel our relationship to ALL and start to treat things as the treasures they really are. I will leave you with another quote that I absolutely love. It comes from Joan Borysenko who states the following:"When we begin to think more about the interdependence of things, we take our place as one more star in a magnificent universe, rather than as the sun around  which the universe revolves. Our heart grows peaceful." I now leave all of you with thoughts of love peace and joy. If you can then right now try to do something nice for someone and I guarantee that will make you feel more like the bright shining star that you truly are!

LESS MAY BE MORE

As human beings we seem to be tied to our possessions and find that we spend a lot of our time trying to make more money so we can get more possessions.Then we find our possessions are not really making us happy so waht do we do? Yeah, we go and amass more stuff thinking it will surely make us happy this time.And no matter how much money we have we seem to always want more. Not that there is anything wrong with wanting to be wealthy but we must be careful so that we dont spend all our precious time working harder to just have more money. I will leave you with a quote from George Santayana who stated: "I like to walk among the beautiful things that adorn the world; but private wealth I should decline, or any sort of personal possessions, because they would take away my liberty." I leave all of you with thoughts of love , peace, and happiness to you and yours. And please try and do something nice for someone today just for the heck of it!

HOW DO YOU MEND A BROKEN HEART

Allow me to take a wild guess here and say that either you or someone you know has been the victim of a broken heart at least once.If not, then you are probably very young, very fortunate, or you wont allow yourself to get close enough to another person to risk becoming a victim.I would not be afraid to say that almost everybody will at one time in their life have to deal with overcoming a broken heart.We are just made that way I think.Yes I know there are some folks who just dont seem to love anybody and say they will never have a broken heart, and that could be true. But in any case like that I truly feel bad for that person who will not at least give true love a chance. Love is the most powerful force in the Universe.I really do believe that.Fear will run a close second I imagine but real love can just do so many wonderful things.But how do you mend a heart that has been broken? I wish I had an answer that would do justice to that question but Im afraid I don't.I do know that I have suffered a broken heart so many years ago and at that time in my life I really didnt know if I was going to recover or not.It was definately the hardest thing I ever had to overcome while at the same time it was the "best" thing that ever happened to me. I know that sounds like an oxymoron but it is the truth.Because during that time of healing I was forced to take a closer look at who I really was, what I truly wanted to become, and how to make sure I never had to deal with a broken heart again.Believe me it was a struggle, especially right after  the loss of the loved ones who had left me to pursue other adventures in life.I think when someone is faced with divorce, a death, or seperation it usually puts the person in a state of shock.I remember reading where this term was referred to as "love shock". But I think what happens is that nature tries to protect us from ourselves and when first faced with loss the shock keeps us from acting too irrational. After the initial recovery from this state of shock we usually go into a state of anger,usually directed to the person or persons who have broken our heart, and thats when we tend to do a lot of irrational stuff.You know, like writing dumb letters to the person who has left us. Or calling and then hanging up when they answer the phone. Or telling everyone we dont really care and then try to act like we are happy.Then after spending way too much time trying to win this person back(why would we want someone who has told us they dont give a damn about us?) wse finally resign ourselves to the fact we are once again "alone" We swear we will never love again simply because it hurts too damn bad when love goes wrong. Well, I am only speaking from my personal experiences and I know things are different in each case and with each person.But one thing I really would like to share with anyone who is at this time recovering from a broken heart is this:You will get through this!No matter how sad or bad you feel you will make it!You've gotta keep your mind focused on that one certainty-You will survive! But I might suggest that the walls you build to protect yourself from experiencing this pain ever again are not so fortified that you refuse to give love another chance.Years ago when I was struggling trying to recover I already knew that I would love again and take a nother chance because without love I didn't want to survive.So I went through those trials one minute at a time, I cried, I laughed, I listened to those old blues songs(amazing how much comfort one can get by listening to others sing or talk about struggling with the thing you are now going through) I visited with friends and family, I stayed home alone and meditated, I wrote silly poems and stories, I guess I just did whatever I could to get through another day and night.I still was fractured on the inside and it hurt like hell to go to bed every night to once again face all those old hurtful feelings once again.But you know what, I began to see that the harshness of those hurt feelings started to diminish. I was getting over losing the ones I loved. The bad feelings started to wane and I was getting better day by day then two by two and one I woke up and I knew I was healed enough to once again look for companionship.I took the lessons from my "lost love" and made sure I didn't make the same mistakes over. I took full responsibility for my part in the seperation and learned a lot about myself in the process.From the time I suffered my"loss" until I once again found true love was about 4 years. It seemed lots longer then but now I see it was only a fleeting part of my experience here.And all the "good" I got from suffering through this sure made it all worthwhile! Im just so thankful I was able to give love one more chance because if I had not done that I would never have met my true soulmate who has now been by my side for almost 17 years.And yes, she is indeed an angel and I rest assured she will always be here with me forever!Yes broken hearts are indeed the worse kind of pain any  person will ever have to endear.But if you do ever find yourself being a victim of love please remember-you will get better, the shock will wear off, and you can if you so choose love again. And I do hope all of you will never give up on love because without love nothing else matters! I will close by saying this-if you are now in a loving relationship give your partner a big hug and tell him or her just how much you love them. And if you have not yet found the "right" one for you please remember that in times all good things come to those who are patient.And if, Heaven forbid, you are now going through a divorce or seperation,  please try to remember that love truly does heal all wounds.And do not forget just how powerful a person you are when you allow the perfect Love of the Universe to flow freely through you and tehn outward again to gently touch each soul you may encounter along lifes way.I leave you all with thoughts of love, peace, and joy. If you have a free moment how about doing something really nice for another.Anything it doesnt have to cost money, it dont have to be anything complex, just a warm smile at the person standing next to you in the grocery line, or holding the door open for someone to enter, or by placing a call to an old friend,you get the picture Im sure. And guess what? By doing nice things for others who knows-you may just find Mr or Mrs Right.But dont do the thing itself expecting to get something back. Instead just give freely of yourself with no expectations of any kind because that is the real gift.You do this often enough and Im sure you will finally realize the people you are being nice to are actually giving the best gift to you! That being the opportunity to grow both as a human being and as a spiritual being.The best to all of you my friends and fellow travelers.

OLD FRIENDS

There is no friend like an old friend! It's such a blessing thinking of all the friends I have made in this life. Some spent several years of being close friends, some spent a few years or months or perhaps just for a couple of days. No matter how long our friendship lasted nor why we seemed to have grown apart, I stilll think of all of them from time to time.I think of the joys we shared, the hard times we shared, and all other times we were together. And yes, I was truly blessed that each one of them were willing to share a part of their life with me. I learned so much from all of them and in some way all of them have helped me to become a much better human being! And whenever I take a moment to call or visit with any of my "old" friends its like we had never parted at all.To all my dear friends of today,yesterday, and tomorrow I want you to know just how much I love each  and every one of you! And my dear readers, may I suggest that if you want a quick pick-me-up today, just take a moment and call or visit an old friend and then you will see what a joy friends truly are. Why not make that call right now!!Believe me, it will make you feel so much better about everything. I leave you all with love and best wishes.

FORGIVENESS

"Well it's alright riding around in the breeze, and its alright if you live the life you please"
"And it's alright, remember to live and let live, and its alright, the best you can do is forgive"

Those lyrics from the song The End of the Line by the Traveling Wilburys has so much truth in them I thougth I'd use it with today's blog entry.Why is forgiveness so necessary for one's peace of mind? I believe that if we hold any grudges or ill feeling towards any of our human brothers and sisters that it will eventually eat away at our inner peace and contentment until it destroys us completely.Why is it so hard for us to forgive another who has wronged us in any way? I cant answer that question for you but it seems that we as human beings it is ingrained in us to "get even" or to exact revenge. If someone does something to bring us harm then by all means we feel it is necessary to get back at them in some way. And this I personally feel is the wrong way for us to react.I agree with you that at times others do things that are not very nice and cause us to suffer in one way or another. And I must admit that my first impulse is to "pay them back" in like manner.But in my life I have found that as long as I have those kind of feelings I am never gonna be entirely happy and at peace with myself.So does that mean I should just accept the "hurt" another has cause and go about my business as if nothing has happened? No, I dont feel that is the right thing to do but I do feel as if I should work on forgiving that person and then just let it go while at the same time remembering things as they happened so I can protect myself from getting hurt again by the same person.This forgiveness thing can be very tricky also. There have been times in my life when I truly felt I had totally forgiven someone but later find those old feelings (or grudges) again surfacing.It is just too easy to tell oneself they have forgiven another when in reality they are only trying to fool themself into believing that they have . I feel true forgiveness is when we can see the offending party as only reacting to things in their own way and that even tho we dont want to be around them, if by chance we find ourselves in the same room we can still treat that person with dignity and class. And that means being able to accept them as a fellow human being even after they have done something horrible to us.Now why should we forgive anyone if they treat us mean?The biggest reason I feel is not because they deserve our forgiveness but because as long as we hold on to those old hurts then the offending party is still winning!I have seen people carry a lifetime grudge against someone and the person they hate is not even aware of the animosity sent their way. While the offended one or the grudge holder is punishing themselves every day by hanging on to those negative hateful thoughts that soon erode their happiness and peace of mind. I think it would be better for that person to truly forgive the other and just go about thir lives with a lot more peace and contentment in thier lives. Remember, the best revenge is living well!Someone has done you wrong so be it!Dont give them another chance to hurt you again but try your best to forgive.That way you can live well and the offending person will not get the satisfaction of knowing they have hurt you time and time again simply because you continue to carry around all those negative feelings. Free yourself today from all bondage of past hurts and grudges by just letting yourself truly forgive, and I believe you will find life a lot more pleasant. And if you really want to "get back" at those who have offended you in any way, then do something nice for them when they least expect it. And as you learn to forgive and let live please try to remember to do something nice for someone every day just because you can! Best wishes to all!

WHAT A TRIP

"Sometimes the light's all shining on me, other times I can barely see
But lately it occurs to me what a long strange trip its been"
I use the words from a Grateful Dead song to introduce the message of this entry.As I continue to age and grow older I can look back at all the events of my life and just shake my head. Man, it really has been quite a ride! Some of it just absolutely wonderful, some of it absolutely horrible, and the rest somewhere in between. I have come to realize the truth in the old saying that states Its not the destination that is important rather its the ride along the way.At times I believe we human beings put way too much value of the "final destination" of our life when in reality there is never a final destination to be found. Rather it's a never-ending trip made up of our thoughts, our ideas, and our beliefs. And if you can see that as true then it should be easy to see that one should begin right now to enjoy every minute of this glorious ride. Enjoy it Right Now dont be fooled into believing that you must first pass any kind of test, or believe in any man made creed to finally begin to enjoy this life. You are here Now, and there is no such thing as the future.Its all right here, right now awaiting your recognition of all things beautiful. Just remember you will always reap just what you sow so why not right now do something nice for someone just because you can? Go ahead ,do it and dont forget to enjoy the ride even when it seems to be out of control. Life may at times be like the proverbial roller coaster ride but what a ride it is! Enjoy!!!

FINDING FREEDOM

How would you describe freedom or being free in this world of illusion and paradox? Sounds like an easy question which should have an easy answer, right? But I imagine if I were to ask ten people what their idea of freedom is I would get ten different answers. As individuals we can assert our personal beliefs of what freedom is but that will not make it necessarily true for another. In countries around the world where dictators rule backed by great armies one living there may describe freedom as being able to escape to another country which is not under dictatorship.Someone else may describe freedom as being able to live anywhere they choose and to pretty much do whatever they desire to do.So I would imagine that freedom means different things to different people depending on where they live, how they were taught as youngsters, and the circumstances they now find themselves in. Personally I feel freedom is that state of mind where I can believe anything I want to and can do anything I desire as long as it doesnt harm anyone else or break the mores of our society in which I reside.Freedom to me is being able to look past the things I have been taught so I can really use my mind to discover who I really am. Freedom is being able to state my convictions without being punished for them. And that brings me to another fact which is this---This world I now reside in is not a free world! I am blessed to live in a country which is a democratic society but at the same time I am not truly free in all regards.In my life I have been accused of being an arrogant person with some really strange beliefs.Now I admit that some of my beliefs may not coincide with yours or anyone else's but I do feel being arrogant is far from the truth.But I really dont want to get into that discussion right now. I am only trying to stress the fact that for one to be truly free he or she must first admit that most of their beliefs are based on things they have heard, seen, or been told. And I feel one must try to "unlearn" the so called truths that others have said"This is the way you need to think or act or live your life.To me being free is to stop deceiving myself in anything I do or say.I have to take full responsibility for everything I react to. And doing this has led me to stop reacting and to just experience everything that is going on around me. Once I have accomplished climbing that hill of reacting and started to always experience each event then I will at long last attained freedom.My sincere hope for each of you is that you have already found your freedom and are truly happy with all that occurs.Peace I leave with all of you good folks.And if the opportunity knocks at your door to do something nice for some one I do hope you will do so. Enjoy each moment on this beautiful planet and remember that we are all ONE!

YOU'll SEE IT WHEN YOU BELIEVE IT

I use the title of a book by Wayne Dyer for today's subject because I think it is so true. The old saying is I'll believe it when I see it but the other way around is the correct one I believe. Life cannot give anyone something they are not able or unwilling to accept.But if one can go ahead and accept that that thing or condition they desire is already made manifest then life quickly gives us that thing.As singer songwriter Delbert McClinton wrote:"You gotta believe before you see the proof, you can wait a lifetime for a moment of truth." So I would suggest that if you truly want something then first accept wholeheartedly the thing as already done and then wait for life's perfect moment to make the thing manifest in your life.My sincere hope is that all of you are doing great and enjoying every moment of this wonderful life.As you travel along this earthly life's path please take a moment right now to do something nice for someone and continue to be a part of the solution and not a part of the "problem" Hugs to all!

TOO MUCH STUFF

"Got hurt cant work got a lot of bills
But the policy dont pay unless I get killed
"Just my luck counting on too much stuff
"Well its a way too much you never gonna get enough
"You can pile it high, but you ll never be satisified
These lyrics from a Delbert mcClinton song always reminds me just how much we a s humans think we need to have so much "stuff" to be happy. We tend to think that after we attain all the material possessions we desire then we can stop and rreally be happy. But ya know what? Like the song says you'll never be satisified. And I think that is true if we put all of our desires on material things.Lots of times less is more. George Santayana has stated the following:"I like to walk about among the beautiful things that adorn the world; but private wealth I should decline, or any sort of personal possessions, because they would take away my liberty." I like that quote.Dont get me wrong there is nothing wrong with wanting "things" or "stuff" and it does make life easier if you manage to have some money and other stuff. But the thing old George was saying I do believe, is that when we focus too much on "stuff" we oft times miss the real assets that life has to offer. Like new friendships, making peace with others, doing nice things just for the heck of it to help others, being a real friend, sharing what we do have with others, taking a quiet walk thru the woods or on the beach, watching a sunset and on and on.My hope for all of us is that we can learn to clear a lot of the "clutter" from our lives and then begin to share our true wealth with each other.I wish you and yours the very best of everything. Please try to remember to do something nice for someone today just because you can and want to!Bless you all!

THE ONE POWER

It's kinda funny how we humans demand on putting labels on everything we know.We label one thing as good, another one as bad, another one somewhere in between and so forth.And when it comes to trying to figure out exactly what makes everything exist, well, that's an impossibility I believe.As I've said before, we are humans working with a finite mind and there is no way we can truly comprehend infinity.Infinity--that thing or power which is ageless endlesss and forever expanding. Wow! That power is awesome no matter how one tries to describe it.One of my favorite writers of all time Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated:"Everything in nature contains all the power of nature. Everything is made of one hidden stuff." I must wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Emerson. And that being said then that would make us humans part of that One Eternal Infinite Power! Awesome!Let us all remember that we have within us that Power to do Anything we desire. My hope is that each of you have discovered this Power and have learned to use it not only for your own benefit but for others also. Remember just how powerful you are friends. And please dont forget to do something nice for someone today just because you have the power to do it and also because you want to be a part of life's solutions instead of it's problems! Bless you all now and always.

VALENTINE'S DAY

Here's hoping all of you have a wonderful day tomorrow as well as every day herein!May all of us learn to love others in the right way! Unconditional love-rather uncommon but a state of bliss when we do learn to love -unconditionly. I wish all of you the very best!

ANYTHINGS POSSIBLE

When I think about all the mysteries that this earthly life entails I just get lost in the wonder of it all. To me the greatest mystery ever is that there is anything at all.I realize we as humans are operating in an infinite universe while at the same time only having a mind that is finite.Therein I  believe, lies the reason things are so mysterious at times. No matter what your belief as to how all this life came to be, its still pretty amazing wouldn't you say? Personally I believe that anything is possible no matter how strange it may sound at the time. And if that is the case then we should be able to do or have anything we may desire. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has stated this: If you say something is not possible, what you are really saying is "I don't want it" And you know , he may be right. In the One Creative Mind there is no lesser, no hard,or small, or anything else. In this Mind there is only possibilities! May you and yours this very moment decide what it is you want, then give this Mind a chance to make the thing you desire manifest. I leave you in love, peace, understanding, and friendship.

BEING A CHILD AGAIN

Have you ever thought about what life was really like when you were just a child? I think most all of us have at different times. I know that each of us lived our own childhood and no two are ever exactly alike.But for me I can remember how I just had faith that everything I needed was going to be given to me. And I dont want to confuse the things I needed with the things I wanted because I sure didnt get everything I wanted just the things I needed.I had faith that I would always have a place to stay, clothes to wear and food to eat.Of course I never fully realized just how hard my mother and step dad had to work to do that.We never had a lot of the "extras" in life but always did have the necessities.As an adult I am now even more amazed at my own parents and those who raised their kids in this manner.There is a bible verse in Matthew 18:3 which states Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, you must first change and become like little children. Otherwise, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Now I realize that each of us will take our own interpation of that verse as to what it means and I can only tell you what it means to me personally. And that is this--for me to truly live a life that is fulfilling and joyous I must first become as that little child again so I can establish that faith that is necessary for me to accept the gifts that Life offers to me.Just by knowing that Life will supply me everything I ever need I can then rest easy at night knowing all my needs are already fulfilled. And again Im trying not to confuse the things I need with those things I desire.I will end with the following quote from the Science of Mind--To each is given what he(she) needs and the gifts of heaven come alike to all. How we shall use these gifts is all that matters. My fondness hope is that each of you will find your life filled with much love joy peace and understanding. And please as you travel along this path you have chosen try and do something nice for someone today just because you can!

ATTAINING CONFIDENCE

I truly believe that having confidence in anything we desire to do or make happen is of the utmost importance. Also there is a big difference in confidence and false hope. Also a fine line is there between confidence and  arrogance! To be confident is a necessity but arrogance is truly a total waste of time as I see it.If we are to have our desires made manifest in this material 3 D world I think we must first align our 2 parts of the mind with what it is we desire. Being confident in our conscious mind will only carry us so far unless we also impress our subconscious mind first.Have often have you failed to see your desires unfulfilled even though you were outwardly confident of the results being in your favor? When that happens I believe it would behoove us to take a closer look at what our subconscious mind really thinks.Its one thing to wish for something good to happen than to be confident in both minds. If we are not confident on that deeper layer of mind then no amout of confidence in the conscious mind will enable us to fully express all the "good" we desire. I think we need to work on our subconscious mind more and learn to really listen to what it is telling you! Thomas Troward once stated :"We must endeavor to impress upon our subjective mind the idea of that which we desire quite apart from any conditions." I must agree with Mr Troward on that one! May all of you find that "inner" confidence quickly and learn to use it to make manifest your dreams! And  may you always be on the look out for that old negative arrogance and squash it before it grows outta control. I leave you with thoughts of love, peace, joy, and understanding. And if you can please try a nd do something nice for someone today just because you can!

ROLLING WITH THE FLOW

I know there have been many times in my life when I reach a point to where it seems I am doing nothing except spinning my wheels and chasing my tail. Getting stuck in a rut sucks! Old memories, old hurts, old false beliefs etc have a way of creeping back into one's mind and causing them to impede the flow of perfect love and Divine Current that otherwise flows easily and effortlessly throughout our daily lives.And when we allow those "old" feelings emotions, beliefs or whatever to become stagnated in our minds we will then find ourselves in a uncomfortable state of being.If we are to fully express the perfection or reflection that we call our ego self I truly believe we must first learn to cleanse our minds from all the "old" hurtful stuff. It sounds easy to do but as you probably know by now it surely isnt easy.As a matter of fact it will be one of the hardest things we ever have to do to become fully recognizant of "who" and "what" we are.The Science of Mind Textbook shares this quote with us:It is only as we allow the Divine current to flow through us on and out, that we really express life. The law of giving and receiving is definite. So may I suggest that the next time you feel unconnected, under loved and under appreciated and all else negative that you take a moment and learn to clear your mind and find out exactly what your "triggers" are that cause you so much pain and sorrow. And I think you will be surprised to find that most of the triggers are caused by "old" hurts and memories.And once you become aware of the real "problem" then you can begin work on solving them. Try it and see if that may help.I mean what do ya have to lose other than feelings of being miserable at times.And try and remember what David Fabricius once said of himself:"I am a river, not a swamp." We are all "rivers" of the Divine Current of life so live each moment and let your love light shine! And today if you will, do something really nice for someone just because you can! "HUGS"