Food For Thought: Did You Know?

"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus." Alexander Graham Bell
 

Food For Thought: Did You Know? eobihfrank photos ©

 

DID YOU KNOW...?1. Your shoes are the first things people subconsciously notice about you. Wear nice and decent shoes. 2. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there's a 50% chance that it will make you severely sick in two years. 3. There are at least six people in the world who look exactly like you. There's a 9% chance that you'll meet one of them in your lifetime. 4. Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and keeps your spine stronger. 5. A person's height is determined by their father, and their weight is determined by their mother.

 I was reading some posts on a friend's Facebook page when I came across this list of nineteen (19) Did-You-Know facts? I was so taken by them that I had to share them with you. We can live consciously and in awe of the magnificence of the universe we inhabit or we can remain blinded by worry.  We can work to maintain our health or worry ourselves to death. Worry won't change a thing. Information can and will.


"The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear." Brian Tracy

Food For Thought: Did You Know? Honey Bees help keep us alive? eobihfrank photos ©

 

6. If a part of your body "falls asleep", you can almost always "wake it up" by shaking your head. 7. There are three things the human brain cannot resist noticing: food, attractive people and danger. 8. Right-handed people tend to chew food on their right side. 9. Putting dry tea bags in gym bags or smelly shoes will absorb the unpleasant odour. 10. According to Albert Einstein, if honey bees were to disappear from the earth, humans would be dead within four years.

I was quite impressed by the fact that honey bees add more to our livelihood than we ever consider. The pollination work they do, helps seeds and plants flourish and grow, and they feed us in so many ways. When was the last time you gave those bees much thought?


"Life is too short to spend in negativity. So I have made a conscious effort to not be where I don't want to be." Hugh Dillon

Food For Thought: Did You Know? eobihfrank photos ©

 

11. There are so many kinds of apples that if you ate a new one everyday it would take over 20 years to try them all. 12. You can survive for weeks without eating, but you will only live 11 days without sleeping. 13. People who laugh a lot are healthier than those who don't. 14. Laziness and inactivity kill just as many people as smoking. 15. A human brain has the capacity to store five times as much information as Wikipedia.

I love apples and have always been a member of the "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" club. I had no idea that we had enough varieties to keep us munching for the next 20 years. Who knew? This confirms what I've always known, and still believe, that we live in an abundant world with enough to go around... We just need to learn to share more.

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Healthy Living: 5 Key Tips On Staying Healthy

"I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you." Joyce Meyer

 We often hear people talk about being healthy and then they list exercise and losing weight as their goals. While doing both can contribute to our feelings of well being, we need more than physical activity and goals to maintain our overall health. I believe that if we focus on a holistic approach to healthy living, we will be in better health and, ultimately, in better shape. If your goal this year is to build a healthy lifestyle, my question to you is: Are you taking care of the whole person? Are you taking social influences and other factors into consideration? If No, then you need to reconsider your efforts and make healthy decisions that cater to the whole person. If Yes, then congratulations, you are ahead of the game!

There are five key elements we must keep in mind on our journey to healthy living: In any healthy living plan, we must care for our Physical, Nutritional, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual Health.

 Physical Health: Exercise is the first thing that comes to mind, and there are many ways to maintain our bodies and get in shape. Whether you choose to run, walk, do yoga, martial arts, swim or lift weights, it's important to learn how to maintain our bodies in the proper way. Any form of physical activity can lead to injury, if we don't learn the proper form or way to do it. Avail yourself of an expert trainer, even if for a short time, so you can learn the right way to do any type of activity you choose. Walking is a no-brainer, but having the proper footwear is imperative, ditto wearing comfortable clothing. We are never too old to learn and it's never too late to improve our form.

Nutritional Health: The worst thing we can do for our bodies is to feed it junk while we are increasing our physical activity. If you commit to lose weight or increase your activity levels, it's key to keep your nutritional well-being in mind. It would be defeatist to line up the best gear and workout clothes, pay for an expensive gym membership, and then feed your body a diet of junk, high cholesterol, artery clogging foods. If we eat fruits, vegetables, grains and lean proteins with some fat, and add plenty of water to our daily diet, we will be on the road to staying truly healthy. I'm a big advocate for organic foods and fresh foods, but you can eat well by eating a balanced meal from the major food groups. The goal should be to eat in moderation.


 "A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier."Tom Stoppard 

 Mental Health: Our mental health is as important as our physical health. If we are surrounded by negativity or have addictions that interfere with our well-being, it is important to take care of them on the road to total health. While our endorphins increase when we work out, if there are issues in our lives that need mental health attention, we must seek help from the appropriate professional to assist in addressing those issues. Anorexia and Bulimia are eating disorders that require mental health attention. If someone you know is excessive about restricting food intake, encourage the person to seek help. Some people fall into a dangerous eating pattern, while claiming they are getting in shape. Anything we do in excess must be addressed with the help of a professional. Maintain your mental health.

 Emotional Health: Our emotional well-being is tied into our mental well-being and, if we are emotionally spent, we need to take time out to resolve any issues that are pulling us down. If we don't take care of our emotional health, it can create more problems for us. Some of us eat too much or too little when we feel hurt or break up with a loved one. Some us become hoarders or excessive, emotional spenders when things fall apart in our lives. So, it's very important to check in with our emotional state, seek the help of a therapist or other professional,  and sort out our problems. Ignoring the promptings to do something could lead to other emotional problems. Staying healthy also means staying emotionally healthy.

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Haiku: Love Is Like A Summer Bloom...

"I know I am but summer to your heart, and not the full four seasons of the year.” Edna St. Vincent Millay
 



When love comes calling,
Bright, warm, full of hope and joy
Like a summer bloom...

The early bird sings,
Sweet, lyrical, a love dirge
Ripe, like bleeding hearts...

When love calls your name
Unfurl your petals and bloom
Her call is fleeting!


More below.

Haiku: Happy Mother's Day Wishes...

"I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." Abraham Lincoln 

 

Happy Mother's Day!
May you delight in old age
Lifted in Prayer

Mother's Day Wishes
May your family love grow
Hugged in gratitude


I hope you are enjoying this day even if it includes sad memories... Our parents did the best they could and  we are the richer for it. While some parents crossed the line and hurt us, we can break the cycle by becoming better parents. That is, above all, my main wish for all Moms. Be a blessing to someone today.

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How Gratitude Can Inspire Your Life & Work

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."
 Oprah Winfrey

 

Make the best effort at work with a grateful heart.. it shows.

Unless you've been living in a bubble or under a rock, you know that the global economy took a massive hit in the last 3-5 years. In the USA, it cost millions of people their jobs, homes and lifestyle. According to the U.S. Department of Labor |Bureau of Labor Statistics,  as of February 2014, "the number of unemployed persons (10.5 million) and the unemployment rate (6.7 percent) changed little."  However, even with these dismal figures, businesses are thriving and new ones are created daily. Why? In down times, it's very easy to join the masses of people who see only gloom. Yet, for those who stay upbeat and look for positive ways to move forward, the struggles are blunted. Also when we adopt an attitude of gratitude for what we do have and look for the good in our challenges, new experiences present themselves to us.

  For those fortunate enough to hold unto jobs, remembering to be thankful and to always give their best should be a given. When we make the best effort at work with a grateful heart, it shows. For folk still hunting for work, developing a spirit of gratitude for the help received and for the opportunities that lie ahead will open doors to new experiences and ways to earn a living. Every time we take a moment to say thanks and express our gratitude for what we have, we feel a deep joy and humility. Every time we stop to help a less fortunate friend, family member or stranger, our actions create ripples of good karma that spreads out and blesses us and others who cross our path.  By the same token, our grateful spirit flows into our creative endeavors and our interactions with others around us.  With each act of grace we encounter and each gesture of thankfulness we express, we become steady, calmer, and compassionate.  How are you expressing gratitude in your work life? What helps you stay inspired in your life?

More below!


 

Reflections: Gratitude Makes Miracles Happen...

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. Henry Van Dyke

Simple gestures of gratitude create miracles

Every day miracles are not a thing of the past. The very breath we take is a miraculous gift of life. By the same token, events that give us pause are reminders that we live in a world where mystery and miracles exist. A Gratitude Story: A grateful student gave her favorite teacher a white rose, as a sign of gratitude for all the help the teacher had given her during a difficult time. The teacher was equally touched and placed the rose in a vase on her living room mantle. Days passed and the rose bloomed away. Weeks passed and it glowed brightly as if it had been cut the day before. Almost a month passed before it slowly dropped a petal and then another... The teacher was so taken by the miracle that it inspired a book....  When we act from a place of true gratitude, miracles, healing, and revelations happen.



"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." John Milton

Remembering to say thanks increases our miracles.

We give red roses to those we love but for once, let's consider giving a complete stranger a red rose and see how much it will lift and bless us too. What some of us tend to forget is that when we give freely and joyfully, we are quadruply blessed. Giving of our time, love, effort, kindness, and compassion are all forms of prayer. Our actions bless us, the recipients and, by extension, humanity; they create a ripple of blessings that uplift us and others. This is why all the great spiritual teachers taught us about selflessness which is the opposite of selfishness. We limit our contributions to the world when we are selfish, cliquish, and limited in our love quotient. By love, I mean respect, care, consideration, and support.  We all benefit from acts of gratefulness; both directly and indirectly.

Another Gratitude Story: Once, a lady was walking home after a long and difficult day at work. There had been a turnover and many colleagues were fired that day. She was spared and was grateful.  To cheer herself up, she stopped and bought some red roses for her bedroom. As she continued her walk home, she turned a corner and bumped into a young man, knocking his cap off his head. She apologized  profusely as she picked up the cap and handed it to him.  He smiled sadly at her, took the cap and started to leave. Immediately, she stopped him and handed him one of her roses. At that point, he burst into tears. "My mom just passed away after a long battle with cancer. Before she died, she promised to look out for me and send me signs when I feel down". He said
"Signs? What sort of signs?"  The lady asked the young man.
"She promised to send me a red rose to cheer me up.... Your rose is that message." He replied. Yes, she sent a sign through a grateful stranger.
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Musings: Lost And Found...

"Not all those who wander are lost." J. R. R. Tolkien 

Musings: Lost and Found Tabby came home.

Have you ever lost something dear to you and later found it? How did it make you feel? When you couldn't find it, what did you do?  Recently, our Tabby cat, Tangy, disappeared for almost 24 hours. He had quietly snuck out the front door when the cable guy was leaving and I only realized he was gone when he didn't show up like clock work to eat his supper.  In a panic, I looked everywhere for him; upstairs and downstairs and beyond. He was nowhere to be found. I sat down and cried... I was worried that, being a house cat, he'd be mauled by the wildlife around me. I had to stop, catch my breath and say a prayer. I was very worried.
A few hours later, a friend stopped by and we searched the house together. No cat... We sat and talked about where he might have wandered off to. We had to come up with a strategy to find him especially as it was getting dark outside.

Since this was Tangy's first great escape, we figured he would be nearby and our best strategy would be to call out to him as we walked up and down our cul de sac. Before heading out, I noticed a group of deer near the staircase that led to the street. One was slamming its right hoof on the earth. It would make sense later. Outside, we made our way up the cul de sac, calling his name. "Tangy! Tangy! Tangy!" We turned back and headed to the main road at the bottom of our street.  By now, I was upset and started calling his name loudly. Suddenly I heard a meow. I stopped and called out again. And another meow responded. I followed his meows in a call and response fashion until I found him - caught under one of our heaviest shrubs. Tangy was stuck! I released him gently, picked him up and ran indoors; we cleaned him up and fed him. He was happy to be home. I was happier to have lost and found him.... For that, I am grateful! Have you lost a favorite pet or a precious item? Did you find it?  Do share your story in the comments below.
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Haiku: A Simple Thank You...

"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough." Meister Eckhart 

A Thank You Smile

A simple thank you
Is enough, to bring a smile
Happiness abounds...


 Saying Thank You for all we have, is the way, under all circumstances, to push through challenges and move our lives forward. It is easy to see the darkness and the challenges but we forget that every disappointment has a blessing in its path. As I wrote my gratitude post for this week, I came to the realization that, slowly but surely, questions and concerns I've had are shifting... In its place is Grace.
What am I thankful for? For life and all it brings; for revelations, smiles and songs, and for the gift of a new day.
What are you thankful for?
More below

Reflections: The Challenge Is To Love...

"A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge." Thomas Carlyle

Reflections: The Challenge Is To Love...Where is the love?

Love Defined: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; attraction based on sexual desire; affection and tenderness felt by lovers; affection based on admiration, benevolence or common interests Merriam Webster
Aside from the dictionary definition, When you think of Love, what is the first thought that crosses your mind? Pause and reflect on why that particular thought jumped before you. Is it affectionate, benevolent or obsessive love? Most of us spend our lives searching for romantic love and ignore other important elements that contribute to experiencing a healthy and robust love. We spend our time pursuing a lover, loving and hating each other, ignoring those who care about us without ulterior motives and, at the end of the day, we fall over exhausted from the emotional strain we've placed on ourselves.

Some people confuse pretending to be sweet as love. We act lovingly for fear of rocking the proverbial boat. But, pretending to be loving and not speaking the truth about wrong doing is not love; it's hypocrisy. The best teachers are forthright about what their students do because they see the potential for greatness in them. That is an act of love. If we sit back, pretend all is fab fab, and then participate in acts of meanness, we have failed ourselves and our opportunity to grow. That is not love. The challenge is to love ourselves and others unconditionally without expectation. When there is expectation, there is bound to be pain. How have you shown love to others today?


"Where there is love there is life." Mahatma Gandhi

Love is a universal language felt by all. Above is the Hebrew symbol of Love.  Sculptor: Robert Indiana

When I researched the word Love for this post, I found well over 450 million articles on the subject; clearly love matters to many of us, but we don't spend enough time cultivating a spirit of love. One article I read pointed out 15 types of love from: infatuation, romantic, passionate, companionate, unconditional, conditional, puppy, maternal, paternal, soulmate, spiritual/divine, patriotic, self, brotherly to tough love. However, when you look closely at the list, some are actually a subset of others within the grouping. The underlying message is that while love is filtered through many lenses, the essence of love is simply LoVE.

In Ancient Greece, people believed in four kinds of love: Agape; a pure spiritual love, Eros; a passionate/sexual or romantic love, Philia; an affectionate friendship love, and Storge; a parental/familial love. They added a very important fifth type of love: Xenia which is hospitality or charity to others. This act of generosity to strangers remains important today. When we look at the list, the first four are probably the easiest to implement because they generally, not always, come with conditions attached. We feel invested in those relationships, so we act accordingly - in a loving manner. The fifth which is a call to perform frequent random acts of kindness and to treat others by the Golden Rule is harder to do. Why do we find it hard to love unconditionally?
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Haiku: Our Parents...

"We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves." Henry Ward Beecher 

We thank our parents...
For all they gave us - life, birth
Held us close - tears, smiles

We come into the world naked and expectant. We depend on our parents for every little thing. Our lives are in their hands and, as our earliest guardians, they make a huge impact on us. Some of us were raised by biological parents and others by grandparents or adoptive parents. All are PARENTS.  I was reading today about how a mother's role never ends; even when her children fly the coop. Parenting is not an easy role and we all fail at it sometime. The best thing we learn from becoming parents is the recognition that our parents had a tough job that came with no training manual. As parents, we repeat the good and bad habits/practices of our own parents and it takes a concerted effort to change the old pattern of behavior. So this Haiku is dedicated to all parents; especially those who made the best of the tools they had and shared their unconditional love. More below

Gratitude: Are You An Optimist Or A Pessimist?

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust 

Gratitude: Is the Water Glass half empty or half full?

 Do you think you are more of an optimist or a pessimist?  I've always imagined myself as a rational optimist; meaning I'm typically happy for specific reasons. However, when I started practicing meditation and attending positive, faith driven services, many moons ago, I connected to a joy inside that was not dependent on concrete events. Of course, being human with my share of flaws and foibles, I've also experienced the ups and downs of this seemingly elusive emotion called Happiness. Why do so many spend their lives chasing after Happiness? Why is it that some seem to have more of it and others less? Is it the Law of Attraction? Grace and a grateful heart? Personality? I've met very, very few people, aside from some spiritual teachers, who are perennially joyful. A friend once said to me that being born into the world = a certain percentage of unhappiness. Is that so?


  
"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." Denis Waitley 

What makes you think you're happy?

 What makes you happy? How has the month of February been for you?  What makes me happy today? Aside from the major examples people give like family and friends, the simple things we take for granted make me happy; breath, water, vision, completion, and peace of mind. February opened some great doors for me. For example, when I discovered the Weekly Gratitude Sharing group on NaBloPoMo, I was looking for a concrete way to remind myself to stay grateful.  Despite the usual challenges in life, I wanted a way to publicly acknowledge the good in my life; to see the glass as, at least half full.  I'm delighted to say that it was a wise move because my  wishes were met. So far, writing my weekly Gratitude post is a wonderful reminder that we are not only responsible for our own happiness, but also must make a commitment to honor it daily. 
 More Below!

Gratitude: A Sunday Haiku...

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul." Henry Ward Beecher

Grateful for all life

Grateful for all life
Memories of up down days
Outside, the sun shines

A grateful heart smiles
Hopeful when sad tears arise
Inside, love unfolds

Happy Valentine's Day 2014: A Special Gift Day

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another." Thomas Merton
 

Happy Valentine's Day 2014 - Virtual Gifts To All

Happy Valentine's Day to You, You and You! I hope you are having a great day. While many of you are eating chocolates, opening gifts and having a good time, some folk are not. Let’s share some Valentine’s Day love by sending out virtual love and special gifts to all. So, if you are alone, we haven't forgotten you and I send you love-hugs and blessings! If you got nothing material from your loved ones, please join the giveaway below for a chance to win a price. Virtual gifts sent your way too. What are you doing today? What kinds of gifts did you get?

Did you get what you wanted for Valentine's Day? If no this is the giveaway for you! Enter to win and then you can get the Valentine's Gift you really wanted! Or, if you are super nice use it to make someone else day.

I’m joining a group of amazing bloggers to bring you this fun giveaway! One lucky winner is going to get a $50 eGift Card of your choice!! What would you choose?

We are making it easy peasy to enter! Just use the form below.

Remember, this giveaway ends in 24 hours, at 11:59 pm on February 14! Tell your friends so they can enter, too!

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Enjoy you special day and hope to see you again soon. More below!    

Inspiration: What Are You Grateful For Today?

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie 

During this Valentine's Day Season, What are you grateful for?

Happy Valentine's Day 2014!  With Valentine's Day around the corner, people are thinking about their loved ones and making arrangements for a fun day. This is also a time to pause and be thankful for all that we have. At the end of the day, nothing  matters more than the love we share and the grace we receive from others. Below are six of  twelve things I am grateful for today and during this season. The remaining six are in the latter half of this post. There is also a NaBloPoMo Gratitude linkup below; feel free to add a gratitude or happy post to share with others. Thank you! What are you grateful for today? What am I grateful for today?  I am grateful for the following:

 Life:  It is such a precious gift and when we lose someone dear, we are reminded how important it is to always say thank you and show love. One of my favorite child actors, Shirley Temple, dead recently at 85. She was a great gift and I am thankful to the love she shared in her films.
 Love:  We love our friends and family; that's a given, but with Valentine's Day a few deep breaths away, random acts of  loving kindness will make someone's day and the world brighter.
Family: Everything begins and ends with family, and our family includes those whose friendships go deeper even than familial bonds. Family is kin and kindred souls. I'm grateful for both.

True Friendships:  Friendships matter and we don't forget them ever. I cherish my friendships and wish all the blessing of true friendship; unlike the one shared in this story of friendship gone wrong
Food:  We have abundant food in the US and so it's easy to forget that, in many parts of the world, people eat once a day ... and not healthy foods. With about 90% of the world's population estimated by the UN to be food deprived; they eat one meal a day. food is medicine and a blessing.
Maintaining a Sense of Humor:  We need humor to help us stay healthy physically/mentally, and maintain our calm in hard times.  The Dumb Starbucks parody made me laugh and that is something to be thankful for - Laughter
Happy Valentine's Day. What are you thankful for today?  More Below

Haiku: Watch A Blade Of Grass...

"The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." Henry Miller 

Haiku: Watch A Blade of Grass -  Above is a blade of flowering Zoysia Grass

Watch a blade of grass
Dancing gaily in the wind
Teeming, green with life

Cut a blade of grass
Leaking all its life, turns brown
One perspective? Death

Nurture all our grass
Planting, feeding, in season
What we sow, love grows

 This week, the prompt is: Grass

What is a haiku?
 As Leo of Haiku Heights aptly explains, a haiku is a three line poem. It shows what the author wants us to understand from it, rather than tell it directly. The limitation to a haiku is seventeen syllables. It can be at maximum, that much. If you wish to go by the traditional Japanese structure even with English haiku, you can use a 5-7-5 syllable, or 3-5-3 syllable structure





In addition to the weekly Haiku Heights piece above, I have joined the haiku poets of Carpe Diem to work on writing Ten Renga.  According to Kristjaan of Carpe Diem, "a Tan Renga is a short-linked poem which has two stanza, the first stanza has 5-7-5 syllables (the haiku assigned) and the second stanza has 7-7 syllables (I write it). The second stanza is a response on the first and has to have a 'kind of link' with the first stanza, but it can also be completely different say 'a kind of reaction or answer' on the first, but there always has to be, in some way, a 'link' with the first stanza." 
See more on this form of haiku below.  

Haiku: A Rummage At Hand ... And More

"Toss your dashed hopes not into a trash bin but into a drawer where you are likely to rummage some bright morning." Robert Brault 

Haiku: A Rummage at Hand. Flea Market painting by Troedelladen Thoms

A rummage at hand
Mind games, head trips, heart strings, pulled
Searching for lost love

Digging deeper still
Boy toys, gigolos, manqué
Hiding in plain view

The menagerie
Of dead cats, stuffed dreams, looming
Piled high with pet waste

Rummaging for love
A lovers tiff lingers on
Flea market chaos.

“And in vain does the dreamer rummage about in his old dreams, raking them over as though they were a heap of cinders, looking into these cinders for some spark, however tiny..." Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

A Rummage at Hand: Antonio de Pereda - A Knight's Dream

In a cruel hoax
Under clouds, cloaks, masks, lies love
Jumbled by old dreams

Cleansing our palate
We leave, amid white lies, black tales...
Stumbling our way home

This week, the prompt is: Rummage

What is a haiku?
 As Leo of Haiku Heights aptly explains, a haiku is a three line poem. It shows what the author wants us to understand from it, rather than tell it directly. The limitation to a haiku is seventeen syllables. It can be at maximum, that much. If you wish to go by the traditional Japanese structure even with English haiku, you can use a 5-7-5 syllable, or 3-5-3 syllable structure





Writing on Rummage was a bit of a challenge because it's an action word that combines digging and disorder with stuff; it's easy to forget the chaotic part. It reminded me of relationships, love, the ups and down of life and love ... and the way it all unfolds in a non-linear manner. That is what I chose to focus on. What did you get from the above? Was it clear or chaotic? Feedback is always appreciated. I love Haiku and there is more below.
 More from Carpe Diem Below!

Memories: Happy Mother's Day!

"A Woman's guess is much more accurate than a Man's certainty." Rudyard Kipling

Memories: Happy Mother's Day!

Being a mom is a huge responsibility and a role that one can never retire from. No matter our age or accomplishments, we are still little kids to our moms and we view our children through the same lens. Each Mother's Day, I find myself not only reminded of the gift of life and the many ways my mother and all the women who played that role in my life nurtured me, but I am also reminded of my father's death during the early month of May; several years ago...  It is, perhaps, the universe's way of helping me appreciate my parents and their investment in my life. So, Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom and to all moms!

ღ˚ •。* ♥ ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。* °♥ ˚ • ★ *˚ .ღ 。*˛˚ღ •˚ ˚… May your day be sprinkledღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥ with Love ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥ Happy Mother’s Day! ˚ ✰* ★ ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥˚. ★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥

I love the picture above because it reminds me of how moms manage with several children in their arms and at their feet. My mom had five children so that fits the picture too. We were close in age and  spent time playing games, terrorizing each other or indulging in childhood pranks; our Mom played judge and jury... My dad worked long hours and was not up for the he said/she said stories, so Mom meted out her brand of justice and joy.  It's an interesting fact because some of my childhood friends would hear the refrain "wait till your dad gets home" while we heard, "wait till I get to you" - quite funny! Through it all, we had many memories of my Mom in her gardens planting new seeds, in her chicken coop tending to her hens or otherwise entering all kinds of singing contests.  :-)

Breaking The Rules: Not What You Think

"Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" -Martha Beck 

Grand Prismatic Spring; Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park.

Breaking The Rules: Not What You Think
The prompt I selected this week for MamaKat's Writer's Workshop, {5. Read the following quote and respond: "Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" } comes from a quote in an article, 20 Questions That Could Change Your Life, by Martha Beck, a contributing editor for O Magazine. It is #17 and the rest of it is below.

17. Where should I break the rules?
If everyone kept all the rules, we'd still be practicing cherished traditions like child marriage, slavery, and public hangings. The way humans become humane is by assessing from the heart, rather than the rule book, where the justice of a situation lies. Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you.

I think it becomes pretty clear when we look at the 20 questions that Martha's point is that we must step forward and honor the spring flowing from our hearts - our heart's calling. To keep the rules within us, we must act; regardless of the socio-cultural mores that hold us back. Many of us grew up in cultures that had very specified roles for men and women. These roles were often followed by rules of conduct, lines each member was not allowed to cross, expectations for each gender, and penalties for those who dared speak truth to their own power.

These codified rules meant that many of us, men and women, I dare say more women, never dared to meet our inner diva; to claim our fullest power because we were always being guided by restrictions masquerading as propriety. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a doctor; to heal people of their pain and suffering. While I was not exactly discouraged, there was no big rush to support that dream. The dream that seemed to be encouraged was that of teacher, or historian; perfectly legitimate fields but not what I imagined.

Now don't get me wrong, but I wasn't speaking of traditional medicine either. The word healer had deeper meaning to me as a child and I knew it had more to do with healing inner pain than physical wounds. As I matured,  I learned to honor what was expected of me but soon found myself turning more and more to paths of healing; be it through words, music or other non-traditional methods. Yet, anther ancient voice would always intervene... "Seek the professions, go mainstream, be mainstream and then ... hold back." 

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Grandma: That Special Brand of Love…

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel". -Maya Angelou

Special folk are like Rare flowers flora by E. Guinther

In life, there are always people who make us feel extra special; people who applaud us wholeheartedly and treat us with dignity and respect. I call them angels of light. If you are fortunate to come across such a soul, in your lifetime, honor the gift and thank them with all your heart.

One of MamaKat's Writing Workshop prompts for this week is the Maya Angelou quote above and when I saw it, #4, I was thrilled because I knew that this would be a way to  share part of my paternal Grandma's story and spread some of her light and love...

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Before I continue, I'd love to share a wonderful vacation contest with you. It's the chance to win a trip of a lifetime and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun. Plus, you might get to take that special someone on a journey to an exotic locale. Follow the link above left and register to win one several exotic luxury trips. :-) Bon voyage!
More on Grandma Below

In Search of Serenity: Love. Pray. Blog.

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." — Siddhārtha Gautama

“God grant us … the Ability to feel your love for us and our love for each other…” Reinhold Neirbuhr

The Serenity Prayer has always held a special place in my heart because I was introduced to it when I came to the USA in the early 1980s to attend college. I was a young, adventurous woman eager to explore new places even though it meant leaving friends and family behind in London. My dad was not keen on the idea of my coming here alone because, even though I had a brother in college in New Jersey, I was not going to the same school and I’d be far away. The Serenity Prayer also offers comfort and eleven qualities or keywords that we can live by; reminding us that the creative work we love and do as bloggers extends beyond the words into our every day lives. Does this resonate with You? 

God, grant us the...
Serenity to accept things we cannot change,
Courage to change the things we can, and the
Wisdom to know the difference
Patience for the things that take time
Appreciation for all that we have, and
Tolerance for those with different struggles
Freedom to live beyond the limitations of our past ways, the
Ability to feel your Love for us and our love for each other and the
Strength to get up and try again even when we feel it is hopeless.

How did I find the prayer? I joined a prayer group in college, discovered yoga and meditation, and made new friends who were great guides, helping me adjust to the acculturation process. Perhaps it was Thea or another classmate/friend who shared this famous prayer, attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, it doesn’t matter. What I do remember is that for years, I had a laminated copy that I kept on my desk or on my refrigerator door. The prayer has become embedded in my memory bank and I find myself going back to it when the hustle and bustle of life gets incredibly hectic... especially the first line; God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change.