Life = Risk

Three powerful words...

trust in yourself

Choice and Consequence

I heard something very cool today, and it was a reminder that every choice we make results in a consequence whether we want to acknowledge that fact or not.  This is in relation to everything from how we treat the environment to the food we put in our bodies, to the words that come out of our mouths and the actions that we choose to take. I also firmly believe that trying to create a consequence of punishment especially between adults is highly disturbing and can often be downright crazy behavior. Consequence is a natural force that just happens as result of a choice and is above our own human control. For instance in acting lazy, selfish, cruel, angry, hateful, dishonest, ignorant,...all of those types of behaviors will always bring forth a consequence whether we agree with it or not.  It doesn't have to be in the form of something visibly profound or rage from an other's response to be a consequence. It can actually be much more powerful in the effect of your own health, or another person's feelings toward your choices which can result in a more permanent effect; such as dislike, resentment or even completely removing individuals out of their life from those toxic behaviors. Not even excuses can evade the ever impending power of consequence.  I think that in reminding ourselves of the concept of consequence related to personal choice finds us a much more realistic, honest and wonderfully gratifying state of being. So on that note, ...choose wisely my friends!

Ignorance

Ignorance is not bliss, its just stupid.

Enjoy Your Special Day Moms!

Thank you for everything you do!

It's all Good

We all experience ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and gains and losses, but at the end of the day life does just keeping getting better. 

If all else fails, laugh!

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.”

 ~ Audrey Hepburn

Do you listen?

So the question of the day is: Do you listen, do you really listen? If someone comes to you about an issue that bothers them, do you listen or do you instead attempt to dismiss their truth? Do you scramble for excuses for reasons to tell them why they should not feel that way? Do you immediately come to the defensive and rattle off excuses why you or someone else acted inappropriately?  Is the truth so uncomfortable for you that you dismiss their feelings and words? The bigger question here is what are you afraid? Are you afraid of the thoughts or admitting the truth? The reality is there are never valid excuses to treat another poorly. There are some who just complain for attention through insecurity and fear, and then there are those who walk with love and truth. The difference between the two is obvious, so trust those who drive their life through integrity and respect. Don't hide behind excuses for past bad behavior, but instead give the respect, honor and ear to those who deserve it. If we genuinely want to understand and be more connected to others, we must first be honest with ourselves.

Peace

I wonder, I just wonder if we rid ourselves from individual hatred, could we really rid the world of its evils? Could our individual devotion to love and kindness reduce crime, cruelty and wars? One by one, soul by soul, recognize and rid ourselves of hatred and replace it with love, kindness and compassion. We must first have the universal understanding that there is no rationalization for hate, and it hides behind excuses, weakness and fear. We have a world full of so many peaceful and loving people but there is still an enormous amount of hatred. Can a changed person radiate enough love and peace to affect just one other person to change, then continue to proliferate through our neighborhoods, our communities and our world? Could our individual approach to transform only ourselves have enough power to revolutionize our world toward peace? It wouldn't hurt us to try, we have nothing to lose, and we most certainly would benefit profoundly from the gain.

My Favorite Quote of the Day

People might find me attractive, but it's also my job to prove that I can be intelligent.
~ Portia De Rossi

The Right to Be Different

It's a topic that's been challenged for centuries. For the mere differences in beliefs, practice of faith, religion, sexual preference, and skin color that has been the motive for discrimination, abuse, wars and even murder. All of it based on the judgment of another's liberty to be dissimilar than another. I've never understood the logic behind condemning, especially when it’s scrutiny of diversity. I genuinely believe that it's a society's multiplicity of preferences are what universally moves our society to a more advanced, loving, kind and peaceful place. It's a fact that communities who are most accepting of a variety of choices, traditions, and religions maintain the most peace. After all, it's cruelty, viciousness and brutality that we need to be condemning, not the love and joy of another that is pursued in a different manner than our own.  

"We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."  ~Jimmy Carter

Happy Happy Happy!

...and that's my only topic for the day. Happy Friday everyone!

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances. ~Martha Washington

If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things. ~Albert Einstein

It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about. ~Dale Carnegie

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. ~Oscar Wilde

Some pursue happiness - others create it. ~unknown

Happy Earth Day!

A day designed to inspire appreciation and awareness for our Earth's environment. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson founded this day as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970.

In honor of Earth Day, I'm attaching this video again of this beautiful song written and performed by the talented little Anna Graceman, called Paradise. Enjoy!



Lyrics to Paradise
By Anna Graceman 2009 ©

Fields of green, and skies are blue
And the Salty seas, are sparkling too
Music is my laughter, the sun shines in the sky
Hope you'll hear my soul sing tonight

Paradise, paradise, it's a dream that I've dreamt before.
Paradise, paradise, it's a word that I've heard of, Paradise

Birds are flying high and dogs are running fast
I think this world is beautiful but dont know how long it will last

Paradise, paradise, it's a dream that I've dreamt before.
Paradise, paradise, it's a word that I've heard of, Paradise

Sweet sandy beaches and the wild forest reaches
Palm trees sway, hope they'll stay
Stars are in the sky and the black, black night
Dew drops on the flowers and the horses ride in flight

Paradise, paradise, it's a dream that I've dreamt before.
Paradise, paradise, it's a word that I've heard of, Paradise

We all know some day it won't be the same way
Were taking it for granted and I know that you'll regret it
I'm not going to say it twice
Cause we already live in paradise!

Paradise, paradise! It's a dream that I've dreamt before.
Paradise, paradise! It's a world that we live in, Paradise
This World that we live on is Paradise