Living Through Our Pain

Although it's easy enough to say that we love someone, what happens when life gets a little rough. Can we feel the other person's pain when we ourselves are also going through a difficult time? When life throws us a curve, it's not that we put aside our own problems, but we willingly accept them for what they are. Whether they are consequences of our actions or lessons we must learn, doing what needs to be done and balancing ourselves quickly is necessary so that we can go on to help others. Living a compassionate life is not easy, for it comes out of chaos. Showing others that we care, takes a pure mind and heart. We all live with pain, it's finding a way to flow with it so that we become stronger in life and continue on our journey. Today, observe others and listen to their stories. You'll be surprised as to how many people are going through difficult times, yet they perservere because of their love for their family and friends. These are the few that go on to help others selflessly. Be one of these few. 

Sometimes we need a little levity in life...

(Although my kids fight with each other, like any other siblings, it warms my heart when they are going through a tough time and they comfort each other. We try hard as parents to teach compassion to our children, but we never know if we are successful until later. It's only when they are older, can we see how much they care for others.) Q, R, and S, I'm so proud of you all.

Feeling Good About Yourself

How many of us go through life finding fault with ourselves? We are the first in line to make disparaging comments and last to extend well deserved compliments. Our humble background may have something to do with our modesty or it could be just our esteem issues that we haven't dealt with yet. Whatever the case may be, if we are to live a life of compassion, we must begin with ourselves. Who else needs compassion more than ourselves? The ability to acknowledge our weaknesses and strengths for what they are, is an important part of accepting and understanding who we are. We are no more or less than anyone else. As we begin to feel good about ourselves, we can transfer this feeling towards helping others. Today, treat yourself as if you were your best friend. Do something that expresses how much you love and care for this special person. How different is this from the way you normally treat yourself? Be mindful that how you feel about yourself is reflected in how you treat others.

Glass art makes people feel good...

(I normally feel good about myself, but what helps is when I treat myself to little things that make me smile. Just being at Pike's Market in Seattle makes me happy. I don't even have to buy anything, just walking around and looking at all the flowers, crafts, and food is relaxing. I guess I need to do that more often.)

Listening To The Music

Sometimes if we listen very carefully, we are able to hear the music that surrounds us. Since we are bombarded by artificial noise from the time that we awake, it's often times difficult to hear clearly the sounds that come from nature. But by putting the two together, a unique symphony is created. As busy as we are, we still can't help but notice the chaotic sounds that play constantly during the day. Whether it's a car horn blasting or a bird calling to it's mate, they all become intertwined. Take a moment to listen to life's music, for hearing is a gift that we often times take for granted. It's only when it begins to fade away, can we truly appreciate the faint memories that continue flowing in our mind. Today, just listen and be a part of your world.

Even in the midst of chaos, the music still plays...

(Music is a very important part of my life. Although I'm musically challenged and very limited in my repatoire, music still makes me happy. It's wonderful how there is a song for every emotion that we are going through that expresses how we feel just perfectly. The challenge is finding the song or letting it find me. So far I've been very lucky.)

Remembering Those We Love

When we're young, time seems to go by so slowly. It's not until we're older that we value every moment. At that point, life becomes more like a gift that we need to appreciate and be thankful for. There is no time to waste on negative emotions because every day lost, is a day that can never be recaptured. We can't go back and redo what we've said and done. So it's important for us to remember to care for those that we love while they are still here with us. Although life may get in the way, we can make it a point to be quiet and rebalance ourselves. When we lose the people who have made an impact in our life, we only have the special moments to hold on to. So make each day count and live without regrets. Today, take a moment to acknowledge those that you love. Say all the things to them that you were saving for the special moment. Everyday is the perfect day to say "I love you."

The love we have never ends...

(It doesn't matter how long ago someone passes away, their memory is as fresh as the day they left us. The emotions though dulled, still linger in our minds. Sometimes it feels as if it were just yesterday that they left. My love and appreciation for them continues to grow every day.)

Stumbling Through Life

There are times in life when we want to do our best, yet we find ourselves stumbling over our own feet. Even with the best intentions, we may make mistakes. But it's natural for us to be less perfect, so we can remember what it's like to be human. We are all alike in that we are not perfect and stumbling helps to humble the best of us. Before we find fault in others, it is best to remember how clumsy we all can be when our path becomes unsteady. Stumbling through life can be rewarding when it slows us down so that we can actually see where we are going and where we have been. By being too careful in life, we may miss the unexpected opportunities that are hidden along the way. Today is all about appreciating the mistakes you make. You learn more about life when you stumble and catch yourself, then when you plod carefully and learn nothing new. Don't be too cautious or you won't see the opportunities that may be laying right before you.

Sometimes if we aren't aware of our surroundings, we can miss alot...

(I almost missed this truck, if I didn't stumble on the sidewalk. It was pretty much in front of my face, but I don't tend to look around when I walk. Although I didn't try it that day, it reminded me to take a little more time to appreciate my surroundings and not to be in such a rush all the time. I miss so much in life, when I don't pay attention to what's important.)

The Truth Will Lead The Way

Whenever we feel lost or not sure of how we ended up where we are, think about what we know for sure. The answers may not come quickly to us, but in disjointed thoughts. The visions we once had of our heart's desire have become faded and unfamiliar. The more honest we are with ourselves, the clearer we will become of where we need to be. It's when we fool ourselves in believing that we can be everything to everyone that we begin to lose our way. We accomodate others before ourselves, when it may not be the best for us. Getting used to not listening to our desires gets easier and our inner voice becomes only a whisper as time goes by. Finding our way, comes when the truth leads us back to where we belong. Today, practice being honest with yourself and see where it leads you. Truth is sometimes painful, but so is leading a life which is not yours. Be who you were meant to be.

Let's do this together...

(The hardest thing in life is being honest with ourselves. I've hidden so long behind the role of being a mother and wife that I've forgotten who I was. Finding my way back may be rewarding in the end, but right now the path is unfamiliar to me. Everyday I'm discovering new things about myself that I never knew existed. I like who I'm becoming.)

Start The Day Anew

Every day is an opportunity for us to start anew. It's time to put away all the "I can'ts", "I've never done that before", and the "That's not me" lines. How many times do we keep ourselves from participating in new experiences because of our fears? We have let so many opportunities pass us by because we were scared to try something new. Sometimes being too safe hinders us from moving forward. That's the wonderful thing about life, if we make a mistake we can correct it the next day or if we find that we don't like something, we can appreciate the experience and then move on. The universe has an unlimited amount of patience and will continually guide us on our path. So it would be wise for us to take advantage of all the opportunities that come our way and experience life to the fullest.  Today, enjoy the day. Expect the unexpected and live life trusting that all will come your way for you are truly blessed and loved.

It's mornings like these that we truly want to start the day anew...

(Some mornings I get up and everything seems fresh and I have renewed energy. It's not that I am expecting all to go my way, but there is a knowing that I am okay with myself no matter what happens. I appreciate these days because it is truly a "feel good" kind of day. It's like being insinc with the universe and everything is flowing smoothly.)