Nothing Changes

Remember on Xmas day? ... when the phone rang, and you heard that voice you hadn't heard in so long?

As you listened, you realized how much you love him/her. Y'all had the best of times together. You really miss him, and think about him often. 

He was (and still is) one of your cheerleaders, who was a real friend when you needed one. 

Before you hung up, you may have told him how good it was to talk, and asked that he keep in touch and that y'all talk more often. 

After you hung-up, all those other faces appeared in your minds eye ... you said to yourself, "I'm gonna call ________, and wish him a Merry Christmas ... and, then I'll call _______."  

But, you didn't. You got busy with all the activity in the house, and there "just wasn't any time." When it got "too late" to call, you put it on your mental TO DO list for tomorrow. 

Tomorrow came and went ... and the next day. You never called. 

Guess what, today's gonna be a repeat of yesterday, and tomorrow ... Until YOU ARE ONE MORE YEAR OLDER, and that phone will ring on Xmas day 2014. 

How do I know? Cuz, it was the same story last year and the year before and the year before that. Someday that call will stop coming.  

HOW DO I KNOW? Cuz, that's my life, too! And, UNLESS there is something to interrupt your slumber, the cycle will repeat itself. 

Admit it ... You have already forgotten about making that call, right? IF NOTHING CHANGES, NOTHING CHANGES. 

So, I'm asking you ... begging you ... PLEADING WITH YOU ... to please make that call. Just do it right now, okay?

The truth is, that YOU HAVE A LIST of people that you love and miss, don't you? Stop wondering WHY you don't call, AND JUST CALL! 

CALL NOW!

JUST CALL NOW!

JUST CALL RIGHT NOW! 

SERIOUSLY, RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT!

Just please ... call now. 

Be Good to All People, Always, in All Ways

Why is it that it seems (to me) to be impossible to be good to all people, all of the time?

I just got back from the store. I decided to spread this Xmas cheer to the clerk.

I wished him a merry Xmas, and acknowledged him for being there when I needed him ... working a full day, while the rest of us have the day off.

We had a nice little chat. It made a difference for me, and I think for him, too. We met as strangers, and left as friends.

Being good to people makes me feel good. It's actually FUN!

I hope to be as generous in a month from now.

No Expectations

Try living expectation-free. 

People do what they do. They run around, planning, dreaming, defending and justifying. They laugh, they cry and they feel.

They all behave and treat you more or less as you would expect them to. Sometimes they exceed your expectations. But, sometimes they don't meet YOUR expectations. 

And, that's when we feel perfectly justified to get angry and tell them how they're doing it wrong. Who's expectation was it in the first place? 

I have no idea what this person is going thru. And, suddenly I'm judging them for sinning in a different way than my own personal brand of sinning. 

The point is that I set the whole thing in motion by bringing MY EXPECTATION to the table. It's like I have a "pre-meditated judging" just waiting for someone to show up so I can spring it on them! ... when they least expect it!

Understanding this, I reclaim my power. I am not a victim anymore. I am responsible. I have the power to dissolve this pity party by leaving my expectations aside. 

So, if something out there ... some person or some situation ... is not to your liking, then turn your focus around to the real source of the problem ... YOU!

That may sound like bad news, but it's really The Good News. 

Change your expectations and watch the world transform before your eyes. Don't just take my word for it. Try it and see for yourself!

Brains, Looks and Talent.

When I was a young person growing up in the 70s, someone once told me that there are three main attributes for people: brains, looks and talent. This person went on to say that I was fortunate enough to be blessed with all three. Of course I did not believe her.

But, I began to question my automatic judging of people.… I began to see how I judged people before I was even aware of it. 

All jocks were stupid ... pretty girls, too. My misfit peers in Band had talent ... and it seemed that most of them were smart, as well. And, a few of them were pretty. 

Then, I became aware of the straight A student who played ball, sang in the choir, acted in Theater, was in several academic clubs and could play each and every instrument in the band! I could only play one, and I couldn't even sing. 

He was popular with the socials and with all the various groups of nerds. Of course the teachers and staff all loved him. 

Then, I went to college at SMU (my military dad was quite frugal and made that possible). Suddenly, I was surrounded by these rich kids who also made high scores. And, I was struck by how pretty they all were!

I very cleverly came up with the theory that their fathers were filthy rich old money who married some model eye-candy. Of course, these women were superficial gold diggers who married for dirty money over Love. 

When I visited my twin brother at MIT, I was again floored when I saw these blonde model types studying thermonuclear engineering and what not. 

So, my question for you is, "have you ever had similar thoughts along these lines?" I mean, do these people also have stupid, ugly and talentless children?

Please forgive me if I sound harsh or inappropriate. That is not my intent. I seriously want to hear what others think about this. 

I'm fascinated at how a system of society, Capitalism, may be affecting the evolution of the human race. 

Yes, I understand that it is pure biology that causes a man's physical attraction to a woman ... and, that biology dictates that a woman be attracted to men with resources, as they can better care for offspring ... according to the evolutionary biologists. 

Okay. Enough said. Your move ... GO!

Love Is All There Is

Darkness is the absence of Light ...

Coldness is the absence of Heat … 

Fear is the absence of LOVE … 

Ego is the absence of God … 

Sickness is the absence of Health ...

Evil is the absence of Good ...

Hell is the absence of Heaven ...

Satan is the absence of Christ ...

Falseness is the absence of Truth ...

None of the former actually exists AT ALL as a real thing in the world. Therefore, it is futile (insane, even!) to try to DEAL WITH your fears. There is NOTHING THERE to deal with. 

Same goes for trying to RESIST THE EGO, or, fight with the Devil, etc. You will lose every time. 

In Reality, LOVE is all there is. Period. 

Love Your Problems

You'll never be presented with a problem that doesn't hold a gift in its hands. We seek out big problems for the big gifts they hold. (Illusions by Richard Bach). 

Are you having some "bad luck"? You just might be grateful for it soon. Who Knows?

There is a Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his fields. One day the horse escaped into the hills and, when all the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, ‘Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?’

A week later the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, ‘Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?’

Then, when the farmer’s son was attempted to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, ‘Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?’

Some weeks later the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his broken leg they let him off. Now was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

Different versions ...

http://www.noogenesis.com/pineapple/Taoist_Farmer.html

The World is Illusion

Stop looking at the outside movie screen (the illusion) for the solution to the problem ... That has never worked, and never will. Turn inward and consider that the source (of the problem and the solution) is found inside you. 

Are you willing to accept that you, and ONLY you, are responsible for the world that you project onto the movie screen? When you are, then, and ONLY then, will anything begin to change.

I'm a MONKEY!

Talking dog! HILARIOUS!

Shane Koyczan: "To This Day" ... for the bullied and beautiful

100 BENEFITS OF MEDITATION

Psychological, Physiological, & Spiritual (Mind, Body & Spirit): NOT JUST FOR THE RELIGIOUS.

     It is also completely FREE! It requires no special equipment, and is not complicated to learn. It can be practiced anywhere, at any given moment, and it is not time consuming. 

     Best of all, meditation has NO negative side effects. BOTTOM LINE: there is nothing but positive to be gained from it! The HEALTHIEST, HAPPIEST, MOST INTELLIGENT, MOST SUCCESSFUL people on the planet IN ALL OF RECORDED HISTORY practiced it regularly!

     With such a huge list of benefits, the question you might ask yourself is, “WHY am I NOT meditating yet?” (When I could be living a life beyond my wildest dreams!)

      JUST DO IT! 

Remember that the benefits are not that apparent in the beginning (which is why so many start, then soon quit) ... those initial sessions seem tedious, but they are, in fact, the necessary, foundational building blocks for the MASSIVE results that come POWERFULLY and EXPONENTIALLY in the coming days and weeks. 

Schedule it for just a few minutes, AM & PM, then add one or two minutes a day. 

(Use the timer on your phone. Otherwise, there are some great meditation apps, with music or brainwave technology .... search: "Entrainment")

Soon you will LOVE doing it and make it a priority in your life. 

There are many kinds of meditation to try. My favorite is EFFORTLESS: Fully allowing all thoughts, Accepting everything, just observing ... it's an exercise in just surrendering to "What Is" and simply "Letting go."

If you are a believer, I ask you this: 

     "What could be more important than spending a few minutes with God?"

We say we believe, then ACT like we don't. 

Don't you think it's important to receive His guidance? If parts of life are troubling or confusing, could THIS be where you find resolution and peace of mind?

http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/2008/05/100-benefits-of-meditation/