One of the very important milestones in my life occurred on Valentines Day. My husband John and I celebrate February 14th every year, not only because of the day itself, but also because it is the anniversary of our first date. I don’t think that we consciously chose that day when we first began dating each other. As I think back fifteen years ago, I remember that it was the first available time in our schedules to get together. That evening, John arrived with a bouquet of flowers, and then he took me out to dinner and a movie. It was a very romantic and memorable night for me.
As I reflect upon what Valentines Day means to me, I am also reminded that I often see expressions of love in what may be considered the unlikeliest of places. One place in particular where I see that is at airport arrival areas. I always notice the large crowd of families, friends, acquaintances, and business associates who patiently wait for the deplaning passengers. As the passengers arrive and I see people embracing one another, shaking each other’s hands, or running to greet each other, it strikes me time and time again that all of these gestures – right down to someone taking the time out of their day to wait for someone to arrive – are all, in fact, expressions of love. It’s not something that we hear about on the evening news or read about in the papers the next day.
So, in keeping with that thought, I often wonder what is really behind all this glitz and glitter of Valentines Day. Are we not trying to say that love relationships are important in our lives? If it is, then how do we celebrate that?
It would seem that by assigning one particular day in February to such an important foundation of our life, something seems amiss. In the reality of our world, what makes the news is not love but war, hatred, violence, and the doom and gloom of today’s economic challenges. The media creates and maintains the frenzy, and we, as humans, are spellbound.
In spite of the mass hysteria, one outstanding thing that still remains is that human beings have one thing in common with each other. Everyone has the ability, as well as the desire, to love and be loved.
When life begins, we assume that it is created because two people love one another. Is it not embedded in our DNA to move towards another human being in love? Do not each of us crave to be loved for who we are, not for how we look or how much money we have?
Who is important in your life? How do you show your love? Is it shown through service and caring for another person every day whether you feel like it or not? Do you speak your love daily to the ones you hold dear? Do you forgive each other when feelings are hurt? Do you turn to each other in good times and in bad?
When you think about love, you may immediately conjure up images of young, married couples. But love is about so much more than that. It’s about the son who is now caring for his elderly father who has dementia or it can be about the single mom with an autistic young daughter. It’s about the friend that you’ve lost touch with, who still greets your phone call with an enthusiastic hello and picks up where both of you left off years ago as if you’ve never missed a beat. It’s about the volunteer who brings a hot meal and a smiling face to an elderly shut in. It’s about your next door neighbor who shovels your driveway after a big storm because he knows you have a bad back. Sometimes, love is about the hard choices that you have to make especially when reality sets in and no one is thoughtful enough to remember you with a gift on Valentine’s Day. Love can be found where there is service and heartfelt devotion.
Can we really survive without love? Just think about that for a moment. What comes to mind when you do? For me, I think that just as food is necessary for the body, love is essential also. Remember to feed both body and soul by getting and giving at least three hearty hugs a day and telling an important person in your life how you feel. If you also take the time to look around and notice, you will also see that love really IS everywhere.
Until next time, I wish you love not only on Valentines Day but on every day of the year.
Bride
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
One Resolution for 2009
It seems that everywhere I turn, someone is talking about making resolutions for this year. I have been struggling with what I want to do for 2009. Rather than make a resolution in the so called usual way, I have decided that I want to clarify my goals begun last year.
In my last entry, I listed three things that could be done. Reflecting on last year’s successes was my first suggestion. One goal that I had set for myself last September was to exercise daily for thirty- forty minutes to improve my health, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. To do this I started planning each night when I would exercise the next day. I wanted to be able to journal that I achieved 100% success each month. You might say that this is an impossible goal to accomplish. Yet I have reached over 90% of my goal and am hoping that I will reach 100% in the near future. I also realize that I have to maintain that goal every month. My biggest insight is that dreaming big helps me reach for my highest potential. I count my successes, not my failures. It seems easier to remember the negatives and not the positives. When it comes to my exercise goals, I have sometimes found it to be somewhat challenging when I travel because I have to find space where I can exercise. I have learned to be very imaginative about this.
Over the past ten years, I have been taking classes in Chow QiGong meditative exercises based on ancient Chinese healing practices. They consist of one grounding exercise, four warm ups and the Precious Eight exercises. Qi means breath and Gong means work. The focus is on breathing deeply, in and out, as I slowly and meditatively complete the exercises. Each one works a different part of the body. For example, the neck rotation helps release any stiffness or stress I have. If I have a headache, I use this exercise to ease any blocked energy in my neck or forehead. No pills for me! It works every time.
I find that I feel very creative after I finish these exercises. I feel grounded in my life, and my health is improved. I am relaxed but energized to meet each day. Because I feel better physically, I am happy doing my usual daily activities with my family and friends. I feel connected to myself, to my Divine Source and to the universe.
In similar fashion, you can reflect on your success in the past year. Were you happy working on that project? Was it making your life better by building up your self confidence in areas of work or relationships? How does it make you feel? Do you want to continue it or do something new?
You may answer that you were not successful last year. You tried any number of things and you feel discouraged. Can you identify what is making you unhappy? Are you willing to name it, think about it and take action to change it? If you would like to know where to start in terms of taking the necessary action, and making the necessary changes you need to live a more fulfilling life, then you may be interested in reading my book, Quest for Happiness. It gives you a practical three step approach to achieving happiness in your life with a special focus on enriching your significant relationships. Feel free to give a comment in this blog sharing your insights and reflections.
I wish you a Peaceful and Happy 2009.
Until next time,
Bride
In my last entry, I listed three things that could be done. Reflecting on last year’s successes was my first suggestion. One goal that I had set for myself last September was to exercise daily for thirty- forty minutes to improve my health, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. To do this I started planning each night when I would exercise the next day. I wanted to be able to journal that I achieved 100% success each month. You might say that this is an impossible goal to accomplish. Yet I have reached over 90% of my goal and am hoping that I will reach 100% in the near future. I also realize that I have to maintain that goal every month. My biggest insight is that dreaming big helps me reach for my highest potential. I count my successes, not my failures. It seems easier to remember the negatives and not the positives. When it comes to my exercise goals, I have sometimes found it to be somewhat challenging when I travel because I have to find space where I can exercise. I have learned to be very imaginative about this.
Over the past ten years, I have been taking classes in Chow QiGong meditative exercises based on ancient Chinese healing practices. They consist of one grounding exercise, four warm ups and the Precious Eight exercises. Qi means breath and Gong means work. The focus is on breathing deeply, in and out, as I slowly and meditatively complete the exercises. Each one works a different part of the body. For example, the neck rotation helps release any stiffness or stress I have. If I have a headache, I use this exercise to ease any blocked energy in my neck or forehead. No pills for me! It works every time.
I find that I feel very creative after I finish these exercises. I feel grounded in my life, and my health is improved. I am relaxed but energized to meet each day. Because I feel better physically, I am happy doing my usual daily activities with my family and friends. I feel connected to myself, to my Divine Source and to the universe.
In similar fashion, you can reflect on your success in the past year. Were you happy working on that project? Was it making your life better by building up your self confidence in areas of work or relationships? How does it make you feel? Do you want to continue it or do something new?
You may answer that you were not successful last year. You tried any number of things and you feel discouraged. Can you identify what is making you unhappy? Are you willing to name it, think about it and take action to change it? If you would like to know where to start in terms of taking the necessary action, and making the necessary changes you need to live a more fulfilling life, then you may be interested in reading my book, Quest for Happiness. It gives you a practical three step approach to achieving happiness in your life with a special focus on enriching your significant relationships. Feel free to give a comment in this blog sharing your insights and reflections.
I wish you a Peaceful and Happy 2009.
Until next time,
Bride
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
