January 2010 Archives
Is Social Networking Working For You?
I read an article the other day that talked about social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and what scientists are starting to say about our online connectivity.
“It can be exhilarating, at least at first, to connect with long-lost friends, but the downside is growing confusion between our weak ties (people who might be useful in referring us to a good dentist or helping us find a job) and our strong ties (those we are very close to). The distinction between genuine friends and acquaintances is becoming blurred. Users are spending time maintaining relationships with people they don’t really care about.”
While this may be true for many people, it is definitely not true for me. I don’t use Twitter or LinkedIn nor do I use My Space any longer. I created a Facebook page because this application, in my opinion, is more conducive to building and maintaining friendships. I take friendship very seriously and because of that I definitely do not want to spend my spare time, in person or online, maintaining casual acquaintances or relationships with people that I don’t particularly like or feel connected to. I don’t quite understand what people get out of collecting 400 or 600 friends they never plan on communicating with (unless they are using their page for self-promotion of some kind).
Being a single parent prevents me from getting out of the house to spend time with my friends on an individual level as often as I would like to, so this is the best way for me to maintain relationships that are important to me.
I actually read in the Facebook For Dummies book that you should weed through your friend list about every six months and decide who should stay and who should go. I probably weed through mine about every three months and inevitably I always delete a few names. In no way do I feel obligated to stay in touch with high school friends or former coworkers just because we reconnected through an online application. If they are someone I would never connect with live and in person because I don’t particularly like them, or we have very little in common with regard to our personal interests and/ or common values, and if nothing is transpiring between us on a meaningful level after three or four months of reconnecting, then to me there is no point in keeping those people on my page. Most times when I delete people they don’t even notice I’ve deleted them (or they’ve noticed but just do not care) which is a statement in and of itself.
As for those who re-send me a new friend request, or who email me privately and ask why I dropped them, I feel the only way to handle this type of situation is to be honest. I will either tell them the very specific reason why I no longer wish to maintain contact with them, or if they’ve done something to really offend me or put me off, I don’t worry about responding at all. This is one of the many ways that I lead an empowered life.
I believe that everything is energy including people who carry a certain vibration. On a spiritual level it is extremely important to select friends that have a vibration that is in sync with your own. I have no desire for toxic relationships or friendships that are based in drama or insincerity. It is extremely difficult to maintain one’s inner peace if those kinds of folks are allowed into what I refer to as my “personal sphere”. I am very selective about who I spend time with (online or otherwise) so that I can maintain a higher energy vibration myself. This is the best way to care for me. This is the best way to love myself.
So if you are struggling with some of what I’ve mentioned here remember this…..it is all about quality, not quantity. As Maya Angelou says…….when people show you who they are, believe them. Watching what others post on their social networking page and how they interact with others can tell you a lot about who they are as an individual and that can help to guide you in making a decision on who you may need to detach from.
So pay attention, and then, without guilt, do a little online housecleaning!
Namaste……
Tyler Perry & Madea’s Big Happy Family
Yesteray my 14-year old daughter and I attended the Saturday matinee of Tyler Perry’s new stage show, Madea’s Big Happy Family. I have been a fan of Tyler Perry’s ever since he first appeared as Madea on the Oprah show a few years ago. Although African American audiences have been watching him in his stage plays for years, I had never heard of him until he was endorsed by the big “O”. Shortly thereafter I started to rent all of Tyler Perry’s stage plays that are on video and I have enjoyed each and every one. I have watched many of his films on DVD and I’ve also attended the theater to watch every new film he’s released since then. I read all of his blogs and think he is an amazing individual that is inspiring to us all. He has gone from being broke and suicidal to having a studio in Atlanta that bears his own name where he continues to produce films that not only make us laugh, but also elevate us on a spiritual level.
I have always wanted to see a Tyler Perry stage play (with him in it) but never thought I would because now that he’s at the top of his game with his own studio, I didn’t think him touring in a stage play would be his number one priority. But his mother passed away not too long ago and he wrote this most recent show to honor her life and her passing. If I was his Momma, I would be extremely proud of this most recent accomplishment. The show was hilarious but as with all of Tyler Perry’s work, it also gave us the opportunity to cry, to reflect, and to learn. There were a few things he added that simply brought the house down each and every time. The first was about fifteen minutes into the play when he entered for the first time. He said a couple of his scripted lines, and then turned to the audience (in character) and reamed people currently being seated for being late, and reminded them what time the play started. (The humorous part of what he did will probably only be funny for those who know what “CP time” is). Then in the middle of one of Madea’s monologues he started to chant the already popular “Pants On The Ground” rap that was just aired on American Idol last week. In the middle of another monologue he started to improvise and switched to his regular voice and said “Now this is Perry talking”. At the end of the show is a celebration of music honoring Teddy Pendergrass, Luther Vandross, and Earth Wind & Fire (which Mr. Perry sang himself). The audience sang along with each and every song. Then in the middle of this musical montage he said “OK we do have a few white people in the audience so we need to do something for them….” and then the orchestra started playing American Pie which we ALL sang along with him. It was thoroughly enjoyable and full of joy. A stage play with Tyler Perry and his multi-talented cast is not like any other stage play you will ever experience. It is an interactive art form with the audience where the traditional theater etiquette of remaining quiet out of respect for the actors is tossed out the window as people yell out their reactions, raise their hands in testimony much like they do in any good gospel church, and scream, yell, and clap when a good line with a good message comes out of a character’s mouth on stage. This was an entirely new experience for both my daughter and I, but I have to say we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this show as did everyone who attended.
However, the reason I am writing this blog is not just to review the show, but to point out that Tyler Perry has also taken a lot of heat from people within his own culture. Many African Americans feel he is reinforcing the stereotypes within his own culture and not portraying black people in a positive light. But isn’t that was comedy is? Isn’t comedy meant to provoke laughter from the audience by making fun of people? I don’t understand why people are taking it so seriously and why they negate all of the good characters that Tyler Perry creates by focusing only on the negative characters he creates within one of his shows or films. This kind of comedy is not exclusive in the African American culture. Has anyone tuned into the highly popular George Lopez talk show yet? On every show Lopez makes fun of people within his own Latino culture. Yet no one is criticizing him (yet). Isn’t this kind of comedic approach what made Margaret Cho popular as well….by making fun of the Asian culture? But I don’t recall anyone protesting her work either.
Most recently I read there is controversy from people within my own culture (Italian) about the new reality show Jersey Shore. I tuned into Jersey Shore just to see what all the hype was about and to see if I personally found it “offensive” so I could place myself in the same position as African Americans. I have to honestly say I was not offended. Did I like the show? Of course I didn’t. But did I take it as a personal reflection or representation of who I am as an individual? Absolutely not. If I did, then shouldn’t all of the other ignorant and voyeuristic reality television shows provoke the same thing in blonde haired blue eyed white people? The people on this show are a bunch of young kids who take pride in their nationality. So what? Who cares? My opinion of these “Guidos” are that they are ignorant and shallow and certainly not the kind of young people I’d want to spend time with (nor will I ever tune into the show again). By the same token, I also would not be honest with myself if I didn’t admit that there are many ignorant and shallow people within my own culture. What about films like The Godfather and Goodfellas and television shows like The Sopranos and Everybody Loves Raymond? Shouldn’t I be “offended” that my culture is being represented through the portrayal of mafia families and buffoons? Well I’m not, and that is because there ARE people in my culture, within my own blood-line even, that are living proof that these types of individuals do exist. So when I hear people complaining about Tyler Perry’s characters always acting like buffoons or thugs my response is that there ARE buffoons and thugs in the African American culture. There are buffoons and thugs in EVERY culture including the Italian culture and Jersey Shore as well as every Italian film and television show ever made supports that.
But here is why I don’t find these films or television shows offensive or unacceptable. They do not define ME as an individual. I know that I am a person with a good heart and a good soul. I know that I am educated and intelligent and I touch the lives of others in a positive way through my friendship. Because I know this in the core of my inner being, I do not have the need to prove it to anyone else by protesting the examples that others are presenting about who THEY are. I am proud of my ethnicity in spite of the buffoons and the gangsters because I like who I am as an individual and no amount of television or film can take that away from me. Only I have the power to feel less of a person. As the great Eleanor Roosevelt once said “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent”. So if you feel inferior when you watch a Tyler Perry film or television show, maybe it simply means you’ve got some inner work to do on yourself.
As for comedy……it has been around forever and if we start monitoring comics or comedy writers for being “politically correct” all of the time comedy itself will disintegrate into oblivion and for me, that is not an option. Laughter is good for soul and so is Tyler Perry. His work is not only humorous, it is also inspirational and in each and every piece of his work he communicates a number of positive spiritual messages that are extremely important. Yesterday during his stage play towards the end he started to preach (in the character of Madea) and he was going on and on and on and at one point he said “And I am so far off of script right now……” which once again brought the house down because Mr. Perry was doing what he does best…….using humor to teach and to preach, and for that I honor him, I respect him, I admire him, and I support him in his right to use his work as a beacon of light for others, no matter what color or ethnicity is watching. Be blessed Tyler Perry…..in spite of what others may have to say about you, you ARE doing God’s work.
As we say in Italy……Ciao……for now.
Haiti Earthquake ~ Historical Tragedy or Spiritual Awakening?
I actually wrote this article back in 2005 after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami but feel it is just as relevant five years later with what has happened in Haiti. These kinds of disasters cause many to question “Why?” Why would God allow such a disaster to occur? What kind of God is this anyway? I also feel the need to negate statements from ignorant spiritual leaders such as Pat Robertson who use an opportunity such as this to instill fear in people with regard to the Devil and talks about curses and a God who punishes us for bad behavior.
On Friday, January 7th, 2005 Larry King had a panelist of spiritual leaders on to talk about the Tsnumai. He wanted to know how we could believe in a higher power or in God when we witness a catastrophe such as this?
The panel that was responding to his questions were prestigious spiritual and religious leaders of different faiths. Deepak Chopra (Spiritual Advisor & Best Selling Author from India); R. Albert Mohler, Jr. (President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary); Father Michael Manning (Host of the Internationally Syndicated program The Word and Senior Advisor to the Muslim Public Affairs Counsel); Rabbi Michael Lerner (Editor of Tikkun Magazine); and Henepola Gunaratana (A Buddhist Monk in New York City from Sri Lanka).
It was interesting to hear their different responses based on their own personal belief systems and their religion of choice. There was a lot of talk about sin, a word I don’t particularly relish. There was also a lot of talk about punishment from God, something I struggle with every time I hear it.
Does God really punish us for our “sins”? If that is true, then why did many innocent people die from the Tsunami? And why haven’t people here in the United States that are creating sin every day die yet? I’m sorry, but that equation (God + Sin = Death) just doesn’t work for me using that particular verbiage. However…..I do want to clearly state that I believe if given God’s free will, there will be some sort of repercussion for the bad choices we might make. The Christians quote from the Bible “You reap what you sow” (John 1:3:30). Buddhists and Hindus talk of karmic repercussion. Isn’t that what sin really is? Taking God’s free will, doing what we want, and then having to pay back that debt later on (i.e. the punishment?)
It seems to me like everyone is trying to say the same thing. But I always have trouble with a concept that makes you feel bad about yourself (such as sin). It makes me feel like I’m a bad child being reprimanded by a bad parent. It is much more empowering to believe that we must take responsibility for all of our thoughts, feelings, and actions, and if we choose to do what we want when we want, and we hurt someone else in the process, then there might be a kick-back of some sort down the road. That concept doesn’t make me feel like a child being scolded but rather an adult who takes responsibility for her choices – good or bad.
With that being said, I feel we have to question when something of this magnitude occurs. Don’t we have to take it beyond the possibility that someone made a bad decision and is reaping karma that they’ve earned? So what is the reason for a tragedy such as this? Many dogmatic leaders insist on using tragedies such as this and the epidemic of aids to tell us that we are bad people, that we are sinners, that we must repent. Yea right. Like there is one almighty person with a ruler in his hand ready to whack our fingertips if we get out of line. What a limited thought that would be……….yet people do think this way don’t they?
Maybe, just maybe, it is possible that there is something bigger going on here. I sat with my spiritual teacher about nine years ago and he predicted a variety of things that appear to have come to fruition. He told those of us that studied under him that the war would begin, and that it would not end as quickly as we planned, and that it would last for years (Iraq). He told us there would be all kinds of natural disasters occurring on the planet as a whole which is the end result of mankind’s mistreatment of the planet as well as each other. Let’s face it, we’re not very good at taking care of this blessed earth we have been given. We take it for granted, we do an enormous amount of things that are destructive and disrespectful to Mother Earth with no thought about the repercussion of such. Well, like any good woman, Mother Earth has been patient long enough. It’s time for us, as a planet, to weather the storm she is laying forth in return. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to log onto CNN.com every day and see the disasters that are occurring everywhere right now. Mudslides. Record-breaking snow and ice storms. Tornados and Hurricanes. Flooding. Earthquakes. Look around people, Mother Earth is fighting back. Is it punishment? Or is it karma? Does it really matter what we call it?
Now……let’s entertain another possibility as well. In listening to these spiritual leaders on CNN that Friday night, I heard a couple of ideas that are worth thinking about. Deepak Chopra said that one of the problems right now is that we keep referring to God as him and his. “We have a very sexist, masculine image given to God. Our experience of God changes as we evolve and sin and punishment are very very primitive.” Right on Deepak! Now we all know Deepak is not the most traditional of spiritual leaders. But what about Rabbi Lerner? He too said “We don’t see God anymore as a big guy in heaven who’s throwing down punishment and judgments and decides which people are going to get into a tsunami and which people are going to get into a beautiful sunset”. Amen! I love it when dogmatic leaders think outside the box and consider something beyond what old doctrine has led us to believe!
I think the most important point made that night (again by Deepak Chopra), and where I choose to align my thoughts, is that tragedies such as the Tsunami (and now the Haiti earthquake), allow us the opportunity to transcend our religious differences and boundaries, and create a new humanity based on love, sharing, compassion, and giving. The militaries of the world are getting together to bring relief. People have forgotten about their differences and even the Hindus and Muslims are getting together to aid. Is it possible that God (whoever and whatever that may be) is trying to enlighten us and is asking us to evolve? Can you imagine a world where racism, bigotry, hatred, and prejudice have been eliminated?
No matter what the cause that brings forth these tragedies, Deepak is right. We have an opportunity here. A big opportunity. How many tragedies do you think it will take before people digest the message? When will the many walls of religion, ethnicity, gender, political beliefs, and color be eliminated? Will it be in our lifetime? Will it be in our children’s lifetime?
There is only one answer and a simplistic one at that. Things will not change until each of us, on an individual basis, begin to make a change in our personal lives and our personal belief systems that challenge the status quo and all we’ve been taught by dogmatic leaders throughout the ages. It appears to me that we have become more violent and barbaric than ever before. We have become so intolerant of each other that we kill one another over parking spaces and think nothing of killing our spouses or our children if they get out of line. I read an article a few days ago about a mother who forced her teen-age daughter to drink bleach and then sat on her until she suffocated and died………why? Because her daughter had sexual intercourse with a boy. What is wrong with our way of thinking that we move to such recourse with our own flesh and blood when they anger us? Scott Peterson is another prime example. Divorce was not an option for him. Yet murder was????
People have used the phrase “What is this world coming to?” for years and years. Yet I sit here and ask all of you WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO??? And more so, WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE US CHANGE? If not natural disasters, then what will? God has tried to teach us in so many ways how to be kind to each other and to the planet. He sent Buddha and we ignored him. He sent Jesus and we ignored him. He sent Mohammed and we ignored him. Granted those were only three big teachers in how many thousands of years? But what about all of the sages and gurus and teachers he has sent for us to learn from before and after each of those mentioned here? I’m not talking about spiritual leaders like Tammy & Jim Baker and the many many Catholic priests who have molested our children in the name of God. I’m talking about the good spiritual teachers that come forth and really have something to offer. Thousands of books have been written to help us to change…..to teach us a better way……to get as many people as possible to evolve to a level where human kindness becomes a way of life to all, not the exception to the rule. Yet we don’t listen. We read but we ignore. We justify all of our bad behavior because it is easier to blame someone else or something else outside of ourselves than to take responsibility for our actions.
So, the time has come. There is no doubt in my mind that a “quickening” of some sort is occurring right now. It is just another attempt by God to bring us together and to break down all of the walls we have created so that we can recognize that we are all human beings and that we are all children of the Universe, and that we are all loved and adored by God almighty, whoever and whatever that is.
I always tell my spiritual students “Just because you don’t believe in karmic repercussion does not mean it doesn’t exist.” Most hate it when I say that. Why do you think that is? Because it means they might have to face the self-responsibility that has been placed before them by God to treat other human beings with the love and respect they deserve, to care for the God-given planet he provided to us, and to recognize that all life forms including plants and animals are sacred to him.
So please, do me a big favor. Start by paying attention. Look at what is going on in the world…..not just in your own little world…..and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. There are tons of organizations right now that need your help to aid Tsunami (and now Haiti) survivors. Get out your checkbook and lend a hand. And if you don’t want to do that or you can’t do that right now because of financial difficulties, then get your you-know-what to an organization of your choice and volunteer some of your time to help someone else who’s in worse shape than you.
We’re here to help each other, not kill each other. We’re here to aid others in need, not to prove that our religion is the right way and that all others should be judged. We’re here to love one another not hate one another. At minimum, can you at least THINK ABOUT IT????
Until next time……….Namaste (The Divine In Me Honors The Divine In You)
Momma Always Said
When I was 23 years old I really wanted a career in radio. I lived in Connecticut at the time and so I auditioned for the Connecticut School Of Broadcasting. I was ecstatic when I was informed that I had been accepted into the program. There was only one problem. How would I pay the tuition? I was in my first year working for a large insurance company as an Executive Administrative Assistant in the Human Resources Department (only we were called Secretaries back then). Translated, that means I was making approximately $10,000 per year. Even though I was married at the time, my husband made even less. We didn’t have a savings account to speak of so that meant taking a loan to pay the tuition. The problem was because I had not been in my current job for more than a year, and even my residence was a bit shaky because I was married and lived in my husband’s home state of Virginia for the last year and a half, my loan application was rejected. I was devastated and my mother said something to me that she would repeatedly tell me throughout my life during times like this. “Mary….God has something better planned for you.”
The reason this subject is at the forefront of my mind is because recently I applied for a position that I had a decent chance of securing, but in the end, was overlooked for a candidate that had more experience. Those words rang in my head once again. “Mary…..God has something better planned for you.” We’ve all heard this catch-phrase before, but the question is do we believe it? Does God really have something better planned for us? I have to honestly say that I believe he or she truly does. But here is the caveat. Is it in the package that we want or expect? My life experience has shown me that this is not always the case. In fact, this is usually not the case. That of course fuels ammunition for the Atheists and naysayers who don’t believe in God or a higher power because they can now challenge you with “See Mary….God didn’t have something better planned for you. Your life is now worse off than it was before.” But is it?
Here’s the thing. Had I gone to the radio school maybe I would have had a successful career in radio. But would I have become the person I am today? Probably not and here’s why. I believe that when God has something better planned for us, it isn’t necessarily a better job, or a better husband, or a better pair of shoes. I believe it is the experience or the path that we are then forced (or destined) to follow in order for us to learn and grow as individuals and to become who we are meant to be. Who are we meant to be? A butcher? A banker? A candlestick maker? No. Not even close. We are meant to be the highest form of ourselves. We are meant to be Christ-like or Buddha-like or Mohammed-like. We are meant to be happy and I truly believe that it is difficult to be happy with anything in life without having a strong spiritual core that is connected to the divine.
Not attending radio school led me in the direction of a very successful career in I.T. (Information Technology) and by the time I had put in my first 11 years in this field I had broken all the molds. I was financially successful for sure. I had all kinds of awards for the work I had done. I had friends with great minds and great hearts. But was I happy? No, I was not. Why? Because I really wasn’t living my heart’s desire. I was just doing a job that I had learned how to do well because of the kind of mind I had, and because I was successful at it, I kept at it for a very long time. But it never filled my soul in the way that writing this blog does right now.
It is the negative experiences I’ve endured in my life that have formed me into the person I am today. The failure of my first marriage was the springboard for my spiritual awakening and it has only been uphill since then. But that’s another story entirely. My point is that if I sit back now and reflect on whether God brought me something better than being a radio show host he did. He brought me financial abundance that exposed the hole in my soul because no matter how many things I purchased, the things that I thought would make me happy, did not. Money didn’t make me any better as a person, and it certainly didn’t solve all the other problems in my life. Did it make it easier for me to care for myself and my children? Yes it did. But did it make me happy? Absolutely not. I make less money now than I ever did while I was in the field of IT yet I’m happier now than I’ve ever been. No I don’t always have what I want on a material level, yet I’m still happy. How can that be? Because I’m living a life now that is fueled with spiritual awareness and gratitude for the simple things in life.
So did God bring me something better? He sure did. He brought me opportunities to learn and to grow. He brought me self-awareness and spiritual evolvement. Will he bring me something better this time around as well? I am sure of it. When you come to the point where you know this in your heart, along with it comes inner peace and the ability to let go and just enjoy the ride. So the next time your Momma says to you “Honey, don’t fret…..God has something better planned for you” take the fast-track to emotional healing from the disappointment you’re feeling…..and believe her.
I See You
Yesterday my friend Angelo Bell made a comment that I really “get” him and that is why he keeps me around. He verbalized a parallel to my “seeing” him much in the same way these words are used over and over again in the film Avatar. I smiled when I read what he wrote because truly it is one of the nicest compliments I could ever receive and I want to elaborate on why that is.
First of all, if you haven’t seen the film Avatar it is a must see for spiritual seekers. It is the story about a marine who incarnates onto an alien planet and finds himself torn between two worlds. Jay Michaelson, author of “The Meaning of Avatar: Everything Is God” writes how the philosophy of this film has been around both in the East and the West for thousands of years. The inhabitants of this alien planet, the Na’Vi, know they are manifestations of one being which they call Ai’wa (much in the same way we are all manifestations of one being called God). The Na’Vi have a physical cord attached to their bodies which unites them with each other and also with Ai’Wa as well. When the Na’Vi greet each other they say “I see you” which is a direct translation of the Sanskrit term Namaste (a word I happen to use often) which means the same thing (the God/divine in me sees/honors the God/divine in you). So how does this translate to a contemporary world on planet Earth?
I have had the innate ability to “see” others in a completely different way than most do for a very long time. I’ll revert backwards in time to give you a couple of examples so that this concept will be more applicable in real-life situations.
In high school one of my friends (I will call him Rick) was the son of a very wealthy man who was a successful attorney and judge. Rick drove a Porsche to school which of course made many other kids envious to begin with. Rick had a conceited and arrogant way about him that repelled others. But even then, as a 17 year old in high school, I saw what was underneath the fascade of Rick’s behavior and he knew that I “saw him” in a completely different light. I saw the “real” him, the vulnerable him, through his soul and his spirit which were filled with love and kindness. Rick went on to be an extremely successful attorney himself and because of this “connection” he is still in my life today. He recently said to me on the phone “I love you and adore you and I always will.”
Fast forward to about 12 years ago. I was at a hockey game and saw this man walking down the stairs that completely captured my attention who I had a strong desire to meet. As fate (if you believe in such things) would have it, about a week later I was in a nightclub and there he was again on the dance floor. I was standing to the side of the dance floor and our eyes met and as soon as the dance came over he walked over to me and started a conversation. Derek (again a fake name) was an enormously popular guy. He was a successful businessman who sold Harleys and a well-known biker in the area. He looked like Tom Jones and dripped with sexuality and every woman that met him wanted to sleep with him and and every man wanted to be him or at minimum, be his friend. But again, there was much more under the fascade that he presented in life and I was able to see underneath it all to his soul and he knew it. I became one of his best friends and others just didn’t understand the connection. One night he summarized my “ability” by saying “Mary, you have the ability to tear down people’s masks and see the real people underneath.” Derek hung out with a group of men that were, let’s say, very “macho” types. They were cops and bikers and most of them were really into the barbie doll type girlfriends they wore proudly on their arms. In front of all of these guys, Derek announced to them that he valued me so much as a friend that he would jump in front of a bus for me. I was flabbergasted that he would make such a public testimony, but it also warmed my heart that he could “see” me back.
I don’t tell you these stories to brag or boast about friendships I’ve had or now have, but to make a spiritual point. EVERYBODY on this planet is seeking the same thing in relationship whether romantic or platonic. They are looking to feed their soul or spirit. First and foremost they want to be loved. They want to be validated. They want to be heard, and they want to be understood. When you are able to come to a point in your life where you can see God in others and are able to function from that place you will be more in line to GIVE rather than RECEIVE and the act of giving that kind of unconditional love and acceptance to others becomes more joyful than receiving it (although it is still nice to receive because after all…..I am human too).
The question you may be asking yourself right now is “Do I have this ability too?” and to that I answer a resounding YES! Everyone has it because it is a part of us instilled by God to connect us all as human beings. It is your job to find it, to nurture it, to develop it, and once you master it to teach it to others even if only through example. And THAT my friends is what makes the world go round.
So yes, I do “get” and “see” Angelo along with a few others that are part of my inner circle. That is not to say that I get everyone. I am still working hard to “get” people who hate others based on religion or someone’s ethnicity or the color of their skin. I have to work even harder to “get” people who are filled with greed and selfishness and that when placed in a position of financial abundance choose to spend it on “things” rather than helping others. But hey, we all have our spiritual work to do and I am definitely no exception.
For those of you who made it to the end of this very long blog…..Namaste.
New Year’s Resolutions 2010
Today is the first day of 2010, the premise of many science-fiction films that were made during my youth. The year that signified a variety of technological advances. Have we lived up to those expectations? To a certain degree I think we have. We live in a society where cash is rarely used, where little plastic cards and online websites control all of our money coming in as well as going out. We live in a society where electric cars permeate our parking lots. We live in a society where technology allows us to connect to people all over the world with a simple stroke of a keyboard. Personally I think it’s all pretty cool stuff, but for me, today, it’s just the start of another new year.
I am one of those people who makes resolutions every year. Do I meet them? Some of them I do. Some of them I don’t. The point is unless you set goals to begin with, whether they are on January 1st or May 15th, how can you expect to meet them? I believe goals are important and that they define us as individuals. One of my friends blogged about New Year’s resolutions and made it quite clear that people that don’t make them are functioning from a place of mediocrity and I have to say that I agree. Not that being mediocre is a bad thing, but it has never been for me.
I have always been a somewhat driven and productive individual that has accomplished a number of goals throughout my life. As soon as I reach one goal (or several) others come into play. Although I have slowed down and learned how to relax more than I did in my younger years, I know who I am and I will be goal-oriented until the day I die.
This brings me to why I am here blogging on a website that has not been launched yet and is not ready to be launched. It is because my number one New Year’s resolution was to spend less time on Facebook and more time writing. Writing this blog, writing spiritual articles for publication, and writing my book on self-empowerment. It’s 2010 and it is time to move the goal of being a published author forward once and for all.
If you want more than mediocrity in your life, don’t make a resolution to never make a resolution again. I made six but all I am suggesting is for you to make just one. I can guarantee you when you reach your goal you will feel such a sense of accomplishment. If you don’t meet your goal, it’s o.k., at least you tried, so at minimum give yourself a pat on the back for not choosing to be stagnant in life. I am not judging those that choose that path, but I know that stagnation for me is the same as death.
Be blessed in 2010 and reach for the stars. Namaste…..
