tell them

do you ever hear...life is so short? i just read a [true] story in which a woman was killed at the age of 45. so short. i'm already 40 myself.

i'm here to urge you to spend time with people who make you happy and tell them how you feel. i tell my husband i love him everyday. i say 'i love you' to my family at the end of each phone conversation. i try to look for ways to express my gratitude to the many wonderful people in my life. i put effort into maintaining the relationships that enrich my life. loved ones are the greatest treasure on earth.

so take some time to express your appreciation for your loved ones. simple phrases like 'i love you,' 'thank you,' and 'you're great' go a long way. you may even hear them repeated to you. if the words make you uncomfortable, actions speak loudly. give a pat on the back, a hug or even a hand shake. these gestures of kindness are equally powerful.

just be kind while you can. life is too short to leave positive thoughts unspoken. if you know me, please know i appreciate your presence in my life. you're awesome!

the most important person in the world

as a teacher i asked students at the beginning of the school year, 'who do you think the most important person in the world is?' kids would guess: my mom, God, the President!

then i would show them my 'magic box.' this box will show you who the most important person in the world is. each student will look in the box, one at a time, to learn this secret - but don't tell anyone until i ask the question at the end.

each student discovered the answer with a smile or giggle. when everyone had their peek i asked them to answer all at the same time, 'who is the most important person in the world?' i would hear a cheer of variations of, 'ME!' inside the box was a mirror.

i went on to explain that each of us are our own 'most important person.' no one is more important than their neighbor, but we have to treat ourselves well because every one of us is very important. some kids still insisted that their mom or dad was more important.

i saw it as my job to help kids see the truth in my statement. i hope you can see it in yourself. only you can make sure you are treated well. by doing so, the world at large will be a better place.

*the magic box idea was one i found in a jack canfield book.

the people we meet

do you ever think about the people you meet in passing? at the bank, out shopping and other public places we go, we must meet hundreds of people. then there are people we see occasionally like doctors, bus drivers, maybe mail carriers. they are people we see fairly regularly but don't get to know very well.

on may 10, 2008, i wrote about interactions. the thought reoccurred to me today because i met someone new, though someone i may not see again. she was friendly, chatty and smiling. when she left i felt cheerful. so here i am hoping to pass on that cheerfulness. our interactions with one person can affect the next person we see. not only did this person make me feel good, but the good feeling gets passed on in my following interactions.

for each person we meet our mood can be shared. offer a smile or a 'thank you' to the people you meet. that good feeling can grow exponentially!

the secret

I've been watching a motivational movie called 'The Secret' that has inspired me. Some of you may find it hokey. Some of you will try to be open-minded. Some of you may be interested. Some of you may be inspired to rent the movie. Some of you will feel like I do – empowered.

The secret is this: the law of attraction. Your thoughts attract things to you. If you think about your poor health [like me], you will continue to have poor health. If you think about debt, you will continue to have debt. If you think about all the things you don’t have, you will continue to not have them. We must focus on the things we want – the strong body, the wealth, etc. It is easier said than done. I’ve heard an author call it the power of intention. I got frustrated when I tried to intend to be healthy. This is the same idea but the speakers in the movie made more sense to me.

We must Ask for what we want, Believe it is possible, and Receive what life offers.

We must have Gratitude for the positives already in our lives.

We must Visualize our goals and desires.

if you can, see the movie. it is empowering.

singing

singing is one of the things i do to lift my mood. today i felt like a song about friends. the only ones i could think of were 'you've got a friend' by james taylor and 'friends' by michael w. smith. i wanted something upbeat. i made up some words to the tune of 'zippity do dah' [please excuse my spelling].

zippity do dah
zippity ay
my o my what a wonderful day
plenty of sunshine headin’ my way
zippity do dah
zippity ay

friends make me happy
friends make my day
my o my what my friends they do say
talking and playing every day
friends make me happy
friends make my day

sending happy tunes your way.

please share songs you like. i'd like to add to my list.

shining my light

i don't know enough about the universe expanding. forgive me for writing without research. i just watched a short msn video about 'dark energy' taking over as our universe expands. this spurred me to send out a message carrying as much 'light energy' as i have to offer.

sending light to all who read this.

you have it, too. let your light shine!

the universe may expand until it is somehow destroyed. in the meantime, let us live with love and light.

end of war

i recently read this quote:
George Santayana: "Only the dead have seen the end of war."

i will always try to live and spread peace, but i'm beginning to wonder if 'peace on earth' is actually possible. there is no time [that i know of] in history when there was not fighting somewhere. there are so many people who think violence is the only way to solve problems. rather i should say - there are not enough people who see that peace is the only way to peace.

i'll keep spreading that message. will you do the same?