seeing

here's another Harry Chapin song i like called Flowers Are Red:

there are so many colors in the rainbow
so many colors in the morning sun
so many colors in the flowers
and i see every one

[which is in response to]
flowers are red
and green leaves are green
there's no need to see flowers any other way
than the way they always have been seen

the point being that there is more than one way to look at life and it is up to us to decide how we see things.

i was part of an art show the other night. there were at least 16 artists participating, each of us with our own perspective. every patron as well had their own perspective. the best part of art for me is feeling a certain way given the viewer's point of view. there was art that made me happy, calm, intrigued, or even curious. it's up to me to decide how i see things. there are many ways to interpret any image.

i hope we can apply this thought to the world around us. the people we meet, politics, our expectations for our lives can all be interpreted in different ways by different people. we can't always see things the same way as our neighbors. that's o.k. the key is to be tolerant of people with different perspectives. it's important to be able to agree to disagree. it takes all kinds of people to make the world more interesting.

see things your way and accept that yours is not the only way. life is open to interpretation.

also, happy spring!

work

Your work is the rent you pay for the room you occupy on earth.
- Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, former Queen consort of the United Kingdom

When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.
- John Ruskin

i hear many people complain about work. if you don't enjoy your job, maybe you need a change. of course, jobs are tough to get, so maybe you can change the way you view your job. do you help people? do you keep the world going; keep it clean, fix things, etc.? can you see yourself as part of the whole? is there a co-worker your friendly with? is there something, even small, that you look forward to each day? i encourage you to find something you like about your work. so much of our time is spent on the job. to have a good life it's important to spend your time doing something you enjoy.

i was a teacher for 10 years. i enjoy children and felt good helping them. i miss that, but i'm not able to do it anymore.

now i'm beginning as an artist and writer, things i can do as my energy allows. i'm not getting paid, but i enjoy my 'work.' in fact, i've just launched my 1st public web gallery. the address is www.liesloberfeld.com - link found to your right.

so, i wish you all happy working!

success

The making of friends, who are real friends, is the best token we have of success in life.
– Edward Everett Hale

what do think it takes to be successful? having money is important. i think that enjoying your career is essential. enjoying the people in your life is the most important. surrounding yourself with people who make you feel happy and positive can make you a success no matter your bank account or your job. maybe you have only one good friend. if you support each other and spend quality time together, you have success.

i urge you to count the quality of your relationships rather than the quantity of your possessions and money when you count your worth. when you are old and gray, it will be the people in your life that you'll remember. they will color your life.

even facebook friends will have an influence whether they are acquaintances or dear friends. if you read your 'wall' on a regular basis, you will receive positive or negative messages. choose carefully who you allow into your life. even acquaintances have a part in coloring your life.

whatever goals i may accomplish in my life, the one i'll be most proud of is being a good friend. even at 40 years old, i consider myself a success because of the friendships i have cultivated. wishing you a life rich in happy friendships!

i wonder what would happen

i love harry chapin songs and ideals. this song in particular:

"I Wonder What Would Happen to this World"

Oh if a man tried
To take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
I wonder what would happen
to this world

--Harry Chapin

i've been thinking about the difference one person can make. if you do something positive and i do and the next person and so on, the world gets better bit by bit. what if i spend my life doing good things? i encourage others to do the same. then they encourage others. i believe we can outdo all the negative deeds that are reported on tv. of course, we'll have to infiltrate the media to highlight the good deeds.

what can you do to change the world? i'm always looking for new ways. this blog is one.

freedom of the mind

I know but one freedom, and that is the freedom of the mind.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

america prides itself on being free. we are more free than many countries. i'm grateful to live here.

some of us are restricted by lack of income or poor health. that's why i like this quote. i might be unemployed. i might have a disability. what i do have at any given moment are my thoughts and imagination. even people suffering from dementia, i hope, can have happy thoughts. the freedom of the mind allows us to create our world. i may not find a job, but i can enjoy my extra free time. if i have a disease it is up to me how i react to it. 'oh, woe is me' is unappealing. gratitude for small things can shape your life. it's your free mind that gets to decide how you see the world and yourself.

you are wonderful and special. use your free mind to feel positive and find the silver lining in all situations. it takes practice. give it a try!

happy new year!

we celebrate new beginnings now, but really every morning is a chance for a new start. even any time of day we could see something we'd like to change. there's no reason to wait for the next day or the next year to make a change for the better. every moment is a chance to make a positive choice.

the positive choice i made before i started this post was to let someone i love know how much they mean to me. then, i decided to share my positive feelings here. i'm not sure what i'll do next, but it's up to me to make each moment as good as it can be.

so, i say, 'happy new moment!'

what there is

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. - Charles Dickens

today i want to remind you to be grateful for your blessings. the small things that we take for granted are often the best parts of our lives. a home, heat, food, sunshine, people we love.

here's my list:
i have a strong, positive spirit.
i am smart and creative.
i am compassionate and giving.
i am loving and loved by family and friends.
God loves me as He does all people on Earth.
i have many interests that keep my mind active.
i have support to keep my body active.
i have money to pay for my needs and some wants.
i have plenty of food that I enjoy, not just to sustain me.
i have a comfortable home.
i have had great experiences and expect to have many more.
i have made mistakes and learned from them.


Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is. - Ernest Hemingway

so what can i do with all of that?
i can write to share my strong, positive spirit.
i can come up with ways to support myself, if only to apply for help from the government.
i can smile at strangers and shake their hand. i can listen when others need to talk.
i can call or visit loved ones.
i can go to church or out in nature and remember i am part of something much bigger.
i can go to the library and read about many things.
i can exercise and feel strong and motivated.
i can go on living and searching for new experiences.

what are your blessings? what do they allow you to do?
there is always something!