Heartfelt gratitude continues ....

For the ability to get out of bed every day and take care of my family ... Thank you :)

So let the gratitude REALLY begin ...

For all the farmers that grow our food ... Thank you :)

For the awe inspiring splashes of colour in all the beautiful flowers ... Thank you :)

For the fingers that allow me to cook, clean, grab, hold, touch, type ... Thank you :)

For the warm, brilliant sun ... Thank you :)

to get down to the business of ... living it.  When I wrote my previous blog, 160 million and counting I knew that was going to be the preface to an amazing journey.  Life's been interesting so far.  No different than the rest, there has been laughter, tears, challenges, successes; then mixed in it have been words of thanks to God and people who have made a difference in my life. But you know what? It's not enough.  Saying it is great; 'hey thanks for doing that' or 'thanks for letting me get through that..' Meaning it is even better; treating someone a little better, sharing successes. Then there's doing it; paying it forward (which coincidentally today is international pay it forward day), going out of one's way to show appreciation. All meaningful expressions and actions, but still not enough. 

For the record, I'm not saying anything new here...a simple look back and the words resonate from Buddha, Plato, Shakespeare, Einstein, Beethoven, Kehoe & Byrne (to name a few :)  Gratitude, love, generosity, compassion must be LIVED. Our thoughts, intentions, words and actions all create our reality.  We choose how our lives will unfold. 

That's compelling enough for me.

My blog is transorming, becoming a reflection of that LIVING.  As each glorious day smiles on me, words of gratitude will spread onto the screen.  Simple, meaningful ....

Today I'm thankful for ...

Being able to welcome a new day.

That I opened my eyes today.

Out there in the sea of blogs Tell Tale Words is 1 in 160,000,000 and counting.  That's alot of blogs :) Everyone jostling for position. Everyone sharing, wanting to be read and heard... I sifted through my blogs, then I sat back and asked myself. Why am I doing this? Several reasons surfaced; each one as compelling as the next.  But I wasn't convinced, so I dug deeper..and deeper..a little further, and you know what? I discovered that the little corner in the blogsphere that I carved is simply just that..unremarkable.  It is a collection of words that have spilled out on a screen offering thoughts mixed with emotions that may, in some way, reach someone, and make a difference, even for just a few moments.

I don't profess to have the 'answer,' 'secret' or 'solution' to all of life's mysteries, successes or problems. What I do have is the knowledge.. that I am as extraordinary as every living being and I have been given the gift of life to explore, discover, share and bask.  As many people in the over 160 million bloggers have said at one time or another, it all boils down to this ... LIFE IS short, TIME DOES fly, YOU ARE LOVED, BLESSED and UNIQUE.

So where do we go from here? To a place in desperate need of having the pessimism, negativity and despair dusted off so that we can once again see clearly the beauty that is life and wrap it with thankfulness and positivity.  Won't you join me on a journey of gratitude?

As I started to shape my thoughts for this blog, I couldn't help but think about a time long, long ago when the only way to communicate was body language and images on walls. Fascinating.  I don't know what it would be like to go a day without speaking, writing and reading, but then again, when you haven't been exposed to it, any form of communication, no matter how simplistic is just as powerful. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious what it would be like.  Get up in the morning and smile to your loved ones to communicate good morning, hugs and kisses to say I love you, nudges to remind each other of things to do, playful acts to communicate happiness, tugging to invite others to help, pointing and other hand gestures to express need, eye expression to relay sadness, concern, anger, questions, hurt, happiness....it's actually quite phenomenal all the things we can say without saying anything. Language is a beautiful thing, no question, but body and facial expressions are as genuine as it gets. No texts, emails, posts, tweets or blogs, just human to human raw communication.

Wouldn't hurt to pay closer attention to this silent language. 

... you woke up today with only what you thanked god for yesterday.

Every moment, every breath, every experience ... meet it with exhilaration.

Love unconditionally.

Laugh freely.

Live honestly.

Treasure all life, big and small.

Welcome challenges.

Give often.

Judge no one.


He came.
He taught.
He loved.

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

On this day...
He gave up his life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoseover believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


Thank  you ... everyday ... always.

So last year, around this time, I embarked on this really exciting project, namely, Harry Purple Monkey Dishwasher.  Never in my wildest imagination would I know that what I would get out of it would far transcend the goal.  The objective of writing the stories, creating the plush characters, developing the website and social feeds was to teach, inspire and have a lot of fun along the way.  When everything was launched I stayed true to what I was hoping to achieve, but then something else happened.  Harry PMD took on a life of its own. All you writers out there will totally get this; how often have you developed a character that becomes so real you begin to take on their characteristics.  Or should I say, the character coincidentally becomes you.  Now you are probably asking yourself, don't tell me she's becoming a monkey? No...not really...oh what heck...yes. By stepping into the world of a primate, I have had the privilege of knocking off many of the prejudgements and 'know it all' attitude and seeing things from a fresh, or in this case, monkey's view. 

What exactly does that mean? I have taken to exploring all the corners of the earth, trying to see, learn and understand what humans and animals are experiencing. I would describe it as someone removing a veil from my eyes.  See, it's easy to live in the world we surround ourselves, letting in information and news at a level that is appropriate to that lifestyle, but when you accept it all at face value, the realities, the great acts of kindness..or violence, the plights of many cultures, species and the state of our planet, nothing can ever be the same. 

When I had chosen the spider monkey as Harry, it was because of some of the common known facts I had learned.  I dug deeper and spent time watching these amazing creatures and I couldn't help but see so many parallels to humans.  The further I looked the more I discovered. One fact that hit me hardest was that these creatures are on the brink of extinction. They are one of many in such a frail state and I am saddened at what we as humans have done to cause all of this imbalance.  On top of it all, we've done so much damage to the very essence of what sustains our lives; air, water and earth.

Seeing the world through Harry's eyes has allowed me to really (and I mean really) appreciate the planet and everything in it.  I know there are many out there who already get it and are acting to help make the world a better place. But I also know that it's not enough. Every single being plays a part in nurturing or destroying our earth. 

So if you can, step out of the concrete world and immerse yourself in the beauty of our planet. When you do that, life as you perceive it will change, and you too will feel compelled to act and give back to a planet that one day may stop giving.

Be the change.

Ever catch yourself in the middle of conversation saying 'well, they say...'  and then the question quickly follows 'who are they?' Every day we are inundated with information that our brains try to process and file away. Then in the midst of a discussion we sift through our collection and present our findings. The source of that information often times eludes us and it becomes the infamous 'they.' When approached for advice, we readily offer suggestions which often starts with 'they say that...' and the recipient openly accepts it, because 'they' must be reliable and above all credible.  I've watched this kind of evolution in what is an annual tradition, the making of tomato sauce. What started out as a day event with a few bushels of tomatoes washed, peeled, cooked and jarred in one's basement, has become a highly sophisticated process.  Everything has shifted to a more efficient system. Stoves replaced with propane burners, pots replaced with vats, manual tomato straining mechanisms with motorized equipment, and then there is the clock watching; timing really is everything. If all goes as planned from the 5:00 a.m. start; by 10:00 a.m. all is done including the clean up! A far cry from a 12 hour day. So where do 'they' come in? Well, this process didn't just happen. Every year while labouring away, the discussion picked up from last year and inevitably something new was introduced. Why? Because 'they' tried, tested and approved it of course. We were willing to try anything, in the interest of progress (and getting the job done faster) and to our delight that 'improvement' shaved off a few more minutes or made the process a little easier.

Got you thinking eh? How many times have you have referred to 'they;' and how many times have you had no idea who 'they' are?  Hmmm...something to think about, after all 'they say...'

it happened...I got the dreaded black screen on my laptop. No red flags, no funny noises, nada. Well, maybe there was one or two things that seemed odd. But with a click here, scan there, yes to repair, this baby should be running like a well oiled machine. Think again.  Do you sometimes feel you're at the mercy of all these great technical toys and absolutely necessary mechanical concoctions that are your life. It's not hard for me to stroll back in time and pinpoint all the inopportune times that something I needed to work didn't. Like the day I had dinner all ready to go in the oven and to my chagrin the ignitor decided it had its day. Or when I reached into the fridge and things seemed awfully warm for having been in a cold environment. Then there was the night that the furnace said goodnight. There weren't enough layers to keep us warm. Oh yes, the hairdryer that starts with a 'poof' and burns out, the television that gives me a colour show and zaps out like a scene in Matrix, and let's not forget the car...insert key, turn ignition, ixnay on the start your engine.

We buy warranties that somehow miss their mark because the object in question knows when it expires and bides its time to spring its worn out, broken part.  To fix or not to fix? That is the question. These days it seems almost pointless to repair your stove, fridge, laptop, washer, dryer (you get my point) because for a few more hundred dollars you can buy a new one. The old adage that 'things are not made like they used to' is not an adage.  The pride in workmanship, longevity and after service has gone the way of the dinosaurs. You gotta wonder if life would be simpler without all these toys.  Let's not be silly. The reality is that we need all this stuff to function.  Whether it is to store, prepare and cook food, clean, dry and press clothes, trim, style, buff, shave, brush, wake up to, text, call, type, socialize, watch, play, drive (whew!) our lives have become entrenched with it all. 

This got me thinking. A number of years back we experienced a black out for three days. NOTHING worked. Habit commanded that we flip a light switch, open the fridge, dial a number, press the on button for the TV but there was no juice...electricity that is.  How surreal it was that night (and nights that followed) to step out in the middle of the street with total blackness, only the stars in the sky allowed you to see the silhouette of someone standing in front of you. Only candles to light your way around your home. The worry creeping into your mind of all the food spoiling and what would happen if the problem could not be resolved right away. Truly an eyeopener.

Funny, I was watching a BBC Planet Earth episode which highlighted a tribe that lived in the rainforest. Didn't see any phones, computers, ipads, refrigerators, washers, cars, television set, but yet, they all appeared happy. They danced, they smiled, totally oblivious to the technical world that existed just outside theirs.  Wonder if I could step into that world and feel the same; or would I be itching to answer a text, reach into a fridge, throw a load of laundry in the washer. Don't think I'll find out any time soon.  I am a city girl (well suburbanite) through and through. Kudos to those that can block it all out and life as close to nature as possible. For me, I appreciate earth, I speak up for the animal kingdom and our planet and do my best not to leave a ridiculous carbon footprint. In the meantime, if the worst I have to deal with is a broken laptop then I shouldn't complain. Life has doled out a lot worse things.

My heart is heavy as I write this.  I can't begin to fathom why anyone would hurt a child. Violence against anyone is contemptible...but a child?  These precious beings rely on adults for guidance, nurturing and love. They are harmless, innocent and trusting. Yet in the bowels of mankind exist those that prey on, exploit, torment and even take their lives. Sadly it's not just adults, it's also peer groups. As each story unfolds we weep, not only for the loss of  innocence or life, but for failing to protect them.

The saying, 'it takes a village to raise a child' is more than a proverb. Parents, teachers, family, friends, coaches, caregivers, and neighbours all play an integral part in shaping a child. So we all take responsibility for the well being of that child. Somewhere down the line we've lost the innate ability to identify children that are living with abuse and bullying. The incidence of abuse, abduction, murder and bullying has been climbing and although we have so many well intentioned organizations and groups trying to raise awareness, we keep missing the mark. Why? Are we so absorbed in our lives that we cannot see what is as plain as the light of day? Or do we choose to ignore it? This is not meant to be a blame game.  Blaming gets us nowhere. It's a plea for change. We need to put better action plans into place and make people accountable. Everyone must work together to achieve the common goal of defending the defenseless. Regardless of our role in society, we need to be keenly aware of how our children are being raised, treated and taught, because, they will be the generation that takes the reigns when we become aged and frail...when we become reliant on them. Age has a funny way of doing that...bringing us back to a childlike state of dependancy.

So where do we start? Keeping the dialogue alive and action because we can too easily become complacent and think someone else is taking up the cause...

Remember the story of four people: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody? Well here's a refresher.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.
Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when actually Nobody asked Anybody.

Three simple words that can ignite a flame and spread like wildfire. Back in the day, when there was no telephone and mail took months to get to its destination, rumours or gossip was fairly contained; damaging nonetheless but contained. Today with emails, texts and social media, even a hint of a rumour can travel around the globe in seconds. We see it time and again, somewhere in the myriad of feeds, posts and emails there is truth weaved in many untruths.  Reminds me of the telephone game. We've all played it.  Everyone sits in a circle and one person starts by whispering something in a person's ear. That person then leans to the next person and whispers what he/she heard, and so on.  By the time the message has arrived to the last person it has little to no semblance of the original message. Same deal with rumours. When freshly formed, the rumour is handed over to a listener, who depending on their attention span, frame of mind and interpretation takes the juicy tidbit and echoes it to the next person. The evolution begins. Information is embellished and tweaked, with a stern insistence 'don't tell anyone.' But we know what that means. The receiver of the information often turns to a person who can be trusted with sacred information. As it will turn out, there are many, many trusted people. So you may be asking yourself, what's a little harmless gossiping? After all, you're just talking, texting, emailing, tweeting and posting; it's not like you're hurting anyone...or is it?

Rumours hurt people. The power of rumours can be devastating and sometimes deadly. Once released they are consumed as meat in a school of piranhas. The feeding frenzy can go on for a long time; all depends on what is being tossed in the water. When all is exhausted, there is nothing left but a bad after taste. A taste though that can easily resurface when another morsel has been cast in the water. And with rumours come judgements. Oh how quick we are to throw in our two cents, but what are those two cents worth? Nada. The problem is, the individual who is the centre of the rumour has to find a way to deal with it. Some let it wash over them like a water off a duck's back. Others though can be so traumatized and ...well we've seen too often what happens next.

So I urge you, next time someone comes to you and says 'rumour has it...' think of this...

"People who spread rumours are like walking infections. The lying words from their mouths spread like disease from person to person. The only way to stop the disease is to keep your mouth shut." Joyce Hansen

"Rumours are hearsay; they are told, believed, and passed on not because of the weight of evidence but because of the expectations by tellers that they are true in the first place." Erich Goode & Nachman Ben-Yehuda

Phobias... for some, minor annoyances, for others debilitating.  You don't have to go far to find someone who has a phobia.  The list is countless and categorized. The intensity of the phobias vary. Why? Perceived threat, past experience or a natural aversion.  Whatever it is, phobias are real...to the phobic. I'm not afraid (excuse the pun) to admit that my phobias are water and heights. That's the short list.  Can't really explain it. Although I'd probably make a good study case. It's not from a lack of trying. I've approached my phobias from many angles. I've tried reasoning with it, overcoming it, fluffing it off, but I must sadly report that the battle of my right and left side brain continues.  I might add that the discussions are quite interesting.  Standing in a pool or on a bridge, I face my nemesis, and although my arguments are all well founded and reasonable, the attempts to act are met with an increased heart rate, a high pitched chattering in my brain that makes little to no sense and immobility. Yup, I panic.  Wish I didn't but the forces in this case are against me.  Now, I could go the rest of my life avoiding water and heights, don't know how some of my other phobias will work into this plan, but I've gotta say they really are bothersome. When I see others freely frolicking in water or climbing to incredible heights, I'm a little envious. I want that freedom to be able to explore and enjoy what the world offers. *Disclaimer, I'm in no way inferring that I will climb Mount Everest or swim the depths of the ocean.

What's peculiar is there are things in the lists of phobias I researched that I have a hard time understanding why someone would fear it, but then, they probably think the same thing of me.  At least I'm not a Phonophobia (fear of being afraid), hmmm, I may have to rephrase that ...

As I, and many others go about managing the phobias, there are some words of wisdom that may help..sort of.

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind, is fear." H.P. Lovecraft

"Courage is not the lack of fear, but the ability to face it." John P. Putnam

"Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is." German proverb

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." FDR

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I thought it only fitting to pay tribute to it.  Love..what more can be said about it? It comes in so many forms and can bring great joy or pain. We've done everything humanly possible to interpret it, convey it and celebrate it. Which brings us to Valentine's Day. There are many versions of its origination; it seems to be tracked as far back as 2,500 years.  Needless to say, Valentine's Day has evolved into a significant celebration in our modern world.  We've come to associate the day primarily to lovers and the expectation of romantic dinners, flowers, chocolates, jewellery and affirmations of love in a card or poem; any one or combination is acceptable. Now that demonstration of affection by no stretch has gone the way of the dinosaurs, but the thinking is certainly changing.  No more is it just for couples; it is a day to celebrate love in any relationship and anything goes! See, it's not the gesture of giving things but the expression of appreciation and love for those who are important in our lives. When we show our love, we show our vulnerability, and in that, we trust that not only will it be reciprocated, it will be handled with care.  If you stop and think about it, Valentine's is only one of the 365 days of the year that we celebrate love. The other 364 days albeit are not quite as expensive :) It's easy though to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, that we forget to remind those we love just what they mean to us. 

So on that note, if I may leave with you some great quotes that I find particularly inspiring,

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
-Corinthians

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu

"All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love." - Leo Tolstoy

"We come to love not by finding a perfect person but by learning to see an imperfect person
perfectly..." - Sam Keen



And to everyone, Happy Valentine's Day! May you give and receive love unconditionally.

For those wondering if there is some cryptic message in yesterdays blog, ♥±☺≈☮ , The answer is...Only if you see one! Yesterday was Wordless Wednesday and it took a whole lot of restraint to avoid using words in the blog.

Now you are probably expecting some explanation or breakdown, but you know what, I'll leave it to you. The message is what you interpret it to be.  No right or wrong answer.  That is the beauty of writing and art.  It all comes down to the reader or the viewer. 

Yours,
In this crazy journey called life...



With the recent discovery of a time capsule in the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, I'm feeling a little nostalgic and inspired. Why? See, the owner of the Gardens took a handmade copper box, filled it and hid it in a cornerstone wall back in 1931. A well guarded secret, Smythe took it to the grave with him. Eighty years later, as the Gardens undergoes a transformation, a worker accidentally stumbles on this piece of history. News spread quickly and many couldn't help but feel curious. What on earth could this box contain? At a time when the world was deep in a depression, what relics could capture the essence of that time?  The box was opened and inside were newspapers and booklets, reflecting the establishment, city and what was happening on the day the box was buried.  Kind of things you would expect to find.  What has everyone stumped is a small ivory elephant. Yes you read correctly. This item is what has caught everyone's interest.  Why? What does it mean? Is there some message? The public turns to the Smythe family hoping to get answers, but you know what? They haven't a clue.  They are speculating just like the rest of us.

People have been making time capsules for thousands of years just in different forms. From the Egyptians preparing tombs, kings or wealthy merchants burying documents and momentos, to someone who wants to preserve information for generations to come,  The most notable is the Crypt of Civilization which contains countless items that depict this era. I think it is a really neat thing to have the privilege to open a time capsule.  To have an opportunity to get a glimpse of a time through someone's eyes. What they chose to tell their story.  Because that's what it is, a story.  Now, this particular time capsule appears to be more a means of maintaining historical accuracy, just in case, documents or newspapers were not preserved. The ivory elephant though is a personal message.  Unfortunate, that it was not accompanied by a note. Maybe it was meant to inspire conversation. I guess we'll never know.
Time capsules to me, are snapshots of life. What we treasured, feared, dreamed, achieved...If I were to prepare a time capsule, I would put in photo's from each year of my life all inscribed with details of the year, events and people both on a personal and global perspective. Then I would carefully select items like a piece of jewellery passed down from generations, a worn out piece of clothing, a book, lock of hair, something I made or wore every day.  And as much as we are all in the technology today, everything would have handwritten notes. Each item, each note, weaving a tale; a chapter in the long line of human history.

We take for granted that all the information of our generation will be there, in abundance, for future generations. But things happen and stuff gets destroyed, lost or forgotten. As far back as humans walked the earth, when they recognized their mortality, I believe they tried to find ways to tell their story for their children, grandchildren and so on. Markings on walls, wood or stone that could validate one's existence. As the years pass, things have become more sophisticated. Containers of all shapes, sizes and materials designed to hold those items that reveal who we were and what our lives were like. Regardless of whether it is a picture etched on a cave wall or a copper box, the goal is the same, to leave the intangible key to our minds and hearts.

So think you might want to have your own time capsule? Don't think too long. Time has a way of slipping by, memories blur and before you know it, you have no more time.

A week ago the Costa Concordia ran aground near Giglio, Italy...human error was the cause. Since then we have been bombarded with images of this magestic vessel capsized, rescue efforts and survivor accounts.  If you haven't been keeping up, simply google it and you will find all angles have been covered. What I want to focus on though is what surfaced during and after this unfortunate accident.

Before I do, I can't help but think about the Titanic. In a time and place sans the technology of today, we have only glimpses (from survivors) of what happened. Great minds hunger to know who, what, why, when and how, and have tried to reconstruct that fateful day. As technology has evolved they have figured out how to get down to the wreakage, so expeditions were given the challenge of getting answers.  Every angle has been exhausted. Then there's the movie Titanic which brings us on board to get a taste of what everyone on that ship experienced.

With the thoughts of Titanic both real and fictional floating around, there are many parallels we can draw. But what has my interest is when tragedy struck and the wave of panic rippled through the ship, how did people react? If I were on the ship, knowing myself as well as I do, I would be beside myself. Kind of like the person you need to slap silly to get them to think straight. But that's just me.  From a comedic point of view, the Seinfeld show demonstrated another kind of reaction; the episode where George panics at a children's party when a small fire breaks out and he pushes the children, elderly and clown aside to save himself. Need I say more? The range of reactions is as wide as it is deep.
Now the many armchair critics out there will spout how they would bring order, perform heroic deeds and save the day. Maybe they could. Maybe they would. Maybe they see it all too easily done on the big screen and assume life will play out like a script.  Not quite.

Back to the Costa Concordia.  Seems the many accounts of what happened paints many pictures. Confusion, fear and lack of leadership became the cocktail for chaos. Today, for all the survivors with their feet planted on solid ground, they have a chance to reflect on what they did or did not do. Selective memory may come into play, but reality is, how one reacted may not have necessarily been how one imagined. Does it make one a good person or a bad person. Easy to judge. Not so easy to live through.
So, what's my point?  Until you are thrown into a situation, how you face it will come from a place that may be unfamiliar territory. Regardless, it will be a character defining moment.

As Bishop Westcott said, "Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men."

Poverty discriminates against no one. It rides on the coat tails of every tragedy and hardship. When we peel away the many layers, the depth of poverty is staggering.  From those who are barely making ends meet to third world conditions, poverty has reached epidemic proportions. Its crept into every culture and corner of the planet. Money is thrown into its bottomless pit trying to fix it but there are too many hands reaching out and not enough to go around.  The stretch of poverty is as short as your neighbourhood to as far as across the world.  Hunger, homelessness, natural disasters, disease and war rear their ugly heads at a rate that has become near impossible to remedy.  And the images of the aftermath are often too much to bear.

It's a sad state we are in.

Sitting somewhere in the middle of the pack, I can't help but feel helpless. Everywhere you look poverty has made a home and looms like a dark cloud. Hard economic times, a seemingly high incidence of natural disasters, inconquerable diseases and conflicts continue to infiltrate human existence. Many people have experienced some level of poverty; even more are born and die in its grip.

Frustration continues to mount because leaders don't know how to lead, and the mentality of "every man for himself" has become the norm. It's driving people to rise up and demand change.  At the core of it all is desperation and fear.  Think I am embellishing it?  I regress; I haven't even scratched the surface.

I know that the face of poverty is multifaceted.
It's the children that go to school with empty stomachs.
It's elderly people living on fixed incomes who barely make enough to live.
It's families losing their homes because they have lost jobs.
It's our native people whose land has been exploited forcing them to live in appalling conditions.
It's people under leaderships that keep them impoverished.
It's neverending conflicts that consume everything and leave little for people to live.
It's people whose lands are barren offering no means to survive.
It's the wrath of mother nature that sweeps through lands and in its wake years of rebuilding.

The scales have tipped and if change doesn't happen ... well, the results will be devastating.

Not a pretty picture eh?  Can't really sugar coat it. I am only one, but I hold on to hope.  I invite you to reflect on these words.  I believe the change is within each of us.

 “When the demands of life seem unfair to you, when you are exhausted and have to pull yourself out of bed yet another time to do some act of service, do it gladly, without counting the cost and without self-pity, for if you persevere in serving others, in giving yourself to the poor, if you persevere to the point of completely spending yourself, perhaps someday the poor will find it in their hearts to forgive you. For it is more blessed to give than to receive and it is also a lot easier.” ~ St. Vincent de Paul

It's been interesting to watch how social media has played out over the last few years. There hasn't been a time that we have been so connected globally, as we are today. Regardless of what time zone the internet never sleeps. I use several of the social media tools for my business, Harry Purple Monkey www.harrypurplemonkey.com ; if you want any shot at success, you have to be in thick of it all. What I find intriguing is how it has magnified certain human behaviour. If I may use an analogy, I would say the internet is a massive virtual playground. There's the playing field, jungle gym, basketball nets, chalked areas for hopscotch, marbles, dodge ball, sandbox and wide open spaces for tag, jumping rope or just walking around.We have an assortment of personalities; the big players, interest groups, cliques, wannabe's, bullies, not to mention the observers who have little to no interest in mingling on the playground. To oversee the activities, we have those in authority who are expected to maintain order.You've probably caught on where I am going with this.  Whether on the reality or virtual playground, everyone has a role, now though, there's just a bigger audience watching.

Let's have a quick look around. There's Facebook.  How many friends and likes do you have? Then there's Twitter. How many followers, Retweets and Mentions do you have?  Let's not forget Youtube. How many hits did you get? We mustn't leave out Flickr, Digg, Stumbleupon, Metacafe, Scribd, Reddit, Del.icio.us, Klout, Kred, Blogs ... and the list goes on. We post messages, ideas, photos and videos,we share experiences and insights and we wait for comments and reactions.  Back to the playground analogy; so the big players are those with the longest friend list or following; everyone waits with bated breath to reply, comment, mention or retweet, hoping to get their attention. The interest groups are a little more selective and engage with like people. The cliques just post or tweet, never interacting with others except a select few. The wannabe's do everything possible to shock and attract attention. The bullies stir trouble. The observers just follow the status quo but rarely participate. The monitors try to maintain semblance of order, banning or suspending users who don't play by the rules. So there we have it, a fully operational playground. Expectations are basic; respect, share, be kind and help others.

Everyday we step into the virtual playground and do our thing. The din of tweets, facebook posts, youtube uploads, flickrs, diggs, stumbles ... resonates. Sometimes so loudly that it all becomes an unrecognizable hum. So much so that one has to ask if anyone is really paying attention?  In the twitterverse, as I watch the timeline fill I am reminded of the birds on a wire and how they go about chirping above each other almost like they are trying to see who can be the loudest..who will get noticed. On facebook, there is a mixed bag of things happening; celebrating, laughing, grieving, sharing photo's and videos; getting a like, comment..getting noticed. Youtube, well, this is a whole different beast; a place to expose what at one time could only be relayed by word of mouth. Word of mouth, now that's an interesting phrase.  How much of that do we do today? Picking up the phone, meeting face to face, engaging people in public places. No much easier to send a text, tweet, share. Still it's okay, we feel like we are a part of something.  On the darker side, we are also vulnerable to being targetted and embarrassed; sadly that has led to tragic endings.

Now don't get me wrong, these social tools, when used correctly, do connect people, globally. What I see though is that we just skim the surface and rob ourselves of real (not virtual) contact.  But we don't want to be left out, so we play nice in the sandbox (well most of us that is). If I were to offer a suggestion, that would be to do the tweeting, sharing, uploading and texting in moder

What's with New Years resolutions?

The consensus appears to be that "the tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year." (goalsguy.com)

Hmmm, to think a tradition has lasted as long as it has.  There have been a lot of hands in the pot and the calendar has had some tweaking through the years, which raises some questions. As is with human nature, we tend to find ways to define intangible things, time is just such an example. We look for patterns and analyze them until we come up with an explanation that the general populance agrees.  So, the Babylonians back in 4000 BC celebrated New Years in March, then Julius Caesar developed the calendar in 46 BC based on the seasons; a few more changes from the Romans, Christians and Chinese and there we have it a solar and lunar calendar. For the solar followers, January 1st is your day, for the lunar followers, Jan 19 to Feb 21 (depending on the full moon) is your day. Oh, back in the day, Julius Caesar 'extended' the year to 445 days to synchronize the calendar with the sun.  Whew! While all the minute details got ironed out you could be celebrating New Years twice in a year, March then January. Ah the pressure of coming up with resolutions in such a short time frame!

Now fast forward to modern day, New Years resolutions have become quite a daunting beast. From past experience and observations it seems that we have become acutely aware of resolutions within the month before New Years. We inch closer to New Years Eve then happily sweep away the past and usher in the new. With resolutions in hand..er..mind, we resolve to eat less, exercise more, help others, be kinder, more tolerant..you get my drift.  For a select few those resolutions stick, but for most of us, one slight misstep and we have indulged in that pie, pizza, ice cream, missed a few exercise sessions, backed out of a commitment...ditto on get my drift, and resolutions quickly fade into the abyss until it is rekindled in December or January or whatever month falls before your New Years.

So what's my point? We have created calendars and ways to measure time but are we really; measuring time that is? To the powers that be, does January 1st or February 21st or March 23 really mean anything? Have we become so fixated on days, months, years that we have lost sight of the only moment that counts...this one...the present. All these measurements of time is our way to weigh experiences in our life. We attach a memory to a specified time which is then carried with us for the rest of our lives. A month can have a stigma of depression, a day can trigger joyous memories, a year can be great or challenging.  Whatever it is, we either look forward to or wish away a day, all the while, life slips by. Time is not a commodity that we can manipulate or negotiate. Nothing in life stops...unless it ends.

Back to resolutions, I think we all like the idea of being offered 'a clean slate.' I'm not afraid to admit that I have embraced that ideology and made resolutions year after year figuring I will never look back and will have some major breakthrough. But such is not the case. I do look back, too often sometimes and I do look forward keen to make changes. I guess that's the nature of being human. 

I would like to embark on a new journey; take a road less travelled. As I (we) near the end of the year and the clock strikes midnight rather than look back and then forward, why not just be present.  Let all past experiences mingle quietly in the reservoir of our minds and as for the year ah

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought it only fitting to reflect on this special day. Christmas is the most widely celebrated day in the world.  Christians of many cultures mark this day as the birth of Jesus Christ to honour his life and the extraordinary things he did.  It is a most blessed celebration (as well as Easter) to Christians like Diwali is to Hindus & Sikhs, Hannukah to the Jewish people, Ramadan to Islamic people, Vesak to the Buddhists, and many other religious holidays. The point is that Christmas is what it is; not a 'holiday' or 'season.'  Aside from the most obvious (Jesus' birthday) it is also a day to reflect (which we should do all year long) on the message that was delivered.  The message of hope, peace, kindness and love.  So when someone says Merry Christmas, it is not meant as 'Merry the birth of Christ and you better believe what I believe,' it is 'Merry peace, joy, love, happiness.'  Not such a bad message eh?  Personally, if someone came to me and said Happy Hannukah, Happy Ramadan, Happy Vesak or Happy Diwali, I would smile and be grateful that someone wants to wish me all the great things in this world.  No doubt we are now a global community and we must be aware more today then ever to respect all our differences, beliefs and ways of life.  What we shouldn't do is take away what is a universal message, just stated in unique ways.  On another note, all the frills that come with these special days (trees, decorations, abundance of food & treats, presents and traditions) although excessive at times are just symbols of those celebrations.  Yes commercialism has managed to saddle everyone with guilt that they 'have' to do all these things, but then again, we have the ability to choose and make the day what it is to each of us.  If it works, great, if it doesn't change it.

So the next time someone wishes you a Merry Christmas, embrace the gifts they just gave you, then if you like, pass it on.  Everything starts with ONE...person, word, hug, smile, idea.  Maybe, just maybe, if there is enough ONE's we will change the world to be a more peaceful, loving and sharing place.

God Bless and Merry Christmas.

Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if we were handed user manuals. You know, to 'foolproof' things in our lives. I've come to realize that most follow a set of rules that separate us from the animal kingdom, but essentially we really are winging it.  We look to the wisdom of those that preceded us to navigate through situations and make choices. Yet what worked for them doesn't necessarily work for us. The cog in the wheel is that humans are a very precarious bunch which adds an interesting dimension to what is universally known as good and bad.  Things don't fit neatly in a box because there is always something that creates a very unique situation.  Yes, the core qualities of humanity resonates in everyone; some though are muted while others are amplified.

Which brings me to the point of karma. Otherwise known as the universal law of cause and effect ... every thought, word or act carries out an energy that will affect our reality; good or bad. Not something to take lightly eh? I'm going to come at this one from a different angle.  I would like to refer you to the show My Name is Earl. A creative and comical look at a person (Earl) who has made poor choices and mistakes in his life then hits the proverbial rock bottom. It is then that he learns of karma and comes to the realization that his life may end tragically unless he rights all the wrongs from his past. So, he makes a list and sets out to turn his life around. Funny thing is the list takes on a life of its own. As he embarks on this journey he thinks he can deviate and make up his own rules, but quickly realizes that such is not the case.  It's bigger than him and doesn't give him room for negotiation. Now I know it's just a show, but boy does it make you sit up and pay attention. Clearly the list, going out and making amends is a demonstrative way of telling us that we are all collectively the sum of a much bigger whole and we have the power to make changes. We will make mistakes and bad choices which ultimately hurt people and alter our journey. What is, in my opinion, most important, is that we need to be humbled by these experiences.  Learn from the lessons, quietly. Make changes and continue to grow and be the best human beings we can be.

Cause and effect, that's what makes the world go round.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.  
(Unknown Author)

Can you think of a happy thought? Got a happy place? Just saying the word HAPPY makes me smile. When was the last time you laughed?  I mean really laughed...tears rolling down your cheeks, stomach clenched, falling to the floor gasping for breath.  Or when you get the giggles and it just doesn't matter what you do those happy thoughts take over and you can't stop giggling. Imagine if you had those bursts of laughter or giggling episodes at least once a day how great would that be? After all, 'they' say laughter is good for the soul and the best medicine. Who are 'they' anyway? 'They' are the people who have the answers to happiness. So they think. The testament of those answers are out there in books, CD's, songs, seminars and courses all helping us to find 'happiness.' Shame it isn't something that is innate. Wait a minute, it is innate. Babies show us everyday.  They laugh and smile without inhibition. Watch how their eyes light up and their laughter spills effortlessly, so contagious. Do they know something we don't or just forgot?

Peter Pan figured it out.

Reminds me of the movie Hook. A great story of Peter Pan all grown up and going back to Neverland to face his nemesis Captain Hook; so he thought; only to rediscover happy ... and life. The story is fun, insightful and it really makes a grown up think.

Laughter is not meant to be examined. Its just meant to be and it should be done over and over and over.  Happy should also be the same; sadly it is more complicated than that.  Too many influences and interferences telling us what is the ideal happy. So what do we do? I say think of that happy thought, go to that happy place and as Leo Tolstoy said, 'if you want to be happy, be.'

Don't think much more needs to be said, except...

Laughter is timeless...Imagination has no age...and dreams are forever.
Live today, await tomorrow, remember yesterday...everything happens for a reason..life is too short.
When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about. And that was the beginning of fairies.

"The purpose of our lives is to be happy." Dalai Lama