life – Page 20 – Site Title

Karma (Archives)

In Sanskrit, karma literally means “action.” In Hinduism, karma is defined as, “the relationship between a person’s mental or physical action and the consequences following that action.” Basically, it is the cause and effect of what a person has done in their current and previous lives. Simply put, what you sow, you reap.

I’ve always had a deep fascination with the concept of karma. I want to believe that if you do wrong or hurt someone knowingly, you will get payback from karma. I wouldn’t have to lift a finger and Karma, my friend, would take care of it lock, stock and barrel and maybe even with two smoking barrels! Nice thought but it rarely happens that way. Sometimes payback takes a long time coming and in our world of instant gratification where we expect everything to happen at the drop of a coin, karma takes its time and does it the old-fashioned way. Which means it could take many years even ten to 20 years or more before payback happens but rest assured when it does come around, you will know.

“A boomerang returns back to the person who throws it.” Vera Nazarian

Is it considered revenge? I think it is more like a higher power keeping tabs on you. It watches, keeps track and when the time is right, the anchor falls and you get payback. Makes sense I think. Afterall, someone has to keep tabs, otherwise, wrongdoing would be the name of the game and everyone walks off scot-free with a smile plastered on their faces only to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. It’s a good thing that karma is there.

Karma Says

“Mouths can lie, eyes cannot. People may forget, karma will not.” Unknown

However, karma is not just about the bad stuff.

“Good or bad, what you put out comes back to you.” Unknown

I know of one situation where a man cheated on his wife. It was a terrible thing to do and instead of being sorry, he married the woman he had the affair with. It looked like all was well and life was going swell for the two of them. Twenty years down the road, the new wife found someone else and rode off into the sunset with her new love leaving her husband devastated. A karmic consequence?

Benjamin Bayani says, “Karma bides its time. You will always have to watch out. Karma is unforgiving and always gets payback.”

All just hocus pocus? I don’t know folks but I tend to be superstitious as well so it sounds perfectly legit to me. I like the idea of good vs. bad and payback in some form or fashion.

By the way, karma

“I have a list of people that you missed!” Unknown

Have an amazing day.

Life is Fragile (Archives)

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Dedicated to someone who was very dear and near to me. You’ve moved on but the memories of a spirit that was kind and loving still remains. Fly high wherever you are and I know that you are in a better place. I do miss you especially when I take my walks alone. Sometimes I feel your presence and sometimes I talk to you. I’m sure you are giving heaven a run for the money!

“When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.” Jenna Morasca

I got a call from a friend yesterday. She told me that she had been in the hospital for a week. All is well with her but it was a scary experience. It brought home the fact that life in all its beauty is still as fragile as can be.

A year and a half ago, I lost someone very close to me. We never thought that life with all its idiosyncrasies would throw a curveball. One so large and unexpected that when all was said and done, only one of us would be left standing to carry on.

The walk in the snow-covered world was exhilarating. Everything was covered in white and the trees looked like pictures out of a postcard. It also brought back times when we had taken those walks together. The times when snowball fights and laughter reigned supreme. Little did we know then that life as we knew it was about to change forever.

“You never think the last time is the last time. You think that there will be more. You think you have forever. But then life can quickly remind you, you don’t” Grey’s Anatomy

What if we knew that life was short? What then? Would we try to cram as much living as we can into today? Perhaps knowing just how fragile life is should make us stop and take notice, to stop procrastinating and to do and say the things we need to say before it is too late. I wish I had.

Today as I approach the top of the hill, I remember that snow-filled day as you said, “I want a selfie with the both of us in it.” We were laughing in the picture. Now I realize that there will be no more pictures, no more memories to be made and no more laughter to be shared. You’ve gone on a different journey.

I’ve said many things to you since you’ve been gone. Nothing seems enough, perhaps one day it will be and memories of you will fade and I will be at peace. Here are more of the same, more of what I wished I had said when you were here.

Thank you for being my friend. Thank you for all the times we shared. Thank you for showing me just how much love you could squeeze into that little amount of time. Thank you for showing me that I was an important part of your life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Life is fragile. All it takes is one wrong move, one unexpected turn of events and like a candle in the wind, it can be snuffed out never to be relit again. Forever is not in its vocabulary and neither is invincible. Knowing that we should make time for the important things in life, free up space by letting go of the unimportant ones and take the time to say and do the things you need to do before it is too late.

YIKES!

I walked out the front door this morning and all seemed calm and beautiful. The sun was shining and the tulips are getting ready to bloom. It was a peaceful world until I turned my head to the right and there lying on the ground was something small and pink. Thinking it was a chewing gum wrapper that some kid had thrown, not caring where it landed, I bent to get a closer look and YIKES!

It was a baby mouse, pink and grey with a sweet little pink nose. It wasn’t moving and it hadn’t been torn to shreds by a marauding cat in the dead of night either. My mind started churning. What do I do now? My first thought, “I’m not touching it!” However, I also knew that I had to do something. Rotting on the ground where it lay was a no go and calling someone to help get rid of the poor thing was a no go either.

Walking back into the house lost in thought, I came across Chachi, the cat, watching me intuitively. Little Einstein knew something was up. I also knew that if I let him out there, he would take care of the problem or he might just pick it up and bring it into the house, lay it at my feet as a small gift from him to me. YIKES!

Walking into the kitchen with my mind made up, I picked up two plastic bags. One for picking up the little creature and the other to secure him and then to put it in the garbage can. The predicament. I didn’t want to feel his lifeless body beneath my plastic covered hand. There was no getting out of it, it had to be done. “Tia, you can do this!” I told myself. My mind made up, I scooped him up and closing my eyes I put him in the plastic bag and secured the top. Mission accomplished? Not quite. I quickly ran into the kitchen turned the water on, lathered my hands with soap and scrubbed several times before rinsing off. I can still feel the chills going up my spine.

Living in the country, mice are a problem. I’ve seen several scooting by in the backyard and neighbors have complained about them taking over the garden sheds. However, this is the first time I have made contact with a dead one.

“In race, between cat and mouse, the mouse mostly wins….

Because the cat runs for its food……

But the mouse runs for its life……….

Purpose is more important than Need….” Unknown

Unfortunately, the little guy lost out. So goes the circle of life.

All I can say is YIKES!

Have an amazing day.

My Morning Ritual

I don’t jump out of bed although the cat alarm clock starts going off at around 5:30 in the morning. Chachi, the cat, has had enough of this thing called sleeping and he is ready to go. He sits patiently on the bedside table and taps me on the forehead with one paw. If that doesn’t work, he runs one paw gently down the length of my hair! And if that doesn’t work, he gives it his all. He thumps me on the forehead again not too gently this time and lets out a HUGE sigh!

I spend the next few minutes cuddling up with little furball. He gets lots of kisses and hugs which sends his purring out of the stratosphere! He loves cuddling but only for a few minutes at a time. Then it is time to get out of bed and me looking like death warmed over (just kidding) I head to the bathroom and he waits outside huffing and puffing. Patience is not his strong suit.

Time for my first cup of coffee and my usual breakfast. One slice of toast with some fruit. Occasionally scrambled eggs are added but that is too much work in the mornings so I do the least amount of work possible. I head back upstairs, turn on the TV to see what havoc Trump has unleashed on the world. One thing is for sure, there are never-ending stories of a regime that has gone rogue but no surprises there. The only thing is we’ll have to put up with it for the next four years.

After breakfast, it is time to get ready for the day but before that I look to see what the Daily Prompt is about today. It gets my brain going. Shower comes next and after getting dressed I head downstairs. Some days I meditate but most days it is shoes on and off for a walk. I love being outdoors when no one is around. Sometimes I tell myself I have claustrophobia but it is all in my mind just as hypocondriac is. That’s my daily routine, I might throw in a workout or two but most days the routine stays the same, nothing earth-shattering but it gets me going.

Daily writing prompt

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

View all responses

ALL THAT BAGGAGE (Archives)

A soft reminder:

“not everything that weighs you down is yours to carry.” Unknown

I’m talking about emotional baggage, the kind that has gathered so much dust but we still carry them around like an albatross around our necks. Everyone has them but some find it easy to let go and to move on. Others lug it around because they love going back there for whatever the reason and than there are those who use it as a “get out of jail free card.” They whip it out as a talking point as to why they are stuck where they’re at and can’t see their way forward.

Most or all of the “emotional baggage” belongs in the past but unresolved issues, anger, sadness, grief or just plain, “I love living in the past” attitude puts it front and center and makes it very much a part of the present.

“Leave your baggage where it belongs. In the past. It has no place in your future.” Unknown

Things happen and oftentimes we have no control over it. It could be a break up or a painful event such as losing a loved one or even situations which cause anger, confusion and absolute disbelief. They happened and there is no changing the outcome but by carrying that baggage around like a well-worn trophy, it is not going to change what took place in the past. It happened and there is no going back. You can only move forwards.

“We all have baggage but there comes a time when you realize it’s time to UNPACK.” Unknown

Here are some examples of emotional baggage:

I’ll never be good enough.

I don’t deserve good things.

Everyone will leave me.

I am angry.

I will never forgive.

I can’t escape my past.

Nobody cares about me!

I hate my life!

I can’t move forward.

I failed.

This is as good as it gets.

Recognize any of them? I DO.

“Emotional baggage refers to “unfinished emotional issues, stressors, pain, and difficulties we’ve experienced that continue to take up space in our minds and affect our present relationships.” http://www.verywellmind.com

The truth is:

“Emotional baggage is heavy, and it’s way too expensive to keep dragging along to all the places that life wants to take you.” Unknown

No, it is not easy to get rid of emotional baggage because we keep filling it up every chance we get. It gets so full sometimes that I can’t zip it up for all the useless stuff that I fill it up with, mostly things that have happened and it is still there for all the reasons I have stated above. It’s time to refocus and discard what no longer serves you.

If you want to get rid of the ‘useless’ you need to do some work. According to http://www.griefworkcenter.com, “Identify what you have actually lost and grieve that which is gone, focus on your strengths that empower you; explore the tasks you need to complete to let go of the overwhelming feelings, and focus on how you have experienced growth because of what happened.”

I can hear one friend saying, “I CAN’T! It seems like only yesterday.” To that friend I say, “The truth is, it’s been more than 10 years. LET IT GO.” You don’t need that “get out of jail free card,” anymore, you have places to go.

AND

“Misery might love company but so does joy, and joy throws much better parties.” Billy Joey

Have an amazing day.

Good Vibes (Archives)

“One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”

Dictionary.com defines good vibes as a “slang phrase for the positive feelings given off by a person, place or situation.” When good vibes are present you feel positive emotions or rather you radiate trust, love and kindness to those around you.

“A kind word, a genuine smile, and a warm gesture can send the best vibes.” Unknown

I can agree with the genuine smile part. Sharing smiles is a part of my DNA and if we share eye-contact, a smile is the first thing you’ll see before we even exchange a word. There is nothing wrong with sharing a smile with strangers. Who knows you might have changed their day for the better and it didn’t cost you anything to do so.

However, today ‘good vibes’ was the furthest thing on my mind. Something didn’t go quite right yesterday and it triggered an emotional response which filled me with agitation and that is putting it mildly. Afterwards, I wanted to make it right but I had to give it time so I tossed and turned all night and woke up with a big chip on my shoulder and not quite ready to blow it off. I have to keep moving to stop the overthinking I told myself. I put on my old sweats, the rattiest I could find to exaggerate how I was feeling, bundled my hair on my head and looking like a nightmare, I decided to do a thorough cleaning of the bedroom especially when I could see the dust bunnies grinning at me daring me to touch them. I got all the necessary stuff ready and a big bowl of water to wipe everything clean. Good vibes at this point was nowhere to be seen! Cleaning was and is not my favorite chore but it was one way to drown out my mind so I got ready to tackle the impossible. Just as I was getting ready to start, Chachi the cat walks in, takes one look at the big bowl of water and looks at me as if to say, “What’s the pool doing in the middle of the room mom?” That was enough to light up my eyes, put a smile on my face and to bring the good vibes rushing back in. Just an example of how little it takes to change the mood in an instant if only you’re ready and willing to let it.

“Let it go. Change the channel. Turn it off. Unsubscribe. Unfriend. Unfollow. Mute. Block. Walk away. Breathe.” Unknown

The day took off on a better note afterwards and I had a clean bedroom to boot. The problem was still there but it didn’t need to fill my whole day and neither did it have the power to destroy my mood, my day and my good vibes. Here are some rules, there are seven of them to help you to get your energy back, to bring oomph back into your life and more than that to put that smile back on your face. It did on mine.

7 RULES of LIFE

Make peace with your past so it won’t disturb your future.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

The person in charge of your happiness is you.

Don’t compare your life to others. Comparison is the thief of joy.

Time heals almost everything. Give it time.

Stop thinking so much. It’s alright not to know all the answers.

SMILE. You don’t own all the problems in the world.

So for today, GOOD VIBES ONLY!

Have an amazing day.

Let Go Gracefully (Archives)

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Just like that….it is over. The feelings and emotions crowding your mind and raging through your body are almost too much to bear. Disbelief, anger, sadness, numbness, confusion and rage could be some of the emotions taking hold and letting go gracefully is the last thing on your mind.

It is a normal reaction. Give it time to settle down even if it feels like it never will right now. It is done for, so let it go gracefully.

“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.” Unknown

It is not easy to let go and it is downright scary. Suddenly it becomes real and very uncomfortable. Most of us look at it as a relationship ending and there is a mad scramble within to want to save what can’t be saved. What went wrong is the first question that comes to mind. The more pertinent question is, does it even matter? Crying over split milk is a lost cause and venting over lost time and energy even more so. Consider it a sunk cost and take steps to move on.

Did I neglect his needs, wants and feelings?

Did he neglect mine?

What led to the breakup?

Did he fall into me or was I the one doing the chasing running circles around him?

Did he hurt me intentionally? There is a difference between hurting someone and hurting someone intentionally. The latter is done with total disrespect knowing full well that the action taken will have repercussions and not of the nice kind.

More importantly, how much of what I didn’t want, did I tolerate?

The answers coming back could be eye-openers because, as women, we tend to have blinders on when it comes to love and relationships. What we wouldn’t tolerate normally are the very things we are quick to disregard when it comes to that special person in our life.

“Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” Unknown

Letting go is a grieving process. You’ll have to go through the grieving to get to the other side. There are five steps to the process. They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. There is a quote that goes like this:

“The buffalo is the only animal that runs into a storm rather than away from it.”

Why? It’s because, “they instinctively know that walking into a storm will get them out of the weather quicker, despite knowing they’ll suffer more up front.” Face your problems head-on with courage and determination and by spending time there instead of ignoring them you will be able to move past them more quickly and effectively.

However, if you don’t want to do all five of the grieving techniques, accept what has happened, don’t ponder too much on why it happened but know that sometimes:

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path.” Unknown

AND

“Some things break your heart but fix your vision.” Unknown

Let go gracefully and walk away with your dignity intact. Smile even if it hurts and turn the switch off. It is done for now and you’ll be fine.

Have an amazing day.

What Makes Me Laugh?

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I would say a lot of things. I look for laughter everyday and it is an effort that I take seriously. It has been said, “laughter is the best medicine,” and I totally agree. A day without laughter in my world is like a day without sunshine. It is tinged with grey and something seems to be sorely lacking.

Seeking laughter is in my daily to-do list. Stand-up comedy is a good source. I love Max Amini and his brand of comedy. He always has me laughing and if that gets boring, I watch comedies which definitely does the trick and puts a sunshiny spin on my mood. Then there is the abundant supply of jokes out there that tickles my funny bone and I have posted some of them here. Not always funny to some but it is to me and that matters.

My most important laughter maker and stress buster is Chachi, the cat, aka Little Einstein. Not a day goes by without laughter from that angle. He doesn’t even have to do anything, just standing there with his front paws crossed has me breaking out in laughter. There is just something about the little guy that brings smiles and laughter in my direction. Perhaps it is called love, the unconditional kind. Whatever it is, I have found my perpetual source of laughter and it is of the happiness kind. He instigates it sometimes unknowingly but it does the trick and most days I wear a smile on my face having indulged in rip-roaring laughter. Laughter is there to be harvested if you just pay attention and decide to give it a chance. Try it, it is a beautiful thing and it gives stress a boot out the door!

Daily writing prompt

What makes you laugh?

View all responses

Breathing In Life

It’s interesting how everything comes back to this one thing and that is breathing. We pay it very little mind as we rush through life and forget that it exists but only as something we take for granted. It is that motion of taking in a breath and letting it out that tells us we are alive but how are we breathing? Has stress made your breathing harder, has anger stopped it in its tracks or has sadness made it shallow and rhythmless? Probably all of those things and more. Yet, if we stopped breathing than life would come to a standstill.

I found some beautiful quotes that gets you thinking about this thoughtless process we call breathing. It speaks to just how beautiful and essential it is to breathe and to pay attention to the kind of breathing we are doing.

“Life is amazing. And then it’s awful. And then it’s amazing again. And in between the amazing and the awful its ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That’s just living, heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life. And it’s breathtakingly beautiful.” LR Knost

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“Stop your worrying, panicking and stressing.

BREATHE.

Remember, you made it this far through difficulties that seemed impossible. Remember how many times you were saved at the very last minute – this time is no different.” Bryant McGill

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“You don’t always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens.” Mandy Hale

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“As you waste your breath complaining about life, someone out there is breathing their last breath.” Appreciate what you have.” Unknown

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“Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Unknown

Did something or someone take your breath away today? The Magnolia tree out back took my breath away this morning. It is getting ready to bloom and soon it will be a showpiece as it is every year and it will be enough to take your breath away. The daffodils are shaking their yellow heads, their beauty simple but breathtaking. Most of all, the lone deer that ran through the fields this morning was mesmerizing and breathtaking as I stood and watched it do its spring dance of happiness. I got my daily dose of breathtaking moments today but I’m sure there will be more tomorrow, I just need to appreciate what’s in front of me.

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“Sometimes you need to slow down, remain calm, and simply let life happen. Take a deep breath and focus on the simple important things: you are alive, you are breathing, you are enough as you are.” Unknown

YOU GOT THIS.

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“Listen, are you breathing just a little and calling it a life?” Mary Oliver

Words to pay attention to. We deserve better don’t you think?

Have an amazing day.

I AM LEARNING (Archives)

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I am learning that each new day is a reminder to do better.

I am learning that I am fully capable of dealing with everything life throws my way.

I am learning that I need to practice gratefulness and to be thankful for all that I have.

I am learning to accept me as I am and to make changes if some of those things don’t work to my greater good.

I am learning to let go of things that don’t serve me and I am making room for those that do.

I am learning that I can’t change people, I can only change myself.

I am learning that life is a journey full of ups and downs and nothing stays the same forever.

I am learning that there is no such thing as forever, just the here and now.

I am learning that love is fleeting at its best and at its worst, it has the potential to turn your world upside down and inside out. Tread carefully.

I am learning that cheaters never change. They are repeat offenders. Integrity is just another word to them. A relationship with such an individual is like throwing pearls at pigs.

I am learning that today is a blessing, a gift and I have it in my power to make it an amazing day.

I am learning that life is ever-changing. It is a learning curve and mistakes are made to show us a new way of handling things and to learn and to grow from it. Perhaps that is what life is all about.

“But most of all, I am slowly learning how to just be in this moment. How to exist. How to understand that I cannot control life, that I can only experience it in both its light and its dark stages. I am slowly learning how to laugh and cry and feel through it all, how to welcome the confusion and the joy that come with loving and living and breaking. I am slowly learning how to accept where I am”

“I am slowly learning how to simply believe in the person I am becoming.” Unknown

HAVE AN AMAZING DAY!