A Song - Part I "I Love Myself..."

"I love myself the way I am,
there is nothing I need to change.
I'll always be the perfect me,
there nothing to rearrange.
I'm beautiful and capable
of being the best me I can.
And I love myself just the way I am."
(Jai Josephs)

Whirlwinds

Things are changing fast. Everywhere. Every day. You don't know what even the next minute might bring. Is it good? Is it bad? Probably neither. It simply is what "is". Change has always happened, maybe not as quickly as it seems to do nowadays. What could the reason of such whirlwind of events be? The spiral in which our reality is wrapped appears to be getting closer to the bottom and that's why it is spinning faster and faster. Everyone is in a hurry, drastic changes take place overnight, success is expected to be achieved in a whim, you never know what the next hour will be like. All fields of experience are involved, it is truly a global situation. Nature, morals, feelings, politics, economy, relationships.... nothing seems stable, you have the impression that the ground is shifting under your feet, that there is no stability you can count on. What to do? How to react? You can only wait and see. You may take action in what is under your control. Then.... relax... and hope for the best.

Does Happiness Exist?

How much time do you spend wondering about happiness? Some think that happiness resides in past events because the present is neither pleasant nor fulfilling. Others hope to find it in the future, when their dreams may still come true. As the past has been disappointing and the present is not that good either, the only possibility - if there is one - seems to be in the future. There are even those who believe that happiness is just a myth because they see life as a dispenser of upset, disillusion, frustration. It's therefore a yearning that can never be satisfied. A few see themselves as reasonably happy because they have found a way to face whatever comes with acceptance and are content with what they have. Who is right? Which belief reflects your personal outlook?

Ancient Wisdom

Ancient wisdom gives us a certain advice that is often ignored in our speedy world: There are things that need to be dealt with at a slow pace. One of them is anger. When you get upset and immediately react, such reaction usually entails a counter-reaction and, possibly, an altercation. On the other hand, if you give yourself time (a few seconds might be enough), the simple action of delaying your response will give you the opportunity to choose the best way to handle the unwelcome situation. Being in a hurry - no matter what you are doing - is usually the cause of a less than perfect result to your actions. Therefore, take the time needed to carry out whatever task you are performing and, most of all, stop and relax for a moment whenever you are angry.

Freedom & Responsibility

How would you define the word "freedom"? The dictionary states that freedom is "the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint". It sounds wonderful, doesn't it? How do you feel about having such power? What does it really mean for you? If you reflect a moment, you realize that power - in order to be a positive feature - necessarily implies responsibility. You need to consider the consequences that your thoughts, words and actions entail. In fact, feeling powerful may make you reckless, arrogant, conceited. As all things in this world, each situation is like a coin: it always has two sides. Everything can be used either in a positive, useful, beneficial way or in a negative, useless, harmful way. It's up to you to realize the necessity of always being "aware" of the possible result of your orders, decisions, choices.

A Kind of Denial

Nowadays many find it difficult to feel satisfied with their own lives because they haven't learned to accept the stage they are presently living in. The young wants to be older in order to enjoy more freedom of choice. The mature adult looks forward to a later time when he/she hopes to be fulfilled in his/her expectations. The elder looks back at the past with longing and would like to stop time and the process of aging. It seems that neither of them has found the best way to be in the moment. Their eyes are staring somewhere else, trying to spot the perfect time when they will feel the gratification and fulfillment they are hoping for.  Will such wish become a reality or will it keep moving further ahead?

Connection

A very hard question: What can you do when you feel that people don't understand you? You believe that you are being so clear, your behavior is unmistakable, your words sincerely uttered...yet you don't get the reaction you expected. You are looking for an answer that - it seems - you will never get. What to do? Give up? Probably. If you keep wondering, you might find such answer in yourself. All human beings are undeniably bound together on a wider, spiritual sense but - in everyday situations - you are usually left alone to carry out your chores, to solve your problems, to deal with your doubts. The universal connection is certainly great...if it only worked on "all" levels!