Just because you are attracted to someone doesn't mean you are compatible with someone: they may fit every single requirement on your list or amaze you with something they do- which SHOULD be the case- but that does not necessarily mean that the two of you would work together. Infatuation blinds us as to what we actually want and what the other person is actually able to give us. A relationship works when BOTH people are reaching on their toes to constantly catch up with the other person. If someone, person A, only likes to sit and wait for things to happen and goes after person B who day in and day out is actively seeking opportunities, they must recognize that won't work out unless person A changes some of his/her attributes. Person A may be very attracted to person B because person A admires the way person B is living his/her life and person A may constantly receive everything desired from interactions, but person A needs to recognize they cannot meet all the needs of person B because he/she has spent so much time working his/herself and therefore they are on different levels.
A lot of people don't recognize the types of things that contribute to compatibility: The ability to make one another laugh, the ability to openly talk about problems, the ability to spend time with one another and constantly want to be in the presence of each other, the ability to have conversations and not feel one is higher or lower than another, the ability to feel natural and calm around one another without having to try.
I believe that while attraction may not be able to be controlled, who we decide to like and pursue can be. I don't want to be a fresh piece of meat to men who haven't seen anything like me before and they want me. I want to be honored and respected and given the time to have the men get to know me to see if we are compatible and if things will work out between BOTH of us. I want the man to feel and understand how much I adore him and care about him and allow him to give me the chance to honor him. But I also need that he shows me that he cares about me by trying to understand me and be there for me in the ways that I need.
I do not get upset at men for liking me when we are not compatible, but I do get upset at the way men treat me when I am not interested in them. I admit that women can be petty- but if people take the time to know me, they should recognize that my heart is so sensitive, there are few people I trust with it. I believe in eternity and physical relations and emotional contact I have is always based on how I feel it will impact me for eternity.
I believe men and women can change and that even though there may be two people who are not compatible at the given moment, there is such a thing as repentance- a change of heart- where one or both the people can change and develop more into better people. That is why I hate this stupid concept of the friend-zone. The friend zone either exists because people are on different levels or they are extremely incompatible. For some reason, I feel this would be the case between Jackie Chan and Martha Stewart: Even if Jackie Chan liked her and claimed he loved her, do you think it would ever work out?
But the one thing I really wish I could say is that because you like someone who may not be compatible with you, it is not the end of the world. You should take this as a victory and recognize that you don't have to spend your time arguing and bickering because the two of you don't see things the way and dragging things out in the hopes you can make them work. If you just for some reason cannot get over the other individual and keep getting rejected and you feel that person makes you better, then figure out what YOU need to do to meet that other individual's needs. Learn to be patient and not only seek for the things that you want, but to learn and accept the things that the other individual wants.
This earth is made of love and of companionship- not lust and selfishness. So please, do not take it personal if someone does not return the romantic feelings you have and still wants to have you as a part of their lives. Leave if you must, but don't be angry...
Friday, December 9, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I am Brianne
On a rare occasion, I will meet a person who is able to understand what in the world I am trying to say in the midst of all of my rambling and inarticulateness. The things that escape my mouth are not a good depiction of what I am thinking or what goes on inside of me. While this statement may not give me enough credit because I have an easy enough time making friends, helping people, and giving speeches; oftentimes there are not words to communicate the workings of my complexities. Somehow, however, I am able to express myself so much through music. I also love to watch how people who speak two different languages communicate without a common language. Because of this, I have been tempted to declare that language is not most requisite for us as humans to communicate: instead it is through our actions and our body language. Although, I have come to think upon this and I have realized that while a person's actions are most important to me in my own life, words are the only thing we have to try and interpret the workings within us and to understand the language of another without misinterpreting them. Therefore, I will use language and words to the best of my ability to try and interpret the things of my heart. According to my best friend, the things that I hold close to my heart and the way that I deal with my life stays within my grasp and my control- hardly allowing even those who are closest to me to access this. While I will keep the personal details to myself, I feel it is time to explain who I am so my words may help you interpret and understand my actions since those are the only things you have to base your current judgments of me.
I tend to point my weaknesses out before my strengths not necessarily because I am self-conscious and constantly compare myself to those around me, but because I try to recognize the things I can learn from every situation. Yes, I recognize that we must take victory of the things we have accomplished and to not be too hard on ourselves, I agree. However, as an adult, you smirk at the five-year-old who thinks he knows everything and is constantly making mistakes all along the way; versus the teachable five-year-old who constantly looks to those older than him to aspire to. When we think we are good at something or we know something, we limit ourselves from what we can still learn.
Along with this, I feel you should never accuse someone of what they did that was incorrect or call them out on what they did to make your life miserable. To many, this comes across as beating around the bush. There is a very fine line though. While I believe you should be completely honest with others, another individual may be doing the best he/she can at that particular time and moment. Your accusations can demean their efforts and what they are going through. No, our purpose in life is not to try and avoid offending people; however, there are appropriate ways to deal with these issues. For example, I will always talk about myself because that is the only perspective I understand. I have a very difficult time telling someone: "you don't like me anymore because you haven't called me in five months." I may be feeling that way because of their actions, and I may have the desire to tell that to them, but rather than getting angry, I first have to recognize that I didn't do anything to contact the individual either and that along with that, I am thinking only about my needs. I don't know why they did that and so by just simply reaching out and doing your part to talk to them and asking them why they haven't talked to you, if you need to know, places them in a situation where they can trust you and talk to you, rather than becoming defensive and feeling like they have to justify their every action. I believe in honesty and if you have hurt me, I will let you know- it may not be as piercing and demanding as you want it to be, but I will still give you the opportunity to provide an explanation or take responsibility for your actions- just as I hope all people will do for me.
In fact, I feel more uncomfortable around people who will never tell me anything I am doing wrong or never talk to me about things that I can do to make them happier. I want to be the best person that I can be and I want to do the most that I can to help other people. I am not perfect and so whether I want to or not, i'm going to offend or do something to hurt someone else. If I am never approached, I am constantly walking of eggshells wondering if I have done something to offend the other person. If I do something wrong, I want to know how to correct it. I am not afraid of pain, what hurts most is when I could have learned from something I did and instead constantly repeat that mistake, affecting someone else- even if it's something small. My sister and I tease that the best friends are jerk friends: they are the ones who are able to tell you the things you don't want to hear because you need to hear them. They do things to tease you because a certain level of teasing increases friendships and brings bonds together- when done in an uplifting way. However if teasing tears an individual apart and points our their insecurities and flaws, you are tearing your friendship apart.
I think everyone has a desire to be understood. I don't believe anyone truly wants to be alone in this world. There are people like myself who are extremely independent or there are people who have gone through difficult times where they convince themselves they don't need anyone else, but I honestly believe deep down, everyone has a difficult time being alone. Yes, some are much more social than others, but my point still remains. If we spend so much of our time reading information in books and doing things that benefit ourselves, we are neglecting the person right next to us who can use the information we know about. We place a price and an expectation on the things we know and that we do to assist other people. There have been times in my life where I had to turn my phone off for a few weeks and tell people not to talk to me because I myself was so depleted I could not help anyone else. But when we are able to see the world clearly enough to recognize those who can use our assistance, and are able, that is when true joy comes. Assisting others usually includes listening to them and helping them feel like they are a unique individual. Philosophy, Psychology, sciences, mathematics, and all the wonderful things we study help us understand one another and improve ourselves as humans- but they are not the most important part of life. Without relationships, we would be nothing. Without relationships we would find no sense in joy, peace, comfort, motivation, inspiration, etc. The things that we would do would become void. Men have lived on the streets and made an impact on the world be the people they meet. The more we understand other people, the more we have a broader view on life and add to our perspectives. I feel like so often we have an idea in our head of what we want and we wait for that in conversations when we talk to people. When we associate with those around us, I feel it is our duty to understand them and genuinely accept them as the individual they are- not in a superficial and "I care this much about everyone so you're not any different" way.
The one exception I have is when I have to mold myself to someone else. We cannot plan who that person will be or what exactly they will be like- but we do know the things that we individually need in our lives. On my own, I could care less if someone has different religious, political, cultural, educational and moral views. We are all placed here on this earth without former knowledge of what happened before we came here other than what others have proclaimed to be truth that others have added to this. We all must decide for ourselves what we believe to be the best choice in life and to stick with that. I personally have experimented and believe in religion. The concept of understanding the language of the spirit is not foreign to me because it is not an emotion, but rather a peace that comes to my prayers and a thought distinct from all my other thoughts. I have atheist friends, Buddhist friends, friends who have been to jail, friends who do things I would never do, friends who are better people than I am. However, I am able to disconnect myself from these people while still having a closeness with them and genuinely caring about them to a small form of love. But when I need to start shaping who I am with someone else, these things have to fit together. Religion is such a major part of my life, I would expect someone to share that enthusiasm with me and encourage me to be CONSTANTLY be better. If I am having a bad day and have a friend who isn't empathetic or doesn't like to give me hugs, I can isolate myself and improve my mood until I become better. When you are with someone, the two of you shape together until you become one. Does this mean you expect the other person to do something? If the two of you are compatible, then the way they treat you is exactly what you are needing and vise versa. If you are craving to have a really good discussion and your companion gets bored and never wants to talk, you will feel frustrated. This is why many people in the past have gotten frustrated with me is because while I am not necessarily happy being alone, I do not want to sacrifice the heart ache of getting into a relationship if I feel we are completely incompatible and we have not first established a friendship demonstrating that all the pieces are there.
I enjoy simplicity. While there is nothing greater than a stimulating conversation and learning about ancient philosophy or analyzing a piece of music, there is nothing more brilliant to me than holding my nephew and having him smile at me. My favorite moments have been in the arms of those I have cared most about, not saying or doing anything. My favorite compositions are filled with the simple melodies that touch your heart that you can hum and remember forever. Some of my favorite singers have the most unrecognizable appearances. Many of my friends are the gems that other people overlook.
The most important thing for me to understand is why, or better interpreted: "what is the meaning?". If there is not a purpose or a point to something- if it will not help me along my journey in life after studying the subject- I will usually tend to zone out or disregard the information. While we can never know what our future will hold, we must constantly understand our goals and our own purposes so that everything we do and everything we accomplish has a point to something far more meaningful. If we just sit back and let life take us where it wants, we may wake up and find ourselves distant from something we recognize we want to have. There are some things in our lives that do not matter where our lives take us, but I personally want to know what I want to get out of my life. There is a sweetness in waking up in the morning and being excited to go forward and work towards something. Yes, we will fall and hurt ourselves, but it is this vision and enthusiasm that makes it that when we fall down we keep getting up and moving one step at a time. But to me, there has to be a purpose behind everything. You can ask me "why?" to anything. I may ask you to allow me to go home and put words together for it, but that is the most important question to me. If I don't understand the why to anything, it seems pointless and I will feel unsettled until I understand.
People sometimes feel uncomfortable when I do not say a lot, but because I only use language to communicate what my actions cannot, I do not believe in having pointless conversations or saying something just to fill the silence. I have no problem with silence and when I say something, I want it to mean something. Everything I do means something. The key to understanding me is understanding why I do the things I do and what those actions means. The biggest way people misinterpret my actions and misunderstand me is when they overlook how such small actions have such a huge impact and meaning. For example, if I am the one who initiates a hug, it means I care a lot about you and/or I am excited to see you. If I touch you in ANY way, it has a meaning and I am trying to communicate that with you. If I avoid eye contact or physical contact, it usually means I don't feel comfortable.
Along with this, people believe when I am in a new situation or environment I am uncomfortable because I don't just jump right in and I'm quiet. However, I love looking around and observing before I jump into anything. I love looking for the things and people that usually go unnoticed because that is where most of the time is generally worth investing time is. I believe everybody puts some form of a mask on to hide something deep in them that most people cannot accept. I like to sit and discover what masks are on and who people really are before I just "hop in."
I have a very difficult time coming up with ideas and making decisions because 98% of the time, I could care less. I eat practically every food, I get entertained easily, and I watch everything from Romances to Action movies. I have recognized that other people want me to choose, but by their physical demeanor, get irritated when it's not what they want. These people will never admit though, because they think they are making a sacrifice because it is what I want. The irony is that their sacrifice is in vain because they demanded me to make a choice and so I just chose randomly. It seems silly for me to make a decision, when I don't care, when other people clearly have preferences and I don't. When there is something I really prefer, I will make it known. Lately, however, I have become more fond to certain colors over other colors- which is a big change for me.
Most people probably don't care enough to read this entire thing, and if you have, thank you! I recognize that I have held things to my heart: I have no problem listening to other people and having them share things about themselves, but I don't usually do the same. I recognize I am a very complex person and because of this, I don't expect many people to understand me- but if you ever want to, this is a good road map. If you have read it this far, perhaps it would also help you to do something similar so that I can understand you as well.
I tend to point my weaknesses out before my strengths not necessarily because I am self-conscious and constantly compare myself to those around me, but because I try to recognize the things I can learn from every situation. Yes, I recognize that we must take victory of the things we have accomplished and to not be too hard on ourselves, I agree. However, as an adult, you smirk at the five-year-old who thinks he knows everything and is constantly making mistakes all along the way; versus the teachable five-year-old who constantly looks to those older than him to aspire to. When we think we are good at something or we know something, we limit ourselves from what we can still learn.
Along with this, I feel you should never accuse someone of what they did that was incorrect or call them out on what they did to make your life miserable. To many, this comes across as beating around the bush. There is a very fine line though. While I believe you should be completely honest with others, another individual may be doing the best he/she can at that particular time and moment. Your accusations can demean their efforts and what they are going through. No, our purpose in life is not to try and avoid offending people; however, there are appropriate ways to deal with these issues. For example, I will always talk about myself because that is the only perspective I understand. I have a very difficult time telling someone: "you don't like me anymore because you haven't called me in five months." I may be feeling that way because of their actions, and I may have the desire to tell that to them, but rather than getting angry, I first have to recognize that I didn't do anything to contact the individual either and that along with that, I am thinking only about my needs. I don't know why they did that and so by just simply reaching out and doing your part to talk to them and asking them why they haven't talked to you, if you need to know, places them in a situation where they can trust you and talk to you, rather than becoming defensive and feeling like they have to justify their every action. I believe in honesty and if you have hurt me, I will let you know- it may not be as piercing and demanding as you want it to be, but I will still give you the opportunity to provide an explanation or take responsibility for your actions- just as I hope all people will do for me.
In fact, I feel more uncomfortable around people who will never tell me anything I am doing wrong or never talk to me about things that I can do to make them happier. I want to be the best person that I can be and I want to do the most that I can to help other people. I am not perfect and so whether I want to or not, i'm going to offend or do something to hurt someone else. If I am never approached, I am constantly walking of eggshells wondering if I have done something to offend the other person. If I do something wrong, I want to know how to correct it. I am not afraid of pain, what hurts most is when I could have learned from something I did and instead constantly repeat that mistake, affecting someone else- even if it's something small. My sister and I tease that the best friends are jerk friends: they are the ones who are able to tell you the things you don't want to hear because you need to hear them. They do things to tease you because a certain level of teasing increases friendships and brings bonds together- when done in an uplifting way. However if teasing tears an individual apart and points our their insecurities and flaws, you are tearing your friendship apart.
I think everyone has a desire to be understood. I don't believe anyone truly wants to be alone in this world. There are people like myself who are extremely independent or there are people who have gone through difficult times where they convince themselves they don't need anyone else, but I honestly believe deep down, everyone has a difficult time being alone. Yes, some are much more social than others, but my point still remains. If we spend so much of our time reading information in books and doing things that benefit ourselves, we are neglecting the person right next to us who can use the information we know about. We place a price and an expectation on the things we know and that we do to assist other people. There have been times in my life where I had to turn my phone off for a few weeks and tell people not to talk to me because I myself was so depleted I could not help anyone else. But when we are able to see the world clearly enough to recognize those who can use our assistance, and are able, that is when true joy comes. Assisting others usually includes listening to them and helping them feel like they are a unique individual. Philosophy, Psychology, sciences, mathematics, and all the wonderful things we study help us understand one another and improve ourselves as humans- but they are not the most important part of life. Without relationships, we would be nothing. Without relationships we would find no sense in joy, peace, comfort, motivation, inspiration, etc. The things that we would do would become void. Men have lived on the streets and made an impact on the world be the people they meet. The more we understand other people, the more we have a broader view on life and add to our perspectives. I feel like so often we have an idea in our head of what we want and we wait for that in conversations when we talk to people. When we associate with those around us, I feel it is our duty to understand them and genuinely accept them as the individual they are- not in a superficial and "I care this much about everyone so you're not any different" way.
The one exception I have is when I have to mold myself to someone else. We cannot plan who that person will be or what exactly they will be like- but we do know the things that we individually need in our lives. On my own, I could care less if someone has different religious, political, cultural, educational and moral views. We are all placed here on this earth without former knowledge of what happened before we came here other than what others have proclaimed to be truth that others have added to this. We all must decide for ourselves what we believe to be the best choice in life and to stick with that. I personally have experimented and believe in religion. The concept of understanding the language of the spirit is not foreign to me because it is not an emotion, but rather a peace that comes to my prayers and a thought distinct from all my other thoughts. I have atheist friends, Buddhist friends, friends who have been to jail, friends who do things I would never do, friends who are better people than I am. However, I am able to disconnect myself from these people while still having a closeness with them and genuinely caring about them to a small form of love. But when I need to start shaping who I am with someone else, these things have to fit together. Religion is such a major part of my life, I would expect someone to share that enthusiasm with me and encourage me to be CONSTANTLY be better. If I am having a bad day and have a friend who isn't empathetic or doesn't like to give me hugs, I can isolate myself and improve my mood until I become better. When you are with someone, the two of you shape together until you become one. Does this mean you expect the other person to do something? If the two of you are compatible, then the way they treat you is exactly what you are needing and vise versa. If you are craving to have a really good discussion and your companion gets bored and never wants to talk, you will feel frustrated. This is why many people in the past have gotten frustrated with me is because while I am not necessarily happy being alone, I do not want to sacrifice the heart ache of getting into a relationship if I feel we are completely incompatible and we have not first established a friendship demonstrating that all the pieces are there.
I enjoy simplicity. While there is nothing greater than a stimulating conversation and learning about ancient philosophy or analyzing a piece of music, there is nothing more brilliant to me than holding my nephew and having him smile at me. My favorite moments have been in the arms of those I have cared most about, not saying or doing anything. My favorite compositions are filled with the simple melodies that touch your heart that you can hum and remember forever. Some of my favorite singers have the most unrecognizable appearances. Many of my friends are the gems that other people overlook.
The most important thing for me to understand is why, or better interpreted: "what is the meaning?". If there is not a purpose or a point to something- if it will not help me along my journey in life after studying the subject- I will usually tend to zone out or disregard the information. While we can never know what our future will hold, we must constantly understand our goals and our own purposes so that everything we do and everything we accomplish has a point to something far more meaningful. If we just sit back and let life take us where it wants, we may wake up and find ourselves distant from something we recognize we want to have. There are some things in our lives that do not matter where our lives take us, but I personally want to know what I want to get out of my life. There is a sweetness in waking up in the morning and being excited to go forward and work towards something. Yes, we will fall and hurt ourselves, but it is this vision and enthusiasm that makes it that when we fall down we keep getting up and moving one step at a time. But to me, there has to be a purpose behind everything. You can ask me "why?" to anything. I may ask you to allow me to go home and put words together for it, but that is the most important question to me. If I don't understand the why to anything, it seems pointless and I will feel unsettled until I understand.
People sometimes feel uncomfortable when I do not say a lot, but because I only use language to communicate what my actions cannot, I do not believe in having pointless conversations or saying something just to fill the silence. I have no problem with silence and when I say something, I want it to mean something. Everything I do means something. The key to understanding me is understanding why I do the things I do and what those actions means. The biggest way people misinterpret my actions and misunderstand me is when they overlook how such small actions have such a huge impact and meaning. For example, if I am the one who initiates a hug, it means I care a lot about you and/or I am excited to see you. If I touch you in ANY way, it has a meaning and I am trying to communicate that with you. If I avoid eye contact or physical contact, it usually means I don't feel comfortable.
Along with this, people believe when I am in a new situation or environment I am uncomfortable because I don't just jump right in and I'm quiet. However, I love looking around and observing before I jump into anything. I love looking for the things and people that usually go unnoticed because that is where most of the time is generally worth investing time is. I believe everybody puts some form of a mask on to hide something deep in them that most people cannot accept. I like to sit and discover what masks are on and who people really are before I just "hop in."
I have a very difficult time coming up with ideas and making decisions because 98% of the time, I could care less. I eat practically every food, I get entertained easily, and I watch everything from Romances to Action movies. I have recognized that other people want me to choose, but by their physical demeanor, get irritated when it's not what they want. These people will never admit though, because they think they are making a sacrifice because it is what I want. The irony is that their sacrifice is in vain because they demanded me to make a choice and so I just chose randomly. It seems silly for me to make a decision, when I don't care, when other people clearly have preferences and I don't. When there is something I really prefer, I will make it known. Lately, however, I have become more fond to certain colors over other colors- which is a big change for me.
Most people probably don't care enough to read this entire thing, and if you have, thank you! I recognize that I have held things to my heart: I have no problem listening to other people and having them share things about themselves, but I don't usually do the same. I recognize I am a very complex person and because of this, I don't expect many people to understand me- but if you ever want to, this is a good road map. If you have read it this far, perhaps it would also help you to do something similar so that I can understand you as well.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
What I Wish Everyone Could Know
My purpose of this post is not to persuade a person to alter their beliefs or to accept my own: my purpose of this blog is to help others recognize what I have learned. It is okay to believe what you believe- nobody should ever make you feel inferior for what that is. You are entitled to whatever you believe: but if you believe it, embrace it and live your life around that belief. Recognize that for right now, the only thing we have evidence of is that we are alive for this life-time. We never know when we are going to die and we must therefore decide what we will spend our lives dedicating our time to.
For centuries men and women have wondered why we are here, where we are going, and where we came from. There are various ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and evidences. I think that every person has a general outline of what they believe the answers to these questions to be, but as we well know: there is no tangible evidence as to the real reality.
The most global and common explanation is that of Christianity: of one God who created the earth and who sent his Son to earth to die for us. Though I will not claim to be an expert on religions, I have noticed from my limited study that all religions have some elements and beliefs in common. All religions have the purpose to promote personal improvement of their members so they can make the most of their time here on this earth for what will happen to them when they die.
There are other philosophers and scientists who believe that we do not need a God to exist and that we like to believe that our time lasts longer than this life, but religion is an illusion to gain control over members or to try and improve the quality of life of an individual.
Whatever it is, we all feel the need to be claimed to a belief- whatever we title it. We recognize that we did not create the world ourselves and we must therefore be held to something far more superior than ourselves.
Because we all have our own beliefs, we feel everyone else must hold these beliefs as well. There is nothing wrong with believing what we do as long as we have come to that conclusion for ourselves and we are able to articulate why we believe what we do. However, just because a person holds a belief does not mean that they are superior to someone of another belief. Because a person has received their own evidence of truth does not mean that there is not truth in another belief.
I myself am a Christian: I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe He is the Redeemer of the World. However, I have honestly learned a lot from atheists. Atheists work hard for everything they have: they never feel entitled to anything. The atheists I have met love to be happy just like myself and they are able to find explanations for things most people are afraid to even think about. Most Christians are protestant, or some alternative branch from the Catholic Church, but this happened because Martin Luther was willing to think about something that was not accepted in the Catholic Church. I feel it also works the other way too: atheists without changing their views can also learn a lot from the devout Christians. Some of the most incredible atheists I know have spent their time furthering their education and being able to help thousands of people because of their contributions. Because a lot of atheists are so logically-minded, however, a good number of the atheists I know are afraid of things pertaining to the heart. I recognize that some people experience an emotion and that controls their life, and I also recognize that sometimes the things we want clouds our vision of what actually happens. However, I know from my own experience there is a good balance between these two. Christians have the “Holy Spirit” which is basically the same thing as intuition. I have always loved the saying: “Work like an atheist, pray like a Saint.” While atheists do not have a need to pray, I think they can still recognize those moments of intuition and peace in their life and though not agree, appreciate the Christians and vice versa.
One of the things that have been bothering me lately, though, is that religions bash other religions. This seems extremely hypocritical to me because if we are working together to better ourselves, then a part of becoming better is to recognize that others may not share our beliefs, but we still love them. An example is Christianity vs. Muslims. There have been stereotypes about Muslims and how they are a cult because they want to kill people. However, if you look into the religion a little bit, they also believe in Adam and Abraham and Moses. They too believe in prophets. They too believe in declaring their faith to be a member. I don’t know very much about Muslims, but I know that they probably are doing what they think is the best. By me only looking at the actions a couple of Muslims have done does not mean that I will become prejudice to Muslims as a whole. There is probably something about their belief and their way of living that I can incorporate in my own life to become better: I do not have to accommodate my belief or try to change their belief: but I can accept their belief and appreciate their dedication.
Even within Christianity, however, I have seen many sects take pieces of information they don’t know very much about and hold it over that religion’s head for why their version of Christianity is wrong. It surprises me Catholicism is so looked down upon by so many Protestants when Catholicism is the only religion that is able to be traced all the way back to when Christianity was formed. While I myself am not Catholic, it amazes me at how many people look down upon these Christians who worship the same Jesus and from what I have seen: keep their traditions to keep the rituals sacred.
I have also seen many Protestants get very defensive over the Mormon religion, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and how they are not Christians. This also surprises me because Mormons also believe that the same Jesus came to earth to die for our Salvation. Just as many Lutherans followed Martin Luther when they broke away from the Catholic church, so did many of the Mormons follow Joseph Smith when they broke off from other protestant churches.
When I hear about reincarnation, that just seems extremely odd to me because that does not fit my schemata. This seems like a science-fiction to me: however, I do not know any of the beliefs leading up to this one claim. Without studying deeper why this religion believes this area, it will seem strange to me. But I have no place expressing how ridiculous this is when they have more evidence and knowledge of how this idea is possible more than I could ever understand.
You may hear things either from members of a different religion or even rumors that may seem odd or repulsive to you. You don’t have to believe it, but the only thing I ask is that you either accept they believe what they do, or you look into it further with the perspective of: I wonder how they can believe this rather than: “Let me see how my knowledge of their belief can prove that what they believe is not as right as what I believe.” If we all have this attitude, we will not only resolve a lot of unnecessary issues and naïve comments, but we will also contribute to our own personal growth and knowledge. The more people we talk to, the more perspectives we have to become the best person we can be.
Friday, September 9, 2011
It's okay!
I have been contemplating a lot lately about sacrifices. I am not quite sure why, but for some reason, I feel there is an association between sacrifice and happiness. I have never been a man before so I can't speak for men, but as a woman, I recognize that the most profound joy comes the moments I give a part of myself away. Many times I often feel vulnerable when giving a part of me away because there is the possibility of the opposite extreme of being taken advantage of or over-extending oneself. However, I believe that it is through sacrifice, when a person gives up something they want, they have, or that is dear to them to make another person happy or to show humility that not only brings happiness to both individuals, but creates a stronger bond between the two people as well.
As I began to contemplate this idea of sacrifice, the idea of people with beautiful intentions who desire to become heroes popped up. I think perhaps on a small scale and sometimes even subconsciously, these individuals want to be recognized for their sacrifices as heroes are, but I think the main thing is that they find their happiness in spending as much time as possible to help others. These are the people who will take emotional, physical, and mental weight to "save" other people. People who aspire to be heroes believe that with the appropriate amount of work, they can accomplish whatever they desire. While these people oftentimes quite literally become heroes, like Mother Theresa, the lack of accomplishing this goal leads an individual to despair and worthlessness. The life of a "hero" is lonely because they feel they do not deserve to be loved, rather only being the one giving the love. Exhaustion, depression, and anxiety plagues the non-super heroes. And eventually they realize they are mere mortals who have tried harder than they anticipated. Simple things such as wasting a day due to exhaustion or being unproductive for about 3 hours simply tears these people apart.
I am one of these people. I still believe that sacrifice is necessary for happiness for pride is the most lonely and most detrimental elements a person can have, however, part of sacrifice is allowing other people to fill your holes. The key element though, is that a person should not EXPECT these holes to be filled, but once the option and possibility is there, a person should be able to willingly accept that without feelings of guilt and allow the other individual the opportunity to gain happiness from sacrifice.
So the thing I have learned is that it's okay.
It's okay to cry when you are hurt. You are able to fall and be bitter for a moment to yourself because you have to learn to be honest with yourself. Once you have cried, you will see how to take another step, but never be afraid of crying.
It's okay to take a break. People are more successful in the long-run when they take breaks because they have the mental and emotional capacity to not only continue, but to come up with more creative ideas.
It's okay to laugh. It's okay to smile. And It's okay to be silly. If you learn to be happy with yourself and by yourself and find the beauties in life without worrying about making someone else happy, then ultimately, you will make more people happy.
It's okay to make a mistake. People know that nobody is perfect and I have realized that people are more resented when they pretend they ARE perfect. We have the experiences we do to help one another and we fall so that we can climb to higher grounds.
It's okay to be angry, to worry, or to feel however else you are feeling. Just like I said about crying: you embrace the emotion and then learn from this event later.
It's okay to spend money on yourself and things that you enjoy. Yes, it is important and necessary to live within your means and yes, it is a good thing to help others, but budget enough money for yourself and realize that you deserve to be happy too.
It's okay to listen to music, Try food, and experiment many other things without people around until you discover what you love and what makes you yourself. It's okay to listen and enjoy those things around other people whether they like them or not because people want to know who you are and not always go along with what they want.
Most of all, it's okay that you're not a hero. People love you because of the imperfections you have. You don't have to change a world. You just have to live the best you can and do the best you can. But your best can include failures and mistakes. Your best comes from your desires and how you accomplish them.
As I began to contemplate this idea of sacrifice, the idea of people with beautiful intentions who desire to become heroes popped up. I think perhaps on a small scale and sometimes even subconsciously, these individuals want to be recognized for their sacrifices as heroes are, but I think the main thing is that they find their happiness in spending as much time as possible to help others. These are the people who will take emotional, physical, and mental weight to "save" other people. People who aspire to be heroes believe that with the appropriate amount of work, they can accomplish whatever they desire. While these people oftentimes quite literally become heroes, like Mother Theresa, the lack of accomplishing this goal leads an individual to despair and worthlessness. The life of a "hero" is lonely because they feel they do not deserve to be loved, rather only being the one giving the love. Exhaustion, depression, and anxiety plagues the non-super heroes. And eventually they realize they are mere mortals who have tried harder than they anticipated. Simple things such as wasting a day due to exhaustion or being unproductive for about 3 hours simply tears these people apart.
I am one of these people. I still believe that sacrifice is necessary for happiness for pride is the most lonely and most detrimental elements a person can have, however, part of sacrifice is allowing other people to fill your holes. The key element though, is that a person should not EXPECT these holes to be filled, but once the option and possibility is there, a person should be able to willingly accept that without feelings of guilt and allow the other individual the opportunity to gain happiness from sacrifice.
So the thing I have learned is that it's okay.
It's okay to cry when you are hurt. You are able to fall and be bitter for a moment to yourself because you have to learn to be honest with yourself. Once you have cried, you will see how to take another step, but never be afraid of crying.
It's okay to take a break. People are more successful in the long-run when they take breaks because they have the mental and emotional capacity to not only continue, but to come up with more creative ideas.
It's okay to laugh. It's okay to smile. And It's okay to be silly. If you learn to be happy with yourself and by yourself and find the beauties in life without worrying about making someone else happy, then ultimately, you will make more people happy.
It's okay to make a mistake. People know that nobody is perfect and I have realized that people are more resented when they pretend they ARE perfect. We have the experiences we do to help one another and we fall so that we can climb to higher grounds.
It's okay to be angry, to worry, or to feel however else you are feeling. Just like I said about crying: you embrace the emotion and then learn from this event later.
It's okay to spend money on yourself and things that you enjoy. Yes, it is important and necessary to live within your means and yes, it is a good thing to help others, but budget enough money for yourself and realize that you deserve to be happy too.
It's okay to listen to music, Try food, and experiment many other things without people around until you discover what you love and what makes you yourself. It's okay to listen and enjoy those things around other people whether they like them or not because people want to know who you are and not always go along with what they want.
Most of all, it's okay that you're not a hero. People love you because of the imperfections you have. You don't have to change a world. You just have to live the best you can and do the best you can. But your best can include failures and mistakes. Your best comes from your desires and how you accomplish them.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
My tangled thoughts.
Sometimes, I feel like because there are so many other people in the world all with such incredible ideas and insights, I have to come up with something unique and extraordinary to surpass the mediocrity that lies around me.
I enjoy being the silent observer. I like to sit back and watch people: you see the self-conscious girl who is beautiful but doesn't recognize the beauty she has. She goes and talks to people, but she never wants to be the center of attention. You see the over- weight man who does his best at everything but is constantly trampled over and wondering whether he should give up. You see the cocky beautiful man who has girls flocking to him and doesn't have to work for anything he has-- but deep inside he is lonely and wishes people could really see him for who he is. You see the awkward girl who is so lonely and is invisible but desperately tries to have someone see her. As I watch these people, I realize that mediocrity is simply just the ability to allow life to define who we are. The wonderful and great ideas come from those timid, awkward girls who look in the mirror and realize that is okay if they are invisible as long as they are able to do what they need to do.
I feel that we sometimes are blinded by our weaknesses because they are disguised in our strengths and our passions. Girls have such a huge tendency and ability to love with all their heart, I oftentimes think they overlook the ability to see how much they are hurting and allowing other people to get by with the things that they do. I used to question why girls could put up with abuse from their husbands, but the older I get and the more my needs are less prevalent, I recognize that in order to recognize what our greatest weaknesses are, we must also recognize what our greatest strengths are. I find it ironic that our strengths cause our weaknesses, but that they will also allow ourselves to overcome our weaknesses.
Another thing I have been contemplating upon is our passions and our desires. I believe that what fuels a person to accomplish and live the life that they live is fueled by our passions. Some live their life indulging in the things that make them happy- that is what brings them happiness. Others recognize the things that bring them the most happiness, but indulge upon these pleasures only at the moments that brings them the most joy. To these people, it is the work that brings that the value of the reward. I have come to recognize that while each person is different, the person who does not immediately indulge in the reward is scorned and often feels guilty about their decision when they shouldn't. Whereas some people who indulge frequently and upon their own desire recognize that the prize begins to lose value when it is acquired all the time. I cannot speak for other people, but I believe that true happiness comes from work. I believe that having a vision of what we want is a good thing to have. I believe that it is okay to have the things we want under the right circumstances. But once we work, we will gain a reward and we will be filled with happiness. Alcoholics, Chocoholics, Obese people, and other people with such strong desire for substance consume whatever they want when they want because it makes them happy. Compare this to a child who is promised that once he completes a meritt badge, he will be rewarded with a hot fudge sunday from dairy queen. The kid is not constantly thinking about the hot fudge sunday, but he learns and tries his hardest, but the happiness from having each taste of the fudge brings him a happiness he could no otherwise have.
One of my other thinkings is of logic. I love the brain. I love the study of neurology and I love the study of psychology. My brother has a very interesting concept that I believe I agree with. He believes that Logic, Emotion, and Intuition work together and we must learn how to balance the three of these things to have a stable life. I fear that our society is becoming so consumed with the logic, that the other areas of our needs are becoming abandoned. Why is it we are afraid to cry in front of somebody else, yet we can logically tell somebody else the injustice done to us? Why is it when we have an intuition we immediately cannot explain, the intuition is considered invalid until there are words to accompany that intuition? Why is it we are so readily able to separate religion and science? Why is it that school programs are cutting the arts so the academics can grow stronger with the limited budgets?
This is what I believe: Each of us have a conscious and subconscious. Logic is associated with the conscious brain, Intuition is associated with the unconscious, and emotion links the two together. I feel it is completely fine that a person may be more logically based, but upon a given stimulus, that person is able to recognize what the stimulus is- that is then given the emotion and processed into the subconscious and released in various forms. There are others, like myself, whose unconscious (or subconscious rather) is so strong from experiences in the past or for religious people like myself- may be spiritual, produce vividly strong reactions of this is good or this is bad. The intuition is an emotion and the brain replays this in the the mind until logic is formed.
There are multiple combinations of these three, but I think the point is made that whatever combination is formed, the three need to work together. I feel that music is one of the gifts we are given to aid us in understanding our emotions. Do not take me wrong- I do not believe that emotions are more necessary than logic. I very much believe the two go together. I believe that we have the ability to control how we are feeling, but our intuition determines the feelings we are allowed to develop and warns us of feelings we are incapable of developing. Anyways, music allows us to open up our mind, hearts, and subconscious, and experience something we have been unable to experience before we recognized this. I feel it is extremely scary that we allow thoughts and ideas to control things, when without balance of emotion and intuition, they are empty calculations and theories.
I enjoy being the silent observer. I like to sit back and watch people: you see the self-conscious girl who is beautiful but doesn't recognize the beauty she has. She goes and talks to people, but she never wants to be the center of attention. You see the over- weight man who does his best at everything but is constantly trampled over and wondering whether he should give up. You see the cocky beautiful man who has girls flocking to him and doesn't have to work for anything he has-- but deep inside he is lonely and wishes people could really see him for who he is. You see the awkward girl who is so lonely and is invisible but desperately tries to have someone see her. As I watch these people, I realize that mediocrity is simply just the ability to allow life to define who we are. The wonderful and great ideas come from those timid, awkward girls who look in the mirror and realize that is okay if they are invisible as long as they are able to do what they need to do.
I feel that we sometimes are blinded by our weaknesses because they are disguised in our strengths and our passions. Girls have such a huge tendency and ability to love with all their heart, I oftentimes think they overlook the ability to see how much they are hurting and allowing other people to get by with the things that they do. I used to question why girls could put up with abuse from their husbands, but the older I get and the more my needs are less prevalent, I recognize that in order to recognize what our greatest weaknesses are, we must also recognize what our greatest strengths are. I find it ironic that our strengths cause our weaknesses, but that they will also allow ourselves to overcome our weaknesses.
Another thing I have been contemplating upon is our passions and our desires. I believe that what fuels a person to accomplish and live the life that they live is fueled by our passions. Some live their life indulging in the things that make them happy- that is what brings them happiness. Others recognize the things that bring them the most happiness, but indulge upon these pleasures only at the moments that brings them the most joy. To these people, it is the work that brings that the value of the reward. I have come to recognize that while each person is different, the person who does not immediately indulge in the reward is scorned and often feels guilty about their decision when they shouldn't. Whereas some people who indulge frequently and upon their own desire recognize that the prize begins to lose value when it is acquired all the time. I cannot speak for other people, but I believe that true happiness comes from work. I believe that having a vision of what we want is a good thing to have. I believe that it is okay to have the things we want under the right circumstances. But once we work, we will gain a reward and we will be filled with happiness. Alcoholics, Chocoholics, Obese people, and other people with such strong desire for substance consume whatever they want when they want because it makes them happy. Compare this to a child who is promised that once he completes a meritt badge, he will be rewarded with a hot fudge sunday from dairy queen. The kid is not constantly thinking about the hot fudge sunday, but he learns and tries his hardest, but the happiness from having each taste of the fudge brings him a happiness he could no otherwise have.
One of my other thinkings is of logic. I love the brain. I love the study of neurology and I love the study of psychology. My brother has a very interesting concept that I believe I agree with. He believes that Logic, Emotion, and Intuition work together and we must learn how to balance the three of these things to have a stable life. I fear that our society is becoming so consumed with the logic, that the other areas of our needs are becoming abandoned. Why is it we are afraid to cry in front of somebody else, yet we can logically tell somebody else the injustice done to us? Why is it when we have an intuition we immediately cannot explain, the intuition is considered invalid until there are words to accompany that intuition? Why is it we are so readily able to separate religion and science? Why is it that school programs are cutting the arts so the academics can grow stronger with the limited budgets?
This is what I believe: Each of us have a conscious and subconscious. Logic is associated with the conscious brain, Intuition is associated with the unconscious, and emotion links the two together. I feel it is completely fine that a person may be more logically based, but upon a given stimulus, that person is able to recognize what the stimulus is- that is then given the emotion and processed into the subconscious and released in various forms. There are others, like myself, whose unconscious (or subconscious rather) is so strong from experiences in the past or for religious people like myself- may be spiritual, produce vividly strong reactions of this is good or this is bad. The intuition is an emotion and the brain replays this in the the mind until logic is formed.
There are multiple combinations of these three, but I think the point is made that whatever combination is formed, the three need to work together. I feel that music is one of the gifts we are given to aid us in understanding our emotions. Do not take me wrong- I do not believe that emotions are more necessary than logic. I very much believe the two go together. I believe that we have the ability to control how we are feeling, but our intuition determines the feelings we are allowed to develop and warns us of feelings we are incapable of developing. Anyways, music allows us to open up our mind, hearts, and subconscious, and experience something we have been unable to experience before we recognized this. I feel it is extremely scary that we allow thoughts and ideas to control things, when without balance of emotion and intuition, they are empty calculations and theories.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Unheard Symphonies
The most brilliant compositions are composed and performed only once: though oftentimes these moments of genius go unheard. While Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Dvorak each wrote pieces that impacted the world (each intelligently combining sounds of instruments and voices), the most profound compositions consist of more than the anticipated sounds of instruments and voices.
Take a deep breath and slowly exhale. In that moment, what do you hear? If you are breathing slow enough, then you may hear the hum of your computer, the hum of the air conditioner, the talking of people outside your door. The point to ponder, however, is if you recognized those sounds there before.
I do not believe there is such a thing on this earth as silence: silence is rather the refrain from noises you control or expect to hear. If there is silence, we find some way to replace this: we notice the melody of the bird outside, we hear the water in the fish tank, we hear the sound of water splashing as cars go by, our thoughts become louder, or familiar tunes come to our minds. It is during these moments of silence we can hear these unrecognized symphonies.
When it rains, you do not just hear the melody of the rain falling on the roof, you hear the sound of the rain on the leaves on the tree and as it hits the cement. Composed in this symphony is the lament of a Dog who does not want to be left outside and yearns to be held. Contrasted with this is the joyous duet of two birds singing their love songs to one another. At the perfect moments, the sound of wind blowing through the trees enhances this composition, combined with the buzzing sound of the fly. Though these are all common noises, they are combined together in this combination for this single time. The unique experiences and emotions in your life also give this experience a different meaning.
There are so many noises every moment, it is impossible to listen to each one. Therefore, when we are silent, we recognize the noises we choose to hear above all these other noises. A baby recognizes its mother's voice above all other noises, a basketball player recognizes his couch's voice above all other sounds. We then must also decide what we will listen to above the other noises we hear.
Take a deep breath and slowly exhale. In that moment, what do you hear? If you are breathing slow enough, then you may hear the hum of your computer, the hum of the air conditioner, the talking of people outside your door. The point to ponder, however, is if you recognized those sounds there before.
I do not believe there is such a thing on this earth as silence: silence is rather the refrain from noises you control or expect to hear. If there is silence, we find some way to replace this: we notice the melody of the bird outside, we hear the water in the fish tank, we hear the sound of water splashing as cars go by, our thoughts become louder, or familiar tunes come to our minds. It is during these moments of silence we can hear these unrecognized symphonies.
When it rains, you do not just hear the melody of the rain falling on the roof, you hear the sound of the rain on the leaves on the tree and as it hits the cement. Composed in this symphony is the lament of a Dog who does not want to be left outside and yearns to be held. Contrasted with this is the joyous duet of two birds singing their love songs to one another. At the perfect moments, the sound of wind blowing through the trees enhances this composition, combined with the buzzing sound of the fly. Though these are all common noises, they are combined together in this combination for this single time. The unique experiences and emotions in your life also give this experience a different meaning.
There are so many noises every moment, it is impossible to listen to each one. Therefore, when we are silent, we recognize the noises we choose to hear above all these other noises. A baby recognizes its mother's voice above all other noises, a basketball player recognizes his couch's voice above all other sounds. We then must also decide what we will listen to above the other noises we hear.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Bearded Lady
Often, I catch myself comparing what I do to how well other people do the same thing. It is difficult for me to keep up with my blog because I think so hard about how what I am saying is coming out. I get frustrated at the things I love most because I have this sense of wanting to become so much better than I am.
When I was in Nashville, my friend Nicole took me out to the Bluebird Cafe to celebrate my graduation and to watch her friend Stephanie Mabey perform there. While I was in awe at her talent, she sang a song about the Bearded Lady falling in love. The song talked about how usually she is a side act, but for the first time, she feels like the main attraction. It hit me at that moment that no matter how different or how ugly or how untalented we think we are, we are still worth something and we have a talent.
Other people when they look at us and see us, they don't understand why we can be happy over such small and simple things- they can never know the areas within us that make us so special and unique. But because they do not see it does not mean that this is not true. If we can overlook the beauty in the bearded lady, then imagine the beauty we overlook in ourselves and other people.
When I was in Nashville, my friend Nicole took me out to the Bluebird Cafe to celebrate my graduation and to watch her friend Stephanie Mabey perform there. While I was in awe at her talent, she sang a song about the Bearded Lady falling in love. The song talked about how usually she is a side act, but for the first time, she feels like the main attraction. It hit me at that moment that no matter how different or how ugly or how untalented we think we are, we are still worth something and we have a talent.
Other people when they look at us and see us, they don't understand why we can be happy over such small and simple things- they can never know the areas within us that make us so special and unique. But because they do not see it does not mean that this is not true. If we can overlook the beauty in the bearded lady, then imagine the beauty we overlook in ourselves and other people.
http://youtu.be/b6gAw_e0oE4
Friday, April 22, 2011
Quotes I like
It's not who your are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not
Unknown
We must be the change we wish to see in the world
Ghandi
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
Michael Jordan
There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly.
Richard Buckminster
If not now-when?
Jewish Proverb
It's a dream until you write it down, and then it becomes a goal.
Unknown
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.
George Halas
Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible
Frank Gaines
There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.
William Frederick
The hardest battle you're ever going to fight is the battle just to be you
Leo Buscaglia
The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.
Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.
Mark Victor Hansen
Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.Mary Kay AshTrust yourself. You know more than you think you do.
Benjamin Spock
It is easier to believe than to doubt.
Everett D. Martin
God didn't have time to make a nobody, only a somebody.I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be brought to fruition.
Mary Kay Ash
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
Gail Devers
You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can't have it.
Robert Anthony
Unknown
We must be the change we wish to see in the world
Ghandi
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.
Michael Jordan
There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly.
Richard Buckminster
If not now-when?
Jewish Proverb
It's a dream until you write it down, and then it becomes a goal.
Unknown
Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Elanor Roosevelt
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
Unknown
It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.
Unknown
Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.
George Halas
Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible
Frank Gaines
There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.
William Frederick
The hardest battle you're ever going to fight is the battle just to be you
Leo Buscaglia
The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.
Frank Lloyd Wright
If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right.
Mary Kay Ash
To succeed, we must first believe that we can.
To succeed, we must first believe that we can.
Michael Korda
Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.
Henry David Thoreau
Your belief determines your action and your action determines your results, but first you have to believe.
Mark Victor Hansen
What matters is not the idea a man holds, but the depth at which he holds it.
Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
The depth of your belief and the strength of your conviction determines the power of your personality.
Brian Tracy
He does not believe who does not live according to his belief.
Thomas Fuller
Some things have to be believed to be seen.
Ralph Hodgson
To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
Anatole France
It's not what you go through that defines you; you can't help that. It's what you do AFTER you've gone through it that really tests who you are.
Kwame Floyd
The turning point, I think, was when I really realized that you can do it yourself. That you have to believe in you because sometimes that's the only person that does believe in your success but you.
It's not what you go through that defines you; you can't help that. It's what you do AFTER you've gone through it that really tests who you are.
Kwame Floyd
The turning point, I think, was when I really realized that you can do it yourself. That you have to believe in you because sometimes that's the only person that does believe in your success but you.
Tim Blixseth
Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.
Mark Victor Hansen
Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.Mary Kay AshTrust yourself. You know more than you think you do.
Benjamin Spock
It is easier to believe than to doubt.
Everett D. Martin
God didn't have time to make a nobody, only a somebody.I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be brought to fruition.
Mary Kay Ash
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
Gail Devers
You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can't have it.
Robert Anthony
Never Give Up Quotes
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail". Ralph Waldo Emerson
Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
All things are possible until they are proved impossible and even the impossible may only be so, as of now.
Pearl S. Buck
All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.
Orison Swett Marden
Each of us has much more hidden inside us than we have had a chance to explore. Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits of our potential, we will never know what we have inside of us.
Muhammad Yunus
A limit on what you will do, puts a limit on what you can do.
Anonymous
You can give in to the failure messages and be a bitter deadbeat of excuses. Or you can choose to be happy and positive and excited about life.
A.L. Williams
Try new things: Overcome the fear (i.e., fear of failure, rejection, or pain)! When you're learning or doing a new sport or hobby, you don't think about what's bothering you. Last year, I tried snow skiing for the first time, and now I am hooked! Believe me, when I let one of my daughters (who had taken lessons) talk me into going down a "blue" hill on my first day, I wasn't thinking about my "problems" while I was tumbling down half the mountain! My daughter later told the whole family how she had never seen anyone fall the way Daddy did.
Roland D. Nolen
Better a Has-been than a Never-was. But better a Never-was than a Never-tried-to-be.
Anonymous
No one will ever see me quit, because I simply won't. If I start something, I will finish it and do it well.
Steve Belmarsh
Things will happen in your life that you can't stop, but that's no reason to shut out the world. There's a purpose for the good and for the bad."
Crazy Pete
Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
All things are possible until they are proved impossible and even the impossible may only be so, as of now.
Pearl S. Buck
All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.
Orison Swett Marden
Each of us has much more hidden inside us than we have had a chance to explore. Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits of our potential, we will never know what we have inside of us.
Muhammad Yunus
A limit on what you will do, puts a limit on what you can do.
Anonymous
You can give in to the failure messages and be a bitter deadbeat of excuses. Or you can choose to be happy and positive and excited about life.
A.L. Williams
Try new things: Overcome the fear (i.e., fear of failure, rejection, or pain)! When you're learning or doing a new sport or hobby, you don't think about what's bothering you. Last year, I tried snow skiing for the first time, and now I am hooked! Believe me, when I let one of my daughters (who had taken lessons) talk me into going down a "blue" hill on my first day, I wasn't thinking about my "problems" while I was tumbling down half the mountain! My daughter later told the whole family how she had never seen anyone fall the way Daddy did.
Roland D. Nolen
Better a Has-been than a Never-was. But better a Never-was than a Never-tried-to-be.
Anonymous
No one will ever see me quit, because I simply won't. If I start something, I will finish it and do it well.
Steve Belmarsh
Things will happen in your life that you can't stop, but that's no reason to shut out the world. There's a purpose for the good and for the bad."
Crazy Pete
Friday, February 11, 2011
A Penny
The shuffling of my black flat shoes became the only audible noise to me. I loved the sound my shoes would make against the concrete of the side-walk. I didn't recognize, however, that because of my exhaustion of the day, the rhythm of my shoes was the only thing I was aware of until something caught my attention. Just about fifteen feet in front of me, off on the shoulder of the side-walk, I saw an object that was not there before. Squinting my eyes in the hopes my eyes would focus to gain more detail from the distance I was at, I noticed that it was dark. The closer I got to the object, I recognized it was circular. There I was standing over this object trying to decide if I should touch it or not to ease my curiosity, but a couple seconds later, I recognized the faint picture on the circle and recognized its distinct circular size and shape and detected that is was most certainly a penny. Not moving at all, I came to another predicament: should I pick it up, or should I leave it here? Covered with filth and being worth only a cent, I almost left the penny there, but I decided to pick it up and stick it in my pocket. The rest of my walk to my house, I tried to decide if it was a victory I had just gained to find that penny or if it was just something in my daily life.
I recognized that I had no idea where that penny came from. The thought began to excite me for a moment. Why was the penny so dirty? Perhaps because it had been in the street for such a long time, but what if there was something more to it than that? Though I recognized I was fantasizing, I knew that this penny had been in the hands of multiple people before laying abandoned in the street. For all I knew, this penny that seemed completely worthless could have been held in the hands of the president of the United States. It could have been carried in a Soldier's pocket through battles defending our freedom. This penny could have be a token that someone gave to someone homeless which gave them the hope to keep going. The penny could have been through all these experiences or more, but I would never know because this penny was in a place seemingly commonplace to me. The value and identity of the penny was covered with the filth of the dirt around it. I was grateful I decided to pick up this penny when the filth on the penny almost dissuaded me.
When I entered my apartment and washed it to the best of my ability, I recognized its unique beauty. The copper color was visible again. How extraordinary is was that no matter how dirty the penny was, it could be cleaned.
I then took it to my room and stuck it in a jar with my other pennies that I had been collecting and realized that alone, the penny is the most worthless money in the American currency. All by itself it could probably not buy you anything, except for maybe a pony ride at King Soopers. But with other pennies and with other coins, it is the only coin that can do what it does. It has it's own symbol, it has it's own currency, and is made in one of two states.
So to interpret the analogy of the penny:
From a distance, people have an image, even if it is negative or dirty. The closer we get or the more we approach these people, the more we are able to recognize who that person is (their real identity). Yet, we are always faced with the question: Is this person even worth talking to or getting to know? People have all kinds of problems that we do not know if we want to deal or associate with, but we really don't understand where this person has been or what this person has gone through.
Before I continue with the analogy, I will give an example:
When someone says something hurtful to you, the first thing you want to do is point out all of the weakness of the other person and how what they did offended you. You see their weakness and it becomes highlighted into their personality and worth of them as an individual. Yet the more you begin to talk to the person, you begin to recognize that's there's more than what meets the eye. I have a student who acts out in class all the time. He says hurtful things to all the other students, called out hurtful things to me, and will trip or hurt other students. When I first saw this child, I dreaded his class knowing I had to deal with him. I saw him holding the door shut while other students were in the instrument room and I called him to tell him that was not acceptle. I raised my voice and he walked away from me. The rest of the class he kept calling out horrible remarks to me. After the class was through, I called him up to me, while signing his folder to ask him what was wrong. He told me that he had a difficult time with new teachers. Though he wouldn't completely open up to me, when I showed him I cared about him, he began to understand. The teacher told me that he was in a family situation where he's been yelled at his whole life. The only way he knows how to react to anything is in defense. He wants to be heard and understood and feels nobody sees him for who he is. Picking the penny up would equate to realizing that this person is hurting inside and does not feel loved at all.
By me washing the penny, I recognized that no matter how dirty the penny was, it could be cleaned. This thought became beautiful to me because it was so dirty, it barely had an identity No matter the mistakes we have made or the seriousness of sins we have committed, there is an atonement that has been made for us to partake of Christ's sacrifice and to repent of these sins we have committed and "Though your sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow." For us to not believe that another person can be cleansed or can changed is a mockery of what Jesus has done for us and we then are responsible for judging that person.
And the penny was not worth much. Oftentimes, we get so caught up on the value of something. We worry so much about how we are worthless or how we are not able to amount to anything. The truth, I think, is that often times we feel that way because we are trying to do everything by ourselves, when it is physically impossible. Compared to to God himself, we may not be much, but we have also been told that our worth and our value is so high, the riches of the world do not even compare to it. We are worth so much that God would send his only Begotten Son to die for us. But we must stand together to do anything meaningful or noteworthy.
My friend posted a video that kind of portrays what I am explaining:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1566836164169
I recognized that I had no idea where that penny came from. The thought began to excite me for a moment. Why was the penny so dirty? Perhaps because it had been in the street for such a long time, but what if there was something more to it than that? Though I recognized I was fantasizing, I knew that this penny had been in the hands of multiple people before laying abandoned in the street. For all I knew, this penny that seemed completely worthless could have been held in the hands of the president of the United States. It could have been carried in a Soldier's pocket through battles defending our freedom. This penny could have be a token that someone gave to someone homeless which gave them the hope to keep going. The penny could have been through all these experiences or more, but I would never know because this penny was in a place seemingly commonplace to me. The value and identity of the penny was covered with the filth of the dirt around it. I was grateful I decided to pick up this penny when the filth on the penny almost dissuaded me.
When I entered my apartment and washed it to the best of my ability, I recognized its unique beauty. The copper color was visible again. How extraordinary is was that no matter how dirty the penny was, it could be cleaned.
I then took it to my room and stuck it in a jar with my other pennies that I had been collecting and realized that alone, the penny is the most worthless money in the American currency. All by itself it could probably not buy you anything, except for maybe a pony ride at King Soopers. But with other pennies and with other coins, it is the only coin that can do what it does. It has it's own symbol, it has it's own currency, and is made in one of two states.
So to interpret the analogy of the penny:
From a distance, people have an image, even if it is negative or dirty. The closer we get or the more we approach these people, the more we are able to recognize who that person is (their real identity). Yet, we are always faced with the question: Is this person even worth talking to or getting to know? People have all kinds of problems that we do not know if we want to deal or associate with, but we really don't understand where this person has been or what this person has gone through.
Before I continue with the analogy, I will give an example:
When someone says something hurtful to you, the first thing you want to do is point out all of the weakness of the other person and how what they did offended you. You see their weakness and it becomes highlighted into their personality and worth of them as an individual. Yet the more you begin to talk to the person, you begin to recognize that's there's more than what meets the eye. I have a student who acts out in class all the time. He says hurtful things to all the other students, called out hurtful things to me, and will trip or hurt other students. When I first saw this child, I dreaded his class knowing I had to deal with him. I saw him holding the door shut while other students were in the instrument room and I called him to tell him that was not acceptle. I raised my voice and he walked away from me. The rest of the class he kept calling out horrible remarks to me. After the class was through, I called him up to me, while signing his folder to ask him what was wrong. He told me that he had a difficult time with new teachers. Though he wouldn't completely open up to me, when I showed him I cared about him, he began to understand. The teacher told me that he was in a family situation where he's been yelled at his whole life. The only way he knows how to react to anything is in defense. He wants to be heard and understood and feels nobody sees him for who he is. Picking the penny up would equate to realizing that this person is hurting inside and does not feel loved at all.
By me washing the penny, I recognized that no matter how dirty the penny was, it could be cleaned. This thought became beautiful to me because it was so dirty, it barely had an identity No matter the mistakes we have made or the seriousness of sins we have committed, there is an atonement that has been made for us to partake of Christ's sacrifice and to repent of these sins we have committed and "Though your sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow." For us to not believe that another person can be cleansed or can changed is a mockery of what Jesus has done for us and we then are responsible for judging that person.
And the penny was not worth much. Oftentimes, we get so caught up on the value of something. We worry so much about how we are worthless or how we are not able to amount to anything. The truth, I think, is that often times we feel that way because we are trying to do everything by ourselves, when it is physically impossible. Compared to to God himself, we may not be much, but we have also been told that our worth and our value is so high, the riches of the world do not even compare to it. We are worth so much that God would send his only Begotten Son to die for us. But we must stand together to do anything meaningful or noteworthy.
My friend posted a video that kind of portrays what I am explaining:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1566836164169
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