Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Happy Holidays



I am the reflection of my Source, which is magnificent in all ways. And I will practice wanting for others, what I want for myself, by being Christlike rather than a Christian.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Seek the Hidden Secrets Within Ourselves



Vain are the beliefs and teachings that make man miserable, and false is the goodness that leads him into sorrow and despair, for it is man's purpose to be happy on this earth and lead the way to felicity and preach its gospel wherever he goes. He who does not see the kingdom of heaven in this life will never see it in the coming life. We came not into this life by exile, but we came as innocent creatures of God, to learn how to worship the holy and eternal spirit and seek the hidden secrets within ourselves from the beauty of life. This is the truth which I have learned from the teachings of the Nazarene.
Khalil Gibran in Spirits Rebellious (1908) "Khalil The Heretic" Part 3

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

At This Party



I don't want to be the only one here

Telling all the secrets -


Filling up all the bowls at this party,

Taking all the laughs.


I would like you

To start putting things on the table

That can also feed the soul

The way I do.


That way

We can invite


A hell of a lot more

Friends.


by Hafiz

Friday, December 11, 2009

Loneliness is the Leprosy of the West


In the West there is loneliness, which I call the leprosy of the West. In many ways it is worse than our poor in Calcutta. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives--the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. These poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.
Mother Teresa

I remember growing up with this pervading sense of loneliness. My Dad left when I was three. My Mom was overwhelmed with her own issues. When I was 7, a stepfather entered my life, who was angry and violent. Much of his unhappiness was released upon me. I felt a deep sense of being unwanted.

By High school I became aware enough of those around me to see a terrible hunger for love among my peers. This was an epiphany of spirit for me. For the first time I began to open up to others, to the Creator, to learning to love myself. For the very first time I voiced a personal creed ~ I will reach out to the lonely all around me and the loneliness within me, and begin to love all of them.

To this day I still feel and follow my Creed. I work with High School Students every Wednesday and Sunday. It is no surprise that things haven’t changed much since I was in High School. Loneliness permeates and saturates deep into so many of their lives. They don’t need me to be hip and cool. They are surrounded by actors who portray hip and cool. They hunger for love. They crave a warm hug. They are famished to be wanted.

I give them hugs, I miss them, I laugh and cry with them, I listen to them with my heart. I love them. In that connection of kindness and giving, I find my own loneliness being healed.

It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving. Mother Teresa

Thursday, December 10, 2009

PLEASE, Just Share One thing That Makes You Happy


Hello dear friend and fellow traveller,

I'm starting a "new" journey today. An Epic Journey actually in search of overflowing Happiness. I am eager, excited and a little unsure. I want to hear, discuss, learn and share what it is that makes us happy. Not just "OK", but enthralled! Happy with a gleam in our eye type of happy. Happy like "Singin in the rain" happy. Finding our bliss happy. Ecstatic, inspired, joyful, belly laughing type of happy. Is it possible?

You have already made me smile by opening the door here, pausing and visiting with me. Of the six billion people in our world, I am grateful for You.

Please share with me something that makes you this type of happy . . .