April 26, 2010

TODAY'S TUNE [ON/OFF]


"Time in a Bottle"

If the song doesn't play, simply:
ENTER HERE to open a media window.

Fascinating Facts...
Can You Spell "Walkies"?

Yes You Can!...
Ask for Help

Just for YOU...
Treats & Announcements

Online All the Time...
Computer Tips, Travel Guides, Books, Quotes, Music & More

BE the World
You Want to See!

During a final speech in a Dale Carnegie class in 1990, these unexpected words emerged from my lips: "While I've always considered myself a major risk taker, I now realize that I've never, ever risked ME. People would approach me cautiously because of my daunting protective wall. Today, I'm choosing to remove that barrier and open my heart." Since that moment of choice, my life has continued to blossom.

~ Chelle Thompson, Editor

GO HERE TO FIND OUT HOW
... you can help people in Haiti and
elsewhere without any risk.

From the Inside Out
NEVER TOO LATE

A long time ago, in a far away land, lived a princess of great beauty and charm, but apparently little else. She would spend endless hours admiring herself in the mirror and never ventured far from home to experience the broader aspects of life. She was preparing herself, she believed, for that special suitor that was to come along and sweep her off her feet.

The other princesses knew this about her and had grown weary of her endless chatter on the subject. They too wished for a proper suitor to arrive, but they never feared venturing out into the world while they waited. Since there was no need for them to engage in formal work, they took it upon themselves to help those persons in need with whatever services they could provide. A poor street beggar would receive some scraps of food. A lost or orphaned child would be taken to a special home. Elderly people of all types were aided with their needs.

Caring for others was at times difficult work, but these young women had become accustomed to it and they rarely complained. They used to invite their friend Isabelle, the reclusive one who lived in front of the mirror, but she consistently declined to take part so they stopped inviting her altogether.

One day, a fine young man arrived in the village, in search of his father whom he had not seen in a very long time. As Andrew scoured the town looking for his father, he came upon the contingent of princesses and asked for their help. Evelyn, the eldest of the group, stepped forward and informed him that his father had already passed on. Andrew was depressed. His life had become so busy that he failed to come around when he should have and ultimately missed that final opportunity to mend the relationship with his father.

The young women took him to the burial site and left him. "Oh father," he began, "I am so sorry I missed you. I am so sorry I did not come earlier. I guess I was just afraid to. I always wanted to tell you that I loved you, but the timing never seemed right, and neither of us was all that comfortable with that kind of talk. So I kept putting it off and here I am now, regretting it."

Just then an angel descended upon the scene. She said to Andrew: "My task is to escort Souls back to the Eternal. Your father was one of those Souls I helped guide this past year. As the time came for the two of us to move on, his demeanor changed, for now he realized you would not arrive on time. I promised that I would return here, to his grave site, on the day you did arrive, and bring his final message to you."

"My dear son," she began, "I regret not seeing you in my final hours. I was hoping you would arrive before I passed on but I couldn't hold on any longer. I fixed my gaze on the heavens and asked to be taken up. My body was too weakened to carry on. To that final breath I would have cherished a few more moments with you but I knew you had things to do. So with my angel friend here, I arranged for this message to be delivered.

"I hope you are well and I do wish you to know that I always loved you. I could have told you more often, but that wasn't me, awkward and shy to the end. I know you needed to hear such words, but I was too old to learn another way. However, I can say it now, rather easily it seems. I hope you will accept that these words are from me."

The angel departed and Andrew headed back to the village. There he encountered Evelyn and the other princesses and they described his father's final days, saying they were all pleased to have known him. They had one regret; that they could never get their fellow princess, Isabelle, involved so that she too could have known such a fine man. "Isabelle sounds a lot like me," Andrew suggested, "isolated, alone and wrapped up in herself." The princesses agreed that there were some similarities, but added that Isabelle was still waiting for her fantasies to occur, while Andrew had finally come to his senses.

As Andrew wondered what he might do next, he made the decision to stay for a few days. Would the young princesses mind if he joined them on their rounds? Perhaps by helping some of the other elderly citizens could he get a taste of his father's final days? He knew for certain that he did not want to wind up like Isabelle, who, he could now accept, was more like what he used to be. He would no longer be so wrapped up in the world of affairs or appearances, nor would he wait for some special person to come along to make his life whole. Rather, he would get involved in life by mixing with the people already around him.

Andrew was about to learn a number of lessons that would be valuable to his new life. He would learn that moving closer to others helps one come closer to their true self. It is by risking oneself in such closeness that one truly finds the meaning and value of Love. Such love cannot be found in a mirror or in some vast array of accomplishments. This Love, and its inherent meaning for Life, simply lies in the hearts and souls of those nearest to you and in your willingness to share your heart and soul in return.

The true nature of Love is one of "extension." It is through "extension" that this Love grows. Andrew's heart was about to expand beyond boundaries he had previously held on to. He would know for himself the true nature of this Cosmic Love and for that he felt grateful.

~ Excerpted from "Parables on Grief & Loss" By Maurice Turmel PhD,
a 25 year veteran therapist who currently directs programs at The Ascension Training Centre.
He is a contributing writer to Trans4Mind.com, a Personal Growth website. He has 4 books to his credit:
1) The Voice: A Mythological Guide to Lightworker Service 2) Conscious Evolution - Preparing for
Ascension 2012 3) How to Cope with Grief and Loss 4) Twelve Steps to Ascension. He is also a
singer/songwriter whose music can be heard here: http://ascensiontrainingcentre.com/music
Main Website: http://ascensiontrainingcentre.com


*Other Stories & More*

*READ OUR CORRESPONDING ARTICLE: "5 Lessons I Learned From My Vacuum Cleaner" Meaningful Life Answers & Encouragement Blogboard

ENTER HERE FOR OUR NURTURING NEWS BLOG:
"What Does It Mean to Receive?"

NEVER MISS A POSTING ... ADD OUR 'NURTURING NEWS BLOG' TO YOUR VERY OWN HOME PAGE

Fascinating Facts
CAN YOU SPELL 'WALKIES'?

Does your dog R-E-A-D your M-I-N-D? FIND OUT HERE

Yes You Can!
ASK FOR HELP ...

I heard a wise phrase the other day: "In every moment, you are either serving or being served." The give and take, or giving and receiving, is a constant balance of life. How often to you serve others, and how often do you allow others to serve you? Is it easier for you to give than to receive? The other side of volunteering is asking for help. Today, more and more individuals need help — in big ways and small, and asking...... well, is not so easy. I stumbled across a fantastic example of this blend of giving and receiving, in William Brandon Shanley's grassroots company: Give, Get, Share. His slogan is a mathematical equation: +Give -Get = Share ... "We're a gifts-and-wishes pool. We match resources with needs. We organize goods, services, people power, brainpower, and the indomitable human spirit and make them available to everyone for free. As a public service. To help people. To enhance life. To save the Earth." Shanley said, "Give Get Share is about values fulfillment of knowledge, inspiration, professional services or the arts. You can be a millionaire in Miami and be lonely, and ashamed of your loneliness. But to a family of five, who are needing a grandparent, it is a gift." Currently, there are more Americans living alone than any time in history. According to the General Social Survey from Duke University, 25% of Americans have had no one to discuss important life matters with in the last six months. The idea of success being tied to self reliance is strong, and asking for help is a sign of weakness — at what cost to us all? With unemployment rates climbing ever higher, the emotions of frustration, anger, shame, depression and fear preclude the ability to access resources needed to maneuver through the tidal waves. "There's nothing anyone can do," is the easy answer. Yet, maybe someone can lend a hand, pitch in, make you laugh, and ease the burden just a tiny bit — if you just ask. Greg Cortopassi, founder of Launch Your Dreams, is a career and life coach, who offers the idea of service as a 'life skill' that has to be exercised like a muscle; and the act of contributing and receiving is something we are always doing. The better we become at serving, and allowing ourselves to be served, the greater our capacity for joy in life. "Many people view the idea of service or contribution as something that comes from a feeling of guilt or obligation to their work, families or communities. Most people perceive that they are just not the 'volunteer types,' don't get involved unless they have to, and then the act of serving is half-hearted," he explained. "If we hold a perspective that anyone on our path is an opportunity to serve, then it doesn't become conditional or loaded. On the flip side, if we can't receive when someone or something is trying to serve us, it also blocks the flow." There is a balance in serving and being served. Some of us are better at one than another. Here's a simple example. If someone pays you a compliment, how often are you tempted to either discount it, or quickly offer another one back as a hot potato toss? Come on, admit it. One of those, 'You look great today,' followed by an instant: 'thanks, so do you!' Someone was making an attempt to serve, in a simple and lovely way. Why is it so hard to simply say, "Thank you," and receive? The fear of opening our hearts to others, being vulnerable, being 'seen' is one of the culprits to the rising feelings of loneliness, isolation and disconnection in the United States. Despite the assurances the recession is slowing down, many folks on Main Street have not seen the tidal waters receding, and the riptides are moving the shoreline farther and farther out of reach. When people are flailing to stay above water, asking for help is not always on the top of their minds. People are losing their homes, downsizing, coping with job loss, holding off on college and giving up stress relieving vacations. It is time to move aside the fabricated curtain of "everything's fine" syndrome. The other side of volunteering is allowing someone to help you, to keep you company, to care about you. Our nation became the country it is by individuals taking turns serving one another, and being served in turn. How do you serve your fellow human beings? Do you know someone who is coping with cancer, lost a job, or is down and out, who could use a hug, a kind word or a referral for a job lead? Serving them in turn serves our country, and helps you forget about your own troubles for awhile. ~ By Kari Henley who is the founder of KH Consulting, and is currently the President of the Board of Directors at the Women & Family Life Center. She organizes and facilitates the Association of Women Business Leaders (AWBL). Kari combines her understanding of team building, leadership and communication skills, depth psychology, and Women's studies with her practical knowledge to create meaningful lectures and retreats.

Just for YOU
TREATS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Visit Dr. Sinor's New Blog: INSPIRATION FOR RECOVERY Dr. Barbara Sinor's Blog is filled with articles, books and inspiration to further your healing and recovery from life's traumas, passages, and addictions. "Let's be fellow adventurers on our journey toward more peace and compassion; be sure to leave your comments at the end of each post... www.DrSinor.Blogspot.com. For more detailed information about me and my work, visit my web site at: www.DrSinor.com. "My newest book, Tales of Addiction and Inspiration for Recovery, contains potent true-life addiction stories told by people you will never meet but whose words will haunt you for months, years maybe. Interwoven throughout, the author's son and herself share their story of pain and struggle. The book's Foreword is by renown educator and author Cardwell C. Nuckols, Ph.D. Dr. Nuckols writes, "Alcohol and drugs are not the wrong direction--just the wrong method to search for our path. Alcohol and drugs many times give us a glimpse of the Self and our natural desire for transcendence... Tales of Addiction is a gift from Dr. Sinor's Self to ours; it is her ability to see and understand the love and beauty inside of others that makes this book a source of healing.'"

RECOMMENDED GOODIES