The Rest Between Breaths

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths."...Etty Hillesum

Boy, that's a truthism if I've ever heard one. Only problem is not enough deep breaths are taken and even when they are the pause between is toooo often all toooo brief. People can only twirl from one thing to another for so long before something gives out, tips over, or locks up. It's the pause between tasks or issues or emotions that makes it a smooth transition.

The interval separating one thing from the next functions like the clutch on a car. You can't get very far without it, and pushing it firmly to its limit gives the best results. If the delay between one location and the next has no gap at all it becomes all tangled and confusing.

Christmas lights may still function in a wad, but what's their point. Fuzzy yarn in a bunch requires lots of untangling before it becomes useable. Wadded up people still function, but untangled folks always excel in some fashion or another. And all it takes is just a bit of rest between breaths. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!


My thoughts about:
"When a person is writing in anger there is such a deep impression on the page but as the anger is released the pen becomes lighter, leaving hardly any impression. Would love to hear your thoughts on why that happens."... Brenda

Brenda, I think using pen and paper to channel anger is an excellent alternative to most other choices we could make. I use it when necessary to release pressure during irritating situations. Fact is some posts begin with me typing very firmly then as I voice my emotions the need to press hard is removed in equal measure to whatever energy is released.

We travel from our norm to anger at lightning speed; it's a bit like being dropped out of a recliner into the driver's seat of a car going 200 miles an hour. To get through it safely we have to focus on slowing down as smoothly as possible, skidding into a wall is all too easy otherwise.

There just isn't much more pointless a task than cleaning up debris created from a wreck you caused by being a wreck. Our anger hurts us much more than it ever does anyone else. Being mad at any situation we cannot change is quite insane, yet willing lunatics abound. The asylum offers voluntary housing; if you live there it's by choice alone. We all visit from time to time. Better all around to have control of anger instead of letting it have control of you.

Pen in hand.... trembling hand... grip almost fist-like... emotions in turmoil... HARD PRESSURE creating hard pressure on paper. Often the size of script is much larger than it ends up being when all rage is spent. With an outlet the words flow fast and furious then slow as the mind empties its hottest notions and emotions, leaving only cooler thoughts behind. A pen has a small opening and a limit to its speed of use.

A mouth does not. Anger and rage loosened through that opening often spews in directions never dreamed of and cleanup is always difficult. Damage control is much better served by doing some before the damage ever gets done. And a pen and paper is, I have found, a civilized use of a most uncivilized emotion. I have learned more of value about myself while working through my rage than I ever learned in any other way. And.... knowledge is empowering.

Thanks for all your comments and for the opportunity of using this place for a real meeting of minds. I welcome both from any and all who read here.

Simple Philosophy

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Scratch where it itches.".... Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of Theodore Roosevelt

Some of this I agree with 100%, some much less so, but doesn't it have a flow that makes you smile? I surely admire any philosopher who not only lives within boundaries they carve, but also takes the time to write it down. This venue is open to everyone in whatever measure they choose to utilize. Written down... or not... at least have one. Announcing it simply takes a different level of commitment to whatever your truth is at any given moment.

Once on paper whatever credit or blame the words earn belongs entirely to their creator. Fact is most often one pocket loads as the other drains when both occur in perfect sync from totally different directions. Anyone brave enough to stand erect on that razors edge has my attention, and if what they say makes me use my brain for thinking they always end up here.

Funny how this format got started to prove I could write about anything, but continued because it became a part of my personal philosophy to demand my head be more than just a not too shabby hat rack. Doing this demands I keep my attention on what I think about, how I process it, and the why of course.

The reason we do, say, or feel anything is one of the most vital keys to our inner kingdom. It takes more than simple thoughts drifting where they will... our brains rotate us all wobbly if given a free hand. I don't tell myself what to think once I assign my mind any given subject, but I do tell it what to think about. Without positive focus bad shit can creep on in, fumigating wastes time and energy better spent elsewhere.

Hell, I drive this lunatic somewhere worth going, or it would surly drive me someplace quite insane. A chauffeur is paid to take you to a destination of your choosing... pick for heavens sake, or be ready to pay a fortune for nothing of much real value. Once upon a time I never gave thinking a second thought. Now I know better. And for ill or good I write it down. I fill and I empty in this twisted way, but I'll leave all notions of scratching itches for close inspection on some other day. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!

Supersize

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or, more correctly, being loved in spite of yourself."... Victor Hugo

There isn't much glory in only loving the easy to adore. And there isn't all that much pleasure in being loved because its demanded by society per the placement of birth alone. Worst of all is to be little more than a habit someone preforms over and over by rote. Rote learning is programed by repetition. Just because we do the same action again and again doesn't give it more value. Fact is, some habits are extremely harmful.

Habitual emotions don't possess enough substance to keep flowing through anything but the thinnest of times. Get to any thickness, or add any sickness and the outcome is certain. Once used or abused it vanishes as completely as smoke in a stiff wind. The harder it blows, the faster it dissipates.

Very few of us can live a lifetime without being breezy enough to blow away any love without roots that travel soul deep. A robot could do as well as that. Sad really, how often we act robotic enough to be classified as heartless. Humans truly deserve a better love... given or received... than one that is simply habit formed.

It's a fact, we aren't always lovable. Hell, sometimes it's hard to even like ourselves all that much. Given enough time and practice most of us at least attempt to arrange ourselves in a fashion more easily admirable. And one of the things that makes this an easier task is a true love gifted when you least deserve it.

Love has many ingredients, and faith is one of its most invaluable components. When someone else has faith in your ability to alter any unlovable thing then half the battle is won. Whenver that certainty comes from your own soul... the war is almost done. Don't sell yourself short. Don't give or accept less than the real deal. Imitations won't stand the test of time. With luck the love you recieve in spite of yourself will be enough to last a lifetime long. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!

Sacred Enclosure

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your promotion."... Ralph Waldo Emerson

This I believe is true... but on bad days things may cross the threshold of even the most well guarded brains. Unwanted notions that take root, build a nest, and raise a family do so by invitation only. Positive can totally fill any depression that negative digs, but we have to man the shovel with all the strength we can manage.

Humans are bundles of nerve endings and offence is easily taken were none is intended. Hell, there are so many variables into every event that occurs in our lifetime. I know what flips my switches and what happens next if I allow human nature to take its course. And knowledge is power.

Knowing the limits of loved ones helps us to separate what should get our goat and what cannot. Teaching them our own limits helps avoid misunderstandings on their side of the relationship. Mind control is the exercise of processing thoughts in a way that eases our soul. Wounded animals are dangerous and the same can be said for humans. We can be satisfied to be simply a blind reaction to events, or we can get hold of ourselves and aim for loftier territory.

It's really our choice. When we truly take responsible for whatever calm or war is going on inside of our own core, we police our brains much differently. The best thing you can do to guarantee a sacred enclosure is to redecorate the temple then don't invite any more squatters to your church. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!

Just a Day Away

TODAY'S QUOTE:
Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized.... Leo Buscaglia, 1924-1998, American Author

It's always a sure bet to invest some real awareness in the moment... I recommend owning them whenever possible. It guarantees a more balanced orbit through reality, whatever that happens to be at any given time. Life turns on a dime, blindsiding all of us in our turn. One minute we're upright the next prone and dazed. Close attention to detail makes it much safer to rise.
Hell, seems I wasted my entire youth wishing for a better tomorrow... looking to it to save me somehow. Wasn't until after I started fixing today that my tomorrows got any better.

Worst mistake I ever made was thinking any responsibility for my happiness rested in anyone else's hands. Why do we humans wish and wait for the unattainable? If my today's didn't suit me all those years ago, I shouldah'... couldah' altered the pattern, yet I didn't. My fault... my yesterdays were all wasted on tomorrows that never arrived.

I hope the worst of my wasteful days are done and gone. No matter how many times I've fallen off the horse, so far I've always climbed back on. Tell you true... I'm plenty tired of hittin' the dirt, though. Dust is a very poor meal. I do my very best nowadays to keep soil off my plate. And I don't wait for tomorrow to be realized, because I'm too busy living today. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!

A Successful Formula

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."... Lou Holtz

Man oh man... wish I'd been the one to say that. I agree with every word and its perfect placement. All of us can use this formula and be successful with whatever we apply it toward. How much success depends on what percentage of each we apply. It differs by speed stirred, temperature used, and how long applied, but every valiant effort is rewarded with a banquet of some sort. This i KNOW to be true.
Directing of feet toward a path of personal victory requires a careful domination of what goes on inside the head doing the navigation. What kind of fuel is it using? If its not fed properly why expect it to function as intended? How bad does it smoke when its pushed to its limit? Mind control is a very good thing when we use it on ourselves. Controlling what enters gives us so much more input into what it does once inserted and what emissions if any exit once processed. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!
I realize my posts are brief... I'm working on loftier endeavors as well as what I do here... but truly none are more important than touching all who read here. If you're new here hit archives (around 200 posts there) and enjoy, or scroll down and visit my other blog, (over 500 posts there)...

Friendship

TODAY'S QUOTE:

"Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world."... Eleanor Roosevelt

True that... if we cannot even get along with ourselves how can we cope with any other relationship? Each of us possesses such limitless potential, well past what most imagine as their utmost capability. And the times we get short-sheeted the worst it's usually us tucking in the corners. If my worst enemy is me, who can be blamed for taking my lead?
All of us have regrets; none possess any claim to perfection, but that doesn't mean self-hate will correct our blemishes. Bitterness illuminates while forgiveness emancipates, and the most important one to pardon is yourself. We're just as human as the next guy, yet the punishment we suffer at our own hand is always much harsher than what is deemed fair for others.
Intentions matter more than we realize, be worthy of friendship by beginning with yourself. Believe in your power to evolve. Do unto yourself as you want others to do unto you and that practice will extend outward by default.
I received the link posted below from a very wise man. We agree that it really isn't a secret at all... we all should realize our worth and celebrate all blessings great and small. In life things are really much simpler than we make them. Beginning a day with this reminder would enrich every moment that came after. Enjoy it... I certainly did. And ... Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKwVlTFjYXo&feature=related

Keep Knocking

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"Keep knocking, and the joy inside will eventually open a window and look out to see who's there."... Rumi

I knocked... and knocked... and knocked... and, oh well you get the picture etc. and such. Hell, I banged on well past the time when someone saner would've surely given up all hope of an answer. As far as I was concerned there were only two options; murder the portion of myself that still believed in happily-ever-after, or continue knocking.
I had no alternative unless I was willing to be zombieized, which simply didn't suit me in the least. My soul demanded what it knew truly existed, even if my mind resisted and my heart wept in frustration. I hammered out what I knew to be my own primal beat for survival.
The snap of the lock was the sweetest sound I've ever heard. I discovered joy intense enough to be damn near indescribable. Suddenly I faced life with more hope than is common and living became a personal challenge. The joy was always there, it only waited for me to free myself from things that muted its song. I found joy in my own company long before I found my soul-mate. He didn't begin this trip with me, yet I can't imagine a life without him as its center.
I view him as a priceless reward. He makes up for the agony of getting this far on a journey that never would've been this kind of adventure if I'd ever lost my fairy-tale faith. Keep banging my friends. Hammer for freedoms sake. Invest your knuckles in a future worthy of countless battle scars. Allow your pain to be a fair price for something worthwhile. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!

Flip The Script

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"It's never too late—in fiction or in life—to revise." ... Nancy Thayer

Change can occur at any given time, and progress at any speed. Fact is, once it hits full stride it often accelerates past any planned destination, ending up wherever fate decrees. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since we all too often underestimate our own potential. Fear and doubt are common denominators, keeping us stationary when any movement at all would improve our situation in some fashion.

What is seems so much safer to some than what might be; the demon known is preferred to the one imagined. Plodding on in a rut becomes nothing more than habit, done without forethought then easily forgotten. We often program ourselves to keep all expectations low, if we can be bothered to have any at all. We forget that whatever is written is completely controlled by the author. If someone else is doodling in your margins or altering events to suit their own agenda, then gracefully gather up your shit and set it right.   

If it's not penned to suit the plot you created then edit, revise, or flip the script altogether. Being little more than the sum total of things that happen to you isn't ideal; cast yourself a better part in the story that is your life. Begin again until what you wear suits your soul. Think about it... Let it ride... Then decide!!!

Value Yourself

TODAY'S QUOTE:
"If you really do put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price."...Anonymous

Oh boy, this quote is a scary kinda true. How we see ourselves is a mirror of our own creation. When others look at us they only see whatever we project. Nowadays folks pick and choose quickly, we just don't have the time or energy to excavate relationships. Sometimes first impressions are all the chance we ever have, once a mind is decided its no easy task to alter. Lots is lost on misconceptions, putting more forethought into our reflection guarantees an unobstructed view.

Our appearance is only a small part of the whole picture. Attitude matters more than attire. A snappy walk, twinkling eyes, and a smile outshine diamonds. We can't always be assured of the best wardrobe, but how we dress our face is certainly under our control.

If you were a product how would you market yourself? Same premise with people... put it at eye level and dress it for success. Be approachable... Be real... Be positive. You can test how well you're doing in the faces all around. Do expressions change when others gaze in your direction? If so in what way are they altered? If you don't like their reflection all that much, soften what they see and perhaps they'll return the favor. Think about it... Let it ride... Then YOU decide!!!

Love Lessons

Today's Quote:
"Every instance of heartbreak can teach us powerful lessons about creating the kind of love we really want." Martha Beck

This is true to an extent we cannot even begin to imagine in our youth. All we know then is that having a broken heart seems fatal. By the time we hit our prime heartache becomes a way of life for some; more of the same is all that's expected... so of course that's mostly what is received.

Standing at the bus stop to catch a plane isn't sane behavior. Retaking the exact steps you've always taken then wondering why you end up in the same place rates about equal on the "DUH" meter. Repetitive motions just deepen our ruts. We've all been guilty of that in one form or another... recognizing our folly is the only avenue toward an alternate route.

Recognizing heartache as the wisest teacher takes some deep thought; thinking is next to impossible when you're so busy feeling. I figure that's why it takes us all so long to get a real clue. It's a catch 22... a blessing and a burden... pain that teaches pleasure.

Any suffering in my lifetime has turned out to be the cost paid for half of the island my soul-mate and I inhabit in perfect peace. I didn't always view my agony as part of the reward. Joy taught me the real value of pain.

If I'd never been abused I wouldn't rest so comfy in my treasured role. If there had never been screams would I value this blessed silence so completely. If having a jailer taught me anything precious its how glorious freedom feels. If I'd never known true agony how much lesser would be my joy???

One taught me what I don't want... the other gave me everything I imagined and more. Bad love shrinks what it touched. Good love expands, always leaving enough room for growth. I cannot thank my abuser for what he took but I thank God that some measure of value came from my pain. Brutal lessons pay hefty dividends, but only if you alter direction and pull out of the 'DUH' lane. Think about it... let it ride... then YOU decide!!!