:: Aham Prema ::

Forwarded in an email by a friend.  Loved this! :) And as you stand there Late again Because you forgot to allow time to park And the elevator was slow And you left 10 minutes late to begin with With your shoes that pinch And your pants that are a little too small Since you started eating white bread again And as you paw through your bag Looking for the suite number That you're not sure you wrote down to begin with Let us now praise you. You, the untidy. You, the careless. You, the easily distracted by sparkly things. The money you spend on late fees alone Could feed a family in Africa - Which reminds you that you meant to send in the kids' Unicef money and Forgot. And that despite your best efforts, You rarely eat a square meal, You almost never get enough sleep And exercise seems like a word that magazines have developed Just to make you feel bad about yourself. But you are good and brave. You, flying by the seat of your pants Making it work...

Gratitude is the easiest way to really be happy. We’ve been taught this so much that we don’t value it anymore. However, giving thanks not only improves your living, it heals feelings, and allows joy to be a regular force in your life. Sure it sounds easy. But so many of us are numb to the feeling of being thankful. We take for granted the soft pillow that comforts our head and the clean water we have for a bath. Small things - sure, yet huge conveniences and benefits. We’d definitely notice if they were gone! Not until my own personal experience with this lesson, did I know it so well myself. About a year ago my mom’s house was in one of the California wildfire areas. She got her favorite items and animals and evacuated her home. The firemen decided it was too dangerous to protect the canyon where her home is. They let the fire go free in the whole canyon. My mom was devastated. I was stuck at work and longed to be there to support her...

There are very few couples I look up to today.  It seems more and more are unhappy, unfaithful, and/or non-existent.   A woman that I look up to a lot, not only because of her sweet and loving personality, but also because of her success in love, marriage, children, and her career, recommended I write a love wish list.   She says that this was what she did just before she found her husband.  They have been married for about 20 years, have three amazing children, and are a great team together.  It's so fun to hang out with them to see the possibilities that are out there.  So she told me to make a list and she'll have to interview whomever I date to make sure they are the one.... =P I've made these before but I thought it would be a good time to make a completely fresh, new list.  It's worth a shot. :) My Love Wish List (Qualities of My Ideal Partner) : Loyal Loving Great with AJ Laughs at life Affectionate Intelligent Funny Open Min...

Today was my first time being back in school after taking a few years off.  I’ve enjoyed school a lot for quite a while now.  I noticed last time I returned to school, about four years ago after taking a break for nearly five years, that I had changed my attitude about learning.  I went from feeling bothered that my time was being used for something that I didn’t value to feeling very appreciative for the opportunity to learn.  It wasn’t easy to squeeze into my schedule, it was hard to afford to go, and it was tough the first day of class, but I realized the wonderful benefit of learning in an environment dedicated to teaching me.  Although I appreciated learning, it was very hard to give up time with my young son at the time.  I decided to put my education on hold for a few more years to focus on treasuring the time with him while he was so little. Well, it’s finally the right time to return to school.  I have a wonderful support network and all...

I am one who LOVES technology and the conveniences of a modern lifestyle. Two of my favorite posessions are my MacBook and iPhone. They make life easier and more fun. =) However, going out of range and away from chargers was absolutely refreshing last week. I spent seven days camping in the Sierras, on the backside of Yosemite. Fresh air, a running creek, lots of trees, a campfire, the warm sun, and simple family times were such a delightful change from the usual routine. It took a good three days to adjust and truly appreciate my surroundings, but this trip out of "the norm" was deeply nurturing in many ways. So many things about the trip stand out.   Playing with the kids brought out my inner child. Seeing my son catch his first fish was absolutely amazing (please note it was the biggest one of the day, of course). Hanging out with my mom and dancing to "I'm Too Sexy" was a blast. Sitting on a big rock in the middle of flowing water and soaking up the su...

There’s always some sadness as I feel that time is slipping away. Never again in this lifetime will I be a young girl in my teens or twenties. Those days are behind me now - for good. It’s a reminder that this beautiful life is not forever… being with that thought both hurts and relieves me at the same time. However, it is with incredible enthusiasm that I step forward. Each day I become more me . Now I stand on a greater foundation, with outstanding vision, faith, and a solid relationship with my self. It seems every birthday brings some kind of weird mood. It's something nearly all of us go through, I think. On my 26 th birthday I decided I was no longer a helpless princess. On that day I first faced the feelings of getting older. “What more is there to look forward to?” I questioned my self. “No more exciting birthdays in the future?” At that moment, I decided to change into a Queen. It was a mindset shift into greater power within myself...

Life is challenging. At times it seems like a test - or perhaps a final exam. It can feel like a culmination of your previous lessons where everything is on the line and every move you make is extremely important. At these pivotal points - and sometimes in our regular daily active life - it can seem impossible to make it. Or perhaps not worth the trouble. But these challenges are the exact things that we need to grow. As we master our smaller lessons, they get bigger and may seem impossible at times. It's important to trust, especially when everything is on the line. Notice it always works out somehow. Check your faith and your "talk" or ideals. While you're at it, step more fully into it. "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". ~ Hebrews 11:1 Although you can't always see how everything can work out, you often can see the next step to take. There may be several options and it m...

Read this in a book a while back. I picked it up because I thought it was kinda funny and would be interesting. Just found the notes I had taken... Helpful things for us to keep in mind. Good for me to reconnect with too. We could all learn a bit about relationships and connecting with others! :) Six Ways to Make People Like You: 1. Become genuinely interested in others. 2. Smile. 3. Remember that a man's name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in the English language. 4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. 5. Talk in terms of the other person's interest. 6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely. Can't we all just get along? :) Have fun!