Posts Tagged ‘God’

A life imagined.

Imagine…-This

“I have found adventure in flying, in world travel, in business, and even close at hand… Adventure is a state of mind – and spirit.”- Jacqueline Cochran

We all want control and have visions  of what our future will hold. However, usually  while we’re making plans life  just happens. In these “derailments,” we find things we didn’t know were there. Such as strength, love, purpose, dreams, and new goals. Whatever your vision is, with perseverance, hope,faith  and determination that life is definitely possible! Sometimes we fly above these visions to revisit what we thought our life would be, before coming back down to earth  to what our lives actually are. When we’re looking down from above time  will reveal it’s perfect timing in  our life’s narrative. While some realities seem better than others, none are completely perfect. After all life really is what you make of it.  We feel as if we let go of the steering wheel that we’ll crash;but sometimes the opposite is true. Oddly enough, it is when we let go that we’ll find ourselves going in exactly the right direction. While life can certainly be a cruel mistress, She also has the capacity for grace. A grace that lends itself when you feel undeserving, a grace that finds you in your most trying times, and a grace that never ceases to surprise you. In these surprises you may come to find that the fork in the road was a detour you  needed to take, before reaching the final destination. I’d like to believe that my own detour of a massive stroke not only nearly killed me, but also gave me life. Because without it, I would not have discovered my true strength, seen the beauty of true love, and even more so learned what having faith can accomplish.

fly above and not below!

bleu

My Generation

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MnDbWqe_kQ&w=420&h=315%5D

 

“With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” -Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Each generation wants to think they’re better  than the last. It’s  at the point when you start seriously noticing the differences between your generation and subsequent  ones  that  it makes you feel old. Well, my friends  I guess I’m “old.”   I’m considered part of the annoying  millennial generation, which has been watched by the world most of our lives. However, as a millennial  I have noticed some things about the yet to be officially named generation of current 20- somethings. Not to be confused with baby boomers, the millennial  generation as well as  current 20- somethings  could easily  fall under the  same umbrella, the “Me Generation.”  With the rise of social media, apps that do  almost everything, and new technologies,  self absorption has never been easier. Unfortunately, along with self absorption comes  a lack of ambition, laziness, and a  near complete disregard for other people. It’s far too easy to think(and talk, and Instagram, and Snapchat,and Facebook)  about yourself all day, rather than more outwardly consider the rest of the world around you. Therefore, if you are an individual that hasn’t been  brainwashed by social media, get out there, do something, and help someone other than yourself! I promise it feels really good to help someone else. This leads into the question of “ Would we be more fulfilled if we helped each other more?” Not only would a movement of selflessness  make our lives more enriching, but collectively easier. If we were able to count on someone other than ourselves it would lead to a lot  less stress and a lot more breathing room. Having less stress means less physical ailments and even  many  diseases!  Everyone wins. We don’t have to imagine a world like this when we easily have the  power to start  a  movement like this today. All it takes is one person and one  act of selflessness , simply just do it , and help start a chain reaction of kindness, love, and helping.

step out!

bleu

 
 
 

Impact

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“You can’t get rid of fear, it’s like  Mother Nature.You can’t beat it or outrun it, but you can get through it, and find out what you’re made of.”  – the good dinosaur(Pixar)

Whether your influence is of the dark or of the light, both really matter. Because like  in bumper cars, sometimes life hits us  and  we get  sent in all sorts of directions, but after the initial impact we can usually choose in which direction we’re  going to go. We all deal with things differently, and over time like butterflies, we experience a metamorphosis. Where one person can turn  a bad circumstance into good, others mistakenly follow or choose  a darker path. The world expertly presents us with things that are  “good,”  but are  actually cloaked in darkness. For example, all that yummy processed food that will eventually kill you, or the allure of tarot cards and the occult.This was pointed out to me in a dream recently.  No matter what  your trial  is you have a choice in how to deal with it. Oftentimes our trials  change  us,  like water running over rocks and changing their shapes and textures. Not only do trials and time change us, but they also show us what we’re made of.  Some of us will be pleasantly surprised by our resilience, while others bitterly disappointed by our brokenness. The fact is, we all have the potential to be either built up or broken down. That’s why it’s so important to choose the paths that lead you into  the light of happiness, faith, love, and hope. Rather than  the darkness of negativity,hopelessness, and depression.  Whatever your going through there are many positive resources available to you, you just have to do some foot work! Not only that, but pay attention to and remind yourself of all the things that  give life beauty. Whether it be in nature or in human kindness(like the video below )

Florence and the Machine sing to and for a young girl with cancer in Her hospital room that couldn’t attend  their concert.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzw7MOBS9lg&w=560&h=315%5D

if you  slow down and look  closer you will find it. I promise you it’s there.

cheers + love + hope!

bleu

Human Angels

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“Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.” -Thomas Paine.

I came into his  Emergency Department unresponsive on  a gurney. This man had never seen me before and  We had never spoken. Yet, even  so He took it upon  himself, bound and determined to save my life. The life of a person that had never included  him  until it nearly slipped away. I’m not sure why I was so   blessed to have been chosen as   a  special  case   for him, but I was and I’m sure that I’m alive to write this today  because of  that.  Not too long ago this very man passed away from this world into  the next. It was a loss not only for his family, but for everyone. Because, that day the world lost a unique and special soul. For me, I lost  a guardian angel. Who knows why certain people come in and out of our lives? However, in  special cases not all of them are merely human. Without even knowing it, your  life’s path may very well  come across  an angels. It’s difficult to convey in words how much of an impact a man I didn’t really know had in my life. The fact that a near perfect stranger rushed to my hospital bedside at all hours of the night to rescue me was surely an act of love. No ordinary(and naturally selfish) person would do that. Upon  learning of his passing it was incredible to take into account the impact that this individual had, had  on my life and so many others. It would be a  crime to waste the incredible gift that He had given me.  This triple board certified physician specialist(in ICU and stroke) possessed a brilliant mind, big heart, and a pair of talented hands. The first(and only) time I met him  after the stroke, my Mother observed him quietly staring at me for several minutes while I talked to other hospital employees. We both wonder what He must’ve been thinking. Surely, still working out  solutions for his “ special case,” even then.  Even though our second trip to see him again did not come to pass, his prediction did. “ The next time I see  you, you’ll be walking.”  Indeed I am not only  now  walking  but the next time I see him I’ll be running! In this journey through life none of  us complete it entirely on our own.  As if it were an  iditarod(see here) there is always someone  special that appears and helps you on the way to the finish line.  For me, during the long and  difficult race, I had a  very capable and giant helping hand in   Doctor Devasenapathy, or better known as   “ Dr. D.”     He  not only helped me to complete the race, but to  stay in the race at all. Therefore,  show kindness and love to your fellow man, because you never know when you might be entertaining an angel.

walk in love!

bleu

 

Damsel

Train Tracks
“Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.” -Winston Churchill

Perhaps you’re afraid of commitment, a strong independent  Woman, or claustrophobic. Therefore, you  likely  dislike and understand feeling tied down. Everyone wants to feel free to do what they want to do. However, there are things in life that can restrict us, and understandably so, we really hate that. Anything that serves to hold you back, hold you up, or hold you  down must go! We forget that these things aren’t always physical, but many are emotional too. If you cannot at least rid yourself of the physical circumstances, the good news is that the emotional ones you can. After all, give anything time and work on it with determination, perseverance,  with grit, and it will change. For a time in my case it was the ball and chain of medications. I  left the hospital with a tray full of nearly  ten(10!) different daily medications, a feeding tube, a daily shot, and confined to a home hospital bed. That was three years ago(2013)and what do I have now?  Well, only two(2!) daily medications, no feeding tube, and a supremely comfortable new queen bed. You see? Give it time. Granted, my family and I worked very hard to get here. Even in those times of feeling defeated or utterly disdainful, I can proudly say I  always got my butt out of bed to face the day.  Why? Because like certain foods, you eat it anyway  because it’s good for you.This is telling of the fact that you just need to face  life  no matter how scary it becomes. Because, like a taunting grade school bully, if you stand up to it, it will back down into a more manageable situation. At one time I needed medication to keep me sane, yet  more recently said medication is no longer needed. It’s been kicked to the curb. You can do this  too, no little  pill  can “fix,” your problems as well as you can by changing your way of thinking.  Perhaps, you’ll surprise yourself in finding that life gets ever better when you jump at it, rather then shrink away. If you need any reassurance of that, just ask the girl  who  was at once downtrodden but now  finds victory in everyday living. Because, simply having the privilege to live  out each day is a victory.

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true grit!

bleu

Whoa oh, ho, it's Monday!

*blogged after a lazy Saturday and a grilled hamburger*
Yet again it’s Monday you know. Perhaps it’s not exactly magic to you  but it  certainly  can be! Therefore, to help ease you into this week here’s a list of  seven things that should be on your radar, one for each day!
1)Broadway Plays!
 
 

My oh my, are good plays overly expensive. However, sometimes it’s totally worth it. I was having a major hankering for some artistic fulfillment so I  made the splurge this time. It’s even better when you can share it with  someone you love. Therefore, I’m also taking a lovely little cousin to Her first play. You can never start em’ too young. Not to mention it’s   the best way to spend two hours of your life, rather then on Facebook people.
 
 
2) The Henry Norman  Hotel Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

This place puts the H in hip, with it’s amazing location and loft style living rooms. They have a curated mini bar full of locally produced goods, and some stellar doormen  that make you feel fancy. Not to mention the  sleek  cars they will freely chauffeur you in around Brooklyn. I can’t say enough lovely things about how great this place is. So, if your holiday destination is in New York  City,  stay here and live like a local not a tourist!
 
3) Hard Root Beer
 

Pictured: Not your Father’s  hard root beer, and Coney Island hard root beer. I have not been into anything with the label hard on it since sneaking ” beverages,” into  my underage slumber parties. I also, didn’t realize that root beer, which is already good  could be greatly improved upon with the addition of alcohol and a nifty label.
4) Pleasant Ebay Transactions – the money and the people who part with it-
It’s not often you have sweet interactions with complete strangers on the internet(unless you’re being a creeper) usually  never making face to face contact with someone is  impersonal, but sometimes you get surprised. I’ve been  a highly rated seller(bragging rights) on Ebay for quite sometime and I still get surprised. To  give you an idea, here are some of my favorites. Recently a  Husband purchased an anniversary  gift for his Wife from me, and We discussed when to ship it so it could be  a surprise for Her. Another,  was  with a kind young Lady that was enthusiastic and interested in my item, and as a follow up happily let me know how much She liked it upon receipt. You just don’t get those kinds of interactions  everyday as a seller, and I love when I do!
5) Coffee Wars!?
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For a time I  boycotted the billionaire beans peddler Starbucks in favor of local small  coffee shops. Many of us already know it’s over rated but even so, I still get surprised when I find good coffee for under  $3.00.  One such case recently was our Canadian friends Tim Horton’s. Even though I’ve consumed enough Starbucks to be a card carrying gold member(oh how I’ve turned from my ways!) I still try to support smaller businesses as much as possible. Besides, I’m only a gold member for the benefits!
6) Childhood Memories
Many of you have positive memories of your youth(I hope) but nothing  tears at your emotions quite like visiting places  from your younger self. Recently I had the pleasure(and displeasure) of standing mere feet away from my favorite childhood destination, the prehistoric forest. As I imagined myself getting smaller  I could see the now abandoned(tears) park coming back to life. This was the place that held so many childhood memories for me, and all I wanted to do was go back!
7) Mother’s Day everyday
If you’re in the U.S, I presume that since yesterday you have hugged, kissed, and even given your Mommy a present.  It’s probably good for your bank account this doesn’t happen everyday. However, your Mother  is still your Mom everyday! Therefore, if you can’t afford to buy Her things all the time, at least show some appreciation kids.
Last but not least, the drink! A chocolate margarita, find the recipe here.
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Cheers!
bleu

The Feels

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Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. -Dalai Lama

How much better could we understand each other, if we were able  to actually inhabit each other’s bodies? Like some version of the movie Freaky Friday.  I certainly know that I wished someone could inhabit my body(other than me) so they  could better understand my point of view. However, there is the ability of empathy , but even that wasn’t enough for me or others  that are in a crazy situation. Mere words were not enough, I wanted an absolute understanding and connection with someone. The support group I had gone to before,  I left because it was too negative and seemingly a group of people sitting around griping and being sad.  More recently I actually  revisited the group and found it to be better. Although, there was an overwhelming sentiment of people just wanting a relationship. Some had even never really had a romantic relationship. Whether romantic or not, it seems that  well and  “sick,” people are looking for a real connection. Why is that?  Even in an age that is so well connected.What makes it so difficult to connect with another human? Have we built up our walls of protection to be  too resilient? Is it a lack of empathy?  Perhaps it’s a mix of both. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that we need to be connecting to more than just the internet. Except for anyone in an isolated circumstance, the internet  becomes the connection. When you can’t really leave your house and your social life is  hanging on by a thread, the internet offers some much needed  socialization. Personally, I’m very social and I like talking to people so this was crucial for me. However, what about those who only see a caregiver and don’t really use the computer!?  I have often asked the Woman that comes over to help me, how much She knows about the other people She  works for. Of course, this is not done only to be nosy on my part. Knowing that some of those people likely desperately need  a social life, why not  help provide them with  that?  Sadly, not everyone realizes how important that is until it happens to them. Again,  where is that  body switching machine!? We really do need more understanding among us. Since this occurred to me I have become so much more aware of  the spirits inside of  some people. The World may see a smelly, street person, but I see   the person inside who really just needs  some compassion and acknowledgement. You don’t have to be religious, a guru, or “new age,” to  see someones  true spirit. You just need to pay attention in those places that the rest of the world(or those around you) ignore.

pay attention,

bleu

Go Sailor

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”– John F. Kennedy.

You may not be the Captain of a ship, but you still need to know in which direction your rudder is pointing! Except in this instance the ship is your life and the rudder is your thoughts. Your life will go in the direction of your dominant  thoughts. However,  if you’ve aimed your ship at the cliffside rocks, there is still a way to turn it around. It’s possible to take your thoughts captive and replace those negative  thoughts with positive ones. Because, whether you’re aware of it or not we all have an enemy whispering  into our ears trying to derail us from the great  and fulfilling future  we have ahead of us. All it takes is a steady stream of “you cant’s,” “ it’s not going to happen,” and  “  this is impossible,” to derail your  ship from reaching its destination. Nowhere  in your life   did  anyone ever tell  you that you simply could not do something, besides your Mother when you were a child, yourself, and guess who else? The enemy!  The one who comes to  kill steal  and destroy your dreams. Therefore, we need to recognize when we’re being lied to. Because, if we fall prey to these lies the cost is too great. The cost is the future you were(and are) meant  to have. What many of us have not been privy to our entire lives is the truth about who we  are.  We are beautiful, capable, strong, intelligent, and  first and foremost LOVED.  You see, this enemy of ours  who loves to tell us the opposite of all those things celebrates when we actually believe them. In nearly every instance of  human failure you can find a place where  someone believed those lies. Because if you believe them how could you succeed!? By convincing you that you’re weak when your actually strong, you’ll let life and its challenges run right over you. However, once you have  the enemy’s  tactics on lock down you’ll easily overcome them. Why?  Because you’re capable,you’re beautiful, you’re strong, you’re loved, and that’s the truth! Now go out there and make the enemy  be scared of you.

Sail on strong!

bleu

Upgrade

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“Set high standards and few limitations for yourself.”- Anthony J. D’Angelo

Don’t you dare set a glass ceiling for yourself! We were made to spread like seeds and for  the good things we desire to multiply in our lives. The World  is limitations based on shortages. As evidenced by the mass media’s favorite things to report on; shortages and lack. However, don’t fall into the trap of evaluating yourself based  upon what other people say or limitations you place on yourself. Also, don’t let circumstances  shape you and adjust your goals to them. Don’t stop aiming for the “big ticket,” because currently your bank account doesn’t reflect the cost of said  big ticket. Rather than  looking at what you don’t have, focus on what you do have!  We tend to look more at what there isn’t than what there is.  Here’s  a  short list that’s sure to garner an increase of  what you desire:

1) Be thankful a.k.a gratitude.

2) Use what you have.

3) Bless what you have.

  Did you know that as babies we only have two natural fears?  They are falling  or being dropped and loud noises. However, a study done   on  700 Adults showed that they shared a common number of fears,(about 7,000) and that somewhere between birth and adulthood we had acquired thousands of fears.   We were not born to harbor fear and worry, the two main culprits responsible for  setting limits. We’re afraid of the future, afraid of what others may think, and afraid to take risks.  Personally, my biggest accomplishments came when I ignored any limitations or what people said. I would bet once you do the same, the sky’s the limit! Dear readers do not be conformed to this world, there are no limitations,only the ones we allow to be set in our lives.

Limit who?

bleu

Here

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“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” -Bil Keane.

You hear it often “be mindful, be present, and you should meditate.”  These aren’t just new age guru mumbo jumbo beliefs but they’re actually right!  I’d venture to guess that I’ve spent most of my life somewhere else, and definitely the past two years. In fact, the majority of us are not where we actually are at any given moment. Whether our minds are adrift or not, many times were wishing we were elsewhere. Either we are looking to the distant past or the near future. Our  “modern society,” is really talented at keeping most of us discontent with where we are, always wanting more. The funny thing is, when you stop wishing to be somewhere other than  where you are,  suddenly life becomes much more enjoyable!  When you let the  mind wander less and focus in more on your present surroundings, it allows you to savor  life and be in the moment. As an example, for many months I only wanted to be back in my beloved city of New York. However, once I chose to silence the noise, I realized that I was actually enjoying where I was. It’s easy to lose sight of where you are when advertisements and social media frequently remind you that you could be somewhere better. It’s as if we’re a rat  running through a labyrinth of distractions, all the while completely missing the point that lies in the center. When you take away all that noise suddenly the point is much easier to find. What I realized is, that New York City will still be there when I’m ready to return, but my Parents(with whom I live) won’t be. As much as I have griped and protested about my current situation, the fact is I have  had invaluable time spent with my family. One of whom supports and  loves me through it all. Therefore, I wish(not again!) that I’d realized this sooner. For if I had, the past few years would’ve been far less painful. When your mind wanders away from the present moment it really hurts you. Not only do you miss out on a part of your life, but also lose focus on your present goals. In a way it’s like self sabotage! By  looking  in a different direction you lose track of your chosen path, and lose ground(ie time. If your particularly goal orientated this is crucial to know! By being present and focused on your current situation, it allows you to see clearly the bull whose horns your going to grab.

focus & conquer!

bleu

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