August 24, 2010

Because we're friends

Just Walk....

A story tells that two friends were walking
through the desert. During some
point of the journey they had an argument, and
one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt,
but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE. 
They kept on walking until they found an oasis,
where they decided to take a bath. The one who
had been slapped got stuck in the mire and
started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near
drowning, he wrote on a stone:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE. 

The friend who had slapped and
saved his best friend asked him,
"After I hurt you, you wrote in the
sand and now, you write on a stone,
why?" The other friend replied "When someone
hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds
of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone
does something good for us, we must engrave
it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND
AND T O CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.  

They say it takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them,
a day to love them,
but then an entire life to forget them.

Send this phrase to the people you'll never
forget. It's a short message to let them
know that you'll never forget them.
Do not value the THINGS you have in your life..
But value WHO you have in your life!


Note:
Sharing this beautiful message received from an email.

August 23, 2010

Two Hands


We all are blessed with two hands.
God made it so for a purpose,
To touch..
To care...
To help..
Be kind..and  be generous
Show your true self by helping others.
Be thankful...it's you who helped and not the other way around.

August 15, 2010

Dare to Be Yourself



On the subject where I am about to rant and rave, I am not an expert, even if I have stumbled and risen several times during my prime years. It was just enough to know that I learnt only through my mistakes, and that the race goes not to the one who runs the fastest, but to the one who keeps on running...
Love is a very powerful thing, a vague and broad subject. Just like lightning, you'll never know when it strikes. Love is real and definitely life-changing. It literally creates and shapes destinies before our very eyes, that sometimes we either took the signs for granted or simply  choose not to mind at all. 
My son, by posing just three questions that always remained at the back of your mind but which I know you've been itching to ask.  I am happy to show you how Love is related to almost all of them.

earl's group confirmation photos
The gift of love that blossomed between two people is not enough to allow it's existence to last for a lifetime. To borrow from Peter Parker's Uncle Ben words: With love comes great responsibility. You have to recognize that----especially if the honeymoon phase of a relationship is over----you progress from the stage of being in love with: to love a person and dedicating one's life for the one you loved.
I remembered you once asked me in gestures and in phrases in one of our visits to Dad’s ship: given a seafarers rather reckless adventures in romance, are they not loving much, or too hard?This may sound absurd, but I think it may be the opposite. What they truly love, they cannot possess. And to compensate for this, they turn to those companionship's that will not reject them. 
Do you know what I mean? Rather than being rejected by what they considers pure, noble, and ideal, they prefer to dwell within the comfort zone of those who will accept them. They are earning well but life at sea is boring and lonesome. Maybe by the failure of their past relationships, and discontentment of the present one,  their hearts are still aching, because of shattered dreams that left them with bruised egos. Perhaps, that’s their way of coping up with their heart aches, while waiting for time, to heal their wounded hearts and the right woman to come along.
prayerful friends
It sounds trite, but it is often true. Men offer love for intimacy, while women provide intimacy in return for what they perceived is love. While women learn early enough not to extend expectations based on this reality, men take a little longer. But then again, for some reasons, women, who are smarter than men, seem to have a blind spot in matters of the heart. Both for your and my peace of mind, I sincerely hope you learn from the mistakes of others and heed the lessons of history. On that note, you should probably just give your Dad’s seafaring colleague a little more time.
Which brings us to a third question, which you have asked in many forms: If it comes to such a point, do I follow my head or my heart, when I feel like falling in love with someone?
Despite all the fears generated in me and most probably of your Seafaring Dad as well, being our most precious gem, all that I can say is:
If you dare to love someone whom you feel in your heart deserves such love, you will not regret it. Words from a scared mom, but engraved in stone. Ironically, not all the purest and noblest intentions are sure deal, even until the day we die, who can tell whether or not we have made the right choice?
"Being passionate about what you are doing, at the right place, in the right time, and with the right people"...is my  mantra for success. 
Dear Son, we taught you to see and appraise the light, as well as all the shadows, and we hope that towards our winters, your fires of summer in turn will keep us warm. 
At least for now, you can fall back on your mother's feeble words, even if this gives me   butterfly in my stomach…
Arrrrgh! Just let me know who the lucky girl is. Hope she will love you for who you are. I promise. I will not be a monster mom in law to be...Son, don't dare to be different, just dare to be yourself... ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥  We Love you ! Happy Birthday...♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

August 10, 2010

Thoughts on Aging

Breaching the golden age gives most women  mixed emotions....
feeling thankful that we reached this far but anxious because of some visible signs of times,
and  eager to learn how to defy gravity.

Reposting this article to alleviate your fears...

Viable Steps on How to Look and Feel Younger

If you've asked yourself how you can start looking younger, and maybe even start to reverse aging, there are five important steps that you can take that will start the process. When a woman (or a man, for that matter) reaches a certain age, the signs of aging inevitably start to show. We look in the mirror one day and suddenly notice crow's feet, age spots, forehead lines, sagging skin and laugh lines. All this need not be! You can reverse your age without expensive and risky surgery or injections.

Step One: Skin Care. You are going to have to invest in a set of high quality skin care products. You will need a good cleanser that is just for your face, a day moisturizer with an SPF factor of at least 15 that will protect your face from both UVA and UVB rays and a rich night moisturizer to nourish your skin and help repair the sun and environmental damage that has already accumulated. You will also want some problem solvers to address the specific areas where you want to see a turnaround in your skin. This could be your chest and neck area, deep facial lines, sagging skin, large pores, age spots, etc. Aging backwards includes a vigorous skin-care regime directed specifically towards correcting sun damage and years of unhealthy living.

Step Two: Diet. You simply have to eat the right foods. Fresh produce and whole, unprocessed foods are essential. I also recommend a series of cleanses to clear your organs and digestive tract from accumulated toxins and years of bad habits. Eighty percent of your diet should consist of fresh vegetables and limited quantities of fruit, the greener and more organic the better. The other twenty percent can include healthful protein sources like soy, lean low-mercury fish (like salmon), whole grains and nuts. The way you eat has an undeniable impact on how young you look. If you eat thusly, you will lose weight (if you need to), your health will improve, your hair will be strong and shiny and your skin will begin to heal. Very rapidly, you'll start actually aging backwards!

Step Three: Hydration. Drink a liter of purified, alkaline water for every 30 to 40 lbs. of weight that you carry, every day. This means 32 ounces 3 to 4 times a day. Water is vital to your system. A well-hydrated body is a healthy body. A healthy body looks more youthful. Drink the right kind of water and you will start looking younger...and aging backwards.

Step Four: Exercise. Fitness is an absolute must in reversing the effects of aging! As you become less active during middle age, there is a tendency toward couch-potato syndrome. The fact is: the more you sit around, the more your skin will begin to sag, your muscle tone will grow flaccid and the signs of aging will become more prominent. Conversely, if you do some form of aerobic plus weight training exercise 4 to 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes, your muscles will become toned, your cardio-vascular system will improve, your vital organs and immune system will function better and your skin will glow.

Step Five: Attitude. Last, but certainly not the least, is to keep your mental, emotional and spiritual focus directed toward a positive and grateful lifestyle. Don't eat junk foods and don't think junk thoughts. Junk thoughts are just as harmful to the way you look as junk food.

*****
The above steps affirmed my personal belief that the most effective formula: to feel and look younger is to foster an attitude of gratitude, even when times are hard. Gratitude is a portal to happiness. Being happy will slightly put aging on hiatus, by doing services of some kind. Being helpful to others is a sure-fire way to improve your attitude. Giving has its own rewards because to give is to receive. If you are helpful, grateful and optimistic, you are improving your body from the deepest core of your being outward. The results will be effortlessly shown in your face.



August 7, 2010

Till Then


It  is very inspiring to know how  an open mind, and unselfish LOVE  makes a remarkable difference in our lives in today's materialistic and perfectionist world. By its magic,  one's shortcomings  transcend into strengths, gallantly making  wonders to the wary hearts and souls of human beings like you and me!  The feelings are really enchanting ... truly mystical! 
    As I whisper....... ♥ ♥ ♥ Till then♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 
    I'll  try to find how it is to be...
    BEAUTIFUL and COURAGEOUS....^_^