CONTROL OF YOUR HEART....

A wise and understanding heart does not repay a hurt with a hurt. In doing so, the heart is diminished. Fissures form. Love leaks out. Every pain given in return for one received, changes the contents of the heart. It is no longer defined by love, wisdom and understanding. It is redefined by the bearers of hurt and hate, pain and prejudice, meanness and madness, sorrow and sadness. You give away control of your very own heart.

The despair of being hurt is healed by overcoming it, not clinging to the hurt and inflicting more of it on the world. When darkness is added to darkness, no one can see, no one can love. Everyone loses.

Love is not always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes it's the integrity we hold on to when we're tempted to strike back. Sometimes it's the honour that keeps us from exchanging the valuable contents of our heart for the harsh satisfaction of lashing back.

No, the way of love is not always easy, but when night falls, dawn is assured. The integrity and honour of a wise and understanding heart, rises with the sun of a new day. Because we have asked for understanding to discern judgment. We all have been given a wise and understanding heart. So use it wisely....

FRIENDSHIP - ART OR MAGIC....

To learn and master the art of friendship you need to practice hanging out - MAYBE, learn to reach out to people and invest time on a regular basis, so as to maintain these valuable relationships. I personally never really had the interest in forming the sort of friendships as such. This style I guess didn't really fit me. I felt burdened by the sense of duty it appeared to involve. I looked for other qualities in friendships. I needed to discover for myself my own definition of what true friendship entailed.

Today I have a few very close friends. Although I have maintained most of these friendships for many years, they still inspire a sense of awe within me. They contain an essence not readily explainable, a 'something' which I can only call magic... This magic has to do with the opening and sharing of my heart on a deeper level. It has to do with the absolute knowing, that in a moment of need, my friend will be there and provide for me exactly what I need, at that time as I will for them.

It has to do with trusting as well as being honest and vulnerable. It is about moments when I see my friend as he or she is, and they see me exactly as I am. It is about mirroring our true self to each other. On the social scale of friendship, I tend to be somewhat lousy. I regularly forget birthdays, rarely invite people to my home, and almost never take time off for vacations with my family, let alone with friends.

Therefore the friends I have, tend to be the sort of people that can pick up on a conversation as if we had met only yesterday, when in fact it may have been more than a year since we last had contact. These are the people I can call in the middle of the night when weighed down by doubt and fear, or during those times when I feel somewhat lost.

These are the people that will board a plane at a moment's notice, to be with me in my worst moments as well as in my best ones. These are the people that confront me with all my 'blind spots' and when I react adversely, they hug me and let me know I'm ok. These are the people with whom I have been able to make a contribution in a way that allows them to grow and live a more fulfilling life. I guess friendship for me is a conscious quest for love in the relationship rather than control. It is about caring and being there for each other. I once heard a definition of a friend: "A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway." I like that...

OBITUARY OF COMMON SENSE....

Today, we mourn the passing of an old friend by the name of Common Sense. Common Sense lived a long life, but died from heart failure at the brink of the Millennium.

No one really knows how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly devoted his life to service in schools; hospitals, homes, factories and offices, helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and foolishness.

For decades, petty rules, silly laws and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense. He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as to know when to come in from rain, the early bird gets the worm and life isn't always fair. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids), and its okay to come in second.

A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived cultural and educational trends including body piercing, whole language and new math.

But his health declined when he became infected with the "if-it-only-helps-one-person-it's-worth-it" virus. In recent decades, his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of overbearing competitions.

He watched in pain as good people became ruled by self-seeking professions and enlightened auditors. His health rapidly deteriorated when schools endlessly implemented zero tolerance; when a teen was suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after lunch; when a teacher was fired for reprimanding an unruly student. It declined even further when schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student.

Finally, Common Sense lost his will to live as religion became a conflict among others, house of worship became house of businesses, criminals received better treatment than victims, and judges stuck their noses in everything from boy scouts to professional sports.

As the end neared, ‘Common Sense’ drifted in and out of logic but was kept informed of developments, regarding questionable regulations for asbestos, low-flow toilets, smart guns, the nurturing of prohibition laws and mandatory air bags.

Finally, when told that the homeowners restricted exterior furniture only to that which enhanced property values, he breathed his last.

‘Common sense’ was preceded in death by his parents ‘Truth and Trust’; his wife, ‘Discretion’; his daughter – ‘Responsibility’ and his son ‘Reason’. His three stepbrothers survive him: ‘Rights, Tolerance and Whiner’.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. So lets make our common sense work for us.

HELP....

So far today, Im doing all right.

I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or self indulgent.

I have not whined, complained, cursed or eaten any chocolate. I have charged nothing on my credit card.

But I will be getting out of bed in a minute and I think that I will really need your help then....

TIME & MONEY....

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.

What would you do? Draw out every cent? Of course !! Each of us has such a bank. It's name is TIME.

Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today!!!

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a pre-mature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. Time waits for no one. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is a gift, that's why its called the present....

FOR YOU MOM....

On mother's day:-

I would like to say thank-you, for teaching me to find the courage and strength to dance to my own brand of music.
To say thank-you, for showing me that each and everyone of us are a miracle of God each destined to leave our own unique footprints in this journey called life.
To say thank-you, for encouraging me to see the invisible in order to do the impossible.
To say thank-you, for always loving me unconditionally, even when I least deserved it.
To say thank-you, for showing me daily the value of family and friendship, loyalty and love
To say thank-you, for believing in me when I no longer believed in myself.
To say thank-you, for all the examples of goodness in body and soul.
To say thank-you, for all the sacrifices, heartache, loneliness, tears, and frustrations that you so selflessly endured since the day I was born, I can only close my eyes and say thank-you in my prayers, and hope that you know you are everything to me....

HEARTS OF HEARTS....

Many people are afraid to forgive because they feel they must remember the wrong or they will not learn from it. The opposite is true. Through forgiveness, the wrong is released from its emotional stranglehold on us so that we can learn from it. Through the power and intelligence of the heart, the release of forgiveness brings expanded intelligence to work with the situation more effectively.

We've all heard the voice of our heart before, whether we followed it or not. As we learn more about the heart and find that we can trust its contributions to our awareness, a new and more rewarding life experience will emerge for individuals. It's worth considering. After all, a life without heart just isn't that much fun.

So lets make it fun, treat life like a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. I name each one of them - work, family, health, friends, and spirit - which I keep all of them in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.

Therefore in the midst of life's hopes and cares, of apprehensions and of disquietude, regard every day that dawns upon you as if it was to be your last; then super-added hours, to the enjoyment of which you had not looked forward, will prove an acceptable boon. Any one person can make an effort to contact a deeper part of him- or herself, balance his or her emotions, and deflect the momentum. The more we learn to maintain the poise and balance and refrain from adding to the incoherence around, it will help to counterbalance the frequency of life..... For now, don't cry because its over, smile because it happened....

TIME REDEEMED....

Let us detach ourselves from things trifling and insignificant, and give ourselves up to the study of things worthy our nature and capacity. We all value our possessions, and much more ought we to estimate our time.

How many words and actions are capable of being taken by two handles, are patient of two interpretations, a good interpretation and a bad one? We are unmerciful when without necessity we are judges of evil thoughts, when we suspect meanness, littleness, untruthfulness, not to speak of worse surmising, in others.

Make ourselves nests of pleasant thoughts, bright fancies, and faithful sayings: treasure-houses of precious and restful thoughts, which care cannot disturb nor poverty take away from you-houses built without hands for your souls to live in.

Every noble act of devotion to truth, every pure life unstained with evil, every word of pity, every instance of forgiving, and goodness, helps us to a better faith in that divine and eternal goodness which has no variableness or shadow of turning. Injustice to you is not an awful thing like injustice in you.

I TIRED TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN TODAY....

Metaphorically speaking:- I tried to climb the mountain today. As I inched my way up the path, I felt overwhelmed, so I had to turn back.

I tried to climb the mountain today. On my journey, darkness started to fall, and I was full of fear, so I had to return to a safe place. I was ready to climb the mountain today. But it was so hot outside, I thought I better stay in my nice air-conditioned house and rest up for tomorrow's attempt. I was about to climb the mountain today. But I had so many other things to do, so instead of climbing the mountain I took care of much more important tasks. I washed my car, read a book and watched TV.

Today the mountain will just have to wait. I was going to climb the mountain today. But as I stared at the mountain in it's majestic beauty, I knew I stood no chance of making it to the top, so I figured why even bother trying. I have forgotten about climbing the mountain today; until a friend came by and asked me what I was up to lately. I told him I was thinking about climbing that mountain some day. I went on and on about how I was going to accomplish this task. Finally, he said, "I just got back from climbing the mountain.

For the longest time I told myself I was trying to climb the mountain but never made any progress. I almost let the dream of making it to the top die. I came up with every excuse of why I could not make it up the mountain, but never once did I give myself a reason why I could.

One day as I stared at the mountain and pondered, I realized that if I didn't make an attempt at this dream all my dreams will eventually die." "The next morning, I started my climb." He continued, "It was not easy, and at times I wanted to quit. But no matter what I faced, I placed one foot in front of the other, keeping a steady pace.

When the wind tried to blow me over the edge, I kept walking. When the voices inside my head screamed "stop!" I focused on my goal never letting it out of sight, and I kept moving forward. At times, I was ready to quit, but I knew I had come too far.

Time and time again, I reassured myself that I was going to finish this journey. I struggled to make it to the top, but I climbed the mountain today!" and tomorrow is a new day to accomplish more dreams. So what will I be doing tomorrow? "I have another mountain to climb."

SOUL SLAP....

Maybe its that one eye-opener that everyone needs. Or two, maybe even three to create knowledge like life from a tree. Trials and tribulations stick like bad habits and set backs. Time and time again you could be trying to raise up, but still laying flat on that back.

Mind elevation, soul revelation, maybe even a little spiritual experimentation, makes it possible to live with some gratification in this tired life's predictions.

Love, patience and faith will be my soul's embodiment, helping me to eliminate some of this world's decoy. It will be just that to turn this soul slap into a soul revolution, filling me up with a new kind of joy.

TO LET GO & BELIEVE....

To let go does not mean to stop caring, it means I can't do it for someone else. It is not to cut myself off, it's the realization that I can't control another. It is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences. It is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands. It is not to try to change or blame another, it's to make the most of myself. It is not to care for, but to care about. It is not to fix, but to be supportive. It is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being. It is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To let go is not to be protective, it's to permit another to face reality. It is not to criticize, or regulate anyone, but to try to become what I dream I can do. To let go is to fear less, and to love more.

To believe... is to know that every day is a new beginning. It is to trust that miracles happen and dreams really do come true.

To believe... is to see Angels dancing among the clouds, to know the wonder of a stardust sky and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

It is to know the value of a nurturing heart, the innocence of a child's eyes and the beauty of an aging hand, for it is through their teachings we learn to love. It is to find the strength and courage that lies within us. When it is time to pick up the pieces and begin again.

It is to know we are not alone, that life is a gift and this is our time to cherish it. To believe... is to know that wonderful surprises are just waiting to happen, and all our hopes and dreams are within reach. If only we can let go and believe.

IN THE MEANTIME....

For: Strictly beautiful....

There is always something to do, some place to be, something to see, someone to be. A mountain to climb, a path to take, a journey to make.

The future always holds a promise. A goal, a dream, something that gives us hope, something that helps us cope. The moon and stars eternally wait. And of course, there is always heavens gate.

But if you live your life waiting for something to come around, you will miss the special moments and the people that surround. Heaven will always wait. So "in the meantime", keep your focus in the present state.

Enjoy the struggle, share with others and realize that we are all brothers and sisters .Open your eyes, clear your mind, be no longer blind.

Soon you will learn to love the daily grind. Life is short, enjoy all of your hours. Along the path, take time to smell the flowers. Judgment day will surely come but in the meantime, march to your own drum.

We will all be together again, sometime, someplace, somehow. Until that day, live your life in the now. So, when times are tough and the road ahead seems rough, remind yourself to relish the climb because life is lived "in the meantime"

A BIT OF WISDOM....

During a trying time in my life I have received much comfort from friends and the input from fellow bloggers. I would like to submit a bit of wisdom of my own. It results from my life experiences thus far.

- Do not look in books for instructions on how to live your life. By doing so you will only end up following someone else's road. Look only inside yourself. You must trust your own voice, think with your own mind, follow your own heart, and believe in your own dreams. Only you know what you need or what is good for you. You can only survive and succeed when you are true to yourself and not to the opinions of others. -

- Do not look at life through the eyes of someone else, do not end up second-guessing your own thoughts and feelings in the false believe that others are automatically wiser than you are. Trust yourself, listen to your heart, chart your own course, be your own North Star and be what the Great Spirit intended you to be - one of a kind. -

THE HERE N NOW....

The critical time for accomplishing anything is in the here and now. Every day is a day to dare to do my best. Each day provides opportunity for self-improvement/self-renewal. Today's accomplishments, not yesterday's or tomorrow's, produce the most satisfaction as what I accomplish today can give me an immediate feeling of self confidence and direction.

The critical time for accomplishing anything is in the here and now, today. The most important ingredient in future performance is present performance. The most difficult tasks are consummated, not by a single explosive burst of energy or effort, but by consistent daily application of the best I have within me.

Practice is an opportunity to improve my skills. Approach each practice with enthusiasm, as nothing great has ever been accomplished without it. I challenge myself mentally as well as physically and I will start to enjoy the price of success rather than pay for failure. I desire... the "want to be" is the extra which enables me to take whatever ability I have and utilize it to the maximum. Total effort gives me a special kind of victory... especially victory over myself for I will make this the best day and the best practice ever.

TRY AND DO.....

Begin the do's and lay down the try's. Wake up to realize, or sleep with memorized lies of how you lived truly alive.

Please wake!

Just wake and see..... with a keen eye trained to see beyond the horizon of what you are truly meant to be. No more dreams of an unrelenting battle within. When you rise, the truth and knowledge will begin. Subtle yet absolute, those changes will infuse with the darkness that held on to you.Your reality will drift, leaving a knowledge and lesson from a teacher unknown
The answer is here! It's the spin-tingling truth. Lay down the try's and begin the do's.

FOOTPRINTS....

My history goes along way with her.... Though she is far from sight she will always be near at heart. During our lives we have left footprint all over, some where sad but most where the best memories anyone can ask for.

She has craved her footprints in my heart as well as my family. It was a big thing, and the word 'family' itself is a big six letter word when your in a relationship. These are my pass and also my future, because no matter in which direction my life leads me, she will always be my family.

I had a dream about her lastnight. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with her. In that dream and across the sky flashed scenes from our life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonged to me, the other of her's.

After the last scene of our lives flashed before us, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of our lives, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. HERS!

This troubled her, so she asked me. "You said once you will follow me for all times, you would walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed you the most, you would leave me.”

I replied, “Know that I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of suffering, when you could see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.” So know now that I will also be there for you eventhough we are far from sight, I will always be there for you eventhough there is no battle to fight.

LOVE SECRETS....

Secrets of a blissful romance on how I live my life that determines what kind of love I experienced... Ask yourself, If you don't try how will you know?
Remember how precious your loved one is. You never know if today is the last day you'll see them. Don't do something you'd regret if you never got a chance to see them again to make amends.

Being romantic means something different to everyone. To me it means being high spirited, completely carefree in love and willing to take the risk of truly loving someone with all your heart. Meaning: don't let embarrassment or shyness get in the way of showing your affection!
Hope is the motto for a romantic. Even if things don't work out perfectly today, who says it won't when the time is right? Don't give up without a worthy fight!

Love the one you're with. Why compromise what could possibly be a great relationship by not focusing on who you're with now. If you're not happy with it, leave. Otherwise, give your partner 100%. You'll find your attention will not go unreturned!
"Within our dreams and aspirations we find our opportunities." What is the ideal relationship to you? Decide to make your relationship as close to this model as possible. Whenever you feel the relationship falling, pull out that paper and remind yourself what you need to do to get it to your ideal state.

Know that you are your own best counsel. Practice doing what you know is best for you today. By second guessing yourself, you're making yourself your own worst enemy. Be the best you can be. If you don't think you're good at something, practice until you are! If this involves the subject of romance, learn as much as you can about being romantic and then DO those things! There is no excuse for not knowing OR doing!
Ponder the words, "Any time not spent in love is wasted." "People tend to question when you start something and worry about the ending; they forget that its the middle that counts the most." Know who you are. Take the time to write down who you are and what you like. Don't write down what you'd like to be or who you think other people want you to be... only who you actually are. I think that in today's world a lot of people forget to just be themselves and be okay with it. So, today be okay with who you are! Enjoy life! For one day, smile wherever you go. Pick flowers in the garden. Instead of arguing, kiss and make up. Do something spontaneous. What's the point of working so hard if you don't take at least a few minutes to really enjoy it?
Sometimes... a heart cannot afford to be... just friends!

Be there for your love, emotionally and physically (if possible). The comfort and bond you feel with someone you know is just there for you, cannot be matched. So, leave a note or take a few moments out of your day to let your sweetheart or other loved one know that you are there for them.
"Love is like evergreens; they go through the roughest times but never fade." Love isn't a one way street. It is something that needs to be maintained. If you find yourself falling out of love it's not because it doesn't exist between you anymore. It is because it isn't being created anymore. Make the time to follow the definition of romance. Make your partner feel loved!
"How long does youth last? So long as we are loved."

Sometimes we forget how valuable our significant other is. We get caught up in our day to day lives and our relationships end up suffering. Make some time to let your partner know how much you appreciate them being in your life. Even if it's just a quick note!
"To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart." Remember, before you react to any situation think with your heart first. Really try to understand the motivation behind the other person's behavior. More often than not, there is some other situation you are unaware of that has prompted an attack. Try this tip and watch how upsets in your daily life decrease!
"Love cannot grow without passion." and "It takes two to make a realtionship a success and only one a failure."

THE CALLING....

I encountered my pass to today, I saw her and we spoke, eventhough it was just for a moment everything seems right until she had to go and put down the phone. Her last words was 'I love you'.... YES! we are still very much in love - only separated by sight.

I am blessed to have her in my life. So if you find someone else in love with you and the love is returned, feel honored that love came and called at your door. But if the feeling is not mutual for either party, gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not take advantage. Do not cause pain. How you deal with love is how you deal with you and all our hearts feel the same pains and joys even if our lives and ways are different.

If you fall in love with someone, he or she falls in love with you and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it or to assess blame, let it go. There is a reason and there is a meaning. You will know in time. Remember that we don't choose love. Love chooses us. All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery. When it comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing, then reach out and give it away. Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you. Give it to others who deem it poor in spirit. Give it to the world around you in any way you can. There is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long without love, they understand love only as a need. They see their hearts as empty places that will be filled by love and they begin to look at love as something that flows to them rather than from them.

The first blush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as need. They cease to be someone who generates love and instead become someone who seeks love. They forget that the secret of love is that it is a gift and that it can be made to grow only by giving it away. Remember this and keep it to your heart. Love has its own time, its own seasons and its own reason for coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into saying. You can only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you.But if it chooses to leave from your heart or from the heart of the other, there is nothing you can do and there is nothing you should do. Love always has been and always will be a mystery. Be glad that it came to live for a moment in your life.

IF YOU KEEP YOUR HEART OPEN, IT WILL COME AGAIN.

FUTURE HOLDS....

I realize there comes a time in a person's life that they must take total responsibility for all that the future brings. Yes, Allah is a partner in my life and my future - and tends to partner in a more obvious way with those that have a plan and the motivation to take the first step to make their dreams come true. He has given me the imagination and freedom to create my life and my future all by myself, or by following every slight intention of what he would want for me, or in partnership with him as I listen and as He gives me the desires of my heart.

So if you want to see the future, take a good look at the goals and plans you have written down and read, habits you have completed, and attitudes you have displayed - TODAY. The future you want begins with the today you are experiencing - NOW

You build your life from the ground up, Crawling, walking, finally, running. Everything in life is broken down in phases and steps. The first one is the most essential, for it decides your direction. When you trip and fall, crawl till you can walk, walk until you can run. Never forget to stop, look back, down, and forward to make sure you're going in the right direction because I know no matter how steep the mountain is, Allah will climb it with me...

FEEDING THE SOUL....

We eat right, we work out, our minds are finely tuned, but how many of us consider the nourishment of our souls? We are body-mind spirit. They cannot exist separately.
If we do not nurture our complete self, we die at some level. We begin to wither with a feeling of emptiness. A vague, persistent feeling that "something is missing." A feeling of being dead inside.

We go about our daily lives, we smile, we manage....and inside, where no one can hear, we wail. Very little in our culture is deeply meaningful, feeding our soul, taking us deeper than our shallow, homogenized living. Indeed, living in any other way but the narrowly-prescribed cultural mode is considered strange and suspect, even if pain and suffering are a dominant part of that mode.

Yet we are meant to be joyful creatures, feeling our innate aliveness and our connectedness to the universe surroundings. Of the Earth dwellers, we alone have been gifted with consciousness and free will. But how tragically we waste our precious moments.