Get Back Up

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=MslbhDZoniY

Enjoy this short video, it is self explanatory and most powerful.
I know there is a message in it for us all.

Take a moment to read

GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died...) Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate. A Message by George Carlin:The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways,but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much.We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete... Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.If you don't send this to other people....Who cares? George Carlin

Slow it Down

As the end of the year is coming so quickly, I feel that we need to make a conscious decision to slow down and not get caught up in Christmas mania. I have added some lyrics of a song which I love by “Click on Colour”. Slow it down cause you’re always at a million miles an hour. Their myspace link is on the right of my blog page so you can listen to some of the songs.

It is a good time of year to unclutter space around you. Start small, perhaps in a drawer or work area which you often use. Remove everything that does not serve you anymore and either throw or give away. Clean the space and as you return your items, notice how you feel. Satisfied that you have finally gotten to that job, more in control, lighter in spirit as the clutter has gone and it feels good to minimize?

Go one step further and add some calming fragrance or oils or candles around your area, my favorite is lavender, and perhaps treat yourself to some flowers. Take moments at random times during the day to stop and focus on your breathing. As you breath out, exhale any stress or anxiety that you may been holding onto. Focus on taking a deep breath in, hold and exhale till you can go no more, all old stale air expelled. Do this for 3 or 4 breaths. Whatever it may take for you to “slow it down” make a conscious effort to do it.

Enjoy the coming weeks and don’t loose sight of what is truly important.

First things first .......

If I had my child to raise all over again

If I had my child to raise all over again
I’d build self-esteem first and the house later
I’d finger paint more and point the finger less
I would do less correcting and more connecting
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes

I would care to know less and know to care more

I’d take more hikes and fly more kites
I’d stop playing serious and seriously play
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars

I’d do more hugging and less tugging
I’d see the oak in the acorn more often
I would be firm less often and affirm much more
I’d model less about the love of power and more about the power of love

Dianne Loomans

This is a lovely reminder that I have had on my fridge for the last 15 or more years. It is there to remind me that life is so short and children are young for an even shorter time. It reminds me that making the beds, sweeping the floor, doing the dishes are not the most important tasks in the day and of the importance to stop and take time for ones around me.

This struck home to me more then I realized when I was at a friends home for dinner and someone accidently spilled a drink, possibly staining a lovely lace cloth. I was reminded by this lovely woman who had suffered the loss of her only son, a stained cloth does not even register on the “care counter”.

I know that I sometimes forget that my saying is on the fridge and am always gently humbled when I uncover it again from under all the school notices and shopping lists, and remember what is truly important. Life is not about how long your life is, it’s about what you do with it.

Reach Out

With Christmas just around the corner, I find myself in “mega planning” mode. Am I going away, do I drive or fly, what food do I need to arrange, what cards I need to write, what presents must I buy, who is my KK this year ~ what will they like, my diary of events to attend. The stores are ready to take my hard earned money and are happy to guilt me into buying anything, mostly costly, things that I don’t think any of us really, really need!

When I think about it, it doesn’t matter how much money I spend to show my love and this year I refuse to get swept up with the retail hurricane. (Perhaps except for a new pair of sparkly shoes.) When I stop and think of what is truly important, my answer is people, not things. I know something that I can do, and that is, I can take time to call or visit a friend, who I have been putting off seeing and take more time for my elderly parents and church community.

I want to give everyone reading my blog, to take the challenge and do at least one charitable deed this year. Who around you may be lonely? A neighbor, a relative, a stranger on a train, a work colleague? Stop and look around yourself with different glasses on and really see what others could be experiencing. What is happening at the local church or community program that you can help out with?

See how these small acts of kindness make you feel. Will you feel it in your head or in your heart; that you have done a good thing? To me, this is more the true meaning of Christmas than gift buying and parties, and new shoes! Give something so valuable, something that can make you feel whole and satisfied – give your self.

Can you say “No”.

Why is it, that it is so hard for some people to say “NO”. Is it because they feel that they are the saviors of everyone around them? It is their duty or life’s mission to always be there for everyone else? Or is it because they are workaholics or they feel the need to prove to everyone that they are capable of and “up to the challenge” of everything thrown their way? Perhaps they don’t realize they are doing it and are just so used to being there for everyone else that they have not even stopped to think that it is OK to say NO.Saying no does not make you a bad person, if anything it can be empowering and energizing. It can make us stop being the victim and feeling that we are only here to make everyone’s life run smoothly, forgetting the importance of our own needs.

If you are the type of person who finds it hard saying no, take the challenge and try it out. You may be able to delegate the job to someone else or offer guidance to the one asking. Let others respect your time and they can learn not to take you for granted. This does not mean that you need to say NO to everything, just choose what you want to do with out causing any resentment. Make yourself unavailable to others for a certain amount of time each week to spend time just for you. Take notice of how that makes you feel. Spreading your self too thinly does no one any good. It's easy , just say ~ no, but thanks for asking.

Socrates/Plato: Complaining of the Youth

"The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are tyrants, not servants of the households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize over their teachers." I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.~attributed to Hesiod (8th century B.C.)

What would happen if Socrates changed his prospective of how he saw the children that he speaks of as being disrespectful, and viewed them in a different light? I’m thinking the stress levels of all concerned would have been lowered!

So it seems that the youth of today are just like the youth of times gone by. What can we do about behavior we do not like? I guess setting examples are always good, or perhaps it could be as simple as just being present. Living in the now and taking precious time together.

There are so many obstacles in this busy world of ours that get in the way of being present or being “there”. I wonder what would happen if we all learnt how to live in the moment, in the now. Not worry about the past as that has gone and cannot be changed, and the future comes soon enough without focusing on it too much.


While we are lucky to have children around us, we should take time and live in the now. I know that cannot be a 24hour place to be, but for a short time daily would be a good start. Don’t let the moments fly by, they are not ever retrievable.