Opportunities…..

When you live your life

 with an appreciation of coincidences

and their meanings,

you connect with

the underlying field of infinite possibilities.

William James

347 and Counting

The recent holidays are past and we are once again starting a new year.  Yet this year seems to hold a bit more than years past.  It reminds me somewhat of the time before the beginning of 2000.   Everyone was scared that the world would shut down due to the inability for computers to roll over date wise.  We all survived that concern and no dire world catastrophes happened that held anyone in limbo.

 

  Yet the concern that lingers over our heads this year is a bit different.  Yes I am talking about the year 2012 and the date December 21, give or take a day.  The end of the Mayan calendar when the end of the world is suppose to consume us all.  I will be honest and say that I have had my moments where I have looked into all the theories that encompass this date.  Let me add there are several.  Some are pure silliness…. while some truly sound to have some creditability to them.  I think that there are some who will capitalize on anything that somehow may bring them some form of monetary gain. I also think that there are some out there who have looked at this with a very open mind and have tried to see if there is anything that may be of concern.

 

I have always believed that no one really knows if or when the world will come to its eventual demise.  This being said I do believe that man does not realize the harm that he brings to the earth each day.  So much of what we do. we write  off to the good of evolution… of the continuance of our growth …. of our making life easier for all.  Is that really what our acts do?  I think not.  I know that so many of us would be totally lost if we were to lose our access to the technology that we hold today.  Yet it was not that long ago when we did not see the need to carry a phone with us 24/7 just in case we had to text someone just to say hi.  We did not have to send a letter via the world wide web, a stamp and envelope did just fine.  Television was something that started maybe at 5 am and finished at midnight.  Kids played outdoors in the fresh air and actually got an adequate amount of exercise.  We did not see the need to spend hours on end in front of a TV with a game controller trying to beat the latest video game. My granddaughter received an E-reader for Christmas. First off it was not from me…although I am usually easily convinced to give her things. I still like the feel of a book in my hands... The feel of the pages as you turn them. I tried out her new contraption and did not like it at all. Yes I know even the manner in which I describe it makes me sound like a crotchety old person.  Something as a younger person I swore I would never do.

 

  Yet really what is this world becoming.  Yes it is nice to  be able to get in touch with someone across the world instantly.  I also know that I could not be writing this right now if we did not have the world wide web.  I can not help but wonder though….. have we let it all gain too much control of us.  If something truly did happen in December of this year and we were left without so many of the luxuries that we possess now (internet, cell phones, television, computers, etc..) are there some of us that would find it close to difficult to function.  Hopefully we will not have to find out. 

Each End is a New Beginning

Another year is behind us and once again so many of us are finding ourselves preparing for the coming year. Making resolutions and promises to ourselves.  I swear each year that I will not do such things but alas as always I did last year and like so many years before I did not keep up with such promises as I would have like to have.  No big surprise. 

 Yet I will admit that this last year was a different one for me as for so many others I have spoke with.  I did not tend to my blog as I have in the past and at first this really upset me.  Yet as the year continued I realized that it was something that was not of urgency.  I missed so many of you on a daily occurrence and have tried to get back into the swing of things once more.  And honestly who knows if 2012 will be much different.  I have many things that I would like to give my time to and we will see if they transform as I would like.  If they do my time here may not be as frequent as daily but I do intend to make an effort to make it on a regular basis.  The support and friendship that I have found from so many here in blogland has been something I do not wish to let go of so easily. 

 I recently found out that an old friend of mine followed my blog.  I will be honest and say that it was a surprise to me.  Our beliefs have drifted in different directions as the years have passed.  Her admittance to me that she followed was a welcomed present this Yule.  It gave me hope.  I know that many look at 2012 as a time of uncertain change.  I myself have felt the feeling of it coming.  I do not know exactly what it is.  I am not sure if anyone does to be honest.  I only know that any end is only the start of a new beginning and thus I move forward in a positive stance. 

I am not sure what the next 358 days will hold .  I only know that all things must pass eventually and thus make way for new.  In the coming days I wish you insight, wisdom, and strength to likewise let go of that which is over and embrace that which is new and giving.  Happy New Year.

Be True to Yourself

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everyone else… means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.  -e.e.cummings

I am not an avid reality show watcher, I never really have been.  Weekly watching someone else's life and all the drama that can go with the situation created is not what I consider entertainment.  Yet I will admit that I have a guilty pleasure of watching Survivor on occasion.  Although I still do not watch it on a regular basis, if there is something that catches my interest I will tune in occasionally, especially at the finale. 

 Last night I watched the finale of the most recent Survivor show.  One of the players was the nephew of a player in previous shows who truly proved what it meant to be an out and out liar and then to not have any problem with it.  Of course I am talking about Russell.  His nephew Brandon played this season.  On several occasions he stated how he wanted to try and return some goodness to his family name and the example that Russell had left in his previous 3 shows appearances.  He tried to play with honesty and an forwardness that I enjoyed.  Although I will say that there were some that did not like his manner of telling it like it is, I found it refreshing in a world where it seems that so many just tell you what they think you want to hear.

 

Most people are other people.  Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.  Oscar Wilde

He did not win of course.  It was his honesty and true compassion to help out another that did him in.  He spoke last night about how the experience changed and also strengthened him and his convictions.  He also talked about how because of this change and the manner in which he exhibited his passions on national TV inevitably alienated him from his family per their choosing.  He had no one from his family there to support him last night.  No one was there to congratulate him on a good game except his fellow players and others in the audience.  His uncle Russell was there, yet it was only to ridicule his ridiculous manner of playing the game. 

Many times in life we have opportunities to stand up for something we claim to the comfortable crowd that we believe in.  When I say comfortable crowd I mean those of like ways and beliefs.  It takes little courage to stand up in a room where so many others would say the same words as you.  Yet to walk among others who hold a different view can be a very unpleasant and often difficult experience.  I take my hat off to Brandon for standing behind what he claimed was him.  I commend him for continuing to do so even after his return home and the discomfort he received as well as the cold shoulders and lack of compassion.  It is people like him that will eventually make a difference.  Next time you are given a chance to speak your voice and say something to support the convictions that you hold deep in the corners of your heart remember… If we become so accustomed to disguising ourselves to other people  eventually we will also become disguised to ourselves. 

Never be bullied into silence, Never allow yourself to be made a victim.  Accept no one’s definition of your life;

 Define yourself.