“When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”
😀
xoxo Kim ❤
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Some Zen wisdom for today {and everyday} <3
“Now that my house has burned down I have a better view of the sky.” ~ Zen saying
Isn’t this beautiful? I can interpret this as a message of positive thinking. No matter what happens to us, there’s a brighter side even if we have to look really hard and get creative.
Also, another interpretation, clarity. When all our emotional clutter is cleared and our walls are stripped, we can see more clearly.
Let’s put away our phones and other technology for a few moments, let go of everything and feel the space around us.
There is beauty & bliss all around, within. ❤
All we have to do is open up and receive.
❤ Good day to you! 😀
Xoxo Kim
p.s. I would never say this to someone whose house just burned down! It’s a good quote to share in general like this but I’m almost certain if your house burned down two seconds ago, you don’t want to hear/read this being directly said to you! :-O ❤
The Most important relationship is…<3
~Be someone who makes everyone feel like someone.~ ❤
Recently, I was at the synagogue with my good friend, Mike, for the Jewish new year. I met him in college years ago and we are still good friends. His family warmly & lovingly invites me to their houses often for their holidays.
(my friends, Jim, Charlie, Mike, and me in New York City, a few years ago one sweet Spring day <3) 😀
We attended a beautiful event at the synagogue a few weeks ago where we sat under the stars at night drinking tea and singing and connecting, and the rabbi asked us which relationships in life are most important and there were various answers. The obvious ones were of course, our relationships with friends & family. Other answers were coworkers, God, our own self, the synagogue family. I was thinking that our relationship with everyone is important. Not just our longterm relationships but even just brief encounters with others each day. I did not say this out loud but one man volunteered his answer which was extremely similar to my own. He said our most important relationship is the one we have with everyone, just in general.
I couldn't agree more. My most important relationship is the one with whoever it is I'm currently engaging with whether that someone is a friend, a family member, someone I am close with, someone I hardly know, a customer at work, a coworker, a sales person, a bus driver, an animal/pet, an insect, a person I would rather not be around, a doctor, a boss, a person I meet walking up a street or in a park or in traffic….whoever I am right here with, right now. It's important to give that person my full, undivided attention. It's important to be mindful of what is right before me in this moment.
It's all that matters. Let's listen, truly listen when someone is talking. Let's not zone out and think about future plans or food or our phone or whatever we may want when someone is in our presence and attempting to communicate with us. Even if what the person is saying doesn't interest us, it's important to that person so we can make it important to us. This won't always be easy, mindfulness takes practice and our minds tend to stray now and then.
Right now is our most important moments. And whoever is with us is our most important relationship at that moment. (in my opinion. I understand someone else may have a different view.)
This takes me back to 11th grade when our English teacher told us that every encounter we have with someone, no matter how brief, even someone we may never see again, is a relationship worth nurturing the best we can. He gave an example of a seemingly trivial encounter, with a bus driver.
But he explained the importance of even an encounter like that. Getting on a bus, putting money in, is part of our life and it’s good to make it a positive part. Be friendly to the bus driver.
I did not completely realize the wisdom of what he told us back then but I felt that it is somehow important. Now I know.
One little encounter can have a profound effect on someone. For better or worse. We have the ability to choose words, gestures, actions…that can lift someone or potentially drag someone down. Let’s choose to lift others up.
Let’s make everyone feel like someone.
❤ 😀
Also, this is one of the songs we sang at the synagogue. “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by the Byrds. It was beautiful to hear all the people singing together.
Lotsa, Lotsa love to you! 😀
Xoxo Kim ❤
30 Days of Photos – Day 3 {Rule of Thirds}
I wrote this on August 3rd but couldn’t post til now(August 4th).
Rule of thirds
I’m not sure if my picture today (Aug. 3) follows the rule of thirds accurately but I like it!
I haven’t quite grasped the rule yet.
But at least my subject isn’t directly in the center of the picture, which is the point for Day 3. And my attempt is all that matters anyway!
(I think this picture may also submit to the rule of negative space?)
This is my Buddha green aventurine bracelet.
It’s supposed to attract positive energy, optimism, amazing opportunities, increase confidence, help us connect more deeply with nature, help with depression, anxiety, be calming, good luck…and all kinds of other stuff.
Aventurine is considered by some to be the luckiest stone!
My sister and me both have one. She loves stones and what they represent.
Unlike my sister, I don’t believe that stones, real or fake, can really bring good luck and things but they can be symbolic and a great reminder! Also, this has a little Buddha head on it! Isn’t he cute?!
His expression is so calm like he hasn’t a care in the world and I feel so calm and peaceful just looking at his face on my bracelet. True calmness is within and not about our environment. We can be in the most hectic, distressing, painful environment but still stay peaceful and joyful. We may or may not naturally be calm & peaceful but whether or not we are, with practice we can develop and deepen and maintain a generally calm mind.
All Buddha figures represent calmness & love but not all of them are crafted as well and look this good. Some Buddha statues and charms just creep me out. It’s a kind of heavy bracelet too, of great quality. I love it!
Along with sharing my picture, I will share some of his sentiments. Buddha’s teachings can benefit everyone in some way, even just a few of his ideas put into practice can be life changing.
Last night I had a Buddhist dream.
Did you ever have one of those experiences where you are dreaming and something happens in real life while you’re dreaming and the thing that happens gets incorporated into your dream? Like a dog barking for real then in your dream a dog appears and is barking in your dream but it’s the real one you hear and you awaken to the real dog barking.
I had an experience like this in the morning.
Only it wasn’t barking that was incorporated into my slumbering dream.
I was in class during a Buddhist ceremony and we were doing some ritual. The monk who teaches our class was, in my dream, performing a ritual and all of a sudden something wet and messy dropped on my head during class. I was drenched in liquid and chunks and slop and heard a retching noise and woke up! Unfortunately it wasn’t just a dream! My big pitbull was in my bed hanging over me throwing up! All over me! My head, my arm, my side… Lol She’s not sick; she just has a weak stomach, she always did.
What a way to wake up!
This is my pitbull, my fuzzy sausage girl, my furry soulmate, Isis Summerjo. How can anyone resist the cuteness?!
I had no idea what I was going to get a picture of today. I went out and forgot my phone then I had to go to work and at work I was thinking of what to get a pic of then I thought oh of course, my Buddha bracelet!”
Then I remembered my Buddhist dream and that unfortunate experience! Lol
So here are some of Buddha’s views.
Do not wish for gratitude.
Help other living beings just to help, not to receive gratitude in return. Someone may be greatly helped or uplifted or inspired by what we do and that’s enough even if the person isn’t thankful to us. We don’t need people to gush over us for helping them or complimenting them and we don’t need credit or something tangible in return. Love to love, not just to be loved in return.
Do not be boastful – sometimes we will be really good at something that others suck at, we will do something great, we will have what someone else doesn’t, we will accomplish something good, we will learn and come to know things that are important that other people won’t seem to grasp, we will be wiser than some people. But let’s remain humble anyway and use our gifts and fortunes to benefit others. It’s ok to be confident in our abilities and gifts and be thankful but not good to act arrogantly with others or be proud at their expense.
Rejoice in the fortunes and success of others –
Let’s not be jealous. Let’s be happy for others when something good happens to them. Remember how it feels to have something good happen to us then know that’s how they feel and take pleasure in it. It gets us nowhere to feel jealous and unhappy because someone else succeeds, it just feels unpleasant and can lead us to act in unpleasant ways to those around us. It generates negative energy. And remember there’s enough goodness for all of us. When one person wins, we all win. We can even let their happiness and success motivate us and inspire us to take action to better our selves.
Do not retaliate – when someone does something to hurt us, whether physically or emotionally, or to hurt someone we know, we may feel like seeking revenge, lashing out, holding a grudge…this isn’t good for anyone. It’s detrimental to harbor anger and loathing for someone and it doesn’t usually make the situation better and it often worsens it.
Act on compassion instead of anger, reach out to help and console the one hurt, not act on fury against the one who hurt the person/other sentient being. And if we are the one hurt, we can reach out to others in a similar situation or just be sure to never do to others what someone did to us. We know how it feels to be hurt, let’s try to avoid doing that to others when we can.
Use every occasion with a person who angers us, as an opportunity to practice patience and cultivating an attitude of compassion, instead of acting on anger. We don’t have to repress the anger, just take a few breaths, consciously, and imagine how acting angry just worsens things, often. It’s good for us and everyone around us to stay calm and loving no matter what. It doesn’t mean not speaking up, just not acting negatively.
Don’t be consumed in guilt – guilt, when it’s excessive or delusional, does no good. Even if we really are guilty, we can be sorry, vow to try to never hurt someone or do something like it again, then move forward. Nearly everyone makes mistakes, acts unkindly, messes up, is wrong sometimes and there’s always hope, just keep going and help others along the way.
Cherish others above the self.
Pay close attention to your mind and thoughts, attempt to have positive, loving thoughts.
When you catch unpleasant thoughts, redirect your mind.
Offer the victory to others and accept defeat upon our self. Let others be right even if they aren’t. It’s ok to speak up. But it’s more important to be loving & kind than to be right.
-
Advice from Atisha’s Heart
“Profit and respect are nooses of the maras, so brush them aside like stones on the path.” ~ Atisha
Let’s not be concerned with gaining material/monetary wealth or the respect of others. Do what you know is right deep inside.
“Avoid places that disturb your mind, and always remain where your virtues increase.”
When we can, let’s avoid places that drain the life out of us, tempt us to do negative things, and are just not good for us. And visit places that nourish our goodness. But remember it’s mostly not about our physical environment but our attitude and perspective that lead to happiness or pain.
“Avoid friends who cause you to increase delusions, and rely upon those who increase your virtue. This you should take to heart.”
Same with people. We can love them, wish them the best, and go our separate ways.
“Do not be jealous of others’ good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.”
“Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself, and purge them like bad blood.”
“Do not contemplate your own good qualities, but contemplate the good qualities of others, and respect everyone as a servant would.”
“Always keep a smiling face and a loving mind, and speak truthfully without malice.”
“Generate compassion for lowly beings, and especially avoid despising or humiliating them.”
“Have no hatred for enemies and no attachment for friends.”
Loving our friends is good, being attached is not. Let them go if they leave and not depend on them for our general happiness. Love them unconditionally. But keep in mind that the relationship as it now is will one day come to an end either through death or a breakup or drifting apart. Most things do not and cannot last forever. Acknowledging this and accepting it while cherishing those we currently have will help it be easier to cope with loss.
See, these things can apply to everyone, not just Buddhist people.
We may not always live up to these things but it’s good to try and each moment we display these qualities is amazing! Whenever we fall, we can just get back up and keep going, lifting others every step of the way.
❤
Much love to you!
❤
Xoxo Kim 😀
50 Shades of Happy
When I was at work last night I saw a newspaper that says “50 Shades of Happy” (about coloring). It inspires me to list fifty things that elicit happiness for me.
Here goes!
1.) rainbow sprinkles! Especially on vanilla ice cream & cupcakes! Oh my! How delicious and pretty!
2.) puppy kissies!
3.) rainbows
4.) conversations and tea with friends
5.) cupcakes!
6.) tofu!
7.) a full moon
8.) creepy ghost stories!
9.) Kindle app!
10.) clear blue sky
11.) unexpected rain
12.) packages arriving in the mail
13.) hearing an old forgotten song or a new song/song I haven’t yet heard, that I love! Especially when that new song/song I haven’t heard before now, is called Kimberly!
“Kimberly baby, you make me crazy!” lol
Or Kimberley (it’s close enough!)
“You see Kimberly was special, a rare and wild soul
Nearly every man who met her, their hearts she always stole…”
“You know I got to have this kim, I cant get her off my mind
And I aint gonna stop until shes mine, mine…”
It’s a beautiful political song about wanting to save the land called Kimberley in Australia against too much Industrialization. It’s about greed and selfishness and too much division and arguing. But he writes/sings as if it’s about a girl who everyone loves and craves. It has a deep message and some parts of it can be applied to life in general. Forget the politics and message and all and we’ll just pretend it’s about me! Lol! I got nothing against cowboys though! He seems to have a little something going against them in the song! But I don’t! lol ;-D
Kimberley – John Butler – mobile
Kimberley – John Butler – desktop
And there’s quite a few more songs involving my name! Yay! One is Kimberly by Marques Houston. I discovered this gem a few years ago. It’s a sexy, risqué song:
“Come along with me cus my ride don’t stop
We can make love that the neighbours watch
Open up the blinds let the whole world see”
Lol funny!
But my favorite line is:
“…more than just physical (its more than just physical Kimber…)
Deep inside of every woman there’s a Kimberly
She’s incredible… (She’s incredible)”
14.) photography – looking at people’s photos inspires me! And I love taking pics myself! I want to be a photographer one day!
15.) my kitty with her tongue sticking out!
Lol
16.) hot tea
17.) iced coffee
18.) flowers – especially when they have little kritters on their petals
19.) warm blankets
20.) Christmas songs! How cheerful! 😀
21.) pumpkin flavored coffee in the Fall! How thrilling!
22.) helping people
23.) random acts of kindness
24.) being in a room full of people or surrounded by lots of people in some way – doesn’t matter if I know them or not or if I’m interacting with them or not- it’s so uplifting and energizing
25.) a long thrilling conversation with a stranger
26.) hugs!
27.) snails walking on me
28.) my long hair blowing in the wind
29.) taking pictures of buildings
30.) comedy movies
31.) cherry water ice!
32.) connecting with people on social media accounts
33.) seeing/hearing/reading about good things that happen for people – I’m very empathetic and soak up everyone else’s happiness & pleasure. It reminds me of that episode of “King of Queens” when that girl Kirstie is guest starring and she’s on a diet or something and won’t let herself indulge in some sweet confections and so she insists that the girl, Carrie, eats it for her so she can watch and feel the pleasure herself just using her empathy! Lol that can be me!
34.) philosophy texts
35.) walking in perfect “walking weather” – perfect to me is not too hot or too cold, not too windy, and also a light rainy mist
36.) a sky full of stars
37.) jumping on a trampoline!
38.) makeup! Especially eye makeup!
39.) the sounds of construction work outside! Yes, I love it! Lol
40.) the Earthy scent right before and after it rains, yum!
41.) the first glistening snowfall of the season
42.) reading a book at night with my dogs in bed
43.) getting new fruity body mist or body wash/hair soap/conditioner/lotion
44.) tropical scents
45.) rain droplets on flower petals & leaves
46.) watching a sunset or sunrise
47.) cool nights/windy nights
48.) uncontrollable belly laughs
49.) Buddha statues/figures/pictures
The man is seriously PEACEFUL! Day & night without exception. Totally has his shizz together.
50.) colorful socks! 😀
Nothing wrong with letting the little kid in us run wild and see wonder in everything we look at!
I am disappointed to get to fifty already! It was so easy and I can go on & on! If I ever try to list things I don’t like, it’s much harder! My mind is generally so focused on what I do like! 😀 I guess that’s how you know you have a good life, when it’s so much easier to list happy things than unhappy things! I certainly have a list of things I dislike but it wasn’t easy to create that one and not as uplifting to write/read. But things we dislike are part of us too and no sense denying it! It’s all about our focus, attitude, and reaction. I am so much happier though, reading lists of things people love than the things they can’t stand.
What is your 50 shades of happy?
😀
Much love to you! ❤
Xoxo Kim ❤
A Varied Source
“For sentient beings, poor and destitute, May I become a treasure ever plentiful, And lie before them closely in their reach, A varied source of all that they might need.” ~ Shantideva
This is an amazing concept. To be “a varied source” of all that someone, anyone may need. Be a source of happiness and riches, not just material, monetary riches but rich in love and joy, generous and comforting to anyone in need. Be a source of inspiration, a source of light, be a friend and a protector, give a helping hand, a warm hug.
There’s a blog called “Waking up with Ryan” by a man who loves to help and inspire people! Just my kind of man!
http://www.wakingupwithryan.com/
(and he’s cute too! Go check him out! ;-D)
Ryan’s everyday morning e-mails, which are about positivity, love, and inspiration, resonate with me so often. His messages each day can apply to people in general. And so often when I’m thinking about a certain topic or concept or something, his e-mail seems to be about that very issue!
He asks:
“How do you show up for the people all around you?”
This is a fantastic question, one that is of great importance and is good to ask ourselves each day.
The possibilities are infinite. There’s so much we can do for others whether or not the people realize we are doing anything to help them. Simple things they may not realize we did but would notice if it wasn’t done. Like doing extra work so our coworker doesn’t have to. Moving stuff out of the way if we see it in a street or the middle of a pavement where someone can trip over it or cars can crash. Feeding pigeons on a pavement. Sharing our snacks with a squirrel. Showing love to a homeless person. Even if it’s just eye contact or a sweet smile to show that person’s existence is something, is important, is valued. Saving insects when we can instead of crushing them. We too often overlook certain kinds of people and other sentient beings. Texting our mom just to say hello. Buying our friend coffee or tea. Putting things on hold to help someone else. Creating a blog/e-mail subscription system to send out inspiring messages to millions of people or just one who may see it, write positive messages to people on social media whether we know them or not, compliment a stranger, share an uplifting quote or song, let someone else have the last available seat on a bus or in a waiting room, or the last product in a store even if we need it, warmly reach out to an acquaintance who seems to be struggling even if just to say hello, when we feel like being judgmental instead of acting on that, seek to understand…
Ryan writes(in his June 23rd subscription e-mail):
“It’s too easy to lose ourselves in the day’s activities. We forget to consider the impact we have on each other.
Let’s slow down today and consider that every single interaction is an opportunity to add a little more hope to someone’s life.”
Isn’t this beautiful?
This is so profound. Think about it. Imagine if our every interaction each day, every mundane encounter, every random encounter, every planned encounter, at home, at work, out and about, driving, on a bus or train or plane, with other sentient beings is grasped as an opportunity to bring hope, love, light, and inspiration to that living being.
Imagine if we all make the choice every single day throughout the day to lavish love onto each other and the world in every way we can. The world would change dramatically. And even if just one of us does this and the rest of the world doesn’t, the world around us will be better for those we touch. Not everyone will be interested in receiving our love and the love we send out to the world won’t always be returned to us but that’s ok! It’s not about what we get but what we give.
Truly listen when someone wants to talk, listen to understand, not merely to respond in a mechanical, automatic way just to converse or satisfy social expectations, hold our tongue when we feel like lashing out in anger, encourage when someone needs inspiration, hug the hurt, comfort the sick, befriend the lonely, smile at those who are frowning, love the lost, guide them with your love and light, show compassion to those who seem to be lacking it, help the broken heal, be a varied source of all someone may need.
We won’t always be able to be what everyone wants and needs and that’s ok. Maybe someone needs money you just don’t have to give, maybe someone wants to hear words you can’t bring yourself to say, needs your time when you really have somewhere else to be and can’t give it right then…
We can’t always be everything to everyone. But as long as our intentions are good, our heart is pure, our energy is loving….it’s all that matters. What we have to give, we can give. Let it be enough for now. And it’s a beautiful way to live.
This quote attributed to Shantideva, inspires me so deeply. To be the best me I can be for whoever needs me. I won’t always succeed but I can do my best in general.
I hope you have a varied source of all that you need but more importantly, I hope you will be that varied source to others in need. ❤
I hope you are having a beautiful night or day wherever in the world you are. I’m sending my loving energy to you and wishing you the best. ❤ ❤ ❤ 😀
Ordinary Angels – mobile link to song
Ordinary Angels – desktop link
Xoxo Kim ❤
We’re Planting Flowers in Hell
“She’d probably plant flowers in hell.” ~ Riderek (“summer girl”)
{——{—–@
I saw this quote or lyrics recently and love it! It conveys the message that we can bring our own beauty and light even to places where there seems to be none. In dark, ugly, drab places, we can be a source of beauty and light and inspiration. It’s up to us to bring our own sunshine, our own flowers, our own stars, our own hope and love. There may not always be someone else around to provide that for us. But we can create our own, wherever we are, and send it out into the world. Whatever we want to see in the world that isn’t here, whatever we want to see more of, whatever kind of person we want to be around….let’s create and be that our own selves for others and for our selves.
The place where I found this quote or lyrics is an instagram.com account. I don’t have an Instagram.com account but I can see a limited amount of content on some of the ones I come across. I find this one to be beautiful. I think he’s a writer/poet or lyricist or something. His writing is grounded in hope and love and pain and kind of dark in a beautiful way.
I hope you are having a lovely day/night! And remember to plant your own flowers even in dark places. Let’s not wait for others to lavish love and light and beauty onto the world; let’s lead the way! ❤ 😀
Xoxo Kim ❤
Cherish the love, cherish the life
(this isn’t my photo – I dont know the source but it sure is funny!)
Recently, I realized how much I really do love Summer. The Summer season has the potential to be quite beautiful where I am. I often say it’s my least favorite season. It is. But I also say that I love all four seasons. All four are lovely and I am blessed to live in a place where we experience the diversity of all the seasons and the gifts they bring.
But often, when I think of Summer, I want to grimace. For the last couple of days it has been very beautiful summer weather. Hot but definitely not scorching. Actually, yesterday was really cool and very rainy and stormy. Today is perfect too. Not rainy. Hot but not overwhelming.
Then it hit me. This is perfect. Summer would be perfect if there were not as many heatwaves. It’s not hot weather I don’t like, it’s unbearably hot weather like 100 degrees heatwaves over and over to where even good commercial air conditioners don’t even seem to be working, that I don’t like much.
But I wouldn’t get rid of the heatwaves even if I could. Because a lot of people do like them. And it’s not all about me. And also Because I like diversity and it’s good to have all kinds of weather. Also, I love the way it feels to have cold showers and put on my pj shorts in the middle of a heatwave! Lol
So yeah, they are good for some things!
I like to have tea at work. I carry tea bags, powdered cream, and a box or cup of sugar everywhere with me. Lol
But today I forgot my tea and stuff! But I saw we have hot chocolate at work. We usually don’t get that until the Fall but we have a big box. So I had some of that since I forgot my tea. I started to feel giddy and thrilled because in my head it felt like October.
Every year when it gets cooler, we sell hot chocolate and today as I was getting ready to drink it, it felt like that Fall feeling, especially because it was kind of breezy/cool in the morning and last night. The weather was definitely not Fall-like weather but just cool summer air. But it felt like Autumn in my mind. I started dreaming of Fall and all the lovely gems it brings!
But then I stopped myself and decided to instead cherish right now and all the blessings Summer brings. It’s good to look forward to and plan for things but it’s also good to be mindful and appreciative of right now and all of the joys surrounding us. Fall will be here before we know it. This moment will never occur again. Let’s embrace it.
(me standing on the corner in the rain)
I’m often extremely happy to be right where I am, right here, right now. I’m naturally this way to a certain degree but with practice I’m much better at it now. Often, no matter what my situation is, even painful, I can still be thankful I’m right here, right now, and see the beauty around me. I almost never felt this way walking in 100 degree weather, extremely thirsty and feeling like I’m about to fall unconscious of heatstroke or dehydration. I would keep thinking “Winter! Where are you?!” or “this sucks!!!” but now I am very mindful of the gentle breeze that seems to lovingly brush against my cheeks and the vibrant green leaves hanging off the tree branches and the blue, blue sky above me, twinkling in my blue, blue eyes. And I’m so thankful for right here, right now. I just tune into the moment. It often comes naturally now but if not, I can often summon that mindful gratitude. If I had a choice I would never choose being out in 100 degree weather dying of thirst and heat but since I don’t have the choice, I cherish it. It’s fantastic to live, to love this way.
If we live too much in the future or the long ago, we miss out on the gift of the present.
(not my photo)
I love reading quotes, blogs, and books about mindfulness as reminders and ways to keep up the practice of appreciative living right now.
Here are some of my favorite quotes relating to the topic of mindfulness, Zen, or appreciative living.
“The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.” ~ Robert Pirsig
“Zen teaches nothing; it merely enables us to wake up and become aware. It does not teach, it points.” ~ D.T. Suzuki
“Zen is simply a voice crying, ‘Wake up! Wake up!'” ~ Maha Sthavira Sangharakshita
“The quieter you become the more you can hear.” ~ Baba Ram Dass
“If you have a glass full of liquid you can discourse forever on its qualities, discuss whether it is cold, warm, whether it is really and truly composed of H2O, or mineral water, or saki. Zazen is drinking it.” ~ Taisen Deshimaru
“Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” – James Baraz
“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.” – Henry Miller
“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
“If you clean the floor with love, you have given the world an invisible painting.” – Osho
“To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.” – William Blake
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
“Paradise is not a place; it’s a state of consciousness.”
I hope you are having a wonderful day/night!
Xoxo Kim
Always look at the bright side of life
~”Hate has four letters. So does love.
Enemies has seven letters. So does friends.
Lying has five letters. So does truth.
Hurt has four letters. So does heal.”~
“Transform every negative energy into positive energy. It’s your perception that makes the difference.”
Yesterday, something terrible happened(or maybe I’m just being dramatic?)! I deleted my WordPress app on purpose because it wasn’t working for a couple days and I thought maybe deleting it then putting it back on would get it a better connection. But when I went to reinstall it, I saw that it’s no longer available for BlackBerry! And then I saw that my post did go through after I deleted it! So it was working just not good but now that I deleted it I can’t get it back. Imagine my horror and regret! Lol
The blog is a significant part of me. It’s how I mostly share my experiences, life lessons learned, photos, try to uplift or inspire people…
I don’t post everyday, I even sometimes go weeks without posting but I do post a couple posts each month, at least. But in the three years I had the blog, I can’t remember a day not preparing drafts to eventually post. Every single day I’m writing or planning blog posts even when I don’t publish them yet. Everything I learn, I often think about how I can prepare it to post here, every song, every book that inspires me. Every season. I am so inspired to post here. To help or inspire others.
On the computer I have, there’s some pop up that won’t let me use WordPress.com and I like using my phone better anyway and on my phone it’s nearly impossible without the app. Posting text content is easy, it’s the photos it won’t let me post without a lot of trouble.
I felt a kind of despair yesterday briefly off and on in waves. Going out of my head. But Buddha’s wisdom and light keeps me going! Buddha teaches about non attachment and being blissful no matter what. Buddha would never sink to despair over technology problems or even something as tragic as someone dying or severe physical pain.
He teaches that it’s ok to have material things, friends, family…but to not be dependent on any of it for our happiness or wellbeing. To know and accept that everything we have and everyone we meet, will eventually end somehow. And he teaches us to be the best we can be so we can help all other living beings be more happy and peaceful.
And I draw on his wisdom and strength to lift me and help me help others in any way I can.
You don’t have to be a Buddhist to benefit by his wisdom.
And I am reminded of the above quote. For every negative thing there’s something positive, something to learn. Some way to use the experience to help someone else in some way. We can take the negative energy and put a positive spin on it.
This sucks!
But oh well, it’s done now!
I thought of my WordPress app and how blessed I always felt to have it but it did contribute to me wanting to pull out my hair on occasion! Thing was annoying! It was slow and would post multiple of the same letters in words and was so hard to deal with. And it took up much space on my phone. Sometimes half of my post wouldn’t show up after I hit publish. It wouldn’t let me change the date when it got it wrong. This is the main reason I did not post as much as I would like to. It did get the job done well in the end though and I miss it now. I miss it terribly. I miss the layout and seeing the little icon on my phone. The colors which I thought were kind of on the boring side. I miss everything about it and I would take that distress and annoyance it brought me, any day if I could just have it back. I would prefer the annoyances and still have the app. But that’s not the case. I don’t have it and so I will be thankful for the positive things my loss brings with it. Another positive thing – now I have more space on my phone. I would prefer to have less space and have the app but since I can’t have it, I can still celebrate having more storage space!
I can still post here but maybe not many pictures because it seems it only let’s me post one. Pictures make blog posts better I think, especially long blog posts, and I love posting my random inspiration posts with all the photos! Maybe I’ll find a way! I guess if you really, really want something, you let nothing stand in the way.
This also reminds me of Johnathan Huie’s Zero based gratitude idea where instead of comparing what we have to what we had when we had more, we can just be thankful now for everything. Even if we have so much less than we previously had. Who cares what we had and lost? When it’s gone it’s gone.
We can learn and move forward.
I posted about this concept here:
And here is Mr. Huie’s essay:
Also here’s a good song meant to be funny but with a sweet little message about looking on the bright side of life always, no matter how much it sucks.
Mobile:
Desktop:
The singer Monty Python is a comedian and I read he makes fun of religion. I don’t know much about him or his jokes or if they are vicious jokes or just stupid ones and I don’t necessarily agree with all his views or anything. I’m just promoting his light attitude about looking on the positive side. “Laugh and smile and dance and sing…” he sings. The singer even goes all the way as to encourage us, when we’re dying, to think life is a piece of shit anyway! Lol “Life’s a piece of shit when you look at it…” that way you won’t care so much about dying! Lmao I don’t view life as shit but I hear his message loud & clear!
Always look on the bright side of life.
Always look on the light side of life.
And there IS a bright side.
Always.
And if not, you can create one.
I hope your night/day is a good one!
❤
Xoxo Kim
The whole world is a garden <3
” If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett
Everywhere we look, we can find something beautiful even in the ugliness, the darkness, the gray…
It’s up to us to look and find when it doesn’t easily jump out at us.
I hope you are having a beautiful day/night!
Xoxo Kim
