Tag Archive | compassion

Father Figure

Nov17

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“If you are the desert
I’ll be the sea
If you ever hunger –
Hunger for me
Whatever you ask for
That’s what I’ll be. .”

Ever hear this song? I listened to it often when I was young. But I never truly listened. I liked the music and the voices singing and the feeling of mystery to it. I still do! I occasionally wondered what it’s about but those thoughts were very fleeting. Then I haven’t heard it for years probably, just once in a blue moon.

Recently I read the lyrics and found that at first they may seem deeply disturbing to someone not truly paying attention or not in tune with the wisdom within. It seems, on the surface, as if an adult man is singing to a child about wanting to be naked at his/her side and wanting to be this young person’s “daddy.”

Or like he’s in love with an adult but thinks of him/her as a child. (eww)

Who wants to lay naked next to your dad?! (Or who wants to think of your man as your daddy? [eww lol])

Unless maybe the person is a baby and like laying on the sofa or bed with the dad. Some babies/toddlers do rip their clothes off and run around in front of people, I used to! Lol

But even then I don’t think the dad usually says or thinks “I want you naked at my side.”

But this song seems to have a sexual overtone, not an innocent song a daddy sings to his child.
And not like a regular romantic love song where the singer acknowledges his lover is an adult.

(I never completely understood why some men like their lovers to call them “daddy.” lol But whatever floats your boat as long as they’re all consenting adults!)

But I felt, while reading the lyrics that this message runs so, so much deeper than the sexual or romantic or pedophile song it may seem at first glance.

I felt it before I knew it intellectually. I felt with my intuition and my deep wisdom before I truly read the words.

“That’s all you wanted
Something special, someone sacred –
In your life”

He may or may not be singing to a (romantic) lover. He does mention a lover but “lover” doesn’t always have to be romantic necessarily although the word is usually reserved for a romantic sense. And the person probably isn’t a child. A lover in the most basic sense of the word is just one who loves. “A lover of life” for example.

“If we have faith in each other
Then we can be
Strong”

What I think he’s saying is, he wants to be wise and strong and help someone else who may be in need. He has a hunger for being just what someone else needs. He has a relentless need to BE for someone else.

And I think that’s beautiful.

A father is often a person a child looks up to and can trust to guide him/her in this life. Our father is (or is supposed to be) someone whose love and wisdom can help us see through the turmoil and pain and negativity in life. We look up to him to protect us and lead us, to show us the way. But we don’t have to be a child to look up to a person like this and the person doesn’t have to be our father. This person can be a friend, a lover, a teacher, a religious person, a man or a woman,….anyone who has realized deep wisdom, deep love, and a strong desire to help others.

A father’s love is (supposed to be) unconditional.

“I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
I will be the one who toves you
Until the end of time”

The person in this song he is singing to may not be an actual child but childlike. Innocent and full of wonder. A person who is in a state for whatever reason, where s/he needs to be protected or needs someone to look up to. All of us are in a position or can be in a position where we are helpless and can be taken advantage of. There will always be someone bigger and stronger and with more power. We will almost all probably at some point need some kind of help or need answers whether it’s a serious situation like a medical condition, a mental health issue, or just needing directions while driving or how to fix something or a recommendation or help finding something. And most of us have power or an advantage over someone, whether physical, financial, emotional….all of us can hurt or help heal, protect or potentially need to be protected.
We will some occasions be in a position to help another in need. And sometimes we’ll be in a position to accept someone else’s help.

The singer (whether for real or just in the song) wants to protect this person and be his/her light, his/her guide, the one s/he can always trust and look up to.

The “child” in the song is symbolic of innocence and vulnerability.

And the “father” is symbolic of fierce, unconditional love & boundless wisdom.

“Naked” doesn’t mean physically naked, the body stripped of clothing. It is a metaphor for the baring of the soul, stripping the self of everything, of all barriers and fears, and insecurities, and allowing someone else to see through to the light and love and wisdom within. And allowing someone to see the flaws, the mistakes, the fears….Strip all the layers of wariness and anxiety and fear and embarrassment and let the true naked self be seen.

It’s actually a very beautiful song and message.

Well, this is my interpretation but someone else may have a different one.

“So when you remember the ones who have lied
Who said that they cared
But then laughed as you cried
Beautiful darling
Don’t think of me”

We can be this to someone else and also have someone else be this to us. We can all take and give, be strong some moments and allow someone else to be our strength at other moments, we can have eyes wide with wonder and innocence, blue with youth, we can break and need, and also be full of deep wisdom, have a soul so old with deep understanding and wrinkled with experience, and a thirst to provide and help and be someone’s strength and source of love.

“Because all I ever wanted
It’s in your eyes baby, baby…”

I hope we will all take advantage of whatever position we are in at each moment. Take advantage in a positive way. If we are feeling strong and wise, let’s reach out to someone not yet so strong, not in this moment in touch with the wisdom within the person, and help that person, guide that person to discover her/his wisdom, if we are feeling weak and in need, let’s reach out for help in whatever form we need it or allow someone who wants to help us, to provide what we need. It’s good to be strong and ok to be weak. It’s good to help and ask for help. It’s beautiful to give and sometimes necessary and good to take what is offered.

We can all be the child & the father.

Father Figure – George Michael – mobile

Father Figure – desktop

Much love to you! 😀

Xoxo Kim ❤

Our Purpose

Nov16

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“Be your own purpose.”

This is a great reminder out of the Kindle book I love “365 Wisdom Pills.”

Sometimes we may feel that things outside of our own self give us purpose like other people, money, things, our job, certain skills we have….or that without certain things, we have no purpose, but we are our own purpose for living. 

People say things often like find your purpose or your life’s purpose and live it. At first this may seem all inspiring or motivational but truly think about it? It can be kind of degrading. 

I don’t believe we each have a specific purpose. Suppose we think our purpose is to get married and then that person leaves us?

Then what? We have no purpose? What if we feel our purpose is a certain hobby like running or traveling then we become paralyzed or too sick to travel or run? Then we suddenly become purposeless? Or what if our “purpose” is to help others in a certain way then we suffer some loss and can’t? What if you’re a surgeon then you suffer an injury or lose your practice or license or something? Then you have no reason to exist?!

What if we become confined to a chair, paralyzed at the neck down and can’t even turn our head? There are people like that! And some are very happy! There’s a lady who is a painter and can paint with a brush in her mouth and she’s like the happiest person! She cannot move most of her body and she’s so happy and so full of purpose. I don’t know much about her but my dad told me about her years ago. We did not know her personally. He used to carry a picture of one of her paintings in his wallet to remind himself that it’s possible to be happy and love life no matter what. Her ability to paint isn’t what gives her purpose. She is a living, sentient being who exists. That’s her purpose.

And what about people who have severe brain damage or were born with complications and can’t feed themselves? They can’t walk or hardly talk or anything, yet they have purpose. No less than I do. And they are happy too. They can smile and look around and feel. I used to walk by a school for children like this, with extra needs, when I was walking to class in college. They were in wheelchairs, some with feeding tubes and oxygen and I saw them smile and make contact with people helping them and walking by. 

It’s like cruelty to claim that someone like this has less of a reason to live than anyone else! And some people do claim that!  

I don’t feel sorry for people with disabilities or brain damage as long as they are alive. I don’t feel sorry for mothers who give birth to extra needs children. Those people don’t need and probably do not want my sympathy or sorrow. They are a blessing and I have compassion for them just like I have for anyone else. They are not necessarily suffering and are not without purpose. And even through our suffering, we have purpose. 

When I was a young girl in middle and high school, I made my whole “purpose” to be about getting good grades. I did not have perfect grades but I got honor roll every semester. I frequently felt that I had no reason to live. But I reminded myself that I did have a reason to live, I got good grades! Then one day I got my report card and got a C in math! I seriously contemplated killing myself after school that day. I was really going to then lost the nerve. Not that suicide takes true courage, it does take some kind of fearlessness or determination but that’s not true courage. True courage is choosing to live even when it’s so hard. But whatever was giving me the balls to kill myself, suddenly dissipated when I got the chance. That has happened frequently. 

Not everyone who feels like there’s no purpose wants to kill themselves but it’s an unpleasant, painful way to live!

So it’s good if we can all realize that our purpose is us. We don’t need anything else to give us a reason. It’s great to have passions, interests, goals, plans, people….but they aren’t our reason for living.

Hugs & love to you! ❤

😀

Xoxo Kim 

Live in Love <3

Nov14

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“Live a life with no regrets
Always act with love.” 

Just a little reminder about how we can never go wrong with love. I will never regret being “too” kind or “too” caring but I have regretted being less than kind. I will never regret acting with love even if it isn’t returned to me. Even if something turns out not how we wanted, if we had good intentions, there’s nothing to regret. And if we had negative intentions, we can be sorry and move forward and try to act more wisely in the present and future.

“What the world needs now is love sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.”

What the World Needs Now – mobile

What the World Needs Now – desktop
Love & hugs to you, always 

❤

Xoxo Kim 

Oneness

Nov12

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“Everywhere you look 
You can see yourself 
In different forms:
this is the Consciousness 
of Oneness.”

We can see our own self in others and the world around us. One idea of Oneness is that we are all alike in significant ways. We all want to avoid suffering (except maybe people who want to suffer feeling as if they deserve it or one form of suffering helps allay another form…). We all have goals, a life, a breath, a name, we gravitate toward things that bring pleasure or relief or calm and want to avoid things that provoke pain. 
This is an underlying trait that applies to us in general, a universal trait. 
We are One with each other and the uni-verse. 

I found this quote in my Kindle book “365 Wisdom Pills.”

It reminds me of this quote:

“Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something.”

This quote can inspire us to feel and act on compassion for others, knowing what it’s like to be afraid, to lose, and to love.

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When we look around us at the trees, the stars, the sky, feel the breeze on our skin, smell the floral fragrances and scents of the Earth, hear the chirping of the birds & crickets, taste the raindrops and snowflakes on our tongues, feel the firmness of the ground beneath our feet or the softness of soil or grass, we can be reminded that we are part of the whole uni-verse, a small, beautiful part. We can see glimpses of ourself in all that we love, all the beauty surrounding us. 

I think that to truly understand Oneness, just like meditation, Zen, Tao, it must be experienced, not merely understood intellectually. 

Whenever we feel empathy for another or deep understanding, that is a glimpse of Oneness. When we feel a connection to mountains, trees, the sky, a sunset or sunrise, animals, the season, an ocean or a beach….that is a glimpse of Oneness. When we realize we are a small part of the uni-verse, not the whole of it, not the biggest part, not the most important part, that is a glimpse of Oneness. With meditation, mindfulness, contemplation, and other things, we can feel this Oneness more and more until it’s our general state. One simple way is to breathe and consciously focus on our breath. 

What is your concept of Oneness?
How do you experience it? 

You can just think about it or answer here!

Much love to you tonight & always! 

❤ 😀

Xoxo Kim 

Get to know me survey!!! yeeeaaa!!!

Nov10

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This is a little “get to know me better” bloggy survey!

So here, get to know me better! Lol ;-D

1.) Define yourself in eleven words. Playful, compassionate, alive, mindful, positive, trusting, happy, depressed (only sometimes), loving, amused, inspired

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2.) Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I’m a very shy extrovert! I love my own company but also love to be around people! I’m not the life of the party, I’m the quiet girl waiting for someone to come talk to me but I feel very uplifted and energized and hopeful in a room full of people whether or not I know them, even if no one is talking to me. I may come off as reserved or socially anxious or introverted or a loner but that’s totally not the case! I’m just shy. But I eventually will open up. You’ll be sorry! Lol j/k

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3.) What kind of food won’t you eat?

Cantaloupe, Eww!

4.) Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Ahh, this question! I never much cared for it. Lol I just go with the flow, bask in the beauty of now. I’m not much of a planner, especially not that much into the future!

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5.) If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would you be?
This would probably be interesting but I’m not so sure I would trade places even for only a day. There’s no one I want to be other than me. It would be enlightening though to see the world through someone else’s eyes, to live and breathe as someone else. I may like to trade with multiple people throughout the day to get various perspectives. If I can only choose one, I would probably choose someone very different than me in some way like someone of a different culture or religious view or someone with an unusual experience so in combination with my own views and experiences, I can try to deepen my understanding of the world and others in general.

“She woke up every morning with the option of being anyone she wished. How beautiful it was that she always chose herself.” ~ Tyler Kent White

6.) What is your best quality? List two.
My compassion. I’m not always compassionate but generally I have very deep compassion for all living sentient beings, even those who seem difficult to me. I don’t always feel or act on compassion, I can be cold, an asshole, angry…but for the most part I’m very compassionate. And I try to get better and better.

Also my lighthearted attitude and how easily amused I am! I can be in severe pain, physical or emotional and still find laughter and lightness often. It’s a fantastic way to be. It’s so inspiring. Everything doesn’t have to be so serious.

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7.) What book has changed your life? Why? A book called 3:00am. I wrote about it here before! It’s a fictional murder mystery with the main character being someone with a very rare sleep disorder with no known cure and the book really conveys the message of how each minute, each moment, each breath we take is extremely valuable, important, worth acknowledging and savoring. The man in the book only has one hour each day to be awake so he plans literally every minute individually to get the most in life, he goes for a run, reads his favorite books, goes on the Internet, talks to his dad…and plans each and every minute to live to the fullest before he falls asleep for 23 hours. The story is a reminder that each of us only has these moments right here, right now. We don’t have this disorder but we too only have a limited number of minutes to be awake/alive

I don’t always live like this but after reading that book I am changed and realize and live in such a way more than I used to, so that each minute counts and is the best it can be.

“Let’s cherish every moment we have been given; the time is passing by…” ~ Kool & the Gang

Here are a couple excerpts:

“Those minutes are my life, I nearly scream. Those minutes that you take so much for granted because you get a thousand of them each day are priceless to me. Your life is measured by title, wealth, and status. My life is measured in grains of sand, trickling from one teardrop to the other.
My nostrils flare when I’m angry and I wonder if Ray feels a small gust of wind. Taking a calm breath, I ponder telling her that I’m Henry Bins and I have Henry Bins. I don’t.”

(Henry Bins is the disorder named after this man who was the first in the world to be diagnosed.)

“It’s like Christmas, each minute a beautifully wrapped gift just waiting to be opened. Should I allow myself an extra minute in the shower? Could I read three more pages of my book? Run another quarter mile? Watch a YouTube video? Watch the swimming pool scene from Wild Things, twice?”
Check out my post if you want:

https://inspirationalgem.wordpress.com/2014/10/30/300am/

8.) What is your biggest problem/s in life?
My depressive disorder but it’s not constantly severe or always a problem. It comes & goes. I’m naturally & generally happy & cheerful. But it always comes back to get me. Lol

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9.) Who is your role model?
I don’t have one. There’s really no one I try to be like and live up to. Except the Buddha, Buddha Shakymuni, I try to live up to his ways. I want my love, my compassion, my happiness, my selflessness…to mirror his. I don’t always succeed at it and still have a long way to go probably. I am very mortal, fragile, weak next to him, but it’s so good to try. I practice Buddhist meditation, listen to Buddhist songs, attend classes, have Mala recitation beads, and try to live each day inspired by Buddha and practice his Teachings. Dharma is my inspiration and guide. There’s so much I don’t know but I’m learning more & more about Dharma.

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10.) Do you have any insecurities? What are they? Yes, I have an insecurity that comes and goes, like my depression does, more likely when I’m depressed. I wish i had a lifelong friend, particularly another girl, who is like family/ sister. Sometimes I feel incomplete and less loved without that. I wish I had a few longterm friendships since we were very young.

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11.) What do you believe?
??? Well let’s see, I believe we are all One, One with each other, the whole uni-verse, nature, the stars and moon & sun, animals….I often feel very connected to others and the world around me. I always have since I was a little girl but never knew how to put it into words. I am all for universal love, wishing everyone the best, wanting everyone to be happy and well, not at the expense of others though. When one person wins, we all win. When one person or animal dies, a light goes out on all of us. Your suffering is my suffering, your happiness is mine. Even if someone gets the job I want, I can be happy for that person. If someone has what I desperately want and do not have, I can still be happy and congratulate the person. If it’s difficult at first, I can tune into my wisdom of Oneness.
I don’t always feel this way even though I believe it. Sometimes I’m depressed and do not feel connected to anyone or anything. Sometimes I’m lonely or jealous or uninspired. But I always find my way back.

12.) Does blogging enrich or better your life? Yes! Both the people I meet/communicate with and my own writing. I write for others and myself. I know every post may not be read by someone or “liked” or liked but it’s still worth it to write and share. It will always be here for anyone who may find it and for me. I don’t always publish everyday but I do write for the blog every single day. I am inspired almost everyday, some days the whole day, some days only one moment but each day I find something to inspire me or just feel inspired. I am inspired by what I read, see, feel…..and love to share and uplift or inspire others as well. Writing for here helps me think more clearly and in a more deep way. Sometimes my own writing inspires me! I have a whole collection since 2012 to look back on whenever I want. Once in a while WordPress suggests an old post to read after I publish a new one and I check it out and it’s years old and still so inspiring! It’s especially helpful when I’m depressed or in severe physical pain with a headache and I look back on an old post of mine and know I felt that way and can feel that way again. Other people’s positive thoughts and writing can be so uplifting, inspiring,and helpful but there’s a certain kind of hope and inspiration knowing I felt that way myself once and have it in me to feel that way again. My cover photo on Facebook says “Life is beautiful.” I don’t always feel that way. Often but not always. And when I’m depressed/suicidal or having an agonizing headache, when I see that, I am reminded that I once felt that life is beautiful and can feel that again. Can feel that way NOW! Or soon.

Most of the stuff I post here is timeless and can apply to anyone. I share my own experiences but try to in a way so anyone at all can relate. Not everyone has depression or headaches but when I write of my experiences with those, I try to make it so anyone can take any problem no matter how minor or serious, and relate. Most of us have basic empathy to relate to one another and we can deepen it.

I feel that writing for here also strengthens my positive attitude in general. It reinforces it, maintains it. I would be positive anyway mostly, but this deepens it and helps me be positive in moments I may not be without it.
It helps to strengthen my habit of looking on the brighter side of life. I write here of my struggles and my positive way of handling them. Sometimes I don’t feel like handling them positively but I am reminded of what I share here frequently and often get inspired to be more positive. It’s like a reminder to myself while also potentially helping or reminding others. And I love when I get comments, likes, and shares. ❤

Since I make this mostly a positive place but also genuine, I do admit my flaws and less than pleasant qualities and situations but I highlight my strengths and good qualities and it carries over into life off of the blog. I remember to admit my weaknesses but also appreciate my strengths and blessings more.

13.) What kind of music do you like to listen to?
I love all kinds but especially Oldies, country, and inspirational! I love love songs and ones with deep meaning and positive messages. I also like angry death metal! Lol! They never get old!

14.) four facts about yourself:

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1.) green & pink are two of my favorite colors
2.) if I were to die I would love if my organs can go to someone in need “Don’t take your organs to Heaven, Heaven knows we need them here!”
In fact, I would love to give one of my kidneys to anyone in need even when I’m alive. I heard the transplant is more likely to be a success with a living donor. Want my kidney? You can have it if you desperately need it to live(I’m not going to sell it to people trying to get money or something…)!! Just let me know. (if I’m allowed to give it, I heard living donors who want to give a kidney to a random stranger must endure some grueling hours of psychiatric evaluation. And I have severe, severe depression off & on but I’m not trying to die, I know what I’m in for! But the doctors may think I’m not thinking clearly because of my history of suicidal depression. But I can assure them I am! I just want to help! It is not without risks and won’t be always easy, but it’s worth it and the medical people make it as safe as possible. I want someone to live. I have two perfect, beautiful kidneys, I only need one!! I have no money so hopefully it doesn’t cost anything on my part! Lol) I don’t want anything in return other than someone living.
Since I was a young girl I have been deeply touched and inspired by the idea of organ donation even though I have never been personally touched by it.
I always had a strong desire to help.
I have known for as long as I can remember that I want my organs to go to someone else when I no longer need them. The only reason is that I want someone else to live. There are so many waiting for an organ and there are many organs that would save people’s lives but the person does not consent to donation. Every single eligible person can help.
I don’t care who they go to. People have asked me, “But what if your heart goes to a ‘nasty,’ ‘undeserving,’ ‘no good,’ …..or whatever other unpleasant adjective….person?!” First of all, most people are not nasty or no good. So that is unlikely. Also it’s better to take the chance of saving an “unworthy” person than not and a “good” person dies. But anyway, everyone deserves to live!

But I don’t judge those who refuse to donate their organs before or after death even though I wish everyone would after death! I understand and it’s your choice. Organ donation is a beautiful gift and it’s amazing how doctors can perform transplants! What a gift! To have parts of someone else to keep us alive! To give parts of our self to keep someone else alive! Incredible beauty!
Thank you doctors, nurses, technicians….& organ donors/families & beautiful people!! <333 ❤ Thank You, thank you!! So many people are alive NOW because of the love of organ donors and their families and the love and hard work of the medical professionals involved.

3.) I’m reading a beautiful novel, that I just found accidentally, about a heart transplant and the pain & beauty of the families involved, how one young woman lives because another young woman died, the guilt and gratitude she experiences and the resentment the dead woman’s husband has for the family who received the heart. It’s called “Irreplaceable” and conveys so many mixed emotions both painful and beautiful that all involved experience.
4.) I have hipbone length hair and don’t ever want it any shorter.

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15.) What eleven words do NOT typically describe you?
Motivated (I’m a lazy bum), organized (I’m a slob & a wreck), greedy (obviously! See above, I’m ready to give you my kidney!), athletic(sports bore me…and I’m lazy!), aloof(i love being close to others both physically and emotionally – I love hugs!), stressed(I’m often calm and handle things well and work well under pressure), dramatic (I’m quiet and balanced – usually), loud (I have a tendency to scream when people walk in my room {it could be an axe murderer for all I know!} but other than that you won’t even know I’m here!), tenacious (the description for zodiac sign for me, insists that I am/should be stubborn but I’m quite the opposite!, I am extremely easy-going, trusting, and have even been called a “push-over” on occasion!), sensitive (in the sense that I’m not easy to offended or hurt emotionally, I can handle constructive, jokes, sarcasm…), moralist/sanctimonious (I don’t like acting like I always know what is right or acting like I live better than anyone else)

Is that eleven? I sort of lost count! 😉

I hope your day is going amazingly!!

And hopefully you got to know me/know me a bit better?!

If you want, take the survey and let me know! I would just love to see your answers! One of my favorite things to read is “about me” pages & random facts about people. It’s so fun seeing little glimpses of who someone is. ❤

Hugs & love to you, always!

😀

Xoxo Kim

Waves of Love <3

Nov9

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“Send waves of love to the world, where people are fighting. The world needs your love.”

This is a beautiful concept! Sometimes when there’s arguing and negativity, we may be tempted to join in and meet the bitterness with more bitterness. Sometimes I’m guilty of this myself. One example is when my mom or sister do something I don’t like and instead of letting it slide or be loving, I say something unkind or accept an invitation to a trivial argument. Another example is writing a rude message back to someone who writes one to me, I usually do not do this but have before. I hope to get better and better with this. We don’t need more negativity, rudeness, and anger in the face of unkindness & negativity, we need more love & patience. Each encounter with someone who is being difficult is an opportunity to develop the virtue of patience & practice universal love. ❤ ❤

It's not always easy but definitely worth it!

Waves of love can be in the form of acts of kindness, genuine well wishes, sweet words, just avoiding insults and toxic words or actions when we are tempted, hugs, positive posts on social media, planting flowers…so many things!! 😀

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Hugs & Love,

xoxo Kim

I Choose Kindness <3

Nov1

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“No act of kindness no matter how small is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop

Today Positive Focus has declared “I Choose Kindness Day.” We are encouraged to perform at least one act of kindness today. It’s good to do this every single day but it’s ok to have a whole day specifically designated for Kindness. Just like Valentine’s day & Mother’s Day, and birthdays! It’s good to love our mom every day, celebrate all kinds of love every day, celebrate and cherish a person’s or animal’s life every day in various ways but there’s nothing wrong with having a day dedicated to it. We won’t be celebrating with cakes and roses and extravagant restaurants and material gifts every single day so we can reserve one day for that and celebrate in more subtle but still important ways every other day of the year. 

Carol CC Miller, the founder of Positive Focus, is giving out free hugs today!

Here are a list of some suggestions for Kindness Day. We don’t have to go all out and do something “big” like volunteer at a soup kitchen or something (although that would be fantastic!)! The point is to incorporate kindness into our every day situations.

1.) Smile at a stranger. 

2.) help your mom in the kitchen 

3.) give money to a homeless person (many people say not to because they use it for alcohol but think about it for a second. They also have to be buying food. They can’t live on just alcohol! Maybe they are buying alcohol but then they still need money for food! And not all of them are into alcohol or other drugs. People say give them food instead but just because they are homeless doesn’t mean they want food off of a stranger. I don’t want to encourage people to eat something they don’t know where it was or who did what to it. Would you eat food some random stranger comes up and gives you? I know people say “beggars can’t be choosy” but the line has to be drawn somewhere…they still have choices to make.)

4.) give a tip to a person in a cafe or restaurant 

5.) put an insect outside instead of killing 

6.) write a sweet message on social media 

7.) give someone a genuine compliment 

8.) write an inspiring quote on an index card and put it in a public place to be found 

9.) feed a stray animal or squirrels and pigeons in a safe place 

10.) pick trash up off the ground 

11.) pick objects up off the floor in a store and put them back on the shelves

12.) pay for someone’s coffee or something in line 

13.) ask someone “how are you today?” not just as a social obligation or thing to do but to really listen and care

14.) instead of lashing out, take a deep breath and hold our tongue when someone provokes us to be angry. Kindness can be acted on in the most subtle or none noticeable ways like not doing something unkind that we are so tempted to do. It won’t stand out most likely, most won’t be conscious of our act of kindness but it doesn’t matter, we aren’t trying to get credit. And even though they won’t realize, they would realize if our act wasn’t done and feel the unpleasant effects. 

15.) give someone a hug (if we know the person likes or doesn’t mind being hugged!)

16.) Sincerely wish the best for someone even if the person doesn’t know it, this generates positive energy and gets us more in the habit of loving and positive thinking.

17.) put a dollar on a park bench or let it blow away in the wind. Maybe a person in need will find it. At first it probably feels like wasting money but it’s really not, think how happy you would feel finding one dollar and know someone else will feel that way too

18.) let someone in front of us in line in a store

19.) forgive someone for being rude, smile at a person who carelessly pushes by you on a crowded street or bus, let someone go before us in traffic…..

20.) Share an inspiring post on social media – social media is a great way to show love or potentially show love to thousands of strangers each day or even just one, it gives us the opportunity to reach people we never would without it. It’s truly an incredible invention that we so often take for granted or use for negative purposes like arguing and getting offended and trying to offend people or “stalking” people we don’t like just to see what they’re up to or wasting hours on boring mindless junk because we don’t want to think of something better. But one positive post will still be here in years to come and even if no one sees it now, in future years or days, someone can stumble upon it. 

I’m not telling people what to do or what anyone “should” do! These are just some ideas to make the day a bit sweeter for others. I don’t think anyone “should” do these things and I don’t always do all these things myself! I won’t be doing all of them today. It’s just good to do sweet little things once in a while to bring some more light into the world. But you are enough just how you are and we don’t have to be heroes or saints or constantly doing things for everyone to be good or worthy or kindhearted.

Here is a beautiful song by Nimo Patel:

“Throw your hearts up
Let it fly high
Let your love for all the world
Spread through the skies
Let it drop down
Let it all go
Spreading kindness to every
Single living soul 
Can you see your love… for me shining through
Cuz what you see in me, I can see in you
And soon enough, you and me…we’ll be outta time
And kindness… will be all we can leave behind”

Being Kind – mobile

Being Kind – desktop

Love is how we live on long after we are gone. Our loving essence lives forever. Let it ripple and touch others. Live & love.

Live to love.
Love to live. ❤

Do you have any ideas for acts of kindness? Post them here in the comments or maybe just try them out! ❤ There is an infinite number of ways to show kindness in this life. 

“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.”

I hope you are having a lovely day! Much love to you!! ❤ 😀 ~Hugs~

Xoxo Kim 

Smile <3

Oct25

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(my shirt says “Wild love” <3)

On Friday afternoon, we had an order delivered at the store where I work.

The man delivering the heavy packages was bringing it in the store and a kind young man walking up the street stopped to help him. I was just so happy to see them. As soon as they walked in I couldn’t help but smile brightly and the delivery man playfully said “ahhh, I just seen her smile did you see it?!” and said something funny about the Ninja Turtle pops we sell. I couldn’t help but smile again.

I paid him for the order and looked over the receipts and as he was leaving he said goodbye and thank you for smiling! And he said it with such deep gratitude in his voice.

I love when people smile and I make it my goal to look and smile at people each day walking up the streets. My smile and desire to smile come naturally but I’m real shy in person so I often automatically, shyly, look away when a stranger is right in front of me on the streets. If I’m already talking to a person I’m not too shy to smile and make eye contact. 

But I just have the urge to smile and look directly at every person I see and I’m much better with it than I used to be but I’m still working on it!

I know how it brightens my day when someone smiles at me and I want to do that for others.

I don’t have to remember to or force a smile; that comes automatically and very easily. I just have to force myself to allow it and not look away when a stranger is right before me.

Some people are very receptive of my greeting and greet me back in a similar way, others look confused like “Do I know this girl, why is she so friendly, I don’t even know her?!” lol I don’t mind any of the reactions. Most people (at least where I live) do not seem to greet strangers whether it’s a friendly hello or warm smile or eye contact on the street. Not that they aren’t friendly. We just aren’t usually brought up to greet each other that way. But it’s in me naturally to be that way and lights my world when someone says hello to me, smiles, or just makes eye contact. 

We never know how much we help someone with just a simple gesture or positive energy. Not everyone can see. I know a blind lady and when I see her I say hello and smile. She can hear my smile even though she can’t see it. ❤ One day she told me on Mother's Day to tell my mom she has a beautiful daughter and to tell her she said thank you for bringing me to the world! Isn't that so sweet?! The lady has very long, beautiful hair like me and an adult son a few years younger than me. He always says hello to me when I see him.

There's a universal love song I love about how one person probably can't change the whole world but each one of us can change the world for ONE. And that ONE is worth it and in some way, enough.

Each & every day, we have opportunities to change the world or brighten the world for someone. Sometimes the opportunities just come to us but other days if we look, we can see them. It can be as simple as smiling at someone! 😀 Or truly listening to someone talk, encouraging a person, a hug. There are so many ways to show love. 

Here are some lyrics to the beautiful song.

“Well, I can’t change the world
But I can live with open hands
And I can’t change the world
But I can give all that I can
And I can pray and I can love
And when all is said and done
I can’t change the world
But I can change the world for one”

Compassion – Andrew Witt – mobile

Compassion – desktop

Much love to you!

& remember a beautiful smile is always in style. 😀 ❤

xoxo Kim ❤

In the news….

Oct17

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“I see skies of blue,
And clouds of white.
The bright blessed day,
The dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.”

❤ ❤ 😀

We often think of the news on TV and in the papers as negative, heartwrenching, life draining. And it often is. I hear so many people say they avoid the news because it just drags them down. 

But sometimes there are happy things or heartwarming things in the news.
One day at work this week the news was on when I went in and they were talking about a big house fire while the owners were away and couldn’t get to their dog who was inside. My heart just sank when I heard that. They showed the footage and the big house was up in flames with the poor furbaby inside. 

I’m thankful the people weren’t trapped inside. And I wished desperately the dog wasn’t either. 
Then they showed a man, I don’t know who he is, just come seemingly out of nowhere, walk in the burning house and come back out holding the dog, bringing him to safety, and without a word just walked away! The news people said he got no credit or anything, just appeared, saved the dog, and walked off!

Isn’t that amazing! And I’m sure he wasn’t looking for credit or anything but to save the doggy! The newspeople did praise him to each other.

He probably doesn’t even want to be labeled as a hero, true heroes usually don’t, that’s why they’re heroes, they help people and other sentient beings just to help them, not for image or for credit or a thank you. 

I’m so thankful the people and dog are safe and hope all the people putting out the fire are safe. I don’t know how bad the fire was but hopefully much of their stuff is saved but at least their lives are! That’s the most important of all! It’s devastating to lose everything we own but nowhere near as devastating as lives lost. 

I decided to share this little story just to put a bit more positivity into the world/on the Internet. There is so much positivity already but we can never have too much good news, ever!

In the news, it does often seem to be one bad or gossipy thing after another but that’s only because that’s what often stands out or makes the news. If I’m walking up the street and a person helps me carry my bags, picks up something for me that I drop, smiles at me, pays for me in line if I don’t have enough money….all that won’t make the news. But if I’m out and get shot to death or assaulted, that will surely make the local news. People will ask “what’s this world coming to with someone getting shot dead on the street? What a horrible world! People are monsters!” And that is tragic but what about the person who gives me money when I get up to the register in a store and forgot my wallet, what about the person who gives me his seat on a bus, what about those who risk their lives in a massacre to save others like what just happened in that tragic university massacre?

All these little things, these beautiful acts of kindness that surround us each day are not dramatic enough to go on the news usually and even when they are, they are unfortunately overshadowed by the bigger tragic news, they are appreciated by those involved or witnessing, then often either forgotten or just not spoken of much again even if we never forget. 

I saw a few blog posts and statuses about the horrible tragedy but in none of those I saw did any of those who wrote them mention the heroes who ran not to save their own lives but to save the lives of others. I think it’s important when writing about tragedies to also mention the goodness in the midst of it if we hear of it.
The murderers (who sometimes admit they do this for publicity) get more credit, even if negative, than the heroes, the other people who attempt to save their lives, the doctors and other medical professionals, the first responders and police, the fire men/women, anyone who saves or helps in any way. 
We remember the names of the murderers but not the innocent victims or the heroes. We talk about the tragedy and insanity and senselessness of what happened but not give thanks to those who did any little thing they could to make it somehow better.  In my opinion, it’s best not to write the murderer’s name when we write of carnage that took place. Especially when those murderers admit they want publicity and attention. I appreciate the programs and news reports that do not mention the name. I wouldn’t either. In the initial report it would have to be mentioned but every paper and program doesn’t have to say it. Let’s acknowledge the victims and our heroes, not a person who intentionally claims the lives of the innocent. We can still have compassion for murderers without giving them too much publicity. I don’t want them to die or suffer but I also don’t want them to become popular for their monstrous actions. 

People say don’t watch the news, it will drag you down. Then others argue back that if we don’t keep up with the news and what’s happening around the world, we will be ignorant and kept in the dark. Both can be true. Both have valid points.  So should we watch the news or not? Stay in the dark or be dragged down? 

I think there’s a solution. If we want, we can watch the news sometimes but then balance it out by reading and watching positive things as well. Pay attention and take note of all the goodness that goes on around us whether we are involved or a witness. If all we do is watch the tragedies and gossipy drama on the news and talk shows, then our brains are being overwhelmed in the negative, only getting one side of life, the dark side. We expose ourselves to the darkness but not enough of the light. 

Sure it’s good to know what’s going on in the world around us. But the media has the tendency to magnify the drama and the tragic. Not always but often. 

When we watch the news and start thinking “what a terrible world” and feel overwhelmed, we can then go to youtube and watch random acts of kindness videos, read inspiring stories that show someone helping others, look around us on the streets and see the kindness shown to others.

The world isn’t all bad. We only are mostly shown the bad through some media outlets but there’s so much more than that. 

Let’s honor & acknowledge the goodness.

Check out these happy videos!! So beautiful! ❤

Simple acts of kindness – mobile

Simple acts of kindness – desktop

Kindness – mobile

Kindness video – desktop

These videos show simple acts of kindness in everyday encounters that we are all capable of. These videos are most likely “staged” or made up but they are based on real life acts of kindness & meant to inspire! Just watching them gives many of us a warm, loving feeling. ❤

Let's remember that just because our job or the media or something else mostly exposes us to the bad in the world, it's not all there is.

Let's expose our own selves to the goodness. 😀

What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong – mobile

What a Wonderful World – desktop

Just listen to this song! His loving voice, his gentle love. And it will bring you up. ❤

The pictures are beautiful too!

😀

Lots of love to you today & always! ❤

xoxo Kim

Happy Birthday, John Lennon!! <3

Oct9

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(this isn’t my picture, I don’t know the source)

Today is John Lennon’s 75th b-day!

In honor of him and his message of love & peace, I am sharing a few John Lennon songs here!

I heard/read that at one point, John Lennon was an abuser of women which I don’t care for at all. 
There’s never a reason for a man to put his hands on a woman in a violent away unless he really has to to defend himself or someone else. For the most part, men are bigger and stronger than a woman is and even if I hit a man first (I wouldn’t!) there’s no reason for him to hit me back. Some people strongly disagree (like my mom!)  and think as long as a woman hits a man first it’s ok. I think that is totally not ok!
Unless I catch him off guard or he’s very old or sickly or something, I can’t do much damage to him(there may be exceptions…). but a man hitting a woman can generally do worse damage, even knock her to the ground or break a bone.

Can I do that to a man? Most likely not. Unless I’m coming at him with a weapon or something. Or unless I’m exceptionally physically strong for a woman, which I’m not. I’m kind of thin, not really tall, and not at all physically strong. 
Someone, especially a man, can probably knock me out with one blow. Lol I don’t recommend it though! 

If a woman hits a man, I think it’s good to have her arrested though. 

In an interview, I think in the 90’s, one of his sons called him a hypocrite saying he preached love and peace to the world but did not show it to his own family.

John Lennon also used homophobic slurs or made a mockery of people(he had a person, a gay man, he was close to and loved in a platonic way but that doesn’t make it ok, in my opinion, to sling around insults), another thing I don’t at all care for. But then he decided to give peace a chance. It’s so great he came to his senses and all these years later his message of love is still touching us and inspiring the world. And I’m thinking it’s likely that decades and decades into the future, his message will still live and breathe into the world. I want to help keep it alive.

Whatever we are now, we can change for the better and move forward, lifting others along the way. 

And maybe he wasn’t always peaceful and loving and maybe did not show it to his family but that doesn’t make what he said about love & peace any less true. Even if he did not live up to it.

That’s a question that would come up now & then in philosophy when I was in college. What if a person says amazing things, preaches very great morals but doesn’t live up to them or even try to generally live  up to them or practice what s/he preaches her/himself? Does what the person says still stand? Is it still amazing? Or is it all hogwash or rubbish?

Well, it is good to practice what we preach. That’s for sure. We are hypocrites if we talk about how people “should” live then we don’t even try. But you know, the truth is the truth and nothing can change that. Maybe in some cases we can disregard what someone says and call it bullshit because the person won’t even try to live that way. But in some cases the message still stands. With peace & love, we can never go wrong. So even if Mr. Lennon was the biggest hypocrite, his message is still a sweet one.  Still, people are probably much more likely to take you seriously if you live up to your message. 

Here are some John Lennon songs:

Imagine – mobile

Imagine – desktop

“You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world…”

Seriously, listen to this message and tell me it’s not brilliant no matter how the singer lived!

I’m sorry for his broken family though, I know what it’s like in some ways. My compassion goes out to them.

Woman – mobile

Woman – desktop

“And woman hold me close to your heart,
However, distant don’t keep us apart,
After all it is written in the stars”

“So let me tell you again and again and again…I love you.”

Jealous Guy – mobile

Jealous Guy – desktop

“I was feeling insecure
You might not love me anymore
I was shivering inside
I was shivering inside
Oh I didn’t mean to hurt you
I’m sorry that I made you cry
Oh my I didn’t want to hurt you
I’m just a jealous guy”

It’s great to say we’re sorry and own up to our mistakes. 

A few Beatles songs:

Here, There, & Everywhere – mobile

Here, There, & Everywhere – desktop

“I want her everywhere and if she’s beside me
I know I need never care
But to love her is to need her everywhere
Knowing that love is to share
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes and hoping I’m always there.” ❤

The Word – mobile

The Word – desktop

“Say the word and you’ll be free
Say the word and be like me
Say the word I’m thinking of
Have you heard the word is love?
It’s so fine, it’s sunshine
It’s the word, love”

All You Need is Love – mobile

All You Need is Love – desktop

“Nothing you can make that can’t be made
No one you can save that can’t be saved
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It’s easy
All you need is love”

This is an incredibly beautiful song! Of course love isn’t all we need though! We need food/sustenance, drink, air…if we want to live.

But you get the message, right?!

😀

❤

Also, for John’s 75th birthday, someone put this together.

Isn’t is so sweet that someone cares enough to compile a quote or song lyrics for each year since John Lennon came into the world? That couldn’t have been extremely easy and must have been very time consuming!   

So John Lennon wasn’t the saint the world makes him out to be but he did also have positive qualities. And it’s good to share those. He was a great singer! 

It’s so tragic and senseless what happened to him. And so good people still have him in their hearts all these years later, including people who weren’t even yet alive until after the tragedy. He is so famous and so loved! I can just imagine what the world must have been like shortly after the tragedy struck. 

He missed out on the whole rest of his life because someone choosing to act viciously decided to take it upon himself and end someone else’s life. It’s so wrong that one person can just out of nowhere go and end someone’s life just because that person feels like it. Wherever he is, if he’s still alive, I hope he realizes how wrong it is now, not in a way so he suffers with guilt but so his compassion is deeper. I think that whenever we do something wrong, we can be sorry but use our guilt and regret for good, not let it destroy us but let it inspire us to deepen our compassion and reach out to others. We can take what we learn and discover and help someone else. And if we’re murderers it won’t do much to help the dead individual but at least good things will be happening inspired by the tragedy. 
I’m not sure if any murderers are reading but if there are, you can maybe help prevent future acts of violence by learning things like anger management, compassion, empathy…and then teach others. 
There are people who have acted very violently, even killed people, then turned their lives around, even in prison, and went on to help other people, like other prisoners, with personal development and things. 
You may never be getting out but you can still help others. 
It won’t ever make up for that monstrous action but some good will at least come of it.
Either way, as we know, nothing brings back the dead one. But we can use our life lessons to do some good. 

Much love to you, murderers, abusers and all, they probably often need it the most! ❤

Xoxo Kim 😀

p.s. PLEASE whenever you write something using technology, SAVE it every couple of minutes. No! every couple of seconds! You can never save too much! I thought my post disappeared before I saved it and almost had a cow! Then it reappeared! Thank goodness! This thing took so much work and time to put together!

It's always worth it even if no one sees it now! It will always be here.

So save your work! I want to spare you that sinking feeling! 😀