Tag Archive | gratitude

Currently……<3

Jan2

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One of those fun bloggy surveys!

Currently….

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Book: Fatal Decision by John Greenwood- a Kindle book. seriously the most terrifying book I ever read! I’m not through with it yet and it’s very disturbing. I can feel all the terror and emotions along with the characters. It’s not gory or anything (which I prefer – I do not like gory) but the plot is horrifying. A mom and dad of a thirteen year old little boy find that someone went to their son’s school pretending to be his uncle and kidnaps the boy. The father later receives an anonymous phone call by a man telling him not to tell the police he has contact with the kidnappers or they’ll kill his child. Then the man tells the dad he has to kill an innocent person or he’ll not see his son alive again. Either way, the kidnappers will give his boy back but if the dad doesn’t kill the innocent person for them, his son will be brought back dead. If he kills the innocent person, his son will be brought back alive and well. Holy Hell!! And the kidnappers keep killing innocent people to show how serious they are. They have no problem killing. They stalk the boy’s dad and see almost everything he does and know where he is each moment of everyday so they’ll likely know if he tells the police he talks to them. They even see in his house! He doesn’t know how and when he looks around he cannot see them anywhere. The book is very good. It does have quite a few spelling/grammatical errors. Books I read usually do not have this many. I’m no grammar phanatic but it’s surprising that a published book has so many. I can’t (truthfully) say the book is very well written in my opinion, in some way, but in another way it is. The author captures the terrible emotions of the parents extremely well. The characters are very much alive, in my opinion. I can imagine real parents who lose children, reacting the same way, experiencing the same breakdowns and agony. They are very realistic. Some characters in some books are one-dimensional or emotionless seeming. I usually stop reading them when they are. I read part of a fiction book before with a fascinating plot including a little girl going missing and something strange keeps happening but I stopped reading it because the parents have no emotion, not like being shocked and emotionless after a tragedy but they just have no life in them even before the child went missing. It’s like the author wasn’t empathetic enough while writing it to portray real emotions through fiction writing. I don’t recommend books before completing them but I will probably recommend this one to those who don’t mind errors all throughout and less than superb writing. It’s still a great book! It has great reviews too, almost 5 stars out of 5 and 94 people reviewed it. It has 187 pages. I usually prefer them longer but it’s ok! Right now, I still give it 5 stars!

Also a book called “The Philosophy of the Enlightenment” by Ernst Cassirer. Very interesting! 😀

Nail polish: still painted for Christmas! One hand green and the other red! All chipped up now!

Favorite drink: iced tea, coca cola – same as always

Photo: Me on New Year’s Eve!

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& me on New Year Day:

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Guilty pleasure: fictional horror mystery books! Ahh!! ;-D And Christmas cookies on sale! Lol I got up at 2:00 in the morning one morning recently and ate a whole bag while reading a scary book in the dark with my dogs! Fun!

Thing thankful for: I’m thankful for my attitude or feeling that everything works out so well for me. Since I was very young, I have often felt that things just fall into place easily for me. I’m mostly referring to all the little things. I don’t believe in luck but I have always felt “lucky.”
I got to go to the University I always wanted to go to. It’s the only one I applied to. When things of mine break, they usually start working again right when I need them. I usually don’t have to wait too long for a bus I’m waiting for even if I wasn’t looking at the schedule. Whenever I want something at a store, they usually have it….stuff like this. It’s not always that things work out perfectly for me. Sometimes I’m waiting for a bus in zero degree weather for over an hour. Sometimes a store is out of stuff I really, really need/want. But I remember even being in Kindergarten when I was five years old and feeling as if I’m so “lucky” and everything works out in my favor. I can even remember a couple of things I thought of as examples back then! I still feel this way, even right now. I think it’s not just external things working out well but my attitude. I have a strong attitude of gratitude. Even with depression when it would flare up. I can’t feel it to the fullest usually like I do when I’m not depressed but still I feel it often even when I’m severely depressed. The thing is, with depression it’s often hard to focus on that gratitude but it’s possible. Gratitude is so healing. When I truly focus on not only the things to be thankful for but my thankfulness for them, even when I can’t feel it as strongly, it really touches my depression and sometimes lifts it a little bit or even a lot. I never have bad days because even on the rare days where it seems one thing after another goes wrong, I am soon reminded of all the things that go right.
Even on those days where one thing after another goes wrong, one thing after another also goes right. And I usually automatically see that but when I don’t, I try to intentionally focus on it.
When I’m not suicidal, I think any day I’m alive is a good day and when I am suicidal, I can still think of the things going right. I couldn’t always do this when I would be suicidal. I used to know of all my good things but just ignore them for the bad, often. Sometimes good things would keep popping out at me over n over and I would deny them because I was so depressed. But through the years I learned more and more to focus on the good. Even when I want to die, I can still see good. It just doesn’t take away my despair or sense of worthlessness and purposelessness always but does me good still. Gratitude is the best attitude for depression! It’s stronger than depression if we allow it to be. It’s a great attitude for anyone with or without depression. If you don’t have it naturally like I do, you can develop it and if you already have an attitude of gratitude, you can strengthen it or make it more frequent. And if you already live in complete, boundless gratitude every second of every day, that’s amazing! (but probably very rare) 😀 ❤
Richard Branson once said “I was born under a lucky star…” He is a very rich man financially but also in his attitude about life. And I don’t think his money has to do with it. I think he is just a happy man with a great attitude, money or not. We can all have that attitude. His statement “I was born under a lucky star” inspires me. I feel the same way and when I forget, I just remind myself that. And I’m what some people can call “dirt poor” financially(I don’t even have phone service! But I don’t mind!). Lol! So it’s not the money! This goes to show even more that depression isn’t just about being spoiled & ungrateful. An attitude adjustment can do us good but depression is more than just that.

Drink – a “no name” brand of root beer. Isn’t that so weird?! I never liked root beer for as long as I can remember but when I’m sick, I crave it. It’s so weird. It’s actually called Tubz and reminds me of my dog, Isis Summerjo, my fuzzy sausage girl! Little kids often call her piggy or the piggy dog! lol

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Fashion: hmmm…I know nothing about fashion! lol

Laughing at: the Buddhist class I attended for New Year’s Eve was funny! Our teacher is really funny; I laughed a lot! Lol ;-D

Also this,

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(cute picture but it’s not mine!)

Fear: I’m not afraid of anything at the moment!

Weather: a bit cold. Just the way I like it! 😀

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Grateful for: my good physical health – I have a sinus thing going for the last few days but generally my physical health is great. And for the good physical health of everyone else who isn’t sick. ❤

Feeling: more uplifted than I have been. Writing here is inspiring! I mostly like to write for others who will potentially come across it but it’s also good for me! ❤

Looking forward to: a new Kindle book released next month! A fiction suspense thriller! I been waiting seven months! Ahhh!! ;-D Book 3 in a series by Dr.Carey Baldwin. Totally can’t wait!! I have a big, bright smile just thinking about it! 😀

Thank You everyone for the comments, likes, shares….I always appreciate it! ❤

Much love,

xoxo Kim

2015 Annual Blogging Report

Dec29

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https://inspirationalgem.wordpress.com/2015/annual-report/

Today WordPress sent us the Annual Blogging Report! Yayy! Very interesting!

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I don’t know if the link works because it asked me to make it public so people can see but I don’t know how. So here’s a couple of screencaps!

Thank You so much to everyone who reads/shares/likes…my content and comments!! I greatly appreciate it, always! I cherish every comment, like, share, & everyone who reads!!

Thank You so much!! ❤

😀

Here is the one for last year, 2014:

https://inspirationalgem.wordpress.com/2014/annual-report/

I hope you are having a beautiful day/night!

Much love,

xoxo Kim

For everything, there is a season

Dec21

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“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.”~Yoko Ono

Today is the first day of Winter and I felt like posting something about Winter before I even remembered today is the first day! 😀

It’s unseasonably warm here in Philadelphia! (I just learned the word “unseasonably” [which my mom is shocked about saying how could I have never encountered that word before now…:-/ ])after reading it in a fiction book and I wanted to use it! lol And this year it’s the perfect opportunity because it IS in fact unseasonably warm! lol) ;-D

What a great quote about the beauty of each season and what it can teach us. Not everyone lives in a place where they get to experience the diversity like some of us do. But whatever it’s like where you are now, there’s something to cherish & be thankful for! ❤ 😀

This is also true not just for seasons involving weather but stages and seasons of life. There's always something unpleasant but always something beautiful too! ❤

😀

Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds – mobile

Turn! Turn! Turn! – desktop

“A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven”

~Hugs & love~

xoxo Kim ❤

Finding the Beauty

Dec17

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“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s not all about what we look at but how we see it, our mindset, our attitude and perspectives. There are lots of beautiful things outside of us but they will not do much for us if we don’t have beauty within.

But the good thing is, we all have the capacity to feel beauty, even when it’s hard. We just have to be receptive, open up and truly pay attention. Imagine what it would be like without the senses we have and our ability to understand and all the beauty around us. ❤

This picture is of a beautiful and very large pine tree outside a church. For years I would stop and look at it, take so many photos in all the seasons throughout each year, even collect its pinecones that would fall to the ground. I'm so sad because recently I watched as workers cut it down! I feel grief & disappointment. 

But I'm thankful I got to see it for the few years I lived close to it and get all those pictures. I still carry the beauty of it within. No one else seems as sad as me about it. No one else seemed to pay much attention.

Here is a picture of the church on January 9th, 2015.

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I know the date because this is the picture I chose for that day on the 365 photo project. I don’t post there everyday.

Here is what I wrote that day:

“This is a church bathing in the sun on a cold Winter day. It’s beautiful and brings me a sense of hope.”

The church is being demolished so they had to cut the tree to get to it. I will miss seeing it and the tree and those creepy black steps that are mostly encased. 

This reminds me to always pay close attention to people and things and all the beauty around me. It’s still good to cherish and be mindful of everything even if we knew we would have it forever but we don’t have things forever and it’s harder to lose people and things we did not appreciate as much as we could have. There is more potential for regret when we lose things we take for granted. 

So let’s cherish everything we are blessed with! And still keep the beauty within us even when it’s gone. 

😀

Much love & light to you,

Xoxo Kim ❤

Beauty Abound <3

Dec14

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“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” ~ Camille Pissarro

There is beauty to be found, felt in all kinds of places even places we would never expect it, even in mundane, places, everyday situations. We often overlook things in our own city or place we live everyday. If we make it a point to look for beautiful things, we are likely to find them.

For as long as I can remember I have been aware of the beauty surrounding me, experienced with all my senses. Cool Summer breezes, frosty windows in Winter, the taste of candy in cold air, the seasons changing, the sound of traffic outside, the feel of soft fleece and blankets, the city buildings….I wasn’t making it a point to appreciate these things. It just has always come naturally to me but as I grew up I have come to know it as mindfulness & gratitude and realized that those are habits we can develop if we don’t have them already and strengthen to greater extents if we already do experience them.

It’s a beautiful way to live and I think that’s what it is to truly live to the fullest. Living fully just means making the most of each breath we take, each moment we live, even the monotonous.

I often feel like I’m in another world when I see everything with wonder and I point out something amazing to someone and the person isn’t even fazed by the incredible beauty I see. I often look around me and see people just going on and on with walking and working and living, not even stopping to take in the wonders around us. Sometimes it amuses me and I probably seem like the biggest idiot sometimes.

One night it was a full moon somewhat recently and I couldn’t take my eyes off it and I felt immense joy running rampant inside me and I looked to see evidence of others experiencing the same thing. I was hoping to jump for joy together. lol But no one even seemed to care. People were walking lost in conversation, packing trucks, getting into cars…no one was stopping to bask in the great beauty of the brilliant moonlit night. I was perplexed.

Recently I was in Center City, Philadelphia one morning and I just love the buildings there and the air. My eyes just drink in the incredible views and my skin dances with glee in the warm December air. And still, everyone was just going on their way not giving an ounce of attention to the beauty around us.

On vacation we often stop to appreciate the scenes and take pictures but there’s just as much beauty and novelty in our own city or wherever we live! It never gets old to me. ❤

This picture above is one I took a few days ago while waiting for a bus. The view is incredible.

I love that building in the sunlight with the reflections & bare trees.

Pure love. ❤ 😀

My former coworker was recently telling me she loves this Philadelphia December weather this year. It's extremely hot. At some points it seriously feels like a heatwave! In Philadelphia! In December! For real!

I'm not exaggerating! It's nearly 80 degrees everyday.

She said she loves it so much and people here pay to go on vacation to tropical places for this warmth and now we have it right here everyday!

I'm not as thrilled as my coworker (or former coworker, but I still think of her as my coworker) about this freaky weather in December but I love how she put it. We all have somethimng amazing that someone else would give just about anything to have. Let's appreciate our blessings now.

Sometimes we don't realize how amazing something is until we no longer have it.

You have something that someone else would kill (hopefully not really!) for. Whatever it may be. I'm not thankful at someone else's expense. I'm not thankful it's me alive and not someone else or that I get to live in a house instead of others. But we so often are so used to what we have we don't realize how valuable it is until we lose it or hear/know of someone who would love to have it.

If you are reading this you have a life, you can probably see or hear or at least comprehend. How often do we stop to give thanks for our cognitive abilities?! Probably very rarely, if even ever!

Let's all stop once in a while and appreciate what we have right here, right now.

Much love & ligt to you!

xoxo Kim ❤

It’s ok not to be perfect <3

Dec13

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(the pictures in this post are not mine, they are of a beautiful little girl named Sa’fyre Terry –
http://abcnews.go.com/US/girl-lost-family-fire-christmas-cards-presents/story?id=35675085 )

“In the eyes of a child there is joy, there is laughter
There is hope, there is trust, a chance to shape the future
For the lessons of life there is no better teacher
Than the look in the eyes of a child” ~ Air Supply

Yes, it is ok not to be perfect! 

But this little baby IS beautiful just the way she is. 

What a wise little girl. ❤

My sister told me about this sweet little Earth angel who she is going to send a card to and then I saw someone share her story on Facebook. 

Isn't she just the cutest?! 

She wants people to send her cards for Christmas. 

She was burned in a tragic house fire where her family was killed. 

I stare at her picture over and over and have nothing but love and compassion for her, not sorrow or pity. She doesn't need that. All she wants is LOVE and true love is seeing someone's beauty just the way it is. 

One of my biggest dreams has been to do volunteer work in a burn unit for children. In the movie "Shallow Hal," the girl volunteers to work with little kids who have suffered burns. I always found that to be the sweetest thing and ever since I saw that movie, years ago, I  decided I want to do that too!

I haven't been able to find any volunteer opportunities like that. Some volunteer jobs I found in similar settings require previous experience, which I don't have.

Hopefully one day though I will realize this dream! ❤ ❤

Some people have trouble looking at people who are seriously disfigured or deformed but I just cannot have that trouble because I feel too connected to others to see them as anything but beautiful, to see them as anything unlike myself. That body, that face, scarred or disfigured or deformed or flawless is a part of who they are. It's hard to explain in words but the closest I can come to explaining is their face or body is a big part of them like mine is a big part of me and I would never want someone to have difficulty looking at me and I'm sure no one else wants that either. What is the difference if my face is flawless or scarred or deformed? It's mine and inside I am still me. Just like all of us. 

We are much more than what we look like but how we look is a part of us and it's good to embrace it and each other.

I am no different than this little girl. She has emotions, dreams, goals, interests, love, joy, pain, sorrow, happiness, scars, perfections, needs, desires, life, beauty…just like me.   

When I look at her, I see a reflection of my own self.

My struggle with depression and severe facial pain & headaches has always inspired me to feel deeper connections to people with both seen and invisible disabilities.  

A person with a physical scar or deformity may not feel the same or agree with me and I understand but my severe facial pain disorder, though it can't be seen, has always allowed me to feel a strong identification with others with facial disorders and even physical scars, deformities, birthmarks. 

Mine cannot be seen but it's just as real. Mine is physical but also brings with it deep emotional scars and pain. It even hurts me to write or think about it. 

But we all have basic empathy and can tune into it and strengthen it whether we have a disability or not. We don't need depression or any other disorder to empathize with others. But those things can help. We can all draw on our own experiences, both pleasant and painful, to identify with each other.

Also, at any second, any one of us can be slashed, scarred, disfigured, burned. And we would still be us. Would you want someone to cringe when those people look at you? Whether or not your face is disfigured, imagine a person having difficulty, emotionally, looking at you. It's not pleasant.  

Not everyone who can't bring themselves to look at someone with a deformity or disfigurement is cold or cruel. Some are but most probably aren't. We aren't used to seeing things like that and often when a person is scarred or disfigured, it's the result of a serious injury and that's what often comes to mind when we see the scars. It doesn't make us callous or horrible if we have the urge to look away or cringe or stare but that can be overcome through tuning into our empathy and strongly identifying with the person. That person is not unlike someone with a perfect face. We are the same, we are One.

For this little girl, we can do more than just send her cards. We can live a life of compassion and empathy and learn to see the beauty of every single person we lay eyes on or encounter in any way. Even if we do nothing to help in a practical way, having a loving, compassionate attitude, essence, is very helpful and can contribute to us acting in loving ways consciously and unconsciously. Loving energy is very good. People sense our energy/vibration. Let's make it one of Love. All encompassing Love. 

“You’ve found the place to walk the path you’ve chosen
You’ll never miss the world you’ve left behind
When life gives life, it’s happiness unbroken
When you give love, it’s love you’ll find” ~ Air Supply

Two of the most beautiful things are self confidence and compassion for others. 
It's beautiful when a woman with a big scar on her chest can still wear revealing clothing, when a person with a facial scar still shows her/his face knowing people will stare and whisper, when a person not considered society's definition of beautiful will still have the courage to dress how she wants, when a person with gray hair embraces it instead of covering it just for what others may think, when a woman with no hair as a result of a medical/health condition doesn't feel the need to wear a wig or scarf just because other people will think something unpleasant, it's beautiful when we overlook all the trivialities and see beauty in places it's not considered to be, when we embrace each other in our love.

It's ok to conceal our imperfections for us if it's truly what we desire. A person who is confident may still just wish to cover or get rid of something undesirable to that person and that's ok. But it's not something we should feel the need to do because of what others may think. 

Cosmetic surgery, hair dye, wigs, makeup, anti-aging creams, weight loss techniques…there's nothing wrong with it and it's not necessarily an indication that someone is insecure or lacks self love.
Some people just desire some changes. But I don't think it's something we should do out of fear or embarrassment for what society or others think. I think those things are best when done for our own selves because it's what we want based on our own desire, not the desire or demands or rules of someone else.  

Even if we do not know a person or any living sentient being we come across, we know enough to love that being. We know that living, sentient being, just like us, is someone, someone with pleasure, joy, and pain, fear, hunger, someone with the need to avoid suffering and the desire for happiness or absence of suffering. 

We can not tell jokes about people's physical appearance, we can choose not to be shallow and judge based on physical appearance, we can choose to see how we are all connected. We can choose to genuinely compliment someone when someone else slings insults. We can choose to seek what is good in each other and forgive the less than good. 

I have much sympathy for the little girl who lost her family in a fire and I have so much sorrow for all the lives lost. Her daddy covered her with his body to save her life. He did not survive. The little girl does have a family, even if not the whole one she was born into, but she has people who love and care for her and now all the people around the world who encountered her story and love her. Family isn't just biological or legal. 

Sa’fyre’s aunt says this about her:

“She’s a living message to people that there’s hope, and no matter what you can get through anything,” Dolder said. “That’s why we share Sa’fyre with everyone.”

What a gem this little girl is! ❤

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This little darling girl inspires me so deeply! She is so happy and positive and adorable! She looks so cute in her little Christmas clothes! I’m so happy she chose to put her story out into the world and to show her beautiful face, to touch so many lives with her young life. 

I am so thankful she survived. 

I’m also so thankful she still has her sense of vision, that it wasn’t completely destroyed. And thankful for her beautiful smile. 😀

I’m so thankful to her family for bringing her into the world and for sharing her with us. ❤

I hope we will cherish the lives of all sentient beings and wish the best for everyone. By best I am referring to happiness and inner peace no matter the circumstances.

“When you look to the past for life’s long hidden meaning
For the dreams and the plans made in your youth
Does the thrill to achieve match the warm hidden feeling
That lies so still and lives in you”

The Eyes of a Child – Air Supply – mobile

Eyes of a Child – desktop

Beautiful song that brings chills!

Much love & light to you, always. ❤ ❤

xoxo Kim ❤

Kindness <3

Dec6

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(I made this! Isn’t it pretty?! Lol It’s a picture of a container of vanilla frosting with confetti pieces in it! Perfect for the quote, don’t you think? I wasn’t baking a cake! I ate this whole thing right out of the container! In one night! I do that lots of days! My favorite is buttercream! And I put bokeh effects on it.)

Any act of kindness is never really small, no matter how simple. In the moments the person is receiving that kindness, and even years later in memory, it can really uplift, help heal, and inspire someone. And even if someone is not thankful for our kindness, it’s ok! We are still putting loving energy out into the world and planting seeds of love, strengthening our own kind way of life. And it’s not about being appreciated, it’s about truly wanting to help.  

Recently I was struggling to carry stuff at work. Things were almost falling. My arms were so full. My boss’ mom helped me. She’s a sweet little lady around 80 years old and is the cutest thing! Her name is Dolores and she wears little pink pj’s in the summer and reminds me of a baby doll! Lol She still drives and walks and gets around so well! She wears makeup sometimes and gets dressed up. And she still has good vision! Probably better than mine!  
Her car looks very old fashioned like something out of a movie! 

You definitely don’t want to get on her bad side because as little and sweet as she is, she will have no problem telling you off! And that’s scary! Lol

I would know. I have been a victim of her wrath on more than one occasion!

I remember one day years ago, shortly after I met her, she thought I lost grocery store coupons (I don’t know if it was really me who lost them!) and she was yelling there’s going to be hell to pay! Lmao I remember telling my coworker later and we both burst out laughing about this little old lady fuming over store coupons. I still laugh hysterically when I remember that!  

;-D

Anyway, she helped me and I am so incredibly thankful! I couldn’t have gotten out the door with all that stuff without her helping me along with another sweet lady, Margie, I know at work! 

I like to remember and honor all acts of kindness I receive (which is too many to always remember!) even if just in my own head. It’s great to forget what good we do for others but always remember what others do for us! 

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

Each act of kindness is timeless, even years later it can still have an effect on those who witness and receive. It’s not just about the practical help but just the fact that someone cares to help is sweet. So let’s scatter some kindness around everyplace we go! 

I would like to encourage everyone to savor each kind thing someone does for us and always remember it if it feels the world has grown cold. Each simple act of kindness can warm up any cold moments. There’s so much more goodness & love than negativity within and around us, we just have to look and summon it when it feels like there’s more bad than good. 

Let’s focus more on the love! 

❤ 😀

Much love to you!  

Xoxo Kim 

Perfect idea!! <3

Nov26

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My cousin sent me a Facebook invitation for an event taking place here in Philadelphia and when I opened it, I was ecstatic!

It’s the perfect idea for everywhere, not just here!

There are people collecting gloves, hats, scarves…anything to keep people warm, and hanging them in trees, putting them on park benches, and anywhere for homeless people to take and be a little bit warmer.

Isn’t this absolutely amazing?! Why did I not think of this?! I thought of leaving inspiring notes, dollar bills, books….for anyone to find but never thought of leaving pratical material objects like gloves & hats for people in need.

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I am so thankful I was introduced to this idea and that people thought of it and reached so many people to inspire to do this. Gloves and hats can really make a big difference to people walking or sitting in the freezing cold.

My heart is overwhelmed in love & gratitude. It’s so heartwarming to see people helping like this.

Thank You to all who do things like this and inspire others to help.

Maybe you will do something like this if it’s cold where you are? You can donate your own or buy some things to help warm up those in need. Just put them outside anywhere and especially where homeless people usually are. In Philadelphia, they are often in “Love Park.” But people in need are everywhere. ❤ ❤

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(this isn’t my picture. I found it on Google images.)

😀

Compassion song – mobile

Compassion – desktop

Hugs & love,

xoxo Kim

To My People – Ode to Humanity

Nov24

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“Best friend, acquaintance, lover, co-worker, 
Even if I don’t know you, all the good that you do,
Helps me see my way through,
Service space thanks for sharing all the good news” ~ Empty Hands 

Nimo Patel (of Empty Hands Music) is one of my favorite singers! All his songs are great, I love both the tunes and his messages. You know how you may love the words of a song but not the tune or music? Or the other way around, you really like the tune or music but not the words or message? One example of a song I like the tune and music of but not the words is “Pumped up Kicks” I think it’s called. It’s so uplifting and will get you pumped…..until you realize it’s a song about gun violence! He’s like running through the school blowing away all the kids. I don’t have anything against people listening to it, it’s just not my cup of tea(i do listen to Alice Cooper’s twisted songs about killing and stuff, Alice gets away with it just because he’s Alice! Lol).

Anyway, I love every single one of Nimo Patel’s songs, both the tunes and the messages. Most of his songs are about universal love, loving everyone, friends, family, strangers no matter their views, ethnicity, lifestyles, about togetherness and being thankful for life and every single living being in it, insects, humans, everything. So beautiful! 

So today I want to share this incredible song, “To My People – Ode to Humanity.” I love it because “my people” are not just their own friends and family and community…but people everywhere, even strangers. It’s an ode to humanity. The singers are thankful for every single life, even those they never met. They acknowledge the goodness in everyone all around the world and give thanks. They encourage us to love our friends, our family, our acquaintances, our coworkers, everyone. 

This song resonates with me so deeply. I have always felt this way and sometimes I feel it deeper than other occasions. But I frequently feel that everyone is someone to me, even strangers. Every life matters to me. I can identify with everyone in some way, some more deeply than others. I think if we tune into our empathy and wisdom, we can all feel this way often. We can relate to one another through our basic humanness, even other species because members of other species (animals, insects) share our basic will, desire to live, to avoid suffering and gravitate towards pleasure and relief.  

“To my people yeh,
You’re my soul, you’re my roots 
Your’re my family, my life and my truth
To my people yeh,
Your everybody, every being, every life, every moment, everything
To my people yeh,
Your my God, you’re my soul,
You’re the one that pushes me to help me grow
To my people yeh, 
I bow down to your heart of gold” ~ Empty Hands 

Imagine a world full of not strangers but friends, family, acquaintances, even if we don’t know them, we have some sense of kinship with them. Everywhere we look, in crowded shopping malls, in cars around us, at work, in stores, in hospitals,….we see family, living beings who are all someone to us and have a place in our heart.  Imagine.

Wouldn’t that be beautiful? 

We all have a name, a life, a breath, goals, pleasure, pain, happiness, fears, loves, a desire to avoid suffering, and gravitate towards things that bring pleasure or relief. 

Underneath we are really quite similar.

We can practice feeling this more frequently and deeply by intentionally wishing the best for each person, each sentient being, we look at even if those people don’t know it. Even if just in our heads we can hope nothing but good for each person, animal, life we encounter. Each person we see on the streets, in cars, in stores, we can consciously, make it a point to think positive, pleasant things about those people. This can get our minds in the habit of loving everyone. I often feel this automatically without even trying but when I don’t feel it, I can make an intentional decision to wish each person the best. Not only is it just great to feel this, it can carry over into our actions, consciously or unconsciously. 

I am so thankful for every life I come across in some way, no matter how briefly, online and in person. Every encounter we have with someone can impact that person so let’s make it a positive encounter. Let’s smile and send out love and engage in acts of kindness.

I’m so thankful for Nimo Patel and those who can write and sing these messages I receive so deeply, so lovingly. They take the words right out of my mouth, my heart, my being.

So I dedicate this post to my people.

You, you, you, you, and you! All of you and everyone around the world.

I bow down to your heart of gold.

I appreciate your goodness, your beauty, your love, your kindness, your compassion, your smile….

I love you and wish you the best in everything you do, all the good intentions you have. 

I wish us all the best. It may seem like it doesn’t make sense because sometimes what’s best for one person may not be to someone else. What’s “best” for one may be the “worst” for someone else.For example two people going on a job interview and only one can get it. How can they both get the best? And what if someone wants to murder someone, that may seem best to the potential murderer but certainly not to the victim! The person who doesn’t get the job can still be at peace, still be happy and just try again. And the potential murderer can change and no longer hurt or try to hurt people.  When I wish the best for others, I don’t just mean in an external way but inside, inner peace and love and happiness. Some people argue that universal love cannot possibly work out in a practical sense even if it’s a beautiful concept. But that’s simply not true. When we wish others the best, we are referring to an inner experience whatever happens on the outside. 

Here is this wonderful song! 

To My People – Ode to Humanity – mobile

To My People – Ode to Humanity – desktop

Much love to you, 

😀

Xoxo Kim ❤ ❤