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Motivation Mondays: Love & Laughter
“When you awaken love and laughter in your life, your mind lets go of fear and anxiety, and your happy spirit becomes the healing balm that transforms every aspect of your human experience.” Jesse Dylan
Motivation Mondays: Love, Laughter & Healing
If you can love, and if you can laugh, totally, wholeheartedly, your life will become such a bliss and a benediction,not only to yourself but to everyone else. You will be a blessing to the world. Osho
Feelings aroused by the touch of someone’s hand, the sound of music, the smell of a flower, a beautiful sunset, a work of art, love, laughter, hope and faith – all work on both the unconscious and the conscious aspects of the self, and they have physiological consequences as well. Bernie Siegel
What gives you love and laughter? My question is really about our own personal enjoyment not what we get from others around us or in our lives. If you were left on an Island by yourself, what will give you love and laughter? It’s an interesting point to mull over because we spend a lot of time with our own thoughts, ideas and jokes and if we can’t tap into it during tough times, we miss an opportunity for deep reflection. We create the first underpinnings of meaning by creating it in our inner life. Some see it as day dreaming, others as the healing love we give to others by imagining ways to serve. However you choose to envision this, make sure to make time to love yourself, laugh with/at yourself, and seek outlets for rest and healing. I take walks regularly on my local aqueduct and during that time, I might listen to music, an audible book on tape or just the sounds of nature around me. Sometimes, a person walks by and we exchange a smile, at other times it might be someone I know and we share a laugh. On occasion, it might be someone hurting with a sad look on their face and we exchange a knowing glance of concern and hopefully send each other wishes for healing. But all of those emotions and reactions begin within us… same goes for anger and rage. They all serve a purpose and the key is to move forward once the matter is addressed.
READ – Life, Love, Laughter: Celebrating Your Existence by Osho
A Story: A River Without End
Some years ago a successful American had a serious identity crisis. He sought help from psychiatrists but nothing came of it, for there were none who could tell him the meaning of life—which is what he wanted to know. By and by he learned of a venerable and incredibly wise Master Teacher/guru who lived in a mysterious and most inaccessible region of the Himalayas. Only that Master Teacher, he came to believe, would tell him what life meant and what his role in it ought to be. So he sold all his worldly possessions and began his search for the all-knowing Master Teacher.
He spent eight years wandering from village to village throughout the Himalayas in an effort to find him. And then one day he chanced upon a shepherd who told him where the Master Teacher lived and how to reach the place. It took him almost a year to find him, but he eventually did. There he came upon his guru, who was indeed venerable, in fact well over one hundred years old. The guru consented to help him, especially when he learned of all the sacrifices the man had made towards this end.
“What can I do for you, my son?” asked the guru.
“I need to know the meaning of life,” said the man. To this the guru replied, without hesitation, “Life,” he said, “is a river without end.” “A river without end?” said the man in a startled surprise. “After coming all this way to find you, all you have to tell me is that life is a river without end?” The guru was shaken, shocked. He became very angry and he said, “You mean it is not?”
“Laughter heals all wounds, and that’s one thing that everybody shares. No matter what you’re going through, it makes you forget about your problems. I think the world should keep laughing.” Kevin Hart
Motivation Mondays: Love, Laughter & Healing
Seriousness is a kind of disease: it is the cancer of the soul. . . . It is only through love and laughter and a tremendous joy in life that you start feeling the presence of something that is beyond. Osho
The best things in life are free. And it is important never to lose sight of that. So look around you. Wherever you see friendship, loyalty, laughter, and love…there is your treasure. Neale Donald Walsch
What role does humor play in YOUR life? I’ve always enjoyed a good laugh and it could be at my expense. Laughter has a way of breaking the ice and relieving tension when we are taking everything around us so seriously. Sometimes, we open the door to other people’s negativity and stuff, and we forget that the rage or anger they are expressing has more to do with them and less to do with us. We have control over our reactions to situations and we can choose to see the humor in it, the intended message or our own warped version of the facts. When we take a moment to step back, humor can help us gain perspective and it is a natural healer. So, instead of waiting for others to give you permission to have a good laugh, see it in your own life. I recently read Tiffany Haddish’s book and it had me laughing out loud. Mind you, some of her stories were painful and mind-shifting yet, in some of the darkest moments … she injected humor or found something that added a layer of ironic humor to her experience. We can reach deep inside of ourselves to tap into the humor that is bubbling under the rage, we need to practice listening and loving ourselves more to get there. Just live your life with a balance of love and laughter and, on those cloudy days, you will understand it. Come back for the rest.
READ – The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
Treat me nice, Miss Mandy Jane by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Treat me nice, Miss Mandy Jane,
Treat me nice.
Dough my love has tu’ned my brain,
Treat me nice.
I ain’t done a t’ing to shame,
Lovahs all ac’s jes’ de same;
Don’t you know we ain’t to blame?
Treat me nice!
Cose I know I ’s talkin’ wild;
Treat me nice;
I cain’t talk no bettah, child,
Treat me nice;
Whut a pusson gwine to do,
Wen he come a–cou’tin’ you
All a–trimblin’ thoo and thoo?
Please be nice.
Reckon I mus’ go de paf
Othahs do:
Lovahs lingah, ladies laff;
Mebbe you
Do’ mean all the things you say,
An’ pu’haps some latah day
W’en I baig you ha’d, you may
Treat me nice!
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for APR 2018/MAY 2018 are:
05/06 – 01 May Day, 03, National Day of Prayer, 03 World Press Freedom Day, 04 Star Wars, 05 Cinco De Mayo
05/13 – 13 HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, 16 Ramadan starts, 19 Armed Forces Day,
05/20 – 20 Pentecost Day, 23 World Turtle Day, 24 National Brother Day
05/27 – 28 Memorial Day, 30 World MS Day, 31 World No Tobacco Day
06/03 – 05 World Environment Day, 06, D Day, 08 National Best Friend Day,
06/10 – 13 St Anthony, 15 Eid al-Fitr,
06/17 – 17 Father’s Day, 18 Int’l. Picnic Day, MTV Movie Awards 19 Juneteenth, 20 World Refugee Day, 21 Summer Solstice, Int’l. Yoga Day, World Music Day
06/24 – 24 St John the Baptist, 26 Day against Drug Abuse/Illicit Trafficking
Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2018?
– Join the Daily Post Post-a-day or Post-a-week Challenge.
— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab
More Below! Read more…
Photo Challenge: A Few Farewell Favorites
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Edward Everett Hale
Photo Challenge: A Few Farewell Favorites
Photo Challenge: A Few Farewell Favorites
There is nothing permanent except change. Heraclitus
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward. Amelia Earhart
Today, the Weekly Photo Challenge calls for our All-Time Favorites, and there is a bittersweet reason for it. The Daily Post staff who have managed the Photo Challenges are wishing us a fond farewell. In the 6+ years I’ve participated in the WP Photo Challenge, I’ve learned a lot about the depth and breadth of creative photography. It’s been a fantastic ride, and like all rides, it eventually comes to a stop. In this case, we were informed that this would be the last assignment in the series. I am saddened but, I feel galvanized to continue creating my own Photo Challenges so I don’t become lazy. I thank the WP DP staffers for guiding us all these years, and I hope they will offer periodic photo challenges to keep us on our toes. That said, I believe that Farewells are never endings… they are the beginning of something new.
“I love you the more in that I believe you had liked me for my own sake and for nothing else.” John Keats
Photo Challenge: A Few Farewell Favorites
Photo Challenge: A Few Farewell Favorites
Learning never exhausts the mind. Leonardo da Vinci
Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. Khalil Gibran
Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. Thomas Carlyle
When I read the accompanying message today: Welcome to the final installment of the Weekly Photo Challenge. In wishing you a fond farewell, we wanted to share our all-time favorite photos with you. We welcome you to share your favorites with us. Happy photographic trails! It left me feeling wistful about the many years we stepped up to take on the photo challenges and how much I enjoyed the creativity it inspired in all of us. Please stop by the Photo Challenge page and join me in saying a huge THANK YOU! to:
Jeff Golenski,
Michelle Weber,
Erica Varlese,
Cheri Lucas Rowlands,
Ben Huberman,
Sheri Bigelow,
Donncha Ó Caoimh,
Jen Hooks,
Krista Stevens,
Sara Rosso
They have all been terrific guides, and I am grateful for their dedication over the last 6+ years. I do hope to continue in some form and fashion, so join in and let’s keep this going. Photography is not just a form of creative expression; it is a repository of memories and personal history. I can look back at my photos and remember when…
MORE BELOW Read more…
Motivation Mondays: Observing Memorial Day
“As America celebrates Memorial Day, we pay tribute to those who have given their lives in our nation’s wars.” John M. McHugh
Motivation Mondays: Observing Memorial Day #memorialday
AMAZING GRACE (Bag Pipes)
I have long believed that sacrifice is the pinnacle of patriotism. Bob Riley
These fallen heroes represent the character of a nation who has a long history of patriotism and honor – and a nation who has fought many battles to keep our country free from threats of terror. Michael N. Castle
We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. … Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan
What is Memorial Day? In brief, it is a day dedicated to the remembrance of our service men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of this great nation. It is a celebration of the lives of Veterans who returned home from war carrying the memories of comrades lost in battles at home and places far flung. The unofficial version finds its origins in a commemoration held by freed African Americans in spring of 1865 and how that led to what we now celebrate. However, the official version of Memorial Day found its earliest beginnings on May 5, 1868, when Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, as head of the Union veterans, declared that the graves of fallen soldiers should be decorated, every May 30, with flowers in honor of their sacrifice. The recommendation at the time was specific to that war and, eventually, it spread to include all wars in America and all wars Americans fought around the world. Today, we celebrate it for the fallen, their families, surviving veterans, and those who were/are POW/MIA.
What about Decoration Day? Because the original directive from Gen Logan was to decorate the graves of the fallen with flowers, it was called Decoration Day. Over the years, Memorial Day gradually caught on; first in 1966, when Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day, and then, in 1971, when Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress. In December 2000, the U.S. Congress passed a remembrance bill and President Clinton signed into law “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579. The idea behind the Moment of Remembrance came from No Greater Love founder, Carmella LaSpada, who wanted us all to stop whatever we were doing at 3pm and spend a minute of reflection and gratitude for those who died at war. Carmella saw it as a way to make us put the memorial back into this special day. I concur.
REMEMBRANCE: Requiem for Memorial Day 2009
Reflections on Memorial Day: Of War and Peace… 2010
NYT: News about Memorial Day, including commentary and archival articles
Memorial Day: Remembrance and Reflections 2011
Memorial Day: Honor, Salute & Celebrate… 2012
Gratitude: Remembering Maya Angelou 2014
Motivation Mondays: Honoring SERVICE 2015
Motivation Mondays: Memorial Day 2016
Motivation Mondays: Honoring Memorial Day 2017
“The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude.” Jeff Miller
Motivation Mondays: Observing Memorial Day
Memorial Day isn’t just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that’s a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve. It’s a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it. Pete Hegseth
How Do we Observe Memorial Day? How Could we Observe it? In the years I’ve lived in the USA, I’ve observed, in many quarters, that Memorial Day is celebrated as a long weekend off work and the start of beach and BBQ season. There are parades to attend, Veterans to greet and applaud, and special sales and bargains to find. Frankly, I suspect that some folks don’t give the actual gravity of the occasion much thought. Yet, it is key to our unity, freedom and safety. Plus, if we make the commitment to learn about Memorial Day, we would give it the reverence and gratitude it deserves. As I worked on this post, I was thinking about tips to share on how we can observe this day in a more meaningful way with our friends and family. Fortunately, I came across an article that offered six tips that would give all of us a chance to not only honor the fallen but learn more about the occasion.
How Could we Observe Memorial Day? For starters, read up on it by visiting the VA website. Stay current by checking out the NYTimes Memorial Day commentary and archival articles section. Then read these Memorial Day tips offered below and plan with your friends/family to honor some or all of them:
Visit local cemeteries and place flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
Visit memorial sites near you.
Fly the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
Fly the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
Participate in a “National Moment of Remembrance”: at 3 p.m.(your time) by pausing and thinking about the true meaning of the day, and arrange for Taps to be played.
Renew/Make a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen heroes/heroines, and to aid disabled veterans.
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for APR 2018/MAY 2018 are:
03/04 – Women’s History Month, National Nutrition Month, Irish-American Heritage Month, American Red Cross Month, 08 International Women’s Day, World Kidney Day, 04 Academy Awards
03/11 – 11 Daylight Savings, 14 Pi Day, 15 World Consumer Rights Day, 17 St Patrick’s Day
03/18 – 19 St Joseph, 20 International Day of Happiness, 21 World poetry Day, 22 World Water day, 24 Earth Hour
03/25 – Palm Sunday, 29 Holy Thursday, 30 Good Friday, 31 Passover
05/06 – 01 May Day, 03, National Day of Prayer, 03 World Press Freedom Day, 04 Star Wars, 05 Cinco De Mayo
05/13 – 13 HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, 16 Ramadan starts, 19 Armed Forces Day,
05/20 – 20 Pentecost Day, 23 World Turtle Day, 24 National Brother Day
05/27 – 28 Memorial Day, 30 World MS Day, 31 World No Tobacco Day
Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2018?
– Join the Daily Post Post-a-day or Post-a-week Challenge.
— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab
More Below! Read more…
