COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Be thankful for all the wonderful things you have in your life and seek the hidden advantage in the events that surround you

So many times a door in life closes and we become angry, cursing our fate. We lose a job, our girlfriend or boyfriend leaves us, our house is virtually destroyed in a storm and we have to move. The famous Roman orator, Cicero, who lived in the first century AD, had this to say about attitude, “A thankful heart is not only the greatest Virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.” At first glance, this is a puzzling little saying, but since Cicero is probably one of the world’s first motivational speakers, perhaps it is worth taking seriously. Still, we must ask, what is a thankful heart, especially in a world where hearts are so easily broken, where calamity and disappointment for so many lurks behind every corner and where life seems so easily to dispense failure and dissatisfaction and heartbreak? It would seem that a thankful heart is possessed by a man or a woman who habitually looks at the world with a feeling of thanksgiving or gratitude despite what other people might think of the world about them. To obtain a thankful heart, one must either be slightly insane, given the nature of things or have adopted an attitude of thankfulness, despite the normal course of things for some over-riding reason. Cicero says that a thankful heart is “the parent of all other virtues.” Some say that the Law of Attraction operates by sending back to you whatever you send out to the universe. It would seem that it would be best to be sending out thoughts from a heart disciplined to look at the good side of things. In other words; look at life by seeking the invisible opportunity in difficulties, seize the possibilities for growth in adversity, and look at life’s situations from the standpoint of a thankful heart. For most, the habitual response to those situations is purely negative. But to others, who know the secret very well, there is always the possibility of a hidden advantage. What could that be like? Well, obviously, if you lose your job, you could get a better job, one that you would never have thought of looking for. If you lose a boyfriend or have a divorce, there could be something in store for you. Things that seem bad are not always the worst possible things. Sometimes they are just a way of the universe opening up new possibilities for you to enjoy. Therefore, at the very least, when something unexpected happens, you can realise that you are stepping into the unknown. But, is there a way you can step into these unknown and perhaps seemingly dangerous waters — and still put your best foot forward? Perhaps, you can use the healing and s t re n g t h e n i n g power of gratitude. Gratitude is not just an emotion, but a power, a power that empowers you to move forward in life. What should we be grateful for? Yes, we should be grateful for our jobs, our homes, our cars, our financial rewards — but, principally, we should be thankful for our friends and families, for the loving relationships that nurture and sustain us everyday. But, instead, of letting our gratitude be like the backdrop of painting, a colourful but distant background to the events and drama in our lives, Greg Hand suggests that it should be a very positive, very prominent part of our lives. How do we do this? By daily, hourly, minute by minute, thanking God for the many wonderful things in our lives. In a recent video called The Secret, the movie focuses on the Law of Attraction, what it describes as the universe’s natural and lawful tendency to return back to us what is given it. So, if you give gratitude to the universe, gratitude for the abundance, love, happiness and peace in your life, for the manifold blessings you have — even if those seem somehow hiding under a shadow — the universe will return the attitude by bringing abundance, love, happiness and peace into your life. Sometimes it happens in a very surprising way. The real secret, however; is to be thankful for all the wonderful things you have in your life and to always seek the hidden advantage in the events that surround you. Dare to dream and make those dreams into your reality through your actions and thoughts

Mind Power- Inner Psychology to Success

The term mind power and the subconscious mind power are described in many different ways. In the psychosomatic sense mind power is labeled as ability to have emotions, imagination, memory, and will; and subconscious mind power is labeled as part of the normal individual’s personality in which mental processes function without consciousness under normal waking conditions.

Contents

1. How Mind Power and Subconscious Mind Power work
2. How to use Subconscious Mind for success

Mind power is our conscious mind, the way we think. The mind is similar to a constantly flowing spring however a natural spring cannot send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening, nor yield both salt water and fresh. So it is with the mind and its thoughts; it cannot equally think negative and positive thoughts at the same time. One will rule the other.

Since the mind reflects habitual thoughts, it is therefore our responsibility to influence our mind and brain with positive emotions, thoughts and energy as the dominating factors in our mind. Mind power is beyond positive thinking or brain power, it is thinking than believing what you think that will manifest your reality. Since this mind power is power of thought and beliefs, and these thoughts and beliefs will create the outcome of your now, you will want to stay aware to the reflections you are thinking.

Now mind power is a dual system that includes your power of thought(brain) and your subconscious mind. We all have subconscious mind power; it can be as small as smiling at your boss in the hopes of improving the odds of acquiring a raise.

It can be the way you unconsciously handle a situation whether appropriately or not. Power of the subconscious mind comes from the thoughts and beliefs of your the power of the your mind. However you think and believe is what your subconscious mind power will produce. This is done continuously, one minute at a time. Every thought nourished regularly by your mind power will activate your subconscious mind to generate those thoughts and energy whether good or bad into your life. This is how you’re present and future is created.

Your mind power and your subconscious mind work together and they fashion your reality. Let’s use a parallel to help you visualize how this works. Your subconscious mind power is similar to fertile soil that consents to any seed planted inside it. Your habitual thoughts and beliefs are the seeds which are being continually sown and they will eventually produce a crop. So if you plant weeds you will get weeds, if you plant fruit, you will get fruit. In other words, you reap what you sow. Now the conscious mind is the gardener, and it is the mind power to choose what reaches our inner garden- the subconscious.

Unfortunately, most of us do not have green thumbs because of lack of knowledge of this law, the psychology behind this success and because of this ignorance we have allowed all kinds of seeds, both good and bad, to enter. So our subconscious mind power will manifest failure, ill health and all kinds of misfortunes just as effortlessly as it will manifest success and abundance. However, it cannot manifest it both at the same time, which is why the need to constantly actuate the positive until the fertile soil of your subconscious mind power reaps only abundance. Success is only a choice away.

The Healing Spirit Of Chiron

In mythology, Chiron (ky-ron) was a centaur, half-man and half-horse. He was wounded in the knee by an arrow and sought a cure for the remainder of his life. Due to his immortality he was not released from his wound; yet he became the consummate healer. He passed on his knowledge of the healing arts to others, specifically healing herbs, astrology, ethics, music and archery. Hence, the archetypal meaning of Chiron pertains to "the wounded healer."

Chiron is the eleventh planet of Astrological significance. Currently Chiron is in the sign of Capricorn until March 2005 when it moves into Aquarius. It has a 51 year orbit. Chiron represents the bridge between the animal and the spiritual; and the inner marriage of masculine/feminine. Chiron's location between Saturn and Uranus highlights the connection between the old and the new, the past and the future, the Age of Pisces and the Age of Aquarius.

The opportunities to journey deeply within our selves are inspired by Chiron. As we replay old wounds from the past we can become more attuned to our healing. Symbolically, Chiron is the journey from the wounded one to the teacher and mentor. We have the spiritual power to exercise awareness of our pain, rather than to escape our pain. Therefore, is it not our conscious position to be in the now so that we may heal the past?

Journey through Chiron and Transcend your pain (find Chiron in your natal chart):

1. How were you wounded in a past life? Make a list or write a letter.

2. Explain 2 fears you experience in this current life? Note your gut reactions.

3. How can you develop courage to face these fears? Open your heart chakra.

4. With compassion and love, how can you let go of these wounds? Heal thyself.

5. To whom may you teach the lessons you have learned in healing? Mentor.

Exploring Chiron is an enlightening journey towards inner peace. With compassion, acceptance, forgiveness and unconditional love for our selves we are connected to God. Let the healing begin!

Suicide is wrong... Why ??

It is not wrong to feel depressed, unhappy, out of control, lost, or scared. It is not wrong to feel paralyzed in a bad situation or hopeless about the future. It is not wrong to have fleeting thoughts that things would be so much easier, if only you were not here.

Feeling this way does not make you a person of weak character. Everyone deals with pain differently, and one person may come away with more intense emotions about a situation than another.

The Impact of Suicide

Please take a moment and think about the following before you hurt yourself.

• Suicide is FOREVER. You do not get to wake up. You do not get a second chance. You will not be able to say, "Wait, I want to stay." There is no turning back.
• Think about the situation in grisly fact. Someone will have to find your body, and most likely it will be someone who loves and cares for you. They will bear this in their memory for the rest of their lives.
• If you kill yourself at someone else’s hand, such as laying in front of a car or train or forcing a police officer to kill you, know that these people will bear the brunt of the emotional turmoil and will always wish that it could have been different.
• There may be people standing on the sidelines, knowing that you are in pain and wishing that they could help you. These people will suffer forever in guilt, wondering if there was more they could have done or said to change your mind. They will blame themselves.
• The repercussions go far beyond this. Friends or family members may grow so despondent that they, in turn, take their own lives.
• Most newspapers will not even mention your name after death by suicide.

If You Are Feeling Suicidal

If you are thinking about killing yourself, you must first and foremost tell someone. Tell a trusted friend, teacher, clergyman, parent or counselor. Do not be afraid of getting help. It means that some part of you is reaching out for life. Do not ignore it. Your life depends on it. Call 1-800-SUICIDE in the United States for 24 hour counseling help. There may also be a crisis hotline listed in the front of the phone book. Talk to someone every day, as long as it takes. Some other tips:

• Make a promise to yourself that you will not harm yourself for at least 24 hours. Use distraction – listen to music, take a bath, or force yourself to do something for someone else.
• Try to spend time with people who are not depressed or who are not part of your circumstances.
• Remove any dangerous objects or weapons from your home.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Try to create a routine to get you through the day.
• Set one goal to give you motivation. It does not have to be something difficult or even important, just a goal to achieve.
• Do at least one thing you enjoy every day. Even if you don’t think you will enjoy it, give it just ten minutes. You may surprise yourself.
• Try to get outside in the fresh air. It may seem cliché, but the outdoors can do wonders.
• Remember that every person has potential for greatness. Some people believe that we are all here on earth for a reason. No matter what you believe, know that you do have talent that should not be wasted.

Feeling depressed and suicidal often feels like being locked in a closet. You are only aware of your own thoughts, feelings and actions. It may be difficult to think about this at the time, but your life is not just this moment. It will move on, and situations can change. One year, five years, or ten years later you may find it hard to believe that you ever felt this way. Although you may feel that no one loves or cares about you now, you never know who will come into your life down the road to fulfill these things for you.

Suicide: An Ethical Debate

Here are some ethical questions regarding the nature of suicide:

• Is it suicide for a parent to sacrifice their life to save their child’s life?
• Is it acceptable to kill yourself if you are terminally ill or in tremendous physical pain that has no promise of ending?
• Is it immoral for a doctor to assist a patient in killing himself?
• What is worth dying for?
• Is suicide ever the right thing to do?
• Many religious observers believe that suicide is fundamentally wrong.

These are all questions that have to be answered personally and individually.

Suicide is not something that should ever be treated lightly. Parents, friends, coworkers and teachers all need to be aware that these feelings are real and should be taken seriously. It is never too late to reach out to someone who is suffering.

Provking God Existance...!!

This has a thought provoking message no matter how you believe. Does God exist?

The university professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists?
A student bravely replied yes, he did!"
"God created everything?" The professor asked.
"Yes, sir," the student replied.

The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil."
The student became quiet before such an answer.


The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.


Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?" "Of course", replied the professor. The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"


"What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question.


The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Everybody and every object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have too little heat.


The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"


The professor responded, "Of course it does".


The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present."


Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"


Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. "These manifestations are nothing else but evil."


To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love, that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."


The professor sat down.

Street Children In India

The reality of the street child is the naked and vicious face of poverty, sickness and exploitation. The tragedy is, that those who bear it are themselves innocent, lonely and frightened young children.
Street Children are those unfortunate children who basically:

1. Have only intermittent contact with parents or family (usually mother or sisters) but live most of the time with other street children in the city streets, or are on the move. {There are numerous reasons for a child to leave home}
2. Have been literally abandoned by their parents/relatives, found themselves on the street from the beginning because of family problems, or have chosen to leave home due to some kind of constant abuse.
3. Those who have run away from home can further be separated into two categories: Those who have an unpleasant or traumatic home environment. They experience family problems they are unable to solve: i.e., alcoholism, child abuse, ill treatment by stepparents, unemployment and poverty. Their tolerance level has been far exceeded, leading to the drastic decision to leave their family. Those who have run away from home, who wanted to study/work but were not allowed and came to experience the exciting experiences of city life, glamorized by magazines and movies.

Religion of street children in India varies greatly according to area, but, in general, approximately 70% are Hindu, 18% are Muslim, Christian and other. Percentage of Hindu children is as high as 82% in Hyderabad, Indore & Bangalore. (Almost 50% of Hindu children belong to scheduled caste or tribes.) 82.7% of street children are boys. Girls are more difficult to trace but they are, by far, the most vulnerable.

WORK CONDITIONS

Most street children find themselves some work, even though they may not be steady and lose jobs regularly. Many think of rag picking as a "job". A study in 1989 shows that 39.3% working children are paid inadequately, and 34% complain of being forced to overwork. Many children are lured into bonded work or "work-camps" that they are unable to escape from, due to unscrupulous and cruel proprietors or middlemen.

DESIRE TO BE SECURE

A recent study in Madras shows that many street children (45.6%) would like to live in a secure place, while 71% are very eager to change their present life. 63% of children have an ambition to do something meaningful in their future. The vast majority of them have a survival instinct and the tenacity that helps them survive the day to day trials of street life. That does not, however, provide them a future

AGE OF CHILDREN

The average age of street children is:
33% 6-10yrs
40% 11-15yrs
27% 16yrs +

HEALTH CONDITIONS

The health condition of street children is generally poor. Many suffer from chronic diseases like TB, leprosy, typhoid, malaria, jaundice and liver/kidney disorders. Venereal disease is rampant among older ones (14yrs+). Scabies, gangrene, broken limbs and epilepsy are common. HIV & AIDS cases are now widely seen. Most street children are exposed to dirt, smoke and other environmental hazards.
They are constantly exposed to intense sun, rain and cold.

Though there are supposed to be "free" Government / Municipal Hospitals in all cities, street children do not have easy access to them due the need to pay bribes to enter, or the indifferent or hostile treatment meted out to them by the staff. Bangalore, Vijayawada and Hyderabad report extreme conditions in this regard.

STREET CHILD ACTIVITIES IN INDIA

Street children learn to cope with life on the streets very quickly. They learn to live off the street. The following is a list of activities and occupations undertaken by street children in India to earn a living:

Collecting and selling waste paper, plastic, scrap metal etc.
Cleaning cars and two-wheelers,
Selling water, sweets, biscuits, clothes etc.
Selling newspapers and flowers on streets
Making and selling flower garlands
Begging, pimping, pick pocketing, stealing
Working in roadside stalls or repair shops
Coolie work or working in small hotels (kitchens etc)

ARBITRARY DETENTION, ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT

Street children are constantly arrested, locked up, tortured and abused in all ways because there is none to take responsibility for them. They live in fear of arrest and long detainment. They have no faith in the police or the judicial system. They disrespect the legal authorities because they have rarely experienced any kindness or understanding from anyone at that level. THE RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS For street children, this aspect is conspicuous by its absence, and totally ignored by the relevant authorities. Street children are arrested, locked up, sent to remand, runaway, are arrested again beaten locked up and so on and so forth without ever being offered a word of legal advice, much less a lawyer, or a government counsellor. They are sent to lockups, and sometimes jails, for days together without even a hearing. The remand homes sometimes make an effort to trace the parents, but usually the parents do not come for one reason or another, usually poverty. So the child grows up in an environment of cruelty & abuse, physical, mental and sexual and if he/she does not have the wits to escape, emerges a hardened criminal with total contempt for society in all its aspects when they are 18yrs old. The Municipal Corporations are, however, showing some interest in the plight of street children. Studies show that there are more small programs for street children in the country today than ever before and that some are either located in Municipal Buildings or assisted by the Local Body. i.e. Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Chennai etc. The Juvenile Justice Act 1986 is now defunct since the U.N. C.R.C., and India’s ratification of the same. The new J.J.Act is better but needs serious discussion.

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Life After Divorce-coping As A Single Parent

When the ink has dried on your divorce papers, and the dust finally starts to settle, you will find yourself facing an entirely new set of problems. Now you are alone with your responsibilities. The scheduling of your life is different, and probably more difficult.

If your husband is limited to brief visitation rights, then the day-to-day responsibility for your kids is now completely yours. Even if your spouse has your children part of the time, you will
discover that you are more limited. If your ex did anything at all around the house you will now have to do it yourself. If he did any of the family bookkeeping, or helped the kids with
schoolwork, or took them here or there, that service is no longer available.You have a household. Once there were two people who could take on the duty of running it. Now there’s one.You will probably begin to see this happening from the start. During your divorce these things present themselves. But in some ways they aren’t as obvious then. This is partly due to the incredible turmoil you are already facing. There may also be other factors disguising the truth. Your friends and family knew what you were going through while the battle was still raging. Often some of them stepped up to bat, and helped in so many ways. Your best friend drove your boy to sports practice through an entire season, and maybe your sister took your daughter to shop for clothes. But that was when your days were endless cycles of lawyers, court dates, and searching for records. Now life is supposed to be normal.The only problem with that is the workload: it seems to be permanently bigger.In most cases the ex-spouse should be of help, but there are almost always problems and disagreements. Most likely these will last as long as your children are still underage and a shared responsibility. How much support and help your ex is giving you with the kids is usually a measure of your sanity. I’ve had my own problems with this, as does nearly every parent who keeps custody most of the time. My ex-husband’s mandated
times with the kids only cover a couple of weekends and some weekday evenings each month. Often the evenings simply don’t happen.

Many divorced parents face the same dilemma: doubled responsibility not only for kids, but for shopping, cleaning, paying the bills, taking care of the pets, doing the laundry, and the list goes on and on! Being a single parent is no easy task. For each of us the new responsibilities take different forms. When they are still together most parents gradually take on some aspects of the
good cop/bad cop relationship with their kids. Sometimes dad is the one who is judge and jury, while mom seems willing to listen. Or those roles might be reversed. Maybe your ex-spouse
was the disciplinarian; while you were the sympathetic one they could always come to. Whatever role you played before, now you must be both. If your boy gets in a fight, or your daughter
mistreats a schoolmate, you have to dole out the punishment. Yet, if there were extenuating circumstances, you also have to understand. How can a person do both? It seems almost
impossible.

This is aggravated even more by the divorce. A split inevitably sets up a competitive situation. In a conflict people always look for allies, and in a divorce both parents want the kids to
be on their respective sides. This doesn’t end with the decree. If dad was once the disciplinarian, but now only sees the kids for a few days a month, he’s likely to be much less help when
they do something wrong. He’ll want his house to be the place where they have fun. At the same time, mom is going to get tired of always being the one to give punishments. She doesn’t
want her children to hate her. This often turns into a competition for affection that can only hurt the children.

What every parent in a divorce must learn is that their children still have the same needs they had before the divorce. That means they need the adults in their lives to take on adult responsibilities. For instance, if you are about to leave your children off at your spouse’s, don’t work extra hard to leave the best impression. There’s no need to make your last stop one at a fast food joint where you fill them full of sugar and empty calories. Instead, just make them understand that you love them, and are concerned with their well being in every way. Ease them
into the transition by assuring them of their place in your life, while helping them see that they still have that place in your spouse’s life as well.

If your spouse doesn’t cooperate, try to resolve it when the kids aren’t there. Do all you can to make sure that the facts of custody are not rules of engagement, but rather are simply a
structure for your children’s benefit. If you and your spouse still have lingering differences in this area, the best way to help your cause is to simply be the best parent you can be.But whatever your arrangement is with your ex-spouse, life can’t help but be more difficult alone. So what do you do in the face of overwhelming odds, and the seemingly inevitable nervous breakdown?First, remember you are not alone. There are millions of single parents out there facing the same thing you are. You probably know other mothers (and/or fathers) who are, or have been, in the same situation. Don’t be afraid about turning to them now. They may know things you don’t, and if not, they can always lend a hand, or at least some sympathy.Others who have gone through the same thing will realize what pressure you are under. This isn’t simply a matter of finances (though that issue usually has a lot to do with it). You are now the one that your children come to every day of the week. They need you desperately for their own sense of security, especially after their world has been turned upside down from divorce. You are the one who picks up after them, feeds them, and gives them allowances. You are the one who talks to their friends’ mothers and fathers. You get the call from school. You talk to their teachers. You are the first one to hear about bills for education and health. If your children are about to
go to college, you are the one they talk to about those possibilities. If you are the parent they stay with most nights, and you are the parent they see in the morning before they go to school,
then you are simply the one.Because it used to be different, because there used to be two
of you, and because there used to be two parental roles being played in this house, you now have to learn something new. Now you must develop some skills you never needed before. If you
can do what is necessary you’ll find that this new order isn’t that scary. If you can adapt, you will not only survive, but thrive. A new exciting life is just around the corner. Your job
is to figure out how to keep from getting so exhausted that “just around the corner” turns out to be an impossible distance to cover.

Your job as a newly single parent may not be easy, but it in time you will adjust, fall into a routine and discover a new found strength you never thought you had.

By Christina Rowe

all about meditation....

"You may hear and hear, but you will never understand; you may look and look, but you will never see. For this people's mind has become gross; their ears are dulled, and their eyes are closed. Otherwise, their eyes might see, their ears hear, and their mind understand. . ."

What is meditation? One might give any number of definitions, but here is a good one to start with: Meditation is a process of making the mind subtle. Meditation on a regular basis will help bring about a more relaxed state of mind and body. For many people, trying to cope with the stress and strain of everyday life can be stressful in itself.

This may create more problems, for example having trouble sleeping, which over a period of time would begin to create even more problems. There are of course many people who wish to meditate to help them to be more in tune with their Spirituality.

Whatever your reason is for seeking a form of meditation to help you, it will come down to self, whether it be Physical or Spiritual.

Many lay people have this concept that to sit and meditate is to completely empty the mind of all thought which upon trying they find extremely difficult because to think of nothing is to think of something.

Spending some time each day allowing this process to happen, gradually cultures the mind to be subtler and subtler, and at the same time establishes the mind in its innermost being. This results in a mind/heart that is not only subtle, but at once clear, stable, supple, expansive, open, and whole. Through this process of meditation, we begin to live more and more of the wholeness of our own life, and this profoundly deepens our spiritual connection with life.

Benefits of Meditation:

Meditate to Unfold Your Full Potential
Discover the Healing Power of Your Mind
Meditation in Business: Raising the Bottom Line
Meditation for Students: Unlocking the Door to Creative Learning

When we approach meditation with childlike, innocent faith, however, all such effort and frustration become a thing of the past. Whereas previously this basic tendency of the mind to seek greater happiness frustrated our efforts to meditate, it now becomes our best friend and gives us a free ride to bliss, ananda. Ignorance makes an enemy of nature; childlike innocence and faith befriends nature. The more we try, the more the mind seems like an unruly monkey. The less we try, the more the mind becomes instead like a honey bee, seeking, and finding blissful nectar.

More interesting facts about meditation will come soon.....

Distance Relationship

Can a long distance relationship actually survive? May be not! if u agree with this, then I guess u should rethink again! I know that being in a long distance relationship can be sometimes very difficult and confusing as well! Missing your family, friends and as well as your sweethearts can be very difficult. It is hard to find perfect words to explain exactly how you feel, even the heartaches and loneliness that comes you way, when u having a long distance relatio nship. But there must be a magic attraction or tie that entails to make such a special relationship work. For those who in a long distance relationship, or may be if you and your sweetheart live too far apart to spend time in each other's presence whenever you desire.. Then, you should be able to grab what I m actually trying to bring forward over here! Distance cannot, and will not hurt a bond between two people that is based on mutual respect, trust, commitment, and love.

I strongly believe that love and relationships are what make your life special, and that ones built on love and understanding are always worth preserving, regardless of the miles that may separate two people. There are many people that crazy over each other but are forced by circumstances to live apart... but how come their love still survives? It is because of the magic word called trust. Genuinely trust your significant other is the fundamental rule of distance relationship... because unbridled suspicion will quickly erode your relationship. Although you may feel like you are losing faith in your relationship at times, hold fast and trust your heart! It is not as same as a normal relationship where getting a goodnite kiss from your sweetheart is a routine for most people. Being far from your sweetheart is really a physical as well as mental challenge.. especially for people where a part of their significant other has actually grown into them! or may be that is what make them to sustain their love and relationship till today. Even though mobile phones, commuter marriages, online dating, bicoastal romance, long distance love on the Internet... has actually manage to reduce the distance between hometown honeys, but it will never be same as you having your loved ones right beside you holding your hands. When u live in a distance from you sweetheart.. every single phone calls, gifts and valentines card as well as birthday cards he or she has sent you will bring more meaning to your life. Distance is the one which made you spent hours choosing a valentine gift for your loved ones, thinking of the best surprise you can give them on that day! While writing a poem on the card you wanna send to your sweetheart, u’ll will be surprised looking at your own handwriting.. you know, it has never been so beautiful before this! U just wanna give the best to them. Hand phones will be your best friend as your mind will record every single bit of their voice and save it in your heart. Sometimes people have to go dozens of sleepless nights, missing their sweet heart looking up the sky and start to match each star with a reason why they miss them so much.. and most of the time.. they’ll juz ran out of stars! And there were also moments where u just wanna pick your sweet ones out of my dream and hug them for real! Those the are the times u actually realize how much love has grown in your soul and has rooted in your heart! Those are the days you actually realize how much your sweet ones has had colored your life!

Then.. u see dat distance actually made your love stronger.. Even thought you are miles away from your special ones…you can always feel their presence in your every single heart beat! Men from Mars and women form Venus.. probably just to see how far love can travel! The true test of love comes when being apart! Your relationship is successful only when your love manage to survive and sail smooth despite the distance!

10 Easy Steps For A Healthy Relationship

By Dr. Grace Cornish Livingstone

Are you ready for real love? In this day and age of fast-paced and short-lived relationships, it’s challenging and many times difficult, to find good, solid, effective, and useful, information that helps to build healthy and long-lasting romantic relationships. Whether you’re single, married, divorced, or looking-to-be-married, these time-tested steps will help you and your current or future mate to create a long-lasting romantic bliss:

1) Always Be Your “True” Self

You are wonderfully and uniquely made by a loving Creator. If you find that you have to act or try to become someone you weren’t born to be, in order to fulfill someone else’s expectation, then something is seriously wrong. A true love will appreciate you for who you are and what you bring to the relationship, and vice-versa. If you feel as if you’re being pressured to alter your character to do things you wouldn’t usually do (drink, drugs, pre-mature sex, lie) so that the person will continue to see you, that’s a certain sign that things are unhealthy. Your true love will gladly embrace you just for who you are—so don’t be afraid, step out in faith and show your true self.

2) Develop Deep Communication with Each Other

A healthy relationship goes much deeper that a surface affair. Even though you may both look good arm-in-arm, or standing next to each other, whether at a concert, family reunion, Movie Theater, or at church, can you talk when you’re alone? What’s going on in your conversations—are they deep and meaningful or surface and bland? Do you discuss personal hopes, dreams and goals, or just talk about the weather and the plot to the latest drama? Can you count on each other to lend a listening ear, good advice, and undivided attention?

Good, honest, and deep conversation will keep you deeply connected. When in doubt, talk it out. Always keep the lines of communication open in your relationship.

3) Don’t Ignore, but Explore Your Differences

Do your personalities blend well? Is one of you on the optimistic path while the other is on the pessimistic side of the road? Opposites may initially attract, but eventually they can repel each other. It’s important that your personalities are compatible.

If one views life through rose colored glasses, while the other is always singing-the-blues, then you have to make some sort of adjustment to accommodate each other. The simple truth is oil and vinegar make an excellent salad dressing, but they don’t mix well in romantic relationships, unless both personalities can explore each other and find some sort of balance. If you can adjust and love each other’s personalities, regardless of any differences, and bring out the best when you’re together, then this is a winning combo, and you could very well be a dynamic-duo in a life-long healthy relationship.

4) Share Similar Interest and Values

You don’t have to have the exact interests. As a matter of fact, having diverse preferences can help you to share new and exciting things with each other. However, make sure you have at least a few common interests, so it won’t be an ongoing battle over what to do and where to go to keep you both satisfied. You may have to compromise in some areas like sports, politics, movies, shopping, music, etc. Keep in mind that compromising doesn’t mean depriving each other of their individual interests but instead it means participating in each other’s interests.

5) Discuss Your Spiritual Beliefs Together

If you’re not on common ground with your beliefs about who and what God means to each of you, this will eventually cause a rift in your relationship. Don’t try to conceal your true beliefs and hope that it will all just one day fall in place—it won’t. Make sure you talk about your faith honestly and openly with each other. There’s a wise adage that states, “The couple that prays together, stays together.”

6) Appreciate Each Other’s Unique Body Temple

Let’s face it, we’re all built differently. We come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and shades. In order to have a healthy physical and emotional relationship, you must embrace and appreciate each other’s total package. One of the worse things a couple can do to each other is to fantasize or try to fit their mate into someone else’s body image. When you throw away preconceived “ideal body type” perceptions, you’ll enjoy the true worth of your partner.

I remember years ago, one of my college friends, Nicolette, a five-foot-eight-inch, former beauty queen, adamantly refused to date any man under the six-foot mark. Her preconceived idea of the “ideal match” was “an athletic hunk who would be paid well for playing ball—footfall, basketball, or baseball would qualify him—as long as he had the height, the muscles, and the billfold.”

Well, after a whole lot of heartbreaks, shallow relationships, and a completely new outlook on life, she eagerly reports that she has been very happily married to a five-foot-five-inch dentist for over five years and “has since been blessed with two wonderful children to complete her healthy marriage.”

Nicolette would have missed out on the love of her life had she remained stuck with false perceptions. Don’t let this happen to you. Admire, appreciate, and enjoy your companion’s body temple.

7) Talk About “The S-&M Factor” (Sex & Money)

Two of the biggest destroyers of healthy relationships are the misuse, abuse, lack of or over-use of sex and money (the S & M Factor). Both are very important and very personal in your love life. Yet, unfortunately, most couples make the mistake of not setting quality time aside early in their relationship to discuss these two vital components. To put it bluntly, “You’ve got to know where you’re heading, before you get to the bedding; and know what you’re spending before it gets beyond mending.”

In deep romantic relationships, there is a world of difference between “having sex” and “making love,” just as there is a major difference between being “involved” and “being in love.” The misuse of sex, just like the misuse of money, causes major turbulence in relationships. These can be dangerous influences which overwhelm your relationship; or they can be healthy tools for intimacy and success. It’s up to both you and your partner to know what sex and money means to each of you, and to make sure that you share your beliefs and feelings with each other. Otherwise, both the sex and money issues can become major conflicts which will destroy even the deepest love.

8 ) Try to Get Along With Each Other’s Friends-n-Families

Although your happiness ultimately depends on how well the two of you get along with each other, some input from loved ones can be frosting on the cake. Do you have a healthy interaction with each other’s close associates? Make sure you ask some supportive family members and/or dear friends their opinion about your choice in mate. If the advice is not what you want to hear, examine it closely, evaluate the source, pray about it, and make up your own mind anyway. Make sure you also meet your mate’s family and closest friends, and discreetly observe their interactions with each other. Look if there is any dysfunctional family pattern that you need to address and get help with. There is a wise old saying, “Show me your company, I’ll tell you who you are.” Chances are, if your partner has a healthy interaction with loved ones, you will also get the same treatment—and so much more!

9) Stay Away From Negative People

It’s important to make a special note here, that although the interactions of relatives and friends can be a plus in building a healthy relationship, some, unfortunately, can also be a minus. If you face unhealthy interference and discouragement from loved ones because of their personal insecurities, don’t let them have any influence in your relationship. Both you and your mate must be on the same page and decide to keep negative people out of your personal love life in order to love and grow together in a harmonious, healthy relationship.

10) Learn to Laugh Together

This one doesn’t need much explanation—if there’s no joy, there’s very little hope. Laughter keeps love alive. Find something that you can both get a good hearty laugh from. Here’s a little secret that works wonders: A good sense of humor and a pleasant disposition has a magnetic attraction that makes people always want to be in your presence. How can that special person resist your gorgeous smile and sparkling eyes? Go ahead, laugh a bit—have fun and enjoy!

There you have it—the practical, useful and effective steps that will surely enhance your current or future relationship. You deserve to have an enjoyable, exciting, and loving healthy relationship with someone who loves you, just for who you are. You are worth it!

Friendship Forever

Friendship is a miracle of God. It is a promise of togetherness of a lifetime. Anything lesser than that is not worth having a friend. Here is a compilation of short stories on friendship with an inspiration for you to become not only a better person but also understand the meaning of true friendship.

Two inseparable friends, Sam and Jason, met with an accident on their way to Boston City. The following morning, Jason woke up blind and Sam was still unconscious. Dr. Berkeley was standing at his bedside looking at his health chart and medications with a thoughtful expression on his face. When he saw Sam awake, he beamed at him and asked." How are you feeling today Sam?" Sam tried to put up a brave face and smiled back saying, "Absolutely wonderful doctor. I am very grateful for all that you have done for me. "Dr Berkeley was moved at Sam's deed. All that he could say was, "You are a very brave man Sam and God will make it up to you in one way or another". While he was moving on to the next patient, Sam called back at him almost pleading, “Promise me you won’t tell Jason anything”. “You know I won’t do that. Trust me” and walked away. “Thank you” whispered Sam. He smiled and looked up in prayer” I hope I live up to you ideas… please give me the strength to be able to go through this. Amen” Months later when Jason had recuperated considerably, he stopped hanging around with Sam. He felt discouraged and embarrassed to spend time with a disabled person like Sam. Sam was lonely and disheartened, since he didn't have any body else other than Jason to count on. Things went from bad to worse. And one day Sam died in despair. When Jason was called on his burial, he found a letter waiting for him. Dr Berkeley gave it to him with an expressionless face and said" This is for you Jason. Sam had asked me to give it to you when he was gone. In the letter he had said: “Dear Jason, I have kept my promise in the end to lend you my eyes if anything had happened to them. Now there is nothing more that I can ask from God, than the fact, which will see the world through my eyes. You will always be my best friend… Sam”. When he had finished reading Dr. Berkeley said” I had promised Sam to keep his sacrifice he made a secret from you. But now I wish I didn’t stick it because I don’t think it was worthy it”. All that was left for Jason while he stood there was tears of regret and memories of Sam for the rest of his life. Lesson of the story: No matter what If we make a friend, we should stick by him till the end. Life is meaningless without a friend.

Enough Money for a Doll

I was walking around in a BigBazar store making shopping, when I saw a Cashier talking to a boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll. Then the little boy turned to me and asked: '' Aunty, are you sure I don't have enough money?'' I counted his cash and replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the , my dear.'' The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much. I Wanted to Gift her for her BIRTHDAY. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this. 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is
going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.'' My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my
picture with her so my sister won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?'' 'OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his with out him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money.

The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!'

Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My mommy loves white roses.' I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The
little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the news paper that the young Woman had passed away.. I couldn't stop myself was I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and
make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever.

The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

Please DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE