This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.

- The Buddha's Words on Kindness (Metta Sutta)

Let us not be corrupted by the traditions of men from the
simplicity that is in Christ.
-Simplicity Blog

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life.

A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.

A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master..."

-E.Gilbert

God has no religion. - Gandhi

Blast From The Past

I started Facebook around September/October of last year. Initially, as a correspondence of sorts for my kids' martial arts. (enter Linxx Academy). And also to see some of my pics with friends. They have stopped emailing me these. They kept telling me -- it's on Facebook.

I have since learned posting 'what's on my mind'...I'm sure some of my 'friends' are sick of seeing me with yet another post within a matter of minutes or hours. (my blackberry just make it so darned easy, my apologies).

As a pretty private person, I have kept friends at a minimum. My teenager (boss D), makes fun of my paltry number of friends. He had several times much, in a matter of days.

Then it happened. I got an invite (maybe not intentional, one of those invites to everybody in your email list thing)...and I have found several of my dear classmates and friends from as far back as 3rd grade.

And with it, poured, fond memories of my teenage days.

Out of all these...a long, lost friendship, was found.

Some questions answered. A better closure. And a new, refreshing start...

"high school life, oh my high school life every memory kay ganda;
high school days, oh my high school days are exciting kay saya."

Giving thanks...

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Let the beauty we love be what we do.- Jalaluddin Rumi

If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

--HH The Dalai Lama

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth. -- Benjamin Disraeli

"A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."-- Cardinal Mermillod

All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail. That is the talisman, the formula, the command of right-about-face which turns us from failure towards success.- Dorothea Brande

My Day: 5/20/08

tried to clean up a bit at home. went to work at noon.

worked on tax deadline.

very bad storm - hail, 70mph wind, rain, we were in the car, terrified.

a friend called.

kids trained, chatted with my favorite people at the academy.

(mr. brooks is back...yey!)

housework, book.

store's back door was left open, nothing missing, neighbors watched the place.

need to chat with a friend from singapore...

need to bug a friend (har, har).

""i will see it when I believe it." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

My Day: 5/19/2008

Visited a friend. Trained new personnel.

Worked a bit. Trained hard in Muay Thai.

Worked on the book.

Slept.

Readings: Alan Greenspan's The Age Of Turbulence

The Art Of Happiness by HH Dalai Lama
Tomorrow: Do better than I did today.

Let there be nothing within thee that is not very beautiful and very gentle, and there will be nothing without thee that is not beautiful and softened by the spell of thy presence.

--James Allen

My Day:

Sunday.

Spent the day at Ocean Breeze Waterpark with the boys.

Worked with D on a science project.

Housework.

Bugged a friend (ha!).

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

Strangers are just friends waiting to happen. ~Rod McKuen, Looking for a Friend (Thank you, Carolyn.)

My Day: Saturday 5/17

Boys trained. I joined them in Competition Training. Sparred.

Good day at Linxx.

May have found new friends.

Bugged a friend (Ha!)

the little things

Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of LITTLE THINGS, in which smiles and kindness, and small obligations given habitually, are what preserve the heart and secure comfort. - Sir Humphrey Davy

Funny how sometimes the little things we do -- get noticed, appreciated and missed (ha!)...to be continued...

Love the girl who holds the world in a paper cup

Drink it up, love her and she'll bring you luck

And if you find she helps your mind, better take her home

Don't you live alone, try to earn what lovers own

-Danny's Song

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle

Resolutions

1. Simplify.

2. Streamline and focus on the big rocks.

3. Read one book a month.

(Downgraded from one book a week -- scarcity of time...sigh!)

4. Master at least 2 recipes a month.

5. Repeat 1 and 2.

more to come...

Even now, all possible feelings do not yet exist. There are still those that lie beyond our capacity and our imagination. From time to time, when a piece of music no one has ever written, or a painting no one has ever painted, or something else impossible to predict, fathom, or yet describe takes place, a new feeling enters the world. And then, for the millionth time in the history of feeling, the heart surges, and absorbs the impact. - Nicole Krauss

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. -- S. Covey