*To read more of my published articles click on to my webpage at Helium: http://www.helium.com/users/372335
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What would I do with a million pounds?
I found this to be a most interesting question, because it immediately led me to another question. That question being, “What would I do with a million pounds of what?” Many things ran through my mind as to the what, many of the things I thought of in terms of a million pounds were things I would not want to have a million pounds of. I thought of things like, mud, bricks, trash, mothballs, and the list goes on, but there were a few things that made me stop and think, and they were things I thought that I would not mind having a million pounds of.
The first thing I thought of was that I would like to have a million pounds of chocolate. Yes, rich, dark, creamy, chocolate, mmm, my favorite! Next, I considered the question we began with, “What I would do with a million pounds of chocolate”; surely, I would give it to all the women in the world who love chocolate the way that I do, and then I would give the rest to our male counterparts who are also known as choc-aholics. I do not want to settle for just talking about chocolate, although it is a delicious subject to discuss, the question being asked is too good to dedicate solely to one thing, even if it is my favorite.
Let us take butter for example, “What would I do with a million pounds of it. I think the first thing I would do is panic, and then I would contain myself and as quickly as I could, I would join a culinary school for baking pastries. Yes, sir, I would have to learn how to get rid of all that rich butter in the most delicacy kind of way. Than I would distribute the butter to anyone else who needed it. Folks, that sure is a lot of butter; just think of all the arteries it would end up in, wow, the thought is almost frightening to me, but it would most assuredly cause panic to heart specialists everywhere.
Looking at in a lighter perspective, and from my softer side, lets examine feathers. When you think of a million pounds being in the form of feathers, and then, you break it down to how many feathers it would take to make them weigh a million pounds, it is amazing what amount it would take, it would probably be a trillion-something. Now, what would I do with all those trillion-something feathers, I would make sure that everyone who is not allergic to them, had their very own soft, puffy, cushiony, pillow to snuggle up with. Enough about that, let's move on to a subject that is worth its weight in GOLD…
Hmmm, what would I do with a million pounds of it? Phew, this is a weighty topic, because the more it weighs, the more its worth, and the wiser it is used, the better it becomes. I would want to be very careful with what I did with a million pounds of gold, that’s for sure. In addition, I certainly would not make light of it, like I did with feathers. I would be blessed to help those who do not have, and to help those who do have, but who struggle to hold on to what they have. After accomplishing that, I would get a new car; I do not really have a preference on what kind, just so long as it has that great new car smell and than, I can throw away the goofy, dangly air fresheners I hang in my car now.
If it were possible to weigh wisdom, than I would choose to have a million pounds of it. For with wisdom comes the answers to many of life’s questions, and having wisdom, would certainly make life much more fulfilling, definitely much easier, and less painful. With a million pounds of wisdom, I would have avoided many mistakes I have made in my lifetime. Having a million pounds of it, I would have had the wisdom needed to know, and therefore I would have done things differently, which ultimately would have eliminated many mistakes I have made. If I have wisdom, I would have fewer regrets, and I would make wiser decisions, that would positively affect my life; therefore making my life fuller and richer, in ways that a million pounds of valuable gold, a million pound of soft feathers, a million pounds of delicious butter, or a million pound of absolutely fabulous chocolate, could ever make. I’ll take a million pounds of wisdom over them all!
©2008
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Are negative emotions holding you back?
Negative emotions go much deeper than what is expressed and seen on the outside of us. If one is unhappy, in their life, their surroundings, or in a particular situation, there is most often something that causes negativity to surface into our lives. Unresolved, pain, hurt, and anger, are negative emotions that cause insecurity, depression and unhappiness.
As humans, we often allow our emotions to get the best of us and to rule how we behave. We are often not aware of the deep- rooted feelings we have inside that cause us to be negative or unhappy. When we are hurt for example, we sometimes push our pain deep down inside and try to forget about it; but by doing this, it causes other emotions to take root and to negatively affect our personalities. When we are deeply hurt, for example, and we do not deal with the pain that we experience, we suppress our hurt and that pain is transferred into other unhealthy emotions, such as anger, resentment, and bitterness. The result of this is than seen in our everyday lives, in the way that we think, respond, and speak to others.
Unresolved emotions, over a period of time will cause people to do and say things that they normally would not do or say. One of the greatest emotions to cause an imbalance in ones life is the emotion of unforgiveness. Harboring ill feelings towards others is like a poison, which moves quickly through the body and prevents it from functioning efficiently. Unforgiveness affects every aspect of our lives. When one holds grudges because of unforgiveness, it than creates another harmful emotions to surface, one of which is bitterness.
Bitterness on the other hand leads to other very negative emotions such as spite, anger, and hatred. These emotions unfortunately are some of the unhealthiest emotions. Having unforgiveness eventually causes a domino affect from one unhealthy emotion to another, therefore leaving a person damaged in their emotions, and leaving them vulnerable to much unhappiness and chaos in their lives. When someone is damaged in their emotions, it will undoubtedly cause them to be held back from many good things they could have attained in their lives.
“What then is necessary, for us to have healthy positive emotions?” One of the first things that is important to do when an issue arises, is not to run from it, but instead, face it head on immediately, with the intent to resolve the it. Do not take on the mindset of one who does not like confrontation, running from confronting the issue is what causes ill feelings and emotions. To resolve problems, we must confront the offender in a mature and reasonable way. We must speak in a way that expresses our pain, and how we are feeling, without accusing, and criticizing them; which can cause them to become defensive, and can prevent resolving the issue. Often times, the offender does not realize that they have offended someone and therefore, they should be made aware of the offense, so that resolution can come. Sharing your feeling with them will most often be received in a positive way, which will help to resolve the issue. In most cases, the other person will be glad that you came to them to share how you are feeling, and they will be happy to talk it out with you, so that it can be resolved. Talking about the issue with them will prevent suppressing negative feelings, and will therefore avoid those negative feeling from becoming deep- rooted emotional problems. Once the situation is resolved, a person can move forward in freedom, with a feeling of contentment, in knowing that they did the right thing, for their own emotional health and for the health of others involved.
Emotions are positive or negative, healthy, or unhealthy, we have the choice as to decide how we will handle them. We must be willing not to hold back or deny how we truly feel. It is very important to recognize and acknowledge what we are feeling. When we accomplish that, we will be able to work through issues in our lives in a healthy, stable, manner, and our lives will be richer, fuller, and happier because of it.
©2008
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Can vaccines cause Autism?
Autism, a complicated, not well-understood, debilitation that afflicts 1 in every 150 children, is more commonly found in males, than in females. Children, who live in an autistic world, are unfortunately often unable to be a part of our world. They are somehow locked up inside of themselves, with no way out. Autism is reflected in different ways, and to different degrees. Speech and communication are two major areas that are greatly affected by autism in children.
Autism was little known until it started to appear in children in the early 1990’s, at a rate of approximately 1 in every 2000 children. Midway through the 1990’s the statistics began to rise with a sharp increase in the incidences of autism in children. The rate, at which it appeared less than a decade later, was approximately 1 in every 700 children. Today, in the year 2008 we are seeing autism in children at an alarmingly high rate of 1 in every 150 children. The incidence of autism has reached a point, that it is much too high, the statistics, are frightening.
In the early 1990’s, there was a change in how our immunizations were administered to children. Before the 1990’s, the immunizations for measles, mumps, and rubella, were administered separately, and at different times of the child’s life. In the early 90’s however, the change came when all three immunizations were combined together with preservatives, to prevent one immunization from affecting the other, in the mix. This new combination was than administered to children in one shot instead of three and it is still being administered in that way today. Could this be a factor in the staggering number of children affected by autism?
This information raise many questions such as, what effect does mixing three very powerful immunizations together into one shot, have on small children? How does it affect, their brain, their organs, and other parts of their small bodies? Why is it that parents and doctors alike, observed no autistic signs in children before they were immunized? Why is it that only after immunization did children exhibit signs of autism? These are very important questions that need to be answered soon. Is there a connection between immunizations and autism? It appears that there are several very strong implications that there may be a connection. In a logical deduction of the facts that we have, it is my personal opinion, that there is very strong evidence that there may be a link between autism and immunizations.
Immediate, and in depth research needs to be done to determine if there is a connection between the two, and if there is, something needs to be done quickly, to save our children, the future generation of this world, from becoming victims of autism.
©2008
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The world would be a better place without…
prejudice against race, creed, or color. The world would be a better place without hatred, malice spite, and revenge. It would certainly be a better place without guns, rifles, and other weapons, which are freely available to those who will use them to commit crimes against society.
Our world would be a better place without deception, manipulation, abuse of power and control. If there were no greed, envy, or covetousness in the world, our world would be a better place. Remove slander, gossip, backstabbing, and liars from the world, and our world will be a better place.
Eliminate murder, rape, physical and mental abuse and our world will be a better place. Stop all the violence; child abuse, poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, and our world will be a better place. Stamp out AIDS, drugs, alcohol and cigarettes and our world would be a better place.
Our world would be a better place without pollution to our water and air; it would also be a better place without artificial and chemical additives in our foods and beverages.
Delete pornography, lust, and immorality from the world, and it will be a better place. Put an end to free sex, teenage pregnancies, and abortions and our world will be a better place. Wipe out cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure and other killer diseases, and our world will be a healthier better place.
Erase lawlessness, rebellion, bigotry, and persecution, from this world, and than remove cruelty, injustice, and the lack of value for human life, and we will have a world that is a better place. If we could remove all the evil from our world, it would surely be a better place, it would be a better place if we did not have criticism, sarcasm, anger, and revenge and hatred.
Eradicate and destroy terrorism, Al Quida, religious fanaticism, dictatorships, and tyranny and our world will be a better, more peaceful and safer place. Remove all these things, along with all other evil in society and we will have a better world to live in.
There is one thing however, that seems to be fading in our modern society that should not be removed. It is something that has been pushed aside in this world and it is something, that we should not be living without, that something is God! He has been pushed out of society, and has been removed from our schools, and our government and our daily lives. Leaving God out of our society has left us with a sad, hopeless, and corrupt society, that is moving quickly toward destruction. I believe that by removing God from society, we have allowed all the evil things of this world to rule and control the wicked world in which we live.
©2008
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When supporting our troops is more than just a catchphrase:
Do Americans really support our troops, the men and women in our armed forces who have sacrificed to keep the United States of America free and safe from terrorism? Many say that they support the troops, yet they are against the war in Iraq and want our government to bring our soldiers home. The brave men and women in our armed forces made a patriotic choice to serve their county, they made the choice to enlist or volunteer to serve this great country for the sake of freedom, and for their love of our country. Our military forces are the people who make the words “The land of the free and home of the brave” an absolute truth. At this time, America’s armed forces are purely voluntary, unlike years past when men were called by a draft to fight for their country. None of our military personnel today was forced, drafted or taken into the military, by any means against their wills. No, not one, each and every one joined the service with willingness and they were proud to serve their country as patriots who believe in protecting the greatest country in the world, our United States.
Though we are called the United States of America, the American people are not united in supporting our troops or our president in the war on terror. When our nation was called to fight in World War I and II, Americans stood united with the president and the military forces, which called them by a draft to fight for our country’s freedom overseas. Meanwhile the Americans on the home front supported the war effort, and were proud to do so. They did not waste time protesting the war, they did not lack respect for the office of the presidency as so many Americans do today. These men and women had the utmost respect for the Commander and Chief, their leader, their president of the United States. Patriotic support from the American people was viewed as a privilege and an honor to serve. These great Americans did not blame the president and our government for getting involved in a war half way around the world. Instead, the American people came together and involved themselves in every way that they could in a united effort, as they stood committed to those fighting overseas in the war. They gave of themselves and volunteered in many ways that Americans today do not seem willing to do. Many men and women worked in factories to produce military vehicles, equipment, arms, medical supplies and much more. They volunteered in hospitals as doctors and nurses, both over seas and on the home front. These Americans bought war bonds to produce revenue to pay for the high price that comes with a war. The people of the United States sacrificed much while their loved ones were away at war. They tightened their belts and were willing, for the sake of freedom to sacrifice daily, no matter how long the war endured. Food and gas rationing, and controlled spending became a way of life. Everyone felt the pinch in their pockets, but that did not stop Americans from supporting their country and their troops. They did not grumble about fiscal spending on the war, they did not complain about going without certain luxuries and financial wealth. They lived humbly and were willing to give their last dime to support their country in a time of war, and because of that support and unity, the war was won. Most Americans suffered great financial strife during these years, but that did not deter them from being diligent in their support of their country and their freedom, and so they stood strong and united and maintained a strong United States. They grieved for loved ones who lost their lives in combat, and they honored them as hero’s when the bodies of their loved ones were brought back to American soil, the same soil for which they gave up their lives to protect, so that others would be free.
That was then, in the present tense we are not the patriotic, united, nation we once were. For the most part, it seems that we have become a people who are not willing to make sacrifices. Unfortunately, we have become a people who are not willing to do their part in the cause to fight for freedom. We have grown into a nation of people with a mindset of self, a spoiled people who place high value on materialism, self-gratification, and wealth, often placing little or no value on our freedom, which is so often taken for granted. It seems we have become a generation that suffers from the “What about me!” and the “I want it now!” syndromes. We seem to have become a people whose mindset is a complete opposite of those who went before us.
One of our greatest and most beloved presidents, President John F. Kennedy, called on the American people and said to them, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”. No truer words of patriotism have ever been spoken, sadly it seems that the American people did not take the wise advice given to us by JFK, for if we had, we would not be using the catchphrase “supporting the troops”, we would actually, truly, be doing it.
©2008
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Reflections: Living everyday with passion.
Passion; just hearing the word causes an exciting stir from within, it is something that is strong, powerful, and alive, that comes from deep within the fiber of our being. It is vibrant and exhilarating, it motivates, it demonstrates, and it cultivates.
Passion is that which inspires creativity; it births desires, goals, and dreams. Passion is the power behind us that causes us to stand up for what we believe in. It is entwined and meshed deeply into our everyday living; it is contained in our life in more ways than we are aware of, or could ever imagine. Passion is apparent in many things, and in many ways; it is in our thoughts, our words, and our actions, it may come through something we see or something we hear in our everyday life; and yet, often it seems that passion is sometime not apparent to us, at all.
We are not always aware of the presence of the passion that lies bubbling, richly, within us, somehow, we don't even realize that it is there. Passion however, is always there; whether we see it, or feel it, or not, it is there. It waits silently for the right moment to surface into our day, and it will enter our day and our lives, in one way, or another. Although we sometimes wonder if we have passion, it is always there, faithfully inside of us to help us fulfill our purpose in this life. Passion can surface at any time, in any place, in any way; it can also fade away quietly, just as quickly as it appears.
Passion and inspiration go hand in hand, one feeds into other,causeing them to be effective together as they cause a spark that explodes into a surge of passion, that leads us to obtain and accomplish, our ambitions, our goals and our dreams.
To keep passion more apparent in our lives we need to look inside of ourselves to learn and to seek out what inspires us. We need to be able to identify the inspirations within us, and allow them to stir up and feed our desire, our passion, and in doing so, our passions will become more evident to us, inside and out, in an effervesant way. As we identify our inspirations, it will inspire our passion; as that happens, we will begin to experience and recognize our passions more frequently, more fervently, and more effectively in our everyday lives.
©2008
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Organizing Your Kitchen
We all would like to be organized and clutter free, but with our fast paced lives, we cannot always be as organized as we would like to be. The kitchen is the heart of the home, it is the place where meals are prepared, but also a place where the family frequently comes together, to eat, talk, and solve problems. Good memories are made in the kitchen, memories, that the family will remember for a lifetime.
An organized and clutter free kitchen, will inevitably save you time, and eliminate stress in your life. The first helpful tip is to make a rule that if it is not a kitchen item, if it is not used or needed in the kitchen, than it does not belong in the kitchen, and therefore, it needs to go.
Because the kitchen is the center of the home many non-kitchen items belonging to everyone and anyone in the family, often find their unwelcome presence into the kitchen. These things can range from baby toys, to book bags, to brief cases, they are the little odds and ends that add up and cause clutter.
You will be surprised how many of these items are cluttering your kitchen. These things are the first to go! A good tip is to take laundry baskets or small boxes, put into each box or basket each family members things, that you collect from the kitchen, than have each person come to get the box or basket that holds what belongs to them. Have older children gather the younger children’s things and put them away where they belong. Big or small, you will be amazed at what a difference it makes, by removing these things from the kitchen.
Now you are on your way, the next step is countertops, keep them as clear as possible, keep bread, rolls, etc. in the refrigerator, (they stay fresh longer) or in a cupboard, or bread drawer. Clear away things on top of the refrigerator keep cereal, cookies, and snacks in a lower cupboard, where older children have easy access, or put them in an upper cupboard if you don’t want children to get to them.
Clear away any medicine or vitamin bottles that often clutter the counter near the sink. Get a small plastic basket to keep them in and set them on the counter or up on a shelf away from the children.
If there are spice bottles or jars on the stove or counter, put them in a small square, plastic basket, it will hold them beautifully. The bottles and jars stand up nicely, and the convenient basket can be kept in a cupboard nearby the stove. You will have quick easy access to it and can easily slide it in and out whenever you need to.
©2008
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Should couples live together before getting married?
I am a half-centurion, and in the fifty years of my life, I can honestly say that the world is a much different place today, than it was fifty years ago. Back in the 1950’s, my parents were married, and so were most of the other children’s parents from that era. In the 1950’s, being married was the only acceptable reason for couples to live together, because it was seen as morally wrong. As the years have passed, much has changed in society and in the world itself. The standards for what was acceptable and deemed moral, in the1950’s, is very different from the low standards of what are deemed moral today.
Up through the 1950’s, it was rare for a couple to reside under the same roof, or to sleep in the same bed, without being married. It was shunned and labeled as immoral behavior by much of society. Morals and values were very important to people in the past half century, they took them very seriously, and they lived their lives by the morals in which they believed. Over the years however, morals and values have changed significantly and have become unimportant and foolish to many people living in this, the new millennium. Many important moral and ethical values from days past were what made us a strong and civilized society. The lack of those moral values in today’s society is the very thing that has caused a major breakdown in society, leaving this generation with many social problems that are not easily correctable.
Through the years, as new generations have emerged, they have let the old ways fade away and have disregarded them. They have dubbed the morals and values of the past as old fashioned and have ignored the good for society that came forth from them. People today seem to lack the understanding of how those morals and values made the world a much better place to live in, and how it made it a safer and happier society than we have today.
Today people do not understand that because of the strong moral values back in the 1950’s, there were not millions of single mothers and children living on welfare. They also do not realize that drugs and alcohol, which now are so prevalent on every street corner and in our schools, did not exist in the lives of everyday people living in the past. Society today does not understand that the sanctity of marriage, made all the difference in the world, by it’s establishing of strong families, with strong moral values. It seems that today’s generation does not understand that the stability of society was based on marriage and the commitment that comes from a married couple, a husband and wife, who raised their children together. Back than there were not hundreds of thousands of deadbeat dads owing for child support, most dads lived in the home and were involved in their children’s lives, they were there to support their children, to nurture them, to watch them grow and to do it along with the children’s mother, his wife.
The court system many years ago, was not burdened with millions of court battles each day for child custody cases and other child support issues as it is in this day and age. There were not millions of woman seeking DNA testing, to see who the father of their children were, women than knew who their child’s father was, there was seldom reason to second guess, all these issues and more, are devouring the our family court system today. The percentage of teenage pregnancies was very low back then, unlike today where the rate of teenage pregnancies and unwed mother’s is soaring at an alarmingly fast pace. It used to be uncommon to hear of a young girl who was unmarried and pregnant back in the old days, but when it did happen, it was the talk of the town, and was looked down on morally, often negatively labeling of the girl as promiscuous, or other terms were used to describe immorality.
I mentioned that an unwed mother was the talk of the town back than, now days it seems, that the talk in most towns is about young girls who want to get pregnant, who want to have babies, just because it is common, just because it’s everywhere in their peer groups, and in society on the whole. To these girls, it seems like the thing do, to them it is nothing unusual, and they see no shame or wrong in it. It is sad that these girls have no thoughts of the consequences of bringing a new life into this already troubled world, it is frightening that they have no thoughts of morals, values or even of what is right or wrong, but worst of all, is that they have no thought for the well being and what is in the best interest of the unborn children that they choose to bring into this world.
In answer the question, “Should couples live together before getting married?” I would have to say No! I cannot think of one beneficial reason why they should or why they would even want to. It is clear to me that couples who live together without marriage have contributed to the breakdown of family, which has caused a breakdown of moral character that has poisoned and broken down the moral fiber of our society. All this has created a world that is unhealthy, unhappy, and in many significant ways, an immoral society.
©2008
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Should the public trust what it hears on the Oprah Winfrey Show?
No, it is not wise for the public to put their trust in what they hear on the Oprah Winfrey Show, or any other television talk show for that matter.
It is very important, that people should have a mind of their own, and not allow the rest of the world alter their thinking, or to think for them. People should not be so easily influenced by others, whether they are prominent people like Oprah, or not. For to do so; is foolishness, as it stifles one’s individuality, creativity, and intelligence.
In all of life’s situations, we need to be accountable for the decisions we make, and we need to be the one making them. We should not want to mimic, or adopt the world’s view, in making those decisions. One of my favorite sayings is “a mind is a terrible thing to waste”, to take on the views of a talk show host, or anyone else for that matter, clearly shows that a mind is being wasted. To do so, is to take on the personality of the world, and not develop the personality that is within. It is often much easier to go with the crowd and absorb their perspectives and thoughts, but it is much, more important to educate oneself and to form one’s own ideas and opinions which, reflect who they are inside.
Instead of using her position of power and prestige as a platform for herself, and for those she feels are worthy, she might instead, convey that which was discussed above to the multitudes of people that she has the ability to reach.
It is quite obvious that Oprah did not become the successful woman she is today by depending on the thoughts and opinions of others. Oprah Winfrey is clearly an excellent example, of a woman who knows her mind and makes her own decisions. Because she so self assured and successful, her influence on those who are not as self assured as she is very strong. Clearly, she has the confidence within herself, to do her own thinking, to be her own person and to achieve great success the great success she has had.
We can’t all achieve what Oprah Winfrey has in the world, but we can all be our own person, know and trust ourselves, have confidence in our thinking and decision making, and we too can achieve ultimate success in our lives.
©2008
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A SHORT STORY
Hidden Treasure
Joy finished packing the last of her things, she zipped her duffle bag closed and paused for a moment. "Lets see," she said to herself. "Do I have everything that will I need?" She thought carefully for a moment and than said out loud, "Oh no, how can I forget to pack something that is such an important part of me, something that is so special to me?" She walked over to her nightstand, opened the drawer, reached into it, and removed something that was wrapped in a purple, velvet cloth. As soon as she had it in her hands she said, " How could I forget you, my sweet little bundle, you go where I go, you are a part of me." She than clutched the bundle to her heart and than gave it a kiss.
She quickly walked back to where her duffle bag lay on her bed, unzipped it, and put the purple, velvet bundle deep into the bag saying "You will go where I go, you will be safe and sound tucked deep within my bag, I can go nowhere without you." She looked around her room, checking carefully not to forget anything else. She paused for a moment, and after going over in her mind, all that she would need, she was sure that she had gathered everything she needed for her journey. She gave a big sigh and said, "I think that should do it! Now, I will have everything." She zipped the bag closed, and set it on the floor close to her bed. She had always kept her little bundle near by in her nightstand when she slept, and she had the comfort to know that it was close at hand now in her bag on the floor.
Everything was ready, tomorrow she would be leaving, and she would be on her way to pursue finding her hopes, dreams, and happiness. She was always in search of them, always feeling like she could not find them, yet she was desperate to do so. She was determined, and had decided that she would go to the ends of the earth just to find them; to grasp them and have them be accomplished. She was convinced that giving up all that she had ever known in her life would be changed if she took this journey into the unknown. She thought this journey that she had planned, would lead her to find that which she so earnestly sought after. What she did not know however; was that she did not have the faith to believe in her hopes, and dreams, and therefore, happiness, was not evident to her.
Joy straightened up her room, she wanted to leave it in a tidy fashion, she would not leave a mess, after all, her life was a mess, and that was why she was taking this journey. She wanted to leave behind all her problems and the difficult challenges that they brought into her somewhat, miserable life. She was blind to the fact that she refused to acknowledge issues that she needed to deal with. They were difficult issues, which seemed impossible to her, and it seemed to her that running from them was the only answer to accomplishing her hopes, and dreams.
She showered and got ready for bed, all the while anxiously anticipating the coming of tomorrow morning when she would leave this place and all her troubles behind. She snuggled up in her bed, closed her eyes, and said, " Tomorrow I will be free from all these troubles in my life." and than, she dozed off.
She fell asleep quickly, exhausted from the busy day that she had. As she fell deeper into slumber, she had a dream. Someone was speaking to her she did not recognize the voice, as it was a soft-spoken, gentle, voice.
"Joy all of your life, you have been on a quest to find your hopes and dreams in order to find true happiness. You are planning to leave behind, all that you know in search of them, and you are running from the unlovely things in your life to try to find them. Do you not know, that you are chasing after something that you can only capture by looking deep inside yourself? Do you not know that the challenges that face you here are not impossible, and that they are placed in your life so that you can conquer them, and when you do conquer them it will change your life? If you run from them, they will follow you wherever you go, and you will miss out on your opportunity to find them."
"The answers are not contained in the little purple bundle, which you hold so dear; but they are locked up deep within in your heart where you cannot see them. Your hopes, dreams, and happiness are the desires of your heart, they cannot be found contained in a piece of cloth, in people, or in the vastness of this world. You have wrapped them up and have bound them tightly in a prison where they cannot escape. Those things contained inside of the bundle are fear, pain, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, and sorrow. Because they are held so tightly, you do not have the vision to see them for what they are, and therefore they are a hindrance to achieving what you are after. There they will remain there, until you believe and know them, and only than will they be released. Once you have acknowledged them, and take on the challenges that come with them, they will be free from you, and you will be free to find your hope, dreams, and happiness from within your heart."
"You need faith to believe that these treasures of your hope and dreams are there, deep within you. When you release the contents in the bundle, you will see them surface from your heart immediately, and then you will be able to live them out and accomplish them. Joy, when you release all the things in the purple bundle, you will find your hopes, dreams, and happiness flowing freely from your heart where they will no longer be trapped beneath the things you carry in the little bundle, and than, you will know the true meaning of your name."
Joy woke up feeling a sense of peace and calmness that she had never known before. She understood everything that the voice in the dream said to her. She spoke out loud, "I have the faith to believe that there is hope and that I can accomplish my dreams, and so I will release those things which I have held imprisoned in the purple little bundle." As she said it, she reached down for her bag, opened it, and pulled the little purple bundle out.
She held it in her palm and said, " I release the things contained in this bag, and they are no longer imprisoned inside, they are now free, and I too, am now free." She pulled on the tattered white ribbon that held the bundle securely together, and as the ribbon fell away, the bundle was opened and Joy saw that there was nothing inside. She stared with amazement at the empty piece of cloth that she held in her hands, it was true, those things which were contained inside of it were now gone, they were longer there, the little bundle was nothing more than a piece of cloth.
At that moment, she knew that the unhappiness in her life and the challenges she faced by staying and not by running off, were not impossible. She believed that she could face those challenges head on, and that she would most definitely conquer them. No, she would not run away this time, like she had always done in the past; she would stay right here and face each new challenge as it came. She would not pass up the opportunity to capture all of her hopes, dreams, and happiness, which, she had been in such desperate pursuit of.
©2008
