Love over hate

Often, I'll speak about reflecting on you but today, I want you to take a moment for someone else.  

Those that are closest to you, sometimes need your love and reassurance.  Sometimes, the simple act of your kindness goes a long way.  

Today, before you lay your head down and close your eyes, I want you to take a moment to be grateful for others in your life.  Take a moment to let them know and be patient with them.  If they are hurt, listen.  If they are angry, stop.  

I've seen these emotions come forward and hurt many others just by reaction.  Let things be and breathe.  If not for you, then for someone else who needs you more.  

Love goes much further than you know.

Finding your greatness

Often, conversations I have with others lead to purpose and meaning.  

We all need to find value in ourselves, feel the connection with another, so that they too, see our value.  Most of us, want to see our lives come to fruition, doing something that is beyond our sights, succeeding and mostly, finding peace within our selves.

It has to start with what’s in side.  You may have demons in which you battle, ones that carve your faith down, your self belief.  These may have been planted like a seed within your heart and mind and they will more than likely play a role in how you react, deal with and come out of situations you have no control over.  

There are also angels inside.  The ones in which your soul and heart feed from.  They will try their best to sweep other thoughts away, they will help encourage you, build you up and lighten the way out of whatever you are battling.  

It’s up to you, to build your greatness.  In order to do so, to be great in life, you have to start with being grateful.  

You don’t have to believe in anything other than yourself.  Now go, step in front of a mirror and tell the person you see, they are worth the value to invest in.  Tell that person they are good enough to take a step forward, and finally, tell that person to be grateful for this moment.

The less you have the more you can give

I've tried to write a few times this past week and found that the direction it was taking wasn't the way I wanted to see what I put out.  

So I just dove into life, living it, watching and listening.  Over the past few weeks, I've seen some amazing things happen, yesterday though taught me a lesson.

At the end of the day, I had a large coffee carafe to carry from work to my car.  Although it wasn't too heavy, it was large enough to be a wee bit difficult.  Being the capable woman I am, I choose to carry it on my own for that block.  

Standing on the corner, waiting for the light to change two young, healthy men stood beside me.  Minding their own business.  The light changed and I proceeded to walk with this large item, stumbling but not dropping it, another man to my far right started to yell at me.  I turned my head while walking to see what was going on.  

"LADY, LET ME HELP YOU"

I giggled.. he was a bit shorter than me and was kind enough to offer.  I declined and thanked him politely.  The other two healthy young men, walked on their way not looking back.  I didn't think anything further.  

This coffee carafe had to be delivered back to the shop that provided it.  After loading it in my car, I proceeded to the store.  Parking a bit closer to the door than I would usually, I went to the back where I stored it and grabbed it out from my car with a hefty thrust.  No problem I thought.. almost done.  

As I approached the door, a man who was asking people for change to buy food, stepped in front of me.  He reached over .. and offered a hand.  As my hands were full, my heart was fuller with gratitude.  I thanked him and he followed me inside.  We chatted while in line.  He told me a bit about his life and he looked at me, smiled and said, "Thank you for saying thanks and .. thanks for listening to me".  I was taken back.  Here, this man had not a thing to offer but a hand.  

This just clarifies to me that those who have nothing are willing to give what they can and those who have everything cannot see past the clutter in their own lives to reach out to do the same.  

I go daily with gratitude.  With love.  

Some say I live with rose colored glasses, too naive to be safe, so daft that anyone could take advantage and it will be my downfall.  

I say, if it is then I've lived a good life.  I'm a pretty smart woman.  I see things for what they are good or bad and I accept it.  I hope you can too.  

Having faith

In a world that was filled with darkness and fear, I found myself in the brightest of lights, conquering my biggest doubts without being aware, being alone. 

Pulling from the quote by Martin Luther King, "Faith is when you take the first step even when you don't see the staircase." 

I gained faith after taking that first step.

A reference for myself back a few years ago when I left a life I could not longer be part of.  My thoughts, dreams, values and priorities were not in line and it was slowly killing me.  I had tried, on several occasions to resolve the issues and came face to face with deeper ones I had no control over.

While in the midst of doing this, I discovered who I was, more so, who I was becoming.  

Before I left, I acknowledged feeling lonely while surrounded by others.  This not only hurt my soul, it in fact, almost devastated it.  However, after leaving and being separated from everyone, I learnt about the power to believe in myself and no longer felt alone even if I was. 

I gained strength by facing it head on.

Know that your journey at this moment may seem insurmountable and an unwise path, however, when you look back, the lessons you learnt will be invaluable.  Keep your tool chest open to the opportunities that will help you build so that the next challenge you face, you will be better prepared, your tool box fuller and the confidence from the past that you've done it with the faith in yourself you are strong enough to do it again.

Remember, being alone and feeling lonely are two different things. 

"The path we walk is unknown until we look back to see how far we've come."