Time is Precious: Live your WHOLE life

Live your WHOLE life.  Not just the beginning and the end.

A good reminder...

Love trumps all. Seek happiness.

“I won’t give you the gift of hating you” – Antoine Leiris’ powerful tribute to his wife, who died in the Bataclan during the #ParisAttacks bbc.in/1NbYE0q
Posted by BBC News on miércoles, 18 de noviembre de 2015

Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate...Only LOVE Can Do That 

Another reason to love Jose Mujica...and get some perspective on Time

Los ’47 segundos de sabiduría’ de José Mujica sobre el verdade...
Los ’47 segundos de sabiduría’ de José Mujica sobre el verdadero precio de las cosasLo llamaban “el presidente más pobre del mundo”, aunque siempre ha insistido en que no se trata de pobreza, sino de sobriedad. El ahora expresidente uruguayo lo explica en un vídeo titulado 47 segundos de sabiduría de José Mujica. La publicación, subida por el usuario de Facebook Gumbi Ortiz, ha alcanzado los 2,5 millones de reproducciones y más de 95.000 compartidos en 4 días.Inventamos una montaña de consumo superfluo, y hay que tirar y vivir comprando y tirando. Y lo que estamos gastando es tiempo de vida, porque cuando yo compro algo, o tú, no lo compras con plata, lo compras con el tiempo de vida que tuviste que gastar para tener esa plata. Pero con esta diferencia: la única cosa que no se puede comprar es la vida. La vida se gasta. Y es miserable gastar la vida para perder libertad.Leer más: http://noticiaaldia.com/2015/09/los-47-segundos-de-sabiduria-de-jose-mujica-sobre-el-verdadero-precio-de-las-cosas/
Posted by noticiaaldia on Viernes, 18 de septiembre de 2015

Have Clean Water? Be thankful.

Life of the poor and the rich...

Posted by Issam Bayan on Viernes, 22 de noviembre de 2013

500 smiles down, a lifetime to go!

The heart broken smile.
Posted by Doc Hallenstein on Viernes, 7 de agosto de 2015

The gem inside...

What would you say as you look back on your life?

A 92 Year-Old Woman Is Bringing Everyone To Tears. This Is BeautifulLIKE & Follow - Going Viral

Posted by Going Viral on Jueves, 24 de septiembre de 2015

You absolutely MUST read this!

...Must I, though?

I've often wondered about this when people tell me I have to do something:

...are we utilizing the correct vocabulary?  Do I really HAVE to or would you just prefer that I do?

While this is a latent question that only really surfaces when I hear someone ask "can I go to the bathroom" and my inner-English-teacher silently shouts "MAY YOU," I was blindsided by an article I clicked on accidentally earlier which discusses the difference between "should" and "must" (hence the title of this post).

I have more and more often questioned the things I am told (verbally or otherwise) that I SHOULD do.  There are conflicting messages, of course: societal pressures of what is "normal," my parents being my cheerleaders and telling me to "go for the gold" and "be whatever I want to be," and at the same time hoping that I choose something that works in society and that doesn't make me a stranger to it.

I think I'm torn.  I want the "should" because supposedly I should...right?  But the Must is the ever-constant tugging at me, making me defiant in the face of hoity-toity-ness and greed and hatred and evil and being unkind.  Even as I write, though, I don't necessarily believe that society or culture say that we should be THOSE things...so why do I feel so rebellious against them?  Maybe society says nothing at all about those things and to say anything at all is to be rebellious and to yield (FINALLY!) to our inner "Must."

I find myself hating "the nine to five"...I don't think I know a single human being who says they LOVE the nine to five.  What does this all MEAN?  That we all KNOW that we must not do it, but that we SHOULD?  Who said so?  Clearly no one I've ever spoken to about it.  Do you?  Do your friends or family?  Does anyone think we SHOULD do the nine to five?  If not, then how did it become the "should" that our inner "must" is rebelling against and why is it so hard to break free of?
One of my favorite parts of this article is where the author pulls a quote from the book she bases it on:

Must is different. Must is who we are, what we believe, and what we do when we are alone with our truest, most authentic self. It’s that which calls to us most deeply. It’s our convictions, our passions, our deepest held urges and desires — unavoidable, undeniable, and inexplicable. Unlike Should, Must doesn’t accept compromises.

Must is when we stop conforming to other people’s ideals and start connecting to our own — and this allows us to cultivate our full potential as individuals. To choose Must is to say yes to hard work and constant effort, to say yes to a journey without a road map or guarantees, and in so doing, to say yes to what Joseph Campbell called “the experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance within our innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”

Choosing Must is the greatest thing we can do with our lives.

...Just TRY and tell me that those words don't stir up the "Must" in you, anxious to explode into being, existence, life...just TRY to tell me you don't relate with every fiber as you read the words about your inner self.  I doubt that you can (I know that I can't) and yet it is quite likely that you are someone that is doing something you should...most of the time.  My hope for you, though, is that your should begins to meld with your must in such a way that your "must" DRIVES your "should."

I must travel the world because my inner self believes that is what I should do in order to fulfill my purpose and life on this planet for the brief time I am here!  Fulfilling our purpose is something society tells us we should do...this is a good combination of should and must that you can justify...

I must use my skills and passions to help others because it is the thing that MOST makes me feel alive and I should do it because it is good for society and for others.  "Must" is for me...the reason others give for my must-actions, in this case, is the "should."

In the end, you already know, what others say will not determine how well you live your life.  It will not determine if you are a good or a bad person, if you are accomplished or not.  If you do not do what you MUST, though...if you do not comply with the fibers of your being that beckon you away from the norm toward whatever your true calling is...then you will fail yourself...and THAT is the greatest failure of all.  So do what you must, and feel free to tell people that whatever their desire for your life is (from the outside perspective) - they should start using the correct vocabulary for it.

Inspired by The Crossroads of Should and Must.

Transformation Thursday? It starts with I can.

I've shared this before but it is absolutely 1000% worth posting over and over again.

People struggle.  We ALL struggle.  Life is hard.  We overdo ourselves.  Something else outdoes us.  We get down on ourselves (and sometimes others do too).  We have moments, though.  We have moments of brilliance and hope and excitement and belief that even though life is tough, WE ARE TOUGHER.

I once heard that 30 seconds of courage is all you need...I think that applies here, too.  30 seconds of courage, of belief, of "I can do this" that get you from the couch to your feet, from the "I can't" to the "I will" from the "I'm not" to the "I can be!"

This video gets me every time.  I think it reminds me that we have a limited time.  We shouldn't take "no" for an answer when it comes to our health and our lives...we should find the answers, we should find the support, we should find encouragement to make ourselves better people and we shouldn't stop until we're doing what we hoped we might someday be capable of.

Life is tough.  Be tougher.  He can.  I can.  You can.  Be the change.

Never, Ever Give Up.

Never, Ever Give Up. Inspirational Transformation!More incredible stories ➡️ http://goo.gl/44PGy8

Posted by Bryan Silva on Sábado, 23 de mayo de 2015

Let's value not only education, but also educators...

...for the teachers, for the students, and for the future

Where Have All the Teachers Gone?

There's a teacher shortage in the U.S. So we got some hardworking teachers to tell us what's wrong with public education.

Posted by AJ+ on Jueves, 3 de septiembre de 2015

Focus on...

Stephen Colbert...in a new light

You may think you know (but you have no idea)...

Colbert: synonym for "funny, hilarious, comic" for some and I'm sure a few choice names for those who either think like his character on the Colbert report or who dislike his mocking of them with his satire.  This Colbert is just a character, though.  It doesn't matter if he agrees or not with what his character portrays or doesn't because, like all of us, before his character, he is actually (gasp) a human being, with a history and a struggle that no one knows about (unless they do...but even knowing part of the struggle that another person faces will never truly allow you to know the full truth of his or her suffering, or even, on the slip side, of his or her joy).

So before you see "Colbert" and decide if you're going to love or hate the recent article on him in GQ magazine (and before you judge the magazine that published the article), promise yourself that as a human being you owe it to yourself to ponder the world through a different perspective once in a while. Promise yourself you'll read the whole thing (because it's long). I promise that if you don't get anything out of the article, I won't mind if you stop reading my blog; because it probably means that either you didn't remove your judgement before reading as you promised or...you're a "bot."

Now, take some time, or bookmark for later, the most recent Colbert report....with no lights, camera, action...just life, focus, positivity, and awe at the beauty of the world.

Thoughts from experiences...

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You fall, you rise, you make mistakes, 

you live, you learn. You're human, not perfect. 

You've been hurt, but you're alive. 

Think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - 

to breath, to think, to enjoy and chase the things you love. 

Sometimes there is sadness in our journey, 

but there is also an endless amount of beauty. 

We must keep putting one foot in front of the other even when we hurt, 

for we will never know what is waiting for us just around the bend. 

Follow your heart, 

and use your mind for good. 

Love passionately. 

Today will never come again 

so be a blessing, 

be a friend, 

encourage others 

and take time to openly care. 

Let your words heal, not wound. 

Accept what is, let go of what was and have faith in what will be. 

Keep a positive mindset, negativity is the root of all evil. 

Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. 

If we could look into each others hearts 

and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, 

I believe we would all treat each other much more gently, 

with more love, patience, tolerance and care. 

Let your life be a reflection of all that is beautiful within you. 

Think before you speak, 

once your words are said, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten. 

We are addicted to our thoughts, 

we cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking, 

don't believe everything you think. 

Believe everything you feel; deeply. 

You have an intuition for a reason. 

Stop thinking about what could go wrong 

and start thinking about what could go right. 

The less you respond to negative people 

the more peaceful and rewarding your life will become. 

Everyday is a second chance 

so be honest, 

work hard 

and love even harder.

Thanks for sharing, A.L.

Happy (Almost) Mother's Day

To moms: old, new, adopted, dads-who-are-moms and those "coming soon"...Happy Mother's Day

Thanks for doing the "mom-thing."

When push comes to shove...

When push comes to shove we all want the same thing out of life. To love and be loved. That has become a scary word in a time of text messages, social media, and hipocracy. It is a scary word because it means something different to each and everyone of us. Who are we to not approach every person we meet with love? We can learn so much from each other and we all have so much love to give. Take the time to talk to someone you wouldn't normally. Everyone means the world to someone even if they may not think so of themselves. Share the love! It will make the world a better place. We cannot expect respect and love if we do not give it ourselves!

Thanks for sharing A.T.

102 year old dancer reacts to herself on screen

Alice Barker danced in countless shows in her younger years.  She's bedridden now at the ripe old age of 102 years and she still has a smile that can light up a room and a memory for every scene that she is shown.  What a beautiful short that catches the silver screen memory, the reaction, and Alice's own recollection of those days!

Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life!

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: People Create Culture

Well worth your time, this video touches on so many things, while its main focus is gender and "happy" feminism.  I think it will be generally easier for women to be engaged by this discussion as it is more relateable from personal experiences but men will find it entertaining and will gain perspective and connection through her anecdotes.  Have a watch and see if you are not moved.  She makes points and calls out cultural differences between how genders are treated that you may never have taken the time to notice because they are so ingrained.

As she says, culture doesn't make people...people make culture.  Let's create the culture we want to live in and to be known for.

Beyond technology: Better relationships

When I read the title, I wondered first:  will this be what it actually says?  Or is it a warm and fuzzy that makes you think it's going to be negative but then gets all happy on you?  Is it going to be a true story or will it be some angry person who doesn't have any real experience with it?  Well, the title 5 reasons we can't handle marriage anymore  ended up being exactly what it says...except it wasn't altogether negative or altogether positive and warm-fuzzies.  I think, instead, it was a commentary on life and relationships in general (despite relegation to solely marriage relationships).  The major thing I got out of it was the repetition of a lesson:

Own your technology and your life.  

Don't let technology own you or your life.

It's easier said than done, as the author describes, but it's so true that it hurts to read it...as you try to put down your cell phone or computer while simultaneously continuing to read the article off of the bright-lit screen.

Do yourself a favor:

Take a break.  Do it for yourself and do it for the people you interact with.  Put your phone down.  Don't tweet.  Don't selfie.  Don't listen to music on your iPod.  Exist.  Breathe.  Say hello to someone.  Say hello to your family and friends and coworkers.  Ask about their day.  Tell them about the day you spent NOT hooked up via IV to your technological device.  Tell someone you love them.  Tell them you miss them.  Do something silly.  Make someone laugh.  DON'T post it all online.  And then?  Do it all over again.  How much will your life change?  What will be better?  What will be worse?  Anything?


Is it possible?

I went for over a month without my smartphone when it was left behind in a taxi.  A new friend (that I had met while waiting to board a plane drove 45 minutes while on her vacation to pick up my cell phone from the good taxi driver who returned it to my point of departure and brought it back from overseas to me.  Now if that isn't a whole lot of awesome...there's more.  For a month, I didn't do anything on the train or the bus or while walking except be there.  I talked to people.  I listened to people talk.  I didn't take pictures of everything that I saw that was cool...I made memories of them, instead.

Was it sometimes difficult to navigate without my gps? Sure.  But I grew up before GPS existed...so I found my way, or used mapquest before I left, or I ASKED people.  Real people.  In real-time.  Was it a little more difficult because my weather app didn't tell me everything that might come my way?  Sure...but my morning walk with the dog did, so it worked out!  Was it hard not to be accessible all the time?  Yeah, of course, especially when I had a lot of people trying to contact me about issues with my apartment but you know what?  Not being accessible meant I wasn't constantly distracted by messages and people and events pulling me away from what I was doing.  It's a teeter totter.  A balance.  You can't let technology (and all that it brings and offers) be in control of you.  You can't let the feaux-reality of the internet distract you from the reality that is your own life (nor the fact that the "reality" you are seeing is not "the whole truth and nothing but the truth").

When I got my phone back?  I still kept it on me but I use it less.  I text less.  I've been more prone to calling.  I've never been one to selfie, but I'm exceedingly aware of the standards that we are all comparing ourselves to of beauty and of lifestyle and it's stressful and hurtful.  I wonder why we do that?  I read recently "imagine what would happen to beauty care products if women all woke up tomorrow and realized they are already beautiful?"  Holy cow.  Chills.  It's true of men AND women.  We're all competitive and most of the time I think we don't even notice it.  Technology emphasizes it because we pick and choose good shots and good stories and best angles.  We comment and like posts anonymously and we are liked and commented on anonymously in return.  It's nice...but it's also not real.

Those days without a cell phone?  I found out it's easier to make eye contact with someone and compliment them on their cool shoes or nice jacket.  It's easier to tell the old man that there's a garbage can two feet away to the delight of other passengers who also noticed him throwing his trash on the ground around him.  It's easier to interact, period.  So go interact.  Don't lose your ability to interact and to read gestures and facial reactions and body language because you're too busy communicating through a dead device.  Live.  Love.  Show people.  Be physical.  Be real.  Be alive.

Maybe if you do, that article won't have to be so shockingly close to home forever.

Constant Origami...

You should totally check out this post called The Glorious Unfolding, no matter what age you are.  It is thought-inspiring on many levels.  The commentary from readers is refreshing, encouraging, friendly, and honest.  I think we can all relate.

We are constant origami.  We are a body that is folded and unfolded and refolded and bent and creased and slowly we become what we already were but sometimes in a different shape than we set out thinking we would become.  Fascinating.

Are you who you thought you'd be?  Who you want to be?

I wonder if my younger self would be proud of me.  I wonder if she'd find me boring or if she'd tell me that I still haven't done what I've set out to do yet and ask me when I was thinking I might do something about it.  Have a conversation with your younger self one of these days (if you can remember him/her).  Let me know how it goes :)

Holy Powerful Woman, Batman!

...or should I say batwoman?!

Prepare yourself.  It is not about whether each statement is wrong or right, it's about women having the power to make those choices for themselves.  It is a reminder to men that we ALL can make these choices.  It is a reminder to elders that we are not all traditional, but we can choose to be if we'd like to.  It's a reminder to young women that their choices are their power and that they can use them to do good or to do harm; choose wisely.  It is also a reminder to all that we are each our own person.  Being a woman means having the choice to be an individual.

Making the choices that make us unique.

Choosing.