An ism that deserves extinction
World has seen several sorts of ‘isms’ so far—Communism, Socialism, Patriotism etc…. Each ‘ism’ has to do with deaths of people ranging from mild to major extents. Deaths caused by these ‘isms’ have some tenable arguments. But there is one ‘ism’ where deaths caused are diametrically untenable. And this ‘ism’ has terror as its crux.
To frighten somebody having only extremities as fighting weapons in comparison to sophisticated Kalashnikovs and A.K. 47s is an outright act of abject cowardice. But the terrorist outfits hail such acts as paradigm of valour and heroism.
When tender flesh of suckling babies get lacerated by splinters ;when defenseless women and the elderly are perforated with sharp bullets ; and when young frames ,that are only recourse of their frail parents in their twilight, get punctured by the mortal grenades—the soul of terrorism achieves utter ecstasy. People, who carry precarious attacks to satiate the imaginary doctrines of their religion, believe that their God will commend such deeds and welcome them with open arms in the divine pasture of heaven. Seldom do they realize that when a bereaved mother’s (be she of any religion) eyes become a puddle of grief and pain, their own formless God’s eyes emanate drops of blood.
It doesn’t matter however strong and pious is the cornerstone of arguments for terrorist acts, if such acts ruthlessly and incessantly try to smother the laughter of children (whom everybody’s God loves the most), then these acts are antithesis of God’s desires for a tolerant world.
Killing of vulnerable school children, unprepared tourists, and unarmed hotel staffs is highly unlike the tenet of the religion in which name the massacre is carried out. Because this monotheistic religion exhorts to give the least amount of pain possible even to animals that need to be slaughtered to douse the fire of hunger.
I don’t think that such considerate religion will have a God with a heart as callous as stone. And I don’t think it either that ferocious and savage deeds of scare that are touted as wish list of Allah are even approved of by the almighty, let alone the talk of getting prime posts in heaven.
When humanity is tattered and humans don the mantle of demons, the casualty is the piety of God’s desires. And what God desires? It desires that one human becomes the tool for blowing life in the veins of other humans instead of scotching their breath; It desires that one human becomes the tool to adorn other humans’ sky with scintillating stars instead of covering it with daunting clouds; and it desires that one human enlightens other humans’ brain about the true will of its and real objectives of human life instead of enmeshing them into the fallacious crusades.
The earth is like a garden and life on it is like luscious flowers. When these flowers bloom and the fragrance of humanity envelops the world, the God’s purpose of fashioning life out of earth reaches apogee of magnanimity. But when acidic standpoints try to wilt these flowers perforce, God’s purpose of creating humans injures. And terrorism is one such act that mutilates brutally the wholesome intentions of God to harvest smiles in volumes, out of a life elapsed on the earth.
Terrorists dedicate their reprehensible act to the glorification task of their God’s regime. But they hardly realize that by killing innocents they can only earn curse and wrath of their God. Though terrorism in discussion entails religion as its integral aspect, it shows every signs of nihilism. Terrorism annihilates very emotions of sympathy and compassion —which are sine qua non elements of a religion. And when a religion gets bereft of these two aforesaid facets, the religion becomes hollow. And what I am trying to convey is that the terrorists don’t represent Islam but a deceptive and beguiling pile of notions that are purported as essentially Islamic.
Terrorist mindset argues that means of devastation are used to bring forth the gripe and grievances of a community. But trying to get justice with unjust tactics not only dwarfs the stature of the efforts to be heard but it also brings the unwitting ignominy to the religion in which name the war has been waged.
I pray for a situation in this world wherein some panacea replaces rabid grouse and salubrious ideology replaces sucking terrorism!
Contributed by: Neeraj Kumar
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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Mystery of Voodoo
The drumming and chanting goes on hour after hour. A goat and a small pig have their throats cut, and the blood is sprinkled over the worshippers. The animals are then thrown into a pool of brown bubbling mud. Many believers jump into the pond as well.
This is the climax of the voodoo ceremony at the Plaine Du Nord, 300 kilometres north of the Haitian capital Port-Au-Prince. Thousands of voodoo believers come each year as they all say that the saint will help them. This particular ceremony is in honour of Ogou, the spirit of fertility and the earth.
The most important part of voodoo is the actual religious ceremony. After starting out slowly, the voodooist work themselves up to a spiritual and religious frenzy, using such things as dance, music and liquor to help inspire them, but the real question is that Voodoo a religious thing or a satanic thing?? As voodoo is often charged with being fatalistic, superstitious and involving devil worship.
Voodoo, which is a mixture of Catholicism and ancient African religion. The voodoo faith holds that there is one God, the creator of the universe. Subordinate to this God are the Loas, lesser deities or saints who act as messengers between a voodoo practitioner and God. Voodoos fatalism focuses on how the Loa control the world, wealth, sickness, childbirth, rewards, punishment and many more.
Voodoo believers accept the existence of one God. Below this almighty God spirits (LOA) rule over the worlds affairs in matters of family, love, happiness, justice, wealth, and revenge. The practice of Voodoo involves the blessing of a Voodoo doll to contact the spirits directly, requesting fulfilment in love, finance career matters and many more. It is still believed that the main reason why people turn to practising voodoo or witchcraft today is because more and more people are dissatisfied with traditional religious structures and are seeking deeper, and more meaningful relationships with divinity through alternate methods.
Voodoo, which means 'Spirit Of God'. It's a system of beliefs originating in Africa. It has over 50 million followers worldwide. Voodoo flourishes in Brazil, Trinidad, Jamaica and Cuba. It is known to be one of the world's oldest known religions, which have been around in Africa since the beginning of human civilisation. Some people estimate these civilisations and religions to be over 10,000 years old.
Voodoo is a powerful mystical practice that can bring great gifts and rewards to anyone who believes in it, and who is willing to place his destiny in the hands of the spirits, who are waiting eagerly for your call.
The most popular part of Voodoo is the doll, which is used to represent the spirit of a particular person. You can talk to the doll requesting a change in attitude, influencing the person to act in accordance with your wishes. You can request the doll to call upon powerful forces and then you can perform a simple ritual to fulfil a dream and your desires.
People's perception of Voodoo rites and rituals are that its all evil or malicious, but not many people know that there are healing spells, nature spells, love spells and joyous celebration spells. Spirits can also bring harmony and peace, birth and re-birth, luck, happiness and health. For people who believe it Voodoo is powerful, it is also empowering to the person who practices it.
For anyone who is looking for a solution to a difficult problem, for someone who is trying to sort out a conflict, return a lover or become rich LOA is waiting for your call.
Contributed by: Fazilla Shujaat
This is the climax of the voodoo ceremony at the Plaine Du Nord, 300 kilometres north of the Haitian capital Port-Au-Prince. Thousands of voodoo believers come each year as they all say that the saint will help them. This particular ceremony is in honour of Ogou, the spirit of fertility and the earth.
The most important part of voodoo is the actual religious ceremony. After starting out slowly, the voodooist work themselves up to a spiritual and religious frenzy, using such things as dance, music and liquor to help inspire them, but the real question is that Voodoo a religious thing or a satanic thing?? As voodoo is often charged with being fatalistic, superstitious and involving devil worship.
Voodoo, which is a mixture of Catholicism and ancient African religion. The voodoo faith holds that there is one God, the creator of the universe. Subordinate to this God are the Loas, lesser deities or saints who act as messengers between a voodoo practitioner and God. Voodoos fatalism focuses on how the Loa control the world, wealth, sickness, childbirth, rewards, punishment and many more.
Voodoo believers accept the existence of one God. Below this almighty God spirits (LOA) rule over the worlds affairs in matters of family, love, happiness, justice, wealth, and revenge. The practice of Voodoo involves the blessing of a Voodoo doll to contact the spirits directly, requesting fulfilment in love, finance career matters and many more. It is still believed that the main reason why people turn to practising voodoo or witchcraft today is because more and more people are dissatisfied with traditional religious structures and are seeking deeper, and more meaningful relationships with divinity through alternate methods.
Voodoo, which means 'Spirit Of God'. It's a system of beliefs originating in Africa. It has over 50 million followers worldwide. Voodoo flourishes in Brazil, Trinidad, Jamaica and Cuba. It is known to be one of the world's oldest known religions, which have been around in Africa since the beginning of human civilisation. Some people estimate these civilisations and religions to be over 10,000 years old.
Voodoo is a powerful mystical practice that can bring great gifts and rewards to anyone who believes in it, and who is willing to place his destiny in the hands of the spirits, who are waiting eagerly for your call.
The most popular part of Voodoo is the doll, which is used to represent the spirit of a particular person. You can talk to the doll requesting a change in attitude, influencing the person to act in accordance with your wishes. You can request the doll to call upon powerful forces and then you can perform a simple ritual to fulfil a dream and your desires.
People's perception of Voodoo rites and rituals are that its all evil or malicious, but not many people know that there are healing spells, nature spells, love spells and joyous celebration spells. Spirits can also bring harmony and peace, birth and re-birth, luck, happiness and health. For people who believe it Voodoo is powerful, it is also empowering to the person who practices it.
For anyone who is looking for a solution to a difficult problem, for someone who is trying to sort out a conflict, return a lover or become rich LOA is waiting for your call.
Contributed by: Fazilla Shujaat
Friday, August 22, 2008
Attitude is eveything
Harvard and Stanford Universities have reported that 85% the reason a person gets a job and gets ahead in that job is due to attitude; and only 15% is because of technical or specific skills.
Interesting, isn’t it? How much money you spent on your education? And how much you spent on building your positive attitude?
That hurts.
Now here is an interesting thought.
With the "right" attitude, you can and will develop the necessary skills.
So where is your emphasis? Skill building? Attitude building? Unfortunately, "Neither" is the real answer. Perhaps if more people knew how simple it is to develop and maintain a positive attitude they would invest more time doing so.
So here we go.
Five steps to staying positive in a negative world:
*Understand that failure is an event, it is not a person. Yesterday ended last night; today is a brand new day, and it is yours. You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and then you can expect to win.
*Become a lifetime student. Learn just one new word every day and in five years you will be able to talk with just about anybody about anything. When your vocabulary improves, your I.Q. goes up 100% of the time, according to Georgetown Medical School .
*Read something informational or inspirational every day. Reading for 20 minutes at just 240 words per minute will enable you to read 20 (200-page) books each year. That is 18 more than the average person reads! What an enormous competitive advantage . . . if you will just read for 20 minutes a day.
*The University of Southern California reveals that you can acquire the equivalent of two years of a college education in three years just by listening to motivational and educational cassettes on the way to your job and again on the way home. What could be easier?
*Start the day and end the day with positive inputs in your mind. Inspirational messages cause the brain to flood with dopamine and nor epinephrine, the energizing neurotransmitters; with endorphins, the endurance neurotransmitters; and with serotonin, the feel-good-about-yourself neurotransmitter. Begin and end the day by reading or doing something positive!
Remember: Success is a process, not an event. Invest the time in your attitude and it will pay off in your skills as well as in your career.
Send in your articles for free publication
Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
Interesting, isn’t it? How much money you spent on your education? And how much you spent on building your positive attitude?
That hurts.
Now here is an interesting thought.
With the "right" attitude, you can and will develop the necessary skills.
So where is your emphasis? Skill building? Attitude building? Unfortunately, "Neither" is the real answer. Perhaps if more people knew how simple it is to develop and maintain a positive attitude they would invest more time doing so.
So here we go.
Five steps to staying positive in a negative world:
*Understand that failure is an event, it is not a person. Yesterday ended last night; today is a brand new day, and it is yours. You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and then you can expect to win.
*Become a lifetime student. Learn just one new word every day and in five years you will be able to talk with just about anybody about anything. When your vocabulary improves, your I.Q. goes up 100% of the time, according to Georgetown Medical School .
*Read something informational or inspirational every day. Reading for 20 minutes at just 240 words per minute will enable you to read 20 (200-page) books each year. That is 18 more than the average person reads! What an enormous competitive advantage . . . if you will just read for 20 minutes a day.
*The University of Southern California reveals that you can acquire the equivalent of two years of a college education in three years just by listening to motivational and educational cassettes on the way to your job and again on the way home. What could be easier?
*Start the day and end the day with positive inputs in your mind. Inspirational messages cause the brain to flood with dopamine and nor epinephrine, the energizing neurotransmitters; with endorphins, the endurance neurotransmitters; and with serotonin, the feel-good-about-yourself neurotransmitter. Begin and end the day by reading or doing something positive!
Remember: Success is a process, not an event. Invest the time in your attitude and it will pay off in your skills as well as in your career.
Send in your articles for free publication
Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The Other Side
The way we are taught life, there is the other side the journey across to where is not a guaranteed safe one. Glamorous though, it has got its own price to pay. When we see people who have reached there strut their stuff, we feel like doing the same. They become muses for short lived fantasies that die quickly and come to life the few times that they can and then again die quickly, the whole process repeating itself over and over again thus making it a waste of a process to go through. Yet we go through it intentionally realizing that it is the closest that we can get to the other side from such a distance.
We repeatedly remind ourselves of the real world and how unrealistic it would be to head there. When we see potential, even more so when we can take it to where it can get the worth it deserves, we remind them and ourselves of the reality of life that it can only happen if it will it can never happen if it wont. The other side is a place one is lucky and privileged to be in. Potential plays no role in whether you deserve to get across or not. If you gain passage to the other side and its not where you want to be, you might as well make use of it. But who wouldn't? Life doesn't get any better.
The secret of the other side is that there weren't supposed to be two sides. That should have been the end and this side should have been the beginning. The problem is that when you do what you love doing, you lay it all on the line. That involves risk and leaving things to chance but there is no safety net under you- that's the adventure part. That what scares people. It holds them back from venturing across.
If no one can tell you any better and you don't know any better, figure it out for yourself. Figure out what you don't understand and what you want to know. For your own good, you wouldn't want to be as old as people who should have seen and known it all by virtue of their experience in life and be asked by someone as old as you are now about life and the way it works and be too ill-informed about it to give them the answer. If that were the only way to go about things, any other way around or about would only give you less. You cannot expect more out of life than what you put in.
Contributed by:Sunil Noronha
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Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
We repeatedly remind ourselves of the real world and how unrealistic it would be to head there. When we see potential, even more so when we can take it to where it can get the worth it deserves, we remind them and ourselves of the reality of life that it can only happen if it will it can never happen if it wont. The other side is a place one is lucky and privileged to be in. Potential plays no role in whether you deserve to get across or not. If you gain passage to the other side and its not where you want to be, you might as well make use of it. But who wouldn't? Life doesn't get any better.
The secret of the other side is that there weren't supposed to be two sides. That should have been the end and this side should have been the beginning. The problem is that when you do what you love doing, you lay it all on the line. That involves risk and leaving things to chance but there is no safety net under you- that's the adventure part. That what scares people. It holds them back from venturing across.
If no one can tell you any better and you don't know any better, figure it out for yourself. Figure out what you don't understand and what you want to know. For your own good, you wouldn't want to be as old as people who should have seen and known it all by virtue of their experience in life and be asked by someone as old as you are now about life and the way it works and be too ill-informed about it to give them the answer. If that were the only way to go about things, any other way around or about would only give you less. You cannot expect more out of life than what you put in.
Contributed by:Sunil Noronha
Send in your articles for free publication
Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
Monday, June 30, 2008
10 Ways to Reduce Commuting Stress
Do you get out of your car with a queasy stomach, a headache and your blood pressure registering through the roof? If you do, that energy vulture called stress may have sent your pulse skyrocketing. In a study conducted at the University of California at Irvine, researchers found that the stress of commuting takes a major toll on health. According to the study, it has direct physiological effects of raising blood pressure and releasing stress hormones into the body. Not only that, long commutes (more than 18 miles one way) may also increase the likelihood of having a heart attack due to exposure to high levels of air pollutants, which appears to be a risk factor for heart disease.
Although there is no antidote to stressful commuting, there are many ways to shoo off the energy vulture. Here is how to thrive while you drive.
1. Prepare in advance
One of the best ways to lessen the strain of road rage is to prepare everything the night before. Clothes, documents, attaché cases, and even packed lunches should be set the day before to avoid the morning rush. With everything champing at the bit, you'd save plenty of time to do your morning routines, devour a good breakfast and enjoy special moments with the family. Best of all, you can dash out the highway free of traffic congestion.
2. Sleep well and wake up early
A good night's sleep rejuvenates the body. Make it a habit to have enough sleep and to rise early. If you are already stressed-out the day before, an incomplete repose takes over cumulative stress effects into your life at work and at home. Your frustration levels at work eventually rises, your brainpower falters, and your mood at home sours. You have no energy left for enjoying life.
3. Juggle your work hours
Why pack the freeways with all the other "9-to-5"-ers when you can try a ten-to-six or an eight-to-four shift? Depending on your company's work policy, try to check out other shifts that fit your lifestyle. Choose one that would help you get rid of energy-depleting stress. Allow yourself to lighten your highway woes.
4. Share your ride
It may be a hassle to coordinate your arrival and departure with another person or two, but carpooling is worth it. Studies show that ridesharing lowers commuter stress significantly. With carpooling, there is less air and noise pollution, less traffic congestion, and you can relax more while someone else does the driving.
5. "Cocoon" in your car
Instead of being worked up when traffic is at a standstill, utilize your time wisely. Listen to the radio or pop in some music tapes to take your mind off the stop-and-go driving and traffic tie-ups. If you like to read but just cannot have time to flip pages of a book, check out books on cassette. Many libraries have full-length books on tape as well as abridged versions. You can even learn a new language or do some car exercises like shoulder rolls, neck extensions and tummy tucks to help you stay awake and relax.
6. Pillow your back and squirm
When you're standing, the lumbar area of your spine (the lower portion) normally curves inward, toward your abdomen. However, when you are sitting, it tends to slump outward squeezing your spinal disks and putting stress on them. According to back expert Malcolm Pope, Ph.D., director of the Iowa Spine Research Centre at the University of Iowa, it helps to support your back by tucking a rolled towel or a pillow in that lumbar section. In cases of longer drives, since sitting in one position for longer than 15 minutes gradually stiffens you even with a back pillow, make necessary adjustments for a comfy ride. For instance, you can try putting most of your weight on one buttock and then the other. Then, shift the position of your seat or your buttocks slightly. You may even try sliding down in your seat and sit up again for fun.
7. Work out after work
Since the evening rush is worse than the morning rush because of the compounded fatigue from the workday, it is best to wait out the traffic. Work out at a gym near your office or take meditation classes to relieve your stress. If you plan to go to dinner, see a movie or go shopping, try to do these things near work, delaying your departure enough to miss the maddening rush.
8. Give yourself a break
It may be a good idea to give yourself some day off from work. Many companies today offer compressed working hours or longer working days to give way to work-free days for you to unwind.
9. Move your office
If your job is a long drive ahead everyday, inquire at work if the company would allow you to work at home some days of the week or if you can work near your place. An alternative work schedule would make you feel less tense and in control thereby reducing stress.
10. Occasionally change your routine
An occasional change of commuting habits may be advisable too. Try walking or bicycling, as a a change. There's nothing like a good walk to ease tension especially when it means you don't have to get in your car and fight rush hour traffic.
By lessening the stress of getting to work, you are conserving enormous amounts of energy that may be lost over stressful commuting. It does not only leave you a lot more energy to do your job and become more productive but it also makes you feel good and gives you a good reason to always start your day right.
Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo
Send in your articles for free publication
Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
Although there is no antidote to stressful commuting, there are many ways to shoo off the energy vulture. Here is how to thrive while you drive.
1. Prepare in advance
One of the best ways to lessen the strain of road rage is to prepare everything the night before. Clothes, documents, attaché cases, and even packed lunches should be set the day before to avoid the morning rush. With everything champing at the bit, you'd save plenty of time to do your morning routines, devour a good breakfast and enjoy special moments with the family. Best of all, you can dash out the highway free of traffic congestion.
2. Sleep well and wake up early
A good night's sleep rejuvenates the body. Make it a habit to have enough sleep and to rise early. If you are already stressed-out the day before, an incomplete repose takes over cumulative stress effects into your life at work and at home. Your frustration levels at work eventually rises, your brainpower falters, and your mood at home sours. You have no energy left for enjoying life.
3. Juggle your work hours
Why pack the freeways with all the other "9-to-5"-ers when you can try a ten-to-six or an eight-to-four shift? Depending on your company's work policy, try to check out other shifts that fit your lifestyle. Choose one that would help you get rid of energy-depleting stress. Allow yourself to lighten your highway woes.
4. Share your ride
It may be a hassle to coordinate your arrival and departure with another person or two, but carpooling is worth it. Studies show that ridesharing lowers commuter stress significantly. With carpooling, there is less air and noise pollution, less traffic congestion, and you can relax more while someone else does the driving.
5. "Cocoon" in your car
Instead of being worked up when traffic is at a standstill, utilize your time wisely. Listen to the radio or pop in some music tapes to take your mind off the stop-and-go driving and traffic tie-ups. If you like to read but just cannot have time to flip pages of a book, check out books on cassette. Many libraries have full-length books on tape as well as abridged versions. You can even learn a new language or do some car exercises like shoulder rolls, neck extensions and tummy tucks to help you stay awake and relax.
6. Pillow your back and squirm
When you're standing, the lumbar area of your spine (the lower portion) normally curves inward, toward your abdomen. However, when you are sitting, it tends to slump outward squeezing your spinal disks and putting stress on them. According to back expert Malcolm Pope, Ph.D., director of the Iowa Spine Research Centre at the University of Iowa, it helps to support your back by tucking a rolled towel or a pillow in that lumbar section. In cases of longer drives, since sitting in one position for longer than 15 minutes gradually stiffens you even with a back pillow, make necessary adjustments for a comfy ride. For instance, you can try putting most of your weight on one buttock and then the other. Then, shift the position of your seat or your buttocks slightly. You may even try sliding down in your seat and sit up again for fun.
7. Work out after work
Since the evening rush is worse than the morning rush because of the compounded fatigue from the workday, it is best to wait out the traffic. Work out at a gym near your office or take meditation classes to relieve your stress. If you plan to go to dinner, see a movie or go shopping, try to do these things near work, delaying your departure enough to miss the maddening rush.
8. Give yourself a break
It may be a good idea to give yourself some day off from work. Many companies today offer compressed working hours or longer working days to give way to work-free days for you to unwind.
9. Move your office
If your job is a long drive ahead everyday, inquire at work if the company would allow you to work at home some days of the week or if you can work near your place. An alternative work schedule would make you feel less tense and in control thereby reducing stress.
10. Occasionally change your routine
An occasional change of commuting habits may be advisable too. Try walking or bicycling, as a a change. There's nothing like a good walk to ease tension especially when it means you don't have to get in your car and fight rush hour traffic.
By lessening the stress of getting to work, you are conserving enormous amounts of energy that may be lost over stressful commuting. It does not only leave you a lot more energy to do your job and become more productive but it also makes you feel good and gives you a good reason to always start your day right.
Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo
Send in your articles for free publication
Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
Friday, June 27, 2008
Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine
Children laugh or smile about 400 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 times or less.
If the classic adage, "It takes a village to raise a child," is correct, I think my family could register as a village. Our clan consists of me, my husband, our seven children, ages 8-2 years (and no, none of them are twins), and another baby due in 5 weeks, and of course, our recent spur of the moment acquisition of 2, 6 wk old puppies. I have one word for you…Humour.
So, where were we? Ah, yes, the village. Well, my husband and I, despite the ever-growing population in our household have I'm sure one of the best relationships that parents could ever have. The key ingredient I believe to maintain such a happy and blissful marriage is laughter.
"We cannot really love anybody with whom we can never laugh."
- Agnes Repplier
The definition of laughter is the act of laughing. I am married to a comedian. (Well at least he thinks he is.) My favourite thing is when I go head to head with him in a sarcasm war and his reply to me is, "So when are your comedy tour tickets going on sale?" I will never win. This I know. When I first met, my husband he and I always laughed so hard and so much that I actually began to get some serious stomach muscles happening. To this day, I still maintain this great reward of our relationship. We love sitting and talking for hours about the sunny side of life. Kids are a great example to use on this. Just sharing their day-to-day quips is smile producing alone. This just goes to prove that humour has its place in a relationship.
For my 27th birthday this past August, my husband who is generally excellent at remembering dates and special occasions goofed when he bought a number 2 and 6 candle to place on my cake. It wasn't until our 8 year old son said, "Wait, she is 27." With that my husband come out of the bedroom in a blind panic where he and all the kids were diligently wrapping presents, and said to me, " Hold on, how old are you today? 26 right?" When I told him no, 27… he just replied looking a bit confused, "Are you sure?" Yep, I sure am, I'm not going to forget that. Then, about 30 min later when we all sat down to have the birthday cake, out he comes with the cake and the candles reading 62…ha! He thought it would be funnier than making the 26 goofs. I cannot wait until HIS next birthday…
"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
- E.E.Cummings
There is no telling what sort of email we will get in our inbox from each other. We love to send one another little reminders that we are not going to forget the funny banter we throw back and forth all the time. We can poke fun at each other and the joke will last for weeks. We are major movie lovers and regularly go to the movie theatre. Funny movie quotes will keep us rolling out the giggles for a long time. Sometimes though, it is more fun to watch him watch the movie than actually watching it myself. To see that look of pure delight on his face is enough to make me smile.
"You can't stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh."
- Jay Leno
Laughter is such a good way to gage how much you will enjoy each other's company in the long term. When we go out, we always notice how unhappy people look; couples in general. They just do not exude happiness. I find it sad to think not every couple in a relationship whether or not they are married or have kids do not have the same kind of happiness and laughter in their lives. It does take work, but once you get the hang of it, it will take you places you could not imagine.
The Discovery Health Institute says that laughter is healthy and has many benefits such as reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and increasing oxygen in the blood. Laughter is the formula to a happier and healthier lifestyle and I just do not see it being enforced in many relationships. My husband and I disagree of course, as any couple in a relationship does, but we never argue, and therefore we never go to bed in a hostile manner with each other. Sure, we both are stressed… that is part of a marriage and raising a family and the chaos of daily life, but thru laughter we cure each other from it. I wake up each morning knowing I can look over at my husband, and smile; and I do. What a great way to start the day off.
"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."
- Victor Borge
Our 'village' here on the home front makes us both a bit stronger and refreshed each day. Family life is important, and children make it all the more critical to exhibit such a happy and joyous lifestyle. It is no wonder we have such a great relationship. Laughter has brought us together since day one and keeps us alive and going strong and will do for many, many more years to come.
Contributed by: Amanda Goodall
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Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
If the classic adage, "It takes a village to raise a child," is correct, I think my family could register as a village. Our clan consists of me, my husband, our seven children, ages 8-2 years (and no, none of them are twins), and another baby due in 5 weeks, and of course, our recent spur of the moment acquisition of 2, 6 wk old puppies. I have one word for you…Humour.
So, where were we? Ah, yes, the village. Well, my husband and I, despite the ever-growing population in our household have I'm sure one of the best relationships that parents could ever have. The key ingredient I believe to maintain such a happy and blissful marriage is laughter.
"We cannot really love anybody with whom we can never laugh."
- Agnes Repplier
The definition of laughter is the act of laughing. I am married to a comedian. (Well at least he thinks he is.) My favourite thing is when I go head to head with him in a sarcasm war and his reply to me is, "So when are your comedy tour tickets going on sale?" I will never win. This I know. When I first met, my husband he and I always laughed so hard and so much that I actually began to get some serious stomach muscles happening. To this day, I still maintain this great reward of our relationship. We love sitting and talking for hours about the sunny side of life. Kids are a great example to use on this. Just sharing their day-to-day quips is smile producing alone. This just goes to prove that humour has its place in a relationship.
For my 27th birthday this past August, my husband who is generally excellent at remembering dates and special occasions goofed when he bought a number 2 and 6 candle to place on my cake. It wasn't until our 8 year old son said, "Wait, she is 27." With that my husband come out of the bedroom in a blind panic where he and all the kids were diligently wrapping presents, and said to me, " Hold on, how old are you today? 26 right?" When I told him no, 27… he just replied looking a bit confused, "Are you sure?" Yep, I sure am, I'm not going to forget that. Then, about 30 min later when we all sat down to have the birthday cake, out he comes with the cake and the candles reading 62…ha! He thought it would be funnier than making the 26 goofs. I cannot wait until HIS next birthday…
"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
- E.E.Cummings
There is no telling what sort of email we will get in our inbox from each other. We love to send one another little reminders that we are not going to forget the funny banter we throw back and forth all the time. We can poke fun at each other and the joke will last for weeks. We are major movie lovers and regularly go to the movie theatre. Funny movie quotes will keep us rolling out the giggles for a long time. Sometimes though, it is more fun to watch him watch the movie than actually watching it myself. To see that look of pure delight on his face is enough to make me smile.
"You can't stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh."
- Jay Leno
Laughter is such a good way to gage how much you will enjoy each other's company in the long term. When we go out, we always notice how unhappy people look; couples in general. They just do not exude happiness. I find it sad to think not every couple in a relationship whether or not they are married or have kids do not have the same kind of happiness and laughter in their lives. It does take work, but once you get the hang of it, it will take you places you could not imagine.
The Discovery Health Institute says that laughter is healthy and has many benefits such as reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and increasing oxygen in the blood. Laughter is the formula to a happier and healthier lifestyle and I just do not see it being enforced in many relationships. My husband and I disagree of course, as any couple in a relationship does, but we never argue, and therefore we never go to bed in a hostile manner with each other. Sure, we both are stressed… that is part of a marriage and raising a family and the chaos of daily life, but thru laughter we cure each other from it. I wake up each morning knowing I can look over at my husband, and smile; and I do. What a great way to start the day off.
"Laughter is the shortest distance between two people."
- Victor Borge
Our 'village' here on the home front makes us both a bit stronger and refreshed each day. Family life is important, and children make it all the more critical to exhibit such a happy and joyous lifestyle. It is no wonder we have such a great relationship. Laughter has brought us together since day one and keeps us alive and going strong and will do for many, many more years to come.
Contributed by: Amanda Goodall
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The Power of Five
Do you ever fret? In today's materialistic age, sometimes fretting is inevitable. With so many goals to achieve and needs to meet, fretting has become the "official emotion of the generation."
A few weeks ago, I was having another fretting day. I had so many conflicts to deal with and personal affairs to attend to that I was eating my heart out the whole day I was moving around. I could almost hear the song playing in my head:" Fretty woman walking down the street, fretty woman...lalalala..."
That night, after retiring from the day's toil, I remembered the time when I was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) a.k.a. Lupus, an incurable autoimmune disease. I started re-grieving over the part that SLE took away from me. I began to fret about all the things I used to do so well.
I thought about how I used to take the jeepney for an hour's trip to the city just to get to pre-Med school everyday. I remembered how neat and pretty I looked with my white college uniform and how all my male neighbors used to have a big crush on me. I lamented that because of SLE, my college days are over and I'm never going to fulfill my dream of becoming a neurologist...ever!
I also recounted those days where I used to bum around with my friends. All those shopping sprees and dating schemes with a pool of suitors not to mention the series of soirees in schools and dormitories and a string of sorority mischiefs. Again, I lay the blame on SLE for cutting my frolicsome moments abruptly.
But as I was pouring out my grief, a crazy question popped in my mind: "Rachelle, give me five reasons why you should be happy today."
At first, I took the idea for granted thinking it was utterly ridiculous to entertain. Nonetheless, it remained lodged in my brain that a moment after, I felt like I just couldn't give it up. I thought for a moment and then, I started reiterating.
"Well," I mumbled, "my first reason to be happy would have to be my life, I think. The fact that I am still breathing the air of life would be a good reason at that. I have knocked on Death's door several times in my life and yet he never took me in. With dengue fever at 9 years old, malaria at 10, dengue fever again at 12, severe UTI at 19 and cardiomegaly at 20, and recently SLE, i think it's a miracle that I'm still alive. Second, I have a beautiful family who loves me so much. When I was at the darkest hours of my life and felt like everybody turned their backs away from me, they were there, enduring every sadness and pain with me. Third, I have great friends who were always there through thick and thin and were willing to sacrifice just for me. Fourth, I have a loving boyfriend who, despite our distance, never ceases to send his cares through the distance and loves me more than life itself. And fifth, I have a God who unwaveringly shows His love and care for me if all else fails."
And before I realized it, I felt good again. My lost fervor was revitalized and I felt joy overflowing inside me. I just realized that everything I need to be happy is right before my eyes and I was just overlooking them all along. It dawned to me that joy does not reside "out there" but within each of us in our hearts. It worked so well that I decided to incorporate it in my daily routine. Each day after rolling out of bed, I would grope for five things in my life that I am most grateful about. It soon became a habit that my life gradually changed.
Three days after the experience, my brother came up to me and asked,"What's with you? What's making you so happy these days?"
I just told him, "It's because of the power of five". My brother furrowed his brows not knowing what I meant. I just smiled.
Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo
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Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
A few weeks ago, I was having another fretting day. I had so many conflicts to deal with and personal affairs to attend to that I was eating my heart out the whole day I was moving around. I could almost hear the song playing in my head:" Fretty woman walking down the street, fretty woman...lalalala..."
That night, after retiring from the day's toil, I remembered the time when I was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) a.k.a. Lupus, an incurable autoimmune disease. I started re-grieving over the part that SLE took away from me. I began to fret about all the things I used to do so well.
I thought about how I used to take the jeepney for an hour's trip to the city just to get to pre-Med school everyday. I remembered how neat and pretty I looked with my white college uniform and how all my male neighbors used to have a big crush on me. I lamented that because of SLE, my college days are over and I'm never going to fulfill my dream of becoming a neurologist...ever!
I also recounted those days where I used to bum around with my friends. All those shopping sprees and dating schemes with a pool of suitors not to mention the series of soirees in schools and dormitories and a string of sorority mischiefs. Again, I lay the blame on SLE for cutting my frolicsome moments abruptly.
But as I was pouring out my grief, a crazy question popped in my mind: "Rachelle, give me five reasons why you should be happy today."
At first, I took the idea for granted thinking it was utterly ridiculous to entertain. Nonetheless, it remained lodged in my brain that a moment after, I felt like I just couldn't give it up. I thought for a moment and then, I started reiterating.
"Well," I mumbled, "my first reason to be happy would have to be my life, I think. The fact that I am still breathing the air of life would be a good reason at that. I have knocked on Death's door several times in my life and yet he never took me in. With dengue fever at 9 years old, malaria at 10, dengue fever again at 12, severe UTI at 19 and cardiomegaly at 20, and recently SLE, i think it's a miracle that I'm still alive. Second, I have a beautiful family who loves me so much. When I was at the darkest hours of my life and felt like everybody turned their backs away from me, they were there, enduring every sadness and pain with me. Third, I have great friends who were always there through thick and thin and were willing to sacrifice just for me. Fourth, I have a loving boyfriend who, despite our distance, never ceases to send his cares through the distance and loves me more than life itself. And fifth, I have a God who unwaveringly shows His love and care for me if all else fails."
And before I realized it, I felt good again. My lost fervor was revitalized and I felt joy overflowing inside me. I just realized that everything I need to be happy is right before my eyes and I was just overlooking them all along. It dawned to me that joy does not reside "out there" but within each of us in our hearts. It worked so well that I decided to incorporate it in my daily routine. Each day after rolling out of bed, I would grope for five things in my life that I am most grateful about. It soon became a habit that my life gradually changed.
Three days after the experience, my brother came up to me and asked,"What's with you? What's making you so happy these days?"
I just told him, "It's because of the power of five". My brother furrowed his brows not knowing what I meant. I just smiled.
Contributed by: Rachelle Arlin Credo
Send in your articles for free publication
Part of the Dream Weave Walk network
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