A feeling of sadness came over me this week as I watched a TV program. The show was about a few women in their twenties and their passion for plastic surgery. The stories they told about why they needed plastic surgery to enhance their lives was not entertaining. They desperately want to be as beautiful as the beautiful women they see wherever they go. It’s difficult to understand why they choose to accumulate debt for themselves and their families. Why they freely and frequently put themselves under a knife. Why they can’t see themselves as already beautiful. They really were! It’s true that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But maybe in our society we need to redefine what beauty is. Because somewhere along the line we’ve gotten terribly confused.
yes! 2006 is coming
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF US!
Imagine, we’re going into a New Year. Do we want it to be an extraordinary New Year? A different New Year? Let’s decide to focus on the things we want, and give up worry, doubt, negativity, and fear. The other way doesn’t work, I’ve tried it; just about all of us have tried it. We’re just passing through, only here for a short time, we can make it an amazing time.
We’ll beckon the intangibles to surround us -love, happiness, compassion, forgiveness, understanding, wisdom, harmony, beauty, abundance, fulfillment. . . . I’m grateful for 2005, and excited about 2006. You, too?
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF US.
“You succeed by harmonizing yourself with forces that are more powerful than you are, rather than by trying to force them to your will.” – Tim O’Reilly, KNOWING WHEN TO LET GO
lester levenson, a story
Because it’s December, and December is quite unlike any other month, I’m choosing one good thing to focus on just to keep a sense of balance. Love happens to be one of those good things. It makes our hearts sing. I’m choosing more love for our world.
This past summer after meeting my daughter, Sumi, for lunch, I decided to go to Gotham Book Mart & Gallery, Inc. located at 16 East 46th Street in Manhattan. It’s a place where you can find books not found in larger book stores. As I was browsing in one of my favorite sections, a book fell from the shelf above. Since it found its way to me, I glanced at it. It’s a story about a man named Lester Levenson www.lesterlevenson.org. who was the founder of the Sedona Method www.sedonamethod.com . If you’re looking for something to read this month, don’t hesitate to choose this one. I did. It’s called “Choose Freedom” and the author is Virginia Lloyd. It begins with Lester’s family and his early life, and tells how, in one of his most desperate periods, he manages to turn his life around in, well I suppose you can say, “the twinkling of an eye” How he did it is fascinating to read.
Lester, while in the depths of despair, starts to question his entire life. And in asking questions relevant to his life, he discovers startling answers. We read how he begins to untangle his thoughts about his past and present and comes to an understanding about one of the great powers and mysteries of the universe- love. It’s a story of a life; it’s a wonderful story – a story for December.
at the airport
I like airports. There’s an aliveness, an expectation at airports. What a long list it would be if all the reasons were counted for people to be at an airport at any given time. There are many emotions at airports. The list of that count would also be very long.
For the most part, my airport experiences have been really good. Of course, I’ve had the usual possessions taken from me at security. It took me awhile to realize that no amount of pleading and bargaining would allow me to keep the scissors I insist on buying again and again and tucking away in a carry-on bag, forgetting they’re there until I’m once again facing a security guard. The last time this occurred I made a mental note to give it up. Stop pleading and arguing and just hand the item over.
I think there are a lot of people who like airports, although some won’t admit it. Is it that when you’re a saavy traveler you don’t admit this? I’ve observed quite a few people people-watching at airports. People watching at airports is a great pastime. You can read any time, but having so many groups of people pass by in different stages of travel is quite entertaining. Unless you have five minutes to catch a connecting flight, or have arrived at the airport 15 minutes before your flight is to take-off, stop and imagine you’re at a show. Get something to eat if you’re hungry, find a comfortable spot, sit back and enjoy. You won’t be disappointed; it’s a delightful show.
when an eating establishment changes
There’s an eating establishment in Manhattan that has managed to keep its identity no matter what changes the times dictate. This is not always the case. Many places have forever closed their doors after major renovations. Successful, well-loved and cherished eating establishments went down the tubes because someone at the helm thought they needed to keep up with the times. And the essence was lost; that intangible something that kept customers coming back again and again.
Changes seem to happen more in Manhattan than any other city. It’s a city of change. It’s not bad; it’s not good. It just is. And New Yorkers learn to get used to this way. When changes were made to Veselka Coffee Shop www.veselka.com , located on 9th Street and Second Avenue, long-time customers were not happy. However, that intangible quality that makes Velselka what it is, wasn’t lost with those changes, and the regular customers returned along with lots of new ones. Maybe it’s the energy that keeps a business going; and if it’s lost with the changes it can’t be recaptured, and the doors have to close forever. Sometimes the energy shifts and the newly-renovated business takes on a different personality. When that happens the business has an entirely new feel to old customers, and they’ll either stay or find another place that embodies the feel of the old one. It’s just good to know what the spirit of the business is before implementing change.
I read . . .
I watched a little of the Ellen Degeneres show the other day, and was taken aback when a woman wrote to the show explaining and laughing about the gifts her in-laws have given her and her family throughout the years. I didn’t quite understand why she was making that public, her in-laws are alive and kicking and must feel a little odd with the public airing, (unless there was an agreement beforehand to get some laughs on TV), though it didn’t seem that way.
That got me thinking about giving gifts because sometimes it’s tricky. If you don’t show the right reaction immediately upon receiving the gift, it’s all down hill from there. They’ll be lots of questions coming your way. Or if you do show the right reaction, but the thank you is delayed, well, . . . Then there are the givers who want to know exactly how their gift is being used. They just need to know because they usually put much time, effort and thought into buying it. And yes, there’s always the money too.
A while ago I read that once you give a gift, let it go. What happens to the gift after you give it, and this was bluntly said, is none of your business. You did your part. Let it go. As far as the receiver is concerned, the gift should be happily and gratefully accepted, always, no matter what the gift. What you do with the gift after that is your business. To me that makes the most sense.
We can all relax. It’s all so easy.
new london pharmacy is that and more
Do you enjoy going to a drugstore? I do. Mainly because the one I go to when in New York is no ordinary drugstore. New London Pharmacy is its name, and it’s located at 246 Eighth Avenue, NYC, 212-243-4987. The co-owner, Abby Fazio, has given the word drugstore a whole new meaning. For one thing, she really, really listens to what her customers say about what they need. She has plenty of excellent products and the knowledge to go along with them. She’s a trained pharmacist who also has a handle on alternative ways of healing, and has hired a nutritionist who is usually within easy reach of a customer’s question. It’s obvious she likes what she does, which is the reason she does it so well, and it’s obvious she likes people and wants to help them. I first read of New London Pharmacy in an article in Elle magazine. I clipped the article from the magazine, and carried it around with me for awhile until I managed to get there. And I’m glad I did. I can say my needs were more than met. I bought Yu-Be, a skin cream, products called The Organic Pharmacy from London, a product from Quantum for cold and flu – excellent, and, of course, I bought a few others things I couldn’t resist. If you’re ever in the Chelsea area, don’t hesitate to visit New London Pharmacy. I think you’ll be glad you did.
completely still
Do you ever go to bed at night completely exhausted and wanting seven or eight hours of sleep, and three hours later you’re still wide awake? Or do you sometimes fall asleep only to wake up refreshed 30 minutes later? You want to have your wits about you when the day begins; however, you think the way things are going, that might not happen.
A book I purchased in Galway, Ireland gave me a new way of thinking about sleepless nights. Although I don’t have the book with me, I remember a few of the author’s words. She said not to be concerned about losing a night’s sleep, just relax and enjoy the quietness of the night. It’s a soothing way to think. When we can’t sleep we can be still and relaxed, tomorrow will take care of itself. We’ll be fine.
When I don’t fall asleep, I usually do one of two things. I listen to my discs on the POWER OF NOW by Eckhart Tolle www.eckhardttolle.com , or I stay in bed and repeat a beautiful prayer. And when I repeat the words and concentrate on them, a calmness takes over. I give up the noise of the outside world and the thoughts in my head, and get into my own inner world. I read these beautiful words many years ago from a book written by Catherine Ponder, and have since read them in many other books. The prayer:
Be still, and know that I am God.
Be still, and know that I am God at work in this situation
Be still, and know that I am Supreme Good at work in this situation now
Relax, let go and let God
Relax, feel the peace of God
Feel the peace of God’s loving presence
Relax, let go and let God.
“When the mind is very quiet, completely still, when there is not a movement of thought and therefore no experience, no observer, then that very stillness has its own creative understanding. In that stillness the mind is transformed into something else.” -J. Krishnamurti, Indian Philosopher
The fashion experts
Lately the fashion experts who tell us what to wear and why are confusing me. I used to enjoy clothes shopping. Not anymore. Now I think, am I buying the “wrong” jeans for my body type? Is this jacket length “wrong” for my height and physique? Am I wearing the “wrong” shoes with my outfit? Is this the “wrong” shade of green for my skin tone? Is this the “wrong” blouse for my bust size? Or maybe the “wrong” neckline? Indeed! Shopping has gotten crazily complicated.
When you listen to the advice of fashion experts on what works and what doesn’t, you begin to doubt yourself. Have you noticed that it’s almost impossible to get away from the fashion experts because they’re everywhere: on TV, radio talk shows, all those magazines, and now . . . . your friends who believe everything the so-called experts say.
Style means different things to different people. Life becomes a chore when we don’t trust our own sense of who we are in what we’re doing. Let’s do our own thing and be as creative with our lives as we can be. What the heck, as long as we’re not harming anyone, we can make those choices ourselves without any hairy eyeball directed our way. Often what’s called “wrong” is just someone’s opinion, and that’s the part we have to get past in order to be our own fashion expert.
So, here’s to us and knowing what works and what doesn’t as we let go of the cookie cutter fashions and have fun developing our own sense of style.
“We live but a fraction of our life.
Why do we not let in the flood,
raise the gates,
and set all our wheels in motion?” -Henry David Thoreau
a gift
The idea of paying the check of another diner, a stranger in a restaurant, a few weeks before Christmas is a wonderful way of getting into the Christmas Spirit. I can’t recall where, when or how I heard about this idea, but I remember thinking, “Nice. I can do that.” Any kind of place will do: coffee shop, burger joint, informal or formal restaurant. Whatever fits your wallet.
The gift: When you’re ready to pay your bill, request that the server bring to you the check of the diner(s) of the table you’ve chosen. We all have different reasons for our choices; I go with my gut feeling when deciding on a table. After you’ve paid, ask the server to bring a note instead of a check to the diner(s). A napkin will do for a simple: “The meal is on me. Have a happy holiday.” You walk away now as an anonymous giver. You’ve shopped, wrote the card and given your gift. It’s a very nice gift, and it’s possible that the one who got the gift will remember it every Christmas. Imagine that.
“To know how to live is my trade and my art.” -Michel De Montaigne
“Make the decision to serve wherever you go and to whomever you see. As long as you are serving you will be receiving. The more you serve, the more confidence you will gain in the miraculous effects of this principle of life. And as you enjoy the reciprocity, your ability to serve will also increase.” -Greg Anderson
“Give yourself abundant pleasure, so that you may have abundant pleasure to give others.” -Neale Donald Walsch