writes2006's Blog

I'm not one for poetry, but when I heard Dr Wayne Dyer recommend and read out the following,  written by Valerie Cox, I was amazed. How meaningful. I'd love to know what your impressions of the poem are. :)

"A woman was waiting at the airport one night,
With several long hours before her flight.
She hunted for a book in the airport shop,
Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.

She was engrossed in her book, but happened to see,
That the man beside her, as bold as could be,
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between,
Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene

She read, munched cookies, and watched the clock,
As the gustly "cookie thief" diminished her stock
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,
Thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I'd blacken his eye!"

With each cookie she took, he took one too.
When only one was left, she wondered what he'd do.
with a smile on his face and a nervous laugh,
He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, and he ate the other.
She snatched it from him and thought, "Oh brother,
This guy has some nerve, and he's also so rude,
Why, he didn't even show any gratitude!"

She had never known when she had been so galled,
And sighed with relief when her flight was called.
She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate,
Refusing to look at the "thieving ingrate".

She boarded the plane and sank in her seat,
Then sought her book, which was almost complete.
As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise.
There were her bag of cookies in front of her eyes!

"If mine are here," she moaned with despair.
"Then the others were his and he tried to share!"
Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,
That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief!!!!"

A good friend on EP one day told me about a great man called Dr Randy Pausch. They sent me a link to one of his videos titled 'The Last Lecture' and it changed my life.

Today, I want to share with the world what I would say as My Last Lecture. At this moment in time, I am not ill or dying, as Randy Pausch was when he gave his last lecture, but I am doing this because I believe that there is an unimagineable power to be harnessed through imagining yourself to be in a position where you know for certain that you will not be on Earth for much longer, unless a miracle took place. The only way that I can find out if this is true, is to imagine myself in such a situation.
The fact is that none of us know how long we will be here for. Young or old, you could have an accident tomorrow, God forbid, and die very unexpectedly. I'd rather have imagined what I'd say as My Last Lecture, than to die unprecedentedly and not have shared or given any thought as to my final words.

I think that there is a generalisation in the world that only an elderly person can have something wise to say, something that is worth listening to because of their many years' experience. I believe this is wrong. Whilst experience, in my opinion, wins over anything one might read in a book, there are also young people out there that have something wise and helpful to say based on their experience in the world, albeit having been a shorter one.

I would begin My Last Lecture by saying:

Life is not complicated. We make it that way. Life is beautiful! We were not born to live like robots or to worry all the time. We were born to enjoy the world and to be happy.

We are human BEINGS; not human DOINGS.

Even those who do not believe in God; think back to the way the Earth was when all you had was cavemen. Do you think that it is a coincidence that back then they had everything they needed in order to live? Trees providing food and rivers, water? They had all the materials and shelter they needed. Anything man-made after that, is a bonus. An improvement for which we should be thankful, as life is certainly easier now than it was back then, but don't forget the most important bit. Just as during the first nine months we spend in the womb, we have everything around us that we need. I believe this stays the same when we are born. We just need to step back and live without worry.

The world today, seems like it's constantly on 'Fast Forward'. We're all rushing up and down, back and forth trying to get somewhere, some of us running around aimlessly, desperately trying to make ends meet and pay off a mountain of debt. Do you know that we grow old faster when we worry? We (sometimes unconsciously) inflict all kinds of illnesses and diseases on ourselves through worrying. So what's the solution? If it were so simple, everyone would know it and there wouldn't be any problems...

The fact of the matter is that many people indeed do know the answer. Those that don't are just too busy running around on autopilot to realise what it is. But I don't blame them; our upbringing in this modern world with expectations higher than they've ever been, places many burdens on us and requires a massive sacrifice, that is - our time.

From Wayne Dyer, I learned that we go through a 'shift' in life. The things that we once lived for and had on the top of our 'priority' list, change. As we grow older and mature, we seek different, more meaningful and spiritual things. For instance, to some, money and cars, houses and good looking spouses are the most important things in their 'middle age'. After that, they realise that those things don't matter. They are deceptions. Superficial things. They then begin to seek meaning. Real fulfillment.

I believe that what matters is to make a positive difference in this world. To reach out and help others in any way we can. One doesn't have to be rich in order to be able to make an impact on someone. You can smile at a stranger as you walk down the street and change the way they feel for the whole day.

It is important to be good and loving, especially to your family at home. It's very easy to behave well with others in public, but how do you treat your family behind closed doors? God sees everything. We should practise forgiveness, even though it's hard, towards those that have been mean and cruel to us. We must not think of ourself as being better or less than any other human being. We are all the same. We all have the capacity to do and become something great here on earth, regardless of where we're from, the colour of our skin, our bank balance, the language we speak or whether we have five degrees or sweep on the streets.

I consider myself blessed to have been given a shot at life and even though we all endure our share of rough times, there is something good to be seen in everything and everyone. Always. It's up to you whether you choose to see it or not.

Trust in knowing that we are born with everything that we need in order to get through this life and achieve anything we want. Every one of us has something special to share.

I encourage you to dig deep and imagine what would you say as Your Last Lecture.

I wish I could say that I am an extremely happy person; at peace with where my life is at the moment.

Whilst this isn't the case, I am however, happy; because I know that God exists. People go around saying all kinds of things about The Lord (I used to be one of them), questioning and doubting His existence or presence in their life. You won't experience His miracles unless you truly believe in Him with every fibre of your being. If you're constantly toggling from belief to doubt, you are said to be " a double-minded man, unstable in all he does".

It is also said that:"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like". (Here comes my favourite part of this scripture): "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

God is guiding me and gives me the little pushes I need here and there in order to get things done and that are necessary in order for me to get closer to my goal of finding out what my mission is in life. If you believe, pray and ask Him for help, He will give it to you as well. He will be there for you 24/7 regardless of what you've done in the past, so long as you ask for forgiveness and repent; believing in Him every step of the way.

I don't know why so many people mock Sarah Palin but I do know one thing; that woman is braver than anyone I know and probably anyone you know, too. Even if she were not capable of being President, people have insulted and said of her very cruel, unecessary things.

To have your own country speaking about you the way a lot of people do about her; yet still continue to show your face and stand up for what you believe, is courageous. I don't mean that someone in her position should be hiding away in the corner. No. Someone in her position should HOPE to have the courage that she does, to stand their ground and keep fighting against all odds. I have learned something good from that woman and hope that those attacking her, can mature enough to see the positive in her, rather than the negative, alone.

Do you think the world will ever see a female American President? I wonder if there's more to it than people claim. I wonder if jealously prevents this from happening. I wonder if people truly think in their heart that only a man is capable of being President. It would be nice to see a woman in power. I also wonder if there will ever be a female Presidential Candidate in whom will be seen the good, instead of only the bad.

Thankfully, there are many men and women out there who support Sarah. She seems like a good person and who knows if she's good enough to be President at this point or not, but why be so cruel? Those guys who made the prank call on her = jealous, disrespectful and not funny. Those who attacked her for the clothes she wore = also jealous (and ignorant).

Is it so hard to believe that a woman can be intelligent, beautiful and have intentions to do well in and use to make the world a better place, a high position of power?

Anyway, ending with a quote from Sarah: "The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

I hope she keeps fighting the good fight of faith.

I am so tired of constantly seeing story headings all over the place about people being depressed. I am a loving person. I am a child of God and mean no one harm or insult. But for the love of all that is good, when will people stop diagnosing themselves as depressed and stop spending their life talking about their depression? Don't they realise how bad that is?

One user once said that depression sometimes comes from a chemical imbalance. I respect that - but I still believe that through God, it can be removed or alleviated. God did not create any of us to be depressed. None of us. There are then those who have lost a family member or someone close. I respect them completely and hope that they are believers of God, so that He can help them live through and with it in their own way and at their own pace.

But what about those who say they are depressed for insignificant, stupid reasons? Why is it so hard for people to look at the positive side of things? If you have someone around you who is always trying to encourage and pick you up, you are blessed more than you know! Give the person who is encouraging you a break. Instead of leaving all the hard work to them; show them that you are listening and take their advice. Even if you fail, try to do something to pick up your spirits and keep on trying until you smile. You can be happy. The worst thing you can do is go around saying and thinking negative things. I would rather not be on earth that think that way; but the good news is, that even if you do, you can change. I know because I was there once and I conquered, thanks to God. You can pray to the Lord so that He will renew your mind through the Holy Spirit. I know it's mostly perceived to be easier said than done but nothing worth value in this life comes without some kind of struggle! So until you give God a try, don't go around saying you've tried everything you could think of. Please. You owe it to yourself and the Lord. Jesus died for you and he wants you to be happy. Not for you to spend your life living like you've had all the good and hope sucked out of you. If you have, get around positive people. Read about positive blogs instead of negative ones. Make it your mission to help someone else get out of depression, instead of forming a group to complain about it. Please.

For those that feel lonely, I respect you and I know how you feel but guess what? You don't really need anyone or anything but God. Once you join His team, He will bring people in to your life miraculously that will make you feel better and happy while you're on earth. This life is not the most meaningful there is. It's the one after but we have to help one another get through this one so that we can be together and live in true peace and harmony in the next.

Love and may you be blessed,

Have you ever walked by a park and heard a group of youngsters arguing and shouting threats at each other? What about when the one/s being threatened are outnumbered or small (in size) and you know they don't really stand much of a chance? What about the times when others have stepped in, in the middle of a brawl, in order to help out a fellow human being, and instead have ended up being victims themselves? Or on an 'adult' level, have you ever stood in an office or store where one adult is bullying a co-worker? Even when a family member brings down or manipulates another at home, a form of bullying is taking place. It has to stop. What kind of world do we live in?

NONE of us are born evil. It is a learned habit. This isn't to say that the parents of bullies for instance, are bad people; but isn't it 'bad' that one doesn't spend enough time with their child that they don't know what they're doing or becoming? Some of the things that come out on TV, the radio and video games don't help. They're very dangerous. It's very hard to strike a balance when putting rules in place to prevent a child from accessing these things as it might make them want it even more, but I believe that with enough faith and love in the home, things can work out positively. There's no need for us to behave like animals.

Whether at school, work or home; if you are the bully, put yourself in the shoes of the victim. How would you feel if that was you being pushed, ridiculed, shouted at or criticised? How would you feel to have your dreams torn down when you come up with an idea or are trying to be encouraging? Let's hope that you don't have to go through it yourself in order to realise what it truly feels like. Let's hope that you realise on your own.

Children should be taught that words are more powerful that a fist can ever be and that fighting (physically) does not solve anything.  Bullying is cowardly and only shows insecurity on the part of the bully. The hurtful part is that it affects many victims; it can change the course of their entire life unless they take control and get over whatever they've been through. Bullying can instill a fear in that person to ever stand or speak up, even as an adult.

For adults who bully, I have no idea how you sleep at night (if you do). If you need help, pray and see a professional that can help you stop being that way.

On the news today there was a story about a girl that had been raped and beaten and found unconscious. Unfortunately, there are many, many stories like this all around the world, every day, but in a modern world where we know right from wrong, how can people do things like that? How can they? Jesus died for us and this is how you thank him? You should be ashamed and worried about the day when you have to kneel in front of God and explain yourself.

Not everybody who reads this post is going to understand. It's meant for those who have been through a bad time like this or are going through it now, or God forbid, do so in the future.

I couldn't sleep last night. It was one of the worst times of my life. Night time can be so different and make you feel so lonely in a world full of billions of people. You are weaker and your thoughts and feelings are so intense and frightening, you don't know what to do.

I had a painful headache that also made the back of my right eye hurt.

I felt that I was going insane. Do you know when you reach that point where life becomes too much and you just can't take it anymore? And you're done 'holding and holding and holding on' to that last bit? When you've already passed that stage and there's nothing left in you? It was hurtful. Throw a few more things in like stress, anxiety, boredom, worry, feeling guilty of sin, feeling separated from God as well as feeling nervous and physically sick and you're a walking disaster; blind to the point of living. I was hungry but I also wanted to throw up. There was something wrong with me but nothing traditional like a headcold or something I ate. It was just life. Life got to me.

Thank God, He saved me. I am tired as I write this because I only managed to fall asleep at around 4am. I prayed to the Lord Whom I'd been out of contact with for over a week. I felt separated from him and guilty for giving in to temptation. See, when you do something wrong, even if it's a small thing that doesn't affect anyone else and others might think is no big deal, you start feeling guilty about immediately returning to the Lord and asking for forgiveness because you know what you did is wrong, even though that's what I believe we should do. I felt like I betrayed Him. I was weak and the devil got the better of me but now I know why. It was because I have not been praying and staying in touch with The Lord. I have not been eating or sleeping properly all week so when you're week, the devil creeps in like a thief in the night. I feel like swearing but I will control myself.

I don't normally like taking medicine. I feel afraid as I've had negative reactions to medicines that prior to that, I'd been taking all my life without any problems. I also don't like the idea of making my immune system weak or feeling dependent on pills etc...I did however, have the other half of a migraine tablet which I was too scared to have but The Lord gave me the reassurance to take. I opened my window and put my gown on over my pj's and standing, just leaned forward and propped my elbows on the window sill with my head half out of the window. I felt relieved with the fresh air of the night and silence. I looked at the streetlights, surrounding buildings and the sky above. I KNEW God was there, I could feel it inside and that He could save me. He was my only hope.

I made myself a cup of tea with a bit of sugar in it (I never take sugar in my tea and I never drink anything other than water at night) but I knew I needed something different; maybe to preserve what few ounces of sanity I might have had left. I started feeling a bit better as I prayed and begged The Lord. I knew that He would know how I felt, even if I didn't tell Him. I did not know what the point of living was and could not see any good in my life. (We're talking about someone who is as positive as positive can be by the way. I'm the one who is always fighting and cheering others on. Who looks for people who are down, so that I can help them come back up and breathe. I would do that in the name of Jesus but I realised last night, that it was getting to me because I was doing it through works of the flesh and not through the energy supplied by The Lord. So that's another thing I learned last night. May these lessons stay fresh on my mind, always.

There was also a mosquito in my bedroom. I had no mosquito plug tablets and failed on the two occasions that I tried killing it. I could not go to sleep with as it constantly, defiantly buzzed in my ear. God prompted me to put the light on and go on my computer and I came to EP. I read some stories and answered some questions. I also saw a short youtube video that songofheart recommended, which another user commented negatively about, without even giving it a chance. Songofheart, if you read this, may you please post the link so that others may view it?

God certainly made sure that I read and saw things that would make me feel better. I felt loved without even having to leave my house or wake anyone in the family up. This is a beautiful place and I am proud to be part of it. Shortly after praying (before going on the computer) I began to feel relieved and calm and at around 4am, I felt my eyelids getting heavy. I was ready to give sleeping a try.

I fell asleep immediately and the mosquito disappeared in to thin air. I did not hear it and I did not get bitten. I still haven't seen it all day and I don't want to see it ever again! lol

I felt that I didn't know what the point was of struggling, of being a good person and spending my life serving The Lord; because I felt so drained. I felt like it was taking too much energy and that I could not continue to live this way when instead, we have people out there who commit crime (whether on the streets by stealing, doing drugs, etc..or from behind a desk while wearing an expensive suit as we hear in so many fraud cases etc...) and they all have money and no worries. While I know that I don't want to be that way, I couldn't understand why those people get to live an easy life and those of us who behave and try to be good, suffer. I was wrong. I rather stay clean and let the Lord provide for me what He will and hopefully have a place in Heaven, than do wrong and have temporary happiness on this earth, which is only a short life, a test, for God to separate the good from the bad and end up in Hell.  I am proud to be a God-fearing person. I don't want to live without the Lord in my life because I know that only He can save me and He's proved that once again.

My point; is watch out for when you start living on Auto Pilot. It's dangerous. Do NOT separate from the Lord. If you feel you have, talk to Him, ask for forgiveness, repent (feel the bad feelings of knowing what you did) and try to do something good, to be kind. When you know you are the cheerleader and even you don't know what the point is any more, it is a very scary thing. Don't entertain thoughts of hurting yourself or anything like that. I wouldn't because I believe that is a sin so instead, I told the Lord what I was feeling and left it to Him to do whatever He had to with me. Sure enough, He saved me and when I awoke at 9am, I had gone from feeling the worst I ever have, to the best. I share this with you in Jesus name.

God bless,

Are you one of the many offenders who goes around thinking 'that you have your whole life ahead of you'? I used to be. Or maybe even a bit? Do you think you know when your time will come?

Since then, I've learnt that it is a sin to believe and think this. I'm not saying that you need to go around feeling sad and depressed, my friends. In fact, making this change will affect your whole life in a positive way. How? Well, for one, and I promise you this, if you have faith and practise changing this belief and frame of mind, your fear will begin to disappear. It will dissolve in to nothing. I'm excited to share this with you because I know it works. The changes happen so quickly and are so incredible. Your life will change.

Instead of saying "oh, I'm going to this place or that or do this or that next year or on such and such a date", rephrase it and say,  "if it is God's will for me, I will do this or that"... (but do so because you believe it, otherwise, God will know if you don't really mean it).
Surely you must know about people who unfortunately, have lost their life young and/ or unexpectedly. What I'm saying goes for young people just as much as it does for anyone of any age. Your life could end any moment. Sadly, there are so many things that can happen; from accidents, to illnesses, to sudden heart failure (even in young people, yes), to brain aneurysms, etc...there are so many things that can happen naturally, even to healthy, young people, when they never in a lifetime would have expected it, that the list is infinite.

But the one thing that we do know for certain in life, is that we ALL die. Once you come to accept that it will, and naturally, must, happen to you and combine this with the awareness that it could be ANY moment, not just when you're elderly, you will change. I'm telling you, you will be the happiest and most confident you've ever been because subconciously your mind will be nudging you at every opportunity so that you grab it. It will encourage you to tell those who you love that you love them without letting a day go by.

In the first few days when you start mentalizing yourself about this and thinking about what I've said, you will experience different thoughts and feelings. I encourage you to hang in there. Don't dismiss this because this is life. As the days pass, you will strive to go to bed without being sad or angry at anyone. I hope that when you wake up in the morning, you thank God for giving you another day of life. If He's kept you alive another day, even today, it's because there's something for you to do here on earth. God's got something in mind that He knows you can do to contribute positively to this world.

What is the very, very first thing you think in the morning when you wake up?

The first thing I say is "Thank you", to The Lord. Thank you for another day of life. Thank you for every heart beat. Thank you for having me feel well. For helping me to be grateful and experience the joy that brings. Thank you for the silence and peaceful atmosphere of the early morning. For the trees, the sky, the birds and the stars, even the sounds.

I encourage you to say a Prayer to God, thanking Him for what you feel grateful for. If you do this at the start of the day, when you are alone, in silence, it will change the entire feel and course of your day ahead! You will be so happy you did it and each day, you will find less things that bother you as you cease to look for reasons to be offended. Even if you live with others; simply find a space where you can sit and talk to God for a few minutes on your own. If you don't have the time to literally sit still, thank God in your mind as you shower and prepare for the day ahead.

What are you thankful for? Have you noticed the difference that starting the day off with an attitude of gratitude makes? It really is incredible! 

You might say buy a house, buy a car, buy this or buy that but really, the point of this question, is to find out what your 'calling' is with regards to work. Have you ever asked yourself what sort of work you would do even if you had a million dollars and didn't need to work? Do you find that this is the same as what you currently do for a living? If not, I think it's time for a change. Don't you?

I don't feel that we should go around assuming that we are going to live 'x' number of years based on our age, health, perceived level of fitness, the size of our bank account... or anything. I believe that we should all constantly be aware of the fact that life might end for us at any moment.

It's a sad thought, yes, but it's not negativity and it's not depressive thinking. It's got nothing to do with that. It's a pure fact of life. The one thing that we all have in common, is that we will all die some day. Some of us fear death, others don't. I fear leaving loved ones behind that I did not express myself to or nurture enough that they would be able to survive on their own. I fear not having lived properly. Having wasted so much time and good health when I could have done so much more. This humbles me. In addition to this, the many stories I've read on EP about husbands, wives, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, friends and even actual members on EP dying, has made me re-evaluate life as a whole as well as mine, and what I truly want to do with whatever time I have left. I hope you will too.

Unfortunately (and I am just as guilty as any other about this), we spend far too much time thinking about ourselves. I've learned a few things along my ongoing journey to connecting with God and making myself a better person that I would really like to share with you.

- I have realised that whereas I didn't (and still don't) know what my passion or 'life career' is (when most my age already would), that's not something to fear. It's perfectly okay because I get the bigger picture. I understand what my mission and that of every human in this world is. Granted, we are not all dedicating ourself to it but that's another story.
Our mission is simply to love. To think and care about others more than ourself. The more we pray for, think of and help others, the more God takes care of us and our problems, even though our attention and concerns are focussed on others. It might be difficult to take your mind off yourself and you might feel that you have so many problems that you can't think of others right now, even if you wanted to. The solution is to pray to God that He help you to focus not on yourself.

- I also learnt a long time ago, that one of the many beauties and most powerful advantages of being a human, is that we can control our own emotions. Long gone are the days of being sad, unhappy and depressed. We are able to change from feeling down and defeated to happy and inspired in an instant. Just as quickly as flicking a switch. You can do it too. It's absolutely amazing. It changed my life and I know it will change yours if you look in to it more and give it a try. (I'd be glad to point you in the direction of really great material if you want to know more). That means that you never again have to be unhappy, angry, resentful, depressed, lost, lonely, etc...you can feel whatever emotion you want to, at any moment and it can last you a lifetime.

- The most important thing I have learnt and ever will, is that we must acknowledge through prayer and our actions in the world that God gave His only Son so that we would be saved from our sins and given eternal life. Realise how much God loves us and how truly highly He thinks of us, His children, for Him to have given Jesus away to be crucified the way He was. Look at how much Jesus loves us and His Father because He had the option of not going through with it, but He did because He knew what He was doing and why. As long as you focus on that and pray, you will be fine. God shows you the way. Perhaps not with an audible voice but through dreams, thoughts, realisations, friends, family and a million other ways in life. Don't fear however because God will never do anything to scare you. I used to fear asking for a sign because I thought I might see Him or 'something' and have the living daylights scared out of me. He knows how ready you are and what measure of a sign to give. It's really exciting because as you get more confident and more connected, the signs become more intense; more obvious and clear. God is amazing.

Thank you for reading my blog, my friends. I hope you've had a lovely day today.

May we be blessed,

Do you know?

I can't help but be confused about the whole meaning and purpose of life sometimes. What are we waiting for?

I don't believe in self pity, victimizing ones self and all of that. In fact, it really bothers me when people do that. I believe that we are in charge of our own destiny and emotions. You can change from sad to happy as fast as a light-switch. If you want to know more, please ask me.

I'm referring to the bigger picture. The unanswered question that even people who are happy can't help but ponder over every now and again. We must each have a purpose. I'm sure that no human was born to suffer or to work like an animal all day long, for an entire life, just to pay bills and buy the groceries. Unfortunately, the greater majority of us don't have the courage to do what we truly want to be doing (myself included) with our life. That raises the question that I ask myself more than any other, (yes, even more than "what is the point of life?" ) and that question is: "What am I waiting for?"

If you're the kind of person who is strong enough to be doing what they want to do, without a care in the world about what anyone thinks or will happen, good for you. However, for the other 95% of us, what are we waiting for? We've always got a reason, some excuse not to be getting on with what we should. We're waiting for something drastic to happen that will give us that push; that strength that will cause us to finally stand up and allow us to do what we've been bursting to do in life. Personally, I'm tired of waiting and certainly don't want to be unfortunate enough to get a terminal illness or have someone close to me die, before I say 'enough is enough' and finally move on. We need to bring out our inner strength, all together; and I say "inner" because supposedly, we already have everything that we need inside of us. We're born with it, yet as a result of our upbringing and human habit, we think we need to depend on something external. I hope to prove that we don't.

When things are going wrong and it seems that life is destined to exist to disappoint you, how do you react?

Do you feel like throwing in the towel and just not wishing, hoping or dreaming anymore? Or do you search deep inside yourself until you find that little bit of strength that tells you that you must keep on fighting instead?

Personally, I used to go around thinking "life is a bitch" when everything seemed to be going wrong. Now, I fight to stay in control as best I can and not give in. Even now however, there are times when I silently think to myself "damn it! Life is a bitch!" but then I go on to correct and amuse myself by thinking that life is just trying to get the better of me during those times, but no matter how hard it tries, it won't win. I just won't give up.

What about you? How do you look at things? Are you a positive or negative person?

I am thankful to God for every single heartbeat He gives me and I hope that we can find it within ourselves to be more thankful for the things that we have, instead of spending the time He gives us on this earth worrying about the things we don't. Here's to many more heartbeats!

P.S - On EP I came across someone interesting who even finds the actual sound of the heart beating and its many rhythms, fascinating. You know who you are! :P

Some people go around saying that life is so simple and straightforward. I see where they're coming from. However, I also understand those that say they are trapped and living in what seems like a never-ending nightmare.

When it comes to divorce, do you think that parents who stay together 'for the kids' are really doing what's best or are they actually harming themselves and in the long run, the children even more, than if they were to divorce?

I don't understand how two parents, who no longer love each other and on occasion actually have grown to hate each other, (as strong a word as 'hate' is), manage to keep on living a lie, in growing discomfort. Can that really be a good idea?

What happens when one partner feels that he or she has done everything possible to 'fix the relationship' - to no avail? I think that 'fixing a relationship is a dance for two - not one. I also think that if the parents behave like adults and try to remain friends, united when it concerns their child, that child will be able to grow up accepting or understanding his or her parents' divorce than ending up feeling like they're at war and having 'problems' for the rest of their life. What do you think?

Why is it that we talk about what we want to be, do, achieve, have, change....etc...yet never actually get down to doing these things?

For those of you that do, well done but what about those of us who have dreams, goals or targets that we fail to make a move toward, while consciously (and regrettably) allowing every passing day, week, month - or even year, to  become a wasted one?

This year for example, I'm not making any New Years Resolutions because I still haven't started with last years' ones! Despite the usual "work, tired, I have no time" obstacles, my biggest problem is my 'all or nothing' attitude where I try to get everything done and if that fails, nothing at all! It sounds horrible and it is.

I might start the year off for instance, with one or two things on my list and even if they are going well for a few weeks, I'll get overwhelmed by things I am leaving out which I gradually add in to the mix, but end up having trouble juggling at the same time. I'm still working on it. What about you, what's your problem? Have you overcome it and if so, how?