“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.
So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”
Dearest readers, thank you so much for reading, following and liking my blogs! Many blessings for 2015 and may tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebration be filled with laughter, good food, plenty of bubbly libation, and the company of those you hold dear!
And, as always, a very special shout-out to my family and friends across the globe.
Stay tuned tomorrow for the first of my annual seven New Year’s Revelations(not to be confused withresolutions!). And a new chapter begins ….
“For each new morning with its light, for rest and shelter of the night, for health and food, for love and friends, for everything thy goodness sends. I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and new.”
“Killing oneself is, anyway, a misnomer. We don’t kill ourselves. We are simply defeated by the long, hard struggle to stay alive. When somebody dies after a long illness, people are apt to say, with a note of approval, “He fought so hard.” And they are inclined to think, about a suicide, that no fight was involved, that somebody simply gave up. This is quite wrong.” ― Sally Brampton, Shoot The Damn Dog: A Memoir Of Depression
I’m at a loss for words.
When I heard about Robin William’s suicide, I wept.
I never met the man, but I saw every film that he was in and marveled at his comedic genius. He was a brilliant comic, and yet he could turn the coin and be a stunning, dramatic actor.
He had charisma. Hell, he exuded charisma!
He made me laugh (the deep belly laugh, tears streaming down my face) and he made me cry.
I am both deeply sad and angry that he died…. way too soon, at the age of 63.
What is so tragic is that in one moment of madness (deep depression), he ended his life. It only takes that one moment.
Life is finite. The decisions one makes in an instant, may have a lasting, irreparable impact on one’s life.
If Robin had taken a few more minutes to think about his options, the blessings in his life, would he have made the same choice?
I think not.
The very concept of suicide breaks my heart.
We all have our own personal religious and spiritual beliefs, but… let’s face it, who among us has died and come back to tell us what lies beyond? Therefore, doesn’t it make sense to make the most of our life (lives) while we’re still here on this earth?
As long as we live, there is Hope.
My heart goes out to Robin’s family and close friends.
“In times of grief and sorrow I will hold you and rock you and take your grief and make it my own. When you cry I cry and when you hurt I hurt. And together we will try to hold back the floods to tears and despair and make it through the potholed street of life.” ―Nicholas Sparks,The Notebook
The unspeakable tragedy of the attack on Malaysia Flight MH17, killing all 298 passengers and crew members, has shocked the world.
192 from The Netherlands (1 of whom was also American)
44 from Malaysia
27 from Australia
12 from Indonesia
10 from the United Kingdom
4 from Belgium
4 from Germany
3 from the Philippines
1 from New Zealand
1 from Canada
The world community is united in grief for these men, women, boys and girls.
A heinous crime against humanity has been committed. There is no doubt that those responsible for this mass murder will be brought to justice.
But, for now, let us focus our prayers and thoughts on the families and friends who are mourning such tragic loss.
Below is The Lord’s Prayer, spoken in Dutch … and the written words (scroll further down) in Dutch, English, Filipino, French, German, and Indonesian (which is also … I think, the same in Malaysian).
in DUTCH:
ONZE VADER
Onze vader die in de hemel zijt Uw naam worde geheiligd. Uw rijk kome. Uw wil geschiede op aarde zoals in de hemel. Geef ons heden ons dagelijks brood. En vergeef ons onze schuld, zoals wij ook aan anderen hun schuld vergeven. En leid ons niet in bekoring, maar verlos ons van het kwade.
Amen.
in ENGLISH:
OUR FATHER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
in FILIPINO:
AMA NAMIN
Ama namin, sumasalangit Ka. Sambahin ang ngalan Mo. Mapasaamin ang kaharian mo Sundin ang loob Mo dito sa lupa para nang sa langit. Bigyan Mo kami ng aming kakanin sa araw-araw At patawarin Mo kami sa aming mga sala Para nang pagpapatawad namin sa nagkakasala sa amin. At huwag Mo kaming ipahintulot sa tukso At iadya Mo kami sa lahat ng masama
Amen.
in FRENCH:
Notre Père
Notre Père qui es aux cieux, que ton Nom soit sanctifié, que ton règne vienne, que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel. Donne-nous aujourd’hui notre pain de ce jour. Pardonne-nous nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés. Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation, mais délivre-nous du mal. [Car c’est à Toi qu’appartiennent le règne, la puissance et la gloire, pour les siècles des siècles.]
Amen.
in GERMAN:
UNSER VATER
Unser Vater im Himmel, dein Name werde geheiligt, dein Reich komme, dein Wille geschehe wie im Himmel, so auf der Erde. Gib uns heute das Brot, das wir brauchen. Und erlaß uns unsere Schulden, wie auch wir sie unseren Schuldnern erlassen haben. Und führe uns nicht in Versuchung, sondern rette uns vor dem Bösen.
Amen.
in INDONESIAN (and also MALAYSIAN):
BAPA KAMI
Bapa kami yang ada di Surga,
dikuduskanlah nama-Mu.
Datanglah kerajaan-Mu, jadilah kehendak-Mu,
di bumi seperti di surga.
Berikanlah kami pada hari ini makanan kami yang secukupnya,
dan ampunilah kami akan kesalahan kami
seperti jami juga mengampuni orang yang bersalah kepada kami.
Dan janganlah membawa kami ke dalam percobaan,
tetapi lepaskanlah kami dari yang jahat.
[Karena Engkaulah yang empunya kuasa dan kemuliaan
Another inspirational woman has left us too soon. At 86, Maya Angelou was just as vibrant and brilliant as ever.
A writer, poet, singer, dancer, activist – she was so gifted.
Her eyes were luminous, expressive and wise.
But, her voice… my goodness, what a voice.
I will leave you with one of her most beautiful poems, Still I Rise– her words resonate with me deeply. You can read along, as you listen to her recite the words…. in her own voice (see the video below).
Still I Rise(by Maya Angelou)
You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops. Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.
For me, the month of March came in like a lion and crisis management skills were put to the test…
… until the 26th, when a ceasefire occurred. Someone or something (you may call it God, The Universe, Fate, spirits of loved ones long since gone, or simply the natural order of things) pressed the “Pause” button. A feral cat that I’d been nurturing at home, gave birth to a litter of four healthy kittens. A kitten (only 11 months old) herself having kittens.
There’s a lesson that I want to share, so stay with me… this is not one of my Catmania stories (I’ll save those for another time!).
I made an assumption about this kitten (“Ophie” – short for Ophelia… think Hamlet). Because she is still very kitten-like (behaviorally), I was certain that her youth and inexperience would cause her to mishandle the birthing process and that she would either abandon, mishandle or harm her litter.
I was so wrong.
With luminous eyes and soft whimpers, she gave birth to each kitten and knew exactly what to do and how to do it. Her natural mother’s instinct kicked into full gear and this kitten became a diligent, loving mother. To see her, you’d never guess that this was her first litter. I was filled with awe. Still am.
It made me think long and hard (this is where the lesson comes in) and I realized that some of the recent crises in my life have skewed my perspective… and not in a good way. Too often, these days, I assume that the worst will happen, rather than the best (or at least, the “better”). I’ve always been a worry wart, but I’ve taken it to new levels and perhaps this attracts more negative energy, thus creating more problems, more crises, and more drama.
Clearly, someone or something thought that I needed an “Aha” moment.
Point taken.
And so, I share this lesson with all of you.
As a very wise friend of mine often reminds me… “Everything is going to be okay.”
Maybe it’s time to believe it.
I am grateful that March is going out like a lamb.
Ophie (Ophelia) and her babies (Photo Credit: Heather Joan Marinos)
“It was the time when they loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity. Life would still present them with other mortal trails, of course, but that no longer mattered: they were on the other shore.” ― Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera
As I say each year, on this day, the 8th of January:
“For those of you who have been following, reading and enjoying each of my seven New Year revelations …. Thank You.
I would like to point out that they are not New YearResolutions. I don’t make New Year Resolutions anymore. They are my own personalrevelations. Epiphanies. Discoveries. In the past decade, I’ve faced some daunting challenges and heart-wrenching events. I’d like to think that I’ve handled them with dignity, compassion, grace, and humor. Always humor. It helps take the edge off.
So, the lessons that these “life tests” have taught me are my “revelations.” As I move forward with my life, I will use them as my guide. Wisdom has to be earned. For me, it’s an ongoing journey, as I’m sure it is for all of you, as well.”
Here’s a synopsis (the numbers have a hyperlink back to each revelation post):
New Year’s Revelation No. 6:Respect Human Dignity… through Kindness
New Year’s Revelation No. 7:Love Thy Neighbor, it’s that simple
And on it goes.
I’m looking forward to whatever 2014 has in store for me.
I wish you all a blessed, healthy and happy 2014 and may your own personal journey bring you deep fulfillment and wisdom… and loads of wonderful opportunity and adventures!
Given the year I’ve had, I could not end my seven New Year’s Revelations without speaking (once again) about the blessing of having good neighbors and, more specifically, the importance of being a good neighbor.
“It is your business when the wall next door catches fire.”
For those who live in a large, urban environment, the transient nature of its residents make it almost impossible to really get to know who lives next door. Yet, who among you would not rush out to help if you smelled fire in an adjacent apartment or townhome?
“The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor.“
In suburbia, people tend to have mixed feelings about their neighbors. Some, they love… but others, they deplore. Fences are built, not to be crossed. And some neighborhoods are more community-minded than others. They fill the gap that government entities leave wide open ― the need for community programs whose sole purpose is to help its neighbors flourish and grow.
Fences and hedges aside, whether you’re fond of your neighbor or not, surely you would run to his aid if he collapsed on his driveway?
“The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But…the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
In the rural and mountain communities, neighbors are essentially a Godsend. Anything can happen (and often does). A neighbor may injure himself on his tractor or digger and, if not for the help of his neighbor, may be left there to perish in the elements. In these communities, there is a moral code that neighbors live by.
I’ve experienced this, firsthand. It has completely changed the way I feel about neighborliness. You see, I grew up in suburbia and then moved to the big city, as a young adult. Now, I live in an area that’s a cross between urban and suburban, but also have a place across the country… up in the mountains. And it’s the compassion and loyalty that my mountain neighbors have shown in the past eleven months that has filled me with a sense of incredulity, deep respect and profound gratefulness. They have shaped the way I now think about neighbors and neighborliness, and the way I act… towards my neighbors, and as a neighbor.
For this, and for so much more, I thank them.
“To love our neighbor as ourselves is such a truth for regulating human society, that by that alone one might determine all the cases in social morality.“
heatherfromthegrove 