Woman 2 Woman Lounge
"Uniting, Edifying, Inspiring, Motivating & Empowering Women"
U Be the Change
By Gloria Newsome
Opening your mind to possibilities can help you take advantage of exciting opportunities you might otherwise pass up.When you believe that almost anything is possible, you can grab hold of the opportunities that present themselves and make the most of them. When you recognize the possibilities today, you will discover that there are many paths open to you.
Learning and awareness are the greatest stepping stones, to the discovery of our soul's inner truth. Realize a peace and contentment that nothing or no one can destroy.
Do you know what's stopping you from being all that The Father intended you to be, ...it is only YOU!Before you can be successful, you must realize one basic fact:
Your past does not equal your future. Waste not fresh tears over old grief's.
Change the inside (You) and you change the Outside (Results).
Only You have the power to change, and YOU are that power!
When things don't go the way you've planned, don't get discouraged because The Father is bigger than any of your problems. As long as you put The Father first in your life, even when difficult situations arise, you will prosper. The Father created human beings to be overcomers. All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. Build a bridge to happier human relationships. For nothing is ever to hard for The Father
There comes a point in your life when you realize:
Who Matters,
Who never did matter,
Who doesn't matter anymore,
And who always will matter to you and your heart.
So don't worry about the people from your past for everyone comes into your life for a season, a reason or a lifetime and there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.
There are times that we are often kinder and more respectful to strangers than we are to those we love and care for. So, please take the time to be a little kinder than necessary to others for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle!
Help create the light that makes the world a brighter place. For you must be the change you wish to see in your life and the world.
The Art of Loving You
By Gloria Newsome
To love yourself means to accept yourself as you are and to come to terms with those aspects of yourself that you cannot change. It means to have high self-esteem, self-respect and a positive self-image. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. Each of us is a very unique individual and has specific talents and abilities to offer to this life. You are the only "you" that you have. It is in your best interests to be the best you can be. When you love yourself you automatically take care of yourself physically, mentally spiritually and emotionally.
Self-love may be the greatest and most important love they ever experience in this lifetime. However, for so many people, "learning to love yourself" does not seem so "easy to achieve." Each of us faces the choice between LOVE and FEAR everyday. Let us all begin this new day with the intelligence and awareness to choose LOVE over FEAR. Love is the truest gift you can give to anyone, especially to yourself. Love is the cure to the problems we face each and every day.
Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. Before you can love someone else, you have to love yourself, first. Showing kindness to others and demonstrating your caring for your loved ones is a key to having a fulfilling life. Maintaining a balance is very critical. You can not keep giving to others if you do not give to yourself, first.
The degree to which you love yourself is the degree to which you will be able to extend love to others, and inevitably to find the one for you.
It is important to extend as much kindness to yourself, as you do to others for it all starts within you.
The primary focus is how you live your daily life: it's developing your capacity for loving yourself, so that you may better love those around you. On a daily basis, increase the love you give to yourself. Be kind and loving to you. Start doing things just for you, that which gives you the pleasure that completes you. This is not being selfish for this is an act of self-love. You will be amazed how your new attitude towards giving and receiving love returns to you.
Love yourself, be happy and complete, in order to be capable of sharing a rising love with another. What you should seek that which is an unique individual who complements you and stimulates your mind, body, spirit, and soul for partial love in any form is not acceptable.
Don't ever settle for less than you deserve.
Again, it all starts with loving yourself: this will allow you to give a more enriched love to others. Once you reach this point, your Circle of Love will expand for you are the center of your Circle of Love. Within an expanded Circle of Love, you will be able to extend, attract, and recognize committed love. Once you have the committed love you seek, you can rise to new levels of love in your life. You will will be capable of recognizing that love's journey is an endless road.
The meaning of "Unconditional Loving" to is as follows:
L~ Life
O~Options / Choices
V~ Vision / Imagination
I~ Intimacy
N~ Nurturing
G~ Giving
Judge no other man or woman in this life for this it is not your right. Respect everyone for who they are, as individuals, and treat them equally with love and respect.
Your life and the lives of those you love is what is happening now. Your life today is not a dress rehearsal for another life you will have later...
Live it with love now.
Love & Hugs To You All
MzGloria
All That I Need Is In Him
by Ann Stewart
You are born helpless and needy, being totally
dependent on nurturance from others. In fact, God has
created you with a deep need that can never be
satisfied until you turn to Him. One of His Names is
El Shaddai, which means: God, the All-Sufficient One.
The Lord woke me up today with a jolt. Regardless of
how well you know the Word and want to obey it, it’s
not always easy to follow through, isn’t it? What do
you do when the rent is due and you have nothing
coming in, or when your spouse has been given a matter
of days to live, the latter being my situation at the
moment.
For weeks I’ve not been feeling up to par. My mind has
had a hard time focusing, and I spent a lot of time at
his bedside and in prayer. Whenever I did have a
moment to myself, I felt an urgency to share God’s
goodness with you, which is the ministry He has given
me.
Because of my situation I felt it was all right to
give in to feelings. After all, I wouldn’t expect
anything from anyone else in similar circumstances.
Nevertheless I had an emptiness deep inside, and felt
that I was letting Him down.
But today He set me straight! I was reminded that He
has given me:
“the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to
speak a word in season to him that is weary.” (Isa.
50: 4)
Yes, I know that He wants me to encourage you. After
all, if I encourage you in good times through His Word
to overcome any situation, then I should be able to
prove it in bad times! I know His Word, and have put
it to the test time and time again.
Now I’m the one who is being put to the test. But, you
know what? It works! It’s taking me out of the
doldrums and I also know why. It’s not just about
having faith, nor about whether or not He may be
taking my Jack home soon. It doesn’t even have
anything to do about grieving, loneliness or feelings.
It’s all about Him and putting Him first!
He also reminded me that:
“He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he
which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
(2 Cor. 9: 6)
God’s Kingdom is all about sowing and reaping. If you
have something to give, share it with a grateful
heart! He cannot extract anything from nothing! You
first need to give Him something to multiply, just
like the young fellow with the two loaves and three
fishes in the Gospel.
Before the Israelites were delivered, they had to
first sacrifice an unblemished lamb. That supplied the
blood which, when applied to the lintels of the door,
saved their firstborns and freed them from slavery.
I have learned that when you’re in dire need of
prayer, pray for others! It works! The Lord wants you
to put your focus on Him instead of your
circumstances, especially in dark times. Another
secret to any breakthrough is to thank Him for all His
goodness, and praise Him at all times. There is
nothing like songs of praise to raise your spirits. He
inhabits the praises of His people, (Ps. 22: 3) and to
those who mourn, He provides:
“beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that
they might be called trees of righteousness, the
planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”
(Isa. 61: 3) Praise the Lord!
http://www.lifealteringwords.com
http://www.lifealteringwords.com/with-wings-as-eagles
http://www.youthmakeover.com
http://www.allyoursnow.com
I had cancer on my wedding day
By Crystal Brown-Tatum
Have you ever thought you were “all that?” Untouchable? Invincible? On top of the world? That’s how I felt on my wedding day. I was a successful single mother and Houston entrepreneur with several major awards under my belt, an Ebony magazine top bachelorette and had reconnected with my college sweetheart after a sixteen year hiatus. Yes, I was finally getting married after a string of painful relationships at the age of 35.
As I flip through my wedding album, all of the details are a blur. I don’t notice the flowers or the detailed cake. What I cherish is the genuine smile on my face which reflects the love in my heart for so many things- life, my husband, my daughter, my family and friends. Dazzling in my strapless wedding gown, little did I know I had breast cancer. Ironic isn’t it? I look so happy while cancer was dwelling inside me.
I noticed the marble sized lump under my armpit eight months prior to my wedding day but dismissed it as a swollen lymph gland. Life went on while the tumor grew. I found every excuse not to go to the Dr. My grandmother had breast cancer so I knew that there may be a slight likelihood that I would have it. But I convinced myself that Superwoman doesn’t get sick.
Shortly after my honeymoon, my husband urged me to go to the Dr. to determine the cause of the lump which was beginning to get bigger. Within four days of seeing the Dr., I was diagnosed with Stage III A breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection with 16 positive lymph nodes. Due to the positive nodes, chemotherapy would be a treatment option. The thought of chemotherapy was terrifying to me. I had always had a headful of beautiful long hair which was highly prized in the Black community. I couldn’t imagine being bald and taking my new husband through the cosmetic changes.
After much research and consideration, I opted for 4 cycles of chemotherapy. I feel good about my treatment decision. The hair began to fall out about twenty days after my first treatment. One day while driving, I got a wave of courage and drove to the salon. I decided it was time to empower myself and just shave my head. It was falling out daily and was matted and dry. I didn’t shed one tear in the chair. The big picture was life-hair couldn’t rob me of that.
I never heard my 13 year old daughter say to me that she was proud of me, despite my numerous accomplishments, until I showed her my bald head. She gave me the biggest hug and I knew that it would be ok. I am forever humbled by this experience and hope to share my testimony with other young patients someday. Cancer doesn’t care if you are all that and a bag of chips. Cancer doesn’t care at all.
Since the thought of losing my hair was so frightening to me, I went on a Houston, Texas community affairs program bald to show viewers that being bald wasn’t so bad and what the result of chemotherapy looked like. I even shared home video of my hair falling out to help other women facing this medical challenge. For a former Texas beauty queen, this took a lot of courage.
As my one year “cancerversary” approaches, I realize that God was holding my hand the entire journey. He gave me strength and courage when I needed it and he broke me down so I could grow strong with Him again.
I’ve written a memoir entitled Saltwater Taffy and Red High Heels which follows my journey through breast cancer. I’ve spared no detail and my hope is to encourage other young women who are about to embark on this journey. Breast cancer is a sisterhood that no one wants to join but once you are a member, the privileges are invaluable. My name is Crystal and I am a breast cancer survivor.
Couples who Pray Together Stay Together
by Beverly Mahone
When was the last time you and your husband prayed together? Did you know that prayer is one of the first things to disappear in a marriage? Yes---even BEFORE SEX! Despite the fact that prayer is the lifeline that keeps a couple together and in touch with God; some husbands and wives tend to place importance on other things as time goes on in their relationship.
No doubt about it, life gets hectic. Sometimes finances, children and other unexpected events demand your attention. But without prayer, the issues you are experiencing will only become more intense and create more unnecessary burdens. In my opinion, a marriage cannot survive without personal fellowship with God. It is through that fellowship that you will be able to renew your strength and your faith and seek the answers to the problems and questions that may plague you at any given time.
Why is it that most married couples find it so hard to pray? Here are some reasons:
1. Couples may not feel the need to pray consistently: Early on in most marriages things seem to go so well that many couples don’t think they need to call on God daily. Some see the traditional wedding vows as God’s blessing of the marriage and believe that is enough to sustain them. Unfortunately, life comes with its share of trials and tribulations which can lead to overwhelming frustration. That frustration can lead to even greater problems if you haven’t been able to develop a consistent bond with God. Even if you don’t pray together with your spouse daily, it is still important to find your own quiet time to share with the Father.
2. Couples sometimes feel like they really don’t know how to pray. There is no such thing as a “perfect prayer.” God doesn’t ask us to write out a script to follow. He only asks that we go to Him with a humble spirit and tell Him what’s on our minds. In the beginning of our marriage, I believed my husband was a better prayer warrior so I would always let him pray because I didn’t want to sound stupid. But as time went on and I felt our spirits connecting, I overcame my own prayer fears and was eager to raise my voice to God. Sometimes the prayer can be as simple as, “Father God, we come before you this day to give you thanks and to ask you to continue to bless our marriage. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”
3. Couples think they need to spend a lot of time to connect with God. God is not standing by with a time clock to record how much time you spend with Him. Whether you spend one hour with God or just ten minutes, your prayers, praise and worship can still have the same impact. The important thing to remember is a little prayer is better than NO PRAYER at all.
4. His/Her prayer life is stronger. When I met my husband, he was a trustee in his church. To me, that was like being a pastor and I admit I was intimidated by my perception of his prayer life. I just knew he was more spiritually connected and I could never live up to that standard. What I discovered and learned to appreciate was the fact that both of us have own walk with Christ and even though we may not be traveling at the same pace all the time, we are still traveling on the same journey together. If you feel your spouse’s prayer life is stronger, encourage him/her to help you gain a new and better understanding of prayer through Bible study.
5. Finding it hard to pray for forgiveness. One of the hardest things to do in a marriage is to pray for your spouse when they have done something to hurt or anger you. Having a cheating spouse or someone who is careless with finances may seem impossible to forgive but that’s the time when you must dig deep down in your spirit and find a way to pray. God’s Word tell us we should “…pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44 KJV). God doesn’t tell us to be foolish but He promises us that when we call on Him with a sincere heart, He will respond.
Your prayer life should be a part of everyday living. As a matter of fact, it should grow even stronger with each passing day. Couples who pray together stay together because prayer is the lifeline that can keep you from sinking when trouble comes.
Beverly Mahone writes about relationship issues involving baby boomers in her book Whatever! A Baby Boomer’s Journey Into Middle Age.
by Gloria Newsome
Spirituality is something many of us are lacking. The emptiness and soullessness of our materialist culture robs us of experiencing our full life potential. Creating and developing a strong spirit within you is a key to overcoming the obstacles in your life. If you maintain a strong spirit, you can walk in victory over anything that comes your way. Don't miss out on all The Father has planned for you and your life. Too many of us are living way below the rights and privileges that The Father has provided for us simply because we are not aware of the blessings that are rightfully ours.
A strong spirit fuels true healing of your mind, body & soul for a long life, strong spirit and vitality sustain us on the path to enlightenment.
Our bodies is what we can see, what our senses can feel~the visible part of us so it is important to take care of our bodies.
Our living souls is our will for to take care of our souls, we practice our will, our rights, our choices, our freedom.
Our Spirit is the part where we can communicate with The Father. The reason why we can talk to HIM and we can't avoid what's deep in our hearts for if we can feel that The Father exists it is because of our spirits. To refresh your strong spirit are the cures for the stress we experience in our lives. With a strong body comes a strong mind and spirit while
giving us motivation and inspiration.
Our families are the most important unit of any society and to maintain that unity we must maintain a loving mind, heart, kindness, openness, sharing trust and communications. We must make very intentional effort to be a better listener, not a constant speaker for being a good listener will require a lot of patience and wisdom.
Remembering that everyday may seem to be the same, but it truly is not. For everyday is different in terms of occasions, conditions of hearts, and encounters through out the day. This is why we need a prayer/quiet/supporting time before going to bed. Conferencing with our spirits will allow us all to find that inner calm within ourselves. We can assuredly maintain the courage, strength and love through The Father for it is he who gives us His all through His spirit.
The Father knows that Satan will do all in his power to discourage us, to induce us to become disillusioned and afraid, to abandon our confidence in The Father, but it is up to us that we must remember that he is our anchor in our darkest moments...if we just believe. If you don't know who you are, and if you don't know why you are, others will define you. And if you allow anyone to define you, other than the one who made you...The Father, then you have given Satan the license to destroy you.
Be so forever blessed Dear Ones and remember all Time and Life is so very precious...take nothing or no one for granted...tell EVERYONE who means something to you...THAT YOU CARE! Please don't let your fears, anger, stubbornness, selfishness or pride get in the way. Pick up the phone, type an email or write a note...(send out some smoke signals if you have to...wait that's a little extreme..laugh)....but seriously Kindness makes a difference! So once again please always remember and never forget....I Love You All & I am blessed for having you in my life! Just because we were born of different mothers, maybe of different colors, doesn't mean we are not family!
Please remember to pass kindness onto all who may cross your path, be it family, friends, loved ones or strangers.....for you may not know just how much of a difference you can make in someone’s life...please do that for me! A SMILE costs you nothing, but creates much with it's lasting effects. It enriches those who receive it, without impoverishing those who give it.
Much Love & Big Hugs
Mz.Gloria
by Gloria Newsome
Having great self-confidence or a high self-esteem will help in just about every area of your life. You were not born with self-confidence or high self-esteem - these you develop over the years. Self-confidence is trusting that you have what it takes, to handle whatever happens. You feel sure of yourself and enjoy trying new things, without letting doubts or fears hold you back. When you have confidence in others, you rely on them.
Being constantly criticized by others tends to slowly strip you of our feelings of self worth. Your low self esteem strips you of your self confidence to make even the smallest of decisions. You begin think little of yourself, and feel you do not deserve to be happy.
Don't always try to please others. It is considerate to care about others' feelings but your needs are important also. Do not try to be like someone else either. You will be at your best when you are being yourself because of your uniqueness. Strive to be your best, but do not criticize yourself if you fall short of your expectations.
Avoid loud and aggressive people who have a negative attitude which may rub off on you. Do not compare yourself to others. Just be the best that you can be.
Your level of confidence and self-esteem is really the result of how you see yourself - which is ultimately how people will see you. How people interact and respond to you is a mirror of how you see yourself. So if you don't have a high level of self-confidence or a great deal of self-esteem - then it's usually because you are focusing on your negative qualities and what you do wrong. Stop being your own worst enemy!
While admiration and validation from others is always nice, you may want to focus on strengthening your own sense of validation and confidence daily. When you understand that your self-worth stems from you, you can turn your attention inward and give yourself the love you deserve. Doing this on a regular basis could sustain you and keep your confidence strong, even when others are not showering you with admiration and praise. When you learn to praise yourself and build our self-worth, you will discover a deep well of confidence and inner strength that you can consistently depend on because it is coming from within.
Focus on positive things and the things in life that you are good at. Become the best you can be! Tell yourself everyday "I can do this" and believe it! Be your own best cheerleader and supporter. Understand that NO ONE is perfect..we all make mistakes, many just have a different way of expressing or showing...but don't focus on the negative for it can only get you down, depressed, unmotivated, and cause you to lose your confidence. Focus on your positive qualities, the things that you like about yourself and you'll begin to attract people who like you for those positive qualities.
Don't dismiss or ignore those qualities that you don't like about yourself. Take a closer look and then think about what you can do to change - so that you eliminate the things you don't like about yourself. We all have things within us that we don't like. No one is the exception....so know that you are not alone.
The most important thing of all is that you have to believe in yourself. If you believe you can, then you will be able to.
Once you convince your subconscious the way you want to be, you will find that you will start to become far more confident and life will be the way you want it. Be aggressive. Boosting your self-esteem is all about getting what you need/want. So do things for your own sake. Remember, you must help yourself first before you can help others. You can't lose or give away what you don't have so be selfish and when you come to a higher level to yourself you can start helping others with lower self-esteem. And at the end only you will recollect what you have done and define who you are and what you're about.
Your inner strength will enable you to reach your goals in life. If you fall down, pick yourself up and try again. As your self confidence builds, you will feel better about yourself, and your self esteem will grow from the inside out. Every day look at yourself in the mirror. Try to find something to admire about yourself, and try to say some positive things about yourself and your accomplishments and achievements. Make sure your self talk is positive at all times. Tell yourself how great you are, or how good you look today, anything positive about yourself to help you feel confident. Make being positive your natural state of being. Learn to conquer your fears...whatever they may be. Reflect honestly on your weaknesses. Concentrate on specific things you can do to overcome the flaws you believe you have. One key to positive self-esteem is to remember that you have control over your situation.
Let me ask you a question: How Do You DEFINE You?
Please remember this: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
I value the life The Father has given to me.
It is my life and I can live it as I please.
My life may not mean much to someone else.
And how I live it is up to The Father and myself.
Only The Father knows how many years I have remaining.
But I intend to live them all without complaining.
I will treasure each day and rejoice in its pleasures.
Practicing His righteousness as a means of measure.
I will live my life daily with a song in my heart.
Singing The Father's praises until the day I depart.
And while I am living out my disappearing years.
I will be grateful to Him for putting me here!
Much Love & Big Hugs
Gloria
1/18/08
I Wonder if This is How God Feels About Us Sometimes
by Teresa Carnes
I gave Rascal, our dog a bath tonight. We have a border collie who is certain he’s a house dog. Of course, he loves it outside too, but at night time, he’s ready to come in for bed. The thing about Rascal is the nastier he can get the happier he is! His favorite thing to do is to find something dead or some dog doo and roll and roll and roll until he’s covered from head to toe. Now, if you know anything about border collies, you’ll know they’re long-haired dogs, and they’re not especially small. They’re not large either, but he probably weighs about 30 pounds. Anyhow, I’m sure you can see how this might not work well with him being a house dog and all.
Well, tonight I came home, and Rascal had found a nice fresh pile (or piles) of dog pooh and his entire neck was covered. With two children and a husband, you’d think the dog bathing chore wouldn’t always fall to me, but somehow it does! I fixed supper, fed the family and then I grudgingly invited the dog in for his bath time. I filled up the tub and coaxed him into the bathroom. Then I slammed the door shut before he could escape. Of course, I had to lift him into the tub because there was no way he was willingly getting into that thing, rubber ducky or not! After all, he enjoys being dirty! It seems as though he proudly wears the smell of dog pooh. It’s almost like he shows it off, “Look at me, Mom! Aren’t I pretty? Don’t I smell great?“
As I was soaping him up, I was thinking to myself, “Now, why do you want to go and get all nasty? You’re such a pretty dog. Just look how pretty and white your white spots are becoming. I clean you up, and then you go and do this again. Neither you nor I like this process, so why not just stay clean!”
And then, it hit me. I bet this is what God things about us sometimes. He gets us all soapy and cleans us up until we sparkle, and then we go and get dirty again! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been through the cleaning process, and I can tell you that I don’t like it one bit! Looks like we would learn to steer clear of the mud and muck, but somehow we seem to want to wallow in it.
But this enlightenment God granted me during the mundane task of bathing my dog didn’t end here. After I got the dog all clean and dry and pretty again, it was then time to brave the bathroom! What a mess! Water everywhere, bathtub full of hair and dirt! Not a fun task either. So I’m scrubbing the tub, and God reminds me that when we sin and become all dirty, He has to clean up after us. I can think of so many times that God has had to come along behind me and clean up the messes I’ve made as a result of my sins.
And then God took me one step further and revealed something even more incredible. You know, the whole time I was performing this task, I was a little irritated, yes, but I wasn’t angry with my dog. It’s his nature to want to get dirty. That’s how dogs were created - how they’re wired. So being angry would have been just plain silly! It didn’t make me love Rascal any less either just because he wanted to roll in something disgusting. In fact, it was because of my love for him that I did bathe him. He wasn’t coming in the house with all of that on him, and no one else was going to bathe him. I just couldn’t bare to leave him outside; it’s cold, and it’s dark, and he’s a house dog! So God revealed to me that no matter how dirty we are, no matter how bad we think our sin is, or how unlovable we must be because of something we’ve done, He still loves us. And it’s because of this love for us that He continues to clean us up, clean up after us, and put us back together again.
And as I was writing this, he revealed one last thing to me. You see, our house in this story symbolizes Heaven. The cold, dark, outside is being away from and without God, or at its absolute worst, hell. God doesn’t want any of us to miss out on His kingdom. It’s cold and dark without Him and outside of His will and His home. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done or where you are in your life, God loves you. He loves you so much that He doesn’t want you outside of His home, so he is going to clean you up. If it feels painful, remember, it’s out of His love for you and His desire for you to have the best that He does this. Just let Him wash away the yuck, because the warmth and love of home is waiting for you.
Teresa Carnes lives in Oklahoma and is a work at home wife and mother to two beautiful children. She is an associate for Pre-Paid Legal and Identity Theft Solutions, a company which provides individuals with affordable access to legal protection. To receive additional information about Pre-Paid Legal's legal service plans or their full or part time business opportunity, you may visit her website, http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/teresacarnes, or you may contact Teresa at tcarnes@fairpoint.net.
By Gloria Newsome
Being kind is an enjoyable experience. It makes you feel good, and useful, and alive, and it validates you as a human being.Kindness is a very personal thing, it is a "heart to heart" experience. And the more personal and spontaneous your kindness becomes, the greater the positive effect on both you and the receiver of your kindness.
Offering an act of kindness signals that you notice the individual. You are indicating that you are not caught up in your own world to such an extent that you don’t see the needs around you. You see people and their unique situations. You see the individual.
Givers of kindness draw others into their circle. “What The World Needs Now” is more people who are prodigals in cordiality and spendthrifts of acts of kindness — people who love to share warmth and acceptance. They provide the warmth of fellowship and friendship that is so much needed by those who are fighting against the cold of society’s attitudes.
Acts of care and kindness can be simple. It is the simple thing,that is so easy to do and that we most often overlook. Believe it or not but when you “wave” at people, you are helping them to feel noticed and included, and that makes them feel good. And making another person feel good is an act of care and kindness.Making the decision to be a little kinder will bring more pleasure and direction to your life than ever before,acts of kindness helps to promote a sense of meaning and fulfilment in both the giver and receiver.
Little words and acts of kindness, little words and acts of love, makes us all feel special and important! It shows that we truly matter. For tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair but manifestations of strengths and resolutions that we offer one another as we live our daily lives. If you start to give of yourself, be it ever so simple a fashion, the world will observe your spirit and show you many needs that you can supply. There are a hundred ways of giving away little margins of time you will never miss, which could be riches to someone.
Treat everyone as if they have a sign around their neck saying, "Please help me to feel good about myself." When we make the choice to care, we set into motion a snowball effect that touches many people, most of whom we will never know about...truly never underestimate the importance of an act of kindness. For a miracle is never lost. It may touch many people you have never met, and produce undreamed of changes in situations of which you are not even aware.
We are all born into families and cultures we didn't choose, given names we didn't pick, instructed in behaviour and values we might not have freely chosen, and too often we end up expected to live lives designed by others. Don't let yesterday use up too much of today. Remember that there could never be enough "I Love You's " said. That Love is a "Way of Living", and not something that you just give. And always remember and never forget that if we cannot do great things, we can do small things with great love.
You'll never change the world by telling people what they should or shouldn't do. Teach by example....be the living proof of the joys of kindness. People's admiration will be such, that they'll fall over themselves to emulate you. You make people happy and you bring happiness to yourself when you do unexpected acts of kindness without fanfare and without thought of reward. I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know is that the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve others through their giving of self.
When I look back at my experience of being confronted with my death and ask myself what, in that hour, were the memories I treasured, I have little difficulty in answering. I cared not at all for my personal success but what I did care about were the thoughts that I had made a few others happier, that I had done a few acts of kindness along the way, and that I had captured the respect, friendships and love of others be it friends or strangers.
Strive to acknowledge something good in everyone you meet - their skills, their qualities, the positive impact they have on the world around them. Let this be your gift to them. What wisdom can we find that is greater than kindness? For everyone appreciates a compliment! Kindness is essentially self-communicative. Those who do not have it, catch it from those who do have it, and it goes on gathering power and spreading itself, until eventually it transforms everyone whom it touches....Our acts of kindness warm the coldness of people's lives!
What are or will be your of Acts of Kindness, as you leave your Legacy behind?
Much Love & Big Hugs
Gloria
1/5/08