Daily Ramblings – The Weekend!!

Tags

Endorphins, Energy Boost, Enjoyment, Free time, Fun, Games, Party, Weekends

It’s Friday and the weekend is ahead. Even though I am recently retired, I still have great feelings on Friday, thinking about all of the things I will do this weekend for fun. My weekends are normally comprised of some reading, watching a show, playing a few games online, doing my laundry, organizing my room, and preparing for the upcoming week, not necessarily in that order. The biggest thing for me is the lack of structure during the weekend. It balances out my strict schedule during the week.

As I write this posting it is still raining outside. In Michigan, like most of the Midwest, we are getting rained on daily, with more coming tomorrow and tomorrow night. It is really a huge change of pace compared to my living in Arizona, where rain is sparse, but high temperatures are frequent (my brother said they hit 100 this last week). That is one thing I will not miss about AZ—the high temperatures of summer.

Anyways, as I stare out the window and notice the squirrels dancing about in the trees in our front yard, I enjoy the release of the weekend and the sudden boost of energy we feel when we know we are going to have fun. Isn’t that the weirdest thing? When we’re at work, we tend to feel tired and lethargic toward the end of a long week. As soon as we exit the workplace, get in our car, and pull out of the parking garage, we get hit with a huge amount of energy. Where does this come from?

Some of it I think is just the mental dump that occurs when we realize we don’t have to think about work until Monday. Some of it may even be a little bit of a psychological boost from endorphins from the expectation of our upcoming free time. Whatever it is, Friday afternoons are still great, even as a retired guy.

I hope each of my readers has a terrific weekend! I’ll continue to post my quotes and any workouts I get in over the weekend, but hope all of you have a terrific time with your loved ones, significant others, and friends and have a great adventure this weekend. I plan on hitting one of my favorite coffee joints for a nice cup and hitting the library for a few hours. I may go to the gym if I feel like it, but Saturday and Sunday are off days on my current workout routine. Who knows? That’s the beauty of the weekend.

Until next time…

Daily Ramblings – Problems are Blessings?

Tags

Blessing, challenge, God, Learning, Loving, Self-realization, Testing, trouble

“No problem is given man which is greater than himself. Each being is tested according to his capacity; none are tested beyond it. Each problem which man encounters has a spiritual solution, and each person has his troubles at the point where he is most negative and vulnerable.” – Paul Twitchell – The Shariyat Ki Sugmad

Two Critical Points

This is a quote a came across a few years ago. This quote has two critical points that have proven themselves to be true more often than I can recall. The first is that we are never given a problem that is beyond our capability to solve. The second is that we will always be tested where we are weakest.

This is comforting, isn’t it? If we are never going to be hit with a problem we cannot solve, we have nothing to fear, because regardless of the problem, we will overcome it. Some problems may be overcome in the short-term, while others may take years to get through. The point is that if a problem is no larger than our capacity to solve it, there’s nothing to worry about.

Let’s examine the next point. If we are self-realized, meaning we know ourselves well, then we should be able to predict where that next test or problem is coming right? Well, yes and no. The human mind cannot grasp an omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient being. Subsequently, God knows you better than you ever will and IT knows exactly where you are your weakest. So, prediction of your next challenge may not be so easy to see.

When are we really learning? Are we driven to God and improvement when things are going our way and easy, or are we driven to God and improvement when things are tough? You guessed it. The learning and growth opportunities are typically brought about when we are presented with a problem and things are tough.

The Good times – The Bad times

This is human nature. We relax and enjoy the times when there are no problems. We get into gear when the problems arise. These periods of rest and challenge fluctuate throughout our lives. God knows when you need a break, God knows when it’s time to test you again, and God knows exactly where you need to be tested.

Why do the tests exist at all? The tests are designed to teach us to be more focused on others than ourselves. They are designed to teach us about divine love. They are designed to teach us how to solve the problems we have so that when others run into those same problems we can help them (We’ve already been there and done that.)

Problems are Blessings

When you really look at it, the rest periods we receive are a blessing, but so too are the rough spots. It really depends on how you look at the situation. The rough spots are stepping stones. These stepping stones are for learning to be greater than we were yesterday. So, enjoy the good times, but also be thankful for the tough times. Without these tough times, we wouldn’t have anything to compare to them and we will miss out on enjoying the really good times that always come.

When we can truly feel blessed when trouble comes we will have finally understood that there are no troubles or rest periods. The life we have been given is a blessing because we have been held in the arms of God the entire time.

Until next time…

Happiness…

Tags

Grateful, Gratitude, Happiness, Happy, Life

Are you happy? If you do a Google Search, you’ll see thousands of articles, websites, research studies on this thing called happiness. What makes us happy? To some, it is a new car, a new gadget, or a larger home. To others, happiness is the feeling of achievement one attains when they accomplish one of their goals. How do you define happiness and when will you be happy?

I would argue that happiness is not a destination but an attitude. I would argue that all of us are happy right now, but don’t recognize that those folks that are striving for happiness, wealth, or success, will always be doing one thing – striving. Happiness is derived from being grateful. Grateful for the life we’ve been given. Grateful for the people who have graced us with their presence. Grateful for our very existence and the ability to experience life in the moment.

Have you ever been around someone who is never happy? They complain, grumble, argue, and are never satisfied. Happiness seems to be just out of their reach. If only I had, If only I were, If only I did, if only, if only, if only. Why not be happy with what you have right now? If you are reading this you are alive. That very fact is a miracle. That very fact is something to be grateful for.

What did you eat today? I had a bowl of oatmeal. A very simple bowl of oatmeal. When you take the time to just eat and not think of anything else, the experience of eating that bowl of oatmeal takes on a whole new meaning. When I write, that’s all I do. I have my pad of paper and begin writing. I enjoy the act of creating pictures in my reader’s mind, making an argument, or inspiring my readers to perhaps re-think their lives.

When I listen to music, I close my eyes and let the music go through me, enjoying the images and feelings that come into my mind that the music brings. When I read, I enjoy the process of visualizing what another author has painstakingly created for my enjoyment. The ability to travel to another universe or places, imagining the smells, the temperature, the feelings, and all of the other intangibles a good author makes you feel when you read their works.

I’m looking out the window of my home office. The sky is blue, the temperature is a cool 24 degrees in Michigan, and there is a family of squirrels who frolic in the trees in our front yard, enjoying the corn we put out for them all winter. Sometimes I just observe these squirrels running about. They are so funny to watch and they are real acrobats. The trees we have in our front yard are a collection of Pine, Elm, and Oak. Their branches intertwine toward the top and provide a network of trails for these squirrels to navigate back and forth. Watching them jump from tree to tree, or stabilize themselves on a limb, while they chew on the food we provide is a real treat.

I am happy. I am contented. I am grateful for my life and the time I have had to experience all of the things I’ve experienced, the women I’ve loved, the folks I have called friends, my family, my collection of pets over the years, the food I eat, the books I’ve read, and all the rest. Each day I wake up is a great day, filled with the unknown adventures yet to come.

I challenge each of you to take a look at your definition of happiness. Happiness is here, now. All you have to do is recognize that you have all you need right now to be happy. It’s been here waiting for you all along.

Until next time…