Talk About... Dead and Living

Recently, I lost a friend. Actually, I have several relatives and friends who passed on early this year. Funny when you tell people that someone has died and they ask,"How old?" and you say, "50's, 60's," they remark,"How young!" Yet, when someone is alive at 50s, 60s, they say,"That's old!"

How's that? Why? Where is the demarcation line between being old at 50's when you're alive and being young at that same age when you're dead? I don't understand. When you're alive at 50's, 60's, you're old? But when you're dead at that age, you're young? At that very moment, you are young again? What happened?

Life is funny. People are funny. You can be talking to a person, say 50's, who you think isn't that young anymore, then all of a sudden, right in front of your very eyes, for some reason or another, he drops dead and you remark, "God, how young!"??

Living. Dead. They're simply human experiences. Life is the beginning, death is the end. Then why the difference? You're either young or old depending if you're dead or alive? What happens after death? Afterlife. The hereafter. Does anyone know what goes there when we cross over? Do you? I don't. Is it timeless there, meaning, ageless, too?

What about past lives, do you believe in past lives? Reincarnations? Resurrection of the dead? Yeah, the resurrection of the dead according to our religion! What happens when our dead bodies resurrect? Do we come back as newborn again? That's great! But what if we came back at the age when we died, like a continuum where we left off, say, 50's, and so on, - God, that's old!

BOATLIFT, An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience

I accidentally came across this beautiful story about the human spirit and character. Don't miss it.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/MDOrzF7B2Kg?rel=0

Whew!

This is my first break in 2 months from work, meaning, able to do personal business. I'm not off today but the day is too gorgeous not to enjoy the sun while still running errands. Plus, after having been "incommunicado" for a long while, I finally felt ready to go out again. It's been so hectic, so stressful at work - short staff, sick calls, rush, rush, rush!!! Sheer exhaustion! This is it for me. Not worth it! I'm cutting my workdays. I've been neglecting my music and that's bad. Music is my life!

You read my post from yesterday? Word For the Day - Stillness. I saw this word one after the other in 2 different articles within a few minutes of each other. When things like this happens, Nature is trying to say something. And we've got to listen.

Thank you, Father Nature. Speak to me for I'm listening.

P.S.

Don't you notice, when Nature tries to tell us something, it speaks soft, like a whisper or an inner voice or in silence, short and easy. But when we ignore, it speaks to us loud and sometimes painful, like in accidents, disasters, and so on. Sadly, sometimes we wait for such things to happen before we learn our lessons. And when we still don't, history repeats itself until we finally learn. I'd rather listen to God's whispers. They're soothing...

AMEN.

HANDBOOK 2012 Health: 1. Drink plenty of water. 2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. 3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.. 4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy. 5. Make time to pray. 6. Play more games. 7. Read more books than you did in 2011. 8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. 9. Sleep for 7 hours.. 10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile. Personality: 11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. 13. Don't over do. Keep your limits. 14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip. 16. Dream more while you are awake. 17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.. 18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. 19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others. 20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. 21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you. 22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. 23. Smile and laugh more. 24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree... Society: 25. Call your family often. 26. Each day give something good to others. 27. Forgive everyone for everything.. 28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6. 29. Try to make at least three people smile each day. 30. What other people think of you is none of your business. 31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. Life: 32. Do the right thing! 33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. 34. GOD heals everything. 35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.. 36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 37. The best is yet to come.. 38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it. 39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy. Last but not the least: 40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about, I just did.

Post Script

I know I've posted this before but here it is again. A great reminder!

Girl-Bonding!

Last week was our usual get-together with my high school classmates, and it was a blast, always a blast! Especially with Jeanette visiting from Manila, she's hilarious! Most spouses were there but they left us girls alone, and we left them alone, too.

Nothing beats girl-bonding! It's simply precious. So special... there's nothing like it! Our host Dodit, the food, the company - superb! Laughter and picture taking - non-stop! And gosh, there must be at least 3 topics of conversations going on simultaneously, either one-on-one, or with a few, or with everyone! God, were we loud and noisy, as if we had not seen one another for ages, and we get together almost every other month! Anyway, every once in a while, "an angel would pass," meaning, total silence - a split second, whenever we were looking at the photos... Then all of a sudden, "WOW!", "BEAUTIFUL!", "NO, not that!", "Yea, this one... that one, put that on facebook!"... and more boisterous laughing!

Didn't I just say, "Laughter is the best medicine," a few posts down?

Oh, love you, guys... oops, girls!

... And Laugh a Lot!

Laughter is the best medicine.

Great Ad!

Saw this ad on TRAVEL Section of last Sunday's SF CHRONICLE -

LIFE IS SHORT

SUMMER IS SHORTER...

SEIZE THE SUMMER...

LAS VEGAS

I don't have to go to Vegas to "seize the summer" but great ad - it worked for me!

I bought a lot of summer clothes these past few days. Living in cold San Francisco, at that! See-thru clothing, floral, tribal print tops and dresses, as well as solid-colored over-blouses, cardigans, skirts, pants, name it - YES! And don't forget my scarves, I love 'em!!

Boy, to think that just a few posts back, I talked about my friend's shopping for sundresses for Europe. You don't wear them in San Francisco! And here I am splurging on summer wear in SF - for SF, where else! Who knows, perhaps, Europe, too! Or maybe, I'm going to Vegas after all!

I Remember Something...

The other day when my banker asked me if I wanted to do a balance transfer from my other credit cards so I could pay my debt, matter-of-factly, I said, "I have no debt."

Then it hit me - I really have no debt!! I should be proud of myself - I am!!

So I splurged today. Went on a shopping spree! Now expect a massive bill next month. Uh-oh!

Well, I'm still celebrating my birthday. I deserve it. I'm enjoying!

Post Script

Reminds me of a poster I saw at a gift shop one time (story posted on Related, Yet, Not Quite! December 2010) - 

Live simply that others may simply live. - Gandhi

A Gentle Reminder

Live simply.

I had dinner with a friend the other night and, among other things, we talked about eastern teachings - Zen, Buddhism, Transcendental Meditation (TM). In other words, about life and living simply. The following day, I saw a T- shirt with those exact words - Live simply.

Truly, Nature's gentle reminder!

Thank you.

Aah, This is Life!!

Morning is LIFE!! Woke up, got up pretty early today which is not my usual! Did tai chi at the deck, crispy cold, but I liked it! 

This is life! I miss it. With my work shift, it's not easy to be up at this time. Hope I get the schedule I want. I like day!

I CLAIM AND BELIEVE. AMEN.

... And Sweeter!!

An afternoon in the gym doing some machines, (it was crowded being a holiday so I only did whatever was available). A sauna, a schvitz and a hot shower after! Then meeting hubby at Eliza's for a delicious chinese dinner!

What could be sweeter?!

Now for some "champuy"!

I tell you, too much of a good thing... is a Good Thing!

Sweet Life!

At home on President's Day with hot chocolate, waffles with fresh fruits and sweet maple, tofu sausage ( a lil' burnt, hey, I don't cook, I'm used to being served!) for late brunch! Day off, what more could I ask for!

Aah, what a life!

Revisiting Christian, the Lion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-2mpwfhtcA

No words to describe the feeling!

The Ten Commandments of Life

Someone had written these beautiful words. Must read and try to understand the deep meaning of it. They are like the ten commandments to follow in life all the time. 1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout. 2] So a Car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the Rear view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, Look Ahead and Move on. 3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write. 4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either. 5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold! 6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end! 7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities. 8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!" 9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you. 10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES, it takes away today’s PEACE. If you really enjoy this, please pass to others. It may brighten someone's day...

Passing Thought

Looking at all the paper work I have to catch up on at home, all the things I've got to do and undo in my life, and on and on and on, thank God, when we leave this world, we don't have to carry them along into the next. We simply leave all material things, we leave everything behind, finished or unfinished. That's the end of it! It's much simpler that way! 

Great idea, God!

Blessed are Those Who Serve

Elsa brought me a bowl of ginatan, a bag of fresh pandesal, and 2 packages of mung bean cake today. She's so sweet! That's Elsa. She was the nanny to my brother Mike's 4 children for over 10 years at least, from the time they were born until the family moved to the US. Then she followed them here after getting married to an American. Elsa is an angel! She's always there for the family. She's now living comfortably in style, living her piece of the American dream. Yet when she's with us, all she does is serve. She'd cook, bake, baby sit the new additions in the family, she'd simply do what she knows best, and that is, to serve!

Freda is the same way. She was one of our family's household help in Manila. Now here in the States and living a comfortable life with her own family, she still remembers us and treats us the way she did when she was with us, that of service! And she proudly mentioned it as her profession on Facebook where I discovered her, even mentioning the family's name. It was so touching, so humbling to read! Again like Elsa, when they're with the family, they only live to serve.

Remembering what Gandhi said, "Live simply that others may simply live", with people like Elsa and Freda, however, whenever they are with us, they simply live that I may learn to live simply.

Thank you, Elsa. Thank you, Freda. I am humbled. I love you both.

Maharishi Says,

"Life expresses itself through love. The stream of life is a wave on the ocean of love, and life is expressed in the waves of love, and the ocean of love flows in the waves of life. What a comfort love brings to the heart."

(From: 'Love and God') - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Post Script to 'Initial Shock!!'

On my post, My Secret to Living Well, (July 2010), I revealed, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man happy, healthy, wealthy and wise."

However, with my body clock turned around these days, so is my brain, my secret has clearly turned upside-down, too, "A wealthy wise man makes bed happy, healthy and early to rise."