This morning I am thinking about Respect and what that really means.  Guess like every other word, it is a matter of each person's personal interpretations.  Each of us are taught about respect by our significant others; parents, grandparents, extended family, and those outside our home.  Of course, we first learned about respect from those with whom we lived.  Learning about respect can be very difficult because sometimes people demand we show them respect when all we have done is reflect what we have seen.  If what we learned as children was name calling, a raised voice, how to be critical and judgmental of others, that is what we will show in our lives.  Of course, our caregivers may not think having those behaviors given back to them is "respectful"; so they will punish us in a variety of ways for not showing them respect.  It can be very confusing to a young one to try to figure out what they did or did not do they "should" have done.  Many parents, as well as people in authority, have not learned that you teach people how to treat you.  IF you feel you are not being treated with respect, it would be helpful to take some quiet time and ask yourself specifically, what behavior you received that did not feel respectful.  This may take some time since most of us know how we "feel," however, are not clear what action caused us to feel that way.  All we know is it was a "yuky" feeling!
This morning, I am considering the actions of someone that was very negatively directed toward me.  (Of course, he/she also exhibited negative energy toward most of the things happening in his/her life, so, I knew not to take it personal.)  This morning I am considering if any of the words, or simply energy behind the words could be reflections of how I am feeling about myself or someone in my life.  After careful consideration and prayer, I know such words and energy are not what I feel about myself, or anyone in particular in my life at this moment.  (of course, being human, that may change! so I am mindful to be vigilant in noticing what is happening in my life) What I realize is this person needs prayers for their heart, for whatever is happening in their heart that is causing pain, causing them to feel so negative about most things around them.  What I have discerned is they are not happy in their heart, for whatever reason, and my opportunity is to detach from any ill effects from the negative spewing and refill the space with love, respect and gratitude for the sweetness in life.  If this person were to continue to show such negative actions, I would address the situation and seek some sort of peaceful resolution. Gratefully, they have never shown such angry words and actions; such behaviors are not who this person is, little wonder they feel so miserable!  Perhaps my prayers of gratitude for who they truly are, will help him/her rebalance and feel the powerful effects love brings and begin to clear their heart of the toxic residue currently residing in their heart space. 
It's certainly worth the try!  If necessary, a Plan B is always available....but we'll figure that out later.

Fox News reported this morning that Father's Day ranks 4th in gift-giving; it was surpassed by Mother's Day, Easter and Valentine's Day.  After interviewing several people, it is surmised that Father's are most difficult to "buy" for primarily because what they prefer most is to be appreciated by their family; hence, what they want most is time with them.  Now, isn't that a tremendous thought.  How often do we think about our time and presence with someone as a "gift?" Most of us take for granted the people we interact with every day.  Like the bed you sleep in, or the toothbrush you grab in the morning, it's an item you just take for granted...it's always there.  While many in the world do not have their fathers "always there," most of us have the opportunity to at least know how to get in touch with them....if we want.  The problem as I see it is we all too often take our fathers for granted.  After spending nearly 30 years in education, I can tell you most young people do not really know their father.  Even if the father lives with them, they know little about who their father is outside being their "father."  It was surprising to me to realize how few students even know what their father (or mother for that matter) did for a living.  How is that possible, I asked myself, and then I realized how little time most children spend with their fathers. And, of course, there's the real truth that most kids are too self-absorbed to even think to ask.  For most young people, the father is the representative of the "things" they have in life.  What they do to bring home the "bacon" is of little importance, what is most important is the "bacon." 
Seems very sad to me.  I have two sons that are, in my personal and professional opinion, excellent fathers.  They have a strong work ethic, have been actively involved with their children since birth and do "show up" in their children's life.  And yet, they too are often seen as aloof by their children.  What I know from years of experience, is fathers rarely show all their emotions, instead, they move through their life focused on what their "family" wants, which, in modern day, is "things."  And so, these men feel their worth is measured by what they can provide for their families.  Imagine how that feels?  Then, of course, there's the whole step-father thing....and yet, that too can be viewed in a similar light.
All of this is said to bring some light on understanding who fathers are.  As in all relationships, there are many "colors" from which to choose how to describe a person.  It is from our personal "paint pallette" we choose how to interpret each other's actions.  Perhaps for today, we might pause and consider if it is time to choose another "color" to describe our father.  Today might be an opportunity for us to show our father a new look....it might help them "feel" the brightness by which we "see" them that will give them the "gift" they deserve for all the "things" we took for granted they spent their life "giving" to us!
Let it be noted there are many who never knew their fathers, that missing piece cannot be replaced, only filled with forgiveness and finding other male figures to teach us something about the role of a good father. 

It is so exciting to see brave producers bringing truths to the "silver screen!" While some may think it fantasy, many of us know the truth.  There is another dimension so rich and full of life, there are wisdoms carried only by the "non-human" that offers "humans" a wealth of alternatives.  Wouldn't it  be marvelous to have people really listen and talk to their animals, or to ask the trees in their yard what stories they want to share?  I think it would be delightful to have our children taught how to be that connected to everything around them.  Can you imagine how secure a young person would feel if they knew they always had support wherever they walked?  Many of us were taught these truths as children.  It was a time full of imagination, creativity and simplicity. Of course, that was before we were "taught" how to be passive and allow others to entertain us.  So, on a very positive note, I applaud the brave men and women who dare to encourage us to dream.  For as the scriptures say, "Where there is no vision the people parish" (that's my phrasing) Much gratitude to the silver screen for helping the next generation dream! Let's support those shedding light to what is possible and move away from those that promote negativity and disrespect.

Do all humans have the same desires in life? Or do only a few seek such simple things as peace and simplicity? Do most humans "ponder" life, or simply move from moment to moment experiencing whatever happens? Do older people think about such things as happiness because they have more time, or is that something everyone actively seeks? Are some people satisfied with what their occupations because it brings a sense of fulfillment, or are they just grateful for a job? Does everyone ponder what the "big picture" is in life, or is that something only a few consider?
There are many questions that run through my mind and have for most of my life.  Sometimes I wonder about that--do other people "think" so much about life or it that something unique to only a few "chosen" to wonder about life?
For this moment, I will simply "observe" how my mind processes the experiences of life, and be grateful for the ability to just wonder.  Seems to me "wondering" is how things get better, how inventions are created and how solutions are found.  Then again, I wonder if the world is more peaceful because of people who simply live life and not "think" about it so much.  There is much to be said about simply "being" in life and not pondering the "what if's," or "why's" of life.  I'm wondering how that feels?

There is much to be said about Faith.  Where does it come from? How to you "get it"? What's the purpose of Faith?  And, of course, as the current population of the world would say, "What's in it for me?"  Well, "Faith is the substance of things not seen," according to the Holy scriptures, so it is not something tangible we can "see." However, it is very visible if you look at the lives of those that have it.  When Faith is present in a life, you see less worry, more contentment, more resiliency and most certainly more peacefulness.  There is no way to avoid stress in life.  Even if you lived under a rock, chances are someone could mindlessly kick it or pick it up and there you would be exposed to life and all it's events.  Yep, life is a nondiscriminatory experience.  It does not matter who you are, how much money you have, whether you are male or female, or what your ethnicity, it finds you wherever you reside.  So, how can having Faith help in life?  Very simply, Faith gives us Hope, it gives us a light by which to find our way in the dark times we experience.  And while it would be "nice" to only live in the light all the time, we would not grow if we only experienced one aspect of life. We would never know what light was if we did not experience the dark nights of the soul.  So Faith is a gift we are offered to help us find our way.  Wouldn't it be grand if humans had the Faith the rest of the world possesses?  A tree does not fret about life, nor do the birds or animal kingdom.  They waste no words complaining and pointing fingers, they simply reach for the heavens, stand firmly on Earth Mother and keep the Faith, that in the next season all will be in perfect balance.  Think of what we could learn from the Faith of a Tree, or our family pet, or the stars that continue to reside in the night sky.  I cannot imagine living on this planet without Faith.  It helps me know, without a shadow of a doubt, that everything will rebalanced and more stable very soon.  Until then, I am comforted knowing something more divine is managing the affairs of the world!  Thank Creator for Faith!  It helps me stay out of the way for the divine to do the work; all I need do is keep the Faith so others may see the benefits it brings.

When I first heard the teaching of not caring for people, I thought, "how selfish!"; then I learned more about what that really means.  According to the origin of the word "care", it means to "carry the burden."  So, in essence, to not care about someone is to have the utmost respect for them.  Whatever does that mean?  If you consider for a moment, that everything you have become is based on the experiences you have confronted.  We are all shaped by our experiences, when confronted with various situations, we have choices to make as to what we will do with the situation.  Every day we make dozens of choices as to what to do, say or think, and each one we decide gives us a consequence.  Hopefully, as we mature, we consider those consequences before taking action, rather then reacting to life.  If each of us are to grow, we need to take the time to consider how we became the person we are, then take responsibility for our choices and use that information when making new decisions.  As we do this we learn to respect ourselves and others as we carefully consider our actions.  IF we really respect our friends and family, we will know they are capable of making their own decisions and will learn more quickly if they make their own choices.  The tricky part is wanting to help those we love to have a "happy" life by making all the "right" choices, so we all too often quickly volunteer our advice.  Consider carefully that if we do this, we really are saying to the other person, "since you do not know how to take care of yourself, I will do it for you." And we all know how that works out, if the consequences are not what the person hoped for, guess who gets blamed!  So, consider showing respect to those in your life by "not carrying their burdens" and honoring they will grow in wisdom as they choose for themselves.  After all, don't we all have enough decisions to make in our own lives without getting involved in someone else's?  If you don't perhaps you could write a book so the rest of us could learn from you how to not have so many decisions to make!  So what can you do to help those you love?  You pray for them, you listen to their words, remind them you know they are capable of making a good choice, and you look in the mirror at your own life.  Is there something in your life you can do to support their life?  Chances are the answer to that is "yes." Now, instead of carrying their burden, take care of what is in front of you. 

Maybe I went to bed too early, maybe it's the humidity and warmth, or perhaps I simply need to put another entry on the blog.  Sleep is something I have been blessed with.  I know people who rarely get a good night's sleep, and gratefully, that is not true for me.  Generally when I cannot sleep there is something on my mind.  Since January, there have been many nights I have awaken for no apparent reason and if I get up, there is generally some point of clarity that reveals itself.  Must be the stillness of the night that opens an avenue that leads to discovering something the mind cannot hear during the busyness of day.  Even the birds sleep at night; it is very still where I live and I am grateful for the quietness.  My heart seems to speak to me more clearly in the middle of the night, or perhaps it is simply the lack of distractions that makes it appear that way.  Either way, I love the quietness of the night when only a hum can be heard in my ears, it is a great reminder that my heart does have a voice--gratefully, it is a sweet one that loves to sing to me.  I am grateful to know that in the stillness of night my heart connects to the divine and reminds me how precious and loved we all are.  Certainly makes waking up most rewarding! Now for some comforting sleepytime tea, then back to bed!