READING BETWEEN THE LINES.

Sometimes I almost forget that this blog is here for all the world to see.
I finally have tried to post a few things on Facebook and it's so odd. I guess that only people that I have "friended" can read what I write but I find it strange. I am now friends with people that actually live in my town, or near it and yet these are not people who would pick up a phone to "chat".
It goes both ways, I don't try to reach out either.
Someone was talking about gathering eggs and I thought "What? does she live in the country now?" but I guess it's a game about farming.....
Yet here on my blog I receive comments and in turn leave comments to "friends" that I have never met, yet who I feel really know me. People I admire and respect and who take time out of their day to visit me here. I will ramble on and on and not give it a thought to who might be reading. But I must remember that I should not post anything that can come back and haunt me. So I find myself with something I would like to share but realize that I can not, not really. 

So instead I will just say that to me, some of the most important things in life is for a person to have honor and compassion. To follow their conscience and do the right thing. So many times the noise of life can roar above the voice in our heads and our hearts. I think it's easy to make excuses or to listen to other people or to be motivated by greed or ego but if a person is quiet and really listens to their heart...they know what is right. It's like when someone makes an anonymous gift. They give it because they see the need, they know that someone or something needs help and they are able to help, so they do. Not to brag about it or to have a tax write-off but because they follow their heart.  So many times we ask others what to do about things but if we just take a moment to be still, we know.
Or maybe not. Maybe some people don't have that voice in their head or God or wherever they feel those words come from.

My Dad, who was NOT religious, always said to just treat people like you want to be treated and try to stay true to that and you should live a honorable life.
There have been times in my life when I have let myself be talked into something and felt that it was wrong but gave into peer pressure and I had such a heavy heart.  As I've gotten older, I find myself no longer really caring what others think I should do or not do. I just want to be able to go to sleep peacefully at night.

I know that I can not change other people and that are so many selfish heartless people in the world

and there's nothing that I can really do about them except to try to avoid them as much as possible. But unfortunately sometimes I am not able to  and I feel like their poison is spilling out and trying to contaminate me. I must step carefully.

It is my nature to back away from that negativity, turn and run.

But after much thought I think that it would be better to stay. Stay and hold up a mirror so that hopefully the reflection will bring shame and guilt. Stay and be strong.

Strong for those who are unable to defend themselves.

I feel like everywhere I turn lately there are signs, messages trying to guide me on the right path. A book I was reading that other day was talking about having passion for something in our lives. The kind of passion that makes us lose ourselves and all track of time. The author said that most of us discovered it when we were young, but we have forgotten it while being so busy dealing with our daily lives. Or maybe someone told us that it was silly or stupid and we decided to do what we were expected to do or what everyone else was doing. The book was talking about getting older and retiring and it stressed that instead of retiring, to try re-"firing". To work towards that passion again. I have many years before I can retire but I can start now to listening to my inner voice and onto the road to my passion, my happiness and away from people motivated by greed or evil or sheer laziness. 

I've been thinking quite a bit about my health lately and the effect of "aging" is having on me. I realize that I must eat better and exercise more but I think that stress plays a big factor. I think that if I could process stress differently, handled it differently, that I would feel better physically.  I will try to remember to make sure to "be quiet" and listen to my inner voice, be strong and were true to myself.

So, that's what I'm thinking about....handling stress better, dealing with mean people better, and following my passions and not backing away.