M.E.'s Thoughts

True love should never be hard, it is the selfishness in ourselves that make it seem like work. Yes, relationships take effort, but real love itself if simply a gift you give with no expectations, no limits, no conditions. It is not based on a person's actions, what they can or have done for you, nor who you are when you are with them. So love freely, beautifully, without abandon.

To start, my New Year’s resolutions for 2013 read much like ones in the past...to lose weight, get in better shape, be more “others oriented” and less self-centered and become more productive. How many of us make resolutions like this every year only to have our determination wane within the first few months of the New Year? Reading these my list, I knew before 2013 even started I would probably lose focus by January 31 st . Now it’s not that I specifically think of myself as lazy or unmotivated, in fact I believe I am a pretty dedicated person. So why did these goals seem so unattainable? In part, because they require a giant leap from one place in life across a chasm to the other side of a white picket fence and partly because they are actually very negatively skewed, focusing on my character flaws or personal deficiencies. But honestly, the main reason is because they just don’t sound that exciting. Frankly, exercise is not all that fun, and giving more of oneself can seem...

Let you replace my vision With your eyes See the world not as it is But as it can be Let you empty my mouth Of my own words Pouring your message Through my lips Let your thoughts Fully overtake my mind Feeding truth in life Clarifying the confusion Let my fickle feelings Be washed away By just emotion Of pure righteousness Let you change my actions From self indulgence To gracious giving Bringing greater reward Let my heart of stone Be softened tenderly Soaked to overflowing By your abundant love

I have a friend who is an amazing professional musician;  just watching and listening to him play you cannot help but appreciate the depth of his talent and skill. But even when he is on stage solo, he is not a one man show. When it comes to scheduling his bookings, marketing his music, bookkeeping and selling his merchandise...well, frankly, he needs help. Running a successful small business is a lot like being a musician. Often an entrepreneur starts with an  idea for a great product or service. They have the knowledge and skill in their chosen field to ensure they can deliver an excellent end result. But even with the best of ideas, a product itself does not make money.  It requires someone to sell it. Once sales take off,  it takes great leadership, legal and financial knowledge and an ability to build relationships in order for a solid business to really grow. And let's face it, with the exception of a small number of ridiculously gifted anomalies...

Lavish love  Spilling out spontaneously  Abundance feeding famished souls Alluring magnetism lifting downcast faces Drawing gazes skyward To the expansive glories Refreshing mercies Pouring forth freely From the beauty of the heavens Forgivness embracing brokenness Soothing saddened souls Releasing shackled hearts Streams of life Flowing in unceasing torrents Drenching withered vines to fullness Outstretched arms raising trampled spirits From mire and drudge Cleansing mud soaked wings Sparks of joy Exploding with vivid color Echoing with bursts of song and laughter Spontaneous smiles piercing darkened emptiness Bursting forth radiantly Igniting ashes into brilliant flame Lavish love, Bringing mercy, life, joy Redefining reality Cleansing conscience Rejuvenating freedom

Searing seas of emotion Tossing us from crest to depth Balance threatened by the shift Certainty wavering in the toss Fickle feelings playing games The mind deceived by beliefs Unfounded and falsely created Setting a cardboard stage Living based on roving moods Changing winds stirring up sands confusion and deceit whipped around Blurring our true vision Surrendering the truth of matters To inconclusive evidence Compulsions of the moment Scattering rational realities Step away from the crumbling edge Ground the day in contemplation Set foundations in the known Tread solid in the truth

What is heaven Fantastical flights of fancy Happily ever after Dreams of  dramatic desires Magic potions  Promising fairy tale endings Pictures brushstroked In perfect accord  Masterpieces of vivid colors Haunting lyrics that move the soul Drenched in melodies of purest emotion Rays of light slicing through cloud pillows Sensibilities lost in the supremacy of uncontrived nature  Devoured in chaotic beauty  A dance of spontaneous swirls   Wild beasts coddling innocence breeze that carries honeyed scents Crystal waters mirroring double rainbows Spreads of jeweled florals and golden grains   Imagine the most profoundly beautiful  Dream the decadent Conjure visions of lofty heights  Yet None can compare Even in slight To what is heaven 

Innovation is not the invention of something completely original. Our concrete world has a limited number of resources; every new idea, product or process launches from something already existing. There are only so many colors with which we can paint, a set number of tones our ears can hear, an established table of chemicals that have been discovered.  Innovation exists in the way we manipulate what already is; combining the known into something excitingly fresh. Everyone starts with the same basics. But where the innovation comes in is when these collide with your unique imagination and creativity. This is when endless possibilities can be realized. 

We have all been told we are unique, there is no one else in the world exactly like us. Yet with the slew of assessments for  personality types, intellectual styles and temperaments, it seems society is constantly trying to classify us despite our uniqueness. Rather than celebrate that we are each an original creation of our genetics, experiences, environments and beliefs, we are encouraged to find where we "fit in" or worse, "blend in". Perhaps there would be less identity angst if we were not always trying to fit a category. If we believe that we are intended to be one of a kind masterpieces, why are we struggling against nature to become photocopies? Be proud of not being "normal"; after all who wants to live in a crowded box?

Is the value of a diamond Determined by the gold of its setting? Is a pearl worthless While covered in sand and mud? Does the sun shine less brilliant When hidden from Earths face? Is the beauty of a bloom erased As the shadows of nights cover fall? Can the richness of fine metals Be tarnished by age and wear? Is the majesty of a mountain peak Diminished  when hidden from view? Buried treasure unseen by eyes Holds not only wealth beyond imagination But anticipation And hope Inspiring to focus and dig deeper The value of a pure heart Cannot be tainted by the world around Each soul holds great worth Despite the mire it has been dragged through The brilliance of a creative mind Exists even when undiscovered Age cannot negate the value of experience Wisdom is not lost with wrinkles and gray Value, beauty, brilliance exists within each of us Waiting to be uncovered, discovered, realized, celebrated.

Is it Perspective or the shifting breeze That changes the wisp of cloud imperceptibly It's form evolving unendingly As eyes watch from the ground far below What forces are behind the alterations undefinable but evident One moment something is as it seems And the next it is not the same at all How can being in the same place Everyday people doing everyday things Suddenly seem so foreign In comparison to how it seemed yesterday? Have we closed our eyes To the winds of change blowing through us Or is our shift in position So slight it cannot be measured or felt One day the sun is cool lemon yellow Brightening the trees with refreshing light The next it is on fire Orange blazing heat, scorching the ground beneath our feet Dread at the start of a new day Dragging emptiness around in our wagon The load draining our resources Chasing after the next big thing, or the cloak of night to cover us Energy at the dawn of the next day Happiness coursing through us,...

What is success? A number in the bank? A BMW in the driveway? A job title? We are all taught to strive to measure up. But what are we measuring against? Many of us look at our neighour and think "if I had what they have, then I would be a success; my life would be complete." Yet it is almost guaranteed that our neighbor is looking at the person across the street and thinking the same thing. Success should not be defined by external measures. That will only end in disappointment. No matter how much wealth and status you gain; how much you fight, trample or stress your way to the top, there will always be someone with more. So then, what should success be based on? It is... ...Knowing your value and living up to your potential. ...Discovering your unique "you"; knowing there is no one else in the world that can do something exactly the way you can ...Touching the lives of others; making an imprint on the world. ...Walking through every open door, or cra...

So, let’s be honest for a moment. Who ever thought a few years ago that an accounting firm would be using social media and blogs to connect with their clients? Facebook was created for friends to find each other and keep updated on the things happening in their lives. Twitter? A forum for celebrities and individuals to post every little random thought or activity just in case someone out there cared to know they were eating a piece of pepperoni pizza at that moment. But Social Media is growing up; it is quickly becoming a tool for serious business.  Why? Even a few years ago, work-life balance was all the buzz. Health experts and business analysts promoted the importance of creating a good balance between career and lifestyle for mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. However, with the advent of new workplace philosophies, things are evolving at a rapid pace. Companies such as Google and Apple are providing flexible work schedules and recreational facilities on-site that en...

According to a recent report on the radio, 80% of us do not take coffee or lunch breaks during work. Instead, we scramble relentlessly to get the job done. However, as soon as that job is finished, there always seems to be another waiting in the wings. Yes, working tirelessly on a project may be necessary on occasion, but is should not become a way of life. Sometimes allowing distraction to tempt you off track is actually of benefit. Too narrow a focus on a destination in the distance can lead to tunnel vision. Keeping your eyes only on the horizon, you are likely to miss the scenery along the way. Try taking the odd detour; it can sometimes offer a whole new vantage point bringing a fresh perspective. Without a little exploration, there is no discovery. It is easy to allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with our never-ending "to-do" lists; to constantly be looking at what is ahead rather than focusing on the moment. It is true that goals are good, they keep us moving f...

The difference between crazy and innovation is that crazy gives up. Every new idea seems unrealistic to most until tried, tested and proven possible. We are taught from an early age to weigh facts, consider odds, anticipate problems. Natural tendency causes us to doubt until something is proven, rather than believe enough to make it true. Human history has demonstrated that we can change the concept of truth with the introduction of rogue ventures. How did we change the fact that the world is flat? That small pox is an epidemic disease that kills? That Pluto is a planet? One crazy person with one crazy idea who would just not give up.

Without the clouds There can be no breaking of the sun Without the rain There would be no rainbows Without the pain There can be no relief Without injury No healing can take place Without failure There is no overcoming Without despair We cannot have hope Without weakness We cannot accept grace Without bondage We cannot experience freedom Embrace life's challenges Even when you are in the valley For atop the next mountain There is a silver lining