M.E.'s Thoughts

The difference between serving and pleasing others may not seem apparent at first but it can make a world of difference to your life. I was born in Japan and, although I only lived there for the first four years of my life, I seem to have adopted many Japanese characteristics and beliefs. One of the most ingrained is that to be a good Japanese woman, and in general, you serve. For years I assimilated serving others with pleasing them. It was not until many years later that I learned there is a world of difference between the two. This is a discovery I did not make overnight, in fact there are days I am still having to remind myself of this. It is easy to slip into the trap of wanting to make people happy, to "fix" things for them, if for no other reason than to feel appreciated and liked. But I've learned that this is not always doing them actual good. Striving to do what is best for someone does not always mean that person will be hap...

Nests of thorns tangled throughout the soul Twisting and choking fulfillment Slowly, each spindle is severed Cut away and tossed into the fire Barriers of stone surrounding the mind Keeping truth from penetrating  Deftly, each block is knocked away Fragments of rubble scattering the ground Walls of ice around the heart Blocking the radiant warmth  Steadily, the thaw melts in trickles Drips of dew gliding freely away For some revelation is sudden Healing instantaneous Life renewed in a glorious moment Transformation supreme Through divine unveiling The blind see perfect power His immense glory revealed As light banishes darkness For some it is a pilgrimage A plodding trail Battles won with still a war to fight Change imperceptible Through the trudge Lessons are learned to the core Strength is built faithfully Each step bringing clearer focus Neither is the better A moment of magic Or an arduous jo...

They say misery loves company, but who ever specified that the company  should also be miserable?  If you surround misery with love and joy, optimism and hope, how long  can misery endure?   Don't be defined by those around you; be the definition. Don't let  negative people drag you down to their level, instead raise them up to  yours. It is easy to let emotions take control of and give into the  mood of the moment. Emotion should not be our motivator, it should not define who we  are or what we do.  We tend to be creatures of immediacy; responding  to urges without pondering. But feelings are fleeting, and if we let  them guide us, life will become a treadmill race; a lot of energy  expended without a lot of progress. Going with your gut sounds great, but our gut is much better for  digesting rather then evaluating. Because how reliable are feelings? They are based on personal  perception, which lets face ...

Moored in a moment of life The present seems chaotic An impressionist's masterpiece Seen inches from the canvas Take a step back Absorb the scope of entirety Suddenly every splatter and slash Blends harmoniously together