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

A friend and I recently spent the day at the Ontario Science Centre. Yes, before you ask, it IS considered a place for kids and families, but often I feel like a big kid myself. I came away from the day feeling relaxed, inspired and rejuvenated. It caused me to wonder, why can't every day be like this? So, here are the  ways I have resolved to get more from life. And since I am unconventional, I have not kept the best for last; I have started with them first! 1. Have fun. Tell yourself it is OK to have fun. Adults seem to think we have to work hard to earn fun, nothings says we can't have fun anytime., even at work! 2. Be a kid. Let yourself get distracted and off course. That is often when you discover something new. 3. Relax! Give yourself a break from worrying, it really does  accomplish nothing (except maybe give you a headache). Know even in your most relaxed moments, you are achieving something. 4. Enjoy the moment. It is important to think forward a...

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...