LIFE 360

                     "We can touch each other in so many ways,                  throughout the nights and the days.                  You don't have to be near,                  as our love travels through the air" I have heard more than one real life case where someone passes and they are only discovered some days  later on. This is due to the fact that they lived alone and also largely went unnoticed. So many thoughts cross my mind whenever I hear of this. You wonder who were their loved ones. Were those who cared  about them far away? The most unsettling thought is that they may not have had anyone who truly cared for  them. I recall reading an article where it detailed that the man lived alone, ate alone, slept alone, and died  alone. This was all to solidify the point that lon...

If only we could start over, the sky would always be blue and our love would always be true.      So many of us wish for a "do over." We wish we could step back into time and do some things differently. We don't like some of the results we have now so we want to go back and change our answers. We may find ourselves asking the question: What could I have done differently with the  same tools or opportunities that I had then? Now more than ever I understand why we sometimes think like this although it may be entirely fruitless to do so. After all we can't change the past, what is done is done. However, it may help us to find peace with our decisions if we turn them inside out, analyze them and determine why we made them. This could help us to make less choices that we will regret later on.      Getting older certainly can play some tricks on our mind. It has made me think more and more about when I was younger. This, of course,...

     It's a new year, so that means it's time to reflect on the past year and have hopes for the new year. When I really stop to think about it,  I think I had a good year for most part. I don't know if I should mention the scandalous part first or save it for last.  I probably shouldn't describe it as being "scandalous" as it's nothing out of the ordinary. It's just another story of girl meeting boy, and they end up having amazing sex. I might as well continue talking about it, so here we go. It's one of those cases where you meet someone when you were not looking to meet someone. It just happened and you immediately feel a connection, an attraction. You start doing things together until it progresses into the bedroom.  Then you discover that he's a badass in bed. He doesn't hold back. He makes all your senses come alive while helping to relieve the stress of work and school (college).  I hope I said that without sayin...

"There's darkness and light, sunshine and rain. Nothing remains the same."      Life is a battle in itself. Every day we fight for or against something or even someone. As soon as  we cross one river, there's another to cross. This is why we can often feel like throwing our hands up  and just give up or give in. The light at the end of the tunnel may be taking too long to appear.  That's when we feel like it's all too much and we just can't be bothered anymore. However, when that  wave of hopelessness crashes into us, that's when we have to become a skilled survivor, ride it out  and come out on top.      We have to remember that nothing remains the same, after the darkest night, the sun still appears. When we keep on fighting that's when we get rewarded for not giving up. But we have to believe that things can change for us. When we embed hope in our heart, the light appears.  I went throug...

"A belief can either save us or destroy us."      Human history shows that we have always felt the need to believe in something or someone.  We have certainly have some rather strange beliefs which warrant some SMH moments.  Even to this day some people have some wacky beliefs in which they remain steadfast.  Maybe doing so helps to  escape harsh realities.  There are countless songs that express the need to believe in love itself or a  lover, and to believe in ourselves and our dreams.      However, in these chaotic times, what can we truly believe in?  What can we hold onto comes what may?  I would love to hear what people would say in response to these questions.  I know many would give a response based on their religious beliefs.  That's okay.  We may not all have fervent religious beliefs but we understand that others do.  Some would immediately think about their ...

"The more things change, the more they remain the same."      I love history.  I love to read it and I love to think about it.  I somehow feel very connected to the  past.  I think about my ancestors and what their daily lives were like.  I think about things they may  have said and how they might have felt.  I know they must have been strong and determined.   Sometimes I may just hear a current news story which makes me start to think of a historical event.  I do like to put things into historical context as it makes me see how the past still affects the present.     One such example of this is when I heard the news of Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle. Someone mentioned how a biracial woman is marrying into British royalty.  They also stated how an  American woman is marrying a wealthy European man.  Immediately, I thought about a story  about Ne...

"We need renewals to feel alive again after a period of drought."       It sure can look bleak at times when we look out on the landscape of life.  Dreams have been dashed and hope has faded like ink on an old piece of paper.  We resign ourselves to fate and say that "it just isn't in the cards for me."  Of course, we can't always get what we want but there are just some things that we need.  That burning desire isn't just a want but is something we need to accomplish.  It is  imprinted on our soul.  It could be a career or a relationship goal.  Whatever it is, we often give up when it doesn't happen within a certain time frame.  We see it happening for others and think, why not  me?  The problem with that is that we never know what's coming down the pipeline for us and we also don't know when the universe considers it the right time to give us what we desire.     ...

Mistakes and regrets are the best of pals, unfortunately for us."      When this topic came to mind, I immediately thought of the song that says, "Regrets, I've had a few but then again, too few to mention." I guess in this case too few regrets are better than one, big regret. It all depends on how much the regrets are affecting you psychologically and socially.  I know of regrets that affect people to the point where they can't move forward.  They play over the mistakes (in their mind) that have led to them feeling disappointed or sad.  Regrets can spring up from any kind of events or situations.  You can feel contrite about letting go of a love that you should have held onto or it could  be about a marriage that you should not have had.  It could be about a missed opportunity that most  likely won't come your way again.  Your regret could stem from having lost the chance to say "I'm sorry" or "...

"It's a way to humiliate and punish the person who has less power."      It seems you can't turn on the news these day without hearing about a powerful boss who has   practiced sexual harassment in the workplace for years.  The richer and more powerful the boss is, the  more he gets to act with impunity with the biggest consequence being having to shell out some money to the victims.  This usually doesn't stop the bad behavior because these bosses are wealthy so the  money is hardly a dent in their deep pockets. The victims may continue to work under these deplorable conditions or they may be fired.  We have read how much these bosses will find ways to  punish their accusers.  After all, they don't want their depraved behavior to be revealed.  Also, these  workplace sex predators do become exceptionally vengeful when their targets don't allow them to have their way with them. However, d...

"I'm fortunate that music has always been there to hug and talk to me."      My love affair with music began from I was a child growing up in the Caribbean.  In fact, I lived  next door to a recording studio.  It was obviously soundproof as I didn't hear any music filtering out. However, I would notice the musicians coming and going.  My love of this art form is a natural pull   towards the magnetic power and beauty of music.  From I was a child, I would keenly listen to many  songs to the point where years later with the advent of YouTube, I can easily search and find them.   I  remember so many song titles or lines from their chorus from my childhood memory.      I do believe the soothing nature of music is what attracted me to it so much.  I recall listening to  Michael Jackson's Off the Wall  album on my Walkman just as I was about to enter my teen years. ...

"A beautiful personality is magnetic and illuminating."      A recent experience compelled me to write about personality.  It really struck me how someone's  attitude and mannerism is the best thing about a person.  I was sitting in a fast food restaurant having a  quick lunch.  A young man seated across from me started a conversation with the cashier.  He was  pleasant and complimentary.  He told her the food at that location tasted better than the food at  another of their location.  I happened to agree with this having eaten at both locations.  Throughout his conversation, I just kept thinking how friendly and polite he was.  It all seemed genuine which made  me believe that's his natural personality.      Then I thought of how sad it is that we live in a world where many don't realize that someone's personality alone can make them beautiful.  Inste...

"The stakes are always high in a game of cheating."      When I think about the topic of cheating, I generally think about those who cheat in love, in sports or in business.  It's a broad subject but I will focus on cheating in love in this blog.  Cheating is  probably as old as the water in the oceans.  There was someone long ago who had the first (dis)honor  of cheating on his/her partner. We have to bear in mind that it can only be regarded as cheating if you  live in a society where monogamy is the accepted framework for relationships.  We know by now that  there are varied structures of relationships in different societies. Even right here in America where  monogamy is the norm, we have those who practice their "fringe love" which includes having more  than one partner.      Let's get back to the monogamous relationship where we expect the two people involved to be...

"With wisdom comes wrinkles"           When we're in the prime of our youth, giddy with vitality and possibilities, we don't stop to think  about when we become senior citizens.  We really shouldn't as we should enjoy each stage of our lives without being filled with angst about the next stage to come.  Childhood should be reveled in, the teen years and our twenties should be a time for explorations and self-discovery.  Then it's onward to the  thirties and forties where we balance family, work and finding time for some rest and relaxation.   Of course, you build your retirement plans and make provisions for health care along the way.   However, each stage of our lives must be lived in the moment without stressing over the future stages.      If we're fortunate, we get to join the esteemed ranks of the elderly population.  It's a group that I  admire because they hav...

"Look both way before you spend your money"      The ups and downs of money plagues most of us. We spend a lot of time and energy thinking about it and trying to acquiring it. We grew up hearing both positive and negative sayings about  money such as "money is power," "the fool and his money are soon parted," "money can't buy love/ happiness." Our view of money is formed based of what we see or hear in our immediate environment. This can determine whether we become money savvy or reckless with money.      When we become adults, we're responsible for our own money. We have to decide how we allocate  it. This is where we have to think before we spend it.  It becomes like a two-way street where we have  to look both ways before we proceed. We have to practice safety when we start spending.  We don't  want to spend on other things then become unable to maintain a roof over our head.  We...

"You have to define your own beauty when this world is wrong about you."      This topic has been on my mind since I recently saw some old pics of someone who is deemed to be beautiful by the media. I must say I was surprised as I just didn't know that she looked different back  then from she does now. The pics convinced me that she had quite a bit of work done on her face and body. That has me thinking about what really is beautiful. If a surgically enhanced face is seen as  beautiful, why are some natural faces being called unattractive?  Why is fake appearance being lauded over a natural appearance? This is when I concluded that we each have to define our own beauty.  We  simply can't sit back and let this world tell us that our looks is 'less than" while it extols the looks of  people who got theirs from a surgeon's scalpel.      I'm not against those people who get work done on themselv...

"Sometimes a dream is the only glimmer in our eyes." We all have dreams. They come to us naturally. Dreams often let us know what we're gifted to do as the inclination is strong to pursue a certain career or activity. Dreams fill our mind and give us a  purpose - something to look forward to. Sometimes a dream is the only thing we have that makes us  want to go on. We create stories in our mind about what it's like to pursue and finally achieve our  dreams. If someone wants to be a designer, I bet it gets really colorful in his or her mind. The future designer sees the materials, the sketches and the completed designs vividly in his/her head. A smile  comes across the face of a dreamer. Just dreaming about your aspiration is satisfying.      Then there's the flip side (there always is). Some people do say that some dreams are unrealistic and when we hold on to these lofty ideas about what we should be, it prevents u...

"We're all pupils in the school of life"      The table where we sit to receive our lessons from life itself has to be quite large. There's a seat  reserved for everybody. We're all summoned to this table where our lessons about love and kindness  are mixed in with our lessons about greed and selfishness. Many of us may think that these life lessons are doled out to us with nothing to cushion the blow or with nothing sweet to counteract the bitter  taste. We may even think that our lessons may be harsher than that of the person across the table  from us. Some of us many even take a page out of the book of someone who had dealt wisely with a problem similar to our own. There's absolutely nothing wrong with learning from each other.      The wise ones have said that there's nothing we are going through that someone else hasn't  experienced. We can certainly reflect on how that person dealt with it ...

"Forgiveness is a pinnacle that is hard to reach."      We will all eventually find ourselves in situations where we have to decide whether or not to forgive the actions, or even words, of someone close to us. I believe a lot of things do influence whether or not  we choose to forgive. Our upbringing, our religious beliefs and our own personalities are driving forces when we are faced with the dilemma of forgiveness. We will hear some people say that they were  taught to forgive because the Father forgives us while others do say that they need to forgive for their  own peace of mind. Some people have it in them to be "the bigger person" and let "bygones be  bygones." We have a beautiful sounding word for it known as being "magnanimous."      Whatever that helps to lead us down the path of forgiveness does not negate from the fact that it is a  difficult thing to do. We humans seem mostly to be na...

"There's something spiritual when you look at delicious meals on your table"      We are told from early on in our lives to give thanks before we devour a hearty meal. We have to  thank the providers and those who prepared it. Everything on our plates was once a living thing so we should be grateful for the sacrifice of their lives so we can eat. Mother Earth is a goddess that sustains  us. We should never take it lightly when we have food on our table. It takes a lot of measures to get us  to the point where the aroma fills our home and heart.      I grew up in the sunshine of the Caribbean. I've always loved the food that was all around me. The  Caribbean cuisine has been influenced by many cultures. Whether it's dishes from Europe, Africa, Asia  or North America, it's all there. You can indulge your senses year round with the varied meals you eat  in the Caribbean. The tropical fruits...

"Friendship adds a layer of beauty to our lives"      What I find most beautiful and endearing about friendship (the true kind) is that you reveal things to  your friends that you often don't share with your own family members. You have put a certain level of  trust into someone that you're not genetically related to and may not have known from your childhood. When that trust is not betrayed by either party, that's when you realize how awesome friendship really    can be. It gives you someone to talk with, laugh with and just be yourself with. The conversations between friends can get as real as life is. Dreams, hopes and fears are shared along with the  disappointments and mistakes.      We don't travel along the road of life by ourselves so it's great when you can reach out to a passing stranger and ignite a friendship that makes the journey less wearisome. In all honesty, we know when  ...