Persistence Is Taking Rest and Taking the Plunge All Over Again

It has been a year hiatus and here I am again, have newfound courage and kindness to myself to endure toward a new journey to a writing, solitary world. Yes, coaxing myself to get busy again and share the wisdom gained from "adulting", and making time believing--- in the goodness of the universe to those who have the courage to persist, despite limitations and all. This, I guess, can make a lot of difference to this mundane existence.

When I stopped writing articles, I had this notion that I have been repeating myself. It seemed that I have reached the peak of my creativity and had to go slow, down to the valley, where crest of inactivity buried the passion to the center of the earth--and, hoping that one day, such would be reborn, like a phoenix from ashes. So, here I am--vibrant and vigor-laden, ready to gamble again, against the discriminating eyes of the editors, and whims of those who are fond of reading articles with sense.

From the different situations I have been in to the new relationships sought and cherished to the lessons learned from relating to the love and hatred formed along the way to the endless attempts to become a better version of myself to the long and winding road to contenment..whew!

Such a journey made me more loving to myself, more understanding of other persons around, kinder to those who needed the most kindness and all.

Still, the incompetence of becoming like "human king,"hinders sanity to become saner, and the humanity to become more humane.

Each one deserves the chance to fully develop into a magnificent creature of the ONE who chose all of us co-existing and learning along the way toward maturity and all.

When one reaches the belief that everyone is valuable, liken to a kitten to its cat and a child to his mother, only then could our existence be meaningful and uplifting. Nobody deserves to experience pain from immaturity of some, cruelty of few, and insanity of one.

All we need is love. Just like my passion to writing, has been invigorated and all when kindred soul coaxed me to take up my parked pen again, and let the words find their own glory, when they have fallen to the right places-- worthy to be heard and taken as wisdom to everyday living, loving and learning journeys.

So, take a rest if you may, but please don't stop pressing on after... with your passion, whatever it is.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Persistence-Is-Taking-Rest-and-Taking-the-Plunge-All-Over-Again&id=10046615

Life Purpose After Retirement

Julie had been a middle school teacher for 35 years and, while she loved her work, she was happily anticipating retirement. A few months into it, she found herself at loose ends, with no real motivation or focus. Something was missing. And that something, she realized, was a sense of purpose. She enjoyed the freedom of retirement, but needed a reason to eagerly get out of bed in the morning. She needed something that felt meaningful and fulfilling in her life.

Retirement is something many people look forward to, only to find it isn't what they thought it would be. It's great to no longer be driven by the alarm clock and schedules. It's wonderful to pursue fun activities you didn't have time for before. But most people aren't truly happy in retirement without a purpose. Life expectancies are much longer than they used to be and a fulfilled life involves more than just filling up time.

Purpose implies making a contribution to the larger whole in some way. It involves using your talents, skills and passions to create an impact in a way you find enjoyable. Not having a sense of purpose can erode self-esteem and affect your own well-being and health.

Whether you found your true calling in your work, put it on hold, or simply never connected with it, retirement actually offers new possibilities to explore.

You may want to give back to the community by volunteering or teaching part time to share the knowledge you have with regard to your former business, hobbies or life lessons. You can also be a mentor or writer to accomplish those goals.

This is also a time when the pace of life has slowed to allow time to ponder the larger, deeper questions of life. Some people connect back with their spiritual beliefs through their church community while others may explore new ideas and restructure their spiritual path. Self growth is an important part of your purpose and can lead to many new avenues in your life.

The idea is to continue to fully engage with life. Now you are free to do it on your own terms.

Here are some questions to ponder to help you get in touch with your purpose:

• What did I enjoy in my younger years that I've put on the back burner?
• What talents and skills do I enjoy using?
• What am I passionate about? (What lights me up, makes time disappear?)
• What causes or social issues do I care about?
• When do I feel most creative and alive?
• What motivates me?
• What are my top values?
• What would I regret never having done when I get to the end of my life?

Take your time to contemplate these questions. Write down your thoughts. Then leave them and come back to them later. You may have more to add and new insights may reveal themselves over time.

Then, when you have a direction, what actions will you need to take to manifest this purpose in your life? Do you need help to get started? Do you need to contact an organization in order to join forces? How will you engage with this purpose?

What is one step you can take to get started on your new path of purpose?

https://ezinearticles.com/?Life-Purpose-After-Retirement&id=10232516

Our Failures Prove Meaningful - A Note To Steve Jobs' Stanford Revelation

'Now each of you is going to name his or her most favourite life motivator. One whose philosophy you adhere to unconditionally,' said a psychology professor in an integration class for university novices when the academic year rolled out, straight after my high school graduation. Fresh, inexperienced and village-originated, it came out soon that I feared myself from mingling with loud, aggressive and several pontifical city-grown-ups, so that my concentration in classes gradually decreased and hangouts with somebody alike was out of question.

Despite arrangements for stay at my elder aunt's and my family's pride on first member for a long time accepted to university, I was suffering. Even though I was surprising myself with study results in detested courses such as Math or Meteorology, there was no experience of the 'student life' for which many end up missing their academic years once over. I felt and was mostly alone; taking piercing looks and by-comments to heart, fighting it with ever more in-depth self-studies, long-runs and well-being simulation. Wearing a mask grew oppressive; my uncle back home was progressively submitting his self-conscience to Parkinson and, meanwhile the second term, he died. Attending mourners were greedy for uplifting information on my progress, building another level of oppression with stressful expectations from me. Another elder aunt's health back home was getting down. Finally, I announced inevitable year-interruption of my studies, which of course turned out to be my own choice of spillout as well.

I did not have my 'motivating pacemaker' back then, except that I was possessed with spiritual works of Paulo Coelho and thus named him to the class, which was met with recognition, say nearly everyone knew him and nearly no one named religiously non-iconic or mass non-leading examples. I had never thought of Paulo Coelho as my inner motivator and I had not appointed him to be. I merely stretched out for him in emergency. Now I know that, like him, I like entering people's 'interiors' to weaken their cancers of self devaluation and of world malady impression.

Steve Jobs, a renowned life motivator, gave one of his most winning stimulating public revelations with a tint of academic-commencers reflection. May this realistic picture of 'failures' do not shatter anyone's stability based on wrong presumption that 'one needs to lean on a successful life-inspiring person' where only the success deems inspirational. For knowing the successful side only leads to copying. Whereas knowing the true struggle, which preceded, leads to the essential learning.

And so amiable Steve Jobs unloads significant portion of feared concerns from the newly admitted Stanford students by serving them the truth of life inevitability to failures, which are going to turn in their favour, as long as they do not settle by giving everything up. No theatrical sugar talk, but a seemingly 'dramatic' BREAKFAST OF HOT REALITY, DRY FEARS AND HARD-BOILED OUTCOMES to waken them, the still unfamiliar young ones, and, at the same time, to remind the experienced ones, that 'NO ONE IS EVER TO ESCAPE' the 'final count-down'. Thus cherish your limited time, ignore the dreary surrounding opinions and become passionate about 'what you truly want to become', because no one else but us sets the verge of the road.

Incidentally, outside of Jobs' opening speech we received a complementary tool for unsettled hunger for life and 'foolishness', and that is Steve's discovered and developed SKILL OF PERCEPTION, OUR INTERPRETATION of passed and contemporary to near and distant future.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Our-Failures-Prove-Meaningful---A-Note-To-Steve-Jobs-Stanford-Revelation&id=9928021

Life Is Not Easy - At Best, It Is Satisfying

All failure is a temporary stepping stone to success at best. The most genuine successes have the bigger seeming failures that are the most temporary stepping stones to genuine permanent successes. Take a good inventor for example: A good or great inventor is mostly a failure, but one success or two, and they are in "The Legends Club", so to speak. What do I mean? Okay, Thomas Edison was said to have failed many times at inventing the light bulb before he found what worked, right. That is the simple version of what people with great ideas go through before they make it to success. Usually, failures are even bigger and time investments are more pronounced when working toward genuine success.

At worst, when quitting happens, someone else takes up the mantle from that quitting and makes a success of themselves. So, I can honestly say that the person who quits or lets the loss be "the end of them" does not want to achieve the goal they are after genuinely enough. Because, ultimately, what can be conceived rationally and worked on persistently, can be genuinely achieved. The greater the goal, the more this sort of time investment is needed and wanted to achieve it. It may not be easy, but when success happens, it is satisfying as Michelangelo having been rumored to say about the Sistine Chapel painting and art: "If they knew the hard work that went into easy looking genius, they would not consider it so easy or worthy of awe." I get it. "The Legends Club" of those who have succeeded and "arrived" genuinely is filled with this type of thing where success comes after diligent, realistic and hard yet smart work.

The only meaningful loss there is really is the loss that teaches a lesson and helps you succeed later. All other quitting, losses and lapses are worth nothing but "drama queen" type feeling sorry for yourself and weakness.

When you join the "legends" and "geniuses", you will find the first sentence in that last paragraph completely real, honest and true. The only meaningful loss there really is teaches a lesson that helps you succeed later. Indeed, at the end of this article, I can honestly say that the only meaningful win in life is earned. Everything else is "the luck of the draw" purely. So, if I captured reality in a bottle let me know.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Life-Is-Not-Easy---At-Best,-It-Is-Satisfying&id=9883528

What Meaning Do You Assign To Your Life? (By Kate Strong)

Courses

I'm doing two courses at the moment, a Food Body and Spirit course through a Sufi University and a 6 month course with high vibration teacher plant essences. Both courses are bringing up a lot of memories from my childhood.

The Shame Game

The core energy I am experiencing in the healings is around Elevation. To raise me up so subsequently I am having a lot of shame coming to the surface, as shame is the lowest vibration we can experience.

I was raised in a very patriarchal family, and my early school days were governed by what can only be described as a sadistic headmaster. He singled me out as he had issues with my father, as my father was the Chairman of the School Committee. I suspect the further back through the generations you go his style of commandership was considered normal, as you spared the rod and spoiled the child.

Shaming, violence and humiliation were the order of the day. That's how you kept kids in line. Like cattle being prodded.

Aftereffects

I don't like groups and especially don't like learning in a class situation so I like to do all my study on my own. I can see why now. The fear, violence and shaming in the classroom when I was age 5-10 contributed to brain freeze, and I often froze in high school in a classroom setting.

So I came away thinking I only went to school to eat my play lunch and that I wasn't a good learner. And a lot of fear of authority, and fear of my voice.

Assigning Meaning

For me one of the biggest ways I was shamed was by attributing what I did to being female. So subsequently everything I have done, or do, I assign a meaning of less than to, and to counteract that I puff myself up to feel important or meaningful, but the core feeling I have is of feeling worth-less.

One of the biggest areas I struggle is in cooking. I don't like to cook and I see why now. I attributed this to being woman's work and so therefore had less of a value. Where in fact cooking is neutral, it's the meaning I assigned to it.

I realised that I assign meaning and value to things. Myself, my day, my life, my purpose, my beliefs, what I watch on TV, if I decide to put nail polish on, or put out the trash, or do the dishes, or stay in bed. They are all neutral in value, but I give them their worth.

And the worth I had been giving them was less-than. Because they were the patriarchal voices in my head, drilled into me, that I had to obey. Those voices were very hard to identify because I just did as they were told. But experienced it as anxiety because they were not my true beliefs, if they were I would be experiencing peace.. They were anchored in early child experiences. Still alive in my subconscious.

What meaning and worth are you assigning to things in your life and where did that meaning come from?

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Meaning-Do-You-Assign-To-Your-Life?&id=9615414

Does Your Life Feel Alive And Meaningful? (By Margaret Paul, Ph.D.)

Vera sought out counseling with me because her doctor advised her to discover the emotional causes of her chronic fatigue. Vera, a successful stockbroker, was in a loving 18-year marriage. On the surface, everything in her life was fine. She had enough money, friends and a good relationship with her husband. Yet Vera awoke each morning battling fatigue and depression. She didn't want to get out of bed because nothing felt meaningful to her.

David sought my help because of chronic feelings of inner emptiness. David is very successful in his manufacturing business, has a good marriage and two adult children. Like Vera, everything seemed fine. Yet the feelings of inner emptiness drove David to overeat, overspend and indulge in porn on the Internet. Like Vera, nothing felt meaningful to him.

While both Vera and David were successful in their careers, neither loved their work. They worked to make money, but their work held little meaning for them. Yet when they looked inside, neither could discover what was meaningful for them. Both reported that they had never experienced a sense of meaningfulness in their adult lives, and that the emptiness and depression had been with them since adolescence.

As I worked with each of them, it became evident that they had made a decision early in their lives to shut down their feelings to avoid the deep pain of unbearable loneliness and heartbreak. Vera shut down because she was unable to tolerate the loneliness of her mother's behavior toward her. Her mother would say she loved Vera, but Vera never felt her love. Instead, she felt her mother energetically pulling at her, trying to suck the life out of her. As a very sensitive child, Vera could not tolerate this confusing experience, so she put her feelings in a box and decided to live from her head instead of her heart.

David, also a very sensitive child, shut down because he was unable to tolerate the loneliness of being with two emotionally unavailable empty parents, and the heartbreak of rejection from peers.

As adults, both Vera and David were still shut down to their feelings. They were still afraid of feeling the pain of loneliness and heartbreak - feelings that are actually everyday facts of life. Loneliness is present when your heart is closed or another's heart is closed, or when there is no one with whom to share love. Loneliness is the primary feeling when we want to connect with another and the other is unavailable. Heartbreak can occur when others who are important to you are unloving to you. If you were completely open to your feelings, you would likely feel moments of loneliness and heartbreak or heartache throughout the day. However, many people shut themselves off from these feelings, completely unaware of them. Instead, the moment there is a twinge of emotional pain, they turn to various addictions and addictive behaviors, such as substances, activities, rumination, shame and blame. The problem with this is that when we shut out pain, we also shut out joy and a passionate sense of meaning and purpose.

Pain and joy are in the same place in the heart. Neither Vera nor David could discover what had meaning for them and what would bring them joy while keeping a lid on their feelings. The very act of keeping their hearts closed to their feelings was creating their depression and inner emptiness.

Imagine that your feelings are like a child within you. If you ignore this child - by ignoring your feelings - he or she feels abandoned. Our refusal to be in Step One of our inner work process - to feel and take responsibility for our own pain - is an inner abandonment and results in anxiety, depression and inner emptiness.

It is your child within - your feeling self - that has the blueprint for what has meaning for you, for your passion and purpose. Each of us comes to this life with a deep purpose to express, and when we don't express it, we end up feeling empty and depressed. Yet we cannot discover our purpose when we keep a lid on our feelings.

Learning to manage the pain of loneliness and heartbreak is essential to discovering your passion and purpose.

There is no way of managing loneliness and heartbreak without a deep and personal connection to a spiritual source of love and wisdom. We cannot manage these feelings from our mind alone.

You will find deep meaning in your life when you decide to practice our healing process - opening to and learning from your feelings of loneliness and heartbreak, rather than continuing to shut them down. And you will open to these feelings only when you do not feel alone inside - when you begin experiencing the love and wisdom of your spiritual Guidance. Opening to Divine Love and opening to your feelings will bring you the fullness, joy, passion and purpose that are the yearnings of your soul.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Does-Your-Life-Feel-Alive-And-Meaningful?&id=9448386

The Lost Bonds

"How can you do this to me? I never anticipated something so hurtful to come from your end of our relationship."

"Please. Let me explain. I know what you might be thinking, however, you need to believe me. It's just not what you think it is. The truth is... "

"The truth is that you don't love me anymore! You never cared for me at all. Do you still believe I would invest my valuable time to heed to your crap story? I tried to console myself, but it was too late for explanations. There is nothing left for me, nor for you in this relationship. I think it's about time. You know what I mean, don't you?"

"What!... You can't be serious, right? Tell me that you are simply joking. Ha-ha! This is simply another of your silly pranks, isn't it? Stupid, stupid me. How did I not see that coming? Alright. I fail. You win. Let's finish this already now. Will you?"

"Yeah. You are right! Let's finish this... now!".

And he walked away, without saying another word. Maybe, it was all for the better. Perhaps, it was a wise decision. Two days later, a team of City Police found her body near a lake. The death was investigated and it turned out to be a suicide. A week later, he got to know about the incident that took place at the lake. He was shocked. Tears are pretty funny. They arrive without a legal notice and at times, out of the blue, totally unexpected. I don't know why he cried, neither his love nor his promises were alive. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he wished it were all but a silly prank. Maybe, humans are vulnerable to pain more than they know. From that moment, he was never the same. His life was completely changed. Twenty years had passed since then, he was now married and had two children. Was he happily married? I am not so sure about that part of it. The only source of happiness in the house, if there was any, were the two children, a son, and a daughter. In his early days as a father and a husband, this new life brought in happiness and joy. However, as the future unfolded itself, he never imagined that he would have to face his past again. At 17, his daughter asks-

"Dad, I have a boyfriend. I don't want to hide anything from you. Will you agree to see him, maybe tomorrow?"

I am not certain if the daughter understood the meaning of the long silence that followed her question. However, I do think of one question that might have crossed her mind.

My dad is my hero. I hope he approves our relationship. Fingers crossed. The daughter was certainly hoping for a positive answer. She was proud of her father.

He told her that he will need some time before he arrives at any reasonable answer. He must have had a hard time, trying to convince himself that, what he needed was, Time. Time never solves any problems, it sure tells us, though, how long have we been wasting the same. Anyhow, he had a bad night that day. He couldn't sleep all night. Every time he thought about his daughter and she having a boyfriend, he had these flashback memories from the past. What if he leaves her alone? What if he fails to keep my daughter happy? And what if... There was this one thing he was always scared to let anyone know. The biggest mistake of his life!

Next morning, he said nothing. How will I be able to face my daughter? I believe this question must have blocked almost all of his actions. Lie to her?. Well, there are other voices inside of us too. I know he must have tried hard, not to be distracted. He is now a father after all, not some college boy in his 20's with loads of self-esteem and ego. Anyway.

He ignored. He repelled. He ran. He never really spoke to his daughter after she told him, they were getting married. The memories from the past were haunting him. What would happen if I tell them the truth? How will my wife and my children react? He was full of questions and not one person to approach. They say he was always running away from his family, his children and the society. Little did they know, about me. No one but I was aware of his fear. He was running away from a few questions, buried long ago in the dust of the past. Something made them reappear again. He had had ensured nothing like so happens, however.

No one can survive alone. He understood that some ten years down the line. He was a little delayed in his flight of realization. However, the delay cost him his daughter. The other day he visited his daughter's place. The sign outside read, "Mr. And Mrs... ". Should he be proud? I don't know. He knocked at the door. No answer. He waited a few moments and knocked again. A woman in her 30's appeared from behind the door. A moment of reunion, or so he thought. He was able to recognize her perfectly. I guess he expected a little talk, a chance to apologize and maybe a little confession. He wasn't ready, though. She stood there silent, waiting for him to say the words he should have said a long time ago. However, it was too late. Before he gathered enough courage and opened up to say anything, the door was closed. I don't know what was going on in his mind then, but one thing for sure should have troubled him. The doors were closed for him, forever.

He spent the rest of his life, wandering through the footprints left by the people he loved the most. He would visit places loved by his daughter. He would admire her belongings at home. He would think about her and pray for her well-being. His son flew abroad for higher studies. He would call him but seldom did he answered the call. He had a house but was unable to transform it into a home. He had his beloved wife, though, someone who will stay by his side forever. I understand that he must have felt all alone, without his children and with little to no happiness around. Still, if you are with a person you love the most, it's the best feeling. He decided to finally tell her everything that took place that day at the lake and about the girl whom he rejected. Finally, he was trying to do something right!

It was the evening time, at around 9 after the dinner. His wife was sitting on a chair, watching TV. The show was a family series. She must be missing her children badly, now that they had not seen her for a long time. He noticed certain stillness in her body. She was sitting there for a long time, staring at the TV constantly. Is she sad? Is this a good time to talk about this? The heart, that a moment ago was prepared for anything, was suddenly pushed back into the state of confusion. He approached her moving one step at a time from behind the chair. "I have to tell you something dear. Back in my college days, I loved a girl. She was my girlfriend. But I treated her very badly and in a harsh way. I was immature and had no idea how it will affect her. We had an argument and I left her all by herself. Two days later, the police found her body. She committed suicide." He was crying as he spoke the next few sentences. He was about to tell her the biggest mistake of his life. He was in no condition going to back off, have come so far in his efforts. He said, "She was with child... I had no idea. I never... ever... " he was crying buckets, and his voice was getting all wet. He took a few steps ahead and sat near her knees. He was holding her hands and placed his head on her lap to let out his pain and sorrow. However, the moment he saw her, he was silent. I didn't see that coming, honestly. I know things were bad, but the way they are now, hardly anything good will happen ever again. He was taken aback by the sight in front of his eyes. For a second his face looked shocked and surprised. But then he burst into laughter. Tears were flowing unstoppable and yet he somehow managed to laugh. "I know what this is. I know very well. A silly little prank. Right?" She lay on the chair, dead. "Please tell me you are acting, that you are not!... Please wake up! Please tell me you heard what I just said... Please! Please! Please! " He couldn't hold onto his nerves for long and the entire room echoed his pain and tears.

It was all happening so fast. I hardly had any time to help him. He was a broken man. He had his share of past, which he never let out. However, when he did, there were no ears to listen to him. He felt as if nothing is left for him. He had no home, no children, no wife and somehow he felt he was losing himself too. He used to walk down the street, across the road at a coffee shop every day. It was this coffee shop which made something meaningful out of his meaningless life. It was here where he used to relax and where he met many young students and people from different places. It was here, in this coffee shop where he met me, Mark. Sometimes, the people who will understand you are the ones who were never understood by anyone. I was back then, just a beginner. I used to write poems, phrases, articles, stories based on what I saw and felt. No one paid any attention towards me. I was a loner, sort of. I lived alone, I worked alone, I cried alone, I laughed alone, and pretty much every other thing that you are supposed to be doing with your friends, I did all that alone. It was in this coffee shop when I first met him. I won't name him, not now, not ever. He is a general figure, the main character of this story. Similar to the fact that you are the main character of your story. When I met him, he was a good looking, happy person. Yet, the last time I met him, he looked dull and with no enthusiasm whatsoever. I remember him sitting right next to my table. For hours and hours, we used to talk. He told me all about his past and how he screwed up everything. I listened patiently. However, that day when we came to the coffee shop, he said something I just knew what he meant. "I have done so much trouble all my life. Yet I have been unable to do any good in return for the same. I have affected many lives, all in a bad way. Everything is ending so soon. I feel my life is getting weaker. I feel I am dying, somehow." Those were the last words I heard from him.

He was admitted to the Sebastian Hospital. Not many people would come to visit him, or so I thought. However, it was my responsibility to contact his family, so I did. The doctors gave some final ultimatum, maybe an hour before it all ends for him. I hope it ends well. There was not much time left now, another 15 minutes and he might not be available ever again for anyone. "They won't come. I know. I don't deserve to see them. Not now. Not ever." All his life, this man, who was now in his last minutes, pleaded for mercy and forgiveness deep within but was never able to do anything. A moment later, I saw two faces coming straight towards the room where he was kept. So, the children did come at last.

"Is he okay? Are we late? Where is he?"

"He is right in there. They (doctors) say that he may have less than ten minutes now. You can talk to him."

The son and the daughter rushed to the room where he was lying on the bed. "Also, if possible, let him speak as much as he wants while to try to stay patient as long as you can". They both entered the room, it was a horrible sight to digest. There were so many equipment and monitors around him that it was easy to tell how painful this might be. "Sara! Peter!" he whispered.

He was smiling. "I am happy to see you. You have grown; both of you. How is your life? Did you have any children? What are their names? Do they know me? I am their grandpa!" he continued... "I always loved your mom. I always loved you all. I know this is late, very late for any exchange of words. I know I can't be forgiven. I am a terrible person." Sara and Peter were crying. They were finally talking to the person they once called DAD. They were finally listening to him.

"Sara, I ignored you because I was scared. I was scared of myself. I was scared of the person, that I have become! The truth is... " Before he could say anything, the ECG started fluctuating fast. His heartbeat was pacing up. It was a horrifying moment for all who were present in the room. He knew this was his last chance. In the past, he ignored the truth and never listened to his loved one. He knew he must do something quick. "Sara! Peter! Come here." He called his children. He took their hands and held them tightly together. " I am not going anywhere, child. I will always stay with you. I will always love you. I will keep watching over you and my grandchildren. I am going nowhere, because just like before... this is just a silly prank!... "

The monitor stopped. There was a long silence. He was still holding their hands. Every single person in the room was crying. Tears of sorrow accompanied the tears of realizations and a tear of memory was generated. Sara couldn't control her emotions either. Peter let it out as well. I was outside the room, watching from the small transparent window as he spent his final moments with people he loved the most. I got out my journal and switched to the last page. It was still half empty, though. On the last page, I wrote, "... This was just another silly prank! I'll always be around. Love. Mark".

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Lost-Bonds&id=9465080

Meaningful Visits

In today's society people are living longer because of healthier lifestyle choices. The senior citizens are living well in to their 80's and 90's. However, this puts them at an increase risk of developing dementia. It has been said that if the individual does not develop a chronic illness by this age more than likely the individual will develop a form of dementia. Dementia is a term that is used to describe an illness of the brain. The term "Dementia" is an umbrella term for all of the types of dementia that exist because there approximately 35 different types. Alzheimer's Disease is difficult to deal with.

An individual diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease or dementia is difficult to deal with because of the disease progression. Families have to decide on the course of care for their loved one. Where will their loved one live? Will they live at home? Will they be placed in an Assisted Living facility or long-Term care facility? If the family chooses to place the individual in a facility setting then other questions arise.

You find yourself in a dilemma when visiting with your loved one. What can we do together? What can we discuss? There are a variety of activities that you can do. This provides the opportunity for the two of you to enjoy a meaningful visit.

Your family member has a wealth of information. Although the short- term memory is affected, the long-term memory is still active. Your loved one recalls stories from long ago so interview them then record those memories down in a journal. Remember to ask specific questions related to his/her life. Later on you can create a book about them, any way that you wish, then call it "This is Your Life" in. However, what do you do on a visit when there is a severe cognitive decline? This is when sensory and tactile stimulation is important. One tool that can be used is aromatherapy. Bring in hand lotion to apply on his/her hand for a massage. On nice days go outside to sit because Mother Nature is wonderful tool to use for sensory stimulation. Provide the opportunity for each one to hold a leaf, a stick or a flower. Be careful that they do not put it in their mouth.

These few suggestions are some ideas that will lead to a meaningful, purposeful and interactive visit with your loved one when. Then the visit will be meaningful for all of those who participated in the visit.

Meaningful visits with your loved one who was diagnosed with dementia. Provide an activity so that the two of you can have fun.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Meaningful-Visits&id=9066019

Pains & Pleasures Make Our Life Meaningful

Life on our planet consists of many twins like Day and Night, Good and Bad, Birth and Death, Pains and Pleasures, etc. Lazy and easy-going people prefer pleasures forgetting the truth 'Pleasures are impossible without pains.' Nobody remembers the good work of road builders, when taking a smooth drive down the highways.

Pains are the feelings of discomfort that a person experiences internally. The pains of one person cannot be felt and explained by another like the taste of a chocolate which can be understood by anybody. Moreover, the intensity of pain varies depending on the physical strength and will power of the individual. Pain is also known as strain, tiredness, fatigue, and failure.

Pains are caused by the hard-work, Insults, Injuries, Illness and Loss of near and dear ones. They can be grouped into physical and mental types. A truck driver develops the body strain after a long trip whereas a scientist after a hectic research in the lab feels the stress or depression. Sometimes, a mix of mental and physical sufferings is possible when a person applies all the energies. A surgical operation is a good example for this. Sacrifice is the only pain that produces pleasures to all.

Pains should be not to be shared with others, but to be suffered alone without expressing outwardly. Because they cause inconvenience to other people through loss of time, strain, and money. The best thing of pains is that they remind the humans to be careful and not casual in their life.

Pleasures make our life rosy and happy. A small candy brings smile to a weeping kid. They become memorable when shared with others. However, most of us wish to share the problems and pains only enjoy the happiness privately. Sex is the only pleasure that culminates into a strain during pregnancy and a horrible pain during the birth.

The Excesses are risky. Too much of pain and failure upset the spirit of life itself. Chronic illness frustrates any person. Likewise, excessive pleasure makes us blind and to behave abnormally. However, Life gets charm if the grief and pain are alternating. No one can define the right mix of pains and pleasure because they are beyond the control of humans.

Hard work begins with pain but yields pleasure afterwards. Years of practice and learning alone bring success. Pains and pleasures are the two eyes of life. Treat them equally to seek bliss like Lord Buddha.

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10 Questions Successful People Ask Themselves

Be all you can be, so goes the saying. So we're all pelted with problems and life feels like a drag. But should that bother or even hinder us from becoming all we ought to be? I often see myself as somewhat content with my life the way it is.

And still I yearn for something deeper and more meaningful.

What we aspired to as kids should continue to live within us, a flame inextinguishable. That same positive spirit. The playfulness, elation, joy, bliss, wonder, awe and enthusiasm. These are things that can help us hold on to the dream. Life's nothing but a journey of self-discovery? To help us on this journey we should ask ourselves the following questions from time to time:

1. What do I really want?

This one's a question for the ages. So many things you want to do with your life in so little time. Doing something that you are good at can help realize that small step towards improvement. Finding your passion is the key to knowing that it is worth it.

2. Who Am I?

Change is the only constant in life. Everything else is changing, evolving. Everything else but change, that is. In today's hi-tech multi-possibility society the definition of 'self' has taken on a new meaning. Who we are is no longer defined by our age, gender, job, income, social status etc. Instead we seek answers to questions like What is life? What does it all mean? What's our purpose? As we grapple with these deep philosophical issues, we become wiser and more mature.

3. What's the bright side in all of this?

Let's face it, we live in a chaotic world. With so much happening around us there seems to be no room for inner solace. We are always switched on, ever in a hurry. There is no pause. I believe that if people paused for a moment then they'd be forced to look within. People are terrified of what they might find. So they scurry back and forth. They keep themselves occupied so they won't have to look within and ask themselves...

4. Am I comfortable with what I'm doing?

Most people hate their jobs. They drag their lower lip to the office every morning. For 35 to 40 years. That's their routine. I don't know about you but 40 years is an awfully long time to be stuck in a job I hate. Especially if your passion lies elsewhere and you're afraid to take that leap into uncertainty. So...

5. Is there something else I'd rather be doing?

If you are passionate about something then by all means follow your heart. The biggest obstacle might be not knowing how to make a living doing what you love. Google it. Find other people who are making a decent living from it and pick their brain. Buy business books. Do it part time and then transition slowly. Discontentment is no way to lead a life. It only leads to bitterness. You'll find yourself lashing out at other people for no reason.

6. Am I where I wanted to be?

If not then what is going to take for you to get there? Take out your journal. Write a detailed map of how you're going to get there. Write down your big goals. Your goals have to be S.M.A.R.T (Specific. Measurable. Actionable. Realizable. On a Timetable). Then write down your daily action plan. Your goals and action plan do not have to be perfect. They are just to get you moving in the right direction. Then you can tweak them. Perfect them. The idea is to gain momentum. To eventually become a 600 000 ton moving freight train. An unstoppable 600 000 ton moving freight train..

7. Do I have a magnetic personality?

Are people drawn to me? Do I radiate charisma? Believe it or not charisma is the number one skill to possess. The greatest leaders in history have used it to sway millions of people into following them. Every book on leadership stresses the importance of charisma as a quality that should be inherent in every leader. If you are charismatic people will walk to the ends of the earth for you.

8. What Really Makes Me Happy?

So what makes you happy? Is it the smile on your child's face? Or is it that Sunday afternoon drive on a near-empty freeway? Or are you one of the blessed few who are always in the zone? Whatever it is happiness is our natural state. Happiness is an essential element in an individual's personal development. The key to happiness is living in the present, not in the past (that moment is already gone) or in the future (that moment is yet to come) or even in an alternate universe (daydreams). You have to live in the present because it is ALWAYS the present.

9. What motivates me?

The pursuit of any goal worth pursuing begins when the pursuer of the goal decides to take action. This is the first step. At this point the pursuer is full of enthusiasm and drive. It's easy to stay motivated. There's also some idealism thrown in there for good measure.

But then it soon becomes apparent that achieving won't be as easy as you thought it would be. Idealism turns to frustration. At this point most people just give up.

But if you're passionate about your goal then staying motivated shouldn't be hard. You should welcome obstacles because overcoming obstacles will be the most rewarding part of your journey.

10. Am I fulfilled?

Very few people are fulfilled. Even after accumulating all the material possessions they could ever hope for. True fulfilment encompasses the spiritual, emotional and material.

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