Holidays and today

You are most likely dealing with holiday rush at the moment and are probably feeling a bit stressed with the added responsibilities, activities, and expectations of the season. That's why I want to focus on the topic of holidays. Holidays are opportunities for us to celebrate cultural, communal, and personal occasions such as historical events, spiritual practices, ancestry, community, family, co-workers, loved ones, and much more.

These times, which are primarily associated with happy feelings and pleasant activities, are important to us. They help us to celebrate life! However, the downside of holidays is that we limit our celebration of gifts, flowers, and special declarations of friendship and love to those dedicated days of the year only! Isn't it worthwhile to celebrate life with people on a daily basis?

My question is, why do we have to wait for a holiday in order to honor our life and those we share it with? Why not send flowers or give that special gift to someone you care about just because you feel like it? How about sending a friendly card or cheerful email to someone you are close with or someone you want to reach out to? You could take a moment to say hello or smile at someone on the street or someone you come in contact with? These personal moments can be very enriching for all involved even when it's not the holiday period.

Remember also that it's not just all those nice "things". Meeting up with someone, taking time to go visit someone, catching up with old friends or being attentive to your busy partners needs can be just as important. Your special someone needs you to be the thoughtful and considerate being all year round. Sometimes hard to juggle but doing more places you in better light.

However, taking the time to make your daily life special shouldn't be limited to just doing something nice with others. It is equally important for you to do something nice for yourself on a regular basis, whether it's a walk in the park or a long hot bath, a spa treatment or even just a break from thinking about daily worries and stress. The time you spend treating yourself well will give you a happier, healthier, and more peaceful outlook.

I hope that all this will help you to put the current holiday craziness into perspective. After all, this time should be about togetherness, giving, and rejoicing but let's remember that we don't have to wait for a set occasion to do this. You can do something special for yourself and for someone around you any time you feel the need. We all deserve the benefits of a festive holiday, any day, any time the spirit moves us.

Bar advice. The holidays and today can be the same thing rolled into one. May this help you to obtain peace of mind and heart and to light the holiday spirit in your life for yourself and those around you.

Mothers day

It's once again that special day when we honour our mums. Mother's day. We show our appreciation and love and those with kids enjoy the day together. People tend to do something special on that day like a big family lunch or dinner. Adults sometimes buy their mums a gift or a spa treatment to pamper her. These things are well and good but we sometimes need to be reminded of those that don't get to celebrate this day.

Some people may have been orphaned at birth. While this is sad, the fact is that orphans are made on a daily basis. How? Many different ways.

There is some kind of war going on in many parts of the world at the moment that you're reading this. We take things for granted when we live in more safe and secure places in the world but for those that are in war torn zones, under dictatorships or forced religious governments, don't have much of a choice.

The reverse can happen, whereby, a mother has a child killed with accidental bombings and shootings. In Darfor, western Sudan, the genocide that has taken place has left many griefing maothers and orphans. In Iraq the continued battle for power between the Shites and Sunni people caught in the middle of American occupation leaves little to say but utter chaos. In Sri Lanka the war goes on till today with only a small period of ease when the tsunami struck. North Korea has it's people starving because one man places himself at the top and makes all others worship him like a God.

There are so many other places that has it's share of problems as well. It needs to be said that mothers around the world cry out on a daily basis for losses in their families. Their cries hardly ever gets notice or heared. What can be done for changes to what is going on? Let's imagine the world on a more peaceful level.

If only people would put aside the difference of race, gender, colour and especially religion. The world we know today could become a different place. The news that we see on television could be on different topics than bloodshed and violence. Women around the world should try to find ways to make the rest of mankind change. Maybe it could be better to have a women in the White House in the USA. The other countries have had women lead the country before but never the US. So far the places that have been ruled by women are still in trouble though. Places like the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Argentina and more. What than are we to do?

At the end of it all. Life goes on for all. Mothers still continue to cry. Children long for their mothers to hold them again and put them to sleep. Women pray to the havens for help. Jesus had a mother. Buddha had one too. Mohammad must have as well. Can we not also make a change and sacrifice for the goodness of living in peace and happiness. Some of us may not have our mothers around anymore. We do have memories but the kids today may need us to help them. Choose the side of change so the world can be a better place for all and the tears of mothers and children may end.

Bar advice. One last mother that we have to help as well. Mother earth suffers in silence. It helps if we do our part to heal the planet instead of contributing to it's demise.