Food for thought

Old friends pass away, new friends appear.

It is just like the days.

An old day passes, a new day arrives.

The important thing is to make it meaningful:

a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day.

Dalai Lama

I have had a meaningful day personally thanks to an insight. Since I started trying to see every day as a new chance without dragging along shame about old mistakes and bad habits; I feel free and full of energy again. What a releave hihi :)

With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability,
one can build a better world.

Dalai Lama

Food for thought

With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony,

and the deep power of joy,

we see into the life of things.

William Wordsworth

Birthday

If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to,

no one with which to share the beauty of the stars,

to laugh with, to touch,

what would be your purpose in life?

It is other life, it is love, which gives your life meaning.

This is harmony.

We must discover the joy of each other,

the joy of challenge, the joy of growth.

Mitsugi Saotome

Today it is my birthday and I am now 36 years old :) Toek surprised me with a beautiful song he composed for me and it is the most beautiful gift someone ever gave me.

Now we are going to meet my family for a small gathering in the sun..... I am so happy.....
I wish you all a lovely, shared day and when you press the pink button you can hear the song :)

For my mother

In everyone's life,

at some time,

our inner fire goes out.

It is then burst into flame by an encounter

with another human being.

We should all be thankful for those people

who rekindle the inner spirit.

~Albert Schweitzer

This post I want to dedicate to my mother :) She is my mentor and best friend and I am always save and wanted in her presence. To me she is the ultimate form of love and understanding.

Today for Mother's day my sister, Toek and I are going to visit her and bring her some presents. But in fact the real gift we receive from her. Just to be in her presence and laugh and talk together surrounded by her warm loving energy.I wish you all a beautiful day to share with your mothers. And if she is not near anymore, I wish you can enjoy the warm memory of her and feel her in your heart.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy,
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

~Marcel Proust

Have a lovely weekend

In the hope of reaching the moon

men fail to see the flowers

that blossom at their feet.-

Albert Schweitzer

Food for thought

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves -

slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.

- Thich Nat Hahn

Truthful sharing

Within the framework of the Buddhist Path,
reflecting on suffering has tremendous importance
because by realizing the nature of suffering,
you will develop greater resolve to put an end
to the causes of suffering
and the unwholesome deeds which lead to suffering.
And it will increase your enthusiasm for engaging
in the wholesome actions and deeds
which lead to happiness and joy.

Dalai Lama

Today my dear friends I wanted to share this saying with you because I got the feeling that my sharing of personal lessons somehow leads to concern with some of you, in spite of the very positive message underneath that I was trying to share with you. Most of my insights spring from situations in which I recognize my suffering and the way I have caused it myself. At some point I get insight in a situation and learn from my mistakes. To me that is a very positive experience that comes after an often self caused suffering.
If I want to share my journey with you in an honest way I cannot merely show you the insights but I will have to show you the lessons too. Otherwise I would be writing my posts with hollow words pretending to be happy and peaceful every day, even when sometimes I am not. Everyone of us has her or his way of learning the lessons of life. Some read books and succeed to practise it right away while others (like me) have to learn from their mistakes in daily life. But the beauty of it all is that we are on our way, all of us in our own tempo and in our own way.To me every moment of self conflicted suffering is a chance to learn my lessons. A chance to get an insight in the situation that causes this suffering. Like my disappointment this week first lead to suffering but later on to a very important personal insight. So let us not be afraid of sharing any form of suffering and negative experiences, but let us try to see these moments in our lives as chances to grow.

I hope this blog will become a place to share our (daily) lessons too, rather than only displaying the insights these lessons have given us . This way perhaps it can contribute something to our journey instead of a place where we are pointing out to eachother where we already are. Big hug to all of you and I am very interested in your view on this matter :)

My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God
as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet.

Gandhi