Touched By An Angel

Someone once said, ~Angels are the guardians of hope and wonder, the keepers of magic and dreams. Wherever there is love, an angel is flying by. Your guardian angel knows you inside and out, and loves you just the way you are. Angels keep it simple and always travel light. Remember to leave space in your relationships so the angels have room to play. Your guardian angel helps you find a place when you feel there is no place to go. Whenever you feel lonely, a special angel drops in for tea. Angels are with you every step of the way and help you soar with amazing grace. After all, we are angels in training; all we have to do is spread our wings and fly!~

Let me ask you this question, do you believe in angels? Let me ask you another question. who do you consider to be an angel? Personally speaking, I honestly believe in angels as they are all around protecting and keeping us from harm. Though you may not see them, you tend to feel their presence in times of strife. For it's not only the angels you don't see, it's the ones you see everyday who are considered angels and it's just a matter of truly opening your eyes. Essentially, an angel could possibly be a small child who runs up and gives you a hug, a total stranger offering to give you directions when you're lost, or most definitely a friend who touches your heart with uplifting words of encouragement.

We've all at some point in our lives felt that life has us on the ropes and yet, in some sixth sense sort of way, someone either calls you just to see how you are doing or emails you something that was very much needed at that particular moment in one's life. In some aspect, he or she is considered an angel and even though you may not see the wings or a halo above his or her head, the light that exudes from within that person's heart and soul shows that he or she is a blessing from God who you have been initially been praying for when life itself becomes difficult and/or confusing. Hey, for all you know I could be an angel, which is highly unlikely but you never really know.

Without a doubt, there are certain people in our lives that are Heaven sent by God and yet, it's that one person He sends who is considered an angel of light. For its one's angel of light that may potentially hold some, most, or all of your dreams to where they magically come true, but not all at once. A person can be truly lucky to meet someone that personally touches you that gives you a new perspective on the way one sees life through his or her own eyes. However, it's hard to imagine a guy or girl who will always keep your heart and soul brightly smiling and that you will absolutely never feel alone even though you may feel it at times.

In retrospect, angels can take many different sizes, shapes, forms, and skin color. For they are masters of disguise as he or she can be either a total stranger, a friend, or even your own worst enemy. If you think about it, they're not always dressed in flashy looking clothes who stand out but rather dress casually and look like your average joe and jane on the street. Oftentimes, it's when you need help the most an angel will be there answering your call and the line is never busy because all you have to do is pray. In the end, I ask you this question, when it comes to you everyday life have you been touched by an angel?

Right Here Waiting

Someone once said, ~True love is waiting an eternity for one moment, one kiss, one smile. True love is wanting anything and everything for that person, whether you can't give it to that person or not.~ In a metaphorical sense, life is like an airport where millions of people each day come and go. Essentially, there is one constant when it comes to being in an airport and that is we wait. Whether its waiting to board, unboard a plane or waiting for a particular passenger or passengers that's what we do in life especially when it comes to love. For if life represents an airport, then each gate is a representation of love possibly walking through those gate doors for every person and yet the question remains which gate is it?

Which gate is it? Answering that particular question is easier said than done as every person asks themselves questions in which they not only want to know where but when will that special someone arrive? If you think about it, it's when one looks up into the bright or starry filled night sky you metaphorically look at the schedule times of when and where that person may be arriving. For we all can stare up there all we want but the fact of the matter is it doesn't accomplish anything and it can cause you to explore other areas in life that you haven't seen and/or experienced. Essentially, it's when you do explore other areas in the airport of life you encounter interesting people who start out as strangers then become your friends.

As with any airport, delays are expected which can make one's wait unbearable to where a person can become somewhat or extremely anxious. It’s within those moments of anxiousness a person will go through a rollercoaster of emotions such as frustration, confusion, yearning, and anger. When I mention anger, it's not due to that person's absence; but rather the emotions you put yourself through, which is totally unnecessary and can somewhat border on the melodramatic. We've all witnessed someone go through it and whether or not you want to admit or not you have to admit it's mildly entertaining to watch as you see people's reactions when they finally see the person or person's he, she, or they have been anxiously waiting to see.

Let me ask you this question, how long have you been waiting for that unknown passenger to walk through the gate that leads straight into the terminal of your heart? Without a doubt, it can truly be uplifting as you see men and women smile as their special someone walks through the gate doors that they've been standing in front of and into his or her arms. However, it’s when you stand in front of the gate you think he or she may be coming out of, you can become disappointed as you end up basically staring into a long barren tunnel, which is a representation of your own heart, hoping he or she is the last one to come out. it's at that point you either give up waiting or continue waiting because you still have faith and hope that he or she will show up.

In the movie The Terminal starring Tom Hanks the main premise is about waiting. Waiting to go to New York to fulfill a promise for his father; waiting to go back to Krakozhia, and most of all waiting for love. In some aspect, we're all considered a Viktor Navorski as each of us are waiting in front of a gate with flowers in hand for that special someone. Yet one has to keep on living and/or exploring the airport of life with people that you befriended along the way. In the end, that special someone will someday walk through your gate but in the meantime you telepathically say to him or her my heart will always be right here waiting for you to give. Plus, its a song by Richard Marx that tends to reflect this thought.

Its A Small World

Deepak Chopra once said, ~When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities.~ Let me ask you this question, do you believe in coincidences that are considered either strange, unusual, and/or unbelievable? We all have been through situations where we're unknowingly connected to someone by way of a complete stranger, acquaintance, co-worker, mutual friend, family member, significant other, whatever the case may be. Every person has a story to tell not just from their point of view but also the point of view from others connected to you as well, which can oftentimes five a better perspective on the particular situation at hand.

In some cases, coincidences happen when it concerns friendships that involve a third party that is connected somehow to one's own circle of friends. For it's that person who you talk to on a semi-daily basis as he or she shares info about a guy or girl that one met. We've been in that particular situation where we don't necessarily pay full attention to the description of him or her, which can sometimes be a complete exaggeration, the opposite of how you actually know that person, or right on the money. It may take either that very moment, several days, months, or even years before ever finding out that you actually know the person that he or she is speaking of and it can come as a complete surprise not just for you but for the two other people as well.

Without a doubt, a person has unfortunate coincidences that can dramatically affect one's life either for better or for worse. One such unfortunate coincidence involves Amber Frey, who was unknowingly connected to the death of Scott Peterson's wife and unborn child. Whether you've been living under a rock for the past year or so Scott Peterson was married to Laci Peterson who on December 23, 2003 went missing and the witness to the prosecution had the so called trump card to bring down Scott Peterson, which can in the form of Scott's former mistress Amber Frey. Essentially, her life will never be the same as she will be forever connected with a man that killed not only his wife but an 8 month unborn child as well.

When it comes to significant relationships, there can most definitely be a coincidence in meeting one's future wife/husband. Every married couple has a story to share of how they eventually met and it oftentimes involves a roommate that either set them up together or he or she dated or was trying to date that roommate and it didn't work out. For it can be a comical situation when points of views are shared years later by each person to where things are revealed that you never knew and/or always wanted to know. For the question can be asked for you married folks out there, has this particular situation happened to you and do you still keep in touch with your former roommate?

Personally speaking, I've experienced several coincidences that involve co-workers such as going to the same middle school with my future best friend and not finding out till years later or finding out that someone you're related to is next door neighbors with my mentor at work, which I found out at a funeral for her grandfather. Hey, it's a funny thing about life as we meet people that may or may not be connected to each of us in a six degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way, where possibly a celebrity and/or sports figure is involved in the mix, in a manner of speaking. In the end, it's when you find out about these certain things that you tend to say out loud to someone or to yourself...wow, it's a small world.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Rachel Naomi Roman once said, ~The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention...A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.~ If you think about it, one of the five senses we use the most is our sense of hearing. On any given day, we open our ears and listen to something or someone to where we either have some, most, or all our attention focused on that person or sound at hand. Essentially, a person who has great listening skills is not simply nodding or making hmmm sounds every other second/minute, but actually listening to every word you're saying.

Without a doubt, each and every woman is looking for a guy who will actually listen to what she has to say. Oftentimes, a woman will encounter a guy who hears what she is saying but isn't actually listening at what she is truly saying to him. For it's these types of guys who have a hard time accepting the fact that she isn't interested in him to where she will politely try to brush him off with words that are kind instead of one's that are harsh. Typically, the harsh words women try to avoid saying to a guy are that you're an immature, egotistical, hard headed jerk, who doesn't know when to quit or something to that effect. Let me ask you this question ladies, when was the last time you encountered a guy like this?

When you have the opportunity to work in the childcare profession, part of your job is listening to kids who always have something to say whether its a conflict with another child, a certain request one wants/needs, or simply someone to talk to. More often than not children want to be heard or at least someone to talk to due to the lack of attention he or she may not be receiving at home. Granted, what that particular child may be saying to you makes no sense at all, is hard to understand, or has no point whatsoever but just wants to talk and despite that fact you are giving him or her you full, as well as, undivided attention which pays off big dividends as they appreciate you for lending an open ear.

When it comes to the power of prayer, one wonders if the requests that you specifically want to be fulfilled are being listened to by God. We've all at some point in our lives thrown our hands in the air, looked up, and asked God if He is truly listening at all to what you've been saying to Him in one's prayers. Depending on what you are actually praying for is considered either non-important, semi-important, or truly important; it all comes down to how patient you are and how long you are willing to wait until one's prayer requests come to fruition. For the question can be asked, have any of your prayers been truly fulfilled which leads you to believe that God is truly listening to you.

Brenda Ueland said, ~Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force...When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life..When we listen to people there is an alternating current, and this recharges us so that we never get tired of each other...and it is this little creative fountain inside us that begins to spring and cast up new thoughts and unexpected laughter and wisdom...Well, it is when people really listen to us, with quiet fascinated attention, that the little fountain begins to work again, to accelerate in the most surprising way.~ In the end, whether its listening to kids, woman wanting guys who will actually listen to them, asking God to listen and grant one's prayers or whatever it may be we're all considered the Verizon Wireless dude as this question is asked by each of us many times over...can you hear me now?

Best Laid Plans

Someone once said, ~In life, love is never planned, it does happen for a reason, but when the love is real it becomes you plan for life and your reason for living.~ There are many areas in life that we all make plans for either socially and/or professionally, but the one area that tends to not to be planned is in our personal lives and that is in the area of love. When it comes to love, its unexpected, unplanned to the point it's considered life altering and changes not only your attitude, but also your whole outlook on life. Nobody ever plans to fall in love and yet it happens without warning and whether or not it's true love...well you just have to find out for yourself.

Without a doubt, when you don't plan on falling in love with someone it gives you a sense of determination and/or purpose in life. It's that thing called love that throws one's intended plans, whether it's professionally or personally, all out whack that one tends to question the timing of it all, which is a mistake to do. You just have to go with the flow, so to speak and inevitably the questions you always wanted to know about love are answered. Although, you don't get all the answers right away, which nobody ever really does, they gradually come through time as you figure them out either the hard way or the easy way.

As said before, nobody ever plans to fall in live it just happens and the same can be said for falling out of love as well. It can truly be a tough situation indeed for two people to no longer feel the love shared in their relationship. A relationship that was at one time built on trust, honesty, and communication. For emotions such as humiliation, frustration, confusion, anger, resentment, bitterness, denial, and acceptance are just some of what a person may go through when falling out of love. A person can absolutely feel defeated and if or when it happens more than once it can be a miserable experience to where you feel all hope is lost at ever having true happiness.

Let me ask you this question, are you the type of person who generally has everything planned out when it comes to potentially meeting the right person? Women, more so than guys, tend to have a set plan from the time their young in which they aim high for as they try to have all their i's dotted and all their t's crossed in hopes that their goals within one's plans come true. Meeting the right guy, falling in love with him, getting married, having kids, the proverbial white picket fence house, a successful career, is the basic diagram that each and every woman wants for herself, but it doesn't necessarily mean some, most, or all of it will come to fruition.

Former Beatle John Lennon once said, ~Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.~ In retrospect, life has a funny way of showing you that a person just has to stop making plans, continue living, and let God take control of your lovelife as He has someone planned for you and me. Don't be too concerned with the plans you have such as meeting and falling in love with someone because you'll miss out on something much more special...life itself. Sometimes, the best laid plans are those that you don't prepare for as it's left in God's capable hands because in the end, when you do finally meet that special someone He will say with a smile on His face I love it when a plan comes together.

Anything But Ordinary

Someone once said, ~Love and relationships are truly one of the most paradoxical aspects of being human. For it is in love that we find the greatest of strengths and the deepest of sorrows. Love can seem to be so fleeting and unachievable yet it remains well within our reach if we only learn how to embrace its power. To experience true love, we must be willing to open ourselves up and sacrifice part of our heart and part of our soul. We must be willing to give of ourselves freely, and we must be willing to suffer. It is only when we expose our inner selves to the white hot flame of rejection, that love can burn so brightly as to join two souls, melding the two into one, creating a bond that joins forever. It is from this bond that we draw strength eternal and power everlasting. It is in this thing that we call love that we find the means to achieve greatness, both in ourselves and in our lives.~

One of the most frequently asked questions people ask is how do two people, who are traveling different paths in life, end up together? If you think about it, we as human beings try to understand each other especially when it comes to men trying to figure out women and women trying to figure out men. Men and women want the enjoyment of each other's company and yet we still keep that part of ourselves that enjoys solitude as well. For it's the frustration, craziness, confusion, anger, pulling out hair etc. that describe the male-female relationship and despite that fact you wouldn't have it any other way because it makes spending time with that person much more enjoyable.

When it comes to love and relationships you can't have one without the other. For its love that is the source of strength that builds a strong relationship and yet it can be considered a weakness to where it completely falls apart. All too often a person can be selfish and forget it's not the happiness you seek for yourself but rather the happiness you seek unselfishly for that person. In its purest form love is honest, real, an unbreakable bond, a calm yet turbulent passion to where you are willing to wait patiently on the needs/desires of that particular person. In all intents and purposes, love is the source that breathes life into love and inevitably into a relationship.

Without a doubt, love is a scary thing as you allow yourself to open up to someone who you're comfortable enough with to actually let him or her care about you. Its a matter of letting go of the control you have and trusting that person to catch you. The fall can oftentimes hurt but it's a good kind of hurt that gives you the freedom and confidence to express how you truly feel? However, the question can be asked, do we limit ourselves on how much love we give and/or receive? I don't think so because for some, most, or all people paid their dues to where one finally receives true happiness and if not for yourself then for someone who is truly deserving.

In retrospect, you have to expect the unexpected when love comes your way. For it will show you that you truly don't have to do anything amazing or spectacular but be yourself. For it also shows that you'll love who you are when you're with a particular person that brings out the best in you. Let me ask you this question ladies and gentlemen, how many of you have found that guy or girl that loves you just for being who you are and its the best relationship you have ever been in? In the end, the love that every person truly deserves has found you or will find you someday and it's a love that is anything but ordinary, for it’s absolutely extraordinary.

Brand New Day

Hammad Chhipe once said, ~Love is just like life. Its is not always easy and it does not always bring happiness...but when we do not drop living, why should we drop loving?~ Without a doubt, life can be considered hard to grasp at times, but when it comes to love that's even harder to grasp. Like life, one oftentimes thinks he or she has the mystery of love solved but unfortunately there are more questions within the answers you find. In a sense, it's like going through an endless cycle of questions and answers to where you end up at the same question you began with. Essentially, when it comes to life and love, there are several inherent truths that we all end up facing and accepting.

Truth #1: No matter how much you try to avoid drama in you life, it finds you depending on if one intentionally or unintentionally looks for it. Every person has at least been a part of or witnessed people being involved in what I like to call the six degrees of Kevin Bacon drama-go-round where one person likes another but that person doesn't like him or her in that way to where you end up with hurt feelings, which makes reconciliation between friends not an easy task to fix. It essentially makes a person laugh not in a funny humorous way but rather in frustration, why is this happening in all kinds of ways?

Truth #2: When it comes to finding the right guy, women want a man who will just love her instead of adore her. Its that proverbial litmus test which helps a woman choose and yet there is a difference in the two as adore is defined as to like very much; worship whereas love is defined as a deep, tender feeling of affection toward a person. It can oftentimes not be easy for a guy to distinguish the two because it can intertwine to where a guy will mistakenly have blind adoration for a woman rather than love and vice versa. Undeniably, women are smart enough to pick up on this and unfortunately it takes a while for guys to figure this out, but hey we learn until we get it right.

Truth #3: Love is the most simplest thing and yet it can become complicated to where we mess it up on our own. How? People spend money on books and talking/listening to so called "experts" that one's brain can be filled with so much information that it can most definitely confuse you. Confuse you in the sense the answer is staring right in the face and yet, you tend to not see it at first. For it will truly mean a great deal to that particular person and you'll have less to think about. For the most overlooked aspect of love is friendship where just sharing a simple smile or a laugh means much more and far surpasses every other moment that is deemed memorable.

Someone once said, ~Love emanates from truth and truth emanates from love; one does not exist without the other. Truth is an internal current and love is its external flow.~ In retrospect, its never easy facing the truth when it comes to both life and love, but we never stop living or loving. Continually living each day to where you focus on the more positive aspects of your life while spreading the love you have wherever you can, but not to one person but to people you meet along your own personal journey. If you think about it, love moves in mysterious ways to where the truth of love shows you everything you've ever prayed for and because of it you look forward to spending a lifetime as each brand new day always brings something new never before experienced with that special someone someday.

Youth Of The Nation

Kahil Gibran once said, ~The teacher...gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and lovingness. If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.~ Let me ask you this question, who in life is considered to be your mentor? For it’s that man or woman who guided, molded, sought advice from, and helped you become the person you are today. Whether it was in your personal or professional life that person was always supportive and never gave up on you even though you may have given up on yourself. In a sense, he or she is your Yoda who seemingly has some, most, or all the answers when the questions to the answers you seek are hard to come by.

Working in the childcare profession, you're not just considered their friend to many kids but your also considered a teacher. For the knowledge we have attained over the years has been passed on to many other kids and whether or not the particular information given is valid, one goes with what he or she knows. For we've all been in a situation where a child or a group of children ask you a question and you either have no idea, try to answer it with the best of your knowledge, or ask someone who might possibly know. For it can be a comical situation when nobody knows the answer and that's when its left in the capable hands of his, her, or their parent(s).

Speaking of the parents, you truly get a sense of a child's upbringing by how a parent rears him, her or them at home. This may not apply to you directly if you have kids, but there are particular parents that I have seen who treat their own kid(s) as second class citizens to where a no loving, lack-luster greeting is given when picking him, her, or them up. Its like that parent sees their child/children as a necessity rather than a joy to see and granted they just worked long hours, but show some love instead of barking orders to get one's things to leave immediately, which gives us insight and teaches us there is a reason as to why certain kids act out the way they do be it strict rules and/or lack of attention at home.

Without a doubt, each of us are products of how we were raised and taught by our own parents or parents. Inevitably, you learn a lot from being around kids, especially how they act in the presence of their parent(s) and then left in the hands of child care professionals such as myself. For their whole persona, attitude, listening skills, and most importantly manners are essentially gone as soon as that parent's steps foot out the door. Don't get me wrong, not all kids fall under this demographic as it is certain kids who need direction and an attitude adjustment, but done with loving wisdom that one has been taught to use. Yet, the question remains: does it work? My answer... sometimes, but you don't give up at it.

Whether you know it or not, January is national mentoring month and all across the nation people are encouraged to mentor a child. In other words, become a big brother/big sister or be a part of The Boys and Girls Club of America, which is affiliated with the Youth Center that I work at. For three questions can be asked to you: 1.) Were you ever in the big brother/big sister program as a kid? 2.) Do you still keep in contact with him or her? 3.) How many of you are now a part of the big brother/ big sister program? Ultimately, mentoring kids is a great thing because the positive influence you give will hopefully be received back. In the end, they're not just the youth of the nation, they're our future.

Class Dismissed

Richard Bach once said, ~Learning is finding out what we already know. Doing us demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, and teachers.~ On any given day we are bombarded with information that may or may not be relevant in our own lives. With media such as word of mouth, television, books, magazines, radio, and the internet we as a society attain quite a bit of knowledge stored in our ole' memory banks. Whether you've let it go through one ear and out the other or learned through osmosis, you soak in some, most or all the information like a sponge. So kids, take your seats as class begins and please pay attention and no talking...just kidding.

Oftentimes you learn things by accident, which can inevitably benefit others, depending if they actually respond to what one found out. Personally speaking, I found out that if you have a stuffy nose due to a cold or the flu, just stick your head in the freezer and breathe in the cold air. I know it seems highly unorthodox and totally ridiculous, but when you keep breathing in you will find yourself breathing through your nose easier. Why? The cold air you breathe in shrinks the blood vessels thereby opening the airways in your nasal passages. Let me tell you something, friends of mind have tried it and it worked for them, so what do you have to lose except being perceived as weird by people who catch you doing it.

Without a doubt, there are certain television shows that helped in one's learning process, but they also demonstrated how to implement what was built/made. One such show that you would never really think of being an educational type show is MacGyver. The main premise of the show is one man using his mind instead of weapons to get out of sticky situations. It's in this show you learn that everyday items such as a hershey bar and a stick of chewing gum can be made into an explosive device. Plus, it also made a simple adhesive popular and it was practically used in every show...duct tape. Hey, you not only learned something but you also got a lesson in chemistry, science, and physics as well.

Growing up there was one show that kids, as well as, adults watched and it involved painting with a man that sported the biggest afro for a white guy. The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross partly influenced many kids' lives including my own when it came to choosing art as a subject to focus in the future. Of the many painters in life, Bob Ross was one of a kind as he taught you to paint in a soft exuberant tone which pulled you in. It's with that type of speaking voice that, in a way, mesmerized which is the reason his show was popular back in the day. We've all at least tried to paint with him or like him and to be perfectly honest, it never turned out quite right when I did it. In any case, it was not only a learning experience but fun to watch as well.

In retrospect, life is one big classroom as we learn things that are either trivial, semi-important, or really important that it may or may not help you grow personally, physically, and most of all intellectually. Essentially, you would be amazed at the knowledge each of us have attained over a period of time to where it sticks in our minds. Whether it's knowing the migratory patterns of the Water Buffalo watching the Discovery Channel or learning that country music calms a group of hyperactive kids you use that knowledge to unknowingly teach others. So, if anybody wants to share anything interesting the floor is open to you and if not, then class dismissed.

Do The Right Thing

Erynn Miller said, ~It takes a lot of understanding, time, and trust to gain a close friendship with someone. As I approach a time of my life of complete uncertainty, my friends are my most precious assets.~ Without a doubt, friendships can be tested especially between men and women when that proverbial line appears to where there is no turning back at the decision(s) one makes when it concerns him or her. For its a decision that will truly test one emotionally, mentally, as well as, personally. Whether one passes or fails it's a learning experience as you find out there are limitations and/or boundaries when it concerns a particular guy or girl who you are interested in.

The funny thing about the friendship between men and women when the so-called line is about to be crossed or is crossed is that one will be emotionally tested. Oftentimes there is a proverbial litmus test as to whether one will either fall apart or keep one's composure due to that person. You may ask yourself, what is the litmus test? Well, there are several such as certain scenes in movies/tv shows but mainly it's the songs on the radio, which can make you sick and tired of hearing them. Yet, for some reason you can't turn on the radio when songs such as So Sick by Ne-Yo play on the radio seemingly every minute of the day, which can be considered cruel and inhuman torture, but I digress.

Essentially, when it comes to mentally understanding the possibility of establishing a relationship with someone your friends with, you start rationalizing in your mind to whether or not it was a mistake to move forward. It's that unpredictability of it all as one reveals thoughts, but what's tricky about it is how much to reveal because too much can most definitely make that person feel uncomfortable, which one didn't intentionally intend on doing. For some, most, or all people have been or are in this type of situation with a particular someone to where one jeopardizes the friendship and the best alternative is to leave it be and not take any further action that causes an even greater rift.

In any case, there comes a point where a person realizes they became someone one always said or told himself or herself would never be. It's that someone who gets emotionally attached and it takes either a reality check such as a slap upside the head or looking in the mirror to see yourself to where one severs the attachment, which is the best thing if one wants a friendship to last. If you think about it, you never really see it coming until you find yourself doing or saying things that you apologize for in hopes that balance is restored in a friendship that was built through time to where trust is eventually gained again.

In retrospect, life is a test and even if one fails you pass because life brings you surprises that you never expect to happen like true happiness. For the most part, there is a sense of frustration when it comes to wondering when one's time of uncertainty will be over when it involves a guy or girl. In the meantime, it's just a matter of keeping yourself busy and hanging with friends that you can come to in order to ask the right advice about matters of the heart. In the end, a friend summed it up best with this statement: ~In order to keep a great friendship one must do the right thing and that's not to live within your heart but instead just live as you continue on living life with great friends right alongside you.~

For You I Will

Friedrich Von Schiller once said, ~Love is at the same time the most generous and the most egotistical thin in nature; the most generous because it receives nothing and gives all--pure in mind being only to give and not receive; the most egotistical, for that which he seeks in the subject, that which he enjoys in it, is himself and never anything else.~ When it comes to falling in love or being in love, the so called power it exudes makes you want to become not only a better person for one's self bit also for that particular guy or girl as well. For it essentially brings out the hopeless romantic in each of us, which oftentimes displays are own selfless acts of kindness/generosity without expecting anything in return.

Without a doubt, it's a rarity these days for both men and women to meet someone whose generosity comes straight from within that person's heart and soul. For a woman, its difficult to truly find a true gentleman who you can genuinely trust. What he says/does for you is true and yet you end up finding a "gentlemen" in sheep's clothing, in a manner of speaking. A "gentlemen '' whose generosity has ulterior motives that oftentimes leaves a woman in tears, as well as, emotional and physically used. For its not only women who experience this, but guys as well who are being taken advantage due to their "nice guy" status that it makes a guy want to turn in his "Mr. Nice Guy'' membership card and step over to the darkside, but I digress.

Let me ask you this question to both men and women, when it comes to selfless acts of kindness/generosity for a potential and/or significant other, do you do it because you have to or do you do it because you want to? As a guy, calling a particular female you're interested in to simply say hi or leaving messages to hopefully brighten her spirit and day, or having flowers delivered to her just show that person is in your thoughts are considered gambles due to the fact you have no idea what type of effect, if any, it's going to have on her. It's that unknown, which makes any guy out there willing to be perceived as a love struck fool than to be a fool who didn't at least try and follow one's heart towards that special someone.

As said before, love can be considered the most egotistical thing in nature, which means that a person can have that somewhat Steve Urkel mindset. A mindset in which the thoughtful phone messages left and the flowers sent for a reason or no reason at all to that particular female flips on a metaphorical light switch in one's brain, as well as, heart to where he or she immediately falls in love with you, runs into your arms, and a happy ending/beginning for both. It's an egotistical way of thinking, but you have to admit we all have been in that mindset which shows a level of confidence that shows you are optimistic but not overly optimistic to where one gets his or her hopes up and becomes disappointed when things don't turn out how one planned.

In retrospect, when you meet that special person, questions will be asked that one wants answered which eases your own heart and soul. Such questions are: Will you always be there for me through the tough times no matter how close or far I am? Will you always be there to protect me physically and emotionally? Will you be the person who will always light my way like the sun in the sky? Will you be my hero as you shield me and protect me from harm to the point you give up your own life for me? Will you be my strength when I feel weak and most of all will you fight for me? In the end, it's that person who will look you in the eyes and say to you from one's heart and soul...for you I will, which is a song by Monica that reflects this particular thought

Nothing To Lose

Erica Jong said, ~Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything its cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk everything, you risk even more.~ Let me ask you this question, do you believe love is everything its cracked up to be as you meet that one person who mrings you to life within your heart and soul each time you talk, see, or are around him or her? Its that person who "haunts" not only your inner most thoughts but also every room within the chambers of your own heart to where the mention of that person's name or talking about him or her puts a smile on your face.

As it was said in the quote above, people can become cynical when it comes to love. Why? With so many happy relationships/marriages breaking up and not lasting more than a couple years it makes you rethink going for it with a certain someone who made a big impression not only in your life but in your heart as well. We've all at some point heard through the proverbial grapevine of two particular people, whether its acquaintances, friends, and/or celebrities hooked up to where one responds by giving them a certain timeframe on how long both with last. If you think about it, we as a society has become more pessimistic rather than optomistic when it comes to love/relationships and yet the question remains which category do you fall under?

Inevitably, there comes a point where every cliche in the book about love comes to fruition when it happens to you. Such cliches are he's my prince charming, she's one that fits the glass slipper, its love at first sight, it hit you like a ton of bricks, you've fallen head over heals, etc. Depending if its immediate or gradual it will happen or already has happened to you to where you either fight the feeling and run away from that person or embrace the feeling and walk towards that person. For the question can be asked of you, when it pertains to a potential and/or significant relationship are some, most, or all of the cliches about him or her are true and if so, which ones?

Without a doubt, love is worth fighting for, being brave for, dying for, and risking everything that you put your heart, as well as, your soul for. Personally speaking, how many times has your heart been in the battefield that is love? How many times has it became a casualty of war, so to speak? How many times have you returned to the battefield knowing that old wounds may open up in your heart? How many times have you continually trusted yourself in opening up yourself annd your heart to someone only to have that trust betrayed? Essentially, when it comes to love you have to take risks with your heart and if you don't take them, you risk not ever getting truly shot in the heart by someone who is absolutely worth giving your own life for.

The Greeks, who are known for epic battles, asked only one question after a man dies which is, Did he have passion?" Passion in the sense that a man believes in everything he said/felt within his own heart and soul to where one metaphorically and/or literally keeps fighting until the end. In the past several months, that passion that was thought to have long burned out in my own heart years ago has started to slowly burn brighter and bigger. Personally speaking, I'm risking everything to follow my heart to where if I die in the battle, I die with passion. In the end, I have nothing to lose and with that mindset, I could quite possibly gain something very valuable in return....her heart.

No Place Like Home

Someone once said, ~Home is where friendships are formed and famlies are grown, where joy is shared and true love is known; where memories are made and seeds of life are sown. This is the place...that people call HOME.~ During the past two weeks of a well deserved vacation, Los Angeles and San Diego, were considered home as families who haven't seen each other for quite some time, reconnected to where laughter, joy, as well as, singing were experienced by all. However, it wasn't just about family, as time was also spent consuming mass quantities of food, shopping, and site seeing, which plenty of pictures were taken.

Without a doubt, Los Angeles offered a plethora of eating establishments that absolutely makes one's mouth water depending on what type of taste one has to the particular food(s) in question. In a week and a half, places such as Damons' Ocean Seafood in Chinatown, Goldilocks( a filipino restaurant), and the Thai BBQ were sources of contentment. Its those four particular places that I highly recommend for those who are planning to visit Los Angeles, but leave one thing behind and that is your belt because you're full stomach will keep your pants up. Let me tell you something, I suprisingly still weigh the same leaving L.A. at 155lbs...it must be my metabolism.

Let me ask you this question, when it comes to hanging with family you haven't seen in quite some time, do you remember their names and how you're related with him, her, and/or them? When it comes to my family, you literally need a score card as to who is related and how we're related to each other, which shows that I have a big family. In any case, when it comes to family there's always suprises to be found and I found mine which is that I'm grandfather...yes you read it right. For I had to confirm it more than twice and its true I have a granddaughter, which blew my mind. Hey, I'm already a Godfather, a father-type figure to "my kids" at the asylum, now a grandpa, all I need to do now is become a father and I complete the package deal.

Essentially, a person can't go home empty handed without taking pictures and doing a little shopping, which was very profitable. Profitable in the sense that I was able to have a picture taken at not only Bruce Lee's Star at the Hollywood walk of fame but also at the Hollywood sign itself. Off all the places to shop in Los Angeles, Chinatown was the best but you had to haggle with the vendors to get a fair and reasonable price. Ultimately, the one place that was the highlight of my two week vacation was spending New Years in Vegas, which I can now mark off the list of things I wanted to accomplish and even though I didn't gamble or drink I had fun being that it was my first time.

In retrospect, a great ending to a great vacation was looking over brightly lit Los Angeles at night with a friend at a Griffith Park. In the two weeks I was there, many memories were shared/made and they will never be forgotten. Ultimately, L.A. was a great place to visit as one witnesses the fast pace life of people who actually dress up to go out and when I mean dress up, I mean dress up. However, I'm an easy/slow pace kind of person and dressing up to go out for me is putting on jeans, sneakers, shirt, shades, and a hat...nothing too flashy. In the end, as we landed in Pensacola today, the immortal words of Dorothy from the Wizard Of Oz came to mind in which I said these 5 words...there's no place like home.

Time Of Your Life(1st Yodaism of 2006)

Francis Lucille once said, ~Everything is created from moment to moment, always new. Like fireworks, the universe is a celebration and you are the spectator contemplating the eternal forth of July of your absolute splendor.~ Let me ask you this question, when it comes to experiencing memorable moments on the road of life are you considered the driver or are you simply the passenger? Its a question that is either difficult or easy to answer because there is no in-between answer because the road of life is unpredictable as it will turn a driver into a passenger and vice versa. Essentially, each moment we live there is a possibilty of a once in a lifetime opportunity that may or may never be experienced again.

Whether those particular moments you experienced were voluntary or not, you have to admit it was a an experience that stayed with you. For its when you reflect back, it seened like only yesterday that it happened as you look over old "war" wounds and treasured momentos that not only bring a smile to your face but tears as well. We all have something that is connected with that particular moment in time such as something worn, tattooed on your person, looked at such as pictures one hid/put away in a special box, which you take out every now and then to look at. WIthout a doubt, its those celebrated moments that you will someday share with one's onwn grandchildren, if those particular stories/item(s) are/were G rated, of course.

As said before, on the road of life you are either the driver or the passenger. When you are the driver, you have complete and total control of the wheel with the knowledge of where you are going and what is going to happen...most of the time. With the wind in one's hair, the tunes baring, the asphalt beneath your tires you set course for your intended destination, and anticipating the repercussions of what might happen afterwards. For the most part, its that adrenaline rush one gets as you are in control of your destiny, but with one turn of the whell its a new destination just like that. Inevitably, life will lead or has lead you to a particular turnoff that you really didn't prepare yourself to be on and its at that point you as the driver become a passenger.

As a passenger, you have a totally new perspective as you are no longer in control of wheel, which yields the so called "power." For the question can be asked, how many of you found it awkward to be passenger after you yourself were the driver for quite some time? Such descriptions would be it as weird, strange, not a good feeling, but go with it because something or someone was coming your way. In the whole scheme of things, we all think we're in the driver's seat, but in reality we're merely passengers on the road of life giving our own perspective at what one sees on our own personal travels. When it comes to being the passenger just live in the moment and as/when you look out your car window, tell me who or what do you see?

In retrospect, New Years is one memorable moment that every person around the world shares together and becomes a spectator as fireworks light the night sky celebrating another year gone by. For some people they celebrated within the comfort their own home, but others they celebrated in such places like New York's Time Square or in Sin City otherwise known as Las Vegas, which is where I spent ringing in 2006. It was truly a memorable moment for me as it was my first time being there and I can honesty now say I've been there, done that, which I can now check off my list. In the end, wherever you spent ringing in 2006 I hope you had the time of your life because I know I did and song that best reflects this thought is by Green Day entitled Time Of Your Life.