"Resolve to be tender with the young,

compassionate with the aged,

sympathetic with the striving,

and tolerant with the weak and wrong.

Sometime in your life,

you will have been all of these."

Buddha/Siddhartha Gautama

"Become more aware of the love that is inside you."

Deepak Chopra

(Source: Embrace, edited by RoseAlma)

Music Monday!

Today's beautiful music:

"You must live in the present, 

launch yourself on every wave, 

find your eternity in each moment."

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), 

American writer and transcendentalist

(Source: LivefortheMoment, edited by RoseAlma)

Every moment matters.

Today I learned that a lovely woman from my childhood, a family friend who worked in the front office at my elementary school, had an unfortunate accident a few months back. The accident itself was seemingly small, but recovering from it grew into more health issues. And unfortunately, she is now facing the possibility of life in a nursing home. A kind and loving woman in her fifties, who only a few months ago seemed in good health. All she wants is to return home, and her sweet husband can't bear to tell her that she might never go back.

Though my health condition is quite different, I have felt the longing in her heart. I have ached for home and felt the fear that I might never see it again. And so for her, I weep. For her husband, and her daughters. For all those who love her. I weep for all these beautiful souls.

But there is hope. This beautiful woman, even with this likely fate, can still find love and happiness in life if she keeps her heart open to it. Love is everywhere, even in the darkest places.

And we, the witnesses of this harrowing story, have much to learn from it. We must always cherish the moment, give love freely, hold our loved ones near, say I love you, and most of all... mean it.

Mean every moment. Because every single moment matters.

Much peace and love to you, my beautiful ones. ♥
Rosie

"Feel the freedom that comes 

when you are at peace with yourself. 

Feel the blessings that come when you 

open your heart to everyone and everything. 

Feel the ease of being playful, the excitement of

being alive, the joy of embracing your life. 

When you give yourself away to love, 

you get the whole world back in return. 

When you give yourself away to love, 

every day becomes a wondrous celebration."

Philip M. Berk, writer and holistic healer

(Source: NicolaKaresh, edited by RoseAlma)

Music Monday!

This song is absolutely beautiful. Please listen, enjoy, and feel the infinite love. ♥

Poetry Love

Here is an excerpt from a poem written by one of my favorite poets, the talented Pablo Neruda.
It illustrates the truest, most beautiful form of love. This exists, and I wish it for you all. ♥

                         I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom but carries 

                         the light of those flowers, hidden, within itself, 

                         and thanks to your love the tight aroma that arose

                         from the earth lives dimly in my body.

                         I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,

                         I love you directly without problems or pride:

                         I love you like this because I don't know any other way to love,

                         except in this form in which I am not nor are you,

                         so close that your hand upon my chest is mine,

                         so close that your eyes close with my dreams.

Thankful Thursday

(Source: aBeautifulRippleEffect, edited by RoseAlma)

Today I am thankful for the smiles of Target strangers.

I had my first outing in a few days. Went to our local Target with my parents. It must have been a while since I've been around so many people. Because for the first time in over a year, I was aware of lots of stares from people. I'm fairly certain (though it is only an educated guess) that what draws the attention of so many is the fact that a twenty-something girl is walking around on oxygen. Usually, if people of the general public see anyone on oxygen, it is the elderly. So seeing someone young with it makes them wonder. That is what I've come to surmise anyway. 

I adjusted to these routine stares long ago, when I first started wearing oxygen regularly (about a year ago). I was to the point that I didn't notice anymore; it had become white noise. But today it felt almost like it did when I wore the cannulas in a store for the first time ever: so many pairs of eyes, numerous double-takes, people looking with their mouths hanging open. Nothing ill-intentioned or outright rude. Just obviously confused and very much curious. With all these cold, blank stares, it makes quite a difference when a kind stranger breaks that glass case around me with a warm smile. I received a few of those smiles today, and each one touched my heart. Made me human again. And for that, I am so very thankful.

Beautiful people, what warms your heart? What are you thankful for?

"Sorrow prepares you for joy. 

It violently sweeps everything out of your house,

so that new joy can find space to enter.

It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart,

so that fresh green leaves can grow in their place.

It pulls up the rotten roots,

so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow.

Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart,

far better things will take their place."

Rumi (1207-1273)

(Source: MaWanPark, edited by RoseAlma)

Music Monday!

We missed a Music Monday, and I am sorry for that.

Today, however, we have a beautiful tune. Enjoy. ♥

"Life is giving, not getting."

Joseph Fort Newton (1880-1950), Baptist minister and masonic author

(Source: ChopraCenter, edited by RoseAlma)

Thankful Thursday

(Source: Oracle, edited by RoseAlma)

Today I am thankful for creativity.

As I have grown, I've come to learn that art and the ability to create are central to my life. I adore art and artists, of all mediums, from all over. Artistic expression is beautiful and enlivening, following no rules or boundaries. Art itself is so genuine, emotional, and true. And that is what draws me to it.

Whenever my health is in decline though, my energy and drive to create unfortunately falls. Each time I experience an exacerbation, I notice my creative mind shutting down; and all I have energy to focus on is physically getting through the day. I unconsciously switch into survival mode, like human beings do: if the body can't meet its basic needs (in my case, getting enough air to breathe), it won't be well enough to perform higher cognitive functions (like creating art).

Because of this pattern I have noticed, it's always a beautiful and welcome sign when I begin to feel artistically inspired again. And for me, yesterday and today have been my new beginning. I've been excitedly "running" around thinking up this and that. Little gifts for my loved ones and little decorative projects for my new downstairs room - as well as refreshing my list of larger, longterm creative projects I've been aiming to do.
It's beautiful to feel inspired again. I am so very grateful. ♥

Now truly, dear readers... what are you thankful for?
I (and we) would love to hear from you.

"Your body is nothing less than a universe in motion."

Deepak Chopra (1946-), medical doctor and spiritual writer

(Source: JamesKitchens, edited by RoseAlma)