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Posts tagged ‘love’

Ah, sweet Love!

AhSweetLove

Love in its purest form cannot be explained with words; but only experienced. You know that feeling of absolute bliss. It is peace and joy at the same time. It is the desire to be kind, compassionate and helpful. It is that spark in your spirit that inspires you to be good and endearing to others.

It is that feeling of completeness. You are whole and one with everything and everyone. Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year next to Christmas. It is a day I believe that should be experienced everyday; the love and joy can be experienced daily if you so choose. I speak not of romantic love, but of a more reverent, profound love that penetrates the spirit like no other feeling.

Today is a great reminder of how love comes in many forms. I enjoy seeing children carry tokens of the day to their classmates and friends, as the joy friends experience as they wish each other a wonderful Valentine’s Day, as the love between a parent and child, as the love between new lovers and older couples in their twilight years, alike. Love is in the air. There is no doubt about that.

One only need to open his or her eyes. Perhaps, if we continue to keep our eyes open for signs of love on a daily basis, positive changes could take place. I know it has in my life.

May each of you have a WONDERFUL day filled with LOVE and JOY; may these feelings of BLISS carry-on and continue through the rest of your life! I love you! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Love is a Fire…

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Joan Crawford stated, “Love is a fire, but whether it is going to warm your heart or burn down your house, you can never tell.”

I beg to differ. While I believe love to be a powerful emotion not unlike fire, I also believe we have a choice, where emotions are concerned. Yes, it takes a certain amount of self-discipline to not get caught up in our stronger emotions, but we are most certainly the captain of our own hearts. In February of last year I went into detail about 3 types of love (agape, philia and eros). Agape love is the purest and unconditional form of love.

Agape love would never burn down your house; however, conditional love does have the potential to hurt your partner, your family and yourself. Love with attachment to characteristics, physical traits, events and other circumstances is seemingly destined to “burn down your house”. The good news is that all you need to do is to make a mind shift and change your perspective. Love and appreciate yourself and your loved ones for who they are. Let go of the conditions and release the circumstances, which are temporary.

When you are disappointed or upset with yourself or your loved ones, examine carefully why you feel that way. In the grander scheme of life, does the circumstance of that moment really matter. So what, you or your loved one made a poor decision, or did something seemingly embarrassing, or fill-in-the-blank… when you truly love yourself and family unconditionally, the hiccups, mistakes, embarrassments, obstacles do not matter. Your house does not have to burn down. Open up your heart and communication with your loved ones. When you are ready to forgive the momentary lapse of reasons (your own as well as others), you will feel a huge uplifting. You will breathe easier and find joy.

Remember: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

Let me add my own quote, “Love is a light that ignites the hearts of others while maintaining a spark in your own.” When you can say, “I love you” to others and truly mean it without conditions and attachments, you WILL feel joy. It give me great delight to express my love to each person who reads my article today. I deeply appreciate and love you! Happy New Year and Happy New Life!

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The Day Before Christmas

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The Day Before Christmas

by: Dr. Angela Kowitz Orobko

It was the day before Christmas
and all through the land.
People trying to complete
their last-minute Christmas plans.

Goodwill is around us,
if you open your eyes;
See people acting kindly;
it is Jesus in disguise.

Smiles and laughter
will rule this day,
With Christmas carols
playing along the way.

However, keep in mind
that a few souls will be
Not as much into Christmas
celebration as you and me.

A hole in their heart from a past
event that brought them despair.
Let us create for them new memories
and fill them with love and tender care.

Appreciate and value every
person that crosses your way,
Know them or not, express love
and kindness; make their day.

Christmas can be a magnificent
and marvelous time to bring
A new season of compassion and love,
let every bell chime and every voice sing.

“Merry Christmas to all and to all Love and Thanksgiving!”

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It is Christmas Every Time…

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Every time you allow God’s love to shine through your smile, your kind words, your helping hand, and your heart, Christmas is celebrated. Share Christmas everyday with your loving spirit and your warm heart! The gift of God’s love will fuel your own soul and the spirits of others. Have a very Merry Christmas!!

 

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True Nobility

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Dr. Wayne Dyer has often said that TRUE NOBILITY is really NOT about being better than everyone else. It is about being better than you used to be. It is shedding the mantra of the ego, “what’s in it for me?” and practicing the mantra of one’s highest self, “how may I serve?” Dr. Dyer feels that there is no greater model of that than the man who lived in Assisi (Saint Francis).

I believe each of us are gradually awakening to this higher spirit within ourselves, where we can shed the self-serving habits. We are developing our loving and compassionate hearts and spirits by practicing love and kindness, no matter the circumstances. We are beginning to show our capacity and ability to be pure love to one another, to all living creatures, to our environment and to our world.

Everything in our world are our sisters and brothers. We get to share our pure and unconditional love to our sister butterflies, brother birds, sister flowers, brother sun and sister moon. We get to live from the place within us where there is no condemnation, no judgment, no criticism towards any of God’s children, anywhere! The moment we can love that of which we most fear or hate, then we will know pure, unconditional love that of which is Jesus Christ and God (and all the higher spirits of the Universe). We DO have the ability! We can be love for each other and the world. I believe this to be awesome and wonderful.

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A Little Does A Lot!

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I know I have shared similar sentiments about the importance of kindness, but I believe it bears to be retold over and over again as I find more and more on the positive benefits. Besides the obvious benefit of bringing joy to receiver, kindness brings joy to the giver; as I believe most of you know. But, did you know that people who witness kindness in action also get a benefit from this event? Yes, indeed. One act of kindness touches at least three hearts: the heart of the recipient, the heart of the giver, and the heart of the witness or observer. A little kindness does a lot!

Multiple scientific studies have shown that the act of kindness has a positive effect on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that has a calming, mood regulating, and anti-anxiety effect. Serotonin is considered a joy-inducing substance because it serves as a pathway(a catalyst) for delight in the brain. The function of most anti-depressant medications is to stimulate the production of serotonin chemically, which helps ease depression.

One of the most fascinating research findings to come out in recent years is that whenever a simple act of kindness is extended by a human being towards another, it results in a significant improvement in the functioning of the immune system and increased production of serotonin in the giver, recipient and the observer of the simple act of kindness. (Read more: http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/act-of-kindness#ixzz2FRdItP3o) A Harvard study called this the Mother Teresa Effect because a group of over 130 Harvard students were tested before and after viewing a film on the life of Mother Teresa for an important antibody found in their saliva important to their immune system. The students had a noteworthy increase in this antibody after watching the charity works of Mother Teresa in her life story.

You can do your own research. How do you feel after watching a program like Extreme Makeover Home Edition or Touched by an Angel, where people are uplifted by other people? I am willing to bet you feel wonderful. I also believe that as we approach significant holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas where you people see more goodwill and acts of kindness, there is a greater amount of joy in the hearts of all the people involved. Furthermore, there are more heart-warming movies being broadcast on television and shown in the movie theaters. How do you feel after doing a good deed? How do you feel when you see someone performing a good deed? How do you feel when someone helps you out?

According to the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, “Non-pharmacological methods of raising brain serotonin may not only improve mood and social functioning of healthy people — a worthwhile objective even without additional considerations — but would also make it possible to test the idea that increases in brain serotonin may help protect against the onset of various mental and physical disorders.” According to experts, the following strategies to raise serotonin levels are worthy of further investigation: the power of suggestion (viewing acts of kindness or suggesting to yourself to be joyful), exposure to bright light (like being outdoors in the sunshine), exercise (runner’s high comes to mind), and diet (eating well-balanced foods that you enjoy).

The benefits are many, but the take home message is: A little KINDNESS does A LOT! Now, the task is to narrow the list of what you can do to spread kindness around because the opportunities are truly endless. What are your favorite acts of kindness to do, observe or receive? My favorites are sharing and receiving a heartfelt smiles, sincere compliments and undivided attention.

 

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Love in the Face of Tragedy

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In the face of the recent tragedy, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut that took the lives of 27 people,  let us embrace each other and be love. Let our hearts fill with compassion for those directly affected today as it has touched each of us. I know I have experienced disbelief, shed a few tears and questioned, “why?’ But, this will not bring our loved ones back to their living state.

Love, positive thoughts and prayers are the only things that will  heal the wounds of today. Anger and sorrow will not. May God bless and comfort anyone who is experiencing anger and sorrow. May we all have a better understanding of each other and appreciate our fellow humankind a bit more. Let this tragedy bring us closer. Let us stem from our very being as pure love and send it out to those are deeply hurt today.

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New Traditions

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Create new traditions to bring more joy and unity into the lives of you and your loved ones! ~ Dr. Angi K. Orobko

In December we celebrate love, joy, generosity, charity, Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, rebirth, return of light, and so much more. How we choose to celebrate the holiday is entirely up to us. We can choose to create new ways to celebrate the season. The possibilities are endless. Take the opportunity to invite input from your loved ones when you create a new tradition or two. Ask yourselves, how can you best celebrate? What will make this season for you and your family more meaningful?

My loved ones and I celebrate Christmas each year. Yes, we usually put up a Christmas tree and exchange gifts; but, more importantly we honor the birth of Jesus Christ, as well as, prepare our hearts for the second coming of our Lord. This preparation can be in many forms, but ultimately it is being Jesus and Love for others, whether it is in the spirit of giving gifts and/or sharing time and talents.

I love the idea of creating care packages filled with necessities and goodies for people in need. I love the idea of doing deliberate and anonymous acts of love and kindness each week in the name of Jesus and Love. These can become new traditions in my family. There are countless other things we can do and I am open to receive any ideas my loved ones have in mind. How about you? Are you going to create a new tradition this December?

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Share Your Ups and Downs

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Share joy and sorrow alike. ~ Duke Shanxiang, Zhou Dynasty

People want to be a shoulder for you to cry on when you have sorrow, just as much as they wish to share in your joys. Do not feel you are a burden to others when you have trying times in your life. Let others lift you up. Share your joy and sorrow alike.

 

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Big Heart…Small World

As my heart grows bigger, the world gets smaller. Physical distance is not an obstacle in the spiritual realm where love dances and plays. I hope each of you feel the same way. I am reminded of the song of Disney fame, It’s a Small World After All:

It’s a world of laughter
A world of tears
It’s a world of hopes
And a world of fears
There’s so much that we share
That it’s time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all

It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small, small world

There is just one moon
And one golden sun
And a smile means
Friendship to every one
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It’s a small world after all

It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small world after all
It’s a small, small world

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