Blatant Differences.

   Yesterday, I got to spend my birthday with Colette and our kids.  We went out and had a nice meal and saw a movie.  Generally just enjoying spending time together and appreciating each others company.  The funny thing is that while in the midst of it,  I was reminded of something I read a long time ago.  I apologize in advance for not remembering from who.  Here is my attempt to quote it.

   "Other people are never as we imagine them to be.  For if we are imagining them to be anything thing, then it is our imagination and not who they are.  Accept them as they are and then you need not be surprised at who they turn out to be."

   In some cases some people have been meeting their mental image of their spouse/partner for so long that when the difference between who they really are and who they are imagined to be becomes so blatantly obvious that they are not able to cope and relationships fall apart.  "You're just not the same person I married/knew."  I can't imagine thinking this way.  I change all the time, why shouldn't everyone else?

   It seems to me, that most of us aren't exactly sure who we are so what makes us think that we have the right to determine who anyone else is?  One of the greatest steps to enlightenment or personal peace is reconciling our place in creation with the life that we think we have.  Perspective.

   Can we accept others on the grounds of no judgement if we cannot do the same for ourselves?  Do we NEED to judge ourselves to live well or completely?  Are we just pre-occupying ourselves and passing time when we could be living instead of spending trying to determine who we are or should be?

   Each day, I like the concept of what I call a "glass meditation".  This is where I imagine myself as glass or some clear substance and as life comes at me, I let it all pass through me.  This leaves me to decide what has effect or impact on my life.  I get to decide what out of everything that happens has impact or not.

   Although we cannot always determine what happens to us, we can decide what, if anything impacts our lives.

   May you accept yourself without reservation, judgement or incrimination today.  When you do, may the vale of judgement and assumption be lifted from your eyes on those around you.  When you do, may love and peace fill your day!

Peace and clarity,

Billy B

Sunsets.

   I'm not sure the exact reason.  I have always loved a great sunset.  When Colette (my wife) and I lived in Texas, we would sit out in the evening just to watch the marvelous crimson sunsets that happen in western Texas.  That was one of the blessings of living there.

   I know that there is beauty all around.  I also know that there have been times in my life when I failed to appreciate the miracles around me or the beauty that predominates just because I was lost in thought or worse, familiarity.  Perhaps that in and of it'self is why the practice of watching one's breath can bring so many benefits.  Just letting go of thought and forgetting about the familiar habit of breathing to experience each breath and appreciate it for the miracle that it is.

  Today, I will keep it simple and short.

   I challenge each of you to notice something that is a constant in your life, forget what you know or think you know and just appreciate, whatever it is, for the blessings or beauty or miracle that this one things is.  It does not matter if this is a person, an object, a scene or any tangible item.  Just chose one, appreciate it and admire it as if it were new to you.  Take a moment and be present with it.

   If you dare, take a moment and tell me what happens.

   May you experience the miracle that is you!

Peace,

Billy B.

One Bite at a Time.

   How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.

   Personal progression is about doing and being as often as possible until you are and do without thought or methods required to remind you.

   Enlightened people, meaning people with a lot of presence in their everyday lives, got that way by being present in the first place and then repeating it more and more often until it is becomes, more or less, their predominate state of being.  I'm not talking enlightened masters, that  is something different and very rare.  I'm talking about everyday people like you and me, who have moved beyond the drama and found the joy within, that comes from living and being present most of the time.

   There are so many ways to look at this.  One of my favorite quotes does so from a bass-ackwards point of view.  "I became insane with long terrible intervals of sanity." Edgar Allen Poe.  I would agree with him in that what the world calls sanity can really be quite a dreaded and troublesome experience.  The more childlike I become the more those who know me might question my sanity, yet the more at peace and present I am.  Contradictions, I know.

   Part of this, I believe comes from not taking myself nearly so serious.  The less weight I put on the opinions and judgments of the mind, the free-er and more joyful my life.  After all, life is not personal.  The less personal I make it the more I am able to jump in and participate and enjoy without needing to demand certain outcomes or feel that the outcome reflects on me or my worth!

   This revelation is slow in coming for me, however the more it does, the greater my presence, peace and joy.  Most of all, the more love I am able to share with those around me.  (Even if they think me half-mad,  I believe they are finding me more tolerable as well.)

   May we all, find the space that is us in the everyday.  May joy fill your day to the point it overflows into the lives of others.  My you lose the desire to find yourself in things or actions.

  Great joy and peace unto you and to those who's presence you share this day!

Billy B

 

 

Lucidity.

   There are a few words that communicate something very unique and leave room for personal translation and  understanding.  Lucid, is one of my favorite, top three probably.

   Lucid, according to most definitions that I found, means clarity of thought, clear perception and understanding.   I believe that the best way to describe it through my eyes is those moments when all is clear and there is depth to your vision, either mental, spiritual or both.

   It is these lucid moments in live that make life colorful, complete and most of all, enjoyable (love that, en-joy-able or in-joy or enabled with joy!).  The English language is probably one of the  most capable if you pay attention to the details and one of the sloppiest if you don't.  Back to the topic.

   How many of you have heard the saying "Mow when the grass is green."?  I know people that insist on pushing harder when the mojo is not there or the results fail to meet expectations.  As a salesperson for years, I learned to back off when the mojo was off and to work ever so much more when the magic was happening.  For my rewards I accomplished more by working when the "sun was good" so to speak and by stepping back and enjoying life, creating needed space in my life when it wasn't.

   It is when the magic/mojo or whatever you wish to call it, is the most lucid of times. When you can see the end results even before you get there and all the pieces of the puzzle seem to just fall into place.  I am not saying stay down when you get knocked down.  I am not discounting persistence.  I am saying that there is good judgement and grace to consider vs. if we aren't sometimes beating our heads against a wall and calling it good for us.  I wish I had some good rules of thumb to help you decide which moments are which.  I cannot.  I can only tell you what I do, as I get better at it in my own life.  Creating space in my life, a step back, being still and quite so the understanding or guidance needed to make that call has room to make it'self known (or at least me being quiet enough to hear the quiet little voice of inspiration when it speaks).

   Lucidity, would be the clarity or presence of being that can light the way.  How do we find these moments in our lives?  How necessary are they to give our lives balance so that the hectic and pressing does not rule over us?  How often do we take time to create space and stillness in ourselves so that the natural guides within us can have their say?

   May we all recognize the lucid moments in our lives.  May we take advantage of them to bless our lives and those who's lives are linked to us.  May you discover your purpose in them.

Peace and lucid moments to you and yours.

Billy B

 

Choose your Temptations Wisely.

   In life there can always be distractions.  Some pleasant and some not.  The difference is hard to tell. yet in the end we do get to choose what distractions we entertain with our attention and thoughts.

   For me there is always sailing.  It fascinates me.  I truly wish I could devote more time to it and not compromise the responsibilities that I have accepted/created.  It is also very easy for me to disappear into a good read and not surface again for a whole day or night.

   Although both of these can be very productive as sailing provides me with some of the greatest recreational  joy and release I have ever found, so a good book can help me to expand my perspectives, understanding and knowledge, there is also the possibility of trying to lose myself in these activities as well.  More precisely, escapism.  I know that it can be good to get away a little bit however, anything can be taken to far and then we compromise living for immersion (hiding) in some distraction or imaginary life that is not our own.

   Who doesn't enjoy some type of recreational activity, be it sitting around a firepit with friends or family, bowling, biking or whatever?  Does it mean that this is the only way that we can live?  Some might call it working to live.  I would suggest the we should be able to live life while performing any of the tasks or activities we need to participate in.  As in the last blog entry, "carrying water, chopping wood."  Even the mundane can be rewarding and still get our full attention and presence.

   So far I have only mentioned the good and not usually destructive distractions that are available to us.  We all understand that there are distractions that assault us and have no positive effects or outcomes.  We don't need to go into that here.  I try to keep things as positive as possible here.  Should you have a problem with one of these, I recommend you seek help to overcome such things, you only will when you want to.

   In one sense or another the understanding that life must have balance exists within each of us.  Only we are capable of determining what that balance is.  I spent years being a workaholic so for me recreation is becoming more important all the time.  Sadly, I know that I still have much room to grow in this area as I spend way to much time at work.  This blog is in fact here for you to read because I felt the need to start growing skills and opportunities to find a way to live my life more on purpose and still be able to provide for my family's financial needs.

   It is my sincere desire that each one of us find the balance between what is critical to a quality life and critical to sustaining the physical and emotional needs of ourselves and our families.  By doing so, I wish you peace, joy and communion with the ones that you love.

   May you share love with those around you.  May you find purpose in your activities and intentions this day.  May others be inspired by the joy that permeates your presence.

Peace and great living to you all.

Billy B

Obsessive Compulsive Searching

   I wonder how often we get caught up in Obsessive Compulsive Searching.  Meaning, are we doing things out of the habit of searching for more, grasping for something extra or the need to maintain a certain air or recognition.

   It has occurred to me that in the past, a good portion of my self image has been based on what I can do, accomplish or obtain.  When I was worked for the dealerships, there was a lot of self confidence necessary to be  one of the top sales people.  Acting the part, if you wish.

   Strangely, there are those rare souls that seem to be able to do what is needed without the need to be recognized, to receive compensation forwhat is done or as the Tao Te Ching puts it, "to create without possessing."

   As a species it seems that we are programmed to always be searching or striving for something.  I am not saying that it is all bad.  I do wonder if we don't miss the mark in striving for striving's sake.  Are we trying to "find" ourselves in accomplishment?  Self image seems to be a very powerful thing, especially if you feel you need to understand who or what you are to define "self".

   I have been listening again to one of my favorite CD sets from Eckhart Tolle, Findhorn Retreat.  He talks about accepting the stillness that already is within us.  That it cannot be "found", it's there already, we just can't perceive it because of the noise of thinking.  Makes sense.  One of the noises we may have to deal with is the need to strive, accomplish, acquire or be something more than we are already.

   Perhaps that is why I have less inclination to strive for "things" vs just evolving (although this is something I still have to deal with regularly).  As with my last entry.  It's not being lazy, it's living easy, not being in contention with life it'self.

   The creation of real enduring value is my purpose, my personal mission statement.  With this in mind, then perhaps this explains why I am so focused on perspective, doing and being instead of labels and accomplishments.  No title has ever rewarded me with peace, no check has given me love.

   I have no clue where I heard it however it has stuck with me.  "Compassion is the ability to see oneself in others."

   This perspective, this statement feels like it could easily disarm the need to justify oneself, the need to pursue endless searching for "something."  I am not saying there is error in doing, achieving or accomplishing.  I am suggesting that real meaning and rewards come not in what we do, they come in why we do what we do.

   May we feel at ease in our own skin this day.  May we put others at ease with who they are by accepting them as they are without judgement or preconception of who they should be.  To let others be as they are, perhaps they will find joy of being as well.

Peace and stillness to you and yours.

Billy B

Versatile Blogger Award

   I want to thank Bea Sempere at SkippingStoneMemories for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  It is an honor!

   The Rules in accepting this award: Thank the person who nominated you. Tell 7 things about yourself so that your readers may learn more about you and nominate 15 other newly discovered bloggers and let them know you nominated them.  (These may not all be new to many of you reading mine, however I am newer to blogging so they are all pretty new to me.)

7 THINGS ABOUT ME

1. As a Navy brat I have lived in 7 states in the US and no less than 3 countries outside of the US.

2. I love Sailing (if you cannot tell by the sailing images I love to use.)

3. I speak French.

4. I enjoy writing Haiku's.

5  I have been married for more than 20 years to my lovely bride, Colette.

6. We have 3 children, two boys and a girl.


7. I adore acoustic guitar work such as, Flamenco and Classic Latin as well as artists like Jesse Cook, Rodrigo Y Gabriella and Andy McKee.

My 15 Versatile Bloggers are....

1. I take the Pen by Krista.  Love her little creative sections that others can get involved in.

2. What people haven't told you.  Written by Nadhirah Samuel.  

3. Like a bump on a blog by Amber Meadows.

4. Kristen Pelfrey Writes by .... you guessed it, Kristen

5  Kristy's Stories by Kristy!!!

6. Mainely Mug Ups by Belva Rae Staples

7. From the writers desk by Ellie.

8. Insecure and socially awkward seeking by Emily l. Moir.


9. Jinky is reading by Jinky!


10. Writing with Shelly by Shelly Brown.


11. Inside Insights by ReikiRealmNY.  (Fun reading about her personal journey.)


12.The Blog that helps you Diagnose your Characters. 


13. Will Write for Cookies by Peggy. 


14. Into Da Fiyah by Elizabeth Hughes


15. The Tale of Two Sweeties by Diana.


I know it took forever for me to get today's entry in and I appreciate everyone's patience.  One busy day! Whew!!!


Peace and stillness to all.


Billy B

A Quickie.

   I only have a couple of minutes today and felt that I needed to leave a brief message.  Many people in the west seem to have the mistaken belief that when the Buddha said "Live life easy" that meant lay about and do nothing.

   Whether it is Christ, Buddha, Gandhi or any of the many great teachers, it is the stillness within that shows outwardly.  In other words.  "Live life easy." means to live life without struggling against it.  Jesus said "Do not kick against the pricks."  Same thing in essence.   Good work itself is it's own reward and there is much that can come from working thoughtfully or completely.

   One old Chinese chant was "Chopping wood, carrying water."  These were essential tasks in a pre-modern world. for sustaining everyday life.  The chant or saying is meant to convey that there can be great peace and even release in doing even the mundane well.

   Today I weeded a badly over grown sand pit that used to be where we had a swing set.  Although my arms may itch from the weeds, there is great peace from doing work and being present throughout.  Now on to other tasks and honey-do's!

Thank you for being,  thank you for your presence.  Peace and stillness within be yours.

Billy B

Meaningful conversations with a brick wall.

   My wife for years has teased me about what she calls my ability to have a conversation with a brick wall.  I am gregarious and find it easy to speak with most people.  It is rare that people intimidate me.  It has always made sense that every person I meet is a people too!

  I had a conversation with a good friend the other day and he made the suggestion that a good topic might be to ask people how hard it would be for them to stand in front of a mirror and ask "Do I like me?"

  While at a meeting with the local writers guild last night (what an amazing group of people) I put the questions out there.  The un-edited version of the question drew many laughs and some fun responses.  Many people are hesitant to have a frank conversation like that with themselves and those that are, were quite comfortable with with answers even though those answers are not what you would expect many times!

   Back to the topic at hand, by willingly approaching just about anyone and starting up a conversation, I have had some of the most meaningful conversations of my life!  Isn't it surprising that some of the greatest quotes we have all heard are more true than we ever give them credit for?

"The only thing to fear is fear itself."

Franklin D. Roosevelt

  So the question begs to be asked, why do we fear others or engaging others?  Do they deserve our fear?  Do we have any real need or justification for not engaging everyone as an equal.  I'm not saying the we should all be extroverts, it's the many flavors and personality types out there that make all of this living thing more like art and fun than just being part of the herd.

   No one has to try and be me and probably not recommended as the world may not be ready for that.  Know though that you are exactly the individual you should be.  Make the most of it and share with others the glorious you, that you are!

   The end point or goal of this is,  the only real fear is within.  Not outside of us.  People should be engaged.  You will never know the marvelous conversations, relationships or wealth of perspectives to be had until you do!

   May you love engaging others today!  May you make a new meaningful conversation and friend this day.  May you be the positive influence that someone else really needs.

Peace and mighty conversations to you and those you engage.  ;D

Billy B

 

Know Me Better 10/20

   Here is a good little Blog Hop that I just came across.

   I answer 5 questions that have been posted and to join with your site, answer one of them in the comments and link up to the post!  Here are the questions.

1. If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future?
2. Nickname?
3. What was your favorite children's book?
4. If you were a super hero what would your kryptonite be?
5. Hot or Cold?


1. I would travel to pre-WWI times so that I could travel the world and many adventures did then.  I love those who knew no boundaries and saw so much of the world that has been burried by human civilization. 


2. Billy B or Wily B, been that way since High School, can't remember where is started other than there was this silly little chant...... 


3. "Where the Wild Things Are."  Without a doubt.


3. Boston Cream Pie....  such truly dangerous stuff ;D


4. Hot!  Grew up in the deep south, can shed heat, can't retain it.


Leave a comment on one of the questions and join up!

A Simple Life.

It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little. Diogenes

   One of the reasons that I have such fondness for eastern philosophies is because they struck upon something millenia ago that has hit home with me.  The less we demand to satisfy our needs and wants the easier it is to find peace and happiness.  Robb White said in his book, Flotsam and Jetsam that "a complicated life has little room for peace and a simple life is often filled with joy".


   As we unclutter our lives, it is amazing how much joy can be found in the absence of entertainment.


   "But what is happiness than the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads."  Albert Camus


   I'm going to keep it simple and short today. 


   What do you have in your life, that having the privilege of hindsight, you would be better off without?  


   Is it time to simplify?  


   I wish for a simpler, happier, better life for us all.  


Peace of being be unto you and yours.


Billy B

  

   
   
   

Interconnectedness.

   Knowing that there is nothing that is not part of the whole.

   I had a really great topic planned out for today's entry.  It sounded good, it felt good.  I got up at 3 AM this morning with a really foul belly and now, whatever that marvelous topic was is gone.  Oh well, Sometimes inspiration needs a good plan to get out of the way first.

   I have really been enjoying Siddhartha from Hermann Hesse.  A marvelous read and interesting in that the first half of it focuses on traditional Indian philosophies and the second half seems to seek balance between western thought and eastern tradition.  I like it.

   I tend to be of the same piece of cloth.   Interconnectedness is a teaching of the Dalai Lama and part of traditional Tibetan Buddhism.  The basic principle is that all things are of the same stuff (science tells us this is true) and that there is, in the big picture, no real separation of things.  It takes real humility to consider this teaching.  One must then accept that even the lowliest of things and creatures in creation have equal intrinsic value.  Even thought we may be at the top of the pyramid, spiritually speaking.

   I am not here to convince or persuade.  I am here to get your gears moving and perhaps allow you to, for just a moment, broaden your horizons of perspective.  To consider, that we are very small parts of the enormity of the big picture.  That, even though, immensely small and unimportant in this big picture, we play a very very significant role in the grand scheme of things.  It is the smallness of your being, that can gives us the perspective to see what we are really capable of and can free us from the idea of importance that keeps us from doing it.

   Our bodies are just temporal shells for our beings, our souls if you will.  Just as a temple is built to be a physical representation of a home for a god, so our bodies are a physical representation of our being, a home for us during this temporal existence.  As expressed by the saying that we are spiritual beings have a physical experience, not the other way around.  And just as the temple does not define the god, it just defines what the people who built the temple thought the temple should look like, not to sum up or define in finite details what or who the god is, also our bodies do not define the being within.  It is our temporary home for the duration of our human lives.

   Our beings are not defined by the proper or improper function of our bodies, by their appearance or by their capacity.  A man without legs is no less a seed of the eternal than a child with no speech or someone that might be a classical beauty in every sence.  We are not our bodies, they are the temples we reside in.

   The being within is defined by the fact that we are here.  If we are here in this life, then our life is justified.  Creation / God determined the value is already and placed each one of us here.  If it were not so, we would not be here.  Simple!  Hard to grasp perhaps for some, yet still very simple.  To grasp this now leaves us the freedom to make the most of the time we are granted in this temporal form instead of passing time trying to define or justify something that already is.

   Each and everyone of us have an immeasurable value as compared to what our minds can comprehend in our current "human" state.  This value is present in all of us.  Part of the understanding or the realization that we get from this principle is what gives our lives clarity and joy.  Perspective.  Our responsibility is to recognize it in each individual that we encounter.

   May each of us "see" this value in ourselves and in those we meet today.  May each one of us bare record of this sacred teaching by giving a smile to all as we move among everyone this day.  May we find that significance bares far greater joy and clarity than importance every can.

Peace, clarity and vision be yours this fine day!

Billy B

Life is a Ride...

   Life is a ride.  The day will come for each of us when we must look inside ourselves and realize that it is not about us.

   Ask anyone who has truly lived, they will tell you that the moments of greatest impact in their lives, the moments of greatest joy and love have all occurred when they where focused on doing something greater than themselves.  Whether it is a simple act of kindness or being part of some greater cause or assisting someone else to believe in them self or to helping them to see the bigger picture or even helping them take care of their basic needs so that they no longer have all of their attention on poverty of spirit or means.  This is when fulfillment happens.  When we become what we are created to be.

   The greatest gift you can give to anyone is being completely present when you are with them.  Presence is a marvelous thing that defies the laws of physics and fulfills the laws of spirit.  The more you give it away and share it with others, the more of it you have!  The more it grows the more it becomes contagious and blesses all who experience your presence, even if they themselves are not yet ready for it.  It's like planting seeds. The seed is now there until the day that they are the fertile ground for it to grow and develop in.

  That is the beauty of being on this ride.  There is a song that Garth Brooks sings called "The Dance".  Some of the lyrics of the song expresses for me how much of an incredible ride this life can be.  Being a ride, we cannot know the outcome or where it will lead us, we simply choose to either enjoy it or not.  I know which I choose.

And now I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end the way it all would go 

Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain 

But I'd of had to miss the dance 

   This particular song was at the top of the charts when our first daughter was born.  She did not stay with us for the whole day before she left.  I still have a hard time listening to this song in public.  I am sure glad that she came and blessed our lives with her presence, no matter how brief.

   Some of the greatest blessings of my life have come from her visit.  I began my path to greater awareness of  presence and inner peace because of her influence and the not always gentle nudges that life has given me.

   I am thankful for every breath!  I am grateful to know presence!  I love life and could not, not live it having the perspective I do now.

   May you live a fabulous day!  May you be grateful for all you meet this fine day and may you share this gratitude with someone who needs to feel it.

Grace and love to you,

Billy B.

Stress is....

Hello There!

Got this from a friend on facebook. ;D

   Stress = worrying, spending energy and thought on something for which you can do nothing about.  Do what you can do and be at peace. 

   I know that I am not alone in this matter.  It is said that the last great hurdle to enlightenment is detachment.  Taking nothing personal, not having any "self" invested in the world.  It sounds boring, yet at the same time, that too could be a self defense mechanism of the ego.  I imagine if you could participate and fully enjoy, appreciating without any stake in the outcome the same as accepting blessings without the need to keep something going beyond it's time or trying to create permanence out of the temporary.  Acknowledging what has been added to your joy and experiences without seeing it's passing as sad, bad or anything but "as it should be".  

   Ok, sounds great! Except, I will be the first one to admit that I am not anywhere near there yet.  It doesn't mean that I cannot see it as a possibility, just that my personal evolution does not yet reach that far.  Right now I am reading (along with many other books at any given time, of course) Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. It's a novel he wrote that very closely, not exactly, follows the life of Prince Siddhartha, the man we now call Buddha.  I admire that one can seek as Buddha did, yet I seem to fall short of such lofty reaches.  I have read many works on the subject of Enlightenment and would in many ways consider myself a seeker.  I also understand that I am a husband, father, brother, neighbor and friend.  I am a professional with a career.  All of these things, titles, roles, if you will, are part of who I am.  The responsibilities that I have taken on during my life up to this point.  

   Some of these roles are ones that "If I knew then..... what I know now" types of situations.  However, that does not excuse me from the responsibilities I have accepted.  There have been many different motivational speakers and I cannot remember which one that said it,  here goes in my own words.   You must decide in your life which relationships are good for you and assist you in living your life on purpose and those that do not.  For those that do not, you must look at them and decide if it is worth the consequences of keeping that relationship (IE; a friend who's influence only creates negative action, thoughts or influence.) and if not create and execute an exit strategy for that relationship.  So that you may use your energies and focus on that which adds to a life on purpose.

   Now in my romanticism (being very much a romantic by nature), I felt for years that this was unacceptable thinking.  Since acquiring some experience and wisdom from said experiences, I now see the bigger picture and potential drama, heartache and such from not following this wisdom.  Some relationships, cannot be "cancelled or exit-ed".  I doubt I need to go into this to deeply, be wise and consider the consequence when you think about such things.  I do not want critical relationships (IE; marriages, etc.) broken up over poorly thought out decisions or when the real catalyst to a better relationship lies within.  

   What I am saying is, we all need some perspective, some "enlightenment" at times and as for me.  I am doing my best to walk The Razors Edge (a very good movie by the way, look it up.  Bill Murray) of living a life that is enlightened yet, fulfilling that which makes life worth living.  My marriage as an excellent example.  It is the most rewarding relationship with anyone in my life.  I would not want to walk away from this relationship for some esoteric feeling when I know that my marriage adds greatly to the overall quality of my life.  I believe that there must be balance in all things.

   Perhaps, stress really is the lack of balance.  In perception, understanding or even action.   Imbalance is the one thing that seems to exist in some area of my life or at the moment when I am experiencing stress.  Balance is the one thing that seems to bring peace and end stress.

   Although, I believe in evolving to the point of true enlightenment, I also understand that I am not willing to do it at the cost of some critical elements of my life.  I hope this makes sense for those of you reading this.  Balance for me is being able to have a big picture view of the world around me, keeping in perspective all humans, relationships, attitudes, actions and otherwise.  Remembering the sacred natures of all men, doing what I can to see everyone without judgement, accepting what is, enjoying what is without demands or expecting something other than what is.  Then, it seems as if the creator within comes into his own and has real power to influence, to create real enduring value for those around me.  Only when, I give up the need to self serve or justify.

   I guess that is the real trick to balance, to stepping a way from stress.  Letting go of the need or desire to have what is not or not "seeing" what is already.

   May you find that balance in your life that allows you to be free of stress.  To have quality relationships (only a healthy inner relationship can allow healthy outer relationships) in your life.  May you see beyond judgment and know real peace that wells up from within and flows outward.

Billy B

October Blog Hop Winner!

  First of all, THANK YOU for everyone who participated!  I really had a lot of fun!  I did not even know what a blog hop was just two weeks ago!

  And the winner is ......  Diana    The winner was chosen by drawing the entrants names from a hat.  (I know, I know. Not up to tech standards.  Call me old fashioned... LOL!)

  She has several fun blogs and I hope everyone get's the chance to visit them.  You can check out her profile by clicking on her name.

  Thank you again everyone for participating!  I really am looking forward to reading your posts on your blogs.  There are some really great ones out there!

Peace and Love,
Billy B

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow."
Helen Keller 

New friends, new horizons.

   Today I would like to show appreciation for everyone new who has taken time to visit my little corner of the electronic world!

   I have not been able to read everyone's blogs, however I promise to do so and I am really excited about what each one of you brings to the table.  It is my pleasure to get to know each one of you through your written word and to see how amazing the world is through your eyes!

   Thank you again for sharing with me your time and efforts.  I sincerely hope for great things to come to you from your efforts and creative talents.!

Peace, inspiration and great writing to each of you!

Billy B.

PS. The October Blog Hop ends today! Make sure to get your information to me and don't forget to follow this blog!  I look forward to mailing out a copy of the Tao Te Ching to someone the first of next week.
Take care now and have a great weekend!

Pick your favorite 3 Blogs.... Pay it forward blogfest!

I have learned about Blog Hops just recently and have had a real positive experience with them. Here is a fun one where you go through and pick your favorite 3 blogs from the list.

My favorites are I Take the Pen because She keeps it fun and simple. When you only have so much time to read. Her's is fun. My second choice is A Book A Girl A Journey because I have learned so much about just the basics of blogging from here and her little classes on her blog. Finally I choose Will write for cookies Her blog is just plain fun! I have plenty of others that I do love, however you are only suppose to chose 3!

Brotherly Love

   There has always been something about an image that shows peace and tranquility that stirs me.  Something deep down feels connected with these two things.  I wish I could share that feeling with all who would listen.  

   A feeling that has become more prevalent in society, as a general rule, is how often we forget that each person is not the same as us and does not seen things just as we do.  Meaning, when we forget to consider another's viewpoint, we segregate ourselves from the power and presence of brotherly love and the connections with others that makes life so enjoyable to participate in.  Such as sharing, appreciation, love,  personal connections and communion with our fellow beings.

   When will we, as a people, give up the need to feel important and focus on making others feel important?  In my opinion, most of the challenges that our country is facing right now and all of the division in our government  is caused because we as a people have forgotten to love our brother as ourselves.  The golden rule in it's most basic form.  How often, as a people have we chosen self service over service to others.  This is a general statement and not aimed at anyone individual, not even our politicians because they are just a reflection of our our country's current attitudes and perceptions.  When we as a people change, so will they.  When we as a people let go of our ego and the need to feel justified then will our society as a whole begin to become a real world power for good, again.

   Some might see this as a political statement or entry for my blog. I would suggest otherwise.  It's really about perspective.  About how we view the world and our value scale for those around us or even those we may not be able to see.  Knowing how important and what a miracle each one of us is, gives perspective that increases the expression of brotherly love.  I believe, that when we doubt or have fears about our own self worth then we become self serving because we lose perspective, the big picture is no longer in view.

   So, the question becomes, how to we bring big picture thinking back into view or restore our non-egocentric perspective?  I personally like meditation or reading materials that inspire me to be more than just an individual.  During the Blog Hop this month I am giving away a copy of the Tao Te Ching, one of the oldest and most influential documents of human history and very much focused on having a social conscience.  It is both poetry and spiritual instruction.  (Not using the words religious instruction as it works with all faiths and spiritual belief systems.)  Such sources or your own preferred methods and practices that allow one to re-center ourselves, IE; "Get out of your head and into your heart."  grants us the peace to accept ourselves and others as we are.

   It is my sincere wish that we will all accept everyone around us spiritual beings and not as labels.  That each one of us will know peace that comes from the core and is a wellspring of goodwill and brotherly love.

   May you see "brothers" today where before you saw "others".  May peace bloom in the garden of your life.

Peace of soul and mind to all,

Billy B

 

October Blog Hop! Something new for both of us!

Welcome to the October Blog Hop, where you can visit new blogs, enter to win prizes, and have a great time!



At the bottom of this post, you'll see a list of participating blogs. Just click on each link, check out the prize, and follow the easy instructions to enter. You can enter on each blog, so it's possible to win multiple times. It's frighteningly easy.



On this blog, you can win ... A copy of the Tao Te Ching. One of my favorite reads of all time. A 2600 year old text of both beautiful prose and great lessons on living a simple life filled with joy!

To enter, all you need to do is:



1. Become a follower of my blog.



2. Leave a comment on this post and tell me why you'd like to win this prize. If your e-mail address isn't visible through your Blogger profile, please also leave it with the comment so I can notify you if you win. You can enter until midnight MST on Saturday night, October 15th.



That's it! You are now entered. Now please go visit all my friends on the list below. It's almost like trick or treating!


October Blog Hop Participants

1. Tristi Pinkston 2. I Am a Reader, Not a Writer 3. Bonnie Harris 4. Michael D. Young 5. Misty Moncur 6. Debbie Davis 7. Mandi Tucker Slack 8. Mary Ann Dennis 9. Deanna Henderson 10. Laura Bastian 11. Kristy Tate

12. Kristy Wilson 13. Jennifer Debenham 14. Jenny Moore 15. Elizabeth Hughes 16. J. Lloyd Morgan 17. Close Encounters with the Night Kind 18. Billy Boulden 19. Scott Bryan 20. Maria Hoagland 21. Shirley Bahlmann 22. Shelly Brown

23. Marcy Howes 24. Lynnea Mortensen 25. Jaclyn M. Hawkes 26. Diane Stringam Tolley 27. Gail Zuniga 28. Betsy Love 29. iWriteNetwork 30. Canda's InkBlast 31. Stacy Coles

Learn more about October Blog Hop here.
View More October Blog Hop Participants
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Life has challenges.

   I know that we have all heard the saying "Stop and smell the roses."  I wonder though how often we take time to marvel at the beauty around us.  I find it immensely humbling to see everything that goes on around me in nature.  The picture above was taken about 7:30 last night just a couple miles from our home.  It was a marvelous full moon sunset!

   My wife and I have had are share of challenges, when we were young in our marriage we lost our second child at birth.  We named her Alexis because one of the meanings for her name is "little angle", we had some very expensive medical bills to go along with our loss and of course, as young parents, we questioned if it was our fault in some way that our daughter did not remain with us.

   Not even six months later we received a call at just after 1 AM to find out that a close family member had taken his life to compound our heartache.  This particular year was very hard on us.  We dealt with dramatic financial challenges, we hurt deeply over the loss of a child and the loss of another close family member, my lovely bride was emotionally very confused and lost.  I stumbled on as best I could.  Last of all, I was still quite young being in my early 20's so I was not the most skilled or prepared to help console my wife while she mended her broken and troubled heart.

   We went through an a lot that year, both as individuals and as a couple.  Personally, I can share with you the lessons that I learned.  First, love the one you are with.  Yes, I love our daughter that came into our lives for such a short time however, once she had left, her needs were meet and it was my wife, best friend and wonderful companion that was still by my side, who needed my love and support.  Secondly, never, ever forget to show and express your love, every single day!  This one lesson is probably the one that saved our marriage from certain disaster.  Lastly, true love's value is immeasurable.  Don't forget this lesson and in the words of Winston Churchill "Never, never, never give up!"  True love is beyond the value of any career, possessions, worldly titles or perceived opinions of others, it's value is beyond anything that you can imagine.

   I acknowledge how incredibly blessed I am to have true love in my life.  I can tell you that true love is worth fighting for.  My life would be much poorer without it.  I also learned that we must all go through moments in our lives that test our metal.  My wife and I now understand much better that the short time our daughter was here, she was to bless us and yes, because of the challenges of that year and her brief stay with us, we have been blessed in more ways that we can count.

   It is so easy to judge a situation "good" or "bad" and we probably shouldn't.  The situation we call good today will most often lead to some of our greatest challenges and those times we call bad will bring us our greatest blessings.  Developing the faith and courage to accept life as it is can be one of our greatest and most powerful assets in having a marvelous life!  Appreciating every moment will give us clarity that we would otherwise miss out on.  Failing to step back and breathe can give us cause to take life as a personal affront and miss the grace and bliss that is life it'self.

   It is probably the strength and bonds our marriage gained from that year of heartaches and blessings that we have been able to survive as a married couple through the many other challenges that have come our way.  We are in our second decade of marriage and have three beautiful children that have growth to be healthy, happy and active parts of our lives.  We still remember and carry in our hearts the one that visited us twenty years ago and most of all, the beauty she gave us by allowing us to see that some blessings are to valuable to overlooked, even if their visit seems way to brief.

   Every morning the last couple of years, I have taken to the habit of being available to watch sun up and "greet the new day".  It has proven to have a very powerful positive effect on my life.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for more clarity and positive energy in their lives.

   Don't forget to stop and smell the roses.  Even when you do not feel like it.  Remember, smiling sends endorphins to the brain that help you feel better especially when you don't.  They can also give you perspective to see the blessings that might not be so obvious.  Most of all, never forsake the value of love.  Love takes effort, grace under pressure (ie; focusing on your partners concerns and not your own) and a willingness to go the extra mile whenever, wherever.  On the flip side, love will return to you blessings that you simply cannot find anywhere else.  Love creates synergy that returns blessings to you that are much greater than those that come from the efforts of one.

   May you remind the ones you love, just how much you do love them and appreciate them in your life today.  May you smile when you don't feel like it.  May you feel the bliss of being loved, this fine beautiful day!

Thank you for reading.  Peace be unto you and yours.

Billy B