My Point Of View (2 of 2)

Self-Care

I had a good day. Our clinic was closed, but I worked my 8-hours, attempting to get caught up on a few projects. I appreciated the quiet, but I still managed to make a little noise, my kind of noise. I had Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and a few others playing in the background. On occasion, the volume had to be turned up.

It was also a day for self-care. Self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself. I had flowers delivered to my office. Some people might think that's odd, but not me.

There are many reasons why people buy themselves flowers, and it usually has to do with wanting to boost their spirits. I opted for flowers because I was already in a good mood and I felt like doing something spontaneous, something that would brighten my day even more.

Remember this, self-love is important to your overall happiness. Loving yourself takes practice and a strong resolution. It’s the willingness to pick yourself up when life is unkind.

I hope everyone had a good day. Here's to the rest of your week. Cheers! (To UrbanStems... Thank you! You do an excellent job.) – paerki 

Religion

Religion – an organizing narrative many use to create meaning in their lives. We all want to belong, to feel connected to something greater than ourselves, and religion helps to fill a void. Having an organized narrative for one’s life is not such a bad thing, but when it comes with a hefty dose of manipulation, fear and ignorance, you lose me.

We often accept what is handed down to us without asking questions. Ask questions, lots and lots of questions! It’s okay to have a different opinion, too. Certain words resonate with me – hope, unconditional love, peace and inclusiveness, just to name a few. If the dialogue feels good and comes without judgment and pretense, we’ll get along beautifully. I have no interest in people who speak in bumper stickers and riddles.

There is no excuse for ignorance. We all have our own set of arguments, opinions and disagreements. Civil discourse is imperative. – paerki

Hate

Sometimes it's hard living in a world of hate. Not all who call themselves Christian follow the true teachings of Christ. Religion must be about unconditional love, forgiveness and taking care of others, while believing in the human spirit. If your religion hates a particular group of people... That's not religion, but a hate group. – paerki 

I Miss you, Joan

I am heartbroken, sad. A Facebook friend of mine has died. My friend's name – Joan. She was a wife, mother and grandmother, and a friend to many. She was my friend and I shall miss her very much.

I've never met Joan in person, but we became fast friends via Facebook. She read one of my responses to an article in a news feed and liked what I had to say. We started chatting via messaging, instantly realizing we had many things in common. We were destined to be Facebook pals.

Our conversations centered on family, friends, currents events, etc. She loved talking about her children and grandchildren and I enjoyed listening.

There was much laughter, too. She deeply cared about the world and was hopeful for change. She was about diversity and freedom of expression.

I truly appreciated our conversations because I could be myself. We were a few generations apart, but that didn't matter to us. I loved and respected Joan's thoughtful responses. She was a woman of strong conviction, courage, integrity and purpose. She was wise, so wise.

With Joan's passing, I just had to look back at some of her warm expressions...

"I believe in prayer. The universe does feel these thoughts. Thank you so much my very good friend."

"You have such a good soul. You don't have to be strong all the time."

"I am a tad better today, but sometimes life is just rough. Love you forever. Thanks for being my friend. I will always be here to listen to you if ever you need me."

That Joan, she always knew what to say. She was considerate, kind and thoughtful. She was caring, loving and understanding. She was true, honest and sincere. I'm fortunate to have learned how to appreciate beautiful people, places and things. Joan had a beautiful soul and it will be missed. I am just thankful she came my way.

My last conversation with Joan was November 16, 2016. She wrote... "Thanks. It helps to have a friend like you." Dearest Joan, it helped me to have a friend like you. You live on in my heart. I will never forget you. You were a gift. RIP. – paerki