Faith Isn't Supposed To Make Sense

“By striving for a gold medal instead of a tin medal, or for prestige or notice, you ask the world to assess your value before you can value yourself. You place your sense of self worth in the hands of others. You have no power even if you win every gold medal that the world can produce.” ~ Gary Zukav

That growing seed of self-doubt that you’re just not good enough and everyone else is making a mockery of your anguish by celebrating without you (or so it seems)… An oh so familiar feeling.

Neighborhood games, cliques, exercise, travel, writers’ groups, bridal showers, parties, gatherings and many others that has everyone wrapped up in each other’s “sense of belonging”.

But you forget that you are, and have been in groups with as few members as two, which inadvertently and even deliberately excluded some and crushed egos like yours. It’s a self perpetuating thought that stings like hundreds of paper cuts when you feel like an outsider.

You’re going to be fine—you know how this goes, the conflicted emotions that come with being left out to dry and somehow, albeit excruciatingly slow at first, you manage to navigate your way back to that place where you are happy to see others enjoying themselves and even wish them well and quite sincerely. And once again, you rediscover the sheer pleasure of your own company.

When you can move on from being dumped—yes, dumped—and come to terms with how everything happens for a reason and that there are no magic formulas to relationships except being your truest self and letting chips fall where they may.
And that there is no such thing as ‘novelty of beginnings’ because if you let it be—yourself and others— the universe will spin just as it should and not faster than you think, whenever you’re drowning in deep trepidation and isolation. That the waning is just as intense as the waxing.

The path towards darkness isn’t as short and fast as you might think. It’s when you allow fear to guide your actions that you begin the nose-dive degradation into helplessness.

But just because you are here right now doesn’t mean you don’t know or can’t return to the light of healing. And just because it cannot be seen, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Believe this—remind yourself (yet again)—this place is familiar territory.

And it will repeat itself in dizzying succession because you’re human and you have emotions—raw and unprocessed. You will try everything, you will fall in love over and over again. It will never be perfect. And yet you have and will survive each and every single time—smarting, scathed, shattered, maybe not wiser—but you’ve had your practice and damn me if you say you didn’t so enjoy it while it lasted.

It’s alright, faith isn’t supposed to make sense (most times). It’s meant to carry you through the darkest hours when you feel stripped off, of what little strength and courage you have left. It creeps up on you and carries you forward, a step at a time until, you can believe, again.

Forgive yourself, then others and move right on.
Take everything the same: triumph or defeat, winning or losing, in the company of, and in your sublime aloneness, fame or shame, sadness or gladness they’re all identical just cloaked differently. And temporary.

And it’s all going to pass. As if you didn’t know that too, yet.
Journey on and hold that heart of yours sacred. When it breaks, it feels like it’s never going to mend but it always does, scars included.

Kindness is a gift we take delight in giving others. It’s now time to unwrap it for yourself.

Lost In Play

Think about it; the most creative moments of your adult life were the moments you allowed the child in you to play.

Of Ribbons and Curls

Ribbons for words
Curls but for fleeting change

Of taking leaps
And riding waves

Of seasons and decisions
Of smiles and tenderness

Of tomorrows made up of nows...

Wrapped in silver-lined hopes....

Carrying nothing
But a song...

Of courage and faith....
Of ribbons and curls...

Ruby S. Bernardo

Burn

-     If you feel like dancing, lose yourself then, to raptures of beats and rhythm. Should you be moved, to break into song - rise, if you will - to emotions yet - unexpressed. If you feel a surge, of unbridled joy over life, and its many moments, surrender to it - in bliss and utter euphoria. And, if you would shine,... (from inside out) why then - 'burn'.

Believing

    Just because it can’t be seen, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

Get Happy

Ruby S. Bernardo

(Just paraphrasing what's written in this article):
1. Believe in Yourself - it's darn hard to "expect" others (best not to expect anyways) to, if you don't!
2. Hang out with happy people - happiness is contagious.
3. You may be 15 or 90 but YOU can still benefit from PLAYTIME.
4. Be optimistic - Negativity just breeeds more of its kind.
5. Connect with others - Expecially those you care about and who care about you
6. Be Grateful - A gratitude journal would be a great way to start.
7. Help others - People who lend a helping hand to others will tell you - there's an indescribable feeling that comes with being able to help, no matter how (big or small).
8. Have you seen the great outdoors lately? Well then go!:-)
9. Music - and lots of it. (One can start with the ones that make you sad - at least it'll bring out emotions that are maybe unacknowledged?) then move on to ones that bring on the smiles..
10. Meditate or Pray - It's all the same to me. It's communing with one's self and the HIGHER being. God's just the greatest listener and no, one needs no eloquence or fancy vocab.
11. Be realistic - And no, it's not settling nor tolerating but seeing and yes - acknowledging things for what they are, sans judgment.

But hey - this article has all the juicy details. I'm all for your happiness, (as we all are) and if sometimes you find yourself feeling 'down in the dumps' - well that's alright too. It gives you perspective on how you can get out of it. How will one ever "travel out of a place" if you don't even know where you are to begin with. It's all good!

And if all these sound daunting - 'how 'bout a smile to kick start it all? :-) Love and more love from here.♥
 


http://www.realage.com/health-action-plans/your-get-happy-plan-12#fbIndex1

Do What You Love

Ruby S. Bernardo

After reading this article this is what I came up with:

Consider this, the primary reason you're waking up in the morning would mostly be, if not all - work. (And yes, motherhood is a vocation, full time job and, occupation too!) It's such a huge component of your daily life, that the only way to be really happy with yourself is to know, in your heart of hearts that you are loving what you do. If you've searched high and low and haven't found what you've been looking for, I tell you this from seeing how other people go through their lives either joyful or miserable and yes - from experience - don't let-up with the search. Do not settle.

And as this article will tell you - nothing can be truer when it comes to matters of the heart, you’ll just know, when you find it. Think about couples celebrating their 50th and counting, you ask one or both what it is about the other that made them declare commitment - they just know!! "This is it!!" - "I found it." And as with any fulfilling, wonderful relationship it can only get better, with time.

So if you're in a (pre) occupation that just doesn't fill you up and depletes you rather than blissfully exhaust you - then you're better (best, even!) to not just do anything (except of course if you've taken on piles of mortgages and have "broken the bank" and is paying for all the fun! you've had) but even then, it would be a transgression to yourself and everyone around you - to tolerate a job that doesn't make you want to wake up in the morning for.

It may be hard work (to find what you love - of course you gotta know what you're passionate about before anything and it can take lots of experimenting and soul-searching) but it'll be all worth it. Just ask those who've gone through the worst of times and found it (job, relationship, calling, or anything that requires longevity) - nothing beats "coming home" and savoring every minute of it (no matter the curve balls and interesting moments). As nothing beats doing something as simple as frying an egg, to taking off for the moon, as for yes - true love.

 


http://www.aaronhung.com/2011/11/30/love-what-you-do/

Being You

TRUE COLORS


Ruby S. Bernardo

We've all been through the same before. Conforming and depleting our energies if only to fit in. All the while knowing from deep within that the moments that give us the profoundest joys are those when we let go and be who, we really are.

So if you ever find yourself conflicted, lost and bewildered by everything and everyone around you - take a step back and breathe.

Because nothing but nothing is more beautiful than allowing the world to see the many splendid colors of your soul.

http://youtu.be/DpYVDP37GNY

Loving You

Ruby S. Bernardo

"Love doesn't walk on eggshells. It shatters through humiliating stumbles and falls. It breaks into song sans regard for perfect pitches and tunes. It laughs uninhibitedly and with reckless abandon not at, but with - another. It holds the other person's hands not because it's cold, but that it feels so right. It lingers to look at sunrises and ducks and quiet lakes and see depth and meaning where others may not.

Love is talking until dark turns into dusk, and back again. Love writes with the soul guided by the heart and is read by 'one', who finally understands. It finds no reason to love, but love itself. Love is not ending whatever loneliness there wasn't, but celebrating with another being's journey and coming to one's own.

Love takes nothing away from the beloved but the soothing comfort of marveling at the world with two sets of eyes, souls and hearts that beat as one."
 

Alanis Morissette On Not Giving Up on Considering Marriage

 "In the end, you only need to find one", and "Friendship can actually get sexier"...

http://www.ivillage.ca/relationships/marriage/alanis-morissette-i%E2%80%99m-glad-i-didn%E2%80%99t-give-the-idea-of-marriage

Sweetly as One

SWEETLY AS ONE

Together we lower the moon and raise the sun,
An ocean apart, but sweetly as one.

This love is in the rhythm of earth’s revolution.
Whether it comes to rest
or forever spin without friction.

No living thing that stirs its surface
Will alter a second in time
The sound of your heart will only be heard
not by meteors or comets, but mine.

A fatherly sigh, of divine breath lifts us,
Like dust from the planet, so gently
As two souls collide out of billions who tried
Finding peace on this braided journey

Revolutions in swirl around a steadfast sun.
As two once lost beings come sweetly as one.

No Other Home

Winter's running late, spring hesitates to arrive

And yet all I see, are hues of a heart so vibrant and alive
I would catch the fastest sail to be by your side
If only moments like these could convey all that's raging inside

I will always find your face, whenever I look at mine
Praying that the reflection I see, would one day be yours, for all time

Journey on, footsteps beating along with my heart

And know that no matter where your roads take you...

It will always be your shores I drift to, even from the start

Find me in yesterdays and look for me in your tomorrows 

And I shall seek you out in fateful sunrises and retreating sorrows

And,

If I ever lose myself in this winding path of new
Those eyes of yours will lead me back to no other home, but you.

RSBernardo 

Winter's running late, spring hesitates to arrive

And yet all I see, are hues of a heart so vibrant and alive

I would catch the fastest sail to be by your side

If only moments like these could convey all that's raging inside

I will always find your face, whenever I look at mine

Praying that the reflection I see, would one day be yours, for all time

Journey on, footsteps beating along with my heart

And know that no matter where your roads take you...

It will always be your shores I drift to, even from the start

Find me in yesterdays and look for me in your tomorrows 

And I shall seek you out in fateful sunrises and retreating sorrows

And,

If I ever lose myself in this winding path of new

Those eyes of yours will lead me back to no other home, but you.

Ruby S. Bernardo

Write To Me

Write To Me

Write to me, of flowers and meadows
and sights that leave you breathless
and alive....

Paint me a sunrise of smiles -
of melodies that take my breath, away...

Move me with your moments of joys and sorrows,
of strength, that took you - through it all..

Walk me through your dreams of greatness,
and the dark hours, that leave you nothing, but, - more beautiful...

Lead me to those years of wonderment and delight...
with eyes that say much of - forever...
of my wishes - made true...

Write to me of your tender longings - in quiet desperation,
And give me a chance to take it all away...

Write to me with your soul, that speak the same words...
and a beautiful heart, that gently, holds - mine.