Mortality

You're born.
You live.
You die.

That is how life progresses; in very, very simplistic terms. We all know life is never that simple.

Recently I had a friend who's dog was run over by a car & sadly he passed away. Her & her boyfriend loved this dog more than life itself (or so it seems). I feel horrible for them & their devastating loss. Their dogs passing however made me think of my own mortality.

Which is a funny thing to contemplate.

Sure it makes you ask yourself those "bigger" questions such as "In this great big world what mark have I made on it?" or "will I be remembered or forgotten in time?". But really does it matter?

The simple truth is, we all have made marks on this earth, but we will never realize the extent to which we have made them. One kind act to a lonely & depressed stranger could save his life & we would never know it. One flick of a cigarette butt out a car window & we could create the firestorm of the century.

We will all be remembered for a period of time in this world. Our families will love & cherish our memories, or friends will mourn our loss. But in time we are all forgotten. Even names written in the history books. We remember their names. We remember their acts of greatness (the good or the bad). But we never truly remember who they were as people. We don't know their passions. We don't know their quirks. We don't know the moral fibers of their beings. We don't ever remember who they were as a human, only what action made them famous.

The point I'm trying to get at is, we are all on this earth doing monumental, life changing acts. Those little acts we do live on. Ultimately, we are remembered by those who care about us & that my friends is far greater than being in any history book.

Much love,

~Megs

Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.
-Italian Proverb

The fear of death often proves mortal, and sets people on methods to save their Lives, which infallibly destroy them.
-Joseph Addison

Death not merely ends life, it also bestows upon it a silent completeness, snatched from the hazardous flux to which all things human are subject.
-Hannah Arendt

Meditation

Meditation. Just saying the word conjures images of serene yogi's or buddhists sitting cross-legged on a mountain top. Did you know that meditation is attainable to everyone?

Well I'm sure you did since it has been around long enough & is currently part of the common yoga trend. But have you ever tried just straight meditation? If you haven't I highly recommend it. Learning to meditate is the best way to bring focus & personal knowledge & growth into your own life.

But you may wonder "how do you start meditating?" or the common "I don't have time to sit for hours doing nothing. I have a busy life with things to do!". Well my friends, both thoughts are valid, heck I know I've thought those things for years. It wasn't until this year I finally stopped making excuses & started meditating. The fact of it is, meditation is so easy, I don't know why I put it off for so long!

First things first. When you are learning how to meditate, you need to take baby steps. If you have the expectation where you will just jump in, close your eyes & your mind clears immediately...well you're not setting yourself up for failure, but you are making it far harder on yourself.

Meditation is not learned overnight. The easiest way to start is when you wake up in the morning, spend the first 5-10 min with your eyes closed, thinking about nothing. Don't think about going to work. Don't think about the meeting you have. Don't think about your commute. Just lay there with an empty mind. Listen to your heart beat. Listen to the air going in & out of your lungs. Feel the pulse in your neck. When you thoughts start coming into your mind, push them out. Or if you're having a tough time with that focus on one thing over & over, like a chant in your mind, I explain chants in brief detail in the next paragraph. If the thoughts keep coming & you can't seem to keep your mind empty, then stop your meditation. Don't beat yourself up. Your mind & body will tell you when you've had enough. Remember this is just your first time. Rome wasn't built in a day after all. If you do this everyday, you'll realize it will become easier each day & your meditation will last longer. Your life will be more positive & balanced. The little things which go wrong in life, just won't phase you anymore.

Now chanting. If you've done yoga you know about chants. The easiest ones are "OM" & "SAT NAM". OM is the base energy vibration to which all life was created. SAT NAM is the realization "Truth is God's name. Truth is your identity/name" in essence you are truth. Or if you prefer you can easily come up with your own mantra. Self affirmation is definitely helpful hen meditating as it will give you the positive energy you need. Chants are just used to focus your mind on something other than all the work you have to do. They definitely help & work when you are first starting out your meditation practices. I'm living proof!

So theres my 2 cents worth on the subject. I don't know everything about meditation, nor do I claim to. It is just something which has helped me out in life, so I thought I'd share it with the world.

Blessings on your day.

~Meg

Still your mind in me, still yourself in me, and without a doubt you shall be united with me, Lord of Love, dwelling in your heart.
-Bhagavad Gita

Through meditation and by giving full attention to one thing at a time, we can learn to direct attention where we choose.
-Eknath Easwaran

Meditation brings wisdom; lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.
-Buddha

Life is Always an Adventure

Life is funny.

I had completely forgotten about this blog. What made me remember was my ex-fiancé (my how life changes in a year) started a blog 1 week after he broke it off.

I remember when I first found out about it, I was totally upset because of all the lies he was professing to the world.

Why do I think they're lies? Well since the majority of his first posts were all about how I did him wrong, and how he was completely faultless in our relationship, anyone would be upset. Especially since I think I have some first hand knowledge of what really happened.

But now that the anger towards his lies has passed, I honestly feel sorry for him. He really does live in a deluded world full of lies & half truths. I know he will never be happy, because he cannot look in the mirror & honestly say he knows who he is as a human being.

I can honestly say I forgive him for what he has done to me & my family. While it will be a while before I can forget the hurtful, painful & borderline emotionally abusive things he said to attack & slander me, I can forgive him. It does me no good to keep that hate in my heart.

I am moving on & each day is easier then the last. Now I need to focus on myself & the person I am & am meant to be.

May life give you blessings & you have a miracle each day.

Ciao

~Meg

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future
-Paul Boese

What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.
-Anon.

It's not necessary to blow out your neighbor's light to let your own shine.
-M. R. Dehaan

Thinking Questions

So I’ve seen a few blogs lately that all have a little survey to help make people think about life in general and to learn more about themselves. Since I created this blog for just such a purpose I thought I’d copy the survey, to not only make myself think but to hopefully help you do the same.

1. What is more difficult for you, looking into some ones eyes when you are telling them how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when they are telling you how they feel?:
This one is easily looking into someone else's eyes to tell them how I feel. Its hard for me to express those feelings when I don’t know what the other person feels as well.

2. Think of the last time you were REALLY angry. WHY were you angry? Do you still feel the same way?:
Last time I was really angry was when I broke up with an ex about 1 year ago. He never showed up and accused me of being immature & selfish. Needless to say I was not the most pleasant that day. Now I don’t really feel angry at him, just at myself for wasting almost 2 years of my life.

3. You are on a flight from Honolulu to Chicago nonstop. There is a fire in the back of the plane. You have enough time to make ONE phone call. Who do you call? What do you tell them?:
Right now in life I would call my mom tell her how much I love her & to pass on my love to all my family too.

4. You are at the doctor’s office and he has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? What do you do with your remaining days? Would you be afraid?:
I would honestly not tell a soul and just do all of the things I’ve always wanted to do in life. I would also write a letter that would be read at my funeral.

5. You can have one of the following two things. Which do you choose? Why? Love and Trust:
Trust. In love you have to trust so if you have trust you also have love.

6. You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late even once more, you are fired. Do you take the time to save the dog’s life?:
I’d save the dog and explain to the boss why I was late.

7. You are unfaithful to your spouse/significant other. Do you tell him/her? Why or Why not?:
While I’m not a cheater, if I did I would most definitely tell my spouse.

8. Your friend confesses that he/she has feelings for you more then just friendship. He/she is falling in love with you. What do you do/say?:
This all depends on if I’m feeling the same way as well. If I did then I’d go for it and if I didn’t then I’d have to say how I felt.

9. Are you the kind of friend that you would want to have as a friend?:
I think so. I’m honest caring and a great listener. I’m loyal (to a fault) and will always help a friend in need.

10. Does love = sex?:
Nope you can love someone without having sex with them.

11. When was the last time you told someone HONESTLY how you felt regardless of how difficult it was for you to say? Who was it? What did you have to tell the person?:
Hmm I pretty much tell everyone how I honestly feel almost all the time so I can’t really peg one person or thing I told them.

12. What would be (or what was) harder for you to tell a friend, you love them or that you do not love them back?:
Didn’t love them back.

13. What do you think would be the hardest thing for you to give up? Why would it be hard to lose?:
My family and people I love & care about

14. Excluding romantic love, when was the last time you told someone you loved them? Who were they to you?:
My mom when I was leaving to go outta the house yesterday

15. Imagine: it is a dark night, you are alone, it is raining outside, you hear someone walking around outside your window. WHO do you wish was there with you?:
My knight in shining armour? haha I don’t know

16. Would you give a homeless person CPR if they were dying? Why or Why not?:
I’d seriously have to think about it only because it could be a setup. I know I would call an ambulance for help but not sure if I’d actually give CPR.

17. You are holding onto your grandmother’s hand and the hand of a newborn that you do not know as they hang over the edge of a cliff. You have to let one go to save the other. Who do you let fall to their death? What was your reason for making the decision?:
Kind of a dumb question. Babies weigh nothing so I would pull the baby up onto safe ground then help my grandma. Unless my grandma said to drop her and save the baby, then I guess I’d listen to her.

18. Are you old fashioned?:
In some ways yes in other ways not so much.

19. When was the last time you were nice to someone and did NOT expect anything in return for it?:
Easy, all the time.

20. Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a broken heart, or never loved at all? Why?:
Definitely true love. I’d hate to go through life without knowing that feeling, even if it means having my heart broken to feel it.

21. If you could do anything or wish anything, what would it be?:
To have everyone I love & care about to be happy and healthy.

This is definitely a fun way to learn more about yourself and to get the ol’ brain juices flowing.

Ciao

~Meg

Knowledge of the self is the mother of all knowledge. So it is incumbent on me to know my self, to know it completely, to know its minutiae, its characteristics, its subtleties, and its very atoms.

-Kahlil Gibran, "The Philosophy of Logic"

The unexamined life is not worth living.

-Socrates

 

Reaching a Milestone

While I normally try to write some sort of “deep” thought I’ve had this post will be short and not so “deep”.

As of Wednesday July 14th I am officially a Registered Nurse in Canada. 5 years of blood sweat and tears have finally come to a conclusion.

While this is only one milestone in my life I can now look forward to reaching the others while doing a job I adore.

~Meg

It is up to us to give ourselves recognition. If we wait for it to come from others, we feel resentful when it doesn't, and when it does, we may well reject it.

-Bernard Berkowitz

Have you ever heard the trees?

For the most part I have been feeling rather philosophical. This is probably due to the fact that I am beginning to write a new chapter to my life. While I do reflect on my life during times like this, lately I have found that I often will rather sit back and enjoy the little things.

My new “hobby” I guess you can call it is to just go out and take a walk around a local park. Its funny, I have lived by this park my entire life and overall I love going to it and just walking along its bike path, usually with the company of my family or close friends.

These social walks are always fun and a relaxing way to spend time with others. I find it difficult however to listen to the sounds of nature when I’m with the company of others and you can never really enjoy the serenity of the woods this way.

Which brings me to the title of this entry, have you ever heard the trees?

Now that sentence sound completely nuts to anyone who may be reading this. Believe me I thought I was going nuts the first time I actually listened on one of my walks. But I swear the trees can talk. Not in the conventional way we humans communicate but they can express some, for lack of a better word, emotion.

Twice now I have gone walking just before it rained, and twice I felt similar feelings emanating from the woods.

The trees get excited when they know the rain is coming. Their leaves begin to rustle vigorously with only a light breeze blowing. Just the whole atmosphere changes. Before the rain, the woods had a quiet energy to them and once a rainstorm approaches the woods felt charged up. Once the rain begins to fall you almost feel their elation at the downpour of life sustaining water.

Even the birds and the bugs are different. The birds all start looking for cover as do the bugs. I never would have thought any of this was possible, had I not gone walking on my own to listen and absorb the energy of the world around me.

I encourage anyone to take some time out of their days, even if its just 20 min to just go out and take in some fresh air. Enjoy the sounds of the world and feel the harmony of the earth.

I ask again, have you ever heard the trees?

~Meg

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more.

-Lord (George Gordon) Byron, from Childe Harold's Pilgrimage

I've got to have a place where I can find peace of mind.

-Princess of Wales Diana

Heart and Stroke Month

So I'm deciding to write a more serious piece today since February is the month in which the Heart and Stroke Foundation likes to inform people about their heart health. I thought I'd help do my part and spread the word, especially since I’m a nurse who works on a cardiac unit lol.

Heart Disease Information:

When it comes to your heart there are certain risk factors in which you can change, and some which you can't here are a list of both types.

Things you can't change:

• Genetics: some people are predisposed to heart disease
• Age: don't you wish you could change this lol
• Family History: if you have more than one immediate relative who has heart related issues, it is important to keep on top of your heart health as this puts you into a higher risk category for heart disease
• History of a stroke or TIA's (transient ischemic attack)
• Ethnicity: First Nations, African or South Asian people have a higher risk factors for heart disease

Things you can change or control: Which is probably the most important list out of these two

• High Blood Pressure: increase blood pressure adds more strain to the heart muscles
• High Cholesterol: you get a build up of plaque which remains in your arteries and causes your heart to work harder to pump the blood through
• Diabetes: if you have diabetes it is important to properly control your sugars
• Being overweight: with a higher percentage of body fat, you also have more blood vessels and this added distance creates more work for the heart
• Excessive Alcohol Consumption
• Physical Inactivity: a sedentary lifestyle is never good for the body
• Smoking: the carcinogens and pathogens from the cigarettes create plaques which remain in your arteries and veins
• Stress: increased stress increases your blood pressure

The most important thing about your heart is making sure you take care of it.

Stroke Information:

For a stroke I feel the most pertinent information would be the warning signs. Should you have a sudden onset of the following 5 things, immediately call your local emergency services:

1. Numbness or Weakness
2. Confusion
3. Dizziness
4. Sudden Vision Problems
5. Trouble Speaking

For more information here please visit the Heart and Stroke Foundations website at www.heartandstroke.ca

~Meg

He who enjoys good health is rich, though he knows it not.

-Italian Proverb