Guardian Angel

Some people believe that guardian angels are unseen forces that help us get through life. Others believe that guardian angels are people around us that help us create the path we need to walk through. 

Perhaps, guardian angels come in many forms. They can be seen or unseen. It does not really matter what shape or size or representation we imagine them to be. As long as we believe they are around to help us, then they are exactly where they need to be when they need to be. 

Sometimes, guardian angels might even come in two forms. One as the guardian taking charge of everything and protecting the entire family from harm. Another as the angel making sure everyone does what needs to be done and keeping everyone safe. They can be felt, seen, and touched. They shower us with love and forever have a place in our hearts.     

Perfect

What if it does not work?

What exactly do you want work? Do you mean that you want it to work at your every first attempt? Do you in other words mean that you want your life to be perfect?

Everybody wants their life to be perfect. But what exactly is perfect? Your definition of perfect can be very different from mine. We are all individuals and we have our own perception of everything in this world. Each incident has two sides of the story, just like each individual having two faces.

You did not read wrongly, each individual has two faces. Perhaps you do not want to admit it but it is a fact. One is the highly motivated positive face, and the other is the downside normal skeptical face. Westerners call it the angel and the devil. Taoist call it yin and yang. Whatever names we choose to call it, each of us do have two faces.

Success only presents itself to those who are in balance.

Being motivated is good. You have the energy to take anything to its highest levels. You have the courage to drive yourself uphill. However, being overly motivated can sometimes pose a threat. Because you are so confident in yourself you can become ignorant to the signs that the universe is trying to communicate to you. You are too busy scrambling your way through the jungle, you ignored all the important pleasures of life. You forgot to just stop once in a while to observe your surroundings. You forgot to stop once in a while to simply breathe and belong. You will reach the top faster than everyone else but there is a sense of emptiness within you that is hard to recover.

You can be wealthy of money but poor in relationship.
You can be healthy of relationship but weak in self-love.
You need to be present. You need to be here now.

Being skeptical is good. You can find the problem before everyone else. But being overly skeptical is a problem altogether. It is because you scrutinize everything that comes your way, you tend to lose opportunities. Way too many chances are just gone because of your doubt. Those questions that you keep asking yourself. What if you fail? What if people laugh at me? What if people hate me? What if it does not work? What if … what if … These endless “what if’s” are not going to get you anywhere. After a decade or two, you should already realize that you need to change but somehow, you are still where you were. By the time you are ready to finally make the first move, it could already be too late for some.

“What if” is the first two words of a question we can ask ourselves differently:
What if I can make the difference?
What if I regret for not taking action?
A question can be good or bad depending on how we choose to phrase it.
A question can make a huge variance to which path we choose to take.
When you ask a question, ask wisely.

What makes a successful person?

Anyone can be a successful person. We only need to learn to balance ourselves in all situations. This is a skill that people learn over time. Even if the person is born with the life of an emperor, he has to decide to take the path moving towards becoming a good emperor. Otherwise, his empire will be very short-lived. Throughout his entire journey to becoming an emperor, he has to face many challenges. While he is an emperor, he has to try to turn enemies into allies. Before he steps down from this throne, he has to train his successor to become the person fit to rule the entire civilization. All the choices he make, he has to balance between good and bad, educated and spontaneous, love and war.

There is not a single decision by anyone in the world that is good for everyone. It is always positive for some and negative for others. It only matters that the decision made is for the good of the majority and less painful for the rest.

Life is not perfect. Accept this for a fact and you will feel better.

 

Nobody’s perfect. We’re all just one step up from the beasts and one step down from the angels.

Jeannette Walls, American author and journalist, 1960-present

Clarity

As the word suggest, it is a clear slate.

Whatever is the meaning, it is something everyone should achieve, if not at all times, at least some of the time.

What we see is often what is put into the mind. We cannot stop what we see but there is always a way to look beyond that. There is always two sides to a story. We just have to see, not with our eyes but with our heart.

How often do we judge a book by its cover?

Everyone is guilty of this. We see something nice, we perceive it is perfect. We see something full of dirt, we perceive it is worthless. But the most precious things on earth are buried deep down beyond the crust of the earth. It is through heat and pressure that diamonds are formed.

We may be living in dirt now. Be resilient. Be true. We may be hidden or worthless now. Who is to determine our future? It is the effort and courage to insist on our vision that will show success in the days to come. We will emerge as a well-formed diamond with the utmost clarity.

What we are today do not determine who we become. The most poisonous thought comes from within, not what others say. Everyone is born with a mouth to speak. Whatever people say is entirely up to them. It is beyond our control. So what if they label us. So what if they judge us. We are individuals. We can choose to ignore. As long as we are clear of our own vision, does it really matter what others say?

This world is full of varieties. We live in a plentiful world. There are things that are pleasing to some while not to many. If we are living to satisfy everyone around us, it is by choice that we complicate ourselves with the thoughts of others. Perhaps at that very moment, we think that opinions of others mean a lot but after several years, will it matter anymore? Is it really that important?

If we are to seek approval from every single person we meet, nothing will be done. Most people choose to stay in their comfort zone. Whether or not we choose the same is entirely by choice. We have the right to be different. Every one of us are unique in our own ways. It is up to us to discover ourselves.

How?

Self-discovery is a topic worth discussing on. Some people are born with very clear talents, some may be subtle. While we may envy those that are outspoken and are high-achievers, never ever look down on ourselves. We all have that one talent, if not many, that we probably need time to explore. We may look similar to everyone else now but there is always a minute difference between each individual.

Humans love to compare. Most often, we compare the way we look on the outside and we end up looking down upon ourselves. We envy our friends for being in great shape. We envy their fine complexion and their always smiling face. Perhaps we lack understanding that our body is just a shell that contains our soul. We are a hermit crab. The beauty and size of the shell that we carry around do not determine the crab we are. We change the shell as we progress.  

We have to look beyond what our eyes can see. We feel the difference.

The sky was clear yesterday and moody today. Every day is a new day. Clouds are always around. Whether they decide to protect us from the sun or drench us down is entirely up to them. In life, we meet many people. Some people can be toxic we wish have never ever came into our lives. Learn from them, not to be like them, and let go of them. Welcome the positive like-minded people into our lives with open arms. Learn from them, stay with them, and listen to them. They are angels.

Lend a helping hand to those in need. We never know who may need our help but it is always kind to give to society with a big heart. Giving is a gift!

Clarity makes us. Seek from within what we cannot seek elsewhere.

 

People who lack the clarity, courage, or determination to follow their own dreams will often find ways to discourage yours. Live your truth and don’t EVER stop!

Stephen Maraboli (Steve Maraboli), Author (Life, the Truth, and Being Free), 1975-present

Breath

Are we breathing right?

Breath is something that comes naturally. It happens automatically from within. There is no need to control how many times we should do it or how exactly we want to do it. It is vital for survival. It is inevitable that all life forms breathe.

Why is this topic gaining popularity in this modern age and time?

Our current lifestyle is full of hues, or so we may think. We fill our time with activities like meeting new people, learning new things, visiting new places, and much more. Perhaps with all the varieties lay upon us, we have forgotten the fundamentals, to breathe.

How many times have you felt short of breath? You are stuck in a traffic jam while driving to work. The car in front of you is not moving, the car behind you is tail gaiting. You are caught in between and you do not know where to go. Your heart pumps faster and you feel stress in your whole body. All your muscles are tensed. Your leg feels cramp for pressing on the brakes. Your arms are tired for holding on to the steering. There are so many things flying in to your mind right now. You are worried you may be late for work. You feel that there is not enough time to finish off because you are running late.

Now is the time to pause and relax. The breath angel knows what is best for you. You are delayed because she thinks that you need to take a breath. All alone in the car, leave everything behind, just breathe.

Science tells us that the lungs are responsible for proper breathing. That is why the lungs are protected by a set of rib cage. However, if you realize, breathing using your lungs is actually hard work. Because we are so concentrated in making sure that our lungs get all the air that we need, we expand the rib cage over and over we will feel tired in the end.

Breathing is subtle. That is why yoga and meditation experts tell us to breath with our abdomen. Every organ in our body works hand in hand. By using this technique of breathing, we get full breaths with our lungs whilst leaving the rib cage still. With little work done, this relaxes every single part of the body and ultimately clears up the mind.

The mind is a wonderful creation. When the mind is clear, it is ready for challenges ahead. Most often we clutter our mind to the extent we feel stuck within. There is information overload. This is not necessarily caused by reading up too much. Everything that happens in our life is a piece of information. We may not realize that our brain functions in such a way it loves to keep every little pieces of nonsense in archive to be called out later when the brain thinks that we need them.

While this is just a normal process, there is a better way to doing it. When the mind is calm, all the tiny dots can be categorized and arranged into proper spheres and build interconnecting links with each other. This, in the corporate world, is called filing system. A great filing system enables people to recall information in a split second. It is with a calm mind that this can be done.

Have you ever experienced that when you are in need of that word but it can never come out of your mouth? You know there is such a word. You know it sounds like that but you just cannot recall. It is there at the back your head but you just cannot churn it out. Try forgetting about it. Go somewhere you can be alone, even for half a minute. Leave everything behind and the word will emerge naturally. If not the word, a replacement of the word will guide you there.

The little time that we have to ourselves is the little time we can breathe properly. Very often our breath is so shallow we feel tiredness throughout the body. Though we may not realize but our hectic lifestyle, even scrolling thought the internet contributes to shortness in breath.

Words cannot describe. Just take time to breathe consciously and feel the difference.

 

Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.     

Thich Nhat Hanh (Nguyen Xuan Bao), Vietnamese Thien Buddhist monk and founder of the Plum Village Tradition, 1926-present

Pets

What can we learn from our best friend?

Pets are a wonderful addition to the family. They come from different environments but they all have the same purpose, they are there for us whenever we need them.

There are many classes of pets we know of today; from the cuddly cats and dogs, to the needy fish and birds, to the exotic reptiles and amphibians, and even the challenging arthropods and arachnids. Whatever the class they belong to, people from various households treat them differently.

When pets are involved, there are controversies that lay beyond our imagination. Some people take pet industry as passion while others may only see profit. Whichever way we approach, there are always better ways to doing things.

Some people may not like animals at all because to them, animals are a lower species that do not deserve any part in this world. These are the special kind of people. They probably have not opened their own box to see what is missing in their life. While pets may be animals, they have a function greater than what we can see. All we need to do is just to accept them and observe their way of life and we will be enlightened. Pets fill voids in our heart.

Lately, we are become aware of the condition of some irresponsible puppy mill owners thanks to the efforts of true animal lovers. We should realize that whilst puppies are cute when they are in the windows of the pet shops, we have to question the credibility of the breeders. People are more concerned if the breed is of champions and is certified rather than understanding the true needs of the puppy. Just because they look cute, does not mean they remain cute forever. Everything changes.

Dogs are very versatile creatures. They mirror our true self. They become who we are truly deeply within, while we do not even realize it. They tell us who we should be. They let us know where danger lurks. They are there for us through thick and thin. They are heroes for our soul. We should always cherish them for whatever they are.

While dogs are labeled as men’s best friend, they are sometimes abandoned by men themselves. People have many reasons to abandon their dog. The most common reason, especially to those who bought puppies from a pet shop to be given as gift to a loved one, the reason of abandonment vary from having a baby to getting a divorce to moving to a new place. Whatever reason we have, it is still a matter of making that decision. We can educate the dog of a new addition to the family before the baby comes. We can decide on whom to keep the dog in the divorce settlement. We can find a good home for the dog before moving to a new place or even bring the dog along when moving. Why not? There are always excuses for not doing something while we only need one reason to do it right.

Dogs are the most advertised animals probably because they are the most common strays we see on the streets. Why is that so? It all started with one or two irresponsible owners. All animals have the urge to mate. One animal left out in the streets, they are left to multiply at an exponential rate. Certain countries help strays by taking care of their health and of course neutering them to curb the ever increasing numbers. Some may say that this is humanity while there are extremists that would curse the people who alter the course of nature.

Is there a better way? Perhaps we should think of it as a solution rather than an action. If neutering is not the answer, then what is? There are countries that do mass culling of over populated strays. Do we want to see that happen?

Let us not forget about the other animals that were taken in as pets but when something happens out of the ordinary, the pets are either killed or abandoned. Shelters around the world are receiving various species of animals that have gone through hell in their life. There are wild animals involved in some cases too, like big cats, bears, crocodiles, boas, and even piranhas. These are animals best left untouched. Somehow, some people have gotten bored with the regular pets and seek the most exotic in the world but little do they know that having them as pets or for show mean a huge responsibility; to the safety of the public and the animals too.

Let us all be responsible pet owners. If you are new in owning a pet, always visit your local shelter. The volunteers there will be more than happy to help match you with the most suitable pet for your livelihood, not the cutest pet in the window.

Adopt, don’t shop!

 

Pets bring vital energy to our homes and lives. Pets communicate many messages about love and connection. Care tenderly for all pets throughout their precious lives. The interspecies dance of love softens and expands the heart.     

Laura Staley, Feng Shui Expert, present

 

Angel

They are here for us whenever we need them.

Angels come in many different forms. Some say they have wings. Some imagine that they are always dressed in white. Some even see a bright halo over their heads. However they appear to be, they are always here to help.

Is it just in our head or is it true that angels do exist?

I believe that angels exist everywhere. We may not even realize of their existence. We may not see them with our naked eyes, but they do exist. How else do you explain all those times when we are just a few steps away from home and the sky is gloomy? We pray for the sky to let us get home before it starts to rain. When we pray hard enough, the angels can hear us and they do their magic. As soon as we are safe under shelter, it is thunderstorms outside. I personally have experienced this many times.

Of course there are times where the rain gets heavier preventing me from exiting the car into the house. Thinking back, those were the times I needed to be alone. The angels know what is best for us. They are preventing us from getting to our destination because they want us to calm down. They want us to have some time to ourselves and ponder on the things that are clouding our heads. This is the best time to actually sit back and relax and immerse ourselves into the beautiful sounds of rain crashing on the windscreen. Breathe and enjoy nature.

Perhaps we have also experienced the traffic lights turn red whenever we are in a hurry. We might think that angels have abandoned us because they are not turning the lights green. Have we ever thought that the angels love us so much they are telling us to slow down? They are here with good intent. They know what is best for us. We may not understand it there and then.

I am not an emotional person but there are times that I become broken beyond repair too. It is part and parcel of being human. Loss is the most painful feeling anyone can experience. I was only two months pregnant when the doctor told me that he could no longer detect my baby’s heartbeat. Some people tell me that I still have many more years to try but what do they know? The pain is excruciating.

It didn’t help when the neighbours hear from the nurses in the doctors’ office that the doctor is not as good as people claim him to be. There had been cases where the doctor told pregnant ladies that he could not detect the baby’s heartbeat but the ladies did not give up and got second opinion. They safely delivered their babies on full term. I had been shutting myself down thinking that I killed my own baby because I trusted the doctor and did not get a second opinion. Six whole years, torn and broken. I tormented myself. I could not let go. I feel remorse.

On the seventh year, an angel appeared at my doorstep. I had always dreamt of having a German Shepherd. I never thought that my wishes would come true because I am living in a house full of furry phobia people. He visits me every evening. He came from the heavens to heal my soul, to fill the void within me. As soon as I got agreement from all family members to keep him as a guard dog, my whole life is turned around. He gives me hope. He is a mini sized German Shepherd look-alike, just the right size for beginners.

Dogs are angels brought from heaven. They have a much shorter lifespan than humans. They know the secret to life that life is short and we only live once. If not now, then when? When is the best time to enjoy life? Perhaps humans are the only animal species not realizing that every day we live is the gift of life. We should go all out in whatever we do to make things happen. What do we care if it does not happen the way we want it to? At least we tried. Most importantly is to step out there and try. We never try we never know. If we tried, at least there is a chance.

Life is too short to live in a box. The world is bigger than we think. Thank you for teaching me to see this world differently. You are my true hero, my angel Max.

 

I am an angel. I was sent here from God to heal.    

Kevin Hart, American stand-up comedian, 1979-present