news4u's Blog

This was emailed to me by my oldest daughter nearly three years ago. It is so very true…


One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep
turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have the compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
*
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Author Unknown

Please pass this along to all your women friends
and relatives to remind them just how amazing
they are.


All the Best,
Laura

Protecting and promoting human rights everywhere…

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORLDWIDE SITES

Amnesty International has offices in more than 72 countries as well as millions of supporters and members around the world.

For membership inquiries/local volunteering/publication orders, please contact the Amnesty International office in your country/territory using the dropdown menu at:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/worldwide-sites

If you have concerns about human rights issues in any particular country, please contact the International Secretariat at

http://www.amnesty.org/en/contact

If you can't click on the links cut and paste into your browser.

Thank you!
Laura

Saturday, March 27, 2010 is Amnesty International’s Canada-wide YOGA DAY!

The following is excerpted from Amnesty International Canada’s March newsletter:

“About Yoga Day
March 27 2010 will mark the second year that Yoga Day goes national (Canada-wide).

Yoga Day is a fundraising and awareness raising activity to support Amnesty International's work. It grew out of a single Amnesty volunteer's passion for human rights, and a desire to make a difference. 4 years ago, Louise Mulvihill organised her first Yoga Day and successfully raised more than $4,600. In 2009, together with a team of volunteers, Louise contacted yoga studios across the country and invited them to participate on Yoga Day. The result was more than $22,000 raised for human rights!

By supporting Yoga Day, you are supporting Amnesty's credible world renowned efforts to protect and promote human rights everywhere. You are giving your friends, family and colleagues a chance to be part of the solution through Amnesty, and you are multiplying the impact of your actions by inviting your sponsors to also take action on Amnesty letterwriting cases.

Please see www.amnesty.ca (Canada) for more information about our (Amnesty’s) work”.

TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA DAY SEE:

http://amnesty.akaraisin.com/Common/Event/Home.aspx?seid=2700&mid=8&se=1&se=1

If you can’t click on the link, cut and paste into your browser

Thanks!
Laura

March 8 of every year is international women's day. Thinking of all of you and wishing you all a blessed day on this our special day.

With warmest regards,
Laura

I feel inspired to write this after having recently surfed our global community.

I believe that it takes courage to present to others thoughts and feelings, particularly when we consider them to be our innermost ones. That goes for whether self-disclosure is done by talking, writing, etc. and no matter the forum of choice. I also believe that when that step is undertaken that it can open up a wonderful journey of self-discovery, learning, sharing, growing, and self-actualization. The process can take a long time.

I think that it’s important to remember that when we send in a sentence, a blog, a story, a poem, a thought, an idea, a comment, etc. for example, to all of us here on BH or share our work with others outside this community, work which we may consider revealing about ourselves, that the feedback can be instrumental in addressing our personal growth in our individual journey. For example, a poem, a story, a journal, a blog, an article, etc.—a personal creation that evolves from one’s thoughts, feelings, inner depths and soul, personal beliefs, etc.--and it’s those gems that can perhaps be held up to scrutiny—not you personally. The writings, yes, are very personal because they came from within you—just as when a mother gives birth to a child. We nurture the child, do our best to bring he or she up right, recognize that eventually they’re on their own, and we have to accept that we’ve done all that we can, raised them to the best of our ability, and let them fly on their own, as separate entities from ourselves, but still with a connection.

We will always love the ‘child’ (an article, a blog, a story, a poem, a journal, etc.) which we created. As we travel along life’s path and continue with our journey, we learn how to improve on raising our next ‘child’ while we go about watching it grow to fruition. There is a sense of accomplishment, achievement, feeling good about completing the work and having done it to the best of our ability. All of us at some point and in our own way have done that. I don’t think that anyone can ask for more than that. We’ve simply done it…made our little babies ‘fly’….and if we choose to expand on that, for example, by putting a story, an article, a poem, etc. into a book, be that an e-book or otherwise, they will have the opportunity to soar like an eagle, carrying your message wherever they go…and you will have reached new heights…journeying on the path of self-actualization!

After everything is said and done
and all our battles have been won
We may sit and ponder all those years
frozen in time in which we conquered the fear.

The fear of the unknown, of what lay ahead
and all our uncertainties that caused us dread.
We made our choices and forged through it all
no matter what the obstacle, no matter what the fall

The fall of learning through errors and mistakes
and giving up hope when we thought about the stakes.

But the stakes, though high, were worth pursuing,
and that, my friend, is what we're doing.

We're doing what we think is right
For ourselves and our children in sight.
There is nothing to fear, it's often said,
except for fear itself instead.

Instead of being afraid to try
let's go ahead rather than wonder why.
And why not indeed, my friend, it's true
try to help, for me, for them, for you.

For you to do all that you can
makes a difference to another man.
For it is they who strive to change
that better make the best of the range.

The range to learn, to live and grow
almost without doubt and it will show
In all you are and profess to be
believe you now, believe in me.

In me there is much pain and sorrow
as I look back and on tomorrow.
I see the way things used to be
and see you now, believe you me.

Believe you me when I tell you right
that the world at times is a pitiful sight.
All over there is hardship and pain
as each of us sings our own refrain.

Our own refrain from complaints
as we struggle simply to save laments.
We learn to do the best we can do
despite the hardship and days of blue.

Days of blue are only temporary,
sit down, relax and try to be merry.
Sing along with others in joy
for all is not just a ploy.

A ploy to cause hardship and despair
for there is also love out there.
The love that comes from being true,
to your loved ones, myself, and you.

And you will be fine indeed, my friend,
as I am here with my ear to lend.
Give up the notion that things are bleak
and strive for the happiness that you seek

You seek it now and it will come
simply by believing in Him and His son.
For He is there for all of us
so reach out to Him - that's a must!


Laura Anderson
September 26, 1992

Enjoy!

I recently watched Radha’s video entitled “Is Your Life Prosperous”. For those of you who don’t know, Radha founded the BraveHeart Women “Sisterhood of Clarity” community. The combination of the video and some comments inspired me to write this.

“Is Your Life Prosperous”? That’s what Radha’s video is about—to help you to look inside yourself--‘feel’ the effect of the words spoken in the video—in a calming, tranquil manner—and derive answers to the question posed—answers that can help us to learn, grow, and develop into who we want to be and for whatever reasons..

Feeling the words spoken in Radha’s video, I approached answering the question “Is Your Life Prosperous” from my ‘centre’—grounded in myself—.
Seeing as BraveHeart Women global community represents a sisterhood of women learning, growing, sharing together as we go through our life’s journey personally, professionally, respectively (your own journey--for which you are in charge of driving the car, bus, train, flying the plane—however you’ve decided to travel—even walking or running is good) and collectively (together with one another here, be that spiritually or otherwise), with a view to looking to make a positive difference in the world as empowered women who believe in themselves, one another, and work together for a common purpose—to make a positive global contribution, I certainly believe that we’re in the right place.

I can see that there may be a lot going on in some of our lives right now and that some may be reaching out for support. I think that’s a good thing and a very good start. YOU HAVE THE POWER—inside of you--to embrace life, the challenges presented to you, recognize the obstacles which may be in your path, identify them, and find the tools to overcome them—one step at a time—in building a strong foundation to a new and improved you.

Be they old or new, I think that personal blocks are something like bricks on a building. The bricks sometimes need washing. The building sometimes needs renovating, restructuring, and / or rebuilding. When a building is being built it’s done—one step at a time—one hour at a time—one day at a time—just like a building gets built on solid ground, work is needed to be done on our foundation first, and adding one brick, frame, door, and window—with all the nuts, bolts, screws, and steel, etc. at a time. Over time, of course, there starts to appear (from whatever sources) cracks in the foundation and we’ve got to do something ‘constructive’ about that to remedy the situation to make that building stronger).

Put yourself in this story:

You’re a work in progress. So is that building. You may want to start off calling that building “ME”. You can see how you’d like that building to look, be, and what you’d like to put into it, and what you’d like to get from it, how to make that building prosperous (wealthy, affluent, rich, well-off, well-to-do, flourishing, thriving, successful, abounding—whatever the definition of ‘prosperous’ means to you) for you. You may not even want or need to have that building generate prosperity for you. Maybe you just want it to bring you inner peace, tranquility, happiness, companionship, etc. and you know that that building was built from the ground up and that at times it may need structural changes.

After the building (that can be you personally, a new business venture, etc.) is finished being built or renovated, and just before you’re going to open up its doors ‘for business’ after you’ve reflected on how good you feel in seeing it up there you may decide to re-name it “EMPOWERED” and “STRONGER”, even though sometimes you might want or need to add or change some decorations, as you go along.

How to start? I think you’d have to first check out the ground—is it solid, does it need some work, or do you have to find alternate ground. Who do you ask to help you make that ground more solid? What next would you have to do?

I think that you’d need a ‘blueprint’ (a vision, a dream, a passion, a purpose, a burning desire, an idea, or a map) to start renovating, restructuring, and / or rebuilding that building—on solid ground--and connect with the people who can help you to make that building be what you want it to be and get from it what you want to get from it and share its content with everybody who passes through its doors.

You’re in charge of finding the right people and the right tools that can help you renovate, restructure, and / or rebuild that building exactly as you’d like it to be, as strong as it can be, filled with everything that you want to fill it with, and make that building prosperous (wealthy, affluent, rich, well-off, well-to-do, flourishing, thriving, successful, abounding—whatever the definition of ‘prosperous’ means to you) and / or peaceful, tranquil, and happy for you.

It’s your building. You’re the architect. You’re the builder. You’re the owner. You’re going to own that building throughout your life. You may be assessing, renovating, restructuring, and / or rebuilding right now … have a positive outlook and an eye to the future…you’re on the road to getting that building where and what you want it to be…

Oh, and when you get there don’t forget to invite us to your ‘Grand Opening’! You might even have changed the name of the building to “The New Me”.

All the Best,
Laura

“I will commit to a life where I get to sing my song”. I first came across those words from Lynette Chartier, our Ritual Divas community leader. Powerful words I thought.

I said them again to myself: “I will commit to a life where I get to sing my song”. Yes, great words I thought.

I repeated the sentence over and over again to myself. They became “I will commit to a life where I get to sing my song”. Okay. I made that commitment the other day.

As I continued to consciously move forward determined to honor that commitment to myself, I noticed that the words changed from “I will commit to a life where I get to sing my song” to “I have committed myself to a life where I get to sing my song”. That, of course, was because I had after all made a commitment to do exactly that and had only made that promise to myself the other day! I thought I was simply telling myself my truth and in an effort to honor it (inspired by Debra of Honor Your Truth BraveHeart community).

I said those words again to myself: “I have committed to a life where I get to sing my song”. (That was just so that I would 'get it')!

I repeated the words several times: “I have committed to a life where I get to sing my song”. “I have committed to a life where I get to sing my song”. “I have committed to a life where I get to sing my song”. (I couldn’t help but wonder if I was trying to convince myself or whether I was telling myself that I had to decide when and how to take action on that commitment which meant that I’d be looking for a starting point and how to get to the finish line. Inotherwords, I was going to have to come up with an action plan, essentially fine tuning and acting upon that which was already sketched in my mind). As I said, I only made that conscious choice the other day. I was only reinforcing to myself the commitment I had made to myself—or so I thought.

The words changed to “I have committed to a life where I get to sing my song”.

Then I started feeling scared. ‘What if I fail’ I started asking myself, second-guessing myself, undermining my own commitment to myself, chattering away to myself about nothing really considering that the commitment HAD been made and I WAS committed to a life where I get to sing my song and I realized that in many ways I have actually been given the opportunity to live a life where I get to sing my song! What a delightful opportunity! I have the words. I’m working on putting them to music, so to speak, and as such it seemed logical to me that I could look forward to when I would absolutely know that the time was right when I could open my mouth and sing that song. (I can’t sing very well but that wasn’t going to stop me, at least not in my mind, and if no one else liked the song, that was okay, so long as they didn’t encroach on my right to sing it and live my life as I choose).

With one sentence, I had reflected upon the past—the recent past—and a time of long ago. For a moment, I felt sad. Hindsight showed me that I had sung my song in various aspects of my life. I am grateful for that. The commitment made by the words recently repeatedly spoken was in the present. The commitment was for the future. It struck me that that would prove to be in a different way than I’d known before. “I have committed to a life where I get to sing my song”. Oh, of course! The whole ball of wax! A life with purpose, one that has meaning, feeling empowered, joyous, and deriving personal fulfillment, a sense that what you’re doing DOES make a difference, however small (even a little canary sings her song and she does that throughout her life), in my own life and perhaps in someone else’s—the goal being for the betterment of all. In this case, it’s YOU—and from that everything else flows. ‘What a WONDERFUL feeling’ I said to myself. Then it hit me…!

‘Way to Go Lynette’, I said to myself, -- considering that the Ritual Divas community promotes self-awareness, with the goal of producing joy, success, and abundance overall!

One sentence – carries with it a very powerful message—a time for opportunity—a time for healing, learning, and growing—a time to be thankful for lessons learned--and I believe that one sentence gives a lot of food for thought. From a global perspective, it meant A LOT to me.

Of course, all this that I’ve written probably does too, at least it does to me, and I sincerely hope that it has meaning for you, too, because the jist of it is that the BraveHeart women global community, upon the vision being realized by its creators and founders, has extended to all of us here on BraveHeart the opportunity to share, learn, grow, and prosper in our respective and collective journey. But you guys probably already knew that. Me, well, sometimes it takes a little longer for something to sink in! Bop!

What do the words mean to you “I will commit to a life where I get to sing my song”? What are you doing about it? If not, why not? If not now, then, when?

Many thanks, Lynette, for your words of wisdom which I took a step further, expanded upon, and realized that the words build a strong foundation for self-assessment, introspection, reflection, change, inspiration, and action.

“I raise my glass” to you, Lynette, and extend my warmest and most heartfelt gratitude.

All the Best,
Laura

"Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers."

Veronica A. Shoffstall
American Poet