"Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends... If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around." – Love Actually (2003)
In light of the upcoming holiday season, I've broken out Love Actually. It's one of my very favourite films. I took a couple of hours to sit down with a small group of friends and family and watch it the other day and it reminded me of the small things we often take for granted in our lives. Whether it be our family and friends, our health or the opportunities we're presented with each day, we all have so much to be grateful for!
Thank you for reading my blogs over the course of this week! I want to wish each and every one of you a fond farewell and a very happy holiday season. May your holidays be filled to the brim with love!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The power of positivity
We've all known a person who complains about everything. I would think that all of us also realized at some point that this person was not the most pleasant to be around. But it's not always as simple to recognize how pleasant it can be to be around someone who is too busy being positive to complain!
I was reminded by a loved one the other day just how pleasant it is. Positivity is infectious, not only between people, but within a person. It makes us forget about our problems for a moment and think about others. Then it makes us realize how fortunate we are to our loved ones in our lives, and that makes them feel appreciated and even more loved, and then they show us that love in return. At the end of the day, we get what we give. I, for one, am of the opinion that the most important thing is love, because that's where the good things in life come from.
Positivity is something that I'm always working on myself. While I try to focus on the positive things in my life, I also have to remind myself sometimes that complaining about things does not make them better (whereas focusing on the bright side very often does). The silver lining is not always easy to find, but when you do find it, you begin to find that many more things had silver linings than you had imagined!
One thing I know I'm intensely grateful for is the support that I've received from so many people over the past weeks. I may have raised money and planned to donate my hair for others, but I also got so much more out of it than I can express. For starters, I got the amazing feeling of knowing that love and kindness is alive and well in the people all around me, including the complete strangers who made sacrifices of their own to help me. I will remember all of my supporters fondly, and they're memories that I know I'll keep with me for many years to come!
I was reminded by a loved one the other day just how pleasant it is. Positivity is infectious, not only between people, but within a person. It makes us forget about our problems for a moment and think about others. Then it makes us realize how fortunate we are to our loved ones in our lives, and that makes them feel appreciated and even more loved, and then they show us that love in return. At the end of the day, we get what we give. I, for one, am of the opinion that the most important thing is love, because that's where the good things in life come from.
Positivity is something that I'm always working on myself. While I try to focus on the positive things in my life, I also have to remind myself sometimes that complaining about things does not make them better (whereas focusing on the bright side very often does). The silver lining is not always easy to find, but when you do find it, you begin to find that many more things had silver linings than you had imagined!
One thing I know I'm intensely grateful for is the support that I've received from so many people over the past weeks. I may have raised money and planned to donate my hair for others, but I also got so much more out of it than I can express. For starters, I got the amazing feeling of knowing that love and kindness is alive and well in the people all around me, including the complete strangers who made sacrifices of their own to help me. I will remember all of my supporters fondly, and they're memories that I know I'll keep with me for many years to come!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Staying connected
Quite a few years ago, I lost touch with a friend of mine. Several years passed and I almost began to forget about her. Then one day, the opportunity to reconnect presented itself and I jumped at it.
Even though we still don't see each other often, reconnecting with my friend is something I've never regretted. As far as friends go, there really isn't anything like an old friend. They are the ones who very often knew you before you became "you". That is to say, before life got in the way and you got too concerned with the silly things. The people who knew you way back when are just the people who will slap you silly if you forget where you came from, and sometimes we need that!
Our roots are not only important, but also something to be proud of. Why? Because they're a part of us. If we're not proud of our roots, then we can't really be proud of who we are now and the choices we've made. We've all been told that you can't love someone else unless you love yourself, and it's true.
Roots aren't always particularly unusual or "special", but that doesn't mean they're not important. Everything that has happened in our lives has had an impact on who we are. And besides, the beginnings lay the foundation for what we're working to make into a very special life!
Even though we still don't see each other often, reconnecting with my friend is something I've never regretted. As far as friends go, there really isn't anything like an old friend. They are the ones who very often knew you before you became "you". That is to say, before life got in the way and you got too concerned with the silly things. The people who knew you way back when are just the people who will slap you silly if you forget where you came from, and sometimes we need that!
Our roots are not only important, but also something to be proud of. Why? Because they're a part of us. If we're not proud of our roots, then we can't really be proud of who we are now and the choices we've made. We've all been told that you can't love someone else unless you love yourself, and it's true.
Roots aren't always particularly unusual or "special", but that doesn't mean they're not important. Everything that has happened in our lives has had an impact on who we are. And besides, the beginnings lay the foundation for what we're working to make into a very special life!
Monday, December 6, 2010
What hope means to me.
I'm a busy woman. I study full-time as a Ph. D. student at the University of Ottawa and I teach Spanish classes three days a week. At the same time, I decided to begin a fundraiser for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Many people thought I was crazy. "Where are you going to find the time?" they would ask me. But important things aren't hard to find the time for. Helping to bring cancer patients closer to the treatments they need is something that I'm really excited about. I'm a firm believer that helping people is good for the soul. There is simply nothing more rewarding than seeing someone smile when they discover that there is hope!
Someone once told me, "Hope is for sick people and losers." I cannot disagree more. Hope is an amazing thing, most especially when combined with dedication and hard work. It's what keeps a smile on our faces when things aren't going well. It's what makes us keep trying when we're knocked down. We hope that our actions will yield the results that we're aiming for. We hope that the people around us will be on our side when it matters the most. We don't have control over everything in life, but we do have control over how we look at the world. I am one who hopes.
It is with that in mind that I set a substantial fundraising goal and pledged to cut off my 3-foot-long hair for cancer patients. Yes, I have been working hard, but I also have hope. I hope that the people who hear about my goal (or others like mine) pay a moment of attention to an amazing cause. I hope that somewhere someone in need of a wig is as excited as I am about what I'm doing. And most importantly, I hope that others will see what can be accomplished when we put our minds to something!
Someone once told me, "Hope is for sick people and losers." I cannot disagree more. Hope is an amazing thing, most especially when combined with dedication and hard work. It's what keeps a smile on our faces when things aren't going well. It's what makes us keep trying when we're knocked down. We hope that our actions will yield the results that we're aiming for. We hope that the people around us will be on our side when it matters the most. We don't have control over everything in life, but we do have control over how we look at the world. I am one who hopes.
It is with that in mind that I set a substantial fundraising goal and pledged to cut off my 3-foot-long hair for cancer patients. Yes, I have been working hard, but I also have hope. I hope that the people who hear about my goal (or others like mine) pay a moment of attention to an amazing cause. I hope that somewhere someone in need of a wig is as excited as I am about what I'm doing. And most importantly, I hope that others will see what can be accomplished when we put our minds to something!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
