when will it calm down !?

        Took me months to feel like writing anything in this blog .Right after Christmas I was just overwhelmed with my own problems that haven’t been completely solved till this present moment.  But at least I took some decisions and steps that made me feel better about them.

I read the news papers daily and it all makes me feel down. Millions of jobs loss, weakness in the stock markets and we’re in the middle a deadly serious and worst recession period that have ever hit this country. Makes me more frustrated reading about people legally charged with sorting the mess and get us out of all this, they are buggering out to expensive beaches for quarter of this year.

Reading the news confuses me  too .I stayed a whole week reading about the especially awkward act of the USA president when he attended the G20 summit in London ,his action appeared awkward since among dozens of world leader and their spouses ,handshakes abounded ,but there appeared to be no other bowing in the room ,but him!

In all this political mess we read about celebrities, their kids and their exotic vacations. One like Madonna who is appealing the decision not to allow her to adopt another African child! Doesn’t she get it?????? She jumped in bed with a 22 years guy while she forgot that she was 50 .She’s crazy about her three hours daily gym ,diets , plastic surgeries to prevent her aging process .Why the hell is   she seeking to adopt another poor kid and make him live  her mental disability ?

Don’t news papers have something better to talk about then this sickening subject?

Now today’s headlines scream about the SWINE FLU crisis, wearing masks etc .I think that when this swine flu has eventually passed through our country it will have killed less people than what the normal flu kills every winter.

I was wondering if one day we’ll open the news one day and find these titles:

 “Jobs available for ALL different kind of people “

” Interest rates in banks are sky rocketing. “

” The air we breathe is 100% pure and the food we eat is safe.”

“Harmony and peace are all around the world.”

” No more nuclear weapons and wars. “

Or some funny headlines maybe that can put a smile on our faces at least!

 ”For women only! No more diet, men don’t care if you look slim or fat they only look deeper to explore your soul “;-)

 ” A man refused to work after his death. “

Or maybe”Red tape holds up new bridges “! 

………….. ”New recession clothes”!!! ??;-)

 The picture on top of the article I found it funny, it shows how big companies logos look like during the recession …

Have a great recession period all of you who are jobless and try to  enjoy your obligatory vacation as much as you can ,while listening to the song “ What a wonderful world “!

no to holiday blues !

Cheerful music playing nonstop, brightly colored lighted trees, maddening crowds in every store!  You switch on the TV and all what you see  advertising the perfect gift ,the perfect man  thinking about his sweetheart’s  perfect present , diamond rings , keys for a new car, ,Prada purses ,Louis Vuitton accessories and Victoria Secret underwear’s ! At the end of this perfect scene someone’s voice pops out and says CALL NOW! BUY NOW!

 The holiday seasons are all about these advertising now, it makes you feel that if you’re single you’re missing all the fun! From Christmas kissing in the snow, unwrapping gifts with Mr. Perfect, not to mention smooching with the perfect man on New Year’s Eve.

I went for a girls gathering and we laughed about all this, some of them are married, some divorced, others happy singles! Even though we don’t share the same status, still the season left us saying “BAH, HUMBUG” to love .

We can’t blame women that feel left out by romance on the holidays after all this spectacle we daily live! Being single doesn’t have to mean you are alone and lonely, so don’t let the holidays get you down.. Fill up your holiday time with gratitude for the blessings you have. Trust that when the time is right, you will meet the person meant to be with you. Until then, you have a lot of living to do right now.

Don’t let yourself drown and feel holiday’s blues that can prevent you to enjoy the real spirit of Christmas. It doesn’t have to come by the perfect gift or even the presence of a perfect man “who doesn’t  really exist”!

Turn things around by simply counting your blessings. All of us have things that can be thankful for….. a steady job ,decent place to live ,our  kids , family and wonderful friends ! 

The Christmas spirit actually is thinking and giving people who are less fortunate than yourself  .  Doing some volunteer work to share the good things you have in your life, inspire you to do some great for someone else .Be thankful that you didn’t gamble in stocks and lost your money due to this economic woes. Be thankful that you aren’t in an unhealthy relationship, instead you are a happy FREE single .Be thankful you still have a job ,while so many lost their jobs  due to  this recession period we are passing .

Happiness during the holidays as well as the rest of the year depends on the attitude you choose by being positive, cheerful, and attractive.

I decorated my Christmas tree, put some more lights than usual .I didn’t whine like every year when my boys found an excuse to escape from doing this job!

I enjoyed seeing them coming home with a big smile when they saw the tree lighted and they hugged me.

I will wake up early on Christmas Eve and bake my pecan tart and a roast turkey with Pureed sweet potatoes and peas” yummy “.I’ll take it to mom who invites the family for Christmas Eve’s dinner.

I decided with my girl friends to pamper ourselves and book a massage at the spa!!!!!!!!

Adding to this the normal volunteer work I’m used to do every year, It brings joy to my heart and nourishes my soul.

Finally if Christmas has you down, think that no life is perfect. And if something didn’t work well for you this year next year will be better!

                                            G!han  December 23 , 2008

To all my friends

 

I’ve always believed through my life that people walk into my life for a reason, nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Still, when those people cross my life I’m not aware of the reason; if I knew the reason wouldn’t I know what to do with this person? As time passes by my perspective to see things changed.

Does it really make a difference to understand why people cross my life, whether they are for a reason, season or a life time?   Why do I have to place those people in any of these categories? Do I have to give this unplanned coincidence a name? Do I have to worry like I used to do before and wonder if they will stay or walk away? Sometimes out of the blue and without you doing anything wrong this person will say anything and the relationship or friendship just ends. Sometimes they just walk away without saying a word .Was it for a season or a reason …?  Who really cares! Somehow they made a “little” or” huge” difference in my life.

Some left significant footprints, memories and joy of sharing this time together .Some when I recall they bring a happy smile to my face, wondering what happened to them and wishing they never had to walk away or leave. I simply have a small place in my heart that will hold them forever. Others they just walked into my life and out of it. They left absolutely nothing to remind me of them, they seldom or never cross my mind. Still, life challenges made me grow!

Now I just trust my life has a road mapped or planned .These people are God sent always even if they come for a short time .Maybe they are just sent to assist me or support  me during this specific time of my life ?!Maybe to make me laugh, to listen, to introduce me to new things I have never experienced before. Maybe they crossed my life because they need me in their life as well as I need them.

Now I learned to accept the plan, relax, unwind, breath into my life as it is .Life is only moments.

I just felt that I might have missed to tell these special persons how much they meant to me with whatever they have given me and how they made a difference in my life. I don’t know what tomorrow have in store so before it’s too late I wish to say something to all my friends who are still here and the ones who are gone but touched my soul by any means “Thank You “.

Thank you all  that crossed my path ,who heard my babbling ,who lifted my spirit when needed  ,who shared my happy moments as well as my sad ones .Special persons  who gave me love and made me love back, who allowed me to be part of their life too  for a short or long time .Thank you for caring about me without the urge to change me .

Thanks to all of you who made my heart smile one day, to those who tried to show me the brighter side of things. I’m grateful to all of you .I’m all the better because somewhere, somehow someone has given me the chance of a true embodiment of friendship for as long as it was allowed to survive.

Now if you love someone and he/she is still in your life, show them that their presence is never taken for granted before they walk away or leave.

You all made of me the person I am right now. YES! You made a difference.

Wherever you are now my friends I still owe you A BIG THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Now I leave you wondering while you read this, if you left footprints in my heart or just footprints in the sand that were erased by troubled waters.

the power of a smile that costs nothing and give much

What is a smile? Is it such a big deal? Does a smile confuse an approaching frown? A smile is something priceless, inexpensive, powerful, contagious, it makes you appear more confidant and capable and it’s the shortest distance between two people .It’s simply a silent form of communication. It lasts a moment but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever .The most beautiful face in the world wouldn’t be pleasing with a down tuned lips and a sour expression. Try to add a genuine smile to your face and you will understand what I mean. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen- for it is something that is of no value to anyone, until it is given away.
It’s very important for my job to wear always a smile, it’s just the window to tell people they are home .Sometimes my heart is heavy or I just wake up in a weird mood and don’t really wish to smile .Still as soon as I reach work and the first person I meet smiles at me and I smile back, my smile remains for the rest of the day. My world seems brighter later, no matter how grouchy I was feeling. A smile changes your looks and as mark twain says “wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been “.

 People normally smile back to me! Of course there are what we can call petty tyrants, the world seems to be full of them .They are defensive, angry and quite wounded they won’t smile back.

 Remember you don’t wear a smile to make people like you! Therefore I learned to let rude people just be people .They no longer upset me and I don’t’ take it personal at all.

Today I was having a smoke outside and it was a dark, rainy day and my heart was heavy. I found a handsome gentle man walking out of his car with heavy steps and a sad face. He was coming towards me.   I spontaneously gave him a friendly look and a big smile. This man smiled back and told me “it’s a sunny day today”. I looked at him and replied “hmmm! Sunny? And he smiled back and said” YES, it’s definitely sunny, I see it in your smile “and he thanked me for making his day looks brighter! I have an extra wrinkle on my face, I know it doesn’t come from age but from smiling
did you know that it takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty-three to frown. most smiles are started by another smile .A simple  smile can  break ice, makes peace ,increase your face value and always comes  back to you.

Today, grace a stranger one of your smiles.  It might be the only sunshine he sees all day and who knows how far your original smile will travel

So please smile more and if you are too tired to do it, I’ll give you one of mine
Always remember to be happy because you never know who’s falling in love with your smile.  ~Author Unknown

G!han 2007