Tammy Hedrick Searle

They say that there are two kinds of people in the world.

The first kind of person, others feel really happy when they enter the room. The second kind, others feel really happy when they leave the room!

Its almost like all of us have invisible spikes coming out from us. For some people these spikes are really long and sharp. They have strong likes and dislikes and freely share judgement, criticism and negativity with everyone they meet. They moment they enter the room, people go "ouch!"

Others have shorter spikes. Most people are like this. They are okay to get along with so long as you don't rub them up the wrong way. Else their spikes are immediately raised like that of a porcupine!

Some other people have very small and soft spikes. They are great fun to be with. Everyone loves them. They are the light of the family, of the office and community. They are genuinely interested in others welfare and freely share smiles, love, appreciation and do thoughtful acts for others. However if you get really really close to them and push the wrong buttons and you may still get hurt...just like the tiny splinters in straw can still hurt the hands.

Then there are the rare people in the world with NO spikes. No matter how you treat them and what you do there is NO resistance. These are the love masters in our world, great spiritual examples to us all. It does not mean such a person is a vegetable who anyone can cut. They respond appropriately to each situation...sometimes constructive criticism and strong words may issue from them. Yet it comes with the power of love and has a transfrmational energy. Their spikes have been replaced by rays of light, like a sun!

People do not love us for our goodness. They love us for our patience and forebearance. Where there is judgement there is no love. Where there is love there is no judgement.

Let us pull back our invisible spikes for today, and replace them with rays of love and light, offering our finest smile to everyone we encounter. Then others will love to have you in the room and always keep you in their hearts.

Be happy! written by:  Nithya Shanti

As I navigate through the most traumatic experience of my life - I find time to have fun, laugh, enjoy the company of others, build life-long friendships and look forward to tomorrow... Many people ask me, "How do you stay so happy when you are going through something so traumatic?"

 Well, my response is not a Secret, it is simply this...  For me, the best medicine is laughter.  When I am down because "haters" have kept my little girl from me, kept her loving Mommy for 5 1/2 years, I stop myself from feeling the self-pity and realize that the situation is temporary.  I realize that my little girl Alexis is seeing the true personality of her biological father and his family.  So at that point I have two choices - I can wither like a cut flower or I can continue to bloom so that when my little girl returns to me, she can see that her Mommy remained strong.  She can experience true happiness. So I choose the latter! 

 As parents I think that we can tend to self-guilt and make ourselves feel so guilty for any harm or sadness that our child(ren) are going through.  Well - if you choose to look at it another way, you will realize that they too are going through this life changing event so that they can take on an even greater task somewhere down the road.  GOD is setting them up for greatness.  Yes, that is what I said.  GOD brings you trauma so that you can triumph over it and continue onto greatness.  If you can remain strong, stay off the meds and feel the pain, really, really feel that deep, gut wrenching pain, then later you will be able to help others that have a similiar situation.  You will become a mentor, you will empower others.  You will at one point see exactly why it was meant for you to feel that pain.

When you are down and out... find a way to bring happiness into your day, your hour or for a minute.  Just find a source of joy...  Don't feel guilty, know that you are entitled to true happiness...

 Try to smile as you are experiencing trauma....    For more information on Alexis go to www.SaveAlexis.com

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