Resolving Problems Not always An Easy Hurdle

“Let us not be blind to our differences but let us also direct attention to our common interests and to the means by which those differences can be resolved. And if we cannot end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.” – John F. Kennedy


Have you ever attempted to solve a conflict, a problem and/or find a solution? And when you did find a solution; you have this gut feeling that things can get better.  Those poignant articulated words when our nation in early 60s was close to a nuclear war that John F. Kennedy said them which still resonate today in a different light . I was only 9 years old then when I remembered about the Cuban crisis.  My dad was nervous about it but knew our president would find a way in comparison to our current debt crisis.

Our national crisis is totally different today where the political beast is our own political leaders not agreeing on how to resolve our debt problem where all citizens are directly impacted in some way - e.g. our seniors with Medicare, our poor with Medicaid and health benefits, our rich people with tax incentives and all Americans awaiting for a resolution. What's different about this crisis is the fact that it is in the time of attained peace and no war at the moment - i.e. Osama Bin Laden is gone. 


Yesterday, as I returned home from work, I listened to the radio to hear that the "gang of six" have found a solution, I thought maybe all Americans can breathe a little easierl.  And maybe America credit rating will be restored.  Maybe I'm just naive; maybe I'm just an optimist with a twist of reality when I remembered what John F. Kennedy said "For, in the final analysis, our most common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.”  Let's hope today there is some light in that dark tunnel. Let's hope our political leaders make it right; let's hope all this divisiveness subsides, and let's hope that this "nuclear debt bomb" doesn't explode on us and America let's hope for a glass half full.

Mind Deep: Why I Do This Work

Mind Deep: Why I Do This Work: "Tending to the (mostly) elders with extreme forgetfulness, has been an amazing practice. No need to contemplate the five remembrances every ..."

Dear Marguerite,
I love your article. I understand why you do your work; I have seen the changes of my parents as well as my siblings and its impact of their lives. I have witnessed my own physical and age changes as I will turn 60 next February. Your fortitude and unrentless dedication to your volunteer hospice work makes me realize that you accept things as their are but more importantly caring for the elders! If I can used a metaphor; it is like planting a seed and watching the growth of a beautiful flower bloom and later withers and diminish in the wind. Life is full of treasures as we walk the road of life. Thank you for your comprehension and compassion on what you do. #FollowAnyDay @MindDeep @ItsAniel ;-)

Finding Home and finding peace.

Stress is a common shadow that follow us in our work and in our personal life. Stress directly affects our health as well. For example, high blood pressure is common to most of us caused by none other than stress itself. We may take a light jog or trance ourselves in Zen meditation. For instance,  today I tweeted @MindDeep and remarked to her "have fun and peace in sitting" (Sitting is another words for zen meditation, i supposed). She replied kindly with the following: "@ItsAniel thank you - it was not fun but peaceful, yes :) #wannasit".
So I started thinking...mmmh! So it is not so fun achieving total focus of serenity and peace? So maybe stress was an obstacle to achieving her goal of finding peace. It's a mystery though, she says her sit was peaceful. She found her comfort zone; her home and her peace.

Perhaps, another way to address stress is talking to our friends or confessing to a priest or a pastor or a rabbi. For example, my wife loves to talk to her friends and families. She finds her comfort zone, her peace and her home in dialogue and in collaboration close to her heart. I know I have that same feelings with friends cause friends are always kept close to your heart.

Another comfort zone that is common to most of us is to listening to music or playing music or singing a karoke tune. I love listening to different genre of music from motown or R&B or jazz to popular tunes in the radio.

The magic of music helps us to forget stress; it cures our stress - i.e. we forget the existence of stress. A song that lingers and circles my mind repeatly is the beatle tune of "Golden Slumber". Abbey Road album is so stellar in terms of creativity.  I think when John Lennon and Paul McCartney were creating the lyrics of Golden Slumber, they both may have stressed out and may have had some insomnia; however, on the contrary, it has resonanting irony of finding home and finding peace. Yes finding peace in our soul.  I find comfort on songs that i can sing and cherish. Golden Slumber is one song that represents "that twist" of finding home and finding peace.

Lyrics begins with
"Once there was a way to get back home,
Once there was a way to get back homeward,
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby."

The next line comes to you like a curve ball with a metaphoric color of "Golden", a meaning of brightness and hope especially with the word "smiles"

"Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby."

Lyric ends with the initial stanza:

"Once there was a way to get back home,
Once there was a way to get back homeward, Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby."

The repeat of the first stanza is a reflection of our every day lives and routine of repeatedly trying or attempting to find our way back homeward; finding our peace.

So what to do with Stress then? Find your song or find your method of comfort zone; find your home, find your peace. Your life may be a challenging winding road but I am sure an interesting twist to say the least. I found my home, I found my peace in this song. I hope you find your home; your peace as well.

Thank you, John and Paul. Thank God for the Beatles. ;-)