In life, its the simple things that make some smile. Just like this photo of the baby red fox. To me, it's a reminder that life is fragile and that we must appreciate the most of the time that we are given. Even in the fox's eyes, it's like looking into the eyes of a human baby, looking for love, for someone to take care of it, to feed it, and nurture it . Everything has a purpose in life, from the largest to the smallest.
There is a balance between life and death. It's easy to take for granted that we, as a human race, have all the time in world to do what we want, to live the way we want, that death will be waiting for us years and years from now. What matters the most is that when that time comes, that we have the support and the love of family and friends who will be there for us, not just through the transition, but to always be there for us to get us through the hard times, picks us up and keeps us focus on the things to that are important and vital in order for us to survive.
Imagine how that baby fox must feel having to survive in a world that is constantly changing around him and how he must adjust in order to be able to make it through to the next day. Nature is not only a thing of wonder and beauty, but it can also be dark and dangerous; not much different from the world in which we live in today.
With the wars, famine, murder, and such running rampart in the world today, the way in which we look at and how we react to it, will play a role in determining how our children will view and respond to their world when they grow up.
My hope is that the longer I am living, the better person I become; the more I live, the better I love.
Until we meet again,
Amanda
Imagine you were given an opportunity to have a conversation and ask questions of any person in the history of the world. Who would you choose? Would your choice be of historical significance? or a religious preference? Just the thought of sitting down with someone of immense stature has a way of boggling the mind.
So, with that thought in mind, I've been wondering who I would sit down with and have a conversation with and my first choice.........Thomas Jefferson.
And now............A Conversation with Thomas Jefferson
ME: Mr. President, thank you for joining me today.
TJ: Thank you for your invitation. I find that by sitting down with others and sharing ideas, we gather more information about the world around us.
ME: Mr. President, my first question for you is this.....from the time you helped draft the most imporant document of all time (Declaration of Independence), to your presidency, what do you think is the most important idea about freedom in today's world as compared to yours?
TJ: Well, that is indeed a very thought provoking and interesting question. First, the reason we (the Founding Fathers) drafted not only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, was so that we as independent individuals, were not bound to the sovereignty of the British empire. It had already been demonstrated how unequal and unbalanced the government of England treated not only their citizens, but members of its own government. No man is above another, yet the tools given to man by the Creator has taken on a new meaning. It seems that in today's society the people have forgotten what it took to form a new republic while fighting a empire that was determined to oversee the beginning of the government here.
ME: With all the trouble that is taking place all around the world, do you think that the United States is spreading itself too thin?
TJ: When the militia was created, it was done so to protect the homeland from foreign attacks. Obviously our time is much different than your time and the dangers are as different as night and day. The role of the United States now is much more important now more than ever before. As a leader of democracy and freedom, the nation should be the leader in responding to trouble when it begins to crush the dreams and opportunities of those oppressed by men who are overcome with power and cannot distract themselves from such.
ME: Mr. President, just one more question....if you knew then, what you know now, would you do the same thing again?
TJ: I would do exactly the same thing again. It was an honor to serve not only as President, but as a Founding Father of the best country in world. And to be surrounded by the greatest minds of their time was also an honor.
ME: Mr. President, thank you very much for this honor, it was pleasure to sit here with you today.
TJ: Thank you for the opportunity.
Well, that's the way I think the conversation would go, but of course, it could always be opposite of what it could be. Now, this is just a idea of what I think the conversation would be like, could be better, could be worse. If there is someone you would like to talk to, shoot me a comment and let me here from you!
Until we meet again,
Amanda
For most of us, life is a journey, a blank canvas awaiting a master artist. In most things of daily life, we either look at the smallest things with awe and wonder, or we pass them by, never giving them a second thought. I love when I have moments like that; when everything around me has a purpose and design. The sounds of walking on sand sounds louder, the color of leaves looks brighter.
Part of the charm of living in a small, southern town is that although life seems simple, at the same time it's complicated. Stereotypes aside, life here in Alabama doesn't revolve around trailer parks, etc. People here take living seriously and are attached to family and ancestory. Hard work comes at a price and takes its toll on families just like it does everywhere else on the planet.
I have dreams of traveling to Europe, of going to places filled with history, romance, saddness, and discovery. Greece, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany (just to name a few), tempt with their breathtaking views, their people and the opportunity to expand my horizons as well as leave my problems behind, if for only a short time.
I have dreams of a life that is filled with love for not only my family and friends, but for those who have not experienced love. I belive that love exists and that is has the power to heal. For years, I have convinced myself that being single was the best role for me so that I could focus on my son. The most helpless thing for a parent is to watch her child look for love and acceptance while she looks for the same thing. What advice could a parent who is looking for the same thing give to a teenager? How could I remain positive when I've been single for almost 17 years to someone who is on the same journey I am, looking for the same thing?
It's always been important to me that I try and be the best parent I can be to my son. Although I haven't been able to give him everything he wanted, I've tried to give him what he needed, without going to the extreme. Every parent deals with raising their kids differently and every parent has to deal with the consequences when their kids expect a free ride through life, without dealing with the results of not knowing how to handle being an adult.
Until we meet again,
Amanda
In my mind's eye, I am about 35 lbs. lighter, I am whole and complete, both phyically, emotionally. I am who I am and I try to remain as true to myself as I possibly can, even though I am tempted to change sometimes in order to "fit in" with certain groups. I know that by being dishonest with myself, not only am I robbing myself, but I'm also robbing others of knowing who I really am and what I can offer.
Being a compassionate person in a world of complete and utter disarray isn't a easy thing to do when it seems like those around aren't sure how to respond to other's kindness. In my mind's eye, there would be less tension around and more love; people actually coming together to get things done instead of tearing things apart.
It's not enough to just say words to people just so that they will be happy, that's a false pretense. In order to make people truly happy, taking time away from what we want and share with others is a first step in making people who aren't as fortunate, forget their troubles, even if for only a few minutes.
Throughout our life we all at one time or another, regardless of financial status, witness and experience some form of troubles and problems. No one is immune from having to make difficult and sometimes, troubling decisions. It's that some people can handle the outcomes better than others.
Infomercials and reality tv shows seem to have the solution for all the problems (at least most of them) that plague the human race; but for all the ideas that they provide, in true reality, they are only a form of entertainment and therefore can provide no true solution, only more problems by appealing to younger people that by trying certain temptations, and seeing how much fun it is to be disruptive and careless towards others around us, that it will automatically make that person "cool" and will begin making all their dreams come true.
In my mind's eye, my child will grow up without ever having to be subjected to drugs, alcohol, sex, etc., and will become a productive citizen of society. I have to allow my child to make mistakes on his own without looking over his shoulder everytime he turns around. I know that I haven't been the best example of a parent in the past, but I want to make every effort to make sure that he does what he knows is right and that he can talk to me about anything.
In my mind's eye, I can make this blog work and reach out and make new friends. I want to expand my boundaries outside of my home and be able to say that my life was made richer by those I came in contact with.
I have come to the realization that life is 99% survival and 1% luck. No matter what comes our way, the attitude in which we handle such obstacles as job loss, the loss of a loved one, losing a home, struggling with just everyday mundane daily activities, reflects the way we view life when everything is going our way.
I am a believer that when you perform an act of kindness towards people (those you know and those you don't), that life, not karma, rewards you.....eventually. Over time, however, sometimes it seems that life is overlooking the good while piling on the bad. Telling yourself to just hang in there is great, but wouldn't it be nice if there were someone there to just remove all the burdens on your shoulders?
There are areas that I would pick and choose to do over again, if I had to. When I look back on my life I feel like I missed something somewhere, like I had all so many opportunities and I allowed almost everyone of them to slip through my fingers. I met some wonderful people in my life and I continue to meet wonderful people. Maybe that's something we don't do enough of these days when it seems like everything around us is heading for complete and utter destruction.....we, as living, breathing, emotional, human beings , should take more time to share love and tell those around us how much they mean to us.
Improving my life is always an option, it's a matter of opening up and accepting new challenges that are always there for the taking.
I'm not sure what to expect by creating this blog, but I hope that by doing so, I can learn new things and meet more new people. :)
