Ever-so-Lucky!

Ever-so-Lucky!

©Allen Merritt (2016)

Do you ever think about how lucky we are? Or, are most thoughts about questioning everything and asking why me, woe is me or why not me?

This week I have taken stock in the fact that I am still able to get up and try every day, that there are opportunities for me to grab hold of. I listen to so many friends and acquaintances tell their stories and catch me up on all the problems, but I do not necessarily hear them give thanks for anything going well.

Used to be that having food and shelter was a thing people were grateful for. Is it now taken for granted by many? Not sure how to answer that. But on a personal note, I am thinking I have much to be thankful for. For example, I was able to commute in to work this week because a check cleared just in time for me to pay a bill. As a result, I was able to get transportation for the commute and make it to the job, which provided a small promotional opportunity. I also made it to the post office to pick up the only check I have had in a month. That gave me a little money to tie me over. Not only that, by being in the right place at the right time I was able to see an old friend I had not seen in over 20 years and ended up spending the night at their place saving a hotel stay. Furthermore, I was able to provide a friendly ear to my friend and realized how lucky I was.I don't think any of this was mere coincidence.

The next day I headed home and found myself witnessing the beginning of a car accident on the freeway. One car was sitting upright on its side; engine still running and white smoke flooding out of the tail pipe. I hoped everyone was okay and realized how lucky I was to have just missed it and at the same time be able to go around it quickly without delay. During the drive, I got a phone call and an email offering a couple days of work and a new project. And, I made it home safe and sound.

It appears many of us have great opportunity and are indeed "ever-so-lucky" as often as not. Maybe we just don't know it or refuse to acknowledge it, therefore blindsiding ourselves and our futures. Shouldn't the good grace of each day count for something in our day-to-day? As I write, I think about the idea of "count your many blessings." If we stop a moment and reassess what is happening in our life instead of focusing on the negative and what we don't have in our lives, we may discover we have more then we think. How can we enjoy the short life we have by always getting distracted by thoughtless mindsets?

As a child I remember always searching the summer grasses for the illusory four leaf clover, because if you found one and you saved it by pressing it between the pages of a book, then you had found good luck.  And, everyone likes the idea of finding luck, right?

Interestingly, the dictionary describes luck as something without purpose, which cannot be predicted or controlled either positively and/or negatively. ¹

What does that mean?

I take it to mean that luck is only as good as you perceive it. Luck can actually be good or bad. Think about the concept of breaking a mirror and ending up with seven years bad luck. But it also goes further than that. When we choose to see the blessings and start counting them, then we begin to see the better side of things and not always the bad news that is shoved in our face.

  

What is "lucky"?

Maybe true luck is being fortunate as opposed to finding fortune. Maybe it is about receiving many blessings and knowing you are enriched by your life as opposed to being rich monetarily. Luck knows each moment is truly a real moment to take advantage of. It’s serendipitous and heaven sent. Luck is something you create, take, embrace and accept understanding that it can be abundant if you allow it to be. None of us have ever been promised anything, so each moment we get makes us ever-so-lucky. Now, this does not mean we shouldn’t aim for the sky and hope for the best and make things better as we can. It simply means we have more than we know. Life in and of itself makes us lucky.

Here is a song to help inspire you to think about what lucky means to you and maybe reconsider what makes your daily life so lucky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvIVA9-FMQ

Enjoy your week!

Cheers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luck (Viewed on 7/26/16)¹

The Art of Fragmented Prayer!

The Art of Fragmented Prayer!

©Allen Merritt (2016)

When I was a young boy and living in San Antonio, Texas, I remember hopping on various buses that lead to a new church every Sunday. My parents were not regular church attendees, but for some reason, I was drawn to go visit churches and no one stopped me. As I look back on those memories I realize how odd it was for a child to take off and wander out on his own that way and I’ve often thought about what intrigued me to do so…independently.

I think my going and visiting all those churches as a child and then continuing that trek as I grew up and began traveling inspired me to study world religions in college.  I am drawn to Eastern philosophy and recognize the value in many religious, traditions and rituals.

To this day I am drawn to churches, temples and other places of prayer and worship. As a result, I consider myself a person of faith and not necessarily a extremely religious person.

I bring this discussion up because I was thinking about prayer,  the idea of unceasing prayer and what part this plays in all of our lives whether we are religious, spiritual or not.

More specifically, I was thinking about the many times I am prayerful, contemplative or meditative and get off track in thinking about something else before reigning myself back to the prayer. I call this the art of broken prayer. Or maybe I should call it fragmented prayers.

Personally, when it comes to prayer I’m drawn to its comfort, the calm, the stillness, the peacefulness, the otherworldly-ness and for that consideration of life beyond all understanding as we know it type of aura. It makes sense to me. I appreciate taking a moment to step outside of myself even for a moment. Prayer offers a chance to breathe, consider, re-consider and often let go. And, whether or not it is fluid or fragmented makes zero difference. Prayer is prayer and offers a moment to express thoughts, ideas, concerns, hopes and gifts of thoughtfulness for self and others.

As I was running errands today I found myself offering up thoughts for a few people I know that currently have great needs. In between errands I would lift up healing thoughts for them one at a time, but then have to stop and finish an errand. I think the broken prayers have as much value as taking a half hour to sit in prayer or meditation.  Either way I would suggest that any kind of helpful thought is a form of prayer and proves valuable in some way or other. I know I am comforted when I find out someone has been thinking positively for and about me. Prayers builds character and integrity, too; not to mention a sense of faith in something other than self.

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend on what faith is. They attached the idea of faith to religion and/or religious belief. Having studied a variety of faith based/religious systems, as well as achieving a degree in psychology, I had a different response and perspective on the idea of what faith is and can be.

I suggested that faith is just that, a belief in something other than yourself or outside of yourself. Often faith is associated to religious context/content, but I am thinking it doesn’t always have to be attached to a religion, per se. We live our daily lives walking in some kind of faith.  For example, we have faith that we will wake up in the morning. We have faith that we will drive our vehicles and get to work on time. We trust that checks will clear at the bank. We believe that the bus driver, the pilot or some staff will get us safely to a destination. We believe that something in the universe will guide us, speak to us and protects us along our journey. To me, these are just a few examples which prove how faith operates in our lives without us realizing it sometimes.

My positive thought for the week is that our thoughts and prayers aid us in every second of every day; and, just as there are seconds, minutes and hours in our day, any thought, prayer or act of faith no matter how long or how fragmented or interspersed it is throughout each day is of great value to all life. Maybe fragmented and/or broken prayers form some aspect of what it means to pray with out ceasing, or constant prayer. It's something to think about. 

With that in mind, keep on thinking those good thoughts whenever you think of them and any time you get a chance to make more time to devote to your thoughtfulness, prayerfulness, contemplations and meditations, give them some undivided attention.  Every little bit counts!

Enjoy your week...prayerfully.

Cheers!

Chasing Rainbows!

Chasing Rainbows!

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I have seen rainbows in my life; many of them. I even remember a time where I witnessed a double rainbow. Boy was that exciting. It was while driving from Los Angeles to Phoenix as I was heading up out of the Palm Springs area.

Some rainbows are vivid and a few are effervescent and light, almost translucent. Rainbows always make my heart smile and fill me with a feeling of the presence of something omnipotent, God-like.

Rainbows take me back to childhood and Sunday school stories from the Bible such as Noah and the Arc. The rainbow signified a promise. I'm always reminded of promises and hope when a rainbow comes along following or during a storm. Herein lies the idea of living positively.

There are some interesting correlations I can conjure up when contemplating the rainbow(s), especially when it comes to positivity.

Remember the idea of a leprechaun finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Then there is the idea of embracing equality and diversity as symbolized by the rainbow flag. Both ideas seem focused on something good.

In recent years I made some life altering decisions for myself to break certain patterns so that I might improve my lot in life, enhance peace and seek out a calm and meaningful existence, if that can ever be achieved, which is an entirely different conversation.

What did I specifically change for myself? I decided I was no longer a hound dog and could not afford to chase people, places and things anymore. You see, to reach out and grab the positive side of life I needed to let go of the idea that I should or could make certain relationships happen. I think many people most likely have these moments. It's part of a learning and growing process.

One philosophy I have is that life should be a two-way street as opposed to one person doing all the work in any given situation. It does not matter the type of relationship, if all parties are not equally involved, then there isn't any relationship. Period. Thinking otherwise generally produces negative results. So stop working so hard, quit chasing those non-giving relationships and refrain from trying to make it happen. Consequently, making such a decision meant losing contact and letting go of a lot of people in my life. Now, if I choose or feel like I want to contact any party, I go ahead and do that, but not because I feel compelled to keep the relationship alive. It’s quite possible unconditional love flourishes with this commitment to not force or push anything or anyone.

I also think of chasing rainbows in reference to following and working towards goals and dreams. I had to reason through that area of my life as well. I am a hard worker and do not mind putting forth the effort, but the same new rules apply in this department as well. You see when you are working hard and making effort there ought to be a positive result of some kind at the end of the work day. So the people I work with have to follow through with their end of the bargain, too. For me, it's about not wasting anymore time.

Some things shouldn't require that much work from only one side of the fence, so to speak. That’s not to say working hard to push onward is never worth it. All I am saying is consider the overall objectives and potential results and make a decision on whether it really is worth it in any given situation.

No more chasing rainbows for the sake of chasing rainbows.

All of these thoughts, ideas and alterations lead back to positivity in action by making the most of what you can and with what you have and discarding those things that are not contributing back and providing no more than the essence of nothing in your day to day, not to mention your future.

These are my thoughts this week in thinking about rainbows.

Maybe we are the rich pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We have to see our worth and let our essence be seen and voices heard. It's about making better and smarter choices.

With that in mind, if you are chasing rainbows or decide to anytime in the near future, I would encourage you to consider what it is you are really seeking and don't just lap up anything that comes along. Life will definitely be more enriched and positive as a result of thinking through everything.

Want to chase some rainbows? Make sure it’s the right kind of rainbow to chase.

Cheers!

Shutting Out the World

Shutting Out the World

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I am always looking around at the world when I am driving. Whether it’s a long commute or road trip or just a quick trip to take care of an errand, I find myself observing the world. And, I have to say, it’s always interesting. I am constantly spying oddities, craziness, as well as fun things. I guess if it takes all types, then you see it all when you are out running around.

While listening to the radio in the car a conversation started about how one disc jockey was trying to take more time to shut out the world by turning off the lights, sitting on the edge of his bed and eliminating any noise. His discussion was centered on how he was attempting to find time to meditate and chill out a bit. It was interesting because he seemed open to the experience and also open to idea that if it works, great; and if it doesn’t, move on.

It got me to thinking about the idea of shutting out the world as a necessary step in creating more positive opportunity in life. Sometimes it is necessary to take time for yourself without giving a thought to anybody else or anything. Forget the list of activities. Forget the “honey-do” list. Forget about office politics. Forget about everything in the news and take time to make time to just sit for a while. Allow yourself to “Be.”

This thought process reminded of a musical titled Stop the World I want to Get Off! Just the title alone speaks to this idea,  'I want to get back to myself and feel good again.'

It’s hard to sit still anymore. So much to take care of and so much to do. Funny, I don’t really see that is anything new. As a child I was a wiggle worm. My mother used to ask me if I had ants in my pants. I was always a bit ansy, I guess.

In any case, we stand a better chance of relaxing and getting back to a place of feeling stable, calm, content and happy when we stop long enough to check in with ourselves. Be still and know, as they say.

What is fun about taking a time out is learning about yourself and discovering things you haven’t been paying attention to. Meditating opens up your inner world to observing things you haven’t been observing. It’s as it you turn up the volume on some listening mechanism locked deep inside yourself and suddenly your hearing things, thinking things, coming up with simple solutions and answers that have been trapped away for way too long.

With this in mind, I challenge you to take a little time out to meditate, contemplate, relax, chillax or whatever you choose to call it to increase possibility, potentiality and positivity over the next week. It benefits not only you, but those who gravitate around and to you. Think of it like a smile. It’s contagious and gets passed on. I don’t know too many who wouldn’t appreciate a feel good smile.

There are many ways to mediate and many resources and material can be found out there to help one learn more about doing so. Get back to yourself every once in a while. Don’t feel like you always have to be pleasing everyone else or living up to their expectations and standards. Here are a couple of links that may be of service to you should you find yourself in need of some “Me” time and growth time. Take a peek and generate some peacefulness for yourself and the world by stopping the planet, sitting still and shutting out the world if only for a minute.

Think about it and go out there and have a positive, happy-go-lucky week!

Meditation information:

http://zenhabits.net/meditation-guide/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/meditation

Guided meditation videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIJQsE8C5Is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80zy1gHjS6E

Cheers!

“I See!” Said the Blind Man

“I See!” Said the Blind Man

©Allen Merritt (2016)

This may sound like a silly question, but what do you see when you look at something?

My best guess is that you probably see whatever you see in context with how you see it.  I know it may first seem silly, but consider what you see may not be what another person sees. And, if you see it one way and another person sees it another way, then there’s proof that there is more than one side to every story.

I bring this up to aide in understanding the interesting impacts of perspective in our lives. What we see or think we see is based on individual interpretation as often as not. In knowing more about this we can further learn about ourselves and create more positivity in our lives. Because, let’s face it, other people can bug us! They can bring us down, demean and belittle us and create negative impact.

I have always had an interest in human behavior and studied psychology to educate myself on the matter. One of my classes was titled Sensation and Perception. It was fascinating to the extent that everything we think we see one way may actually be seen in a multitude of fashions. In considering the subject of perspective I took it a step further and conducted a few minor experimental studies to see what people were seeing compared to what they thought they saw. For example, I went to work one day with about five different outfits. Throughout the day I changed into new outfits just to see if anyone noticed. Believe it or not, many people did not see what was actually going on when I questioned them about it toward the end of the shift. Amazing!

Now that may not seem like anything connected to negativity, but it does demonstrate how one person may behave differently than another and that we cannot jump to conclusions based on initial response without further investigating the circumstances. Things are not always what they appear to be, right?

This is probably half the reason we have conflict going on in the world as we know it today. People make assumptions and judgment calls based on a situation and then blanket that information out onto groups of people. And, many time these types of conflicts (real or otherwise) cause negativity to inhabit our thinking and response systems. If we consider the alternatives, we may find a better way to respond that benefits the better part of the whole. That’s positivity in action.

After college, I began conducting a few workshops on assertiveness and understanding perspective. It is a great subject toward enhancing out positive point of view, because it opens our eyes to more possibilities. To that end, I would like to encourage everyone to consider more possibilities about what they are experiencing throughout their day, especially in relation to other people who are still somehow bugging us or trying to beat us down. Too much negativity just generates more of the same. Misery loves company!

You never know what someone is thinking, feeling, what they know and understand, so maybe turning things around can start with a vote of confidence and a little more communication and common courtesy. Quite possibly, the Golden Rule of doing unto others is not absolutely dead. That would be a good thing.

So here are some questions to ask yourself the next time you get pulled into a rabbit hole:

What is really happening here?

Is there something going on I do not know about or understand?

Should I listen and observe more?

Should I wait it out a bit?

Should I take a break from this situation and allow breathing room?

May I express a concern to ascertain more?

What can I do to bring about positive change?

I think the idea behind the blind man seeing albeit still blind is about finding truth and enhancing understanding which leads us down the path to better understanding and a peace beyond any and all understanding. That is, if we can ever really understand anything. Anyway, as I think on it, I feel getting beyond a negative circumstance is not always about walking away or yelling back. Adding fuel to the fire allows the circumstances to get further out of control as often as not. 

Let this week be about finding new ways of looking at things and greater possibilities. 

Go out and find the positive in everything!

Cheers!

Surround Yourself With Care

Surround Yourself With Care

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I had to take a friend to the emergency room the other day, which if you’ve ever gone through the ER process, it can take hours and a ton of patience. You see a lot of people and have plenty to observe and take note of. I couldn’t help but be aware of how many people working in this environment were trying to do all they could to help the incoming patients. I found it inspiring to know there are still plenty of good people doing their best. Even under the most dramatic and traumatic of circumstances from one extreme to the other these individuals were in their own way working hard to create a positive environment and turn things around from negative to positive; from feeling bad to feeling better; from sad to glad and more. All these people surrounding other people and helping other people in need! Talk about a reminder in positivity.

The experience reminded me of another incident I had many years ago after learning a good friend of mine had committed suicide. In a nutshell, my friend had confided in me that they were planning on doing this to themselves and proceeded to make sure that I was in a position not to prevent it. Me being the caring person and wanting to help make things better tried to talk him out of it and be the good friend. However, despite my best efforts he ended his life anyway.

Following the incident I found myself not only upset, but angry. I felt set up for failure. I decided to go to a therapist to hash it out. After about 10 weeks the therapist asked me not to come back anymore, because I was the most normal out of any patient they had. I was kicked out of therapy! Ha! Long story short, he gave me a parting gift of a small red glass heart and a crucifix along with a little advice to be conscientious about surrounding myself with people who care. I guess he felt I needed the assurance that life goes on despite it all. But he also wanted to remind me to be good to myself by remembering not to allow the negatives to coming a knocking at my door.

Sitting in the ER with nothing else to do, catapulted me back to that memory and the idea of surrounding ourselves with the good and the positive; to blanket ourselves with those who actually do care and not waste one minute of time doing anything else, because life is indeed too short.

We cannot forget to make every effort to thrive and not just survive OR that we are too blessed to be stressed. Clichés aside, there is a level of common sense in placing ourselves in good company which surely provides us all with a sense of calm and peace in the here and now.

I must of sat there in the back corridors of the ER for about 4-5 hours in total when an incoming nurse wandered by me and greeted me with, “How are you doing, young man?” I couldn’t help but smile both inside and out because I was definitely older than this man. He had great energy and proceeded to say hello to a colleague sharing that exciting things were happening.

Observing this environment and remembering my personal memories led me back to the idea of surrounding ourselves with only those who care. I am reminded of this as a bell chiming or clanging reminds us of the time or brings us back to the present moment. It wakes us up out of our stupor and/or distractions, which is easy to get caught up in these days.

With this little wake-up call reminder I turned to my friend and said, “Did you hear what that nurse just said to me? They referred to me as a young man. I need to keep him around.”

I hope you find yourself surrounded with a lot of people who bring about a sense of care for you this week. If there are any uncaring people along your pathway, I hope you are at least aware enough to move around them toward those who do care. We all need a positive little nudge by someone nice and kind. By the same token, we can also be the one who is nice and kind.

Think about it and go out there and have a positive, happy-go-lucky week!

Cheers!

Pulse!

Pulse!
©Allen Merritt (2016)

We all have a heart and we all have a pulse.

We have thoughts.
We have feelings.
We breath the same air.
We want love and we want to matter.

We want and need to BE.

Evidently, this is something not everyone can accept and it remains a strong battle among humankind one with the other. But in my mind, if you were blessed and lucky enough to be born, grow up and live this life, than you have all the same rights and possibilities for life as any other living being. This blog is about respect, love, kindness and remembering the truth of what matters most. Those who sit in judgement are not any more favored or special than those they judge.

There is a lot to think about lately what with all the senseless actions of a few that impact so many lives. If one thing stands out clear to me, it's that there are many people out there who simply cannot handle the idea of  'live and let live'. In fact, I read on the internet a story about a so-called Pastor in California who made his sermon about how he wished that more people were killed in the Orlando shootings. My immediate thought was focused on how unreligious, unspiritual and un-interconnected this man was...and, he claims to be a man of the cloth, so to speak. Yet, he doesn't have a clue about anything related to the giver of life. Jim Jones did the same thing and led an entire flock to slaughter. Think about the atrocities purported by Hitler and his regime. Politicians are stepping up to the podiums with their guns a blazing! It's all a bit much.

For me, I see a lack of human compassion in such people. They are making life and death judgement calls on other lives. I do not and never will understand how people can lay claim to make decisions on who should live and who should die and in whose name that should be accorded to. These personality types are the ones causing negativity to exist. They are destroyers. So where does one find positivity in the face of such evils?

I found myself thinking on just that question this week after hearing about these incidents where senseless acts of murder took place in Orlando inside of a week. A promising singer was gunned down outside of her concert. Many people were gunned down inside the PULSE night club. A little boy was attacked and killed by an alligator. Each and every one of those lives no matter the circumstances mattered! All lives matter!

I was working a conference in Seattle during these events. As sad as these events were I observed some of the following things that helped alleviate negativity and create a sense of care and love. Outside my hotel a rainbow flag was raised up next to the American flag. They both hung at half mast in commemoration of the Pulse night club murder rampage. Interestingly, the only flag that was waving in the wind was the rainbow one. I took photos of that. Spirit has a way of talking to us and sending messages of love when we least expect it.

Outside my hotel room window I observed another hotel that chose to light up the entire top of their building in rainbow colors at night to remember the fallen in Orlando. Again, it seemed comforting to know that all around the world these kinds of things were superseding the actual crimes committed.

I wandered around up to the Space Needle and found myself in a large crowd celebrating an African-American festival. The park was filled with a diverse group of human beings of every make, color, religion, and sexual orientation. On this night everyone was allowed to be who they were and join in celebration. They were moving and grooving, singing and shouting and having a gay old time (pun intended). I chose to stay and participate and enjoy the festivities and observe how many kinds of people could come together and "be." There was love and peace in the park that night. I felt blessed to experience it. That is positivity in action.

On the plane ride home I observed how everyone on the flight was similar to those people in the park. Everyone got together to travel to a new destination and have a good time and simply live their lives without incident. And, my thought was this: there are a lot more good people in this world than there are bad ones. It's just that the bad seems more prevalent when it happens. But we are human beings. We are strong and capable. We know how to love when it is important to do so. We know how to help each other despite our differences. We continue on living, breathing, celebrating, because we are "human"; because we do have a heart and a pulse. In thinking these things, I see the positivity that we must live each day, because out lives are a gift and we have to live in the present and not be afraid to do so.

Let's remember those people dancing and being happy and celebrating their lives. Let's remember to be loving, humble and kind even though we may not agree on all life issues. Because isn't love more important. I remember the story of one 33 year old man who simply stated...."the greatest of these is love."

Last night I learned how two young men wrote a song which demonstrates the perfect culmination of love, spirit and soul in the aftermath. I will leave you with their YouTube link and ask that you take a moment to think on it's message.

Can't you see that I'm Scarred
I'm just the same as you are so just
Feel my pulse

Can't you see that we're human
Feel my pulse

Feel my PULSE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrIvIEa2K48

Go out there and find your pulse and connect with all that is positive this week and share it with everyone in your circles.

Cheers!