I believe...

Monarch Butterfly
Butterfly Conservatory, National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC

"I believe everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn how to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust yourself and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." Unknown

If you get caught between the moon and New York City....

I took this a few weeks ago -- the colors are a little oversaturated but I still love the skyline at sunset.

“What we are aiming at when we fall in love, is a very strange paradox. The paradox consists of the fact that when we fall in love we are seeking to re-find all or some of the people to whom we were attached as children. On the other hand, we ask our beloved to correct all the wrongs that these early parents inflicted on us. So that love contains in it the contradictions, the attempt to return to the past and attempt to undo the past.”- Woody Allen as Professor Levy, Crimes and Misdemeanors

You have learned everything there is to know.

Once upon a time, a woman moved to a cave in the mountains to study with a guru. She wanted, she said, to learn everything there was to know. The guru supplied her with stacks of books and left her alone so she could study. Every morning, the guru returned to the cave to monitor the woman's progress. In his hand, he carried a heavy wooden cane. Each morning, he asked her the same question: "Have you learned everything there is to know yet?" Each morning, her answer was the same. "No," she said, "I haven't." The guru would then strike her over the head with his cane.

This scenario repeated itself for months. One day the guru entered the cave, asked the same question, heard the same answer, and raised his cane to hit her in the same way, but the woman grabbed the cane from the guru, stopping his assault in midair.

Relieved to end the daily batterings but fearing reprisal, the woman looked up at the guru. To her surprised, the guru smiled. "Congratulations," he said, "you have graduated. You now know everything you need to know."

"How's that?" the woman asked.

"You have learned that you will never learn everything there is to know," he replied. "And you have learned how to stop the pain."

you were once a perfect wish (Buddhist Meditations for tonight)

you were once a perfect wish, originally uploaded by ~stillpositive.

Today I was going over some Buddhist meditations to create a sense of peace with the imperfection that comes with life. There's never enough sleep, not enough time, too many things to do, not enough understanding or patience, and sometimes not enough love or forgiveness. How can we center ourselves amongst negativity?

Reflections to find a sense of peace

Sit someplace peaceful, come to a calm place and reflect on yourself first because when you can love yourself, you can love others:

- I have some bad habits and faults, but am I really all that bad?
- Many things I do don't lead to perfect results but at least I try to do my best.

- Remember people you don't necessarily like; they also just want to be happy.
- They need to feel loved, just like you.
- If someone did something that upset you, think about the cause of their behavior. Reflect: do I never make such a mistake? Do I always treat people perfectly?
- Can I expect others to be perfect all the time when I also do not manage that?
- Try to have the courage of breaking through the standard habits and overload them with thoughts of love instead.
- Don't be afraid your love will run out; true love is a never ending source of energy.

- Only our own feelings of hatred, frustration, impatience and egoism limit the stream of love to others.

Thoughts of the expectation of perfection and the stress these expectations can cause:

- Who am I really, what are all my negative qualities?
- Does this mean I am the worst person in the world?
- How many people do I know without any negative qualities?
- Can I expect myself to be perfect, without any faults?
- What are my positive qualities?
- Can I not at least help people, care about them, generate compassion?
- Does not everybody have good and bad qualities?
- Why do I have to judge so hard on myself for being human, with good and bad qualities? Likewise for others?
- I can strive for love, compassion and betterment; these things are possible.

An exercise in expression and forgiveness of slights:

- Imagine being in front of the person you need to forgive or want forgiveness from
- In the presence of your enlightened selves, say what you have to say
- Tell them what you really feel and why you want to forgive or want their forgiveness
- Imagine this person looking at you with compassion and understanding
- While telling them about your anger and regret, radiate out all your love and compassion to this person
- Know the person understands you and answers with love and compassion shining from the heart
- Open your heart and accept love and forgiveness.

From my heart, I forgive you for whatever you did, intentional or not.
May you be happy, free of confusion and understand yourself and the world.
Please forgive me for whatever I did to you, intentional or unintentional.
May we open our hearts and minds to meet in love and understanding.

Feel the warmth of healing between you.

Source: these meditations came from http://viewonbuddhism.org

What Work Is by Philip Levine : The Poetry Foundation

What Work Is by Philip Levine : The Poetry Foundation
"You know what work is—if you’re
old enough to read this you know what
work is, although you may not do it."
(full poem at link)