HERO TO ZERO

mother and child

Life is beautiful when you are considered a hero in someone’s eyes. It could be a child, a boss, a girlfriend or boyfriend. A husband or wife, married or single, being a hero can relate to just about anyone in this world. One day life changes and that child becomes a teen, your boss has found another star, and friendships are broken. In a short period of time, you go from hero to zero.

What is a hero by society’s standard? It is someone who is admired for their courage, achievements,  or other qualities, like showing courage through life’s difficulties. A hero can also be an object of extreme admiration.

Do you remember when your kids were younger? Well I do, and they looked up to you like you were a king or queen? Well as most parents know, when they become teenagers, they believe they know everything and you know nothing. The glow in their eyes and admiration diminishes. They no longer feel like you’re their hero.  You’re just mom and dad, who are imperfect beings. In today’s world, kids have learned so much through the internet that they begin to correct you even before high school.

How about working for a company for years where  you are considered one of the best employees. Year after year, you are commended and given awards. Your associates look at you with admiration and intrigue. Then one day things begin to shift in another direction.  Age becomes a factor and there is a new challenger that is being admired. There is always someone younger with more energy who may run cartwheels around you. Then one day your best isn’t good enough as someone else have taken your place. In a short period of time, you go from a hero to zero.

Friendships come and go. You can have a best friend today and sometimes foolishness crushes those relationships. In their eyes whether it is a love relationships or friendships, you can go from a hero to a zero.

These experiences could be a real life changer impacting your life in many ways if you allow it to become a thorn in your side. When you dwell upon where you are instead of where you are going, it will take over your life.

What is required is a new way of thinking. Transforming yourself and your ability to see these experiences in a positive light, will allow you to grow and develop new skills and characteristics. This will promote positive changes in order to move ahead towards the future. Maybe you needed a shift or a prompt to move in another direction. It’s easy to get stuck in one’s world while not growing mentally or spiritually. Sometimes I believe God has to give us a little nudge in order to wake us up from our mindlessness.

Nuggets of Truth: “We sometimes need a shakeup in order to wake up.”

                                       Pat Fagan

 

 

 

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

weight-loss-494284_960_720Who’s the fairest one of all? I looked at my wardrobe and I decided it’s time to ditch the old and buy some new clothes for work. I went to the store, picked out a couple of outfits, and proceeded to go into the fitting room. As I looked at myself through those mirrors, those horrible tall mirrors, I thought I was about ready to have a heart attack. I felt like I was at a carnival looking at the hall of mirrors which distorts your shape in every way possible. It gave me a panoramic view of myself that I would rather not dwell upon. Seriously, what’s with those fitting room mirrors? You go in thinking one way about your appearance and in a few minutes you want to run to the gym for a good workout.

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” as it was once stated. It is a characteristic of a persons outer appearance. Why do we focus so much on our outward appearance rather than what’s in the heart? What do we see when we look into a mirror? Do we see an inner beauty which is more pleasing to God? Like a suit or piece of clothing, our outer self is not meant to last forever. You can pinch here and tuck there but ultimately, it will fade. We place so much emphasis on the outside while we need to look deeper on the inside. We can change our wardrobe, invest in beauty products, and if possible, get a facelift (ouch). But we need to get to the heart of the matter.

What does your heart look like?  That’s where beauty lies but society has taught us to focus on aesthics, the outside appearance. Someone who has beauty on the inside stands immortal while outward beauty is temporary. Inner beauty includes psychological factors such as personality, charisma, kindness, patience, integrity, grace, and others which enhances your outer physical attributes.

mirror-with-ornate-frame

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all? The answer is the person who reflects and focus on their inner beauty. Being attractive in mind and spirit is primary and outward beauty is secondary.

I began to think about that old mirror which distorted my real truth. My beauty does not rely on what I see on the outside but how I perceive myself to be on the inside. My heart is what matters most. This does not mean I will neglect what’s going on the outside, but my primary focus will be my heart.

Nugget of truth: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Invisible Man

invisible man4

Most of us go about our business everyday paying very little attention to the invisible people in our society. They are people who walk amongst us doing all kind of menial jobs which lack prestige. Yet they are like the invisible man that goes unnoticed day after day. Continue reading “The Invisible Man”

OUR NEW REALITY

 

UNEMPLOYMENTThe Year is 2016, and already a lot has changed from previous years. As I listen to more and more people who’ve lost their jobs, the times they are changing. Friends, family, neighbors, and strangers are out of work for more than a year. Jobs have been moving overseas, leaving workers in disarray. Loyalty and hard work is no longer rewarded but disregarded as changes become more prevalent.  Left to pick up the pieces of their lives, their salaries are reduced as they go in search for a new job in order to support their Continue reading “OUR NEW REALITY”

WANTS VS NEEDS

fashionHave you ever had a strong desire to purchase an item that you felt you couldn’t live without? Well, for many of us that is a regular occurrence. I remember a time when I saw a particular coat in a store window on my travel to work everyday. It was a fashion style that was  popular among the ladies and of course I wanted it so badly that common sense went right out the window. The price tag was pretty steep but who cares. I made it my purpose in life to buy this coat of many colors and as I made my way into the store one day, money in hand, I finally made my purchase. I was beaming with joy and in that moment, I felt like a million bucks. Sadly, in all the years I had this beautiful coat, I wore it once as I strutted and styled down the streets of New York. It  was a temporary fix, a moment of pleasure and like most things in our life, out of sight, out of mind. Years later, while sorting through my closets, I stumbled upon that beautiful expensive coat and decided to donate it to charity. Continue reading “WANTS VS NEEDS”