Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A Splendid New Year To All

Greetings!

I wonder what I am going to write on my last post of 2014.

In the years past, I had fallen into the pressure of the day, which we called it either the last day of a year or the eve of a new year.  I had written down many wish lists and goals with full intention and expectation.

Today I have decided I will not make any new year's resolution.  My desires and wishes are already known to the universe (or my universe), and I know any new desire that arises will immediately be received too.  I will settle in and let them unfold. Every day is a new day, and every moment is a new moment.  All is well in the universe.  I always know what to do in the moment of now.  Right now, I am enjoying the peace of the day.

To all of you, a Joyful New Year's Eve and a Splendid New Year!

Love,
Q of D

 

Monday, December 22, 2014

The Great Gray Cat - Conclusion

Greetings!

Please click to view Part 1 and Part 2 if you have not read the posts.

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It was late winter.  We had another snowfall.  For a few days, snow covered the ground and the bushes outside of the apartments.  I had not seen the cat for quite some days.  Looking at the snow, I wondered if he was all right.  At night, I prayed for the cat.  I hope he stayed inside a home or somewhere warm.

One night, I dreamed of the cat.

In the dream, I was sleeping in our sons' bedroom.  (When our sons lived on campuses, sometimes I slept in their bedroom.  The family room and kitchen were on the lower floor, and the bedrooms were on the upper floor.)  Though I lay in bed, the dream me saw what went on around me and outside of the apartment.  On the lawn outside of the apartments, the next door woman who disliked the cat was talking to a man.  I saw the cat on the grass outside of our apartment.  He looked healthy and strong.  There was light surrounding him.

The cat jumped up to the window ledge.  He was then inside the bedroom even though the windows were closed.  He jumped up the bed, and rested on my chest.  I was filled with tremendous warmth and love.  I looked at the cat.  There was something peculiar about him.  On one side of his body, his striped gray white hair seemed to be enfolded in a strange, transparent, light blue or light neon blue field of energy.  Furthermore, the hair on the back of that side of his body stood upwards.  Despite of the peculiar look, his hair was soft, shiny, and beautiful.  I 'got' it from the cat that he was fine.

Next, the cat was back on the lawn.  A sheet of ice now covered the grass.  The woman and the man looked at the cat.  They seemed to be talking about him.  The cat never looked at them.  Proudly, he walked away with his head held up high.  His hair was now back to normal.  He looked healthy and strong as he first appeared on the lawn.  He had no problem walking on the ice at all.

When I woke up from the dream, I knew the cat had moved on.  I did not dare to talk to my sons about the dream.  They loved the cat.  Hope against hope, we (including me) prayed the cat was alive.

In May, our older son came home from the university.  He looked everywhere for the cat.  One day while he was out looking for the cat again, the maintenance man happened to walk back to his apartment which was not far from ours.  He told our son the cat had died in the late winter snowfall.  He found his body under the bushes near his apartment after the snow began to melt.  He said the cat died lying on one side.  When he picked him up, part of his body was encased in ice.  His words explained what I saw in the dream.  We felt sad about the cat's passing.

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When I was young, I often woke up talking about my dreams.  My family eventually called me 'the Queen of Dreams'.  Later, I stopped sharing my dreams because I observed the adults were not interested in hearing them.  My husband told me he rarely remembered his dreams.  He wanted to dream about his mother who died when he was a toddler.  He was disappointed he never recalled seeing her in his dreams.  I knew our sons had dreams because they talked in their sleep.  However, most of the time, they did not remember their dreams.  On the occasions they remembered their dreams and shared with me, I found their dreams were meaningful and profound just liked mine were, except they did not give much thought to their dreams.

Amazingly, my loved ones actually remembered they had dreams about the cat.  Our sons said the cat often came to play with them just as when he was alive.  My husband said he had only one dream about the cat.  In his dream, rain was pouring, and the cat stood outside of a door.  He said the cat was dripping wet and seemed to be in a very poor physical condition.

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Our sons had helped in the restaurant for years.  Knowing the situation we were in, they never asked for pay or anything.  During the last two year in high school, our older son worked in a fast food restaurant after school.  Without saying a word, he gave me his paychecks.  I asked him to open a bank account because he needed money to go to college.  He knew I struggled to pay the bills, and insisted for me to use the money he earned.

Our sons went to different universities.  Like most students, they worked besides going to classes.  They did not have a car.  They said it was alright, and other students walked from one location to another as they did.  Sometimes they got on the buses.

When the school year was over in 2000, our sons came home for the summer.  I was glad they soon found jobs working in a store.  The store scheduled them to work different shifts.  For example, one son worked from 8 am to 3 pm, while the other son worked from 10 am to 5 pm.  I had no problem driving them to work in the morning, but picking them up in the afternoon was another story.

We could not afford any hired help.  I was responsible for waiting on customers who dined in, taking down the call-in carryout orders, and packing them when they were ready.  (My husband could not take over when I was away because he did not know much English.)  A few times in a week, I also had to shop for the restaurant and run errands when the lunch hour was over.   With the restaurant business, sometimes I just could not leave to pick up our sons.  For instance, I could not tell customers to leave or dine in some other time because I had to pick up my son.  As a result,  our sons had to wait for a long time before I could pick them up.  There had also been times I was stuck in traffic.  I came back to the restaurant with customers waiting and the phone ringing nonstop.  As stressful as it was, it was a wonder how forgiving the customers were, and many actually supported us throughout the years.

My husband was not happy about the situation.  In his state, he could only think about himself and the restaurant.  That was why he did not want to sell the restaurant.  I was glad our sons could earn some money for the summer before they went back to college.  Blessed their hearts, they never complained about their long wait in the store.  However, I understood there must be some frustration about the situation.  During those years, sometimes I did feel exhausted mentally and physically.

It was in divine timing the cat showed up on our porch that early July morning.

His appearance gave us a point of diversion in our focus in life at that particular time. Whenever the cat came, my sons and I looked at him with tenderness.  For a moment, we forgot about the stress in life.  He was the object of attention as well as the subject of affection.  We loved him.  When he slept peacefully after he ate, we shared in his peace too.  When I saw him on the porch that July morning, I had not expected him to be such a blessing to our family.  It was the same with other things in life.  If we took things for granted, we might fail to recognize the blessing in life.

In 'Seth Speaks' by Jane Roberts, Seth said he had once infused a tiny portion of his energy into a dog because he wanted to experience the life as a dog.  I could not help but wondered if it was the case with the gray cat.  I knew the cat had touched other people's hearts, and brought laughter to many children before he moved on.

Earlier that July morning, I woke up my older son to get ready to work.  He looked very tired.  He actually dozed off while I was driving.  Suddenly, words came out of his mouth.  I was shocked.  Arriving at the store, he slowly woke up and did not really know what he had said.  In his sleepy or altered state, he had become a perfect channel.  The words that came through answered the question I had, and most of all, caused me to examine my life.  It was a life transforming experience.

I believed my guides and angels were busy at work that July morning.  For their love, I give thanks.

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In 2010, while we were living in another state, our older son brought home a stray kitten that was with striped gray and white hair similar to the old gray cat.  (If you want to read the whole story, please click to view A gift from Mei Mei )  At first, my husband did not show much affection towards the kitten.  Like the gray cat, the cute kitten went to work.  He gave my husband lots of love and attention.  

In the last three years, this had been my husband's routine upon waking up.  He took it upon himself to clean the litter box.  He refilled the bowls with cat food and fresh water.  Then he sat on the carpet and signaled for the cat to come.  He thoroughly brushed the cat's hair which the cat seemed to enjoy it very much.

Sometimes my husband gave the cat some food from the table.  If the cat did not eat it, he still got a little bit upset.  However, he was able to get over it.  There were times the cat wanted to rest on his lap, but he did not allow the cat to.  It might be it was too much for him.   As a compromise, he let the cat sit next to him on the couch.  Overall, the change was huge, and it was a blessing to all.  The gray cat had certainly played a role in his change of heart.

The gray cat had moved on.  However, he lives in our hearts.

With love,
Q of D

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Great Gray Cat - Part 2

Greetings!

If you haven't view part 1, please click to view The Great Gray Cat - Part 1

There was an episode involving the cat that I was hesitant to share.  However, I saw the value of sharing with you this kind of dramas in life.  We all came into a lifetime with goals that included our gifts to the world and the lessons we planned to learn.  We came with strengths as well as shortcomings.  If we paid attention, we could see how closely our lives intertwined, and that we were all tools in each other's divine plans.  Accordingly, the cat's presence in our lives was of no exception.  (Please click to view We are all tools in the divine plans )

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As time went by, I saw the cat struggled with old age just as we did.  On a couple of occasions, he seemed to have difficulty breathing.  He might be trying to cough out the hairball that clogged his airway.  I observed he had problem taking in the food too.  I told my husband we should make sure the food we offered was tender and easy to consume because the cat was old.  My husband thought I was overly concerned.  He said cats could eat anything because they had sharp and strong teeth.

One night, my husband scolded the cat for not eating the food he gave him.  He called him a fussy eater.  I remade the food.  The cat finished the whole plate.  My husband was not too pleased to see that.  Adding to his displeasure, the cat later came to rest by my feet instead of by his feet as he usually did.  I could sense my husband was upset.

The following night the cat sat by my side again after he ate.  Off and on, my husband stared at the cat.  I knew he was not happy.  Mentally, I sent the cat a message: Cat, please go and sit by him as you used to.  For a while, the cat looked at me attentively.  Afterwards, he remained sitting where he was.  He looked calm and peaceful with an aura that commanded respect.  (Well, it was hard to explain, but that was how I felt.)

When the cat came again, my husband hurriedly gave him small chunks of meat.  After a few tries, the cat stopped.  He came to sit in front of me.  He looked at me attentively, and I 'got' it he wanted food.  Quietly, I crushed the meat and mixed it with a little bit of water.  As the cat was eating, my husband angrily remarked that the cat was spoiled.  I said the cat was old, but I knew he would not hear a word.  Later, the cat rested by my feet.  I sensed my husband was about to explode.  Subtly, I tried to push the cat to his side with my feet.  The cat did not move.  Sure enough, my husband soon got up from his chair, yelled at the cat, and chased him out of the door.  As he closed the door, he glanced at me.  He muttered some words to justify his action.  I did not say anything.  I looked at him with eyes icy cold.  How could he do that to a cat!  How insecure was he?  It certainly did not feel good when I lost my peace.  It was another human drama or, more accurately, another life lesson for me as well as for him.

A few nights later, the cat meowed outside of the door.  My husband quickly opened the door.  I was glad the cat showed no sign of fear.  It seemed he had completely forgotten what had happened the other night.  My husband talked to him in a soft voice, and broke the meat into small pieces.  The cat only stayed for a little while.  I patted him before he left.

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Dr. Michael Newton is a world known life-between-life hypnotherapist, author, and speaker.

In one of his talks, Dr. Newton talked about a client who took almost 5,000 years and many lifetimes to overcome jealousy.  His client did not have any jealousy in this lifetime, but was very impatient.  It was not hard to imagine his client's impatience or dis-ease in the current life was not only a challenge to himself, but to those around him too.

The truth is our shortcomings as well as strengths affect others in many ways even though we may not think much about it.  This is very much in divine order because life is all about relationships, not just the relationships among human beings but with all things including our environment.  Eventually, we will have to look within to see what works in life, what life is, and,
 realize how closely interconnected that we are.   

It *** takes me many years to learn that I do not have to go through the ups and downs in emotions due to life situations.  I am responsible for how I feel no matter what the situation is.  When others express their dis-ease such as anger, jealousy, and sadness, I do not have to take it personally.  I may look at them with compassion since I know that they are suffering within (e.g. their own anger and frustration).  As I stay in peace, some of the people around me seem to change too.  At times I observe I still kind of lose my peace when I go through some life dramas.  However, it is getting easier to return to peace, the truth that I AM. 

                                               ~    ~    to be cont'd    ~    ~

*** One night in the challenging years, I was dwelling in my misery / emotional pain, and my guide said,"You can be happy no matter what."  Indeed, how I reacted was my choice.  On another occasion, my guide said, "You feel pain because you let pain be ."  My guide's loving, timely guidance helped me more than words could express.  To my guides and angels, thank you!


Click to view The Great Gray Cat - Conclusion

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

The Great Gray Cat - Part 1

Greetings!

In a Mary Ellen's Pet Tips 'n' Tales story, Tax Accountant Kent wrote about his experience with the neighborhood cats who visited his home office on a regular basis.  He called those cats 'Time Share Pets'* (which was also the title of his story).  *Pets that belonged to someone or a family who took the liberty of visiting other families in the neighborhood.

I had wanted to write a post on a great gray cat, but did not know how to describe our relationship with the cat until I read Kent's story.  I realized 'Time Share Pet' was the right term for the gray cat.

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I met the gray cat for the first time one summer morning in 2000.  Earlier, I had driven my older son to work.  During the drive, something extraordinary had happened.  Arriving home, my mind was still pretty much on the unexpected life transformation occurrence.  When I saw a cat on the porch of our apartment, it was like having one surprise after another.

The cat looked very old and frail.  He was thin.  His striped gray and white hair was dull and dirty.  He meowed at me weakly.  He blocked the door in a way that he would be the first one to get in if ever I opened the door.  I asked him to move away from the door so that I could get inside.  I promised to give him some food afterwards.  He stood his ground and refused to move.  If I remembered correctly (I did not write my journal on a daily basis), the cat got into our apartment.  I gave him some food.  When it was time for me to go to the restaurant, I asked him to leave, and he left.

The school year was over.  Our sons were home from the universities.  They got summer jobs working in a store.  They worked different shifts.  In the following days, our sons told us that the cat came almost on a daily basis.  They loved this surprise visitor.  They let him in, and fed him.  They said the cat liked to take a nap on the top of the stairs after he ate.  When my husband and I came home at night from the restaurant, sometimes the cat dropped by for a visit too.

It was stipulated on the lease of our apartment that no pet was allowed.  Of course, we did not have a litter box.  Luckily, the cat always knew when to leave.  On a few occasions, the next-door neighbor, a woman, looked at the cat with a tight face.  I explained to her that the cat probably belonged to a family in the subdivision next to the apartments, and that he was a very friendly cat.

With love and food, the cat soon looked like a different cat.  He looked healthy, and the shine of his hair returned.  He seemed to be busier than before.  We were not the only family on his schedule.  We saw him entering other apartments where children welcomed him with laughter.

The cat was very intelligent.  One day after the lunch hour was over, I came home to wash some clothes.  We lived in the first unit of the apartment building, and the laundry room was at the end of another building.  As I left our apartment with the laundry basket, I saw the cat.  I said, "Cat, would you like to take a walk with me?" He walked by my side all the way to the laundry room and waited patiently outside!

Some nights the cat did not want to leave.  The cat pretended he was deep in his sleep on the stairs.  He curled up his body like a ball.  When our sons tried to pick him up, he stiffened his body liked a metal Frisbee.  His sleeping posture remained the same, but with one of his eyes widely opened watching what went on around him.  The cat's act made us smile.  We loved the cat.  However, we did not want to get into any trouble since we were not allowed to have pets in the apartment.  We were afraid that the woman next door might call the management office if she heard the cat meowed at night.  We also did not want any accident, e.g. cat's pee.  When our sons told the cat to leave, he continued to sleep as if he did not hear them.  When I said, "Cat, it is time to go."  He would get up and leave.  Our older son always said, "Mom, why does the cat listen to you and not me?"  I said, "When you tell the cat to leave, your voice is so soft as if you don't want to disturb him from his sleep.  When I say 'leave', I mean it.  The cat is very smart.  He understands us well."

When our sons went back to the universities, I did not have to rush back and forth to pick them up and drive them back to the restaurant (or home) anymore.  I stayed in the restaurant from morning to night.  Therefore, I did not see the cat as often as I used to.  On occasion, the cat came before I left for work.  Two or three times in a week, he showed up on our porch at night after my husband and I were home.  I let him in, and gave him food.

My husband grew up in the village where people kept cats to catch mice and dogs to guard the home.  He could not understand our love for pets.  He did not take to the cat as we did, and had voiced his disapproval.   The cat seemed to know his purpose with someone like my husband.  When he came in, he circled around my husband's legs.  He obeyed his words.  Most of the time, he rested by my husband's feet or under his chair after he ate.  In time, I could see the change in my husband's attitude towards the cat.  On a few occasions, my husband went ahead of me to give the cat some food.

Our sons cared about the cat.  When they called from college, they asked about the cat.  One day, I realized I had not seen the cat for some days.  I told our sons about it.  We were all very concerned about his well being.

One night, I sat on the bed and prayed for the cat before I went to sleep.  In the morning, I woke up from a long dream in which I saw the cat walking on the utility wires heading towards our apartment (i.e. those high above the ground utility lines hanging from poles to poles).  I did not know what to make of the dream.  In the afternoon, I went home to wash some clothes.  I parked my car.  In the corner of my eyes, I saw something frantically moving by the window of the utility room of the building next to our apartment.  I walked to that building to have a closer look.  The gray cat was in the utility room!  When he saw me, he jumped up and down on the windowsill, and scratched the window as hard as he could.  Obviously, he had been locked inside for days because all the plastic curtains were badly managed due to his frantic call for help.  I called the management office.  The maintenance man came with the key to open the door.  He said, "Poor cat!  The meter reader came some days ago.  You (the cat) must have followed him, and he had accidentally locked you inside the room."  The cat was weak.  The maintenance man took the cat with him saying that he would give him some food.

I called our sons to let them know the good news that I had found the cat.  When my husband and I arrived home at night, the cat came to visit us.  He excited greeted my husband, and kept circling around his legs.  I joyfully teased the cat, "Oh, Cat!  I save you, but you thank him more than me!"  I gave the cat some food, and went upstairs to take a shower.  When I came downstairs, my husband had let the cat out.

The next morning, I heard the cat meowed downstairs in the family room.  My husband had let him in.  Soon I saw the cat came upstairs.  He acted strangely.  He lowered his body and walked very slowly as if he was crawling forward.  With his head down, he seemed to look at me timidly!  I had never seen him acted like that.  He stopped at a short distance before me.  I looked at the cat wondering what went on.  All of a sudden, it came to me the cat was acting like a child who felt guilty.  I picked the cat up and put him on the bed.  I said, "Cat!  I was only teasing you last night.  I am glad you are okay.  I am not mad at you.  I am grateful for the love and attention that you have given to my husband.  Truly, I am not mad at you."  The cat looked at me and listened attentively.  He then stood up, jumped off the bed, and walked out of the room in his normal posture.

Around Christmas, our sons were home for the holidays.  One night, they hung out with their friends and were not home when my husband and I went to bed.  In the middle of the night, I heard the cat meowed!  I looked at the clock.  It was 4:44 am. The cat meowed again.  He was by the side of our bed!  Our sons had let the cat in when they came home.  Our sons were now soundly asleep in their beds, and the cat had to wake me so that he could leave to do his business outside.  When I opened the door, the cat sped out.  Thank goodness he did not do it in our apartment.


                                                  ~  To Be Continued  ~


Please visit http://www.angelscribe.com/tipsntales.html if you would like to read more of Mary Ellen's true, heartwarming pet stories.

Monday, December 8, 2014

My son said, "My Mom has a weird sense of humor."

Greetings!

The other night we invited our loved ones over for dinner.   We talked as we ate.  At one point, I foresaw what would be.  It unfolded as I had expected.  I found it to be very funny, and broke out laughing.  My daughter-in-law asked, "What is so funny?"  I tried to stop laughing, but I could not.  My son said, "Mom, why do you laugh? What's so funny?"  When I got a hold of myself, I tried to explain.  However, I knew it was almost impossible to convey the fun I felt.  Indeed, they could not understand.  In reconciliation, my son said to his wife, "My Mom has a weird sense of humor."

Our older son was not home that night.  He had used the word 'weird' to describe me too.  For instance, whenever he heard me said 'life is fun' or 'life is supposed to be fun', he always countered me with 'Mom, you are weird; life is not fun'.  I looked at him with a smile.  There was no need to convince him for it was not my job to change him, and life was not about who was right or wrong.  People liked to use the word 'weird' to describe something or a person that they did not understand.  I wasn't offended by my sons words.   That was their opinion.

The three men in my life, my husband and our sons, did not laugh half as much as I did, not to mention laughing openly and heartily.  I rarely allowed myself to laugh liked that in public because I knew it was regarded as inappropriate.  (It had happened on a few occasion.  Luckily, all is well.)  It was with my family that I felt the ease of being.

I usually had a good laugh reading light-hearted jokes on the newspaper or spiritual magazines.  It was puzzling to my husband for he had never found anything that was worth laughing while reading.  He asked me to read him the jokes.  He could not feel the humor at all.  Our older son said a joke or two when he was in the mood.  Our younger son had his own sense of humor.  However, most of the time, he allowed the serious side of him to be dominant.  (Now, that is my opinion.)

Despite of our differences, I know they love me just as I love them.  Some people wish to stay young forever, but there are blessings in every stage of life.  Growing in age is but a natural stage of a physical life.  I am more relaxed than when I was young.  I learn from my experiences, and know to look at life happenings objectively.   I know I am in control of how I feel.  I am happy where I am at.

Love and Peace,
Q of D

Monday, November 24, 2014

A Play on the Stage of Life

Greetings!

I had this short dream some years ago.  I observed what went on in the dream, and this was what I saw.

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Many people stood outside of a theater waiting to enter.   There was no sense of time or hurry.  People simply waited.  People seemed to stand in space instead of on a solid ground as on earth.

Not all the people walked into the theatre at the same time.  Only some entered the theatre at a time.  While some people walked inside, more people appeared on the outer edge of the crowd waiting for their turns.

Inside the theatre, the light setting was low (similar to theatres on earth).  Upon entering, people walked to different rooms where there were many garments for them to choose and put on.  It was a huge place, and there were many different rooms with all kind of garments.  The light inside those rooms was dim.  Then I saw people who had put on garments went on a big stage.  Each played a role in the dramas that had been going on.

Next, I saw a steady flow of people walking out of the theatre (from the back or the side of the theatre).  They had finished playing their roles on the stage.  They no longer wore the garments.  They looked the same as they were before entering the theatre.  Outside was a vast open space with light as that of a beautiful sunny day. Bliss was in the air.  People walked on joyfully in small groups or individually.  They did not walk towards the same direction, but headed for different directions.

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As I woke up, the thought that came to me was 'Oh, people did not go into a theatre to watch a movie!'  Then I realized the dream was symbolic to what we did.  We came to earth (the theatre), put on a garment (a body, or the role one played), and went on the stage of life (went through many experiences or dramas of life).  When the play (a physical life) was over,  we moved on leaving our garments behind.

When I had the dream, I was in the early years of my search for answers to my mystical experiences.  Although the presence of angels and guides had brought me much love and comfort, I still reacted to life situations with negative emotions from time to time, e.g. pain, hurt, and resentment.  The dream gave me a sense of ease about life.  It was like the angels and guides were telling me 'take it easy, life is but a play, others are neither their personalities nor the roles they play, and don't take things too personally'.

At the end of the dream, people walked on in ease / bliss.  Nobody seemed to dwell on or talk about what happened inside the theatre.  It might be they had done that numerous times.  They headed for different directions as if other plans or adventures awaited them.

The ending of the dream did not resemble anything I read in books about life.  I loved the dream.  It helped me to look at life from a different perspective especially when I was in a challenging situation such as facing someone with a challenging personality.

Peace,
Q of D

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

She called to cancel a healing session

Greetings!

One morning, a friend called to cancel a healing session.  She told me she had to go to a company for a meeting.  However, she wanted to drop by and talk to me for a little while since the Center was on her way of getting there.  She planned to stay for about ten minutes.   She said she must leave before 11 am because that company was in a city quite a distance away.

I was not a professional healer.  A friend had talked to me about promoting myself (as a healer) such as placing an ad on holistic magazines, but I had not done that.  On the day I stayed in the Center, I worked on people who happened to walk in and want to receive healing.  I did not charge money for healing sessions.  If no one came, I listened to music and meditated.  I went home around 12:30 pm for lunch.  Then I came back and stayed until about 5 pm.

My friend was a long time spiritual seeker.  She had learned Reiki and other healing arts.  She was a spiritual teacher who facilitated metaphysical circles.  She had a doctorate degree, and was quite successful in the business world.  She wanted to keep her spiritual side private because she did not want that to jeopardize her career.

My friend arrived.  She began to tell me a personal experience that had deeply troubled her.  Coincidentally, I had a similar experience years ago.  I told her how I had handled the situation, and what I learned from that experience.  Soon it was 11 am. I reminded her of her appointment with that company.  She said she wanted to talk some more.  She continued to talk.  As usual, I listened to her experiences, and spoke only when I felt I had something to say.  Around noon, I reminded her of the time.  She said everything could wait, and that she could reschedule the meeting.

It was almost 2 o'clock when she stood up from her chair.  She said, "I am so glad we talk. I know now why I felt I should come to talk to you even though I called to cancel the session. I have been looking for answers for a long time. You have answered all the questions that had bothered me. Thank you!"  We hugged before we parted ways.

When I arrived home, my husband had put away the food.  He thought I had gone out for lunch with a friend.  Well, the food tasted better when one (i.e. me) was hungry.

All Is Well in the divine plan.

Wherever you are, may your day be filled with peace and joy!

Many blessings,
Q of D


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

On this Angels Day and Veterans Day, I give thanks to..........

Greetings!

I had cataract surgery on my right eye over a month ago.  I was quite near-sighted and had worn eyeglasses since I was in 4th grade.  The surgery was a success.  I only experienced a little bit of discomfort.

My right eye was blurry for the first few days.  It began to improve on the fourth day. With the basic monofocal len, I could see things in a distance.  If I wanted to read a book, I had to cover the eye that had surgery.  I also found using the computer was somewhat challenging.  Despite of the minor inconvenience, I could not stop smiling.  Now, I could watch the television without any eyeglasses, see things far away clearly, and the colors were amazing!  For a while, everything looked super bright.  I had to turn down the setting of brightness on the computer and the television.

My left eye, which used to see better than the right eye, was scheduled for surgery four weeks later.  Originally, I wanted to cancel the surgery because I could read with that eye.  However, after not wearing the eyeglasses for a couple of weeks, the brain must have automatically used the right eye.  When I put on my eyeglasses (with the right side covered), I found the eyesight of my left eye had deteriorated a lot.  I could no longer see with my left eye even with the eyeglasses on.

Therefore, I had surgery on my left eye last week.  It went very well.  It was painless.

The left eye is getting better every day.  The right eye is doing well.  I buy a pair of reading glass from the Dollar Store so that I can read the newspaper and use the computer.   It will be some days before the doctor can give me a prescription for a new pair of eyeglasses.  I want to take this opportunity to thank the eye doctor and all the nurses who have treated me with kindness.

I have withdrawn my recent post on the gray cat.  It will be a while before I can finish the story on the cat.  It makes no sense to publish part 1 and 2 (or 3) with many days apart.

Today is Angels Day* (Nov. 11, 1111 day) and Veterans Day.  I honor the presence of the loving angels in our lives, and the veterans who serve and protect USA - the Land of the Free.  Thank you!

Love,
Q of D

*I honor the love of the angels on Jan. 11, Nov. 1, 10 & 11.  These are 111 or 1111 days.  111 is a number symbolic to the presence of angels.   You can celebrate each day and every day with or without any reason.   Life is supposed to be fun, and Life Is.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

She thought she was in good health, and, she is

Greetings!

One Sunday, a woman walked to the front of the chapel.  She pointed at me and asked the pastor about my name in a quiet voice.  I was surprised.  She looked somewhat familiar, but I did not know her name.  She then told the congregation I had healed her of a serious illness in a recent healing service at church.  She mentioned the medical term of her disease which was long and difficult to remember.  I regarded myself as a conduit.  I never thought I healed anybody, and all credits went to the Loving Divine.  I did not expect this to happen (i.e. she thanked me in public), and the human I was embarrassed.

However, looking back at it from where I am now*, I see the good in her sharing of the healing experience.  (*After many lessons of discernment, I learned to look at what happened around me impersonally and objectively.)

                                            ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~  

She told the congregation she had completely forgotten about her illness as she sat down on the chair in front of me.  She thought she was in good health.  Since there was nothing she needed healing for, she began sending me love and blessings.

According to my recollection, this was what happened on the day of the healing service.
After she sat down, the Energy guided me to work on her.  As I had mentioned, I did not ask people what they wanted to heal.  I had participated in healing services at church for a few years.  I had faith in the Source of healing.  Though it might not be what the recipient had hoped, the Healing Energy knew exactly what the recipient needed most at the time of the healing. 
When the healing was finished, I lightly tapped on her shoulder.  I usually did this to let the recipient know that the session was over.  She seemed to be in a joyful state, and was not ready to come out.  I waited patiently by her side. After quite a while, I gently patted her shoulder again.  With her eyes closed, she remained sitting in her state of peace.  I let her be.  I moved to send healing energy to the congregation. 
When the service was over, she came to talk to me.  She said she knew the session was over when I tapped on her shoulder.  "But, I just want to stay there (i.e. in that state of being).  I take up all the time sitting there while others probably want to sit on the chair too.  I am being selfish.  I am so sorry," she said apologetically.  I believed she was the third person and the last who sat on the chair.  I told her it was quite all right for there were other wonderful healers in the service.  She said she rarely cried.  She was surprised she cried during the healing.  I saw tears filled her eyes again.  She told me she still felt like crying because she remembered the love and bliss during the session
Back to the Sunday during which she told the congregation about her story.  She said her sister called her a couple of days after the healing service.  She told her sister that she decided to send the healer (i.e. me) love and blessings instead of asking for healing because she was in good health.  Hearing that, her sister exclaimed, "What are you talking about!  We (her family) have been so worried about you since you have the illness!  We worry that you may fall down and get seriously hurt during the night.  That is why we often call you to see if you are all right.  And, you think you do not need healing!"  It was then she remembered she had an illness.  (For your information, she has been well since the healing service.)

                                            ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~    ~  

Her story reminded me of a similar incident which happened a few years earlier.  A brother said the same thing (i.e. he is in very good health) when he asked to experience the healing energy.  As time went by, he realized a condition that had troubled him on and off throughout the years had disappeared.  Both of them were very loving.  Their love and good will towards others must have helped them to align to the Source of being that restored their natural healthy state.

When we were not well, sometimes we focused too much on the illness.  We wanted healing, yet we could be holding tight onto the illness without noticing that we were.   For example, someone had painful headache from time to time.  One day, he took some new medicine.  Afterward, his felt well, and his headache did not return for weeks.  Instead of feeling good about it, he subconsciously waited / expected the pain to return.  When the headache came back, he was 'glad' he was right.

The sister at church was in a different state of mind when she sat on the chair for healing.  She thought she was in good health.  It came to her naturally.  For most of us, it might be unlikely to forget a dis-ease as she did.  The result might not be the same if we forced ourselves to forget about a disease.  However, in any situation, we could choose positive thoughts and do small things that brought us joy, e.g. sing songs that we love, enjoy the golden sunshine, pay attention to other's kind words, and see the beauty around us.  We did not have to let an illness consume our life.  No matter what happened, we should have faith that "all is well" in the Loving Divine.

She thought she was in good health, and she is.  Sister, thank you for sharing with us your experience.  I received the blessings and love you sent me too.  Thank you.

Many Blessings,
Q of D


Saturday, October 18, 2014

A Conversation Between Two Grandmothers

Greetings!

My husband and I went to our grandson's school for an event in the morning.  After we were home, I went for a walk.  My friend happened to come out for a walk too. She was surprised to see me for she knew I normally took a walk in the late afternoon.  I told her I had just come home after going to our grandson's school.

My friend said, "You seem to spend quite some time with your grandchildren.  You know, when they grow up, they will hang out with their friends.  They will not care to spend time with the grandparents anymore."

I smiled and said, "I love them.  It is a joy to see them.  I will be there for them if I can. I know what you say may be true, but for now, I will enjoy my time with them.  Some of my friends feel sad and empty when their children go to college (the empty nest syndrome), but I never feel that way.  Of course, I thought of my sons when they were away from home.  I prayed for them.  However, on the whole, I was happy for them."

My friend said, "When my grandchildren were small, I had not spent much time with them.  I was a waitress.  I did not want to lose a day's pay.  My children never asked me to babysit for them.  While my own children were growing up, I did not have time for them too.  At that time, I owned a small laundry.  My children stayed in the back of the store while I attended to the customers in the front of the store.  When they were babies, I kept them in cardboard boxes.  I washed and ironed clothes from day to night.  When my children were hungry, I fed them, and then went back to do what I had to do.  I took care of the laundry by myself.  My husband worked in a restaurant, and came home late at night.  We did not have a house.  We slept in the laundry.  I gave birth to four children one after another.  I knew nothing about birth control until many years later.  When my husband passed away, I sold the laundry.  After that, I never use an iron or iron my clothes.  The thought of ironing makes me sick.  None of my children could speak Chinese.  I only had an elementary school education (not from USA), but all my children talked to me in English."

My friend and her husband lived in USA much earlier than we did.  Life was very different in the older days.  People worked longer hours than we did today.  It was hard to earn a living.  Some of my relatives had lived in the USA for a long time.  It was not the first time I heard children grew up in cardboard boxes at the back of a store while their parents attended to the business in the front of the store.  Some families lived in the place of a business just like my friend.  In those days, this kind of living condition was not that rare among some Chinese as well as other cultures.

My friend had indeed gone through many twists and turns in life.  She was born in USA.  When she was about 3 years old, her mother in great sadness brought her children back to where she came from (which was where I grew up).  Her mother had three daughters.  My friend was the middle child.  She never talked about her father. (As I wrote, I chose to listen, and was not one who liked to ask questions.)  From what she said, I believed it was another tragic story of prejudice over the gender of the offspring.  Her mother died young leaving the responsibility of raising the two younger daughters to her oldest daughter.  The death of her mother was a big blow to my friend's young tender heart.  In life's mystical way, the three sisters eventually got married and returned to the country where they were born.

My friend told me her in-laws disliked her because she was small in status.  When she asked her husband to open a laundry*, many people thought she was bound to fail.  *Other than restaurants, small laundry was the business some Chinese entered into in older days.  People looked down on her because she was short and thin.  She said she worked extra hard to prove that people were wrong to judge her based on her appearance.  In time, her business grew.  She was quite a fighter.  I told her I admired her courage and determination.

We continued on our walk.

My friend said, "Your grandchildren are lucky to have a loving grandmother like you."

I said, "I am happy to be their grandmother.  Like you say, one of these days they may not visit me much or think of me.  That is all right.  What matters is I do love them.  You are a good mother too.  You have raised your children the best you know how, and your children love you."

I heard my friend let out a very unnoticeable sigh.

She said, "It seems you get to see your younger son and his family every now and then.  Besides, your older son lives with you.  Some of my children had moved to other states.  We seldom talk on the phone.  When the children grow up, they care about their wives (or husbands) and children.  They do not think much about their parents anymore.  Even those that live near, I do not get to see them as often as you do."

I said, "I believe you children love you.  Sometimes our younger generations may not realize we love to hear from them.  If they do not call you, why don't you call them? When I lived in another state, we maintained our communication over the phone. Sometimes my younger son called me.  At other times, I called him.  Later we video chatted when I bought a new computer and subscribed to the Internet."

My friend said, "It costs a lot of money to talk on the phone."

I said, "It doesn't.  We have to pay for the Internet, but it is worth it.  After we move back, we invite our loved ones over for dinner every now and then.  It is a joy to sit down and eat with them.  Sometimes they invite us over for dinner too.  That's how we get to see each other.  The new generations do not live like us.  They plan what to do weeks ahead.  My daughter-in-law and my son seem to be very busy too.  Our grandchildren have after-school classes and activities.  I suppose that is the American way of life.  Therefore, I always let them know days ahead if I want them to come over for dinner."

I continued, "You are lucky too.  You have a daughter who calls you every night to make sure you are fine, and she visits you every weekend."

My friend said, "Yes...in a way it is.  I live on my own.  I bought the place I live in.  I pay all the bills by myself.  My children do not give me any money.  I worked very hard to raise them.  I am all by myself from Monday to Friday.  The day seems to be longer than it is."

I looked at my friend for a while.  I said, "You should be proud that you made it on your own.  Your children do not give you money because you do not need their money.  I am sure if there is a need, they will help you.  Indeed, it is amazing you handled everything in the laundry by yourself.  That must be why you look healthy and young."

My friend said, "Ah, my daughter said the same thing you said.  She said she did not give me money because she knew I could afford it myself.  She said they (the children) would have given me money if they knew I needed it."

I smiled and said, "Your children love you.  Sometimes we have to take the first step to reach out to them.  Call your loved ones.  It doesn't cost much.  You are in good health, and your daughter visits you every week.  Didn't she go on a vacation with you a couple of months ago?  What a blessing it is that you have a daughter who goes to places with you!"

My friend smiled.  We finished our walk and talk.

Although my friend sometimes said her life was a sad story, I also heard in her voice the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.  She might have some regrets that she did not spend more time with her children.  However, at that time, she handled her life the best she knew how.  Others thought that she could not handle the laundry, and she was determined to show that she could.  She came out of her experience feeling strong and confident.  Even though she used the word sad to describe her life, she was not pessimistic about life.  She walked twice a day, and was quite disciplined in what she ate.

It you are reading this post, it is my hope that you will give a call to your grandparent, parent, uncle, aunt, brother, sister, cousin, teacher, or friend that you have not talked to for quite some time.  Let love guide us in all that we do.  Amen.

Have a good night.

Many blessings,
Q of D

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Mark Romero and his healing music

Greetings!

In my previous post An Encouragement from the Divine, I wrote that I went there to sit among people and did not expect anything.  Well, what did I know?  There was much more to that day than I had expected.

Before the event was over, I raised my hand to ask a question.  I asked the founder of the organization if they planned to have their own place instead of renting places to hold their events.  The answer was affirmative.  The founder began to talk about the sacred geometry in a building.  He said everything was energy.  As he continued, he gave us an example.  He talked about Mark Romero's healing music.  He asked if we wanted him to give us a muscle or balance test to demonstrate the amazing effect of Mark's music.  About ten of us came out of our seats.  He asked us to stand with our feet and toes together.  All of us lost our balance when he pushed our right hands downwards.  He turned on Mark's music that he had recorded on his phone.  We listened to the music for a brief while.  We were all amazed we could maintain our balance when he pushed us again.  We knew he pushed our hands downward hard, but we maintained our balance without any effort (or little effort).  The founder said there was something in Mark's music that helped us to align ourselves with higher consciousness, and it made a difference after we listened to his music.

When I was home, I went online to read about Mark's story.  I listened to Mark's music and his talks on YouTube.  I wanted to do the balance test again.  My son went to the event with me.  He did not participate in the balance test.  As his mother, I knew he would not agree to do the test with me right away.  I waited.

On Saturday (Sept. 20) morning, I listened to Mark's music.  My son walked into the family room.  I asked him to push my right hand downward and see if I would lose my balance.  A bodybuilder he was, he obliged.  He was surprised I could maintain my balance.  He tried to make me lose my balance a couple more times, but I stood at ease.  He knew he was much stronger than I was.  He asked me to do the balance test on him.  He stood as firm as he could.  He lost his balance when I pushed his right hand.  He asked me to do it two more times.  He lost his balance time after time. I saw the disbelief expression on his face.  I asked if he wanted to listen to the music and try the test again.  He declined.  I smiled and let it go.

Many of you probably have heard about Mark Romero's music and Podcast since they have been on YouTube for many years.  If not, here are some links to his music.

Unleash the Magnificent YOU!
Thinking Beyond the Wall 

Someone commented on YouTube that a woman listened to the music for quite some time,  but saw no change or healing.

Many of us want an immediate healing of our expectation.  We never know what the best is for us.  (Click to view  Why do some people born with a life crippling condition? )  Occasionally, we are stuck in our expectation or the way we want things to happen.  We block the alternatives that may be helpful for our well being.  From my own experiences, I have learned the importance of let go let God.  Mark Romero's music is soothing.  The messages and affirmations that come through his Podcast are positive.  I listen to them with an open heart.  Sometimes we may have to let healing music and positive words like Mark's to sink in as if planting a seed in our mind in order for a change to begin.

There is a video showing a demonstration of the balance / muscle test by Mark Romero on stage on YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE7eMbPNB4c  Mark instructed the subjects to stand with their feet and toes together.  If you want to try the balance test with your friends, please do not push too hard, and make sure each person stands close enough to help if one loses his balance.  (Of a group of people, there may be someone who is not able to maintain his balance even after listening to the music.)  It is not a competition, and the intent should never be that of proving who is stronger.  This is another link of how to perform the test demonstrated by Mark Romero http://markromeromusic.com/strength-test/

If I did not ask my son to drive me there, I would not have heard about Mark Romero's music.  The facilitator had mentioned his name earlier in his talk, but it did not draw my attention.  I asked a simple, unrelated question.  I did not expect that it would lead to the demonstration of Mark's music.  Those of us who participated in the balance test were certainly impressed with the effect of his music.


Love and blessings,
Q of D

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

An Encouragement from the Divine

Greetings!

Last Sunday (Sept. 14), I took a step out to go to a gathering.

I had gone to this place once before.  It was four months ago.  I asked my son to drive me there because it was not close to where we lived.  There were two events that day.  I could not be there for the first event because we had other plans.  I attended the second event.  I found the story of the founder of the organization authentic and interesting.  Through his experiences, he found he was a conduit for healing.  My son was willing to drive me anywhere whenever I asked, however, he always maintained he had no interest whatsoever in spiritual stuff.  Besides, he liked to hang out with his friends on most weekends.  Therefore, when the event was over, I thought I would not go there again.

Recently I thought of attending their events again.  I was glad my son was free, and he drove me over there.

This organization held similar events weekly or sometimes every two weeks.  The two events lasted for about four hours.  The events were free*, and anybody could attend. The first event was channeling.  I found the channel authentic too.  Her story was quite amazing.  These days many people were into channeling, but some did not channel from a higher source.  After this event, we had a 15-minute break.  *They rented this place to hold the events.  Therefore, they accepted donations.  They never asked for money again even though many came after the donation basket had passed around.  They seemed to have a pure intention of service.

During the second event, the facilitator (i.e. the founder) talked about his story and his experiences.  He said he was skeptical about his ability at first.  Those who could see and readings by reliable channels confirmed that he was indeed a conduit for healing. He said he had no idea how healing took place.  He simply allowed himself to be.  He had asked why the Healing Source did not heal people directly.  He learned the healing energy worked better coming through a physical body.  When I went to the gathering, I never expected anything but to sit among others.  However, what I heard answered some of the questions about myself too.  (A clairvoyant was present the last time I was there.  When the healing was finished, she told us what she saw.  She was out of town this Sunday, and would be back for the future events.)

Later, he asked us to close our eyes and set the intention to receive healing.  He remained standing where he was.  We closed our eyes for about 10 to 15 minutes.  I had the strangest experience when I opened my eyes.  For a while, I seemed to be viewing from another source other than my physical eyes.  The colors and images looked vivid and different.  It was hard to describe.  It took a while for my normal perception to return.

The facilitator touched on many spiritual subjects in his talk.  Every now and then, he asked if we had any question.  We sat and listened.  We rarely ask any question.  At one point, I raised my hand to ask a question.  Incidentally, before he answered my question, his hand reached out to pick up his cell phone to check the time.  Softly, he exclaimed, "Oh, it is 4:44 pm!"  As most of you know, 444, which meant the Power of God's Love, was a very significant number in my life.  The unexpected happening made me smile.  (My cell phone was in my handbag.  I did not know what time it was when I raised my hand.)

I had not sat among people for quite a while.  I was glad to take a step out.  Perhaps the 444 was a confirmation and an encouragement from the Loving Divine.

Enjoy the beautiful scenes of fall!

Many blessings,
Q of D

P.S.  My son said he was not interested in anything spiritual.  Well, he was the one who could sense the tinkling when I was surged with energy.  One day, he ran out of his room saying he heard music in the air or in his mind.  I smiled for I heard it in the air too.  His father heard nothing.  I observed he was quite intuitive too.  He did not want to talk about it, and I respected his right.  In a one-scene dream many years ago, I saw the splendid him with a beautiful blue owl (symbolic of wisdom) sitting on his shoulder, and brilliant white light shining forth from his third eye.  Each one of us takes on different personalities for a reason.  He is far more than the human being he thinks he is or other people think he is.

Thank you, Son, for driving me there.


Friday, September 12, 2014

There was something wrong with my cell phone

Greetings!

A few days ago, I woke up early.  My mind was somewhat clouded.  It had been over two years since I moved back to this state.  I was glad I could see my loved ones more often.  However, other things I wanted did not happen.  Sitting on my bed, I talked to the Divine about how I felt.

My husband suddenly came home.  It was not yet 7 am.  He normally went for a walk around 6 am and came home at least an hour and a half later.  He told me he met April and another couple while he walked.  April asked him to tell me that she would like to have breakfast with me in a nearby restaurant later that morning.  My husband then left to continue his morning walk.

April was my new friend.  She lived in the neighborhood.  Her children had families of their own.  April was a grandmother and a great-grandmother.  Her husband passed away over 20 years ago.  She lived alone because she liked her independence.  Her loved ones visited her during the weekends.  We happened to come across each other in the parking lot a while back.  Later, she asked if I could be her friend.  She told me her legs were hurt in a car accident a year ago.  She said she could not walk as well as she used to.  She had fallen down a couple of times, and her daughter worried about her when she walked in the morning.

When I came out of the apartment, April was still walking by the schools.  We walked a couple more rounds before we headed for the restaurant.  She said she did not feel tired at all when I walked with her.  We ate and talked.  We stayed in the restaurant for almost an hour.  I saw her home before I walked towards my apartment.

On my way home, I wondered what time it was.  I took out my cell phone.  It was 7:32 am.  There was no way it was 7:32, I exclaimed in my heart!  I looked at the time again.  It was 7:32 am.  I looked at it again.  It was 7:32 am.  There was something wrong with my cell phone, I thought.  I looked at the time again.  The time changed to 8:32 am.  I stood there for a minute wondering what was going on with my phone. Suddenly, there was a flashback of my state of being this morning.  Could it be a message from the Divine?  When I was home, I opened the angel number book.

                                                                732
Continue to have faith in the path you've chosen, as it brings forth a closer connection to Divine truth, as well as the miracles manifested through the ascended masters.

I love these small wonders and surprises.  (Please click to view A simple, lighthearted story of the Touch of God )
  
Enjoy your journey and the small wonders in your life too!

Love,
Q of D


      

Monday, August 25, 2014

Who is the best psychic among them?

Greetings,

After reading a wonderful pet story, I wanted to write a post about a great gray cat. He was a stray or homeless cat that showed up on the porch of our apartment one summer morning over 14 years ago.  He had moved on in 2001.  In order to write about him, I took out some of my old journals.  It would probably take me some time to read my journals before I could begin writing about this special cat.

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As I go through my old journals, I find an incident which is worth sharing.

I wrote in my earliest posts that I did not know anything about spirit guides and angels before the year 2000.  When this incident happened, I had come to notice the presence of my guides and angels through The Incredible 'Night Vision - Pieces of A Dream' Phenomenon.  The phenomenon lifted my spirit from time to time, but the struggle to pay the bills remained.  At times, I felt overwhelmed of the stressful situation. I wish my guides and angels could give me answers to the problem.  I talked to them.  However, I did not seem to receive any response.

One night, I saw the ads of some psychics on a metaphysical magazine.  I wrote down their names on a piece of paper.  I said to my guides and angels, "Since I cannot hear you, it may be you can talk to me through a psychic.  Please show me who is the best psychic among them or who should I go to?"  I placed my sensitive hand over the paper.  At first, my hand seemed to move above two names, but the energy soon guided my hand to rest on my heart.  I said, "Hey, I am not a psychic. Please give me an answer, and tell me the psychic I should go to."  I placed my hand above the list of names.  Time after time, the energy moved my hand to my heart.  Finally, I gave up.

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Reading my journal today, I know now my guides and angels were telling me to look within for answers instead of outside of me.  All answers lie within.  I should have faith that the Divine had heard my prayers.  The change must come from within.  My view of the situation had to change for the new to take hold.  When I focused on the lack, the situation remained.  When I looked to the future with hope and faith, the new could begin to manifest.   

In Dec. of 2001, I was guided to book a phone reading with a known angel channel that lived in another state.  From my own experience, sometimes a consultation with a truly good psychic / medium / channel could be helpful.  However, at the time of the above incident, my guides and angels wanted me to look within for answers. 

My spirit guides and angels are here to help me and guide me.  They know what is best for me.  I am very grateful for their loving presence in my life.

If you have time, please click to view You are your own bible.

Have a good week!

Peace,
Q of D


Monday, August 18, 2014

Doing a Good Deed, Being Nice, and Unconditional Love

Greetings!

Over 12 million people have watched the video 'People power frees man trapped by Perth Train' by ABC News (Australia) on YouTube.

I first saw it on TV.  It was inspiring how people automatically joined in to push the train in order to free the man.  The whole scene was peaceful, and not a bit chaotic. After they helped freeing the man, people simply got on the train and moved on with their lives.  It was a compelling display of people power and the innate good in man.  

I read an interesting story on the Chinese newspaper about Confucius.  I forgot the details of the story.  Anyway, a man did a good deed or something heroic.  The official wanted to give him a big reward.  The man said he had simply followed his heart to do what he felt was right.  He refused to accept the reward.  When Confucius heard about the incident, he said, "He should have accepted the reward.  In doing so, the story will spread, and more people will follow his example to do good according to their hearts."  (In ancient times, stories spread by word of mouth.)  Some time later, a man did something good.  He proudly accepted a reward and saw himself as a hero. When Confucius heard about that, he said, "Oh, this is not good.  Now people will help others or do good expecting recognition and rewards."

In a social experiment TV show, a woman played the role of a gambling addict who publicly grabbed coins from a fountain outside of a casino.  She then asked people to give her money so that she could go into the casino and gamble again.  Many people told her that it was wrong to steal from the fountain, and that she had a serious gambling problem.  In another scene, the woman asked people to help her grab more coins from the fountain.  A few people actually did as she asked.  Some of us went beyond our common sense trying to be nice, and thought being nice was the same as loving unconditionally.  However, it was not.  A man walked by.  The woman asked him for money for gambling.  He gave her $50.  The TV host came out and asked him why.  The man said, "Isn't it always good to do a good deed." 

Some people tried to do good because they wanted good to return to them.  It was the Law of Cause and Effect, they thought.  Since money was a tool, they gave freely to those who asked thinking they were doing good deeds.  However, it was not necessary the case.  For instance, a young man who was obviously an alcoholic asked for money in the street.  A few people gave him money.  He went into a bar for more drinks.  He drove off intoxicated.  His car hit a tree killing himself and a man who was taking a walk.  In the Law of Cause and Effect, those who gave him money and the bartender were in part responsible for the accident.

In a story, an abbot intuitively foresaw his young student was about to die in a couple of weeks.  Without saying anything, he asked the young monk to go home and visit his mother (for the last time).  After a couple of weeks, the student returned safely looking more vibrant than ever.  The abbot inquired if something special had happened during his trip.  The student said it was a smooth trip, and nothing out of the ordinary had happened.  The abbot asked him to think again.  After a long while, the student recalled a minor incident on his way home.  He saw some ants on the riverbank struggling to survive because of the rising water.  He scooped the ants onto some leaves to save them from drowning.

What is a good deed?

Perhaps we should examine our way of thinking when we did something because we thought it was a good deed.  When the young monk scooped the ants onto the leaves, he never thought of karma or receiving good in return.  I recalled I read somewhere that 'true heroes never set out to be heroes; they just rose on the occasions and did what they felt they should do'.  

During the Perth train incident, I believed people who helped simply allowed themselves be.  On that day, people moved a train to free a fellow human being.

Be the light, love, and peace that we are.  Imagine what will be if more and more of us seeing each other as one!

Peace,
Q of D

Monday, August 11, 2014

I saw no purpose of being there

Greetings!

This is the second healing experience.  (Please refer to my last post The Stop at a Railroad Crossing.)

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Near the end of August 2012, we moved back to the state we used to live.  One day, I read about a festival celebration hosted by a charity group on the Chinese newspaper.  Before I went to the event, I prayed that if I could be of help, please let someone who was in charge talk to me about volunteer work.

Many people came for the celebration.  Most of them seemed to come from a certain place.  They talked in a language / dialect I did not know.  Since I did not speak their language, I let go of the idea to volunteer there. 

When I was about to leave, a woman walked by.  I greeted her with a smile.   We exchanged pleasantries.  (Years ago, I had made a vow to acknowledge verbally or mentally all the people that I met as my way of honoring God.)  Soon she walked to me again.  She asked in English if I had time to volunteer.  She said she was the person in charge.  To put a long story short, I began volunteering one day a week.  I also participated in their monthly community service.

The woman in charge was with me when I volunteered for the first time.  During our conversation, I asked why she talked to me about volunteering since many people had come for the celebration.  With a puzzling look, she said she thought I had asked to be a volunteer!  

The volunteer work was not what I expected.  There was nothing to do.  I was in the office by myself the whole day.  The phone rarely rang.  When it did, it was the woman in charge checking on the volunteer on duty.  I eventually learned it had been that way for years.  Other offices in the big cities such as Chicago and New York were more active in community services.  As for this office, the main function was to coordinate with the main office in fundraising to help those in need in the case of a global natural disaster.

After some weeks, I really wondered why I was there.  The person in charge did talk to me as I had prayed.  Could it be just a coincidence and nothing more?  With nothing to do, I saw no purpose of being there.  

One day, I was glad to hear that another volunteer would come in the afternoon, and I could go home after she arrived.  I had met this volunteer during the monthly community service.  She was nice, confident, and treated everyone with respect.  

This volunteer came in early one day.  For the first time, we chatted.  When she heard I did not know much about the computer, she immediately offered to help me.  We went to sit by the computer.  As I listened to her instructions, I made a simple comment about how well she communicated.  She said she wasn't that good, and thought I was just trying to be nice.  I said, "I always speak from my heart.  I don't say things to flatter other people."  I looked at her.  Then I said, "In truth, you had been a teacher for many lifetimes.  That is why you are good at communication and teaching."  As I was talking, she clutched her chest.  There was an indescribable expression on her face.  She managed to say "It's so strange ... your words touch somewhere deep inside my heart" before she broke down in tears.

She cried for a long time.  When she got a hold of herself, she said something in my voice went straight into her heart.  She then talked to me about her pain and sorrow.  She told me how she came to USA.  She loved her parents and had taken good care of them.  She helped her siblings the best she could.  Her parents and siblings loved her very much too.  Her parents got sick and passed away.  She was one of the most loving people that I had ever met, yet for years she lived in pain because she thought she could have done more for her parents.  It caused her health, and she almost died.  While waiting for surgery in the hospital, she made a vow to honor all seniors as if her own parents from then on.  She turned her sorrow into strength.  After retiring from her career, she volunteered in nursing homes and hospitals.  She treated everybody with love and respect.  She had been very busy in her volunteer work, but it was obvious she had not released her deep hidden pain until that afternoon.

Right when we finished talking, someone knocked at the door.  We hugged, and I left.  When I got inside my car, it came to me it was time to leave for I had served the purpose of being there Few days later, I told the person in charge I would serve until the end of that month.  

In her willingness to teach me about the computer, that afternoon was the only time we got to talk to one another before I left.  I could not volunteer the following week because I had an appointment.  A week later, she was busy with her other volunteer work.  Weeks later, she sent me a beautiful happy new year card.

I have learned from my experiences that much more are at work in where we go and whom we meet.  Sometimes we may not see the purpose of why we are there, but eventually we will.

Many blessings,
Q of D