You are free baby!

             

Everybody is free to wear sunscreen

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by

scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable

than my own meandering

experience…

I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.

But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and

recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before

you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you... Sing!

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours!

Floss... Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch… Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t

congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. 

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were

noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.

Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me I'm the sunscreen…”

Related posts:  http://thenakedphoenix.blogspot.com/2011/05/finding-your-way-back-to-emotional.html http://thenakedphoenix.blogspot.com/2011/05/rules-for-being-human.html

The Stairs

Author Unknown

“Oh long and dark the stairs I trod,
with stumbling feet to find my God,
Gaining a foothold bit by bit
Then slipping back and losing it.
There came a certain time when I
Loosened my hold and fell thereby,
Down to the lowest step my fall
As if I had not climbed at all.
And as I lay despairing there,
there came a footfall on the stairs
And ‘lo’ when hope had ceased to be
My God came down the stairs to me.”


Linked post: http://thenakedphoenix.blogspot.com/2011/05/never-give-up.html

Remember the Dream

By James Ingram

“You have a choice
Your heart will know
You gotta look back sometime
To know where to go
You have a voice
Long as you live
It’s never too small
Whatever you got to give
When your life is low (hold on)
And you want to let go (be strong - hold on)
Remember the dream we had
When there was nothing else
Remember the light that shines
And find it in yourself
Remember the dream is yours
So let it guide your way
And keep it alive with you each day
Don’t ever say
You just don’t care
the chances you take
Will take you as far as you dare
Don’t be afraid
Hold your head high
There’s strength in your soul
You never know till you try
When your life is low (hold on)
And you want to let go (be strong — hold on)
You’re not alone .. somebody cares
(Hold on …be strong)
When you’re walkin’ the road
With those who been there
(You’re not alone)Remember the dream is yours
So let it guide your way
And keep it alive with you each day.”
Read more: http://www.inspirational-poems.net/inspirational-songs/84-remember-the-drea m#ixzz1MAyvMkc1

Who’s going to save my Soul…?

WARNING FOLLOWING VIDEO MAY BE TRIGGERING.

“For a few minutes you made me feel as though I actually meant something to someone.”


“I wish he meant it when he kissed me cause then I could look back and see someone who loved me but I can only go back and see someone who used me.”


“You hurt me more then I deserve, how can you be so cruel? I love you more then you deserve, why am I such a fool?”


“Wanting him is hard to forget, loving him is hard to regret, losing him is hard to accept, but even with all the hurt I’ve felt, letting go is the most painful yet.”


“I made a choice to finally let go, because I can’t stand the pain, it’s time for my last tear to fall and smile again.”


“Perhaps I saw what I wanted to see in him and made him to be more than he was.”

“I cried today… not because I miss you… or even wanted you… but because I realized I’m gonna be all right without you…”

Truth is…no one can save your soul, but you…

Quiz: What do you really need?

'You promised yourself that you would eat more sensibly, take more exercise and get more organised — but do you actually want to? Take this test by psychologist Dr Rebecca McGuire-Snieckus to discover what you really need"...

Take the Psychologies quiz here...

http://www.psychologies.co.uk/tests/what-do-you-really-need/

“To dream anything that you want to dream. That's the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.”

Bernard Edmonds quotes\

Day of Rapture: End of the World...???

In Christian eschatology, the Rapture is a reference to the being caught up referred to in the Biblical passage 1 Thess 4:17 when in the End Times the Christians will be gathered together in the air to meet Christ.

The primary passage used to support the idea of the Rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, in which Paul cites "the word of the Lord" about the return of Jesus to gather his saints.

... and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.^{1 Thess 4}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture

It did not happen as it was forecast to, but perhaps it really is the end of the world.  The end of the world as we know it.  After all, everyday is a chance to start again...

Cure for loneliness…

WRITTEN BY CHUCK GALLOZZI

"People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges

You see, our yearning to be accepted and to delight others with our presence

forces us to discover where we fit

 in and what role to play. The purpose of loneliness is self-discovery, as was

pointed out by Hermann Hesse

 (1877 ~ 1962) who wrote, “Loneliness is the way by which destiny endeavors to 

lead man to himself.”..

If we have a feeling of emptiness, it is because we are not focused on a 

purpose for living.

All we have to do is stop, reflect, examine our interests and options, 

and choose a path.

All paths lead to the mountaintop. As long as we are on a path, we will have a

sense of direction. And all paths lead away from loneliness, for loneliness is stagnation,

passivity, and inaction.

So, you see, loneliness is nothing more than a call for action. When we

heed that call, we move forward.

But when we refuse to act, there is the danger of prolonging our loneliness.

Left untreated, we begin to feel

 trapped and helpless. When we continue to leave it unattended, there is a chance

of slipping into chronic loneliness and depression.

The message is clear: when loneliness strikes, action is

called for.

Facing our loneliness and taking suitable action needs clear thinking. Unfortunately, 

some people are held back by distorted thinking and a negative attitude. By distorted 

thinking, I mean the belief that one’s loneliness is caused 

by an unfair world, cruel people, or tragic circumstances.

Rich or poor, young or old, we are all given 1,440 minutes a day to use as we choose. 

Whether we take advantage 

of the gift of time or squander it, we will reap the consequences. What can be fairer

 than that? This should

 dispense with the argument that the world is unfair.

From the psychological view, we can say that loneliness is a yearning to be reunited 

with our lost self.

As a young child, we were happy to be the person we were. But then our caregivers an

d others intervened,

pointing out our faults, flaws, misdeeds, defects, blunders, and transgressions. We came

to dislike who we were.

So, we were torn apart from our original happy self, a person that we may continue to

miss and long for.

Loneliness, then, is being unhappy with oneself, for as Wayne Dyer says, “You cannot

be lonely if you like the

person you’re alone with.”

As soon as we learn to like ourselves, we will no longer be uncomfortable when 

alone, and our

loneliness will fade away. 

What’s more, when we are at ease with ourselves, others

will find us comfortable

to be with, so attracting new friends will come naturally. But how do we learn to like

ourselves? It’s easy: be good;

do good, and you will feel good. And feeling good is just another way to describe

happiness or self-contentment.

Volunteering is a wonderful way to end loneliness. Think of all the lonely people

in hospitals and old age

homes that would be delighted to spend time with you. Besides offering the opportunity

to make new friends and

learn new things, volunteering makes you feel good about yourself. So, keep in mind the

words of Tennessee

Williams (1914 ~ 1983), “When so many are lonely as seem to be lonely, it would be

inexcusably selfish to be

lonely alone.” Besides volunteering, think about support groups, clubs, meetings, sports,

 and other activities.

It’s hard to be lonely when you’re busy!

Finally, develop a positive attitude. Do this by reading inspirational material.

 A wonderful piece to start 

with is “Desiderata,” which was written in 1927 by Attorney, Max Ehrmann (1872 ~ 1945).

If you follow its

instructions, you will not only end loneliness, but also find your path and values in life.

Here is “Desiderata”

(Latin for “those things to be desired”):

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in

silence. As far as possible,

without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and

clearly; and listen to others,

 even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive

persons, they are vexations

 to the spirit.

“If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always

 there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements

 as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career,

however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time."

Linked post: http://thenakedphoenix.blogspot.com/2011/04/lonely.html