Blog for Hope: Two Kitties Looking for a Home, and a Home Looking for a Tenant

Happy chilly Saturday morning!

The cooler breeze reminds us once again that winter is at the door. While this cold, harsh season provides the earth with an opportunity to rest and regenerate, its dipping temperatures and shorter days accentuate the hardship of struggling families even more.

Blog for Hope is here to reach out to families and individuals who need a little lift. If you are willing to share a bit of your time, skills, or financial help, please post to the main page of the group, http://www.wral.com/golo/profile/4320847/ or e-mail me directly at lunanera@netzero.net

If you are in need, or know someone who is, you are encouraged to do the same.

Today's highlights:

One of our beloved Golo members is going through a terrible time right now. Although he is trying every possible evenue to save what he has, he is well aware that he will be losing his home to foreclosure if he can't find a tenant soon. The home is a ranch in Cary NC; if you are interested, or know anyone who might, please leave a note on Nicsautomotive's profile or contact me directly.

Because of the uncertainty with his financial future, Nic is also looking for a good home for two of his fur babies, Crystal and bemis. We've all had the opportunity to read the adventures of little Bemis as he made his way into Nic's world and heart one rainy night. Since this little guy had a rough start, Nic doesn't want to expose him to an uncertain future, and he would be happy if little Bemis could find a happy home, where he is loved and cherished. Crystal has been Nic's companion for a while now, but like Bemis, she is often forced to a lonely life without much human companionship while Nic is out working, trying to keep the ship afloat. The perfect scenario would be one in which Bemis and Crystal are adopted together, since they have developed a tight bond.

Please, if you can help with either of these causes, leave me a note ASAP. Nic is trying is hardest, and he deserves a little support. Blog for Hope is a venture aimed at raising hopes for those who feel they have none left. So, join me here, and let's all unite to shine a ray of hope in Nic's direction. If you belong to any other social networks, please feel free to copy and paste this information. Word of mouth can be a very powerful tool to help someone in need.

Have an awesome day, everybody!!!

Carrying the Baggage of Others

“Some people think it’s holding on that makes one strong- sometimes it is letting go.” ~ Author unknown


Recently, I have had the opportunity to talk to a friend who’s lived through such a series of ordeals that it’s hard to believe he has managed to maintain his sanity. Although he keeps a good face in front of adversity, he is suffering terribly under the cheerful mask.

The other night we talked at length about letting go of the pain. Since most of it has been caused by other people whose behaviors he couldn’t help, or prevent, he shouldn’t be holding on to the pain their actions have caused; yet, he can’t find a way to let it all go. In his mind, if he lets go, he’s going to completely lose the people he loves most, but even worse, he is afraid to lose himself. In clear terms, he believes that he has no control in the way he feels, and that he will have to carry this heavy load the rest of his life.

In reality, we are always in control of anything that affects our lives. We might not be able to change the way others behave around us, or some of the circumstances that unfold, but we can choose how much we are affected by it all. If we are not responsible for what happened, and had no way of controlling the outcome, holding on to the pain is like being punished for the acts of another. If someone robbed a store, and we were mistakenly charged for it, we would be irate and we would demand that all accusations are quickly dismissed, so that we can move on with our lives. Why should we continue to serve the sentence of another if we had no part in their crimes?

Embracing the past, and accepting it, does in no way mean that we must continue where others left off. We should accept that some things happened out of the sphere of our control, but we shouldn’t try to bring them forth into the future. If the abuse is suffered at the hands and words of loved ones, we shouldn’t feel guilty thinking that we are ungrateful simply because we are choosing to love ourselves. We can look at people who are part of our lives in two different ways – some are there to teach us how to become the person we want to be, others are there to teach us how to avoid becoming who they are. They both serve a purpose and should be honored for it, but in the latter case, at some point we must see that their role must come to an end.

By refusing to continue carrying the load of others’ mistakes, we are not cutting the ties of love that bind us to them, now or in the past; we are merely wiping off the emotional charge which is keeping all in an unhealthy form of bondage. Most of all, when we choose to let go we are not condoning the actions of those who hurt us, but we are setting ourselves free from an invisible rope which prevents us from moving forward. Once the extra weight is put down, it’s amazing how much faster we can walk.

Looking for Purpose

We often hear people wondering about their life purpose. Although this is a subject that can be explored on many levels, and be approached differently by varied systems of belief, the underlying question is basically the same: Why are we here?

According to multiple expressions of spirituality, we are here to learn basic soul lessons which will elevate our spirit toward purity and greater understanding of universal laws. Certain spiritual traditions teach that Spirit creates different images of earthly manifestation to learn how to recognize all the different possibilities of its creation.

Even when the questions of collective purpose are generally answered by the above assumptions, we still don’t know what our individual purpose is. Are we here to create something, to support someone else during their journey, or is it even possible that some of us are here to facilitate a revelation and be the catalyst for a specific event?

No matter how insignificant we might feel - or how small our contribution may appear - we are not able to see the full picture as long as we are a part of it. For example, a woman might have worked extremely hard raising children, and may feel that she has not accomplished much of anything else in her life, especially if her children are not deemed “successful” in the eyes of society. By the time she reaches her final days, the woman has no way of knowing that one of her great-grandchildren will give birth to someone who will save humanity, someday, by discovering a new medical treatment which will revolutionize modern medicine. Maybe, our true purpose is simply that of helping others rewire their inner light, or even to feed the hungry stray dog that will save a baby trapped in a building engulfed by flames.

As far as our individual purpose is concerned, we really need to focus on the small things; have we made – or can we make - a difference in someone’s life? Have we taught someone something valuable? Have we smiled at a stranger we have met on the street, and generated a ripple of cheer which will spread beyond our knowledge? Have we hugged a friend and made them feel less alone? Each of us holds a great power, that of changing the world starting with ourselves.

At the time of our conception we fought hard to survive as an individual, and reach the shores of this world; we were determined to get here and live whatever purpose we held true in our hearts; yet, once the ship finally touched land we forgot we had a specific mission, and allowed the winds of circumstance to disconnect us from our inner truth.

Regardless of how much we understand, our life is precious and priceless, and should always be viewed as a privilege and an opportunity. It is up to us to turn it into one.