Life is a Roller Coaster

Roller Coasters... they are unpredictable... they have ups and downs, loops and twists and lots of wild turns. They start out slow and just when you think you have everything under control the bottom falls away and off you go again. Some people love roller coasters... they make their heart beat fast, get their adrenaline flowing, it's full of excitement. Others feel sick, their heads spin, their stomach is in their throat, and they can't wait for the ride to be over. When I was young, I used to love roller coasters especially the kind you ride in the dark. They were both terrifying and exciting all at the same time.

So why the talk about roller coasters?? Well perhaps it's because I have come to realize that Life is a lot like roller coasters... it's unpredictable, can be full of excitement, it can make your head spin... and sometimes it can make you sick to your stomach. Life, like a roller coaster... once the ride has begun there is not much you can do but enjoy it or scream until its over.

Riding the coaster...There are days when I feel totally ready for the twists and turns coming my way... and then there are days when they catch me by surprise. There are days when I embrace the ride with a full grin, and times when I want to cry out loud. It's both terrifying and exciting. Life is like a roller coaster ride... with all the ups and downs, twists and turns, it best when it's shared with a friend.

I hope that on my Roller Coaster of Life, my riding partner and I can be together through all the ups and downs and at the end of the ride, we will look back and say...
"Now THAT was a GREAT ride!"

A Friendship Blessing

There is a Celtic tradition that says if you share goodness and happiness with others, it will be returned back to you multiplied 10,000 times. The notion of Karma highlights how one's actions will influence their future. The Law of attraction is the name given to the belief that "like attracts like" and that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, one can bring about positive or negative results.

One needn't look far to see how popular this topic is, in fact there are dozens of books focusing on providing readers with tips, strategies, or explanations on how their beliefs can impact their lives. Now it may seem that I am a "non-believer" in the power of positive thinking, or a skeptic when it comes to the "Law of Attraction" but I'm not... In fact, I must admit that I have several of those books on my own book shelf. Because, I do believe that how we act and think, what we believe and hold true in our hearts, will have an impact on how we behave and treat others, and how they treat us. Relationships are based on  this and if we can't find goodness in ourselves it will be hard to find goodness in others. If we treat ourselves harshly, we are likely to treat others the same way. So it is important to be kind to ourselves, to forgive our shortcomings, accept our imperfections, celebrate our efforts, even if we don't succeed... And to surround ourselves with others that can do the same. 

Here is a blessing hoping that you can surround yourself with a friend that sees in you a gentle light, that loves you for who you are, and appreciates you for all that makes you special.

A Friendship Blessing

by

John O'Donohue

May you be blessed with good friends,

May you learn to be a good friend to yourself.

May you be able to journey to a place in your soul where there is great love, warmth, feeling, and forgiveness. 

May this change you.

May it transfigure that which is negative, distant, or cold in you. 
May you be brought into the real passion, kinship, and affinity of belonging.

May you treasure your friends.

May you be good to them and may you be there for them: may they bring you all the blessings, challenges, truth, and light that you need for your journey.

May you never be isolated.

May you always be in the gentle nest of belonging with your "anam cara".