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World News
BBC Gaza reporter flies home to Britain
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2007-07-07T125148Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_India-283591-1.xml
2007 brings change
By JenPoetess
The New Year marks a new beginning. A clean slate, some say. And there is nothing that unusual in wanting to embrace the inspiration that a new start may bring.
But how can one make the inspiration of a few awe-lead moments in January transpire into a new way of being?
To create steadfast change one must do the obvious: break old routines. Logic tells us that in order to break old routines, new patterns of daily life must be mandated within us by action--- and through courage! We must demand of ourselves the very change we seek.
Perhaps one key needed in order to open the door of a long-term goal is finding balance--- a place of center.
In order to find a place of center one must change negative thought patterns. If you beat yourself up mentality, it is very difficult to get up a few hours early to do what a resolutions demands... which may be to exercise, write a long anticipated novel, make breakfast for the family, play a musical instrument, or even pray.
In order to accomplish important life changes, take control of your thoughts, and separate them from negativity and lies.
Know you are a good person, and if you are struggling with an important life decision, let go of all fear and know you have the right and ability to live your life freely and to the best of your ability--- each day!
Think good thoughts about yourself, and take time every morning to do what you desire. After all, if there is something you would love to have be apart of your every day life, any obstacle that hold you back has a false, and unwanted, place in your life. Make the change you desire and I promise you will become happier.
Too often our society allows us, or even propels us, to run around with our heads cut off--- from ourselves--- and thereby we miss out on the very joys of our lives, and thus never seem to conquer our fears--- or reach our goals.
Instead of viewing resolutions as an attachment to social norms look at resolutions as a private matter that no one else, especially the media or other people, can understand or relate to. Make your resolutions a promise to yourself and begin being true to that promise each morning. Think good thoughts about yourself and your accomplishments, both big and small, as you continue toward fulfilling whatever promise your personal resolution mandates.
Here are a few tips that may help transform your resolution into reality.
On a large piece of blank paper, and in solitude, draw a picture of what changes you would like to see take place in your life. The picture can include charts, lists, and images of the ideas that make you happy... or sad. Draw for at least an hour. When you are finished, take time to reflect on your drawing. Did you use color? Are your images telling you something about your life that perhaps you didn't notice or realize? Once finished rid yourself of the paper.
"Recognize the unrecognizable." Perhaps the best advice I was ever given while in college. Take the time to do this, to be introspective of the world around you and your own life. By recognizing the unrecognizable, resolution-based changes become easier to accomplish because understanding our place in the world enables us to know and love our neighbors and ourselves better.
Make time for yourself.
Wake up an hour earlier each day. Use that time to think about, work on, and eventually accomplish the goals that are important to you.
"Carpe diem." Seize the day. Make the most out of each day. Scale back on activities that lead to negativity, such as watching TV, gossiping, smoking or eating excessively. Any habit that does not bring you true happiness should be removed from you daily life. Begin the process.
"Piano, piano." This is a wonderful Italian saying which translates to "one step at a time." Do your best.
Have faith in yourself. Listen to the quiet voice within that knows "through God all things are possible."
Good luck in the year ahead. Find balance and be sure to remain centered--- or find a place of center within yourself as a personal goal. Whatever goals you have, you have a right to express them and accomplish them for the greater good of your own personal happiness.
Volunteer and create an apex of
greater good for our community
By JenPoetess
In this busy world, often the day is soaked up by multi-tasking our responsibilities, personal life and workload. Despite being very much a cliche task, one must often take time to make time. From out of our busy schedules we seek an opportunity for the more important things in life: friends, love, family, spirituality.
With our busy lives the idea of volunteering seems almost averse to the pattern of our schedules.
However, the act of volunteering, though at times difficult, is rewarding twofold. First, where good intentions are involved, the act of volunteering creates a positive relationship between the volunteer and the person in need. Second, volunteerism helps graphically aid in the creation of a better world by placing another person's needs above one's own.
There are many places to volunteer in our community. The public schools, for one, seek volunteer tutors after-school and during the day. Also, organizations throughout our area need native speakers of English to teach that language to non-English speakers.
Though many organizations seek fiscal donations, there is something tangible to be found in the act of volunteering. Such personal interaction is desperately needed for many within this ever-growing community, and also in the densely populated cities of Wilmington and Philadelphia.
Another great reason to volunteer is that it allows you to focus on a talent that may be suppressed in your work place. For example, if you lived in France as a child and speak fluent French, why not tutor a student from France who is struggling to learn English or an American-born student who is having difficulty in French class. The act of doing this service for free, or for living expenses alone, ensures that another person who might otherwise fall through a "cultural" crack, be blessed with your knowledge while your own expertise strengthens and sharpens as a teacher.
As Ghandi said: "Be the change you wish to see in the world."
There are no simple answers perhaps to society's major problems, yet we have a wonderful opportunity to be a guide, teacher, mentor and leader to a person in need today. Perhaps despite the many challenges facing the world, the easiest act of kindness that surrounds us is in opening our lives to at least one person in need. And instead of merely throwing money at a problem, the act of volunteering ensures human relationships between people from different experiences and livelihoods occur.
Volunteering allows one to build a special relationship with another person.
Volunteering ensures unselfishness, as two people from different places must overcome their own obstacles in order to successful interaction with each other. The ability to share an experience based on education, or acts of kindness, or another social good, is truly a wonderful duty we do share as humans.
Our busy schedules deserve to have fulfilling acts of kindness as part of our routine.
Look online for more volunteer opportunities in our area and around the globe. Visit www.idealist.com for more immediate volunteer opportunities.
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