Tag: life

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Revisiting Harold and Maude

We hadn’t watched “Harold and Maude” in at least fifteen years. Ramesha had seen it only once before, while I’ve watched it probably twenty times since my late teens.

I can still remember hearing about it for the very first time. A friend in our high school church group had seen it and loved it, so he tried to describe it it to me. I was completely baffled and couldn’t imagine why he thought I would enjoy a movie that had to do with suicide!

Of course, I saw it a couple of years later and to this day it remains one of my all-time favorite movies. Largely for its humor, quirkiness, and uplifting Cat Stevens music, but even more for the joy that is Ruth Gordon and for its message that life is meant to be lived.

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A satisfying movie night

We watched “A Man Called Otto” tonight and enjoyed it very much.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with Tom Hanks. We also really enjoyed the supporting cast, especially “Marisol” (played by Mariana Treviño) and an oh-so-elegant kitty.

The movie made us think, as well as evoking a wide range of emotions. There was sadness, for sure, but it was ultimately life-affirming.

One review referred to it as a “tender message of hopefulness and spiritual renewal” and I have to agree.

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Intention of life = LOVE

I was really struck by this photo and quote that Ramesha posted to Facebook today:

LOVE NEUTRALIZES FEAR…
“All doubt, despair, and fear become insignificant once the intention of life becomes love.” –Rumi

It got me reflecting on what is the intention of my life? And I realized that there truly can be only one correct answer: LOVE.

I wonder what would change, what would feel different if each morning I were to affirm that “the intention of my life is love.”

The intention of my life is love. ❤

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About life and coffee

We saw this sign in front of a café in Lugano this morning and it made us chuckle. So I decided to share it with you.

Translated it says: “Life is that thing that begins after coffee.”

Lord knows I’ve had plenty of days where this felt all too true! ☕

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Blessed Imbolc

Imbolc is a festival in the Gaelic tradition which marks the very first stirrings of life that will become the spring, but before there’s really anything to see.

I was happy to learn of this ancient tradition in my women’s group many years ago, because it helped me understand the wonderful feeling when you see the very first swelling on the tip of a branch — it isn’t a bud yet, but you can tell one is coming.

It’s a lovely time of the year, giving you a sense of hope for warmer, lighter days to come, even though it’s still dark and cold and wet.

So, blessed Imbolc to everyone!

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Where there’s life, there’s hope

Beautiful but unexpected blossoms, high in a tree

The other day I was out for a walk when I noticed some unexpected blossoms way up high in a tree.

They seemed so out of place that I stopped to take a closer look. What I discovered is that most of the tree looked completely dead, but this one branch was vibrant with LIFE.

And what came to my mind is “As long as there’s life, there’s hope.”

It was a very uplifting moment.

The rest of the tree looks dead
But this branch is vibrant with LIFE
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Blossoming

Another day of taking time to sit and watch and listen. I didn’t see literal blossoms, but all the abundant expressions of LIFE that were happening in front of our apartment were just as clearly speaking of God.

What a blessing to take the time to “hear.”

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“Don’t take life so seriously”

I’ve been reflecting on this quote from Yogananda. I feel the truth of it — especially the part about the world being “a terrible place, there is no safety here” — but I can’t say that I truly comprehend it.

Still, I find it helpful…and comforting…to try and wrap my mind around it. Bottom line? “Live for God and God alone!”

“Don’t take life so seriously. This world is a terrible place, there is no safety here. But what are we to do? We must stop taking life so seriously. Delusion can be overcome by holding steadfastly to one philosophy: everything here is nothing more than God’s motion picture. Don’t make a fuss about anything. Whenever you worry, remember, you are deepening the cosmic delusion within you. It is your own dreams that frighten you. In every form of sense experience you must remind yourself, ‘IT IS A DREAM!’ So don’t be attached to the passing dreams of life. Live for God and God alone.”
— Paramhansa Yogananda