Tag Archives: society

Life Is More Than

How do you define life? Many of us tend to be so wound up in the doing of it, we forget to make time to contemplate why we are here, what is the meaning of life, what gives it quality and fulfillment.

Life is not simply about survival, and yet in our media right now the narrative would lead one to believe that is the case. Fear can take over our minds, if we are not careful.

All of the good things that we’ve known keep us well still apply. Fresh air, nature, nourishing food, physical exercise, adequate rest, playfulness, companionship, friendship, doing what we love. Oh yes, and the big one, simply LOVE in all of its forms and connections.

Embrace what feels good to you and resonates with your very soul. Tap into your inner being, and listen to your body, mind, and spirit. Above and beyond wellness, seek joyfulness in your experience here on Earth. We are all born with the intrinsic right to JOY.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Ignore those that make you fearful and sad, that degrade you back towards disease and death.” ~ Rumi

“The aim is to balance the terror of being alive with the wonder of being alive.” ~ Carlos Casteneda

“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There are many aspects to success; material wealth is only one component. …But success also includes good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, creative freedom, emotional and psychological stability, a sense of well-being, and peace of mind.” ~ Deepak Chopra

Life Is More Than © Susan L Hart 2021 | Friendly comments welcome | Photo courtesy RoonZ-nl, Pixabay

The Travel Bug

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The world is a mirror and travel has this way of peeling back our hidden layers. It makes a lie out of some of the stories we’ve been telling ourselves, and it shines a light on good parts as yet undiscovered.

It challenges, grows, expands and inspires us in ways that we never expected. We lose ourselves; we find ourselves.

I’m missing travel terribly at the moment. For someone who is a traveler, their world and experience of life has shrunk immensely in the past year and a half.

Do you like to travel? If so, how are you feeling in this new reality? And are you still dreaming of your next travel adventure, or have you given up (at least for now)? The sad thing is, after a year and a half of this life shut down, I see people giving up on many things that matter to them.

I’m still holding a torch for seeing Mount Fuji and the cherry blossoms in Japan some day. We can’t give up. We MUST keep dreaming, planning, envisioning, intending. What is (are) your future travel dream(s)?

The world and the life you want are of your making and it all begins in your mind.

Inspirational Quotes:

“Not all those who wander are lost.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ St. Augustine

“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” ~ Anita Desai

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” ~ Confucius

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” ~ Mark Twain

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ~ Mark Twain

“We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.” ~ Ray Bradbury

“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine. It is lethal.” ~ Paulo Coelho

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.” ~ Ruminator

“The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself.”

The Travel Bug © Susan L Hart | Photos 1, 2 | Friendly comments welcome

It Exists, It is Real

Myth of Happy Endings

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I just revisited a great story called Message in a Bottle, written by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks. Although it is essentially a romance drama, it does not have the happy ending we yearn for in a romantic story. This would be a let-down for some readers, because we cling tenaciously to the idea of happy endings, particularly in love.

The whole idea of the happy ending ties into my last post, Courage to Love. So if indeed love does not always work out in the way we hope for, why have courage to love at all?

The idea of the classic happy ending is very superficial and one-dimensional within the context of our infinite souls. The happy ending suggests a destination in this particular life, a utopian ideal of what love “should be”, rather than what it is.

What it IS is our opportunity to learn from each other. In the case of Message in a Bottle, there is so obvious learning and growth for the two main characters, Theresa and Garrett. Their ability to love better and deeper expands. For any reader or viewer (it is a movie too) who is able to let go of their need for the cliché happy ending, it is an immensely satisfying story.

There are many types of love, not just the ones with romantic partners. Check out this article for more on that: The Ancient Greeks’ 6 Words for Love (And Why Knowing Them Can Change Your Life)

What loves have you encountered in your life and what did you learn from them? (This is very personal, so I’m not fishing for comments.) The point of the question is, that when we realize the beauty, depth, and learning with each love encounter and are able to heal the wounds associated with an “unhappy ending”, we grow and have the courage to invite more love in.

Within the context of our infinite selves, this could be deemed as “happy without end”.

Courage to Love

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How much love you have in your life, how much you express, it is all up to you. The wonderful thing about love is, the more you give it, the more it expands and comes right back to you.

Have the courage to love, in all kinds of ways, in every direction. Many of our most important life lessons are around love. Our hearts crave to love and be loved.

There are many wonderful quotes about love by the poet Rumi, here are just a few:

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” ~ Rumi

“Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.” ~ Rumi

“Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation.” ~ Rumi

“This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment. First to let go of life. Finally, to take a step without feet.” ~ Rumi

“Wherever you are, and whatever you do, be in love.” ~ Rumi

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.” ~ Rumi

“Reason is powerless in the expression of Love.” ~ Rumi

“Gamble everything for love, if you’re a true human being.” ~ Rumi

“Love calls – everywhere and always.
We’re sky bound.
Are you coming?”
~ Rumi

“Love is the whole thing. We are only pieces.” ~ Rumi