Ego vs. Soul

Before I get too deep into this, I will say that both the EGO and SOUL have a purpose or they would not exist. So, utilize each to help you grow and evolve, just understand it is preferable to utilize the soul energy more than you do ego energy. Ego energy is useful should we feel the need to protect ourselves or perhaps exert our authority when necessary.

Anytime time your approach something or someone from your soul, you automatically lead with the energy of love. Especially, if it appears that it will be a challenging situation. That love energy will do wonders in diffusing and uplifting the interaction. Now, of course, we do not control the actions of others, however, we certainly can use that energy to help ourselves be more calm and peaceful, in the middle of it. Remember, it takes two to tango, so if one projects loving energy, it just might help the other as well.

If we come from our egos, then a challenging situation can even escalate further because we are more concerned with not being hurt and what we can get out of the encounter and often how we can prove we are right and they are wrong. It is a much more confrontational type of energy and so does not allow us to see beyond ourselves.

For me EGO = Eliminating Gods Oneness, where SOUL = Seeing Oneness & Undying Love.


Harry Shade

See Yourself

Yes, let us all see this together!

‪#‎raresense‬ ‪#‎beingmarvelous‬ ‪#‎harryshade‬ ‪#‎baldguynamedharry

I SEE YOU!

I SEE YOU! 

While I know that those words have been spoken before, they have taken on a new meaning and perhaps even more importance ever since they were uttered on the big screen in Avatar and I was reminded how powerful those words are when I watched the movie again here recently.

I SEE YOU!

It is those things that we see as different that separates us and thus can cause conflict. I know one way we can resolve our issues and that is to approach each other from the basic level that we all share together and that is as human beings. If we simply start and end there, then nothing else will really matter.

I SEE YOU! 

For me, when I look at another person, I see no race, creed, nationality, religion or sex, rather simply another human being.

I SEE YOU!

By taking that approach to life, we can heal this world and it's conflicts. We will no longer tolerate any human being starving to death, being tortured or denied the basic necessities of life.

I SEE YOU!

By truly seeing each other we will naturally progress to live in peace and harmony with each other and the world around us. Which means it will no longer be acceptable to treat our home, Mother Earth, with the disdain and disrespect that we do.

I SEE YOU!

What do these words mean to you? Do you see me? To me, it means the end of separation, fear, war, hunger and pain and the dawning of a new world of love, peace, joy, harmony and prosperity for all!

I SEE YOU!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Love and light,

Harry

Are you doing things out of guilt & obligation?

As much as I like to write original things for you all, there are times when I come across things from others that is definitely worth sharing with you. There are many, many, many, wonderful people out there doing their very best to help spread a positive message and provide superb guidance.

It just so happens that this time, it comes from one of my friends, Pamela Gregory. Pamela has been a guest twice on my Blog talk Radio show. She is a beautiful soul and has blessed many people with her talks about forgiveness and the power it has to change lives. I suggest you learn more about Pamela by going to her web site, http://pamelagregory.com/.

If you would like to listen to the recording of our shows together, here are the links:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/HarryShade/2009/06/18/Talking-Forgiveness-with-Pamela-Gregory

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/HarryShade/2009/06/25/Permission-to-Honor-Yourself-with-Pamela-Gregory

Without further delay, here is a note I received from Pamela as part of her Facebook group, Forgiveness Healing.

Doing the Right Thing vs. Guilt and Obligation by Pamela Gregory

Have you ever noticed that when you've done something for someone because you felt guilted into it, whether by yourself or them, that it didn't benefit either of you in the end? Think back and notice times in your life when you made a decision to do something because you “had” to, and not because you felt it was the right thing to do or had the guidance to do. Guilt and obligation are both negative energies, so the only outcome that could result is a negative one.

Even when you have the INTENTION to want to help, but you do so because you will feel guilty if you don't, it will end up being a lose/lose for both of you.The contrasting affect is, when we do something because we know it is the right thing to do, it benefits BOTH sides. Doing what we know in our heart is right ALWAYS results in a double blessing. Doing the right thing may not be fun, convenient, or something we would choose to do if a certain need didn't exist, but when you look back after the fact, you feel good inside...which is healthy for you, and those you've helped feel the love and care shown by your efforts, which obviously is healthy for them.

This reminds me of a lecture given by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He spoke of a study that showed a rather dramatic boost in the immune system in individuals who were the receivers of an act of kindness. In addition, they discovered the one who performed the act of kindness also had a boost in their immune system...and even an observer of this kind act showed a strengthening in their immune system. This proves, as if we needed proof, that by doing the right thing really does make a difference, in more ways than we ever knew.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't tie in forgiveness here. When you forgive others, it most definitely is “doing the right thing” as the benefits to you are tremendous. When you harbor anger and are unforgiving of ourselves or another, it leads to an acid environment in our body. Acid thoughts create acid in the body. Cancer can only survive in an acid environment. Anger releases high voltage toxic chemicals inside your body, contributing to heart disease. It also pulls calcium from your bones and joints, resulting in arthritis and osteoporosis... the brain shuts down making it impossible to think clearly. Do you see all the dis-ease that is caused by these toxic thoughts? Do you see the damage you are doing to yourself when holding on to the pain and anger from the past?

This is why, FORGIVENESS (letting go of anger) is so HEALING...and is most definitely “doing the right thing” for everyone involved. :)

Share LOVE All Ways ~ Pamela

NOTE: To read this message in other languages, please go to the Articles tab on my website http://pamelagregory, scroll to the bottom to the translator, and pick your desired language...

PS. If you haven't already done so, please consider signing the online petition to create an Int'l Forgiveness Day!!http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/International-Forgiveness-Day/

"Guilt upon the conscience, like rust upon iron, both defiles and consumes it, gnawing and creeping into it, as that does which at last eats out the very heart and substance of the metal." - South

"Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything else is not only impossible, but that mark of a fake messiah." -
Richard Bach

So, are you doing things our of obligation and/or guilt?

Or are you coming from a place of love, joy and positive energy?

Anytime that we do anything with love as the foundation, it benefits everyone involved. So, let's throw out guilt and obligation and replace it with love, love, love. And while we are at it, let's toss in some forgiveness, (which is just another aspect of love), for good measure.

Once again, you bless me every time you read my blog. Please share your thoughts and comments and if you feel it worthy, share my blog with everyone you know!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common

harry@raresenseunlimited.com

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Is fear leading you to failure?

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." - Albert Einstein

Inherently anytime you risk doing something, you risk both failure and success but wouldn't you say that never risking anything is also a form of failure? And just what is failure anyway? To me failure is never trying, never taking the risk. Failure is not an outcome if you tried and risked something.

As far as I am concerned, failure is only failure when:

You do not even try.

You simply try but do not give it your all. Simply trying is failure because of just that.

You gave it your all and still did not succeed based upon what you perceived success was for you.

But did you really even fail then? I say "no" and the reason I say "no" is, if you gave it absolutely everything you had, you put your heart and soul into it, it would only be a failure if you neither learned nor gained anything from the act.

We, however gain knowledge and/or experience from everything we do. It may not be apparent but we do. At a minimum, the learning happens on the cellular level and so our body learned.

The one thing we all must conquer is fear for fear can and will paralyze us into taking no action and thus risking nothing and so gaining nothing,which in fact then leads to failure.

So, how do we conquer fear? Through love. You see the opposite of love is not in fact hate, it is fear.

As the saying goes, "love can move mountains" and it truly can. So, inject love into everything you do and fear will simply fade allowing you to experience life in all it's glory and splendor. And remember it is the journey not the destanation that matters most because therein lies the knowledge and experiences of life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Please, feel free to comment and share.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry Shade
Author - Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

A Beautiful Prayer

As I end my sabbatical from writing this blog, I was wondering what I should open with and it came to me to share this beautiful prayer.

As I was reading the book, "Serpent of Light Beyond 2012: The Movement of the Earth's Kundalini and the Rise of the Female Light, 1949 - 2013" by Drunvalo Melchizedek, I came across a Taos Pueblo prayer that I just had to share:

Beauty before me
Beauty behind me
Beauty on my left
Beauty on my right
Beauty above me
Beauty below me
Beauty is love
Love is God.

This really resonated in my heart and I know it will do the same for you. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Please share you thoughts!

Namaste!

Harry Shade
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will be Common
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

What are you going to do?

There has been a story circulating recently about a "good samaritan" who was cited by the Colorado State Police for jaywalking, even though, he was doing a good deed for an elderly woman. And to top it off, the "good samaritan" was severly injured during the incident.

Fortunately, common sense has finally prevailed and the citation was voided.

However, it begs the question. Would you have helped in this situation? Or would you have had to think about it because you might get cited for jaywalking?

I have to say that I believe that most people, when seeing the opportunity to help another, would do it without thinking about it. In fact, the "good samaritan" despite his injuries and receiving the citation has said that he would do it all over again.

It is that spirit of human compassion and kindness that we all need to be tapping into right now. It is things like that, which will see us through this down cycle in our economy. It is our hope, our belief, our knowing that everything will be fine in the future that will help us create a brighter future for ourselves.

We need all the "good samaritans" of the world to continue to step forward and show us that love, kindness, joy and peace are not just wonderful thoughts but the way we should be living. If one person can prosper during this time than we all can because what any of us can do, we all can do.

So, what would you do? Or better yet, what are you doing? Are you like the good samaritan that would risk it all for the sake of another? Or are you content to listen to the fear mongers and naysayers and allow them to have the power, that you have given them, to control your life?

It is up to each and every one of us to use the power that the universe has bestowed upon us to make this world a better place for us and future generations to come. Starting this very moment, we can choose peace over war, love over hate, courage over fear, prosperity over poverty, abundance over lack, joy over sorrow and health over disease.

This is our time to step up and create a world that we want, need and deserve to live in. It is time to set aside what divides us and focus on what brings us together.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog to day. You bless me with your presence. As always, feel free to share you thoughts, comments and ideas.

May you have all the love, peace, joy, good health and prosperity, in abundance, forevermore.

Harry Shade - Author

"Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life"

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Martin Luther King Jr. - A Celebration

On this, the day we celebrate the life and times of one of the world's greatest champions and leaders of the cause for human rights, equality and peace, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I wanted to share some of my favorite quotes, from this wonderful man.

It is my dream, that what Dr. King contributed will be amplified by not only myself but by all those around the world that belive in the principles that he promoted:

PEACE, LOVE, EQUALITY

All quotes are by Dr. King

"The time is always right to do what is right."

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

"It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it."

Not only did Dr. King set the example and provide the leadership to a generation of civil rights evangelists and promoters but directly led the way to the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. That milestone in the history of the United States will be celebrated tomorrow with his inauguration.

Won't you all take time today to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King?

Thank you for reading my blog today and please feel free to comment and provide your own thoughts on Dr. King. I also welcome your suggestions as to future topics.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry Shade
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

My 2009 New Year Message

A huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my blogs in 2008. I hope I was able to provide you with helpful advice, tips and content. As I continue to learn and grow, I will continue to share in the hope that I can help you to learn and grow. You are the reason I do what I do, as it it is my passion and purpose to help others be the best they can be, which in turn helps me to be the best I can be.

So, please have a safe and fun New Year's. I look forward to connecting with everyone further in 2009. Peace, love, joy & prosperity, forevermore, in abundance!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

Social Media - The Dawning of a New Age!

We are at the threshold of the Age of Consciousness and it is a great time to be alive on earth for we are the new pioneers and our message is one of love, peace, joy and prosperity for everyone, in abundance, forevermore.

"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity". - Albert Einstein

It was the Internet that allowed the free flow of information behind the iron curtain that brought the truth to a people starving for it. Today, social media has now taken what the Internet started and we are doing it at the speed of thought.

We are making connections that only a few short years ago would have been practically impossible to make. And the truth is out and once out can never be put back in again. No longer can the spreaders of hate, greed, disempowerment and fear hide behind the walls of time and distance for neither are an obstacle to the truth today.

“A human being is part of the whole called by us the universe--a part limited in time and space. S/he experiences her/himself, their thoughts and their feelings, as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of their consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us; it restricts us to our personal decisions and our affections to a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” - Albert Einstein

Now that we know and understand the power of social media, it is our responsibility to use it for good and to change the world for the better. To do anything else would be immoral and cowardly.

So, I for one pledge to do all in my power to use this gift of social media that the universe has provided to usher in the Age of Consciousness, where peace, love, joy and prosperity reign.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.' - Albert Einstein

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I am honored that you would do so. Please share your thoughts, comments, stories and topic suggestions.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Cherish your time on earth!

Lately, my days have been so busy that I have had very little time to blog and because of that today's blog is short and to the point. Recently, friends of mine lost their 27 year old daughter in a traffic accident. She left behind three children and a very devastated family.

As I stood in line for the calling hours yesterday evening I could not help but reflect on my life and wondered:

1. Am I loving enough?
2. Am I living enough?
3. Am I making a difference?

I really wanted to answer yes to all of them but I realized that I simply could not do so. Even though I try everyday to love, live and make a difference, I can still do more in all three areas. So, I vowed that I would.

How would you answer those three questions?

What can you do to love more, live more and make more of a difference?

Whatever you do please take the time to tell those you love, "I love you." And let's not sweat the small stuff!

That's all for today! Thank you for reading my blog and always I would appreciate any thoughts, comments, stories and/or questions you may have to share.

Blessings!

Harry
www.raresenseunlimited.com

The Power of Love

From time to time, I come across wonderful stories full of wisdom and life lessons. This is one of those stories.

A Wonderful Chinese Story About Love & It's Powerful Effect On Others:

A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married & went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs.She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all.

Mr. Huang thought for awhile, and finally said, "Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you." Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do." Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you, when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. "Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law. Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.

After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with. The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law. She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her."

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her."

HAVE YOU REALIZED that how you treat others is exactly how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: "The person who loves others will also be loved in return."

The Universe might be trying to work in another person's life through you.

Thank you for taking time to read this today, I am honored that you would do so. Please feel free to comment or share an inspiring story of your own.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

www.raresenseunlimited.com

Evolving Politics

Be empowered, enlightened and evolved!

As we come to the close of the 2008 election process, I have been looking for a way to express how I feel about what I want for the U.S. and more importantly the world. And as typically happens when you are open to it, synchronicity came into play and it came to me today from a friend on Facebook, Kendra Thornbury, who passed along this writing. And so I wanted to share it with you.

Evolving Politics by Nikita Gearing

I take a moment to breathe.

I breathe in Peace, I breathe out Peace.

I awaken the Presence of Peace within me now.

My words are a prayer of Peace into the world and now manifest in alignment with the highest good.

I call forth the highest outcome for the U.S. Presidential Election in 2008.

I call forth the election of the 44th President of the United States of America who serves the highest evolution of the U.S. and our world.

I am grateful that Truth, Integrity, Peace, and the New Paradigm are now present and manifesting through the U.S. Presidential Election.

I call forth the reality of Peace, Unity, Consciousness, Sustainable Solutions, and the New Earth resonance.

I intend that the President and the Vice President who serve and create the Highest Good for all peoples of the U.S., all peoples of the world and all of life on our precious planet are now elected -- simply and easily.

I recognize that I play a role in creating Peace, each day, each moment.

I dedicate this moment to consciously create the election of a President and Vice President who support life and serve the highest good of all people.

I am grateful that Truth prevails now, that Peace prevails now.

I am grateful that the highest outcome for the U.S. Presidential Election is now manifest.

I create Peace now.

And so it is.

May peace, joy, prosperity and love be yours forevermore in abundance!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Let Me Love

Today, I want to share another poem from my friend John McIntosh, "Let Me Love". It is a powerful message as to the responsibility we all share for the common welfare of everyone.

Are you going through your day as a testament to the ever flowing, ever expanding love of the universe?

Are you spreading love or fear? Peace or disharmony? Joy or sadness?
Do you live your life in the cosmic flow of love or do you fight against the current?

Do you understand the simple power of sharing your love with the world?

Do you know the influence you have on those around you?

Do you understand that at all times you are example for someone, even just yourself?

Please take the time to read this wonderful, uplifting poem and hopefully you will understand the role you play in this world.



LET ME LOVE!

Let me not withhold
the overflowing cup
from any who are in need.

Let me,
with every beat of my heart,
extend an ocean
of healing love
to an ever widening circle.

Let me express in every tiny deed,
the grace and peace
that now fills my heart,
that all I touch will be inspired
to do the same.

Let me be an example of faith,
standing tall against the backdrop
of a world lost in fear and attack.

Let me love.

Blessings

John~Teach Only Love~ McIntosh
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgroups.to%2Fspirittracks%2F&h=7ac866252c5ba4ce8f9df2ae0a0df048

BTW, the illustration is from my book, Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life. .

If you have thoughts or comments, please feel free to share them here. I want to hear from you!

May you be blessed always and in all ways

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Reunions

Tonight is the beginning of my 30 year High School Class Reunion Weekend. I am so looking forward to getting together with my classmates, many of whom I have not seen in 20 years or more. I love our class reunions because it takes me back to a time of my life that I so thoroughly enjoyed. It is where it all began for me and my friends from school had such a profound impact on my life.

Growing up in a small town like Newton Falls, Ohio, afforded me so many opportunities to grow and learn. Now, my hometown is not the hotbed of diversity but it is where I was taught honesty, ethics, dedication, commitment, the value of work, the value of a dollar, friendship and so much more. The people of Newton Falls embody the heart of soul of the Midwest, where family, God and country are most important. Where friendships last for decades and neighbors look out for one another. Where children are taught to respect their elders and education is highly valued.

I am still very close to several of my classmates today, three of which I have been some of my best friends for 43 years now. My classmates and I supported each other through our childhood. We learned the multiplication tables together. We took on the challenges of puberty together. And we were there for each other during good times as well as bad times. We survived divorces, deaths, sicknesses, heartache and grief together. We celebrated graduations, weddings, births and successes together. And now we come together to celebrate our lives and the roles we played in each of them, one more time together.

Some look upon reunions as a time to see how old we have become. I for one look at them as a celebration of life and everything it has brought us.

So, this weekend, I go home, once more to celebrate with the people who have meant so much to me. We will laugh, we may cry, but we will have fun! If you are having a reunion coming up, for whatever purposes, I urge you to go. You may just have fun and will get to reconnect with those that have had an impact on your life!

"Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven." - Tyron Edwards

That's all for today. I have reunion to get to!

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

Pets and Love

Today, you will find pictures scattered throughout this post of our pets. The Chocolate Lab is Toby. The white cat is Holly. And the silly white and black cat is Mickey.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

If you have a pet you will know what I mean when I say that they give us unconditional love. Now, some of you might say that dogs definitely do but cats?

Well, even though cats do tend to march to their own drum, you cannot deny that they too have the ability to provide us with unlimited joy with their antics and the purring when they get what we call "scratchy lovies" from their owners. They will come around when you do not feel good and are all soft and fluffy when they decide they want to snuggle with you. (Except for the hairless breeds of course, but I digress)



"When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her." ~ Montaigne

Now, dogs, they just are bundles of love. They really appreciate when you play with them, feed them, let them outside, quite frankly for anything you do for them. They are always ready to greet you at the door at the end of the day with their tails wagging and that goofy smile on their face. Ok, maybe that is just our dog with the goofy face but you know what I mean. Sometimes Toby is so happy to see us I think his butt is going to fall off from all that wagging.



"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras

It has been shown in study after study that those that have at least one pet have less stress and lower blood pressure. Even having an aquarium helps us feel better and fish are not soft and cuddely at all. Why do you think there are so many aquariums in doctor's offices or hospitals? Because the work! Pets help us through loss and grief. They are companions when we do not have much human contact and they just bring a smile to our faces. Now tell me that Mickey's picture below does not make you chuckle.



"Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" ~ Theophile Gautier

I have been focusing on cats and dogs here but all pets can bring joy in some way. When we care for them they make us feel needed. When they do something silly they make us smile. They are the subject of many a reel of video tape and have even helped people win money on America's Funniest Home Videos.

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans" ~ James Herriot

Pets are a gift from the Universe. They provide so many good things to us humans that we owe them a hug debt of gratitude. So, remember when you are thinking about what to be grateful for, if you have a pet, do not forget them. If you don't have a pet, after reading this, you may want to consider getting one. Finally, if you do have a pet and you do not treat it with love and respect, then you either need to change your ways or give them to someone who will love and care for them.

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Immanual Kant

If you have a pet enjoy it. If not, get one, you'll be glad you did! We have been truly blessed with our pets and all the positive things they have brought to our lives. That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

I love you!

I love you! The most wonderful, uplifting phrase in all the world. It does matter what language you say it in, it always has the same effect. So, how often do you say it? Do you say it enough to those in your life that matter? Could you say it to a complete stranger?

I tell my wife, child and family members that I can that I love them. We close all our conversations with "Love ya, bye!". I even tell my dog, cats and garden plants that I love them. But I am like a majority of people out there who probably would not and could not tell someone I do not know that I love them. I mean the animals and plants will not try to have me arrested or give me weird looks. OK, so the cats give me weird looks all the time but they are cats, they just do that.

So, how can I say "I love you" without actually saying it. Actually, there are numerous ways I can do this and I will share a few of them with you.

1. I can just smile at people. A smile can say "I love you". It has at least a similar effect as uttering that wonderful phrase. When you smile at someone, you are letting them know that you care. And if they smile back then you have connected on the soul level.

2. I can just think "I love you". Sure, our thoughts are creative. That energy is released into the Universe and does have a positive affect, so why not walk around and think "I love you" about everything, especially yourself. It is the energy that is most important here so release your "love" energy for all the world to feel. Quite frankly we do not tell ourselves enough that we love who we are. Like I have always said it all begins with us, so go ahead, tell yourself that you love yourself.

3. I can give a gift to someone, donate to charity or volunteer for a worthy cause. All of these actions say "I love you" and just like thinking it, you spread the energy.

4. I can just look into someones eyes and with a look of love, I can connect and share the "love" energy, so words are not really even necessary. Did you ever do that? Just look deep into someones eyes and connect with their very soul. Wow, that is always a powerful moment.

5. I can write a poem, song or letter in which I express my love for someone, something or even the entire world.

6. Finally, I can just be loving towards myself and others. I can give a compliment, open a door, help someone load groceries in their car. I can get a massage, meditate, take a walk or eat my favorite desert.

There are as many ways that you and I can spread love either by actually saying "I love you" or doing and thinking loving things. The possibilities are as endless as the Universe.

So, let's all go out there and spread love in every way we can. I know it will have an immediate impact on you and the world.

I leave you today with this quote:

"Don't spend your precious time asking 'Why isn't the world a better place?' It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is 'How can I make it better?' To that there is an answer." - Leo F. Buscaglia

I LOVE YOU!

Harry

Copyright 2008, Harry Shade, All Rights Reserved