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

What we can learn from a dog!

Since I was unable to post yesterday I thought I would do two today. We can learn many things from many different places and one of those places is from a dog. If you have never had a dog as a family member, this may not resonate with you but just so you know that for those that have had the privilege of being blessed with the unconditional love of a dog, this is Universal truth.

Now some of you will probably have read or heard these things before but positive, simple life lessons are always worth experiencing again.

"Dogs are not our whole lives but they make our lives whole" - Roger Caras

The picture is of me with my dog Toby in front of a Brutus Buckeye statue at The Ohio State University.!

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy,dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

"A dog owns nothing, yet is seldom dissatisfied" - Irish Proverb

Makes you want to run out and get a dog, doesn't it? If you are so inclined I highly recommend adopting a dog from a local shelter. You can start by googling dog adoption or go to these links for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and The Humane Society of the United States: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer or http://www.hsus.org/.

"The dog was created especially for children. He is the god of frolic." - Henry Ward Beecher

As aways I welcome your thoughts and stories. It is in the sharing of such things that we all learn and grow together. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am blessed that you have done so.

"Old age means realizing that you will never own all the dogs you wanted to." - Joe Gores

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Wisdom from a child

I have often said that if you want to have a really profound discussion, talk to a young child, between the ages of 4 and 6 especially.

When we are born, the wisdom of the ages is stamped on our soul. And as children we do not have the filters and all the other stuff that piles onto us through life that buries that wisdom. So, children can readily tap into it at any time without having to clear things away. Here is a story of such wisdom.

The photo is of my daughter Melinda at age 4, with our dog at the time, Spencer! We got Spencer just before Melinda was born and they were together for the first ten years.

A Dog's Purpose (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the
experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker' s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What
came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

If you either have a story about children and their wisdom that you would like to share or would like to comment about this story, please feel free to do so. It is through this sharing that we can all learn and grow together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this today. I am blessed that you have chosen to do so.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://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/

Right Now

Today I wanted to share a poem I wrote:

RIGHT NOW
Right now, tell someone you love them.

Right now, be at peace.

Right now, refuse to worry.

Right now, commune with nature.

Right now, help someone in need.

Right now, shelter the homeless.

Right now, feed the hungry.

Right now, care for the sick.

Right now, tell someone your sorry.

Right now, practice forgiveness.

Right now, let your light shine.

Right now, be spontaneous.

Right now, learn something new.

Right now, show compassion.

Right now, exercise your body.

Right now, be one with all.

Right now, because it is all we are ever guaranteed.

Copyright 2008 by Harry E. Shade, All Rights Reserved

I would appreciate your comments and thoughts. Also, if you have something you have written and you would like me to feature it, and you, in one of my blogs, just let me know by submitting them with your information to harry@raresenseunlimited.com. Please put Rare Sense Blog Submission in the subject line. If I use your submission, I will notify you.

That's all for today.

Blessings!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Responsibility

Today, I wanted to do something different and so I decided to give you a chapter from my book, Rare Sense; One day It Will Be Commmon: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life. It is the chapter on responsibility. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Responsibility

“Enlightenment means taking full responsibility for your life.” - William Blake

One of the biggest challenges in this modern age seems to be taking responsibility for our actions. We try to blame others for our very existence and our life and quickly look to lay responsibility elsewhere than at our own doorstep.

But this is really not possible since we are creating it all. However, if you believe that you do not have control, that you do not create your existence, then it is much easier to not take responsibility for it and to blame others.

As a child, we may lack the maturity as to how to respond to negative things said about us and thus are limited in our ability to choose what to believe. It is especially more difficult when the people who are supposed to love and protect us are the very ones causing the pain. However, once we mature and can make those informed, intelligent choices we can no longer blame others for the choices we make. Of course even children have the wisdom to choose to accept what is said about them. We can choose to internalize it or let it roll of our backs, like water off a duck. Very early on, we sometimes have a better understanding of who we really are. It is when we get older and start accepting someone else’s version of who we are that we start to doubt ourselves.

One of the best examples of not taking responsibility for our actions involved the lawsuit against McDonald’s by the lady who placed the coffee cup between her legs and burned herself. Had rare sense been applied in this situation, that lawsuit would have been thrown out, but in this day and age we are quicker to blame others than ourselves. Let me ask this question? Did any McDonald’s employee place that cup between that lady’s legs or did she choose to do that herself? I know you know the answer, so why was she not made to take responsibility for her own actions?

"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Taking responsibility for our lives is the rare sense or spiritual thing to do. I have said earlier, we always take responsibility when things are going well, but we want to blame others when it is not. Convenient isn’t it?

Well, that is simply not the way things work in the universe. We were given free will. We are responsible for our lives and the decisions we make. Yes, there are some things that happen to us that make us think that sometimes we are not in control. However, if we really look at our lives, the things that have happened and what our responses to those things have been, we will find that somehow, some way, we created it.

Looking in that mirror is one of hardest things we will ever do, but we must. Because until we do, we will not be able to change our circumstances for we will think that we do not have control, yet what we think about is brought to us.

So, if you think you are not responsible and that you do not have control, things will continue to be created in which you do not have control and your life will seem like it is one disaster after another. Taking responsibility is taking control and having control is using your free will.

Here is something that is going to sound contradictory, so please bear with me. We can think we are not responsible but we still are. We can think we are not in control but we still are. We can think that we do not have free will but we still do. For you see, we have free will and that is one thing that does not change about us. With that free will we are free to think whatever we want to think, but no matter what we think we are responsible for all of it. Either what happens to us or how we are going to react to it. And with that comes responsibility.

If things are not going the way we wish them to be, then we need to take the time to see what thoughts and decisions we have made to create the circumstances we face today. Sometimes we have to go back many years to find the answer, sometimes just a few seconds but we will find the answer because it lies within us.

The good and bad, the ups and downs, all of it! Being responsible is having rare sense because we are telling the universe; I understand who I am and what I am capable of. I understand that I have the gift of free will and that I use that gift each and every moment of every single day! I am in control and I am a creative being, one with God and an integral part of the universe.

“Let us not talk of karma, but simply of responsibility toward the whole world.” - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Copyright 2007 - Harry E. Shade, All Rights Reserved

If you would like to purchase a copy of my book, please go to my web site, www.raresenseunlimited.com for details. It is available in paperback, e-book and audio versions

Well, that's it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments about this post. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time, may you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

PEACE!

When thinking about what to write about today, one thing kept popping up, PEACE! So, as I usually do, I go with my intuition.

"There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find PEACE. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub." - Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

But why is PEACE so important? Because PEACE is a necessary and vital ingredient to our ability to live our life to the fullest. PEACE brings clarity to our minds, vitality to our bodies and calmness to our spirit. PEACE ushers in balance and harmony and removes doubt, fear, anxiety and stress.

"Let tears flow of their own accord; their flowing is not inconsistent with inward PEACE and harmony" - Seneca

In the interest of spreading PEACE, the first thing I want to offer is this poem/mantra by my friend Isabella:

I am peace
surrounded by peace
secure in peace.
peace protects me
peace supports me
peace is mine

All is well.
peace to all beings
peace among all beings
I am steeped in peace
Absorbed in peace
In the streets, at our work,
having peaceful thoughts,
peaceful words, peaceful acts.
sending light and love to end your day!

When I first read this I could feel my body relax, my heartbeat slow down and my mind become silent and clear. In essence peace had found it's way into every cell of my being. What a joyous feeling. Try it, I guarantee you will love it.

"First keep the PEACE within yourself and then you can also bring PEACE to others." - Thomas A. Kempis

Then I came across this breathing exercise:

Slowly, deeply inhale, quietly chanting the word: Peace,
Then, slowly,deeply exhale, quietly chanting the word: Love.

And of course I had to try it and once again I was filled with the overwhelming feeling of peace and love. So, if you are having a rough day and you want to bring peace into your life, you know have two wonderful ways to do it.

"Nothing can bring you PEACE but yourself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I welcome any comments you may have about this post and any techniques you would like to share for finding peace in your life.

That's all for today.

PEACE!

Harry