Simplicity

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Leonardo da Vinci

Do you take time to smell the roses?

Seriously?

Stop and think about it for a moment, that is if you aren’t too busy. The world has become a demanding place. Perhaps it always was and those demands have just changed over the years. Now days, long work hours with even longer commute times, financial demands,  technology changes, instant news, cellphones, emails, social media, fast food, fast this and fast that…how does everyone keep up?

Time to Recharge

Well, contrary to what you may think, most of us don’t stop very often! That stress builds up. Something or someone is getting neglected. Could be your health or even a precious loved one? But usually that something is ourselves. If you stop to smell the roses, it offers you a chance to recharge.

I don’t have time.

Excuses are usually the barriers in life that stop us from enjoying it. Isn’t that one of the reasons we are here? To enjoy life. Time is not a barrier, it is an excuse.

Did you have time for your coffee? To read the morning paper? To watch a TV Show? To check your eMail?

Okay, you get the point. There are many more things to add to the above list that are actually just something you are doing to pass the time. Remember that recharge I mentioned above. Yeah, that one. That is what will give you the energy to get things done.

But I like my pace! Okay, so keep it, but realize just like sleep that your body needs to be rewarded with positive experiences too. Instead of racing down the highway at 30 over the limit. Try going the speed limit and taking in the scenery. Note the things you never saw before. Take a walk and start to look at the houses, the flowers, the people, the children in the park. I mean – really, really look a them. The choices are endless and the rewards are only there if you try it.

I actually stop and smell the roses. . But the point is your roses could be anything. Stop and take the time to admire your loved ones. Look at the birds from your kitchen window. You decide, just make sure that it involves observation and deliberate actions. You will thank yourself later.

What would one do without family?

Just a portion of my happy, yet crazy family (gotta love them).

My Curiosity Is Peeked, Do You Beleive That Everything Happens For A Reason?

There is a general saying that says, “Everything happened for a reason.” Do you believe or rather do you agree with that saying? Just as a coin has two sides, some of you will agree with that and others will not. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in whether you choose to believe in it or not. I believe that ‘Everything happened for a reason.‘ Sometimes we can see the reason immediately after it happened. At times, the reason will only be seen much later and when you see the reason, it’ll be like those moments of ‘aha!’ That was why it happened.

Horsing Around

 

When I am Old

I can relate to this, when my multiple sclerosis was at its worst I was the one needing assistance, rather than I being the caregiver. But this, all I can say is that it is beautiful and sad at the same time. I hope you like it as well.

To all the Mother’s and Father’s, thank you all for the unconditional love and sacrifices you have all made for us!

When I am Old

When I am old and not my original self,
Please be understanding and be patient with me.

When I spill the soup on my own clothes,
And forget how to tie my shoelaces,
Please think about how I had taught you, step by step, to tie your shoelaces.

When you are tired of the words, which I am repeating,
Please listen patiently and don’t interrupt me.
When you were young, I had to repeat the same story again and again until you fell asleep.

When I need you to shower me,
Please don’t blame me.
Do you remember how I had to coax you to take your shower?

When I am helpless with new technology and things,
Please don’t make fun of me.
Think about how I patiently answered every ‘Why’ you had.

When both my legs are too tired to walk,
Please stretch out your strong hand to support me.
Just as I stretched out my hand to you, when you were learning to walk.

When the topic of our conversation slip my mind,
Please give me a little time to recall.
Actually, whatever the topic of our conversation is of no importance.
I will be contented, as long as you are listening to me by my side.

When my time has come, please don’t be sad.
Understand me, support me,
Just as how I treated you, when you were starting to learn about living.

I had guided you on your life journey back then,
Now please stays with me until my journey ends.
Shower me with your love and patience, I will smile with gratitude;
The smile of unconditional love for you.

City of Angels

I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it.

I know, it’s a chic flick but I love it! It is number one on my list.

Not Just a Bana…

Not Just a Banana

After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:

Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:

200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:

High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:

Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:

Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work?

Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:

The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:

Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use:

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:

Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:

According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts:

Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

A Mother’s love

When I take a photograph of a flower in full bloom along side buds ready to burst, I think of a Mother and her children..

My Grand Daughters foot prints, adorable!