Happiness.

By Alfred D. Souza.

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin- real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time to still be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness.

Happiness is the way.

So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time and remember that time waits for no one.

So stop waiting...

...until you finish school,
...until you go back to school,
...until you lose ten pounds,
...until you gain ten pounds,
...until you have kids,
...until your kids leave the house,
...until you start work,
...until you retire,
...until you get married,
...until you get divorced,
...until Friday night,
...until Sunday morning,
...until you get a new car or home,
...until your car or home is paid off,
...until spring,
...until summer,
...until fall,
...until winter,
...until you are off welfare,
...until the first or fifteenth,
...until your song comes on,
...until you've had a drink,
...until you've sobered up,
...until you die,
...until you are born again

...to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

Vegetarian != Eating Fish

Vegetarian- someone who doesn't eat animals

Fish- cold-blooded, water-dwelling animal

Fish != Vegetarian

Fish = Pescatarian

The Truth.

"There comes a point in your life when you realize who matters, who never did, who won't anymore, and who always will. So don't worry about people from your past, there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future."

Fo shur.

What God Hath Promised

One year ago today my grandmother died. And on this day, her favourite poem comes to mind. She handed me this crinkled and torn piece of paper she had cut out of the church bulletin one day, telling me that it was her favourite poem. She asked if I would please type it up for her. Not until after she had become sick did I remember to do what she had asked a few months prior. On blue paper written in cursive print, I typed up her favourite poem, and hung it on her bedroom wall where she could always see it.

God hath not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our lives through;
God hath not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.

But God hath promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love.
--Annie Johnson Flint

Grandmotherly Love.

I've had to clean out my grandmother's house. Say goodbye to that chapter of my life and move on. Hopefully I can move on without her.

It's nearly been a year since she's died and I've definitely had my moments of missing her. It usually comes late at night while laying in bed, thinking about her hands- oh goodness I can feel her hands like she is holding mine now. The thought now is making me tear up. See, this is how it starts. Thinking about her. Thinking about those phone calls I got from my brother telling me I should come home because he thinks something has happened. I hated that night. I still hate that night. Goodness, now I'm crying. Making certain that no one can hear my tears, for fear they would cry with me. Oh dear, I miss her lots. The thought of never being able to go to her house again, never smelling her. That grandmotherly smell that is just so delightful. I miss her.

But it's all for the best. After all the struggling with doctors who went against her wishes, after all the pain she endured because of that, she is in a better place. I know that. I'm just being selfish.

A few days before she died, she started seeing her dead brothers and sisters in the room with her. She would be talking to you and then all of a sudden she would switch over and start talking to them. It was amazing. And it makes me feel so much better to know that she wasn't alone. She was surrounded by her family. She is with them now.

After her death, I searched the internet for quotes and poems on death. They seem to put things in perspective, making me feel better about my current situation.

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight.
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there-- I do not die.
--Mary Frye

Day of Silence

"The Day of Silence is an annual student-organized day of action to protest the
bullying and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students, and their straight allies. Students take a day-long vow of silence to symbolically represent the silencing of LGBT students and their allies. The national focus of the Day of Silence is specific to ending bullying and harassment of students, particularly physical violence and verbal threats."













What will you do to end the silence?

I Hope To... Before I Die

1. Dance in the rain
2. Open my own successful veg restaurant
3. Go skiing
4. Get a tattoo
5. Keep a house-plant alive for more than a year
6. Be comfortable with my body
7. Never break a bone
8. Graduate college
9. Visit Venice, Italy
10. Laugh until I pee my pants
11. Do karaoke
12. Visit a southern country bar
13. Own my own house
14. Learn what complete happiness is
15. Get rid of my acne
16. Never be in debt
17. Try every Kama Sutra position
18. Be able to have a full conversation in spanish
19. Kiss a stranger
20. Learn how to cook
21. Travel all-across Canada
22. Smile until my cheeks hurt
23. Love like I never have before
24. Go skinny dipping
25. Own my own car
26. Sleep under the stars
27. Go on a romantic picnic
28. Get kissed in the rain
29. Make sure my friends and family know how much they mean to me
30. Take a trip south of the equator
31. Visit all of my close internet friends
32. Get on a plane without knowing where it's going
33. Learn how to bartend
34. Stand up for myself
35. Have children
36. Conquer my fear of trains
37. Meet someone famous
38. Learn how to read a compass correctly
39. Go on a date
40. Throw a surprise party
41. Go on vacation with my friends
42. Visit France
43. Learn how to dance at a nightclub
44. Be able to tell my entire family about my sexuality without them loving me any less
45. Visit a strip club
46. Own a pet
47. Be able to do a split
48. Attend a peace rally
49. Not let life get me down
50. Publicly stand up for something I strongly believe
51. Weigh 120 pounds
52. Learn proper dining etiquette
53. Change my non-existant butt into an existant one
54. Belly dance
55. Be a woman someone looks up to
56. Visit Hawaii
    
57. Make someone remember a moment we shared
58. Pick flowers from my own garden
59. Strive for no less than greatness
60. Learn the constellations
61. Understand the mechanics of a motor vehicle
62. Visit Walt Disney Land
63. Take a cruise to Canada
64. Find jeans that make my butt look good
65. Have a pillow fight
66. Build an igloo in the snow
67. Complete an "expert" Sudoku
68. Make an entire vegan meal than omni's love
69. Suntan topless
70. Learn how to pole dance
71. Squeeze my own fruit juice
72. Make the vegan equivalent of Bailey's Irish Creme
73. Learn how to make my waterbed by myself
    
74. Finish a Jawbreaker
75. Have over $50,000 in the bank
76. Visit Alcatraz Island
77. Find that "special someone"
78. Go on a road trip with my hockey boys
79. Find a good pair of high heels
80. Buy and wear nice clothing