Test Your Awareness

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."

Buddha

A friend passed along an "Awareness Test" - it made me smile and then made me start thinking about awareness and all we miss in our hectic, day to day lives. So here it is, watch closely:

What's Her Secret? 'Aging is not a disease'

102-year-old Campbell woman's secret:

'Aging is not a disease'

By Cathy Weselby
Los Gatos Weekly-Times
Article Launched: 03/27/2008 06:39:17 PM PDT

Campbell resident Alma Gloeckler celebrates her 102 birthday. (George Sakkestad/Campbell Reporter)

A lma Gleockler turned 102 on March 22, and family members gathered on March 16 for an early birthday celebration for the Campbell centenarian.

When asked about the secret to her longevity, Gleockler says she had no idea that she would live so long, but contends that aging is not the same as growing old.

"Aging is not a disease," she says. "When people age but continue to be interested in the world and keep learning, they don't grow old."

Born in 1906 on a farm in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, Gleockler was the eldest daughter of nine children; seven reached adulthood.

Her niece, Susan Fenton Olson, says Gleockler never smoked or drank alcohol.

"She's been an inspiration to us as to what a community means," niece Evelyn Heinrichs says. "When she broke her hip, she had a circle of people who rallied around her."

Maruth Gruver, Gleockler's 85-year-old sister, says she had three mothers, "my mom, Alma and my other sister Myrtle."

"Alma's been a key person in all of our lives," Gruver says.

Although Gleockler never married or had children of her own, children have surrounded her throughout her life. She earned a Ph.D. in children's literature from Columbia University and taught English to elementary, junior high and high school students.

Her family moved to the farming community of Wasco, near Bakersfield, when Gleockler was in her teens. She attended Tabor College in Kansas and went on to earn a master's degree from Mills College and a teaching credential from UCLA.

During World War II, Gleockler taught the children at the Tule Lake Japanese internment camp. She says she noticed that the girls deferred to the boys, and she would work to get the girls to defer to themselves.

"She went against the tide," Heinrichs says.

Gleockler was a teacher in Potsdam, N.Y., for many years until she moved to the Bay Area in the early 1970s to care for her ailing mother.

She taught first grade at the Queen of Apostles elementary school using unconventional methods. Her classrooms had pillows strewn in the corners for children to sit on and read. The nuns did not approve at first, but the parents were singing her praises because their children were learning to read.

"Don't tell your children they can't, because they don't know they can't," Gleockler says.

She believed in self-determination because students would become independent more easily and produce better schoolwork.

"People have studied her teaching method, but no one has been able to explain it," Heinrichs says. "She just had an innate sense of how children learn."

At her 90th birthday, her former first-grade students organized a birthday party in her honor and paid tribute to her 20 years later, many of them saying, "I found out I could read."

Gleockler devoted her spare time to causes that helped feed the hungry and house the homeless and was recognized by Habitat for Humanity for her charitable contributions. She worked tirelessly on the hunger and housing task forces at the Campbell United Methodist Church.

Pastor Linda Pickens-Jones admires Gleockler's lifelong involvement in helping others.

"She's a great spirit," Pickens-Jones says. "She has a passion for children and is a role model for all of us."

http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_8721682

Simple Truths from Mac Anderson: The Gifts of Inspiration

Have you ever visited Simple Truths? They have a Free Inspirational Newsletter you can sign up for and a great list of inspirational movies you can view and share. I found out about the site when I came across the 212 degree video and I've been hooked ever since. I've even had some friends email me new videos as they pop up so I know I'm not the only one "inspired" by the site!

You can visit the site by following the links below. Sign up for the newsletter, check out the videos and share the inspiration!

http://www.simpletruths.com

http://www.simpletruths.com/movies/index.asp

Bob Proctor's Insight of the Day

What an awesome Friday story from Bob Proctor's E-Zine. I love this one and it is SO true. If you want to sign up, go to:

http://www.insightoftheday.com/default.asp?affid=1336

Here is your Friday story,

The Nature of Character

Abraham Lincoln was very concerned with character, but he was also aware of the importance of having a good reputation. He explained the difference this way: "Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."

Put another way, your reputation is what people think of you. Your character is what you actually are.

In a world preoccupied with image, it's easy to worry too much about our reputation and too little about our character. Building a reputation is largely a public-relations project; building character requires us to focus on our values and actions. Noble rhetoric and good intentions aren't enough.

What we're looking for is moral strength based on ethical principles. Character is revealed by actions, not words, especially when there's a gap between what we want to do and what we should do and when doing the right thing costs more than we want to pay.

Our character is revealed by how we deal with pressures and temptations. But it's also disclosed by everyday actions, including what we say and do when we think no one is looking and we won't get caught.

The way we treat people we think can't help or hurt us (like housekeepers, waiters, and secretaries), tells more about our character than how we treat people we think are important. People who are honest, kind, and fair only when there's something to gain shouldn't be confused with people of real character who demonstrate these qualities habitually, under all circumstances.

Character is not a fancy coat we put on for show. It's who we really are.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org

Quote of the Week

I received this quote in Dan Miller's E-Zine (*To view this newsletter in full html, please go to http://48days.c.topica.com/maakwbwabFJ6nbLAZDGeafpQsz/ ).

Had to share! Enjoy!!

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends, and spirit - and you're keeping all these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life."

Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises from 1959-1994

What I'm Reading Today!

Hey everyone!! Happy Friday!! Thought I'd share what I'm ready today. I've picked up two of Brian Tracy's books and they are FABULOUS! What are they?


Brian is a great writer and speaker. Below is an article from his Blog. Visit his site and take advantage of some great advice from one of the masters!!

http://www.briantracy.com/

Be An Optimist at All Times

Everyone wants to be physically healthy. You want to be mentally healthy as well.

Everyone wants to be physically healthy. You want to be mentally healthy as well. The true measure of "mental fitness" is how optimistic you are about yourself and your life. In this newsletter, you learn how to control your thinking in very specific ways so that you feel terrific about yourself and your situation, no matter what happens. Control Your Reactions and Responses There are three basic differences in the reactions of optimists and pessimists. The first difference is that the optimist sees a setback as temporary, while the pessimist sees it as permanent. The optimist sees an unfortunate event, such as an order that falls through or a sales call that fails, as a temporary event, something that is limited in time and that has no real impact on the future. The pessimist, on the other hand, sees negative events as permanent, as part of life and destiny. Isolate the Incident The second difference between the optimist and the pessimist is that the optimist sees difficulties as specific, while the pessimist sees them as pervasive. This means that when things go wrong for the optimist, he looks at the event as an isolated incident largely disconnected from other things that are going on in his life. See Setbacks as Temporary Events For example, if something you were counting on failed to materialize and you interpreted it to yourself as being an unfortunate event, but something that happens in the course of life and business, you would be reacting like an optimist. The pessimist, on the other hand, sees disappointments as being pervasive. That is, to him they are indications of a problem or shortcoming that pervades every area of life. Don't Take Failure Personally The third difference between optimists and pessimists is that optimists see events as external, while pessimists interpret events as personal. When things go wrong, the optimist will tend to see the setback as resulting from external factors over which one has little control. If the optimist is cut off in traffic, for example, instead of getting angry or upset, he will simply downgrade the importance of the event by saying something like, "Oh, well, I guess that person is just having a bad day." The pessimist on the other hand, has a tendency to take everything personally. If the pessimist is cut off in traffic, he will react as though the other driver has deliberately acted to upset and frustrate him. Remain Calm and Objective The hallmark of the fully mature, fully functioning, self-actualizing personality is the ability to be objective and unemotional when caught up in the inevitable storms of daily life. The superior person has the ability to continue talking to himself in a positive and optimistic way, keeping his mind calm, clear and completely under control. The mature personality is more relaxed and aware and capable of interpreting events more realistically and less emotionally than is the immature personality. As a result, the mature person exerts a far greater sense of control and influence over his environment, and is far less likely to be angry, upset, or distracted. Take the Long View Look upon the inevitable setbacks that you face as being temporary, specific and external. View the negative situation as a single event that is not connected to other potential events and that is caused largely by external factors over which you can have little control. Simply refuse to see the event as being in any way permanent, pervasive or indicative of personal incompetence of inability. Resolve to think like an optimist, no matter what happens. You may not be able to control events but you can control the way you react to them. Action Exercises Now, here are three actions you can take immediately to put these ideas into action. First, remind yourself continually that setbacks are only temporary, they will soon be past and nothing is as serious as you think it is. Second, look upon each problem as a specific event, not connected to other events and not indicative of a pattern of any kind. Deal with it and get on with your life. Third, recognize that when things go wrong, they are usually caused by a variety of external events. Say to yourself, "What can't be cured must be endured," and then get back to thinking about your goals.

I've started listening to "The Secret" again. It's a wonderful tool to have in your toolbox and it's helping me get back on track. It's so easy to get side tracked and caught up in the cares of the world and life's little "dramas" ... If you haven't read the book, listened to the CD or watched the movie, check out the link below:

http://www.thesecret.tv/index.html



Living The Secret

T he Secret teaches us that we create our lives, with every thought every minute of every day.

Living The Secret offers tools and ideas to help you live The Secret every day. Find inspiration by reading stories from people like you who have embraced Secret principles. Sign up for The Secret Scrolls, Secret daily messages, connect with others in The Secret Forum.

* Secret Story Sharing
* Featured Stories
* The Secret Scrolls
* Secret Daily Messages
* Free Screenings
* The Secret Forum
* Summary of Secret Teachings


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The Secret reveals the most powerful law in the universe. The knowledge of this law has run like a golden thread through the lives and the teachings of all the prophets, seers, sages and saviors in the world's history, and through the lives of all truly great men and women. All that they have ever accomplished or attained has been done in full accordance with this most powerful law.

Without exception, every human being has the ability to transform any weakness or suffering into strength, power, perfect peace, health, and abundance.

Rhonda Byrne's discovery of The Secret began with a glimpse of the truth through a 100 year old book. She went back through centuries, tracing and uncovering a common truth that lay at the core of the most powerful philosophies, teachings and religions in the world.

What Rhonda discovered is now captured in The Secret, a film that has been viewed by millions around the world. The Secret has also been released as an audio-book and printed book with more than six million copies in print.

The Secret explains with simplicity the law that is governing all lives, and offers the knowledge of how to create - intentionally and effortlessly - a joyful life. This is the secret to everything - the secret to unlimited happiness, love, health and prosperity.

This is the secret to life.

What I'm Reading?

Hey everyone! Thought I'd add a new "regular" feature to my Blog. It's a chance to share "what I'm reading" with everyone and I hope everyone will feel free to share back! Send me any reading suggestions or comments to help me "feed my mind"!! I have to admit that bookstores make me happy. If I'm having a bad day, I can count on the local Books-A-Million, Barns & Noble or Borders, to put a smile back on my face. As a matter of fact, last night I discovered a BRAND NEW, HUGE B&N opening in a new shopping center close by .... heaven :)

So what am I currently reading?

On the night stand - bedside reading:

Going Places: How America's Best and Brightest Got Started Down the Road of Life

Editorial Reviews
Book Description
What one piece of advice has made all the difference in your life?

That was the question longtime journalist and Fox & Friends cohost E.D. Hill asked of scores of the most famous and successful figures in America -- from President George W. Bush to supermodel Carol Alt. The result is Going Places, a collection of moving and instructive profiles that reveal exactly what inspires and drives our nation's best and brightest to survive and thrive.

In the pages of Going Places, you'll discover how Donald Trump approaches the competition, what makes NFL star Tiki Barber a smart player on and off the field, and what life lesson television star Doris Roberts learned on a trip to Napa Valley. You'll follow country music star Trace Adkins's journey from working on a rig in the oil fields of Texas to signing a deal with Capitol Records in Nashville, and Donna de Varona's path to becoming the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic swim team at age thirteen. Sometimes heart wrenching, sometimes humorous, and always captivating, these portraits are sure to inform, entertain, and, most important, inspire.

-Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, on searching for her soul in Tibet -Champion bull rider Justin McBride on what it means to get a good night's sleep -Senate Majority Leader Dr. William Frist on medicine as a currency of peace -Dolly Parton on her father's horse-sense advice -Dean Cain on rejection, perseverance, and lessons he learned from his son

Sharing these stories in these figures' own voices, Going Places reflects a vast and diverse America in which anything is possible. "It is my hope that you'll have this book by your bedside table and turn to it, alone or with your children, to find inspiration from wonderful people." After all, as these real-life stories illustrate, great advice can come from anyone, at any time.