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Mood

[athenaspointofview]

In India, we teach, "the four laws of spirituality".

The first says: "the person who arrives is the right person", that is, no one enters our lives by chance, all the people around us, all those who interact with us, are there for a reason , to teach us and make progress in all situations.

The second law says, " what happened is the only thing that could have happened." nothing, but nothing, absolutely nothing that happened in our life could have been otherwise. Even the lowest detail. There's no " if I'd done what happened otherwise..." no. What happened was the only thing that could have happened, and that's how we learn the lesson and we move forward. Each of the situations that occur in our lives is ideal, even if our mind and ego are reluctant and unwilling to accept it.

The third says, " the moment when it's time is the right time :" everything starts at the right time, not before or later. When we are ready to start something new in our lives, then it will take place.

Fourth and last: " when something ends, it's over. " that's right. If something is finished in our life, it is for our development, so it is better to leave it, move forward and continue to be enriched by experience.

I think it's no coincidence that you read this, if this text came into our lives today it's because we are ready to understand that no snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.....

Unknown

[athenaspointofview]

[athenaspointofview]

[athenaspointofview]

“I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so fuckin' heroic.”

Unknown

[athenaspointofview]

“Let me tell you this: if you meet a loner, no matter what they tell you, it's not because they enjoy solitude. It's because they have tried to blend into the world before, and people continue to disappoint them.”

― Jodi Picoult

[athenaspointofview]

“The bitter truth is, love isn’t written in the stars,

it’s scratched into the earth with a big stick and blistered hands.”

[athenaspointofview]

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

[athenaspointofview]

[athenaspointofview]

The Journey

Above the mountains

the geese turn into

the light again

painting their

black silhouettes

on an open sky.

Sometimes everything

has to be

inscribed across

the heavens

so you can find

the one line

already written

inside you.

Sometimes it takes

a great sky

to find that

small, bright

and indescribable

wedge of freedom

in your own heart.

Sometimes with

the bones of the black

sticks left when the fire

has gone out

someone has written

something new

in the ashes of your life.

You are not leaving

even as the light fades quickly now

you are arriving.

Unknown

[athenaspointofview]

[athenaspointofview]

Farewell Letter

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

For reasons of health, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Colombia’s illustrious Nobel Laureate for literature, has declared his retirement from public life. He has terminal cancer and sends this letter of farewell to friends and lovers of literature.

If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me a little bit more of life, I would use it to the best of my ability.

I wouldn’t, possibly, say everything that is in my mind, but I would be more thoughtful l of all I say.

I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean to express.

I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that for every minute that we close our eyes, we waste 60 seconds of light.

I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep.

If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress in a simple manner, I would place myself in front of the sun, leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy.

To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love.

I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them to learn how to fly by themselves.

To old people I would say that death doesn’t arrive when they grow old, but with forgetfulness.

I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody wants to live on top of the mountain, without knowing that true happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used to reach the top of the hill.

I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little hand, his father’s finger, it has trapped him for the rest of his life.

I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look down at another man, only when that man needs help to get up from the ground.

Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that today is the last time that that I am going to see you asleep, I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord to let me be the guardian angel of your soul.

If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would say “I love you.”

There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity to do things right, but in case I am wrong, and today is all that is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you & that I will never forget you.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn’t wait; do it today, in case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile, a hug, a kiss, and that you were too busy to grant them their last wish.

Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to their faces how much you need them and love them. Love them and treat them well; take your time to tell them “I am sorry,” “forgive me, “please,” “thank you,” and all those loving words you know.

Nobody will know you for your secret thoughts. Ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to express them.

Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you.

Send this letter to those you love. If you don’t do it today…tomorrow will be like yesterday, and if you never do it, it doesn’t matter either, the moment to do it is now.

For you, with much love,

Your Friend,

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

[athenaspointofview]

If you cannot find a way to love the person you are today—if you’re too broken, too angry, or too ashamed to find something wonderful in this moment—see if you can find something gorgeous in the world. Then, acknowledge that to recognize the beauty of a rose, or the grace of a butterfly, or the radiance of the heavenly bodies, it must also exist inside you.

[athenaspointofview]

❤️

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

Audrey Hepburn

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“I feel profoundly changed by this experience. One of the things you learn when something so enormous happens in your life is who is going to stand with you, to fight with you.”

[athenaspointofview]

Internet dating disappointment!

Recently I decided to join a website and to be honest they all seem pretty much the same. So I chose one with a 5 star rating and signed up for a 3 month subscription. I had do the subscription as most of the men’s faces were blurred and in order to access their profile pic, this became a necessity. So in good faith, I put in my credit card details and low and behold, access was granted.

I had hoped to believe that over time with heartache, growth, and some self development that looks were not going to be that important to me, but it seems they are. To be honest, I was quite horrified at the profiles presented, because if that is the best foot they are putting forward, I have my nikes on and am running in the opposite direction. I did have some thoughts that maybe they were taking the mickey out of being on a dating site, but alas as I proceeded to explore their profiles further, it generally got worse. Who puts a sweaty profile pic up? Who shows off the sweep of there beer gut popping out between their shorts and t-shirts? Well, quite a few men clearly believe it’s okay to and seem quite enamored with how sexy they are!

So after a few weeks of looking etc, I finally find someone who seems to be proud of himself. His profile is lovely, charming and mature. We connect and start to chat. Thank goodness he was not a major ditherer when it came to wanting to be my new pen pal and shortly after we started chatting, suggested we meet for a coffee.

Sure, may as well see in reality what he is like. So we make a date for the next day. Feeling positive I sleep with a bit of excitement in my belly.

I arrive on time, he is running late, but is courteous enough to call and apologize. A few minutes later he zooms up in his big silver Merc and parks right in front of the restaurant. He confidently strides up to our table, gives me a hug and a very warm greeting and settles down very comfortably in his seat.

We order our coffee, and the conversation flows easily. A bit of bantering, sharing a bit of history, more his than mine, he flirted a bit, said I had a great chest and found it a bit distracting. I laughed and moved the conversation away. I guess a man has to try! Anyway for the next hour he was delightful, well mannered and respectful.

As the time came for me to leave, the bill was called for and I requested to split it. He would not to hear of it. Impressed. However, when he pulled his wad of R200.00 notes out of his pocket and put his cash on the table, he confidently looked up and asked me for R10.00 for the tip. I was a little surprised, but hey no problem, whipped it out and contributed the tip. I must say I did feel a warning bell go off but the morning had been the most lighthearted fun I had had in a while. He gallantly walked me to my car and we shared a warm farewell, and off I went.

I thanked him via sms for coming to my side of the world to meet me. He responded charmingly and said he hoped he would see me again. I was flattered and intrigued.

The following evening I received an invite to the movies. I said yes, I would enjoy that and a plan was set in motion.

The next evening off I set looking forward to seeing how this evening would pan out. First off, he was late again, and I politely waited. He came flying around the corner to meet me, and there in that moment, I knew this was going to be a long evening. Thank goodness we were going to a movie. Tickets bought, and a drink was on offer prior to the start of the film. Sure, I said and the two of us strolled off to find a spot to have a quick sundowner. My choice of venue was somewhat different to his, (next warning bell) so we landed up in a noisy, beer swigging venue with lots of beer belly filled men. Not really my kind of taste at all, but then again let’s not be too judgmental.

We sipped our beers rather furiously, as we were on the clock, and called for the bill. The staff were not exactly in a hurry to do anything, which did not help his mood. I sensed a bit of a petulance hanging in the air. Finally, the bill arrived and he pulled out his wad of R200.00 notes with a R50.00 and two R20.00’s. The bill total was R103.00. My date, my charming little man looks over at me and says “do you have a R20.00? Don’t want to break up my R200.00 notes. I have to honest I was rather taken aback. Here is a man, asking me out on a date, making it quite clear he is interested in me, and needs my R20.00. Once again I politely oblige but my warning bells are now screaming at me. And I still have to sit through an entire movie next to him.

The movie was brilliant. I, however, am sitting in my seat clutching my bag for dear life with both hands, praying he is not going to get all touchy feely with me in the movie. After all, he did ask if I wanted to sit in the lovers seats with him when getting the tickets. I am just getting to know you, I am thinking. So far, I am regretting being a polite human being, berating myself for being shallow, judgmental, etc. But something does feel off here.

Finally the movie ends and he suggests coffee, but I am tired and feeling uptight. The charm of the initial meeting has dissipated and I just want to go home and sit with my feelings. So I politely explain that I am feeling exhausted and would prefer to head home. Strolling down to our cars in the underground he continues to be charming, polite and makes it quite clear he would really like to see me again, possibly this weekend. I kinda know that we are both headed in two very different directions.

We get to the pay station and I slot my ticket in, the machine requests my fee and I happily insert my cash and voila, I am free to go. My date, looks at me and says “gee all my change is in my car. I suppose I will have to walk all the way to it and get my coins, I really don’t want to break up my R200,00 notes. Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. What is it about these R200.00 notes that he can’t break. He looks at me with pleading eyes and waits........ holding up the queue.

So, obviously, I offer to pay for his parking. He is overjoyed. Says thank you so much, I owe you. I am thinking - fuck no you don’t. Please just let me get out of here.

We walk to my car, he hugs me before I know it, plants a kiss on my cheek and says “goodnight my sweet. I hope to see you soon.” Not likely I think and drive off with a polite thank you for the movie.

My point to sharing this experience is as my title says - What has has happened to men? Gone are the days of chivalry, charm, romance. They want to see you, date you, kiss you, touch you but have no clue on how to woo you. The conversations revolve about themselves, what’s wrong with the variety of woman they have dated, their failed marriages that had nothing to do with them, etc etc. They cling to their so called manhood but have no idea how to be men. I understand the world has changed. I understand bills get split. I have no issue with that, but when you insist on picking up the bill, fucking pick it up. Why do you expect a woman to be enamoured with your small change mentality? If you want a woman, a real woman, who is independent, sexy, strong and capable then you need to put on your superhero outfits and man the fuck up. It is all in the details.

[athenaspointofview]

"Living is easy with your eyes closed. Misunderstanding is all your see!"

Dodinsky