Another day to be thankful and another day to live


HPIM0252Another day I have been blessed with, another day to be thankful and another day to live. Let those whom have done me wrong know they have forgiveness and let those I have  done wrong find it in their hearts to forgive me of my transgressions. Let my enemies and friends alike find peace and happiness in this world and in their life. May everyone know God’s love as well as the love he gave us to share with one another. Let no one stand in the way of another right to believe or not believe for that is the gift of freewill we have been given. Let us not hate or distrust one another because of our differences. Instead let us see the differences between us as a strength for we can find wisdom in all faiths and beliefs.

Let love, compassion and our ability to be understanding be as our guides in life. Let faith and love overcome our distrust and fear.

Ray Barbier

Be a dreamer, free thinker and free spirit


011living in large  communities and in this so-called modern civilization we are subjected to constant ridicule and supposed social enormities we must follow and conform to in order to be happy or successful. They want us to believe we must conform and obey the social rules of normalcy in order to be happy and a part of the society we live in. Seems to be a dreamer, free-thinker and an individual within this modern world is unwanted and/or looked down upon.

Comply, conform and be like the rest of the people or be looked upon as a fool and or a madman. Be like the rest of us or be an outcast and be the target of ridicule. I say hogwash, hooey and the heck with what is supposed to be the norm and the fences they erected to contain our thoughts and potential as a human being. I am going to be me even if that means being an outcast or that I wont belong to what they call the norm. It was freethinkers and dreamers that have changed the course of this human race a many of times. Some brought peace and others have brought us to a better understanding of the world around us. Several great freethinkers and dreamers even helped create this great nation I live in, the United States.

So one can either follow and be a part of the normal and constrained majority of the modern world or one can be a dreamer, freethinker and free spirit who helps change the world if not just be the alarm clock for those who lay in a sleepless state or normalcy. Be yourself, be true to yourself and do not allow the modern world to hold back the  creative and unique spirit within you.

So what, I am not part of the norm, nor am I a popular person or successful by the measure that the modern world and society has created. I am myself and I am happy being whom I truly am within.

Peace,Freedom of thought and love to all.

Raymond Barbier

We are all different and unique.


pic042learning to accept yourself for the imperfect and unique individual you are is not as difficult as one thinks. Sooner you accept you inability to be perfect and how you are the only person like yourself in all existence, the quicker you see the folly in trying to fit the image of the person you think you must be in order to fit in and be successful. To fit in and to be successful one must be who they truly are or what you may find is a road full of stress and unhappiness ahead of you.

God may have created all of us with equal potential , but he also created us to be individual and unique. Not one person is the same, we are all different and unique. We have similar needs and maybe even wants but we all have different views on life and what makes us happy isn’t always the same. We are not carbon copy drones, we are free thinking individuals with unique personalities. If we completely surrender ourselves to the group mentality we tend to become blind to the fact we are led by equally blind individuals. If we chose not to follow blindly then we become free spirits that can change the course of humanity if not  humanity’s  destiny and/or fate.  There will always be followers and leaders in the world, the thing is that neither have to do so blindly.

Open your eyes and no longer walk blindly through life, be the unique and creative spirit God has made you to be.

Ray Barbier

Realizing the fact we may be alone


EarthEveryday is a new beginning, Every moment is precious in its own way. Every living thing is a miracle as well as precious. Life is not some common thing as we all assume, many planets have the right conditions and still are void of life if not at least complex life. The unlikeliness of a planet being in that sweet spot of perfect sun light and oxygen rich atmosphere along with water is rare. And Sentient life in its self seems at this time to be only indigenous to our planet called earth. This is not to say that there isn’t other inhabited worlds or not , only pointing out what is known to be true at the moment. Of course the odds of other life forms being out there in the universe is a high probability but the chances of that life being sentient and/or intelligent is questionable at least.

Realizing the fact we may be alone in the universe or at least that earth is one of the few miracle planets with complex life forms and sentient beings such as humans as its inhabitants we should cherish life.  We should put aside our petty differences and our different paths of religion and spiritual beliefs along with political views in order to build a better world and global society. We should care for one another and be the caretakers of this precious planet that we live on.

Compassion, Love, Forgiveness and understanding are keys to a better world and a better future for our children. Responsibility and Diplomacy are the keys to better governing and a path to peace if it’s tempered with compassion and forgiveness.

Greed is the seed of most wrong doing in our world.

Ray Barbier

Thoughts on Love and Forgiveness


Rembrandt – “The Return of the Prodigal Son

Love, one of the greatest gifts and blessings God gave us. The love we have for family and friends and the love they have for us as well . The love for our fellow humans and the love we share with all those we interact with. So much we long for and desire, but Love is the grandest prize we can obtain and definitely the greatest gift we can give and/or share.

We were created in Love, we were saved by Gods love and we will in the end bask in his love. We should live this short life full of love and sharing it everywhere we travel. Forgiveness and Love are the two things we have the power to manifest and to spread wherever we go. We should love one another for it is commanded that we do so and it seems to be the most joyful thing we have to do in our lives. To forgive lifts the burden from both the one who forgives and the one that is forgiven.  Love  fills us with light and happiness.

Ray Barbier

It’s about being happy and secure in where you are in life


David thanking God after the death of Goliath-...

Giving thanks, Something we should do on a daily basis. We should be thankful for what we have been given and blessed with to have. In my past I have found myself thanking God then turning around and complaining about what I have been given. Seems petty and to me it seems as if I wasn’t truly thankful. Well of course those days are gone, I now truly am thankful for what I have and don’t think what I have is less than I need or deserve. That side of me back then was petty, selfish and unaware of how much I actually was blessed with. I think I just didn’t understand how to be thankful and didn’t know how much I really had to be thankful for back then. It’s okay to aspire to have better but you must be happy with what you have. Prosperity isn’t all about having the best or most of anything, it’s about being happy and secure in where you are in life and with the things you have been blessed with.

For happiness is found in the acceptance of the blessings you have already not in the gifts yet to be received.

Ray Barbier

One exception to that is


014To live with the hand your dealt sometimes is not the only option, though certain things can be changed others can not. To be able to accept those things that are out of our hands and change those that are to the better is the path of one who truly lives. It is your life, do not let anyone else live it, run it  and be weary of advice of strangers. God gave you freewill and the ability to reason and make choices for yourself. Do not let others control your emotions either, many manipulate others through feelings, if you learn to master your own emotions then you will be free to live as you feel and see fit. But be aware that every action, word and thought you have comes with a price.

Remember we are all brothers and sisters in this wondrous thing we call life. We should take care of one another and have compassion for not only others but for our own selves.  For as the hand we are dealt in life, we are responsible for the majority of it. The past choices we had made is what lead us to be who we are and to where we stand on the path of life. One exception to that is when divine intervention is present in one’s life, I believe it is present in most of our lives in one way or another. I believe God intervenes when necessary to keep his children on the right path and/or safe.

Even though we all have different beliefs when it comes to religion , we all can agree on the fact we all want our children to be happy and safe. No one wants war, poverty, starvation or even to be surrounded by or full of fear and hate. Most of us even want the children of others to be happy and safe from harm because we know they are the future. We must focus on the good of all humanity, the safety, well-being and happiness of the children in the world. We need to stop being so grounded in the ideal that today is all that matters. We also need to let go of the past, for the past stands in the way of us moving forward to a better tomorrow.

We can change both our personal paths in life and the global path of life as well. We as individuals are a part of the whole, Together we can make a better world for our children and their children’s children as well. We only limit ourselves by holding on to grudges and by being immovable in our position be it political, religious or  philosophically. diplomacy, Compromising and compassion as well as understanding are the keys to a better future.

What you plan on is not what you always get, but it becomes what you need to have or experience in the end.

Ray Barbier

Open my eyes so I may see


006bOpen my eyes so I may see, help me to see beyond the selfishness within my heart and mind. Help me to see once again the beauty in life and in this world I live in. So much anger and hate all around me, so much mistreatment of or brothers and sisters for reasons that are petty and meaningless. So much good in each of us that is laid to waste by our selfishness and pride, so many leaders leading us in the wrong direction and we follow them as if we are blind.

What makes one person better, superior or more deserving of a happy life than another? Nothing, we all deserve happiness and none of us are more or less than another. We al make mistakes, we all stumble in the dark at times and we all definitely make wrong choices in our lives. We are all sinners and we all are prone to be selfish by nature.

Open all of our eyes to see the beauty in the world and the beauty that is buried deep within us all. Let us see beyond our own desires and needs so we can see the needs of others. We are all in this world and life together, we all have feelings, needs and wants. We all have the power to make change happen in this world and each one of us are a part of the larger picture.

Feeling free to be who you truly are.


010Sometimes Happiness is nothing more than feeling free to be who you truly are. Being free of worry and fear of judgment by others. Being myself with no regards to what others may think allows me to enjoy my day. Seems also when I allow my true self to appear I don’t seem as critical or cynical  of myself or others. Such a weight lifted on the days I let my true self come out to play.

This world and modern society puts way too much restriction on how we must behave and be to belong or fit in. This puts such a burden on the backs of those whom are not the norm and even on those that conform.

Be yourself and not that what others expect or want you to be. To pretend to be whom you are not for the sake of conformity is but a dark and dreary way to exist.  The Love and happiness within you multiplies exponentially when you live as the person who you truly are.

Be true to yourself and cherish  each moment of every day.
Ray Barbier

Thoughts and ponderings on 10/28/2013


"I Got Mine"

Selfishness, Something we all suffer with and are affected by in one way or another. Being selfish is second nature to human beings, our self-awareness makes it so easy to focus on ourselves and less on those around us. We have to have some actions and thoughts focused solely on ourselves to survive and live  within this world, it  is the lack of selflessness  and love for others that is the main problem. The less we focus on the wellbeing of others the more self-centered and selfish we become. No matter how much we lie to ourselves and believe this world was made just for us alone and that things should be as we alone see as right, the fact that the world is and life is a shared experience can not be denied.

Simply put, we are all in this together and the more we see this truth and work together to have a peaceful existence the better off we all are. Regardless of our differences in culture,beliefs and personal opinions we all are basically the same. We all need food, shelter and decent standard of living to be happy and healthy. Unfortunately the balance of wealth and standards of living are out of whack, so few have far more than they need and so many are left wanting at the roadside of life.  Forcing the wealthy to give up what they have for the sake of others is not the answer, forcing something only causes resentment and leaves them seeking ways around doing so. The best method is trying to change their heart and mindset, help them see the benefits of being charitable and in being compassionate to their fellow humans. Either way you go more than likely the divide between the  haves and have not’s will remain quite large.

We should focus on helping one another and not on who has more to give and who don’t. If enough of us work together to make a change in the balance of wealth and living standards we can make a difference if not start to tip the scales towards a more equal distribution. Even in countries where the governments tend to stand in the way of an equal and balanced standard of living there is hope if the citizens work together. The bottom line is, To change the world we must first change the hearts and mindsets of those in power and those who have the resources. Without that, we still can achieve change but it will be a long and painful road to travel.

War is not an answer to any situation, Diplomacy only works if it is sincere and both sides are willing to sacrifice for the good of the many. Peace is not the result of war but the lack of war.

Raymond Barbier