Category: Thought of the day

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Learn to love and accept ourselves as we are


006 The many yeas or tears and fears take a toll on this aging body. The mind becomes hardened and slow to respond from age and its lack of use. The soul calls out for happiness, peace and solitude as the mind seeks a rational solution. Music becomes a refuge for the soul and the soother of the chaotic mind. Fear of death rears its head occasionally to remind me of my mortality. Yet I fight on and press forward into the uncertain future. Exploring outwardly as much as inwardly to find the truths as well as the balance in my life. Finding answers one day only to lose them the next. Seems it’s a vicious cycle of my spiritual path and my timeline.

Still fighting the little child within me that craves to be loved and accepted while I try to establish the blueprint of whom I desire to be. Time is no longer a friend like it used to be in my days of youth. Between the aging of the body and the knowledge of my own mortality I find myself struggling to make it through each day. The distractions of everyday life become stumbling blocks on my spiritual path. Too many light shows, bells and whistles going off to keep focus most of the time. Though I manage to block them out for the most part. The struggle to find a balance between my religion and my spirituality is not an easy task.

It is so hard to have compassion for everyone when you are surrounded by so many who care not for themselves nor for others. So much fear, anger, greed and such a lack of love in this world. Sometimes I believe people are just terrified by the thought of loving and accepting each other. I guess it must be the fear of being hurt and the experiences they had with those they loved before. If there are no risks involved then there is no real benefit in the action of loving. First off we must learn to accept and love who we are, for each one of us are unique and special beings. We must learn to love and accept ourselves as we are before we can love each other. Through self-examination and self forgiveness we learn to forgive the shortcomings and sins of others.

As my days grow shorter I realize that though we are all individual we are also a part of a complex whole. I see all of us as small pieces of a magnificent collective of thoughts, feelings and ideals. Independently operating, yet somehow collectively manifesting the reality we live in and forming the future yet to come. This gives each of us the ability to enact change on a mass scale by creating a chain reaction. The right words, thoughts or actions can create a chain reaction that could change the world and reality we currently live in. A single voice in the dark can grow to become many voices and eventually change the course of not only mankind but the reality in which we live.

 

Well enough of my babbling for now.
May wisdom be your light and Love be the fuel on your life journey
Raymond Barbier

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We can not allow fear to be what leads us into the future.


003  Fear controls this world, fear of recession, fear of war, fear of famine, fear of Armageddon and fear of the unknown. Too much fear is pushed via the news and by even the politicians. We can not allow fear to be what leads us into the future or let it be what rules us in the present. For fear clouds our ability to make decisions and keeps us from fulfilling our potential both as individuals and a species. As a Politician once said there is nothing to fear but fear itself and I believe fear is a tool that many people in power use to try to control the populace. We must face the fear and put it in its place before it devours us and creates a world that is chaotic.

Fear has started many of wars, it has created mass hysteria such as the War of The Worlds episode done by Orson Wells. Fear is even a greater enemy to mankind than anger and or greed. Fear can destroy just one person as well as a whole society of it goes unchecked. The shame is most fear is created by either misinformation or the lack of understanding. Even though our modern society has become desensitized to many things both good and bad we still seem so ready to embrace fear. Though fear has its place it is seems to be running wildly through the world. Look how easy the stock market is effected by negative outlooks and reports.

This is not the time for fear but the time for hope and for coming up with solutions. We just need to learn to either control our fear or to put it behind us for the good of mankind. Fear is the enemy of progress and the stumbling block of humanity.

 

Well that’s my 2 cents worth.
Though I could be either wrong or right, I have no fear in expressing my thoughts.

Raymond Barbier

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You are the only one who can change it.


007Sometimes life can throw you a curve ball or serve you lemons. Usually it came from something you’ve done in your past, the fact all actions have equal and if not opposite reactions plays a part in life as well as in physics. Though there are external forces that play a part in it but usually they just nudge your life’s direction more than control it. its your reactions to situations and the initial actions you have chosen that shapes your life’s course. You are the captain of your destiny as well as the master of your own fate. Unless an act of god or force of nature intervenes you will wind up exactly were you have led yourself through your choices along the path of life. The good news is that it isn’t  too late to change course, you just have to make the right choices and put action behind your good intentions to see a change in both the course of your life and your current fate / destiny.

even the smallest of changes in your daily routine can influence the final outcome of your current life;s path. The hardest part isn’t making the choice but to actually make the changes in your self and in your life routine to change the direction you currently are heading. Simply said but not simply executed, the choice to change is always a hard to accomplish but well worth the effort kind of thing to do. No other person can make your life what you want it to be, you are the only one who can make the choices and changes necessary to make your life better.

“If your life is not all you want it to be, just remember you are the only one who can change it”. ~ Raymond Barbier

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You don’t have to agree with each other


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living life with a self-imposed moral code within our thoughts and  actions. To live by what you perceive as right and wrong along with finding compassion for both yourself and others. Principles taught  by philosophers, religions and visionaries through out mankind’s existence. Why does it seem such great ideals seem to be lost or ignored by those who are either in power or that have the greatest capacity to change the world we live in? Why is it such things as honor and compassion seem to be things of occasional use than the daily practice of all human beings? Why does it seem that religion has started more wars than it has saved lives or helped the needy? Most religion teaches us to have compassion and to help out our fellow humans as well as to do what is right and what to avoid as far as the wrong. but yet too many wars have been fought over Holy landmarks and over which is the one true religion. So sad that mankind can take the scripture of any religion and find in it a reason to kill other humans. Anger, greed and intolerance are not what most religions teach yet this is what some of the followers seem to think it is about. All of mankind are brothers and sisters and we all live on the same small planet called earth. I can not see why we can not just get along and work together for a better world instead of fighting over religion, natural resources and for the sake of national pride.

Personally I could care less what religion another human being choses for that is their god given right to do so. Nor do I worry over Holy landmarks or icons for the whole world is a creation of god so therefore all of it is Holy in its creation and existence. I do understand though why others may find significance in holy places and that in itself isn’t a problem. It is when certain holy landmarks are claimed by multiple religions it tends to cause problems. I never could see why that each religion couldn’t just share the holy places. Respect each other and the beliefs that they choose and in turn they should respect you and yours the same. But this is not an ideal world and religious leaders are not perfect in any means so they will always will have their problems till the end of time. Though that isn’t necessarily the only choice they have but it is the only one they seem to want to choose.

The good news is that as individuals we have not only the right but the ability to choose a more peaceful and more tolerant way of coexisting with others in this world. We don’t have to fall to anger,greed, intolerance or prejudice. We can choose to love one another regardless of flaws, faults or our differences. The choice is ours and no one can make the choice for us. No government, religious leader or military force can change the minds of others. They can only force you to hide your true beliefs as well as pretend to believe as they do. For war and conflict they are not the right way to change the world, it is done through compassionate actions and through wisdom being taught. Though change sometimes takes a long time to come it always will but usually through the minds and hearts of the people more so than through the sword.

To be clear there are times the sword may be the only choice but it should always be the last choice in a do or die situation. All other avenues should be exhausted before such a terrible thing as war or conflict should be considered. I myself would never seek out any type of negative action such as war or to kill another human being, I find taking the lives of others into my hands as such is to play as if I am god and that is definitely not an option for me. I am a mere human being and I try to do what I see as good for both myself and all other living creatures on this planet. Having my own faults I don’t always succeed in making the right choices but I put my best effort in trying to avoid hurting others when I make choices. Sometimes it is unavoidable and I usually suffer from a conscience that will not allow me to forget.

Live by the moral code of your choosing and avoid causing suffering of any kind while you walk the path of life. If you must be judgmental try to judge kindly for you are judged by the way you judge others. Learn to forgive both yourself and others for the shortcomings we all seem to bear. Treat others with kindness for it is the right thing to do and it also may be returned to you when you are in need. Be slow to anger and quick to cool down, for anger is the path to destruction. And always remember you don’t have to agree with each other, you just have to respect each others right to believe as they wish.

Well that’s enough of this fools thoughts for today.
Peace and wisdom guide your hearts.
Raymond Barbier

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The physical life as a classroom for the soul


Rembrandt's Philosopher in Meditation (detail). I always had the question of why am I here and what is the purpose of my life? Many years I pondered on that question, sought out the question through self-examination and discovery. Always coming up short and lacking the definite answer. Now in my mid 40’s I think it finally hit me, I am here to be the best me I can be, to live my life to the fullest for both myself and god. The meaning of life is life itself, the purpose of life is to be the best person you can be.

For I see the physical life as a classroom for the soul, a place for us to learn to be compassionate and to learn to overcome the great obstacle of the Ego. The ego is the part of oneself that is selfish and seeks out its own gratification. It is the presence of the flesh and thus it wishes to satisfy the flesh’s lusts and desires. The true self is the living spirit god gave us, it’s the part that feels compassion, love and is always  selfless in its actions and in its intentions. It longs for peace, happiness and for harmony in life. Life is the battlefield between these two parts of our consciousness and the purpose of life is to learn from the battle and from the mistakes and or correct choices we make.

 

Well enough about that, Blessings to you all

Raymond Barbier

” I am more than the sum of all my experiences” ~ Raymond Barbier

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Letting Go , Letting God and The Magnitude of God’s Love


Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...
Image via Wikipedia

I have noticed that letting go is one of the hardest actions to perform, be it letting go of your mistakes in the past or the mistakes of others. I find it so much easier to forgive others than to forgive myself for the mistakes and poor choices made in the past. Seems I am harder on my own self than on those I know and care for. Don’t get me wrong I can be a butt head sometimes to others but in general I have the live and let live attitude. Even when I am able to forgive myself for the wrongs I had committed it still takes a long time for me to forget and let it go.

Though I know my mother wasn’t the first to coin the phrase let go and let God but she is the first one that told me that. Letting God take it all is easy only if I can let it all go, I know in God’s hands I am safe but still I find letting it go hard. Slowly but surely I am learning to turn over my fears, desires, doubts and the mistakes of my past to the will and love of God. As I do the past becomes just that and it is no longer having the influence it used to over my present. The grace of God is what helps me let go of the things I can’t seem to let go of and his love and mercy helps me get through this harsh world we all live in.

We all sin, we all fall short of the glory of God, But through his son Jesus we are granted  a pardon for our sins and through such grace we are shown the magnitude of God’s love. Jesus tried to teach us to love one another, to share each others burdens and to avoid being judgmental. Compassion not only towards family and friends but even those we see as enemies. He tried to show us a more enlightened path as well as a more humane way of existence. He loved us and believed in our potential enough to die and save us from the sinful nature within us all. He set an example for us to follow both in his teachings and in how he lived his life.

May God bless you all and the Light of truth guide you on your life’s journey
Raymond Barbier 

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Has left most of us without the knowledge and/or tools to survive


Great Depression: man dressed in worn coat lyi...

I was just sitting here thinking about how my grandparents lived without running water, electricity and lived off the food they grew / raised. My grandmother was born in 1902 and she lived through 2 world wars along with Korea, Vietnam, the first gulf war and many other little wars / conflicts our nation had been involved with. She told me of how her dad would be gone for months doing odd jobs and how her and the rest of the family would live on the vegetables from the garden and on what eggs and game they could raise or trap. I really wonder how many of us could survive now days if we had to live off the land and have to garden, forage and hunt or trap our food. To live without central heating / air conditioning or running water. Mend or make our clothes out of what material we can find, cook on campfire since most of us do not have a wood burning stove like my grandma did. Live without light since most of us don’t have enough candles or even a kerosene / oil lamp nor oil to burn in them.

For the most part our grandparents or great grandparents were quite self-sufficient and lived a sustainable lifestyle. They knew the correct way to prioritize and how to manage their resources what little they had anyway. To be honest we can learn a lot from our grandparents and those who lived in the 19th to early 20th century. If my grandmother was alive today and a catastrophe struck she would be the one id run to. she would know exactly how to survive on the bare necessities and would know all the old remedies etc. Modern technology and conveniences has left most of us without the knowledge and/or tools to survive a long-lasting disaster. Good thing is that it’s still not too late to educate ourselves and prepare a little for the uncertain future.

 

Well enough babbling for now
Peace and Love to all
Raymond Barbier

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Congress Needs to Get a Grip


united states currency seal - IMG_7366_web

Once again the congress is in the process of taking away more benefits from our seniors. They always seem to aim at the seniors when it comes to budget cuts. Medicaid and Medicare are an important part o a seniors ability to financially survive. The fat health insurance is still unaffordable for the average Joe and the retired middle class it makes no sense to cut the Medicaid and Medicare programs. There are so many programs the congress can cut besides the programs that we have paid for through the F.I.C.A / Social Security taxes. To be honest I would rather pay a little bit more out of my paycheck to keep Medicare, Medicaid and social security off the cutting block in congress.

We may have to impose a national sales tax that only applies to luxury items similar to the V.A.T. of Europe to help deal with the national debt. The congress really needs to put aside their political parties agendas and get down to business. A big part of our economical problem is that the United States has became too much of a consumer economy. We consume far ore than we produce, most of the product bought in the U.S. is from foreign countries. We need to make it more profitable for companies to produce in the U.S. and American products more affordable to consumers.

The bottom line is that the congress is going to have to come up with a balanced solution to our national debt and economical situation. they will have to find a good balance of budget cuts and tax increases to accomplish the task at hand. But as long as they stick to political party agendas and are unwilling to compromise the chances of a true economical recovery is very unlikely.

God Bless and may truth light your path.

Raymond Barbier.

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The Voice that calls out


009I hear a voice, a voice calling out from the concrete wilderness. A voice warning us of our possible demise, warning that if we don’t wake up we may not have a chance to do so later.  A solitary voice trying to get the message through that we are heading down the wrong path. That the path we follow will most certainly lead us to a very hostile future. A future in which our home mother earth will not be able to support life or the needs of the human race.

I hear the voice calling out to us as I watch us all sleep through the beginning of a future nightmare. It cries out about how the few are leading the many into a dark and dismal future. How greed and lust for power has corrupted the ideals of the people of earth, So few people seem to have so much control over what is and will be. We seem to let those few choose the destiny for all of us without any care or protest. The few that rule and run this world rape the land for wealth and allow children to starve as well as the old to live in poverty. They worry over their own positions and their own agendas but not about the welfare of those they rule over. The very few among them that do care either are ignored or eventually give in to the corruption.

The Voice that calls out from the concrete wilderness call to all of us, those few that rule to change their ways and to the rest of us that seem to be sleeping while our world becomes more violent and unbalanced before us. Hopefully the few will find wisdom and we all wake up to see the truth that is before us. Human beings as a species can achieve some amazing things when we join together as a whole. And I believe it will take a world-wide effort to make the changes needed to save our wonderful blue planet called earth.

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Be true to who and what you are.


023  Be true to yourself, do not hold back the real you within. The person you are that you hide from the world in fear of not being accepted or being the odd man out. If you put on a mask in order to fit in or to be liked then all you’re doing is living a lie. Appearing to be what you’re not is the most ineffective means of being happy. Withholding your true feelings out of fear or not expressing your true opinion is but a quick way to both low self-esteem and unhappiness.

There will always be those that don’t like you no matter what you say or do. I ask, does it matter if they like you or not if they wont like you for who you really are? The people who like the real you are the only true friends you have. those who seem to like you because you put on a mask or because you pretend to agree are not friends at all. Plus it is nothing but a disservice to them if you are not being the real you and so is falsely agreeing with them .

There is no pride in being the social actor and yes man/woman. Be proud of who and what you are, for you are a unique and special individual. You have purpose and you are an important part of this world we live in. Every one of us are unique and we are all special in the fact we are part of the great experience called life. Worry not so much about the opinion of others for the only opinions about you that matter is your own.

Focus on your good points and learn to overcome the shortcomings you can and accept those you can’t. Forgive yourself for the mistakes you make and avoid repeating the same ones over again. Learn to love yourself as well as others, For we all are human and we all make mistakes.

Be true to who and what you are.
Raymond Barbier

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