Friday, 26 February 2016

The Oscars 2016; Making my Mark…

Award nights are big nights and I personally look forward to the big stars flaunting the red carpet with their glamorous expensive dresses. And of course once am awed with one of the gowns, it helps when the reporters ask them who they are wearing, not that I am about to jump wagon and go splashing on some designer rob that could feed my ‘village’, but it doesn’t hurt to know.

The next big night this year is the Oscar’s and despite the race controversy I will be hooked on. I have just been reading about how instead of asking the celebrities who they are wearing, they will be asked about their purpose. What drives them to get up every day? Who inspires them to make a difference in someone's life? How are they working to change the world for the better? Uh that will make a night for good television because much as some of them are really good at what they do I don’t know if they know what their purpose here on earth is, speaking of which how would I fare answering the same.

My purpose? Well, I would say to make a difference but then again that sounds so cliché like the beauty pageants standard answer “World Peace”
This takes me back to when I was first asked a question to this regard; as a kid my mum and other grown-ups always asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up” I can’t remember what my earliest answer would have been but most probably any of the following would have done- a teacher, doctor, lawyer …your typical white collar jobs.

With time, once I learnt more about the various careers my answer was always fixated to being a journalist and at that age being a free bird exploring the world, I guess my purpose was to be a happy, confident girl. And happy and confident I was, very well rounded and achieving on the academic front; the empowered girl child in a 3rd world country but even that felt  innocuous and deep down I knew there must be more to my being here.

My inner resume has always asked me if what I have on paper is enough. What is my impact on the world besides waking up and doing what the world views as success?  Just how do I flip the script?

Granted I don’t have that much a following as the stars but even then what and who inspires me. Does my being here matter? How am I making a difference? If I was gone tomorrow what would my obituary read, would I be worth remembering 2, 5 years down the road. One fact is I am important and I am here for a purpose. I have cast my net deep and wide to find out for what exactly I am here for and I can sum it up in one word Love.

My greatest weakness is love; love for my family, for people I do life with, for the world, for humanity-my sole purpose is love. I’m inspired by love and try to make a difference using love. It is not for nothing that the great book says in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “Three things will last forever –faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.” I busk and glow in the glory of love and am happy to say I love and I am loved.

I don’t let life simply unfold but try to influence it whenever I have control of the flow. Some days I really feel good about being here, I smile to myself and whenever I can whisper a thank you to the Omnipotent one; other times Life simply happens, setbacks and major shifts in a direction I didn’t see coming but then again as long as am here, I try to channel my energy to a positive space, to love and when I do that I thrive.


So what is this thing called life and are you letting it take over or are you  making your mark on it.

Monday, 15 February 2016

Work and no Play...

We don’t stop playing because we grow old; We grow old because we stop playing.”
For as long as  I can remember growing up where I come from meant being sophisticated, owning whatever came your way with your head held high. “To be a young dignified lady” was the mantra we recited after every school assembly at my all girls’ high school.
Many a girl were criticized for not acting their age or being childish and determined not to be in that category I wore my maturity on a sleeve that I attained seriousness in my character. In the years when I should have been exploring and getting away with making stupid mistakes I was instead so busy proving that I had everything in order.
No regrets there  only that now with the numbers quickly crippling up on me and determined to prove the 21st century slogan that the 20’s are the new 30’s , I have learnt to let my hair down much more often if only to find the  child in me and of course keep that much needed youthful look.
And oh boy isn’t playing so much fun. Yes, I continue to persevere to get whatever I am working for because it is definitely worthwhile but then again I once in a while switch off, take a moment to breathe and jump up and down like I just won the lottery.
Not so long ago, I took time to play a card game with a 7 year old. I forgot my worries, embraced the moment and just gave her my all as I accommodated her questions and all that came with our little conversation that it not only became hilarious but a delightful addition to my day. As I told her to help me wash the dishes she exclaimed on how good the washing liquid was as it removed all the bad people in Greece, startled as to where that came from when I asked her she read to me what it said on the bottle “Ultra Grease Fighting”

And just when I thought I had had as much laugh for the rest of the week, as we did our Bible study at the end of the day , a reading on the 2 sisters Mary and Martha reacting to the death of their brother Lazarus, she asked with a serious face, “how do you know this, where you there?” As I absorbed her question I clearly saw something pure and joyful and as I put my head down that night I felt so light that there was no room for any wrinkles to make their mark on me. On we play…
Happy 8th Birthday Begina Maria xoxo 
 

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