Fruit Flies

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In my personal study, I have been learning and I have come around to agreeing with the notion that everything that shows up in my experience is somehow for my good. I didn’t always believe that. I was having too much fun playing innocent victim I guess. But now I see that our thoughts are such powerful energy that when we set an intention, it is literally an energetic boundary like an electric fence. And it will only let in what you have set and keeps all else out. So I have chosen to set an intention that whatever shows up in my experience is for my good and my education. Things that are not profitable for me just won’t show up. Sometimes it takes a little patience and open mindedness to see the good when at first it seems to be detrimental.


Take for instance, a while back our home seemed to be overrun with fruit flies. It was getting really annoying. Every time I turned around it seemed I had to wave a fruit fly away from my face. And if one wasn’t vigilant when one was eating or breathing or especially laughing, one might get a little extra low fat protein if you know what I mean.
I began to take out my frustration and irritation with vengeance on the little beggars and smack with gusto any unsuspecting fruit fly that dared to come into my space!

Once when my hand was stinging from a particularly fierce smack, I began to question if it was a charitable thing to kill any fruit fly I saw. After all they are one of God’s creatures and perhaps that isn’t right to perpetrate murder on them, for it was truly murder I had in my heart.
After about two seconds, I realized that if I am the one that creates my life then I am responsible for the environment I create and that I exist in. Therefore, it is perfectly right for me to eliminate any fruit fly in my home because I don’t choose to live with them in my space. If I allowed them to exist in my home, they would propagate and multiply. No, if I don’t choose to exist with them, then I am responsible to eliminate them. However, I probably didn’t need all the anger, vengeance and drama either and it might be prudent to eliminate that also and be a little calmer about it.


I also began to ponder what good could all these fruit flies possibly have for me? What lesson were they here to teach me? It didn’t take me long to learn. First, it drove home the fact that I just mentioned. I am responsible for what shows up in my life and if I don’t like what is in my life, it is up to me to change it not anyone else. I am not a victim unless I choose to be. I will admit that sometimes I will indulge in a pity party for a little while, but I know that I am choosing it and when I’m tired of it, I can change it by accepting full responsibility. You can only drive the car if you are in the driver’s seat with your hands on the steering wheel. Sometimes it takes calling on a higher power to help me figure out how to change it and to supply the strength to change it. But that resource is always available to anyone who sincerely asks for that.


Second, a thought came to me that these fruit flies also represented my negative thoughts. Sometimes I couldn’t clearly see one, just a shadow of movement out of the corner of my eye. How many negative thoughts a day do I strive with? Sometimes the thoughts fly so fast I am not fully aware of what they are. I am only vaguely aware of an irritation that flit by.

Sometimes it is hard to kill fruit flies because they are so small it is difficult to tell how far away from my eyes they are and many of my strikes missed their mark because my depth perception was off. It takes determined concentration, sometimes, to nail a fruit fly.
How many of my negative thoughts evade my ability to get rid of them for the same reasons as the fruit flies? I read once that we think over 90,000 thoughts a day! 95% of our thoughts are in our subconscious, difficult to detect with our conscious mind. And we only make 5 % of our decisions with our conscious mind. Yikes! Everything we see in the world came originally from a thought! How small are thoughts really before they blossom into actions, and become character and determine destinies? I could see it was going to take some determined concentration to eliminate them just as it takes with the fruit flies.


But just as with the fruit flies, I am responsible for the thoughts that I allow to remain in my head. And, if I allow these negative thoughts no matter how small to remain, they may propagate and multiply and I will have to live with them and what they create. I am just as responsible for my inner environment as I am my outer. And I can create beauty in my inner environment as I can my outer by choosing beauty and eliminating anything lesser.
How does one eliminate a mental fruit fly, you might ask. That is a great question. We live in an awesome day with many among us who have a myriad of tools for that purpose. I really think that it will come down to each person choosing their own method of what works best for them. So my best advice is to turn to your higher power or source or God or whatever your word for that is, and ask to be lead to the teacher with the best tool for you. “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” is one of my favorite Chinese Proverbs and it is uncannily accurate.


I can tell you that the first step to eliminating mental fruit flies is the same as real fruit flies and that is the genuine desire to be rid of them. This must come first before any tool will be effective. Then what ever method you choose, it will take determined awareness just as it does with the flying fruit flies. A calm, accepting approach actually does more good than being hyper vigilant and harsh. It is really over kill to make your hands red when a gentle tap will do. But what a great feeling it is to succeed and know that there is even just one less fruit fly buzzing around causing havoc and interference. You have taken responsibility and succeeded in creating a little more peace in your environment, both inner and outer.

The Sun is Always Shining

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A while back I read a book entitled, ”The Sun is Always Shining” by Ryan J. Hulbert . The premise was, that even when it seems cloudy and overcast, realize that the sun is always shining , even at night. It’s just that something is between us and the sun that makes it appear darker. This struck a chord with me and in looking for the author of this book, it seems to have struck a chord with a lot of people. I discovered many books and videos with a similar title. There is a VHS that sounded interesting entitled, “There was always sun shining someplace: Life in the negro baseball leagues”. I think on a deep level we all understand this and yet it is easy to lose perspective and forget when it has been gloomy for a while, like in February.

But just think about that for a minute. What a profound, transcendent piece of information that is. What an amazing visual and metaphor that is. Picture a gray, day where the clouds are heavy and hanging close. It is chilly. Now add some rain and wind. Let your imagination really cut loose and really make it rain as hard as it can. Throw in some lightning if you want. Make it as turbulent as you can possibly imagine it to be. Now step back and look beyond the crazy storm you have invented and can you not see the sun is still peacefully shining with the same intensity it always does and the storm hasn’t hindered it in the least? The sun is still shining even in the storm.

Now take your mental picture and make it become night. It could be a peaceful night or a wild stormy night whatever you choose. Again step back, and can you see that even in the night, the sun is still shining even in the darkness.

Now place yourself in a sunny day but notice that you are standing in your own shadow. Why? The only way that can happen is if you have turned your back on the light. Turn yourself around and viola, no more shadow and you have the sun on your face again. Simple, huh? Yes, it is that simple, but simple does not always equate to easy. How do we turn ourselves around is the question.

I find tremendous hope and power in the fact that when it feels stormy and gloomy and dark, the sun is still there, this is a temporary situation and there is still light to be found. This thought seems to pierce through the storm clouds and gives me a night light for there is much joy to be had even in the midst of the storm and the night holds wonders of its own. I see this as a metaphor that there is a higher source, call it what you will, I choose to affectionately call him Heavenly Father, that is always there, very much aware of each of us with our best interest at heart, always smiling sending love, kindness, nourishment and help. And our tempests in our teapots cannot hinder, trump, or dissuade in any way that power.

But let me share with you some other ways I have discovered to find the sunlight in the storm. Last Wednesday I got to go to another preschool and teach children how to brush their teeth in my capacity as a Dental Hygienist.

 

 

 

 

 

And later that night I got to teach a yoga class to my youth group at my church. After the yoga class we enjoyed smoothies and tied anything that was weighing our hearts down on a green balloon and went outside and let them go. It was remarkable to watch those balloons. When we were holding them, they seemed kind of big. But as soon as we released them they quickly became smaller and smaller and began to look more like insignificant bubbles and it was clear that we are so much bigger than our problems.

I said I taught these two groups. And that is true. I did. But that’s only half of the picture because they really taught me too. A good way to find light in the night is to teach, because in teaching you always learn. Whenever you learn something new you get more light. But they also taught me a powerful way to find light in the night is to just interact with a child. They are sunbeams! And they are so willing to share their light with us. Teach them, but then listen to them. They have a lot to teach us.

So here is a partial list just to get you started on ways you can turn your face back into the sun, pierce through the clouds and find your night light.

Teach something to someone.

Listen to a child.

Learn something new.

Try something new.

Smile.

Brush and floss your teeth (I had to throw that in being a Dental Hygienist but it’s not just “tongue and cheek”. You really do feel better if you take care of yourself).

Yoga (It really is remarkable for getting more light in your system).

Move your body.

Laugh (Seriously, do whatever it takes for you to have a good laugh).

Listen to beautiful music.

Tie your troubles to a green balloon and release it and watch it get smaller and smaller until you can’t see it anymore and feel how big you are in comparison.

Eat a refreshing smoothie full of real fruits and lovely antioxidants.

Do something for someone else.

Hold a penny up to your eye and then go tape it on a wall and stand back and look at it in comparison to you and your world.

Do something you really enjoy doing.

Call a friend and see how they are doing.

E-mail someone you haven’t communicated with for a long time.

Tell someone you love them.

Give a gift to someone for no particular reason and watch their expression.

Play a game with a child.

Go dancing.

Sing a song.

Set the timer for 15 minutes, and write as fast as you can all the things you are grateful for.

Sit under a tree with your face in the sunshine and your eyes closed for a few minutes.

Have a great February and remember no amount of rain clouds will ever overcome the sun’s ability to shine. So even if some days get a little overcast, remember that the sun is always shinning even at night. And there is not one thing the rain can do about it.

                                                  Wishing you Joy!    Susan

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Way to Look Forward is by Glancing Backward

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I hope you all had a wonderFUL Christmas this year. I certainly did! I have long felt that Thanksgiving is the opening ceremonies to a magical 6 week holiday where we celebrate life in abundance. What a great way to begin by being grateful! The focal point of this holiday is Christmas and love, brotherly kindness, helping lift other’s burdens as taught by the one whose name this holiday bears- Jesus Christ. It is a fact that we can only lift ourselves as high as we are. To go higher we must look to a source greater than ourselves. And who better to look to that the one who only did that which was in man’s best interest and whose teachings are the highest expressions of love to ourselves and our fellow men and the best ways to resolve all conflict. In living this way, peace on earth and good will toward man is a real possibility and not just fantasy. And deep and lasting joy is the result. All of these create the joy of the season with all its sights and sounds and smells. We are so busy thinking of others and enjoying with them that we forget to notice we are in the darkest and coldest time of the year. The dark and cold just intensifies the beauty of the lights and the warmth that fills a home when warm cinnamon rolls come out of the oven and you get to share them with those you love. The bleakness outside just adds to the contentment within.

And then comes the closing ceremonies of New Years Day and looking forward to how we want to take the gifts and lessons learned from this season and use it throughout the New Year and create great things.

I am often struck by the fact that it seems we cannot look forward with any real purpose, unless we first look inside and look back to those that have gone before us. How wonderful that nature puts everything to sleep for a season under a blanket of snow, so we have a moment to hold still and ponder. In pondering what has gone on before, we are in a better position to choose wisely about what we want to create in the future. And in looking for and finding the goodness and courage and strength in those that preceded us, we are better able to bring forth the goodness, courage and strength in ourselves.

I had all of my children and their spouses and my Father with us for Christmas. One of the fun things we did together, was to go to Mount Rushmore. My daughter is a wonderful photographer and thanks to her, sharing her talents, we have some wonderful pictures to illustrate our memories.

We couldn’t walk along the boardwalk because it is closed for the winter season, but we still could view the amazing and inspiring images carved on that mountain. And even standing behind glass, I could still feel the power and goodness of the vision these men represent.

There is a little book store in the visitor center where all the proceeds go to help the park so of course I bought something. I love quotes because I feel I can get so much of the essence of a person and a feel of their character by what they choose to say and how they say it. I bought a little book of quotes by Theodore Roosevelt. Of the four Presidents on the mountain, he was probably the one I knew the least. I decided after reading some of his quotes that I REALLY LIKE HIM! I think that from now on when I get discouraged or doubtful, I will read a quote of Teddy Roosevelt and be recharged and renewed. Let me share a few of my favorites with you.

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”

“The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us.”

“It is no use to preach to [children] if you do not act decently yourself.”

“There are two things that I want you to make up your minds to: first, that you are going to have a good time as long as you live – I have no use for the sour-faced man – and next, that you are going to do something worthwhile, that you are going to work hard and do the things you set out to do.”

“This country will not be a permanently good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in.”

“I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life; I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”

“The worst of all fears is the fear of living.”

“There were all kinds of things I was afraid of at first, ranging from grizzly bears to ‘mean’ horses and gun-fighters; but by acting as if I was not afraid I gradually ceased to be afraid.”

“No man can lead a public career really worth leading, no man can act with rugged independence in serious crises, nor strike at great abuses, nor afford to make powerful and unscrupulous foes, if he is himself vulnerable in his private character.”

“There is not a man of us who does not at times need a helping hand to be stretched out to him, and then shame upon him who will not stretch out the helping hand to his brother.”

“No man is above the law and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we require him to obey it.”"Obedience to the law is demanded as a right; not asked as a favor.”

“It is true of the Nation, as of the individual, that the greatest doer must also be a great dreamer.”

“The bulk of government is not legislation but administration.” “Men can never escape being governed. Either they must govern themselves or they must submit to being governed by others.”

And I will leave you to look forward to this New Year with my favorite quote of all from Theodore Roosevelt. I am certain that if we could all just do this, all of our greatest dreams would be realized.

“Do the best you can with what you have where you are.”

Wishing you Joy! And a Happy New Year – Susan

 

Welcome to Susan Kertesz

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The tenth anniversary of September 11th has come. I’m sure if you are like me, you have many varied emotions and feelings about it. I was eight months pregnant with my son the day the towers were struck. It truly changed me forever. As those towers broke, my own heart broke with them. I knew this attack was designed to bring our nation down the way it brought down those towers. But as I watched the raging fires through my tears, a fire was lit in me. I put my hand on my son and said to him with powerful determination,  ”Somehow, we are going to make this make us STRONGER because we are Americans and that’s what Americans do when faced with a challenge!”

I knew my son could not know what happened unless I taught him, but how do you teach a child about what happened without frightening them. I was determined to find a way to teach him in a way that strengthened him. I believe that what you focus on expands. I didn’t want to focus on the hate, anger or grief, we didn’t need any more of that.  The only way I could see this would make us stronger, would be to focus on Love. But where was the love in this situation? It took me six years to find it… but I did!

I have clocked this event by my son’s life. When he started first grade I knew it wasn’t just my son, but a whole generation of children that needed to know about September 11th, but in a way that would strengthen them. Watching the History Channel, I learned about the John J. Harvey and the role it played on September 11th. I did not know this story until that day and I have discovered that most people have not heard it either. This story inspired me to action. I could see within the story a way not only to teach the children what happened, but to have a greater love for their country and their countrymen at how they rose to the challenge. This could give the children keys to rise to their own challenges.

I studied accounts of the incident and wrote it down in a story for the children to understand and identify with. It is now published and entitled Harvey. The paperback version is available through Amazon and bookstores. But the hardbacks and coloring books and DVD’s are available directly from the author on this website. I could not have guessed watching the towers burn and fall on September 11, 2001, the amazing things that have happened as I tried to put the principles I learned from this story into action. My deep love for the children and the determination this event ignited, has given me the courage to live the principles I learned from Harvey into action and over come my own fears.

Finally, I put to use talents I had hidden and shared them. In speaking to hundreds of grade school children, I have had the privilege and joy of meeting so many wonderful countrymen, especially my young countrymen. It has been a delight to teach them the principles of freedom and overcoming challenges I see in this story. I have had the great joy of sharing with them my love of this country and my countrymen. Again and again, I have seen little fires light up in the children’s faces as they learn of the John J. Harvey through this story and begin to use the principles in the story.  Connecting with schools in New Jersey and New York and other states that have ordered the book and allowed me to assist in a small way in their classrooms has been a tremendous joy. The teachers in our great nation are lighting the fires of freedom in the rising generation. I love to assist them in any way I can. Reaching out to those manning the John J. Harvey and sending them a portion of every book sold from all their new friends to assist in the restoration project, has been amazing. You just never know what you can do or the miracles that start to happen, until you stand up and try by sharing what you have to give.

The three principles I point out and have tried to put into practice are: Everyone is good at something and we need to find a way to share it, today make something better and, we must reach out and connect to our countrymen if we want to stay standing. This is why as painful and traumatic as that event was, it did not destroy our nation as intended. There are so many Americans who are willing to share what they have to give and give of their time, talents and energy to make something better. But I believe we are still standing ten years later mostly because we are not “The States of America” but the “United States of America”. There are those who like to tout all that is going wrong. Yes, we have challenges and we need to work at them. But I am more encouraged than ever, after connecting to so many of my countrymen through this book, at the level of goodness that exists in my countrymen. Unity is a Power that Force cannot overcome. And I believe if we, including the children, live these three keys, America’s best days are just ahead!

God Bless you my fellow countrymen and God bless America. Wishing You Joy!   ~Susan