Happy Halloween!!!

I always loved this holiday! It probably had something to do with the candy.  ;)

This year, I wanted to know more about the history of Halloween. I learned of Halloween's origins in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). After the Roman Empire conquered most of the Celtic territory, two Roman festivals blended with the Celtic tradition. One of these Roman traditions commemorated the passing of the dead (Feralia) and one honored the goddess Pomona (the goddess of fruit and trees). Later, Christian influence came when the Catholic church created "All Martyrs Day" which expanded to become "All Saints Day." Later still, the church began "All Souls Day" which honors the dead. These Christian days coincided with the same time of year that Samhain and similar celebrations took place. In America, the evolution of what we now know as Halloween continued as various traditions from immigrants combined and customs were molded toward children and communities during the time of the baby boom.

Much of what I learned is explained in far more detail on TheHistoryChannel.com.

Click here for: The History of Halloween - on TheHistoryChannel.com

Click here for Catholic.org page on All Saints' Day, Halloween and All Souls' Day

Youtube snippet from the History Channel:

Youtube clip from Catholic.org:

Today,  I'm going to have some fun handing out candy to trick-or-treaters...

Happy Halloween! xo

T

#CircusXTREME #RinglingBros

We went to the circus - I LOVED IT!!!!

Anybody remember these spinning toys??

I knew I would like it but I think I turned into a five year old. :)

After the show, we were invited to meet some of the performers and it was just an all around great time! I felt like I was flying high all night and the next day too as I told friends all about the experience. It was an excellent reminder to do something - just for the fun of it - sometimes. #purefun

Here's wishing everyone a fun-filled week!

Namaste,
T

LOL
xo

#FollowYourPassion - Bob Dylan

An actor came on late-night television this week and said that he didn't think actors should get involved in politics. (I guess no one told THAT to Ronald Reagan.) Maybe that actor would've made a more accurate statement if he had just said that he HIMSELF did not want to get involved in politics.

So many entertainers have made a difference in the world by following their passions and speaking their minds. Most notably this week - is Bob Dylan.

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2016 has been awarded to Bob Dylan "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

#AWESOME!

After the announcement by Sara Danius, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy, she was interviewed...

"Mr. Dylan, 75, is the first musician to win the award, and his selection on Thursday is perhaps the most radical choice in a history stretching back to 1901."

 - The New York Times

Click here for full New York Times article with video

The Times They Are A-Changin

Come gather 'round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You'll be drenched to the bone

If your time to you is worth savin'

Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin'

Come writers and critics

Who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won't come again

And don't speak too soon

For the wheel's still in spin

And there's no tellin' who that it's namin'

For the loser now will be later to win

For the times they are a-changin'

Come senators congressman

Please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway

Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outside and it's raging'

It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls

For times they are a-changin'

Come mothers and fathers

Throughout the land

And don't criticize

What you can't understand

Your sons and your daughters

Are beyond your command

Your old road is rapidly agin'

Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand

For times they are a-changin'

The line it is drawn

The curse it is cast

The slow one now

Will later be fast

As the present now

Will later be past

The order is rapidly fadin'

And the first one now will later be last

For the times they are a-changin'

- Bob Dylan

Thanks Bob Dylan for showing us all how to #followyourpassion.

Namaste,
T

The Complaint Department

What if we were our own complaint department? What if every time we complained about anything, we had to answer for it?

I'd like to imagine a world where, instead of complaining, we all DID something toward positive change of the things we don't like. If we're not sure WHAT to do, we would LEARN.

I watched two documentaries this week. One was about Trump, the other about Clinton. They can both be found on demand at CNN.

Click here to stream "All Business: The Essential Donald Trump" and "Unfinished Business: The Essential Hillary Clinton" on CNN On Demand (click on "Shows" in the left-hand column)

How many of us complaining about one candidate or the other have visited each of their websites, or learned more about them, have taken any kind of stand on the issue that we complain about, have written our congresspeople, have volunteered for a cause?

Click here for Donald Tump's Website

Click here for Hillary Clinton's website

I found myself complaining this week (unrelated to the candidates or the election) and it was not pleasant. I had to make a conscious effort to ask myself what I could do to change my situation. After taking some action toward accomplishing some goals, I felt better. It seems as if to complain is to sit back and put blame on others, while giving our power away to them. We have our own power. We can do SOMETHING. In activating our own personal power, we can generate a more positive outlook within ourselves. If THAT is our state of mind, then we can open up our own creativity and be a part of solutions instead of just being a part of a chorus of complaints.

I'm going to put a complaint box on my dresser. I'll be responsible for what goes in, and I'll be responsible for answering all complaints as well.  #LetsTryIt

Namaste,
T

Perception is Everything

At a memorial service on Thursday, the dearly departed had given instructions to have this song played. It was beautiful.

How wonderful of her to have known ahead of time exactly what she wanted us all to hear after her passing. She managed to reach out from wherever she is now to tell us all that she is fine. It's amazing that she had such strong faith that she would be fine. How beautifully touching that she, while facing her own mortality, was so concerned with the well-being and comfort of those she had to leave behind here on this earth. She spoke directly to us and inspired us from beyond her own physical existence. Endless thanks to her for showing us all another perspective - hers, from where she is now.

Here's to remembering that there is always another perspective besides our own. There is another viewpoint beyond what we can imagine on almost everything. Here's hoping that we all remember that, and try to open our minds a little and show some understanding to other perspectives. #LetsLearn

Keeping the idea of different perspectives in mind, I noticed something. I have often gazed at the shower tile and seen an image of an Angel in the design (above). In some of the other tiles, I've noticed what seems like the image of a sheep (below).

The really neat thing I noticed THIS week is that - the two images are in fact the same.

Looking around the room at the tiles, I noticed both images on almost every tile although some are turned in different directions. After that, I started paying close attention to varying perspectives on news articles. Obama was talking about the different sides of the National Anthem controversy and encouraged everyone to be understanding of other points of view. There was also a story about a forger, Adolfo Kaminsky, who while breaking the law during World War II, managed to save thousands of lives by answering to his own, higher law.

"I saved lives because I can't deal with unnecessary deaths - I just can't... 

all humans are equal, whatever their origins, their beliefs, their skin color... 

There are no superiors, no inferiors. That is not acceptable for me."

- Adolfo Kaminsky

#Amazing how we can view so many things from different perspectives.

Namaste,
T

Click here for: "On Colin Kaepernick national anthem protest, President Obama calls for understanding from both sides"

Click here for: "If I Sleep for an Hour, 30 People Will Die" (story on Adolfo Kaminsky)