Gracies Blog

Maybe you feel jaded because your trust has been betrayed and you have built high walls of protection around your heart. That's understandable. Life can be harsh, and people can be cruel. Now you have a choice. You can either let the betrayal define you and become closed and bitter, or you can rise above the hurt and become even more determined to do whatever you can to create a world of unconditional love. Trust without any guarantee that your trust will be respected. Love without any guarantee that your love will be returned. Be kind without any guarantee that your kindness will be appreciated. This is the dance of authenticity, the risk that being completely yourself will open you to the most satisfying of all relationships. Learning to trust an unpredictable world changes your whole outlook on life. It makes the world a more open, inviting and friendly place. Don’t give your trust recklessly. Give your trust mindfully; aware that there are no guarantees and there is always t...

On the edge..... There will be moments when the only thing left is for you to question your existence. Life can be so damned hard for each of us. There are always days when we get so lonely and depressed. When we cry. When the world has lost its colors. When the rest of the world is happy and you are not.  There will be times when we lose all reasons for living; and problems will seem so hard that we wish there was no such thing as tomorrow.  But then again, we should also know, that they are just another bitterness in life trying to twist the personage in each of us; and corrupt our perceptions about life. When these times happen, do not succumb to the temptation of giving up. Yes, to live is to suffer and the only way to be happy is to suffer willingly. Often, the worst of times yields the best lessons in life. We have to go on in life's extremes. We don't have to give up. As the famous poet and  philosopher Kahlil Gibran said, "When you are sorrowful, loo...

SOME STORIES I GOT OUT OF MY INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL BOOKS AND I LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL....ENJOY!!!! I’ve learned- that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them. I’ve learned- that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back. I’ve learned- that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it. I’ve learned- that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that. I’ve learned- that it’s not  what  you have in your life but  who  you have in your life that counts. I’ve learned- that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse. I’ve learned- that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something. I’ve learned- that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do. I’ve learned- that you can do something in an i...

Whether you are scarred by love, jaded by religion or beaten by circumstance, there comes a time to say “Enough!” and move on. You aren't serving yourself or changing anyone else by holding on to anger. Rights and wrongs are beside the point now. It’s time to let go , let the past be what it was and move on. You can’t change what happened, but you CAN change what you are making it mean. You can change the story you tell yourself. One of my favorite children’s stories is Grandpa’s Slippers. Grandma thinks it’s time to throw out Grandpa’s tattered old slippers, but every time she throws then out, he finds them because he loves his old slippers. Grandma is right of course. The time has come for a new pair of slippers. But on the other hand, Grandpa has to make his own choices about when to move on. It’s a bit the same with this article. Forgive me ferreting through the closet of your personal story. If, for whatever reason, you’re not inclined to move on then by all means stop ...

They say to love your enemies, but no one tells you how to do it. It’s easy to think nice thoughts about difficult people when you’re alone, but how do you love the annoying work colleague, you know the one who’s like a shiver looking for a spine to run up. We’re supposed to find the best in people, but how do you do it? How do find the best in a person that even telemarketers hang up on? Sometimes you can remove difficult people from your life, and sometimes that’s exactly the right thing to do, BUT, on the other hand…… Sometimes you can’t. Sometimes they’re your boss in a job you need. Sometimes they’re a brother-in-law and you don’t want to lose touch with your sister. Sometimes they’re an ex and you need to co parent. Sometimes they move in next door. Sometimes they’re on the other end of an important service call. You get the point. Think of it this way. Every act of love brings light to the world. If loving your family and friends lights up a room, imagine how far reaching...