Essays 2000

Leadership

2000-12-21T16:13:00.000-05:00

Many of us out there are feeling the affects of a malaise. A ship that is just adrift in the water, not quite knowing what tomorrow will bring. We search for the leadership that will bring us to the next level in the evolution of humanity. It's very easy to point out what is wrong with life on planet earth.......what we need are those who can suggest answers to the problems.
In the United States this Holiday shopping season is coming out flat, at best. Who can blame people for not being in the mood to buy gifts? A lot of us feel that over the past month we have been mentally whipped with information from both sides. Never in our lifetimes have we seen such a spectacle that has taken place over voting. It is easy to understand why so many are just plain exhausted.

Around the world other countries too are dealing with issues such as bombings, bad weather, disease and hunger. This is the time of the year we look to for celebration. Hopefully, we don't forget what it is we are celebrating. We have our families, our friends, our hopes and our dreams to embrace. It is these things that give us the strength to carry on.

It is important to remember that when a ship is adrift it can wander into the wrong port.......a port that may appear to give shelter, but may really be a pirate's den. How do we know the safe harbor from the dangerous one? This is where leadership comes in.....a true leader is like a lighthouse that beckons to those who wander in the darkness. A true leader believes in a Higher Power.........and knows that he or she must answer to God in all that they do. A true leader understands the responsibility of their position......that what they do ethically and morally will affect future generations. To hurt the children is to do damage to an entire society, from the rich to the poor. A true leader doesn't just promise the dessert.....they give the main dish too, for true nourishment. It is hard to be a true leader, because not everyone will like you. Not everyone wants to eat their vegetables.

A true leader is a healer..........not a divider of souls. Compassionate, but not a Fool. A true leader believes in Law. A true leader knows that not "everything and everyone" is okay. A true leader is aware that Evil exists, but that the power of Love and Goodness can overcome it. A true leader does the best they can to love their fellow man. Sometimes when it seems that things are at their darkest, suddenly in the distance a light appears that grows stronger with time.

Shine a Light,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Human Frailty

2000-12-18T16:13:00.000-05:00

In all walks of life, each person has his or her mountain to climb, and set of circumstances to overcome. For some it can be financial, others health, and for many, seeking answers to the mysteries of Life itself.

Financially we all want to be able to afford the best things in life, while at the same time setting aside enough so we can retire in comfort. Health is wealth.....we hope that each day our quality of life is maintained and that we are humble and wise to continue to take care of ourselves and our loved ones. It is common, at some point in life, for a person to hit what I call "the wall," the point where many of us realize we are mortal and there has to be a reason for living.

I recently took a walk with a friend of mine, where we were discussing some of these points. It's always interesting having a conversation with somebody where both of you ask questions and give answers, and lo and behold, arrive at a place in a conversation where you never expected to go. We discussed how everyone has to deal with the frailties of life. Each person, having their own distinctive set of circumstances to deal with. There is always something that we have to deal with....all problems are equal...financial, health, ...whatever problems arise, the level of intensity is equal. What we do as human beings is set them on different levels of importance, when they really are all on the same level, because they are all interconnected. Many wise people go through their whole lives and never understand this, until moments before their death. Everything is interconnected. We deny the importance of certain situations, and therefore aren't always able to take care of them because we have put them on different levels. Stress is stress, period...no matter where it comes from.

Each life is equal........mankind assigns the value of one life over another......when really we come into this world naked, and leave the same way. As we tackle and deal with our human frailties, hopefully we never lose sight that between birth and death only the Love we share with others will give us the strength to fight on and be remembered when the battle of life is over.

Be strong,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

A Nation Waits

2000-11-28T16:13:00.000-05:00

Here we are, over three weeks past Election Day, and still there is a debate over who will be the next President of the United States. The frustration of this dilemma is starting to build. It has affected the Thanksgiving Day holiday, it is affecting the Christmas shopping season, the stock market is still in decline because of the uncertainty, and you can't turn on a television set, look at a newspaper, or go into a coffee shop without hearing the latest updated newsflash.

Believe it or not, this will all pass. One way or another, within the next two weeks a new President will be declared......absolutely. This all started in the hands of Governor Bush and Vice-president Gore. Now, I'm afraid, it is in the hands of lawyers and spin-doctors, who really don't care about anybody else but themselves. They don't care about you, they don't care about me. Inside their puny little minds they are contemplating how much mileage they can get out of this, and how much the advance will be for the book that they plan to write over the next year. It will be left to the common man and woman to pick up the pieces, put them back together, and unite a divided country. Young and old, rich and poor, black and white.....we all live here. It may not be perfect, and sometimes not the fairest, but I, like many, love America, and what it can become. It's about time we cast aside the points of view of those that pit us against each other, and look inside our hearts, to what we have in common.
What we have learned from this mess is that for the next election, the winner should not be decided by the courts or somebody with a magnifying glass, looking for dimpled marks on a ballot. A uniform system would be a refreshing alternative! The question that lingers in my mind about the election is this: What has happened in America since the last election that has divided us so deeply?

Whomever the next President is, boy oh boy does he have his work cut out for him. No honeymoon administration, he will be expected to hit the ground running! I am looking to hear a statement such as, "Let's heal America, and try as much as we can, to leave no one behind." That would be a nice beginning.....don't you think?

God Bless America,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Above The Clouds

2000-11-24T16:12:00.000-05:00

Through each stage of Life there are triumphant surprises, and stormy days. Things can unexpectedly come at us from out of the blue. The more we buy into the scenarios that Life throws at us, the less in control we begin to feel.

Inside each one of us is a comfort zone, a place where peace exists, where calm prevails and the soul can flourish. This center is not influenced by the fluctuations of Life......this part of ourselves sees the Greater Picture and Purpose of why we are here. The place where the past, the present, and future are totally understood. It is where we understand that the Purpose of our living is not based upon how many cars or houses we own....how much money we have in the bank, or where the hot restaurant in town is. The center is where true value reigns.

Peace of mind is a strange concept. We can't buy our way there, but so many until their dying breath, reach for it. Without it we walk around feeling that something is missing. While we walk around on the ground, we fall prey to the rules that circle us. Once we enter the center of ourselves, everything makes sense. The center helps us rise above the clouds and see the Total Picture. Above the clouds is where the air is fresh, the sky is blue.....it is where we can spread our wings. One with Earth, one with the Universe, one with God.

How do we get there? Well, if you're there, you don't need for me to tell you. If not, find a quiet place, and ask yourself, "Why am I here?" and "How can I leave this world better than when I came?" Because at the end of our days, it's the Love we gave that we will be remembered for.

Keep a bird's eye view,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Feeling Safe

2000-11-18T16:12:00.000-05:00

We all come into this world wanting to feel safe. We cling to our mothers as babies, and, as toddlers, tug at our father's trousers to steady ourselves. As we continue to grow we begin to realize that people can hurt us with words and deeds, others can think, behave, and believe differently than us, and we have little control over things like the weather and wars. So we invent little things to make our minds think that yes, we are safe.

Routines become a way of creating a sense of safety. Surrounding ourselves with a network of friends and relatives also provides us with a feeling of safety. For some, isolation makes them feel safe. The reality is, none of this is "real" safety. Our loved ones can pass on, earth changes can happen without a moment's notice, a fanatic can decide it's their turn to become famous. So where does this leave us? For some, with a deep down sense that they are "not really safe."

For me, a sense of safety comes from the fact that I believe there is a God, and that there is a world beyond this one. Some people see that as a weakness.....I feel it is a strength. I am aware of the fact that I will be "held accountable" for my actions and my thoughts (yes, thoughts do have power).....this makes me feel safe. Why? Because I know that the human being is a struggling soul throughout his or her entire lifetime, but that in the end, all that we do and feel is held up before the "real court of justice," and we have a chance to see how we really behaved on earth. I know there will be things that I wish I could have corrected while on earth, about myself. Things I will probably be upset that I said or did...... and there will be other things that I will be proud of.

I believe that feeling Love is far more "safe" for the human soul than feeling Hate. Love is like a shield because it comes from a different place than Hate. Hate is earth created, I believe. I don't think there is one bit of Hate in Heaven, because Heaven is made of God's Love....entirely. So how do bad deeds get punished, one could ask, if Heaven is made of pure Love? The worst punishment of all is to have to look at ourselves and our behavior and to have to feel the pain we may have inflicted upon others, if we did so. God knows this. But we can only allow ourselves, our egos, to do this in a place of safety.....in a place of Love.

As I watch the goings on in this world I continue to hope and pray that mankind sees the consequences of his behavior towards others........that it really does matter what we do and say to each other. We all are human......we all get angry and sad and bitter at times, but we can balance that with our incredible capacity for Love and Compassion. The more we practice the latter, the "safer" we will become.

Love,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

A Nation Divided

2000-11-11T16:12:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, November 7th, 2000, an extraordinary thing happened in the election to vote for the next President of the United States. A country sits at a stalemate, as votes are being recounted in the state of Florida, to decide our next leader for four years. The voter turnout has confirmed in one way or another that we are a country split down the middle. A few thousand votes will determine who occupies the White House next.

Yes, I know Democracy has spoken, which is a wonderful thing, but once we peel back the covers some disturbing situations are starting to reveal themselves. We as a society have splintered ourselves into so many subgroups that we are finding it harder and harder to see ourselves as a whole. It falls upon the next President to bring us all together. The divisions have grown too great between us all. The "Us" against ''Them" philosophy must stop. We are a country made up of many different religions, races, etc. There is strength in our differences, but this strength can only solidify when we pool our resources together.

Financially America is pretty sound.....there is always more work to be done for those who have been left behind. Morally we are at a crossroads. There are good Democrats, and there are good Republicans, and yes, good Green Party members, etc. All with their own points of view on what is best for America. At some point common ground must prevail. If one looks back over the course of the past few years it is no surprise that we have arrived at this point in time. The polarizations of the citizens of the United States has been sad to watch.

Tonight I paid a visit to my local mall, made up of all different kinds of people. The look in the eyes said it all. Many of us are exhausted, and disgusted that we have allowed ourselves to believe that we are all that much different. An American is an American....period. We have the best form of government in the world, but underneath the radar much is going unobserved. Last night as the election results came in the news networks first said that they had called the state of Florida for Al Gore. Then, about an hour later, they retracted that statement and put the state back in the "undecided" column.

At around 2 in the morning they announced that George W. Bush had won. Then, an hour later they retracted that statement and said the election is "too close to call." These are the people that give us our information daily. The people we trust to tell us the truth. What are they telling us today? SORRY. Well, sorry is just not good enough. A number of analysts were horrified that the media had projected so early the outcome of Florida. As one guest on Larry King Live said "This is outrageous. We are talking about Democracy here."

Whoever the next President is, he's got some very serious and hard work ahead of him. The most important job of his term will not be to take polls, check the stock market, go to as many fundraisers as he can, etc. It will be to unite the United States.

I love America......it's differences, and it's similarities. I am just so tired of so many groups with their own agenda working to keep us all apart. The days of fear must be over. God Bless America, and God Bless the next President.
love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Empowerment

2000-11-06T16:11:00.000-05:00

The airwaves are full these days with funny and humorous statements about how to improve the quality of life. There is always one financial advisor who says something to scare the daylights out of you. One thing is for sure.....knowledge is power.

The average American retires with four thousand dollars in a savings account. If that person is lucky they have either a pension or a 401K plan. Many do not. Until I see a serious motivation by our officials to encourage people to save or invest more, I cannot believe that the system that is in place now really cares to raise people up the economic ladder.

Each day we make choices....do I buy this? or do I save. After a while for many of us, saving starts to resemble a form of punishment....a denial of immediate enjoyment. Hey everybody wants to have a little fun, and have nice things. But a little has to be put away for the future.

Investing......it could be property, or stocks, etc. For many buying more than one home seems like a monumental task, but quite a few people have profited over time in this endeavor. It's a little tricky and complicated, but it can work. The stock market....oh yes.....the fearful stock market. In the right companies, many have profited handsomely over the past few decades. It goes up, it goes down, but over time you are well ahead. The fear of the stock market stops many from climbing that elusive economic ladder. What some do is set aside some money each month to purchase stocks that they believe will increase over time. Stocks should be looked upon as a form of partnership.....example: If you own stock in Microsoft, you are, in essence, a partner with others who own the same stock, including Bill Gates. Yes, Bill Gates!! You may like pharmaceuticals, like Merck, or perhaps your favorite may be General Electric. Whatever it is, these types of companies are the engines that will power America forward into the future. A train comes into the station, and it's up to each one of us to decide whether we board it, or watch it leave without us. The choice of stock is up to each individual to decide, with the help of a financial planner or money manager, or even by themselves. What's important is that whatever one does, they progress themselves up the ladder.

I really care about people. I get heart-wrenching letters from many who are hurting for all different kinds of reasons. We can't erase the mistakes we have made in the past, but we can learn from them, and take control of our lives. The tools are out there....we just have to use them. Money has a profound effect over our lives....like it or not, it is so. A lot of people believe that their "dream" will provide them all the financial support that they need. Very few businesses or endeavors start making a profit from their inception. If you really really want your dream to succeed, you must take away the fear factor, and make sure that you can stay financially afloat while you build your success. We can accomplish our goals if we stay grounded.

From the ground up, may your dreams take flight......

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Why Do We Love?

2000-11-02T16:11:00.000-05:00

We love because without Love there is nothing....no purpose, no center, no destination. Think for a second....if we were to eliminate Love from our lives, the giving and the taking, what would we have left? There are all kinds of Love. Love of the Self, Love of Others, Love of the Arts, Love of God. From the day we are born until the day we die, many signposts on the road of life are marked by Love. A friend of mine recently shared with me his thoughts on Love. He said, "Jennifer, I have no Love. I'm not married, I have no children, I have few friends." I turned to him and I said, "Why?" His answer, "I guess I'm afraid to Love." I asked him, "What are your passions? How do you spend your days, when you can?" He replied, "Ah...I make model airplanes that I fly in the park every Saturday." I asked him, "Do people enjoy you flying your planes?" He replied, "Funny you mention that. There is a little boy named Jack who comes each Saturday with his father to see how I've improved my planes. Recently I gave the boy one of my handmade airplanes." I then responded, "Well you gave him Love, whether you're aware of it or not. That little boy will remember the gift many years from now." My friend, without realizing it, gave a gift of Love.

Love is a seed that once planted, one never knows how high and how far it can grow. Our job as people is to plant as many seeds as we can during our lifetimes. To Hate is easy........it takes no discipline, no caring, no effort. To Love is sometimes difficult....but once we leave this planet, it is not the money, the fame, the possessions that we take with us......it will be the Love we contributed.

So why should we Love? Because no matter how much money, whatever country you live in, whoever you "are"....the gift of Love is equal. Perhaps what we are all to learn is that the greatest commodity that we can exchange on this earth is Love. I have hope that one day we will. True intelligence equals Love. All the diplomas, the certificates, the prizes, are reduced to pieces of paper when they don't include Love. The day we are born we come into this world with just one thing....the Love that God has instilled in us...and the day we die we go back to God with, hopefully, more Love inside of us then when we arrived as newborns. It is our job to hold onto the Love inside of us, and to give it away........

Take the time to Love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The Walking Wounded

2000-10-23T15:11:00.000-05:00

Many of us are Walking Wounded. We spend many days coming to terms with those wounds and seek ways to heal them. How do we identify these wounds? It could be something from the past, a feeling or a sense of not belonging, a yearning for more out of life....and sometimes simply overcoming some form of emotional distress. These wounds exist. The following is a list of some of the things that have helped heal my wounds:

1) Be honest with yourself, and identify the problems. This is the point where the tears start to flow. It's very hard to look at what's wrong...but if we don't, the wounds just get larger.

2) Take some time to relax and think. This is where we begin to look for solutions. It's vital that we don't beat ourselves up, and allow our minds to clear and see where we should go, and what steps should be taken on the road to healing.

3) If needed, seek out advice. It could be a friend, a book, or a family member, etc. Try to find somebody who won't be judgmental, someone who can see the whole picture.

4) Plot the course. Like a map, set a course of where you see yourself over the next 5 years. Set realistic goals, where each step resembles a ladder.

5) Establish a support system. Surround yourself with people, places, and things that can reaffirm your dreams.

6) Celebrate each success. This is vital, to bring a dream to fruition.

7) Believe in a Higher Power. For me, prayer has gotten me through many a rough time. There is a God.....one of the biggest fallacies out there is that God doesn't exist. What's sad is that in many cases where God is not let in, the ego has a field day. At that point, mankind starts to believe he is the center of the Universe. All one has to do is look up at the stars at night, to understand that Somebody put this all together.

On a personal level, I have found that Life is a partnership between me and God. God is there to provide the tools when needed to accomplish positive work, but it is up to me to accomplish the mission. It is far wiser to show a person how to fish, then it is to provide the fish for them.

May your catch be bountiful,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Three Years

2000-10-16T15:10:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but this week marks the third anniversary of my free weekly newsletter!! Little did I know in 1997 how many countries my words would touch. Today the newsletter reaches over 80 countries. None of this could be possible if not for the Internet, and people like you.

As with anything that is undertaken, it has not always been easy. Anytime a person begins an endeavor, at certain levels one faces a wall of resistance. Believe me, over the past few years I too have thought of giving up, but something always comes along to pick me up. It can be a kind word, a personal experience, a message from God. I have been called many names over the past three years.... Good Samaritan, Mad Christian, Someone Who Cares, a Pagan, a Light in the Darkness. There are forces at play that will do anything to keep people apart, and there are also forces that do important work to bring people together. I have seen both.

Whenever a person starts a project, one thing you have to be aware of is that not everyone will either like what you're doing, or totally agree with you. As I have said before, that's fine with me. It's not important that people always agree with me....but if I can in some way start a dialogue and get people talking, I have done my job. Communication is vital on a planet of so many different points of view. We all have to learn to agree, or respectfully disagree.

The next few years are going to be incredibly innovative and frustrating at the same time. Our lives are going to change. The Internet, our homes, our lifestyles will be transformed by technology. The kitchen may start to cook it's own meals, the television and personal computer will evolve into a total communications center. How far away are we from Robbie the Robot opening the door for us at the end of the day, saying "Good Evening, how was your day???" Anybody who has visited a technology trade show in the past few years will know what I'm talking about. Let's hope we use all these new tools wisely. They can do tremendous good.

So why do I do this? A free weekly newsletter? I have a lot of thoughts that run around my head daily. Sometimes they produce themselves in the form of music, sometimes in the form of writing. The newsletter gives people a chance to access both, if they wish.

I want to thank you for allowing me to come into your life each week. I have some major plans for the coming year, which I'll touch on in the next few weeks. I also plan to make the website more interactive. I hope to continue to touch upon subjects that affect all of us.

Many Blessings,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Hopefully

2000-10-09T15:10:00.000-05:00

From the day we are born until the day we die, we walk through a field made up of "Hopefullys." What do I mean by this?

From birth to age ten, hopefully, we are born normal. Hopefully, we have loving parents. Hopefully, we are accepted by our siblings. Hopefully, we are born in a safe and prosperous country. Hopefully, we get into a good grade school. Hopefully, we don't have learning disabilities. Hopefully, a good foundation has been established for our future growth. These are the challenges that face every human being in the first ten years of life.

From age ten to twenty, hopefully, we evolve into healthy teenagers, hopefully we form good relationships with our peers. Hopefully, we learn to communicate well. Hopefully, through dating, we learn how to love. Hopefully, we graduate high school and go on to a higher education, or, learn a valuable skill.
From age twenty to thirty, hopefully, we graduate from college, or are fully established in the trained skill. Hopefully, we meet and marry a person who is good for us. Hopefully we get a good job. Hopefully we ourselves have healthy children. Hopefully, we learn how to sustain ourselves financially. Hopefully, we learn to think about more than ourselves. Hopefully, we don't allow hate to control our hearts.

From age thirty to forty, hopefully our children get into good schools. Hopefully, they too learn how to love. Hopefully we didn't screw up in parenting. Hopefully we can beat the fifty percent odds and not get divorced. Hopefully, we still have that good job. Hopefully, we can save a little money.
From forty to fifty, hopefully we can survive our mid-life crisis. Hopefully, our children have established good relationships. Hopefully they too have good jobs. Hopefully, we learn to deal with the fact that we may not become famous. Hopefully we begin to understand what really matters in life. Hopefully, we can take care of our parents in the twilight of their years.

From fifty on, hopefully, we still have that good job. Hopefully, we are in good health and also, our families. Hopefully we have put enough money aside for our twilight years. Hopefully, we learn to deal with the limitations of age, with grace. Hopefully, we can look back on our lives and be proud overall. Hopefully, we can pass on to our children and grandchildren the wisdom of our years. Hopefully, when we pass on, and see the Gates of Heaven, they swing open and we are greeted with smiles.

This is not a depressing scenario........this is real, this is life. What are the odds for us to get all these "hopefullys" right and have everything fall our way? Almost impossible. But we are human beings, we do make mistakes, and the beauty is we can learn from them and go on. Is it any wonder why people get lost, feel trapped, and lose hope? When one of the "hopefullys" fail, all it takes sometimes is a hand reaching out to pull us up, dust us off, and move forward. While all this goes on, God watches, is there for help, and sees how we deal with things. So let's not be so hard on ourselves. Throughout life we walk through a minefield of "hopefullys." Hopefully, when we reach the end of the field, we realize, Love heals all wounds.

There is hope,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Influence

2000-10-02T15:09:00.000-05:00

Many of my writings deal with empowering the individual. Essays that I hope enhance and improve the quality of life. Most practice religious beliefs to guide them along their paths, myself included. Overall, there are still other things that can influence our lives on a daily basis. What surrounds us, be it people, radio, television, and books can affect us all directly and even more profoundly, indirectly. What becomes vital for us to realize are all the forces that bombard us that we are unaware of on the surface.

An experiment was performed on the public, watching a movie on television, about two decades ago. A number of frames within the movie flashed a person eating popcorn....and lo and behold, is it any shock that many in the viewing audience started to have an uncanny craving for popcorn? The question can then be asked, if messages are inserted into media, can the people, without their awareness, be controlled? The books on the shelves in our homes, the CD's in our music collections, the videos in the cabinet, all are packages of information......and what is contained in those packages may give us entertainment, but also influence us.

The Motion Picture Association unveiled this week new ways to stop children from seeing movies that may be harmful to them. Example: No rated R trailers before G Rated movies. Jack Valenti, the President of the Association, made an interesting point, "All these rules of rating will not be of any use unless parents enforce them with their children." Jack's point is well taken. Let's hope it works. In this day and age, where both parents are working long hours, it's easy for children to get away with things.

Whatever is released to the public....whatever the product, how it affects the overall population and to which age group it should be marketed, should be considered before it is released. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that if a brutal horror slice and dice movie is marketed to children, or a violent video game, with no regulations at all, there will be no surprise as to the influence.

The movie studios have a responsibility for what they distribute....so does the music industry....and last but not least, the parents also. Influence affects people....good and bad. What we take in daily, evolves us as people. We eventually become what we absorb, digest, and believe. Garbage in.....garbage out. Good in, good out. No mystery.....real simple. Some people think that we can absorb whatever we want and still maintain a certain good quality of life. I'm sorry, I don't.

I don't believe in government censorship......but I do believe in self-censorship. Each individual decides. If one of those individuals is underage, then the parent decides. Either we set the rules for our lives, or they will be set for us. Influence is everywhere. How much and what kind ultimately matters.

Choose carefully,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The Truth

2000-09-27T15:09:00.000-05:00

The more we look at the world, our problems and ourselves, the better we are able to reach conclusions and solutions. The Truth, in most cases, is a hard pill to swallow. Often, we want to sweep things under the carpet, hoping that by themselves, problems will go away. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. Accepting the Truth is not always something that we are trained to do in this society, but it becomes essential over time, if we are to continue on a positive course in our lives.

The Truth is looking at everything under a microscope. Many times we are astounded how problems seem to appear by themselves, out of nowhere, but do they really appear out of nowhere, or do we put on blinders to not allow ourselves to see them coming? It's so much easier to assign blame somewhere else, then to accept the responsibilities for our own actions. The Truth is a zone, or an area, where one feels like they have been given smelling salts under their noses...a sense of alertness, stability, and knowing. We feel, when we are surrounded by the Truth, that we are truly awake. The enemy of Truth is lies, deception, and illusion. When we embrace these thoughts, we are left in a fog, never knowing where it begins and where it ends. The Truth comes along like a strong wind, and blows the fog away.

Truth can be a scary thing.....it can mean standing up for what you believe in, making changes, and feeling alone in a crowd. What we eventually come to understand is that Truth and honesty walk hand in hand. Do we really want to know what other people think? Or do we just want everyone to agree with us? Truth can sometimes produce conflict.....but once views are put on the table, that's when compromise and healing can begin.

So can the Truth set us free? If we are to be honest with ourselves, learn from our mistakes, and understand different points of view, yes.....it is better to live life in the clear light than in the dim haze of the shadows. The road of Truth eventually leads to silence, because once we know, nothing more needs to be said.

Seek the Truth,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Noises of Nature

2000-09-22T15:09:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think I've just about heard it all....then I hear something that makes me realize there will always be more amazing things to hear on this planet!!! One of America's illustrious states just passed a law, after a new development was built on previous farmland, next to currently operating farms. The new law puts farmers in jail for 90 days and/or fines them if their farm animals make too much noise. The new neighbors of these farmers claim they want the "peace and quiet" of the countryside. I would like to know what planet these new neighbors think they're living on.

In the mornings early, where I live, somebody's rooster heralds in the dawn.....sometimes a stray cat meows in the fields.....dogs often bark to say hello to one another through the woods. There are birds that chirp in the trees, crickets that sing at dusk, the occasional horse that passes by, leaving it's dung on the road. That is the "price" I pay for choosing to live in the countryside.....a price that I welcome, because I feel I am living among some of God's best handiwork. What can be said for a human being who has so lost touch with the sounds of nature that they want to close it out completely? Nature is more than the smell of fresh grass and flowers....it is more than the moon rising over the forest, and the mist lingering over the hill. Nature is alive.....and so are the creatures living in it.

We want everything handed to us on a platter.....most of us don't make the connection between "beast and beefsteak." Perhaps if we all had to hunt for our own food we wouldn't be perturbed by the noises of nature.....we would realize that those noises help to maintain us. Is the noise of city living any more civilized than that of the farm?

From the woods,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Love and Money

2000-09-12T15:08:00.000-05:00

The two subjects which can take us to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows are Love and Money. Incredible joy, and excruciating pain. Yet, why is it we receive so little education regarding these two topics? Education, you ask? Yes..... about how Money will affect us throughout our lives, and the best ways to handle it. Also, how Love and who we love affects our happiness.

Money has had an influence on the masses throughout the ages. For the rich, little formulas and secrets are often handed down from generation to generation. Perhaps that is why we hear comments like, "Money follows money." How many of us received in elementary school any form of classes in how to spend and save and may I say, invest? That may be changing....it is not uncommon to see a school class of 8 or 9 year olds forming stock clubs in order to invest and understand how money works. Better late than never.....but it sure has taken a long time. When I was going to school all we cared about was how much candy and clothes we could buy each week!! Money affects our lives daily, whether we like it or not. The more we understand, the better off we will be. There are plenty of books that can be purchased or picked up at the local library...it's important that we totally understand how Money leaves our pockets, where it goes, and what we have to show for it at the end of the day.
Love is a word that is easily battered around, but boy, does it have a lasting effect over our lives. With the divorce rate now better than 50%, obviously we're having a little bit of a problem with the word Love, as a society. In our younger years we walked around as teenagers waiting for a bolt of lightening to come out of the sky and hit us, to tell us, "There is the person of your dreams!!!" believing that all we had to do was get married, and everything else would take care of itself. No more effort required. Wrong.....that's when the work begins! How many of us spend an hour or two each week talking to our spouses or loved ones about how we feel about each other? Love is something that has to be worked at daily, whether we like it or not. We can never say "I love you," enough. It is truly important to not mistake abuse for Love. Love that is abusive is not Love.

In this day and age, these two subjects, Love and Money, are at war with each other. How many families, because of the need for Money, have very little time left over to exchange Love? In my area it's not uncommon to see Mom and Dad leaving the house at 7 in the morning and returning home by 8 in the evening, five days a week, using the weekend as a way to catch up, first of all on sleep, second of all, on family. How many of us find ourselves, time after time, having to choose between what comes first, Money, or Love? There are exceptions to the rule. People who work together or people working at home....but these are far and few between.

To find a solution we must understand that Money engulfs the mind, and Love embraces the heart. Both are needed to sustain our quality of life. The better control we have over our finances, the more time will be available for Love. In the end, it is the Love we take with us.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Mother Nature

2000-09-03T15:08:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you know, wherever you live, some strange things are happening to the weather and climate. Places that used to be warm have turned colder...places that used to be cold, have turned warmer. A storm can strike any town or city out of the blue...appear from nowhere, touch down, do tremendous damage, and disappear, all within the span of five minutes. A town near where I live recently had such an occurrence. Friends of mine who had lived there for more than twenty years never saw anything like it. A storm went straight down the main street, ripped up every tree in its path, firing off hail and then it was gone, leaving behind destruction that merited the Red Cross.

Yesterday I read about a British World War 2 airplane that crashed on a mountaintop in Iceland, being discovered 60 years after the crash. All of the airmen on board were frozen in time. The amount of snow and ice that had covered the airplane for that length of time has melted. What other discoveries will we find as more ice melts?

I could go on and on mentioning stories that I've read recently and I'm sure you could add a few of your own.....through my newsletter I receive many E-mails from people talking about the weather in their neck of the woods. A lot of us are just plain baffled. I am not a doomsayer....but it doesn't take much to admit something is out of balance. Many out there, some very rational people, believed that when we chimed in this past New Year 2000, the computers would crash, and havoc would fill the air. Here we are 8 months later, looking at the skies and the land and wondering what they're trying to tell us.
There are many things out of our control. We can only do so much, but one thing we can do is be prepared as much as possible. Keep on hand water, food, flashlights, batteries, etc., for anything that can happen out of the blue. If nothing happens, wonderful! But if there is a storm, a drought, a fire, being prepared can save your life. We may not be able to control the weather......but we must always respect it. Near my house, over the past 6 months, I was told to remove any dead trees that I saw close to the house. It wasn't the dead trees that fell.....but the live ones. 3 trees, a distance away from the house, thank God, on 3 separate occasions collapsed right in front of my eyes. Not scrawny little trees.....but trees that look like they've been around for at least 150 years. Go figure....you think you understand Nature, then out of nowhere she does the opposite. Who knows the answers? Global warming? The end of the world? or just a cycle we're going through. Whatever....there are people getting hurt from things they don't see coming. Weather conditions that have never existed in certain parts of the world before. All we can do is take care of those we love and help our communities and last but not least, be as prepared as much as possible. One more thing.....we can never say too many prayers. I can't see the bigger picture.....but maybe Somebody Upstairs does.

Blessings to you and yours,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The Human Heart

2000-08-23T15:08:00.000-05:00

In our lifetimes, we all run the risk of a corner of our hearts turning cold. It usually happens when fear keeps us from expressing ourselves, or some event hurts us emotionally, and the only way we think we can survive is to freeze sections of our hearts. The human heart can only hold so much pain before it reacts.

We all come into this world with warm hearts.....hearts that can't seem to take in enough Love.....every baby needs to be held, and to be kept warm and safe. In some countries women hold their babies strapped to their bodies all day long, so that the child never feels "left." As we grow older, we still have the same heart needing the same Love, but events can slowly begin to give us a "change of heart."

Fear is usually the beginning of the freeze of the human heart. Fear comes in many shapes and forms....we all know when we feel a sense of fear. Fear can be masked in the form of what we call "Racism"...."Violence"...."Hatred"....there are many shapes human fear can take form in. It never goes away by suppressing it. The only way Fear goes away is by recognizing it for what it is, and by talking about it. Talking freely about it. Hearing all sides of the Fear.....from the one who fears, and the one who may be feared. Open dialogue can erase human fear. It takes courage to unfreeze sections of the human heart.....but the end result is a heart that can feel warmth again.
In the world we can try to control human emotions, but the problem is, human emotions cannot be changed by governments, or suppression, or individual groups.

The most dangerous tactic of all is to try to repress the fear of the human heart....it must be dealt with openly in order for it to heal, just as a wound has to be cleansed before it can begin to go away. "Racism", "Violence" and "Hatred", all fears in the human heart, are wounds that must heal. Ask yourself what happens to a wound that doesn't have a chance to heal? It invades the body further, causing greater damage.....not only to the one wounded, but to those nearby. We are all affected by the walking wounded, whether we want to face it or not. Just read the newspapers.

The Human Heart has a huge capacity to Love. It is born that way. It is the cloud of mankind's ignorance that hovers over the innocent Human Heart. It is the job of each of us to try to see beyond the weaknesses of Mankind, and promote that which strengthens our capacity for Love.

Keep your heart open,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The Treasure Chest

2000-08-15T15:07:00.000-05:00

In every home there is a treasure chest. The trick is to know where to look to find it. This treasure is all around us everyday. It's not hidden under the rug, in the basement, in the attic....it is right in front of our eyes. Each member of every family contributes over the course of a lifetime to the treasure chest, knowingly and unknowingly. What is this treasure chest? Family knowledge that has accumulated and been passed down from generation to generation.

Grandma and Grandpa have lived their lives moving from stage to stage, which has brought them to where they are now. What they have experienced and seen is priceless. They know the pitfalls, the successes and failures. The Moms and Dads have also had their share of ups and downs....all that knowledge at our fingertips, and so few of us take the time to touch it, digest it, and use it, yet, each weekend we will wander through bookstores, looking for that special collection of words that is going to transform our lives....while all the while that knowledge is sitting right at home, waiting for us to open the cover and read. Who better can understand what life can throw at us, then those who have already gone through the majority of it? If we could just one night load the tape recorder, press record, and ask the questions...what jewels could spring forth? We turn on our television sets, listen to salespeople telling us that if we do this or buy that we will be happier....when across the couch sitting there could be a guide to help us find the high road to happiness and peace.
We all have our differences...we may have numerous agreements with Grandma and Grandpa, or Mom and Dad....but in many cases they have "been there" and "done that." We may not totally agree with their advice, but many times somewhere in the conversation is that one line that fires out at us like a lightning bolt, that changes our perspective and vision of the future. The treasure chest sitting there, where everyone around it has the key. All it takes is that hand to place it in the lock and turn it.

Each family has a member who is an expert at something. It could be money, crafts, cooking, or electronics, etc. One can only imagine what can happen if all these experts are acknowledged and pooled together. Of course, we would have to suppress our egos at knowing that we don't know everything, but after that, the experts would freely contribute their years of knowledge on their subject of expertise. A group of people made up of family members who share information...a treasure chest indeed. All it takes is one individual to start the process in motion, and one would be very surprised the level of excitement that encircles a family that is out to solve some fundamental problems that afflict them all. We share more than just DNA with our loved ones....but a history of life experiences.

Open the treasure,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Decisions

2000-08-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest, most difficult, and sometimes frustrating things that we have to do in life is make decisions. Where do we live? Where do we work? Who do we marry? What do we name our children? Etc. These are choices that have a profound affect on our lives. It's almost never easy, but to not make the choices can pass the decision to someone else. When that happens, the control we have over our own lives diminishes.

One way to tackle decisions is to seek out as much information about the subject as possible. Scoop it up and lay it out on the table. Look at all the angles, and choices, and then start a process of elimination. Ask yourself, what don't I want? And as the rejections mount, what's eventually left will be a choice between one and three solutions. Yes, a process of elimination. Decisions are good things....it forces us to look at our future, and sometimes examine what we don't want to grapple with. Decisions can affect us directly or indirectly, and of course, other people's decisions can affect us too. But for us, most of the time, it's hard enough to handle the decisions we personally have to make. We can seek out different points of view, pray for guidance, but eventually the decision lays in our own hands.

Here in the United States we are now heading into the full scope of the election season, where many citizens will be voting for candidates at the national, state, and local level. Over the next few months we will hear comments made on all different points of view, in regard to who are the best candidates. As in life, making these decisions can also be extremely difficult. As before, place all of your information on the table from the candidates, and ask, Who best represents me and my family? A wise person once said, "If you don't vote, don't complain."

Decisions stay with us until the day we die. At each stage in our lives comes a new set of choices. Each time, spread them out....take a consensus of your feelings, and decide. You decide....not the guy down the street, not the woman around the corner....you. We are responsible for our lives....it rests on us to decide what's best in our lives. There are so many things out there that we don't have any control over, that when the times arise that give us a chance to choose, we should welcome it, not fear it.

Be informed,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

But Seriously?

2000-08-03T15:06:00.000-05:00

It's very easy to get caught up in life's day to day activities, as if it's some life or death situation. I don't know about you, but about once or twice a week, I have a tendency to magnify things out of proportion. Yes, life is important, but isn't it also meant to be fun?

It's almost become unacceptable to laugh at ourselves...we always seem to take ourselves and loved ones way too seriously. There has to be a hidden meaning behind every line that somebody is saying.....well, sometimes there isn't...it's just a joke.... nothing more. A friend of mine recently mentioned to me, "There is no such thing as a joke. It's really somebody's way of telling you something." I'm sorry, but that's not always correct. Humor has become, in some quarters, something that only belongs in comedy clubs. The reason Seinfeld was such a successful show was because it poked fun at how seriously we live our lives. Each one of the characters searched to find the answers each week to their dilemmas, until at some point during the show, either Jerry, or one of the other crew stopped everyone in their tracks and said, "Are we crazy? We're talking about a Jacuzzi here!!!" I remember one episode distinctly, where the parking spot outside Jerry's apartment was looked upon as a piece of gold that someone had to watch and protect to make sure that it was available for George to park his car. What's sad is, in many cities, parking has become a major occupation!!

Another friend of mine recently went into the city to look for the best price for a camera he was hoping to purchase. He went uptown...he went downtown....he went everywhere searching for the perfect price, until he found the store that had it. The gleam in his eye telling me that he got the best price imaginable, was breathtaking. Then I asked him, "Tell me Jim, while you were driving around, how much gasoline did you burn in your car, and what was the wear and tear on your nerves and vehicle?" A puzzled look came over his face, while he calculated the $25.00 gas tank that was used, the noise that his car is now making, and the beads of sweat that ran down his face. Factoring in all of this, did he really get the best price?

One last story I would like to share with you is about my friend Sherry. She was diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer, rushed to the emergency room, and sent on a stretcher to the operating table. All the while Sherry was hysterically laughing! The nurse looked at the doctor and said, "This girl is dying....why is she laughing?" Thankfully, Sherry survived and is now doing very well. I asked her, "Sherry, why were you laughing?" She replied, "I realized at that point how temporary and hysterical Life truly is...and I fully understood how seriously I had taken each moment...rarely allowing myself to relax, and feel joy." These days, one thing I can really say, I rarely see Sherry without a smile on her face......

The weekends are my time to kick back and relax. I try to learn to never forget to find the joy and humor in my life. All the rest takes up it's own share of my time...but the humor.........that's up to me.

Keep Smiling,

love, Jennifer
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Joe

2000-07-28T15:06:00.000-05:00

This is a story about a little dog named Joey. As I have mentioned before, I am the proud owner of 3 little dogs named Elsie, Freddie and Phoebe. As you can imagine, taking care of 3 dogs can be quite challenging at times, but believe me, I get back much more than I give from these 3 little creatures. I fully intended to draw the line at 3.......until one day I paid a visit to my local pet shop and saw through the window a little puppy that looked just like Freddie. At first I said to myself, "I don't need another dog! It'll only be a matter of time before this one is purchased." After a month, I noticed nobody had paid much of an interest to the little dog. I asked the store owner, "What seems to be the problem?" She mentioned that the story on the television show Dateline had hurt her business. The story involved how dogs are treated at puppy mills and shipped nationwide to many local pet shops. She assured me her dogs did not come from those puppy mills. Perhaps....or perhaps not....but this little dog was still sitting in his cage after being in the store two months later.

After two more months I decided I was going to take the dog. As I pulled up to my front door my 3 little dogs noticed that in the box was another dog. I asked myself, "I hope they can all get along." One way or another, this little dog that I named "Joe," was joining our family. I was determined to make it work.
The first few days each dog was checking out the new arrival, testing their turf, seeing where they fit. 3 dogs were working out becoming part of a group of 4. The first week I was fascinated how these animals worked out their differences, assigning little tasks to one other, developing new relationships, and strengthening the emotional bonds between them. Joe, in a way, is very lucky. He has 3 great teachers to help him adapt to our family faster, and lo and behold, has he adapted! Now 2 weeks later Elsie, Freddie, Phoebe and Joe have bonded together, settled their differences, without losing their individuality.

The point to this story....surely we humans can't be less smart than dogs, right? How do we, in our lives, settle our differences? Peacefully, I hope. Can we all exist in this world as individuals, inside and outside of groups? We have a lot to learn from animals....wouldn't it be strange and interesting if at the next Peace Summit or General Assembly, members of the representing countries had to observe how puppies bond and grow together? Maybe there's a reason why dogs are called "Man's Best Friend."

Embrace Love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Human Existence

2000-07-25T15:06:00.000-05:00

To be Human, and live in this world, there are a number of Laws that are given to us physically. If we are to have any kind of prolonged peace, we must bring ourselves to accept these Laws as fact. As always, I'm sure you too can add to this list to make it more personal.

Number One: We are born and we die. Living is what we do in-between.
Number Two: We will get sick, and get well, many times over a lifetime.
Number Three: We come into this world as newborn babies...depending most of the time on parents to do a good job at raising us. Some succeed, some don't. Mistakes are made, which we later have to correct.
Number Four: For some strange reason, we nurture and build relationships through our lives, and one by one through age, they are taken from us. Sometimes accidents too can bring about sorrow and loss.
Number Five: Some will be born in prosperous countries....others surrounded by extreme poverty.
Number Six: Human pain cannot truly be measured. One person's turmoil may not be as severe as the next, but to him or her, the pain is just as relevant.
Number Seven: Each person has to come to terms with his or her physical limitations.
Number Eight: There are no perfect bodies or minds. Some are thinner, or heavier than others, and we all make mental mistakes.
Number Nine: If one is to truly learn and grow through Life, eventually our physical existence will hit a wall where we start questioning why we are here, what we are to learn, and what's it all about, Alfie? (eh!)
Number Ten: There are extremely kind, considerate and wonderful Human Beings. There are also some of the most evil examples of Human Life.
Number Eleven: In order to continue living, we people of all different religions and races have to find a way to get along.
Number Twelve: Karma exists....what we put out, will come back to us, in one form or another. I know it looks like some get away with murder, but do they really?

One personal thought I would like to add....There is only so much Life to live in the physical sense here. At some point, each one of us is confronted with taking the next step, to establish a personal relationship with the Creator or God. Hey, somebody built all this for some special reason.

I receive many letters from people trying to understand and come to grips with what happens here on Earth. These Laws of Earth, if looked at and acknowledged, help empower the individual to move forward. As I mentioned, you too can add to this list. It's all a learning process until the day we pass....and go on to a "Higher Education."

Keep moving forward,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Programming

2000-07-20T15:06:00.000-05:00

The day we are born, instantly our brains start taking in information through our senses, at a rapid rate. In the best of circumstances, in a loving family that takes the time to nurture, with the experience to understand how important the role of parenting is, all is well. On the other hand, as many of us are not perfect, it is very easy to make simple mistakes that can echo for many years. There are no mysteries here...mistakes that are made are carried forward far into the future. We can blame whomever we like, but most of us spend numerous years trying to overcome those mistakes.

Bad habits can easily be passed from generation to generation, through families, until one day it falls on one son or one daughter to break the destructive pattern. An example: Alcoholism can simply run through families as far back as two hundred years, while the family members never fully understand how things got so carried away in regard to alcohol. We all know friends who can drink two bottles of wine, get up, and walk a straight line, while there are others who, after two glasses, start to feel dizzy and boisterous. We all enter the world inheriting some form of baggage, and as I have said, if looked at closely, the mysteries of how things can go astray can be understood.
We look to point the finger of blame at why we have problems. Instead of looking at the problems and initiating solutions, it's easier to hold others responsible for our present and future actions. Hey look, it's not easy being a parent. Even harder today! But at some point we inherit the responsibilities in our own lives and must look at and correct what we see that is wrong.

This essay is called "Programming," for a reason......look at life as it is......where we were born, how we were raised, and what education we received, have a profound affect on our ability to succeed in life. This is called "Programming." The mind that is a blank slate at birth, receives input each year of life. The input the child receives over time dictates the roads that are chosen. Isn't it interesting...when the FBI or law enforcement are looking for a serial killer, by the method he or she commits the crime, gives off clues to the psychological makeup of the perpetrator. Many serial killers end up to be children that were from abusive families. Pain shows itself eventually one way or another.

It's never too late for anybody to overcome their problems, if they seek out help. Once we acknowledge the problem, we then can begin the process of healing and recovery. But we human beings are a stubborn lot....it's very hard for us to see ourselves sometimes as anything other than close to perfect. But once we admit we're not, then we can start to become better people, until one day we become the Programmer.....

Fine tune the dials,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Diplomacy

2000-07-15T15:05:00.000-05:00

Almost all of us live next door, on a street in a neighborhood, close to somebody. The person or persons may be just like us, or totally different...but one thing you can almost count on, they won't be identical to us. Ninety percent of the time they may totally agree with us, but there is still that ten percent to deal with. We are all in our lives, at home, at work, at play, walking Diplomats. We represent our way of life....while others represent their world. Like good Diplomats, the goal is to present ideas, listen to others, and find common ground.

In a world made up of so many people, Diplomacy has become more important than ever. The attitude of "My way or the highway," is a thing of the past. A little story I would like to share with you:

A friend of mine lived next door to this couple that had a large barking dog. The dog's name was Cyril. He barked out in the back garden all day and most of the evening. My friend paced the floor, wondering how to get the dog to stop barking. A number of people mentioned to him numerous solutions, like "Get your own barking dog, to bark back," "Shower the dog with water," or "Blast loud music." My friend eventually decided to go next door, to talk to the dogs owner. He knocked on the door, said "Hi, I live next door....I think you have a wonderful dog, but I would appreciate it if you could tone him down a little." Upon hearing this, the next door neighbor apologized for his dog, not realizing what a nuisance he had become. Two days passed, and the next door neighbor arrived at my friend's house with a hot apple pie that came from the local bakery, as a way of saying "I'm sorry." The moral of the story is, before even considering other solutions, my friend decided it was best to go and talk to the dog's owner, politely and calmly. Who would have known that because the owner of the dog had a wife who was dying of cancer, he had totally zoned out in his mind that their dog was making a raucous outside. While all thought that this man didn't care about the noise from his dog, little did they know the pain the man was dealing with.

Diplomacy may not always work, and you may eventually have to contact the authorities, but so many times we totally misunderstand each other. Communication is a strange thing. We think we know what someone is trying to say, but we could be way off. We all deal with so many problems during the day, it becomes not so much what we can see and hear, but what we can't.
As we head off into the world each morning, we are the Diplomats of our home. And as any good Diplomat will tell you, "We all have to find a way to get along."

Shake a hand,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

The Core, Part Two

2000-07-10T15:03:00.000-05:00

After last week's essay "The Core," the following few days, more and more of my thoughts on the two parts of who we are (the physical and spiritual) started coming to the surface. In my own life, I have found that I can go out, do some shopping, go to the movies and have a little fun, but after awhile I start to get an eerie feeling of depletion in my body. What are these feelings? I've asked myself. They never seem to go away until I start to do things that help me get centered in my life. In some strange way, material gratification lasts only so long. I have also found that this form of gratification doesn't help relieve stress over the long term. Our health is necessary if we are to continue to accomplish our missions and goals. If all we do is focus on the physical and material aspects of life, eventually the well runs dry. I can say from experience that for me to get to this understanding has not always been easy, but once one enters the belief that the soul too needs input, and nourishment, things start making more sense.

Overall we as human beings sometimes find it hard to see things that we need the most. A Priest or Reverend can preach every Sunday about how important prayer is to us......or a speaker may mention how much God loves us, but for many it goes in one ear and out the other, until we are faced with a crisis. Then the mind opens up almost as if it has received a dose of smelling salts. For the masses, the benefits of the Words of God can sometimes be not looked upon as essential for our day to day life....but once one starts to use terms as healthy, stress-relieving, meditative, and centering, lo and behold, those words become valuable. The tools are out there to enrich our lives...we just have to use them.

I used to believe that God and Heaven were this great big dome that just sat out there for all of us to grab at when need be. As the years went by I began to understand that the connection between God and in my case, Jesus Christ, is a personal one. It is a connection that is with me from morning until night. The more I contribute to that relationship, the stronger it gets...and over time topics such as, sickness, life, death, and after-death take on a whole new meaning. The relationship my soul has had with Heaven has greatly enhanced my life.

Each day we rise and make our choices and replenish ourselves, physically and spiritually. As much as we enjoy the material gratifications of life we cannot forget to contribute equally to the other half of ourselves....our souls.

From one soul to another,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon