Essays 1999

Review

1999-12-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

This is the time of the year where we start looking forward to the Holidays and the dawning of a New Year. My my does the time fly fast! It just seems like yesterday it was September....time moves whether we like it or not. How it is spent eventually lays in our hands.

Sometimes the only way to move forward is to look back...what mistakes have we made? What have we learned? How do we make the value of our days improve? The question that always seems to linger over us at the end of each year is "How much control of my life did I give away?" Many times we assume that someone else knows better....when in reality who knows us better than ourselves? I'm a big believer in the power of prayer, but the power goes two ways....for me, God is there to guide me....but it is up to me to initiate the guidance. I do take responsibility for my life....otherwise, all I will do is to continually blame other people....at some point it stops.

At the start of every year, I always ask myself, "How can I improve the newsletter, the website, and the music that I write?" I, like many, eventually initiate about half of what I've wanted to accomplish. It's very easy to run out of time! Planning each year becomes more and more important. I find myself writing down more in my calendar than ever. Sometimes there is so much scribbled there I can barely read it! What drives me forward? Knowing in my heart I've tried to make a difference. For me, the vehicles are the essays, and the music. Some order the CD's...some implement the content of my essays into their lives...and others do neither. That's just the way it is. The newsletter reaches sixty-five countries around the world. That's a lot of ground to cover....a lot of different viewpoints...but that's what makes the newsletter special to me. These are the things that I review...just to let you know a little bit more about me.

Time is special....Time is precious. Develop your plans for the New Year....put one step forward and movement can be accomplished. To get from point A to point B, it involves simple movement. When I was in school I used to have a fear of doing somersaults, until one day I did it! To this day I cannot believe how fearful I was to tumble. The same applies to each chore we tackle in life.
May your New Year be enlightening, productive, and wondrous, and may you find the tools that you need to build your dreams? May happiness be your friend in 2000.

Happy Holidays,
Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Y2K

1999-12-12T20:20:00.000-05:00

In a couple of weeks from now we turn the New Year 2000. I know nothing's going to happen, all will be as it is....or will it? Does anybody really believe that chaos will reign as we chime in the New Year? Are all our computers prepared? Are all the countries of the world prepared? To many of us, it's all doom and gloom....but I've noticed over the past month some strange things are starting to occur....

Here in New York on New Year's Eve at least one airplane terminal will be closed for lack of flights...in other words, nobody wants to be in the air when the clock ticks twelve. New York is well known for its New Year's Eve Extravaganzas, but many celebrations have been canceled for lack of ticket sales. Times Square, I'm sure, will be full....but all New York City police officers have been put on notice that none of them are allowed the last week of the year to take any time off. Is it me? Or do you find that many people seem to, this year, want to get the Holidays over with fast? As we approach Y2K the thought of writing 2000 next to the date seems a little strange, when all of our lives the number 19- felt very comfortable.

I personally don't believe the world will end, but I do indeed think that the year 2000 is presenting itself as a New Beginning.....hopefully, we can leave behind many of the things that have hurt us individually and as a society. The subconscious is a strange thing....while we deny things on the surface, lurking below can easily be a contradiction. Perhaps inside we ask ourselves, "How would we face chaos?", even if it doesn't happen.

Recently I went shopping at my local supermarket. I was looking around the aisles for some instant mashed potatoes....there were none to be found, so I approached the store manager and asked him where I could find my "instant potatoes?" He told me "They were here." I asked him who "they" were, and he told me, "The Y2K'ers"....they bought up everything in the store that they could simply add water to." Well, the Y2K'ers, for now, own all of our local store's instant food.

Each night on the evening news a clock is displayed, ticking down the remaining days to the New Year. The fear, for many, grows. Can it be that we only truly value Life when we are faced with it's possible demise? In a world that is primarily run on Fear, Greed and Lust, not on Intelligence, a little self-examination is not so bad. Come January 3, 2000, if we all head back to work on that Monday morning, many of us may have a strange look on our faces...realizing not only that the world did not end, but that we are faced with a New Beginning. I believe the world is not a theatrical stage.... that certain events may not happen "on cue"....not to say that they won't happen....just not when we expect them to.

Enjoy the Holidays....embrace those you love, try to be a better person. If we practice these things, each year the world will become a better place for it. Time doesn't have to be our enemy....it can be our friend.....

Happy New Year,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Helping Yourself

1999-12-02T20:19:00.000-05:00

At some point, the "Genie is out of the bottle." We all know what we need....it's no mystery. We can plan, train, take courses, but at some point we must take one step forward each day on the road to fulfillment. Mankind, in many cases, is his own or her own worst enemy. In the blink of an eye a person can go from feeling totally fulfilled to being lost. Many times we so easily gravitate to the meaningless and things that are bad for us....while ignoring the keys that unlock the doors of our hearts. Why do things look so complicated, when the answers are always quite simple?

This time of the year we scour the stores, searching for the perfect gift to express how we feel about a loved one...hoping that out there is that one object that can best describe how much we care about someone. This week I watched a two block line of people lining up to purchase their piece of the Pokeman Phenomenon...believing that without it Christmas just would not be the same, while their children gazed on in amazement. Can material things really express our true feelings? Is a diamond really a girl's best friend? All of these items are temporary. How many of us on a Christmas morning have watched a child play with a toy for fifteen minutes, then disregard it and move on to the next? Yes, we do need to purchase gifts, but we have to be careful not to get too carried away. For some of us, it's easier to try to buy presents that we think express Love, then to just plain say it.

So how do we help ourselves? Why are we so preoccupied with the temporary? Our needs for inner peace and long-term happiness seem, in many cases, put on the back-burner. Do we really believe that the new car will change our lives? Perhaps what we're really doing is continuing the process of searching for the answers in the wrong places. Come January, we look back on the holiday season with a stream of bills, wondering where all the money went? Most of it spent on the temporary, with tomorrow never an option. We are left with the age-old dilemma....do we buy for our bodies, or for our souls?

So this holiday season, let's try to give a gift that lasts more than one day...perhaps a meaningful book, an educational game, or something that inspires the imagination....or a memorable dinner spent with a close friend? One last thing that should always be on our minds is visiting a nursing home or an orphanage where there are many in need of a kind smile or someone to dry a tear. You will not only be helping others, you will be helping yourself.

Simple Gifts,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Value the Space You Occupy

1999-11-24T20:19:00.000-05:00

Whether we like it or not, value is assigned to the space we occupy....in other words, who we are. Who assigns this value? Well, to God, we are all His children, but the value that is assigned is first set by our parents, and then society. Eventually, this spills over into the mental picture we hold of ourselves as individuals. I could say, who cares? But these values can greatly affect not only the course you take in life, but also the perception that people have of you.

Imagine to yourself that you are standing in the center of a circle. Draw a line around that circle. The center point is who you are. What enters and leaves the circle is your interaction with society....be it friends, family, coworkers, or just plain strangers. As the saying goes, "No man or woman is an island unto themselves." Yes, it is important to have a positive image of oneself, but we must also take into account if that image differs from the people we interact with. Why? Because of a little thing called "The Ego." The ego can distort our perceptions very easily, and before too long, what we think we are, is not what we are. So, the atmosphere within the circle can greatly affect our lives.

On a scale of zero to one hundred is how we perceive our lives to be. If a person falls within the first 10%, that person feels that their life is meaningless..."they can be done without." As the percentages increase, the perception of the value of one's life also increases until we reach one hundred percent....where that person's concept of themselves is that "I am the greatest, and the world would revolves around me." Both ends of the scale are dangerous. At school, we were taught that the best score is 100......in Life, I believe the best score falls around 50 or 60. Why? Because at a score of around 50 a person can see their value in the world and realize there is always room for improvement.....also, that other people's value matters.

50% is the center.....the Balance of Life. Some days we can score a 40, other days, a 70...but the aim we must strive for is the magical 50, where all things look clear, logical, and make sense. I believe within that number 50 are the words "Peace, Fulfillment, Tranquility, Humility, and Purpose." These are the real goals of Life. A person may have all the riches the world can offer, but unless, on the Test of Life he or she maintains close to a 50, there is no balance.

May you find your balance,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Patterns

1999-11-19T20:19:00.000-05:00

Whether we know it or not, each day we form or contribute to patterns, be it food, spending, exercise, prayer, etc. The patterns start to become a part of the fabric of who we are. We may feel that we have no control over these repetitious behaviors, but with alot of work, they can be changed, and a life on automatic pilot can be altered, once one decides to turn the switch off and take the controls.

Habits are all around us....inside ourselves, in our friends, in our families. We all form habits individually and collectively. Sometimes the circle must be broken, to take a look and take a bold new course in the direction of our lives. Otherwise, we just go around and around, and before too long the circle creates its own force and traps us. Is it any wonder that we live on a planet spiraling through space, protected by its own gravitational force....so, too, do we develop our own force.

One of the most important aspects of life is awareness. If the blinders go on, we trot along a path, oblivious to what is going on around us. Sedation becomes the norm, and as we know, time does march on, whether we are awake or asleep. What's sad, I must say, is that in many cases we don't totally appreciate what life is, and how precious it can be, until it is threatened by an illness, or an accident....then, all of a sudden, we "get it." The pattern instantaneously is broken. But does it have to get to that drastic step before we can break the circles that are harmful to us?

One of the best ways to see the patterns that you have developed in your life is to remove yourself from familiar surroundings for a short period of time.....take a vacation, or take a drive ... visit someone out of town. But most of all, get away for awhile. As you come home, you start to see things as they really are. The different surroundings that you've allowed to flow through your mind, blow away the cobwebs and allow a fresh perspective to enfold you ... then we can permit ourselves to see who we are, and what we want to be. A birds-eye view of our lives is sometimes all that is needed to see the three dimensions of our lives...the past, the present, and the future.

Seeing is believing,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

The Lottery

1999-11-10T20:18:00.000-05:00

Nearby where I live is the local deli. In my neighborhood, the owner's name is Phil. Each week, Phil dispenses to the neighborhood many lottery tickets...little pieces of dreams for those who choose to partake. I know, I know....the odds of winning the lottery are something like being hit by lightening in the same place twice!! I myself have been known however to put my toe in the water a few times to see if Ladyluck will shine on me that week. It's all in fun really, I guess.

Phil recently shared a story with me that I would like to pass along to you. Every six months Phil attends a regional seminar where the lottery introduces their upcoming new games that they plan to put on sale. Phil joins many other lottery agents in the festivities, to meet former lottery winners whose prize money ranges anywhere between five to forty-million dollars. He told me "Jennifer, you have to see some of these people who have become multimillionaires. The ones that have won less than ten million dollars seem to have a pretty good handle on their lives. But boy, once you start hitting fifteen to twenty-million dollar lottery winners, they start coming unglued! Can you imagine what it feels like to see a man who, two years ago, won twenty-five million dollars, speak into the microphone and tell us all that he thinks the CIA watch him day and night, or, another "lucky" winner who lectured with strange beads around his neck, that he has found a truly, one-of-a-kind, unique way to God. What was that unique way, you ask? It involves ridding yourself of your clothing in public places, and painting your body green!!"

Each time Phil attends one of these seminars he tells me it is truly a revelation to see how people eventually handle their winnings. One man who won twenty-three million dollars decided that he would tell no one that he won. So then, he went out and bought himself a top-of-the-line, custom-made Mercedes Benz, and parked it in the driveway of his middle-class home. The neighbors at first did a double-take...but finally it was decided by the neighbors that he must have become a drug-dealer! Because it was the only way that he could have been able to afford such a car. Eventually our quiet millionaire had to leave his neighborhood to drive his car!!

There are a thousand stories like these....perhaps you know some yourself. But isn't it amazing what a large sum of money can do to someone unprepared. So how much do you need to be happy? One million, two million, or perhaps ten? Think about it, but try to keep the number as low as possible, because with each succeeding million, it brings more and more responsibility and pressures. I guess after awhile you start to ask yourself, how much can you really spend in one lifetime? Phil reminded me that the hardest time for a multimillionaire lottery winner is the second year. Why, you ask? Because once you've bought the new home, the new cars, the trip around the world...you eventually arrive back home, looking at the walls, and wondering what's next......

Be prepared,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Who is Jesus?

1999-11-04T20:18:00.000-05:00

To me, Jesus is compassionate, caring, forgiving, embracing, helping, and someone who is in total command of common sense. Isn't it amazing how many people Jesus has saved, while, sadly, man has also used His name to destroy. Hate is not a word that Jesus understands because it is inconceivable for Him to see how far a person would go to defend his or her right to hate. Jesus is a friend who stays through the darkest hours, where a candle of light is sometimes all that is needed to restore the power of hope. Jesus is an open hand, always there to feel the flesh of despair and fear. Jesus is a true friend.

Jesus understands Buddha, Moses, Muhammed, and the other Prophets. As He says in the Scriptures, "I am not here to destroy the laws of the Prophets, but to fulfill them." We could also say Jesus understands Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, and those who follow the path of peace. Jesus wants us to love one another.

Jesus is a Jew who has one of the largest followings of mankind. In His days of life on earth, many called Him "Rabbi"....was He a Rabbi? Perhaps....but also a simple carpenter who came to help save the world. Much has happened since His short time here....but the message grows stronger each day. Why can't we get it right? Can you imagine how hard this essay is to write? Who gets offended, who agrees, that's not what Jesus is about. Jesus wants us to get closer...He spoke of Love constantly.

For Christians, develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God. For Jews, embrace your relationship with God, and pray to your heart's content. For Muslims, by all means offer your prayers to Allah. For Buddhists, pray for humanity to find compassion for one another. These acts of Faith are for the benefit of all mankind, and I believe Jesus would embrace any way for God's children to break bread together.

Break Bread,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Feeling Good

1999-11-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

One of the hardest things to hold onto and maintain on a daily basis is to feel good about yourself. As we know, we all have our share of negativity that we just fight through daily....but I do have a few suggestions that may help you sustain those happier moments.....

1) Let in the contributions you make to your family, friends and community. It's so easy to forget the differences we make in our own little ways to people's lives.

2) Hold on to your uniqueness. There is only one of you, not ten, not fifty....one. What you can contribute to make this world a better place can sometimes only be made by you.

3) Embrace the positive. Breathe it in.....you can never have enough of the fuel that dreams are made of.

4) Practice giving Love. It's good for your Soul. Not only does it make you feel productive, but it justifies to yourself your reason for being. In life we can throw tons of money at a problem, when sometimes all it takes is Love.

5) You are not perfect. Don't try to be, because it is a losing battle. Yes we can make improvements to ourselves, but as the saying goes, "There are reasons why there are erasers on pencils."

6) If you are blessed, give thanks and be humble. There is always somebody else less fortunate than you. Life can be hard at times, but it's important to count our blessings, and embrace what we have.

7) And last, but not least, feeling good about yourself is something that must be practiced...it's so easy to slip into the negative and spiral down. After awhile things do start to become clearer if you give yourself those moments to relax and feel good about yourself and your life.

Life is not easy....but how many times do we find ourselves hanging on a fence where the choice of the direction we go is decided by us. It's all a state of mind. I believe God is there to help us....but it is a partnership of learning the best choices to make. In life, Free Will prevails for a reason. Feeling Good helps us see the Past, savor the Present, and look forward to the Future.

Feel Good,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Simplicity

1999-10-22T19:17:00.000-05:00

We all start out as children, hopefully growing up in the right settings... playing with our toys, looking at the world with wonder. Everything is a Big Event. The baggage of life that we carry at this stage, in most cases, is fairly empty. As we progress on through adolescence, each year the weight of that baggage increases. As children, our main concern was being nurtured, loved by our parents, and finding where we fit in the family structure. In adolescence and teenage years we started to form additional relationships and friendships outside the family. Adulthood brings with it the roles of being a parent, a spouse, and a breadwinner, each day making additions to the luggage of life. If all goes well, there's no problem. But, it isn't surprising how easily we can get bogged down.

Playing different roles in life can get real tiring. It's no wonder that as we get older there feels like there isn't enough hours in the day to accomplish all that we need to do. Our days of childhood feel like a glistening memory when we felt we could handle it all. It's not hard to understand that as we get older we feel we are starting to forget things...well, it's no wonder....for many of us our minds are now having to handle at least three times the amount of information as before. We're not "losing our minds," we're just very busy people. Hey, what happened to all the leisure time we were supposed to have...the four day work week? Some do....not many.

So how can we make things a little easier? First, don't punish yourself for feeling overwhelmed. Second, work on surrounding yourself with as much good, positive input and love as possible. Third, try to let go and cast off some of the clutter that has accumulated over the years. We tend to think, in society, that the more that we accumulate, the happier we will be. But what's not mentioned is that with each accumulation comes responsibilities that sometimes we may not care to handle. It's easier to ride a bike then to haul a heavy load.

So why simplicity? Because the simpler we make our lives, the happier we are. If all we had to do was concentrate on what really is important, things would make more sense. For each of us, it may involve different solutions, but you know what I mean. Everything doesn't have to become a big deal....not everything is life-threatening...no, we won't die if we don't do it in five minutes....different things have different priorities. They are not all equal.
We look around for solutions to our problems under every rock, and in every nook and cranny, because our intelligence tells us there has to be a complicated and profound solution to the situation. Have you ever asked a child for the answer to an adult problem? You will be amazed at their answer. They speak from their hearts.

Listen to your heart,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Soulmates

1999-10-15T19:17:00.000-05:00

Many of us have people to share our lives with...spouses, family members, and friends...companions we walk along the road of life with...passing through time and space. These are our Soulmates...the people we share our hopes, dreams and problems with. It's amazing how many souls face the same dilemmas in their lives...so we seek out those that can help us deal with being human in a world of contradictions.

Each week we make phone calls, schedule lunches, or write e-mails to connect to those that we feel care and understand us...relationships that feed our self-confidence and heal our wounds so that we can become better equipped at facing life's surprises. Being a Soulmate involves not only talking, but listening too. Some of us have friends that we are very close to, while not realizing just how deeply the level of communication goes. If you are one of those who has been fortunate enough to have had a long-lasting relationship or friendship you know just how valuable the love from these experiences becomes.
There's a guy who hangs out at the local coffeeshop that I visit most mornings. His name is Benny. Benny was left alot of money by his parents...he owns a beautiful building where he lives, by himself. Benny never got married, and was always suspicious of people his whole life. He used to believe that in order to find excitement in his life he had to travel to the casinos of Atlantic City. He was in business with a man whom he made quite a large sum of money with, but as Benny told me "The guy ripped me off more than I'll ever know." So eventually Benny retired to his beautiful home. One day Benny mentioned to me "Isn't it incredible...I thought all of the excitement and action was outside of my neighborhood...but really, this coffeeshop has the best of life. Friends, food, and good coffee!!" One night while Benny was sleeping he had a mild stroke and was rushed to the hospital. The next morning at the coffeeshop people began to say "Where's Benny? Has anybody seen Benny?" The word went out and by midday a number of people were headed to the hospital to see their friend Benny. There is a happy ending to this story...Benny is now about, as he puts it, "80% recovered" from his mild stroke, but what he found out was priceless. While he searched everywhere else for happiness, all the while it was in his own backyard. Benny now sees ... those people that he shoots the breeze with at the coffeeshop as his "Compadres of the Soul."

Benny realizes that some of the happiest moments of his life are spent over a cup of coffee, where realistically he could purchase almost anything that his heart desires. Soulmates...the people who stand beside us through thick and thin...cheering us on and reaching out when we are down. What more could bring a smile to the face of God then for His children to celebrate life and get along? Each one of us is a reason for that smile.

Share your Soul,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Let it Out

1999-10-07T19:16:00.000-05:00

We all deal with emotions. Living beings feel things...good and bad. So it's no surprise how many of those feelings we either lock inside, or pretend they don't exist. While our emotional surface may look calm and smooth, below the water strong currents may prevail, taking our lives in different directions then we consciously choose. The ocean can be a very deep place.

We express our feelings through laughter, pain, tears and silence. Three of the four are how we react to what we feel...but silence is the one action where suppression lives. Some things we don't want to look at...we have no words, no reactions...we just stand there, motionless, hoping that the time will pass and all will be well, while somewhere knowing inside that what we fail to express will one day show itself when we least expect it. Where do our illnesses really come from? Somewhere, intermingling with the virus or infection, could be some forgotten emotions that were maybe not really forgotten. Yes, I know some do get sick from ailments beyond their control, but the majority of illnesses can be avoided, if we only find ways to deal with, and better understand how, stress forms and engulfs our lives.

In society today suppressed emotions are released at many levels...some release them healthfully, through exercise, prayer, and meditation. Others deal with these feelings through domestic anger and abuse, while even some choose the road of violence and destruction. One way or another, these emotions eventually come out. If one is to have a healthy and peaceful existence, the handling of these emotions become vital to our well-being.

So as the title says, "Let it out"...peacefully. We don't have to feel that we have to hold it inside forever. Use exercise, friendships, focusing on goals, or prayer...just get it out. In this world, there is alot to be joyful for, and alot to be sad about. Being human, we have to deal with both. Seek, reflect, mourn and rejoice...all forms of release.

Let it flow,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

At the End of the Tunnel

1999-10-03T19:16:00.000-05:00

We all know that place....where doubts creep in and uncertainty prevails....the tunnel which we all must go through in life to reach the other side. Whether it's problems at work, problems at home, or a health crisis, once we enter the tunnel it is very easy for us to lose our bearings, give up hope, and become stationery... while in the distance we see this beautiful glowing light that is like a rope dangling for us to reach, to pull us through. That rope could be lowered by a friend, a family member, or God....but in order to reach it one has to focus on that light, while ignoring the turmoil that surrounds us.
The wind howls, the rain falls, and the echo can sometimes seem deafening...but as we move through our tunnels in life we learn about the atmosphere of our existence and the roads that we choose. Inside the tunnel one has to have much Faith...in themselves, and in the belief that the distant light is reachable, even when the walls around you whisper the negative. The Light at the End of The Tunnel grows closer with each step, but the forward motion of those steps must be made by us. The most important thing we must do inside the tunnel is to just focus on that Light, and with each step, it will become not only closer, but brighter.

If you've ever seen a burning log fire from across the room, as you move closer the heat from the fire intensifies. So too does that Light that we hope to reach. To me, the essence of that Light is pure Love...for as we are encased in our tunnels, we reach for the rope of Light to pull us through and out into the sunshine. That rope that is lowered to us has been lowered by the Love of God, with the belief that we can make it through.

Faith is a very personal thing....in order to get through the tunnel one must have Faith. Faith is the energy of the Soul to accomplish its mission in Life. The tunnel may be a scary place, but with the Shield of Faith the darkness can't get through, because Faith acts like a solar panel to receive energy from the Light.

Keep the Faith,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Story of a Newsletter

1999-09-22T19:16:00.000-05:00

As this is the second anniversary of my newsletter, I would like to share with you how it all started, and where it is going from here.

Two and a half years ago I began posting some of my essays on the Internet newsgroups. At first, I, like many, was scared....and afraid that I would get blasted by those who disagreed with what I felt. Yes, there were some who wrote back with unkind comments, to put it lightly, but I was pleasantly surprised at how many people felt the same way I did about things. One point I now know to be true...that when one decides to do something positive, there are forces in play to try to stop you. Check out some of the early essays on my essay page...can you believe that some people wrote back to me, threatening my life? So if some of you have posted messages over the Internet and received the same treatment, you are not alone! Anyway, after about six months, through my essays I started to develop a small "group of friends," E-mailing each other back and forth. As the group grew, some mentioned that I should seriously consider putting together a newsletter. Up to this point I would have considered myself a singer/songwriter...but what was interesting was that my lyrics paralleled some of my essay writings...they were really coming from the same place. So, in September 1997, I published my first newsletter. Yes, I had doubts, but after a few weeks those doubts were washed away. I saw the impact the newsletter was beginning to have on not only my own life, but also on those that read weekly. A wise man once said "It's not important that someone totally agrees with you, but if you can get them talking about a subject, that is half the battle."
To this day, I still can get hate mail, but the kind thoughts far outweigh the cruel. Recently, a number of people have mentioned to me about putting the essays on tape for people to listen to at home, or on their way to work.....so come November, the first two audio tapes will be available through my website, in my own voice. I'm also at work on a new original music album based also on the essays which should be ready for release early next year. Last but not least, in the Spring of next year there are plans in place to broadcast a weekly half hour audio/visual Internet show.

I never thought when I started all this that it would reach as far as it has. I hear from people in the smallest of countries, and the largest of continents. One thing is for sure...we all have much more in common than we think. Thank you so much for contributing to the success of the newsletter, and I look forward to entering the new Millennium with you.

Take the time to love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Rainbow's End

1999-09-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

We all long to reach the place in life where all the questions are answered, financial difficulties are met, and peace of mind prevails. Most of us struggle daily with all kinds of things, but we always hold out that hope that one day everything will make sense. Some in this world have an abundance of material wealth...yet they will tell you they still don't have all the answers, while others who may live in poverty can see a brighter tomorrow. So if it can be said that material wealth does not bring about prolonged peace of mind, then how can we obtain it and sustain it?

Each day is a struggle...a new day begins, new problems to tackle, and a few surprises along the way. It seems sometimes that there are forces in play to knock us off-center and have us spinning all over the place. Therein lies the basis and the enemy of peace of mind. While we look to the future to provide us with inner bliss, it is at the present where it can be found. Finding, knowing, and prolonging our purpose here is one of the ways that we can make sense of what we go through in life. Knowing the reasons for our existence helps elevate our lives beyond the sheer numbers, where each individual has a purpose and a destiny. We seem to diminish the importance of human life with each increase in population, while in reality the one is equal to the many. We all matter.

So where is the Rainbow's End? The Pot of Gold? The Answers of the Universe? The answer may not be so complicated...it could be very simple. A rainbow can only be seen through a particular bending of light...after a rainstorm, though a prism...never directly. And yet we all gasp when we see one...reminded of how magical God and nature can be. If our perception is clear, and we know our reason for being, then within that understanding we are at the Rainbow's End.

Look for the Rainbow,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Shaping Memories

1999-09-07T19:15:00.000-05:00

We all have our favorite day of the week...or our favorite time of the year. They represent fond memories, exhilarating experiences, and warm heartfelt thoughts. For me, I enjoy the fall and the last three months of the year....a time of preparing for the holidays, family get-togethers and celebrations. I have to admit if one of these celebrations end up being sorrowful or disappointing, the next year around I can't help but remember the last time. We also tend to remember the passing of a loved one and are affected emotionally each year by the memory....memories do shape our future.

Our minds, for better or worse, soak in just about everything. After awhile the cumulative effect takes hold and all of our thoughts and dreams are thrown into one big basket, jumbled up together. It's no mystery that things can get quite confusing at times....but maybe we can have a little more say in the matter. If our yesterdays shape our tomorrow's, then our todays are the point at which change must occur. So then the point can be taken that as each year rolls around, if we implement the correct changes that we want we then can shape future years and our emotions surrounding them.

We must accept responsibility for our yesterdays, otherwise we are doomed to make the same mistakes. With Free Will in play, I believe God has given us the Gift of having a say over each of our lives, and an influence on others. Yes, we not only can shape the tomorrow's of our own lives, but also of family, friends and loved ones. The power is in the knowledge that things can be changed. Good examples and being a good role-model are vital to the raising of children....they copy what they see. We all have bad days, but what we learn from them is what matters.
Each year we can make better then the previous year. The best days of our lives don't have to be behind us....hey, we're supposed to get better with age, right? Like a fine wine! We can start today to accumulate a new set of memories that can help us ferment into a better tomorrow.

Cheers.

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

The Way It Is

1999-09-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

How many degrees do you have hanging on your wall? As we were growing up weren't these diplomas supposed to provide us with all of the answers and an overabundance of happiness? Perhaps we read too much into the expectations. An education is a wonderful thing to have....and knowledge cannot be overestimated, but that all depends on the level of education and the amount of knowledge obtained. Math, English, the Sciences and the Arts, all meaningful endeavors, but without accumulating skills in life management, finances, parenting, forming relationships, and spiritual growth, one can easily look around and feel that something is missing.

Intelligence in our society today, in many cases, is based on the degree of education that a person has acquired. Surely, a person with a masters degree cannot be a bad father...or go financially bankrupt...but as many of us know, these things do happen, regardless. At a family get-together or party there always seems to be one or two members who seem to have all the answers....surely, there could not be something that they don't know....until one day you get a phone call and that person that you highly regarded as being intellectually superior to you makes one of the stupidest mistakes that even a five year old could understand is wrong. If all we do is concentrate on certain aspects of life, while disregarding others....net/net a person ends up way below average.

When we make mistakes in life it's so easy for us to start searching for the one to blame. 'It's God's fault," "My wife didn't remind me," "My children drive me crazy,"....Heaven forbid we turn the gigantic microscope around and point it at ourselves! Dysfunctional families (which most of us are members of in one way or another) are blamed for all of the mistakes we make in our lives. For sure, coming from a broken home is not easy and in some cases is a mountain to climb....but at some point changes have to be implemented to stop the same things from happening again and again, and new ways to handle our problems have to be practiced.....otherwise, we cannot overcome and move on.

How is this done? Seek out books, classes, seminars, Houses of Worship that can set you on the course of change. It's no mystery, many of us have a sense what's lacking in our day to day lives, but the hard part is facing it and changing it. This road of life that we all travel on is not a smooth journey and sometimes it can be absolutely rocky....but with the right knowledge perhaps we can diminish the amount of accidents that seem to happen in our lives when we least expect them, and obtain a greater control over our existence. We learn good habits and bad habits....plain and simple. We may not be able to change the past, but we do have a say in the future, and the past doesn't have to equal the future. For myself, I do the best I can, but hey, I'm not perfect and often find myself asking God to help me overcome my shortcomings.

Anyone who tells you that they have all the answers....get away from them as fast as you can. The maze that we go through in life, at each turn is supposed to provide us with clues that we are meant to uncover to move forward to the next junction in the maze. Unfortunately, some get trapped, but it's not impossible to clear the blockage and continue on the journey. Those blockages can be overcome if we realize that to move forward it is vital for us to take care of the whole essence of who we are and not just focus on a corner of ourselves.

I believe we come into this world with total knowledge...just look into the eyes of a newborn child. The "trick" is that as we progress in life, to not forget.

Try to remember,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Shaking the Cage

1999-08-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it seems that life is out to lock us away in a cage....trapped, with nowhere to go. We bounce along day to day doing our best to avoid these cages that roam around cities and towns looking for the next person to catch. How do we end up in a cage? We lose our dreams, we lose our hope...and for awhile we just give up. All of us at one point or another have been trapped in one of these cages, looking at the lock and wondering, "Who has the key to let me out?" until one day over in the corner a shining metallic object catches the sun and lo and behold, there is the key to the lock....it was right there under our noses all along. There are some who will tell us that all of life at some point ends up in one of these cages....maybe so, but the length of time that one remains in the cage is determined by us.

In the movie "Network" a character named Howard Beale hosted a talk show, and one night he looked into the television camera and said "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." He proceeded to tell all of those who were tuned into his show to get up out of their chairs, open their windows, and yell out that they too were not going to take it anymore. Howard Beale decided that night to break free of the cage that he found himself trapped in. So what are these cages? Some are called bad friendships, bad relationships, unfulfilling jobs. At some point we must ask ourselves how much further can we go by staying in the same situation? The key to letting us out of the cage, funny enough, is inside the cage. The answers, the solutions, to spring open the door lay there right before us....the trick is to see it. The strength to see the key, pick it up, place it in the lock and turn it, overcome the fear and muster up the courage to leave the entrapped quarters. Some of the hardest things to reaffirm in life are Faith, Courage, Love and Conviction....but without them how can we ever leave the cage and never return?

The mysteries of life always seem so complicated, so hard to fathom, when really they're all so simple. It's the answers that are hard to accept sometimes. The cages are just a place for us to go when fear backs us into a corner. After awhile the cage can feel safe and comfortable....but in reality the bars of the cage keep us from growing. There's more life outside then inside the cage.

Turn the key,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Ages and Stages

1999-08-12T19:14:00.000-05:00

All through our lives we move through the years, hopefully building upon the days to get us to a brighter tomorrow. The only problem with this scenario is that most of us evolve as human beings at different paces, while the world pigeonholes us into boxes where we're "supposed" to be at any given time. We're either too old, too young, too tall, too short, too thin, too fat. While we struggle to grasp for perfection and maintain it, we realize the impossibility of the task...and it's very easy to feel like a failure, unable to come to grips with the idea of the perfect specimen.

Age is not a curse....it is a blessing. It is the tool that can allow us to see our mistakes and correct them. It is the vehicle to help us gain wisdom and insight. Age may produce wrinkles on our bodies, but inside it delivers treasure. The definition of age rests on the shoulders of each individual...in some cultures the oldest members of the family are considered the most valuable. In other parts of the world age is looked upon as a curse...where people must fight it to their death. Age is a part of life...to live is to age. But who can say who is really older? The terrified twenty year old, or the peaceful eighty year old?
As we grow through our lives we evolve through different stages. Growth has its share of exhilaration and pain. As the saying goes, "no pain...no gain." Well, the pain is really the handling of how we get to the next phase of our life...changes are sometimes the hardest steps to go through until we look back and say "What was I so worried about?" Childhood, adolescence, teenage years, adulthood...senior citizen...all valuable parts of life. Each stage as important as the next. The Soul is ageless...inside we are timeless....even if the face in the mirror changes.

So let's not be afraid to laugh, play, stretch, and climb the mountain. It's all a learning game, after all. A classroom open 24 hours a day that teaches Love, Compassion, Harmony and Faith...it's just up to us to listen. The textbook is open to any age...

Read on....

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

The Dance

1999-08-06T19:14:00.000-05:00

Ah yes.....The Dance...something we all partake in, whether we're on the floor, or sitting on the sidelines. The dance, the art of movement in life. Swaying back and forth, up and down, twirling around...circling the floor. A world of motion, depth, synchronicity, thought, touch, feel and love....all moving together, interdependent on one another.

There is nobody who can't dance....we are born with the gift. The question is, how much do we use it? Somewhere along the way we've all had those moments where we've watched from the sidelines at the dance floor, wondering, would we look silly on the floor?....but once we've joined in we're amazed at how easy the rhythm carries us along. It's interesting that while we partake in our dance we become totally unaware of who is watching....we are lost in the feeling of movement. We choose our partners, and hopefully they move with us in time. If not, we choose another until the right person moves with us in balance.

In the Dance of Life no one is truly the master, the know-all and everything....there's always room for improvement. The lessons of life make us better dancers, and we all dream of one day dancing the perfect dance. We share the floor with others....who also seek to improve upon their movements, while some after just one dance choose to take their seats, and never dance again.
The Dance has its share of exhilaration, hope, humor, fear and tenderness....truly magic in motion. On the Dance Floor of Life miracles can happen when least expected. If there is a mystery to Life, then also that mystery encircles the floor of The Dance. While the music plays, and the dancers participate, up above in the balcony the Heavens watch and observe us mere mortals grace the floor. They applaud when one person's joy of The Dance spreads to another...and another...and another.....

Let's never forget that we all know how to dance.....

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Tools of the Trade

1999-08-01T19:13:00.000-05:00

During the hot days of summer here in the United States one can very easily drift, or feel off-balance as the second half of the year beckons. The following are a few suggestions that may help restore equilibrium...or what I call "The Tools of the Trade."

There are certain things, I believe, that need to be repeated daily to keep us in better control of our lives. I'm sure you can also add to the list, but here are my personal choices....

1. I find prayer and meditation a vital part of my morning. It helps to center me, and let me know that there is a purpose to my existence, and a reason for my life. It's so easy to lose track and forget that there is a greater picture and that each one of us make our own contributions.

2. I feel it's very important to make sure that our bodies have the fuel to accomplish our goals and plans. If we don't replenish or refuel, it won't be long before we find ourselves losing interest or getting tired. Diet and exercise can help us drive safely along the road of life. Just because some countries are wealthier than others doesn't mean they aren't malnourished.

3. Self-confidence is vital to success. Yes, we all make mistakes, but we must look inside and believe that we matter and that what we say, feel, and do does have an effect on others. No life is too small and no dream is too big.

4. Budgeting is something many of us can't stand doing, but in order to succeed in what we tackle in life we must be aware of our inflows and outflows. As I wish money didn't matter, it is the form of currency that we use to represent the value of things. So grab the bull by the horns, make a chart on paper, and see how much comes in and where it goes. It's surprising how easily we forget where it goes.

5. I find it useful from time to time to look and examine my lifestyle. How I live, where I work, family and friends....all of these have a profound effect upon my happiness and how I feel about myself. Pets too can provide an abundance of positive energy. I, having three dogs, can attest to this.

6. Last, but not least, is LOVE, because without it all the rest falls by the wayside. I believe that to love is the reason we are here...to overcome the doubts, the hurt, the pain and the hate. Love is not always easy...but neither is Life. It's something that has to be worked at daily...but when one looks inside some of the greatest inventions and ideas, somewhere sprinkled in the center is the passion of Love. Perhaps the greatest lesson we are meant to learn here is the Lesson of Love. To be able to give it, and receive it.

It's almost humorous sometimes how easily we can float through the day....we get up in the morning, and before we know it it's one in the afternoon and what seems like half an hour goes by, when it's suddenly five in the evening...next thing you know, the bed is facing you and it's time to say goodnight!!! Where does the time go? You know you've done fifty-million things, but you can't remember what they were!!! Hopefully with a little better planning we can slow old Father Time down...enough to see the Greater Picture.

Take the time to Love,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Momentum

1999-07-26T19:13:00.000-05:00

Why does it seem that some of the best things for us are the hardest things to start, while other thoughts and plans that are not in our best interest seem to engulf us immediately? I, too, don't quite know why...but perhaps we can explore this point a little further.

Every few months the United States sends a space shuttle into orbit to perform experiments and other tasks. A spacecraft that needs thousands of pounds of thrust to lift it through the atmosphere into space, spending anywhere from one to two weeks circling the globe while we go about our lives on planet Earth. Upon completion of its tasks, the shuttle re-enters the atmosphere, then glides home to, hopefully, a successful mission. Enormous amounts of power to get it into space, when all it needs is the air to glide it home.

Can the same be said for us? Why is it so easy to quit the things we want and need the most? Maybe because to be successful requires much thrust. When we undertake our own missions and goals, at first the amount of energy that is required to turn the wheels seems overwhelming. After a few days is it surprising that many of us throw our hands in the air and say "I've had enough!" Well, if the same amount of energy is needed day after day, eventually all of us would quit...but, as the wheels slowly turn they start to pick up speed, and before too long you start to feel like you're riding an ocean wave that seems to be carrying you along for the ride. What easily can be forgotten is that you have created your own momentum. When we start the car in the morning, and head off down the road, our foot is firmly on the accelerator to get us up to speed....once we reach the desired pace our foot slowly inches off the accelerator and all that is needed is a light tap to stay at the correct level of speed.

Life always looks mysterious at first....but once we peel back the covers simplicity is revealed. The answer, in many cases, is right before our eyes as we look for the needle in the haystack. Life is simple...sometimes painfully simple.
So let's ride the waves, but let's not forget what is needed to get there. Belief, Strength, Power, Courage......Momentum. As the Beach Boys once said, "Catch a wave, and you're sitting on top of the world".....

Surf's up....

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

The Gift

1999-07-20T19:13:00.000-05:00

From the moment we are born, the air fills our lungs, the blood flows through our veins, and all around us is wonder. As we pull away from the womb, for many of us that wonder starts to decrease and eventually we fall into one of the many patterns of life....until one day something shocks us out of our trance and the air, the water, the world looks fresh and new again.

Complacency is such an easy thing to fall into....perhaps it is one of the ways we learn to deal with life on a daily basis. Complacency can stop us from growing and trying new things. One of the crazy rules of life is that when we cease to push forward we start to become less alive. Strange, isn't it? But with growth and new experiences we have to grasp with fear and doubt...but how else can we grow without taking on the risk? All of us should have, placed by our side the day we are born, a book entitled "We Reserve The Right To Fail." With perfection there is no room for failure, but there again human beings are not perfect.

The Gift of Life gives us the chance to experience what we are, and in time, what we can become. How we fill that time is up to us, but remember, time, for human beings, is limited....so enjoy life, experience it....embrace it. Be alive as much as you possibly can be...the rewards are endless.

This past week John F. Kennedy, Jr. took off in a plane for a destination. For him, his wife, and his sister-in-law they were bound for Martha's Vineyard. They expected to spend a wonderful week-end and celebrate a wedding with family and friends...but it wasn't meant to be. The result was a tragic plane crash. Who knows how much time each one of has left? But in the greater scope of things, John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s plane did not crash.....it just flew to Heaven.

Take the time to live,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

The Art of Conversation

1999-07-12T19:13:00.000-05:00

When was the last time you actually sat down in a chair, opposite somebody, looking eye to eye...and shared words, thoughts, and feelings for at least half an hour? Because of our busy lives, so few of us these days can find the time to communicate in what is becoming the lost art of communication, or, for a better word, "talking."

Every one of us evolve as people....growing, changing, trying different things different ways. Have you ever looked back on a photograph of yourself taken ten years ago and asked yourself, "Was that really me? Did I really look like that?" Well, all of us at one point or another pull out the old high school yearbooks to look and reminisce. Change is a part of us....every one of us. In a world full of assumptions, it's very easy to assume that people around us stay the same and we don't really need to update our points of view about them, and they about us. Then one day we sit down with a friend or family member over dinner or lunch and as the words flow our jaws drop in shock that across from us is somebody that we thought we totally knew. What we learn is that unless we keep up our conversations with people, we miss the changes they go through.

We grow as individuals, in many cases, from the information we take in. Isn't it ironic that sometimes the lives of the people closest to us, we look upon as mundane...but in reality they have a profound influence in shaping us as people. Some of the best conversations I've ever had were with my Grandmother who has since deceased...but there isn't a week that passes by that some of her words don't effect me or cross my mind. As I look back I can honestly say she was one of the wisest people I have ever met. I cherish the moments with her, which at the time I didn't realize how important they would later become. So if you're listening, Grandma, thank you.

This weekend pull up a chair, break some bread, look across the table, give a smile....and say, "What's up?" to someone you care about. The answers are always surprising, but enlightening.

Take the time to talk,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

The Grass is Always Greener

1999-07-07T19:12:00.000-05:00

We all believe we have the "patent on pain,"....nobody truly feels the way we do. We walk around town looking at the sea of faces, and we think to ourselves "If you only knew what I'm going through," when really there could be quite a few people worse off than us. Why do we always feel so separated from the rest of humanity, feeling that nobody else goes through what we go through, when in fact pain is pain, joy is joy, and somewhere in-between is where we live?

Recently Beatle Paul McCartney lost his wife Linda to cancer. A friend said to Paul shortly after Linda's death, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Paul's answer was "Bring her back." Here is one of the richest men in the world, having to come to grips with loss and pain, and I'm sure Paul would gladly trade every dime he's ever made to bring his beloved Linda back. We are born, and all around us are people who are also born and eventually die....and as we travel along the road of life circumstances push and pull at us in all directions. At some point we get a grip of some of the mystery of life.

Doctors, lawyers, secretaries, electricians, plumbers etc....we all rise each morning doing our work, hoping for a better day. The Family of Man, looking at its differences, when all the while the strengths are in their similarities. When you hurt, reach out...there are others too who have felt the same way you do. When you feel great happiness, share it...because the pendulum swings both ways. You see, we really are a family on this planet with much in common....sharing all the pain and all the joy. Is the grass truly greener on the other side? A wise man once said, "There can be no measure for pain no matter what the walk of life."
Mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, neighbors down the street....the voice half a world away....we all juggle the intricacies of life daily. We all feel others don't understand us, but we may be surprised. So is the grass always greener? or is it just a false perception of someone else's life. Hey, even Bill Gates has a bad hair day once in awhile and has to go to the dentist!!!

Tend your garden,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon

Blueprints

1999-07-02T19:12:00.000-05:00

This being Fourth of July weekend here in the United States, we celebrate our Independence Day. The blueprint that stands to this day (The Declaration of Independence) represents the beginnings of a nation that stands for "One Nation under God with Liberty and Justice for All." The Founding Fathers wrote this document as a foundation for the United States to build upon...even today it is a work in progress. As history has shown, America still had much to learn about equality and liberty....but this document has evolved for each generation to improve upon. It may not have been perfect, but as time as proven, it represents, perhaps, the most successful form of government in modern times.

We too have within us a blueprint that can be written down on paper as a guide to help us evolve and become more productive and happier people in our lives. All around us are tools that we can use to create this personal portfolio. The Bible, the encyclopedia, and many other books can present ideas that we can use to better ourselves as people. Will our own personal blueprint contain all the facts and all the ultimate knowledge? Maybe not, but as we live on we will fine-tune and improve our own document to grow stronger and more secure.

There are so many things that try daily to rob us of the power that we have over our own lives...and it's very easy at the end of the day to look at your hands and see nothing. If we just create tools, like a blueprint, they can be the maps to show us the way when the weather gets rough. It is your life...nobody knows it better than you. Sometimes we wish somebody could do the work for us....but like the Founding Fathers, we too sense what we need to find stability, health and happiness.

The Declaration of Independence, the document on which the United States of America was built, shows us that it is possible to improve one's life and find a better way. This weekend, over 223 years later, it still stands as a beacon for all those in search of freedom. The United States is not perfect, and still to this day has alot to learn....but at least changes can be made to make it better. A work in progress.... and so, too, is mankind.....

Happy Independence Day,

Jennifer Avalon
© 1999 Jennifer Avalon