Melonie

“Each person is born with an unencumbered spot, free of expectation and regret, free of ambition and embarrassment, free of fear and worry; an umbilical spot of grace where we were each first touched by God. It is this spot of grace that issues peace. Psychologists call this spot the Psyche, Theologians call it the Soul, Jung calls it the Seat of the Unconscious, Hindu masters call it Atman, Buddhists call it Dharma, Rilke calls it Inwardness, Sufis call it Qalb, and Jesus calls it the Center of our Love.

To know this spot of Inwardness is to know who we are, not by surface markers of identity, not by where we work or what we wear or how we like to be addressed, but by feeling our place in relation to the Infinite and by inhabiting it. This is a hard lifelong task, for the nature of becoming is a constant filming over of where we begin, while the nature of being is a constant erosion of what is not essential. Each of us lives in the midst of this ongoing tension, growing tarnished or covered over, only to be worn back to that incorruptible spot of grace at our core.

When the film is worn through, we have moments of enlightenment, moments of wholeness, moments of Satori as the Zen sages term it, moments of clear living when inner meets outer, moments of full integrity of being, moments of complete Oneness. And whether the film is a veil of culture, of memory, of mental or religious training, of trauma or sophistication, the removal of that film and the restoration of that timeless spot of grace is the goal of all therapy and education.

Regardless of subject matter, this is the only thing worth teaching: how to uncover that original center and how to live there once it is restored. We call the filming over a deadening of heart, and the process of return, whether brought about through suffering or love, is how we unlearn our way back to God”
― Mark Nepo, Unlearning Back to God: Essays on Inwardness, 1985-2005

“We have time for everything:
to sleep, to run from one place to another,
to regret having mistaken and to mistake again,
to judge the others and to forgive
ourselves
we have time for reading and writing,
for making corrections to our texts, to regret ever having
written

we have time to make plans and time not to respect them,

we have time for ambitions and sicknesses,
time to blame the destiny and the details,

we have time to watch the clouds, advertisements or
some ordinary accident,
we have time to chase our wonders away
and to postpone the answers,
we have time to break a dream to pieces and then
to reinvent it,

we have time to make friends, to lose friends,
we have time to receive lessons and forget them afterwards,

we have time to receive gifts and not to understand them.

We have time for them all.
There is no time for just a bit of tenderness.
When we are aware about to do this we die.

I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you;
All you can do is to be a loved person.
the rest … depends on the others.

I’ve learned that as much as I care
others might not care.

I’ve learned that it takes years to earn trust
and just a few seconds to lose it.

I’ve learned that it does not matter WHAT you have in your life
but WHO you have.

I’ve learned that your charm is useful for about 15 minutes
Afterwards, you should better know something.

I’ve learned that no matter how you cut it,
everything has two sides!

I’ve learned that you should separate from your loved ones with warm words
It might be the last time you see them!

I’ve learned that you can still continue for a long time after saying you cannot continue anymore

I’ve learned that heroes are those who do what they have to do,
when they have to do it,
regardless the consequences

I’ve learned that there are people who love
But do not know how to show it !

I’ve learned that when I am upset I have the RIGHT to be upset
But not the right to be bad!

I’ve learned that real friendship continues to exist despite the distance
And this is true also for REAL LOVE !!!

I’ve learned that if someone does not love you like you want them to
It does not mean that they do not love you with all their heart.

I’ve learned that no matter how good of a friend someone is for you
that person will hurt you every now and then
and that you have to forgive him.

I’ve learned that it is not enough to be forgiven by others
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I’ve learned that no matter how much you suffer,
The world will not stop for your pain.

I’ve learned that the past and the circumstances might have an influence on your personality
But that YOU are responsible for what you become !!!

I’ve learned that if two people have an argument it does not mean that they do not love each other

I’ve learned that sometimes you have to put on the first place the person, not the facts

I’ve learned that two people can look at the same thing
and can see something totally different

I’ve learned that regardless the consequences
those WHO ARE HONEST with themselves go further in life.

I’ve learned that life can be changed in a few hours
by people who do not even know you.

I’ve learned that even when you think there is nothing more you can give
when a friend calls you, you will find the strength to help him.

I’ve learned that writing just like talking can ease the pains of the soul !

I’ve learned that those whom you love the most
are taken away from you too soon …

I’ve learned that it is too difficult to realise where to draw the line between being friendly, not hurting people and supporting your oppinions.

I’ve learned to love
to be loved.”
― Octavian Paler

“Dignity
/ˈdignitē/ noun

1. The moment you realize that the person you cared for has nothing intellectually or spiritually to offer you, but a headache.

2. The moment you realize God had greater plans for you that don’t involve crying at night or sad Pinterest quotes.

3. The moment you stop comparing yourself to others because it undermines your worth, education and your parent’s wisdom.

4. The moment you live your dreams, not because of what it will prove or get you, but because that is all you want to do. People’s opinions don’t matter.

5. The moment you realize that no one is your enemy, except yourself.

6. The moment you realize that you can have everything you want in life. However, it takes timing, the right heart, the right actions, the right passion and a willingness to risk it all. If it is not yours, it is because you really didn’t want it, need it or God prevented it.

7. The moment you realize the ghost of your ancestors stood between you and the person you loved. They really don't want you mucking up the family line with someone that acts anything less than honorable.

8. The moment you realize that happiness was never about getting a person. They are only a helpmate towards achieving your life mission.

9. The moment you believe that love is not about losing or winning. It is just a few moments in time, followed by an eternity of situations to grow from.

10. The moment you realize that you were always the right person. Only ignorant people walk away from greatness.”
― Shannon L. Alder

“I only accept and pay attention to feedback from people who are also in the arena. If you're occasionally getting your butt kicked as you respond, and if you're also figuring out how to stay open to feedback without getting pummeled by insults, I'm more likely to pay attention to your thought about my work. If, on the other hand, you're not helping, contributing, or wrestling with your own gremlins, I'm not at all interested in your commentary.”
― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead