Every person has the power to make others happy.
Some do it simply by entering a room --
others by leaving the room.
Some individuals leave trails of gloom;
others, trails of joy.
Some leave trails of hate and bitterness;
others, trails of love and harmony.
Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism;
others trails of faith and optimism.
Some leave trails of criticism and resignation;
others trails of gratitude and hope.
What kind of trails do you leave?
(William Arthur Ward)
p.s A note to myself ....
The key to balancing your desire to be at peace with your need to achieve, perform, and earn a living is in recognizing that there's no such thing as stress; there are only people thinking stressful thoughts. It's really simple as that. When you change the way you process the world, the world you're processing changes.
Stress is an inside job. You can't fill a container with it because tension isn't a physical item or object. There isn't some 'thing' that you can point to and say. There it is, that's stress! It simply doesn't exist in that form.
............. ....
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Being out of balance on this stress measure results in being on of the millions of people requiring medication to manage the symptoms listed above. It means that you often feel exasperated because you never really enjoy the life you work so hard to achieve. You may frequently feel as if you're running on an endless treadmill. All of the pressure of working and striving for many wordly rewards, yet at the same time there's a feeling of going absolutely nowhere.
If this sounds familiar. it's a signal to begin reconsidering ways of processing thoughts about your life and work, and start pursuing freedom from the symptoms of stress by becoming more balanced. Getting into balanced isn't necessarily about changing your behavior. Certainly you can pursue stress-reducing activities such as meditation, excercise, walks along a beach, or whatever works for you. But if you continue to align yourself with achieving more, defeating the other guy, winning at all costs, and going faster because you believe that's how to keep up, then you're guaranteed to attract the vibrational equivalent of this thinking into your life - even if you do yogas and stand on your head chanting mantras everyday!
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Those are excerpts from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer book's 'Being in Balance'. I keep it on my office table and grab it whenever I have a few minutes break. Sometimes we need to be reminded ..... to live ourselves a normal life in this hectic world 
Happy Friday!
Love - Larra
Every day is a journey,
and the journey itself is home.
(Matsuo Basho)
-- Wishing you a wonderful journey throughout your day --
But today is still public holiday here, and I get to witness a lovely sunrise from my living room. So, I suppose that's a sign of a good start for my day 
I hope you are having a wonderful time whereever you are.
Today is indeed a special day. Not just it is a Valentine's day, but also today is Chinese New Year. The Chinese celebrate the coming of Tiger year today. Now you know why I am in the mood for Chinese song. I just finished watching chinese movie on TV - The House of Flying Dagger. I am not such a big fan of chines movie though, but the pretty face of of the leading lady, Zhang Zi Yi made me sticked in front of TV till the movie ended. Here, the beautiful song from the movie:
While I am in the mood for sentimental Chinese song, I looked for my all time favorite: The Moon Represents My Heart by Teresa Teng.
The Moon Represents My Heart by Kenny G
Good morning!
I started my Valentine's Day with briskwalk at the park.
Can't help but capturing the hibiscus smiling at me
It was early and the hibiscuss wasn't fully open yet, but it's pretty.
I also had a chat with a blade of grass, that shared with me her sad story.
Anyway, I hope you have great day with your loved ones.
Love - Larra
Yes, it was a busy weekend for me.
My nephew came over with his family to help intstall the Roman blinds that was ordered about a month ago. I always like the Roman blinds because it looks neat and tidy 
And I must also confess that I hate having to put back the curtain hooks each time I wash the curtains.
So, it's Roman blinds for the whole house for 2010 and the next few years 
:
1. The living room
2. Master bedroom
3. Other rooms & Reading room
.. 
It was home-cooked lunch to reward my nephew for all the hardworks And also busy entertaining little Ain Balqis who seems to acquire new 'skills' each time she visited me
. 
Last night she was playing with the elder sister Batrisya in the bedroom while we were having dinner. Suddenly we heard the sister screaming. The mother went to have a check, Balqis was pulling her sister's long hair! So, the mother brought both of them to the living room - the sister resting on the sofa while Balqis sitting next to me. BUT, wait ..... she wasn't satisfied with the solution. So, she get down from the chair, when straight to her sister and started pulling her hair again! Doh! According to the mother, her sister must have teased her first or did something that made her angry - and little Balqis won't stop till she's satisfied and she has taken full revenge! 
And the look on her face, I am not sure whether I wanted to laugh or what ... she looked like a little gangster in the making (she turned 2 last January). Hehehee
She only stop, when we offered her ice cream and tell her to ask the sister whether she wanted some. She went to the sister who's sitting on the sofa and forgetting about pulling her hair! So, they end up eating ice cream together happily.
Never look down on anybodyI have a good sleep last night.
I fall asleep while Nana Maskouri singing "Nights in White Satin" over and over again .......
Here a version by Moody Blues. Happy listening.
Or the '67 version:
