We Must Look Past What We See...

There really isn't much of anything that makes my heart happier than to deeply appreciate mankind! It warms my heart to watch shows like The Biggest Loser and to see men and women encourage each other in times of enormous obstacles. To see a stranger lend someone a caring hand in times of need.

These sort of acts remind me how we might all be so different in many ways, but at the inner core, we are made up of the same things!

My recent discovery of the Susan Boyle "clip" has brought me nothing short of that extreme warmth and love for mankind! Her clip on Britain's Got Talent reminded me in many ways of when I first saw the clip of the other Britain's Got Talent extraordinaire Paul Potts (who I loved and downloaded his album) a couple years ago. It's a person that at first glance might be easily judged. Someone that might be shoved assigned in the professional world. Mr. Potts was a cell phone salesman, and Ms. Boyle is unemployed. Someone who might be rejected in the romance department -- Ms. Boyle has never been kissed in her 47 years of taking part in this world.

Many of us in life might not have the Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston looks (sorry, had to put them together, because they are two of the most "perfect" looking individuals in my opinion). We might have a stutter, bushy eyebrows, ache, a lazy eye, or even untamed hair, but does that define our character? Does that mean we are any less of a person than the next?

I know people who get disgusted by watching The Biggest Loser because they don't like seeing the limited clothing state in which the individuals find themselves in when going to the weigh-in and they simply can not understand how people can "let themselves get to that point." It's easy to think we are better than someone else. I think we should all strive for the challenge of believing we are of imperfect as the next person and that we are no better than someone else. We must look past what we see on the outside, whether it is what the media would tell us to be beautiful or not. We must remember that sometimes our strengths are simply hidden beneath the imperfections that might stand out at first.

As in Ms. Boyle's case, don't be afraid to give a person a chance to shine, even if your first thought is shaded by doubt.

You can see Ms. Boyle's clip here if you haven't seen it already: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
[It gives me chills and warms my heart each and every time I watch it. She is just sooo cute to me!]

Most Likely Something You Didn't Know, Which Could Save Your Life

I was cleaning out some old emails in my inbox and found a friend had sent me the following link. Take 10 mins to watch this 20/20 bit which most likely is something you probably didn't know, but it could save your life. I wasn't aware of it, but you can bet I'll take this tidbit of information with me in the future when purchasing automobile tires!

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

Now go check your vehicles tires and let's see what years we all happen to have on our cars currently. This might let us know if we are due for some new tires!

As a Person of the Behavioral Sciences...

...I LOVE trying to better understand people by how and what they do in life. Why would someone choose to say one thing? Why would someone chose to act one way?

These have been fascinations of mine for many years -- it is percisely why I chose to go the route I did with my education. It's probably what's drove me to be the total over-thinker that I am in life -- I'm constantly thinking about things (and sometimes it causes me problems...HA!)

When considering the blog realm it's always interested me in what types of topics different people choose to write on on their blogs. Some people use their blogs mostly for sharing their life via photographs to their loved ones. Some people use their blog to give updates on what is going on in their life. Still others use their blog as a forum for topics of discussion. Whatever the case, I think you can learn a lot about a person through his/her blog. What they write about; how they write about it; as well as, how they setup their blog in order to write about it. I mean look at blogs designs -- one can create his/her blog layout that is personal for them. People choose who they want linked on their sidebar on their blog. They can also even choose who they want to be able to respond on their blog. So many ways to personalize one's blog.

For me, I can often find myself taking all of these sorts of things into consideration as I'm yearning to learn more about a person. Why would one choose to link an individual on their blog for a long time, then one day decide to not link them anymore? Is it that that person hasn't blogged in a while, so the person feels the link is a "dead-end" to send his/her readers, as the linked blog is no longer being updated? Or is it that the blog author feels the linked blog is not one they want associated with his/her blog anymore due to a disagreement in views or beliefs? So many possibilities.

What about comment moderation? Why would one choose to moderate who could comment on his/her blog? Does one not want cursing on their blog? Does one feel a need to have ultimate control? Does one fear if he/she does not "approve" each comment first, a comment might arise on his/her blog which one might disagree with? Does one find it hard to even listen to other views other than his/her own? Is one so set in his/her beliefs that anything that might stray from them is ultimately "wrong", thus it has no place among the "right"?

So much is left up to wonder when we look at people's actions in life. It's a sense of excitement for an individual like myself to question and wonder why we do what we do. I truly believe we all have some justification for all our actions, even if we are not consciously aware of it at the time of performance.

As for me...allow me to explain some parts of MY blog.

For instance, I offer a sidebar of links to individuals blogs on my blog. I've taken off different individuals' links to their blogs in the past. My justificiation for this action is that it's someone's blog that has become stagnant -- in that it is frequently, if ever updated. I referred to this earlier as the "dead-end" links.

As for comment moderation on my blog, you'll see I have none. What I've found interesting is that I've never had to use this function as I've always been open to accepting individual's comments on whatever topic I might happen to be addressing that day. Have I been careful to only post on topics I felt would not offer an array of opinions? Of course, not. I'm pretty sure if anyone was to venture out among my many posts on this blog, one would quickly learn that I've openly discussed many topics that bring out the most far right and left opinions on the matter. I've never been one to shy away from peoples' disagreements and differing opinions. Matter of fact, I love that sort of stuff. I enjoy a good debate.

Would I moderate my comments if someone started cussing? I don't believe so. I can't say I've had that, but I don't see how that would bother me, because if anything I would just see that as another opportunity to begin wondering why that person would choose to react in such a way. Why did that person feel the urge to use those words? I've definately had times in my life when I've cussed and I can look back on those times and understand what was going on with me at the time that lead me to use the words I did.

It's all just so intriguing to me.

Homecoming Look-A-Likes

I have been having such a blast in Abilene this weekend celebrating homecoming from my undergraduate alma mater. I love seeing friends who I haven't got to see in quite sometime and recalling memories from our days here together.

Right now I'm just relaxing after what's been a long day of events and hanging with friends. A large part of this included attending the homecoming football game (which we won). While I was there, I happened to notice this lady sitting nearby who immediately made me think I had moved into the future and seen one of my best friends 5 to 7 years down the road with a kid of her own...

What do you think?

Maybe a New Horizon

I've been really depressed lately I guess it is. At first I tried to blame it on something physical. Then decided I was stressed. Then figured I must be depressed. Not really sure why, but I'm pretty positive that's what it is.

I've now ended two sentences with the word "is" and that's not like me when writing. I decided to post this tonight because I remember one of the last time I was really depressed it took admitting and really opening up about it to be able to overcome it. So I thought tonight, though I've been admitting it to people lately that I feel stressed and depressed, I don't think that's been enough. So I'm going to post this, and see if this might be the step it takes to overcome.

I sure hope so. I'm hating this.

BTW...I've kinda used this blog as one of my confirming factors as to accepting I "must" be depressed....I mean look, this is the longest I think I've ever gone without blogging (i.e. at first I couldn't even remember where to go to login in ORDER to post...it's pathetic, I know). Anyways, it's a symptom of depression to show a lack of interest in things you previously enjoyed. Yeah, that's me and my not writing in my blog (not to mention other things in my life...HA!)

The end.

Don't Do It...Call for Help!

Less than two weeks ago I was driving home around 8 PM from my counseling job when I got stuck in traffic. I was taking my regular journey through downtown Dallas; however, at this time of night, traffic issues had never really been a problem before. As we crept along I found myself scanning the horizon ahead looking for the source of our stalling. I couldn't see a wreck. What could it possibly be?

Several minutes into the delay the situation began to pan-out before me. What I saw up-ahead was an exit ramp coming off the interstate I was on, which had been blocked off. It was just beyond that police line that I noticed an interstate bridge towering over that exit ramp which had several police cars with lights flashing up on it and then several police officers standing on the bridge, outside their cars. It was then that I glanced to the right of them and noticed about 20 or 30 feet away a dark looking shadow was on the edge of the bridge. As I continued to roll ever so closer in our crawling traffic situation, the dark shadow was revealed. It was a man who was sitting over the bridge edge and preparing to jump. It was all making sense to me now...that interstate bridge and the interstate exit ramps below had all been cleared to handle the situation of a potential suicide jump.

Thankfully, I didn't witness the individual jump; and I am uncertain about what ended up happening in the situation, as I ended up moving past the scene as traffic continued to crawl along.

Did the man jump? And if so, did he survive? Were the police able to convince the man that suicide was a permanent form of relief for the pain he was obviously suffering at the time; rather than a temporary relief?

I don't know what became of the situation, but I do know we all can find ourselves in situations where we want a sense of relief. It's at those points where we need one another the most. And it's when we do find ourselves in those situations and we commonly feel as if we don't have anyone to turn to, that we need resources like 1(800)SUICIDE.

It's been within the past month that I had a client share with me how they turned to a crisis hotline for someone to talk to when they were having a rough time. These options are life savers -- literally.

Let's help in whatever ways we can...



http://www.hopeline.com/

One year ago today I lost a close friend in a murder-suicide. Her husband shot and killed her, and then killed himself. These sort of things can and need to be prevented. Let's reach out and help one another. Let's give hope!

Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Ted Poe is a representative from the Houston, Texas area who is serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. I've known of him for a good few years because he graduate from my alma mater, ACU, and I actually had a class with his daughter while I was there. Mr. Poe is known for his creative ways to teach criminals lessons, as he spent many years as a judge in the Houston area prior to his time in Congress. From what I gather, he is a pretty witty individual.

Here's you a taste of Mr. Poe. I think you'll agree with me, in that he has very creative ways to get his points across! =)