Some of you will understand perfectly today’s post. For the rest, it will simply be a funny blog:)

In church this Sunday, singing while reading the words from a Hymn book, I kept cracking up at a few words, due to the miss understandings a second language can bring in one’s mind and vocabulary. Chet too began to giggle after I whispered as to what exactly these words, at a first glance, meant to me.

“The lamb upon his throne (not thorn, as I thought)

All hail, Redeemer hail (not hell, as I thought)

Let angels prostrate fall (not prostate, as I thought)-my favorite

Hallow be thy name (not hollow, as I thought)”

I had to look these words up on Google not to mess up this blog:)))))))

So you see, us folk that have -the English as a second language syndrome- see the world quite differently at times:)

Have a blessed day:)

I’m taking a few online courses throughout the year, at the present the course is called “The Science of Happiness” Berkeley X on line at Edx.com, the courses there are free for anyone that wants to learn. Today I’m also starting a course on English Grammar and Style.

One interesting notion I’ve heard in the Happiness course is as follows; Happiness in adult  life is often determined by happiness as a child. I must admit I agree with that statement a whole lot, however I do believe that if one person had an unhappy childhood he/she can become a happy person as an adult, it does take more work than an otherwise happy childhood. I’ve also personally observed that a seemingly happy person/ comedian can hide behind humor masking an unhappy childhood or adolescent time in their lives. I’ve also observed from personal experiences and interactions the following; super sensitive people (me most of my life) read facial and body language very easily and/or have a heightened sensitivity to people’s “spiritual energy” so to speak. They tend to be offended easily and come from a offensive strategy of life when around people even if deep down in their hearts secretary they hate that strategy. It is my opinion but I’m not a certified expert, only a person that has life experience in such areas, that these fine tuned qualities (or some would call them curses), come from childhood, developed during childhood in order to predict their bullies/ predator/abuser’s next move. That takes a lot of observation for a child to have to do and a whole lot of pain for a child to be exposed to.

But let’s get back to the happiness subject. One adult is capable of learning true happiness even if the childhood age was tragically void of such emotion. It does take time and great effort to get there but it’s possible, unless you’re the type of personality one of my brothers has, when as a child all pain rolled off his back like water on a duck’s back. I call that a superpower:)

It is very important as parents to allow happiness and contentment to develop in our children but please don’t mistake that for spoiling a child, which in my opinion is a high detriment to a child and the future society that has to deal with such a child when he/she grows up.

I wish you a happy and content day (there’s a difference between the two), but ultimately I wish you a day full of peace and blessings:)

In viata suntem bombardati zilnic de ginduri negative, atit cele de la sine cit si de la cei din jur. Ce ne-a vorbit Dumenzeu in Biblie incepe sa fie dovedit stiintific si anume; cum gindim dirijeaza nivelul de sanatate pe plan trupesc, sufletesc si spiritual.

Dar daca zilnic decidem sa ne gindim la trei lucruri pozitive care ne aduc bucurie in suflet si trup si spirit, inzdravenim sistemul imun, imputernicim sistemul cardiovascular si traim mai mult.

1. Azi ma bucur de soarele de pe fata mea, ca imi dau seama ca aduce sanatate la toti si e un dar de la Dumnezeu.
2. Darul de iertare. Am esuat la capitolul asta ani de zile, desi mi-as fi dorit sa am success. Nu am stiut ce inseamna a ierta dar mai mult de atit, nu am crezut ca altul care mi-a facut rau merita iertarea mea. Ufta:) Dupa ce am cazut la pat pe prag de moarte Dumenzeu mi-a aratat ceva ce inainte eu nu am bagat de seama sau as fi crezut daca alt om mi-at fi zis. “Carmen, tu singura te-ai pus in pragul primejdiei. Ti-ai slabit sistemul imun pentru ca nu ai iertat si ai dus boala de minie in inima  atita timp ca acuma si daca ai vrea nu stii cum sa uiti pe altul care te-a ranit.” Am stiut ca adevarul lui Dumnezeu a expus ceva din mine. Dar de atunci, cu ajutorul lui Dumnezeu (voi explica mai bine in viitoarea carte care o voi scrie) am inceput sa iert inainte ca minia sa-si impleteasca ghiarele in jurul inimii mele.
3. Chet, sotul meu. Este un om intelept si minunat si ma bucur de prezenta lui in viata mea zilnic:)
4. Care sint cele trei ginduri pozitive in viata voastra? Ca si muschii corpului trebuie repetate zilnic:) O zi binecuvintata va dorest la toti:)

Daily we must fight against some type of negativity, that comes either from within us or from around us. Research is being done, even if it’s infancy stage, proving how important forgiveness and contentment is for a strong immune system and a longer life.

One simple step towards such health is the daily three positive thoughts about your day. This can be done in a written form or mental form. Here I go.

1. Sun on my face! It reminds me that life thrives when sun bathes us all with a powerful source of life and health, improving our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
2. Forgiveness. I used to have a verryyyyyyyy hard time with this one, was very ill equipped and very unsuccessful in this area. But I got cured of that thanks to almost dying. Yes I’m thankful, because I have a new view on life and never been happier with my life than right now. I keep on forgiving now before bitterness has a chance to wrap it’s tentacles around my heart. I’m not an expert, I’m still a student but I love the effects of forgiveness.
3. My husband. He’s a great man, a great person and I’ve learned a lot from him. He really does balance me. I didn’t see it that way earlier in our marriage, because I allowed my insecurities turn into stupid mountains of nonsense. What a waste of time fighting over nothing. But now I see the things I did not back then, and although he’s not perfect (neither am I), I really like his differences. It brings the unexpected in our relationship.
4.  How about you? What are your daily three positive thoughts you will tell yourself to see the effects of happiness and contentment take hold in your heart. And just like a muscle it takes persistence and perseverance.

Noun. A very brief period of time.

It takes only one moment to realize you’re in danger, or in love or dying. It’s a commodity we all get to experience, few appreciate it and even fewer enjoy it.

I remember one instance when I volunteered to translate for an aquantance of mine at a doctor’s office. Before the doctor came in this person was furious about some injustice she felt was done against her by none other than her own daughter and I tried to advise her the best I could. In reality she was the victim of her own anger and selfishness and her daughter was the hero of the story. But when the knock came, and the doctor walked in, this person’s demenour changed so radical and sudden it kicked the wind out of my lungs. In front of me suddenly sat, bent and very pitiful looking, the very image of a sick and unfortunate human being, someone I knew flew off in a fit of rage just seconds earlier. In that moment, and it was a long moment for me, I understood I was being manilpulated. In that moment I learned another lesson. After the appointment was done as this person tried to milk out of the system as much as possible, I bid the person good by, making it clear we’re done.

And than there was the moment of utter awe and love look on my husband’s exhausted face upon seeing our first born for the first time. That moment was full of love and of hope, a little scary but worth every pain I just endured.

Or the moment of talking with a great friend on the phone, hearing all about her day and smiling on the other end of the line, with a heart filled with love.

Our lives are full of these moments, precious moments that collectively make up the beauty, pain, sorrow and trials that ultimately teach us many lessons.

On the 28th of March I’ll go through a new moment, a first step towards pulling all mercury fillings out of my mouth. The health that will follow will be greatly celebrated, but the thankfulness will be even greater.

What moments take your breath away?

em·i·gra·tion

noun, the act of leaving one’s country to settle permanently in another, moving abroad.

Americans who were formerly legal emigrants at one point, such as myself or the current legal emigrants in America have no naive ideas about the whole legal process of entering America, then becoming a citizen. We’ve gone through our fair share of paperworks, interviews, fingerprinting process, waiting for moths, sometimes years to hear back, more paperworks, more interviews, fees and criminal background checks in order to prove that we had no ill intentions towards America the country or it’s citizens. Most emigrants want an opportunity at a good life, freedom of speech and religious believes or no beliefs and most importantly a better future for their children. Most of us came in with visas and a few through political asylum (the protection granted by a nation to someone who left their native country as a political refugee).

If everyone who wanted to enter America would’ve been allowed to just come, my whole family and 90% of Romania would be here along with most of the world, especially the impoverished countries. Personally I would be okay receiving all the starved, abused and sexually exploited children of the world and love them, provide education and help them flourish into great adults. Those innocent victims are the one that really need help. As adults we all choose our attitude, and truth be told most adults choose wrongly.

Once I became an American i had to denounce my old allegiance to my native country and by placing one hand over my heart and one hand in the air I had to promise not to bring any harm to my new country, to uphold its laws and follow it’s constitution. I have friends that came in America as political refugees, escaping the claws of the communism. I’ve met a lot of people from different nations that love their new life in America. I also met a few, some were Romanians, that complained against this system and I tolled them all the same thing: “If you don’t like it here, leave. No one’s holding you a prisoner in here. But if you stay, you learn this country’s new ways and follow them. They’ve got something going right to do so well in comparison to most other countries in this world.”

I was discriminated against in my country for being a Christian and a woman, then I was discriminated against for being a foreigner here in this country, for having an accent, for being a stay at home mom and a few other things but more so than not I was accepted here, loved, respected and integrated in this culture and this land. Sure there is a difference in how I’m treated by Americans without an accent (besides my family) but I don’t mind. I don’t give it much though. I think most times people are just uncomfortable and don’t know how to identify with someone different than them. But isn’t that a weakness we all possess despite our cultures?

Seeing the news lately I do have to admit a certain type of unease. I want people who are being mistreated by their very own to have a safe place in here like the rest of us, but to keep it safe a certain measure of precautions must take place. If it took emigrants up to this point months and years to enter or become citizens (some it took up to five years or more, my uncle for example it, it took him eight years to bring his wife and children here, and they had paperworks to prove their identity), it will take a while for people without paperwork before they will be approved. It isn’t unfair. It’s jut how things operate for all. Safety of one’s country, land and home takes certain precautions.

And that’s all for today.

neu·ro·plas·tic·i·ty

noun
the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury.
“neuroplasticity offers real hope to everyone from stroke victims to dyslexics”

As per definition, neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to create new neurological connections if the original connections were damaged by strokes, neurological diseases, chronic infections, radiation, Neurological Lyme Disease, car accidents, gun shots and so forth.

My brain got attacked by the Borrelia Burgdorferi a bacterial species of the spirochete class, among other things, and produced neurological symptoms, among other things, that resembled early sighs of Alzheimer’s. That was a very scary time of battle, because I was aware of everything that was happening to me most of the time but felt absolutely trapped in my own body. Any mental commands that worked before no longer seemed to do their job to its full capacity, as if there was a disconnect somewhere between my brain and the rest of the body. Tree years later, through great treatments we’ve eliminated an extensive amount of neurological damage, but some traces remain, enough to keep me from driving long distances or start a job just yet. So recently the treatments have been focused on these neurological symptoms, meaning new tests and medication.

To my surprise a big step in healing was an approach I’ve never though about it. Legos. Yes, Legos. I developed an obsessive need to build with Legos two months ago, and after purchasing few sets of Legos, my therapy began. The first time I began building my head felt as if one angry person grabbed a beehive, shook it very hard agitating the living lights out of the bees and immediately stuck it inside my brain. It was very hard to focus and the brain became very agitated, followed by headaches and vision irritation. Something was happening, even if I didn’t fully understood what exactly that was. I did my therapy couple hours or more every day and after one week the bees inside my head got less agitated until eventually they stopped. What began as an awkward building process only toddlers go through soon turned into a well coordinated process. Next I began using my left hand mostly (I’m a righty) and the buzzing began again but not nearly as intense as the first week. Pretty soon I began building with my right hand behind my back, using mostly my left hand.

I still have moments of awkwardness both left and right, when the brain seems to want a vacation but overall I’ve seen great improvement in coordination, memory and focus (my focus was very reduced).

It’s as if I was building an overpass over the old run down highways of my mind through a pleasant process such as building with Legos. I don’t need daily therapy now, but I do need it a few days a week, especially when stressed. I seem to think of nothing else during those moments as an overwhelming desire to build washes over me. In Legos there’s a structure to everything and a way to get to your goal.

The past week, I’ve had to stop medication for a test I need to take late this week and my body hurts tremendously, my joins and bones especially, my brain, fatigued, nausea and lack of appetite have returned. On a good note, the 23andme results are here, and although i need to send them to another place for full interpretation, I found out that I’m 99.8% European, mostly Eastern European with very few and very small variations, in other words I’m a pure breed:)

I wish you well, God bless and have a fantastic week:)

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you!!!!! It’s funny seeing all the buzz here in town, bouquet of flowers sold, balloons and cards picked as most people have someone  to shower them with love. Today I was reminded yet again about the difference between where we used to live and where we leave now. The choice of Valentines Cards in this particular store i went to was downright depressing. It seems that in Seattle the main theme during Valentines is to be vulgar, sarcastic and crass to your loved one, at least from the choices of Valentine’s Cards. I managed to find a cute one for Chet and I sure hope he’ll find a great one for me, if not, I totally understand. I saw the poor choices I had to work with.

I smile but I mourn as well. I can’t help it. Today Linda Lothrop Schrott lost her life to cancer. I met Linda in CFC (Christian Faith Center) church and from the get go I liked her. It was her Italian charm and big smile and she just seemed to radiate love all around her. One meets such a person few times in their lives and that’s enough. I’ve had that privilege. I knew her briefly but that was enough to imprint a fond memory in my soul. So between tears, I’m planing the dinner for tonight and the dessert, because for the rest of us still have to go on living realizing just how short and fragile this life can be and what a blessing it is we’re still here making memories and hopefully living a good life.

Once again, Happy Valentine’s Day from us to you guys and don’t forget to smile despite the tears that may invade our lives at times. I will forever miss Linda and I’m so great full I  knew her:)

God Bless.