August 30

How fitting... I just just learned that "aloha" actually has three meanings... do you already know what the third meaning is??? It is "love"....

From Wikipedia...

The word aloha derives from the Proto-Polynesian root *qarofa, and ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian.^[1][2] It has cognates in other Polynesian languages, such as Samoan alofa and Māori aroha, also meaning "love."
A folk etymology claims that it derives from a compound of the Hawaiian words alo meaning "presence", "front", "face", or "share"; and ha, meaning "breath of life" or "essence of life." Although alo does indeed mean "presence" etc., the word for breath is spelled with a macron or kahakō over the a (hā) whereas the word aloha does not have a long a.

Flower arrangement in Hilo, Hawaii, 1959

[edit] Usage

The use of the word as a greeting has been reconstructed to Proto-Polynesian.^[3] Before contact with the West, other words used for greeting included welina and anoai. Today, "aloha kakahiaka" is the phrase for "good morning." "Aloha ʻauinalā" means "good afternoon" and "aloha ahiahi" means "good evening." "Aloha kākou" is a common form of "welcome to all."
In modern Hawaiʻi, numerous businesses have aloha in their names, with more than 3 pages of listings in the Oʻahu phone book alone.

[edit] Trends

Recent trends are popularizing the term elsewhere in the United States. Popular entertainer, Broadway star and Hollywood actress Bette Midler, born in Honolulu, uses the greeting frequently in national appearances. The word was also used frequently in the 1968 and 2010 versions of the hit television drama Hawaii Five-0. In the influential 1982 film comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High the student, and surfer, Jeff Spicolli, Sean Penn, uses the greeting with the eccentric teacher Mr. Hand, Ray Walston, who had earlier made use of the greeting himself. The Aloha Spirit is a major concept in Lilo and Stitch, a very popular Disney series of movies and TV shows, set in Hawaiʻi. The drama series Lost, shot in Hawaiʻi, has a thank you note at the end of the credits saying "We thank the people of Hawaiʻi and their Aloha Spirit". Aloha is a term also used in the Nickelodeon program Rocket Power.
Arguably the most famous historical Hawaiian song, "Aloha ʻOe" was written by the last queen of Hawaii, Liliʻuokalani.
The term inspired the name of the ALOHA Protocol introduced in the 1970s by the University of Hawaii.
In Hawaii someone can be said to have or show aloha in the way they treat others; whether family, friend, neighbor or stranger.

Fascinating, that this word aloha means love - or literally in the presence of the essence or breath of life?  Is it not true that love really is the essence and breath of life?  What is a life without love? Sadly, in my work in corrections I see everyday what happens when people live a live devoid of love....

Do you ever get the feeling that some things are meant to be? That some things do not come into your life just by chance or coincidence?  The really interesting thing is that "aloha" has another meaning for me.  I am really hoping to earn a trip to Hawaii this February, and the only way that I am going to do that is by helping a whole bunch of people to have some really great experiences.  I am noticing that the more I get out of my own head, where I worry about how to get things done for me, the more I am able to see others and to be of better service to them.  It is awesome.  Could being more loving in my life actually take me to a place where I could experience that land where "aloha" was born? That would be really cool!
Today, I played some fun music and enjoyed some time with my kids and cooking dinner.  I was patient. I was relaxed.  I was busy, but I had fun.  I helped a couple of stressed people out to relax... I feel good. 
I am noticing that simple acts and simple choices start to add up to big changes and I love it. 
In the spirit of Aloha....
Emily

Comment Help

Hi Everyone. I am trying to make it easier for you all to leave comments.  Once you have signed into the blog, you should just be able to click on the blue link that shows how many comments have been left and a comment screen will now pop up.  You will type your comment, then choose your identity (ie your google account) and click on "publish comment".  I hope this makes it easier for you all. Thanks for your support and encouragement and love!

August 23

In memory of the Honorable Jack Layton:

"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world." - Hon. Jack Layton.

Jack lived the soul of another favourite quote of mine from Margaret Mead:
"Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Never doubt.... every act could change the world for someone else.... Thank you Jack for being one of those people who persisted in making the world a better, and more just, place.

August 17

I am going to be brutally honest, and tell you that I am only writing right now because I feel like I must in order to be true to this process.  In truth, I am bone tired and when I start rolling the concept of love around my brain, I come up blank..........................................................................................



I guess that is really why I am writing then................................................................................................

I don't want to be the woman who gave up on my blog... who gave up on my goal... who gave up on living a life that enriches others with love, and is enriched by love....

My friendly Curves lady called me today to say "HI" which I really know means, "You haven't been to our facility in 3 months and we're checking up on you!!!".  It is a good thing that there is no blog lady to call me... because I don't want that phone call.  So, here I am.  Good thing that I can blog buck naked (not really because I am too tired to get out of my lazy chair) from the comfort of my laptop... because there is no way that I am going to squeeze into exercise clothes and sneakers right now. 

I wish I could say that I feel more loving or more loved right now, but I am just not 100% sure that is true.  I giggled at a derogatory comment a while ago just because I was too tired to object to the person on the other end of my phone.... I've been so busy that I haven't taken any time for random acts of kindness.... I've made choices that served people less important than my family or myself, at the expense of my family and myself....I've had more moments than I wanted where I was abrupt, harsh, impatient or careless.

Awareness is, of itself, an important part of the process.

Then, on the other hand, maybe I do feel more loving and loved just by continuing my commitment to this journey, and reaching out to you out there in bloggerworld. 

As my son would say, "Aloha"... which I understand means hello and goodbye at the same time....
Hello fellow community of love gardeners....
Goodbye fatigue, apathy and feeling alone....

Aloha,
Emily

August 8

So today's thought is about love and gratitude.  I was away at a business conference in Montreal this past weekend and was reminded that love and gratitude seem to be inextricably linked for me.  It is easy for the flame of love to flicker and fade as the people and things that you love become routine, mundane, or all-too familiar... but gratitude wields the power to fan the flame of love and re-ignite passions that grew weak. My new challenge for myself? To think of 10 things that I am grateful for at the beginning and end of each day....

For tonight:
1. The income, choices, and freedom that my direct-selling business has afforded in my life.
2. My children who love and hug me everyday, no matter how I am feeling.
3. The love, faithfulness and support of my husband.
4. The comfort of my home.
5. The fullness of my cupboards.
6. The laughter I share with friends.
7. The beauty of the world.
8. The economic and political stability of my country.
9. My memories.
10. The courage that helps me to key in these words.
11. God who made it all possible and watches over me, waiting to bless me at every opportunity he can....

July 29

I haven't blogged in a while because I've been unplugged a lot lately... in many ways.  We bought a trailer a few weeks ago and have spent almost half our time since in it.... relaxing!! Who knew that relaxing was so important. I am a serious TYPE A get things done and live to my full potential sort of character, so rest and relaxation don't often rate high on my list of priorities... but I do value fun and family. 

Looking at my 5 and almost 4 year year old children recently made me realize that those priorities needed to jump up higher on my list of things to do, and so the trailer entered our lives.  I have honestly had the two happiest moments that I can recall in recently history in the past two weeks.... Once I was just lying in bed and felt overwhelmingly happy... and then today, reading a book with my feet up on the deck.  Who knew? Who knew that the secret key that might unlock more of my happiness and love potential rested in some simple R&R? Maybe you did, but I sure didn't.... A little work to do tonight, and then 4 more days of fun.  Simple bliss... and more love and hugs from my kids in the past two weeks too.... Time will always be priceless.

I've heard people talk about love languages, and I don't know what they technically are... but I am convinced that mine is time.  I consider the time that people give to me a gift... and if I am giving you my time, then you can be sure that I you are being loved by me. I hope that my family feels awash in love for the next few days...

Oh, and I read something today in an ice cream shop in Huntsville - "YOGS".... May it inspire you. 
"You cannot buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream, and that is almost the same thing."

July 11

I am crazy tired tonight and really should be going to bed... love for my sleep has never seemed to take precedence over my love of a challenge LOL!!

I spent a few precious hours with my sister last night talking about this exciting topic of living love and reviewing some pretty cool inspirational figures on YouTube... who knew what a wealth of inspiration is on there?!?!? 

The Rob Bell clip that I posted the other day was one that we checked out, and I actually found that I got more out of it when I could just listen to him and not watch the visuals... anyway, what a powerful concept that every life and every moment is meaningful.  Can you imagine if each of us just spent even 10% more of our time living meaningful love in our lives??? Can you imagine what a different place the world will be.  To be honest, I am working on about 1% more love each day to start..

Anyway, my mind just keeps wandering back to the idea of simple things... simple things that we can do to show love to others.

Sadly, I grew up experiencing a religious environment where many people focussed their energy and attention on gaining rewards and favour with God in the afterlife in heaven... The belief, for some, seemed to be that we are really all just unworthy sinners putting in time here on earth until we can one day earn the favour of God, and be rewarded for our faithfulness (by which I really think I just mean going to church every week).... with life of paradise with Him in Heaven when we die.

Some 20 years later, I have now come to a very different belief about heaven and what happens when we die.... and at the end of the day, I no longer believe that living is all about what happens when we die.  I think that if we live love every day, here in the heaven that is God's Kingdom on earth, then our afterlife with him just takes care of itself. 

I have come to such a strong conviction that this is heaven right here, right now, in this moment, sitting right here on my couch typing these words with my family sleeping upstairs and my neighbours in their beds in their homes around me...THIS IS HEAVEN... right here. Right now. All around me.

I believe that I can create heaven all around me by choosing to live love today.  Or I can choose to create hell by choosing a life that is absent of love.  I am going to say that one more time, because I think a lot of people might have expected me to say that hell is created when we choose the opposite of love, and some people might think that is hate.  I will have to reflect more on what I think the opposite of love is, but right now - I see it as a simple absence - a void - a vacancy.  It could also be hate, or malice or cruelty... but far too often, I see hell created here on earth by sheer apathy, lack of concern, ignorance or absence of love.  I see starving people and neglected children, and sick people without hope... and most of the people around them turning a blind eye. Where those people sit alone, without love, there is hell. Of course I believe that God loves those people, and he will bring them comfort where they will seek it, but I also believe that he intended the rest of us to be his hands and feet and to bring his love to the neighbours we share our lives with.

My husband and I have been fortunate to share a contented marriage.  Of course we've had our ups and downs, but at the end, I believe that our strength has come from the conviction that we will always be OK as long as we are taking care of one another.  As long as we continue to live love towards one another.  And sometimes, that is a deliberate choice....

Do I live love? Who do I take care of? Who is taking care of me? Do we mostly take care of ourselves and our own little family? Who is in our family's circle of love and care?

These are questions I find myself asking... and in the busyness of my life, I fear that my circle of care has shrunk over time.  I would like to expand it.  To whom much is given, much is expected... and that only seems right.