An Eventful Year!

I watched the other night a documentary showing the major events that occurred this year: new television shows, political setbacks, breaking wars in various countries, Babies born on special dates, and unexpected people who have died. I started to think about those personal events that transpired in our life, which no media was present to film or historians to tell the stories.

Every New Year, some people like to reflect about their life and sketch out a plan they desire to see how the year should begin and end, but not often do people anticipate or create an alternative for the detours that may come about. We often believe that the year will simply come and go with no contradiction to our plan.

 Yes, for some, it is as planned: making more money, having new babies, traveling to Europe, or buying a new house. Unfortunately, for many, it was a pink slip from a 15 years+ employment with a company, it was a house or business foreclosure, or it was a farewell to a close family member or friend.

Despite of how the year may be played or may have played us, there is something about human resilience that keeps pushing us through to another year. Although we may not know what the next year will bring, those of us who like to make plans will still write them down and expect they will come to completion. Even those of us who had been burnt out by the misadventures of this year, though doubtful that the pain or the anger will go away, will still manage to hope for a brighter new year.  

Therefore, as the year 2012 is coming to an end, I wish that all of us will continue to aim higher and dream bigger. As the Psalmist encourages us in these words: “Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5. This year may have disappointed, but next year will definitely have many sweet surprises.

© December 28, 2012 Natacha Michel

Unknown

If I would die right now, and should leave all behind

What would I have not done, grieving my soul to find?

When the sentence would come forth,

And no one to stand by, not even one to support.

I would have liked that my goodbyes had ended right

With my loves ones I had seen much delight.

If I would die right now, and should face the Master

I would have liked to live as God wanted me to be

Than pretending to love with a heart absentee.

I would have liked to bid better farewells

And wholeheartedly sought to do well.

If I should die right now, should my eyes fall fast asleep.

I would have liked that my soul look not into the deep.  

So while I am yet still awake, I would cling near

In his truth than to live in wonder and die in fear

© December2012 Natacha Michel

Got Talent?

One of my friends, an accountant at a company, is the best “crocheter” I know. She makes the most amazing quilted items for all sorts of occasions. She enjoys and can do all kinds of designs for her family, her friends, and even shares some of her works with her colleagues. Seriously but with tease, I often plant the seed that she should open her own boutique and make some money out of her gift, but she always denies the idea and resents the thought that her “talent” could become her ticket to a more prosperous life. Don’t get me wrong, she is a great accountant, very detailed oriented and good with numbers, but she has a glow about her when she is talking about and showing off her stitches.

Yesterday, my daughter and I watched “Tinker Bell” on our movie night. As much as I’d like to deny it, I have my moments with the fairy tales stories; there is something about them that takes one to the land far far away. Aside my sentiment, the movie was about one’s talent. Tinker Bell was created with the gift to make and repair things, but as she learned that only nature-talent fairies can go to mainland for spring, she thought that her “gift” was too menial and desired to become like one of the other fairies. She tried in vain to create dewdrops with Silvermist, teach a bird how to fly, or light fireflies with iridessa, but no matter what she tried, she failed at it. She wanted to go so bad to the mainland that she was willing to become anything else but who she was to achieve her goal. At the end of the movie, she had to exercise her gift to save the Pixie Hollow from peril, which helped her understand that all fairies had a particular job to do and every talent was essential to whom it is given.

Few of us understand and use our talent freely and satisfactorily; but many of us still try to fill in other’s talent to make it our own, denying our true purpose. We believe that whatever it is, in spite of how we feel or regardless of what people say to us, it cannot be it, it is a mistake, it is ridiculous. We feel that we should be something other than; a singer instead of a painter, a writer instead of a negotiator... Consequently, we will realize that no matter what we try, we can only experience frustration, resistance, and sadness until we accept our talent as what it is and be free to be, to enjoy, and to serve.

©2012 Natacha Michel

“Your Small Cup Can Make a Big Difference”

When my husband comes home from work, if I am not there yet, he would wait for me to cook dinner so we can eat together. Sometimes, if he is hungry, he would take out some leftover food from the fridge and ate just enough to satisfy his hunger while he is waiting. However, I noticed on some occasions he would put the dish back in the ice box with an amount that one can fairly label as “baby snack” teased. Of course, I grumbled and believed that his slicked action could simply mean that he was avoiding washing the dish and getting his well groomed nails damaged --- until one day.

A couple days ago I was extremely cold at work I decided to have a nice cup of tea. I picked up a medium size foam cup, dropped two spoons of sugar, selected my favorite tea flavor, and mixed with some hot water. I was about to get rid of the tea bag package when I noticed a note in it that said “Your Small Cup Can Make a Big Difference”. It darned on me.

One day I came home from work very hungry. I needed something to eat before I started to cook dinner. So I opened the fridge to get something and you guess it, I found my husband’s spoonful, baby’s snack teased waiting for me. This time it looked anything but a teased and I definitely did not grumble; it was just the perfect size that satisfied my need. His Small “baby snack teased leftover” did Make a Difference.

In life, we never know when we are going to brighten someone’s day or change the world. Something that we may think is an annoyance may become later the very saving grace. Therefore, before we stop doing because we think it means nothing, think again and do it wholeheartedly; because we never know when our SMALL will affect in a BIG way.

©2012 Natacha Michel

What is Missing?

Every day we wake up eager to repeat our yesterday’s chores, our daily routines.

It does not occur to us that may be the end of a repetitious non-sense.

We are so caught up that we do not get to see each other growing old, our children once babies now graduating schools or getting married.

We are so caught up that we missed a smile or a sadden face.

We are so caught up that we missed a worried expression or a joyful noise.

We are so caught up that we do not realize we are all alone, everyone has already gone.

Every day we wake up with buried anxieties; pay bills, don’t miss the bus, win contests, meet jobs expectations.

We are so caught up with our routines, it would seem senseless to steal a sweet kiss, hug our babies, call a friend to say hello, or have a relaxing lunch with a lover.

But when the noise stops, the laughter ceases, and the touches vanish

When a face is no longer present, a familiar voice not heard, or a popular name is almost forgotten

For a short moment we close our eyes pondering on the “what ifs” and open them only to return to our repetitious non-sense - yet again.

 ©2012 Natacha Michel

A Little Prayer

Psalm 9:9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Our prayers are with the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School.

 “God will not be absent when His people are on trial; he will stand in court as their advocate, to plead on their behalf.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Unless YOU Care

“Unless someone like YOU cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss.

Some of my most valuable lessons are usually learned through children’s shows. My daughter and I have this understanding that she can watch television only on the weekends during school season. So it’s always a delight to see her counting the days anticipating Friday to come so she can watch her latest TV shows; ‘Tom and Jerry’, ‘Gaspard and Lisa’, or ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.’  However, since she was the spotlight winner in her class this month, I decided to treat her to a movie, so we watched ‘Dr. Seuss the Lorax.’ It’s about a twelve-year-old boy who took desperate measures to find a real live Truffula tree for a girl who signaled that anyone who can find such a tree she would kiss and marry him. In his search he learned about the story of the creature who speaks for the trees called Lorax. The movie was really entertaining and had meaningful moments that made you think.  At the end of the movie, this quote came on: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss. Think about it, it’s true?

How many times have we heard someone say “I don’t care” about a situation or someone? Or a person said it’s not for me to do, it’s for someone else. There is a Haitian proverb that says "Lè kabrit gen twòp mèt, li mouri nan solèy." Meaning “When a goat has too many masters (owners), it dies in the sun.”

Making a difference is not waiting for others to become too exhausted to lend our hand. Making a difference is doing our part even when no else is involved. We should wake up every day expressing our gratitude through caring and blessings; this is a reflection of light. In the movie, the little boy went to look for the Truffula tree so he could kiss the girl of his dream but he discovered something even more special than that, the tree had not affected only the girl’s longing for a real tree but also the whole community that had been living all these years with plastic trees. When we care a whole awful lot, life simply gets better.

 ©2012 Natacha Michel

An Important Ingredient

Last week I went to a couple’s event. Given that I went without my husband, I sat in the back, which provided a great view to make some observations about all the couples who were present. I noticed one couple sat cozily in the arms of each other on the second row, the husband’s arm was around his wife’s shoulder, and the wife’s hand on her husband’s lap listened attentively to everything that was said. They laugh at every joke, and from time to time shared intimate look with each other. Further back on the fifth row sat another couple who seemed to have an invisible person between them, that’s how far apart they were sitting. They were so serious and rigid in their look almost to the point of sadness. They looked as if the event was their last effort to rekindle whatever that was left between them. They listened with a different kind of attentiveness, barely looked at each other, and not even shared a quick smile. As I scanned through the room looking at different couples, their reactions and body languages, it saddens me to see such a difference in “love” expression.

 All of us who are in a serious relationship can remember the first time we met the “one”. Each of us could describe the clothes, the food, the place, or whatever that created an impact during that time and made that moment so special. However, it seems as time goes on, each of us experiences different setbacks that either slow down the train or drive it too rapidly. For some of us, we do not even remember what happened; we simply become the couple with the invisible third party sitting in the middle.

Everyone seems to have a recipe to maintain a relationship: communication, laughter, honesty, truth, money… to name a few. But no matter what the recipe may be, one should remember the ingredients that made it work in the first place. So I was thinking about the couples at my event. What made them different from each other? Sure the hardship of life can play a major role in our relationship, but could it be that one couple simply keeps their recipe going as a tradition and not the other?

When we are in a relationship, we pledge something to each other. I believe what makes us different from others is the grateful heart attitude. It is not that we do not endure hardship, or that we do not want to call it quit at some point, or that we do not become tired, but to be grateful toward each other can overcome many mountains and chase away the invisible person sitting in the middle.

©2012 Natacha Michel

Are you Content with Less?

The purpose of Nature is the advancement and unfoldment of life; and every man should have all that can contribute to the power; elegance, beauty, and richness of life; to be content with less is sinful.
 Wallace D. Wattles

My husband showed me this quote the other day from a book he has been reading. When I read it, of course I thought how powerful the sentences were and thanked him for the shared knowledge. However, after he left the room to continue his reading, I began to meditate on these words: “to be content with less is sinful.”

Like a popcorn machine, my mind got heated with so many questions popping out everywhere: What does that even mean? Why would anyone be content with less in the first place? These two words do not have their place together. Because according to Merriam-Webster dictionary, to be content means to be “in a state of peaceful happiness,” and less means to have “a smaller amount of.” Therefore, I imagined that for many people, the thought to be in a state of peaceful happiness with a small amount of anything is ludicrous and definitely sinful.

As human beings, we always want more; it is in our nature to seek higher grounds than where we are. God wants us to possess “all that can contribute to the power; elegance, beauty, and richness of life”. Deuteronomy 8:18 says “You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” We should never accept less in our life and certainly never be content with it, but we ought to be grateful with what we have.

To say all that, no matter where we are in life, we should always strive to aim higher. When we defy ourselves to become stronger and better all the time we remain in the game of life. When we stop moving, when we stop aiming, when we stop wanting, we reach our end and become content with less.

©2012 Natacha Michel

That One Thing

This morning I got up feeling blah. I just wanted to crawl back to bed and cuddled myself back to sleep. I imagined how the whole day will play out. All the traffic lights will turn red, the traffic will be just as a mess, and I would be late for my meetings. I thought about the clients unsatisfied with a presentation that took me weeks to prepare and my bosses conspiring with each other to promote someone else before me. I envisioned coming home from work, there will be no parking space available then I would have to drive all the way down the street to park with the risk of getting the car smashed either by other cars or by vandalism.  Then, I thought about when I will fix dinner tonight only half way I would realize that I am out of the most important ingredient for the meal – there goes my dinner.

 I really got up thinking I am not going to smell the roses today. Annoyingly, I got up anyway. However, before I left the house, I took the garbage out just for the heck of it. To my surprise, I noticed the most astounding, remarkable picture that totally blew me away and changed my perspective and my attitude toward the day and everything else in life. Because of the cold weather, my garden has become a derisory place, but right in the midst of my scandalous view, stood one blooming red marigold. It hit me!

Needless to say, my day turned out to be a great day. I realized that not everything in life would be bloomy and rosy all the time. We may not feel up to anything on some days, but as long as there is spark or breath, we will find hope to live, to laugh, and to enjoy every moment of our day and be grateful. So today, I challenge you, no, I dare you to find one thing that you are surprised about in a good way and make it the focus that keeps you going.  

© 2012 by N.Michel/Bellflower's Moment

Cover me

My heart beats with agony

No one finds sympathy

I look and cry holy

Echo replies in folly

I whisper your name timidly

Abbah! I said desperately

I hear you say: “fear not, I am with thee”

I bow down on my knees, my heart repenting

With my eyes closed I feel a fresh anointing

You whisper: “I’ll always be there, don’t worry

My word suffices, just obey

I have made you with special clay

I’ll be always by your side

Even when the road seems far and tight

Praise me and love me

I promise eternity!”

© 1998 by N.Michel/Bellflower's Moment

Are You A Perfect Match?

One of my favorite past time games is playing jigsaw puzzle. There is something about putting broken pieces together only to reveal a mystery picture at the end. However, the secret to this game is patience and perseverance; Patience to find matching pieces and perseverance to complete the puzzle. This game can be as frustrating as time consuming. Any piece that fits incorrectly would distort the picture, but when the pieces are all put together, it becomes a satisfying work of art.

Finding a good friend is like a jigsaw puzzle. Many of us have found people to whom we can confide, tell our secrets, work well together, or simply we can relate to on the same interests. However, some of us cannot say the same, because, developing any type of friendship/relationship requires more than a couple of sweats. We simply miss the connection. In a jigsaw puzzle, every piece contains different sides; each side is designed to meet and fit a particular piece that will help revealed the intended picture.

We can become and maintain a true friendship/relationship only if we are connected to the right person. In order words, we need to become a good fit or match. Forcing a connection with another person usually creates a sour heart and a heavy spirit between the two people. When we do not find our "other piece" and try to plug into another alternative, our picture becomes distorted and confused.

On the other hand, a perfect connection brings the right balance. If you are in a friendship/relationship and find yourself creating momentum to keep the relationship going, or the next time you meet someone new, who desires to become a friend, evaluate the puzzle and ask yourself: "am I the right side for that person?"

© 2012 by N.Michel/Bellflower’s Moment