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Category Archives: Gentleness

Looking Out For One Another . .

20 Saturday Feb 2016

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Compassion, Gentleness, Goodness, Gratitude, Life

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Companionship, Connection, Protective Instincts

It was all meant to be the other day on my hike! I was alone that day and challenging myself to a tougher trail up the mountain. I hadn’t done that particular trail for a while, at least in a year; but since my friends couldn’t join me, I decided to try it anew. The challenge was looming large in my mind at this, the onset of a new hiking season. So I took my own challenge and started up the mountain. After about two-thirds the distance to the top, I met up with a young man who was accompanied by his nine-month-old German Shepherd pup. They were stopped for a moment, hanging out on the trail which had narrowed considerably by then, as it becomes a series of switchbacks leading to the top. So there they were, nice guy and adorable puppy! I greeted them both, one with a “hello” and the other with a hand, which was promptly licked enthusiastically. After our moment of greeting, I sort of waited for them to head on in front of me, as by that point I was ready to stop for a rest! The hike was getting steeper with each new step and much rockier as well, and going even a few feet upward was challenging. 12744285_771033079697514_2353505684115410206_n

 

So I followed along as soon as they headed on up the trail, and realized quickly that the sweet, young dog was going to keep watch on me. From there on, that puppy was a guardian and watchdog, noticing where I was in regards to where he and his human now were. I felt instantly included in their group, although I had never met either Brian or Clancy before. Suddenly, here I was joined by two males for the rest of the way up. And I was glad, as I soon realized that Brian would give me tips as to where I should veer and in what manner I should progress; all while Clancy the dog would adamantly sit and refuse to move until I caught up with them! It was a great hike in the end, as I felt protected and guarded, by two souls I had never met before.  phx3d

 

It reminded me that although we often undertake our endeavors alone, we can connect with people and even animals in truly profound ways! I’m not sure I will ever see either Brian or Clancy again, but I do know for a fact that if anything had happened to me while hiking up that trail or back down again, both would have helped me out! I know for certain that for the first time back on that more difficult trail in a long time, I had protection and companionship! I was not alone or on my own. And isn’t that the ultimate reason we’ve all been plopped down here on the planet together? Aren’t we all meant to connect and to relate to one another through our humanity, and with our fellow creatures? That one day of hiking held for me a lot of meaning in what was happening on the trail and in my heart. It felt wonderful to be so enveloped by hearts both human and non-human! Now I can return to that trail again soon, confident that even without my male guards and companions, I can do it just as I did it the other day! And who knows? Maybe I will again run into those gentle souls who watched out for me and kept me company.   Signature02

Human/Nature . .

12 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Choices, Contentment, Gentleness, God, Humility, Life, Peace, Wisdom

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In reading a post on a group page on a social media site about birds this morning, it was brought up for question why one type of bird might purposefully force the babies of another species out of their nest at a certain stage of their development. The idea of such a thing with no discernible reason seems perplexing to those who support the type of birds which were the babies in this scenario. This type of bird, Bird A, is routinely up to this “bullying” behavior it seems, and is known as doing exactly this to these babies, if the comments of routine observers are factual. I can only surmise that Bird A is given the task of instigating movement in the babies of the other species, Bird B, purposefully and habitually. So perhaps Bird A rile up the complacent babies of species B on purpose to encourage their movement sooner than they would deem themselves ready! Maybe this is part of a greater plan of inter-species interaction, for which we mere humans have no measure of understanding or awareness.  579151_721419587884084_1276570731_n

Just maybe this is part of God’s greater plan for the whole of the world. Perhaps what we humans observe is truly limited by our ability to comprehend His design and His purpose for all of life. In that case, we will never grasp the intricacies of nature, of species interacting, of what seems heartless and cold or disturbing and uncalled for. Perhaps our nature is to put upon all other species, and even upon members of our own, our limited perspective, bias and understanding; giving to each situation a self-inflated acceptance and awareness of life which might just be proven flawed or faulty! Imagine instead if we were to just breathe in and observe, free from our judgments and thus, our desire to intervene?! Perhaps a lot of what humans intrude into is already working as planned? Why are we always so eager to know everything, to be right and to solve every issue, to the point that we create problems where none existed? Perhaps it is just human nature.   images egotism 2

In this case, the simple question lies in that we just don’t know why! Why does one bird intrude into the happy nest of another to push the babies out? It might be a design flaw; but since I am sure God has not made mistakes in His designs, I will go with purposeful. It might be that Bird A has been given the role of assisting in this one stage of another bird’s development. Were we just to accept that we don’t know everything, letting life go on as God planned; just maybe it would run more smoothly than when we butt in with our fixes, our answers, our alterations and our transforming changes! God does have plans, purposes and reasons for His world to run as it does; if only human beings would stop trying to solve what isn’t wrong with God’s world and cease endeavoring to change what works just fine as is. Some things are necessary interventions, when people are starving or natural disasters occur. Humans meddling in the natural order of things, however, has probably created more chaos than situations it has ever calmed or resolved. But then again, human meddling seems directly proportional to the astronomical level of human ego running amok, which has endeavored with its “I know best” to render God silent and irrelevant at almost every turn! I wonder how many of His miracles we shut down in our endeavor to fix, transform, change or to interpret what was His will, thinking it to be some error?? Signature02

The World is Never “Hopeless” . .

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Beauty, Character, Choices, Compassion, Discipline, Gentleness, Goodness

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Compassion, Kindess, Love

The world around us can never be “hopeless” as long as there is even just one soul acting with love and compassion towards the rest. Imagine if and when we all just decide to be loving, compassionate and respectful regardless what we experience or see nearby? Imagine if we all just kept our composure when confronted by anger or hostility; if we remained calm when goaded and pushed to our limits? Surely it is hard to imagine doing when we are facing what we perceive as ignorance, rudeness or contemptible behavior; but our reactions are up to us! We can keep the peace, carry on and give up the need to join in the fray and the melee when we witness bad behavior and ill-will in others. Good prevails over all the rest of the ugliness because the seeds of love, compassion and kindness we plant are always more enduring than the unwanted weed-seeds of evil, hate, animosity and derision.      477f19970845716de019ab225ffd4a56

 

It’s so easy to see the actions of a few in our life’s garden and think they represent the hearts of many. They may even grow to the point of seemingly overshadowing or choking out the rest of what was first seeded there. But how it is seeded is how it then grows! A seed for one thing will not grow to be another thing entirely. With just enough time, energy, effort and nurturing, you can make any garden reflect what it was meant to. 

 

The many hearts of the loving, good, gentle, compassionate and kind, acting and behaving that way, shouldn’t and won’t be rendered silent in lieu of the few. Those hearts, filled with love, kindness, goodness and compassion, should always insist and persist in sowing those seeds abundantly into life . . after all, a rose is always a rose regardless what grows up around it! And with more roses and other such desirable words, actions and behaviors seeded, nurtured and grown to fruition – how could life’s garden be anything but more beautiful and hopeful?!   Signature02

 

Its A Chance For Discovery…

29 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Character, Choices, Ethics, Faith, Fullness, Gentleness, Happiness, Inspiration, Integrity, Joy, Kindness, Life, Love, Wisdom

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ATear-25

Remember today as you go out into the world of discovery, that some souls might be fragile, heartbroken, saddened in grief, feeling fear or suffering in some other way. Inside, they may be impacted by events in which we haven’t any knowledge or awareness, nor for which we see any obvious signs externally. We might not know exactly what others are enduring, but we can be compassionate in our journey, kind in our steps thus giving others respect, patience, our love & our best first so that if they’re suffering in some way, we seem to them to be safe waters in their already stormy lives.

I remember the days right after my father died unexpectedly so many years ago . . I was feeling so vulnerable and broken that I felt I was operating at a different speed than the rest of the world, into which I had to venture out routinely, especially since it was fairly close to Christmas. But when I encountered – amidst the busy-ness and frenetic pace – kind people with loving hearts and gentle smiles, I felt somehow safer and less fragile.Being kind, compassionate, gentle, patient and loving isn’t always easy and sometimes seems in opposition to the events of our day and perhaps even our moods as a result, but we truly never know what others are enduring! We should endeavor to give the world our best for one day it might be us who needs theirs in return.                                                                         kindpeoplearebest

We should endeavor to give the world our best for one day it might be us who needs theirs in return. And we should try to see and to believe the best of others because we don’t know their full story. What might seem standoffish to us, may be someone trying to hold themselves together for the sake of not breaking down!s fragile. Being kind, compassionate, gentle, patient and loving isn’t always easy and sometimes seems in opposition to the events of our day and perhaps even our moods as a result, but we truly never know what others are enduring!

fruit-of-the-spirit_25These are the fruits of our spirit from Galatians 5:22-23, nine things in which we already are amply endowed, may we practice them today and everyday when we meet one another as strangers or even as friends: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

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Positivity – Miss Goody Two Shoes!!!

21 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Change, Character, Faith, Fullness, Gentleness, Happiness, Life, Love, Peace, Romance

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Goody-GoodyPositivity!! Maybe I try too hard, maybe I want to see things through rose-colored lenses too much or too often, perhaps I am too hopeful a romantic – stopping to smell almost every rose and listen to every bird’s song. I am all those things, wanting not to change to fit for negativity’s sake nor for the hope of fitting in with those who snipe, constantly complain or bitterly engage with others.

I’m the product of a lifelong struggle to not be beaten down by life, so why should I let it do that now? Life is a once-around kind of thing, there’s no do-overs once it’s done. There are infinite do-overs during life, but in this one lifetime I don’t want to choose to live in a pessimism of spirit and soul.

How is it that we have so much in us and near us all of our lives, and yet we grow to faithfully believe in so little, especially ourselves or our own dreams? Perhaps someone would argue that being a realist precludes dreaming, that dreaming is the act of a person deluded and out of touch with reality. I guess that could be said, especially by those who’ve given up their dreams or on life itself.

It’s not enough, however, to change my heart or my mind. I’m going to stay focused on trying hard with faith; viewing life with a grateful heart because I see, feel and know blessings for which I haven’t any explanation! I’m not going to stand in anyone else’s footprints of pessimism   because for me, there is simply too much abundance all around me and too many miracles evident to give up on dreaming.

Call me a fool, I don’t care. I’m here every day hoping with faith, believing in earnest, loving without end & endeavoring to make things even more as I see them – positive, hopeful, worthy of all my efforts. If this makes me a goody-two-shoed, rose-colored-glasses-wearing, beacon of faith & hope, then so be it! That’s what I want to be!

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Flexing All Your Muscles . .

23 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Character, Choices, Faith, Faithfulness, Gentleness, God, Goodness, Growing, Joy, Kindness, Love, Patience, Peace, Self-Control

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character, Choices, Faith, Faithfulness, fruit, God, Goodness, Growing, Joy, Kindness, Love, muscles, Patience, Peace, Self-Control, Spirit, spiritual

Flexing All Your Muscles….

FruitMusclesPeople are capable of amazing & wondrous things in life . . it just takes a heart braced in awareness of what fruits lie within! Inside each one of us are the fruits of our spirit . . nine essential qualities or traits which we already have in ample supply, which merely require our awareness & our determined effort to flex like muscles. We might not use them, they might turn to mush, but they’re there regardless, just like other physical, fleshy muscles in our bodies. They’re just as real to a human as flesh & bone. We prove to ourselves that when we use our flesh-muscles, when we practice with them, strengthening them, purposefully flexing them, we make our bodies healthier & better able to cope with life. So if we do the same with the fruits of our spirit, we in fact make those traits stronger in turn, preparing us for life in this world filled with people, giving us the much-needed support & help to face life head-on! Flex all your muscles, those of flesh & those of fruit, learn to use what you have or lose the potential for what you might be! Developing the fruits of your spirit truly is just a disciplined effort to be a better human being . . one who lives in the world wearing their heart as a banner & exuding the following essential traits:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The fruits of your spirit are nine muscles within you which empower a lifetime of amazing gifts!
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