Step away from the line, and no body gets hurt.

Ever notice how often all of our most passionate actions and feelings in Life are divided and defined by a small, almost non-descript, very-stupid, hardly-distinguishable "thin" line?

It annoys me.

I detest it.

For me, the thin line represents where all the dots connect and lead to. It is where the chaos begins.

The thin line defines the actual choice I have to make.

I hate the definition. But the definition is important.

I hate making a choice. There is something depressingly dramatic about choosing between the side I have to take and the side I can't take.

I hate goodbyes too. But, that is another topic altogether...

The thin line is the divider. The "other" side.

One side a positive end, the other its negative extreme.

Who made up Life's thin lines anyway?

I hate the thin line more than I hate being alone on a rainy day. Some people will agree with me, there is nothing worse than being alone on a rainy day. Others will say I chose to be alone by my own accord, so no one is to blame but me. These people are like the thin line. They annoy me as much as the thin line.

Take for example, exhibit A: the Heaven and Hell 'set'...

One little step over that thin line takes you up, up, and away - leading to eternal bliss and what not... yeah, right. Go over the thin line in the opposite direction, and it's all fall down in to a raging volcano of eternal damnation Humpty Dumpty style. I suppose it's true then? There is an Angel and a Demon in all of us - and there's just a thin line dividing the two too.

What of, exhibit B: Fondness and Contempt?

A mere sliver of absence over the thin dividing line makes us fonder. While a tiny pinch of familiarity in the other direction over to the other side breeds contempt. Flip sides and you have turned something you were so fond of to something you are oh-so-forgetful about. It's all in your mind? No, it's all in the line.

Then we have everyone's favourite one, exhibit C: the Love and Hate 'combo'. 

They say fools rush in... in Love.

I say, fools rush in - in Love and in Hate. With exactly the same speed. Most of the time it's deathly 500 miles per hour in the wrong lane. Passion is the root cause, the accidents it instigates at 500 miles per hour in the wrong lane... and Passion, like us, is defined by the line - which way do you cross it?

It's Passion, you know, pumping the heart to Love harder, and then Passion again feeding fat to grudges making them bigger. One man's love, can be another man's hate.

What am I saying? I almost don't know. But there is no such thing as almost - ever wonder why?

The thin line is very thin - but it defines one thing from the other - hence, there is no such thing as almost. You can't be almost dead, for example. You either are dead, or you are alive.


Life[place thin line here]Death.

-JB

As good as it gets...

A friend of mine dedicated her status update to her husband today.
In a few words she managed to capture a universe of feelings and emotions. It read,

My husband has made me laugh. Wiped my tears. Hugged me tight. Watched me succeed. Seen me fail. Cheered me on. Kept me going. He is a promise from God, that I will always have a friend.

Real relationships are not anything like the fictional romance we see on TV and read about in steamy novels. Real love is like your favourite worn-out t-shirt... A piece of clothing you own, like something you know like the back of your hand, you can find it, recognize it in the dark just by feeling it, just by a touch. You miss it when it's not with you. It may have been for years, but the years feel like a lifetime... some relationships remain unchanged by time - from the day they begin till the end of life as we know it. These are the relationships that feel like your favourite old t-shirt. One where there are parts of the fabric more used than the other, and patches that are worn out with time and daily use; a little canvas almost, where every stain is a memory captured, every mark is a moment engraved in your mind. And just like some of our strongest, most-treasured relationships, the surface of the fabric may have loosened over time... still, although it has loosened, that flexibility somehow maintains a special, unique comfort, a very binding security within the fibers of that very fabric's core. It is such relationships that bring a warmth to our hearts that no other can bring.

-JB

Borderline.

...I think I just want to show - that every body hurts, and anyone can break sometimes...
I know a girl who is hurting right now. And all the hurt is changing her - and it's making her stronger, in the way she hates to become stronger - but she has always been very strong - and she has survived many avalanches, and floods, and earthquakes, and tsunamis - so she will survive this one too. There is so much confusion - so many things from the past and the present merging together. Just right now - she is feeling so tired... feeling dizzy with all the hurt and the names she's been called... It's making her sick inside... and it hurts right now... but, she will be OK - because she needs to be OK for herself, she needs to be brave, and strong - because she loves herself, even when the whole world doesn't love her.
Even if there is no one who understands her - she understands her - and she loves herself unconditionally.
She didn't sleep well last night - and her head is hurting so much... feels like it's going to explode inside.
She feels so tired, so tired - she can't even find another word for tired.
Life is so good to her, but it is so hard with her - there is a price to pay for every thing.
She has to work so hard in everyway - and when she gets sad, things just don't go well - everything begins to fall apart. Like everything today. But she will fix all the things that are falling apart - because she has dealt with so many hurts, she has healed herself so many times. She will get out of this hurt - like a phoenix that burns and then grows again from its own ashes.
She is not a victim. She is a survivor.
She will survive - the only way she knows how - when the worst way is the best way... where there are epic greys and never any black and white.

Be strong, my dear... everything will be OK in the end; if it's not OK, it's not the end.

-JB

Victorious Secret Model

When you do your best, don't second guess your moves.

Whatever you win is a victory - be happy, be grateful.

Don't worry about the what-ifs.

Everyone can't win gold. You tried. Be proud of yourself.

When you win something - you are a winner!

Did you know the girl who won the bronze medal will always be happier than the girl who won the silver medal?

Because the girl who won bronze 'made it' - a second, an inch, a moment could have made the difference between her winning bronze and winning nothing...

The girl who won silver is better than the girl who won bronze, but she'll spend her time wondering what-if she had done just a little bit better, she could have won gold...?

And the girl who won gold - will never be happy after winning the gold.

Because now she can never go back to bronze or silver.

So, if you only won bronze - it's okay. Be happy, be grateful, enjoy it.

Every thing happens for a reason. As long as you won something, you're a winner.

-JB

One Hundred Things I Like (in no particular order) -

High heels

The concept of soul mates

Eating a meal with my family

Pretty Woman (the movie)

Sunlight (natural light)




People who are self-aware

Revenge

Serendipity (the happy coincidence, and the movie)

Cooking with real chillies instead of chillie powder

Being barefoot

Holding my children close to me

Old buildings/ architecture

Coloured lights

Watching a sunrise (more than a sunset)

Feeling the sand in my toes at a beach

Laughing

Writing with a pencil (instead of a pen)

Andy Warhol

Painting

The colour Red

Silver more than Gold

Black & White shoes

Brown paper bags (because they make the crumpling sound)

Cheetos

Coke (never Diet Coke)

White wine

Marilyn Monroe

Strawberries, cherries, and lychees. Also grapes, watermelon, kiwi.

Wearing lipstick

Miracle (the scent)

Christmas trees that are decorated

Cooking

Taking pictures with my phone of little every day things

Listening to music and breaking in to a dance

The concept and belief that there is a Higher Power

Living

Tasting things on my tongue

Madonna

Chocolate

Watching plays

The Fountainhead

Driving really fast on a good road

Being in water (specially with clothes on)

Walk barefoot

Lamps and lanterns and candles

Talking to people

Hugging more than kissing

People who smell nice

Mushrooms

The concept of fairies and pixies

Harry Potter

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

Bright coloured bed sheets

Murals

Whipped cream

Getting manicures and pedicures

Yoga

Traveling around the world

Reading about mythology

Dinosaurs

The Flintstones

Hats instead of sunglasses

Black-tinted black cars

Cats

Camel rides

Walking in a park

Soap (not shower gel)

Vanilla Incense-sticks

Mirrors

Sushi

Sweet mangoes

“Daal Chawal”

Tom Yam Goong soup

Plants with interesting shaped leaves

Trees (all kinds)

Dates (the fruit)

Cashew nuts

Honesty

Loyalty

The concept of Good Karma

The sea

Meteora Greece

My lips and my eyes

People who are brave enough to love themselves

Home-made Lemonade

Autobiographies

Cheeses

Champagne

Olives

Red polish

Flamingos

Tea cups and saucers

Cold water to drink

80’s music

Boat rides

The colour of my skin

SlumDog Millionaire

Fairytales

Cheap Indian music

Long flowing figure-hugging dresses

This is a self-awareness excercise I do once every year.

Try listing down 100 things you really like - you will enjoy it - find out what are a few of your favourite things :)

-JB

Aunty Agony - The Aunty #1

Misery loves company - and if you're miserable you should go talk to the Problem Solver Extraordinaire - AUNTY AGONY.

Aunty Agony is a facebook page run by a Miss Know-It-All.
Simply 'click' on the title of this post item to go to Aunty Agony - and get your solutions.

Promote it. Join it.
Live. Laugh. Love.

-JB

Hang, man!

Relationships are simple - whether based on Love, Friendship, Family...


All relationships are like two people holding a piece of rope at each end.
Sometimes the rope becomes longer, that's when the distance between them is greater.
They are far apart, but they're still together... holding on to the rope.
The rope is the bond.

Sometimes the rope becomes short, and they come closer. That is when there is very little or no distance between the two. They are together, close - united.

The important thing is that two people in a relatonship keep holding on to the rope - whether it is long or short... if one of them drops their end of the rope the relationship ends. So, hold on to your ends when you are far apart... and hold on to each other when you are close together.

-JB

The Three Little Words

Here is Jane Bravo's take on the Top 5 "Three Special Words" (in no particular order) - we have all at some point in our lives said them, and heard them. And at those points in our lives - these words made us who we are :)

JUST DO IT! - the three most motivational words. Usually uttered by the winners, the risk-takers, the do-ers (often the dreamers say these three words too).

YOU ARE PERFECT - the three most-wanted words everyone believes about themselves. Your parents will tell you this, your loving spouse will tell you this, and sometimes you will tell yourself this. You will always believe these three words to be true.

LET'S GET NAKED!? The three most candid words you will ever hear (as opposed to other words that are attempts to get you down to your birthday-suit, but don't really manage to send the correct indication of intention, perhaps?) These three words are usually used (and/or heard) by people between the ages of 16 to 50 years during pursuit of some "booty". Incidentally, these same three words may be used on you when you are at the doctor's for a medical checkup too.

I LOVE YOU - the three most favourite words in the world *sigh* These three words are the best lie you ever hear, or they are the greatest three words you'll ever feel; Either way, whenever someone says these three words to you, you will believe in Love and love hearing them every single time...

DON'T TRUST ANYONE - The three wisest words - the old wise ones will tell you these. And they are right: don't trust anyone! Sadly, you wont believe the wise ones when they tell you... you won't believe these three words till you are older and wiser... and then you'll be telling some foolish young thing these same three words!

You will be your own wise guy then ;)

-JB

Burn, baby, burn.

Life is a choice, not a chance...

And if you want Caramel - you got to burn some Sugar, baby!

-JB

I am Pakistani.

Most days, it is not a good feeling to be a Pakistani, whether you are a Pakistani in Pakistan, or a Pakistani anywhere else...

I am a Pakistani - in Pakistan... We have pockets of different social cultures here, each doing it's own two bits, feeling (trying to feel, rather) superior to the other social circles and social cultures here. Each one is an extreme: too religious, or too blatant, or too modern, or too radical, or too relaxed, or too uneducated, or too educated, too rich, or too poor - the disbalance is obvious and it is everywhere you look. I feel like an alien in my own country in most parts of Pakistan. People are judgemental here - if you can't do something their way: it is wrong. It is OK to be diverse - we should be united in our diversity.

I am a Pakistani - out of Pakistan... The different religions, peoples, cultures I come across in places out of Pakistan are so different from us - their social and communal systems work - they respect each other within the fraternity and people who are from different backgrounds all the same - it doesn't matter if they are different: with different social beliefs, different lifestyles, different ways to do things - everyone does their own thing, everyone is happy, everyone is open to other ideas, ways - and no one is judged for doing something differently.

I am a Pakistani? And I don't know what Pakistan is all about... In a country that is full of such diversity - I feel sad to see the social 'wars' attempting to suffocate, strangle, and kill us all. We are Muslims in majority - and yet our religion is now all about extremes, what about the message of 'Peace'? Is that not the core of Islam? I am wondering now what to do with all my rich ancient Mughul history, and the beautiful progressive modern-day pop music that is listened to and liked around the world – we gave the world Pappu Saaein and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - did we not? And yet we are viewed not as a hub of culture and art, but as a disastrous nation on the brink of many failures, promoting corruption and disolving itself by itself; We have many things of value, from our world famous sportsmen to our inspirational Sufis, and their works - but we do not value all this - we only want to conquer each other, not the world! We could spread a positive image of Pakistan: if nothing else, we have a dynamic history that reflects in our landmarks that represent our national spirit, and how we can celebrate all our festivals and our holidays - without killing and traumatizing the minorities and our other Muslim sects. There is so much to 'show and tell' about Pakistan to the world - the values that we imbibe, and our age-old traditions, but we as Pakistanis have forgotten all this - we only remember to be selfish extremists. People here think their beliefs, their systems are the best - people who will go to all lengths to display their superiority - be it by killing minorities, or by not giving women their human rights, or by banning things for the masses but making it OK for the rich and influential to do the same things openly.

I am a Pakistani. And I live in a country which does not give a man the right to sue for the wrong done to him - because the legal system does not work. I live in a country which does not give me water in my taps - because there is a water-tanker mafia I have to bow down to. I live in a country where my lights go out five times a day - because there is no way to make the system work, and no one to hold accountable. I live in a country where children beg on the streets, where minorities are raped and murdered. I live in a country where people are abused in a variety of ways - but there is no legal system to help them. I live in a country where the VIP can get away with murder and also stop traffic for hours so that the streets are clear when he is on them. I live in a country where when I see a policeman or a police car, I want to run as fast as I can in the opposite direction - because they are evil and corrupt.

I am a Pakistani.

And right now I am wondering how to feel proud about it.

- JB

Life's a Gamble. Let's Ramble.

No one said it would be easy - this Life...
But I don't remember anyone ever saying it could be so hard either.
Life has often made me feel like a sideline - I'm like the extra item on someone's plate. I'm the baked potato or the salad - that comes with the deal. You didn't really need it on your plate, but it's there, so you'll have it with the rest of your meal anyway.

I go through life making mistakes. I make mistakes all the time. Each one grander than the last - I make mistakes all the time. Big ones, small ones, stupid ones, damaging ones, irresponsible ones... I make lots and lots and lots of mistakes - mistakes here, there, and everywhere...

I go through life making the same mistakes - over and over and over... I am such a fool. I cry, I bleed, I hurt, I fall, I scream, I run, I crumble, and tumble, and am often lost - over and over and over again. Why do I never learn? Good question, and no answer.

What hurts the most? I don't know. All I know is that I hurt, inside and outside - and on the inside of the inside: like, my soul hurts, my soul cries, and bleeds - there is so much pain that it numbs me to everything else - it is like someone switched all my senses off - the physical ones and the other ones.

I go through all my mistakes - and I am standing at a breaking point right now... indecisive, and lost. I am willing myself, I am patting myself on the back, I am hooting myself on - 'You can do it, baby!' and I'm hoping that I will not make anymore mistakes that hurt so hard... I am hoping that somehow someday at some point I will see how I didn't make the mistakes, that the mistakes made ME.

So, go on, Life, make a Fool of me again. Go on, Love, break my Soul again. Go on, Hope, save my Thoughts again. Go on, Dreams, help me Live again. Go on, Fate, make my Plans again. Go on Nerves, hold me tight again. And go on, Heart... be of Gold again.

-JB

Ooooh Baby, Baby, it's a Wild World... Just Be Good.

I’ve been through many trials and tribulations at the hands of people who have been close to me in this Life. And *if* I have learnt one thing - it is the balance of Good and Bad in every single person. No one is Good all the time, and no one is Bad all the time. I often *try to* seek the good in the people around me, especially when they are not good to me. It’s a weird practice, yes – but... I believe there is equal measure of good and bad in every person. And I often feel *now*, that for every Vice of ours we carry a Virtue within us. I feel now, that in a world that is full of Evil, they are some definite rays of Hope in the ashes.
Classical Greek philosophers (I am not an authority on the Greeks, but I like how they thought) considered the Foremost Virtues to be Prudence, Temperance, Courage, and Justice. Hmmm.

Early Christian Church theologians followed these virtues too.

They believed these virtues to be equally important to all people; whether they were Christian or non-Christian. Sort of like A Life Philosophy for everyone from every faith - this is the fringe, the outline of all your beliefs, the very foundations of your entire Belief System as a human being; Even if you do not believe in religion and in God; this is the code you have to crack - to insert goodness into your Self, your Life, your Idealogy.

The best three things in Life - Love, Hope, Faith.

Love, Hope, and Faith were defined by St. Paul as the three chief virtues. This being the essential nature of God and our belief in the Higher Power (even Fate, if we do not believe in God). These are the exact virtues we all embody when we are down. Are they not?

I never thought about it before but... every Sin had a Contrary Virtue...
Seven Sins and Seven Virtues… *wow* (I like it so far):
For Pride there is Humility.

For Envy there is Kindness.

For Gluttony there is Abstinence.

For Lust there is Chastity.

For Anger there is Patience.

For Greed there is Liberality.

For Sloth there is Diligence.

Interestingly enough the Seven Contrary Virtues were derived from the "Psychomachia"- literally meaning "Battle for the Soul" – this is an epic poem written by Prudentius – it was written a long, long, long time ago... it's so well titled, I think - Life is a Constant Battle for our Soul.

Know that for every sin within your mind, you hold the counter virtue in your heart.
The Power was always in your Senses. You just never thought about it.

Never let go of Love, Hope and Faith.

-JB

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears? Oh my.

"Lions, and tigers, and bears... oh my!" said Dorothy... As she made her way through an enchanted forest, towards the Emerald City, to see the Wizard of Oz.
She was with the Tin-Man, the Scare-Crow, and the Cowardly Lion.
She was scared, she was tired, but she was with friends... So, she convinced herself she was safe. That's what friends do. Make you Feel.
They make you feel safe - when you're scared.
They make you feel strong - when you feel weak.
They make you feel confident - when you're insecure.

I like that story. I remember watching it for the first time on video in the late 80s. "Somewhere over the rainbow..."
The movie was all black & white, and then turns to a million-multi-coloured visual when the yellow brick road begins. There are munchkins in munchkin land, and a Witch that dies when Dorothy's flying house falls on her, just in time to save the munchkins from the worst kinds of evil... Dorothy wants to get home with Toto - her cute (but useless) little dog.

The Good Fairy gives her the Ruby Slippers (from the dead witch) before the other Bad Witch is able to take them. The Bad Witch spends the entire story trying to get the Ruby Slippers back. But not even the Evil Flying Monkeys can get them off Dorothy. So... they fly her to the Witch's castle - where the Witch meets her end at the hands of Dorothy. Dorothy now only wants to get home - back to Aunt Em...

She keeps following the Yellow Brick Road.
Determined.
The yellow brick road is the path to Emerald City.

The Emerald City representing a place of Peace, and Happiness - where all your wishes will be granted. Where everything you dream comes true...

The Wizard of Oz, the Superman (of sorts) - the Maker-of-wishes-coming-True - reveals that the Ruby Red Slippers... the power to make her dream come true, was already (and always) with Dorothy - she just never knew it.

Life is a Journey.
Life is a Momentum.
Life is a journey, of many moments - inter-linked and inter-locked, like a lattice growing together.
We forget what we have.
We forget our strengths - till we have friends who help us, help us solve the riddles... walk the Yellow brick road, with us.
Like Dorothy, I go from one moment to the next moment - one journey to the next journey.

And to be completely honest... I did not know how to get to where I am standing right now. I wanted to be here, get here, and I did not know the way at all.
But, I reached somehow, falling, running, bruising, weeping... I got here.
This is where I wanted to be? I am not sure.
This is where Fate brought me.
This is where I was supposed to be standing right now.
How to go beyond here?
That is something I know well.
That is something I have learnt a long, long time ago.
That is something I am not afraid of.

-JB

Special is a Big Deal

Making your special people feel special is very challenging, but very important.

Everyone has had a hard time at some point in their lives. Including you.

But, some people had it worse than you; let them feel they are more important than anything else to you; that they are special.
They will love you for it. In every sense of the word.

And they will love you forever.

Saying you love them is not enough for them.

They need signs all the time.

They have little faith left in people - even the people close to them have let them down.

Don’t demean them in front of other people; they are already hurting inside, heal them if you can.

They are already insecure, they need your support, they need your love. And they think it is their right because you said you love them. Did you really mean it when you said it?

They will never know how to tell you what they are really feeling.

Understand them. Don't analyse them.

They will do the exact opposite of eveything you think they will do, or should do, can do - it is because they want to feel stronger; and become stronger, and feel secure. They will never admit that they depend on you in any way, for anything.

They are so used to rejection, and people denying them what they need to have - they will not expect you to be nice. Ever. Be nice all the time. Surprise them.

In fact, they will give you every reason to be mean to them, to lash out at them, to behave in an egotistical and rude way – they believe they are safer alone, but they are not happy that way, and they never feel safe.

Don’t buy the things they throw out at you – if you love them, show them you do. What is holding you back?

Show them - that no matter what, you will be standing right there.
Let your Ego go.

If you truly think they are special - make them feel they are that special.

If these people are important to you.
Show them.

If they are not important...
Don't tell them they are. Why bother? Unless you are trying to trick them...

They don’t want to know that they are important. They won't believe you with just words and flowers. They want to feel they are important to you. They only believe in proof now.

Do they give you something? Do they make you happy?
Do they bring something special to your life?

Do you claim to LOVE them?
If you have answered Yes to all these questions - these people may be very important to you.
They will reach out to you in their own twisted ways.

Because they have been duped so many times before you came along.

Real life is very real for them.

So, please don’t try to make them user-friendly.

Don’t try to make them house-broken.

They wont do it.
They’ve built walls around themselves – they’ve built these walls to see who will have the faith in them, and the love for them, to break these walls down and be with them against all odds.

They haven't put up these walls to keep people out.

They just want to make sure that the only people they let in are the ones they matter to. Those are the only people that matter to them.

No one else is important to them.

Their life is important to them, and their love is most important to them - their definition of love, that is.

So love them if they matter to you.
Love them the way they want to be loved.
Don’t love them when it suits you.
Don't love them to feel good about yourself.
They won't care for such feelings.
Because, they want genuine goods only.
You can't fool them; you can't buy them.

Don't try. They will hate you for it.

They have already lost everything; they have nothing left to loose.

Love them unconditonally.
And understand what both those word mean - Unconditional, and Love.

By the time you finish reading this you will know what you need to do. And what you want to do.

You can either be Happy, or be Right.

There is no Third Option.

Choose.

Someone Special is a Big Deal - don't take them lightly.

If you do take them lightly, they aren't that special.

-JB

Life and Something Immortal.

1. Life is like a Mission - in the end, it is Accomplished.
2. Life is like 'something' - a good 'something' most of the time.
3. Life is a book. Every chapter brings a new twist.
4. Life is a Sale. Everything looks like it's worth the price.
5. Life is like a Facebook status update. Everyone reads something different in it.
6. Life is like Sushi. Everyone doesn't like it.
7. Life is like a Tango - you need a good partner.
8. Life is like a Birthday - you Celebrate when it happens.
9. Life is a Dream - and you keep waking up.
10. Life is a Drama - we all play our parts.
11. Life is like a Rockstar - and will eventually die of having too much fun.
12. Life is a Guru - it teaches you to examine yourself.
13. Life is a walk in the park - and the weather keeps changing.
14. Life is a Dance - you have to repeat some of the steps according to the rhythm.
15. Life is very basic Mathematics - learn to count your blessings.
16. Life is all about Chances - the ones you Give and the ones you Take.

And my favourite one -

Life is True Love; it can not have a happy ending.

- JB

Dearly Departed

You said it wasn't a Game -

But, then you said - I won?

Wish you'd taken aim,

And fired some gun.

I Hate something

About You -

My heart will no longer sing

Songs of You...

Eternal dreams

Will remain,

of sunbeams

And rain.

I Hate You

For who You are -

You were somewhat

Close to par.

I Wish this was Wrong

But it is True.

Guess I should be Strong -

Guess I should Hate You.

-JB

Testing... 1 - 2 - 3...

Question 1 - How do we test our Breaking Point?

Answer - No one really wants to test their breaking point - I think.

I know.

I am sure - no one tests their own breaking point. I have never wanted to explore what can and will break me. I am pretty sure neither do you?

Yet we love testing (and breaking) the people we claim we love.

I guess, it's the people who convince you they love you. They somehow develop the ability, and think they have the right, to test you in inhuman ways. They know exactly how you can break, how you will break, what can break you, how long it will take to break you, how long you will take to break, and what exactly will play the final inhuman punches and blows as you finally snap, crackle, and pop before their very eyes, in a most human fashion.

I could use a variety of terms to describe what a breaking point would mean from my perspective, but I feel, "Ground Zero" captures the true essence of the term. Like, the twin towers were flattened to ground zero after planes crashed in them - leaving nothing but terror, disaster, destruction, ruin, chaos, immobility, pain, death, sadness.

Breaking Point?

No. Broken Point.

As I delve further into my mind and feelings I find a more complex and interesting facet to the whole thing: Although we set our own limits, we never test them. When the people (we love deeply) test these limits - we expand our limits for them - because we love them. Like a balloon that we keep inflating, it's elastic can only hold so much air - it will eventually burst into little pieces of coloured rubber. Like, a glass that is already full to the brim - and we keep filling it with more and more liquid till it spills over in to one great big mess. We give, and budge, and spread, and mold, and expand, and then some - to the point where we reach our personal breaking point.

Question 2 - How many times can you recover after a Broken Point?

Answer - I have no idea.

-JB

Dancing in the Darkness.

'The most important experiences a person can have are those that take him to the very limit; that is the only way we learn, because it requires all our courage.'- Paulo Coelho'

We are all dreamers by nature - each and every one of us. Even the ones who deny that they have dreams, have dreams. We all dream of things beyond our reach, things which we know we cannot have, cannot own - yet, we still want to have them, own them, reach them somehow. And we pursue these dreams like a trout swimming against the current - using every bit of our will, our strength, our courage. We spend a great part of our adult life just dreaming - changing our circumstances, bending our rules, pushing our limits, fighting our battles - just to make a handful of our dreams come true somehow, someday.
I remember a day when I dreamt of things I thought were 'big things' - things beyond my reach... and one day, I got my 'big things'; but then I dreamt again, dreamt of 'bigger' things, things that were impossible - and so, the dreaming continued.
We don't realise that every day we spend on this Earth takes us one moment closer to our end - our physical death. Yet we live each day searching for ways to make our dreams come true, we waste our breath searching for days that will take our breath away - that is exactly how our Stairway to Heaven ends up leading us to our Highway to Hell...
And somedays are just plain painful; Like, falling and cracking your skull open, and still remaining conscious as they stitch it all back together, without any pain relief medication; because there is no medication for some kinds of Pain that you encounter in this Life.
Other days are hard; Like, cold, jagged stone that you are to walk on barefoot - in the end, your feet stand bruised and bleeding, and you are surprised you are still standing tall, even if you are shaking a little bit, even if your very soul is trembling from within.
And then some days are like a place where Time stands still - you feel dead. Lost. These are the numb sort of days. When you feel so much, that you feel nothing.
There are days too, that go by so fast; Like, time literally flies by - whooshing past you, and you try your hardest to stand still in the whirlpool around you, trying not to drown and be forgotten to yourself.
There are the worst of times - where you stand still in a different way, like a one-man army, not ready for defeat and disaster - just as if you were going through Hell, hoping the scorching whirlwind will blow away as fast as it can, before it turns you and all your Hopes to dust and ashes.
There are the good days too - the Heaven-sent ones, the ones you Live for, wait for - the ones you stand still through for a different reason; so that you can absorb each and every little drop and vapour of the joy, the bliss. You embody it, you embrace it, you commit it to your memory bank - so that you can dig it out in the future to warm your inner most Heart and Soul.

- JB

"Only Hope"

There's a song that's inside of my soul -

It's the one that I've tried to write over, and over again...

I'm awake in the infinite cold

But You sing to me over and over and over again.

Sing to me the song of the stars.

Of Your galaxy dancing, and laughing, and laughing again...

When it feels like my dreams are so far.

Sing to me of the plans that You have for me over again?

I give You my destiny.

I'm giving You all of me.

I want Your symphony,

Singing in all that I am

At the top of my lungs,

I'm giving it back...

So I lay my head back down,

And I lift my hands and pray,

To be only yours

I pray, to be only yours.

I know now - you're my only hope.

"Only Hope" is written by Switchfoot. I love the innocence in the words; like a child feeling loved, feeling happy. Trusting and loving - forever unconditionally.

-JB