They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  This has been a classic phrase that has stood over the years and many have provided various examples of this in their lives.  While doing some research this afternoon I ran across a website that asked, "What are the five most beautiful things in front of you?".  The question was meant to explore beauty that is not hidden and visible to all.  More importantly, the fact that one may be overlooking something that has great magnificence instead of seeking a grand gesture of attraction, may cause someone to miss this opportunity.  I like to look at the small things that can behold beauty, as nature always reminds me of the great canvass in which it paints its scenery.  When I look at a delicate flower that is blooming all by itself and in a bold vivid color, I am always amazed that this was created so meticulously.  In our busy lives, it is easy to forget that many small things with great features are at our fingertips on a consistent basis.  I also surround myself with lots of pictures of my family, friends and places that inspire me, so that I am constantly reminded about those moments of beauty that were captured on a particular day.  We all have great photographs that are usually stored away in an album in a storage area somewhere and it is interesting that we forget to revisit them on a more frequent basis.  I have a good friend who has a great tradition of celebrating birthdays with her grandchildren.  She takes out all of their pictures on their birthday and they look at how much they have grown over the years, while eating a piece of homemade cake that was specially made for them.  I love that one can revisit those objects of beauty and create a tradition along with them.  I encourage you to look for your five things that behold beauty and I also hope that you take this inventory at different locations.  Use this instance to celebrate the blessings around you and provide yourself with the opportunity to have more abundance in your life as a result.    

I read a quote this morning that stated the following, "Prepare your mind to receive the best that life has to offer", by Ernest Holmes.  It made me pause for some time as I found the words to not only be profound and yet there was a lot of truth associated with them as well.  There are many life strategists around the world that speak to this concept quite frequently and they specifically indicate that one has to be willing to imagine the great bounties in front of you, in order for you to reap them later.  To deconstruct this a little more, I do feel that there are many people who may be stuck in feeling that they may not be worthy of something and as a result, they may not achieve what they were expecting.  In the world of fitness, sports coaches also use this philosophy with many top athletes in various sports.  If you cannot imagine that you are a winner or the top of your sport, then you may be left with the a hurdle that may never be overcome.  It all begins with some simple beliefs that are anchored by the fact that you are worth what you ask for and that you are also deserving of this and more.  Suze Orman, the great money and financial guru, has also stated some of these related beliefs when it comes to people and money.  I read one of her early books on the topic and she asks people to develop a mantra about their financial well being.  When she shared hers, she began by stating that she had more money than she will ever need.  This is sometime before here now even larger amount of wealth.  In her advice, she began with the fact that if you are constantly worried about finances, then you need to address some much more deep personal issues than just lack of funds in a bank account.  Financial well being begins with having a healthier attitude about one's relationship with money and having the proper respect for it.  Remember that money cannot buy you happiness, however, it can make your life a lot more comfortable.  Therefore, as you plan for what you want to materialize in your life, remember to prepare yourself along with your mind for prosperity or what ever it is that you desire.  In order for things to be manifested, it must begin with the basics of willing to see yourself in that future situation and begin letting go of your current one.  

I was trying to get through security at the airport yesterday and there was a very young girl with her family in front of me that was clinging to a pillow-like stuffed animal that resembled a puppy.  When she got to the security inspection, her father had to convince her for quite some time that she needed to let her toy go through on the beltway to be inspected.  She hesitated for a long time and asked some poignant questions of her Dad with regards to the procedures that she had to follow.  Finally she conceded and walked through security and then ran towards the beltway to grab her prized possession afterwards.  It made me wonder to myself about what our own prized possessions are and what would we do without them.  I know most people will list their family and friends first and foremost on their inventory.  Interestingly as we get older it is the material things take less importance and to some they don't even make their top ten list.  One of the great assets of growing older is that we are better able to distinguish what has true value versus what the world perceives as more important.  I like the view of an innocent child who categorizes their own items of treasure based upon their value system.  They usually gravitate to the simple and comforting things, that most adults would have less of an investment in.  We could certainly learn a lot from the innocence of children, about what is important and pay lowered attention to the things that are less insignificant.  If you still have loved ones around you, treasure them and give them a hug more frequently as we all know how limited time really is.  If you have pictures in albums that you have not seen in quite some time, take a moment to go over some of those treasures that you harbor vigilantly.  On your own personal inventory list of things that are important, I hope that it becomes shorter and filled with more things that add fruitful value to your life.  Whatever your prized possessions are, may they be filled with wonderful people, memories of happy and joyful times along with less material things that carry minimal importance.    

Change is inevitable and with the wisdom that comes from years of being alive, it is can be somewhat easier to create this expectation as time goes on.  Some people do not care for it and become very apprehensive at the thought that something will be different soon.  There is a level of anxiety that comes with those feelings and for some it can take on a life of its own. I have been one of those people that usually looked forward to something shifting and the thought of not following the usual routine was always a highlight for me.  I am not sure what it is that causes some to feel more one way versus another, however, I do know that because of our differences we bring a sense of balance to the world.  For me, changes provide a different point of view, an opportunity and an end to what may have been stagnation.  This is why I like to find things that inspire me and why I like to share those inspiring messages with others.  I do make it a point to not forget what is behind me, I simply use that which I learned to move forward.  I know of many people who are simply afraid and would rather live in the chaos that they know, than try something different.  I heard a saying many years ago from a well known preacher who said, "living in the garage day after day, will not make you a car".  Therefore one has to venture beyond their boundaries and seek to eliminate those layers that may have long ago been ready to discard.  If ever I do undertake a substantial change, I may feel a slight sense of nervousness, however, it quickly dissipates as my excitement for what is new or changing overtakes those other emotions.  We will never remain the same age and time marches on whether we like it or not.  Therefore accept that you will continue to transform and seek to progress beyond what you have learned.  Choose your attitude wisely and allow yourself to live for the next day that may bring you a very different and much needed transition to your life.

Tomorrow a good majority of people will be fixed to their television sets as they watch another presidential election unfold before them, after what seems as a semi-eternal campaign season.  What is key for me, is that people of all ages, backgrounds and races exercise their privilege to cast a vote for an issue, a person or a measure.  I also hope that they are cognizant enough to know that the freedom to vote is not universal around the world.  Our founding fathers ensured that we had these rights when they established a democracy in our country and made it a government by the people and for the people.  This guaranteed that everyone was represented and although it took our country a good number of years to recognize everyone, we finally got there.  It is interesting to me when I speak to people that are older who remember how segregated our communities were, based upon what was acceptable in states through out our country.  It was not too long ago, when women did not have equal rights and people of color struggled behind women to be recognized as equivalent.  There are examples across the world, where people risk their lives to vote and to voice their opinions in public, because they are passionate about issues and the world in which they live in.  People have to America as refugees from their home country, who fled political oppression along with a variety of other intolerable conditions.  We are one of the few places in the world where freedom of speech exists and we are able to publicly have an opinion without risking our lives or absorbing some type of retribution for our beliefs.  Because of all of these things, I am proud to live in this country that is still a shining example of democracy and allows its people voices to echo across the lands during the election process.  It is my sincere hope that tomorrow people will proceed with casting their votes and that they remember this prerogative came with a price that a lot of people paid a long time ago.  

This morning I was watching a couple of college football games that were quite spirited and had some pretty large crowds in attendance.  One of the statistics that I found fascinating by one of the announcers was that a particular team from the the mid-west had forty thousand season ticket holders.  That number was simply unfathomable, however, it showed that the community rallied strongly around this team and they were fiercely loyal.  That quality of loyalty was what got me thinking afterwards as to how loyal we are to others as well.  First and foremost I think the overwhelming majority of folks are loyal to their country and rightly so.  Because there have been so many battles fought in order to protect our freedom and rights and I would say that I too am fiercely loyal as a proud American.  People are loyal about many things including the brands that they select for purchases in their homes.  Families can be loyal to brands of cars, household products and even appliances that they associate with quality or safety.  It takes many years to build brand loyalty, that is why so many competitors are out there vying for one's hard earned dollars.  When it comes to personal relationships, I know that many people are very loyal to their friends and family.  I think we could use more of that, as we need to build a stronger sense of community among us.  We need to trust and respect each other in order to continue to build that long lasting sense of devotion. I like the fact that social networking has added additional elements to reinforce our allegiance as well.  We are reminded by family or friends that may not live near us as to how much we value them, even from a distance.  Our bond has never wavered among those that may not be so close and we are offered frequent reminders by connecting to them regularly that we indeed value each other greatly.  I hope that people have many examples of this great quality around them and the next time you consider how much you value your loyal friends, reach out and express your gratitude for their years of enrichment to your life.

In listening to the many stories from what occurred back East this week in America, it was difficult to watch how many people struggled after the hurricane swept through such a large part of the country.  With many people still engaged with the recovery efforts, it was a good reminder about how much we have to be thankful for on a daily basis.  As our hearts go out to the many that are still struggling, we should also be reminded of our ability to aide others in need.  Our country was built on the core principles of pursuing liberty, freedom and justice for all.  However, there are times when other qualities in our country allow the many Americans to shine brightly in this vast world of ours.  I do feel that we live in the best country in the world and the U.S. has shown over the years that it helps others in need when others who find themselves in the midst of a natural disaster.  There are countless examples of when this has occurred, however, none is greater than our own struggles within our own country and how we lend a helping hand to those that need it.  Whether it is through donations to agencies like the Red Cross, blood donations to your local blood bank or donating food and clothing to other non profit agencies, to let folks know they are all in our thoughts and prayers.  I hope that this all serves as an example of what can occur in our own neighborhoods at any given time.  Living in California, we have had our own share of earthquakes, fires and floods that have devastated parts of the state over the years.  We should be vigilant in offering assistance to those that need it, as we never know when we might be in need of assistance ourselves.  Remember to do your best and show that your generosity to others can be provided in a variety of ways.  After all, we as a community need to hold hands when these type of events occur.