Social Networking

When I think about the social network and what technology has done for it, it's mind boggling. And it continues to grow constantly with new channels opening up almost daily.  Then I think about the span of time it has taken to get this big is also mind blowing. If we reflect back just ten years ago, it was nearly unheard of.  Its no wonder people today who has gone beyond fifty and extraordinary is so intimidated by it. Or if not intimidated just not as accepting as those of younger years. What has happened to the days when we really made new friends? When we really sat down to write a letter, send a card? What about when we would stand in the yard and talk to a neighbor? Oh I think those days were so much better! Now a friend is made with a click of a button. The reading of a profile and accepting it verbatim. Things are quite different now. Socializing was something we did in person. How many of you miss that?! Now it's done through a click of a button on a computer. Granted there are some awesome people out there that we read about. But are we really friends? Do you really feel that sense of friendship? My opinion is and it's just my opinion that if technology goes at the rate its going that we will be forced into a robot like world. A world where everything is programmed and controlled.  Nothing will feel real anymore. But rather more like artificial. I always enjoy the feeling of warmth you get from a true friend in time of need or encouragement. I'm sure many of us extraordinary people still have those kind.  They truly are to be cherished.  Hold them dear. They will become a rarity. Why they are the very ones who can reminisce with us about yesterday. Bring back my yesterday! If only that were possible. The truth of the matter is, that technology, although it sets us back in some ways, it is also beneficial in others.  The thing is when we are experiencing the benefits of modern technology we don't think about the positive things new technology have changed that we wished had remained the same. Like my dear old mother used to say"you cant have everything". And I used to say "why not?".  So I think it better to move ahead with the times. I must be a part of at least five social net working sites. And a piece of work it is. Like my blog here. Just another social net work.  But I do enjoy blogging. I hope I'm making some good friends and they are enjoying hearing what I have on my mind!  So I guess its true, you have to got through some of the bad to get to the good.  And if that be through social net working, then let it be!

Finding Contentment

Finding contentment in life can bring true joy and happiness.  It's been said that contentment makes poor men rich, and discontent makes rich men poor.  But it is not something that can  be bought like merchandise. Being content means being easily satisfied and pleased with something we have presently. However contentment can cover a lot of areas in life. I ask myself how often am I personally content with most things?  When I get what I want, am I quickly looking for something  else to closely follow? Do I find it not enough? Or Do I  need something else to complete what I have just received?  Most people find contentment hard to obtain. I was pondering this and asked myself how can one find or learn this quality.  How beneficial it would be to extraordinary people and otherwise. It could mean the matter of  having good health and bad. But I find the one thing that the majority of people are discontent with is the amount they have from a material standpoint. Somehow, many think that their life will result from the things they possess until life teaches them otherwise. So I did some looking into finding and maintaining contentment as an extraordinary person and would like share it with my contemporaries. I learned that good friends add to our contentment, however, it is possible that we can have friends that can undermine it as well. I also learned that our contentment must come from things other than what money can buy. That would include having a close knit family, feeling secure and being satisfied with what you presently have, not what you are seeking to gain. True contentment comes from having an spiritual aspect in our life. Riches does not supply true contentment. Love and family contributes greatly to contentment in life. The point I'm making is this, whether we have a lot or a little materially we can have true contentment in life by loving people, keeping an grateful attitude, making the best choices when selecting friends  and having a spiritual quality in our life. So let's find contentment and embrace it, it's a good thing!!!

Regrets

I'm destined to be an extraordinary woman with out regrets. And I'm working diligently at it. Is that how you feel? Is that even possible? We've all made mistakes  and at least committed a minimal amount of wrongdoing in our past imperfect lives.  We have learned that life can be understood by looking back but that it must be lived by looking ahead. That's why reflecting and pondering on the past can be beneficial. It teaches us as well as reprove us.  Regrets of the pass may have even been something that could not be helped or we had no control over. They are not necessarily intentional insults. And the unfortunate thing about life is we don't always get second chances to do things over again. But still we must let bygones be bygones. We cant hold on to things we feel may be error's of our past.  It does us no good.  Kinda like resentment, we must let it go.  We have to truly believe in our heart that regrets of yesterday does not have to be regrets of tomorrow.  How can that be accomplished?  Pondering this  put me into deep thought.  Because we all have some regrettable things in our life for whatever reason. So I began to ask myself a lot of questions. Many sobering questions at that. I discovered that we cant worry about answer's to such sobering questions, but rather we can use them to analyze ourselves. With this self analyzation we can make sure we are doing and giving our best to others and to those whom it is owing. Otherwise, if we don't we could be continuing in a way of life that would only bring in more regrets.  Something we definitely would not want.  So living a life with as few regrets as possible and even with no regrets is possible. It depends on our way of thinking and  how well we mentally discipline and train ourselves. Remember yesterday is gone, it's the past. Tomorrow is not here, that's why they call it the future. Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present.  Let us learn from each. The present by living life to the full now and  as joyous as we can. And learn from the past and live for the future. If we do this, it is possible, we can be extraordinary people without regrets!

Opinions!

Opinions, mine is mine and yours is yours. That's what they say. But what is said is not what is respected by some depending on whom you are sharing your opinion with. This is the case even after we have been asked to give our opinion.  It has been said that strong opinions have been the seat of great controversy. What I've come to learn as an extraordinary person and you would probably agree, that expressing our opinions as is our prerogative have destroyed a many relationships and caused  problems among family members, friends, acquaintances and even the public. From protesting to even riot's. So what should we do?  To give our opinion or not to give our opinion, that is the question. What I never understood is that  why most cant just agree to disagree.  After all an opinion is not necessarily based on actual knowledge but rather just what one thinks of something, someone or another subject. The dictionary states it best when it says: a carefully thought out conclusion based on facts, but without the certainty of knowledge. So opinion's are not right or wrong. But rather a personal thought of an individual with not necessarily enough knowledge.  But if we are to live with less stress and peaceably with the people we run into constantly and those of whom we are the closest, unless we are asked it is better to keep our opinions left unsaid. Life has taught me that expressing opinion's causes stress and anxiety in our life. And stress and anxiety is certainly something we would want to let go of. It's not healthy and it's not worth it. Being over fifty and extraordinary has taught us so much. We can live long, healthy, satisfying lives by putting into action the things we have learned. We must remember we can't sweat the small stuff. So the next time you are asked to vocalize your opinion, tread lightly. It may be even a better idea to plead the fifth. I would never change my opinion to suit others and neither should you.  We as people need to learn to respect the differences.  To keep things clam, just as I stated earlier we need to agree to disagree. That puts us on a common ground in spite of the differences.  But again this is just my opinion. I respect the fact that it may not be shared by most. Let me know what you think!!!

Music- How sweet it is!!!

Music, from any generation can be a pleasure as far back as Mozart. Today's music,  my how it has changed. So much so that we don't want to let the music of yesterday go. That's why we got old school. Even the very young today can appreciate the good music of yesterday. Something about how things were yesterday. We look back and we think that the pass was always better. No matter what we are talking about, the grass was greener,  the food tasted better, and even the literal days seemed longer and the music was better of course. I don't know why that is. My parents felt the same way about their day. But music is the one thing that tells me that I haven't changed. I still love music and in some ways it has not changed. It still does what it has always done for us. I have always been a lover of music of all kinds, that includes country, rock, jazz, classical and the list goes on and on. I learned to appreciate at an early age that truly talented people exist  in every genre.  I am so glad I did. My wedding song was a country song, because the music and lyrics were just perfect for my perfect day. And to exclude a certain type of music would be cutting our self short of a real enjoyment we could be having. Speaking of music, it is so therapeutic, it is something that is mood altering. It can take us to the highest high and bring us down to the lowest low.  There is one song that I have been hearing on occasion  my entire life that no matter how many times I hear it, it will always and forever induce me to tears. There may be a few but there is one in particular no matter the circumstances I hear it under makes me cry. Its very sad so I try to avoid it if possible. But there are others and many of them that does just the opposite and along with the lyrics will get me up on my feet every time or make me feel good. Music is good for the soul. We respond to music in a way so subtle that we are not even aware of. It's influence is so strong that we need to be careful. It can almost be likened to a powerful drug. If we choose wisely the benefits will always be good. It will bring us inner peace, joy and tranquility. It can wake us up or lull us to sleep. It makes us want to get up and move, to celebrate. I love to dance and I always will. Dancing to music is very good exercise that's good for our body and mind. I've found it beneficial to play soft background music at dinner time. It set's the mood. I've notice that family is more open and talkative. It will lift our spirits when we are feeling a little low if we play the right kind. So the next time we need a little boost in our spirits, don't hesitate to put on some good music to do just the trick. Be careful in your selections. Music will keep our outlook positive and upbeat.(lil play  on words there).  So my over fifty and extraordinary people, let music and the movement it insist on be a part of your daily activity. It's a great stress reliever and motivator. So let music do just that, keep us moving and don't stop. I'd like to share a relaxing moment with you, close your eyes and listen to the music video attached and indulge yourself for a few minutes in the serenity that it will bring you.

On Ageing !

You know reflecting back , now that I am fifty-something. I look back at this whole ageing thing and I wonder how did I get here so fast?!?!?  Does it seem that way to you too ?! Seems like yesterday I was just twenty-something. They say time flies when you having fun!!  Well based on that, I guess there have been some fun times along the way. But taking in this whole ageing thing there is a lot that goes with it. It's also said that age ain't nothing but a number. Relatively speaking that's true, because it always refer to a number,or length of time an era etc. When we think of it in this way, it kinda puts the word "age" in different perspectives. Not always on just how old we are. For instance, take us over fifty and extraordinary people. We have reached a period or stage in life where we are considered middle age. We have passed through a particular era together. Now we benefit from the wisdom of age. Some of us from appearances sake age quickly, while some of us appear to be ageless or not so quick. It's also been said that some of us improve with age. A persons level of attainment is measured by age.  Everyone as well as everything matures with age and on and on it goes. We were created with the mindset to go on.  Something we can't do without is  ageing. So I agree with the aforementioned, age ain't nothing but a number. Furthermore, I think I like it. From what I'm getting from this whole ageing process is the older we get the better we get.  Also that ageing is a good thing. Consider the alternative.  It's nothing to fear but to be welcomed. It brings many blessings in a sense. Again, it's something that requires a little adjustment in our thinking. We can stay young at heart and be active mentally and physically throughout our entire life.  Now is the time for us to be our best and healthiest and happiest. We know so much more. We are our own priority. We have come to the age of wisdom. Wisdom means the ability to use the  knowledge we have learned. This is how we are wise. I'm thinking if I had to give up everything I know now and go back to a particular age of more youthful vigor with the absence of knowledge. I think I'd choose knowledge.  In the bible the Psalmist petitioned: " show us just how to count our days in such a way that we may bring in a heart of wisdom".  What a beautiful request.  That's what I would like to do. The one thing I've learned about ageing is this. It can't be beat. Time passes, day after day, year after year.  It's something we must do gracefully. So ask yourself, to be happy, healthy and full of life " what's age got to do with it?" I say absolutely nothing!!!!