Half Full Philosophy

Under the Weather, but Happy

Evin — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:51:41 +0000

It is New Year’s Eve and I’m just back from a wonderful holiday with the love of my life, but my first meal at home was not a good thing. Being tired and lazy upon arriving at home, I opted for a convenience meal from one of the local supermarkets. I devoured it then went to sleep, waking quite sick in the night. Staying up all night to try to coax my stomach into resting a bit, I am left worn out and unable to eat anything. But you know what? I don’t mind. Sure, I wish I could celebrate the start of 2011 with a nice meal and maybe some mulled wine, but I’d so much rather be sick today than yesterday when in transit or even sick on the trip. Yep, being under the weather is never fun, but at least my stomach timed it for a day when I get to be unwell with all the comforts of home.

Wishing you the comforts of home, the joy of festivities, and the hope of a new year!

Krist Kindl – Experiment in Loving

Evin — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:16:16 +0000

Being filled with inner love and joy is a gift. Where is comes from is subject to much debate, but where it goes is a simple enough discussion. Sharing your love with the world is a great gift and as the holiday season envelopes us for many of the world’s religions we can consider how to share our love with others.

My high school religion teacher also happens to be a lifelong family friend so when it comes to learning lessons of faith, love, and charity, I had it coming from all angles. One of the most valuable experiences is something that is a little challenging and slightly intimidating, but results in being a better person.

Krist Kindl is just such a thing and one that can be undertaken by someone of any faith. If you know someone with whom you share a difficult relationship – you know, someone who challenges your patience or who just doesn’t like you, this is an opportunity to try to change that. However, I must warn against trying this on anyone who has blocked you on Facebook/Twitter or has taken out a restraining order on you. In such extreme circumstances, it seems clear that the person you may have in mind is still on the offensive and not ready to have anything to do with you. Though that doesn’t mean you can’t consider these steps with him or her in mind as a way to open your heart to their perspective.

Here are the rules as forwarded to me by Mrs. J.

KRIST KINDL GUIDELINES - “EXPERIMENT IN LOVING”

1. Pick the most difficult relationship you have or the one that needs the most healing or the one you most want to improve. This person is your KRIST KINDL. (CHRIST CHILD) You are to treat this person as if s/he were the Christ Child.

2. Copy Luke 6:27-31, 35-36 (excerpt below as a downloadable card) on a card and tape it to your mirror so you can read it every morning, when you get home, and before you go to bed so that you will get into the rhythm of Jesus’ mindset.

3. Pray for your Krist Kindl everytime you read this. Ask God to bless him and cover Him with His love, peace and joy. It is very hard to keep being negative about someone you are praying for day in and day out.

4. Walk a mile in this person’s shoes. Look at life and the world with your Krist Kindl’s eyes. Find out what makes him/her tick, where s/he is coming from. Ask them how they feel; what their childhood was like, their hopes, dreams and fears. LISTEN without judgment. WE CAN LISTEN PEOPLE INTO BEING.

5. Empathize because when we do, we will begin to understand. If we try to understand our Krist Kindl, it will be easier to be compassionate than judgmental. Instead of focusing on our pain, try to see hers/his.

6. FORGIVE! To forgive is not to hold other people’s sins against them. If you keep judging your Krist Kindl, this experiment will not work.

7. Cover your Krist Kindl with love. Do at least one loving thing for him/her a day. Keep a log of these loving things and note your Krist Kindle’s reactions.

8. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with this – it is very difficult. Here’s a prayer that helps: “LORD, I SURRENDER OUR RELATIONSHIP TO YOU. HELP ME TO SEE MY KRIST KINDL WITH YOUR EYES. HELP ME TO SEE YOU IN MY KRIST KINDL.”

9. If your heart is too small and puny and tight to love and forgive your Krist Kindl, ask Jesus to take your heart and stretch it and lend you His in the meantime to love and forgive your Krist Kindl with.

10. When your Krist Kindl moves to hurt you, deflect his/her criticisms with good cheer. Remember, no one can make you feel bad without your permission. So never give it.

Love never fails!

Making a Difference with Kindness

Evin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:57:09 +0000

On December 18, 1933, a newspaper in Ohio ran a small advertisement from an individual who wanted to make the holiday better for families struggling through the Great Depression. Years later, the grandson of the writer of that advertisement was met with the story of that ad and the recipients of its generosity in the form of a suitcase of letters. In those letters, Ted Gup discovered a mystery about his family, a moment of hope in his community, and the generous heart of his grandfather. Honestly, I haven’t read this book, but I want to.

A Secret Gift: How One Man’s Kindness–and a Trove of Letters–Revealed the Hidden History of the Great Depression by Ted Gup is available as Kindle for $12.99 , Hardcover for $15.57 from Amazon.com, and Hardcover £16.42 from Amazon.co.uk.

How Family History Uncovered a Far-Reaching Family Secret by Ted Gup | Ancestry.com

A Yuletide Gift of Kindness | Smithsonian Magazine

Ted Gup’s ‘A Secret Gift’ makes a compelling saga | cleveland.com

Author Speaks: Kind Cure for Depression, Ted Gup Interview | AARP

Book review: ‘A Secret Gift’ by Ted Gup | Los Angeles Times

Professor uncovers secrets of a caring grandfather | The Boston Globe

In Canton, Kindness of a Stranger Still Resonates | NYTimes.com

Christmas Giving Outside the Box

Evin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:42:48 +0000

It was Christmas Eve last year when I realized that our M&S coupons were expiring today. Goodness, that was a useful voucher, but we didn’t need anything or have space in the fridge or cabinets for more groceries. That’s ok, I would just run over and hand them to shoppers who could make use of them. We needed milk anyway, so it wasn’t a frivolous trip to the store.

The vouchers came from spending a certain amount during the Christmas season and would bring the bearer a monetary discount off grocery items totaling a certain amount. Very handy for anyone doing a big shopping trip on Christmas Eve no doubt!

I arrived at the store to find it bustling with Christmas ‘joy’ and last-minute shopping. Looking for someone with a cart full of groceries (which would bring the magical total making the discount possible), I found someone and cautiously approached. How could I explain this without sounding crazy. After all, people don’t just give people things for no reason, even if it is Christmas Eve.

“Sorry, hi there. I was wondering if you’d like my spare voucher. I won’t be buying enough to make it worthwhile and it expires today.” Hmm, that actually sounded normal. Cool.

“Sure.” the man takes the voucher in exchange for a confused and surprised expression.

I make another circuit around the shop, but no one else with a cart or heavy basket so I give up, grab the milk we need at home, and queue up to pay. The couple in front of me have two baskets filled with items. Maybe they could use the voucher. I repeat my now successful line to them. They look at my milk, probably making sure I sincerely wasn’t in need of the discount myself then accept the slip of paper. Then they say something about my still using the voucher and they take my milk from me.

This couple whom I had just met in the queue ended up including my milk in with their purchases. Because they used the voucher I gave them, the milk cost them nothing, but it still took a moment of generosity for them to make that effort. I never got their names, but they are the kind of people who make the world a kinder place!

As we enter this Christmas season, let’s remember that it is a season of giving and that doesn’t just mean what you buy and wrap for under the tree. Think outside the box and give a smile, a kind word, a little more space on a crowded bus, or even let someone with one item go ahead of you in the grocery queue.

Hot Chocolate Mornings

Evin — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:34:36 +0000

Somehow I don’t mind waking up to see frost on the window because there are two things that ease me into a chilly day like nothing else: A mug of hot chocolate & fleece slipper socks. First thing I’ll do is slip the fleecy warmth on over my feet to keep in the warmth from the bed and start warming a pan of milk for my cocoa. Mmm. What are some of your favorite chilly morning rituals?

LOL

Evin — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:01:10 +0000

My mother was telling me about a text message she received the other day. She is a greying 65-year-old woman who walks with a cane and sends you home with leftover pot roast. One of those people who is nice to everyone! When she told me this, I was laughing out loud because she wasn’t always as proficient with her mobile phone and it seems the iPhone has helped her improve her dexterity, which has suffered as a result of Multiple Sclerosis. This is the basic gist of the text conversation as she remembers it:

Strange phone number texts: “hi”

Silence – Because Mom, as she puts it, has “a life that doesn’t include texting all day”

Stranger: “HI”

Mom: “Who?”

Stranger: “WT#! u know me”

Silence – My mother did not feel the language was respectful enough to deserve a response.

Stranger: “Don’t #%$&ing answer then!”

Mom: “Who are you?”

Stranger: “Jesse!”

Mom: “Jesse who?”

Stranger: “@$%)& $%@(*% &!#£”

Silence – Again with the lack of respect.

Stranger: “Is this shayne?”

Mom: “No.”

Stranger: “Do u have shayne’s #?”

Silence – Because she has better things to do considering she doesn’t know a Shayne.

NEXT DAY

Stranger: Hey

Mom: Check your number unless you are doing this intentionally.

Stranger: Huh?

Mom: Your number is being given to my security office.

Stranger: Wat? (SIC)

Mom (this lady doesn’t mess around when it comes to bluffing the crazies out of her life): You have reached a restricted number which is operated by the government. There are severe penalties. We know your name and your number. You will be notified.

Stranger: Im so cofused this is suposta be my friend shaynes number… Im sorry

Mom: Too late. You were previously told this was not his number. Your texts have been forwarded to security.

Stranger: But i didnt say anything bad.

THE END

Cold Night, Hot Whiskey

Evin — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 10:08:27 +0000

It was a one of the first cold nights of the season when I entered the pub to meet friends for the evening. Still a bit chilled and surprised autumn had turned on me in such a thoughtless way, I went to the bar to consider what I’d order. The bartender was carefully affixing cloves in a lemon slice when I walked up. Ooh, a hot whiskey would be perfect tonight! I asked if I could order one of those as well and he admitted he was just fixing himself one. Oh no, I couldn’t take his. He insisted it was not a bother and gave it to me then proceeded to make himself another. I paid and returned to my group. When another friend arrived moments later and looked at my hot whiskey, she resolved to order one too. At some point, the bartender was able to make and consume his own, but in the meantime he had caught on to how he had set a trend in the pub that night.

It’s Another Day

Evin — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:33:36 +0000

Dear Clouds,

Thank you for watering my plants today so I can stay under my duvet.

Love,

Me

Confetti of Autumn Leaves

Evin — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:12:35 +0000

There is a crispness in the air and confetti of golden leaves falling around us – it’s Autumn! Just when I feel sad that the nights are getting longer and the weather is cooler, I remember now I get to wear sweaters and cosy coats and beautiful scarves again, often in those same glorious ember hues.

A Little Pleasure Goes a Long Way

Evin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:40:09 +0000

You’ve all heard of random acts of kindness, but do you practice them on yourself? Yep, made you pause and think for a moment, didn’t I? Seriously, when was the last time you did something solely for you? Real Simple reminded me of this idea with their piece ‘10 Ways to Find More Pleasure Every Day‘ by Paul Bloom. It really shouldn’t be guilty to have a guilty pleasure. Whether it’s dancing around to your favorite BeeGees song, sipping a Shirley Temple, enjoying a peaceful moment watching the sunset, or treating yourself to a favorite fruit in the middle of winter. Here are some of my favorite indulgences:

Watching your favorite YouTube video. You know the one that always makes you smile. If you make a playlist of your favorites, it is even easier to make this happen. Here are my YouTube playlists, one for every mood. A few minutes of your day spent doing something fun and just a little frivolous.

Splurge on your favorite handcream or handsoap. That way every time you wash up, you enjoy a delightful scent and feel pampered by your choice. I like My Coconut Island by Treacle Moon and Wild Rose and Raspberry Leaf by Baylis & Harding.

Paint your toenails a fun color. Whether you do it yourself or go for an all-out pedicure, treat yourself to a bit of color. It’s something just for you most of the year, so why not choose that hue you adore that makes you happy to see. I prefer neutral pale pinks, like #5 from Kenneth Salon in NYC or OPI’s Sweet Heart.

Take time for a cup of tea in a real china cup. Brew your favorite tea leaves into a soothing tea time anytime. Add a couple shortbread cookies and use real cream and raw sugar for a sweet treat.

Give yourself 15 minutes of an activity that is just for you. Whether it is knitting, reading for pleasure, playing a video game, or writing an old-fashioned letter to a friend, take that time and enjoy it.

Turn on and turn up your favorite song and dance around like no one’s watching. I do this A LOT and am sincerely hoping no one is actually watching, but if they did sneak a peek into my empty apartment and see me twirling around they may only notice the big smile on my face. Don’t have your own playlist? It’s ok, I’ll share some of my favorite ‘Come On Get Happy‘ tunes with you.

What is your favorite indulgence to put a smile on your face?