Joy, Fear, Confidence, Anger, Sadness, Friendship, Disgust Calm, Surprise, Shame, Enmity, Anticipation, Compassion, Kindness, Envy, Emulation, Contempt, Gratitude, Admiration, Pride, Jealousy, Sympathy, Obfuscation, Irritation…
There are pains that make us scream, hit, moan, or twist. And they express themselves openly, without conditions or restrictions. Regardless of opinions, criticism, or advice, we only want to eradicate them from our bodies. But there are also pains that are suffered in silence because the bond of love, which physically held us together in an almost perfect personal world, was broken.
We are reaching the end of the year two thousand twenty-three, and in the United States of America, Thanksgiving Day is approaching. Celebration that turns out to be the preamble to the Christmas festivities. But how many of us are happy with the life we have? Or perhaps I should ask: How many of us are preparing to enjoy this time of year with more love, peace, and goodwill throughout the world?
In the book of Acts of the Apostles, in chapter 17, there is an anecdote or story that Paul tells us about what he preached in Athens and an inscription that strongly calls his attention “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”. Perhaps we have had the opportunity to read this story before, but perhaps we have not given it the attention it deserves or discovered the importance of that phrase. And probably without realizing it, we have omitted to discover the mystery that it contains, or we have taken advantage of the great invitation that is offered to us to know the “UNKNOWN GOD”.
When people begin to say that they were very happy in the past or to tell anecdotes of what they experienced in their childhood, they almost always end up crying nostalgically because of what they consider to be the best time of their lives. Normally I listen to them without interrupting, and when they are silent and spilling bitter tears, I ask them, “Would you like to make a trip to the past?” When listening to the question, they usually release and cry with more flow. Then I receive some of the most common answers: “Yes, but it is impossible.” “Yes, but nobody can’t.” While they observe me in disbelief or wait for me to magically transport them to the past so they can find the happiness that they yearn for and that is lost in their world of yesteryear.
The Happy Boy girls waited for the women who attacked The American Girl to leave before helping her. They lifted her off the ground, covered her with a tablecloth that they grabbed from a table, and helped her into a room to bathe. After that incident, The American Girl never returned to Happy Boy. The man who had danced with The American Girl did not return either, and the rumor spread in town that his wife had hit him, leaving him with a black eye. Since then, in town, when a man refuses to go to a party with his friends, it has become a popular saying, “You do not go to parties because your wife hits you. And if you leave without asking her permission, when you return home, she gives you a black eye.”
I do not teach religion, nor do I profess perfection or holiness. But I do like to share conceptual and educational aspects that help us obtain spiritual, economic, professional, or academic progress or that help us obtain personal satisfaction and happiness in whatever circumstances we are living in. Continue reading “PERSONAL PEACE”
The Doll’s eyes widened, fascinated by the interior of the house. The entire first level was a dance floor with a gray ceramic floor. The walls were painted lilac and covered with multiple brightly colored flowers. Plastic strips covered in green leaves entwined with colored lights hung from the ceiling. In the center of the track was a huge rotating ball covered with small gold-colored mirrors. To one side was a bar where alcoholic beverages were served. The far end was divided into a small stage and a small DJ rig with two huge speakers. The dance floor was also circled by several tables and chairs where people could eat.
I don’t know how many of you know the Pinky and the Brain cartoon series. But I am going to use the famous phrase immersed in the plot of that animated series, which is said in each of the chapters when Pinky asks, What are we going to do today, Brain? And the Brain responds, “The same thing we do every day… trying to conquer the World!” A comically ephemeral response, but with an unruly depth of feelings, desires, goals, or purposes to develop in life.
This is a very common phrase; I have heard it said by many people. I myself have repeated it countless times in the form of mockery, excuse, disbelief, challenge, or simply to make someone angry. Especially when I joke with my friends or even when, in my student days, someone said to me, “I’m going to beat you in the face”. I answered, “It has to be seen to be believed”.
Second by second, the words “HAPPY BOY” resounded in Doll’s brain. She, who was totally absorbed in her own thoughts, had remained motionless, observing without understanding how the women expressed happiness in each of the gestures on their faces. Suddenly, Brisa made Doll react by holding her by her shoulders while she shook her strongly, “Wake up, wake up; you were stunned.”
EMOTIONS AND PAPER STRIPS 