Being Respectful to the God in Everyone

How would you behave around a friend knowing he was God? Ideally no different then how you would behave around anyone else. Every person and animal has God in them and so they deserve to be treated with love, respect and compassion. That's why I don't eat meat.

This is not always so easy to do especially with people I am close to like my mom and my best friend. I crave their approval in every aspect of my life even though I know all three of us have vastly different views on life. I'm not really sure if this is a bad thing or not. I do my best to accept our differences and not let the need for approval stress me out.

My mom is not a fan of the fact that I am Hindu and into Indian culture so I don't cover my head or wear bindi when I am around her. She likes to smoke so I wait in the other room or stand in the hallway until she is done.

Spending less money and Asking for what I want part two

I am one of those people that doesn't like to eat alone. So I decided to ask my friends and family to come over to eat. To be able to cook a big meal for four people I would need food so I am continuing to go to the food pantry. I would need ingredients so I can provide enough food for everyone. I only have one chair besides the one I use at my desk. So I decided to ask my friends and family on Facebook. I also looked on craigslist.

It turned out that only one person could come visit me. So I did not need the chairs after all.  Which is a good thing since I was having no luck at all. With only one person coming over I needed a lot less food which gave me back my Friday mornings. Of course I was still lonely but one day I started thinking about my mom. With my dad gone I am sure my mom was just as lonely as I was. She works twelve hours a day, often eating nothing but coffee and cookies. I knew I could not make her a good lunch but I could make her dinner most nights. So now I go over to her house at least three nights a week to do your laundry, make a healthy dinner and load the dish washer. My new plan is to have one big meal at her house and have mostly fruit and chai tea at my house. I have not lost any weight yet but I just started and I know it will take some time. 

The Meaning of Freedom

Personal freedom is different for everyone

I am free because I work for no one

I may be broke but I have time to be happy

I am free to go where I want when I want

I am free because I work for no one

Some cannot live like I do

I am free to go where I want when I want

I love my life. I love my freedom

Some cannot live like I do

I may be broke but I have time to be happy

I love my life. I love my freedom

Personal freedom is different for everyone

Black Box of Gratefulness

I am grateful for my kitchen full of food. I am lucky and blessed to live in a country that gives money to the people who can’t work. Without the money I get each month, I would have to live in my mother’s basement again. I love my mom a great deal but we are too different to live together. I try not to think about it because my lack of a large family who shares my beliefs is depressing. I try to remind myself that there are people in this world who are all alone. There are people who somehow live without family or friends checking in on them. I don’t know how they do it. I have a hard enough time just dealing with the fact that I have no one to share my religion or my vegetarian food. I have no one to cook for or clean for but I try to be grateful for my apartment with heat, running water, electricity and a full kitchen. I don’t have a lot of channels but at least I have a working TV that I can watch the news on every morning. I don’t have the money to buy a new book every time I finish reading the last one but I can go to the library every day and check out any book or movie I want. I am saving money to buy a house one day. I am grateful for the ability to own something on my own. I own my truck and one day I will own a big house. Today I am grateful for my full belly.  

Spending less money and Asking for what I want part one

Instead of stressing about the things I don’t have or how long it will take me to save for the things I want, I have come up with a plan.

I want to pay off my debt, buy a house and travel to India for six months.

These three things will take a lot of money so I have to see where I can cut expenses. I want to keep my apartment, my truck and my cell phone so I will keep paying those bills every month.

 I like to watch movies but I don’t really need to go to the movies or buy DVDs when there are movies for free at the library. Yes I will most likely have to go to the one downtown but that is not so bad, at least I have a running truck.

 I have been over eating lately and it just hit me really hard this morning. I was reading about children who were living on only a hand full of rice twice a day. Not an adult handful either.  That’s it just a small bit of rice and dirty water. I can buy an entire weeks’ worth of their food for less than a dollar.  So way would I ever need more than $15 dollars’ worth of food a month? If I eat less I will spend less money and lose weight too. So I tried it.

One big meal a day and fruit, tea or something lite whenever I get hungry.  I did not eat something every two hours. I did not eat at set times. I just listened to my body and ate when I needed it. Well guess what. Just two days into this new “diet” and I have more energy than I have had in years. Less migraines and muscle pain. Best of all I can think! The fibro-fog has lifted! This alone seems like a miracle come from the simplest of changes.

 I still get enough migraines and pain that I can’t lift heavy things or stand on my feet for long periods but I am happier. Some people might look down on me for not working a typical job or going to the food pantry when I run out of veggies but I don’t want their life so their words don’t matter. It is ego and pride that has keep me from asking for help. Reading about other people’s suffering kicked that real quickly. I truly believe God will give me what I need if I just ask for it.

 Now back to my main point. Since I am not spending money on food or movies. Since I am only paying the bills and for Gas in my truck. I have more money to put aside each month for paying off my debt, buying a house and booking a plane ticket to India.  It will still take me years to save up the whole amount for each thing but not as many years. So what’s next?

The things I want that don’t have to cost money. Being happy, enjoying my life with passion and not being alone. All of that will come in my next post.