‎"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" - Plato

So many times we focus on ourselves that we forget we are not the only ones struggling, working, and fighting a hard battle.  In life and especially in this day and age, to live the way we choose to be, for what we represent and stand for, is not so easy, in fact, it can be one of the toughest jobs you will ever do.

It's easy to do what the crowds do, the popular thing, or be whoever the people around you want you to be. However, far more difficult to be your true Self, live, love, and even die for what you believe in on a day to day basis.  You know what I mean because you make that choice everyday when you wake up. In fact we all do this when we wake up, it's called living our lives, whether we consciously make that choice or not, we all face that choice everyday to do and be who we are.  Then we go throughout the day living, working hard, and suffering willingly for our choices.

Now doesn't that sound daunting, overwhelming, and a bit too much at times!? Well it can be without the proper support, beliefs, and systems in place (which I will hopefully get to share later).  But nevertheless, now that you understand and see the choices that you and everyone else has to make every single day for the rest of their lives, maybe then can and will we show and express more compassion for ourselves and others.

Bottom line, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"!  Wishing you all the best on your long, hard, and prosperous Life's journey, and may God continue to bless us all...

In Love, Light, and Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )

 

Art of Living: Meditation Then and Now

Patience is the only strength you ever need.~ Hindu Saying

Dear friends,

Let me explain. All good to great people and things in our lives come to be because of the patience, love, and commitment someone had to reap the results, the fruit. Life is love and love is about patience.

What about forcing or making things and people to happen? Well it might work short term but pretty weak when it comes to long term, long lasting and good feeling results.

For example, try forcing a baby to walk or go potty before their time, try rushing a flower to bloom, try falling in love with the right person or winning big in the lottery or anything you do! ;-) The point is, some things can't be rushed before it's time, and to stand firm, unwavered by all the pressures to take short cuts, the naysayers, not seeing with your own eyes the results or being straight out impatient, requires strength, the greatest strength.

I'm no Hindu, but I have to say, they got this one all figured out!

In Love, Light and Luxury,

James Pham : )

Work is love made visible - Kahlil Gibran

It's interesting this quote I posted the other day and thought this would be very popular since everyone works and can relate.  But no, the saying turns out not so popular.   So I asked myself why?  The practical answer I'm getting is because not everyone thinks about going to work for love or more plainly put, not everyone thinks work is love!

However, from my perspective, what this quote means to me is that all that we do in our lives is work, some may call it play but to me that is just a different kind of work (i.e. working on oneself to be happy, have fun, and feel good, etc...) If you agree so far with this, then lets focus on why we work or do the things we do.

The obvious answer is because we get paid, it's our job, to put food on the table, and pay the bills right? But the not so obvious, more subtle but meaningful and truthful answer is we work because we want to take care of our lives, living, children, family, friends, dogs, cats, cars, homes, and communities. We do this because we love these things and the people in our lives and want to make sure they are supported, provided, and well cared for.

So when we work it's not just for the paycheck or anything else, it's what that work does, represents, and ultimately allows us to DO and BE, which is to show, make visible, those in our lives and the world around us, how much we love, care, and support them and ourselves. Hence, the quote, work is love made visible!  Wouldn't you now agree? ; D

In Love, Light & Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )

Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. ~Pema Chodron

For every adversity, problem and incident in our lives, their is a seed of equal or greater value waiting to be discovered and learned.  It's our karma, consciousness, old habits that keep coming back to haunt us when we do not take advantage of the opportunity to learn, grow and be better off for the experience.

This is something I hope to instill in my children and to reinforce in myself, that experiences in our lives are there to learn and grow from, to help us become better people and more successful in everything we are and choose to do in our lives.

I am a long way from perfecting this lesson, but with constant reminders like from quotes like this and the discipline to analyze, reflect, and have my meditation tea moments, I find the time necessary to learn, grow, and be a better person not only for myself, but for my family, friends, and world as well!

Hope you find your time as well...

In Love, Light & Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was "Thank you" -- that would suffice. --Meister Eckhart

So many times In life we face challenges, problems and what seems like overly bearing circumstances in our lives, family, real estate and/or work that causes us to want to throw in the towel and proclaim out of fustration, I don't care! Well, it's ok, we're all humans, but a better way of Being is being Thankful for it all!

This quote reminds us that in Life and in the end it doesn't matter what we go through throughout our lives, as long as we are grateful and say thank you for life, the miracle of our existence, which is ultimately our gift from above.

In the end, there's no room for regrets, only thanks! At least that's what I think...Now thanks for reading and being a part of my world!

In Love, Light, and Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )

If you judge people, you have no time to love them. ~ Mother Teresa ♥

I think we can all agree that Mother Teresa was and is by many definition a saint, so what she says is definitely true in my book.  However, most of us are not saints and we do judge alot, including myself. I judge my kids behavior, my lifestyle, disciplines, my way of life, my goals, dreams and way of doing things all the time.  But what I mean by judging, I also call analyzing, calculating, and planning in order to make good and right decisions and be better in all aspects of my life.

Luckily for me after reading the quote carefully, I realized that Mother Teresa wasn't talking about judging things,  she was talking about judging other people and this is what I definitely agree, because who are we to know what is best and right for any one except maybe ourselves and our children! ; )

We are all born unique, have our own unique and valuable life experiences that teaches us and molds us to be who we are today, so who is to say that others experience is less valuable than any one else. In God's eyes, we are all equal and equally blessed with the precious gift of LIFE. Let's let God be the Judge of others, since he knows best, and let us continue to be the judge of other things...

In Love, LIght, & Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )

Love is Energy.... Pass it forward !

"My heart forgives and releases. Inner peace is my goal." ~ Louise Hay

As I post and reflect on the meaning on this, it humbles me to be reminded that inner peace of mind is my goal without it my world is crazy, chaotic, and full of what on the surface appears to be meaningless distractions.  When I am able to let go and allow my heart to forgive and release all the pain in the past, whatever it is, I am free again, find clarity and can live fully in this moment and experience the clarity, calm, and inner peace this wonderful quote gently reminds me of.

What's your experience, what does this quote mean to you?

In Love, Light, & Luxury,

James Pham
EnlighTea Cafe : )