Tag: Mega Millions

Wednesday’s Whimsies

+ “Did you learn how to think or how to believe?” I read this question from a story on Rob Brezsny’s website. A father would often ask his daughter this question when she came home from school. It’s such an excellent question to constantly ask yourself, throughout life. Whether reading, or watching a show, or attending a speech or a service, ask yourself this question. With so much information overload these days (and now a ton of it being produced by artificial intelligence), this question has never been more important. Be discerning. Consider the source. Watch people’s actions, not their words. Think for yourself. Believe in yourself. Trust what resonates from the deepest part of yourself. You have more of the answers than you ever give yourself credit for, as most of the answers lie deep within yourself.

+ “Why can’t people be normal when they ascend into positions of power? Like what is it?” – martha, Twitter

“No one who wants to be in a position of power is normal to start off with. Like cult leaders, they’re all narcissistic to some degree. No normal person seeks power. Egomaniacs do.” – Zoraya Black, Twitter

I read this interaction on Twitter this morning. It is my belief that history’s most effective leaders have been hesitant leaders. They have stepped up to the plate when no one else was willing, or able to lead. They lead for virtue’s sake, for future generations’ sake, and how they ended up becoming leaders had nothing to do with their own personal power plays, but more so from an organic following of people who admired their ideas and their actions. Mahatma Gandhi and George Washington are known to have been extremely reluctant leaders.

“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare

Where are these rare birds these days? These true leaders tend to be the strong, silent types. It’s hard to find them in all of the clamoring for attention, and individuals’ need for their own fifteen minutes of fame. I do pray that these naturally sound and honorable people, like cream, rise to the top and become visible, and able, and available to us again. Never has our country needed them more.

+ I didn’t win a billion dollars in the Mega Millions last night. No one did. But even if I did, I believe that I would still be writing this blog. I love it that much. There are a lot of things in my life that would change if I had won, but there are certain things that I would do everything in my power to be sure that these situations stayed the same, because these people, places, things, and relationships are sacred and essential to me – you and this blog being one of those things. This is an excellent thought train to get real clear on what is most vital and meaningful to you, in your own life, right at this very moment. If you won a billion dollars, what would you definitely want to remain the same as it is, in your life right now? Feel grateful for these people, places, and things, and share your gratitude with them. You didn’t need a billion dollars to experience their preciousness in your life. Savor all that you have been blessed with in your life. Realize that you wouldn’t trade these things for a billion dollars.

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

The Price

“You cannot have diamonds without paying the price. Even those who come by their diamonds via gifting, pay the diamond price one way or another. It is something to consider before purchase or reception.” _ unknown

(I think that the quote above is a fancy, riddle-ly way to say, “Be careful what you ask for.”)

Ever since the Mega Millions lottery has been over $500 million dollars, I’ve been buying a couple tickets. Why not? Whomever wins has the same abysmal odds as I do. It’s actually been an interesting, life-affirming self-awareness exercise. In thinking of what I would do if I won, I immediately thought about how I would want to keep the winning of the Mega Millions relatively secret, not just for safety, and not out of greed, but mostly because I wouldn’t want much to change in my life, at all. Of course, I would want to help out my friends and my family but I think that I would do so, in nonchalant, secretive ways. I wouldn’t want the important relationships in my life to change, and I am old enough, and I am wise enough to know that they inevitably would, if I were revealed to be an instant multi-millionaire.

We were having a Facetime catch-up with our three sons last night, and our middle son who is currently in medical school, said that he and some of his fellow students were talking about what they would do if they won the Mega Millions (which is now currently worth more than a billion dollars). Would they finish medical school? Would they go on to practice medicine? My son said that he thinks that he would finish pursuing his medical degree, but he is not sure if he would go on to do his residency. Some of his friends said that they would quit altogether. That made me sad. It is incredibly difficult to get into medical school. (I witnessed the process with my own eyes. I have mad respect for those in the medical fields. It’s one of those needle in a haystack processes, getting into medical school, and then being totally dedicated to the daunting undertaking of seeing it all through.) It made me secretly hope that none of these students would experience huge windfalls before they realized their dreams. We desperately need dedicated, smart, resilient people in our healthcare system.

I’ve written previously about a babysitter we had for our first son, when we were new parents. Her family won millions in the lottery. Her father told me that the best part of winning the lottery for him, was feeling “secure.” Later I learned that our babysitter’s parents divorced, and her father and her brother were killed in a four-wheeling accident. Security comes in many forms, and security comes in many illusions.

That being said, I’ll probably buy a couple of Mega Millions tickets before Friday. It’s fun to get caught up in the excitement. And if I win, you may never know . . . .

Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.

What’s On the Inside?

“Do you know what most people wish for when it comes to improving their own life?

More stuff.  Especially abundance.

Because they think having more stuff will contribute to their overall happiness.

But do you know what most people wish for when it comes to the lives of the ones they most love and cherish?

Happiness, peace, creative work, fulfilling relationships.

Because they understand that once these things are in order, stuff, especially abundance will take care of itself.” – Mike Dooley, TUT

I bought a couple of tickets to the Mega Millions lottery yesterday after seeing a news story hyping the fact that it is now around 900 million dollars.  The man at the convenience store who sold me the tickets told me that I came to buy them at the right time.  He said that by today, the lines to buy a ticket would soon be out the door.  “It’ll be like Walmart on Black Friday!” is what he quipped to me.

Years ago, one of our babysitter’s father won several million dollars in the lottery.  I remember him telling me that the best thing that came from winning, was not the early retirement, or the big house, or the many trips to Disney. He said that the best part about winning was the feeling of security that he had gotten. The best part for him was not the material things the lottery winnings provided, but a feeling inside of him that gave him peace.  Lately, I have been seeing a lot of examples of how important it is that the insides of things, structures and people, be solid and clean and pure, in order to keep the outside facade from crumbling.

We had to have a stucco trellis by our front door repaired yesterday.  Despite regular cleaning and pressure washing and a fresh coat of paint, the decay from the inside wood was causing the structure to deteriorate and fall apart.  The structure had to be stripped down.  The old, decayed parts needed to be removed and it had to be rebuilt from the inside out, in order to remain strong to withstand future harsh weather and even to survive the pelting, warm sunshine.  I have to have a procedure on my mouth today.  A crown that I have does not want to stay in place, because the bone underneath the gum is not doing a good job of stabilizing my tooth.  In order for my smile to stay pretty, the inside structure of the tooth and the gum has to be strengthened and evened out.

Iyanla Vanzant wrote, “Until you heal the wounds of your past, you are going to bleed.  You can bandage the bleeding with food, with alcohol, with drugs, with work, with cigarettes, with sex; But eventually, it will ooze through and stain your life.  You must find the strength to open the wounds, Stick your hands inside, pull out the core of the pain that is holding you in your past, the memories and make peace with them.”

It is the strongest people in the world who admit that they need help.  It is the strongest people who are willing to open up and look to see what needs to be repaired on the inside.  It is the strongest people who know that a clean, clear, strong inside is the only thing that will keep the outside structure and facade from eventually crumbling and breaking down.  The insides create and sustain the outsides.

It is possible to feel secure and abundant without winning the lottery.  It is possible to feel miserable and fearful after winning the lottery.  Happiness and peace are inside jobs. Once those radiant feelings are flowing on the inside, the outside can’t help but be a reflection of the beautiful light that is glowing from within.

“If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.” – Eckhart Tolle