It is an OUTRAGE! Safety measures, injury prevention and using some smarts could save so many young/innocent lives…what am i talking about: Dummy parents who refuse to respect water and life! Here in Florida…i’ve heard so many super-sad-stories of beautiful-fragile-life drowning because of a lapse in supervision, etc…Just overheard another incident/tragedy and i’m ANGRY.

Okay, not out-of-control angry…just VERY upset by stupidity and senselessness. (Thus–the inspiration for this post.) Yeah, we make mistakes as parents, (and my heart breaks for any parent who has lost their child in death:(

But, can’t we be more vigilant when it comes to our kids’ safety?! Parents must protect their kids. Parents must respect life. Parents must respect water. Parents must respect time. Parents must WAKE-UP/PAY ATTENTION before kids drown…Until our kid(s) are grown, our job as a parent is: LIFE GUARD! (not just talking water)

Scope of the Problem       

Florida loses more children ages 1–4 to drowning than any other state. Annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown and do not live to see their fifth birthday.

Florida overwhelmingly has the highest unintentional drowning rate in the nation for the 1–4 year old age group with a rate of 6.98 per 100,000 population (Oklahoma was second for this age group with a rate of 5.04) for 2007–2009.

Alaska, Hawaii, and Florida have the highest overall unintentional drowning rates in the nation between 2007–2009, with rates of 3.53, 2.90, and 2.09 per 100,000 population, respectively. The soaring rate for the 1–4 year old age group drives up Florida’s overall rate, so if we can impact the 1–4 year old rate, we can also make an impact on Florida’s overall rate. ~Floridashealth.com

Sun, surf and sand…sand, sun and surf…baby powder sand of Siesta Key Beach is 1 of my all time favorite beaches…had the privilege/experience of living close by (Gulf Gate)…Hubby and i would pop over in the evenings (when the sun wasn’t so strong) with the babies/toddlers…and i remember one of our first times at the beach (after relocating from Massachusetts to Sarasota)…word was spreading around the …

M is for ?…mmmMonday. M is for March. M is for Mars.

M is for Marshmallows!:)

Do you like marshmallows? Just “realizing” while writing this post:

I pronounce and spell marshmallow as marsh-mellow!

Though, others have remarked on my spelling skills, i feel, my accent messes up my spelling abilities…not going to worry about it–just going to “mellow” out. -lol:)

I have an odd/thick accent…especially when tired and/or upset. What i term “New England” accent because of growing up there. Specifically, a “Somerville”–east Somerville accent…i get teased in good fun all the time about it!:) My kids get in on it too…correcting me when i speak. That’s okay!…found a great way of getting kids–my kids to listen/obey/cooperate…threaten* (*using this term jokingly) a public display of affection like a kiss on the cheek and/or hug or start calling them by a cute nickname ala my accent: works every time!-lol:)

It’s pretty ironic, Somerville has come a long way from “slummerville”…it use to really bother/embarrass me as a kid when people would refer to my hometown that way! (waaaaay over it!) Looking back now, really thankful for my upbringing there…a lot of good people/things have come from Somerville, Massachusetts…not just famous ones.

I’m getting choked up writing this now…thinking about my family/friends/experiences…”Somerville” and what that word/place means to me. Somerville did indeed play a part in shaping/molding me–my impressionable formative years!

Questions for Consideration:

• What place has helped shape You into the personality You are today?!
• Does this place express Compassion Culture?!
• Where are You now?!
• A place of Compassion?!

Still living in Summer…ville here in sunny Florida. My accent pronounces “Somer” like the season Summ…drop the er and insert a..Summaville…er is always short a sound..R gets dropped too: car is ca…yard is yad. Then insert the r sound where it doesn’t belong like idear. Forty…for becomes fau-ty becomes d (sounds perfectly right to me): fau-d. Heart sounds like haat. Start sounds like staat.

Confusing?? There’s way more to this accent than that…No wonder i get blank stares when talking very fast!:) That’s probably why i feel more easily understood in written …

“Spend less. Read More.” Awesome slogan from Thrift books…yeah, that’s it…READ more!:) Not to stereotype women, but i’m “not” a shopper! I do it when i have to: run in/run out…get what i “need” at a cheap price.

Well, unless it’s a bookstore or i’m talking to somebody interesting, then i may linger a little. If held captive in a store -lol (cause of hubby and kids or whatever)…just read or find somebody to talk to! I don’t leave home without reading material.

The other day I “had to” go to Walmart…walk through the door and…a GIGANTIC mountain chain on each side greets/meets me! Stacks upon stacks ceiling high of doritos/chips/junk food/soda…Wow! this is really contributing to wellness and moderation on so many levels;)…and then rows and rows of endless items to clutter my mind and my home. Like with 4 kids and hubby, 2 cats, etc. to take care of already…get me out of Walmart quick…more stuff = less time. More stuff = less freedom! Walking into Walmart is an exercise in self-control. (So is composing this blog!:)

Self-control is a positive trait to cultivate. Learning when to speak up or shut up…for somebody like me, can come in handy!:) Learning when it’s safe to stop or go or proceed in tiny, cautious increments is essential. Exercising self-control is critical to preservation of life and relationships.

Actually, my mind is swirling and whirling with various topics for posting consideration. Between reading, research, real-life experiences of late, etc. i’m compiling a list or organizing my writing/learning which is a time-consuming process/event all on its own. Do you find yourself in various states of organization (self-control)? (i’m in the middle of reading a quick book: Organization for Dummies and of course, like a dummy, i’ve misplaced/lost it among my other books!:)

photo credit: donovanbeeson

I LOVE organization and order…the beauty of precision and efficiency and conscientiousness, but not to the …

1313 aka 1.3.13 aka January 3, 2013…

A “Bird’s Opening” for this new post:

1: Poem (discussed with my 3 daughters):

Not in Vain~by Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain:

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or Cool one pain,

Or help one fainting Robin

unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain

3: Corny jokes that made my daughters and me chuckle:

photo credit 2: quaggas_camera photo credit 1: k8southern

What does an educated Owl say?

WHOM!:)

What is a polygon?

A missing Parrot!:)

What’s the difference between a jeweler and a jailer?

One sells watches and the other watches cells. (cute play on words)

~Everyday Fun Games and Cards by Brighter Child

13:  Writings by Poet/Wise-King Solomon, (i shared w/my kids):

“Happy is the man that has found wisdom, and the man that gets discernment, for having it as gain is better than having silver as gain and having it as produce than gold itself. It is more precious than corals, and all other delights of yours cannot be made equal to it. Length of days is in its right hand; in its left hand there are riches and glory. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its roadways are peace. It is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy.” (Proverb 3:13…14,15, 16, 17)

“A Wise person will listen and take in more instruction, and a man of understanding is the one who acquires skillful direction, to understand a proverb and a puzzling saying, the words of wise persons and their riddles.” (Proverb 1:5,6)

“Do not say to your fellowman: “Go, and come back and tomorrow I shall give,” when there is something with you.” (Proverb 3:28)

“Go to the ant, you lazy one; see its ways and become wise. Although it has no commander, officer or …

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In art theory: 12 basic hues belong to the color wheel: 3 primary, 3 secondary, 6 tertiary…the whole wheel is beautiful, eh?! THANKS to my Readers & fellow Bloggers here @ Psych Central!:)

Partners in Wellness w/jw: 12 Posts in Review for 2012:

12 hues that flew into my field of vision! (Did they fly into yours?:)

2 Keys to Happier Relationships & Partnerships

Got Lemons, Now What?

Who’s in Your Heart?

Forgiveness Fixes: How to Let Go of the Negative and Repair Relationships

Extreme Behavior Emergency Survival Kit

Partners in Wellness: Appreciated, Part 2: Relief and Understanding

No Excuses – Empathy Needed

Women deserve DIGNITY not discrimination!

Climbing Your Mountain/Reaching Your Goal: 4 Tips!

3 Tips for Dealing with Disappointment and Discouragement

Corruption Perception Index: How do You Rank?

Chocolate Genius

Stop? Don’t Stop? (self-control essential!) Your choice! Should walls be white? Should walls be colored? How about both? Do you color on walls? Do you let your kids color on walls?? Please consider the consequences of Stop! or Don’t Stop!:)

May be, you only color in predetermined lines and spaces? May be, you color outside the lines? Are you color-blind? or wall-blind? or line-blind? or boundary-blind? Actually, boundaries do serve as protections!

Compassion adapts to all those variables…blind to lines, blind to …

HAPPY Monday to You!:) Thank You for nurturing seedlings and for joining me here! (Have you had the opportunity to read Nurturing Seedlings 1?)

Is your day going well? Is everything OKAY? What do i mean by okay?

Well, IF you’re living love, your day may not be an easy one, but it will be fulfilling, satisfying and purposeful: OKAY!:)

An Okay day of living love will involve inconvenience, discomfort, sacrifice, work and most likely a bit of pain (i.e. pain in the neck and/or pain in the butt!:) You may have to do something for someone you really don’t feel like doing! You may have to do something you don’t want or like for someone you don’t like…Yet!:)

(Funny how we learn to like…blog fodder for another post, eh?)

We all have our limits and thresholds for pain, etc….Can you afford 1 act of unselfishness or 1 deliberate act of kindness toward breathing-fragile life?!…Start with 1 act (step) and work your way forward…on your personal path of compassion. YOU CAN DO IT!:) You can live compassion…1 small act of love at a time!

Compassion involves freedom from arrogance and pride.Arrogance and pride can hinder and limit unselfish love expressed toward others. Humility can make life easier for those around us. When we are less demanding, we give more…if we view others as inferior, their needs are less important than our personal needs. When we cultivate a humble, respectful attitude, we give others our full attention, we empathize, we console, we forgive…we encourage and support fragile life…All of Us need encouragement to keep going. We need to know: “It’ll be OKAY!”:)

i LOVE the following quote:

“Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power.”~ 19th Century author, Robert G. Ingersoll

Each of us has a measure of power over someone or something in …

Dr. Stephen Bavolek writes, “[C]ontemporary social scientists agree that the continued maltreatment of children today is primarily the result of poorly trained adults who, in their roles as parents and caretakers, attempt to instill discipline and educate children within the context of the violence they themselves experienced as children.”

I would expand by adding: parents and caretakers attempt (try their best with what they have) to care for/communicate/educate their children within the context of their personal compassion (love) literacy (or lack thereof) and compassion education (or lack thereof) they themselves experienced as: children/teens/time (life experience with or without compassion in varying degrees) before parenthood.

Same can be said for religious/spiritual literacy and education, ethnic/cultural literacy and education, ethic literacy and education,  morality literacy and education, tolerance literacy and education, academic literacy and education, etc….you get the picture?

Disturbing Statistics from www.childhelp.org

• A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds
• *More than five children die every day as a result of child abuse.2
• Approximately 80% of children that die from abuse are under the age of 4. 1
• It is estimated that between 50-60% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates. 3
• More than 90% of juvenile sexual abuse victims know their perpetrator in some way. 4
• Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.
• About 30% of abused and neglected children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse. 5
• About 80% of 21 year olds that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder. 5
• The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2008 is $124 billion. 6
  

• 14% of all men in prison in the USA were abused as children. 7
• 36% of all women in prison were abused as children. 7
• Children who experience child abuse & neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult, and 30% more likely to commit violent …
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“How can I Help You?” “Thank You” “Your Welcome” “Sorry” “I Forgive You” “I Love You” “It’ll be alright” “I’m Here for You” “I do!”…what seeds (deeds/words) are you sowing today?!

All of the above? Some of the above?…

Wonderful–Your seed sprinkling will reap positive results!:)

THANKS for being a Caregiver, Friend, Partner, Parent, Person who is an:

*Open Mind: Think!

*Open Heart: Feel!

*Open Mouth: Speak!

*Open Hand: Give!

*Open Eye: See!

*Open Foot: Walk!

 
Think it, feel it, speak it, give it, see it, walk it: Live Love!:)

  photo credit: Serenae photo credit: Phil (darth_philburt)

Have you thought about it: what seeds are politics and religion sowing? Seeds of love or seeds of greed? Seeds of war or seeds of peace? Seeds of unity or seeds of division?

“In many lands, predominant religions have become symbols of patriotic and racial identities. As a result, the lines between nationalistic hatred, racial prejudice, ethnic rivalry, and religious enmity are virtually indistinguishable. This explosive cocktail has the necessary ingredients to tear our world apart.” ~excerpt from article:The Problem with Religion

“Religion seems to be connected with violence virtually everywhere…In recent years, religious violence has erupted among right-wing Christians in the US, angry Muslims and Jews in the Middle East, quarrelling Hindus and Muslims in South Asia, and indigenous religious communities in Africa and Indonesia…The individuals involved in these cases have relied on religion to provide political identities and give license to vengeful ideologies.”-Terror in the Mind of God-The Global Rise of Religious Violence.

Politics (government) and religion are in bed together making war and making money. (But,they’re really loveless and poor.)

Dutch Philosopher Floris van den Berg recommends: “Let’s make the world a better place. Let’s get rid of …

Is it strike 3 and you’re out? (Hope not!:) What possibly could one still have to say about compassion? Haven’t i exhausted that topic yet??? Sorry, but nope. Up to bat again…

THANKS for tuning in/listening!:) For Compassion Conversation 3 context, please check out: Compassion Conversation 1 and Compassion Conversation 2

Compassion and sovereignty go together or should. Who rules the world? Do you feel like: “everybody wants to rule the world!” and if one cannot rule the “world” as in: “the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features.” (on-line dictionary definition)…some at least want to rule “their” world! Are you shedding tears or fears ruling your world?! Who really rules your world? COMPASSION?!:)

Welcome to your life
There’s no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you
Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on mother nature
Everybody wants to rule the world

It’s my own design
It’s my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world

I can’t stand this indecision
Married with a lack of vision
Everybody wants to rule the world
Say that you’ll never never never never need it
One headline why believe it ?
Everybody wants to rule the world

Tears for Fears Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Celtiemama

Who has the right to rule? And who’s rule is right or best: compassion for everyone? War mongers? Big business? The winner of the most votes? The most popular? The topdog? The underdog? The one with the most (energy) gas? The one who cares the most and loves the most? The one who has sacrificed the most? The one with the most accurate knowledge (smartest)? The strongest? The richest? The one here first? The oldest? The youngest? Who decides?!

One wise king (Solomon) with “happy” subjects said: “man has dominated man to his injury.” Another person (who some considered a …

Thanks for joining me for our Compassion Conversation 2. To bring You up to speed, have you read 1 Compassion Conversation yet?…

The limbic (meaning “ring”) system is located in the forebrain and is virtually identical in all mammals. It sits just above the brain stem, with the two structures somewhat resembling a bagel with a finger (the brain stem) passing through it. This “system” is not composed of a single large brain structure. Instead, the limbic system is comprised of a large group of complex and oddly shaped smaller structures surrounding the upper portion of the brain stem. Each structure has an immense number of critically important circuits linking them to one another and to the cerebral cortex. These interconnected structures are intimately associated with our basic drives, bodily temperature control, hormone production, and emotions.~Brain Basics for the Teaching Professional by Kenneth A. Wesson

We discussed in our previous compassion conversation the role our limbic system plays in assigning emotional priority to auditory input and how our desire(s) determines our listening. Basically, we listen (pay attention/heed) to what we “want” to hear–what has Top Emotional Priority to us individually.

To examine our listening skills, perhaps, we should examine our emotional priorities?! Because listening is learning and unless we can broaden our emotional priority (to include concern for others)…our learning (i.e. compassion) and listening will be limited at best.

Are our desires selfish? Unselfish? For example, if #1 (me) is my top emotional priority then i listen/pay attention/learn and/or practice what will benefit #1! or if my top emotional priority is unselfish and/or concern for other fragile-breathing life…i listen (pay attention and learn and/or practice) what will benefit not just myself, but all breathing-fragile life!

This #1 talk reminds me of an old joke a friend told–let’s see if i don’t mess it up: “When you’re looking out for #1, you’ll step in #2!”

Who likes words/thoughts/behaviors/patterns that degrade and strip us or others of dignity and respect?! Compassion conversation is the usage of words that are thoughtful, non-offensive, a uniting language …