Love as a blessing or a curse? It's your choice.

We're only human.

We all swear, or use a "curse" or a "cuss" word from time to time.

When we stub our toe...make a big or little mistake...in a moment of distress, anger, depression, or whenever.

After all, these things can't be helped. 

We live in an imperfect world.

But the only "cursing" that I would suggest that we all should refrain from "expressing," is taking the Lord's name in vain - however you may view or experience the "Lord" or "God" in your life.

Whether you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or if, like myself, you are a "Love-tian," then it's ultimately not a "good" thing...for anybody...but especially yourself, if you take the Lord's name in vain.

Here's the deal:

What if anytime, anywhere - anyone who got angry took YOUR name in vain?

That would be a lot of "cursing" coming over your way, wouldn't it?

Of course - and who wants that?

That said, too - and just to be clear, "Christ" is not the last name of Jesus or anything of that nature; and it always makes me laugh when people think such a thing; because that couldn't be further from the truth.

In the original Sacred Scriptures of what we have come to know as "The Bible," Jesus was referred to as "Jesus THE Christ," which when translated from ancient sanskrit means, "Jesus, the Enlightened One" or "The One of Light."

And for whatever reason, later editors of The Bible removed the "The" from in between "Jesus" and "Christ," and today the majority of our world refers to Jesus as "Jesus Christ."

Anyway, when anyone takes what they believe as the "first" or "last" name of Jesus "in vain," that ultimately brings upon darkness, as they are basically cursing "The Light."

By the same regard, when someone corrupts the name "God," which and who is "Love"...or better stated "Love IS God," then they ultimately damn the idea, concept and experience of Love itself in their lives.

And why would anyone want to "curse" that?

The Simple Treasures

I've accomplished a great deal in my life.

For one, I've met and befriended everyone that I've everyone wanted to meet.

Elizabeth Montgomery...Farrah Fawcett...Lindsay Wagner...Lynda Carter....David Carradine....Lee Majors...all my childhood idols and dreams come true.

And it's been wonderful.  Meeting each of them was lovely.

For the last thirty years or so, I've also attended Hollywood galas, and parties and events, and shared numerous other good times, all of which has also been joyous.

And yet, none of it compares to the simple treasures of life...like visiting the corner drug store for the right last-minute decorations at Christmas-time...or just having coffee or playing cards with family members or friends.

Certainly, too, of course, having a family to care for - or be a part of - is an immeasurable joy.

Being a father is one of life's treasures that I have yet to discover.

That too has always been a dream of mine.

But for whatever reason, that has yet to be...and maybe it might not ever be.

It all depends, I guess, I what I truly want...because I do believe that we always get what we sincerely desire...whether we're conscious of our life choices or not.

In the meantime, however, I make every conscious decision to be joyful...to be kind to others...and myself...to always appreciate more than ever the simple treasures of life.

For it's the simple treasures that keep us sane, stable and grounded...simple treasures help us to live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Yet many, mostly the superstars of our culture, are unschooled in how to attain and hold on to the simple treasures.

Elvis tried...more than most...but he failed.  Marilyn Monroe had a good heart...but she was a lost soul in a land of vipers.  Philip Seymour Hoffman, God bless his soul, was a mammoth talent...but he just couldn't hold on.  His talent and his drive outweighed his ability to appreciate the simpler treasures. 

And while I'm not sure why that happened...I know why I have always been strong enough to see the forest through the trees.

I had a solid if modest upbringing.

I was never taught to feel I was better than other people...and somehow...that filtered into every aspect of my life...in many productive ways.  I always learned to treat people as equals...including Elizabeth Montgomery...Farrah Fawcett...Lindsay Wagner...Lynda Carter...Lee Majors...and David Carradine.

Each of them appreciated that I treated them like real people.  I respected them, but I didn't fawn over them.

Somehow, they knew that I appreciated the simple treasures of life...that allowed me to experience the unequaled riches of life...like having childhood dreams come true.

Show yourself some loving-kindness and affection

Nobody's perfect.

We all make mistakes.

And you should never be made to feel that you're the only one who makes mistakes - and you should never let anyone else feel like they are the only one who makes mistakes.

We live in an imperfect world - and we are all imperfect.

If we were perfect - we wouldn't be here.

We'd be in Heaven.

But one way to get at least a little piece of Heaven on Earth is to learn to let things go.

If someone has recently hurt you forgive them.  Immediately.

If you've recently hurt someone, unintentionally or otherwise, manifest that they forgive you.

If they do not, if you have apologized and made every effort to make amends, and still, they do not forgive you, well - then all you can do is bless them on their way.

You can still love people without having them in your life - especially if they are destructive to your life - or self-destructive to theirs.

We're all doing the best we can.

And we can only do what we can do.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Just don't be so hard on yourself - or on anyone else for that matter.

In short, be loving-kind...and be brave enough to share and shine your affection...on others...if mostly yourself...in an unselfish way...to love others...and yourself...unconditionally.

You aren't nearly as "bad" as you think you are or as others may sometimes lead you to believe and vice-versa.

If anything, please do remember this quote from Emerson:

"No man is an island; no one goes their way alone.  Whatever we send out into the lives of others, comes right back into your own."

So, send out only good words...good thoughts...good vibes...love...and forgiveness - to others - and for yourself.

You are Beautiful and a Blessing

We each have our creative talents in the world.

Some can sing and dance.

Other can write.

Still others can count or excel in a particular sport.

But each of us - in on our way - make our contribution.

Each of our contributions, no matter how large or small, are important and beautiful.

What each of us does best ultimately contributes not only to those who obviously and directly benefit from our contributions - but all people, consciously or subconsciously, reap the rewards of your good gifts.

We are each part of the entirety of all; we each are a peg or a particle in the matrix of everything that was, is and will be.

Never feel that you are insignificant or that what you do is insignificant - especially if each time you speak, act, create, believe, think or do anything with loving-kindness.

Loving-kindness, or Love - for short, lasts forever.

Everything else, in the long run, falls away.

So, shine your great talent - your great Light...for all to see and bask in your great glow.

And in the process of your graceful glimmering, you become a blessing to the world.

Speak Your Way To Perfect Health

"I now consecrate my mind and body to you, Dear Father.  I am now willing and ready to give up the old ways, the false beliefs that have bound me.  I am now ready to take the new higher life from Universal Mind.  Dear Father, I know you have forgiven all my mistakes and are seeing in me only my perfect self which is pure.  I now see only my pure, perfect self.  As it shines its radiant Light into every cell of my body.  I am clean and pure, healthy and free.  Yes...I am free."

- Page 269, "The Healing Secrets of the Ages," by Catherine Ponder

"At the center of each atom in your body there is a central light around which lesser lights are constantly circling.  At the center of each one of these atoms is life and energy.  When you affirm 'LIFE' you stir up and bring into action that tremendous atomic energy in your body.  Indeed, when you affirm the word 'LIFE,' you are working with an atomic energy that is all powerful, because you are an atomic being!"

- Page 256, "The Healing Secrets of the Ages" - by Catherine Ponder

"When you are tired, run down, discouraged, that is the time to call upon the mind power of life within you...In each cell and atom of your body is life, substance and intelligence. As you speak words of "life," each cell responds.  You can charge the cells of your body with life because they are receptive and always listening.  If you dwell upon the idea of life, your body takes up this idea and acts upon it, first consciously and then subconsciously.  The idea of life will then work through the cells of your body, generating new energy."

- Page 254, "The Healing Secrets of the Ages" - by Catherine Ponder

 

 The Amazon link for "The Healing Secrets of the Ages":

http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Secrets-Ages-Catherine-Ponder/dp/0875165508/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390171294&sr=1-1&keywords=the+healing+secrets

The Deception of Arrogance

"Are you arrogant?"

"Do you think you're better than other people?"

For some reason, I get those questions a lot, especially the last one, which pretty much makes me laugh.

"Better than other people?!!"

Please.

I wake up every day trying to make the world a better PLACE, if that's what they mean.

And no way do I always succeed, but dang - I sure enough do try.

That said, usually, the people who think I'm arrogant (or think that I think I'm better than others) have their own insecurities.

It's like years ago, when I was an NBC page.

Now, granted, I might have been perceived as a cocky son-of-a-gun in those days.  But I was 23-years-old, and I thought I had the world by the "you-know-whats."  And who isn't perceived as cocky when they're 23 (my heavens, especially today!).

But in general a few of my supervisors at NBC thought I was just plain-out cocky, as did a few of my peers.

That is, until one day, when a reporter from The Los Angeles Times arrived to do a story on NBC Pages.  I used to sing and dance as the "pre-warm-up guy" for the audiences of The Tonight Show (with Carson), Wheel of Fortune, etc.  And the L.A. Times reporter took note of that, and made me the center of his article.

In a few days, the article was published and, as it turned out, I was the only positive voice in the piece.  Everyone else complained about their job - but I talked about how great it was being an NBC Page.

And boy oh boy did everyone's attitude change.

My supervisors were like, "Man, Herb - that's great!"  "You're cool!"  "You're the best!"

And my favorite was:  "You've CHANGED!"

And I was really startled.

I was like, "Uh?....Dude - I haven't changed.  YOUR PERCEPTION of me has changed.  I've always been a good person."

In recent years, I've been blessed with great success in many endeavors.  And I've been proud of it.  But what some might call "boastful," I call "sharing."  Dang straight, I'm tickled to no end about all the good things that have happened to me....and my columns, blogs, books, parties, etc. is my way of sharing that joy with others...not boasting about it.

Also, I share my life and thoughts with others because I think it's just plain fun to do so, and hopefully, some people get a little inspired in the process.

But I don't have blogs and books and big ideas because I boast...or because I'm arrogant....and definitely not because I think I'm better than other people.

Whatever "cocky" days I've experienced are long behind me (even though, again, in my view, my "cockiness" was really only misperceived by the insecure)!

I think the best way to make my point is this:

Nobody loves money and nice things more than I.

But do I think that having money and nice things makes me better than other people?

No.

Do I think that because I'm a writer, an actor, a producer and kind of a cute guy that all of THAT makes me better than other people.

NO.

We all have our talents.  I can sing, dance, act, write, direct, inspire, tell a good joke, be a good listener, and on and on.

But, at the same time, I can't count and I can't play basketball...which really are only two of the COUNTLESS things that I am NOT capable of doing.

But like the rest of us, I just do the best I can with what I have and try to be happy - and then go on to share my talents with anyone who wants to embrace and share my joy.

Nothing more...nothing less.

The real bottom line is this:

I'm a lover of many great and good spiritual beliefs, from every walk of life, culture and heritage.

As long as Love or Loving-Kindness is involved with a good religion or spiritual belief, I'm there.

For example, Pastor Joel Olsteen of Lakewood Church is one of my favorites from the Christian sector.

On page 88 of one of his recent books, I Declare (a genius publication), he offers this beautiful affirmation:

"I declare that I will live as a healer.  I am sensitive to the needs of those around me.  I will lift the fallen, restore the broken, and encourage the discouraged.  I am full of compassion and kindness.  I won't just look for a miracle; I will become someone's miracle by showing God's love and mercy everywhere I go.  This is my declaration."

And THAT is about as "arrogant" as I get or strive to be!

"Never say, Good-bye. Say, 'See ya' later."

Did you know that a part of you is part of me - and vice-versa?

It's true.

And I never realized more then as when, in 2003, my cousin Rita passed away (into Heaven).

She died very young (43).

She was "there" and then she wasn't.

I thought, "So, where'd she go?"

How does someone, who has so much life, just one day, not be "there."

You hear their voice.  They sound strong.  They look strong.  They act strong.

There's no illness...or preparation for illness or any lingering death.

Just one day, that person...that you spoke with, interacted with, kissed, touched, loved...yelled at, cried with...the day before...was now gone.

Doesn't seem to make any sense, certainly not from any logical point of view.

But one thing I know for sure:  when I think of Rita...or anyone else who I have loved and who is no longer visible in this world...when I think of them...when a thought of them comes into my mind or into my heart...to me, that's them saying "Hello!"

That's me, hearing "Hello!"

And my acknowledgement of their "Hello" is returned with my "Hello!"

It's a good way to see things...to hear things...to live.

To know that when those we love leave this world...our memories of them become everything they already were when they were alive.

And that says that life is endless...that there is no death...as long as we continue to "remember" those we love and say "Hello."

Or as my beautiful, dear Mom used to remind everyone, "Never say, 'Good-bye.  Say, 'See 'ya' later."