As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     In sports tennis is the only sport where 0 = love. So we can say that even when someone is closer to 0, one is simply more closer to love. But the fact of the sport at the competitive level is the purpose to win. One desires to win points. Here we could also say that to win, or the attempt to win is also equated to love; one is pursuing their passion and attempting to achieve a goal. This is what I thought about when I was reflecting upon this years Wimbledon tournament. 

  I found that there was some upsetting and unsettling with the Wimbledon rankings or seeding.  Especially pointing directly to Spanish tennis athlete, Rafael Nadal. This did gain media attention and also a response from Nadal himself. But this was also followed by discrepancies to T. V. cable airing of Wimbledon Tennis matches. All matches were not aired - only some. This was interesting as, when there is a tournament of any kind, the whole tournament is aired, or not at all. We can take examples of the olympics, or the recent FIFA women's World Cup. Where each match was aired, regardless of which team was playing. 

     The discrepancy of media airing made me realize how media will sway public attention and focus. This is why as much as I enjoy watching tennis, I decided not to watch the mens / women's finals matches that were aired. Particularly connecting to a direct bias towards the Spanish athlete Nadal. My thoughts reveal that discriminatory practices are not just presented to someone who is categorized as black or a person of color, this can happen to anyone, but often looked over because there are no organized movements such as Spanish / Latino / Hispanic lives matter and so on. Or because most people always think that you have to categorized as "black" to be a recipient of racism, prejudices, bias, or stereotypical attitudes. We could even think further and wonder how minorities themselves seek to care for certain minorities over others. 

    To win / loose in fairness is something that we should all accept, but to understand that there are systemic issues of prejudice and bias within the sport itself is another. 

Further Reading:
​BBC Sport | Wimbledon 2019 seedings: Rafael Nadal is third behind Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 28th, 2019.
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Related Reading: 
The Seventh Sense
The Paradox
Reflection: The Paradox

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     Anyone who has felt an ounce of love will find that the following words can resonate with them:

     But I began to take these words a step further to think about how we ourselves feel, when the ones we love feel the same. For instance: we can think from the lens of being a mother. Of course the degree of intensity or feeling, is dependant upon the relationship with our children. Either you care or you don't. The pain / rewards of motherhood don't simply end with the giving of birth. They carry throughout life - but again this is simply dependant upon the level of care and love the mother feels. She loves, weeps, grieves and shares the joys with her child. Her heart will also love, break, grieve heal and restore with her child's. Whilst the mother desires to be strong for her child, a mothers agony and grief exists. It is also where strength is found. Stemming back to her survival instinct. To protect, love, and offer a supportive role as needed, with love, care and tenderness. A child / teen / young adults heart is precious and fragile, as he / she feels the virgin wounds of loves heart break. Whilst we cradle this pain and hurt, it is life's teacher, revealing the phases of life and much more.

My thoughts to share with love & Kindness! :) 

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 26th, 2019.
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As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     I am a believer in Love - in this case focusing upon the love found through romantic love - husband / wife, or that of other genders who express their love through a romantic bond. But I am also a believer that relationships must be healthy, even when there is romantic love. Such as to inspire, encourage, love and nurture one another. To bring one another to the fullness of growth, contributing towards one another positively. This is not to say that there will never be disagreements, because there will be. Which is why relationships themselves are considered an investment. Which is also why another layer is added - such as: how much is one willing to tolerate of the other, or am I feeling drained, or sapped from my energy? Because the truth is that the romantic part of any relationship must recognize, that there are many other parts that need to be filled, to satisfy, or complete one another.

​    This is why I consider any union with another human sacred - from God. Unhealthy acts not only harm the self, but they also abuse the sacred union. This is where we can think of the concept of forgiveness; but sometimes God himself is saying No. Because God understands what one is able to tolerate, or when relationships have simply become burdensome. It is hard for us humans to sometimes accept these realties, but the truth is that if relations are not contributing to each other, not allowing one to flourish, it's almost as though one has been held captive. Defeating the purpose of a loving union, a flourishing sacred union, God's Purpose. 

Loves Bond.

Click on the image for the link to the webpage.

     These thoughts were inspired by the above image shared by Diamond Cutters International, and thoughts I shared as a reply via Instagram as follows: 
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What struck me the most about this ring was the tiny 4 round diamonds set on the corners. They are symbolic of union. The union of 2 human beings, 2 souls. Also a higher dimension, that equated to God. As in God in you, God in me, God that created and desires a spiritual connection in earthly form. 

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 18th, 2019.
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As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     I have always believed that the stories we tell to others, particularly that pertain to life experiences can have deep impact and shape meaning for others, especially where there are others who are willing to listen and gain value from another life story / experiences. We can think through these from a philosophical lens - that expand our inner being, and act as a mechanism to teach. But we can also think from day to day perspectives. For instance: Any system has procedures that are generally followed in order to complete procedural requirements. Sometimes just talking to another who is going through, or went through similar processes, we can gather information that is more helpful, than what we simply read on a website information page, information flyer and so on. So we know or as discussed from my previous writings, we have gathered the following:

❀Personal stories can add value to another person
❀They can be a philosophical teacher
❀Stories can also acts as a practical guide

As we tell stories to others, I began to think about the stories we tell ourselves. If you think about it: the stories we tell ourselves offer a variety of function. Including : destruction, creation and protection. This is why what we tell ourselves is as important as what we tell to others. I would even argue further and say that, what we tell ourselves overrides, thus; more important. Because in both instances, our own inner self-talk, the inner voice shapes how we treat the self, treat our perceptions, how we treat others, and further the stories that we share. Sometimes a situation or even relationship can be saved, just from how we talk to the self about what we have perceived. This is why sometimes, or most of the time - what we don't see is as important as what we see. 

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 14th, 2019.
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As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     Throughout the ages there have been many sages, or what we could call thinkers, who have possessed expertise in the thought field of human nature. Of course as society progresses with human evolution, ideas / thoughts are also progressed. But with this evolution, the core or foundational ideas of human nature most probably reman the same. Such as the need to survive, food, fight / flight mechanisms, or the characteristics of sympathy / empathy, feeling a sense of love or belonging. What most probably has changed is how these characteristics come to be practised. Such as socio-economic functions for survival, or our own levels of awareness. Which can be called human knowledge. Sought through institutions of formal schooling, or how one has traveled through life - such as life experiences. 
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     With the accumulations one can either increase ones desire to give to the fellow human, or even how not too. This is what I thought about when I came across the idea of thoughtlessness. Because even with the very idea of thought, we can choose to think more or less. For instance: From the micro perspectives, what we choose to focus on through our individual interactions, and what or who we desire to give our attention to.

     On a more broader scale we can think about the larger issues. For instance: the refugee crisis, or political influence that creates the very crisis. At the level of politics we could even think about how thoughtlessness could be viewed as a crime against humanity; by choosing to give attention to some, whilst ignoring death, destructions, or starvations of one another. We simply participate in the crime associated with human consciousness. So even as society progresses or humans evolve, we must seek to protect human conscience so much so that we don't forget the simplicity that is found through the giving of a smile, a listening ear to our fellow humans, or what we choose to focus on.

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 11th, 2019.
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Congratulations team Mexico as you become the 8th time champion of the CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions 2019. Whilst this was a disappointing loss for Team USA, this win is welcomed for the nation of Mexico that has seen, witnessed and experienced much trauma and devastation between the USA and Mexico border. We hope that this win is a symbol of sports diplomacy between the nation of USA and Mexico, as well as hope and happiness for Mexico. Congratulations Team Mexico, 2019 Gold Cup champions!!! :) 

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     Congratulations to the United States of America, USA women's soccer team who became the 2019 world champions in France. Well done for a great team defence, team leadership, revealing that women's soccer teams can provide great entertainment, display team efforts, skill, with cognitive ability, but also on a larger scale to inspire, encourage women and girls participation in sports. Your strength, stamina, courage and determination reveals much more. A dare to shine, a dare to create and inspire from within - the courage to listen and follow the depths of the heart. 

  Thank you France, host nation 2019! The supporters, the fans, coaches, and all who made the FIFA 2019 World Cup Championship possible. To all the nations who participated and the runners up, you all made this championship possible with grit and determination. Whilst this win is a symbol of strength for all the women's teams, and what women's sports are capable of achieving, this is another milestone, where there is still much more to accomplish in terms of equality and equity with gender in sports, especially the whopping in-balance of pay. Having said that it is a hope that the win is not just simply about pay and money, but much more. A chance to represent a nation, a symbol of honor, dignity and strength. 

Lets us embrace this win with love, honor and dignity, with the recognition that there are many more mile stones to overcome within the women's sports arena. CONGRATULATIONS TEAM USA!!! :)  

ONE NATION ONE TEAM! :)

FURTHER READING:
​CNN NEWS - USWNT wins Women's World Cup thanks to Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle goals

THE NEW YORK TIMES - The Best Women’s Soccer Team in the World Fights for Equal Pay

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

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Happy July 4th, 2019 - American Independence Day to everyone who celebrates the American Declaration of freedom and independence. On this day as we celebrate let us remember that revolutions are constantly remaking and making themselves, with the growth of society and the nation of America, other nations and the world. Let us celebrate with love, happiness and hope for the nations prosperity! With heartfelt wishes of love and hugs to all, Happy American Independence Day!!! :) 

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     I was really happy to hear about the positive developments with regards to the Democratic Charter that were put forth by Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Kimberly Breier. Especially with the conversations surrounding Venezuela, and the restoration of democracy. However, these attempts were soured with the killing of Navy Captain Rafael Acosta Arévalo. By the thugs of the Maduro regime. This tragic event reveals the unsettling processes towards peace, and also the recent question that I had asked: Why does one need to know conflict, before we can feel and know peace? But the violence is also an example of the Maduro regime and his advisors abuse of executive powers to overturn what the International communities desire to seek for peaceful Government transitions. This can be viewed in Article 322 of the Venezuelan constitution, however; I may suggest that Venezuelan's know that this article can be overturned with direct plea's to the International Community, with Article 30 and 31.

❀"Article 322 establishes that the nation’s security and defence is the responsibility of the State, its natural population and its juridical people."

❀"the Constitution is positively considered to be very progressive in human rights matters, as it grants constitutional dimension to international human rights treaties signed and ratified by Venezuela. The Constitution also contemplates and renews in articles 30 and 31 the right of Venezuelans to launch petitions to international human rights organisations, and forbids the extradition of national citizens (Romero et al. 2004)."  (Romero, & Mijares, 2016). 

Our thoughts of love, prayer and condolences to family, friends, and loved ones, Navy Captain Rafael Acosta Arévalo. Thank you for your service, rest in peace.

It is also with these thoughts we continue to hope for the peace, progression and restoration of Venezuelan democracy. 

❀Further Reading:
OAS-Organization of American States | Resolution on the Situation in Venezuela.

❀The Telegraph | Outrage as Venezuelan navy captain dies under 'torture' after arrest over alleged coup plot

❀Reference: 
Romero, Carlos A., & Mijares, Víctor M.. (2016). From Chávez to Maduro: Continuity and Change in Venezuelan Foreign Policy. Contexto Internacional, 38(1), 165-201. Epub May 17, 2016

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on July 3rd, 2019.
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As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted  to take the time to think and reflect.

    I was inspired to write these thoughts out of genuine concern. They say that we can all do small things with great love, and the truth is that we can. The small tiny acts are the ones that probably convey the most, but most of the time are overlooked. When really these are the ones that make-up what is hoped to be achieved on a larger scale. Or as the saying goes: Love is not grande, but millions of tiny acts put together. In a similar way, we can think about populations. Within societies, communities, nations, or even the entire world. When we look towards the outer, we must and should realize that not everyone thinks like us, looks, acts or behaves like us. At the individual level we can think of what makes a family, or our day to day interactions. There are times of great happiness, joys, or times of sadness, resentment and disputes. The same transfers at the macro-level. But the fact is that: human beings, even in their sameness of human need, desires or fulfillment, arrive with differences. 

     Now the differences between should not mean that one should careless, or would not desire the same happiness, fulfillment and desires for those of differences. Because just like gender, or caring for one gender more than another will leave gender development disproportionate, the same is considered for that of populations of difference. Essentially pulling up certain segments of the populations and leaving out others is, and can be deemed harmful. To the conscience of nations, and the conscience at the individual level. It is with the pulling up of each other, through our little tiny acts, personal and professional relations, that we can achieve a greater cohesion at the macro levels. 

    If there is disharmony / discords at the individual levels then of course this transcends to the larger picture. If you think about it - internal disharmony, disruptions are where wars or civil disruption begin, and thus revealed at the external levels. Wars or external disruptions can be prevented right back to the tiny acts, and even our tiny internal thoughts. But it is the pulling up of each other, even in our differences which becomes and remains honorable - to each other, the human, national and even international conscience. As soon as one has been attacked, when one sought to do do good; not only is the hurt caused to the one who deemed goodness, but so too is one who desires to attack. As they refrained from what was sought to be help / assistance for the goodness, for the sake of humanity and human survival. 

​     Everyone benefits when communities, societies, nations, pull each other up. Factors including economic growth, health, education development, socio-economic progress. But the questions remain: Can one be helped even in the state of differences? Without desiring to cause internal disharmony to the one who desired to help another? 

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

​Notes: These thoughts were originally hand written on July 3rd, 2019.
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