ReCoVeRy

It sad to see a friend or colleague endure pain or hardship. Sometimes we don't know how to respond to the issue at hand. Should we be sympathetic? Or should we pretend by suppressing the issue and get the person to move on beyond circumstances. On the one hand, it may seem too bothersome to get stuck with emotional baggages-there is however a place for emotions, for grieving, for venting. However, if we allow that to control our outcomes, then we lose control of ourselves. Pretending isn't a good solution; the 'ghosts' have this habit of reappearing, in stronger images and with stronger attachments. We need to learn to manage pain or hardship....ultimately we aim for recovery. We want to learn from this incident, the issues at hand and move to the next level. We need to deal with the emotions as is and then use it as stepping stones, not milstones! Recovery is being there to provide support, not to agree but to be a strong arm, have a caring heart, even if it a moment of unexpected silences.

SELAH

AppREciATioN

Rewards. We all love to be rewarded don't we? The recognition we get, the applause received, the handshakes all around help instill a sense of value within us. We feel good about ourselves. The Bible does tell us that it is more blessed to give then to receive. It's a powerful principle that we can apply in our lives-and we don't even have to be followers of the faith.
Imagine:

• how blessed your child will be when you show appreciation for them as your children?
• how blessed your colleagues will be when you say a simple 'thank you' for effort put in?
• how blessed your aged parents would be when you hug them to show affirmation that they have done well in bringing you up?

Recently there was this tremendous 'free hugs' campaign that caught on across the globe. Some might say it's a trivial attempt at self-appreciation-but really what the world needs now is appreciation, real appreciation. It shouldn't be for the dramatic. It shouldn't be for the staged. It should be for the person who learns to value another fellow human being.

SELAH

ReNt The FaBRiC

Just flip open the morning papers or switch on the radio and you will find more than one article or news story on how an employee was badly treated or a possible lawsuit being served for discrimination of some sort. Racial. Age. Gender. Religion. Attitude. ATTITUDE? Yes, that's where it all starts doesn't it? The way we see ourselves and judge others by our standards of 'excellence'. What gives us the right to do that? Our sense of superiority? Our sense of achievement? Our sense of justice? We have to rememeber that this world is everyone's playing field. "we're all players" that's what Shakespeare said. We need to learn to work cohesively, learning to appreciate each other's gifts and strengths. We need to apply ourselves as a whole to this world we live in. We need to all act responsible and not play judge. We need to apprehend all caustic attitudes and actions before they destroy a delicate fabric that is already frayed at the ends.

SELAH