The clear sky above the clouds

When someone is considered not to be in their normal state of mind and a decision had to be made, it is said that they may have clouded judgment on a matter and so their view may not be taken as an objective one. This could be because someone has deep emotions and feelings towards the issue or they may be intoxicated or there could be other things that make their mind impartial. Anyone who has traveled by air will know that sometimes clouds that make a day gloomy down below are usually low lying and above these clouds will be a very clear fine day with no one to enjoy but birds if they can fly that high. Clouds can create a dull gloomy day, but above them the sky will be spotlessly blue and clear. In life there are things that are not as bad as they seem, or as challenging as they want to look like. They are just blocking our view and clouding our judgment as the phrase says. Everyday is filled with judgments and decisions to be made. Some of the decisions we make are short term with no impact on tomorrow while some determine our destiny and life. The latter is when we really need to see the clear blue sky above the clouds and make proper decisions. This is when we need to disregard the low lying clouds blocking our vision and which make goals seem unattainable. It could even be raining  cats and dogs, wet and horrible below these clouds but the sun will still be shining above. Just because you can only see clouds now does not mean the sun is not shining, but you need to climb to the level where you can enjoy the sun. Climbing higher can be what you need to get out of your rainy day. Climb higher by improving your personal circumstances (studying, being a better person, better self management, dropping a bad habit etc). What is clouding your judgment today and how will you see above those clouds to determine your destiny? You need to soar above the clouds clouding your day. Mental soaring is key when you want to envision things above the reality that you face. It is much like when a submarine captain lifts the periscope out above the water surface to see clearly what is out there. The submarine will dive deep in the waters but it sends its eyes up above the clouded water so that the captain can see and make decisions. He cannot make decisions without a clear view and neither can you. You need your own periscope that can go above the clouds and see clearly where you are, where you are going and what action you need to take now. Enjoy, as you get your periscope up and see the clear sky above.

Quenching a soulful thirst

Every day, as the sun shines down;
I look up and feel the warmth on my crown;
Feeling the reassurance from above;
That today is again going to be filled with an abundance of love.

However, some days, I experience mixed emotions;
But yet, amidst the turmoil, still a sense of devotion;

Deep in thought, wondering about my life, my love;

Always noticing signs from the universe. ..a symbol...a dove.

Love is so deeply powerful and immensely strong;
It is felt everywhere around us, and features in almost every song;

In order for us to receive love, we need to first learn to love oneself;
To love and be loved is fulfilling an inner happiness, a different kind of wealth.

Feeling the feelings that start from within;
Created by choice, should be shared, and not poisonously held in;
Self love- and respect should always come first;
As this is the beginning of a healthy outlook on love and quenching a soulful thirst.

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Written by A Mckinlay

Lessons from RWC 2015

One direction has a song called Drag me down which runs a chorus that goes "nobody can drag me down". In rugby, the key to avoiding a try or scoring is largely dragging and pulling someone down. During the Rugby World Cup, you could see the determination and refusal to be dragged down when players bulldozed and pulled their way through the defence of the opponents. As always there were several lessons that came out of the Rugby World cup from a layman's point of view.

1. An underdog can cause chaos by being determined to be the best. Japan came out and beat the Springboks (South Africa) in their first match against all odds and against any prediction that could have been made. Believing in oneself is the surest way to achieve great things. There is always a first time and there is always a way to win, one just has to find it.

2. You can choose to be defeated with dignity and a fighting spirit. The American team lost to the Springboks by a wide margin but they never gave up fighting and pushing to score. They fought to the end despite what the score said. You can choose to give up before the end or you can fight till the end. It is a choice you have to make.

3. The limelight can be on someone else other than you. Even when it’s your work that you have done that is being rewarded. When Sonny Bill Williams handed over his medal to a young boy, he overcame his own personal wishes and desires and made someone else's come true. Not easy to do but he proved it can be done.

4. You can come back from a bad start to a decent finish. The springboks started off badly by being beaten by Japan in an unexpected result, but they ended up as third place winners. How you start does not determine how you choose to end. You can fight for a better finish than the way you started.

5. You can be dragged down, but you can fight to put through that try and score. Some sensational tries were scored despite serious and violent opposition against the score. How easily do you give up when you face opposition? When there is a mountain of pressure stopping you from achieving that goal. Will you push through for a try or will you give up and walk away? What is dragging you down today? Can you shake it off and still score?


6. The power of believing in yourself wins above all else. The All Blacks (New Zealand) surely believe they are good at this game and that self-belief carries them through any game they play. The way they do the Haka affirms their belief and then they play to win. You can also carry a certain belief about yourself which will make people see you differently and enable you to win the battles you fight.

Well done to the All Blacks for winning the World Cup and to the Springboks for a third place finish. 

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Power of tandem

When something is in tandem with another, it follows the other directly ahead of it but from behind. This is where the tandem bicycle concept comes from, where two cyclists are on one bicycle with one behind the other cycling together. Tandem is a form of order which requires synchronization if it is to be maintained, especially when cycling. The important issue about being in tandem is that it requires similar effort, balance and energy to work perfectly. Most importantly, there must be unity and a common purpose as well as destination if tandem cycling is to work. Imagine riding a tandem bike with someone who doesn't want to go where you are going and also doesn't want to go at the speed you are going. It becomes counter productive and almost impossible as you cannot cycle anywhere. I saw tandem cyclists the other day, their feet in sync with a common purpose and the back rider trusting the judgement of the lead cyclist. When the lead cyclist stops the other also stops cycling and they continue in harmony. The image above is quite interesting because Retired Staff Sergeant Seam Johnson in white was blind and became the first blind athlete to compete at the Team Army trials in 2014. This was all possible due to the power of tandem where the front rider pedals and steers while the rear rider only pedals. When one has goals in life and they are pursuing those goals, they cannot do that behind people who do not share those goals and they cannot also lead people who do not share their goals because in both instances, there will not be progress or it will be stunted progress. Working with others in any situation is much like tandem cycling and it is critical to always have harmony and oneness to be able to move the bike together. One needs to find tandem with their leaders and followers to see growth and success. Are you aligning yourself in tandem with those that will help you achieve your dreams?

Exploring possibility

Is it possible that the image on the right reads possibility? If there is a word that brings hope to a desperate situation, it is the word possibility. Imagine a terribly sick person on the deathbed being told "there is a possibility of turning around the situation using a new procedure". Or a wrongfully accused person going to jail being told there is a possibility to challenge the conviction through an appeal. Possibility changes a situation from one direction to another. One powerful word which many long to hear in dire situations. When you have been denied registration at that dream varsity and you are told there is a possibility to register under a certain category of entry, or when the finances for a surgical procedure are not enough, but there is the possibility to be funded under a special qualifying program. When the doctors mention that there is possibility that an operation will succeed. I love the word possibility as it injects much needed relief in a hopeless situation. It is a word of hope, belief, progression and success. When possibility does not exist, a future may not exist. When there is no possibility there may not even be life. What is your possibility today and into the future? Can you see possibility in your situation going forward? Sometimes you have to create possibility for yourself if it does not exist. Possibility can be planted, nurtured and can grow to fruition and become reality. When possibility becomes reality then that is the ultimate preference. Is it possible that there is more to you than your current reality? Is it possible that you cannot read your possibility correctly as it looks like something else that means nothing to you? So go on and create those possibilities for the future which when  they realize will bring a smile to your face.