~Thoughts for a Happier Life~
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean.Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstanding, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
~The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz
Happy HAPPY Anniversary to the man I have loved and adored for 22 years, and counting. Who teaches me how to be a better person with each and every passing day, and who fills my Life with Love and more Happiness than I ever imagined possible. You are my dream come true. Can't wait to see where the next 22 years will take us, this is one long adventure, and one I hope will never end. I love you, Joel. I always have, and I always will. xox
And Happy HAPPY (belated) Anniversary to my beautiful sister and her wonderful husband, a couple I have admired, loved, and cherished for 33 years and counting. You two set the standard for "amazing relationships", and you are an inspiration to me each and EVERY day of my life. You two have always practiced what you "preached", and are the shining example of what 2 people truly in love and committed to each other can do, both in the good times, and in the bad. Where there is true love, there is hope... and you share and give both to each other every day. I love you, Terri and Bill, more than I can ever say, and miss you more than you can possibly know. xox
yeah yeah...i don't post for weeks, and then i do this long thing. well sue me. i didn't get to do a post in honor of my sister and her husband on the 3rd, and dammit, i wanted to say a few words about them and my sweet hubby (on our own happy day), and this is the only means i have at my disposal.
i'll get back to my "regularly scheduled" words of inspiration, amusement, and/or insipidity next week. thanks! : )
Posted by: neva | 16 August 2007 at 09:28 AM
Thank you, Neva, for the four agreements! You once told me about these and I need to print them out and keep them close by to remember.
Congrats to both of you for finding each other and enjoying 22 years.
Posted by: Pavel | 16 August 2007 at 02:01 PM
So true, I have nothing to add to those 4 agreements. So, all I can say is Happy Anniversary to you and Bobo. 22 years, that's quite an acheivement, but I hope you celebrate many, many more together.
Posted by: Theresa | 16 August 2007 at 02:11 PM
Happy Anniversary!
Great post. Of course, you've had so d*mn long to think one up since the last one you HAD to come up with a great post. AND YOU DID.
Posted by: tanlucypez | 16 August 2007 at 03:42 PM
Don't make my eyes moist!
I love that you led this sections of appreciation for life and the people in it, with the Four agreements.
It finally occured to me that that is why we get to live on the planet for so long...to really get those concepts and be able to live after them is one of teh hardest things, but once accomplished essential to a happy life...it seems to me that you and Bobo have gone a long way in that path to self discovery, for only when you truly are at peace with yoruself...can you transmit that feeling and share it with somebody else.
I am so happy that the two of you found eahc other...
Posted by: Minka | 16 August 2007 at 04:08 PM
And I promise, one of these days...I'll check my spelling before publishing. :) Love ye!
Posted by: Minka | 16 August 2007 at 04:09 PM
How perfect and beautiful! I'm running, but wanted to poke my head in and say Happy Anniversary to really one of the sweetest couples I've met - ever. You two show such love and respect and warmth towards one another - allright I'm making myself misty eyed.
In Hebrew, there is the word b'shert - literally "meant to be". In Judaism, singles are often searching for their b'shert or the one they were meant to be with. It seems that you and Joel are certainly b'shert.
Happy Anniversary (and to sister Terri and Bill).
XOX
Posted by: G | 16 August 2007 at 04:18 PM
Happy Anniversary, Joel and Neva. Any couple that can remember four agreements will be happy the rest of their days.
Posted by: Doug | 16 August 2007 at 05:35 PM
A beautiful post sweetheart (and not just because you said such wonderful things about me!). Our 22 years together have been such an incredible time of love, bonding, and discovery. I feel like my life began to unfold the day we met and exploded with joy and unlimited possibility the day you agreed to be my partner forever. I adore you and couldn't be happier or feel more incredibly blessed. I love our life, our adventure, and I always will.
Posted by: Joel | 16 August 2007 at 10:44 PM
I am misty eyed at your beautiful words as well as the words of all those above me!
You know how I feel about the four agreements and how blessed am I that you were the one to introduce me to them to begin with? VERY I tell you and there is not a day that goes by that I do not remember that amiga de mi corazón!
And yes, I echo everyone above me with their well wishes and observations of the amazing relationship that you and Joel are blessed to have... it is indeed both something to admire and aspire to FO SHO and I wish you both the very best always in everything! It may sound generic but it is true I tell you, TRUE!
And happy, happy to your most amazing Sister Terri and her equally amazing husband Bill! May this be a fabulous year of hope and positivity and health for you all!
All my love and mil besos...
Me...
Posted by: Miz BoheMia | 16 August 2007 at 11:00 PM
Congratulations for doing what so many can't seem to manage and have a very Happy Anniversary.
Posted by: Nessa | 17 August 2007 at 11:02 AM
I'm sharing your happiness just reading your post. Happy Anniversary to Joel and Neva - it's always great to witness the enduring love and mutual respect of a sweet couple. Thank you for the shot of warmth and smiles today.
Posted by: Terry | 17 August 2007 at 01:56 PM
Happy anniversary, Neva and Joel! Best wishes for this day, and for many more.
(How's that for applying Agreement No. 1?)
Posted by: al | 17 August 2007 at 02:29 PM
The four agreements are wonderful.
I wished you two happy anniversary somewhere else yesterday--but make it an anniversary weekend--and don't tell us what you're doing except for eating Mexican food--if you're having quesilda's please go into great detail as I gave up all flour--all sugar--everything in life that's fun
Enduring love, respect, wit and enjoyment of one another are the four tangible things one can hope for--along with health and wealth--but that becomes a Spanish toast and that makes me want Mexican food and Margarita's.
Posted by: pia | 17 August 2007 at 03:34 PM
A very happy anniversary.
Dr. Weirsdo and I just celebrated our 14th.
Posted by: weirsdo | 18 August 2007 at 12:17 AM
Works for me.
Cheers
Posted by: mcewen | 18 August 2007 at 12:29 PM
Truly beautiful thoughts to live by, simple and all so true. And happy everything to all.
Posted by: jan | 19 August 2007 at 10:19 PM
You are a fortunate person to have so much love in your life.
Posted by: schnoodlepooh | 20 August 2007 at 02:55 AM
22 years and counting. Congratulations!!! Beautiful words to celebrate a beautiful thing. :-)
May we all be so blessed.
Morgan
Posted by: I Dive At Night | 25 August 2007 at 12:01 PM
I had expectations that you would post today. *shocked and disappointed.
Posted by: tanlucypez | 27 August 2007 at 01:44 PM
d'oh! did i say i was going to get back to a "regular" posting schedule, and then NOT do exactly that? my bad.
thanks to one and ALL for your kind words. we had a lovely anniversary (if, by "lovely" i mean, "we sent each other flowers, went out for a long walk, got smoothies, then ate a wonderful Mexican meal for dinner", and i do!) trust me when i say i KNOW how fortunate i am to be blessed to have had someone like Joel in my life ("like", hell with that, i've got the real McCoy!). can't wait to see where our NEXT 22 years take us, but, based on our life together, thus far, i know it's gonna be good!
uh... guess i'd best get back to posting, eh? thinkin' i'll try to do that later on today (or, at the very latest, tomorrow??) : ) xoxoxoxoxox
Posted by: neva | 28 August 2007 at 09:12 AM