terça-feira, 23 de outubro de 2012

Surviving through tough times... with HOPE in our hearts!

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” —Lao Tzu 





Portugal is a seemingly small country, nevertheless going on to 900 years of independent History.
People from abroad may look at us and feel we are just poor and going through a terrible economic crisis, but they risk missing part of what is most relevant about us: the incredible courage of those tiny sailors who in the 15th. century discovered most of the world, the endurance of the families, the dedication of the women, left to tend to their children and hold on tight...

Nowadays the crisis is upon us (and many others) as a bad dream. People wake up to find out that all that they worked for all their lives, including the chance for retirement, is questioned by a crisis whose origin is, once again, the greed and lack of ethics of the banking sector and the blindness of those in power to see that such a harsh policy of cuts will ONLY CREATE EXTREME POVERTY and a never ending number of bankrupt businesses...

Though this all, certain small towns and communities are starting to organize themselves to try and make it through the crises thanks to a cooperative effort. And in the mean time, hundreds of young people emigrate every day, in a perpetual and melancholy exodus...

Through it all, what will keep us alive and hopeful, if not LOVE? The loving kindness we can share with our families and neighbors, the effort to find creative solutions, the re-organization of one's life with less. Yet, some are finding courage and hope in the small Joys and Blessings of unsuspected things: the beauty of an Autumn morning, full of bright sunshine in spite of the lack of money,   the freedom to walk outside when so many other countries are at war or close to it, the peace of coming home and having the Family together.

Centuries ago, one of our Kings got a special dispensation (from the Pope, I guess) to allow the Cult of the ANGEL OF PORTUGAL, depicted as in the photo above.  Masses were held asking for the help and blessings of this Angel, called the Custodian Angel of Portugal. Well, few people know or remember this, but I would be inclined to ask for His benevolent help at this time of probation and difficulty.

That Mankind is so imperfect (especially its leaders) running the destinies of peoples and countries and of the whole planet, calls for HOPE in some sort of Providence that cannot be overruled by human stupidity and lack of ethics.

Therefore, against the impending melancholy and hardship, I call on the Angels for help and protection. What else can you do, when you hear some rulers stating "that they are very proud to be exporting so many technicians and experts" ?!!! Forgetting that these are human beings who would rather find a dignified life in their own nation?

Many years ago, Geoffrey Hodson, a writer who claimed to have the perception of Angels and who wrote many books about their help to Humanity, encouraged those who want to find more creative ways of living to ASPIRE only to the HIGHEST for inspiration and comfort. And in his books one could find an image of a standing Angel, with the hand pointed upwards to heaven, pointing us the only source of justice and hope:


May it inspire us to be OUR BEST SELVES and in each day give our best to find more just solutions than the  ones that are being forced on every one, increasing poverty and humiliation except for those who have a lot.


quinta-feira, 12 de janeiro de 2012

Remembering those who are gone...


I want to dedicate this post to my friend Tricia, whose blog yesterday had a post dedicated to her late Mum.

I can relate to Tricia's loss, at the age of 11, as my Dad also died when I was barely 15.
I can still remember the feeling of loss and unbelief during the first hours and days of his disappearance...
Walking to secondary school in a March day with sporadic rain and a lot of cold sunshine, and telling myself repeatedly "My Father is dead..."

This feeling of missing someone, this very deep sense of loss, of having half of ourselves that is missing, in Portuguese we have a word for it: SAUDADE.

SAUDADE is a beautiful, musical word that brings us recollections of people and situations forgone and a cosy feeling of familiarity, or else the hard feeling of loss and bereavement.

Looking back to those we love, I think that what we can do is to recall their inner beauty, the loving ties that still shine between them and us and - just like Tricia did, to recall what they loved to do.

Maybe Tricia can one day publish something written by her Mother. Better still, blend in one of her own books, her Mum's words...

Dear Tricia, my heart goes out to you and never forget: Your Mum lives inside your heart and her Love will forever inspire and protect you and your Children.

Love,

Maria Carmo.

Lisbon, 12th. January 2012.

domingo, 1 de janeiro de 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE WORLD AND TO ALL OF GOOD WILL!

"The Star of the Hero" - Nicholas Roerich




I chose this image because for me it represents Human Aspiration and our profoundly ingrained wish to surpass ourselves and reach out to the stars.




May today be the beginning of a Happy Journey! After all, our small planet travelling in blue space is like a vessel where we are all together. That is why whatever one does affects all others, and also why it would be intelligent to cooperate for the sake of all.




Bearing this friendly spirit in mind, I wish you all a year of deep self realization through positive endeavours, full of Love, Health and inner and outer richness.




May the Goodness in everyone's hearts be strenghthened and shine like a light in the darkness of despair and doubt.




Maria Carmo




Lisbon 1st. January 2012.