Paulo Coelho, "By the River Piedra..."

Quotes from "By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept"

• "I've paid a considerable price for the little I have gained. I've been forced to deny myself many things I've wanted, to abandon so many roads that were open to me. I've sacrificed my dreams in the name of a larger dream-- a peaceful soul. I didn't want to give up that peace" (41).
• "I was tired of playing the child and acting the way many of my friends did -- the ones who are afraid that love is impossible without even knowing what love is. If I stayed like that, I would miss out on everything good that these few days with him might offer" (47).
• "We think so much about money and our plans for acquiring it that we discover we are alive only when our days on earth are practically done. And then it's too late. ... [But] I am just like everyone else who listens to their heart; a person who is enchanted by the mystery of life. Who is open to miracles, who experiences joy and enthusiasm for what they do. [Yes,] there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggle for your dreams than to be defeated without ever even knowing what you're fighting for" (50). 
• "I could see in his eyes the thousands of times that he had imagined this moment and the scenes he had constructed about us. I wanted to say that yes, he was welcome, that my heart had won the battle. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him and how badly I wanted him at the moment. But I was silent.  I witnessed, as if in a dream, his inner conflict. I could see that he was wondering whether I'd reject him again, that he was thinking about his fear of losing me, and about the hard words he had heard at other, similar times-- because we all have such experiences, and they leave scars" (146).
• "We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path" (164). 

Nature is not a place to visit, it is home.   - Gary Snyder

And now I’m left with you wondering what’s happening and me not really knowing.

If this made anything clearer, I paid the price by exponentially complicating everything else. Yay me.

Recent Faves

To hear is to forget,

  To see is to remember,

    To do is to learn.

-Chinese proverb

"I like to A jia A jia!" (sung to the tune of a song from Madagascar)

-Student at Jing Yan Middle School

"They think I won the [Great Wall] Marathon... and I didn't correct them."

-Laura talking about her students

Paul Coelho, The Alchemist

"Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place."

"Your eyes show the strength of your soul."

To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Those were the salad days- the halcyon years! The sleepless nights, the wailing babies! ... But it all slipped by. One minute Marlena and I were in it up to our eyeballs, and next thing we knew the kids were borrowing the car and fleeing the coop for college. And now, here I am. In my nineties and alone."

- p. 327, Water for Elephants.

Written by Sara Gruen.

Goals and Wellbeing

A study by three University of Rochester researchers showed that reaching materialistic and image oriented goals actually fosters ill-being. In spite of their accomplishments, people tend to have more negative emotions like shame and anger and more physical such as anxiety, headaches, stomachaches, and loss of energy.


On the other hand, individuals who focus on personal growth, relationships, community involvement and physical wellness tend to be more satisfied as they succeed in those areas. They also show fewer signs of stress and greater overall fulfillment.


-Mike Bundrant, taken from his article titled "7 Assumptions your brain can't resist"

Words I Need Right Now.

"The Lord appeared from of old to me [Israel], saying, Yes, I have LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3 I love this verse because it applies to all who love God. Even if we don't feel his love all the time the truth is that he LOVES us with a never-ending, unfathomable love. 

* * * * *

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11–12

Being honest about life requires that we admit we’re stuck somewhere between sinfulness and holiness, between being lost and being found, between indulging ourselves and serving our God. When a person trusts in Jesus Christ, the core priorities of her life fundamentally change instantly. “[Jesus] died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them” (2 Cor. 5:15 NLT). Welcome to a paradigm shift. When I first stumbled across that verse, it was a wake-up call for me to realize that every moment I’m faced with a choice: Will I offer this moment to God or try to keep it for myself?  When we’re tempted by our own desires I don’t think the point is to make us do the unthinkable—at least not at first. The goal is to make the unthinkable more and more reasonable. And then, when it doesn’t seem so bad anymore, when it seems trite and harmless, when it seems like the next logical step, to have us go ahead and take a bite out of the forbidden fruit.

Until we finally admit that temptation is a reality of life and that (at least to some extent) we want to lick the forbidden fruit and explore what lies beyond the fence, we’ll remain vulnerable to the dark thoughts that keep trying to climb into our souls and burrow deeper into our hearts. The greatest saints of the ages have discovered something most of us haven’t. Not only are they familiar with their own shortcomings and sins, they’re also aware of the outlandish grace of God. By being mindful of both their fallen nature and Jesus’s risen love, they’re able to live on the escarpment of evil without constantly toppling over the side.  (from a devotional)

When we are young, we hope for several love experiences, but as time goes on, we realize that when you truly love someone a whole lifetime is not enough.

Interesting Words on Protesting

When my heart is at peace I can see that my happiness — my personal well being — is not dictated by outside factors. There are no externalities upon which my happiness depends. Happiness is always available in the here and the now. My ability to change the world around me is not dependent upon the action of others. I’m done with protesting. I choose to act. Peaceful, assertive, confident, non-violent action. I will act in small ways and in larger ways. I will change my behavior and if those changes inspire and support others on that path, then that is wonderful. This is the only rational course. -Words of Gregg Hill in an article about protesting

Although I like most of what he said, I don't agree fully with Hill's opinion... What about the thousands of poor people who don't have the time or money to wait around and show off their obedient/peaceful behaviour to inspire change? I think there is a time and place for every revolution and protest, as long as it doesn't get too violent (from either side). People should be able to have a voice COLLECTIVELY, and if something needs to change ASAP then a government needs to know. If it's turning a blind eye, then people should protest.

Economist Quote

It would be a mistake for American leaders to try to block China’s rise. China’s rapid growth benefits the whole global economy. It is better to be number two in a fast-growing world than top dog in a stagnant one."
- Economist article (link)

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Invisible Children

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Coffee vs. Lemon Water

People feel energized by coffee due to the effects of caffeine on the adrenal glands. Coffee stimulates these organs to pump out instant energy hormones which stimulate the body to breakdown stored sugar and release it into the bloodstream. This process causes abnormal blood sugar that increases oxidative stress, free radical formation and overall tissue damage.

This is called dirty energy because it produces a rampant amount of damage to the body in order to activate energy formation. Clean energy produces cellular energy without an excessive load of oxidative stress.

Fresh lemon helps oxygenate the body and maximizes enzyme function. Lemon is known to stimulate the liver's natural enzymes. This assists the liver in the process of dumping toxins like uric acid and of liquefying congested bile ducts.
Learn more: Natural News

Chesterton's "Orthodoxy"

It is one thing to describe an interview with a gordon or a griffin, a creature who does not exist. It is another thing to discover that the rhinoceros does exist and then take pleasure in the fact that he looks as if he didn't.

Psalm 65:3

When we were overwhelmed by sins,
You forgave our transgressions.

What we should be aiming for is a culture where you don't need alcohol-education programmes, any more than we now need coffee or tea education programmes. -Kate Fox (article)

"I am silent in My love because I love beyond the power of words to express, or of human hearts to understand, and also for your sakes that you may learn to love and trust Me in Spirit-taught, spontaneous response to My love, without the spur of anything outward to call it forth. ... I am working in her for eternity, and what I do, though she knows not the explanation now, she will understand hereafter."

Amazing love,
now what else shall I need.
Your name brings life,
it's more than the air I breathe.

My world has changed,
when Your life You gave for me.
My purpose found
and all that You want for me.

And I've found myself in You, Lord.
And I've found myself in You.

Frou Frou Lyrics

I don't know where to start
Say i'm sorry or throw a party
These cucumber eyes are lying the more that i smile about it
And all of my clothes feel like somebody's old throwaways
I don't like it

It's good to be in love
It really does suit you
Just like everything
I'm happy you're in love
'Cause every color goes where you do

I'm adoring you
It's all good
You're so beautiful
I'm black and blue all over
You're breaking my flow
How could you know what I'm saying about it
When all of my clothes feel like somebody's old throwaways
I don't like it

It's good to be in love
It really does suit you
Just like everything
I'm happy your in love
'Cause every color goes where you do.

Gan Bei!

"I don't think HTH [Health Insurance] covers stomach bleeding."  - A fellow WorldTeach volunteer at Orientation, when we were told that Chinese people try to outdrink each other and will peer pressure the foreigners to take part. LOL.

Dance

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance.

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Loving might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell-bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance.

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance.

-LeeAnn Womack (this song reminds me of my Mom)

As we lay here so close and so still
I feel your touch and I’m holding my breath
As we look to the future
Hand in hand.
Tangled here in this blanket
wrapped tight in your arms underneath.
The touch of your skin
the scent of your breath
suddenly everything’s
magical.
Your soft lips
graze mine
catching my eyelashes as I look down
the night dances with our breath as we lean in
and your heart is warm next to mine.

- Gina Giacopuzzi -

Long Xingchao

"It's useless to fear danger, because it's always around. What's most important is doing what you live for. If you think about danger, you can't do anything. The most dangerous places are where I most want to go. I want to see everything I haven't and understand it."

"There is a global division of labor... One of China's roles is to be the doctor to keep the world healthy with its traditional medicine."

- Long Xingchao is a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine who claims to have obtained the world's largest collection of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. He personally gathered around 6,000 samples, often facing venomous snakes and landslides. (Read the ChinaDaily article)

"With debt-laden rich countries dragging their feet on undertaking painful but necessary reforms to put their fiscal and economic houses in order, the international community should hope for the best but prepare for the worst." -ChinaDaily, Sept. 21 (article)

My Mailing Address in China

412007
湖南省株洲市
株洲市第二中学
师信箱 Cait Kooistra

Cait Kooistra Teacher Mailbox
Zhuzhou Number Two Middle School
Zhuzhou, Hunan 412007
People’s Republic of China

"who's chung, and why are we wanging him?" -kristin mueller

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air…
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
~~~~
And, in respect of Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday today, here are a few from him:

For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

"...the United States needed to take bold action to bring its global commitments in line with its resources. Obama wisely kept us on course out of Iraq (though not that quickly), but an ambitious new team of foreign policy wonks wanted their turn at running the world and did relatively little to put U.S. grand strategy on a more sustainable footing. Woodward's account of the debate on Afghanistan suggests that Obama and a few of his advisors understood the need to retrench in a general way (and Obama has repeatedly talked about the greater importance of "nation-building" at home) but they were unable or unwilling to make the hard choices necessary to pull of this adjustment or to impose that consensus on the entire national security establishment.  Retrenchment is going to happen eventually, I'm sure, just not nearly as fast as it should have." - Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Policy

“The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.”

-Shirley MacLaine

No I'm not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but...
I just can't sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly won't someone stop this train
- John Mayer

Happy {Belated} Canada Day

Many Canadian nationalists harbour the bizarre fear that should we ever reject royalty, we would instantly mutate into Americans, as though the Canadian sense of self is so frail and delicate a bud, that the only thing stopping it from being swallowed whole by the US is an English lady in a funny hat.

- Will Ferguson

In a world darkened by ethnic conflicts that tear nations apart, Canada stands as a model of how people of different cultures can live and work together in peace, prosperity, and mutual respect.

- Bill Clinton

"Spend your time, energy, thoughts, heart and finances on things that will stir your heart for Him and bring Him the glory that only He deserves."

Nada Surf

Oh to hell with it, I'm going to have a party.
I had the blankest year
I saw life turn into a tv show
It was totally weird.
The person I knew
I didn't really know.

It's Not About You

Most people don’t form a self and then lead a life. They are called by a problem, and the self is constructed gradually by their calling. ... Today’s grads enter a cultural climate that preaches the self as the center of a life. But, of course, as they age, they’ll discover that the tasks of a life are at the center. Fulfillment is a byproduct of how people engage their tasks, and can’t be pursued directly. Most of us are egotistical and most are self-concerned most of the time, but it’s nonetheless true that life comes to a point only in those moments when the self dissolves into some task. The purpose in life is not to find yourself. It’s to lose yourself.
-David Brooks, New York Times 

Kristin and her Gin

Kristin: "And it's only 37.5% alcohol!"
Me: "Only?? Compared to what, 40?"
- - -
Boris Yeltsin... the President of Russia?
What, did somebody not like Boris?
- Kristin