A teacher is a guide on the path
A Guru is a pointer to the way

A teacher answers your questions
A Guru questions your answers

A teacher helps you get out of the maze
A Guru destroys the maze

A teacher instructs you
A Guru constructs you

A teacher takes responsibility of your growth
A Guru makes you responsible for your growth

A teacher gives you things you do not have and require
A Guru takes away things you have and do not require

A teacher requires obedience and discipline from the pupil
A Guru requires trust and humility from the pupil

A teacher clothes you and prepares you for the outer journey
A Guru strips you naked and prepares you for the inner journey

A teacher sends you on the road to success
A Guru sends you on the road to freedom

A teacher explains the world and its nature to you
A Guru explains yourself and your nature to you

A teacher makes you understand how to move about in the world
A Guru shows you where you stand in relation to the world

A teacher gives you knowledge and boosts your ego
A Guru takes away your knowledge and punctures your ego

A teacher sharpens your mind
A Guru opens your mind

A teacher shows you the way to prosperity
A Guru shows you the way to posterity

A teacher reaches your mind
A Guru touches your spirit

A teacher offers knowledge
A Guru awakens wisdom

A teacher gives you maturity
A Guru returns you to innocence

A teacher instructs you on how to solve problems
A Guru shows you how to resolve issues

A teacher is a systematic thinker
A Guru is a lateral thinker

A teacher punishes you with words and actions
A Guru punishes you with deep compassion

A teacher is to pupil what a father is to son
A Guru is to pupil what mother is to her child

A teacher leads you by the hand
A Guru leads you by example

When a teacher finishes with you, you celebrate
When a Guru finishes with you, life celebrates

When the course is over you are thankful to the teacher
When the discourse is over you are grateful to the Guru

One can always find a teacher
But a Guru has to find and accept you

Let us honor both, the teachers and the Guru in our life!

-Author Unknown

Trust me I know this all to well. I feel that when I do come to terms with what I really want and put it out in the universe — things seem to feel like they are going the opposite way. It is natural, but don’t lose hope or faith in yourself. If you cannot believe in yourself then you cannot expect others to follow suit either. So take a moment and clear the air for you – don’t listen to others it will only make it harder for you. Take a deep breath and focus on what your heart is telling you. You cannot go wrong with that. ☺

I wanted to share with you a story of someone who did not believe in giving up in light of difficult times. Many of you may have been paying attention to the Goldman Case but it has been one that I have been following for quite sometime now. I am so proud of the many individuals that have stood behind Mr. Goldman and the long fight for his son. This year an international custody battle of a son who was separated from his father has become a holiday miracle. Mr. Goldman and his son were reunited and both are safe and sound back at home – in the United States.

My wish has always been that Mr. Goldman be reunited with his family. His story touched my heart, as no one should be separated from his own. I hope that you take the time to read the article by BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8429659.stm

My words won’t do his story justice but I do believe in miracles. ☺

I love the winter for all reasons because I feel like it’s the season for change. It is before the year comes to an end when the countdown begins for a fresh start for the New Year. You have the chance to spend quality time before the year-ends and sneak in opportunities to shop and celebrate the accomplishments in your life.

A perfect winter season is when we give and receive. We remember those who we might have forgotten. We take peace in knowing how fortunate we are to be alive and well. We are excited for the New Year to come. We are hopeful for the opportunities that will come, as it can only get better. We are also able to give to others during this season. So take a minute out of your day and give back to a charity or someone who is less fortunate. It will only make you feel better.

But, on this particular holiday I will also be remembering those who lost their lives on the tragic terrorist attacks in the heart of Mumbai, India. It has been one year and as much as the bustling city of Mumbai has moved forward the scars still remain within the residents of that beautiful country. This affected tragedy affected the world as we watched in horror of so many lives that are still being affected today. My prayers and thoughts go out to the victims and residents of India during this Thanksgiving season. I have been to this city numerous times and have been welcomed with open arms by the residents of Mumbai. Their hospitality and grace will never be forgotten.

I learned that sometimes some events occur that can bring so much clarity you feel that maybe you were the one with rose-colored glasses on. The cliché that ‘actions speak louder than words’ holds really true for me in this case. I learned that it is not time that determines the strength of a friendship but it is matters of the heart.

I learned that no matter how much kindness you bring into a friendship or even loyalty the receiving party may not even appreciate it. However, this does not stop me from unconditional love and support for those that are around me.

I learned that the truth can be in your face but you have to stop making excuses and come to terms with it. Forgiveness may take time but it eventually happens. It does not mean that the person that hurt you is going to get away with causing you pain. It just means that you have come to terms with it and letting go helps you to move onto better and healthier relationships.

I learned that you can hold a friend’s many secrets and be the ever confidante but that does not mean that this friend will care to appreciate it. But that does not coerce me to reveal those secrets, as they are not mine to tell. That is a person of character and one who is loyal despite what occurs in a relationship.

I learned that you couldn’t pick your family but that is why we have the freedom to pick our friends. Some extended family members may not watch out for your best interests, but that does not mean that you cannot watch out for yourself. Surround yourself with people who love you and will stand by you in your time of need.

I learned that in spite of facing adversities you could have faith that things will work out for the best. A wise friend lent me one of her all time favorite quotes by Seneca that put things into perspective for me. It is true that ‘time heals what reason cannot’ – Seneca.

After all is said and done I have never felt so free in a long time. It is time to stop blaming yourself and to really focus on what matters. Let go of things that do not matter and realize that things will workout for the best. The eternal optimist in me believes in this as it has yet to fail me.

In the midst of growing up, I learned a lot of valuable skills in school. One of them was to plan ahead, hence, the story of the ant and the grasshopper. I think it’s a great skill to have to plan ahead but not comparable to a scrutinized timeline. It should be a goal-setting project that you set out with realistic timelines and put it where you can see it as a reminder. It is like keeping yourself in line with your goals – a reminder to help you realize those goals.

The year is coming to an end and it is never to too late to set goals for yourself. I like to use the term ‘planning ahead’ for the times when you will be so happy that some things were completed ahead of time. It feels great I should know! So take a moment and give it a try – I mean you are only doing it for yourself. ☺

Some were in my control and I dislike admitting it but I allowed my emotions to get the best of me. That is when I realized I lost momentum – by losing track of time and losing sight of goals. What I mean by that is not really finishing your task list or even losing hope. If you have not been in this position, then you are blessed. But I am positive that all of us have been in this position.
When you lose ‘momentum’ don’t be so quick to just give up. Try to take a step back or you should talk to someone – but don’t forget that at the end of the day you are accountable for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to fall into the funk because you will regret it later.

I learned after many bumps in the road and of course, the many hard lessons in life. It is a lesson that taught me to prioritize my life so that I place myself first. This happened over time as a result of self-realization and some tough love.

It is easier to be there for others at times and deflect so that you don’t place focus on yourself. I would not be surprised if you felt as though your life was revolving in a cycle, awaiting change. Why do we wait to help ourselves when it is so that much easier to help others? It is not wrong to help others, but you don’t want to be known as the push-over type either. Trust me – I have been there and done that.

As much as I would love to go into more detail – that will come later. As all good things, they are worth the wait. My story is always evolving and I learn so much more about myself on a daily basis. But in the meantime – here are my tips to help you take that ‘leap forward’:

Make a Life List
What I mean by a ‘life list’ is the 100 things that you want to accomplish in a lifetime. It can be something very basic as reading War & Peace to learning a foreign language. Don’t over think it just write or type what comes to mind. Post it up on your wall or inside your cabinet where you can see it everyday. I started this a while back myself, and I add to it as I accomplish a few of my ‘life list’ goals. My inspiration came from an aspring and talented woman who lost her life to the 9/11 tragedy. Her parents found her list and have since then inspired others to do the same. She is an example of someone we can all learn from – cherish your life and all that you can do in this lifetime.

Seek Out Help
We are all guilty of this – you know not asking for help even though we need it. Ok, well maybe not all of us. I am that person in the room who just did ever work up the nerve to ask for help. I know it is such a simple concept. Of course, by learning the hard way I slowly learned to seek out help from those that I trust and that will guide me when I seek their advice.

Put Me First
As strange as it may sound have you ever really put yourself first? At one point or another you have put everyone else before yourself. So that means if your friends are in need you will take on their woes as well. It is not bad to be there for everyone – it’s a great quality to have as an individual. I love being there for my family and close friends – but I also learned that I too needed to make time for myself. Find activities or a hobby that you enjoy and build your life so that you find balance. It takes time of course.

I hope that you find these methods simple and worth your time. I cannot complain because it has really helped me in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

Let’s take a look at the following protégés:

Mattie J. Stepanek – despite losing his battle at a very young age to he still wrote beautiful poetry in hopes of bringing simplicity and love back to this world. He lived a short life, however, even though he suffered from Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy he did not allow his medical diagnosis to get in the way of the message he wanted to spread across the world. He wanted to bring to our attention the importance of peace and global tolerance, which I believe is necessary for all of us to live a fulfilled life.

Khadijah Williams – the girl who broke all boundaries and is now going to attend the most prestigious institution, Harvard University. Who said that there are limits in life? We all can achieve our dreams if we just focus and work hard, despite the adversities we may face. I believe that her story should be inspiration to all of us when are faced with such dilemmas. Williams was first featured in the L.A. Times and has since then pursuing strong efforts in education policy. She aspires to make great changes and I see her making a difference already!

You can find her featured in Vanity Fair.