I think we need to start with love of ourselves unconditionally. When we start from inside, it is reflected outside. Our world mirrors back to us what is happening inside.

Growing up music had always been in my life. My Mom would rather have the radio on in the back ground instead of the TV. She listened to a radio station in Chicago that played everything. So I learned all about the oldies, pop, top 40 and rock and roll. My Mom turned my on to Fleetwood Mac, Boston Kansas and all the best.

In 8th grade I saved up my baby sitting money to buy my first guitar. I took guitar lessons and practiced when I could. The first song I learned to play was Dust in the Wind by Kansas.

I met the love of my life and we would spend weekends playing guitar. Music brought us tegether. We've gone to many concerts together.

I encouraged my kids to be creative and my son plays just about everything but he is very talanted on the guitar. He took guitar lessons for several years from Jazz guitarist Don Tisch.
My son is also a department manager for a Guitar Center Music Store in Naperville. He KNOWS his stuff.

My daughter plays flute and drums and is very much involved in band at school.

I think that's what made the biggest difference in my life. Being able to pass the joy of loving music to my kids.

Yang energy has been the dominent energy for this time period.
As the poles shift, Yin energy will begin to open up consciousness.
When the poles have completed the shift, Yin energy will be the dominent energy for the time. Linear time.

Be like a child.....Even when I'm physically old....be child-like.

It's too easy to get all caught up and serious in the physical. But remembering the joy in everything. The blessing of the experience, no matter WHAT that experience is. Even if we label the experience negative or positive, there is a blessing.

A teacher teaching math to 7-year-old Arnav asked him, "If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”

Within a few seconds Arnav replied confidently, "Four!"

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. "Maybe the child did not listen properly," she thought. She repeated, "Arnav, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?"

Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher's face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy.

This time hesitatingly he replied, "Four ..."

The disappointment stayed on the teacher's face. She remembered that Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn't like apples, and that is making him lose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, "If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many will you have?"

Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher. She wanted her new approach to succeed.

With a hesitating smile young Arnav enquired, "Three?"

The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, "Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?"

Promptly Arnav answered, "Four!"

The teacher was aghast. "How Arnav, how?" she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice.

In a voice that was low and hesitating, young Arnav replied, "Because I already have one apple in my bag."

The Moral of the Story?

When someone gives you an answer that is different from what you expect, don't think they are wrong. There may be an angle that you have not understood at all. You will have to listen and understand, but never listen with a predetermined notion.

It is so important to keep an open mind in life, and that includes what is important to you such as your health. Simply believing the status quo, without searching for a deeper explanation, will often leave you with a superficial solution and an unrealistic slant on reality. Many things may seem true at face value, but if you dig deeper you’ll find that they are actually myths.

So the next time a friend, colleague, farmer, doctor or even a foe offers you an explanation that doesn’t seem quite right, remember Arnav and his apples, and open your mind to seeing life in a different light.

Exploring in Focus 21! Can't wait to go back! Each time is a new and different experience!

Determination!