What Does Home Sweet Home Mean To YOU?

By Jennifer Elizabeth Masters

Arizona adobe home

When we think of home we think of sweetness, fond memories, and childhood. We tend to forget the pain, and suffering and remember the best parts. At least that is what happy people do, they dwell in the happy memories and let go of the ones that aren't so sweet.

Today, I was gifted with a magical moment of walking back through time with a group of strangers.

By the time I finished writing my blog today about time, it was already hot. My dogs had almost given up on their morning foray into the great unknown of the Mojave desert. 

We drove up Interstate 14 to the next exit, enjoyed the sunshine on our walk, as long as we could stand the rising heat. Upon returning to our street, I noticed a brand new silver sedan parked just ahead
of my home. I pulled my car into the driveway and got out to shut the gate. Rather than being suspicious of the three people eyeing my house, I looked up and smiled welcomingly.

Three Mules For Sister Sarah home in the Mojave Desert

It felt as if they had an interest in my house. The older woman in the back seat asked, "Are you enjoying your home?" I replied with a smile, "Yes, I am. Did you live here?" She told me she did sixty years previously. She was surprised when I offered them a tour.

The older man sitting behind the wheel waved me off and said, "No, it's all right." I could tell the women were curious and sentimental about the house. They wouldn't have been sitting there looking at it if they weren't interested.

As an Intuitive, I can tell when I can trust someone and when I am safe. I knew these people had fond memories of this place and wanted to see it again. At first, they all said they didn't want to come in. Then the younger woman in the front seat saw I meant what I said and began to get out of the car. "I want to see inside," she exclaimed at she hoisted herself out of the car. I warned them I had a house full of animals. They weren't bothered at all. Her mother joined us in the driveway.

During our tour, they told me about the door that used to face east from the living room. The younger woman, Leslie described her pink canopy bed that occupied what I now use as my office. Her mother said she had a crib in that room. They each shared their fond memories of life with me. 

Leslie's mother said the house seemed much smaller now. I asked if she lived in a large home now? She said she did. Perspective is everything. For me, this little three-bedroom home is a perfect size. I feel like Goldilocks, "This house is just right!"

I asked about the yard. They both noted there were several huge trees in their yard, one was a cottonwood, that offered lots of shade where the blazing sun now shone. They had roses along the fenceline where the Agave are growing. They had plenty of shade and lots of green grass.

They both inquired about my books when I told them I was a writer. Leslie's mother hugged me tightly to her, I felt loved. I told Leslie she was beautiful as she reached out her hand to shake mine, and then she hugged me instead saying, "Thank you!" I gave them cards and they both left smiling about what they had just experienced. They were glad I loved their home too.

They were very appreciative to have this opportunity to see their family home from a fresh perspective. I received something too; a little more insight about my home. Apparently, I am not the only one that is an adventurer. My house was moved from Nevada to the spot it now sits in the Mojave Desert of California. You just never know do you?

What's The Moral Of This Story?

The moral of this story is, be kind to strangers,  always do your dishes, keeping your house clutter free. You never know when people will be lining up for their guided tour!

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Jennifer is the author of the forthcoming book: 

Happy Here, Happy Anywhere:

The Step-By-Step Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, Depression, 

and Unhappiness Without A Prescription!

© Jennifer Elizabeth Masters    All Rights Reserved. 

No part may be copied or reproduced in any form without the author's written consent.

What I learned from a homeless man

By Jennifer Elizabeth Masters

Kindness is COMPASSION in Action.

Kindness is giving without thinking. It is the act of offering food or shelter to a homeless man or refuge to a teenager who's parents have thrown them away. Kindness means never expecting a return on investment. When you give from your heart without expecting you will be rewarded.

Being kind to others makes us feel good. Our hearts smile, our vibration is raised. Helping others is a natural tendency when we are in touch with what is in our heart. Random acts open our hearts to the beauty that is within our grasp in a flash and then its gone. Our opportunities to assist others are brief, but ever so meaningful. Today more than ever our neighbor's, teenagers and complete strangers need our help as they navigate the challenges of life, in a poor economy with lost jobs. Many are juggling multiple positions to hold onto what little they have. More teenagers are living on the streets today than in the last 100 years. It makes me wonder if we have progressed at all sometimes.

Parents are abandoning their responsibilities in lieu of new relationships or simply making personal decisions to abandon their family and old lives.   So many people feel the pinch of the world's economy. Now more than ever we need kindness for our self and others. Being kind to ourselves is often forgotten in the bedlam of life. 

Kindness can be as simple as holding the door for someone to enter or exit ahead of ourselves. We perform acts of kindness without expectation. The more we open to giving selflessly, the more our hearts open and fill with love. 

When you are awake and aware you notice people that are meaningful and strategically placed on your path. After a snowstorm in late November, 2011 I walked through a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado. I noticed a bundled up man standing talking to another in the Starbucks. He was tidy and clean looking. His aura was filled with light. I knew from past experience when someone has a golden halo around them that God was showing me he was someone I needed to pay attention to. As I completed my purchase and walked through the store, I was disappointed to find he was no longer in the coffee shop. As I walked to my car in the slush filled parking lot I was pleased to see him bending over his bicycle fastening a case of diet coke  onto the rear carrier. 

Klarissa Ryan, Adam Gates and Mark

He looked up and noticed me also. Kismet, synchronicity or Divine Intervention shows up when you are paying attention. I was so drawn to this man, he felt like a magnet. I  told him the diet coke would probably kill him, and smiled. That was all it took. In 5 minutes this man told me his life story that was so much like mine that it nearly knocked me over. He told me how he loved his father and was written out of his will, how his younger brother shot himself on their front porch after a serious battle with depression and low self esteem. He teared up when he spoke about his brother and what his mother had done to both of them. His mother molested both the boys, from the time they could remember, for years. Molestation by a mother is far more severe than any other. Our mother's are the nurturers and protectors. To have had that boundary crossed made both these boys snap.  Many of my clients have experienced molestation, it causes us to search for a deeper meaning in life.

Mount Sanitas Trail, Boulder, CO 

 I had never heard such a story as Mark's, it is so sad and dark I refrain from writing the details. I felt compassion and understanding for this man. He shared with me he had been homeless for almost 8 years. He knew the exact number of days, weeks and months on the street. He was clean and sober and smoked pot for solace. He gave up drinking because he knew it was killing him. He had devoted his life reading and studying and doing what God asked him to do. He talked about how he had given up his old lifestyle and about his storage unit in Texas filled with his paintings. He had learned the meaning of life and how to heal himself. He spent a great deal of time at the library, reading. I found that it was a place that the homeless hung out.

Mark being playful,  Ariel,  Klarissa Ryan,  Adam Gates, Boulder, Colorado December, 2011

I knew that this was not a chance meeting, they never are. Every person we come into contact with has a part to play in our lives. We often learn something from these experiences. I knew that I needed to be kind to him and offer him a respite from his life on the street. I was not afraid of him, and knew he would appreciate a warm apartment and a chance to be with a family. I asked if he would like to come with me to Home Depot to buy my family's Christmas tree. He was ecstatic at my offering of kindness. I did not even realize the depth of his gratitude till much later. I asked him to help me bring the Christmas tree to our house. 

Marcus The Whale, Jennifer, Klarissa, Adam and Karma in front

He was like a little boy, excited, buoyed up at the prospect of helping me. We chose a tree together. His generosity overwhelmed me. I had never seen such a generous spirit with so little to give. There was a clown like boyishness to him and I never was in fear for my safety. I was intuitive and my guidance was invite him in.

I brought Mark home with me and he met my family. I gave him some hot coffee and he asked if he could clean up my kitchen for me. At first I hesitated. Adam looked at me with an expression that meant, "let him mom he wants to return the favor." 

Mark giving back, cleaning the kitchen

Mark had visions and insight into The Universe that he shared. He told us stories of his experiences on the street and in the homeless shelters he had known. He had been homeless for 2,553 days when we met. We talked about prayer and the power of it. He was a very spiritual man. His vocabulary was large and he talked a lot. I felt he was terribly lonely and was so happy to have a warm place to be with kind people.

I learned that homeless people name themselves. They each have a moniker that they use. Rather than using a first name, some that I have heard are, "The Raven," "The Silver Hawk," and "High Planes Drifter." Mark called himself, "The Whale." He used this name because he felt he was so large. He was referring to his energy in the universe.

Our relationship with Mark, "Marcus The Whale" extended over years. We watched Mark's mind recede and fantasy take over. He had anger that came up when he talked about some of the police and government officials and what he had to endure living on the street. Other homeless people were "nutjobs" and "crazies" to him. Many were alcoholics and still drinking. Their minds had gone. Acceptance was the name of the game. We accepted him.

As far as cleanliness, there was no problem. One of the first things Mark asked was to use our shower and wash his clothes. He only had one change of clothes and two pairs of socks. He traveled light. He carried a new backpack that was orderly and neat. He was  obsessively compulsive when it came to cleanliness. It made life difficult to be on the road, or in a homeless shelter. It was far easier to not care about being clean, when you were homeless.

Mark asked permission to stop by in the afternoon when he was in the neighborhood. He had a schedule. Awake by 5:30 or 6:00 AM, Burger King for 57 cent senior coffee. I had no idea you could get coffee for so little till I met Mark. He visited often. Our home was a quiet respite for him from the craziness of the homeless world. When he visited, he always had some gift, usually food he paid for with his EBT card. Mark found out that Ariel liked Dr. Pepper, pizza and pop tarts. He would show up like Santa Claus with bags of goodies for her. He knew I didn't buy food I considered crap, so he indulged her. I found it amazing that a man who had so little would give us half of what he had. This is true kindness and giving from the heart. 

My son is still in touch with Mark from time to time. It has been almost a year since we saw him since we are living in California. Adam is saddened to report that Mark's mind is more fantasy than reality. You cannot be soft and homeless. Living on the street takes your humanity away. It is a shame to hear a man who's life experience was so difficult that fitting into society became impossible. 

 17 Ways To Self-Care

by JENNIFER ELIZABETH MASTERS on June 27, 2013

Being kind to ourselves is often the last thing we think about with our busy schedules. Loving yourself nurtures your soul and nourishes your mind, body and spirit. Taking care of yourself is an act of loving kindness to Self. Giving yourself the much needed me-time will help you have more to offer your clients, family and friends. Giving to the point of feeling depleted is not taking care of yourself and is self-defeating. 

What does self care really mean? 

Rather than pleasing others you please yourself. Rather than making excuses and whining for being tired, you take a nap. You don't feel guilty for saying "No" when your plate is already full. 

When your have no more clean clothes to wear, you do your laundry. When you begin to feel over-whelmed or stressed, it is a sign you need to take care of you. Here are 17 ways to nurture your mind-body-spirit to regenerate and renew.

1. Take your dog for a long walk out in nature. Being outside alone will raise your vibration. Stop along the way to smell the flowers and other scents in the air. Adamantine particles in the air outside replenish, restore and cleanse you (raising your spirits and vibration)

     2.  Turn off your cell phone. Sometimes you just have to shut it off. Knowing that the phone
           will not ring for an hour or two can help to re-boot your energy.

     3.  Take a day off from using your computer. Sitting in front of your computer day after day 
            for 8 or more hours can leave you feeling out of whack and agitated. A break from 
            microwave technology and Wifi energy can help you feel grounded and more peaceful.

     4.  Read the book you have been putting off. Learning something new can raise your spirits
           and nurtures your mind. 

      5. Meditate or sit in silence for 20 minutes. Meditating on compassion has been 
           Scientifically proven to increase happiness and joy.

      6.  Go for a swim in your community pool. Swimming can be meditative and get your heart 
           rate up at the same time. Raising your heart rate for 20 minutes or more will burn 
           calories, and reset your energy. Since our bodies are more than 90% water swimming
           is very nurturing.

       7. Watch a funny movie. Laughing can helps us relax and just enjoy the moment.

       8.  Call a friend or family member you have not spoken to in a long while. Deep
             conversations with loved ones can renew you and increase levels of happiness.

       9.  Eat a healthy and nourishing meal. Sit down and relax while you eat, rather than
             rushing or eating while you work. Healthy food can raise your spirits and vibration
             quickly. Knowing you are feeding your body healthy food also is a boost for your body 
             as it gets nutritious food and is completely guilt-free, an added bonus.

     10.  Go to the beach. The ocean air and salt water is revitalizing and cleansing. There is
             nothing like salt water and a beach to ground, renew and restore your mind, body and 
             spirit.

     11.   Forgive yourself. We place a lot of stress on ourselves in our work day. Forgive yourself 
             for what you have not accomplished so far. Holding onto guilt and shame lowers your
             vibration and causes long term health issues like Fibromyalgia and other immune 
             disorders.

     12.   Take a nap. Or go to bed early. Getting enough sleep can make a huge difference in how
              you perform during your work day. It can make the difference between being able to cope
             and having a melt-down. 

     13.   Spend time watching your children, or someone else's children play. Sometimes we 
              forget how good play makes us feel. Watching a child enjoy the moment without worries 
              teaches us how to do the same. 

     14.   Go to a park or Botanical Garden. Enjoying the scents and beauty of roses and orchids
              lightens your spirit and brings more beauty into your world. 

    15.    Do yoga. Yoga helps center you and brings you peace. Gentle stretching in yoga is so
              beneficial for the body. The added bonus is the great yoga butt you get without much 
              effort!

    16.    Take a trip. Nothing restores the soul like traveling to a new destination. Sure you might
              have a favorite place you visit, but traveling to someplace new excites the mind and 
              raises your happiness quotient.

    17.   Write. Whether it is a personal journal or several pages in the book you want to publish
             one day, writing can put you in the zone of optimum experience very quickly.  

With Love and Abundance,
Jennifer

For more information about Self Love, self nurturing or doing transformational success coaching with Jennifer e-mail Jennifer here