Desiderata - child of the universe

-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
 

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
 

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
 

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
 

You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Ginger's House Background Text

Ginger's House Background Text (clipped to polyvore.com)

Boyfriend jacket look

Boyfriend jacket look by wairimu254 featuring a fringe necklace

American Vintage vintage style shirt
£31 - cureuk.com

Boyfriend jacket
£35 - republic.co.uk

Citizen of Humanity slim jeans
€255 - placedestendances.com

Shoes
599 SEK - nelly.com

Penny Loves Kenny stiletto heels
$90 - heels.com

ABS Allen Schwartz beaded bangle
$150 - bloomingdales.com

Fringe necklace
£7 - peacocks.co.uk

As the year ends

As we approach the New Year, and I reflect, did I achieve my 2011 goals? 

Am in a new town, ok not new but I feel like a fish out of water, and am having to learn to readjust all over again. After getting used to Mombasa life and appreciating the beauty that is our coastal town in Kenya, I am back to the hustle and bustle of Nairobi, AKA the concrete jungle.

I have had my fair share of disappointments and heartaches, and I guess sometimes you are not treated the way you would like to be treated but you still have the decision whether to accept the treatment or walk away. Am getting a bit worried that I am getting very good at walking away. Note to self "pray for more patience" or better friends lol

I had made a bet with my friend that I needed to start a hobby/ money making venture that would help me build my enterprising skills. Well I started with grand ideas but all were nullified

to be continued

(volunteering), Lucky in love, 20 things that am grateful for

A Million Reasons for Kenya's Girls to stay in School

Life can be very boring, when all you are doing is accumulating. Accumulating dates, wealth, status, work experience, without giving back to the community. I have always done at least 100 hrs a year on community service be it in the rape rescue center, the children home and the under privileged primary school.

For the last six months i have not had a chance to give back, or as i like to call it pay it forward till i meet a dear friend Kiarie.

The World Bank carried a study that showed that girls miss 10-20% of school days during period school missed due to period, girls complain about poor sanitary products or lack of any. The girls are forced to use pieces of cloths or tissue paper that is bound to stain the clothes and cause them serious infections.

 Surprisingly the pioneer of this program has been a Guy, Kiare. He tells me that this idea came when he was providing first aid equipment to Baharini Primary School, a community school in Maweni Village in Kikambala, Kilifi. The issue of girls and their needs touched him that he reached out to all his friends on a noble idea of all donating a dollar each (Ksh 80), to buy one pack of sanitary towels. thus a noble cause started.

i was based in Mombasa with Kiarie and i became his number 2, right hand gal to teach him more on sanitary towels and also help him lobby the Mombasa market. I acted as a drop off point in Mombasa town,  his friends in  Eldoret, Nakuru, Nairobi and Mombasa who act as drop off points also thus reducing the logistic costs.

So our quest is to collect a million packets of sanitary pads and reach as many girls as possible and make sure they don’t loose valuable class time.

Latter on we decided, what is a sanitary towel without anything to hold it, Did these girls have any panties to hold on to the sanitary towels. So came a new campaign to raise money to buy underwear to support the sanitary towel campaign and help keep the girl child in school.

Platonic Freindship

A study that aimed to get respondents to approximate what percentage of their friends had a close but platonic cross-sex relationship. The average for teens was 73 percent; for 20somethings, 59 percent; for 30somethings through 50somethings, about half; and for 60somethings, 24 percent. The trend could be taken to mean that younger (unmarried, unattached) people are more likely to form cross-sex friendships in any era. But it could also reveal something about the time in which we live: Maybe it's much easier to make cross-sex friends now than it's ever been. 

its the meeting of a kindred spirit in form of the other sex. a person you can let loose and just be friends.Is this possible?  it is said that men never go out of their way to keep female friends unless they have an agenda, an motive.

Today: are you happy

are you? :-)