June 20th, 2016
Every year in this country four hundred people drown when their cars go into water. This weekend I watched a video about surviving such a frightening event and watching it I was reminded about something very important about living.
All the experts agree that once a car hits the water you have less then a minute, sixty seconds, to save your life. All 911 operators are instructed to tell a person in such a situation to “Get out as quickly as you can!”
Sometimes in life, we are going through our daily activities and suddenly we hit the dark, murky waters of depression or worthlessness. Maybe someone says something to trigger it. Maybe a random thought starts germinating inside our mind. Problems, darkness, anger, anxiety suddenly wash over us and what do we do?
Usually we can feel what’s coming and we hopelessly brace ourselves for the onslaught of bad feelings and fears. We pray that we will be able to hold on and down we go.
What if we used the survival instructions of being in a sinking car? What if instead of bracing ourselves, we used every ounce of our strength to get out quickly?
An amazing, wonderful Buddhist nun, Sister Palma, many years ago taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my life. She said “Thoughts are real, living things. When a dark thought comes to you, immediately say ‘Go in Peace, Thank You’. Say it every single time that thought surfaces and do it immediately. You may have to say it dozens of times but never fail to do it and the thought will wither and blow away.”
The lessons for today are don’t stay in a car that is going down and don’t hold on to a thought that is dragging you down.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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June 6th, 2016
What will be your legacy of greatness? Will you be remembered for your great wealth, your dangerous explorations, your amazing discoveries? Probably not.
Your legacy of greatness will be all about how you acted under trying circumstances. Were you a great complainer, worrier or whiner? Oh, they will definitely talk and laugh about that after you’re gone.
Maybe you were a great practitioner of patience under trying circumstances. They will tell great stories and laugh about how you patiently waited and waited before you made any necessary changes.
Maybe, just maybe, you will be remembered because you had great kindness and great love under any and all circumstances. They will tell great stories of your selfless acts and no one will laugh and many will sniffle and wipe tears away. They will tell how when you didn’t feel well and everything looked bleak you shared your light and not the darkness. Maybe they will tell about how you inspired people with your gentle encouragement. Maybe they will even tell how you were the only one that loved them. Maybe they will say that your memory will always comfort them.
At some point in time everything you now think of as yours will be in the garbage or in someone’s possession and they will consider it theirs. Your legacy is what you will leave behind and will remain yours. Your legacy hasn’t been written yet and you still have time to change it. Start walking your talk. Start improving your outlook regardless of what is going on. Take good care of yourself. Be an inspiration. Be accepting of other people’s foibles. Be less quick to anger or to criticize. Love more. Be better. Leave a legacy of real greatness.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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May 23rd, 2016
Drama is a over exaggeration of a life event. Sure it looks great on the big screen or stage where we often recognize in the actors that which we can’t see in ourself. Take for instance a play where a child disappoints a parent and the parent reacts as if they have just lost the will to live.
How many times have we blown out of proportion our reaction to an innocent or an off handed remark? How many times have we given an oscar worthy performance when we felt ignored by someone we love? How many times have we become even more dramatic when we are told that we are being too dramatic?
There is no place in our life for personal drama. All it shows is that we have lost our faith in being able to explain our reaction to an event in words from our heart. Just like spanking seems so much more efficient then taking the time to talk and educate, drama too is a non-loving response.
We don’t get into personal drama because it feels good, quite the contrary it feels more and more draining the longer it goes on. Sure, in the beginning it seems clever and warranted but as it grows it starts needing lies and exaggerations to keep it from becoming transparent. Our voice, our demeanor and our posture must also fall in line with the farce.
There is no way to stop the personal drama of others but there is every possibility of ridding yourself of this toxic reaction. Resist the temptation of personal drama. Embrace reality. Embrace the facts. Speak your feelings after you have centered yourself. There is no need to ever become an actor in your relationships. Over reacting is not communication. It’s a ploy to manipulate another person.Be you, wonderful, compassionate, loving you. Drama on the stage is for entertainment. Drama in your personal life is a childish form of communication and there’s no oscar for that.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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May 9th, 2016
Do you like leftovers? A day or two after a meal they still taste good. In fact, sometimes they taste even better. Well then how about the leftovers of a really terrible meal? A day or two later they probably taste worse if possible. Would you partake? Of course not.
A really bad meal can’t be forgotten but do you dwell upon it? Weeks from now will you still be seriously thinking about it? Will it define all of your cooking and eating experiences? Will you stop eating because of what happened? Of course not.
When something goes sour in our life, a job, a relationship, a project, a dream, a move, it’s just like that bad meal. It seemed like a good idea to eat it but it turned out to be a bad decision. You feel bad for a while maybe even a long while and then it’s over. You learn to be a little more cautious and you put it behind you AND YOU MOVE ON.
The bad meals in your life are not the norm. The bad days in your life are not the norm. We have a tendency to let a bad day turn into a bad week by constantly bringing it to mind and mentally reliving it. We wouldn’t constantly think about a bad meal we have had every time we sat down to eat. Why not? Because it would taint the meal we are about to eat. Similarly, by replaying a poor decision we made in the past we taint the day in front of us.
We can never forget what we have experienced but we can choose the mental movies we replay. Some will make your day and some will ruin it. Choose wisely. There are ALWAYS better thoughts to think.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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May 3rd, 2016
We may never touch mortar and brick but we still build walls. We build walls around our past transgressions. We don’t want to be reminded nor do we want anyone else to see them. We build walls around our heart so that no one may enter and hurt us. We have been hurt in love and that is where we were most tender so that wall must be the strongest of all.
We build walls around our perceived weaknesses. We are assured by our mind that someone will take advantage of our weakness should they see it. We build walls in front of us so that our view of our inevitable demise will be hidden from us. We build walls against the unknowns in our life, against all that is in conflict with our beliefs and comfort.
What do we get with all these walls? Security? Contentment? Stability? Hardly. We are more anxious than ever. Life cannot be stopped. It will find a way over, under or through any wall we build. Like the flower that grows in a crack in the sidewalk, life will get through.
Don’t all these walls offer some protection? No. Our mind sees it as protection but the truth is that all we are creating with all these walls is a maze and the more walls, the more difficult the maze. No wonder we feel lost at times. So, what’s the answer?
Tear down your walls. Come out from behind them. Bare your body, mind and spirit to each day. Greet life with open arms. Embrace it. Let your resistance to life dissolve in a bright, iridescent pool of gratitude and love. Yes, you are opening yourself to the good, the bad and the ugly parts of life but you will be 100% alive.
Physical death will find every one of us some day. Will it find you cowering behind your dark, damp walls or will it find you out in the sunshine enjoying every moment? Security is an illusion. Living is a gift. Dismiss the illusion and open the gift.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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April 25th, 2016
Who do you complain about most often? Who is it that disturbs your thoughts so much that they become a constant topic of your conversation? Whose failure to do things “right” has got you boiling from time to time? Who is this person?
This person is called by many names but the one that is most appropriate is “Your Teacher”.
This person is in your life for a bunch of very good reasons. This is the person who will teach you strength, courage and self reflection. This is the person who will make you define what you want by making you absolutely sure of what you don’t want.
When you look at this person in real time or just bring them to mind, there is probably a visceral reaction that you can feel immediately. That feeling says there is still work to be done.
Remember when you were in school and you were sitting at your desk and you wanted to study one thing but your teacher wanted you to study something less pleasant? Well, he or she is back! Your teacher may now be disguised as a relative or neighbor or boss or fellow worker and you know what? Your reluctance to learn from them has grown stronger with time.
So what’s the answer? The answer is LOVE. Love yourself so much that change is inevitable. Love yourself so much that decisions come easily. Love yourself so much that complaining ceases and action begins. Complain and you cease to grow. Take action and you grow. Grow and you graduate.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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April 18th, 2016
What could make today memorable for you? What could happen or what could you do, say or experience that would put this day in the top ten days of your life? Win the lottery? Get promoted? Find mr or mrs right? Have publishers clearing house ring your doorbell?
How about moving your little finger? How about just wiggling your pinky finger? “Oh, right. Move my pinky and this day goes into the top ten rankings of my best days?” “Are you crazy?” Yes, but that’s besides the point. Just give me your attention for a moment.
Go ahead and look at your pinky right now and wiggle it. Go ahead. What made that happen? You had a thought, a command really, for your pinky to curl towards you a couple of times and that’s exactly what happened. Was there any resistance from your pinky? Was there any doubt that your pinky would respond?
You just uncovered the secret of the ages. You easily wiggled your pinky finger without resistance or doubt because you THOUGHT that it was easy. You THOUGHT that it was a no brainer. You THOUGHT that all you needed to do was to command and it would happen. And you were RIGHT!
Most people have a lackadaisical approach to their bodies. They have forgotten the power of their own commands. They have allowed doubt to steal their strength and authority. They have forgotten their power, the power that resides in their thoughts.
Today you can command your body to crave better choices, to have better posture, to want some exercise, fresh air and sound sleep, to feel good. Today can be the day that you return to a harmony of mind and body. Today can be the day that you and your resolutions become a team project of mind and body. Today can be one of the best days of your life. It’s as easy as wiggling your little finger.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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April 11th, 2016
When the first human beings appeared on this planet there were two genders and an enormous question. Which one of these two was the strongest? The answer to this question was of great importance because the future of the human race was hanging in the balance.
On the outside both looked strong and capable so that couldn’t be the deciding factor. Looking inside at the brain, again it seemed that although the thought processes were a little different for each, they were both capable of great imagination, deep thought and creativity. That too was ruled a tie and couldn’t be the deciding factor.
Next, the heart was examined and the differences were astounding! Both hearts were equal in size and strength but the male heart thought mostly of itself and the female heart thought mostly of the male heart. Both held the capacity to generate an enormous amount of love but only the female heart was constant in its production under any and all circumstances.
The decision was made. The female would carry the offspring because if the human race was to survive, most importantly it would need a steady supply of love under any and all circumstances.
We may not be able to look back and watch that investigation but we can see the results even now eons later. All we have to do is to bring to mind a grandmother whose age and gender allowed her to see, support, heal and comfort anyone at any time. These are the wisdom keepers. These are the ones who have been trusted to make all things grow.
The trophy for being the strongest never goes to the one who can yell the loudest or the one who wins a physical fight or lifts a great deal of weight. The trophy for being the strongest always goes to the one who loves the most under any and all circumstances.
There are an infinite number of grandmothers in your bloodline and they have all carried the torch of love and passed it on. It’s now your time whether you are male or female to honor them by loving greatly under any and all circumstances. Be that love. That would make them smile.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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March 28th, 2016
The problem with feeling loving and being happy is that it is so damn difficult to share.
Walk down any street looking down at the ground and have a worried look on your face and no one bats an eye. Walk down that same street with a big smile on your face and standing tall and people will avoid you like the plague.
Someone comes over and shares their personal tale of woe with you and you share similar tales of your own and you are bonded as friends. That same person comes over and tells you the same woeful tale and you hesitate to say how good your life is because you fear the end of that friendship.
A stranger next to you at the store remarks that the world is going to hell in a hand basket and you nod affirmatively. Telling them your short list of all the good things happening and the progress in so many areas seems like the wrong thing to talk about right then.
Only a small percentage of people will understand, support and celebrate your love and happiness but real friends will and pets will and trees will and people who are in love will and Heaven will and young children will and the wind will and Angels will and flowers will.
The truth is that you can’t always act happy but you can always be happy.
Imagine if you can that you swallowed a really bright light. In fact this light is so bright that it actually shines out through your body. Kind of like putting a bright candle in a milk jug. Well happiness is just like that candle. The jug still looks like an ordinary milk jug but now it’s illuminating everything around it.
You can still be a normal (for this era) looking person and you can still let your amazing love and happiness shine through you all the time. You can listen to a woeful tale and have concern on your face but you can be shining like a full moon. You can nod at the pessimism of a stranger but you can still be shining like a bonfire. You can walk down the street like everyone else but you can still be shining like the noonday sun.
There will be times when you can show your love and happiness and times when it just won’t be acceptable BUT you can always shine that love and happiness of yours from within. The right people will always notice it and the people who need some light in their lives will think that they always feel good around you.
Your mission should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible theme) is to be an incognito love and happiness shiner. Accept this mission and you’ll never again wonder about your purpose. Shine brightly!
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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March 17th, 2016
Yesterday was my birthday (thank you for all the good wishes) and this week is the unofficial 20th anniversary of Sundrops On Life so I thought I would take a one day break from the usual writing.
I’ve written over nine thousand Sundrops and over three hundred of the lengthier Monday messages and they go out to thousands of people all over the world. I asked myself yesterday “What’s it all about?”
I never set out to be a writer. I was happy just working and working out, meditating and loving. Twenty years ago I wrote a couple of sentences that touched me and I shared them and I just never stopped creating new ones.
Sundrops have always been thoughtful and uplifting. Some days I have to write and delete so many just to get the ones that feel right. When they touch me I know they will touch you. And to me that’s what it is really all about.
I write because I want you to be uplifted. I want you to feel better about yourself, your body, your mind, your circumstances. I want you to know that you are in control of so much more than you know. You control the volume on your happiness. You are the one who chooses a good song or a debilitating criticism to dwell upon.
I want you to have what I didn’t. I want you to have the words that will empower you to grow, to be strong, to make decisions, to be okay with mistakes. I don’t want you to ever, ever think that life isn’t worth living. I want you to have words to lean on that are free of dogma and preaching and separation. I want you to be happy that you are you. I want you to know that you can weather any storm.
I wish I could sit down with you and look into your eyes and tell you that you are lovable and beautiful and perfect. I wish I could wipe a tear or give a hug or be there when you need someone. I wish we could laugh together.
The closest I can come is to send my words to you and hope that you are uplifted. I want you to know that by being uplifted, everyone around you is benefitted.
I’ve never met Jashpreet in Malaysia or Kathleen in Belgium or Una in Dublin or Faten in Abu Dhabi or Susan in Oregon or Rosa in Chile or Mary in Hong Kong or Danielle in Florida or Kevin or Ella or Barbara or Dick or Steve or Eunice or Selena but you and thousands of others need to know that you are loved. You need to know that there is an ember of love even in the darkest of times and the winds of change can always make it burn brightly again.
I guess I answered my own question. These words and you and I are what it’s all about and love, lots and lots of love.
Patrick McBride’s Sundrops On Life
(c)2016 All Rights Reserved, Patrick McBride
www.PatrickInspires.com
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