I recently took a journey partway across country. I drove through about 4 states, each place living a little differently than the next. As you stop along the highway for coffee, one can get a gist of how people feel in the current climate of overall life. No two people live life exactly the same, but as groups we do gravitate towards certain norms. While it’s easy for us to believe that everyone sees life the same way we do, once we get outside of our surroundings we can throw the script out the window. Each town, city, and state have set in place their own view of happiness. Some of it we may agree with, some of it we may not, but different strokes for different folks.

Many of us seem to be looking for the Magic Formula, which basically is: 1) Having a nice place to live. 2) Having enough money to afford what we need. 3) Feeling good about ourselves and loved ones. 4) Seeing a Greater Picture to life. I’m sure, as always, you can add a point or two to this list, to make it more personal….but overall this seems to be what many of us desire. The journey to fulfill this “Magic Formula” can take numerous twists and turns, and as I learned on my recent trip, the different faces showed the stages at which people are at on their journeys.

At one rest stop I saw a man and his wife in a large recreational vehicle, or motorhome, taking a break, so I approached them and asked if I could take a look at their “home on wheels.” As the door opened his smiling wife invited me in, and to my shock, inside was basically an apartment fully equipped with shower, kitchen, bedroom, and livingroom. I could not believe how much could be put into one of these vehicles. The man whose name was Bob, said to me, “This is my baby.” I asked him why he feels that he wants to drive around like this. He responded, “Ah ha! This is my freedom. In this vehicle I can go anywhere. All my life I was told I had to stay within the confines of my small town. What I’ve learned about life with this traveling home on wheels I could never have learned in any University.” “What have you learned?” I asked. “Well, Jennifer,” he responded, “I have learned that people basically are good. What’s screws them up is pain. If they think you’re not going to hurt them, they will more than oblige you.” To me, Bob, and his wife Shirley, in some way, have found their Magic Formula. The joy that was written on their two faces was incredible. Also, upon my travels, I visited a local hospital. I witnessed a family being there to support a relative who was having surgery. As they waited for the operation to be completed, the sweaty palms and nervousness echoed around them. Suddenly the doors opened and the surgeon approached them with the news….”Everything went well.” The look on the doctor’s face that she had been successful with the operation and relieved that everything went according to plan, showed me that she too had found her Magic Formula. For her, this is how she feels fulfilled and contributes to other people’s lives.

There are thousands of stories like these, where we set out to fill the void and embrace the answers to our questions. “Why is my life important? How can I make a difference? What makes me feel fulfilled?” we ask ourselves. What we eventually learn is that most of what we need from life involves other people. Life is meant to be shared. It’s a continuing process, this Magic Formula. Once you have discovered it, you must continue to practice it. Bob and Shirley, the motorhome people, continue to drive off each month to seek out new places to visit. They fully believe that the more they explore, the more they grow. The surgeon goes home feeling she has done the best job she could, even if things don’t always work out exactly the way she wanted.

The Magic Formula incorporates the body, mind, and soul. Each are a vital link to the other for growth and awareness. Every day do something that will contribute to the wellness of your Formula.

Be Well,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

No two people are alike. All different things make up who we are. It is therefore almost impossible for people to agree about everything. What we are then left with is compromise.

A world that is filled with different points of view, trying to live together under one umbrella, if each one of us presses our position so far and in no way gives ground, that umbrella starts to shrink, and many are left in the rain. Realistic minds understand this, but there are many that take the approach “My way or the highway.” A bill can be submitted to the United States Congress, presenting a specific point of view that has a list of regulations attached to it that have to be adopted in order for it to be carried out. As this bill makes it way through Congress, in order for it to proceed forward, compromises have to be reached, so that at the end of the journey, this bill can become law. Many times the bill that was initially presented can look very different once it reaches the stage of law. If the presenter of the bill stuck to each line, the chances of it ever becoming law would be almost nil. The same can be said, in many cases, for life.

Our relationships are full of compromises. But in certain instances rules do have to be followed….for example, if Mom and Dad say you have to be in by ten in the evening, in the child’s best interest this rule should be followed. As one gets older, compromise becomes more and more important in the health and development of relationships. Each week-end a family can make plans on what it wants to do to enjoy its time together. How much fun can be had if all the family does is do what one member wants? Dad may want to go to a ballgame…. Mom may want to go to the zoo. And the children would rather go to the movies. What do you do? How about a movie about a baseball player who hits a home run into the zoo? Life is very rarely that simple (ha!)

Hey, we all see things a little differently sometimes. But if we can respect each other’s feelings, hopefully we can find common ground, where we all can have some harmony.

Life is meant to be shared,

love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Here we are in the fifth month of the year 2000. Five months ago we were ringing in a New Year, positive and optimistic about the future. Then why all around is there a sense of bewilderment about this year?

Many of us have our life savings in one way or another tied up in the stock market. The past few months the market doesn’t seem to know which way to go. The promise and optimism of the technology revolution has started to look, at least stockwise, a little shaky. It’s interesting that since the United States Justice Department has put forth its proposal to break up Microsoft, the stock market as a whole is dead in the water. The atmosphere of Silicon Valley has started to become fearful. The questions that are arising are “If they can do this to Microsoft, then who’s next?” Already there are rumblings that Cisco or the new AOL/Time Warner Companies could be considered monopolies too. Then what? The tone on Wall Street, all of a sudden, has turned from “business as usual” to “where does business go from here?” I know, eventually this will all be worked out, hopefully sooner than later. This is not about hating or loving Bill Gates….this is about the atmosphere that is created for the businesses of the world doing commerce together. What we are left with now on both sides of the aisle is Fear.

Whether one is for or against Elian Gonzalez staying here, the picture of a gun being pointed at a child in Miami is chilling. Whether it was necessary or not, it is chilling. The result, once again, is Fear.

In midtown New York City each day is a bus full of senior citizens leaving for a daily excursion to Canada….why would a bus full of senior citizens leave the comfort of their homes to cross the border to another country? Simple answer…to be able to afford to pay for their medical prescriptions. In Canada and Mexico, many medications can be purchased at one-fourth the price. A friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with lymphoma said to me, “Jennifer, I went in for a check-up and the doctor gave me three prescriptions which cost me six hundred dollars, which is not covered here in my country by Medicaid. Jennifer, what if I didn’t have the money?” The result, once again, is Fear.

All around us are these scenarios that affect directly or indirectly our lives. I’m sure you can come up with a few of your own to add. This is not pessimism…this is not an overactive imagination….this is reality. These days many of us feel like we are living in the eye of a storm, while within our dome, things may be calm….but all around us are high winds and uncertainty.
When one is in the eye of a storm, one looks for something to hold onto. A foundation that can withstand any winds. For some people it’s their family and friends, for many it is also their Faith. Fear feeds upon itself. As President Roosevelt once said “We have nothing to Fear but Fear itself.” When we surround ourselves with all that is truly important to us, we can withstand any storm, and we can rebuild.

America isn’t perfect, but She has survived many storms, and She will survive this one. In most cases, once a storm passes, we emerge wiser.

Hold on,
love, Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

At some point in Life we hit the wall. A boundary where both the physical and spiritual intertwine. In order to pass through the wall and move forward one must bring both aspects of their lives together to become one. It can happen in our twenties, thirties, forties, etc., but it does happen…..nobody escapes it…..hitting the wall. We can pretend up to a point how much we truly need our Souls….but if you walk through a forest, a person knows something more than the physical is going on.

The approach to the wall can be brought about by many things….age, a health crisis in a person’s life, the death of a loved one. All of a sudden the air smells different…sound changes…sight becomes clearer….it’s almost as if something has shocked you into waking up. All that was once taken for granted is called into question. Then the thoughts start to manifest, “What the heck is this all about?” or “Who am I really? and Why am I here?” In order to find the answers to these questions, one has to pass through the wall. Christians have a term for this as being “Born Again.” Others have their own terminology. For this essay lets call it plainly and simply “The Wall.”

Within The Wall are the answers. Once we pass through The Wall, Life is never the same again. It gets better. The fear of mortality starts to subside….we see a greater purpose to life. The life of the temporary existence and physical and material fulfillment elevates to a life of more purpose, peace of mind, greater understanding and Faith. Some find it easier than others to pass through the The Wall. For all there are struggles, and some just refuse to go through.

In every marathon race, at a certain point the runner reaches their Wall….I’m sure you’ve read articles where athletes mention the experience of breaking through their Wall in the race. Once a runner reaches The Wall, all of the doubts that he or she can finish the race come to the forefront….slowly as they continue on he or she is tested….until at one point he or she looks back and realizes they are heading towards the home stretch….they have made it through The Wall. We all may not be marathon runners, but don’t be fooled….we too have our Wall.

Life is not always easy….there are stages to go through, and one of the most important ones is The Wall. Each moment is precious….the more we live within these moments, the more alive we are. The most gratifying stage of life is on the other side of The Wall.

See through The Wall,
love, Jennifer
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Profit = income – expenses. We go through Life, hoping that it is a profitable experience….both physically, and spiritually. The profit we receive can come from all different areas…. work, investments, and in the spiritual realm, prayer, meditation, attending a House of Worship. It’s very hard in this world not to incur expenses. They too come from different areas….mortgages, bills, and for the spiritual aspect, donations to organizations one feels can help others. This is the perfect scenario…a person receiving income, paying their bills, and helping others. What’s sad is that some out there choose to look at Life and behave differently.

I’m a big believer in what you put out, one way or another, comes right back. It may take a week….a year….a lifetime….but, it does come back. Example: A person one day decides to take two thousand dollars from a friend’s wallet. The friend looks inside his or her wallet and says, “What happened to my money?” The Taker says nothing. What’s sad here is this Fool, the Taker, thinks that now that they’re two thousand dollars richer, all of a sudden miraculous, wonderful things will start to happen in their lives, “They’re on their way down the golden road.” Two months pass, the Taker is walking down a city street when a bicycle plows right into them. They end up in the hospital with a broken leg and more. The insurance only covers half of their hospital stay. Upon leaving the hospital, our Taker is presented with a bill for fifteen thousand dollars. Where this Jerk thought he or she had a profit of two thousand dollars (thanks to lifting money from a friend’s wallet) they are now going to have to come up with fifteen thousand dollars to pay for hospital bills. This balance sheet, which once looked quite profitable, now reads, a loss. Hey, we all know these type of people. They look like “they get away with everything,”….but at the end of the day, the bill does come in, and sometimes it’s a substantial bill.

Karma is really a Universal Boomerang Effect. We throw the boomerang through the air, and as it flys it picks up air and speed. Slowly it turns and heads back to us at an incredible velocity. Whammo!!! The Good may not always get rewarded as they think they should, but they do. The Bad may think they’re outsmarting everyone, but one way or another, a message is sent saying otherwise.

Very little is mentioned about projected energy. Everything we think and do projects energy. It’s easy to see if a person puts brick on top of brick then right before your eyes, there’s a brick wall. When we pray or meditate we too project energy, but this is a little bit harder to see. Thought does produce too. We are born, we live, and we die….that is the cycle of Life. Within this cycle I believe lies Karma. Otherwise, the Universe could not exist.

Synchronicity holds it all together for a reason. Cause and Effect.
God is the highest intelligence in the Universe. Karma is the teacher. If more people understood that their acts produce effects, then perhaps they would hesitate before performing bad acts. Think about Karma….embrace it….it is one of the steps on the road to Heaven.

The Golden Rule,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Manipulation is alive and well. This time last week many of us watched as the stock market headed down towards a so-called “crash.” Granted, the consumer price index number (CPI) was a little inflationary, but something more was going on here. You may ask yourself, “How does this all affect me?” Well, if you have a 401-K Plan, Retirement Plan, or work for a corporation that trades on the stock market, it can affect you greatly. We are living in an age that is extraordinary. Technology is not only shortening the distance between people, but evolving at an incredible speed. Much of this technology is helping corporations cut their expenses in half, so in turn, as expenses are decreased, or income is increased, that is eventually, hopefully, reflected in the stock of that company.

As I roamed around my small town this past weekend, the talk on everyone’s mind was how their stocks had gone down the previous day. I walked into my local coffeeshop, said hello to a few friends, and just listened to lines like, “Jennifer, can you believe what’s happening with the market?” or, “Jennifer, how much money did you lose?” Many were beginning to feel that come Monday morning the doomsayers may at last be correct and the market would just head down into a bottomless pit. Much to some people’s surprise, once the market opened on Monday, after an hour the index started heading higher….many of the same people who sold off on Friday started to buy the large technology companies back. Why is this so important, do you say? The state of panic over last weekend here in my neck of the woods was almost at drastic proportions. Many watch the daily business shows trot out the naysayers….who say “sell everything, or you’ll be sorry.” As I have observed the markets and the so-called experts these past four years, I am now down to believing only two market so-called “Gurus.” The conflict of interest in many cases is frightening.

Manipulation is a very cunning thing….it can scare you into one direction for a certain period of time, and then scare you into another direction. Manipulation is based on Fear. How much of our own lives is based in one form or another, on Manipulation? The more we understand, the more we implement, the less Fear we have. I write my newsletter each week to empower the individual….the more one knows, the more they understand and can make the changes that are needed in their lives. The world is changing….we all know that. Whatever one decides, it should be based on careful thought and evaluation, not on Manipulation or Fear. The long-term investor, in whatever walk of life, understands that the road to the green valley is paved with bumps. If your shock absorbers are well maintained, you can go the distance. If we keep an open mind, the questions eventually get answered….

Go the distance,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

We go about our lives mostly thinking that “This is it,”…..a brick wall is a brick wall…..a ceramic sink is just that, the air we breathe is devoid of particles….etc. The truth is, everything inside and outside of us is humming with Life….with atoms and molecules that are naked to our human eyes. If you’ve ever flown in a propeller plane, and looked out the window as the propeller begins to churn, you will see that the faster the propeller moves, the more you are able to “see through it.” The solid blades look as if they don’t exist anymore, because of the speed at which they are spinning….but the blades still do exist.

The question arises….what other objects or things disappear to our vision because of the speed at which they are moving? Can we then realistically say that we are able to see all aspects of Life and movement on planet Earth? Perhaps not. Humans generally can only see things that move at their own rate of speed…but what can be said for those things that move slower or faster? Have you ever thought about someone and then about a minute later, the telephone rings, and it’s them on the line? Or, you’re walking down the street, thinking about somebody you haven’t seen in ten years….you turn and enter a store and lo and behold, there the person is standing right in front of you! Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows? But you have to admit, it is strange.
In Life, we all live on different levels…..some levels based on wealth, others based on the country or climate that a person lives in. The levels exist. We also live on different spiritual levels…..one person attends a church or synagogue or mosque one day a week and they feel, in their lives, that is enough, while others base their whole daily life around prayer and the nurturing of their soul. There are others who do neither, but contribute or do work for charities. All different levels. These levels we incorporate into our lives to hopefully expand ourselves.

If God does not appear before our eyes when commanded by us, does that mean that God does not exist? If we don’t see Angels walking our local streets, does that mean that they too aren’t nearby? Do deceased loved ones vanish when they die, or are they observing, cheering us on, even though it may be hard to hear their voices? All we are let see as Human Beings is our own dimension, for whatever reason….but we do get glimpses of other dimensions. I would like to share with you a little story that kind of sums up this essay:

A dear friend of mine was very sick, and each day he looked out the window at a nearby rooftop. He called me over one day and said “Look Jennifer….up there on the roof is my wife and my son.” Both were previously deceased. I myself couldn’t see them. My friend would wave at them, smile, and laugh. One day while I was visiting, my friend said “Jennifer, come look! I’m up on the roof with them now.”

Two days later my friend passed away. I watched the transfer from one dimension to the next, right before my eyes.
There are other dimensions…..even if not seen….it doesn’t mean they don’t exist…..

Lift the veil,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Within the past year I moved into a new home. In the front of the house the builders had used a low-grade grass seed on the garden. This past summer the lawn grew well, but once the winter came the grass retreated. Over in the corner of the garden I had sprinkled some Kentucky Bluegrass seeds, which, strangely enough, did not retreat. Obviously, the seeds that were originally planted didn’t fare too well. As spring has come to my little neck of the woods, this past week I was outside with my bag of Kentucky Bluegrass seeds, sprinkling abundantly! I am in the process of adding new seeds to the garden.
In Life, the seeds we plant bring forth the growth and strength of our gardens. If we surround ourselves with low-grade seeds, before too long we will be walking on crabgrass!! If we decide to use some of that good old Kentucky Bluegrass in our lives, the sky’s the limit!! I have learned much from my garden, and how it grows. The Heavens provide the rain, the soil embraces the seeds, and my work maintains the garden. No mysteries here folks…..the answers sometimes are right in front of our eyes….it’s up to us if we choose to see them.

This season, plant something. If you live in a city, grow a houseplant. If you have a garden, plant some wonderful roses, or another lovely plant. You’ll not only learn more about Life, but you’ll learn incredible things about yourself. Life can be very rewarding in many aspects.

One can never plant enough good seeds,

Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Some days are just great….other days stink. Some people embrace you….while others abuse you. One job can be better than another…..you may drive the car you love into the ground….you may live in that old house till the day you die because you want to. All of these things not only affect your life, but they affect the amount of happiness you sustain. Eventually, Happiness becomes our own responsibility.

We go through the days putting forth as much positive energy as we possibly can, hoping that all things come out according to plan…..but, as we well know, things don’t always go according to plan. The car can break down, the screen door can get a hole in it, and some people around us can be just plain nasty, etc. It can become almost downright impossible to keep the smile on your face. Once again, where does the responsibility of your Happiness eventually end up, but in your own hands? For everything out there that gives us joy, there is a corresponding element that can cause us pain. The trick is to keep as many of the things that give you joy in life and eliminate that which causes the pain.

In a world that rarely recognizes the good in people, we have to look extra hard at others, and inside ourselves, to find it sometimes. When it rains, you can recognize that the rain is falling beyond your control, but that rain can be good. The sun can cause skin problems….but it can also make you feel suntanned and healthy at the same time. It all depends on how you manage the situation. The perception falls to us. Isn’t it amazing that if you sit in a room of five people, when a paragraph is read, the five each see a different point of view?

Life is short….bad things do happen to good people….it’s easy to believe that all isn’t fair, but we can persevere….squeeze every ounce of joy out of the moment. It is there. We just have to learn how to taste it, savor it, embrace it and go on. The Pursuit of Happiness is an honorable quest. Out there is the fruit of Heaven….it is up to us to climb the tree and reach for it……

Stretch,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon

Every week there is a long list of chores that we set in front of ourselves to accomplish. It’s not a surprise that parts of us spread out in all different directions to seek out the information and solutions that we need to succeed at our given tasks. One part of us may have a project at work….another part needs to pick up something at a local convenience store for the home….and yet again another part may have to sit down and listen to a loved one who is having some kind of difficulty. These parts of us that we assign to different tasks sometimes can leave us feeling fragmented, and even lost. That is why it is so important that we retrieve these parts at the end of each day to become whole again.

We all play different roles in life. Some are moms, some are dads, brothers, sisters, friends, etc. In order for us to continue playing these roles we must accomplish some level of success….otherwise the enthusiasm and energy will decrease, and before we know it we turn off and tune out. We have our successes and failures, but if we learn from our mistakes we can then be better prepared next time. Therefore, it’s important that we observe and reevaluate what it is we want to do here on earth.

Here’s a little exercise to try out each evening. Write down on little pieces of paper things that you feel you’ve accomplished, things that you didn’t accomplish, goals that you set for yourself going forward, and how to improve the relationships in your life. Split these slips of paper into 4 groups. Look over them…they are some of the most important thoughts of your life. All the successes, failures, hopes, and dreams gathered together before you, in one place. Now remove the most important pieces of paper that you feel can best represent the life that you see for yourself going forward. Example: What relationships do you feel are most important in your life? Where do you see yourself working a year from now? How can you make your life run more smoothly? Once you pick these pieces, write them down on one piece of paper, and post it in a place that you can look at daily. You may think that your eyes will just glance over it….but your subconscious mind will remember every letter on that sheet. You have set for yourself goals, a mission, and a way to improve the quality of life. One last important point…..never forget to give Thanks for all that you do have, because there are many worse off….

Compassion, Humility, Faith, Hope, Dreams, and Love…these are the threads of the fabric of life. They enhance our senses, and make us feel alive. Without them, we are just passing time. Gather these threads, and you can weave miracles.

Love,
Jennifer Avalon
© 2000 Jennifer Avalon