Each year that rolls around I’m always astonished at the people who have left my life, and the new ones that have come along. Indeed, there are always those that seem to be around…but on the edges there are always the losses, and the welcomes. Even now as I speak, there are two elderly members of my family that are entering the final stages of their lives. As much as I want them to live forever, I understand that there is a time for everyone. Watching how they are coming to terms with their circumstances gives me great strength, dignity, and courage in my own life. They talk freely about how much time they have left, how they want to be remembered, and their wishes for after they are gone. This past Christmas many of my family gathered around the table laughing and joking that we were all “still here,” while out of the corners of our eyes there was a glance, wondering, would we all still be around to celebrate another holiday?

At the same time, new life entered the fold…nothing is more miraculous than seeing the shine in a newborn baby’s eyes…reminding us all what a miracle Life truly is. The children look to us for guidance, for us to show them around Life’s Hotel…the safe places to play, the rooms to avoid. As the merry-go-round of Life spins it wheel each year, it never ceases to amaze me who jumps on, and who jumps off. This time of year in the northeast of the United States, the ground, the flowers, the trees awaken with new life….ready to blossom and bring forth their rainbow, knowing full well that in the Fall, they too will fold up and go away for the Winter.

We all live on the merry-go-round….being told when we got on, and wondering when we too must jump off. The merry-go-round of Life is quite busy, while also quite peaceful. There are no real surprises….we all know that we come, and we go. What happens in-between is what it’s all about.

Enjoy the ride,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

Now crazy as it seems, I got to thinking….with all the manure that we humans deposit in our toilets daily, why can’t we build plants where the methane created from our manure and waste be transposed to energy? Did you ever think that our contribution to the toilet bowl could end up powering our homes?? A few more stories like the one on the evening news, and I do believe some town or city is going to put this idea fully into practice.

As far as stretching gas mileage, a local television station, WBZ in the Boston area, did a fascinating report on a New England man who has invented a way for a car to get up to 150 miles per gallon with a hybrid automobile. The contraption that he demonstrated was a converter that turbo-charged the battery system in the hybrid, and gasoline was only used when the batteries got low. See, there are people out there looking at ways to solve our energy crisis.

It’s astonishing that many times the greatest inventions or ideas take place from people mucking about in their garages, or doing a job that is totally unrelated to a problem that it solves. I do believe it is only a matter of time before all of our homes will have solar panel roofs. What a waste of space right now, where energy can easily be created to power our homes. Trust me, we’ll all get used to seeing those panels on our roofs when we get our future heating and electrical bills.

We haven’t even begun to try the numerous solutions to our energy problems. With oil hovering around $110.00 a barrel, it’s only a matter of time before we start seriously considering the ways we get energy. So remember the next time you go to the bathroom, how valuable your “deposit” really is.

Go Green, Go Solar, and by all means, Go Manure!:)

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

I know, I too have been to the gas pump lately, and looked at my quarterly payments to my healthcare provider. But I don’t want this essay to focus on a negative approach to these dilemmas that many of us face. We do have more power than we think….how so, you may ask? Well to start with, you have the money in your hand….just like if you were going in to purchase a car, buy a house, or get a new refrigerator….you do have the power to negotiate. How can you negotiate at the gas pump? Many wholesale merchants, like BJ’s, Sam’s Club, Walmart,and Stop & Shop, etc. have gas at facilities that give their members discounts at the pump. Also, conservation and carpooling can do wonders for the pocketbook.

How many of you out there have recently seen or received in the mail advertisements offering huge discounts on selected items? Hey, it’s on the television everywhere that we must be in a recession….this doesn’t escape or go over the heads of retail chains that have to meet their payroll and bottom line each week. If you have the money, you can negotiate for a better price on just about anything. If you go into a store, don’t necessarily accept the price that you see on an item….many times the salesperson or owner are quite happy to give a discount to close a sale.

And last but not least…healthcare. How many of us out there, before we go to a doctor or dentist, ask them, when possible, how much their service costs? Unfortunately, quite often we walk in with a blank check, freely accepting whatever the price. More and more healthcare insurance companies, each year, decrease what they are willing to pay for our healthcare visits. I have been told by my insurer that whenever possible, I am to call them before I go to any practitioner, so that I fully understand what is and what is not covered. An emergency is an emergency….and in those cases one does not have the luxury…but overall, as long as we hold money in our hands, we do have a right to say, “how much?”

There are so many other issues that each individual grapples with daily. These are just the tip of the iceberg, but many of us out there, overall, are extremely concerned about runaway costs. We do have the power….we are not alone….and just about everything can be negotiated more than we think.

Spend wisely,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine where every five years she attends her high school reunions. She explained to me that the first time it was wonderful to catch up with old friends and reminisce about the good times, and acknowledge a tear or two. She then went on to say that after a while these reunions started to become painful. It was always a question of who would show up or who wouldn’t….she concluded that she was fully aware that she couldn’t truly go back, yet looked upon the good old days as a foundation for what was to come. We all get older each day….the trick is to improve and find a little peace and contentment.

Favorite songs, favorite movies, enjoyable vacations, your first car….all of these things are not there to show us that the good times are all behind us, but perhaps the best may be yet to come. Our faces may change in the mirror over time, but do we truly want to stay at 16 forever? Do we want our lives to stay in a holding pattern? Or is it really acceptable for cobwebs to sprout up around us? The only way for these things to not happen is for time and change to occur. For sure, when we look back we may agree that one decade may have been better than another, but overall was yesterday just there to show us tomorrow?

I recently thought about the places I have lived in the past. Overall, I enjoyed every one of them, for different reasons. Still, there must be a reason why I no longer live there. If our lives add up to an incredible book, then there must be chapters…each chapter being a different stage and part of our lives. I do enjoy looking back and visiting the past from time to time….but it never slips my mind what wonders the future may hold.

Life is full of comings and goings….it will probably always be that way until the day we die. We can only imagine what story this planet will tell, when its life is over.

Seize the sunrise,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

It’s all around us….the internet, telecommunications, medicine, transportation…you name it, innovation is being practiced daily. For some, our best days lie ahead, while others think that our golden era is behind us. Innovation always brings about change…and change is something, in one way or another, we all struggle with from time to time. It is quite possible that within the next twenty years the innovation that will come forth will surpass much of what we have done in the past one hundred years. We are all going to have to take a long hard look at what world we want to see materialize.

There is quite an argument for who is best for the practice of innovation. This being an election year, who is best to take the mantle of innovation…Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, or Liberals? This year in America we get to make the choice. While Conservatives see an ethical steady-as-she-goes policy towards business and innovation, Liberal ideals always are there to think outside the box and come up with alternative answers for current dilemmas. Some of the innovative issues on the table? Let’s touch on a few….cloning, robotics, stem-cell research, space travel, and one that’s always in play….religion. Who best should handle the baton of our future? Can mankind control his thirst for knowledge and power, or should he put the pedal to the metal and just go for it? How about alternative forms of energy? Where are they? And why aren’t they here already? Innovation is going to have to answer these questions. By this point, we should have more choices as to how we heat our homes.

More and more countries are embracing innovation. China and India are playing catch up, but they are catching up fast. As the world becomes smaller, innovation becomes larger. I still know people who refuse to have a television set in their homes…they believe it destroyed the family unit. Like all facets of innovation, inventions can be used in both a positive, or negative, way. The way children learn these days is drastically different than even their parent’s generation. Computers have become a vital part of many occupations. What was once written by hand, in a split second is now processed and delivered by a PC, or MAC.

Innovation….love it, or scorn it…it’s here. How far can it go? Who pushes the envelope? Or do we eventually fall off a cliff? We’re all going to have to grapple with these questions. Is it possible to drive ourselves into the future, not too fast, not too slow? I guess we’ll all find out….by all means reach for the Heavens, but don’t forget to keep your feet on the ground.

Choose wisely,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

Just like our bodies, if too much of one thing or another upsets our systems, we become ill. The same can be said of Nature….she is as tough, and as delicate, as we are. She fights for her survival, as do we, when she feels threatened….heavy snowfall during a drought, fires when there is tangled undergrowth, glorious sunlight after a flood. Mother Nature, like us, wants to be kind, in general, and only bares her teeth when she isn’t respected….hence, Nature Demands Respect.

As children, we know this instinctively. We know if we build the sandcastle too close to the ocean’s edge, it will be gone by morning….if we dig too deep in the dirt, the ants will surface and bite us….if we climb too often on the branch of the old oak tree, we will land on our behinds. As adults, we think we can overcome Nature…that she will bend and weave under our heavy dominance. The opposite is true…it is us who must bend, weave, and sometimes break….

Mother Nature demands respect….and she will get it whether we offer it to her or not. Because in the end, it is she who, along with God, rules the Universe….and the Lord will always make sure that Mother Nature will be kept in balance….for the sake of us all.

Respect Mom,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

Schools, jobs, religion, and just plain living…these are tools to help us grow….help us discover what is going right, and what is going wrong. We start to run into problems when we digest the wrong information, or simply let the right thoughts go in one ear and out the other. I have a friend who reads the Bible daily, and tells me that she believes totally in the Lord…unfortunately, if you saw the way she lives her life, you would never believe it. How many people do we know who have health problems…they know the cause, yet they refuse to correct the source of the problem? Some have financial problems…yet they refuse to slow down their spending, while the debt on their credit cards grows daily.

We all make mistakes…yet, aren’t we supposed to learn from them, so that we can correct them? Money, alcohol, drugs, and yes, food, can easily get out of hand…at some point we’re supposed to stop, examine, and ask ourselves, what the heck am I doing? The mistakes can go on and on, until we realize the big word that we are trying to avoid…. “Change”…. eventually comes. The quicker we deal with our problems, the easier it is to move on.

Time multiplies the Good, and also the Bad….plain and simple, whether we like it or not. The slate or notebook we have in front of us has to be periodically examined and updated. Denial is not, as they say, a river in Egypt! Spirituality is there to help us extract the weeds from our garden. Until somebody comes up with a way for us all to live here forever, we are only visitors to this planet, who must accept a way to digest and grow. Many times I’ve asked myself, if so many people are praying to God daily, why does the world still look the way it does? Something has to be wrong with this picture! Are the Words of the Heavens just being digested and abandoned, like a plate of spaghetti? Or one day will we truly look at the pages of our Holy Books and finally understand the paradise that God wants us all to make this planet? Talk may be cheap, and paper may not refuse ink, yet surely in our hearts we must know the Truth. With each sunrise brings a chance to make our lives better, and what can be done today should never be put off until tomorrow. The path lies ahead….all we have to do is put one foot in front of the other, and climb on the shoulders of giants.

Carpe Diem,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

Many baffle over the years of why some addictions, over time, just seem to creep up on us….out of the blue we go from something that seems totally controllable to somewhere else, where our lives start to spin out of control. Addiction is all around us….could it be that one of the lessons of life is to find balance, control, and awareness? We are all, whether we care to admit it or not, truly addicts in one way or another, but one of the nastiest, unforgiving, relentless addictions of all is the one thing we can’t live without….Food.

The alcoholic, drug addict, shopaholic, can cease with their addictions if they just abstain. People must eat to live, and somewhere along the line we must find discipline and control over the food we consume, while never having the luxury of giving it up.

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine, where we both thought it strange that society doesn’t really look at food as a drug….but as a pleasure and sometimes, a reward. As we get older, the food we choose to eat affects us more profoundly. Where in our youth we could have indulged the sweets and saltines to our heart’s content, by middle age we are warned of the continued affects they can have on our bodies. America today sits on the cusp of a diabetic explosion, making many feel that the diets they once could partake of are leaving them at a dead-end street. The second part of their lives, some are left having to re-learn new ways to eat. Unlike the alcoholic, most doctors will give a person a list of foods to avoid….but can a doctor tell a patient to give up food altogether? I don’t think so! Therein lies the comedy and tragedy of a food addiction…can’t live with it, can’t live without it.

I, too, am a self-confessed foodaholic. I love food…I enjoy all things about it…shopping for it, cooking it, eating it. There! I confess, like many, to enjoying every smell, taste, and sip. What seems to work for me to control my appetite is that I watch what I eat and once a week, I fast on liquids. I also walk about 25 minutes a day in the fresh air. The fasting, in some strange way, helps me re-set my taste buds each week. After a day of fasting I find I appreciate and control my intake of food better. Knowing I can’t live without food, I would rather that I control it, then it control me.

This essay is very meaningful to me….as I receive many emails from people telling me about their problems with diet and food. Obesity is turning into an epidemic…..surely it cannot be an accident. Perhaps the American love affair with food should be reduced to a lifetime friendship!

Bon Appetit!

Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

I think if we approach the New Year with a different perspective and keep a symbol or image in our minds it may be easier to stay focused and navigate the road ahead. I approach the New Year as a builder, a person who sees a piece of land, and the possibilities that can come forth. I look at the formulation of my goals, hopes, and dreams as a house….a beautiful shining building that by the end of the year I can be proud of. A builder needs tools, not just hammers and nails but Faith, encouragement, conviction and the belief that when you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

In January we start the foundation….we make sure it is strong and has the potential to hold what we place upon it. We make sure there are no cracks. Each proceeding month we add to our house….floor by floor we put in the plumbing, the electrical wiring, the heating system, etc. Sometimes we make mistakes, one room may not be wired right, so we go back, repair the damage and continue on. By the Spring, we see that our house is off the ground and rising. The contributions we have made to our house are beginning to show. People pass by and are amazed how “fast” the house is starting to come together….but little do they see the problems that we encountered to get to our level. So on we go, each day building brick by brick with the sky above us…..and with each brick a feeling of accomplishment comes over us and a better understanding of the mistakes we have made so that we try not to make them again. God looks down and sees a person trying to push forward with a house of meaning and purpose. A badly built house with a weak foundation won’t stand very long….but a good house can last forever. God understands how hard it is to built good houses.

By the Fall, our floors are completed, and we are about to add our roof. We want a roof that will not leak, that can take the elements. If we have done all our work and done it well, by the end of the year we will be standing in front of a house amazed that we were able to accomplish this once monumental task. We look at each brick and floor and see a story. We see the set-backs and the over comings. It is possible to build a good house, God willing, with the right tools, and determination…….All things are possible.

Good Luck with your house,

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2008 Jennifer Avalon

Have you ever wondered as Life throws us its curve balls, what the heck is this place all about? why am I here? what am I supposed to learn? and, what can I do about it? Join the crowd….you have just entered in to the first stage of the “Why?” factor. Your intelligence demands that you look at some of the solutions and answers to these questions.

I believe everything around us and all that exists is held together by Love. Each act that keeps the Universe in place, allows the streams to run, the air to blow, the mountains to rise, and mankind to flourish, is held together by a communication and an agreement to continue to exist. What is this communication? the continued practice of Giving and Receiving. For Life to exist, it must contain some component of Love. This is not an accident…the Creator mandates us to become creatures of Love. Life, at its common basics, is Love. With that, for everything to exist and continue, we need Love. Are we blessed by it? and hurt by it? for sure. But that’s part of the process…one of the building blocks of Life. We grow with Love….it is only when we are denied it do we start to run into problems. As the Beatles say, “All You Need Is Love,”…it may not have all the answers, but it’s a great place to start.

Giving….so why give? why care? how about just sitting at home, kicking back, and looking at the television all day? not give a hoot…about anyone or anything other than ourselves? Realistically, at what point would we begin to deteriorate? Can there be Love without giving? and can there be giving without Love? This is not about money…this is about raw emotion…the art of caring and giving beyond ourselves. Yes indeed, there is a responsibility to how one gives…yet overall at what point do the cobwebs start to surround us when all we care about is giving to ourselves?

Receiving….I for one can testify that there have been times in my life when I was at my wit’s end and out of the blue the doorbell would ring or the telephone would chime with a message reaching out saying, “I care.” Receiving comes many times when you least expect it. This time of year there are many in need, who are just waiting for that one act or call of kindness. Can we give without someone receiving, or can we receive without someone giving? They are two sides of the same coin. Receiving is the admission that someone took the time to Love.

Giving and Receiving, both necessities for Love to exist. One Mind, One Soul, synchronizing with another. The Gift of Love is the greatest gift of all….this time of year don’t be afraid to give, or receive.

For All Seasons,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

It’s quite astonishing how from day to day we can have two completely different faces to wear. In most cases when we look in the mirror, we don’t see the dark side…only the light. Yet sometimes, just below the surface, the anger waits for just a chance to rear its head. So often we’re quite confused when we see different sides of friends and family….yet we so easily forget that we too surprise them. As we head for the holidays, some rejoice, while others feel tense and struggle with those that they have to see once a year. Are we angry people? or are we peaceful people? The truth is probably somewhere in-between. After all, we’re only human, right?

Through the anger and the peace, we grow. We evolve into what we want to become. We do right and we do wrong….we look for praise, and we ask for forgiveness. Anger and Peace…two sides of the same coin. Heads or Tails…where does the coin land for us? We’re not alone…as humans we struggle with all different kinds of feelings. Whether it’s turning the dial on the television, listening to the radio, or firing up the computer…at the end of the day we get to see what we want and who we are. Sure, some can influence our moods, the state of mind and how we view life through the prism…but overall we determine the quality of our day. The Heavens laugh as man plans…yet the Heavens are there when we ask for help.

The angry pacifist and the peaceful antagonist sometimes can easily share the same air….our two sides do battle each day.

Flip a coin,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

I am reminded to slow down when I do the dishes. If I go too fast, something can be broken. If I go too slow, the water will cool down and not be “sanitary.” If I don’t put gloves on, my hands will wrinkle up like prunes. This is a ritual that takes a certain amount of respect, for all involved. I remind myself to breathe deeply…to glance out the kitchen window and take in the light through the woods. Doing the dishes is a chance to slow down…to pace myself. Sometimes I catch myself just trying to rush and get through it…then suddenly, and I’m not sure how or why, I am reminded to take in the moment, trivial as it may seem. And then I think of how each moment of our lives is to be taken this way….respected, savored and enjoyed, because it will pass all too quickly.

As I finish the dishes, and let the soapy water swirl down the drain, I am pleased that the job is done. A simple task, but rich with atmosphere. Doing the dishes is a throwback to another time, when we all had chores to do to maintain the household. Now most of us have dishwashers (myself included) but I have found that I only want to use the dishwasher when I have a big crowd. There is something lost when we give up daily rituals that are so simple, and so immediately rewarding. So here’s to the soap and suds!!

Happy washing,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

In our society Art has had a price placed over its head….it’s value is determined by how much money and riches it brings in. Does the cream rise to the top? or with a good manager and public relations campaign, can you eventually fool the many with junk? Arts main purpose is to enhance the quality of life…to bring us into alignment with our Creator…unfortunately, these days one starts to wonder…have we totally lost touch with the fundamentals of what Art is all about?

Art is the landscape where we can ask questions, congregate, and formulate answers to the problems facing our lives on a daily basis. Art is supposed to elevate our society, embrace what is right, and examine and correct what is wrong. One stroll past the checkout counter at any supermarket, with the rags on sale, and the gossip flowing, one has to wonder, is society’s elevator going up? or down? Is the statute of stardom and the standard of Art determined by the number of times one has been to rehab? It’s quite easy for a person to be suspicious that perhaps the goal of Hollywood is to build them up, and watch them fall.

So out there, if you are a painter, designer, performer, builder, etc., tweak away! you are not foolish….Art is the gift. It doesn’t matter how much money you make at it….the gift itself is the blessing.

Dream on,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

Tune up, you may say? Why yes….physical check-up, and an overall head to toe emotional inventory is also a priority. It’s crazy, but it becomes quite acceptable to take care of everything but ourselves. What can we do to make the journey through the Winter months less stressful and physically taxing? A good tune up lays it all out in front of us so that we can tend to what is needed.

I am a big believer in making a list…just like when we bring the car in to the mechanic, we too need to look over a list to see if our oil needs changing or spark plugs replaced or recharged! Seriously, each year we’re alive these tune ups become more important. The condition and the health of our bodies, minds and souls are important, yet, we so easily take for granted their well-being.

Once the tune up is complete, changes can be made, or a clean bill of health can be tucked into your desk drawer. We all have a greater chance of living to a ripe old age if we take responsibility for the things we do have control over. Health is wealth…..in the hustle and bustle of life that can quite easily slip our minds.

Enjoy life….live it to the fullest. We only go around once in these bodies. Don’t be afraid to pull into the gas station once in a while to look under the hood, clean the windows, and check the tires. Rest assured, these bodies of ours can give us many miles to go.

Happy Trails,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

We all possess that one special thing that we do that makes us feel complete and fulfilled. Uniqueness makes us smile, letting us know what we can offer and where we belong. It could be in the arts, mathematics, computers, science, etc. but rest assured, somewhere we all have something unique and special.

We run into trouble when we disregard our special talents, and think there is something else for us to do, until we get fed up of going down dead-end streets, and we turn around and accept….”this is who I am”, and “this is what I do best.” There is a reason why not all football players become quarterbacks. Some players realize their unique talents are better suited at a different position on the team. We may not be meant to be the CEO of a corporation, but what’s so wrong about being a team player, or head of a marketing division? Success happens when a group of unique individuals come together and strive towards the same goals….that’s when miracles can happen. Uniqueness to the ultimate degree.

Unique individuals striving for the same purpose create a hybrid that cannot be accomplished individually by themselves. In some strange way the combination of certain people can create an energy or a force that is generated by the combined efforts of all their talents. We are all walking miracles….yet why do we allow ourselves to feel so ordinary, and disposable? Uniqueness is priceless. It is a gift from the Heavens. Still, mankind can so easily brush it aside.

It is not foolish to jot down what it is you feel your uniqueness is. What is it that you have to offer that you love doing? Oh, have I forgotten to mention that? Uniqueness is something that you will love doing. Perhaps growth may be painful at times, but uniqueness is the road to a purpose. Right at the center and the core of who we are, lies our uniqueness…that’s the way God planned it. He left us with the mission to figure it out.

Seek and you will find,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

Here it is folks….one designated room of your house or apartment where you can go, anytime. I call it “the emotion in motion room.” So, you may ask yourself, what do you do there? Ah, that’s really up to you. Each room, of course, has to be individually fine-tuned to a person’s needs. It could be a laughing room, crying room, meditation room, prayer room, or maybe a silent room to shut out the noise of the world long enough for you to think. If you don’t have a room, perhaps you can find a corner where you can put on a pair of headphones to cocoon for a while, to recharge, regroup, and regain some sanity. The emotion in motion room, a private place where one can vent, express, and heal at will.

Getting in tune with ourselves not only enhances our own lives, but those of all we come in contact with. If we don’t control our emotions, our emotions start to control us. Taking the bull by the horns allows us to have greater control over surprise situations that can easily pop up out of nowhere. Emotions have a strange way of creating baggage…what we would like is to have good baggage, not baggage that weighs us down. I know the saying, “God laughs when mankind plans,”….that’s not what this is about. It’s about gaining greater responsibility for one’s actions.

Crazy as it may seem, laughing for fifteen minutes, or crying for that matter, can bring about a great sense of relief. For me, meditation is essential for my daily life. Twenty minutes of focus and relaxation recharges my batteries, and allows me to gain perspective over my life. My emotion in motion room is like a good friend…a place to go to think things through, and somewhere in the silence the answers come. Feeling centered greatly improves my ability to connect with the Heavens.

Find your space,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

We too have within us a blueprint that can be written down on paper as a guide to help us evolve and become more productive and happier people in our lives. All around us are tools that we can use to create this personal portfolio. The Bible, the encyclopedia, and many other books can present ideas that we can use to better ourselves as people. Will our own personal blueprint contain all the facts and all the ultimate knowledge? Maybe not, but as we live on we will fine-tune and improve our own document to grow stronger and more secure.

There are so many things that try daily to rob us of the power that we have over our own lives…and it’s very easy at the end of the day to look at your hands and see nothing. If we just create tools, like a blueprint, they can be the maps to show us the way when the weather gets rough. It is your life…nobody knows it better than you. Sometimes we wish somebody could do the work for us….but like the Founding Fathers, we too sense what we need to find stability, health and happiness.

The Declaration of Independence, the document on which the United States of America was built, shows us that it is possible to improve one’s life and find a better way. This past week, over 231 years later, it still stands as a beacon for all those in search of freedom. The United States is not perfect, and still to this day has alot to learn….but at least changes can be made to make it better. A work in progress…. and so, too, is mankind…..

Happy Independence Day,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

For many Americans, the healthcare industry seems broken. The cost of care in the United States rises horrendously each year. Many no longer can afford coverage where the monthly premiums exceed their budget. This Friday Michael Moore’s new movie, “Sicko” opens nationwide…it tackles many of the issues confronting Americans in regard to healthcare. I know, Michael Moore can be a polarizing figure, yet, what I have heard about his latest movie is that his approach is neither Democrat nor Republican…just a satirical look at how the American healthcare system has run amok.

Let me ask you a question…how many people do you know who have to take daily medications? and how many people do you know who don’t? A friend of mine recently had a case of poison ivy and went to the emergency unit at her local hospital. The nurse asked her, “What medications do you take daily?” She answered, “None.” The nurse at first had a hard time believing her, and then she gave a look, said nothing, and walked away. For many, daily medication has become a way of life. We care profoundly about how we feel, and when we don’t feel good, we worry. Our health, in many cases, is not something we think about daily until we get sick.

The beauty of being human is that we have something that is incredible inside of us….an immune system. A reservoir of energy that waits to pounce on a moment’s notice on any foreign body that enters into our system. If you’ve ever had a cold, you know how it goes…first you don’t feel 100%, then, you feel a little weak, you start coughing and sneezing and before too long you’re in bed looking at the four walls, wondering if you’ll ever feel better! You chow down the old reliable chicken soup, some Tylenols, plenty of fluids, and slowly but surely you start to feel better each day. Once you make a full recovery you forget about it, until the next time, and then you go through the process all over again.

What’s strange is that each time we get sick and get better we learn a little bit more about ourselves…it tells us what makes us tick, and what truly matters. When we’re healthy, we feel we can conquer the world….when we’re sick, we think the world is conquering us. The knowledge is what happens in-between. Prevention is key…it’s so important to eat right, exercise, keep yourself strong. Vices tear down our health….the less that we have of them, the stronger we are. In reality, does it really matter how long you live, or, the quality of the days you experience? The healthier you are, the more alive you become.

This being summer, many are spending time in different locations on vacation, or with loved ones. Be careful…be safe, stay strong…

Stay healthy,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

Paris is one of a revolving group of starlets who roam the clubs of Hollywood and beyond, night after night. Each evening they battle through hoards of photographers who can’t get enough of their aura, smiles and outbursts. Yes indeed she is rich….famous? for what, I’m not quite sure. Is it a reality show, an X-rated movie on the web, an acting or singing career, or could it be just for being Paris? Reminds me of a conversation that I had with a high school student a few years back where she said to me, “Jennifer, I want to be famous.” And I replied, “For what?” and she said, “I don’t care for what, I just want to be famous.” I remember feeling kind of horrified. Has Fame in our society become the ultimate occupation?

The scandal papers just can’t get enough of these roaming starlets who parade through the night showing us an existence of what it’s like to be in the “in crowd.” They often partake in whatever their little hearts desire….booze, drugs, and/or sex of all kinds. Society can’t read enough about their latest escapades…in some morbid way, for many they’re living their lives for them. Each club and event clamors for their attendance, fully knowing that to have a “happening” you must have one of these starlets in attendance. The hunger grows each day until we arrive at the fever pitch. The point where the star has risen as high as the crowd wants them to be. Now we begin the stage of a free for all….how fast can we bring them down? Paris Hilton unfortunately has reached this point. She’s about to learn who her friends really are…she may be surprised how silent the phone will become. The news reports say she is on the verge of a nervous breakdown…in her wildest dreams she most likely never thought the road to Fame would lead to the jail cell. Mommy and Daddy’s money, her friend’s influences, or people in high places, could not stop the current events. Whatever evolves over the next few weeks, one thing is for sure, the life of Paris Hilton has changed.

I hope Paris turns her life around….in reality, she is lucky she didn’t end up dead and/or taken others with her. She may have been just one accident away from “killed on impact.” It looks like no one was stepping forward and saying, “You have a problem…you need help.” What she probably heard instead was something like, “How dare they treat you like this…who do they think they are?!” Paris is one of the lucky ones…she can come through this fairly intact and develop a sense of maturity, if she wants. So many others who wanted to be the next Paris Hilton never had the chance to live long enough to know that that road is a dead end street.

My wish for Paris is that she takes a good look at herself, reassesses her life, and realizes that Life can be wonderful, and the answers may not be found at the latest club or in a bottle.

Bon Chance,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

This is also the tenth anniversary of the website. I look forward with excitement and optimism to the next few years where many websites like my own will develop into mini television networks where people can view programs from their living room television screens whenever they choose. Some have that ability now…over time, it will be available to all.

So there it is….ten years! I hope in my own small way I have helped you from time to time. Yes I know….we may not always agree on subject matter, but I’m sure you understand my thoughts come from my heart.

Thanks to all for the continued success of the newsletter and website,

Love, and God Bless,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

Gayle informed me that after retiring, for the first time in her life she was finding peace and tranquility. The years of being in business had taken their toll and left her feeling that the only way for her to be happy was to be alone. The thirty years with her store had left her no time to develop a social life, and she never got married. Her personal life, she felt, was sacrificed for a successful business. I could not help but observe that with each sip of coffee, as Gayle opened up and told me about her life her sad eyes revealed what she had gone through. Tears welled up when she told me that if she had to do it all over again, she would have gladly forgone some of the money, for a little romance and companionship. I told Gayle that it’s not too late to find Love…perhaps it’s at this time in her life when she would appreciate it the most. She fired back, “Hermits don’t need Love, they need Peace.” I replied, “You can have both.” She thought about it, and gazed out the coffee shop window. Then I had an idea….I said, “Gayle, how about coming over to my home Friday night….a couple of us girls get together from time to time, just to chat and share a few laughs. Nothing heavy….just a little conversation to help us get through the week.” Gayle said that she would think about it.

So, lo and behold, Gayle showed up the following Friday night, nervous, but friendly. I watched as the time went by and slowly the tightness in her shoulders started to relax. She shared with us some wonderful, timeless stories, and we did the same with her. At the end of the evening Gayle remarked, “Is it okay if I come next Friday?” We all gave each other hugs and said, “See you next week.” Gayle drove away with a warm smile on her face.

Since that first Friday Gayle has come back time and time again, and now she is “one of the girls.” Just a few nights ago she brought up the term “Hermit,”….she laughed and said, “Ladies, I am a Recovering Hermit.” Gayle feels she has started a new chapter in her life, and recently a wonderful man has come into the picture. I guess I was right…. one can have Love and Peace, after all.

To Good Friends,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

There are certain cities in the world that are considered the hubs of wealth, yet, when you look at the lists of the richest people in the world, and where they live, in most cases they never show up in those locations. Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, lives in Seattle Washington, and Warren Buffet, coming in at number two, lives in Omaha, Nebraska. Surprised?

When over half the world gets by on the equivalent of a dollar a day, where we would live and what we would do with our lives carries quite a great responsibility. If much is given, much is expected. Some would choose a condo in midtown Manhattan, others a home in the Hamptons, still more an alpine lodge in Montana, a chalet in Switzerland, an apartment in Paris, a castle in Scotland, a mansion in Bangkok, a beachfront oasis in Bali, etc. Whatever we would choose, one thing would remain the same…we would still only have one life to live, and 24 hours in a day! What we do with that life and how we spend that time, would say mountains about who we are.

In most of the choices we make in life, there always seems to be a tug of war between the body and the soul. As we may enjoy the finer things, how much and how far we are willing to go to get them eventually comes into question. It is at those moments when we decide, how much do we compromise? If you can afford a huge house, does it mean you should buy it? Do you purchase a half million dollar automobile, or $20,000.00 Ford or Chevy? Things start to add up after a while….and before you know it, you have a lot of things, and not enough time to play with them all.

David Gilmore, guitarist with the rock group Pink Floyd, recently addressed the issue of acquiring things. He said something to the effect that he bought a collection of Ferrari cars, but what astonished him was that after a couple of years, he noticed that not only did he have to purchase the cars, but also provide garages to store them, and employ people to take care of them! You can imagine that after a while it started to look like a business had been built up around his fascination with a certain automobile. When many bands tour the world, they carry with them, in many cases, over five hundred people whose livelihood depends on the success of the tour. Each decision carries with it responsibility and ramifications. What we want and where we live, also carries with it that kind of weight.

A wise man once said the best kind of life is a simple life. One that holds with it a sense of spirituality and lightness of being. Simplicity can cut through anything…there is right, there is wrong, there is up, there is down, there is left, and there is right. Simple.

We may never have everything we want, but there’s a heck of a lot to say about contentment. Can we be happy with what we’ve got?

Smell the roses,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

I recently had a conversation with the director of my local senior center. She could not stress enough how vitally important it is for centers catering to retirees to get their programs together and be prepared for a large group of individuals to need and use their facilities. She is also aware that the face of her center will probably change as a reaction to the needs and wants of the coming Boomer Retirees. Yelling out your favorite Beatles tune will no longer get a blank stare to those over 65, in the next few years. The Boomers are coming….whether we like it or not.

This fact is not being lost on Corporate America and those corporations worldwide. They are strategically aligning themselves with programs and products to cater to the Boomer Demographic, with the disposable income that they’ll have. Is it too far fetched to think that one day within the next few years if you visit a senior center you may hear from the back a group of individuals in a rock band blasting out their favorite tunes? Will “Smoke on The Water,” “Whole Lotta Love,” or, “Free Bird” ever sound the same again? Boomer Bands Rock On!

There will be challenges, yet, the face of old age will change. The transformation of our nation will be quite noticeable. Politicians and entertainment companies will listen and observe the reactions from the Boomers to their policies and tastes. That much buying power coupled with more available time presents an undefiable concoction. There could be a drain and a concern on Generation X’ers to keep the ball rolling…hopefully the transition from Boomers to Generation X’ers will be smooth. Still, it’s quite possible that there will be hiccups in the passing of the baton to the next generation.

One final point I would like to present….the contributions of the Baby Boom Generation will be fully examined. Quantity versus quality will be addressed. The Boomers will have a chance to look back on their lives at what went right, and what went wrong. They will want to address, what do they really need to take with them into their senior years? They’ll finally have to ask themselves, did they change the world? or just add a new coat of paint?

Live long and prosper,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

It doesn’t have to stay that way. Take a trip, and upon your return, when you turn the key, the perspective will be changed. To not get bored with our lives and our surroundings, we constantly have to find ways of stripping away the fog and allowing new light to shine through those old windows. So how does one make one’s surroundings look new? It could be a new coat of paint, rearrangement of furniture, or a special painting in the center of the living room. Everything old can be made new again….all it may take is for our eyes to see things from a different perspective.

The same holds true for our cars, stereos, T.V. sets, etc. Most of the time new items begin to appear old because we allow ourselves to see them that way. Unfortunately, the same can be said for relationships! Some may think their lives can easily change by trading in their spouse for a new model…in quite a few cases, trust me, they don’t make them like they used to! There’s a lot to be said for “vintage”:)

Each morning when I rise the sun coming up always looks new….know why? Because standing before me is a new day, yet to be touched. There is no such thing as the same old sunrise or sunset. While we may feel Time can get repetitious, each second is sparkling new. As our experiences increase with age, the majestic always lies in what is simple. A walk through the woods, and one is totally reassured that the wind never blows the same way twice. All we have to do is shake up the routines, and our minds strip away the cobwebs over our eyes so the windows of our souls can see how wonderful and precious Life truly is.

Old and in the way? Never. Let’s raise our glasses to the vintage, to the flavor of Life, that never grows old.

Cheers,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

I once was walking along a street in New York City, a man bumped into me and kept right on going. I looked back, he didn’t even turn around, just headed off down the street, banging into a few other people. On another occasion, I was at the post office and a person went up to the window and asked for three books of stamps. The clerk at the window had a glazed look on his face….he waited about three minutes and said to the customer, “How many stamps do you want?” Comfortably numb, indeed.

Many of us are constantly looking for ways to deal with the pressures of life…some use medication, others alcohol, and some, exercise. Unfortunately, more and more are just choosing to tune out and float. You know what I mean? Just look around…you can see it. It’s one thing to daydream…it’s something else entirely to look vacated. The band Pink Floyd has written a song all about it called, you guessed it, “Comfortably Numb” !

Have you ever gotten into a car, driven around ten blocks, and wondered how you got there? Comfortably numb. Have you ever had a conversation with someone, tuned out, and tuned back in before the end of the conversation? Comfortably numb. Have you ever had a cup of coffee and then the next minute the cup is empty, and you’re wondering who drank it all? Comfortably numb! Have you ever done the laundry, brought it upstairs, and then returned later to pick it up again? Comfortably numb. How about this one….you think it’s Tuesday until you get to the office and find out it’s Wednesday! Comfortably numb, indeed.

As you can tell, I’m having a little fun with this…but one thing’s for sure….this “condition” of comfortably numb can become quite contagious. Let’s hope we don’t start to live in a world that’s just “comfortably numb.”

Step lively,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

Have you ever been around someone who is full of life and excited about the future? After a while the air around them begins to feel charged, and when they leave you feel a drop of energy. A fully charged individual believes anything is possible, if they just put their minds to it. On the other side of the coin are those who simply fold up the tent and surrender. Unfortunately, we’ve met some of those people too…how many times have we met someone who we feel has already died, and they’re just waiting for their heart to stop beating?

Sparks are all around us…little gems, little miracles that can blast us through a dead-end street. Some people see walls…while others can walk right through them. A wise man once said, if you don’t like the way things are, help change it, don’t sit back and complain. All it takes is one person to take a bold step. Sparks are there just for the asking, but it’s up to us to take the blinders off so that we can see their glow. The breath of God is all around us…all it takes is for us to breathe it in. A spark cannot ignite and glow unless it has oxygen…the air that God provides us to breathe, it too can transform the smallest ember into a flame within the heart.

Good people glow because they are full of sparks…they know that life is a marathon race, where a peaceful death is the finish line. Sparks can help us become super beings who can see beyond themselves. Sparks help us understand that we are all part of the family of man, where every soul is a member. A spark can be a thought, a new idea, a solution to a pressing problem. It’s extraordinary how just when we’re ready to give up, a spark appears.

Shine On,
Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

Start at the first moment you can remember being alive…let’s say it’s 3 years old. Picture the year in your mind….think to yourself, are there any positive memories associated with that year? If there are, write it down. Then, proceed to the next year and the one after that, and so on. Each time you remember a positive thought, action, or feeling, jot it down. After a while the list begins to grow and the negative memories fall by the wayside. As we look back on our teen years, some may have been troublesome, but I’m sure we all can pull a chuckle or two out of the rabbit’s hat of adolescence. Once you get to the present, look over the list….you may be surprised just how many good times you had and perhaps forgot about. Take the list and put it in a safe place. Whenever you have one of those blue days, where nothing seems to go right, take out the sheet of paper, look over it, and you’ll be transported back to a warm moment or two when the world seemed just right.

It’s not a foolish exercise….it’s not living in the past. It’s remembering the good times, and allowing us to count a blessing or two. I am a big believer in positive reinforcements…God knows we need them more than ever these days! But the past doesn’t always have to stay in the past….it might help us in the present to be able to burst forth and catapult us into tomorrow, understanding that good times too, can lie ahead…the best days of our lives may not be over, and miracles sometimes come when we least expect them.

When you get together next time with friends or family, try the exercise with them….pass a sheet of paper to each person in the group and get them to write down some positive thoughts and experiences from the past. Then, take turns reading them aloud. Trust me, there will be much laughter, pats on the back, and maybe even some tears of joy. At the end of the evening, you may all even ask yourselves, why don’t we do this more often?

A penny for your thoughts,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

When we examine these trails some are quite astonishing…they can incorporate dead ends, circles and paths that seem to go on forever. I have a cousin who passed away at 26 years of age…I kid you not, he packed more into those 26 years of living then some I meet who are close to 80. Though his trail may have seemed short to some, once inside the forest magical things can happen when you can stumble upon a super trail where Time and Space can be compressed and condensed. Jimi Hendrix, the legendary guitarist, passed away at 27 years of age, yet each year we are still amazed at the depth and expansion of the music that is still being released from the library of material he accumulated and recorded over his short time on earth. The other side of the equation is a friend I have who is 75 years old and spent the better part of her life doing as little as possible. Yes she had dreams, and ambitions, but was so paralyzed by the thought of taking a chance that she chose to not even bother. Unfortunately, Life can end quite quickly, but for those where it does, for the rest of us, wasting Time can become a sin.

Once we enter the Forest of Life, indeed anything can happen! We learn with each step, embrace the challenges, and seek food, comfort and shelter. Yet we are forewarned…it is quite easy to get lost in the forest. Weather conditions can change at any given moment. There are no guarantees, but to increase our odds the better prepared we are, and experiences along the way can greatly increase the odds for us to prevail through. The destination? What else? The other side of the forest.

Some consider Life the ultimate game, where the stakes are high, and mistakes are costly. For me, as I walk along my trail through the wilderness I may make mistakes, but I try to learn not to repeat them. Life can be kind, and Life can be cruel….yet no matter where we are in the forest, if we just look up, there is the sky, reminding us that there is another world beyond the trees.

Happy Trails,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

I’m sure we all have our horror stories of family members who went adrift and did bad deeds….but were we quite prepared to enter into financial and emotional relationships with strangers? What am I getting at? Well check this out….two brothers may have a hard time owning a house together, but have no problem becoming a partner in a condo or co-op with a group of people they don’t even know. Whether we care to admit it or not, condos and co-ops are business arrangements that are shared, and if something goes wrong, all are liable. So while we’re running from our families, we have landed and embraced relationships unfamiliar to us. While in the past families would pool their money together to purchase property and items, that money over time has been diluted and reduced to less buying power. The tribal family has become franchised.

Welcome to 2007….where people are starting to reverse the trend. I’ve begun reading where it is now becoming not uncommon for brothers and sisters to pool their money together to buy townhouses, two-family houses, and believe it or not, country inns. They woke up one morning and realized, “Hey, we can buy better and more if we pool our money together.” But can you really trust your family? Or do you have an easier time trusting strangers? In the olden days when a family member got out of line, the head of the family called a meeting and solved the problem. If a condo or co-op can have an elected board, why can’t a family? What was once scorned and frowned upon, is now starting to be considered an option, once again. Family used to be business, and finance…it just may become that once again.

While many of us in the past set out to try to reinvent the wheel, we may be just finding out that the wagon can run quite well with the wheels we already have. Maybe they just need a little oil and grease from time to time…but vintage doesn’t have to be a dirty word. The family structure is the glue that keeps a nation together…without it, over time, we crumble. I think many are coming Full Circle taking what they’ve learned, and applying it to the family structure and realizing that the best quality of life is when the family is strong, governed, and nurtured. We may return to the days where around one table Grandparents, parents, and children see themselves as friends, not enemies.

Full Circle,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

The Purpose of Life is to change it….we all come here fresh from Heaven, with traces of the knowledge and splendor, and the Love that creates us all….we are pushed or pulled into an earthly world of distress, disharmony, and decay. It is our job to change it….for the better. To make it become closer to where we originally come from….

So how do we do this? The complicated answer would be to say that each of us must do tremendous and huge things to accomplish this important change, but the truth is, it is the small and often unseen things that will change it the most. If each of us were able to see the Light of Compassion that beats in the chest of each of us, and the Glimmering Threads of Human Connection that makes us all One Family, we would never question or doubt our reason for being here. But by the very nature of birth, those memories of who we Truly Are become fragmented, all except for a trace…..the part of us that can still hear music, paint a canvas, cradle a baby, stroke a puppy.

So every time you smile at a sad soul walking towards you….every time you listen to a friend who needs a sounding board….when you feed a hungry person, take the time to play with a child, or cards with an older senior, these are the gestures that are our Purpose, and will help to Save the World. The ripple effect of a thousand kind gestures….spread across the spectrum of humanity.

Never doubt your Purpose….or ask if your life is “worth it.” It doesn’t take much to change the world….just the desire to do it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2007 Jennifer Avalon

The Purpose of Life is to change it….we all come here fresh from Heaven, with traces of the knowledge and splendor, and the Love that creates us all….we are pushed or pulled into an earthly world of distress, disharmony, and decay. It is our job to change it….for the better. To make it become closer to where we originally come from….

So how do we do this? The complicated answer would be to say that each of us must do tremendous and huge things to accomplish this important change, but the truth is, it is the small and often unseen things that will change it the most. If each of us were able to see the Light of Compassion that beats in the chest of each of us, and the Glimmering Threads of Human Connection that makes us all One Family, we would never question or doubt our reason for being here. But by the very nature of birth, those memories of who we Truly Are become fragmented, all except for a trace…..the part of us that can still hear music, paint a canvas, cradle a baby, stroke a puppy.

So every time you smile at a sad soul walking towards you….every time you listen to a friend who needs a sounding board….when you feed a hungry person, take the time to play with a child, or cards with an older senior, these are the gestures that are our Purpose, and will help to Save the World. The ripple effect of a thousand kind gestures….spread across the spectrum of humanity.

Never doubt your Purpose….or ask if your life is “worth it.” It doesn’t take much to change the world….just the desire to do it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

love, Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

Picture yourself on a hilltop…while all around you are levels of protection, each one existing to defend your way of life, family, and neighbors. One by one, these levels of protection have been attacked and compromised. Be it corruptions of government, or scandals within religious institutions…while each one falls the wave of turmoil moves closer. Radio and television host Glenn Beck calls it “the gathering storm.” He believes that the same atmosphere exists now as pre-world war two. Glenn believes it is 1938 all over again.

I try to stay quite positive in my own life…but I do believe there are forces in play to change the landscape and the way we all live. Have we all gone mad, or is there truly something brewing out there, something on the horizon, where someone believes it is their destiny to rule and own the world? It can all seem quite bizarre and funny until someone like the President of Iran not only says he wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, but take on the Anglo-Saxon way of life also. Other heads of state around the world also chime in from time to time their visions of a New World. Each week there is a new face standing on the soap box of threats.

Neville Chamberlain who was Prime Minister of Great Britain met with Adolph Hitler to try to negotiate a peace treaty before the start of World War Two. He arrived back in England waving a piece of paper, saying “I have met with Chancellor Hitler, and I trust him…there will be peace in our time.” While he was speaking the words, Hitler was invading Poland. As all this was going on, only one person in the British government took a strong stand against Hitler….guess who? Winston Churchill. Was Churchill naive? Or did he see the devastation that was about to come? Some are saying the same denial is taking place again.

Is the United States the Great Satan, as some would lead you to believe? Or is there another agenda in play in someone else’s mind, who has a different vision of what the world should be like? Two opposing ideologies are on a collision course, and unless someone steps in and is able to head them off at the pass, the outcome is starting to appear quite obvious. If this happens, it will make the Second World War look like a tea party.

Why do I write this, especially at this time of year? Because the greatest gift we all can have is Peace. If there is a “gathering storm,” perhaps someone can break through the clouds with a little gleaming sunlight. Perhaps someone can blow away the clouds and calm the winds. I don’t know if one country can do it alone, but there is a power that is strong enough to wipe away the darkness. God, we need you now more than ever.

Give the gift of Peace,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

For me, there is no greater gift than a hug, a handshake, or a tender kiss…why? Because they come straight from the heart…they weren’t purchased in a store…they are given unconditionally. The Christmas Season is about the miracle of a birth….who’s to say that miracles can’t happen in our own homes also. The Star that shone for the Three Wise Men along their path to Bethlehem still shines today, to guide us along our journey of life, until we reach the Promised Land. Throughout the centuries, wise men have told us this message over and over again. We All Shall Overcome, someday.

Whatever the future may hold, as long as we have each other and as long as there is Love in this world, there is a chance for mankind to climb out of the Valley of Fear. This Christmas, may we all join hands around all of our tables, no matter how large or small, look up, give thanks, and pray for Peace. If we all for just one moment stop what we’re doing, collectively project our thoughts into the universe, the amplification of Love will calm any waves of despair.

Christmas is about birth…is about Love…is for everyone to feel a part of. No one is left out of a true Christmas. New Year’s is about rebirth, Hope, and dreams….and the Faith that all things are possible.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

As I journey through my trying times, I am always amazed at how many others also face moments of crisis. I kid you not, it almost feels sometimes that we’re all joining hands together, helping each other get through, and keeping each other from going down. One thing’s for sure, when a group of powerful souls gather together in a room with the Heavens looking over, the mountains can be overcome, and the wounds, over time, do heal. My family and friends are always there for me in my times of need. As easy as it can be to take them for granted, always around Thanksgiving I try my best to tell them, “Thanks,” for just being there.

It’s quite interesting that when things go wrong we say, “Why me?” yet when things go right, it’s easy to feel, “Why not?” Each gift that we receive is truly a blessing and can never be taken for granted, as when despair and misfortune comes knocking at the door, it is at those times that we must overcome and evolve into better people. The Heavens see the Greater Picture while we mere mortals journey on down the road of life.

Thanks to One and All….those whom I’ve lost, those that I still have, and those I have yet to meet,

Happy Thanksgiving,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

We all are Minstrels with a job to do. When the crowds cheer loudest, the feeling can be empty, yet, when just one voice answers, the heart can overflow. In life, things are never quite as they seem…each day one feels like a walking contradiction…still, the Minstrel in us all forges on with the hope and belief that we all can make this world a better place. Whatever the instrument, the words, or the tune, all our hearts have a song to sing, for the orchestra of life. Either rich or poor, strong or weak, the ears of humanity listen each day for the song of Hope. Silence may be golden, but sound is eternal. Each one of us have a song to sing…whether we know it or not, and every night the Heavens listen, hoping that the chorus grows louder each day, fearing that we all become a distant echo.

So on we go, step by step, mile by mile…until the journey’s over, and the symphony of our lives is complete.

Lift up your voice,

Jennifer Avalon

© 2006 Jennifer Avalon

For example: This week at various times I too have fallen victim to “clashing shows.” America has gone crazy for a show that I have touched on before….called, “Dancing With the Stars,” a weekly show where a champion dancer is partnered with a celebrity, who has very little dancing experience. This is all fine and dandy, unless another one of your favorite shows is on a different channel, at the same time. In my case, it is the Fox Network’s “House,” and also Sci-Fi’s new series “Eureka.” So what do I do? I watch “Dancing With the Stars,” which is now a two hour show, and videotape “House,” and “Eureka.” If this dilemma of having different shows on different networks at the same time starts to repeat itself on multiple nights, by the end of the week you begin to accumulate a nice stash of shows to watch over the weekend.

What kind of effect does this have on your life? I kid you not, some of my friends and I have talked about this….you start to schedule your life around finding time to see all these accumulated shows! Yes indeed…there truly is “only 24 hours in a day!” Tell that to the networks! The scenario gets even more complicated when one or more people in the same household begin to make their favorite shows known also. Moms, Dads, and kids all wrestling with a perilous thought, “What do we watch?” and “When can we watch it?”

I have found it is not a problem taping or tivoing these assortment of shows….but trying to find the time to watch them starts to become a ridiculous problem. It reminded me of a conversation with a college student a number of years ago, where she mentioned that quite a few students were addicted to soap operas, and they would schedule their classes around the ability to be able to watch their favorite soaps! (this was before the days of video). Let me ask you this…how many people do you know videotape their favorite shows du