The sneezy season.

It's official, we're all getting sick.
If one of us gets sick during the sneezy season it spreads through our house like wildfire.
My daughter and I had our flu shot one week ago, so I was feeling quite smug that we hadn't yet caught the dreaded cold and we were immune to this year's flu.
Unfortunately today my daughter has a sky high temperature, a cough and a sore throat.
The poor thing ate ice-cream for dinner - not that she was complaining.
The thing I dislike most about this time of year is not the bugs that float around but the people. You know the ones who play the martyr by 'getting on with it' and as a result graciously share their disease.
Our doctor said this is one of the worst flu seasons she's seen, but where is the hyperbole in the media? No front page story about the dangers of flu season? No continuous television reports on the perils of this season's super flu?
I for one am glad we've been vaccinated against the flu - it's one less thing to worry about while walking the sneezy streets this winter.

Treading water.

Queenslanders are in the midst of the worst flood disaster since 1974. The images we keep seeing are unbelievable but while many of us look on with horror some are in the middle of their worst nightmare.

I cried when I heard about the four-year-old boy who was swept away in flood waters while his family was being rescued. And my heart broke when I learned that a women and her baby perished while trapped in their car as a torrent of water filled Toowoomba's CBD.

How could this happen without warning?

My heart goes out to all those who are affected by this tragic natural disaster.

Let's all give what we can to help those who've lost their loved ones, their homes and all their possessions.

You can make a donation at the Queensland Government's Flood Relief website. Or today only you can go to the Cudo website and they'll match your donation dollar for dollar.

Religion or spirituality?

I received a Catholic education so religion was a big part of the agenda growing up. But something about the doctrine just didn't do it for me. There was something big missing. It wasn't until I reached a low point in my life that I went in search of meaning and discovered the difference between religion and spirituality. I think this quote sums it up nicely.

"The essence of religion:

Fear God and obey God.

The quintessence of spirituality:

Love God and become another God."

- Sri Chinmoy 

The man who first opened my eyes to a spiritual awakening was, of course, The Dalai Lama. His latest book, My Spiritual Journey, is now out in bookstores and has been lauded as an excellent introduction to Tibetan Buddhism and an inspiration to those seeking a richer spiritual life. I'm yet to read it but when I do I'll report back with - an almost certainly growing - review. 

If I had to recommend two books that changed the way I lived my life in a spiritual sense it's Buddhism for Busy People by David Michie and The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama. 

Spirituality and religion are by no means exclusive - you can have both. But for me it's a spiritual search. So religion or spirituality, or both? 

The power of affirmations.

According to clinical psychologist Victoria Kasunic we have about 60 000 thoughts a day and about 45 000 of those are negative. That's a lot of negative energy! She says to become happier you should try steer your thoughts to those that make you feel positive. 


So I've decided one positive affirmation a day may keep the head doctor away in 2011.  The first for the year is by Belva Davis, and award-winning journalist. 

"Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so."