#UnitedWeStand

#takeaknee

It started by a person wanting to bring light to an issue. 

I had to ask myself, if by kneeling to a Flag that represents the country in which I live, would it make a difference?

I googled, "What changes have been made with #takeaknee"

I believe it has. It has created division among Americans.

One person decided not to stand up and pledge his allegiance to the Flag of His Country, in which He lives and works in.

I am not sure what he is doing, other than kneeling, to make a change. I don't even know why he thought kneeling, on the job, would be a good idea in the first place. He had to of known the Media would go crazy with it. He must of known it would have some negative impact. I still do not know how this protest will change the way people are being treated off the NFL field.

What I do know is, that by this man kneeling, it has only caused more division. It has changed the American game of football.

An American pastime, that most of us played in our yards as kids, that the majority of Americans love to watch. Now has unneeded attention, that has catapulted into a political hot mess! The question being asked is, "Do you side with the kneel or standing?"

We are a Country in need of Peace not more division. This is not bringing Americans together. This is not bringing Police Officer's and American's together.

We all need to take these words more seriously and as they were meant to be heard.

" I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

#UnitedWeStand


Until Next Time,
~It is what it is~

My answer is, Yes, I believe so......

A couple close to me, who I have known a wicked long time, bought a second home in New England.

They spent some time in this house fixing it up. The purpose, to rent it out as a vacation home. One evening, the wife, was in the living room and saw an old lady floating about in the corner of the room. She also had a problem with the TV.  Staying calm, she went about her evening.

Fast forward to their daughter's visit with their grandchildren. The youngest child asked her mom who the old lady was? She told her mom that she said hi to her and she said hi back.

Current year. They rented out their house for the summer to a couple with kids. They recently received a phone call from the renters... Yes, they called to them know that their kids have been seeing a ghost. An old lady.

I remember the wife telling me about seeing the ghost. I accepted it. We talked about it and moved on.

We both believe that our lives do not end with our death but it was a theory or a belief that there is more to this world we live in.

I was telling my kids about it and I had a scary realization: I know people who have seen a ghost! It is no longer a theory or a belief, it is a fact. A Fact!!!

One of my son's said, "So, if this ghost came in peace, by causing no trouble, then that means there is a good place and that must mean there is a bad place. It is real."

I am stating facts. The Fact that more than one person saw the same ghost. A fact.

Kids are open minded because they have not experienced enough to know not to always take things as they are. We gain skepticism as we experience life. Some of those life experiences, show us that there is more to this life than we know or want to believe. But, in our own skepticism, we choose not to see the most simplest of facts.

All of this lead me to this:

If we all kept a childlike perspective, as we grew into adulthood, and just accepted the facts that life has to offer us, without doubt or skepticism, would our lives be any different?


Until next time,
~It is what it is~

See the Beauty in the Pain.....

We all have dealt with pain in our lives. Physically or emotionally, pain is pain.

I haven't met a soul who has lived a life free from pain.

We may become so accustomed to pain, that we don't know how to be without it.

"Let the bullets fly

Oh

 Let them Rain

My luck, my love, my God,

They came from

PAIN"

You may be of the few unfortunate ones who learned pain way too early in life. A lesson teaching us that nothing comes without pain.

Let it go. Yeah, I know easier said then done. The longer you hold on to it, the more it controls you. Your perspective on life will always come from a place of pain not peace.

And your saying, So? 

"I can handle it. I am strong enough. I have been through worse."

You might think that is a perfectly good response. Right? 

How about, "I know I am strong enough but that does not mean I should have to handle this alone or at all!"

When you let it go, your perspective on life changes. Pain makes you stronger not more deserving of more pain. 

"I am the one at the sail,

I'm the Master of My sea"

Yes, it is that simple. You are in control of what you want to control. Start small. Let some of it go. 

Don't let the pain control you anymore. Give it less of your energy. 

Until Next Time,

~It is what it is~

Good Night. Sleep Well 💜💜💜

Good Evening.

These past 2 days have been so insane at work. I work with the Public and they could not be pleased, no matter how hard I tried!! So, as I am getting ready for bed, I  am mentally playing over this weekends events. I had to look up to see if it was a full moon or not. It's not.

We are in the new moon phase. New Moon.

I was thinking about it. Does the moon have an affect on us? Our behaviors? Our thoughts? Our feelings?

I slept terrible last night. Kept waking up for no apparent reason. My mind was searching for something, like I was missing something. Maybe a dream woke me up. IDK Customers were off the chain insane!! All my co-workers were ova tired, which made the days more enjoyable for sure! CLAP! CLAP!! 😉😉

What do you think? I don't really know.  What I do know is this:

New Moon, Insane customer's, interrupted sleep, silly exhaustion during the day and long work days, can certainly leave a person thinking that, yes, the moon and it's cycles has an affect upon us.


Until next time,
~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Telepathy or Coincidence????

Telepathy defined by Dictionary.com- Noun. Communication between minds by some means other than sensory perception.

The other day I was driving home from work, trying to remember if I did take something out for dinner or not. I pulled into the driveway and as I am taking the keys out of the ignition, I think of a friend I haven't spoken to in awhile. I think, I will shoot them a text later, and go in the house.  Later that evening, before I get a chance to text them, I get a text from that same person!!!

It is obvious they had been thinking of me and I them. But the same day? Hmmm..

Does someone just pop in your mind, out of no where? Do you know who is calling you even before you look at your phone? Do you just call someone and realize that they needed to talk with you?

Coincidence-a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance.


Coincidence or telepathy?

I asked my friend if they had been thinking of me earlier in the day? They laughed said, "how'd you know and why?" We had a long discussion about it.

We concluded that sometimes we just know things, that can't be easily explained. That there is a possibility that we are all connected someway.

It is how we perceive things. If we are open to the possibility of connections and what they bring.

That there are signs and directions everywhere for us.

What do you believe?



Until next time,
~It is what it is~



http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Lightning & Thunder

Quiet your mind and heart.


Place the headphones on, loud.


Hit play and close your eyes.




Who did you think of?

That is where your soul belongs.

Passion, desire, fire, heat, and pain. 

The one you want to share everything with.

You know, the one you lied to because you thought you both would be better off without each other.
Maybe you were too scared to feel that much.

Maybe that much passion scared you.

The one you still think of.



Love who sets your Soul on fire.

"Let's burn like wildfire

Be lightning and thunder

Let's hold our breath"

Until next time,
~It is what it is~


http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

No, we don't.

I think, "Chapters that are not read out loud, gives us the most personal growth."


I think it is safe to say that we all have a, "Young and I was way too stupid chapter."
You know, the time when we think that we are indestructible, knowing everything that there is possibly to know about life, stage. So, So, glad I survived that!!!


No, I am talking about the real chapters of life. The ones when we think we truly have life figured out and what we really want from it.


The Chapter--"The Love Story that, well, was more of a horror story." Or, how we may have let, "The one that got away story", but in reality taught us what we needed to know about Love, how we want to be Loved, and how to Love others, earnestly.


The Chapter--"Dear God, What Was I Thinking By Doing That?!" Enough. Said.


The Chapter--"I will just blend in and be like everyone else." The safety zone. You don't try new things, you give way more than you receive, you do what you need to do, nothing more and nothing less.That, Less, is in fact, more. This is a tricky chapter.  It may also teach us that we don't  want more from life or that we have in fact, settled for Life. Sometimes, it is hard to know the difference.


The Chapter--"I Do Not Recognize Myself." When you want more, but what you are currently doing, is not working for you. So, you change and become this other being, entirely. Act in a way, that is simply not the real you. Things that were never important to you, suddenly mean the world to you. You, hopefully, snap out of it one day. This teaches us, what we really are passionate for, what limits become limitless for us, and you learn, that you never really had to change who you were to begin with. The full acceptance of you.


Regardless, what kind of or how many chapters, "That you do not read out Loud" you have, embrace all of them. They are the Best Chapters of your life.

 It is what makes you Unique, Special and Different from others.


Do we really need to read out loud every chapter in our lives?

No, we don't.




Until Next Time,
~It is what it is~






http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Hard Love. Not Hard to Love.

Doing right but believed to be wrong=Your Life in the moment.

You feel like you can't trust your own instincts, what to do or even which way to go. I am so sorry that you have to go through this.

I do know that people who speak badly about you, don't love you. They may have pretended to love  you, only to get you to be who they wanted you to be, for them. For their own needs. For their own games.

You have qualities that they admire and do not have themselves. Jealousy can be a big motivator behind people's actions.

You need to realize that, You, are the normal one.

But that means nothing while you are going through this, alone.

Do not believe or allow the fakeness to make you think that you are the one that's wrong.

You just are not manipulative or jealous of what others have or do.

The truth is, You are the good in today's world.  You are allowing choices to be made about how a person wants to be, not you.

Eventually, You will realize that you were fighting to keep the wrong people in your life. That you loved them but, they, did not, in fact, love you.

You will be able to see the red flag's in situations. Make better choices about who you fight for and keep in your life.  You will be able to trust again.


A Genuine kindness and acceptance of other's is Your role in this life. Not everyone is entitled to or able to handle such an important role. Not everyone has the courage to fight for what they want or who they are passionate for.


Please, do not give up, even for a little bit of time. Life can be harder for some than others.

Hold on tight a little longer
What don't kill ya, makes ya stronger
Get back up, 'cause it's a hard love
You can't change without a fallout
It's gon' hurt, but don't you slow down
Get back up, 'cause it's a hard love
'Cause it's a hard love

Until next time,
~It is what it is~


http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

You say, "Hamburger". I say, "Hambooglah".

Me-I thought the garbage truck came by early?
My daughter-What?
Me-They haven't picked up yet and it is 9am. I thought they came by this "root" like 5:30am?
My daughter-Oh. They have different "roots" I mean routes. You know, the right way to say it. Wink wink giggle giggle.

I have an accent. I lived up north for 43 years of my life. My daughter was 18 months when we moved to the south. She is constantly correcting me. This chat has me thinking about my history.

I have a history as to why I talk the way I do. Partly from being up north and partly from my mother. You see my mom is from Portugal. She moved here with my dad when she was 20. They had only been in this country for 6 years when they had me. The language spoken in my house was mainly Portuguese. I have two older sisters and when they started school, English became the main language spoken in my home. My dad went to school to learn English earlier when he started working. My mom decided to learn when I learned. I can remember reading Dr. Seuss books with her. Now imagine a little girl who has a mom, learning to read with a thick Portuguese accent, teaching her daughter how to read while living in the North.

End result?  I add "ah" when the word should end in an r. I cannot pronounce certain words. I grew up thinking watermelon was pronounced, "Wahtamela". Hamburger was pronounced, "Hambooglah".  My friends would come ova and tell me that my mom sounded funny. I didn't hear her accent then and neva will. It is what she sounds like to me.

Fast forward to the present moment. I am in the south. I have a daughter who learned how to read in the south, with help from her mom, who has a northern accent, who learned from her Portuguese mother.

Is it really no surprise that she would mess up a word or two? Nope, not at all.

We all have a history. All of it forms us. Sometimes, there is nothing we can do about it or we end up changing it.


In my case, I think it makes me who I am and I am totally okay with that.

Now, please, pass the ketchup, for my "Hambooglah." 😉


Until next time,
~It is what it is~


http:/www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

What is your number?????

The past couple of days, each time I looked at the time, these were the times glaring back at me.

Odd.

You guys know by now, I don't believe in coincidences. Way too many things have happened in my life for me to believe otherwise.

I looked them up. There is a story for someone. This is what I think it means:

The attempt to block your heart from feeling anything or everything, is not working. You are blocking your soul from being free. It is easy to do. Hearts can be so fragile and keep memories for a very long, long time. Especially, the ones we want to forget.

You can't simply block feelings or stop yourself from having them. What you are doing is living in denial and that, is slowly burying your Soul.

Whatever you call it, Soul, inner voice, your gut...etc... It does exist.

You cannot be you, unless you are free to be free. Think about your judgments. How clear are you? Make any bad decisions?

Hearts break, expectations are painful, and feelings get hurt.  That is life. You are only stopping yourself from living it.

So just start living it. Get your heart broken, take the risk, and drop the expectations. Just allow yourself to feel every experience and everything that this life has to offer you. Chase the dream. Follow your heart and quiet your mind.

Simple. Not easy, but yes, very simple!

How can you get wise with wisdom if you do not allow yourself to feel and live life?



Until next time,
~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Don't Go......

I had to travel for work this week. One of my adult sons had sent me this text after I told him that I would be going, while sitting next to me!!

It was a bittersweet moment for me.

He is starting his adult life this summer and will soon be leaving me.

I am the one who wants to scream DON'T GO!!!

I have been preparing him for this moment his whole life.

I am torn. I cannot wait to see what kind of Man he will become. I want him to have life changing experiences. I want him to have adventures. I want him to have a full life.

But it only seems like yesterday, that I held him for the first time. I can remember his little arms giving me the biggest hugs. The excitement of seeing something for the first time.  I am dumbfounded how quickly 18 years has gone by.

I enjoy the adult chats we now have, as much as I did reading to him when he was 5.

I went through the same thing with my first child. No, it doesn't get any easier.

We close one chapter of our lives to start a new one. We were actually talking about this the day of his graduation.

Each chapter changes us and that is how we grow up. We are constantly learning.

If we are one of the fortune ones, we will always have those that truly love us around us and...

We will neva have to say, "Don't Go".


Until Next Time,
~It is what it is~


https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Something......

Something just like this......

To be a feeling of going back home.

Little moments build the foundation.

Forgiveness, given in a heartbeat.

A sense of being completely independent.

A sense of being whole.

Truths freely spoken.

Those annoying little things become a comfort in time.

Love does not need a shiny white horse, a cape, or a mask of heroics.

Love does not need sparkly jewels.

Simple. Fluid. Easy.

Freeing.



Until next time,
~It is what it is~


http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Eventually, Everything comes to light.......

Misery loves company. Some people don't get what they want and feel that those that (they think)  are beneath them, should be miserable too. They can appear to be smart, funny, and oh so ever charming, that they suck you right in. They will act like your friend and pretend to be on your side. Next thing you know they are your bff and life is great, until it isn't.

What you don't know or choose to ignore the little red flags, is that they are already making your life miserable. You can try to confront them but it won't work. You can only tell them what they want to hear, they won't believe anything else anyways. They will give you some sob story about their life and try to make you feel like your the wrong one, not them.

Bottom line, people like that, do not know how to be a friend to anyone. They chose a long time ago to be a miserable person.  So, say what you have to say. Lie if you have to. Give them what they want to hear. You know they are repeating what you are saying anyways. Do what you have to do to make them go away.

Most important thing to remember is that, they chose you because they are jealous of who you are and what you have.
 

Do not play with them. You will not change them. You. Will. Not. Change. Them.

You will lose each and every time.

Time will catch up to them.

Leave it in the Dark where it belongs, for now.

Eventually, Everything comes to light.....



Until next time,
~It is what it is~


http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Buckle up, you're gonna need something.....

Difficult roads are the freaking worst!!! You set out to obtain something only to find out that it is way more involved than you ever thought possible.

For every struggle we overcome, we think we are able to handle anything else that may come our way....until the road takes us up another hill.

There are days when we want to throw in the towel and just say, "I am Done."

Done. Done. Done. We will accept the blame for it all. Play the pity card but not let anyone know.

I suppose we could move and assume a new life. Start fresh. Leave it all behind. Or is that considered "Running Away"?

I kinda like that thought. Pick who we want to run away with. Where we want to live. Do what we want, when we want. No "Difficult Roads" to travel. Period. Eva!!!

What? Looking for the words of inspiration here? Looking for the dark days will end speech? The roads are challenging, that is why they are difficult but you will overcome attitude?

Nope. We all have to deal with the difficult roads and follow them to where they lead us.

We need to travel the roads we must. We deal with them as we do. The outcome is part of our life.

My thoughts are pretty simple. Life isn't fair. There will be difficult roads to travel. People will disappoint you. You will not be able to trust anyone.

These difficult roads will show you who is real, worth it, how regrets are made, what dark days are made of, and how strong you really can be.

Difficult Roads are just a part of life. Suck it up, buttercup and be sure to.......

...........Buckle up, you're gonna need something to hold on to. 

Until next time,

~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

What are you tied to????

Read that again. Is true for you?

We can get our happiness dependent on things rather than goals.  We can allow our goals to fall by the wayside because we get attached to things or people.

Workwise, we can get attached to people rather than the job itself. The harm in doing this, is we lose sight of what we actually want from the job, and end up caring about feelings instead of our initial goal/our self.

You may think you can keep it separate, right?  Not likely. When we end up caught up in the feels, we tend to form allies with people instead of aligning with our goals. The goal of becoming more than what we initially start out as, now becomes a comfort of where we are, with the people who comfort us. We then start to think like them. If they do not have the same goals as us, we become less than what we are and more like them.  Then they can get the feeling of betrayal, when we snap out of what we are doing and try to refocus on our original goal. We can become friendly with our coworkers but do not let the friendship derail our goals. We don't have to be mean, distant, or superior than others.  We need to realize that we are there for a purpose and not let the location, people, or the work itself, distract us from who we are and what we want to be.

Relationship wise, we can get so attached or infatuated with someone, we can get lost to who we are with who they are. This happens with lovers and friends. We can become a follower without realizing it.  We just go with the flow and excitement of being part of something bigger than us, we forget who we are. We end up doing things that we wouldn't normally do. I call this phase of life, "The party train ride". We follow along and it is all fun and games until we get derailed. Oh, we will get derailed, no doubt. Life has a way of showing us what we are doing when we aren't supposed to be doing it.  It is up to us to recognize the signs before we get derailed. It is okay to try new things, experience life from a new perspective, and grow.  Keeping our own identity in any relationship is a necessity. Feelings are normal, just be sure what you feel will continue to allow you to be you.

Happiness is.... 

Not who you are with.

Not on your surroundings.

Not what you are doing.

Real happiness depends on you.

Your love of people.

What you fill your life with.

Happiness is inside of you, not what you are tied to.

YOU.

Until next time,

~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

It's the bottm of the the 3rd, with...........

I was scrolling along and this popped up in my news feed on Facebook. Life can certainly make us feel like we are New England and Life is Atlanta. The good news is, New England won!!! Sorry, just had too. (Total New England Fan here)

Life is filled with Time.  We can get so filled with doubt, worry, and other negative emotions, that we do not see that this is only for a short time. Time is always on your side. Good or Bad.  It is up to us to utilize the time we have.

I have had car issues. I had to wait until I could get it to the mechanics on my day off.  I could only drive my vehicle 20 miles an hour. So there I was creeping along. Before I knew it, there was a line behind me. I put my hazards on. A couple of cars sped around me. Can you remember the last time you drove 20 miles an hour? This little trip turned into a journey for me

There I was, going ever so slowly, I started noticing how green everything was getting. I could see kids playing outside in their yards. Then I saw the dreaded stop sign. Meaning I would have to stop. The car would not always go again after I stop. Here come the nerves, doubt and worry. I stop. The car gets going again. I can breathe again. Then it hits me!

I needed to do this little road trip for me. As much as I hate having to depend on others, I had no choice. I can be too much of an independent sort. I am a doer and a giver not a receiver. It stresses me out when I have to rely on others. I have been finagling this and that, that I have not been enjoy my time.

You see, whether we are in a good or bad cycle of life, we have time. How we choose to spend that time, is totally up to us. We can focus on the bad with worry and doubt or we can go through our time, enjoying what is around us. The end result is the going to be the same, regardless how we spend our time.

Letting go and just being, was what I needed to remind me that I was missing out on Life. Good or Bad, it is my time.


So I ask you this, "It is the bottom of the 3rd quarter, your down 25 points, and only have 2 minutes in this round, with one more quarter left, what are you going to do with your Time?"



Until next time,
~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Sausalito, California. Circa 1982

"Random Acts of Kindness"

"It all started in a Sausalito, California, restaurant in 1982 when Anne Herbert scrawled the words "practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty" on a place mat. From there it spread to bumper stickers, quietly at first, but with all the powerful momentum of something important–calling us to lives of caring and compassion. Random Acts of Kindness, true stories of acts of kindness, was published in February 1993 and set off a chain reaction. Articles appeared in nearly every newspaper in the U.S., and hundreds of radio stations devoted airtime to the cause. Toward the end of 1993, a Bakersfield, California, professor gave a class assignment to do a random act of kindness–unleashing yet another flood of stories. The concept continues to spread, and we hope it will carry on until the beauty of simple kindness touches–and changes–us all."

Have you ever thought about the movement of "Random Acts of Kindness" and how it came to be?

Have you ever asked yourself this, Why do we need a movement promoting kindness in the first place?

I know people can be kind.  I can draw a side out of people that is kind, raw, and honest.  I get to see the kindness that is embedded in people, in it's truest form. 

Why do people have to be reminded to be kind to one another? Why?

They are trying to meet their needs and the needs of their family.

They are just trying to get ahead in their careers.

They are just busy going to meetings, games, and gatherings.

They are just exhausted from what their life demands of them.

They are just trying to get financial freedom.

They are just trying to live day to day.

They are too busy keeping their feelings within themselves.

They are just to busy making their life.

They are just to busy taking advantage of others.

They are just to busy scamming others.

They are just to busy wanting what others have, they will do whatever it takes to get it.

I think the world has changed. It is more of a "Out for Me and Mine" kind of world today. People willing to do anything to get what they want. People willing to stab you in the back. People trying to make your life miserable because their life is.

Bad things happen to Good people. People get scammed every day. Fraudulent activity is the norm now-a-days.

I am kind. I have been treated unkindly. People use my kindness for their own gain.

It will never stop me from being kind.

How I act reflects on me. I don't need to be reminded.

WHY DO YOU?



Until next time,
~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Stop with the comments already.........

"5 yr old child dies at an Atlanta restaurant."

There was this horrific accident, involving a child, at a rotating restaurant in Atlanta, on 4/14/17. The child died from his injuries.

I am not sure why when there is a tragic accident involving kids, some people feel the need to just blame the whole thing on the parents/guardians.  Getting up on their high horse and cast their judgments.  Giving the holier than thou opinion, as if they know what really happened.

I am a mother of four kids. I get how kids can be. How sometimes I wished for octopus limbs when they were young. No matter how good of a parent you are, kids will always be kids.

There were multiple comments on Facebook blaming the parents. I might be old, but manners and kindness do not have an age limit. I am not sure why people think that casting their opinion would even matter?

How do you know what happened if you were not there? Why assume that the child was not watched properly? What if they were looking at the menu? What if they were paying the bill? What if they were getting up to leave? What if he wanted to look out the window and the parents watched him walk over to the window and then see the horrific accident unfold right before their eyes?

One of my kids has Scoliosis. They were 8 when the doctor discovered it and it was at a severe curve. A few people would ask how I didn't catch it earlier? How could I not discover it when it first started? I got the implication they were giving me. I would just say nothing in response out of fear of allowing my guilt to be seen.

You see it doesn't matter that I never saw my child, at 8 years old, naked. It doesn't matter that when I hugged my child, I would hug them around their waist. It doesn't matter that what was going on inside their body was much worse than what was showing on the outside. But hey, thanks for blaming me anyways. Some still wonder, while I have become a recluse....

Parents put an immense amount of self blame, doubt, and guilt on themselves already. Regardless if it is justified or not. They do not need your condescending pointing finger bullshit comments.

When Baby Jessica fell down a well,(1987) at 18 months old, for 58 hours, I remember people praying and being positive. The majority was accepting of the fact that accidents just happened, even bad ones. Negative thoughts were not spoken out loud. Unlike, today.

Perhaps, one should go by the old saying:

Until next time,

~It is what it is~

http://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

In the wells of Silence....

This, simple song, completely interprets today's world. I hope it touches your soul, as it has mine.

There are so many ways to keep in touch with each other today. Texting, Facebook, twitter, emails, skyping, snapchat, and much more.  In that same moment, we are more alone than ever before.

We are left feeling alone and becoming quite accustomed to it. We are dealing with a depth of fakeness that is easily masked within the technological world.  We are losing touch with the reality of people.

We can feel that we are wandering through this life alone. It is becoming so dark that it is not a surprise to read the headlines anymore:

"An officer was slashed in the head and another one was slashed in the arm before one officer was able to fatally shoot the attacker." Queens, NY--03/19/207

"Florida teens accused of planning school shooting-01/27/2017"


Through these acts of violence, our lives have become meaningless. Completely Meaningless.

Human life. Your Life. Police officers are being attacked by the same people they vowed to serve and protect.

Children. Yours and Mine, are attacking one another.

We are more concerned with how much we are paying for healthcare and equal rights for all, than we are actually for one another.  We are Alone.

Abortions--266,001 01/01/2017-03/30/2017

Suicide--10,419 01/01/2017-03/30/2017

276,420 lives in 3 months time, gone. (Real time death stats)

When we do rally together for a cause, it only divides us further apart. Forcing us to take sides instead of coming together for a solution. No one is willing to swallow their own pride and give in for another human being. For the greater good of all mankind.

We respond to the neon lights and keep our heads down, blind to everything around us. Keeping to ourselves even more. Do not tell me, who, how, or what to believe in or do. I look out for me and my own.

"And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon God they made. "

And there are those like you 'n me, but we feel that we are alone.

"Fools said I, you do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you.
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence"

Until next time,
~It is what it is~



https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

How far will you go?

"You have to find your way in this life
or the way of this life
will find you."

I saw the movie Moana the other night. I have also seen Brave, Tangled, The Bee Movie, Toy Story (all 3 of them) Zootopia, and countless other animated movies geared for Kids and Kids of all ages.

They all have a common theme. A theme that speaks of life and how we need not to be afraid of what our life has in store for us. How that we are not who we are meant to be until we overcome any and all obstacles. Mostly the obstacles are created by ourselves.

Oh it is easy to forget the reasons for our own unhappiness is indeed our fault to begin with. We allow our fears to become reasons for not being all we can be in life.

"I couldn't possibly start a new career at this age."

"There is never enough time for me."

"I don't like to fly."

"I don't think I could do that."

"Too much has happened."


The sad thing is, we believe the reasons we cannot go for what we truly want in life, because we can't except the fact the we changed or are afraid of the unknown.

We become comfortable in the life we do make for ourselves. At the time we made our choices, we did not truly listen or they were the choices we made at the time because they were right at that time.

If you are lacking something, know you are just going through the motions, then there is something your not doing. Why?

For every reason you can think of, life will continue to show you that there are many more reasons why you should go for it.

The bravest person I know, is the person who followed their passion in life. Doors always open and things fall into place when you start to listen to that voice.

You will continue to struggle within yourself until you do what you are meant to do. What calls you or what you are drawn to, will never stop.


Life has a way of showing us what we need to change to make it happen.


I heard two really good pieces of advice:

"Life can save even the darkest souls. &

Only you control the outcome of your fate."

Your Welcome.


Until next time,
~It is what it is~


https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

A Beautiful world is what we choose to see.....

It was one of those unplanned conversations. Beauty.

Who gets to decide who is beautiful? How is beauty defined?

Is it solely based on one's physical attributes?  If so, does that make one shallow?

Is it solely based on one's personality? If so, does appearance matter at all?

Do your parents/guardians have any influence on whom you believe to be beautiful?

So many factors to consider.

We didn't really come up with an answer we all agreed on but we did realize two things, we all have a type and it is mostly based on personality.

One said that they were surprised that they dated a certain person. They had just started talking and hit it off.

So the question was asked, "Is it the spark/chemistry that brings you together and the looks just get you to meet?"

One said they met their wife by accident. She fell right in front of him, he helped her up and that was that. She is beautiful to him. Married with many kids 10 years and still going strong.

One said that their men had to have beards or they didn't find them to be attractive at all.

One said beauty wasn't a factor at all. What mattered was if they were nice.

One stated, "that I am not the ugliest nor the most beautiful although, what I have to offer more than makes up for my looks. Yet, I find a person's eyes to attract me to them first."

We all decided that it is personal and specific to each person. As it should be.  We should not be concerned of what others think and be open to everyone we meet.

Personally, I tend to be drawn to a certain, "type" but ultimately, to me, what makes a person beautiful, is how they treat others.

I know my little corner of the world is filled with beautiful people. 

After all, it has been set by my standards, and that is what matters to me.

How do you define beauty?



Until next time,
~It is what it is~


https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

The best medicine in life is free......

Some of life's best moments are the unpredictable ones. Those unexpected, couldn't plan it if I tried, moments.  They make some of the best memories, ever!!!

I have a bad chest cold.  When I laugh, I start out with a wheeze, that turns into a rattle, and ends up sounding like a dying seal. Seriously. One of the manager's that I work with, was showing me how to run a program.  I started laughing and tried to talk, my voice came out like a dying seal, which made us laugh even harder and then before we knew it, we couldn't look at each other without laughing all over again. I had to get up and leave the room to catch my breath.

It got me thinking about the unexpected moment. Those, you had to be there, moments to understand. I have experienced a few of them. I can remember just breaking out into odd dance moves at work, yelling "Hi" across the room several times throughout the day, being the only one in a group of people walking only to suddenly trip and ungracefully fall, and a few others come to mind.

Repeating them, they lose theirmeaning unless you were there to share in the moment.

What about you? Do you have any of those kind of  moments to recall? Do you still giggle as you think about them?

If you don't, why? Have you been too busy trying to make a life and living up to responsibilities to actually enjoy life?

When was the last time to had a deep belly uncontrollable laugh?  If you can't remember, then you not living life as you should.

And it is time you do so.

Laughter does not cost you a thing, except moments filled with joy.

And that is why they say, "The best medicine in life is free."


Until next time,
~It is what it is~


https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

The true meaning of 42......

Anything you want it to be?

Some us could think of a few reasons why our life can't just be anything we want it to be.

A simple statement can be so daunting for some us.

Sophie can think of the best reason for her life not being, "Anything she wants it to be."

Sophie changed after her relationship ended with Liam. You know the story, boy meets girl, they fall in love, but instead of happily ever after, there was no "after" for her.  The after she got was filled with pain from heartbreak, doubt of herself, and fear of what she knew to be true was in fact wrong for her. Leaving her with not knowing who or what to believe.

Time moved on, she healed, or so she thought until she met another man, Ethan. Ethan had expressed that he wanted to be more than friends with Sophie. He was standing there pouring out his heart to her and all she could do was stand there, saying not what her heart wanted to, but rather held back the words her heart needed to say. In that moment, Sophie realized that she was not healed.  Sophie's Anything she wants it to be, will have to wait yet again. 

We can all relate. Doesn't have to be love.  It can be anything that changed us, hurt us, challenged us in how well we know the real us. We can allow life to make us forget who we are.

Life has experiences that we all need to shape us. Sometimes what we believed about ourselves is real and true.  We only have doubt when something happens to us and we didn't expect the outcome.  Just maybe, they happen to us, to make us stronger in our convictions or beliefs.  They happen to show us what our weakness' are or an area we need to grow in.  They show us what we believed to be true for us, was in fact not really meant for us.

Do not live in the past experiences that brought you pain, rather use your past experiences to allow yourself to grow into your Life of....

 Anything you want it to be!

Until next time,

~It is what it is~

https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

We are an endangered species....

Square peg living in a round world? 

Just want to mind your own business but keep getting dragged into all that drama?

Try to help but only get dumped on in the end?

Being kind only gets you used 'n abused by the ever so fake?

See the obstacle, overcome it, see the obstacle, overcome it, will it ever end?

Give your best, only to be told it is not good enough?

Give your heart freely, only to have it shattered into a million pieces?

Being real with everything, only to be rejected for your empathy?

Run away, only end up back where you started?

The Fake are so better at playing the game.

The REAL are an endangered species.

And we are becoming extinct.

Yes, the world has gone crazy.

There is no real solution here. Hearts will heal and lessons will be learned.

Realize it is not you. If your going to go down, you want to be able to go out on your own terms.

Until next time,

~It is what it is~

https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Let's just hit the reset button.......

It was certainly a messed up day for me today. Started with my phone going off the grid, daughter getting sick, technical difficulties at the doctors office, going to work for a few and then just deciding to call it a day and get my haircut another day.

In the grand scheme of things, I am sure there are reasons for everything that went wrong today, but I definitely changed my hair appointment though!!! I can handle a lot but today was not going to be the day for me to go to the hairdressers.

I shared my frustrating day earlier on ~It is what it is~ FB page. Staying positive, some days, can be impossible. We are all human and can have wicked messed up days.

I have let that part of the day go. I came home and took a nap, on the couch, with my daughter. Yes, I am an adult and took a nap.  Some days just call for a reset button.

We awakened fresh. My daughter started feeling better and I certainly did. My daughter, one of my sons and I ended up playing the game HeadBanz.  That always makes us laugh!! My phone, well, if you do not get a response from a text you have sent, just resend it. I feel better but I am not going to deal with Sprint this evening.

Do not be afraid to reset your day. A nap, work-out, vent it out, have some kind of fun, or whateva you need to do to reset your day, do it.  It will make a world of difference.

I am now going to chill out with Ben 'n Jerry and catch up on my favorite show.

Tomorrow is another day.

Until next time,
~It is what it is~


https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

You Ain't Coming Along.............

LIFE. CAREERS. LOVERS. FAMILY. HEARTS. FEELINGS. EMOTIONS.

It can just be all too much sometimes!!!

Some days you just want a break from all of it.  ALL OF IT.

I say, Go. Leave it ALL behind. Go.

Yes, you read that right. I am saying GO when it gets to be too much.

Take a break from the relationship. Take a vacation from the job.

Stop being responsible. Stop, just Go, and be by yourself for a bit.

GO, and do not think about anything.

What will walking away from it all, do for us?

It can bring us clarity.

Do not get me wrong, we all have responsibilities that we have to take care of. No way around it. That is just being an adult. I am talking about when we are too busy doing for everyone else and never ourselves. I am talking about always choosing to do the right thing. Putting others ahead of ourselves each and every time. Trying to hold back what we do not want to deal with.  All of it is exhausting.

Take a break from it all. Go sit on a beach. Take a hike. Go visit someone you haven't seen in ages and know you can just be without explanation. Take a legit break.

When you come back to the responsibilities of your life, you will come back feeling on top of the world. You will know what is truly important to you.

You will have a better understanding of you.  It is OKAY to put yourself first.

So, what is stopping you, from being a better YOU?




Until next time,
~It is what it is~



https://www.Facebook.com/Jackiesview

SERENITY NOW!!!!!!!!

Premise: Seinfeld episode about Jerry learning how to express his feelings, Frank starting a home based computer sales business, Kramer putting a screen door on his (indoor) apartment door, everyone screaming the words, "Serenity Now" and you have quite the 30 minute comedy!!!

What about real life? Can it be that easy? Just shout out the words Serenity Now!! And poof all of our stress is gone!

There are going to be times that we do not like ourselves or others.

Times we do not like our jobs or careers.

Times we do not like our homes or the state we live in.

Times we choose to listen to the haters and ignore the believers.

Times when we just feel off our game for no reason.

A reason that we care not to discuss with anyone.

Leaving us to become Ms./Mr. Cranky Pants and Snarky.

We can't blame it on anyone or anything but ourselves.

We can hope it is just a phase or a cranky moment.

We could try the "Serenity Now" bit.

Maybe it will make us laugh long enough, at ourselves, to admit that we are just being Ms./Mr. Cranky Pants and lighten our mood.

So I challenge you to scream out, "Serenity Now" the next time your in a foul mood.

I bet you will laugh or at least have a snarky smirk on your face.

Your Welcome 😏




Until next time,
~It is what it is~



https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

I am a Scorpio....

John asked Mary about Zodiac signs and if she believed there was any truth to them, even an ounce?

Mary stated that she believed that we have some connection to the sun, stars, moon and ocean. But does not believe that the Zodiac describes a person to a T or is it to be used as tool to predict ones life.

Why is it that animals can sense a big storm coming? Why do people act odd during a full moon?  Why does the ocean have a calming affect for some and mountains bring peace to others?

Mary believes that we are all connected to earth as we are to each other. Some believe that God created everything giving us the connection to one another. The same belief holds true if you believe in the theory of evolution.  Giving us the connection coming from the same place.

John believes a bit more of the Zodiac. The defining of elements of each sign is the reason certain people find peace at the ocean and others in the mountains. That people are meant to cross paths to accomplish something for each other. That being said, he also believes that the Zodiac can describe a person's personality but maybe not their future.

John believes that we are meant to be something to each other. To be a lesson or a happy ending.

Mary thought about this. Have you ever thought about this? Ever had a bad relationship but learned something in the end? Meet someone, who you would never imagine being friends with, but they end up helping you in ways that you have never imagined. Meet someone who changes your world so much so, that you see yourself in new ways, become better just by knowing them? Simply put, have you ever been drawn to someone?

Mary and John believe that we are given options to better ourselves throughout our lifetime, because we all come from the same beginning. 

Our lives have meaning and we are set to accomplish something along this journey called life.

It is up to us to be open to what each person brings to us.  We cannot allow fear, and the need to control our own life, to stop us from truly living the life we are meant to live.

Maybe our Zodiac sign is meant to give us an understanding of who we are by knowing what we came from.

I realized something about the Zodiac after talking with Mary and John.

Regardless of what I believe about the Zodiac itself, it is made up of Earth, Fire, Water and Air.

I know I need all those elements in order to survive, we all do.

And that has to mean something.


Until next time,
~It is what it is~


https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview

Spotlight or not..I am good either way...

Sums it up, doesn't? At some point in our lives, we all want to be chosen over everyone else, don't we?

Oh, we can try to deny it but there it is, in ever so black n white.

It starts when we are kids. We want to be picked first (over everyone) for a game or a task. Line leader in class, teachers helper. Yep, we stand there going please pick me first, please do not let me be last!!!

When we are teens, we want to be the one asked to the dance or some function by the most popular guy/gal, or to be part of the "in" crowd, leaving us to be among the chosen few.

As adults, we strive to excel in our careers and family. To provide the best for those we love and be the best we can be. Once again, being part of the elite.

What happens to those of us that could care less about competing with anyone else or to be one of the chosen few?

Do we still have the same desire to be wanted and chosen over everyone and anything else?

Yes, we still do. Just not in the same way.

We may not need the spotlight that goes with being chosen first or being the most popular.  We don't even have to be the first person who gets called.

What we want is to be the one who gets the full unabridged version of the story or the one who proudly sits on the side lines watching you succeed.

It is not always about being in the spotlight or being picked first.

The need to be chosen first or for support, is really the same need. It makes us feel proud of an accomplishment. It does not matter if it is for ourselves or someone else.

We each have a need that needs to be fulfilled.

We all want to be chosen.

What we are chosen to do, is who we are.

Take pride in that. Embrace your ability to shine in the spotlight or being the one behind the scenes, it is same.

There's no shame in either one.

The true accomplishment is being fulfilled with knowing who we are and staying true to that.



Until next time,
~It is what it is~





https://facebook.com/Jackiesview

It is YOU and it will always be YOU.......

The mind is a very powerful thing.

It can give you all the courage you need to be everything that you can imagine becoming.

It can take away that same courage and have you believing that you can't be anything at all.

Yes, the mind is that powerful.

You can choose to believe that You hold your own destiny and power within you or choose to believe that you don't.  It really is up to you and only you.

Look at your life now, everything in it is a direct result of how you think of yourself and what you think you deserve in life. It is easy to become dependent upon the adoration and accolades of others to boost our own self-image and confidence. But, it is really what we believe in our self, that will carry us through everything and all that our life brings to us. What you have accepted your life to be.  Who you have accepted to become.

Honesty is the best gift you could possibly give yourself. Tough pill to swallow but sometimes it is needed in order to keep moving forward. Nobody likes to think of themselves as being less than perfect, but a reality check once in awhile can go along way.

We are meant to change and evolve with life.

We are meant to do certain things until that changes and we do other things.

We are meant to be with certain people in our life. Some come n go, while others remain.

Our opinion of ourselves needs to remain positive and strong, always.

It is really the only one of true value.

It is the one that can make us or break us.......

Until next time,

~It is what it is~

https://www.facebook.com/Jackiesview