1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
It does not envy.
It does not boast.
It is not proud.
It is not rude.
It is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
♥

A safe place

A Strong Woman:

• Is willing to make decisions about her activities, her future and her family.
• Speaks her mind in a relationship.
• Refuses to do things that make her uncomfortable.
• Expects people to treat her with respect even when they are angry or disappointed.
• Expects equal relationshipswhere partners take turns giving and getting from each other.
• Knows that destructive relatonships hurt her self-esteem and her mental and physical well-being.
• Knows that any violence/abuse is unacceptable.

A Strong Man:

• Respects others and doesn't try to control them.
• Participates in discussions and negotiations and does not feel threatened when his partner voices her opinions that are different from his own.
• Realizes that he doesn't lose power or status if his way isn't followed.
• Doesn't resort to threats, insults, or violence to get his way.
• Knows that "no" means no and doesn't force sexual contact.
• Can confront feelings of anger and frustrations without taking them out on somebody else.
• Recognizes that he may be physically stronger than others, but doesn't use that strength to hurt.
• Accepts an equal share of the responsibility for the work needed to keep a relationship healthy.

Characteristics of a Healthy Partner:

• Shares the decision making with you.
• Knows oneself and is comfortable being alone.
• Accepts you for who you are,not for how you look.
• Has many of the same values as you do.
• Is able to express anger without being violent or abusive.
• Is able to work through conflict by talking.
• Doesn't expect perfection from you.
• Is a good listener and communicates well.
• Takes responsibility for what he/she says and does.
• Doesn't rush in to the relationship,but moves step by step into being more intimate.
• Accepts when you spend time away with your friends.
• Asks permission before touching you or being sexual.
• Has supportive friends other than you.
• Makes and keeps commitments.

Danger Ahead- Are you with someone who:

• Is jealous and possessive toward you,won't let you have friends,checks up on you, and won't accept breaking up.
• You worry about how they will react to things you say or do.
• Threatens you, uses or owns weapons.
• Is violent toward you or others.
• Has a history of fighting.
• Loses temper quickly; brags about mistreating others.
• Pressures you for sex.
• Thinks women or girls are sex objects.
• Is forceful or scary around sex.
• Attempts to manipulate or guilt trip you by saying, "If you really loved me you would...
• Gets too serious about the relationship too fast.
• Abuses drugs or alcohol and pressures you to take them.
• Blames you when they mistreat you by saying that you: provoked them; pressed their buttons; made them do it; or led them on.
• Has a history of bad relationships and blames the other person for all the problems.
• Believes that men should be in control and powerful.
• Your family and friends have warned you about the person or told you that they are worried about you.

 

Myths and Facts about Grief

MYTH: The pain will go away faster if you ignore it.
FACT: Trying to ignore your pain or keep it from surfacing will only make it worse in the long run. For real healing it is necessary to face your grief and actively deal with it.
MYTH: It’s important to be “be strong” in the face of loss.
FACT: Feeling sad, frightened, or lonely is a normal reaction to loss. Crying doesn’t mean you are weak. You don’t need to “protect” your family or friends by putting on a brave front. Showing your true feelings can help them and you.
MYTH: If you don’t cry, it means you aren’t sorry about the loss.
FACT: Crying is a normal response to sadness, but it’s not the only one. Those who don’t cry may feel the pain just as deeply as others. They may simply have other ways of showing it.
MYTH: Grief should last about a year.
FACT: There is no right or wrong time frame for grieving. How long it takes can differ from person to person.

We're all just walking each other home-Ram Dass

So...
I've been sitting here thinking...
Do you have someone that has been on your mind lately? Possibly wondering why you haven't heard from him/her in ages?
Starting to stew that she hasn't called to ask how you are?
And thinking that he just doesn't care?
I bet it starts to really get to you, huh?
How could someone be that cold and no...t care about me?
"After everything I've done for them!"
Well... Let's put you in their shoes now..
What if he/she CAN'T call?
What if he is feeling so Sad and Depressed that picking up the phone is something that seems so impossible to do right about now?
She could be having the worse day imaginable and would really appreciate a call from you.. Just a 'Hey, hows it going?' type of call saying, "I was just thinking about you, and wanted you to know that I really appreciate our friendship/relationship, and feel truly blessed that you are in my life."
It's just a thought-Monicaxx