When times are tough, find balance

This first published February 19, 2009 in the Henderson Home News, a Community Newspapers of Nevada publication.

During our challenging economic times, it is apparent that all in our valley are being financially impacted. Even the valley's largest neighborhood gaming corporation is not shielded from a tremendous financial loss.

It is at this time that we must take action for our own well-being and search for inner-peace and contentment.

Many people are pulling together and sharing resources such as living quarters, food, transportation and child care.

Let's take these hard times and focus on what and who is important. The "what" is happiness — isn't that what we all desire to wake up in search of each morning? The "who" is you — you do have the responsibility and freedom to tend to your needs so that you are able to care for others.

Realistically, nobody is happy all the time, although there are people who are happy and fulfilled a majority of their life.

Personally, I wake up going 60 mph and usually with a smile on my face and a cheery "good morning" and kiss for my boys. And I don't start to put the brakes on until about 11 each night after my family is settled and the house is shutting down.

This doesn't mean that I am happier than you are; it just means that I wake up going full-force and looking forward to my day.

Like everyone, I have challenges to face, which is why I looked for ways to maintain the healthy perspective necessary to come out at the other end of these times smiling and loving life. I like what I found. As with everything in life, it is about the KISS factor — keep it simple, silly.

• Relax — Rent a movie, visit a funny Web site, take a bubble bath or be resourceful. What I do is beg, bribe and sometimes pay one of the boys to rub my feet.
• Let's laugh — Having a good laugh is scientifically proven to heal the sick, and it's free. Well, not always; many times in our household a good chuckle is often at the expense of someone within the family circle.
• Let's take the good with the bad — It often isn't what we go through that determines an outcome, but how we choose to go through it that makes or breaks our spirit.
• Let's be grateful — For our family, friends and neighbors. We all have something or someone who we can be thankful for or to take care of.
• Love and be yourself — Be honest and open with yourself. Be true to your feelings even when doing so hurts a little. Personally, I believe that God is my maker and that he doesn't make mistakes, so, although I am far from perfect, I am a precious soul worthy of all the good and kindness the world has to offer.
• Let's surround ourselves with healthy attitudes — People who enjoy doing the things that we do, people who live life as we do. We all need someone who cares about us and treats us well, someone who supports us during good and difficult times.
• Let's stay active — Studies show that when we have a diversified lifestyle we are happier. Incorporate activities that balance and meet our educational, spiritual, social, nutritional, occupational and physical needs.
• Let's make someone happy — We carry with us the ability to make others happy just by raising the corners of our mouth, opening a door or giving a hug. The beautiful thing about a simple smile is that by doing so we find our own ray of sunshine.
• Let's dance and make snow angels — It was the little things in our lives that filled our days with joy and memories when we were young. Did we forget how to dance and whirl and twirl or plop down in the fresh snow and wave our arms to make snow angels as we'd giggle? Not so long ago, I climbed out of a window onto the rooftop of a 15-story New Jersey hotel and laughed as I danced underneath the falling snowflakes.
• Let's promise to be forgiving — Forgiving those who have hurt us knowingly or not knowingly is like a rainbow at the end of a storm. When we are forgiving we release the weight of the world from our shoulders and set free out hearts.

This list just scratches the surface of things that we can do to brighten and lighten our lives and those of others. Life is simply too short.

Colleen O’Callaghan-Miele, co-publisher of the Home News, can be reached at 990-2653 or colleen@vegas.com. She writes a regular column for the Home News .

Standing with Israel and in unison

This first published February 5, 2009 in the Henderson Home News, a Community Newspapers of Nevada publication.

Throughout history, religious teachings around the world shaped by ignorance and fear have been misguiding people and have often led to tragedy.

Religion, even in its purest form, can be prejudiced, discriminating and violent against any minority, not only in America but around the world. Authentic religion inspires compassion and respect for everyone. Religion as defined by several sources is:

• People’s beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature and worship of a deity or deities, and divine involvement in the universe and human life.

• A particular institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine.

• A set of strongly held beliefs, values and attitudes that somebody lives by.

• An object, practice, cause or activity that somebody is completely devoted to or obsessed by.

We, as a country, are in existence today because our forefathers were persecuted for their religious beliefs. They were forced to flee their homeland in search of a place to be free to practice their faith and to feed and raise their families in peace and without fear.

No different is the state of Israel. Israel and her people are entitled, as are all of God’s children, to live in peace and prosperity in a land of their own with borders free of missile attacks.

At the close of 2008, Israel launched a defensive military action against Hamas targets in Gaza. Following years of unprovoked rocket attacks, the Israeli government has taken this action to protect her citizens.

Israel’s leadership determined that it could no longer allow Hamas’ declaration to destroy Israel to stand. The terrorists have amassed huge stockpiles of sophisticated weapons that are now being used to target Israeli population centers in the south, including Ashdod and Ashkelon.

It is clear that Israel’s leaders have said enough is enough. Southern Nevada’s Jewish community is committed to do whatever is necessary to provide aid and support for their brothers and sisters in Israel.

We, as Americans, understand the terror of Sept. 11 and treasure our homeland and life without war. Therefore, our United States has always demonstrated its solidarity with Israel in the past and should continue to do so. As an American, and as my father did before me, I will stand with Israel and her people.

For Israel, these are challenging times that demand action and support from all those who denounce anti-Semitism.

Judaism and Christianity teach that the gifts we have been given are not ours to keep but to steward responsibly and pass on in ways that help make a difference in the world. Events of the past few months have caused many to suffer and lose their homes and lives.

Let’s not forget the innocent killed in the crossfire. This alone should cause us all to reassess our needs and priorities and to be thankful for all we have been given, to count our blessings, as well as our resources, to recommit ourselves to embrace our ability to care for those in need in our community and around the world.

President Obama, I also stand behind you. You have shown the world that regardless of one’s race, color, creed or gender, as Americans we are united.

Colleen O’Callaghan-Miele, co-publisher of the Home News, can be reached at 990-2653 or colleen@vegas.com. She writes a regular column for the Home News.