by Jackie Row

Created on: October 28, 2009

My life is alive when I feel emotions. Whenever I am happy, sad, or angry I give myself time to experience what that really feels like. Feeling those emotions make me realize that I am just a human being with a soul inside of me.

It is easy to take for granted the small things that remind you of being alive inside. When people close their hearts to receiving love they are forgetting what it is like to live. What is the point in breathing if you have no intentions of opening your heart. I think that is probably the biggest way someone that feels "dead to the world" can awaken to what is around them.

Giving also makes me feel alive. There is not greater joy than lighting up someone else's day with a smile, hug, or friendly hello. You never know what someone is going through and knowing that a small gesture makes a difference is a wonderful feeling. I know a woman who feeds the birds that live in my neighborhood every morning at the same time. They all just seem to flock around her as if she was Santa Clause on Christmas morning. I asked her why she did that rain or shine and she said it made her feel alive to feed them seeds. People are so busy worrying about what they do not have in life and these birds were just happy to eat the tiny morsels she sprinkled out for them.

Learn to love every emotion you feel and count the many blessings around you as if they were the tiny bird seeds. I'm sure you would feel so energized. There are many aspects to yourself that have to be nurtured. When you truly learn to care for yourself emotionally, spiritually, and mentally there will be no looking back. A simple prayer every morning when I wake up just being thankful for being alive really makes me feel alive as well. When I am driving in my car and I arrive home safely to my family I feel alive. Just knowing that there are so many families out there who had to get the news that someone they loved would not be returning home is enough to say, "I'm alive."

Nurture a passion. There is an inner child within all of us that is dying to come out and play with the world. Painting, writing, or any hobby is there because that is an outlet for release. When there is no room for fun and everything is all work and no play that can lead to yourself heading into a dark alley. Life is meant to be fun. It does not have to stop being an adventure just because you are have grown older. When you start to see life as an adventure the possibilities are endless once again.

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