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Happy Holidays!

I wanted to share a quote from Marianne Williamson’s A RETURN TO LOVE, Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles. She had a lovely and profoundly simple point that gave me a new insight into what a miracle was:

“A miracle is just a shift in perception.”

The more I thought about that, the more true I realized that’s exactly what a miracle was. We can use other words: Belief. Faith. But it really is just that small; just that big. A shift in perception.

How do we shift that perception? How do we move from believing something is impossible to believing it is possible?

Sometimes it entails finding a new path. Or gaining greater strength in an area of weakness. Maybe it’s just having someone else truly believe in us. And with that realization, we need to acknowledge and remember that we have the power to perform miracles in others. It’s a tremendous gift.

Give it freely.

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Do you have a teenager?

September 24, 2008 by Isabel Swift in category Archives tagged as handshake, Isabel Swift, Teenager

This may be a tricky issue, as some children may view parental advice with suspicion, but I’ve just experienced a major hand-shaking event with various friend’s children & friends of theirs.

I feel compelled to alert parents: in addition to the drug, alcohol and sex conversation, you need to tell/show/explain to your child how to shake some one’s hand. Yes, I experienced a lot of ‘dead fish,’ ‘limp noodle,’ ‘wet dishrag’ and ‘consumptive squeezes.’

I wondered if anyone had explained to them what a handshake was supposed to be–not that all adults are free of the aforementioned problem, but this seemed excessive, perhaps indicating cluelessness.

I don’t want to go all Dale Carnegie on you, but he has a point. A handshake is a big first impression, and surely it’s not too hard to offer a firm grip, a brief squeeze and release. You can even throw in eye contact for extra credit.

Maybe it’s an issue of a child/young adult not feeling confident, but I don’t care–act it, at least. Surprisingly, confidence will come and people will give you the benefit of the doubt for starters.

Reach out and touch someone…properly.

Unsolicited advice from Isabel Swift

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