A "Black Swan Event" is when the unexpected occurs, causing a huge mindshift and change in how the world works. People never imagined that Black Swans existed, until the discovery of the first Black Swan... (as per book "The Black Swan", by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2007, that sold over 3 million copies)

Is a perception change the next Black Swan Event? Consider that by changing perception we might change the world. Look at everyday things from different angles. Find beauty in the unexpected...
Change our thinking, change our actions, change our world!

See that all people are part of God's puzzle and have something to give. Black swans do exist. The ugly duckling was actually a swan who needed to discover himself and where he fitted and be who he was meant to be. To the last, the lost and the least, you are beautiful as you are.
May all who visit this page feel God's touch and experience His blessing...

Monday 4 August 2014

Showing Love to a Person Who Has Complex Behavioural Problems

What does it mean to love someone? I don't mean, to love a spouse or a child or a friend; I mean to have love for people we sometimes find hard to love. I am sure we all have examples of people whom we find it difficult to love: a person we know who may be regularly homeless, a friend who always needs a shoulder to cry on, a family member who has a problem with addiction. Perhaps this is because we fear being overwhelmed with requests, whether this be for money or time. Sometimes it may be because the person's behaviour seems out of the norm, and we fear the person's next action.

I feel that love means unconditional acceptance; that one is willing to acknowledge and respect another person. I used to think love was equated with money and giving of things; that if I gave material objects, I thought I was showing love, but I have changed my views. As examples, there is no point giving money when the first thing the person purchases is drugs or alcohol; there is no point paying for a place for someone to stay if the person keeps moving by choice week after week, year after year. In such cases, the behaviour keeps the person in bondage and the person needs to make a decision to change before other people will be able to help.

Love may be shown in a variety of ways, but I believe the best way to show love is to accept and acknowledge another person. Sometimes all another person wants is for someone to listen; to be heard; to be understood. I feel that love means treating another person with dignity. Love means acknowledging a person's existence. Love means compassion for the well-being of fellow human beings. In love you can be who you are and I can be who I am, and we can still respect one another. Loving someone doesn't mean one becomes overwhelmingly enmeshed in another person's problems and needs. One should set boundaries of acceptable behaviour, so that one can be available to someone else, but not controlled or overwhelmed. Everyone should have a safe roof and adequate food to eat and there are organisations that one can point a person to for help, if one can't meet another person's material and psychological needs, but one can still make oneself available to listen.

I hope these thoughts have helped someone and I'd like to hear thoughts in response.