WITH INTEREST

Lets go to the bank, shall we? But first, let me ask you this; How many of you have checking accounts? Interest bearing checking accounts? Excellent! Okay now, how many of you have saving accounts which pay interest? Good! Then this will be a simple principal, for I am sure that we all could stand to benefit from our holdings.

Let us travel the road that defines Interest. In finance, interest has three general definitions:

*Interest is a surcharge on the repayment of debt. You know, that money you borrowed. Well they want it back with interest! But we’re not trying to pay money, we’re trying to collect right?

*Oh! This one is better. Interest is the return derived from an investment. It’s the stuff you get back based on what you put in. So as we go on, let’s not forget the word investment...

*Interest is lastly said to be the right to one's claim in a corporation such as that of an owner or creditor. In other words it's their business in your business.

I see that I lost some of you at the word investment, but stay with me, for it is as true in banking as it is in life that you may not collect on that which you have not invested in. Don’t take it personally, the banker simply does not know you. But when I think about collecting with interest, I offer that even those who appear to have no holding will still collect with interest.

Life as I see it is much like banking, and we would therefore do well to invest in it mindfully, for life is an interest bearing account... and I promise you that you will be paid back with interest on whatever you put into it.

So now if we are talking about life let us examine our relationships. How many of us are withholding from our relationships? How many of us are waiting for a dividend before we will invest in our partners. Tricky business, cause remember you are paid with interest, on what you invest, which means if you are withholding, that is about what you will receive. with interest!

Now lets take a look at our children, take a non-judgmental look at those relationships, especially if your children are grown. Know that when I say non-judgmental, I mean be prepared to take a honest look at what you invested. Do you see how you may be receiving with interest, on that investment. Now this is not about condemnation, many of us have wonderful relationships with our children. This is about the principal of Sowing and Reaping and, might I add, with interest.

We have but to take a look around us, at our homes, at our community to see that some one has sown a mess. Someone is not investing in their children. Some one is not taking care of business. Some one is not following the law. Some one is not playing by the rules, some one is cheating. Some one is lying, some one is shooting and many are dying. And all of those who have invested in any form or fashion in this mess are collecting with interest.

If life is like banking and I believe it is, then let us please be mindful investors. If not for your community, if not for your partner, if not for your children, if not for me, then for yourself.
For what I know so far is that you can and will only, and without fail, collect on that which you have invested in, with interest.

If You're Not Dressed, You Can't Go!

HERE COMES THE JUDGE!

ALLOWANCE

When my siblings and I were children we received an allowance. It came once a week, usually on Saturday afternoon, after our chores were done. Understanding the wisdom of my parents now, this was to ensure that we did our chores without too much prodding. So after the beds were made and the bathroom, which was my job to do, was scrubbed and everything else that was on the list of chores to do was done, we would them go to our parents, hands out stretched to receive our allowance. The amount varied according to our ages. I started out at 35 cents. This would allow me to purchase 35 pieces of penny candy. “Oh my God” I was in heaven.


Let me ask you this, when was the last time you received an allowance? Not quite sure well, lets check the definition, an allowance is as defined:

• A small sum of money paid regularly by parents to a child so that the child can make his or her own purchases.
• An allowance could also be a budgeted amount of something given out at regular intervals or for a specific purpose. Or a toleration.
• The allowing of something to happen, the tolerating of it.

Now for the purposes of this loaf, this food for thought, I would like to focus on the last definition. Toleration: the allowing of something to happen, or the toleration of it. You see, as responsible adults most of us no longer receive an allowance from our parents or anyone else for that matter. We are, or should be amply motivated to do what need be done with out the prodding or bribing of an allowance.

Still allowances are needed in life and it is now up to us to allow ourselves. Allowances enable, motivate or permit something to happen. I fear that far too many of us are still psychologically waiting for an allowance, waiting for permission before we allow ourselves to check us off of our to-do list.

Many of us seem to be waiting for permission or an allowance to live the best lives possible, to live the lives of our dreams of our desires. But it is up to us to permit this. What will it take for you to allow yourself? Unfortunately for some it is a devastating disease. For others it is a death, the loss of a loved one. Some find an allowance at the end of a job or career and then there are those for whom an allowance is found at the end of the road.

But allowances need not wait when we allow things to happen. We need not find ourselves at wits ends in order to permit, we need not die in order to live. We need simply to allow it, for I have found that once we allow or permit ourselves the world will acquiesce.

It is a often seen as being selfish. And selfish is of course a dirty word. Yes, we are taught that the looking after own desires, the being concerned with your own interests, needs and wishes while ignoring those of others is self-absorbed, conceited, self-seeking, mercenary, self-interested, egotistical, self-regarding, pompous, egocentric, arrogant and haughty. But I’m thinking we should give ourselves an allowance to redefine selfish. You see, I have often found that we are often labeled selfish when we are not doing what someone else wants us to do. And there seems to be a never ending list of things that other feel should be done by us.

But you see, this is what I know so far;
In our attempts to avoid being seen as selfish we have overlooked the root of the word, which is is little more than a characteristic of the word.
So if we allow others the accredited us, if we find our self-worth at the end of a long list that does not include us, a list which we have worked with little or no regard to our selves, our dreams, our plans, our lives, our health, we are not selfish. No, we are foolish.

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE KILLER BEES

Click the play button to watch the sneak preview...

Are we a bunch of hams, or what?!

THE STEERING WHEEL

THE BREAKDOWN

Treat Yourself Well!

In her final installment of the TalkZone Internet Radio series, Cassandra and Silver Rae are joined by health and nutrition expert Sunday Muniz...she'll help you kick bad habits and get you on the path to health and wellness! You can listen to their conversation by clicking on the show title below!

That's What I'm Talkin' About: Treat Yourself Well!