"It's not the glow you feel when snow appears;
it's not the Christmas card you've sent for years;
'not the joyful sound when sleigh bells ring;
nor the merry songs, children sing.
That little gift you send on Christmas day,
Will not bring back the friend you've turned away.
So may I suggest the 'Secret of Christmas'?
It's not the things you do at Christmas time,
but the Christmas things you do all year through."

Book Review: My Journey, Stepping into the Sunshine

My Journey Stepping into the Sunshine is written by Kaoru Shinmon, a guy from ....Venice.. ..California..... His journey is now a book of hope. He was born in ....Hawaii.... and came here to follow his heart and pursue his dream to write screenplays. His journey, as is our, is to find positive purpose in our daily life. This book is filled with inspirational stories to help people give thanks, stop worrying and start living. There are charming memories of Kaoru's from his quaint encounters with famous people who he reminds us are human too. He also sings for several unsung heroes and heroines that are like "angels" who should not be taken for granted. When the sun comes up in the morning, he gives reason for us to say "Good morning." He has learned from key people in his life that "there are no accidents in life…." If your life has been turned upside down, or this economy made a turn for the worse in your path, this book will help you get back your "mojo" (magnetic quality).


If I were to sum up Kaoru in one word it would be Namaste. According to Wikipedia, "Namaste is a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from India It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a salutation upon their parting." In Yoga Journal, Aadil Palkhivala's states: "The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you." There is no doubt that Stepping into the Sunshine is a salute to all of those who know or want to know more about its author, Kaoru Shinmon whose name has a special meaning discovered within the book on his journey.


I commend Kaoru for what he does for humanity in his daily walk. He is just like anyone of us. Even he will tell you that it has been a challenge to change his self. He learned what he had to do: "Remove yourself, become what you aspire to be." He has had to steer clear of toxic relationships. And he has learned "When you see a person, see them as a human being in need…." How do you feel or respond when someone ask you "How are you?" in passing. Do you know if they really want to know? In most cases they don't want to know. Not so with Kaoru. He makes a point of saying, "How is your day going?" And, he will look into your eyes or leave droplets of words to let you know he cares about your soul and wants to know the answer, truly.

If you want to see what I am talking about go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514

I can attest to Kaoru's sincerity based solely upon his writings and recognition of hard times. See, I am one of the 20 to 25% of the population that has been downsized. I am a teacher of 16 years, who was derailed from massive state budget cuts. I did not worry about giving up tenure. I never had trouble getting a teaching job before and am successful getting the toughest of students motivated. So in part of my journey to adapt, I became adept with social media in 2008-2009. I became friends with Kaoru Shinmon on a few sites. We are both authors. His words have always been uplifting! When I teach I have very little time for pleasure reading. But the Internet gives us ability to read snippets with a purpose, to get to know people or subjects. The subject I like most is "getting to know people." I particularly wanted to get to know the person who has the ability to make people smile over many miles around the world. So, it is an honor to read and review this book about "Kaoru, My Journey Stepping into the Sunshine" and leading the way for others to do the same.




It is Kaoru's benign vulnerability and honesty that lends to clarity in his life, and he wants us to have the same peace in our human condition by Stepping into the Sunshine. He shows us how in this state we can be "synchronized" with "everything in life having its place and time." This truth is found in the bible. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, God's word states, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." So for what it may be worth Kaoru acknowledges that "For many of us life has changed with the time…leaving many people depressed and without hope." This book helps us not despair.



With regards to our despair, we must keep our wits about us when all around us many may be losing theirs. Kaoru shares the calm and clarity he has witnessed of people who learned from Buddhism. It is certain, "If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves…." The stories in this book prove that you can protect the light that is in you and bring light out of others. Some stories illustrate that one has to have wisdom when to walk away from or let go of those who cast darkness on people.


If you need hope now, go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514


Stepping into the Sunshine means not allowing others to destroy you! "Do not let someone else's bad day become yours." "Don't let fear stop you from doing what you soul dreams of doing." The cliché from Nike is not over-rated, 'Just Do It.' Kaoru sheds light into this book from Richard Collier, "…Turn your dream into a reality by changing your mind-set…Remove from your life what keeps you from being who you want to be." Stepping into the Sunshine includes lessons from Dr. Deepak Chopra, "…Don't fear problems; seek solutions." And, if you want to take one of the biggest lessons from this book, "DISCOVER THE MEANING OF RANDOM EVENTS…." It actually reminded me of the Celestine Prophecy coming true in Kaoru's life and how it can be true for us too.

You can get this as an e-book at this link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514

Stepping into the Sunshine will help you see that "…if you are truly happy, other people won't be able to bring you down by their judgments…." It is your "courage" that will make you able to change (under go "metamorphosis"). If you get help before you are ready like a caterpillar being cut out of the cocoon too soon, you won't be able to survive and fly. But on the other hand, don't be afraid to ask for help; don't let "pride and ego" get in the way of succeeding. Here's a key point, "…learn about life from living…." Find a mentor who knows what it takes to reach the ring! Kaoru is a positive role model to me and many other people to be positive to others and make people smile.




When you ease through this book, Stepping into the Sunshine, Kaoru has "prayers" to help you through heavy times in the day of a life. He brightens your journey with simplicity that he has learned on the road in his life. There are tips and techniques in this book from gratitude to thinking of new ways to achieve, to paying attention, to breathing, contributing to society, to letting go so that things can "flow", to meeting people in your field, to encouraging yourself when in self-doubt. Let your words have enough "power" to magnify your "convictions" and ignite you to take action. Be patient with yourself: Kaoru reminds us that "It takes time to live up to your potential and find your purpose." When you are in a slump, "walk" into the sunshine; "read" something that brings sunshine into your day especially when it is cloudy; "listen" to music that makes you take steps into the direction of your desires.


Here's the deal with dreams and dream-makers, as Mariah Carey sings, "…Don't let anyone take yours away." Kaoru believes whole-heartedly, "Nobody has the right to tell someone to give up on their dream…." When the fruits of our labor are not yet visible, he encourages us to trust "that the seeds we have planted are germinating beneath the surface and will soon sprout with new opportunities." And lastly, the messages in this book are demonstrative of the lives Kaoru Shinmon has touched, and that you, too, can positively touch the lives of others daily when you "step into the sunshine."




I highly recommend this book because it made me "smile," a lot even in these hard economic times. This book is about what really makes life rich. It'll put you in the right frame of mind and bring a smile to you too.

You can get it now by going to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514

Contact Kaoru here on Mypace, Facebook or his website
http://steppingintosunshine.blogspot.com/

Book Review written by Kathleen Herriott, California Certificated Teacher, author, and public speaker.

A Tribute to My Dad's Legacy

The moment my dad fell in love with my mom, we became the luckiest people on the planet. He set an example of what characteristics make a good husband, father and life-long friend. His love for family is beyond measure. He gave us experiences that can never be taken away:

From the planning and hosting of huge parties, camping-excursions, and many other enriching projects, he modeled valuable work-ethics: He taught us how to be successful in life.

He taught us that “life is not about how many breaths we take, but about how many moments take our breath away.” An example of a breath taking moment is the vista of Yosemite. It is my favorite because he and mom went up the face of Half Dome together. He taught us bravery and perseverance when we hiked up trails to triumph when we reached the top. He gave us a snap-shot of geography when all four of us stood in the corner of four states. He intrigued us by driving over the Continental Divide and under the Wawona Tree. Because of our dad, we are fortunate to have witnessed the power of geysers and to have seen the majesty of the Grand Tetons. When I was a teen, we gained new found respect for God’s grace and Grizzlies when one moseyed under and around my hammock while I was sleeping!

Here is a man who feared God; my dad feared that he would not survive his first of three neck surgeries; he prayed with all his might to be able to hold his first grand-baby. God blessed him with 29 more years to lift up 11 grandchildren: My daughter who is the first (oldest), all her cousins, as well as his two great-grandchildren, who are my grandchildren.

Nearly every “morning” he sang the sweetest song to all of us that he had learned from his kindergarten teacher, "Good Morning to you; good morning to you. We're all in our places with sun-shiney faces. Good moring to you!" We sing it to his great-grand children; they will likely sing it to his great-great grandchildren. (This song is significant because kindergarten is where he and mom met.)

They were not “ships passing in the night;” they are soul-mates for life! This is his legacy: Love, with all that we have, through the last second of our lives. (He and mom were blessed, perhaps the luckiest couple on earth, to have been able to kissed on his last breath.)

Three, Four, Five Generations, we are a lucky family.

How do families grieve? How does your family communicate about past generations? And, do we have to grieve, or is there a better way to say goodbye or not say good bye at all?

I wonder how many families have the opportunity to have five generations living at one time. Our family was a lucky one. I was sort of young to be a grandma, and so, the term "grandma" did not fit me well. And, with three other grandmas on two sides of a family who were alive at one time, when someone said "gran-ma" There was confusion as to which grandma should respond. So I jumped at this opportunity to be called "Nana" when my daughter asked me if that would be okay.

When I can get my computer equipment up, I'll post a picture of the five generations on my dad's side of the family here. It is an awe-striking tick of time when one sees a Great-great grandma hold their infant grandchild. We are lucky to have lived in an age of cameras and video! (Some people from poorer countries still do not have photo opportunities to pass down pictures of relatives.) Now we have the Internet to share images all over the world with each other. This is our time to tell real-life stories with pictures to pass down to loved ones. Even in this day and age, I have seen photos of 5th and 6th generations go right in the trash because no one knows their names or with whom they are related.

Fast-foward the clock to when a great-grand parent passes on, the fifth generation (the great-great grandkids so to speak) witness time behind the eyes of their elders with unaware sensitivity to how short life is because they have their whole life in front of them.

The fourth generation, who is closer to the second, will greive harder for it is the granparent who has an extra special bond with the children of their children. The special ties that allows us to be spoiled. As it should be because this is usually the longest bond that is all too short! It is the realiztion bond of how short life is. It is the bond where your grandparent (in my daughter's case) walked her down an isle and appluaded her at a graduation. You know in your heart and soul if it were not for them, you would not have existed.

The third generation, who experiences the loss of the 1st generation known to them, leads from their experience (bad or good but the best they could). Though your grandparents may have seemed old, you now know they weren't that old because your parents are now their age, and you are your parents age. Looking back, life is flashing in slow motion, but it feels like the Tiatanic is sinking. It's been one hell of a cruis--long but not long enough, and the eldest are simply not strong enough to hold on. They need a vacation from this adventure before they start the next. We all must go through the portal and we watch them lead the way.

We have them in our memories: Each generations has its funny, cooky, zanny or courageous or outrageous stories that may or may not get passed down to the younger family members. In many cases, it is only those stories that our successors have the chance to know their family history. Fortunately our family has some bits and pieces of information from 6 generations ago. But, bits and pieces are not enough to tell a complete story.

Yet, some of those small tidbits are significant! For instance, at my mom and dad's fiftieth wedding anniversary, the grandchildren had the sweetest and simplest things to say during the memorable toasts. They liked the way grandpa showed them how to eat oreos, or how he like to soak his shredded wheat until it is soggy. It's the idosyncrasies that people seem to remember the most. I still remember how one of my grandmas made me peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches, the other made me creamy real butter and sugar sandwiches--Decadent and devilish now to think about eating. A lot of memories revolve around food and celebrations. And when you think about it, life is one big celebration. So how can we celebrate with the person who has to leave, we grieve.

It's the heart ache you feel when you leave a great job (life) and you know some people will never be in your life again. But, the truth of the matter is some people will and do keep in touch. And, the certainty is that significant experiences with people will never be taken away. They will always be in you memory, and buried deep in you heart, whether they were good or bad, happy or sad able to be voiced or not.

Maybe I am mistaken, but is there not enough literature or documentaries or movies on the subject of departing this world? Some how I think I would like to change that. I believe we are living in times where we can record our ancestory more accurately and infinitly pass true stories on to our grandchildren's children. "The writings are on the wall" already with the advent of Facebook and blogger pages. I believe we can help our children know where they came from and give them grounding like never before. "This is It;" we have the real opportunity to tell our stories that may live on for more than six generations. If you can't write it for yourself, hire someone who can. Interview your elders and capture the history they lived before their gone. Archive the cherished moments incase your memory fades. Find the purpose in their lives and yours and how each generation is affected by the former ones. What's in your wallet (photo album)? Don't regret not having spent time with them. If you did the best you could with the time you have had, there should be no regrets. If you believe in soul mates and re-incarnation that helps too. And if you know your loved one has faith in a supreme being and universal laws that sifts sand and lifts water to the sky, then your loved one will always be with you, in you and around you. Lean not on your understanding that this is not an end--but a new beginning.