Month: January 2014

Old Skin

Beautiful music. Love it.

I´m new here, well sort of, I´m from Opera Community, and I´m at the moment, reposting my old posts here.

I hope they are of interest, they were over at Opera.

🙂

The heart is not made of stone…
and it becomes fragile when alone.

something in the way you talk
it just didn´t sound right
because i am blessed in the light
i don´t walk
in the shadows of the night.

i have always looked at this world
straight in the eyes
and i won´t fill it
with your lies…

my faith was strong
you needed more proof?
you made me falter
with all your darkness

but i never lost my faith
never turned my back to my God
and my God has risen again
stronger than ever…
and slowly you understand
the power of my God.
Oh it shines away
far upon the horizon

i wonder if you can reach it?

I was your friend
i won´t walk behind you
nor walk on ahead
i know about kindness
never knew your kind
of blindness.

i opened up my heart
and you tried
to tear it apart

there´s more to life
than what makes YOU cry
and I won´t say goodbye…

Take your hands
from your eyes
and see the
living sun-rise…

You may need it tomorrow
you may need it today
will you ever let the
darkness fade away?

The only songs that
are worth singing
are those sung
again…
and again.

That, my friend,
is the road to freedom.

by Isabel Gallagher

A spoiled boy sat alone in the corner

surrounded with his broken un-repairable toys…

A life full of broken dreams

tossed aside into that corner

A lifetime of lies and deception

and now only silence weighs heavily upon his shoulders

The clock ticks loudly in that silence

This little boy

forgotten the love his mother taught him

and he had forgotten how to feel

with all his heart body and soul

A mother bitterly betrayed

Her beauty forgotten…

with his actions upon her kind.

The toys were broken

in his fits of rage and frustration

and he forgot what his mother told him

about being kind and patient…

The toys lay scattered

in fields of sad memory

and all that is left now

are pictures in a frame

and the neverending silence…

The little boy sits in the corner

gathering dust and cobwebs

Lines streaking across his face…

A dirty old sack

of nothing

but broken dreams…

by: Isabel Gallagher

We as humans, achieve some share of the human virtues of truth, beauty, justice, friendship, integrity and a love for God. We are taught dignity and respect as children by our elders and I find it ridiculous, that a lot of adults lose these basic human virtues. Our abilities to know and choose are not properly exercised, for example, when faced with falsehoods or unjust actions, from single individuals, the public and even the media.

Battle not with monsters

lest ye become a monster

and if you gaze into the abyss

the abyss gazes into you.
-Friedrich Nietzsche

Ethical behaviour encompasses the concepts of honesty, integrity, probity, diligence, fairness, trust, respect and consistency. It includes avoiding conflicts whenever possible, and not making improper use of any individual’s position. NO ONE should be forced to listen to bad language or insults or to be belittled in any way, be it any man, woman or child, be he/she of any race, creed, culture or religion.

People should also be aware that in multi-cultural environments, there is always the danger that a person’s behaviour may not be acceptable to another, since the standards of behaviour are different. They should also be aware that some people may be more sensitive than others, or have different tolerance levels. Treating one another with respect and dignity is everyone’s responsibility. Mistreatment of anyone can often lead to more serious behaviours such as harassment.

Dignity is something some people have more than others, and undignified moments are pitfalls for all of us, dignity is often considered a universal attribute, an offshoot of each individual´s ability of self-consciousness and practical reasoning. The capacity for choosing and controlling our own will belongs to all of us, and is the base for respect and dignity of self and as well as for others.

One should always try to develop good social habits, without them, you become socially unacceptable. Developing good habits will help us do the right thing without thinking about it too hard. Good habits protect us from falling into bad lifestyles, humans have a tendency to fall into consistent patterns of behavior. If you consciously develop good habits, you are positively training yourself to do the right things.
text by: Isabel Gallagher

Life has a bright side and a dark side, for the world of relativity is composed of light and shadows. If you permit your thoughts to dwell on evil, you yourself will become ugly. Look only for the good in everything so you absorb the quality of beauty.
-Paramahansa Yogananda

Hypocrisy, the lie, is the true sister of evil, intolerance, and cruelty.
-Raisa Gorbachev

“What is virtue, my friend?
It is to do good; let us then do it,
and that will suffice…”
– Voltaire
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I read a while back this blog post from a friend of a friend in the blogging world. Quite frankly, I was disgusted, not by her, but about the subject she wrote about. She is a brazilian woman living in Lisbon. And might I add a very intelligent woman and she sent forth words that is a statement for women everywhere. What she wrote about was the stereo-typing of Brazilian women as being “loose”. I had to laugh, I have two very close friends from Brazil and neither of them are considered loose.

The reason she wrote this was due to a fad that is going on in Portugal. How groups of men go to Brazil on holidays and go to prostitutes. Some of them out of so-called pity, because they are poor. Others that state that´s what they are there for. And yet others who are there supposedly just having a chat. And they´re supposedly doing you somekind of favor. Yeah right, wake up and smell the coffee you f*ckin´ moron! I laugh and at the same time, I am disgusted.

These men come back and talk about the so called wild women down in Brazil. Let´s take a hard look at this, they don´t admit they were with prostitutes or lied and cheated to someone, no, they stereotype a nation of women as all being loose. God forbid that THEY the men be considered a loser, an animal, a hypocrite, no, nothing wrong with you. Funny, how real women don´t want anything to do with you, loser!!!

Losers go to prostitutes, end of story. Losers lie and cheat and try to paint pretty pictures around themselves, sometimes, they get lucky, most of the times, they don´t and are thrown out like garbage. They ARE GARBAGE.

It´s no wonder that 80% of women nowadays prefer to stay single. I just love that quote “Why marry a pig for a little bit of sausage”. Of course, this goes both ways, some women don´t care – But why lie and stereotype a whole nation of women when in actuality, you´ve been lying and cheating to someone or have actually been with a prostitute, you bloody pig.

If emotions were not deep,
feelings more understood
and memories didn’t trouble me,
I wouldn’t be striking a note on this space.
There have been moments I felt like screaming.
There is so much garbage going on worldwide, and it really bothers me.
You have no idea, but, maybe it bothers you too.
Where has true humanity gone?
And I do mean men, women and children alike.
Where is human dignity and respect?
Are we all going backwards and becoming animals?
Aren´t we as humans supposed to evolve?
We are all conscience of the bullshit going on world wide,
why aren´t we all fighting it?
Have we all become such cowards?
Am I supposed to become cold and just ignore it all?
I can´t and I won´t, even though it makes me crazy.
I´m not made of plastic you know,
I feel,
I truly feel for all humanity
and totally feel useless alone.
I´m utterly disgusted with all the bullshit I see,
especially on T.V.,
wake up people
and fight for what is real!!!
I can´t even watch the news anymore with all the bullshit they portray.
It´s not the innocent, it´s the evil that´s celebrated.
The so~called idiot
who shoots some innocent students at a school,
he´s portrayed,
like he was some kind of  hero.
And all the other bullshit we have to see,
on the fuckin TV.
Screw the media.
Yes, I am royally pissed off!
I don´t want to listen to bullshit anymore.
It really pisses me off.

We all have such a powerful tool in front of us! The internet!

Why? Because ordinary people are speaking their minds
“When we are silenced, will the men speak up?”
“Never doubt that a handful of committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
I thank you all for helping me keep my sanity.

text by Isabel Gallagher

“Become inspired with faith and love for others. Offer a hand to those in trouble, and be concerned about everyone.”
-M. Fethullah Gulen

Another head hangs lowly,
Child is slowly taken.
And the violence caused such silence,
Who are we mistaken?

But you see, it’s not me, it’s not my family.
In your head, in your head they are fighting,
With their tanks and their bombs,
And their bombs and their guns.
In your head, in your head, they are crying…

In your head, in your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie,
Hey, hey, hey. What’s in your head,
In your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, dou, dou, dou, dou, dou…

Another mother’s breakin’,
Heart is taking over.
When the vi’lence causes silence,
We must be mistaken.

It’s the same old theme since nineteen-sixteen.
In your head, in your head they’re still fighting,
With their tanks and their bombs,
And their bombs and their guns.
In your head, in your head, they are dying…

In your head, in your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie,
Hey, hey, hey. What’s in your head,
In your head,
Zombie, zombie, zombie?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, oh, oh, oh,
Oh, oh, oh, oh, hey, oh, ya, ya-a…

Adam lived in Darkness
and in his darkness,
he could dream
and he created Eve
through a Dream
and she only exists
as long he dreams her
she is kept alive
with his love…

But
Adam must learn how to love
so he can love
and be loved back
or the dream is lost.
Eve naturally knows how to love.
She took a risk
and bit the apple…

And Adam stayed a coward
and choked and hid
Afraid of the snake
And blamed it all on Eve
But Eve smiles
And God knows…
You don´t fear love.
without trying,
or you´re dying.
Eve´s immortal…
Through every woman.

text inspired by a conversation with Nic!
text by: Isabel Gallagher

There are people under public scrutiny all the time… criticized for doing things as if they were doing it as some publicity stunt, simply for the fact that they are in the public eye… I could mention Angelina Jolie as one, and her adoption of children of third world countries… Bono Vox, Hugh Laurie and many others. Personally, I think it is a wonderful thing, that just because they can and that they do it, and I sure as hell won´t criticize them for it… I think it´s beautiful regardless of their status quo. People argue about the fact, that there are many kids in Jolie´s own country that she could do that for, which to a certain extent, is true, but it is also true, that her own country is set up to help kids left right and center, and most third world countries are not.

Here, I would like to talk about all the unsung heroes in our own communities and the things they do to make the world a better place. I know quite a lot of people who go out of their way to make someone smile and make their lives a little bit easier in some way. People I have met and have had wonderful conversations with and even had, eye-opening views to the millions of ways that people go out of their way to help people and make their lives easier in some way.

I have friends who have set themselves up in Gambia, Africa, to teach the kids there how to read and write, also set up a charity to help these kids have a better life. No one really know these two, and they are two of the most wonderful people I´ve ever met. And a family who goes there every year to play Santa for these kids to watch them break into smiles… I think that´s beautiful! I also have a very long time friend who is now retired, but still lectures at the university and still does research in breast cancer to help fight that disease, although technically, he should be retired. I think that´s wonderful! Oh and the list of all the unsung heroes would go on and on. The new neighbor who moves into a community and the neighborhood comes and welcomes him/her in. It´s really nice… isn´t it???

The beautiful people, true beautiful people we meet everyday, people who we are glad to know and make us smile that such people exist and that is what true humanity is all about. Being kind to each other. Trying to make life easier for everyone. Even if you are only able to lend an ear and spend time with someone who isn´t doing too well, to hold their hand and let them know you are there. To let them know you really do care.

To be able to sit with somebody and enjoy a cup of coffee, a complete stranger even, that has sparked your curiousity and have an interesting conversation without any false pretenses… just learning something new everyday and not spoiling the beauty of the natural curiousity for learning something different. Not transforming the natural smile of human kindness and curiousity into tears…

Creating Random Acts of Kindness… that´s what true humanity is all about. The rest is just garbage.
post by Isabel Gallagher

I have been thinking a lot lately and one of the most fundamental aspects in all this is how we bring up our kids. We are all as humans brought up with certain social value systems and as humans, if history means anything at all, it is to be learned and change the mistakes of the past, so humanity can evolve. Some parents unfortunately lack these fundamental value systems and certain vicious circles never ends. A lot of kids grow up with reasonably happy homes and comfortable living standards, but those values of happiness and comforts depend upon each and every country’s cultural aspects and what the parents are able to provide. The values of happiness and comfort doesn’t always come from what we call the richer countries and as time goes by, we see a lot of unhappiness brewing from those types of standards. I think that happiness and comfort are much more simpler than most people believe. We fill up our heads with all kinds of advice from books, tv and sometimes from therapy. Therapy isn’t a bad thing – as long as you actually recognize who you are and make the changes necessary and not use therapy as just an excuse for your behaviour. People who behave in socially unacceptable ways, tend to hide from the public eye with this behaviour. They are sick and at the same time, they know they are behaving wrong. Does it make sense?

We as parents are so responsible for what the future holds… our kids are supposed to be a gift to the world at large, not a social nightmare. Sure, parents make mistakes and the first step is to admitting that we have made mistakes, some mistakes are so tragic, and that those mistakes are sometimes are very wrong and unacceptable and what is required is to make a change and not make the same mistakes all over again. We as parents are role models to our kids, and at some point of your life as a parent, you may see that your kids will look for role models elsewhere, and sadly, a lot of the times, those new role models don’t always have your kid’s best interests at heart. Pay attention to your kids. Don’t criticize them left right and center, they too are learning from their own mistakes… there is not a human being upon this earth who hasn’t made mistakes. Don’t be so lenient either, don’t accept mistakes, use them and teach your kids why it was a mistake and why it was unacceptable behaviour. In every aspect of our lives, we need balance. Life isn’t fair. Sometimes horrible things happen beyond your control, but know the difference.

There are aspects we grow up with as kids such as the happy-ever-after scenarios of fairy-tales. They’re nice to provoke those dreamy-like feelings, but as parents, I think it is also important to teach our kids as much as they can handle how to protect themselves from socially unacceptable scenarios and that they recognize them and to do their best to stay away from those scenarios. There are scenarios in which sometimes we think it is too horrible for a kid to understand – but if that danger is in any possibility a reality in your own kid’s environment, I think that you as a parent have to sit down and talk about it with your kid, that it is not acceptable behaviour. Sometimes, for lack of knowledge, a parent may or may not know how to deal with such a scenario and they may or may not seek an outside source for help on this particular scenario and sometimes that source is not always the best for your needs and it can get really tricky trying to make the right choices. I wish to think that most parents would do their bloody best to make the most viable decisions for their kids. And our roles as parents just seem to get harder and harder, with the economy crashing left right and center, parents doing whatever they can just to survive, and we find ourselves less and less paying attention to our kids (most of the time against our will), our kids are left in the hands of people we don’t always believe have their best interests at heart.

I don’t know where the world is going in all this chaos – but I have the best interests for my own kid at heart. I am doing my bloody best to teach her what matters – I know in certain aspects, I will fail and she will learn from those mistakes, I so hope so. But it scares me to death to let her loose in a world that just seems to become crueler and crueler, or is it my adult eyes that have awoken from my sweet dreams of childhood into the nightmare of adulthood? My own life is not a nightmare and I thank God, my parents for all that. It’s the world at large that bothers me the most.

I was brought up with certain standards of acceptable social behaviours and brought up as a Catholic – being kind to my fellow beings and all the things that Jesus taught, being considerate and to treat people as humans as equals, all with a role to play in life and growing up, I have found that a lot of people are not considerate kind human beings. I have found this totally upsetting growing up. I find it utterly disturbing that these basic qualities of being human are not always what we face each day. I find it disturbing that to face life we have to find a side to us that we never knew and to deal with feelings that are unknown to your growing up. Some kids grow up in disturbing environments and that really bothers me a lot. I am going to add a certain aspect which I firmly believe in, no child should be born unless it is truly loved by her mother. I firmly believe in pro-choice that it is up to each and every woman to decide whether she can or can not provide all the necessary love her child needs. And until the governments of the world think of our children as the first priority for the future and provide all that is necessary for a mother to provide for her every child’s needs- – then I will be always pro-choice until that day comes.

I can’t help but feel, that all future parents of the world, all who are already parents, should have some lessons on how to be human again. I wish that there would be more of “family” values brought back to our sad societies. That there is somekind of hope for humanity to evolve for the better and not the worst. That history is teaching us something and that we ARE learning something. God protects us all.

– Isabel Gallagher

I dedicate this post to my mother and my father with all my love, thank you for everything and I thank you also for bringing me up with God in my heart.

May God forgive me for the mistakes I’ve made…