The Uncertainty Principle

Quantum physicist Werner Heisenberg is famous for his Uncertainty Principle. Heisenberg believed that reality is what can be observed. If there are different observations, there must be different realities, which depend on the observer. In stating such, he can be regarded as an advocate of philosophical idealism - objects of perception are identical with the ideas we have about them.

The idealist view denies that any particular thing has an independent essence. This is a far cry from Einstein’s Relativity Theory. Einstein believed in a reality independent of what we can observe, which is in essence the view of realism.

Two great scientists and two completely different observations, yet, both are equally significant. There is reality and there is our view of reality based on our emotional state of mind at any given time. As impartial as we think we are, our emotions and attitude play a significant role in how we view life and our outcome.

On the positive side, if we change our attitude, we can change the outcome of any given situation for the better. Antagonistic points of view, based on judgment not fact, have the adverse effect.

Paul Haggis gives us an excellent illustration of this in his 2004 film, Crash. The trailer states, “Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other. Live your life at the point of impact.” If you haven't seen the film, please do so, as it will be a life changing experience.

As in physics, so in life…never underestimate the impact you have on any situation.

Creativity is Good for Your Health

A study conducted by Dr. Gene D. Cohen of George Washington University suggests the health effects of participating in music, art, dance and poetry programs.

The results - people got healthier and happier.

"After a year, we saw actual improvement," says Gene D. Cohen of George Washington University, who headed the study of about 300 men and women over age 65. The study, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Institute of Mental Health and other organizations, took place in three cities, Washington, D.C., Brooklyn, N.Y., and San Francisco.

Half of the people in the study engaged in the cultural programs, the other half were the “control group." Both groups were similar in health and lived alone. Both groups were monitored on a range of measures from physical strength to mental health and social behavior.

Preliminary findings indicated impressive benefits of a creative fitness regimen. After a year, those in the cultural study group were healthier than they were when the study began. They were also in better shape than those in the control group. They reported better overall health, fewer doctor visits, less use of medications, and fewer falls and hip damage. They also reported less depression, less loneliness and higher morale.

All this suggests that mental activities play a significant role in health. It's common sense that diet and exercise matter to health. But it's nice to know that throwing paint on a canvas or writing a poem matters, too….maybe just as much.

Dealing with Workplace Stress

Stress in the workplace may be a given, but that doesn’t mean you have to give in! Here are a few techniques that will keep your stress at manageable proportions:

• Setting reasonable goals and a timetable in which to do so, will allow your accomplishments to add up at a steady pace.
• Taking pride in your work will make you strive to do your best, which will result in confidence, enthusiasm and optimism.
• Treating others with courtesy and respect will create a pleasant and productive environment.
• Learning to enjoy your work will make your job more interesting and challenging, thus increases job satisfaction.
• Doing a little more than expected is always noticed, though not always immediately acknowledged. In the long run, your extra efforts will payoff.
• Keeping your job in perspective will allow you to divert some of your energy to those activities in life which bring you pure pleasure.
• Be willing to compromise, as your views, strategies, and ways of doing things may be and feel right to you, but not to everyone.

Nothing in life is guaranteed, but a little support and a change in attitude make coping a lot easier...

Your Place in Life

Some of us work backstage,
while others play in the orchestra.

Some may sing on-stage,
others sit in the audience to criticize or applaud.

Know who and where you are...embrace it, give thanks and bless it!

Nutritional Needs of Relationships

Just as our bodies need certain amounts of vitamins and nutrients to remain healthy, our relationships have needs, which if not met, will cause it to deteriorate and perhaps die.

The “nutritional” needs of a relationship are:

• Communication
• Physical Intimacy
• Recreation
• Spiritual Growth

How much effort do you put forth to ensure the needs of your mate are being satisfied? Notice that I didn’t say your needs. You might only need 10 minutes of physical intimacy each week; however, only 10 minutes for your mate would mean starvation.

Successful relationships require some degree of compromise. Yes, compromise may require some encroachment on one’s personal freedom, but if you aren't providing nutritional needs for your spouse/significant other, he or she will either wither away in the relationship or try to find “nutrition” outside of it.

To discover what your needs are individually and as a couple, take each of the four groups and discuss the various ways you can fulfill the nutritional requirements in your relationship. There’s more than one way to satisfy each category.

Here are a few to get you started.

Communication - a quick phone call from work to “touch base” can help remind you of the priority of your relationship and give you both a sense of continuity. Some people use a phone call during the day as a way to settle family business, so that when they do get home they are freer to simply enjoy each other’s company.

In addition, no matter how well you and your partner discuss your differences, it is normal not to agree on everything. In fact, your differences are probably part of what attracted you to each other in the first place. Recognize that not all problems have to be solved. Sometimes you just need to agree to disagree and be willing to listen to your partner’s point of view.

The most important thing to remember after a disagreement - find the strength to say you’re sorry. It will do wonders at smoothing over the rough feelings left afterward.

Physical intimacy –Spend time alone together to re-ignite the intimacy and romance in your relationship. It will help you remember what brought you together in the first place. It is important to “make” the time to be alone together, because you are unlikely just to “find” it.

Once a week or once a month, schedule the kind of date you had when you were single or before you began your family. Agree not to discuss the children, the in-laws, or finances. Dress up and go out to dinner, see a movie, or spend a “quality” evening at home with the phone turned off. Passionate intercourse, kissing and caressing should never be placed on the back burner.

Recreation - playing card or board games, going out to dinner, gardening, going to concerts or sporting events, golfing, bowling or developing rituals for daily life and holidays. Practice the rituals, as they will enrich your lives by providing stability -- acts of beauty, joy, and tenderness you know you’ll have whenever you are together.

Spiritual Growth - meditating and praying together, attending a small group meeting devoted to spiritual growth, reading a spiritual book together, attending a church, synagogue or mosque will strengthen your bond and faith. There is truth in the statement, "The family that prays together, stays together."

Your relationship will be stronger and more interesting if you give your partner time and space without you. Remember that one person can’t possibly meet all your needs. That is like saying man-made vitamins can replace the vitamins that you get from eating real food. They can't. Both you and your partner must keep and nurture outside friendships and interests.

Above all, believe that if you feel love and commitment for each other, and are willing to grow, you and your partner will keep your relationship fresh, strong, and close. Relationships are vital and flexibility is a positive enhancement.

If you truly want a thriving and healthy relationship, you need to learn the “nutritional” needs of your mate and do your best to fulfill them, amid all the other demands you have on your time and energy.

The History of Valentine’s Day

February 14th is Valentine's Day. Although it is celebrated as a lovers' holiday, with the giving of candy, flowers or other gifts between couples in love, it originated in 5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop.

For eight hundred years prior to the establishment of Valentine's Day, the Romans practiced a pagan celebration in mid-February commemorating young men's rite of passage to the god Lupercus. The celebration featured a lottery in which young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box. The girl assigned to each young man in that manner would be his sexual companion during the remaining year.

In an effort to do away with the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery. The names of young women were replaced with the names of saints, allowing both men and women to draw from the box. The game was to emulate the ways of the saint drawn for the rest of the year. Needless to say, many of the young Roman men were not pleased with the rule changes.

Instead of the pagan god Lupercus, the Church looked for a suitable patron saint of love to take his place. They found an appropriate choice in Valentine, who, in AD 270, was beheaded by Emperor Claudius.

Claudius determined that married men made poor soldiers, so he banned marriage from his empire. Ignoring the ban, Valentine would secretly marry young couples that came to him. When Claudius found out about Valentine, he tried to convert him to paganism, but Valentine reversed the strategy, trying instead to convert Claudius. When he failed, he was stoned and beheaded.

While Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer. His love for her and his great faith managed to miraculously heal her blindness. Before his death, he signed a farewell message to her, "From your Valentine." This phrase has been used on his day ever since.

The lottery was banned by the church, but the mid-February holiday in commemoration of St. Valentine was stilled used by Roman men to seek the affection of women. It became a tradition for the men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentine's name.

The first Valentine card grew out of this practice. The first true Valentine card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time.

Cupid, another symbol of the holiday, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards today.