Random Thoughts: The Power of Scents

 They say that scents can trigger our memories far more than the memories of what we saw or heard. I've been wondering why. All our senses are valuable and contribute to our experiences, so why does the sense of smell trump the other senses in regards to accessing our innermost memories? 

When we see something, we see shape, outlines, grooves, shadows, texture, size, and colors, all in different combinations. 

When we hear something, we hear volume, tone, pitch, tempo, crescendo, decrescendo, clarity, and layers of sounds, again in different combinations. 

When we smell something, we do not have as big a variety of measure or description to what we smell. What if the things we smell, subconsciously or consciously, is not just the scent of wood, metal, garlic, or any other association to nature or things. What if what we smell is similar to the sense of sight and hearing? What if there are many different scent particles in different volumes, sizes, intensities, and combinations? And what if those combinations are so unique that we can associate a certain event to the scent we smelled at that moment? 

Some say that they can smell ghosts. I have never smelled ghosts, at least not to my knowledge, but I believe it is possible. 

If some can see ghosts, which is using the sense of sight, and we can hear ghosts, which is using the sense of hearing, why can't we smell ghosts? 

I think people who limit their beliefs to what they can see or hear are two-dimensional because you are disregarding other senses like the sense of smell, touch, perception, balance, and so on. 

Takeaway from this random thought: The sense of scents is underrated. There is probably so much more that we can learn just by studying the many qualities of scents.  

Enraged by the Maui Fires

 I got a new job that I really love. I love being there and doing what I'm doing. The only thing is that I have to drive about an hour each way. It's not bad. I use that time to listen to podcasts and be in the know of current events. 

The recent news about the Maui "wildfires" got me enraged for so many reasons. 

For your information, I DO NOT BLAME NATURE for this. Far from it! 

Climate change my a**! 

The first thing I hear is that there was this huge wildfire that burnt down a beautiful city in Maui but only 80 died. 

My thought was, 'What?! How does a whole city burn with only 80 people dying? I've been to Maui so I know that no matter how small the island, there has to be a lot more people residing there.'

The next thing I hear is that the governor is an enforcer of climate change and practically exalts water like a god. Preserving nature, conserving natural resources, that's all great, but where are your priorities?! What's the point of having great nature if valuable lives are lost? Anyway, I hear that the city delayed emergency response to allow water to be used to stop the fire. That infuriates me enormously. 

Then, from various other sources, I learn that the citizens trying to escape the fire were barricaded in, hence the images of cars in tight assemble with a vast road unventured a few yards away. According to the witnesses, the police that barricaded them repeated over and over that they were just following orders. Orders to do what? To block the residents from escaping the fire? First of all, what police officer in his right mind would obey such an order while seeing what he is seeing? 

Let's give the benefit of the doubt that the people in charge giving orders were ignorant to how bad the situation was and didn't know that evacuation took precedence over chaos and disorder. Let's say that the police officer initially agreed to obey and went on site and drove there to barricade the area. How, I mean how can you possibly let the people burn in flames because of some order you were given? 

Then, while the residents are homeless and mourning over the loss of their beloved ones, investors try to bargain and buy off their land? Does anyone have compassion anymore? 

To make it worse, the media blames the fires to climate change. Do you know why this is bad? It's because this puts a stop to ever finding the real cause of the fire. One of the things that the Lahaina residents probably want most is to find out how and why all this happened. What did they lose everything for? 

I lived in Hawaii for a very long time. It is very humid. It is always raining. That's why it is known for its rainbows. It rains, then sun shines, only to rain again. For fire to catch and spread that fast in that kind of weather cannot be natural. 

Some say it's the powerlines, some say it's an arsonist, some say it's neglect of forest management, and some say it's DEW (Direct Energy Weapon)...it could be a combination of all four, but what I do know is that this was intentional at the expense of valuable lives, especially the lives of children who were at home without their parents. 

We failed to protect the children. We failed to protect our own people. That is what enrages me. 

Is this a land grab scheme? Is this a chance to claim another climate change tragedy? Is this an opportunity to raise donations aka launder money? Is this a strategy to build a Smart City that the residents have resisted? Whatever this is, it was done at the expense of children's lives. I really hope that guilt builds and grows inside the culprits who enabled this, and over time, may that guilt swallow them whole into a black hole of misery. 

If I Were the Devil

I read something very interesting today. Here, I will show you. 

(Go ahead and read it. It's not bad. And I have a point to make after.) 

IF I WERE THE DEVIL 

by Paul Harvey

If I were the prince of darkness, 

I'd want to engulf the whole world in darkness.

and I would have a third of its real estate

and four-fifths of its population, 

but I wouldn't be happy until I had seized 

the ripest apple on the tree. 

So, I'd set about however necessary 

to take over the United States. 

I'd subvert the churches first. 

I'd begin with a campaign of whispers, 

with the wisdom of a serpent. 

I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve, 

"Do as you please." 

To the young, I would whisper that the Bible is a myth. 

I would convince them that man created God

instead of the other way around. 

I would confide that what is bad is good, 

and what is good is "square." 

And to the old, I would teach to pray after me, 

"Our Father, which art in Washington." 

And then, I'd get organized. 

I'd educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting

so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. 

I'd threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. 

I'd peddle narcotics to whom I could. 

I'd sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. 

I'd tranquilize the rest with pills. 

If I were the devil, 

I'd soon have families at war with themselves, 

churches at war with themselves, 

and nations at war with themselves

until each in its turn was consumed. 

And with promises of higher ratings, 

I'd have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. 

I would caution against extremes

in hard work, in patriotism, in moral conduct.

I would convince the young that your marriage is old fashioned, 

that swinging is more fun, 

that what you see on TV is the way to be. 

And thus, I would undress you in public and I could lure you into bed 

with diseases for which there is no cure. 

In other words, if I were the devil, 

I'd just keep right on doing what he's doing. 

***

This was written by Paul Harvey in 1965. 

But if I did not know better, this rings so true in the modern day. 

In a world where we are so confused to what is right and wrong, we need to reflect on the reality of things. And just as it is said by Paul Harvey, the devil is at work right now, and he's pretty successful at it. But don't you think we should resist? Or better yet, don't you think we should move in the right direction, God's direction? 

We are repeatedly told through the media that believing in God is "square." 

We are told that morals are overrated. 

We are living in a world where normal is not normal anymore. 

What used to appall us before is shrugged off with a, "Oh well, it happens." 

Just the other day, I heard someone say, 

"If you lust after children, watch child porn. It will help you to stave off the desire to rape kids." 

What?! Since when was lusting after children okay? Or raping children? Or even putting kids in pornography? 

The way the devil works is that he lures us to darkness, not by turning off the light, but by dimming the light. Everything is a gradual process. 

First it is, sex with a stranger is okay. Then, porn is okay. Then, having multiple relations before marriage is wisest. How else will you know if you are sexually compatible, right? Then, five year gap is fine, ten year gap is fine, then having sex with a minor is okay, she is almost 18. Then, the age criteria gets lower and lower. 15 is okay, they have already gone through puberty. Then 12 is okay, love is not bound by age. 

I know that I might have hit some nerve to whoever is reading. But I wanted to make a point that we are unable to recognize how far we have gone on the wrong path. One misstep and it leads to two, three, and so on. 

I have a rule of thumb to help us stay on the straight and narrow. 

At the first sign you see a double standard, you can know that your morals have gone askew. 

No wonder Jesus always called out, "You hypocrites!" 

A man (or woman) can rape a kid, but when it is done to their own, they will go on a killing spree. 

One can enjoy porn, if the person in that porn is someone you love, there will be a jealous outrage. 

We feel bullied when insults are thrown at us but do not hesitate to hurl insults to others. 

I am not saying I am perfect. What I am saying is that we need to be aware of the gradual steps we are taking towards the devil's darkness. 

Oh, and let me also point out, be careful what you see and hear on TV, the news, and the social media. Behind the digital glam, there are imperfect people with thoughts and agendas of their own. 

Always be wary of information that is fed to you. 

I think like this, if you were able to take in the information without much effort, you did not put thought into it. I wish all of you the discernment to judge what is right or wrong, and what is best for yourself, family, nation, humanity, and God. 

Whether you believe in God or not, there is such a thing as karma. What goes around comes around. 

What one would say is karma, I would say it is God who created everything to be fair; I mean so mathematically, scientifically, and accurately fair, that even without having to do anything, what we do is like the exact amount inserted into a vending machine to get the drink or snack we selected. 

Have a good day, y'all.

#God #devil #paulharvey #karma 

Introducing...Lil Ol Me, Naomi

Hello there, I'm Naomi.

This is my first post. 

It will also be an introduction of myself. 

I am no different from you. I am a plain Jane. Not special in any way. 

But this is where we all start. Some may have a few advantages, some less. Some may even have disadvantages, which is truly unfortunate. But let's not ponder on the unfortunate beginnings. 

Let's focus on the now, wherever that may be. 

I am a woman who turned a lot of negatives into positives and some positives into negatives. 

My father left us when I was young. I witnessed a messy divorce and was stuck in between a "Tell him blah blah blah," "What did he tell you?" "Tell her blah blah blah," "What did she tell you?" and so on. 

I had a sickness from when I was twelve. I moved around a lot. Had to see my mom work 2-3 jobs and come home late at night exhausted. As a result, I dreaded asking for money to buy a new backpack or even that cute pencil case that all my friends had.
It hurt me whenever my mom told me, "Behave so well that no one would imagine you were fatherless." She meant well. I understood. In fact, those words shaped me to be a better person. 

Hmmm...what else? Ah, my grades were also average. Being an Asian though, people assumed I was smart. Hahaha! I have to admit that I have cheated on tests for which I was less prepared. I was an introvert and an observer. I was bullied by a few girls, teased by some guys. I never understood why. I was just so average. Not too ugly and not too pretty. Not too smart, definitely not too smart, and not too stupid. Not too studious and not too rebellious. I was quiet and shy but not too much. In fact, I was almost the shyest girl in the class, but someone else beat me to that title. Boy, was I average! 

Now...I am confident. Not so average. I have quite a few accomplishments. How did I turn all that 'average-ness' around? I guess accepting who I am, all the beauties as well as the uglies. Then, focusing on what I want and taking things one tiny step at a time. 

But you know what? Do you what the key really was? It was my faith in God. 

It is actually pretty logical. 

I learned God was good. I began to love God. I believed in God. I believed He was perfect. I exalted Him. Then, I find out that God loves me. What?! The perfect God loving measly old me? I have two choices. Because I am nothing, God must be a lie to love me. Or God is perfect and I have absolute faith in Him, so if someone perfect like Him were to love me, I must be special.
I chose the latter. 

That brought me here. 

But I am not satisfied with here. Not that I am greedy or that I am unhappy. 

I want to live a valuable life. I want to live the rest of my life with a sense of adventure. 

I am curious to where God will lead me.

Let's go on this journey together. No pressure.
You can tune in when you feel like it. 

You can just check to see if I am keeping my word. 

You can use me as a mirror to reflect on yourself. 

Or who knows, you can be inspired by what I write, 

and that could be the extra boost you needed to take you to a higher level. 

I am not here for money, likes, follows or subscriptions. 

So just enjoy yourself...