"You will be rewarded for your kindness."

When you are kind to someone, you set in motion a chain of events that makes each life it touches a little bit better. One by one, that act of kindness is paid forward ... till one day it comes back to you multiplied.

"Every time you pretend to love, you impoverish yourself more and more."

Love has great potential to enrich your life. But if you are just playing a role, pretending to love, it's only going to poison you. Because you are teaching yourself that it's just a game, and slowly but surely you will lose the capacity to open in love.

The Storm by Nicola Elias

5 Signs You Were Raised By Helicopter Parents

1. You have to call Mom or Dad before making a decision. Cut the cord. Father (and Mother) know best, right? When you were younger, sure -- they prevented you from sticking forks in sockets, helped you fill out college applications and even had a word or two of advice about your new job. But if intense guidance carries over into adulthood, it could stifle a young adult’s decision-making skills, while giving parents more authority and expertise than is truly warranted. "[Clients] have so much trouble making decisions, so they call their mom, who has very good intentions,” said Mogel. However, this parent probably knows no more about this particular moment in history and how to make good judgements than the adult child who’s asking for advice, she said. "This is your big moment to make mistakes and learn from them rather than staying tethered, feeling dependent, resentful and crabby," Mogel advised. “Put down the phone, experience some discomfort and reflect on what you might like to try or to do." 2. You count your parents as some of your best friends. Make new ones. Of course, this is easier said and done, but consider this: According to a 2013 Clark University poll, two-thirds of moms and more than half of fathers say they have some form of contact with their adult child almost every day. In some ways, this is just cultural; NPR notes that the generation gap is getting smaller and smaller, as parents and children are more likely to agree about issues nowadays then, say, experimental Baby Boomers and their conservative parents in the 1960s. But this extraordinary closeness may be shutting young adults off to new relationships with people their own age -- friendships that could over time be a source of lifelong happiness and support. "Some of these young adults don’t have close friendships because all they have are their online friends and they are so close to their parents,” said Mogel. "This is the dark side of the wonderful closeness and friendship that a lot of parents and young adults have that nobody from my generation had." "Cultivate friendships and relationships outside of those who are easily accessed, comfy and familiar,” she advised. For some, that might mean reaching out to old pals we’ve lost touch with. For others, it might mean completely starting from scratch. Join clubs, community sports teams or meet up with Internet friends IRL to get going. 3. You resent your parents for their gifts and support. Ask yourself some tough questions. No discussion about millennials is complete without acknowledging the down economy they entered right as they graduated from high school and college. Even though the economy is now technically “improving,” wages are stagnant and people can’t find full-time work in careers for which they trained. Add this to the pressure of paying back astronomical student loans, and it’s no wonder millennials are, more than previous generations, staying at home longer and relying on some level of financial support from their parents well into adulthood. But for some, that support comes with too many strings attached. Ask yourself, advised Mogel, if the support you’re getting is worth your parents’ constant questioning of your life choices. "Do the money, goods and services my parents provide me... buy polite goodwill instead of genuine respect and affection?” asked Mogel rhetorically. And does this support come with “an unspoken but hidebound agenda of acceptable cities, neighborhoods, streets and buildings in which I should live; people I should hang with; style of workout or fitness program that I’m likely to stick with; most flattering style of dress for my body type; type of work I should pursue? Is this a fair exchange?" Alternately, are you relying on your parents for things you really should be able to handle yourself? If so, says Mogel, start doing what you can, now, and stop using “harmful parenting experiences” as an excuse to not grow, experiment or take risks. "Young adults may choose, consciously or unconsciously, to make themselves a living example of the harms of overparenting,” said Mogel. "They remain dependent on their parents -- for money, advice, networking, the washing machine -- yet resent them at the same time, in an adolescent way." 4. You feel incredibly anxious all the time. Seek therapy and consider exploring mindfulness theory. Mindfulness is a style of meditation that emphasizes being present and accepting ourselves just as we are. Practicing mindfulness pays respect to the anxieties and worries of the day, but robs them of their power to control our actions and thoughts. "Helicopter parenting means that your parents have communicated to you that without them hovering above you, you’re going to be in a lot of danger,” said Mogel. "So treat the anxiety as a thought, respectfully and neutrally, instead of as a truth on which you need to act." 5. You’re a perfectionist who is obsessed with credentials. Make a liberated, liberating decision. In a tough economy, it makes sense that people want to keep arming themselves with degrees and certifications. But this “credentialing,” which likely started when you were very young, could blind you to choices and activities that will bring you happiness and delight. It could also lead you to apply for law school even though you have no desire to be a lawyer, Mogel quipped. Adult children of helicopter parents think that every choice they make has to "satisfy the internal transcript pimp that the kids and parents and the school administrators have in their heads,” said Mogel. But what if you made a different choice? "Choose to do things that you find compelling or alluring or a tickle, or dare we say, fun,” said Mogel. “Try it, even though it doesn’t fit into the super-narrow path that you and your family have put your heads together to define as the only road to success.” Maybe this means following your heart and choosing that lower-paying career. Maybe this means spending a weekend learning a new craft or skill that isn’t related to work. In sum, Mogel's advice to tethered young adults is this: “Put down the phone or gently curl your texting finger into your palm. Invite your confusion or distress to have a seat beside you. Ask yourself if you’re confusing vulnerability with fragility, discomfort with danger, and consider a wider range of options than those within your parents’ zone of comfort or familiarity.”

Feeling Hopeless in Life? Meditate on these five Bible verses

1. Proverbs 3:5-6 (GNTD) Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. 2. Philippians 4:6-7 (GNTD) Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart. And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus. 3. Psalm 32:8 (GNTD) The Lord says, “I will teach you the way you should go; I will instruct you and advise you. 4. Joshua 1:9 (GNTD) Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, am with you wherever you go.” 5. Psalm 37:23-24 (GNTD) The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him. If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up.

7 Things You Didn't Know About Your Nose

1. The nose-lung connection. Both the nose and mouth can serve as the pathway of air entering and exiting the lungs. In normal breathing, the nose is the primary pathway. Even with aggressive exercise where mouth breathing becomes dominant, some air continues to pass through the nose. Despite the fact that the mouth is a bigger tube, people feel remarkably uncomfortable if their noses are plugged or congested. This nasal breathing role is critical in newborns, who "have to" breathe through their noses almost all the time. This is a unique feature related to the configuration of their throats that allow them to breathe and suckle at the same time without choking. This cannot happen in older children or adults who have to stop breathing to swallow. The nose plays another important role in breathing. There is a reflex neural mechanism that connects the nose to the lungs, called the nasal-pulmonary reflex. As the nose closes up, the lungs become more closed (bronchial construction), and as the nose opens up, the lungs open up (bronchial dilation). Although it is difficult to know how big a factor this is, it may be important when there is difficulty breathing or when there is a high volume of breathing with exercise. This may be why some elite athletes use nasal strips to open their noses during exercise. 2. Turbinates. The nose processes the air we breathe to prepare it for our lungs and throat, which do not tolerate dry air well. As the inhaled air passes through the nose, it is moisturized and humidified thanks to a complex multiple layer structure called turbinates. Now you know why your throat feels dry when you've been breathing a long time through the mouth: The inhaled air didn't get humidified in the nose. 3. Cilia. The air we breathe has all kinds of stuff in it – from oxygen and nitrogen to dust, pollution, allergens, smoke, bacteria, viruses, small bugs and countless other things. The nose helps clean that air. On the surface of the nasal tissues, particularly the turbinates, are cells with small little hair-like appendages called cilia that trap much of the bad stuff. Once captured, it sits in the mucous and is gradually pushed into the throat, where it's swallowed. Our stomachs tolerate bad stuff much better than our lungs. 4. Nasal thermostat. Just like our throat and lungs do not like dirty air, they do not like air that is too cold or too hot. The passing of the air through the nose allows the air to become more like body temperature, which is much better tolerated by the tissues. Warming cool air is more common than cooling warm air, as humans spend much more of their time in environments below body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) than above it. One clear manifestation of the warming and humidifying effect is the runny nose we get in cold weather, which is related to condensation of the moisture in the nose when exposed to cold air. 5. The taste-smell connection. High in the nose are a large number of nerve cells that detect odors. In order for us to smell, the air we breathe needs to be pulled high in the nose so that it can come in contact with these nerves. When we have a cold or allergies, it's hard for the air to get to these receptors. and therefore people notice decreased smell. Smell plays a key role in taste. We have four primary tastes: bitter, sour, sweet and salty. All of the refinements in taste are in fact related to smell, so people feel that food is tasteless when their smell is decreased. The sense of smell is not only for pleasure; it is necessary for safety. We need our smell to detect smoke, spoiled food and some toxic gases. People who have lost their sense of smell need to have alarms for these gases and they have to be careful with what they eat. Lastly, smell may be important in identification. Many people can identify those close to them by their smell, whether that's through their characteristic lotion or perfume or their characteristic body odor. 6. Boom box. What we hear when people speak and sing is in large part related to the resonating structures of the throat and nose. The voice is produced in the larynx but that sound is really a buzzing sound. The richness of the sound is determined by how the sound is processed above the larynx, which occurs in the nose and throat. It's the same principle that separates a grand piano from a child's toy piano. The "nasal" voice we hear in someone with a cold and allergies is due to the loss of this nasal resonation since the air cannot pass through the nose. It's very hard to talk about the nose without mentioning the sinuses, which have a number of important and positive roles. The sinuses are air-filled structures in the head that make the head lighter and probably played an important role in allowing us to become upright. They also serve as air cushion shock absorbers that help protect the brain and eyes. Sinuses are part of the voice resonance aforementioned. Sinuses also help control the amount of nitric oxide in the body and in the lungs. Although the potential value of nitric oxide would take an entire article to describe, it appears that it plays positive roles in breathing and potentially in immune function. 7. Nasal attraction. It's amazing how many of our body functions are directed toward sexual activity and reproduction. The nose plays a critical role in our perceptions of sex through the olfactory system. The sense of smell is a key component of how we identify people when we are close to them. The characteristic smell of a person's perfume or cologne or the scent of their shampoo or soap may be important to sexual arousal. The smell of human perspiration has a direct effect on sexual receptors in the brain. Loss of smell correlates with decreased sexual drive. Another interesting and widely debated area is the impact of pheromones, which are very important to reproduction in animals, as well as on human sexuality and stimulation. Particularly fascinating is a small accessory organ in the nose – the vomeronasal organ – that is related to the olfactory system. Some refer to it as the sixth sense. VNO is located at the base of the nasal septum or in the roof of the mouth and is present in almost all animals, including amphibians. Unlike in many animals like rodents and dogs where the VNO is important, the human VNO is largely vestigial (not functional or acting as an old remnant like the appendix), but some researchers feel that it still plays a role in pheromone and other chemical communication. Most of us ignore our nose unless it gives us trouble, but clearly it's one of the most versatile and elegant organs in the human body.

If you’re struggling to find sunny skies today, turn to God’s Word—and meditate on these five Psalms

1. Psalm 34:4-7 (GNTD) I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me; he freed me from all my fears. The oppressed look to him and are glad; they will never be disappointed. The helpless call to him, and he answers; he saves them from all their troubles. His angel guards those who honor the Lord and rescues them from danger. 2. Psalm 34:17-18 (GNTD) The righteous call to the Lord, and he listens; he rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. 3. Psalm 43:4-5 (GNTD) Then I will go to your altar, O God; you are the source of my happiness. I will play my harp and sing praise to you, O God, my God. Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God. 4. Psalm 91:14-15 (GNTD) God says, “I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as Lord. When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them. 5. Psalm 94:18-19 (GNTD) I said, “I am falling”; but your constant love, O Lord, held me up. Whenever I am anxious and worried, you comfort me and make me glad.