Dear Vidhu and all Readers! Great Breakthrough!!!!

I got the Job!!!

And now I'm celebrating!

First of all, I got exactly the job I wanted...I was able to raise their offer by almost 5 thousand dollars and today they informed me that I would be getting the three weeks of vacation that I requested!

I start on the 28th of March!

Yaaaayyy!! Daimoku Works! It really Does!!!

AND to really celebrate, I'm doing the thing I love the absolute best in the world...I'm going on a cruise!!!

Woohoo!!!!

And, get this, I'm going ALONE!!! No more sighing because I have no one to go with! Of course none of my friends could go on this short notice.

I feel very brave, I'll tell you! Brave, bold, strong and VICTORIOUS!!!

That's what this practice is all about .... WINNING!

I VOWED that I would win...and I did.

I chanted fiercely that I would achieve this victory through my prayer because I AM A VOTARY OF THE LOTUS SUTRA and I MUST PROVE THE POWER OF THIS PRACTICE!!

Now I'm taking myself on a victory cruise!

I leave from Miami on Saturday, for very little money, and get back on Thursday. I will have sun, music, and more sun!!!

I wish all of you could come with me! Wouldn't that be fun? I'm going to ask the cruise director if I can teach classes in chanting. I ought to meet some interesting people that way! I'm not sure what they will say, but it never hurts to ask!

Thank you for chanting for me!!!

Thank you for reading my blog!!

Good News and Bad News

Good News! I got the Job

Bad News: 8.9 Earthquake, and Tsunami warnings all over.

I'm going to chant right now

for all of the people affected,

and who may be affected in the future!

Six Years Ago Today....

Beautiful Marla

Beautiful heart

Laughing spirit

Intelligent soul....

all you had to offer...

to your gorgeous children

your patients

Your friends

What a healer you were...

How strong and determined...

rising from the poorest Bronx projects...

where you told us everyone was like family...

Meeting Gary when you were still a child...

and keeping him in your heart

until he was ready to become fully yours.

And you traveled to California

and made a beautiful family...

including me, your loving sister in law.

All the great times we shared...

laughing with our adorable babies...

through camping trips in the snow...

to camping in the mud...

...and laughing...always laughing...

Beautiful Marla.

I think of you every day...

twice a day during gongyo's silent prayers

and I raise a grateful prayer

for having known you

and become your sister

and loved you

and

love

you

so.

What does Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Mean?

So glad you asked!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo means:
"I fuse my life with the mystic law of cause and effect through sound vibration".
I like to think of it as "I am one with the flow of life" because that's what it does...it puts you right in rhythm with your own life and everything around you.

It's a law. It works whether you believe in it or not.

People all over the world chant this phrase with the Sokka Gakkai International. The Website link is sgi-usa.org. I've posted it next to the copy of this blog. I encourage you to go there. Call the center nearest you and get the name of someone who practices near you. It doesn't cost anything...you don't have to "do" anything to chant. Just try!

It's truly a practice for anyone...no rules...no dues...no eating restrictions...just chant!
And practice. Chant every morning and evening...then you'll be writing me to tell me your results! Remember...dream big...go for the impossible!

I'll be chanting a lot today! Join Me!

Hello!

Here I am waiting to hear about the job.

It's a sunny day here in Chicago.

I'm going to spend a lot of time chanting today.

I'm determined to get the best job for Kosen Rufu!

And I'm determined to move my brilliant, sparkling life forward!

Join me!

Benefits Abound!

When going through something like this...applying for a job and hoping to get it, it's important to remember all the benefits you have every day.

My benefits include: My health! After my surgery last year I am walking effortlessly wit a spring in my step and no pain!

...my wonderful Aaron...exceeding expectations as a Junior at the University of illinois...fulfilling his duties of being the President of the running club...he's running faster than ever (which really makes him happy!) and getting a 4.0 in his studies to boot. He's chanting and having a great social life too. He's taking advantage of ALL that college life has to offer!

...my wonderful Ben~! I just mentioned his name here at the Panera and a complete stranger said "You're Ben's mother? I know all about Ben!" and he started telling me how Ben is fast like lightning. THis happens all the time...mention his name around town and everyone knows who he is. In the meantime Ben's deciding on a prom date and planning his original songs for ther open mic later this week.

...so grateful to have discovered chanting and to be a disciple of President Ikeda's! I searched for this practice until I found it at the age of 25. What if I hadn't found it? I am so grateful to be able to chant and to be a part of this incredible organization.

...grateful for all the friends and love I have around me every day!

...grateful for my readers! I love it when you send me comments. I love that I have the honor of encouraging you and giving you hope.

Thank you!!!!

Before the NEXT interview! Chanting for Connection!

The excitement continues!

Today I am giving a mock presentation...the kind of presentation I would be giving on a daily basis to business leaders in the community about the college where I am interviewing.

I am chanting to connect deeply with the other Directors who will be my audience. I am chanting to be poised, articulate, warm and intelligent. I am chanting for them to REALLY want me to come to work for them. I am chanting for the best opportunity to do Kosen Rufu and move my life along. It is a job in education...a worthy endeavor helping people better their lives.

I produced the coolest looking presentation at the Apple store on my MacBook Air. I've been practicing and will practice more.

Now to chant again, then get ready to go!