Inner Happiness

Vendor making dragon's breath

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great.

Mark Twain

Today I had some free time from work and took a walk into the Quartier Chinois which is situated off the rue Saint-Urbain and only a five minute walk from the Basilica Notre-Dame and the hotel that I always stay in.
It’s really only a few streets but has small shops filled with trinkets, shawls, and food that range from cakes and cookies to all day buffets; not the metropolis that San Francisco has.

The photograph above shows a local vendor making a special type of sugar and nut candy called Dragon’s Breath. It is whipped and spun by hand and folded many times to make this delicious treat. The spun sugar is on the inside and represents the breath of the dragon.

Dragons must be lovely creatures to have such sweet breath!

Walking and exploring places that are not my everyday stomping ground provides opportunities for gathering thoughts, a walking meditation, repeating affirmations, and meeting strangers. I love to explore and meet the world and have travelled to many wonderful places and learned a lot as I did this.

A common thread I have found is that people are fundamentally the same. Once cultural and religious differences are stripped away it becomes obvious that we are all seeking the same things: shelter, safety, and most of all love.

While fears of reality exist, they are an illusion that prevents many of us from exploring and seeing the potential that lies in places, other people, and ourselves.

This fear is a like a dragon that’s burning away your opinions and hopes, and destroying your potential through its fiery breath.

Yet dragons don’t exist except in our imaginations.

When you listen to other people and in turn listen to and make yourself heard, you will find that you are not alone in your thoughts and aspirations.

All too often, we take circumstances and people around us for granted and it’s not until we are left alone or without, that we discover, too late, what we’ve lost. We don’t appreciate the value of time and our experiences and interactions with people we see every day, nor the importance of making new connections, new experiences, and pursuing our dreams.

After all, you make an impact on other people just as they affect you, one way or another.

So what is your reality?
Is it made out of fear, or imposed upon you by small minds?

Self-discovery is an endeavor that continues throughout a lifetime. While our knowledge of ourselves and our world is limited, you can dampen the fiery dragon’s breath permanently and render it harmless through a regular meditation practice, repeating positive affirmations, and making decisions based on love, cooperation, and prosperity instead of anxiety, uncertainty, or even anger.

Let the only fire in your world lie beneath your ambitions and your hopes and dreams

Don’t let ANYONE keep you from being great.

Peace and many blessings.