EYE OF The Hurricane

“Annie, what I have to say will hurt! I am not surrounded with True Christians, but with hypocrites! I have yet to meet one true Christian,” as my friend (who shall remain nameless) shouts out these words on December 26, 2009, just twelve hours after Christmas day, with a heart filled with piercing pain, eyes about to burst with stormy tears, and lava-like anger working its way up to a level 10 cataclysmic, emotional quake!

Because I promised my friend that I will not share details beyond the statement above, I will attempt at repeating my advice during that conversation. “LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART – Just Listening is NOT enough!”

There is no doubt that times have been rough for many of us on multiple levels all across the globe, whether financially, personally, emotionally, spiritually … perhaps even safe to use the term “nightmare” in specific instances. As such, during the holidays, emotions escalate to extremes, to either extreme joy, or to extreme anger, or to extreme sadness, you get the idea. When emotions take off in extreme, unintended directions, guess what happens to communication efforts? Any attempt to communicate also goes in shambles, thereby giving rise to misunderstandings, reactionary responses, increased confusion, more drama, and let’s not exclude judgments.

I said these words to my friend: “I hear your every word. I acknowledge your pain, and want to speak to your heart. You said you are not surrounded with True Christians. I personally believe the word you’re looking for is “PURE” as opposed to TRUE. You are looking to share with folks whose words and actions are in harmony, as opposed to flattery with the lips, and betrayal by actions. You are looking for unconditional love, love that is free of conditional definitions and boundaries. You are tired of being used by people …”

My friend stopped me immediately and said, “Annie… oh my God, yes, yes, yes! That is exactly what I mean. How did you know? How could you know?”

Then I said, “Now listen carefully… did you ever ask yourself how you feel about you? Do you approach people with a pure heart?”

My friend said, “…pauses… Annie, I try, I really try, but I can’t say I always do.”

I then said… “well, does that necessarily make you an impure person, a hypocrite, a fake Christian?” …

My friend said, “… oh no… I’m the biggest hypocrite of all. How can I be judging others when I am blinding myself toward my own personal faults?”

I then said, “my wonderful friend… don’t you see… you are not a hypocrite, and neither are any of your friends. There is only one TRUE Christian, and that’s Jesus Christ Himself! As His children, we are all striving to do good, and we are all working hard to better ourselves as human beings, to be the best children, parents, grandparents, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, colleagues, communities, teams we can be. Of course, as human beings, we are meant to make mistakes, and yes, even hurt each other at times. The best antidote to provoke immediate healing is CHOOSING to practice unconditional love followed by genuine forgiveness.”

I continued to say, “during times like this, remind yourself of the last words Jesus spoke on the cross, “Father, forgive them for they not know what they do” [Luke 23:34, King James Version].

Right before my eyes, I witnessed my friend’s inner darkness that was eating away within be transformed to light, wearing a glow of hope visible to the human eye. I then said, “to answer your question as to how I knew… that is because I was listening to you with my heart, not just with my ears…”

AnnieBiotics® Message: Dear friends, regardless of how busy your schedules are, MAKE TIME to love unconditionally, MAKE TIME to properly acknowledge and appreciate those who are always there for you, CHOOSE to forgive those who have wronged you, MAKE TIME to ask for forgiveness (not just say sorry) for those you have wronged, and last but most definitely not least, MAKE TIME to genuinely listen with your heart when your friend is in pain, regardless of surrounding circumstances, reasons, or season!

God Bless You and Yours With His LOVE and Compassion all year long, throughout 2010!

With All My Heart,
Annie Armen

It was one year ago, last Thanksgiving, when I was teaching/mentoring my students on the value of gratitude. While they were expecting lessons in pronunciation, I threw them an unexpected twister with this question: “Right here, right now, at this very moment, what are you grateful for? For the next 15 minutes, make a list, and begin writing your thoughts”.

First reaction without thought, the class burst into laughter, and I purposely joined in to share in their mystified enthusiasm. One student said: “Teacher, how will this improve our speaking skills in English”? I then replied: “First, answer my question by making a list of all that you are grateful for, and I promise that the exercise itself will reveal the answer to your question once you are actively involved”. Needless to say, the student looked more puzzled with my answer, while intrigued at the same time.

Well, during this session, they all looked at each other befuddled, and could not find themselves to stop laughing. Until, one student shouted out, “oh.. oh… I know… I am grateful for my expensive car”. Then another jumped with excitement and said, “ooh… ooh.. my blackberry phone, yeah… yeah, this is cool, I like this assignment” … to … “my video games” … to … “my big screen plasma T.V.” … to … “money my parents give me” … and more. …

As the students were joyously and laughingly expressing the things they were grateful for, I sat their observing their expressions. While thrilled in hearing them articulate their thoughts in English as opposed to speaking in their native language, I was more enthused about their upcoming reactions to the set of thought provoking questions I was about to ask them next:

“Are you grateful to be alive today? For having eyes to see? Ears to hear? Tongue to speak? Senses to smell, touch, and taste? Legs to walk? Oxygen to breathe? Parents who love you? Parents who give you money to buy things like blackberry cell phones, video games, large screen t.v.-s, expensive cars? For experiencing love and care with family and friends? For friendships right here in this class room? For being able to express your thoughts with feeling in English as a result of this lesson on gratitude?

15+ students in one room, and all you can hear is absolute silence and see shock on their faces!

The student who asked the question on how this assignment will improve their speaking skills in English, stood up and said: “Annie, thank you. I spoke more English today then in any of my English classes in school … and … I have learned a valuable lesson on gratitude”.

One week later, on a Saturday, midnight hour, here I am in the studio working on the last five tracks for completing the production of Legends in Excellence CD – the audio series, until I receive this call from another student of mine, to tell me this: “Annie, I am calling you from the airport … (as you hear the shakes in his voice) … Annie … (pauses again) … I am flying back home … (pause) … family emergency … (pause) … my father died in a car accident … (pause) … I am the only child, the only son … (pause) … have to fly back home to take care of my mom, and figure out funeral arrangements … Annie, just last week, you were teaching us about the value of gratitude and we were laughing … and now… it is too late for me to say ‘thank you’ to my father … (pause) … I want to say ‘thank you’ to you Annie, as my best teacher, and for this important lesson in life. I will never forget this lesson and will tell all my friends back home”.

My response was: “It is never too late to express your gratitude, and it all starts from the inside. What matters is that you are showing your thankfulness by great action right now. Here you are, leaving your friends, your school, the state all within seconds of a responsible decision, to go back home and step into your father’s shoes to take care of your mom and family. Know your father is proud of you, and has always recognized the greatness in you. Today, you are witnessing what your father and mother saw in you all along! When you see your mom, hug her, thank her for giving you life with all your love” This is what true, DAILY Thanksgiving is all about”!

Friends, I pray this message has touched your hearts, your lives on a profound level. Regardless of what conflicts you have with your loved ones, while you are alive, be grateful for your family and friends now, not tomorrow!

May You Be Blessed Exponentially with Peace, Grace, and Joy in your lives during this Thanksgiving season, and remember to make Thanksgiving a daily value in your lives. Once a year is a great start … now you have the choice to take it beyond … JUST BECAUSE … because you can!

I am grateful to our Father in Heaven for the priceless gifts of all of you in my life, and I thank YOU for who you are, as you are, just the way you are … you are beautiful!

Annie Armen
Listen to this Audio Archive Featuring Several of Annie’s Students