It's not just a name… It's a lifestyle
Recently my hubby and I did a photo shoot with a friend of ours, the very lovely and talented Evita Sanchez. If you would like to book her send me a message and I will get you in contact. She did such a great job of capturing our essence. lol. Sorry that is the best word I could think of. But seriously she totally got our chemistry and I think it comes through in the photos.
© Eva Sanchez Photography 2012 All Rights Reserved
In keeping with the theme of talking about holidays a week after they’ve happened, I am now getting around to hitting the topic of the New Year, Resolutions, etc. Every year most people have a long list of things they would like to do to improve themselves. I just read that over 60% of people know that they will not really follow through with those intentions. I’m going to warn you right now, this could turn into a bit of rambling because I have a tendency to write exactly what is going through my head, as it is going through my head. Ok back to the topic. So it’s a new year. What does that mean to you? Do you use this time to reflect on your life, or is it just another day? (Not judging, just curious). Personally, I have a fire inside of me to be better. I don’t always know how to achieve it, and def have times that I struggle, I’m not perfect, but I do want to grow in every aspect of my life. Last year was the best year of my life. I intend to say the same thing about 2012. Like pretty much everyone else in the Universe, I resolve to get healthy and fit. I would like to grow in my career and make more money. I want to be a great wife. My husband is better than me, he is so patient and he is great at picking his battles. Me… well I’m a little more emotionally driven, so there are a lot of times where I end up thinking, Man I’m a Dick. So I would like to learn to be more patient, thoughtful, considerate, and less irritable. He deserves that in a wife. I would like to be a better friend, sister and daughter. Those are all things that I strive for every year and that are very important to me. Along with these things, there is one other thing that I have challenged myself to do, and that is to be more selfless. I really want to think of others more than myself and give of my time as much as possible. My goal is to volunteer at least once a month, and donate 10% of my income to charity. I have always donated periodically, when a disaster happens or when a friend is doing a charity walk, but that is not enough and I want to do more. I’ve always planned on contributing to good causes when I could afford it, but then I read something that changed my perspective.
“The ancient Babylonians practiced a vital law that was the cause of their immense prosperity. They used the tithing law, which involves giving one-tenth of all money or riches that you receive. The tithing law says that you must give to receive, and the Babylonians knew that the practice of this law opens up the flow of abundance. If you are thinking, “I will give when I have enough money,” then the tithing law says you will never have enough money, because you have to give first. Many of the wealthiest people on the planet tithed their way to wealth, and they have never stopped tithing!” – Rhonda Byrne
Wow, I read that and thought she must be talking directly to me. And how true is that!? I have wondered many times how I could donate money when I am struggling myself. The answer – You just do. And you survive on what is left over. I’m realizing that there the world is bigger than me. My life is so blessed. The least I can do is give a little to help someone else. I care about other people, I’m sure you do too. But unfortunately, that’s not enough. Gandhi said “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” and he was right. I am going to be the change. I am also asking you to be the change. Give your time AND your money. You can. You have something to give. If you’re not sure where to direct your energy, I would love if you would help me build a house in New Orleans through the Make It Right Foundation. As I’m sure you know, Hurricane Katrina did damage all over the city of New Orleans. Today, 6 years later, not even have of the repairs have been done. This is a cause that is dear to my heart because one of my best friends is a NO native and her family lost their home in the hurricane. The Make It Right Foundation builds sustainable homes in the Lower 9th Ward and is helping people that were displaced by the hurricane come home to New Orleans and become home owners. If you would like more details check out the website MakeItRightNOLA.org and look for my team under my name Margaux Bangs.
With that said, I hope you all have an amazing year. It’s up to you to make it amazing. Remember that. xoxo
Love is such a gift. It is the best part of humanity. And I’m not just speaking of the love you find in a partner, I’m talking about the love of your family, friends, the love a stranger may show you through kindness, but most of all, the love you have for yourself. I feel very grateful that recent changes have caused my family to come together even tighter then we already were and discuss what we can all do to be better, more understanding, and helpful to not only each other but to ourselves. I know I’m kind of rambling and these are just some thoughts that I wanted to get out and share with whomever is interested. I can remember a time when I didn’t understand how important it was to love myself. I always thought that if I loved myself more than other people, that meant that I was selfish. I think it took being mistreated for a very long time in order for me to realize that before I could love someone else, I needed to love myself. This realization LITERALLY changed my life. It is so clear how powerful love is. How much you can help someone and change their day and maybe even their life, with just a little kindness. I have learned so much in the last few months about the human spirit and how much I have to be grateful for. I believe in God fully, but I also believe that humans have to have power over their lives and the impact we have on others. I am so moved by people that I have met, even just briefly, who have something nice to say. For some reason we have a tendency to act like others don’t exist and just pass them by. For those of you that take any amount of time to do something nice for another person, thank you, because you make me want to be better. And on that note, the happiest, most love-filled day of my life was documented beautifully by Gonzo Lubel and Devon Collinge and here are some of my most special moments.
I’m finally posting some pics from the honeymoon. But don’t worry, they are all safe for work.
His message was about love, for yourself and for others. He had such an impact on the world and the way people think. People of all races, ages, backgrounds and political beliefs can relate to his music and find value in his words. I have thought many times about what the world would be like if he were still alive. He was definitely one of the greatest gifts and at the same time one of the greatest losses the world has ever seen. On this day 30 years ago, we lost a great human being, but his soul lives on and I’m positive that he will never be forgotten. This is an interview that I saw a while back, that I just fell in love with.
Margaux Bangs 