Traveling is a mind-expanding experience. In this series of blog posts, I would like to share with you some of my personal experiences as I have been lucky enough to travel to many places in the past.

Let's start with Paris.

PARIS

The Champs Elysee, (translation Elysian Fields) would have to be a number one like for just about any visitor to Paris. It's just a wide street with restaurants, stores, movie houses, and coffee bars, but -- it's the Champs Elysee. It reeks of ambiance and charm and you remember a stroll along it's pathways forever.

Then there is Montmartre. Five hundred people in a square that would comfortably hold fifty and every one a tourist, with the exception of the dozens of street artists, carrying pencils in one hand and a book of pastel paper in the other. You might think that with a description like that there was nothing to like but it is Montmartre the area of Lautrec, and Van Gogh, and Gauguin and it is a thrill to walk the streets in spite of the overflowing tourist trade.

The Eiffel tower, especially at night when it fairly effervesces with light, would have to be high on my list and I've photographed it many times trying to capture this icon of France.

I love the left bank and Michel's bakery for the crispiest, and therefor to my taste, the best croissants in the world. Here also are the restaurants and coffee houses you feel comfortable in, with prices that do not require a bank loan. I still recall, with a shudder, an $85.00 menu price for a shrimp cocktail at the Jules Verne restaurant in the Eiffel tower.
Also there is the Louvre to visit, the Seine to walk along, and the Ritz for a bowl of onion soup.

But perhaps most of all after training over a hundred in the PDQ concepts, it's just sitting at the outside table of any of a hundred small bistros and sipping cafe au lait while watching the passing parade.

Have you been to Paris before? What was it like for you?

Up next: Oman!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has participated in the Forgiveness Letter writing excercise, and all of you who commented.

For those of you still having difficulty letting go, imagine what a Holocaust survivor had to go through. She's an amazing woman who knows a lot both about suffering and forgiveness. She painted her way into liberty by learning how to forgive. I'll tell you more about her shortly.

But for now, accept this new painting as a humble thank you from me to you.

A Quick Note to Those Who Asked:

For those of you who have sent in their questions, I've already prepared something about forgiveness. As many of you know by now, forgiveness is a powerful thing and I really believe that it can change your life. It changed a Holocaust survivor's life. See what I've put for you here and let me know what you think.

With thanks and appreciation,

Burt Goldman
~The American Monk

All his life, a personal friend of mine has been struggling to cope with his troubled past. One of three siblings, his childhood was riddled with abuse by his irresponsible father, a man who seemed to almost take delight in physically and verbally assaulting his family.

Now in his late 40's, my friend, the youngest of his three siblings, has quite obviously moved out, and escaped the physical clutches of his abusive old man. His problem, though, is that he can't seem to shake off the ghosts of the past - his low self esteem and emotional damage have been causing problems with his health, relationships, and even his career at a construction firm.

But I knew he could be helped. So a few days ago, I called him up and asked him to write a simple letter.

This letter, known as a 'Forgiveness Letter', would heal that stubborn emotional scar for good. It would wash away the sins of the past, and make him a new man. A fresh start, if you will.

After listening to my instructions, he decided to give it a try. Here is what he wrote:

My Friend's Forgiveness Letter

Dear Dad,

You must have had your hands full with me as a kid. Like, remember the time me and Mitch got stuck in a tree while you and mom were out buying groceries? Or the day I got in a fight with that bully in fourth grade? You had to come and pick me up from school. I knew you'd be angry. And at times like those, you had every right to be.

But you were angry pretty often. Even at times you shouldn't have been. Like on those nights you came home drunk, long after mom and the rest of us had cleared the dinner table. You'd ask us where the food was, and you got pretty upset when we told you there wasn't any.

I just want to say that I forgive you for that.

I also remember the times you refused to pay for our school trips. So I sat at home when my classmates went to places like the beach, the theater, the zoo. I'd see you going off to the dog races not long after that, telling us you'd come home with a big winner that night.

I feel no hatred towards you, and I forgive you for that too.

In fact, I bear no ill will for everything you did. The times you laid your hands on us and mom. The times you told us we were worthless.  The times you forgot my birthday.

I forgive you.

I know that deep down you loved us. Despite everything you did, you'd still take us out for hot dogs sometimes. We went fishing. You gave us good advice. Told us to be true to ourselves. I even remember the kisses you gave us before we went to bed.

But nobody's perfect. And I hope that after all we've been through, you've learned just as much as I have. I'm still here for you. Because no matter what's been said and done, you're still my dad.

Yours Truly,

George

*Names changed to protect identities

That, my friends, is a Forgiveness Letter, and it is more powerful than you could possibly imagine.

After writing it, my friend told me he felt a gigantic weight lifting from his shoulders. Almost instantly, he felt better about himself. He's now more optimistic about his job, is starting to see all his old friends and the last I heard, he's thinking about going back into the dating game!

Is it hard to believe that one simple letter could really do so much? Probably. That's why I want you to try it for yourself.

You don't have to be in as much pain as my friend for this letter to work. Maybe you had a small disagreement with a friend. Maybe you've been feuding with an in-law. Maybe you're upset with your boss. It doesn't matter. No matter how big or small the problem is, the Forgiveness Letters will do wonders for you.

How to Write Your Own Forgiveness Letter

So here's how to write your very own Forgiveness Letter. Don't worry, there are only 3 easy steps:

1. Accept Responsibility

Start with accepting responsibility for the relationship with the person you're writing the letter to. Don't victimize yourself, and don't blame the other person for getting you into the situation you're in now.

2. Forgive them for all that they've done

This is the real meat of the letter. This is where you forgive the person for all that they've done. List out everything you forgive them for, if you feel like it. Stay sincere with everything you say, and try not to be sarcastic.

3. Wish them all the best

End your letter on a positive note by wishing them well, and expressing your hope for a better future.

So go ahead and give it a try. If you want, you can post open Forgiveness Letters here in the comments section of my blog. Or if you want to keep it private, just leave a comment letting me know how it worked for you.

I can't wait to hear how forgiveness has released you.

ps. It's advisable not to use the real names of those you will be talking about.

As all of you may know by now, I enjoy painting. In fact, along with the creative stuff I do, to relax, I either meditate, write, or paint. However lately it's been painting that does it for me best, and I thought it would be nice to share some of my work with you all.

Once you view it, it would be nice to know what you do to relax and calm your mind besides meditation. Please leave a comment as I enjoy learning from all of you, and do let me know which painting is your favorite.

My Paintings

Afternoon At The Museum

My latest creation is right below. It's called Afternoon At The Museum. The size is three feet x eight feet.

SOJOURN AT THE SEA

I call this one SOJOURN AT THE SEA. People coming to the ocean front on a warm summer evening to look at the harbor.This painting was inspired by a Van Gogh that I like.

WOMAN WITH SPINE

The four lights diminish towards the right thereby bringing the eye in to look at a modern abstraction of my own that I call WOMAN WITH SPINE. This was painted by me after I heard Sarah Palin speaking.

NIGHT CAFE

The painting below is inspired by another Van Gogh that is my favorite of all, titled NIGHT CAFE. It took me the longest to complete, something like two weeks of pleasant work went into this one but you do get a kind of sense of futility with everyone just sitting around waiting for something to happen and the waiter just lounging with nothing to do. Should he play some billiards, or bring someone another brandy?

As I live in a place where it seldom rains, and never snows I thought a peaceful snow scene would be nice. Looking at this one kind of cools me off during a hot summer day.

Which painting do you like? What do you do to relax besides meditation? Please do share your thoughts.

With thanks and appreciation,

Burt Goldman
~The American Monk

PS - My Facebook group has been officially launched and I invite you to become a member of it.