ACCOUNTABILITY

#          Good Vibrations... The Beach Boys

This is Patsy Wynne inviting you to share the next hour with me... enjoying my choice of music... which sometimes surprises me... and always delights... HELLO to whoever’s listening in hospital... and to those who may be listening online... WELCOME to you too!

The last few days I’ve been tackling that annual chore that somehow most of us keep putting off to the last moment... and that’s getting my accounts in order so I can complete my Tax Return.  And even though the nice man on the TV tells us that Tax doesn’t have to be taxing... it usually is... so today I’m thinking about the taxing topic of ACCOUNTING... and I’ll be contributing my thoughts on that... in between the music... which I hope will make you smile... or simply lift your spirits...

#1        The Best Things in Life Are Free... Beatles

So we all have to keep account of our income... and if we’re sensible... our expenses as well... so we know if we’re getting a good return on our investments... if we have enough income to sustain our lifestyle... or if we’re spending more than we’ve got.  Anyway... it got me thinking about what it really means... to give a good account of oneself... so do you really appreciate your talents and are you investing them to your advantage? Or are you wasting all your assets... and selling the family silver... like the prodigal son?  And does it matter?  Well it does when you are left with nothing... and you don’t get money for nothing...

#2        Money for Nothing... Dire Straits

I’ve found a few tracks about MONEY... but that’s not really what it’s about...

ACCOUNTING... is all about what’s coming in... and what’s going out. And in a symbolic way... what WE take in... the beliefs we take into our heart... and the ideas and attitudes that we allow into our thinking... and then what we give out... in our behaviour and the way we act towards others. It’s all about ACCOUNTABILITY.

Religions will tell you that eventually we’ll all have to give an account of ourselves to God. The Good Book counsels us to use our talents wisely... not bury them in the ground... unless you’re a gardener of course!  We’re told to store up treasures in heaven... and Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates will want to know if you’re fit to get in there.

#3        When The Saints Go Marching In... Louis Armstrong

Giving an account of yourself means being honest with and about yourself... not always an easy thing to do when we might be afraid of the consequences.  You know... when you’re so used to pretending that things are otherwise... to get out of trouble... or avoid paying the price. I know when I was at school I wasn’t always honest about why I was late... or hadn’t done my homework... and instead of admitting I’d been watching the insects in the flower blossoms... or dreaming about what I’d like to be doing... I became quite inventive in my account of myself... because I thought if it was my fault I’d be in trouble.  And it’s very tempting to be inventive in our account of ourselves in so many areas of life... because the truth can be so inconvenient. Everyone does it... from you and me to Governments and Public Institutions... ‘passing the buck’... and bending the truth. Being accountable can be very uncomfortable...

#4        It Means Nothing... Stereophonics

Another expression of accountability relates to where we stand in regard to what’s happening in the world... to ‘stand up and be counted’.  But isn’t that just too much to ask?  To be accountable for others as well as ourselves? What can I do to help others who are in need... in other parts of the world.  Well... I’m not here to preach... because I’m in the same boat as everyone else... and wonder... what can I do to help the world?  Well... we can always stand up for love... and that’s what the world needs now...

#5        What The World Needs Now... Jackie De Shannon

Don’t forget that we always welcome your requests for a particular record, or a mention of someone or something special... and if you have an interesting or funny story to tell, connected to a special song... we’d love to hear from you.   You can contact Radio Glan Clwyd by phone on 01745-584229... or if you’re here in hospital, on Extension 4360, or ask one of the volunteers going around the wards. You can also listen online at... http://www.rygc.co.uk/

One area of life where we really must make the effort to be accountable... is with our personal family and friends... because the cause of much marital strife and family squabbles... is all about secrets and lies...

#6        Little Lies... Fleetwood Mac

It’s so tragic when people fall out of love... and it’s usually because they’re not being completely honest with each other... because they’ve never learned the importance of accountability. So naturally... children don’t learn... and so the cycle continues... until you wake up to your own accountability... and decide to stand up and be counted... just being honest and straightforward in your relationships... at work... and with family and friends.. all you have to do is stop pretending to be someone you’re really not!

#7        I Will Always Love You... Whitney Houston

It may not be so easy to stop pretending to be someone you feel you have to be... when you really feel different inside... because you think that will hurt other people... who think they know you.

Those of you who’ve heard my show before will know that I usually give an introduction to EFT... so now I’d like you to think about any part of your life where you fail to be accountable... to be the person you really are... whether it’s at work or at home... how emotional is that? Now rate that feeling on a scale of 0 to 10... 10 being the very worst feeling you can get. (Write down the number if you can... and the name of your feeling... whether that’s fear... or shame... maybe guilt or resentment.)  And while you get into that feeling... just start tapping the fleshy side of your hand... below the little finger... we call that the Karate Chop... and take a long deep breath. Keep tapping and say out loud... if you can..

Even though I feel ................... (?)  I completely accept myself as I am...

Even though I feel ........................ I love myself anyway... I’m doing the best I can...

Even though I’ve been feeling............... for some time... I forgive myself for holding onto this feeling... it’s not my fault...

Take another deep breath... and now we start tapping around the face.. 

1^st point... right between the eyebrows... just above the nose... tap with 3-4 fingers... and say... This feeling of... 

2^nd point... at the side of the eye right on the corner... either side... and repeat... This feeling of...

3^rd point... under the eye on the cheekbone... This feeling of...

4^th point... right under the nose... repeat... This feeling of...

5^th point... in the cleft of the chin right under the lip... repeat... This feeling of...

6^th point... collarbone... at the top of the chest... repeat... This feeling of...

7^th point...  top of head... and repeat... This feeling of... who needs it? maybe I could just let it go... and choose to feel.............. instead...

Now keep tapping the side of your hand again while you bring a picture or sense of what kind of feeling you’d rather have... Now we’ll repeat the whole sequence saying... I used to feel......... but now I choose to feel..............

(REPEAT POINTS)

(This a PROCESS and when you’re on your own you can explore any emotional issue and see what thoughts and memories come to you... maybe old grievances... what do they feel like? What’s the emotion? Acknowledge that feeling and say it out loud... while you continue tapping the same points around the head and on the hand.  Take responsibility for you own health and if it gets too emotional just keep tapping and taking deep breaths. Or you could find an EFT practitioner to help you through the process.) 

#8        Don’t Know Why... Norah Jones

When I told my son Mark about this week’s topic of Accountability... he suggested the next track... as a fan of 007... the man who goes about his business of killing spies and ‘baddies’ working for evil organisations. He does so with style and panache... yet seems to be so cold and merciless... and we wonder why he’s become such a popular ‘hero’.  Yet, in the novels of Ian Fleming, he is full of torment and grief... desperately trying to justify taking the lives of others. It’s that old moral dilemma of what’s right and what’s wrong... and James Bond has to do his job and forget how to feel... to kill or be killed... and ultimately he understands that there is always accountability... the coldest blood runs through his veins... you know his name... the theme from ‘Casino Royale... written and performed by David Arnold and Chris Cornell

#9        You Know My Name... Casino Royale

Ultimately, I believe we’re each one of us accountable... for our actions... behaviour... even our thoughts and beliefs... so we do need to know who we really are... and whether we feel comfortable inside... with those beliefs and attitudes we’ve simply accepted... because some of those beliefs and attitudes may not even be yours!

Just think about that... while we have a little relaxation...

#10      Pelagia’s Song.. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

(FADE>>> talk over... )

Whenever you’re feeling disturbed... or restless... give yourself a break.  Now and then... take a walk in nature... somewhere quiet... by yourself... if you can... or go somewhere beautiful... in your mind... maybe some special memory... of a place where you feel safe... at peace with yourself... breathe deeply... slowing down each breath... relaxing into yourself... noticing whatever you see... or hear... anything you sense... without any judgement... slowing down the mind... all those thoughts whirling around in your mind... just let them float way... like little puffs of smoke... slowing down... relaxing the body... breathing slow and easy... just BEING... with yourself... and notice how that feels... with a peaceful mind... and love in your heart... that’s right...

If you want to know who you really are inside... it’s a journey of discovery well worth taking... just so you know how to account for yourself... and there are people like me... who can help you through the process... to resolve any uneasy or uncomfortable feelings you may have about your life. And know that you are not alone... we all have them.

We love to hear from you... just to let us know how you enjoy these programs... brought to you by volunteers... who hope to bring you some relaxation and pleasure while you’re here in Glan Clwyd.

#11      Stop The World... Diana Krall

I’d like to thank you all for accompanying me on this journey today and I trust you’ve enjoyed my take on Life, the Universe and Everything... and this is Patsy Wynne signing off for today... from Radio Glan Clwyd...  and remember... Always look on the bright side...

#  Always look on the Bright side of Life... Monty Python... 

I was going to play this but couldn't find it... but I do like the lyrics...

STAND UP FOR LOVE...

There are times I find it's hard to sleep at night
We are living through such troubled times
And every child that reaches out for someone to hold
For one moment they become my own

And how can I pretend that I don't know what's going on?
When every second and every minute another soul is gone?
And I believe that in my life I will see
an end to hopelessness,
of giving up,
of suffering
CHORUS (first time)

If we all stand together this one time
Then no one will get left behind
Stand up for life
Stand up and hear me sing
Stand Up for love.

I’m inspired and hopeful each and every day
that’s how I know that things are gonna change.

So how can I pretend that I don't know what's going on?

When every second of every minute another soul is gone

And I believe that in my life I will see
An end to hopelessness,
of giving up,
of suffering