Carmela Snelbaker

I must tell you I feel very Blessed today! Life is so hard sometimes, and very sad. When you wake up each morning with a core attitude and longing to be respectful and loving to others, to share genuine and authentic Universal Love with others you sometimes get hurt.

I have supported and been trained to work with people with autism, mental health diagnoses’ as well as many different levels of intellectual abilities. I have lived through a black eye, many scratches, hair pulls, wrestled to the ground and spit on and peed on, and learned to very quickly dodge a picture frame. 🙂

There is a very fine line some times between aggression and affection. I am here to tell you that I do not understand it (AT ALL), but I truly have witnessed people acting out with aggression who I know really only truly wanted from deep within to feel genuine love, acceptance and affection from another human being.

What makes us so confused?

Why do we give the opposite of what we really want?

I have been looking for the answer to those questions for quite some time. I haven’t found anyone that has been able to answer them yet. 😦

What I have found though, is ….

~Talking with people and expressing your concerns

~Listening to other people’s experiences and thoughts about similar happenings or concerns

~And most importantly Being open to realizing and admitting when you have been wrong or have misunderstood someone or something …………

By doing these three things it helps us

~get through life

~become a bit wiser

~and most importantly…. when we share our genuine love and opinions with respect and learn to ask, respect and value others’ opinions as well, this is how we all can grow and get through life a bit wiser while feeling valued and loved.

I am very glad that I found a place in the Blog world where Sharing thoughts and opinions and growing wiser is very much encouraged and supported! I am so glad that it is out there and I truly look forward to the many informative and encouraging bits of wisdom Eric leads people in sharing!

A Blessing in action….MakeItUltra is!

THANK YOU FOR BEING OUT THERE MakeItUltra and thank you for the award! Below is my response. I hope you enjoy it and it make you smile 🙂

I must say I am very honored to accept this award! I would like to thank my Mom and Dad and the many Therapists who have gotten me this far. (wait a minute, that doesn’t sound right…..there really haven’t been that many therapists.) and Mom and Dad you really did do a good job…… accept maybe that leash you used to walk me on. 🙂

And here it is, the Story Of Me…..

Name: Carmela

From: Pennsylvania

How long have you been blogging and why did you start?

My first blog post was in 2013.  Why, I am not exactly sure, I suppose I must have an inner story longing to be told, or maybe just a lot of silliness that needs to get out?

What are you the most proud of?

I believe I would have to say that I am most proud of being able to act as a catalyst for positive change in several situations that included concerns for people unable to speak up for themselves.

Although it is not easy creating change from the lowest position in a company, and often times temporary enemies are made along the way when conditions are brought to light. I have found myself advocating for those without a voice and although improvements came eventually the events that unfolded were not easy to change and continual daily interaction and confrontations were emotionally draining.

Feeling the pain that is in someones’ situation, wanting to improve it immediately but having it take weeks till you see plans in motion for improvement is difficult, but rewarding in the end when a successful resolution to the situation happens.

So stated simply, I am most proud of speaking up for others, and not resting until positive change happens.

How do you spend your free time?

Reading and learning are always important and enjoyable to me. I also enjoy being active physically, enjoying family, outdoors and nature.

Nominate 1-8 blogs that you feel deserve the award and provide links.

I am passing on the MakeItUltra Award to Mara Eastern because Mara’s posts on “What I Hate The Least Today” have been know to curve my lips into a smile and put a chuckle into my day with her often sarcastic humor and comments.

https://maraeastern.com

I hope she takes the torch and runs with it, maybe making us all think twice about what she just said and then smile. My dad had that talent as well.

Provide 5 random facts about yourself (optional)

My somewhat silly random facts about me are listed below. Because of the fact that Eric from MakeItUltra (a soon to be Dr. of Psychology) nominated me for this award I felt the need to explain my thoughts on the psychology behind my 5 random facts 🙂

The first random fact about me is that I was born on my sister’s 3rd birthday.

My take on this is.  Since that day was already taken as my sister’s birthday, this must mean that I technically do not “have” an official birthday…… Does this mean I was actually born as a gift to another and I get to live forever young, technically not aging, simply growing in wisdom?

The second random fact about me is that apparently as a youngster under the age of five, (as stories go) I must have been very fast and loved to explore….. thus causing my parents to use a child “harness type leash” to keep me from getting lost in crowds and to keep their high stress and fear of loosing me at bay.

My thoughts on this fact is …… If I truly was that fast and my parents would have encouraged me in running, instead of tethering me….. I may have been able change this random fact about me into earning an Olympic Gold medal in running.

The third random fact about me is that I must have inherited my dad’s sense of humor and his intellectual curiosity.

My dad had the ability to make a serious response or statement that could put a lighthearted twist on a simple situation that would cause you to chuckle. He also had a true unstoppable longing for unending knowledge. Even well into his eighties he enjoyed reading, researching and learning.

The fourth random fact about me is that I have a love and deep respect for animals, pets and wildlife as well.

I often told my dad I was sure that my love and compassion for animals must have been a result of the toddler years that I spent “walking on that leash”.

My dad however, played a very big part in my interest and education about animals. He grew up on a farm and shared much of his knowledge of animals and wildlife with me. I remember his help in saving a baby pigeon that I found, it was too young to even have feathers yet. The pigeon had fallen from a nest very high in the rafters of the barn. Because it was impossible to return the baby to the nest his only hope for survival was with our assistance. Dad taught me how to feed it with an eye dropper.

My efforts were successful and the baby grew to be an adult. I am very grateful for the fact that my dad took the time to acknowledge my interest and concern, and for the wisdom and knowledge that he was always interested in passing on throughout his entire life.

The fifth random fact about me is that I taught myself to ride a unicycle when I was 12 years old. Not sure why I felt the need to know how to ride a unicycle.

Maybe this was linked to the fact that I also wanted a pet chimpanzee as well (which my parents said NO too!)

I am guessing I must have had a subconscious interest in joining the circus? I am sure my parents must have thought buying the unicycle was a much better decision than increasing the family size by adding a chimp!

What are your blogging goals?

I hope readers feel free to learn from MY mistakes. If I can make life a little easier for someone I would Love to do so!

I hope the blog is a positive influence that helps keep readers

~searching

~recognizing

~acknowledging

~ creating

~supporting

~ and initiating positive experiences in their own lives as well as others.

With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love,  Carmela