While getting my hair cut yesterday, a stylist asked a gentleman across the way what kind of hair cut he would like. He answered, “I’m easy; I’m sixty-six and there comes a time in life when you get to take a vacation from always caring what you look like.”
Is that true? Happy Saturday.
This is a repeat of a 2015 post because there are some younger people who need to hear it today (maybe some older also).
Act in the way that is true to your intelligence and beliefs.
Remember that no one can rob you of your power unless you allow them to do so.
Stand tall and face indignity with dignity, and indecency with decency.
Look truth in the face and use it to overcome deceit.
Remember the respect you have for yourself and those you love, and let no one rob you of that respect.
Always use your inner strength to walk away from a bad situation, and where possible take someone with you who needs to lean on your strength until they discover their own.
Remember that you are loved dearly by those who matter. Love yourself just as dearly, always.
One of my favorite poets, Kahlil Gibran, (1883-1931) author of The Prophet, penned the following:
This is such a profound truth that it gave me almost instant relief from a sadness I was experiencing, because it made so much sense.
I believe I have posted a couple of Gibran’s quotes at one time or another and will do so again in the next day or two.
The following article came my way a couple of years ago via the internet and I filed it away for future reference. It really made an impact on my consciousness as it’s message unfolded very clearly that where there’s a will there’s a way. Enjoy.
They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.
Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would NOT pray during the commencements, not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it “for fear of Offending non-Christians”.
The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.
The speeches were nice, but they were routine until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then it happened.
All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED in unison!
The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said,
‘GOD BLESS YOU’ and then walked off the stage…
The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God’s blessing on their future, with or without the court’s approval.
Isn’t this a wonderful story? Please pass it on to all your friends ……… and
GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
This is a true story; it happened at Eastern Shore District High School in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia.
I hope this goes around Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the world.
“I can barely tolerate my parents, now.” This from a middle aged woman I met in a supermarket not long ago. I was reaching for an item on a top shelf and she, being much taller, retrieved it for me. She asked if there was anything else I needed. The woman then guided me to the next item I had trouble finding.
“You are a geriatric person. I can tell,” I commented.
“Not really,” she said. And that was when she offered the opening comment, “I can barely tolerate my parents, now.They are in their eighties and showing their age.”
Yesterday, I read a post by Roger Baker, “The Worth of a Man”. It’s a tribute to a man celebrating his eightieth birthday and how some people have shunted him to the back burner of their lives. https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/24904117
And to those people he wrote a poem where one line stood out for me. “You spurn the soul what made you.”
“You spurn the soul what made you.” There is so much truth in that tiny sentence, as proven by the woman in the supermarket.
Some of us in this age bracket are noticing this phenomenon and wondering…what are we worth?
Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. Psalm 71:9 NIV
Every once in a while a piece of literature will leave its mark on its readers. The following was first reported to be found in Old St. Paul’s Church in Baltimore in 1692. In actual fact, the poem was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann. Three years after his death in 1945, his wife gathered up all his works and had them published as The Poems of Max Ehrmann. I gleaned this information from the Internet.
I have had this poem in my possession in poster form for many years and it still gives me pause to think and reflect whenever I read it. Here then is Desiderada, a beautiful piece of work that touches on the very values of life.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what
virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in face of sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.
Sometimes we have to truly seek out the truth of something in order to learn a lesson of great value. This holds true for the following song. There (in my opinion) is truth in every word and the words and truth paint a beautiful picture of life. This song was posted on Facebook this morning, followed by other fine words found in Ecclesiastes. Enjoy and learn.
Pablo Neruda is the pen name of a Chilean poet who was in this world from 1904 until 1973. Yesterday, a poem by this writer came my way on Facebook, and I immediately liked it because of its content of life lessons. It reminded me of another poem which I have had in my possession for many years and read daily. It too, is full of advice on living. Desiderata was written by Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) around 1920. Today I will share Desiderata and on Monday, Pablo Neruda’s poem. Both poems are for me, an inspirational find.
“Heaven Is So Real”. That’s the name of a book I couldn’t quite finish reading because most of the content left me wondering what is real and what isn’t. However, the author, Choo Thomas, did describe Heaven and Hell in some detail and how attainment of each is realized, which also had me wondering how many people have ever given these two places any thought at all.
Christianity makes up one-third of the world’s population. This religion teaches that the only way to Heaven, God’s abode, is to believe in Jesus, His Son…that he was born to save us, that he died to save us, and that he lives to save us from going to Hell. I believe. I believe I am not going to Heaven because I am a good person, do good deeds, live a good life, do not hurt anyone…I know that none of these things will get me into Heaven…only my belief in Jesus will get me there.
So far no one can “prove” that Heaven or Hell exists. However, after reading many descriptions of what Hell is presumed to be like, I am certainly glad I’m a believer.
It has been said that it is better to believe that God exists and to die and find out he doesn’t, than to not believe in him and die and find out that he does. In my opinion, that’s where Hell awaits.
Weighing the options; learning about the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6) and choosing to believe, seems to me the best way to stay out of the “hot seat”.
What do we have to lose?
“Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” This is from the scripture John 8:32 (NIV); and then in John 14:6 we read “I am the way and the truth and the life…” Both of these statements are attributed to Jesus.
But it could also pertain to knowing the truth about ourselves; our faults and shortcomings, which if we changed would free us to concentrate on being better people. Perhaps we would be less judgmental, less self-centered, or whatever it is that keeps us from being the best we can be.
When we stop and think about it, the truth always sets us free…free from a guilty conscience, free from lies that hold us in bondage, and free to live lives of peace without the inner turmoil of always wondering when an untruth will be discovered.
Maybe a good long look at ourselves would free us to know the truth…and embrace it.
Wise man, that Jesus: “…and the truth will set you free.” It is certainly something to think about.
My Precious Life 