The hallmark of the careless, irresponsible person is the notion that something 'just happened'. It's not my responsibility, it just sort of happened. It is all too easy to find oneself denying one's culpability - blaming somebody else, or external circumstances - anything to avoid taking responsibility and accepting that, ultimately, we are the ones to 'blame' for whatever actions we take.
This may sound obvious yet it is amazing how often we find ourselves denying this feeling of responsibility for our actions. It is an awesome burden but one which nonetheless falls upon our shoulders since our actions and decisions affect our own lives, not to mention those of others.
We often think (and say) "I found myself in such-and-such a situation ... and then this happened and that happened, etc." If you think about it, you might say, "I placed myself in such-and-such a situation."
Whilst everything that happens may be Divinely ordained, the way we see things in our everyday lives we do not just 'find ourselves' in a particular situation, rather we 'place ourselves' there. Insofar as we have free choice, we are responsible for what happens once we get to that place where we supposedly 'just found' ourselves.
IT ONLY TAKES ONE
One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald the spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You'll see it's up to YOU.
See the pattern here? This is exactly the kind of thinking which will guarantee we'll never have the life we want. Yet, it starts early in life and becomes a habit that paralyzes us.
Listen to your thoughts. We spend a lot of time talking to ourselves but we don't "hear" what we're saying. You'll learn more about yourself listening to your own thoughts than in hours of expensive therapy.
If you hear, "Just as soon as I ...," pay close attention to what comes after that. As soon as you what? You'll do what? Now, stop right there and ask yourself some questions.
"Why do I have to wait?"
Is the answer a valid reason - or is it just an excuse? Be completely honest with yourself. Maybe you're not sure. So, ask yourself the next question ... "What can I do right now to start toward that goal?"
Maybe you really don't have time to write the Great American Novel. But, do you have the time to write a few articles and submit them to publishers? Maybe you don't have time to grow all your own vegetables. But, do you have time to care for a couple of tomato plants? Maybe you can't go back to college right now. Can you take a couple of preparatory courses at your local community college?
Can you go out to dinner with friends instead of waiting for Prince or Princess Charming to go with you? And are you more likely to meet a potential partner while you're out with friends or while eating your Lean Cuisine for One in front of the TV on a Saturday night?
Every time we say, "Just as soon as I ...," we're giving ourselves an excuse. An excuse to do nothing. AND, we're making a choice. Our choice isn't to have the thing we want. Our choice is to NOT DO something.
As soon as you take just the smallest step toward what you want, you've made a different choice. NOW you're choosing to bring what you want into your life. And you'll be amazed at what comes after that.
The next step will be a larger step. The next one, larger still. And, pretty soon you'll be living what you thought you couldn't do until ...
"It is never too late to be what you might have been." - George Eliot
LIFE IS BACKWARDS
The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends.
I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time.
And then you die. What's that? A bonus?
I think the life-cycle is all backwards.
You should die first and get it all over with.
Then you live in an old age home.
You get kicked out when you're too young.
You get a gold watch.
You go to work.
You do drugs, alcohol and party.
You get ready for high school.
You go to grade school and become a kid.
You play. You have no responsibilities.
You become a little baby & go back into the womb.
You spend your last nine months floating.
Then, you finish off as an orgasm.
I like it.
LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST Reach out and take hold of this moment, For soon this moment, like all the rest,
MANKIND In order to understand mankind we have to look at that word itself: "MANKIND"
MEETING EACH MOMENT The first star in the evening sky shines with a special The first of anything is touched with special glamour; first love, When day turns to evening, that day will never come again. We're not the same as we were yesterday.
MOTHERS … DO WE REALLY NEED THEM? One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. The family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. Dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys. He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled in the bed. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?" "You know how it is every day, when you come home from work, "Yes" was his incredulous reply.
So we return to ... Menu ... or to the ... Next Page … and why not?
and live it to its fullest,
Don't let one second of it go by,
until you have felt its beauty.
will become just a memory,
that is thought about countless times,
but lived … only once.
Basically, it's made up of two separate words: "mank" and "ind."
What do these words mean???
It's a mystery ... and so is mankind.
brightness, because it is the first. We see it as a signal;
the first sign that afternoon has turned to evening.
a baby's first words or steps, first day of school, first job.
They're signals of change, profound and irreversible.
Tomorrow is a new day, unique and never-to-be-repeated.
If we could meet each new day, each new person,
each new experience, as though it were the first,
our lives could be touched by the excitement and discovery of adventure.
Each moment we change; each new event in
our lives can be a cusp between two different states.
Today, let's give ourselves that special gift.
There were empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.
Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess.
In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel.
In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter.
And a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.
And then stepping over more piles of clothes, he was looking for his wife.
He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened.
There she was in her pajamas, reading a novel.
She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.
She again smiled and answered with a question.
And ask me what in the world I did today?"
She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."