Be Your Own Hero

I've talked here before about heroes - a lot.  I've asked on occasion who your heroes are and what you think makes a hero.  Having a hero in your life is a good thing, and there is no limit on how many heroes you have.  You can certainly have more than one hero.  Parents and siblings frequently make the list.

Show me a picture of a hero.  It's hard to do.  They come in all shapes and sizes!  Pull out a mirror.  Do you see a hero?

Something we don't give much thought to though is what we think of ourselves.  How do we view our own contributions?  Have we done good and courageous things?  Each of us cannot just have heroes and be heroes to others, we can also be our OWN hero!  I'm not talking about being puffed up and in love with ourselves.  You can be proud of yourself and still be humble.

Think about it.  Are you proud of things you have done?  Picture that person you consider a hero in your life.  How do they differ from you or do they differ at all?  What does your family think of you?  What do your friends think?  If you don't consider yourself a hero, there still is time - go do something heroic!

Money, money, money

Who does not love money? It's sad to say, but most people put money above everything else. Having money usually means having security, so it is certainly understandable when folks care so much about money.  I'd LOVE to have more money that I do, but somehow I learned that money is not the beginning and ending of everything.  I was very fortunate to be part of a family that was not at all materialistic.  We sometimes didn't have all those "extras," but that was okay.

 

Through life I have found more and more that the happiest people are not necessarily the richest.  Oh and the people who are the biggest givers are quite often the folks who have the least money in their pockets. I have seen people who can hardly pay their bills, happily volunteering their free time to charity and donating their old clothes to charity drives.  Perhaps it's because folks will little money know what it is like to do without.

 

Let me be clear in what I am saying here though.  Yes, money is important.  Having and giving really makes a difference.  It's important though to never rely too much on having a full pocketbook.  You can easily set yourself up for disappointment.  The old saying that the best things in life are free has a lot of truth in it.  The worship of money can't be a healthy thing, but all of us do that to some extent.  Try doing without sometimes and you will be amazed at the difference it will make.

Be extreme

“Was not Jesus an extremist for love: ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.’ Was not Amos an extremist for justice: ‘Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.’ Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: ‘I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.’ Was not Martin Luther an extremist: ‘Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.’ And John Bunyan: ‘I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.’ And Abraham Lincoln: ‘This nation cannot survive half slave and half free.’ And Thomas Jefferson: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

“So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill three men were crucified.

“We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime - the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the South, the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.”

These days our country is in bad shape for many reasons and a pandemic has turned the entire world upside down. We can't keep having business as usual. We need people who are leaders, like Dr King was, . Dr King was an extremist. So many of my friends are too. This is encouraging. There is so much to be done. I invite you to follow their lead!

Table cooperation

The process of working together to the same end, is called cooperation. It isn't a new concept, but it doesn't happen nearly as often as it should. I've even told you this particular story about cooperation before, but I really like it, and it's important, so I thought I would tell this story again.

There was a man who was taken on a tour of both heaven and hell. In hell he was shown a banquet hall filled with diners seated at a table that was covered with all kinds of delicious food. Each person’s back and left arm were tied to the chair so that bending at the waist was impossible, and the left arm could not move. The right arm was stiffened so that the elbow would not bend. The people at the table could gaze at the delicious spread and they could smell the aroma of the food, but they weren't eating.

Now in heaven, the picture was exactly the same – backs and left arms shackled, right arms stiffened – but the diners were feasting and rejoicing. How can this be? Cooperation! They were working together. Each diner used his stiffened right arm to feed the person to his or her right. It was a beautiful scene, a picture of people working together, a picture of cooperation. 

Working together as a team, we can do so much more! Think about it. How wonderful this world would be if we all worked together!

Joy Joy Joy

There used to be a song that was often sung around the campfire at church camps and other places with a line that went "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy - Down in my heart - Down in my heart to stay."  I don't know how I got that in my head.  I must have joy in my heart!

What brings you joy?  I've asked that question here before but think about it for a moment once again.  There are tons of answers to the question.  There really isn't a wrong answer.  What brings you joy might not bring me joy.  Does some of your own joy come in the giving too?  So how can a feeling of great pleasure and happiness be felt by those around you?  What can you do to share the joy?  Do you every purposely try to fill others with joy and happiness?

For me joy is pretty awesome but like with this blog, it's NOT about me and it's not just about my joy alone.  I really am most joyful when I am surrounded by other joyful people.  Seems pretty obvious what we need to do then.  We need to spread the joy, especially during these difficult times!

all smiles

Did you ever notice that a smile isn't just the position of your mouth? When most of us smile, we use our whole face. We smile with our eyes, even if they aren't wide open. When I see someone smile, it makes me happy. How about you?  Do smiles brighten your day?

When I see someone who isn't smiling, I try all the harder. I smile every single day. Why? Because it really is contagious. You'd be amazed at how many smiles will show up as a result of yours!

Oh, one more thing about smiles too.  I will never suggest we be cold and uncaring about someone's bad moments. People you encounter might be going through financial or health difficulties or may have just been touched by the death of a loved one. These days are certainly more difficult than ever before, but there is still reason to smile.  There are many reasons why someone's smile might disappear, but we can still smile with a loving and caring smile.  Let the world you encompass shine!

differences

Take a look at the image to the right. Most of you will see three logs if you look at the picture from the left side. However, if you look at it from the right, there appears to be four logs. Hold on! How can this be? Keep looking at it. Two different realities.

Reality can be so complex that equally valid observations from differing perspectives can appear to contradict each other. If you disagree with someone, don't be too quick to dismiss them though. Take a step back and try to look at things from all sides. Perhaps there is more than one correct answer.  This picture is proof.

While it is true that everything is not as simple as this drawing, sometimes our differences aren't really that big a deal after all!  Something we can think about this morning.

Sixteen years ago

On April 23rd, 2008 I sat down at my computer first thing in the morning, and wrote a few sentences in a sort of welcome message to a brand-new blog. I didn't know if I would do it for long, but I wanted to sing the praises of some heroes and encourage people to do good things for their neighbors and the world.  

It was my intention to only write about others.  I didn't want to do a blog about my vacations or my family or about my favorite food.  As a daily reminder, I decided to call it "It's NOT about me."  I think I have been pretty good at sticking to that over these past sixteen years.  

Sixteen years!  That's the big surprise for me.  I had no idea I would be doing this for so long.  There is still a lot to say too, so I will continue.  I'd like to hear from you too.  Tell me about your heroes and and some encouraging stories.  After doing this for almost ten years, I began a second blog, that one about kindness.  I intend to continue that as well.

In OUR hands

This big old planet we live on, it is OUR responsibility. It's in OUR hands! On Earth Day one year I wrote here that "My goal is that EVERY day be Earth Day - that we care about our planet every single day of our lives." That is still my goal. What are YOU doing to help the earth?

Let me say a few things about this annual commemoration. Earth Day came about back in 1970 and has been on the calendar every year since. It's about planting trees, keeping our streets clean, divesting from fossil fuels, guarding against pollution, and so much more. At http://www.earthday.org/ you can learn about the history of this day and learn about numerous ways to help. Of course, the list is endless. Each one of us can think up more ways to keep our towns, our states, our country, and our planet safe and healthy. Like I said, it needs to be an everyday thing too, not just something we think about on Earth Day.

In 2024 there are so many things to be concerned with, but climate change and the health of our planet must be at the top of our list.  Some of the simplest things can make a huge difference, like not throwing litter out our car windows, watering the plants and trees in our great outdoors, and not wasting any of the precious resources of our world. Teaching our kids to respect the earth is important too. Each generation needs to do its part. 

I love to look at the beauty around us.  I love seeing the flowers and the trees and the mountains and the lakes.  Oh my!  What a beautiful world!  What a wonderful planet!  This fragile earth will only stay wonderful if we all do our part. Truly, it's in OUR hands.

Inspired by Kennedy

When I was young, Robert Francis Kennedy was the junior US Senator from New York State, where I was growing up.  I remember him saying “There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” Those words had a profound impact on me.

Robert Kennedy's life was cut short by a bullet, but he had already gotten my attention.  I don't know how many lives he touched; we never know such things.  I do know that ever since I have been trying to not only get involved and make a difference in the world, but to motivate others to participate too.  I really believe that it was Senator Kennedy who inspired me.

We may not all be inspired by a Kennedy, but we all can give back to this world of ours.  It isn't important that we give in a certain way - the important thing is that we just do it!

happiness

On this Saturday morning, are you happy? Right now as you read this, do you have a smile on your face? Is there a feeling of joy about you? 

I want to talk about happiness here today because there are folks who never seem to be happy and others who always seem to be happy. It doesn't have to be an either-or situation. Do you fall into either group, or are you more in between?

There is a statement attributed to Abraham Lincoln that I find a lot of truth in. "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be." In other words, we can decide if we are going to be happy or not.  It's up to us, at least in part.  Yes, I know bad things happen and I don't expect us to smile through those moments of sorrow, but I bet we can all smile a little bit more.

I'm fortunate to be part of a family that has always been filled with joy and I seem to find friends that are the same way. While every single day might not be the most marvelous, what good is feeling bad about it? There are always good things to look at! May your day be filled with happiness and the month ahead bring you lots of smiles!

Please donate

The cashier at the corner store has a jar on the counter collecting for a local charity. The restaurant where you eat breakfast every day has a similar container. On top of that, folks (like me) are always asking for you to buy chocolate bars for a school project or to sponsor them in a fundraising walk-a-thon. Please DONATE! There is just no escaping it!

Sometimes it may seem like a pain in the butt, but money raised really makes a difference. Some projects and programs are funded solely by contributions. It actually feels good to know that you are being of help too.

Is it always possible to give? For most of us, the answer is no. Money does not grow on trees, and most of us have a limit to how much we can spend. (Of course, as we have talked about here in the past, there are other ways of giving too, like our time and our talent, but that's another matter).

If you really want to have funds to help others, there are a number of things you can do. The coins you get back as change from purchases; you might always set aside to donate. That afternoon cappuccino can be skipped occasionally, and the money put to another use. You might do little fundraisers of your own, with your plan to give the proceeds to your favorite causes. Perhaps a bake sale or rummage sale. Got a bigger tax refund than you expected? Think about donating that unexpected money.

There are many ways to make a difference in this world, and donating is certainly one of them.

Question Day

Have I got some questions for you! Yes, I know I often ask questions, but much of the time they are rhetorical. Today's questions are not for effect. I actually hope you will answer them in the comments section below.

First, have you read this blog before? Do you come back often or just every now and then? Has anything I have ever written here rung a bell for you? Did you ever want to share my words? If YOU were the writer of this blog, how would it be different? (I am actually looking for some good suggestions, so please be honest).

One more: I write here about making a difference in the world. Give a suggestion of something that most of us can do that would indeed make a difference. Is this something that you have actually done yourself or seen someone do?  Thanks!

Getting rid of prejudice

"Prejudice and contempt, cloaked in the pretense of religious or political conviction are no different. These forces have nearly destroyed our nation in the past. They plague us still. They fuel the fanaticism of terror. And they torment the lives of millions in fractured nations all around the world."  President Bill Clinton spoke those words in his second Inaugural Address back in January, 1997.

Mr. Clinton went on to say "These obsessions cripple both those who hate and, of course, those who are hated, robbing both of what they might become. We cannot, we will not, succumb to the dark impulses that lurk in the far regions of the soul everywhere. We shall overcome them. And we shall replace them with the generous spirit of a people who feel at home with one another."

It has been twenty-seven years and yet the prejudice and contempt that former President Clinton spoke of are still around.  To me it seems to be getting worse.  He said that we shall overcome them, but when?  Are we working on it at all?  Are we even trying?

What do YOU think?

Watch what you say

When somebody mentions their doctor, do you automatically picture a man? How about secretaries, do we picture a woman automatically? If a man says he wants you to meet his spouse, do you immediately think he is referring to a woman? We need to change the way we think and they way we say things! If we really believe in equality, we should think about things like this.

I remember a television commercial for a deodorant, many years ago that talked about an airline pilot. Viewers were thinking of a man flying the aircraft, but in the last frame we see that it is actually a woman. Even those of us who fight every day for equality, can't get those images out of our head that we have been conditioned to see. When reading someone's biography, when we see that they are married, most of us still assume the opposite sex. Until recently many computers would try to correct us if we said "her wife."

Sometimes pronouns that refer to gender are misused out of ignorance.  Our transgender sisters and brothers should expect that they will be referred to with the gender they have transitioned to.  It is ignorant to call a man "she" and just plain mean to say "it."  Human beings are never it.  Oh and transgendered isn't ever proper even though many well-meaning people have used it.  I could go on and on about the many reasons that one is wrong. 

I was thinking that we need to watch what we say.  Perhaps we also need to watch what we think.  Is it conditioning or prejudice? Can we open our minds to see a bigger picture?

Trouble Tree

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit, and his ancient one-ton truck refused to start I gave him a ride home. On the way there, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family.

As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles, and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to my car.  We passed that tree again and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.  "Oh, that's my trouble tree," he told me.  "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the kids, so I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them.  Then in the morning I pick them up again." 

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before!"

This is NOT about me.  I didn't write it.  It's one of those uplifting anonymous stories we see on the internet from time to time.  I bet you will all agree that we sure could use a tree like the plumber's.

Sunrise Sunset

Isn't this a glorious vision?  Wait a moment though - in this picture, are we looking at a sunrise or a sunset?  Can you tell the difference?  Is one more beautiful than the other?  Does it make you think of the time you watched the sun come up with the person you love?

There are those who prefer the rising of the sun in the morning.  It signals a fresh start; a brand new day.  Most of us when we see it are just waking up and are rested and refreshed after a night's sleep.

Some people prefer to look at the sun as it sets.  The day is finished and now, as the sun goes down, a time of rest is approaching.  We have done what we set out to do and there will be another opportunity to do more wonderful things tomorrow.

However we look at the sun though, one thing is certain.  It is beautiful.  Take a moment and just reflect on this picture.  There is beauty all around us.  Take a moment and enjoy some of that too.  In fact, start looking at all the beauty that surrounds you, and I guarantee it will change your day!

One person's trash

Something that one person considers to be worthless just might be considered valuable by someone else.  I think the old saying is that one man's trash is another man's treasure. 

You might also look at it as always seeing something positive, even in something as seemingly worthless as garbage.

I know people who always see the positive.  I try to be like that myself.  I would much rather enjoy the everyday experiences and rejoice in the hidden beauty that is so often missed than to spend unnecessary time and money going for the lavish expensive things that so many covet but which all too often are really overrated.

There is so much good - everywhere.  All we have to do is open our eyes and our minds.  Now, I'm not saying we should wallow in dirt and filth, but we can appreciate the less extravagant.  We can also do something about the filth and make it so that everyone might enjoy it!

all gone

There is a line in the classic film The Trouble With Angels, in which elderly actress Judith Lowry as Sister Prudence says "All gone."  I have no idea what it meant.  Every time I watch that movie (and I love it and have watched it a LOT), I wonder what that was supposed to mean.  I will most likely never know.  I do know about something being all gone though because that is precisely what happened to all the earlier entries for this blog.  They now are all gone.

 

I don't know how long you have been reading this or if you have ever just wondered what I might have said before this entry, but you cannot go all the way back to the beginning anymore.  Delete keys can sometimes be overridden, but not in this case.  With one motion (well it was perhaps more than one) I wiped out much of the writing.  Prior to this year, you can now only find periodic posts.

 

This might not be a big deal to you, but I really didn't save most of these in any other form, so it's a bigger deal to me.  Another lesson learned of course - back things up!  Yesterday I even printed a paper copy of every blog entry that is left.  Unless any of you happened to save my earlier blog posts though, they are now all gone.

Share a little tea

Is your life at all hectic?  Try though we may, there are moments of tension or stress that we just seem to not be able to get rid of.  Sometimes we try to do too much, or we let things we cannot control overtake us.  Good advice often is to simply slow down and relax and maybe share a little tea.  Peppermint perhaps?  Someone gave me a tin of teas this past Christmas, and I have really enjoyed the delicious variety.

 

All of life's answers are not simple ones.  Sometimes we need help.  Never should we feel alone or under a huge weight of burden that we cannot handle.  Certainly, I don't have all the answers!  If we really want to change the world though, one thing we can do though which is an awful lot of help, if to be present for others!  Being there.  Wow!  That really can be a powerful thing.

 

When things get overwhelming, remember there are professionals out there too.  Don't let stress or worry overtake you.  It's only the middle of the week.  Slow down, relax, and maybe have some tea, and if you feel you need it, get help.

what is the color of happiness?

First of all tell me, are you happy?  Is there something special that makes you happy?  Don't take a lot of time.  There might be several things or perhaps you are just a happy person.  Now, close your eyes for a moment and think of that happiness.  Does a color emerge?  Red?  Pink?  Blue?  What is the color of happiness?

 

Now you may think that I have lost my mind, but there is a point I want to make.  Science might say that there is indeed a happy color.  I say happiness is EVERY color, because happiness is EVERYwhere!  Yeah, we all have bad days and it's certainly normal to feel down sometimes, but even when things are bad, there can be happiness.  Broke but have a family to cook for?  Well happiness can come from knowing how to prepare a wonderful meal for just pennies.  

Have you ever seen a homeless man with a big grin and wondered what he could possibly be happy about?  There are so many reasons to be happy.  So very many.

 

Am I blue?  That usually means depressed.  So blue is a bad color?  No way!  I say they are all good.  Look around you and see all the beauty.  Smile at the abundance of colors.  Be happy.

last request

Do you ever read the obituaries in the newspaper? Sometimes they can be humorous and sometimes they simply gave details of someone's life. Lately though I have come across several that are very inspiring, not just because of the life that had been led, but because of a last request.  There was a wonderful obituary a newspaper last week that brought me to tears.  A brother wrote some very touching words about his sister who had lived with cerebral palsy.  "I wish I could have made you laugh one more time," he wrote.

Frequently in obituaries there will be a "in lieu of flowers" statement, that directs folks to a charity that is significant to the deceased.  I also have seen some very nice "last requests."  In telling of one man who had recently passed away, the obituary said that one of his last wishes was for any person reading the obituary to perform a good deed in his honor for someone that they may have had friction with or disliked. Wow! Someone wanted to continue the love even after they were gone. How wonderful. How many people did a good deed in his honor? There is of course no way to know, but what a wonderful idea!

Maybe this will inspire folks reading this to make other last requests. What would you want your legacy to be? How would you like to be an inspiration to strangers, even after you are gone?  Of course estate planning is another way to help those who come after you while also keeping your name alive.

Give me a hand

Have you ever heard someone say "Give me a hand?" What was your response? Did you help out? Did you get involved? Most of the time it isn't a life or death situation and you aren't pulling someone up from the side of a cliff, yet every time we are asked for help, we should do our best.

I have seen people take on overwhelming tasks all by themselves and succeed. Some of us have that kind of determination. There are things though that are difficult to do alone. Sometimes it takes many hands to make things happen.

I'm thinking this morning about all the volunteers that give comfort to patients in hospitals and nursing homes, and of the people who come together to help Habitat For Humanity and other organizations build new homes for those who have nothing. The community groups who take on projects like picking up highway litter come to mind.  I'm thinking about the folks who read to kids in our libraries, who raise huge sums of money for charity, and who help good politicians get elected to office.  I'm thinking too of the many people who have truly made a difference during this pandemic.  Many hands can get jobs done.

There are volunteer opportunities just about everywhere.  Join in. Give someone a hand. Have an idea that will make things better for someone? Do it, and don't be afraid to ask for others to lend a hand!

Roses are red - sometimes

Roses are red (and violets are blue), says the poem. Indeed they are.  Sometimes though they might be pink or white or yellow or a number of other colors, including a mixed color. I think the most stunning rose color is lavender, and it smells so very nice as well!

I'm thinking of roses this morning because I happened to pass some gorgeous ones on my early walk. I just wanted to stop and soak in the beauty. It's no wonder people love to send and to receive these wonderful flowers. Oh my!  It's even pleasant to pick up a nice bouquet for yourself.

Oh and this is in keeping with the theme of this blog. If you plant beautiful flowers, you are certainly helping to make this a more beautiful world. Such a simple thing, huh? Of course there are many flower possibilities. Do you have a favorite? If I were to send you a bouquet, what flowers would you want included?  I like the ones in this picture.

Live in the now

One of the biggest mistakes some folks make is to live a live filled with regrets.  I'm talking about those who strive so hard to get to another place, that they miss all the joys of being where they are.

 

There is nothing wrong with having goals.  In fact it is quite healthy to plan new adventures and to want change.  A lot of folks just made New Year's resolutions.  It can become unhealthy though if it is an obsession. Stop waiting for Friday to come as if you can only be happy on your days off from work.  Stop waiting for your vacations with the mindset that you are miserable the rest of the time.  Look with joy to relaxation of course, but never feel like the rest of the time is bad or the bus will simply pass you by.  I know of people who dread Mondays. As for me, I'm excited for each new week I'm alive and I greet Monday (and pretty much every day) with a smile.

 

Do you know anyone who is desperately waiting for someone to fall in love with them?  This is the same thing.  Yes, it would be lovely if you had a life partner and who would not want to be loved, but don't focus on that above all else and stop living your live in the here and now.  It certainly won't make you a very attractive candidate for romance.  Even worse, it won't be good for you.

 

When we live in the now and find enjoyment in our daily lives, we are much happier people.  The world can always use more happiness!

It's about US

Okay so this blog is NOT about me. Well who is it about then?

Good question.

I guess the easiest way to answer is to say it is about YOU.

No I don't mean you, the one person reading these words at the moment. I mean ALL of YOU. Every single person in the world, including me. (Yeah you got me - in that sense it IS about me. New name? Maybe I should call this it's not ONLY about me).

Anyway, the important thing is this is about making a difference in the world of ours, and that is something we all can do! We all have roles to play - every single one of us!  I need to do more.  You need to do more.  We ALL need to do more.

So, it's about US!

The innocence of children

I remember writing here a few years ago about the innocence of children saying that babies don't hate you because of your skin color or your sexual orientation or you height or weight or gender or religion or for any reason at all. Think about it. We are born without all of that negative stuff attached. Children don't know how to hate. Why can't we keep it that way?

Who is teaching our children the bad thoughts and the bad words and the bad actions? The answer of course is that we are. We are teaching discrimination. We are teaching hate. We are taking away the innocence of our children.  Oh most are not doing it on purpose - I'm not saying that, but that doesn't make it any better.  Children look to their parents, teachers, pastors, doctors, and babysitters for a map of how to act.  They follow our lead.  If we discriminate - if we hate others, they very easily copy our actions.

If you have ever heard a small child using foul language, you have an idea of what I am talking about.  If it stopped at language, we might not think it bad, but kids are learning more and more bad behaviors from the very folks who should be teaching them good.  Let's be positive with our children.  Let's teach them about love, instead of the opposite.  Babies come into the world without any idea of hate. Let's not give it to them!

At the hospital

Some of you are aware that I volunteer at a local hospital where I live, and I was thinking of that when I got up this morning.  Occasionally I've shared stories here that are not my own, and this is one of those. This has been floating around on the internet, and I have no idea who wrote it, but please read on for a moving tale.
 

"Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for endless hours.

"They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, and where they had been on vacation.

 

"Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

 

"The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

 

"One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

 

"Days and weeks passed.

 

"One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

 

"As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

 

"Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall!

 

"The man called the nurse and asked her what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

 

She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'"

Great story, huh? As I said, the author of this is unknown. You may have even read it before, but I think it is worth seeing again. I was very moved when I first read this story, and I hope it touches you as well.  Do share this with others too. That's what encouragement is all about.

The purpose of life

What is the purpose of life? Have you ever heard that question asked?  Why are we here?  How should we act?  Should we be ruthless and dishonest and claw our way past others to get the biggest piece of the pie?  What are we expected to do during our lifetime?

You probably already know my answer to the above questions.   I think we are all here to each make a difference for the better. We all should contribute to the common good, but that's just my opinion. 

It would seem that the great essayist, lecturer, and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson agreed. It was he who said “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

What do YOU think is the purpose of life?

brotherly love

Everyone on this planet is different. How boring it would be if we were all the same, huh? I tend to think it is our differences that make us most interesting, and I fail to understand prejudice and discrimination. Why can't we all get along? Why can't we practice brotherly love toward each other?

We can you know. We do have the ability.

I am not the first to scratch my head over this. The great Dr Martin Luther King, Jr once commented “We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.”

 

Very much the same as now. Different race? Different religion? No religion? Gender queer? Very old? Physically disabled? How can any of these things really matter when meeting someone? Difference should be embraced . . . and loved!