"The Most Universal Law...is
universal synergy, syntropy, interrelationship, collaboration, cosmic
solidarity, and communion in kinship."
--Leonardo Boff
--Leonardo Boff
Friday, September 4, 2015
The Five Simple Rules to be Happy...
I originally came across this back in 2005,
and had long since forgotten about it. Found it again tonight.
It fits right in here, I think...Steven.
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.
I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs.. Jones, you haven't seen the room. Just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away...just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account: you withdraw from what you've put in."
"So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the Bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing."
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.
I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs.. Jones, you haven't seen the room. Just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away...just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account: you withdraw from what you've put in."
"So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the Bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing."
Remember the five
simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
Bobby Darin - Simple Song Of Freedom - LIVE!
Alright -the suit is dated, but the message isn't. I'm a two-time veteran of war, a combat medic on the ground with the infantry in Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. I am firmly convinced we should not be trying to use the Pentagon and Department of Defense as a primary driver in our economy. War is BIG business. No one wins a war except the merchants of death. No one. PTSD and TBI (traumatic brain injury) are epidemic amongst our soldiers and veterans. Suicides number in the tens of thousands. For what? Think of the trillion+ dollars that have been spent on this neverending War on Terror. How have you benefited from it? How could you have if the money had been spent on real job stimulus packages, education, health care and American infrastructure (roads, mass transit, energy)? Educate yourself. Start doing what you can to stop your tacit support of the Pentagon war economy.
Thursday, September 3, 2015
We found this on a blog called Imperfectly Happy. It is good advice. The folks who made it through the Great Depression knew some things, good things. Read on...
It's All in the Name...
We've had blogs before, separately. We find ourselves wanting to share one now. The last few years have been difficult ones. The thing about difficulties, though, is that they bring opportunities to learn and grow. Some of them have been painful, but they were needed. At this point, we find ourselves with over a century of living between us. We would like to share our thoughts on life and living, work and labor, prayer, spirituality, belief, love and laughter and so much more. The things that matter.
We would be honored if you would come spend time with us as we amble and ramble along. We will try not to bore you. We aren't very politically correct and have no plan to become so. You may not like some of the things we have to say and that is okay. We would like to challenge some of what passes for wisdom in today's culture. Don't take it personally, unless you really need to. Don't be surprised if we slip off track now and again. Above all, remember that the last word in the blog's title is "laugh". We intend to. We've fallen behind over the last few years in that department and have a lot of catching up to do.
Wishing you much love, light and laughter in the days to come,
Gina & Steven
We would be honored if you would come spend time with us as we amble and ramble along. We will try not to bore you. We aren't very politically correct and have no plan to become so. You may not like some of the things we have to say and that is okay. We would like to challenge some of what passes for wisdom in today's culture. Don't take it personally, unless you really need to. Don't be surprised if we slip off track now and again. Above all, remember that the last word in the blog's title is "laugh". We intend to. We've fallen behind over the last few years in that department and have a lot of catching up to do.
Wishing you much love, light and laughter in the days to come,
Gina & Steven
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)