Be Optimistic!! That is the theme of this week's quote. Enjoy!!
__________
Be optimistic
Don't you be a grumpy
When the road gets bumpy Just smile
(Smile and be happy)
Shirley Temple
From the MovieLittle Miss Broadway
Lyrics/Music by Walter Bullock and Harold Spina
__________
Here is a video clip of Shirley Temple singing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ6rPxQcGpk
__________
And if you feel like singing the whole song, here are the lyrics
Be Optimistc
Be optimistic
Don't you be a grumpy
When the road gets bumpy Just smile
(Smile and be happy)
Your trouble can't be
As bad as all that
When you're sad as all that
No one loves you
Be optimistic
Don't you be a mourner
Brighten up that corner
And smile, smile, smile
Don't wear a long face
It's never in style
Be optimistic And smile
Be optimistic
Don't you be a grumpy
When the road gets bumpy
Just smile
Your trouble can't be
As bad as all that
When you're sad as all that
No one loves you
Be optimistic
Don't you be a mourner
Brighten up that corner
And smile
Don't wear a long face
It's never in style
Be optimistic
And smile
__________
And of course the recycled quote of the week classic...
"An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartar sauce with him."
Zig Ziglar
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
26 September 2011
19 September 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; September 19, 2011
Greetings and Welcome to the Quote of the Week!
A question is the quote for this week. It is a simple question that can have a powerful impact. In fact, according to the author, it is called a miracle question and it is from the book, Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath ( a book about how to make change last).
__________
"Suppose that you go to bed tonight and sleep well. Sometime, in the middle of the night, while you are sleeping, a miracle happens and all the troubles that brought you here are resolved. When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first small sign you’d see that would make you think, ‘Well, something must have happened - the problem is gone!’?”
________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
"Infinite goodness has wide arms."
Dante
_________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
A question is the quote for this week. It is a simple question that can have a powerful impact. In fact, according to the author, it is called a miracle question and it is from the book, Switch by Chip Heath and Dan Heath ( a book about how to make change last).
__________
"Suppose that you go to bed tonight and sleep well. Sometime, in the middle of the night, while you are sleeping, a miracle happens and all the troubles that brought you here are resolved. When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first small sign you’d see that would make you think, ‘Well, something must have happened - the problem is gone!’?”
________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
"Infinite goodness has wide arms."
Dante
_________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
12 September 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; September 12, 2011
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, or good middle of the night. Are you ready to enjoy a new inspiring or insightful Quote of the Week? The Themes for this week: Learning to love the Beast and And 9-11 Remembered
__________
"Lisa Smith-Batchen, the amazingly sunny and pixie-tailed ultrarunner from Idaho who trained through blizzards to win a six-day race in the Sahara, talks about exhaustion as if it's a playful pet. 'I love the Beast,' she says. 'I actually look forward to the Beast showing up, because every time he does, I handle him better. I get him more under control.'
Once the Beast arrives, Lisa knows what she has to deal with and can get down to work. And isn't that the reason she's running through the desert in the first place-to put her training to work? To have a friendly little tussle with the Beast and show it who's boss? You can't hate the Beast and expect to beat it; the only way to truly conquer something, as every great philosopher and geneticist will tell you , is to love it."
Christopher McDougall (Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen)
__________
9-11 Remembered...
Right after 9-11, I asked Quote of the Week Members to share their thoughts, feelings quotes, songs lyrics as they reflect on the events of that day.
From Jesse, a Yeat’s poem that he feels has sensitivity to the tragic events of September 11th
The Second Coming
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
From Ray, a quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth…
"Give sorrow words;
the grief that does not speak
Whispers the o'er-fraught heart,
and bids it break."
Isabelleemailed the Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity,
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as you did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that you will make all things right if I surrender to your will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with you forever in the next.
Reinhold Niebuhr
Vicki sent this in memory of all those who perished; the passengers and the pilots on the United Air and AA flights, the workers in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and all the innocent bystanders. Our prayers go out to the friends and families of the deceased.
If I knew If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep
If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.
There will always be another day
to say "I love you," and certainly there's
another chance to say our "Anything I can do?"
But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear
Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
Author Unknown
From Mike comes lyrics from a Phil Ochs song, “Power And The Glory" (1964)
“Here is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Glory shall rest on us all "
From Jen, a site she found inspiring…
http://people.delphi.com/andybeals/thankyou.htm
Also, Jencloses all of her emails with the following words:..
Be Nice Nice is Good
From Juta came a quote from Goethe...
“Life belongs to the living,
and he who lives
must be prepared for changes.”
Holly felt the following site was heartbreaking and beautiful many photos;
slow to load, but worth the wait:
http://home.earthlink.net/~hankinhsd/thankyou.htm
From Christine, a poem by Siegfried Sassoon…
"A Post-Mortem"
Searching for souvenirs among some rubble,
A post-atomic-warfare man observed
That "those who made this little bit of trouble
Got only what they asked for and deserved."
Then, in a kindlier afterthought's release,
He pitied "them that only asked for peace."
From Ruth…
“All things are connected. We did not weave the web of life; we are but a strand in it. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the people of the earth.”
Chief Seattle
Irene's email message…
loved the choice of wordsworth this week, raoul. you're so right about words failing us, but i've found in the last week that, in fact, words have soothed us, comforted us, rallied us. while we were glued to tv sets, we also read everything we could get our hands on; editorials, reports, testimonies, stories, poems. i have to tried to impress upon my class the importance of the written word and nothing has done more to affirm that than this past week. our family has been fortunate as we have not lost a family member or loved one, but we all suffer and grieve with those who have. i have also been heartened by the positive attitude of my 14 year old freshmen who write about fear but also confidence and hope in the country's future. without hope, we are all lost. love to everyone who receives the quote of the week. i will look for more...irene
And a final quote by Henry David Thoreau …
“The kindness I have longest remembered has been of this sort, the sort unsaid; so far behind the speaker's lips that almost it already lay in my heart. It did not have far to go to be communicated.”
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
__________
"Lisa Smith-Batchen, the amazingly sunny and pixie-tailed ultrarunner from Idaho who trained through blizzards to win a six-day race in the Sahara, talks about exhaustion as if it's a playful pet. 'I love the Beast,' she says. 'I actually look forward to the Beast showing up, because every time he does, I handle him better. I get him more under control.'
Once the Beast arrives, Lisa knows what she has to deal with and can get down to work. And isn't that the reason she's running through the desert in the first place-to put her training to work? To have a friendly little tussle with the Beast and show it who's boss? You can't hate the Beast and expect to beat it; the only way to truly conquer something, as every great philosopher and geneticist will tell you , is to love it."
Christopher McDougall (Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen)
__________
9-11 Remembered...
Right after 9-11, I asked Quote of the Week Members to share their thoughts, feelings quotes, songs lyrics as they reflect on the events of that day.
From Jesse, a Yeat’s poem that he feels has sensitivity to the tragic events of September 11th
The Second Coming
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all convictions, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
From Ray, a quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth…
"Give sorrow words;
the grief that does not speak
Whispers the o'er-fraught heart,
and bids it break."
Isabelleemailed the Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity,
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace;
Taking, as you did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that you will make all things right if I surrender to your will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with you forever in the next.
Reinhold Niebuhr
Vicki sent this in memory of all those who perished; the passengers and the pilots on the United Air and AA flights, the workers in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and all the innocent bystanders. Our prayers go out to the friends and families of the deceased.
If I knew If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep
If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.
There will always be another day
to say "I love you," and certainly there's
another chance to say our "Anything I can do?"
But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.
So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear
Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
Author Unknown
From Mike comes lyrics from a Phil Ochs song, “Power And The Glory" (1964)
“Here is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Glory shall rest on us all "
From Jen, a site she found inspiring…
http://people.delphi.com/andybeals/thankyou.htm
Also, Jencloses all of her emails with the following words:..
Be Nice Nice is Good
From Juta came a quote from Goethe...
“Life belongs to the living,
and he who lives
must be prepared for changes.”
Holly felt the following site was heartbreaking and beautiful many photos;
slow to load, but worth the wait:
http://home.earthlink.net/~hankinhsd/thankyou.htm
From Christine, a poem by Siegfried Sassoon…
"A Post-Mortem"
Searching for souvenirs among some rubble,
A post-atomic-warfare man observed
That "those who made this little bit of trouble
Got only what they asked for and deserved."
Then, in a kindlier afterthought's release,
He pitied "them that only asked for peace."
From Ruth…
“All things are connected. We did not weave the web of life; we are but a strand in it. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the people of the earth.”
Chief Seattle
Irene's email message…
loved the choice of wordsworth this week, raoul. you're so right about words failing us, but i've found in the last week that, in fact, words have soothed us, comforted us, rallied us. while we were glued to tv sets, we also read everything we could get our hands on; editorials, reports, testimonies, stories, poems. i have to tried to impress upon my class the importance of the written word and nothing has done more to affirm that than this past week. our family has been fortunate as we have not lost a family member or loved one, but we all suffer and grieve with those who have. i have also been heartened by the positive attitude of my 14 year old freshmen who write about fear but also confidence and hope in the country's future. without hope, we are all lost. love to everyone who receives the quote of the week. i will look for more...irene
And a final quote by Henry David Thoreau …
“The kindness I have longest remembered has been of this sort, the sort unsaid; so far behind the speaker's lips that almost it already lay in my heart. It did not have far to go to be communicated.”
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
From the Quote of the Week Files; September 6, 2011
Welcome to the Quote of the Week!!!! Your weekly Spiritual Snack for the Mind, Body and Soul. Overcoming FEAR and leaving behind a life of mediocrity are the themes of this week's quote. Enjoy!
__________
“Fear is something I don’t think you experience unless you have a choice. If you have a choice, then you’re liable to be afraid. But without a choice, what is there to be afraid of? You just go along doing what has to be done.”
Margaret Hastings
From Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II, a highly recommended book!
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
Deep within each one of us there is an inner longing to live a life of greatness and contribution – to really matter, to really make a difference. We may doubt ourselves and our ability to do so, but I want you to know of my deep conviction that you can live such a life. You have the potential within you. We all do. It is the birthright of the human family.
All of us can consciously decide to leave behind a life of mediocrity and to live a life of greatness, at home, at work and in the community. No matter what our circumstances may be, such a decision can be made by every one of us, whether that greatness manifests by:
- choosing to have a magnificent spirit in facing an incurable disease,
- making a difference in the life of a child, giving that child a sense of worth and potential,
- becoming a change-catalyst inside an organization, or
- becoming an initiator of a great cause in society.
We all have the power to decide to live a great life, or even simpler, to have not only a good day but a great day. No matter how long we've walked life's pathway to mediocrity, we can always choose to switch paths. Always. It's never too late. We can find our voice.
Stephen Covey
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
__________
“Fear is something I don’t think you experience unless you have a choice. If you have a choice, then you’re liable to be afraid. But without a choice, what is there to be afraid of? You just go along doing what has to be done.”
Margaret Hastings
From Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II, a highly recommended book!
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
Deep within each one of us there is an inner longing to live a life of greatness and contribution – to really matter, to really make a difference. We may doubt ourselves and our ability to do so, but I want you to know of my deep conviction that you can live such a life. You have the potential within you. We all do. It is the birthright of the human family.
All of us can consciously decide to leave behind a life of mediocrity and to live a life of greatness, at home, at work and in the community. No matter what our circumstances may be, such a decision can be made by every one of us, whether that greatness manifests by:
- choosing to have a magnificent spirit in facing an incurable disease,
- making a difference in the life of a child, giving that child a sense of worth and potential,
- becoming a change-catalyst inside an organization, or
- becoming an initiator of a great cause in society.
We all have the power to decide to live a great life, or even simpler, to have not only a good day but a great day. No matter how long we've walked life's pathway to mediocrity, we can always choose to switch paths. Always. It's never too late. We can find our voice.
Stephen Covey
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
29 August 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files, August 29, 2011
Welcome once again to the Quote of the Week! Your presence, exactly as is at this very moment, is greatly appreciated. Inspiration is everywhere. This week's quote was found on the thigh of a young woman at the beach. Enjoy, I know I did!!
_________
"Colui che è armato con l'amore può sconfiggere ogni disgrazia."
Michelangelo
Translation...
"One who's armed with love can defeat any misfortune."
Michelangelo
________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
Marcus Aurelius
__________
A Hurricane Irene Bonus Quote....
"Stay inside, if you have nothing else to do."
This advice was given to a TV Reporter as he was covering Hurricane Irene. Good Advice ~ It got me through the Hurricane!!
Check out the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwgCD9hVSbI
_________
"Colui che è armato con l'amore può sconfiggere ogni disgrazia."
Michelangelo
Translation...
"One who's armed with love can defeat any misfortune."
Michelangelo
________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
Marcus Aurelius
__________
A Hurricane Irene Bonus Quote....
"Stay inside, if you have nothing else to do."
This advice was given to a TV Reporter as he was covering Hurricane Irene. Good Advice ~ It got me through the Hurricane!!
Check out the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you.
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you.
22 August 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; August 22, 2011
Welcome to the Quote of the Week ~ bringing you quotes of interest that will make us both think a little bit more, question life, or enjoy living more.
__________
"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."
Gilda Radner
_________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning."
Ivy Baker Priest
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
__________
"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."
Gilda Radner
_________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning."
Ivy Baker Priest
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
15 August 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; August 15, 2011
Fueled by the belief that a positive future is ours to create, welcome back to the Quote of the Week!!
Warning!!!! Today's quote is rated PG 13 for it's very strong language! (A Quote of the Week second!) ~ But what the heck...
__________
"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes."
William Gibson
(Thanks to Patti Digh's excellent blog, 37 days)
__________
"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us."
Joseph Campbell
________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
Warning!!!! Today's quote is rated PG 13 for it's very strong language! (A Quote of the Week second!) ~ But what the heck...
__________
"Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes."
William Gibson
(Thanks to Patti Digh's excellent blog, 37 days)
__________
"We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us."
Joseph Campbell
________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
08 August 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files, August 8, 2011
Good Morning, Good Afternoon or Good Evening and Welcome to the Quote of the Week. It is time to get away from the all important details of day-to-day life, take a deep breath, relax your shoulders, kick off your shoes and enjoy reading today's quotes! .
__________
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
Douglas Adams
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic..
What is the best time to do each thing?
__________
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."
Douglas Adams
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic..
If you ever asked yourself...
Who are the most important people to work with?
What is the most important thing to do at all times?...
Then this quote (actually it is a parable) will provide you with the answer! Enjoy!
Three Questions - by Leo Tolstoy
One day it occurred to a certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would never stray in any matter.
What is the best time to do each thing?
Who are the most important people to work with?
What is the most important thing to do at all times?
The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive a great reward. Many who read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a different answer.
In reply to the first question, one person advised that the emperor make up a thorough time schedule, consecrating every hour, day, month, and year for certain tasks and then follow the schedule to the letter. Only then could he hope to do every task at the right time.
Another person replied that it was impossible to plan in advance and that the emperor should put all vain amusements aside and remain attentive to everything in order to know what to do at what time.
Someone else insisted that, by himself, the emperor could never hope to have all the foresight and competence necessary to decide when to do each and every task and what he really needed was to set up a Council of the Wise and then to act according to their advice.
Someone else said that certain matters required immediate decision and could not wait for consultation, but if he wanted to know in advance what was going to happen he should consult magicians and soothsayers.
The responses to the second question also lacked accord.
One person said that the emperor needed to place all his trust in administrators, another urged reliance on priests and monks, while others recommended physicians. Still others put their faith in warriors.
The third question drew a similar variety of answers. Some said science was the most important pursuit. Others insisted on religion. Yet others claimed the most important thing was military skill.
-------
The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.
After several nights of reflection, the emperor resolved to visit a hermit who lived up on the mountain and was said to be an enlightened man. The emperor wished to find the hermit to ask him the three questions, though he knew the hermit never left the mountains and was known to receive only the poor, refusing to have anything to do with persons of wealth or power. So the emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant and ordered his attendants to wait for him at the foot of the mountain while he climbed the slope alone to seek the hermit.
Reaching the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden in front of his hut. When the hermit saw the stranger, he nodded his head in greeting and continued to dig. The labor was obviously hard on him. He was an old man, and each time he thrust his spade into the ground to turn the earth, he heaved heavily.
The emperor approached him and said, "I have come here to ask your help with three questions: When is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"
The hermit listened attentively but only patted the emperor on the shoulder and continued digging. The emperor said, "You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with that." The hermit thanked him, handed the emperor the spade, and then sat down on the ground to rest.
After he had dug two rows, the emperor stopped and turned to the hermit and repeated his three questions. The hermit still did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the spade and said, "Why don't you rest now? I can take over again." But the emperor continued to dig. One hour passed, then two. Finally the sun began to set behind the mountain. The emperor put down the spade and said to the hermit, "I came here to ask if you could answer my three questions. But if you can't give me any answer, please let me know so that I can get on may way home."
The hermit lifted his head and asked the emperor, "Do you hear someone running over there?" The emperor turned his head. They both saw a man with a long white beard emerge from the woods. He ran wildly, pressing his hands against a bloody wound in his stomach. The man ran toward the emperor before falling unconscious to the ground, where he lay groaning. Opening the man's clothing, the emperor and hermit saw that the man had received a deep gash. The emperor cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to bandage it, but the blood completely soaked it within minutes. He rinsed the shirt out and bandaged the wound a second time and continued to do so until the flow of blood had stopped.
At last the wounded man regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water. The emperor ran down to the stream and brought back a jug of fresh water. Meanwhile, the sun had disappeared and the night air had begun to turn cold. The hermit gave the emperor a hand in carrying the man into the hut where they laid him down on the hermit's bed. The man closed his eyes and lay quietly. The emperor was worn out from the long day of climbing the mountain and digging the garden. Leaning against the doorway, he fell asleep. When he rose, the sun had already risen over the mountain. For a moment he forgot where he was and what he had come here for. He looked over to the bed and saw the wounded man also looking around him in confusion. When he saw the emperor, he stared at him intently and then said in a faint whisper, "Please forgive me."
"But what have you done that I should forgive you?" the emperor asked.
"You do not know me, your majesty, but I know you. I was your sworn enemy, and I had vowed to take vengeance on you, for during the last war you killed my brother and seized my property. When I learned that you were coming alone to the mountain to meet the hermit, I resolved to surprise you on your way back to kill you. But after waiting a long time there was still no sign of you, and so I left my ambush in order to seek you out. But instead of finding you, I came across your attendants, who recognized me, giving me this wound. Luckily, I escaped and ran here. If I hadn't met you I would surely be dead by now. I had intended to kill you, but instead you saved my life! I am ashamed and grateful beyond words. If I live, I vow to be your servant for the rest of my life, and I will bid my children and grandchildren to do the same. Please grant me your forgiveness."
The emperor was overjoyed to see that he was so easily reconciled with a former enemy. He not only forgave the man but promised to return all the man's property and to send his own physician and servants to wait on the man until he was completely healed. After ordering his attendants to take the man home, the emperor returned to see the hermit. Before returning to the palace the emperor wanted to repeat his three questions one last time. He found the hermit sowing seeds in the earth they had dug the day before.
The hermit stood up and looked at the emperor. "But your questions have already been answered."
"How's that?" the emperor asked, puzzled.
"Yesterday, if you had not taken pity on my age and given me a hand with digging these beds, you would have been attacked by that man on your way home. Then you would have deeply regretted not staying with me. Therefore the most important time was the time you were digging in the beds, the most important person was myself, and the most important pursuit was to help me. Later, when the wounded man ran up here, the most important time was the time you spent dressing his wound, for if you had not cared for him he would have died and you would have lost the chance to be reconciled with him. Likewise, he was the most important person, and the most important pursuit was taking care of his wound. Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
One day it occurred to a certain emperor that if he only knew the answers to three questions, he would never stray in any matter.
What is the best time to do each thing?
Who are the most important people to work with?
What is the most important thing to do at all times?
The emperor issued a decree throughout his kingdom announcing that whoever could answer the questions would receive a great reward. Many who read the decree made their way to the palace at once, each person with a different answer.
In reply to the first question, one person advised that the emperor make up a thorough time schedule, consecrating every hour, day, month, and year for certain tasks and then follow the schedule to the letter. Only then could he hope to do every task at the right time.
Another person replied that it was impossible to plan in advance and that the emperor should put all vain amusements aside and remain attentive to everything in order to know what to do at what time.
Someone else insisted that, by himself, the emperor could never hope to have all the foresight and competence necessary to decide when to do each and every task and what he really needed was to set up a Council of the Wise and then to act according to their advice.
Someone else said that certain matters required immediate decision and could not wait for consultation, but if he wanted to know in advance what was going to happen he should consult magicians and soothsayers.
The responses to the second question also lacked accord.
One person said that the emperor needed to place all his trust in administrators, another urged reliance on priests and monks, while others recommended physicians. Still others put their faith in warriors.
The third question drew a similar variety of answers. Some said science was the most important pursuit. Others insisted on religion. Yet others claimed the most important thing was military skill.
-------
The emperor was not pleased with any of the answers, and no reward was given.
After several nights of reflection, the emperor resolved to visit a hermit who lived up on the mountain and was said to be an enlightened man. The emperor wished to find the hermit to ask him the three questions, though he knew the hermit never left the mountains and was known to receive only the poor, refusing to have anything to do with persons of wealth or power. So the emperor disguised himself as a simple peasant and ordered his attendants to wait for him at the foot of the mountain while he climbed the slope alone to seek the hermit.
Reaching the holy man's dwelling place, the emperor found the hermit digging a garden in front of his hut. When the hermit saw the stranger, he nodded his head in greeting and continued to dig. The labor was obviously hard on him. He was an old man, and each time he thrust his spade into the ground to turn the earth, he heaved heavily.
The emperor approached him and said, "I have come here to ask your help with three questions: When is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"
The hermit listened attentively but only patted the emperor on the shoulder and continued digging. The emperor said, "You must be tired. Here, let me give you a hand with that." The hermit thanked him, handed the emperor the spade, and then sat down on the ground to rest.
After he had dug two rows, the emperor stopped and turned to the hermit and repeated his three questions. The hermit still did not answer, but instead stood up and pointed to the spade and said, "Why don't you rest now? I can take over again." But the emperor continued to dig. One hour passed, then two. Finally the sun began to set behind the mountain. The emperor put down the spade and said to the hermit, "I came here to ask if you could answer my three questions. But if you can't give me any answer, please let me know so that I can get on may way home."
The hermit lifted his head and asked the emperor, "Do you hear someone running over there?" The emperor turned his head. They both saw a man with a long white beard emerge from the woods. He ran wildly, pressing his hands against a bloody wound in his stomach. The man ran toward the emperor before falling unconscious to the ground, where he lay groaning. Opening the man's clothing, the emperor and hermit saw that the man had received a deep gash. The emperor cleaned the wound thoroughly and then used his own shirt to bandage it, but the blood completely soaked it within minutes. He rinsed the shirt out and bandaged the wound a second time and continued to do so until the flow of blood had stopped.
At last the wounded man regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water. The emperor ran down to the stream and brought back a jug of fresh water. Meanwhile, the sun had disappeared and the night air had begun to turn cold. The hermit gave the emperor a hand in carrying the man into the hut where they laid him down on the hermit's bed. The man closed his eyes and lay quietly. The emperor was worn out from the long day of climbing the mountain and digging the garden. Leaning against the doorway, he fell asleep. When he rose, the sun had already risen over the mountain. For a moment he forgot where he was and what he had come here for. He looked over to the bed and saw the wounded man also looking around him in confusion. When he saw the emperor, he stared at him intently and then said in a faint whisper, "Please forgive me."
"But what have you done that I should forgive you?" the emperor asked.
"You do not know me, your majesty, but I know you. I was your sworn enemy, and I had vowed to take vengeance on you, for during the last war you killed my brother and seized my property. When I learned that you were coming alone to the mountain to meet the hermit, I resolved to surprise you on your way back to kill you. But after waiting a long time there was still no sign of you, and so I left my ambush in order to seek you out. But instead of finding you, I came across your attendants, who recognized me, giving me this wound. Luckily, I escaped and ran here. If I hadn't met you I would surely be dead by now. I had intended to kill you, but instead you saved my life! I am ashamed and grateful beyond words. If I live, I vow to be your servant for the rest of my life, and I will bid my children and grandchildren to do the same. Please grant me your forgiveness."
The emperor was overjoyed to see that he was so easily reconciled with a former enemy. He not only forgave the man but promised to return all the man's property and to send his own physician and servants to wait on the man until he was completely healed. After ordering his attendants to take the man home, the emperor returned to see the hermit. Before returning to the palace the emperor wanted to repeat his three questions one last time. He found the hermit sowing seeds in the earth they had dug the day before.
The hermit stood up and looked at the emperor. "But your questions have already been answered."
"How's that?" the emperor asked, puzzled.
"Yesterday, if you had not taken pity on my age and given me a hand with digging these beds, you would have been attacked by that man on your way home. Then you would have deeply regretted not staying with me. Therefore the most important time was the time you were digging in the beds, the most important person was myself, and the most important pursuit was to help me. Later, when the wounded man ran up here, the most important time was the time you spent dressing his wound, for if you had not cared for him he would have died and you would have lost the chance to be reconciled with him. Likewise, he was the most important person, and the most important pursuit was taking care of his wound. Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
01 August 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; August 1, 2011
Welcome to the Quote of the Week!! Going out on the limb is the theme of this week's quote. Enjoy!
__________
"She went out a on a limb, had it break off behind her, and realized she could fly."
Kobi Yamada
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
“Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. Isn't that where the fruit is anyway?"
Arthur Lenehan
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
__________
"She went out a on a limb, had it break off behind her, and realized she could fly."
Kobi Yamada
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
“Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. Isn't that where the fruit is anyway?"
Arthur Lenehan
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
25 July 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files, July 25, 2011
Welcome to the Quote of the Week!! This week's quote comes from the cap of an Honest Tea bottle. Enjoy!
__________
"Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. "
Grant L. Miller
__________
And speaking of streets, here is a Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
My Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
Chapter 1
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter 4
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5
I walk down another street.
Portia Nelson
__________
__________
"Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. "
Grant L. Miller
__________
And speaking of streets, here is a Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
My Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
Chapter 1
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter 4
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5
I walk down another street.
Portia Nelson
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
From the Quote of the Week Files, July 25, 2011
Welcome to the Quote of the Week!! This week's quote comes from the cap of an Honest Tea bottle. Enjoy!
__________
"Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. "
Grant L. Miller
__________
And speaking of streets, here is a Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
My Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
Chapter 1
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter 4
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5
I walk down another street.
Portia Nelson
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
__________
"Stop living life for what's around the corner and start enjoying the walk down the street. "
Grant L. Miller
__________
And speaking of streets, here is a Recycled Quote of the Week Classic...
My Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
Chapter 1
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter 4
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5
I walk down another street.
Portia Nelson
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
18 July 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; July 18, 2011
Good Morning and Welcome to the Quote of the Week!!! I hear a Symphony!!! William Henry Channing's symphony that is! Enjoy!
__________
"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony.
William Henry Channing
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic ...
The Summer Wind
The summer wind, came blowin' in - from across the sea
It lingered there, so warm and fair - to walk with me
All summer long, we sang a song - and strolled on golden sand
Two sweethearts, and the summer wind
Like painted kites, those days and nights - went flyin' by
The world was new, beneath a blue - umbrella sky
Then softer than, a piper man - one day it called to you
And I lost you, to the summer wind
The autumn wind, and the winter wind - have come and gone
And still the days, those lonely days - go on and on
And guess who sighs his lullabies - through nights that never end
My fickle friend, the summer wind
Original German lyrics by Hans Bradtke
English lyrics by Johnny Mercer
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!!!
__________
"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony.
William Henry Channing
__________
A Recycled Quote of the Week Classic ...
The Summer Wind
The summer wind, came blowin' in - from across the sea
It lingered there, so warm and fair - to walk with me
All summer long, we sang a song - and strolled on golden sand
Two sweethearts, and the summer wind
Like painted kites, those days and nights - went flyin' by
The world was new, beneath a blue - umbrella sky
Then softer than, a piper man - one day it called to you
And I lost you, to the summer wind
The autumn wind, and the winter wind - have come and gone
And still the days, those lonely days - go on and on
And guess who sighs his lullabies - through nights that never end
My fickle friend, the summer wind
Original German lyrics by Hans Bradtke
English lyrics by Johnny Mercer
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!!!
11 July 2011
From the Quote of the Week Files; July 11, 2011
Rise and Shine!!!!! It is time to meet the challenges of a brand new week!!! Enjoy today's Quote!
__________
"Someone once told me that time is a predator that stalked us all our lives.
But I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey,
that reminds us to cherish every moment because they'll never come again.
What we leave behind is not as important as how we live it.
After all, Number One, we're only mortal."
Jean-Luc Picard
__________
I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
To allow my living to open me,
To make me less afraid,
More accessible.
To loosen my heart until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
To live so that which came to me as seed
goes on to the next as blossom
And that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
Dawna Markova
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
__________
"Someone once told me that time is a predator that stalked us all our lives.
But I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey,
that reminds us to cherish every moment because they'll never come again.
What we leave behind is not as important as how we live it.
After all, Number One, we're only mortal."
Jean-Luc Picard
__________
I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
To allow my living to open me,
To make me less afraid,
More accessible.
To loosen my heart until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
To live so that which came to me as seed
goes on to the next as blossom
And that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
Dawna Markova
__________
Wishing you a most beautiful day, wherever this may find you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)