May we be Blessed with:

 MAY WE BE BLESSED with:

          · Appreciation for the little things of  life.

· Awe at the beauty in the people, world, cosmos, around us.

· Curiosity for things that are unfamiliar.

· Consideration for those less fortunate than ourselves.

· Discipline to be the leader we are called to be.

· Disgust at injustice around us.

· Energy to do something about injustice.

· Excitement in celebrating all the good we observe in others. 

· Foolishness to believe that anything we do can make a difference.

· Fire in our heart to take a stand for what we believe.

· Gladness of heart.

· Gentleness with self and others.

· Hope for the future as yet unseen.

· Honesty to judge our own limitations before we judge others.

· Initiative to confront those we know to be hurtful to others.

· Intelligence  emotional and mental - to face life with honesty and courage.

· Joy for every breath we take; every sound we hear, every scent we smell, everything we see; everything we touch.                                                                                         Jealous (distrust) of those who pretend to care.

· Kindness for those who differ from us.

· Keenness for being different in a healthy manner.

· Love of strangers and foreigners in your midst.

· Longing for peace.

· Mildness of manner.

· Mindfulness in all that we do.

· Nervousness to  risk taking an unknown path.

· Naiveté to believe in our dreams.

· Optimism when we feel depressed.

· Openness to new ideas, beliefs.

· Passion for life and living.

· Perceptions that may open new horizons.

· Quickness to see what needs be cared for.

· Quirkyess to be seen and heard.

· Respect for all persons.

· Respect for all species.

· Sufficient finances & food for daily living.

· Sensitivity to the condition of others.

· Thanksgiving for our gifts and talents.

· Timidity that permits us to be silent until it is appropriate to speak.

· Uncertainty so that we learn to trust.

· Understanding for those who need our help.

· Valour to face each day.

· Variety in our life to keep us young.

· Willingness to risk our “good image” to take a stand for justice.  

· Watchfulness for opportunities to act with compassion,

· Youthfulness - regardless of our age.

· Yearning for a deep spirituality.                                                                                             Zeal for respect for all of humanity,   

· Zest for healthy living.

"Manual for Conserving Paths" - Paulo Coelho

 

MANUAL FOR CONSERVING PATHS

1] The path begins with a crossroads. There you can stop and think what direction to follow. But don’t spend too much time thinking or you’ll never leave the spot. Once you have taken the first step, forget the crossroads forever or you will always torture yourself with the useless question: “did I take the right path?”

2] The path doesn’t last forever. It is a blessing to travel the path for some time, but one day it will come to an end, so always be prepared to leave it at any moment. Don’t get too used to anything. Neither to the hours of euphoria, nor to the endless days when everything seems so difficult and progress is so slow. Don’t forget that sooner or later an angel will appear and your journey will reach an end.

3] Honour your path. It was your choice, your decision, and just as you respect the ground you step on, that ground will respect your feet. Always do what is best to conserve and keep your path and it will do the same for you.

4] Be well equipped. Carry a small rake, a spade, a penknife. Understand that penknives are no use for dry leaves, and rakes are useless for herbs that are deep-rooted. Know also what tool to use at each moment.

5] The path goes forward and backward. At times you have to go back because something was lost, or else a message to be delivered was forgotten in your pocket. A well tended path enables you to go back without any great problems.

6] Take care of the path before you take care of what is around you. Don’t be distracted by the dry leaves at the edges or by the way that others are looking after their paths. Use your energy to tend and conserve the ground that accepts your steps.

7] Be patient. Sometimes the same tasks have to be repeated, like tearing up weeds or closing holes that appear after unexpected rain. Don’t let that annoy you – that is part of the journey.

8] Paths cross. People can tell what the weather is like. Listen to advice, and make your own decisions. You alone are responsible for the path that was entrusted to you.

9] Nature follows its own rules. In this way, you have to be prepared for sudden changes in Autumn, slippery ice in Winter, the temptations of flowers in Spring, thirst and showers in the Summer. Make the most of each of these seasons, and don’t complain about their characteristics.

10] Make your path a mirror of yourself. By no means let yourself be influenced by the way that others care for their paths. You have your soul to listen to, and the birds to tell what your soul is saying. Let your stories be beautiful and pleasant to everything around you. Above all, let the stories that your soul tells during the journey be echoed at each and every second of the path.

11] Love your path. And may the Lord guide you and help you every single day !

PAULO COELHO

" Elderly Wise Words "

 

Elderly Wise Words

I asked a friend who has crossed 70 & is heading towards 80 what sort of changes he is feeling in himself? He sent me the following:

 

1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

2. I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.

3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable & fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

4. I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

5. I stopped telling the elderly that they've already narrated that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.

6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

7. I give compliments freely & generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER turn it down, just say "Thank You.”

8. I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

9. I walk away from people who don't value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

10. I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat & neither am I in any race.

11. I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.

12. I have learned that it's better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof, whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

13. I have learned to live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.

14. I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

 

 Why do we have to wait to be 60 or 70 or 80, why can't we practice this at any stage and age?

I borrowed this. I don't know who to credit it to, but thank you!

 

" Notice the Beautiful things "

 

Notice the Beautiful Things

I had a very special teacher in school many years ago whose husband unexpectedly died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students.

As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.

With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Before class is over, I would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important. Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is God's way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day." Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you see - it could be a scent-perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground. Please look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the "stuff" of life. The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at any time... it can all be taken away."

The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole school term. Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all overlook.

Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double-dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.

 

" 10 Commandments to follow in Life "

 

Someone has written these beautiful sentences.

A must read for everyone to try and  understand the deep meaning of them

 They are like Ten Commandments to follow in life all the time.

 1]    Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout

2]    Do you know why a Car's WIND-SHIELD is so large & the Rear-view Mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. Look Ahead and Move on

3]    Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4]     All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever.   If   going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either.

5]    Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamond! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!

 6]    Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says,  "Relax, it's just a bend, not the end!

7]    When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

8]    A blind person asked Swami Vivekanand: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"  

9]    When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10]  WORRYING does not take away tomorrows' TROUBLES, it takes away today’s' PEACE.