Disclaimer
The content here is either from actual experiences and sources and is accompanied by speculations and opinions. Biblical references are from the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
You Are Worth It
Compliment and Inspire
Who is Your Neighbor?
Ego Interruptus
Haters
You Are Worth It
I heard this on a podcast a while ago and have started to use this response in my own conversations. The podcast is a great series called "Touched by Heaven". Very much worth listening to. It also fits with my essays on "Our Impact on Others".Consider using the response "You are worth it" rather than the standard "you're welcome" or "yw" in texting. Just think of how much you can impact the mood of the person that hears or sees it. You Are Worth It. You make someone's day.
On the podcast that I heard, the conversation was between a Pakistani cab driver in New York City and a member of the U.S. military that served in Pakistan. The cab driver thanked him for his service and the soldier responded with "You are worth it".
Christ died for all of our sins, because we are worth it. What can you do that is greater than dying for everyone else's sins that would make anyone else not worth it? Nothing. Letting anyone know that they are worth it should just be a natural response.
Compliment and Inspire
A woman that I met in my volunteer time with the NAMI organization presented some art work that she created. It was unique and innovative. She also wrote an accompanying description for it. I complimented her on that work and others she had created. Note, she had only been painting for 3 weeks.Last weekend, items of art and prose created by other NAMI clients were on sale for their benefit and for NAMI. She had created at least a dozen other art and prose pieces for sale. Most of them sold.
At the end of the show, she thanked me and told me that I had inspired her with my compliments on her creations. It was a great feeling. I am grateful for her thanks, but the fact that I inspired her means more than her thanks.
If you have an opportunity to inspire someone with a compliment, do so. Their thanks and their productivity will be a great reward.
12/10/19
Who is Your Neighbor?
I love it when coincidences are not coincidences. When I am thinking about what I want to write and encounter a presentation, news item, advertisement, or some other physical representation of the subject.Recently, I added this "blog" to my writing. Quick additions rather than expansive essays of inspired topics.
I heard Jesus's parable of The Good Samaritan at mass. It was in response to the question of Who is my neighbor?
The anonymous, the acquaintances, the friends, family, lovers, spouses. Everyone is our neighbor. You don't know who they are, what they are like, their good and bad points, their trials and tribulations. But you can love and help them anyway.
Start by greeting everyone, or at least acknowledging them. It may or may not make their day, but it will make yours.
12/19/19
Ego Interruptus
Two days ago, I let my criticality overrule my desire to have a positive impact on those around me and on myself. In a narrow and crowded Starbucks, I commented on someones position, blocking normal passage through the store. I was so concerned that I didn't follow my desire to have a positive impact on others and to be aware of those around me.Surprise. Two women, fellow club members were sitting at a nearby table discussing club business. I didn't notice them and I'm sure that they didn't hear what I said or know what I was doing, other than getting a cup of coffee.
It has taken these past two days for me to realize that I have been humbled, and forgiven.
When I talked with the women, both club officers, after getting my coffee, they asked me to consider running for an officers position in the upcoming election for the 2020-2021 term.
Lessons come when and where you least expect. We just have to drop the ego and learn.
2/29/20
Haters
I will try to keep this short, but this is about something that is very wrong. I will address this in three parts: talent, judgement, love.From the Parable of the Talents in Mt 25:14-30 and from Lk 12:48, "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much". We are all given some natural talents and we gain some in our growth and education. The President started with more than most which is just the luck of the draw, or is it part of God's plan. Regardless, what he did with it is phenomonal. He has dared to do big things. Robert Kennedy was quoted saying, "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." He is arrogant, yes, but has achieved a lot, and many people have benefitted from it.
From Matthew 7:2, "For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you." Comparison is an ugly habit and often tells us more about ourself than about another. According to famous German novelist, Hermann Hesse, "If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us." Whenever you are judgmental of others, you are, in fact, judging yourself.
From Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
Forgiveness is key to this love. As you need to forgive yourself for your mistakes and faults, you need to forgive others for their mistakes and faults as well. Otherwise, you imprison them with your judgements just as you imprison yourself with these same judgements.
2/12/2021
