A Good Thing

A good thing is always done with effort, and when the effort is repeated several times, then a good thing becomes a habit. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom, 5 October) 31 October 2012

Negative Energies and Dark Forces

Just of today, stop trying to prove that you are stronger than the negative energies and dark forces around you. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 7 September) 30 October 2012

Example

If you desire to follow someone else as an example, as many other people do, first stop and think whether it is worthwhile to follow this general example.

There is nothing more important than an example. It leads us to do good deeds which would be impossible without this example. Therefore, if we use dissipated or passionate or cruel people as examples, it destroys our soul. The contrary is also true.

Those who are not afraid of truly terrible things follow false examples and those people follow the path to destruction. (Dhammapada, a book of Buddhist wisdom)

Those who do not think independently are under the influence of somebody else who thinks for them. If you give your thoughts to somebody else, it is a more shameful slavery than if you give your body to someone to possess.

(All quotes from A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy, 29 October)
29 October 2012

Hurricane Sandy - 2012

Photo : Hurricane Sandy - 2012 in Cuba

There is an old story of a man who was weary of battling with the sea. He put an oar on his shoulder and set out with the intention of journeying inland until he reached people who knew so little of the sea that they asked him what strange thing he carried on his shoulder. (William Barclay, The Revelation Of John, Vol. 2, p. 198-99) 28 October 2012

Love & Friendship

It is one of the laws of life that, if a man places all his happiness in material things he misses the greatest things of all - love and friendship with his fellowmen. (The Revelation Of John, Vol. 2, p. 164, William Barclay) 27 October 2012

Happiness

One of the great secrets of happiness is to think of happy things. There were many unhappy things in [ancient] Philippi, things false, dishonorable, unjust, impure, hideous and of very bad report; the air of Philippi was darkened by these things.  The Christians of that town might easily have had their lives stained by continually letting their thoughts dwell on what they could not help seeing and hearing and feeling, what evil they must often have met and fought in their striving together for the faith of the gospel. (Amy Carmichael, in A Gentle Spirit, 25 October) 26 October 2012

Lust For Power

The lust for power is not rooted in strength but in weakness. (Eric Fromm, Touchstones, 26 July)
25 October 2012

Work Smart

I will work smart today. I will take my time and get whatever help I need. I will also do what I can for myself. (Karen Casey, Keepers Of The Wisdom, 3 October)

There are too many things to do and not enough time to do them all. (Edith Huey in Keepers Of The Wisdom by Karen Casey, 4 October)

I am willing to do the work I need to do to learn more about myself. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 16 October)

Today, this very day, why don't you think of something that takes a bit of extra time to do and do it. (A Gentle Spirit, 22 September)
24 October 2012

Moral Law

Hitler outside his bunker giving military awards

Moral law is so obvious and clear that even people who do not know the law have no excuse for violating it.  They have only one recourse: to deny their intellect, which they do. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 26 September)

Do not try to justify war in the existence of the military. If you try to apply logical thought to explain things that are evil, the efforts will only prevent your intellect and poison your heart. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 29 September)
23 October 2012

Follies

William Seward

... Never mind me, but leave me as a lunatic to my follies, and you go on your way and accomplish what you have intended all this time. (Lycinus to Hermotimus in Hermotimus or The Rival Philosophies, p. 206) 22 October 2012

Business As Usual

Strive to be quiet, and to do your own business.  Don't confuse the business of others with your own business. (after One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 9 October) 21 October 2012

Unfortunately Constituted Person

Joe Btfsplk

It is a fatal mistake to enter into the dark and unreasoning moods of every unfortunately constituted person. (Lilian Whiting in A Gentle Spirit, 26 July) 20 October 2012

Wealth

One of the main reasons wealth makes people unhappy is that it gives them too much control over what they experience.  They try to translate their own fantasies into reality instead of tasting what reality itself has to offer. (Philip Slater in Touchstones, 16 October)

Sometimes it may be observed that those who have had more advantages tend to be a little patronizing of others ... (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 16 October)
19 October 2012

Power & Control

Our problems with power and control are a central part of the reason this country is in so much trouble. (after Touchstones, 8 October) 18 October 2012

Wise People

In those countries where wise people are in power, their subjects do not notice the existence of their rulers. (La-Tzu in A Calendar Of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy, 13 October) 17 October 2012

I'm Drawing A Blank

I look at the years that have gone by and there are long periods of my life that are blank in my memory. (Andy Rooney, My War, p. 77) 16 October 2012

Military Spending

Many countries maintain armies that involve many of their people. A large portion of their budgets are spent on military spending. (after Gustave de Molinar in A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy, 29 September) 15 October 2012

End of the Road

You make a lot of mistakes in life, but you still end up where you're supposed to be. (James Casey in Keepers Of The Wisdom by Karen Casey, 27 September) 14 October 2012

Don't Idle

For every idle person there is another person who works too much. For every person who eats to excess, there is another person somewhere who is hungry. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 25 September) 13 October 2012

What Do I Know?

The title scholar suggests that a person has gone to school, and that he studied, but it does not mean that he has acquired any truly important knowledge. (George Lichtenberg in A Calendar Of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy, 27 July)

When you are willing to acknowledge that you don't know, you open yourself to all sorts of information and assistance from life. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 20 August)

The wiser a person is, the simpler the language he uses to express his thoughts. (Lucy Malory, in A Calendar Of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy, 22 August)

It is better to know less than necessary than to know more than necessary. Do not fear the lack of knowledge, but truly fear unnecessary knowledge which is acquired only to please vanity. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 23 September)

The educated person sins greatly if he continues to behave in a way he knows is wrong. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar Of Wisdom, 24 September)

It is enough for the disciple that he becomes like his teacher . ... (Matthew 10:25 (NAS), Daily Guideposts - 2010, 9 September)
12 October 2012

IMHO

It's never too late to change your behavior or your opinion. 

(after Karen Casey, Keepers Of The Wisdom, 25 August) 

11 October 2012

Good Vibrations

We all give out vibrations, and we know within minutes if we have anything in common with another person. (Monty Cralley in Keepers Of The Wisdom by Karen Casey, 26 September) 10 October 2012

******

Yesterday I worked off-and-on rewiring a ginger jar lamp with a three-way switch.  I was stumped for a while because I didn't realize that the cord I was using for the replacement had broken wires near the plug.  Luckily I noticed there was a problem and took a break to think about it.  I think this was the second time I rewired this lamp since I ordered it for Melva while I was stationed in Vietnam.

Melva and I went to Jo-Ann's at Beltway Plaza to buy some material for the latest quilting project.  While Melva shopped I went upstairs to Big Lots.  They were selling 8 GB SanDisk thumb drives for $8.00.  Who would have imagined that someday you could buy 1 GB of data storage for a dollar?

I released the John Irving book, Cinder House Rules, on the bench outside of Jo-Ann's via BookCrossing.  

Mr. Dickie

10 October 2012

Storing Up Grievances

Storing up grievances is more than a waste of time.  It is a waste of life that could be lived to greater satisfaction. If I keep a record of oppressions and indignities, I am restoring them to painful reality. (What The King Said! in One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 18 August) 9 October 2012

Achievement Award

I don't really have to do anything I don't want to do today. I've done quite enough in my lifetime. (Karen Casey, Keepers Of The Wisdom, 15 August) 8 October 2012

Detachment

Seek to detach your mind and your emotions from minute-by-minute conflicts, seeking a peaceful, orderly way of life within yourself. (after One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 23 September) 7 October 2012

Things

How long are you going to hold on to the things that are not working in your best interests?
Things that are not fulfilling?
Things that are no longer productive?
(Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 3 October)

******

I noticed this week that the number of posts to my four Google blogs passed the 5,000 milestone.

Mr. Dickie

6 October 2012

MYOB

Don't spend a lot of time dwelling on things that are none of your business. 

(Richard E. Henthorn, 13 August 2012) 

5 October 2012

Patriotism and Religion

Stories of bravery and heroism are important to a nation trying to propagandize its citizens to participate in the conduct of war. ...

Patriotism and war go together.  Anytime anyone gets thinking patriotism is one of the supreme virtues, it would be a good idea to remember that there was never any group of people more patriotic than the Nazi Germans.  It's strange that love of country brings out the vicious character in so many people. In that respect, it's a lot like religion. Here are two things that almost everyone agrees are good, patriotism and religion, but between them they account for almost all the people who ever died in a war.
(Andy Rooney, My War, p. 107)
4 October 2012

Letting Go

• To let go does not mean to stop caring; it means I can't do it for someone else.
• To let go is not to be in the middle, arranging all the outcomes, but to allow other people to affect their own destinies.
• To let go is not to fix but to be supportive.
• To let go is not to be protective; it's to permit another to face reality.
• To let go is to fear less and to love more.
• When you love someone deeply, letting go is incredibly hard.
• But I realized I must let go, for I do not own what I love.

(Anonymous in Daily Guideposts - 2011, 3 October by Helen Grace Lescheid)
3 October 2012

Fall

It was football time,

apple time,

harvest time,

hunting time,

school time.

Footsteps quickened!

It was exciting to be in transition.

It seemed more like the beginning of something

than the end of it.

(Paul Gruchow, Touchstones, 1 October)

2 October 2012

High Road

The high road is any action taken or any word spoken with the intention of restoring peace, invoking healing or advancing love. (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today! 12 September) 1 October 2012