Daily Mood Quote - August 3, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 92 – August 3, 2011

The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.

~William Safire

This morning on my Daily Mood Quotes Facebook Page, I saw a remark that made me wonder who is winning. They wrote, “I think ta survive u have to be a ruthless person.” I have always taught my children, “Two wrongs don't make a right,” sometimes you have to walk away and let the universe do its thing. I have witnessed the universe, a higher power, God, whatever your belief structure in action. Nobody ever really gets away with bad behavior; it creeps back into your life in ways you can't even imagine. Sometimes, its more profoundly and directly realized than the action itself. Here's an example: A woman in a grocery store we visited, was behaving badly towards the staff, and other customers. Her entire disposition displayed that she regarded others as if they didn't matter and it was their job to serve her. Needless to say, she offended many people. She left the store and loaded up her car with groceries, leaving the cart sit there. Then she went to leave, but found that her car didn't start. The battery had died. She exclaimed it was a new battery and the car was “just in the shop”. Nobody cared and no one stopped to help her. Well not exactly no one; my husband and I did, we believe two wrongs don't make a right. Sadly enough, she didn't even say “thank you.” She just hopped into her car and drove away. So, who do you think came out better in the long run for that experience? I have to wonder if she spent the rest of the day feeling guilty about not saying thank you, or did other “universal actions” continue to unfold, until she got the point?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Character is higher than intellect.” You usually receive what you put out there. If you are a ruthless person, you will be treated ruthlessly. Maybe not by those around you in the immediate situation, but surely the cost will be extracted over time. If you treat people harshly, you will be treated harshly, this list and cycle can go on forever. I believe in the Golden Rule, “treat others as you want to be treated” even if they can not return the kindness, or the better behavior. It is a comforting thing to look in the mirror at the end of the day and know you have nothing to feel guilty about, something to feel good about... and you don't need to look over your shoulder to see if fate, or an enemy is closing in on you. Ahhh, that's a good night's sleep.

In the movie Spiderman, Uncle Ben (played by Cliff Robertson) said to Peter Parker (Toby Maguire), “This guy, Flash Thompson, he probably deserved what happened. But just because you can beat him up doesn't give you the right to. Remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.” We all have the power to be ruthless or not, to be selfish or not, to be a good example or not, regardless of what we do or don't do, responsibility for it will come around and there is no stopping it. It is just the way things work. Be careful your choices, you will have to live with them.

How do you choose to do right today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading.

Daily Mood Quotes - May 25, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 21 – May 25, 2011

“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”

~James D. Miles

In the movie The American President, President Andrew Shepherd (played by Micheal Douglas) said “...I've been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation: Being President of this country is entirely about character.” 
 

Yesterday, our family dog destroyed my husband's glasses and his reaction revealed a little bit about his character. Even tempered, balanced, a little laughter and one big, giant son-of-aaaa-bi@#$ (thanks Uncle Joe). The point is, it didn't reveal everything. Character is a three dimensional concept. You can't see everything at once and it takes some time to see all the sides. We need to view character much like a ball, within the light of the events of the moment. Different lights make different views.

So often in life, we tend to judge people and ourselves solely on one event, or light, without taking the time to walk around the entire object. Things and people are not always what they appear to be at first observation. My family has faced their fair share of challenges and also have had a few successes. Each of these has shone a different light on one side of our character, or the other. How you handle these situations reveals only one aspect of your character at a time, and that is how you treat people who can do nothing for you. When you're successful, how you treat the everyday people you meet on the streets, in the supermarkets, or elsewhere who may not be as successful, shines a spotlight on your character. It can reveals cracks that even you didn't know you had. When you have a failure, how you treat those same people and people who happen to be successful at that moment, can shine a global light on your character. People will look from all sides and you should too. It's true, folks can achieve success without character, however in the long run they are neither respected, nor liked and they have done nothing to advance their own spirit.

People can certainly fail without character, but that doesn't mean people who have failed have little or no character. Robert Kennedy said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” History is ripe with people of great character who have fallen on hard times. Much like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, who both filed bankruptcy. Yet history has revealed the long-term power of their character. Lincoln lead the nation through a time of unprecedented tribulation and lead a charge for civil rights and civil unity that defines our nation, and; Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence... it wasn't to get out of paying his bills.

An unattributed quote that rings true is “adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals it,”. My husband has been saying this for nearly 30 years. However, it only reveals it in one light, the light of the moment, its not a 360 degree view. Whether you are faced with adversity, or you know someone that is, don't let the light of the moment define the total understanding of their character. Be kind and non-judgmental to yourself and others, until you can gain some perspective and a new light.

What light shines on your character today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading