Daily Mood Quote - September 6, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 126 – September 6, 2011

However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?

~Buddha

Wow, what a day of errands will reveal. Yes, this blog is late today, because of the Labor Day holiday and errands that needed to be run a day late. More to do less time to do it. As much as I like holiday weekends, I don't like getting behind because of them. But none-the-less you got to do what you got to do. I ran into an acquaintance today, it was interesting, they attempted to do the duck, tuck and run to get away, but traffic patterns crossed up and they're forced to stop and say “hi”. Soooo being polite, we stopped to say hi, making them very uncomfortable (the body language screamed of discomfort and awkwardness standing there talking to us). Honestly, they squirm like a two year old in a high chair. We tried to make it quick and painless, but those situations are never quick and painless. So smile, be polite, walk away and if you pray, pray for them. I chose the quote today, because many of these individuals preach a good “religion” game but clearly that's all it is; talk. For that, I feel sorry for them.

My husband and I don't know exactly why the people here are so uncomfortable around us, maybe their embarrassed to know us because we are self-employed, or maybe that we no longer thrive on the status symbols that they orbit their lives around; who knows and frankly who wants to know. I was done keeping up with the Jones' and working for “status” years ago. Now, I prefer to be happy and at peace with who I am.

When my family and I moved here many years ago, I was hard to find work and be accepted by the natives. Some of the reasons cited were, I didn't have an education, we didn't live in a house (we lived in an apartment for a while). Now years later, I am less than a year from graduating with a Master's Degree and it still seems just about impossible to be accepted. Hmmmm... I wonder if I change my name, would that work? Just joking... Now, I hear I'm too educated, Seriously, I am perplexed, it makes me laugh and a bit sad. It's complicated. I'm reminded of the movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, where Kevin (played by Macaulay Culkin) said to the Bird Lady about talking to people (Brenda Fricker), "That's okay. You're good at it. You're not boring. You don't mumble or spit. You should do it more often. Just wear an outfit with no pigeon poop on it.” Well, I just don't get it; I sold my “pigeon poop” clothes at an Avante Garde art gallery years ago. Anyway, the basic lesson remains. Be true to what you believe and act accordingly, or you're just fooling yourself. It doesn’t matter who says or said it, the truth remains and there is a long way between the saying and the doing of a thing. I promise you, nobody else will be fooled for long. The world needs more authentic people and please don't prejudge others for being authentic too. Sorry, this is a bit late, but it was a busy day to start with and I really struggled with this concept today.

Will you be authentic today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quote - May 26, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 22 – May 26, 2011

 

Never, never, never give up

~Winston Churchill

Sometimes the process of living can be an unpredictable thing. While it is true, or at least generally accepted that those who fail to plan, plan to fail... No matter how well you plan, things beyond your control, the weather, people, medical issues can take your plans and scatter them like so many dandelion seeds in the wind and you have to start again. Very rarely are you in a better position after the Storms of Life (thank you Randy Travis) blow you away. For many of us over the past several months, that literally has been true. Many people will offer words of comfort and hopefully help. However, it is up to each of us individually to make that commitment inside ourselves to never, never, never quit. To forge ahead in spite of circumstance.

To be fair, that is easier said than done. Crushed plans, dreams, and hopes can make us believe there is a bleak future, but the future is unwritten and it remains full of possibilities for those who don't quit. Like Clint Eastwood in the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales said “...'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is.”

Remember that each day of our life is a gift. My husband has always said, “The sun shines after every storm” and I didn't believe him, so being the person I am, I tested that theory. Every time there was a big storm, I (being silly) tracked the sun, and oddly enough, every time it stormed, the sun did shine afterwards. It popped right out there as if to say, “I needed a nap and now I back, refreshed and ready to go.” Nighttime storms excluded of course. The morning did bring the sun, though sometimes there was fog. The important thing here is that I looked for the sun. I may have been up to my knees in mud puddles and muck, both literally and figuratively, but that is what you need to do. You need to resolve to look for the sun. Every life has storms at one time or another. In my family its my fading vision and my husband's painful neuropathy, that will eventually take away his ability to walk. So where's the sun in that? I believe that together we shall carry on, and “it's a good thing we love each other, because it looks like we are going to be spending a lot of time together.” Love brings with it the sun.

Where will your “sunshine after the storm” come from today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quotes - May 22, 2011

 Daily Mood Quote

Day 18 – May 22, 2011

We are each burdened with prejudice; against the poor or the rich, the smart or the slow, the gaunt or the obese. It is natural to develop prejudices. It is noble to rise above them. ~Author Unknown

Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances. ~Wayne W. Dyer

Welcome back, I see many of us have survived the "end of the world" day.  Well, we have December 21, 2012 to look forward too. 

All things considered, I'm happy that we woke up this morning and the sun is shining. A new day with new opportunities lay before us.

No movie quote today.

What opportunities await you?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote.

Daily Mood Quote - May 18, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day 14 – May 18, 2011

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."

-Jamie Paolinetti-

I have always believed that limitations are chains that one puts on themselves. On November 12, 2002, I was told I was losing my sight. My first reaction was, my life is over. Actually, my life was just beginning. It's amazing how clear the world became to me. Society tends to make broad generalizations such as, “you can't see, you can't do,” you can't hear, you can't know” and “you can't walk, you can't participate.” None of these things are true. These are folktales at best and prejudice at worse. If you look at history's examples you find that many have risen beyond societies preconceived notions to achieve the remarkable. A few examples include Helen Keller who was blind and deaf, yet rose to heights that many of us only dream of reaching. Many would argue that Beethoven did his best work after he lost his hearing. A wheelchair bound Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32^nd President of the United States, carried our country on his shoulders, through the two most grave threats the nation has ever faced, The Great Depression and World War II. History is full of such examples.

The achievements of the aforementioned examples are what can be accomplished, when we believe in ourselves and limitless possibilities. I am inspired by these stories and will not allow my vision loss to decrease my vision of what life can be. Richard Bach in his book Illusions puts it best, “Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours.”. What does it mean? Simply, the only limitations people have are the one they resign themselves too. Mr. Bach also wrote “There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts.” That one is also true. While we may not always actively “seek” our problems, ultimately they all come bearing some gift that we can use to better ourselves, or teach others. Although, we may not appreciate the “gift” at first sight, or in my case, not sight.

In the past nine years, my physical vision has deteriorated, it is hard to see distance, although I still reach for my dreams and envision a greater future than ever before. I can no longer drive a car, but my drive for success is stronger than ever. As Fräulein Maria (played by Julie Andrews) said in The Sound of Music “When God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.” The window I have found is a greater appreciation of the gifts in my life and what my true life goals are. The window is open and the view is terrific!

What is your limitless vision?

Tune in tomorrow to read the Daily Mood Quote

Daily Mood Quote - May 16, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day Twelve – May 16, 2011

My father taught me to work, but not to love it. I never did like to work, and I don't deny it. I'd rather read, tell stories, crack jokes, talk, laugh-anything but work.

~Abraham Lincoln

What a great way to start a new work week with an honest quote from honest Abe. 

 

My parents never taught me the value of hard work, we were a struggling family my entire childhood. It wasn't until I went into the military that I learned the value of hard work. Unfortunately, that hard work came with long hours, exhaustion and low pay. One day a friend of mine said, “I now know the value of hard work, it's more hard work.” I laughed and she was right. I think sometimes we have to learn what hard work is, in order to understand working smart.

Working smart doesn't mean taking advantage of other people, or getting them to do your work. Working smart is about leveraging your best abilities to do what you love to do. We are all born to do something, fill some role and we should do that to the best of our abilities. I doubt seriously its worker drone. In the movie Star Trek, the J.J Abrams version..., Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood) meets a young James Kirk (Chris Pine) after a bar room brawl and says, “You can settle for less in ordinary life, or do you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special.” I believe we are all meant for something special in are own way. Let's work hard toward that.

What is your something special, something better?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Daily Mood Quote - May 7, 2011

Daily Mood Quote

Day Three - May 7, 2011

Because everything we say and do is the length and shadow of our own souls, our influence is determined by the quality of our being.

~Dale E. Turner

It has been said, "actions speak louder than words" and "bad days happen." Remember, yesterday is gone, today is new and tomorrow there is room for improvement.

Yesterday, my husband had a bad day, he growled and snapped at everyone. Not that he wanted too, or that being grouchy is his normal behavior, because it's not. He was not putting out good vibes and therefore did not receive good attitudes in return. Besides today's quote, there is a great saying, “what goes around, comes around” or “what you give is what you get.”

This morning he woke up in a good mood, after a late night conversation that started with “What in the hell is wrong with you dude?” It's one of my husband's favorite sayings for pointing out poor behavior and it came right back at him last night. Today is a new day and the road to improvement begins with admitting that you have something that needs to be improved. Our souls are constant works in progress, so the actions we make everyday need to work toward a better tomorrow. “You are who you choose to be” (thank you Iron Giant) and that choice is made everyday.

What will you choose today?

Tune in tomorrow for the Daily Mood Quote.