A good friend picks me up when I feel down.
A good friend listens quietly to me when I feel I will explode if I don’t talk to someone.
A good friend will me his/her best advice and not spare my feelings. They are honest and truthful.
A good friend is like a favorite shirt, you just like having it around.
A good friend’s arm around me in time of sorrow is priceless.
A good friend knows how to have fun and enjoy life and share his/her zest for life with me.
My dad like to say he graduated from the school of hard knocks. He was talking about experiences that rocked his life and taught him to survive. We all enroll in the school of hard knocks one time or another. If we learn from our experiences, our stay in the school of hard knocks is a lot shorter than those who do not learn from their experiences.
We can be miserable and angry or happy and filled with life and joy. The choice is ours. I prefer to be happy and joyful. It’s always the right time to sing and dance.
Don’t give up! Don’t give up on life. Don’t give up on the people you love. Don’t give up on the thought that your best days are in front of you.
Young people offer all ages many gifts. They are full of life, adventure, and excitement about taking on life. It’s good to be around young people. Their exuberance about life is a springtime song that is contagious. Encourage the young in your life. Don’t dampen their spirits with illusionary fears, or placing limits on them. Whatever one’s age, it’s good to be full of life, adventure, and joyful excitement about taking on challenges. Leave fear behind, keep looking forward.
I awoke from a sound night’s sleep. A great way to start the day. My shower was hot and I lingered longer than usual. My, that was a good choice. While I bushed my teeth and shaved, I heard the coffee maker turn on. Soon, the coffee’s fragrance reached me. Yes, it’s all good. I dressed and went to the kitchen. The overnight oatmeal was done. I poured blueberries into a separate bowl and filled my coffee cup. I always say grace before my meals. Yes, thank you, God, it’s all good. Having you as a follower, more evidence that it’s all good. Man, I am feeling good at the moment.
I had great plans for today. Before going to bed I made a checklist of things I was going to accomplish. I set my alarm fifteen minutes early. My coffee maker was ready. I woke, exercised, and showered, turned the coffee on, and sat down to breakfast. It was all falling in place until it didn’t. A knock on the door by a neighbor whose car wouldn’t start. She needed a ride to a dental appointment, I took her to her dentist and returned home. An hour later I’m waiting for her in the parking lot. She came out forty-five minutes later. Her dentist had an emergency extraction. Some days are like today. There’s nothing you can about it. It’s as if the day has a mind of its own. It’s going to show us who’s boss, and it’s not us. Well, my check list is still intact for tomorrow. I made a neighbor happy. A plumber is a bit richer. My day turned out okay. My neighbor brought me a plate of fish tacos for dinner. Grateful for good neighbors.
I enjoy watching basketball, especially playoff basketball. As the teams move through the playoff rounds toward the championship round, the better teams lose sight of individual players and play as a team. The team works as a highly functional unit passing the ball, defending, and finding open players to take a shot. That type of team work doesn’t just happen. It takes discipline. The players know there is a right way and wrong way to play. They discipline themselves to practice the right way to play. The good teams teach us that discipline counts. When we apply discipline to our lives we discover there is a right way and wrong way to work, live in relationships, be a parent, or a friend. The more we discipline ourselves to apply the right way, the more success and happiness come our way.
Why do folks get angry over things that don’t mean much? They hold onto grudges. Two weeks later they’re still holding the grudge and can’t remember the reason for the grudge. Think about it, we get upset if people don’t believe the way we believe. We get upset if people don’t agree with our view of the world. We get upset if someone is late, forgot to send an RSVP, or makes a comment that is not well received. Is it worth it? Is it worth pushing people we love away because we got upset? When we get angry and hold grudges, we are the source of our discontent, not someone else or some event. I think it’s time to pack anger and grudges away to be hauled to the landfill. Kindness, compassion, and love leave everyone feeling better.
Life, in many ways, is a leap of faith. We get up each morning not knowing what the day will bring. It’s a faith walk filled with courage to go out each day giving it your best. Why not jump into the day the way a sky diver leaps from an airplane. The sky diver trusts his/her chute to open. It is a leap of faith. This is way to go after the day. Leap out of your plane, arms and legs spread wide letting the air currents carry you on your journey. You know your chute will open when you decide to pull the rip cord. If you stay in the plane, you may enjoy the plane ride, but you’ll never discover the joy you would have had by taking a leap of faith.
