Better life

I think snap judgments come with being human. Most of mine are inaccurate at best and on another planet at worse. I always feel better if I can turn the volume down on my judging button and take people for who they are and where they are in their life’s journey.

Light up the day. Light up the night. Light up the area where you live. Shine your light everywhere at all times. As the old hymn says, “This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine.”

Lessons life taught me. Success is nice, but it doesn’t keep me warm at night. It doesn’t take the place of a caring family or trusted friends. And, faith is a gift, which I hold onto with both fists. Knowing this helps me to keep my priorities in place. 

Do you have good eyesight? What a wonderful gift. I look out the window and see a deep blue sky, green trees, a red cardinal at the feeder. I read the words I am typing on this post. My eyes bring the world to me and I am grateful that I can see. Here’s hoping your eyes catch the beauty that surrounds you, sees a smile on the face of a loved one, and brings entertainment to you when you need to relax. 

A mentor told me, “Ray, don’t take critics too seriously and take praise even less seriously. You know when you can do something better, do it. If you need your ego stroked, buy a dog.” My mentor was blunt and to the point, but alway point on.

Thunderstorms are rumbling through this Saturday morning as I write this post. They are welcome. It’s been a hot dry summer in south Texas. I planned a walk through a wilderness park, that’s on hold for time being. Storms rumble through our lives, no one is spared. They come and they go. In my personal experience, as tough as the storms may be, there’s something in the storms to help me grow and become a better person. They are lessons I’d never seek, but lessons, once learned I’ve never give back. 

Got 30 minutes you can spare? Make it your time. Take a shower, bath, go for a walk. Do something that relaxes you for the entire thirty minutes. You work hard, you have stress in your life. You deserve a break. Go on, take 30 minutes to renew. 

Most of us don’t see eye to eye with other people. Maybe our political views are different. Perhaps we root for different teams. Our differences may be in music, food, religion, dogs or cats or both. The list goes on. Is it worth disputing the merits of everything? I only have a partial glimpse of the world, not the entire glimpse. When I accept this premise, I discover that your glimpse of the world adds flavor and texture to mine. Thank you for being different from me. I’ll learn something from you.