ideas

Think about all the people you know. Ask this question, “How do I feel after I’m with this person? Do I feel up? Or, do I feel down?” The answer to this question will give you a clear picture of people who build you up and those who keep you down. Hang out with those who make you feel up. Cut loose those who make you feel down.

What makes you smile? I mean a real, spontaneous smile that travels ear to ear. Today, pay attention to what makes you spontaneously smile. Those are the things that bring a sense of joy and happiness to your life. Conversely, what makes you purse your lips, hold your jaw tight? Those are the things that cause stress and other unpleasant emotions. Is time to smile more and loosen up the jaw? You’ll feel a lot better if you’re smiling more and more often. 

None of us are strangers to the storms. They happen. We know the storms don’t last, their power ebbs. They may have knocked us down, but we’ll take their lessons, grow stronger, and laugh at them. We took their best shot and we’re still standing. Oh, yes we are still standing. We can lift our eyes and look toward tomorrow where the clouds will move out and the sun shine on us. 

We’re having a drought in south Texas. We’ve been placed on stage two water restrictions. It’s been this way before. It will pass and Texas style we’ll get ten inches of rain in a day. Everything comes and goes in life, there is a constant birthing and dying. It’s all part of life. Learning to roll with the ebb and flow of life is an important part of our learning. There’s lessons from all parts of this process if we’re willing to see them. Roll on.

Sometimes the best decision we can make is to stop making a bad decision. We’ve all made bad decisions. The longer we stay with our bad decision the worse the results. It’s not going to get better. It’s better to think of a better decision and change directions. When we stop a bad decision and replace it with a good decision life instantly improves.

The singer, Hayes Carll’s, song, “Wild Pointy Finger” is about his pointy finger and how it easily finds faults, assesses blame, or judges others. All the while, he says, there are three fingers pointing back at him. His song contains much truth. It’s easy for us to judge others and to find fault with others without looking internally at ourselves. This happens at the individual level and at the larger international level. When we stop pointing, we open the door for honest dialogue and potential breakthroughs to healthier relationships.

I have fond memories of my mom. She taught me to respect women. She taught me to be kind. She taught me to reach out to others who are hurting. We were a poor family living in four room cold water flat. She never talked about poverty. She found ways to turn dinner meals into a table of plenty wether it was an overflowing bowl of pasta or a huge pot of pasta fagioil. If you stopped by, there was always a place for you at the table. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Thank you. I love you.