Attitude

What’s your Ripple effect going to “BE” ?

We all have it…

Even those people who think of themselves as an island, (a person who consciously decides not to be a participant in this thing we call...LIFE.)

The person we are…how we decide to “BE”…becomes the problem or hopefully the solution to the people around us.

Beginning with our loved ones and friends. Then rippling to our co-workers and even strangers. Some moments are always better than others for sure. But, we should begin to become more conscious of how our ripple effect is affecting others.

We should be most careful around children.

Our positive ripple effect will give them the wings to fly or simply the ability to imagine.

Our negative effect will diminish their hopes, and cause them to worry in a way, that should only happen to adults.

Our negativity has the power to change who our children should become. 

Did you ever think of it that way? We change our children.

Those times when we choose to become negative, self-pitied adults. Even in the worst of situations, we can allow an optimistic, uplifting attitude, to teach our children confidence, perseverance and self-control.

And those who choose not to get involved are depriving their loved ones and even strangers of their talents and abilities. They choose not to ripple, to be a still, emotionless person.

Life is about relationships, building them, making them and maintaining them. 

...all the while, rippling a consistent, harmonious effect.


What methods do you use to help you maintain a positive, nurturing attitude in life? 

Human Decency

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is an upper elementary level reading selection. It is certainly a beautiful read for any reading ability. Although small in size, it is large in content. It is a story of historical fiction that takes place in Denmark, during the Nazi occupation in 1943. The author beautifully illustrates the bravery and courage of the human spirit when it is faced with a force that is intrinsically evil. During this time many people risked their lives to save the Jewish people, including a resistance movement within Denmark. In her research, Lois Lowry came across an account of a man named Kim Malthe-Brun; he was a member of the Danish Resistance. Eventually he was captured and executed by the Nazi’s, when he was 21 years old. The following is an excerpt of a letter he wrote to his mother the night before he was put to death.

                  …and I want you all to remember - that you

                  must not dream yourselves back to the times

                  before the war, but the dream for you all, young

                  and old, must be to create an ideal of human

                  decency, and not a narrow-minded and prejudiced

                  one. That is the great gift our country hungers for,

                  something every little peasant boy can look forward

                  to, and with pleasure feel he is a part of –

                  something he can work and fight for.

My wish is that the words of this boy, the dream of this boy, do not go unnoticed or become forgotten. We bestow human decency toward one another. Allow one another to “BE” the person we were meant to “BE” in this world.

Psalm 147:1,3-4

O praise the Lord! How good it is to sing his praises. How delightful, and how right! …He heals the broken hearted, binding up their wounds. He numbers the stars and calls them all by name.

Information Citation:

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1989

         

Foolish Pride

From the beginning of time, our pride has been an obstacle in guiding our conscience into doing what is right. It manipulates our thoughts to become self-serving, which obscures our better judgment. We care little about the thoughts or feelings of others. This series of actions causes injury to others, as well as us. Stifling all opportunity for conversation or compromise. This superior demeanor is responsible for suppressing truth and honesty. Pride gives us the power we feel so deserving of in life.  In fact, we fail to recognize how this power is eroding our soul, and the person we were meant to “BE”.

If pride is the root of all evil, than humility is the conqueror. Our world needs to regularly reflect on the truth of who we are, and how we are respecting the rights and dignity of others. Through the practice of random acts of love, foolish pride will quickly depart, allowing truth and honesty to emerge. In turn, allowing us to become a person we can be proud of! 

Silence

Life constantly wants to teach us a lesson, but most times we are so caught up in the living of life, we miss the lesson. It walks by undetected. The lessons to be learned are for us alone, about ourselves. Life wishes most to teach us our lessons through the silence of our heart, when we still ourselves to hear what it is trying to tell us. Silence is the great teacher. A wise person once told me, “You never learn anything by talking.” Silence allows us to hear that inner voice, always wanting to communicate with us, wanting to have a relationship with us. But too often we go about our living, never inviting it to stay. Never listening to what we need to hear.

In the silence, we notice more about the world around us, the melodious sounds of nature. Birds singing, hoping they have an audience, while the wind trumpets, prompting the leaves to clap in appreciation.  Silence allows us to have gratitude for our world and the wonderment it contains.

In these times of silence, we have the opportunity to learn about others as well.  To notice the eyes and attitudes of the people around us, whose needs may be greater than our own. Then responding to them in a way that is most beneficial for our “BE”ing.

Invite silence to stay awhile and rest, as it is weary from its travels. Far too many times, in so many different places, it has not been invited to stay, and in turn, has walked by undetected.

Determination

Putting both feet on the ground...

To be determined will not always be about achieving a great accomplishment or goal. To be determined, will ALWAYS be, at the very least, an act of the will. For those who suffer from depression, just placing their feet on the ground in the morning becomes an act of the will. For others, determination comes from a desire to be the best, achieve great heights or accomplish simple tasks, within the timeframe of a 24-hour day. Regardless of how your determination shines, when you are faced with adversity it becomes difficult to sustain. When life challenges your intent to just move forward, determination becomes the attribute that saves your life. Determination becomes the attribute that helps you to reach your dreams. Determination becomes the attribute that helps you place both feet on the ground.