True Quotes

When you state it that way, Mr. Ambrose, it explains a lot. We all know that we need to learn from the past.  And I suppose we could even view the fact that the future, and the fact that there is a future at all, gives us hope.  But to put the two together, shows that we do indeed have hope and even faith in the future.

Of course,  what do we need to succeed? We need a path clearly laid out — knowledge, and a belief that there is time to live it out and right spirit to live it out properly — hope.

Today I know that tomorrow, God willing, I will get out of bed.  I have something to live for, something that I learned about in the past 50 years of my life.  I know that God has given us another day, and that must be a good thing. I have knowledge and I have hope.

May you as well.

Courage is of no value unless accompanied by justice; yet if all men became just, there would be no need for courage.

What a complex lot we are as human beings.  This king of Sparta, a Greek City-state known for its austerity and military dedication, spoke of courage that was expected of his soldiers. Yet, be spoke too of justice. The difficulty arises in the individual perception of justice.  As king of Sparta, he surely must have thought the Athenians unjust, therefore he expected his warriors to have courage and fight against them.

Courage was one of the hallmarks of the Spartan soldier. One wonders if justice was one of the goals of the Spartan king.

At any rate, when this quote is applied to our ouwn lives today, it speaks a relevant truth. If we as individuals have courage to speak out for what we believe in, then this courage is commendable. But it must be done in justice and kindness.  If true justice exists, we would not even need this courage to speak our truth.

The light of a single candle may not glow for great distances in a world of darkness. But those who are near that one candle can see and benefit from the light.  That light can inspire others to be a light themselves, and then there are two candles burning brightly against the dark.

Good works breed more good works.  Kindness from one brings forth kindness in others.  All good things can multiply like healthy seeds, when cast on fertile ground. Generosity, peace, kindness, gentleness - ways of shining the light - all keep the world moving toward light and away from darkness.

I can be one candle, and light a bit of inspiration among those whose lives I touch.  If you are touched by someone’s light, will you go forth and be that light for another? Please do.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Luke 1:78-79

Each of us who struggles can be assured - god has not forgotten us.  He is compassionate.  In the dark night, we wait for the dawn. We wait for the light to shine upon us.  We wait for peace of mind, soul and world.

This is what Christmas is about.  We humans shall no longer live in darkenss, fear and the shadow of death. We shall live, and our way will be lighted and guided. God cares about us. He has not forgotten us, He has not forsaken us.

Celebrate the Light of The World!

Blessed Christmas!

  In every child who is born under no matter what circumstances and of no matter what parents, the potentiality of the human race is born again, and in him, too, once more, and each of us, our terrific responsibility toward human life: toward the utmost idea of goodness, of the horror of terrorism, and of God.

– James Agee, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men

As we approach Christmas, with Christmas Eve only a day away, we consider Agee’s thought on the value and potential of each and every child.  Agee talks about each child born, but I like to think this is true of each child ever conceived; that the rest of the human race has a vested interest in this child. 

Society depends upon the new life of each child, a responsibility to see this child through to maturity, a process that lasts from the moment of conception until the moment of our natural death.

We owe these children, all children, the freedom from fear, we must teach them about goodness, and yes, we must teach them about God.

Children are born with only two natural fears — fear of loud noises and fear of falling.  All of the others are fears that are developed as the child experiences life, day after day. In a perfect world, the two innate fears would be put to rest, and no other fears develop.  A child should have no fear of people, of war or harm.

Can each of us as individuals make a difference in the lives of these chldren?  Yes, we can give them hope for that is what sums up the three things mentioned by Agee goodness, freedom from terror, and God.

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

– Aesop (in The Lion and the Mouse)

The smile or word of encouragement you give someone could be what they need to get through the day. If you spend 42 cents to mail a letter with personal news and greeting, I guarantee they will consider it an act of kindness, and it will be the bright spot of their day.

Here are some other small acts of kindness that won’t go wasted:

• Bring a cup of tea or coffee

• Share your snack

• Brush the snow off a co-workers car

• Bring the neighbor’s newspaper from the roadside box to their door

• Wave and smile to the flag man, whose job it is to keep traffic at construction sites moving along safely

• Compliment someone on their child’s behavior

• Drop off a book in a family’s mailbox for the children

• Send a birthday card to someone you don’t usually  send one to

So, readers, you get the idea.  Think up something small and do it. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, is never wasted.

“Even God cannot change the past. “

–  Agathon

When we think of God as all-powerful, this quote might for a moment jar us, take a breath away. But when it is pondered, it seems that it is very true.

What can God do in His all-powerful nature about the past?  We are told in the New Testament “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) 

True, God cannot change the past, but that does not mean we need to despair of the bad things that have happened.  We, instead, look for and expect that good will come of it somehow.  The good may not balance the bad past, but God will work on our side, if we give him the chance.

“You have to allow a certain amount of time in which you are doing nothing in order to have things occur to you, to let your mind think.”

– Mortimer Adler

This time, in which we do nothing, could be the much enjoyed and sometimes coveted opportunity to spend in the wilderness.  It could be the time we sit on a dock and gaze out to the ever-moving waters.  We can spend time people-watching, sitting silently in church, or watching birds.

The key to using this time of doing nothing is to not be reading, not be working figures, not be listening to the radio, or television, and not having a conversation.

For some people the time of doing nothing may be preparation for going to sleep at night.  A time when the mind wanders, clears itself, works through problems. The process then continues during sleep.

To feel a peaceful and uncluttered sense of well-being, we need this time of “doing nothing” which in fact we are really doing something very important - filing, organizing, de-fragmenting and deleting.  Our mental computer works much better that way!

Wow, does that take a weight off my shoulders!  In many areas of life, the outcome depends upon the choices of others.  As a mother, I can raise my children the best I know how — that is my duty.  Then I can rest.  The results are God’s, says Adams.

Well, rest is not exactly what I am supposed to do. I am, most likely, expected to go on to my next duty, and again leave the results to God.

This quote brings to mind something said by Mother Theresa of Calcutta. “We are called upon not to be successful but to be faithful.”

The peace that this realization can bring is overwhelmeing.  We cannot control it all! Nor should we try.  Here we have it in the words of two great people - a statesman and a saint of our time.

When we think of the influence we have on others, we often do not thing of how far reaching the effect can be. We are a product of our own personal history, and that history is, as Adams recognizes, made up of all whom we have come in contact with.

If this makes sense, then each day we should go about our business with the intention of helping others along their way as well. Affirmation and encouragement can go a long way. And just as the positive effect we have on the lives of others, our unkind behavior also has an effect.  In those who are confident and “well-balanced” our negative behavior gives them an example of how they don’t want to treat others.  For those who desire the approval and help of others, such rejection could have a detrimental effect on them.

We are not only made by ourselves, we are in small part, an amalgamation of all whom we have met.