A mum was out walking with her 4-year-old daughter. She picked up something off of the ground and started to put it in her mouth.
She took the item away from her and she asked her not to do that.
'Why?' my daughter asked.
'Because it's been on the ground; you don't know where it's been, it's dirty,
And probably has germs,' she replied.
At this point, my daughter looked at mum with total admiration and asked,
'Mum, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart.'
Mum was thinking quickly and replied, 'All mums know this stuff. It's on the Mum Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mum.'
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information.
'Oh.....I get it!' she beamed, 'So if you don't pass the test you have to be the dad.'
'Exactly,' I replied with a big smile on my face.
Monday, 29 March 2010
An experiment in socialism
An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class.
That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan”.
All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.
The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
The scores never increased as bickering, blame and
name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one
would study for the benefit of anyone else.
All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them
that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the
reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when
government takes the reward away, no one will try or
want to succeed.
Could not be any simpler than that.
What a profound short little paragraph that says it all
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the
wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without
working for, another person must work for without receiving.
The government cannot give to anybody anything that the
government does not first take from somebody else.
When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to
work because the other half is going to take care of them,
and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good
to work because somebody else is going to get what they
work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.
You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan”.
All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.
After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B.
The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.
As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little.
The second test average was a D!
No one was happy.
When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F.
The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
The scores never increased as bickering, blame and
name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one
would study for the benefit of anyone else.
All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them
that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the
reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when
government takes the reward away, no one will try or
want to succeed.
Could not be any simpler than that.
What a profound short little paragraph that says it all
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the
wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without
working for, another person must work for without receiving.
The government cannot give to anybody anything that the
government does not first take from somebody else.
When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to
work because the other half is going to take care of them,
and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good
to work because somebody else is going to get what they
work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.
You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
LEAFAGE AND ROOTAGE
LEAFAGE AND ROOTAGE
American President Woodrow Wilson once pointed out that "a man's
rootage is more important than his leafage." What others see are the
leaves, the outside. What they can't see are the roots, the values
and principles that ground a person. A happy and fulfilled life
grows from a good system of roots.
No one believed in the solid "rootage" of President Jimmy Carter
more than his own mother "Miss Lillian," as she was fondly called.
She was aware of her son's reputation for honesty, which had become
a topic of curiosity among many politicians and even reporters.
During a 1986 speech at the University of Tennessee, Jody Powell
told a story about a television reporter who grilled Miss Lillian on
this topic.
"Is it true," asked the reporter, "that your son doesn't lie? Can
you tell me he has never told a lie?"
"Well, I reckon he might have told a little white lie now and then,"
replied Miss Lillian.
The reporter spotted the opening. "I thought you said he didn't
lie!" she exclaimed. "Are you telling me that white lies aren't as
bad as black lies? Just what do you mean by a white lie?"
"Well," drawled Miss Lillian, "do you remember when you came in this
morning and I told you how nice you looked and how glad I was to see
you...?"
Those people who care about strong and principled inner lives leave
an important mark on the world. They actually live from the inside
out. Their inner convictions guide their actions. Their inner
principles govern their lives. It's like roots which are sunk deep
into lasting values and sustain the tree through whatever hard times
may come along.
What does it mean to have good roots? I think it means to be strong
enough and healthy enough to do whatever you truly want to do. It
means to be strong enough, at least most of the time, to give your
best to the world.
I would like to have roots that grow deep and strong. I would like a
system of roots that could give me:
- enough strength to forgive those who hurt me;
- enough confidence to overcome any amount of fear;
- enough courage to accept whatever obstacles life throws my
way;
- enough compassion to love even the unlovable;
- enough faith that nothing can shatter my peace of mind.
If I grow good roots, I don't need to worry about the leafage.
-- Steve Goodier, www.LifeSupportSystem.com.
American President Woodrow Wilson once pointed out that "a man's
rootage is more important than his leafage." What others see are the
leaves, the outside. What they can't see are the roots, the values
and principles that ground a person. A happy and fulfilled life
grows from a good system of roots.
No one believed in the solid "rootage" of President Jimmy Carter
more than his own mother "Miss Lillian," as she was fondly called.
She was aware of her son's reputation for honesty, which had become
a topic of curiosity among many politicians and even reporters.
During a 1986 speech at the University of Tennessee, Jody Powell
told a story about a television reporter who grilled Miss Lillian on
this topic.
"Is it true," asked the reporter, "that your son doesn't lie? Can
you tell me he has never told a lie?"
"Well, I reckon he might have told a little white lie now and then,"
replied Miss Lillian.
The reporter spotted the opening. "I thought you said he didn't
lie!" she exclaimed. "Are you telling me that white lies aren't as
bad as black lies? Just what do you mean by a white lie?"
"Well," drawled Miss Lillian, "do you remember when you came in this
morning and I told you how nice you looked and how glad I was to see
you...?"
Those people who care about strong and principled inner lives leave
an important mark on the world. They actually live from the inside
out. Their inner convictions guide their actions. Their inner
principles govern their lives. It's like roots which are sunk deep
into lasting values and sustain the tree through whatever hard times
may come along.
What does it mean to have good roots? I think it means to be strong
enough and healthy enough to do whatever you truly want to do. It
means to be strong enough, at least most of the time, to give your
best to the world.
I would like to have roots that grow deep and strong. I would like a
system of roots that could give me:
- enough strength to forgive those who hurt me;
- enough confidence to overcome any amount of fear;
- enough courage to accept whatever obstacles life throws my
way;
- enough compassion to love even the unlovable;
- enough faith that nothing can shatter my peace of mind.
If I grow good roots, I don't need to worry about the leafage.
-- Steve Goodier, www.LifeSupportSystem.com.
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
For Mothers & Fathers
For a mother
A careful mother I must be,
A little daughter follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
For fear she'll go the self same way.
She's only just a bit past three,
But I see in her a smaller me.
Like me she says she's going to be,
This precious babe who follows me.
She likes to help me cook and sew,
She follows me where'er I go.
Not once can I escape her eyes,
Whate'er I do she always tries.
She acts like I'm almost divine,
Believes in every word of mine.
The base in me she must not see,
This trusting child who follows me.
Lord, make me conscious as I go,
Through summer sun and winter snow,
That she'll be what she's trained to be.
A future mother follows me.
--Martha E. Lambert
And for fathers....
There are little eyes upon you,
And they're watching night and day;
There are little ears that quickly
Take in everything you say;
There are little hands all eager
To do everything you do,
And a little boy who's dreaming
Of the day he'll be like you.
You're the little fellow's idol,
You're the wisest of the wise;
In his little mind about you
No suspicions ever rise;
He believes in you devoutly,
Holds all that you say and do,
He will say and do it your way
When he's grown up just like you.
There's a wide-eyed little fellow
Who believes you're always right,
And his ears are always open,
And he watches day and night.
You are setting an example
Every day in all you do
For the little boy who's waiting
To grow up to be like you.
--Leslie Hale
A careful mother I must be,
A little daughter follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
For fear she'll go the self same way.
She's only just a bit past three,
But I see in her a smaller me.
Like me she says she's going to be,
This precious babe who follows me.
She likes to help me cook and sew,
She follows me where'er I go.
Not once can I escape her eyes,
Whate'er I do she always tries.
She acts like I'm almost divine,
Believes in every word of mine.
The base in me she must not see,
This trusting child who follows me.
Lord, make me conscious as I go,
Through summer sun and winter snow,
That she'll be what she's trained to be.
A future mother follows me.
--Martha E. Lambert
And for fathers....
There are little eyes upon you,
And they're watching night and day;
There are little ears that quickly
Take in everything you say;
There are little hands all eager
To do everything you do,
And a little boy who's dreaming
Of the day he'll be like you.
You're the little fellow's idol,
You're the wisest of the wise;
In his little mind about you
No suspicions ever rise;
He believes in you devoutly,
Holds all that you say and do,
He will say and do it your way
When he's grown up just like you.
There's a wide-eyed little fellow
Who believes you're always right,
And his ears are always open,
And he watches day and night.
You are setting an example
Every day in all you do
For the little boy who's waiting
To grow up to be like you.
--Leslie Hale
Monday, 15 March 2010
Mean Moms
Mean Moms
Someday when my children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates a parent,
I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:
I loved you enough to ask where you were going,
with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to stand over you for
two hours while you cleaned your room,
a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children
must learn that their parents aren't per fect..
I loved you enough to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all.
I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents,
you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean?
I know mine was.
We had the meanest mother in the whole world!
While other kids ate candy for breakfast,
we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch,
we had to eat sandwiches.
And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.
You'd think we were convicts in a prison.
She had to know who our friends were
and what we were doing with them.
She insisted that if we said we
would be gone for an hour, we would
be gone for an hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it,
but she had the nerve to break
the Child Labor Laws by making us work.
We had to wash the dishes, make the beds,
learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry,
empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs.
I think she would lie awake at night
thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
By the time we were teenagers,
she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head.
Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends
just honk the horn when they
drove up they had to come up to
the door so she could meet them.
While everyone else could date
when they were 12 or 13 , we
had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out
on lots of things other kids experienced.
None of us have ever been caught
shoplifting, vandalizing other's
property or ever arrested for any
crime. It was all her fault.
Now that we have left home, we are all
educated, honest adults. We are doing our best
to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.
It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
Someday when my children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates a parent,
I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:
I loved you enough to ask where you were going,
with whom, and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to stand over you for
two hours while you cleaned your room,
a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children
must learn that their parents aren't per fect..
I loved you enough to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all.
I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents,
you will tell them.
Was your Mom mean?
I know mine was.
We had the meanest mother in the whole world!
While other kids ate candy for breakfast,
we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch,
we had to eat sandwiches.
And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.
You'd think we were convicts in a prison.
She had to know who our friends were
and what we were doing with them.
She insisted that if we said we
would be gone for an hour, we would
be gone for an hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it,
but she had the nerve to break
the Child Labor Laws by making us work.
We had to wash the dishes, make the beds,
learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry,
empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs.
I think she would lie awake at night
thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
By the time we were teenagers,
she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head.
Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends
just honk the horn when they
drove up they had to come up to
the door so she could meet them.
While everyone else could date
when they were 12 or 13 , we
had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother we missed out
on lots of things other kids experienced.
None of us have ever been caught
shoplifting, vandalizing other's
property or ever arrested for any
crime. It was all her fault.
Now that we have left home, we are all
educated, honest adults. We are doing our best
to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.
It just doesn't have enough mean moms!
Ode to Mothers!!!
>BEING A MOTHER....
>
>After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to
>take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She
>said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves
>you and would love to spend some time with you.'
>* * *
>The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit
>was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years,
>but the demands of my work and my two boys had
>made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
>* * *
>That night I called to invite her to go out for
>dinner and a movie.
>* * *
>'What's wrong, aren't you well,' she asked?
>* * *
>My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a
>late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign
>of bad news.
>* * *
>'I thought it would be pleasant to spend some
>time with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'
>She thought about it for a moment, and then said,
>'I would like that very much..'
>* * *
>That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick
>her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her
>house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous
>about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the
>dress that she had worn to celebrate her last
>birthday on November 19th.
>* * *
>She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
>angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go
>out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said,
>as she got into that new white van. 'They can't wait to hear about our date'..
>* * *
>We went to a restaurant that, although not
>elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my
>arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat
>down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only
>read large print. Half way through the entries, I
>lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at
>me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I
>who used to have to read the menu when you were
>small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and
>let me return the favor,' I responded.
>* * *
>During the dinner, we had an agreeable
>conversation- -nothing extraordinary but catching up
>on recent events of each other's life. We talked so
>much that we missed the movie.
>* * *
>As we arrived at her house later, she said,
>'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me
>invite you.' I agreed.
>* * *
>'How was your dinner date ?'
>asked my wife when I got home.
>'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,'
>I answered.
>* * *
>A few days later, my mother died of a massive
>heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't
>have a chance to do anything for her.
>* * *
>Some time later, I received an envelope with a
>copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place
>mother and I had dined.. An attached note said: 'I
>paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I
>could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two
>plates - one for you and the other for your wife.
>You will never know what that night meant for me.
>I love you, son..'
>* * *
>At that moment, I understood the importance of
>saying in time: 'I LOVE YOU' and to give our loved
>ones the time that they deserve.. Nothing in life is
>more important than your family. Give them the time
>they deserve, because these things cannot be put off
>till 'some other time.'
>* * *
>Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back
>to normal after you've had a baby..... somebody
>doesn't know that once you're a mother,
>'normal' is history.
>* * *
>Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by
>instinct ... somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
>* * *
>Somebody said being a mother is boring ....
>somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.
>Somebody said if you're a'good' mother,
>your child will 'turn out good'....
>somebody thinks a child comes with
>directions and a guarantee.
>* * *
>Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
>mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader
>with his math.
>* * *
>Somebody said you can't love the second child as
>much as you love the first .... somebody doesn't
>have two children.
>* * *
>Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother
>is labor and delivery....
>somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus
>for the first day of kindergarten ...
>or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'
>* * *
>Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
>child gets married....somebody doesn't know that
>marriage adds a new son or daughter-in- law to a
>mother's heartstrings.
>* * *
>Somebody said a mother's job is done when
>her last child leaves home......
>somebody never had grandchildren.
>* * *
>Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so
>you don't need to tell her....
>somebody isn't a mother..
>
>
>Pass this along to all the 'mothers' in your life
>and to everyone who ever had a mother. This isn't
>just about being a mother; it's about appreciating
>the people in your life while you have them....no
>matter who that person is.
>
>After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to
>take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She
>said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves
>you and would love to spend some time with you.'
>* * *
>The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit
>was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years,
>but the demands of my work and my two boys had
>made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
>* * *
>That night I called to invite her to go out for
>dinner and a movie.
>* * *
>'What's wrong, aren't you well,' she asked?
>* * *
>My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a
>late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign
>of bad news.
>* * *
>'I thought it would be pleasant to spend some
>time with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'
>She thought about it for a moment, and then said,
>'I would like that very much..'
>* * *
>That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick
>her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her
>house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous
>about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the
>dress that she had worn to celebrate her last
>birthday on November 19th.
>* * *
>She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
>angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go
>out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said,
>as she got into that new white van. 'They can't wait to hear about our date'..
>* * *
>We went to a restaurant that, although not
>elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my
>arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat
>down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only
>read large print. Half way through the entries, I
>lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at
>me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I
>who used to have to read the menu when you were
>small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and
>let me return the favor,' I responded.
>* * *
>During the dinner, we had an agreeable
>conversation- -nothing extraordinary but catching up
>on recent events of each other's life. We talked so
>much that we missed the movie.
>* * *
>As we arrived at her house later, she said,
>'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me
>invite you.' I agreed.
>* * *
>'How was your dinner date ?'
>asked my wife when I got home.
>'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,'
>I answered.
>* * *
>A few days later, my mother died of a massive
>heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't
>have a chance to do anything for her.
>* * *
>Some time later, I received an envelope with a
>copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place
>mother and I had dined.. An attached note said: 'I
>paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I
>could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two
>plates - one for you and the other for your wife.
>You will never know what that night meant for me.
>I love you, son..'
>* * *
>At that moment, I understood the importance of
>saying in time: 'I LOVE YOU' and to give our loved
>ones the time that they deserve.. Nothing in life is
>more important than your family. Give them the time
>they deserve, because these things cannot be put off
>till 'some other time.'
>* * *
>Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back
>to normal after you've had a baby..... somebody
>doesn't know that once you're a mother,
>'normal' is history.
>* * *
>Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by
>instinct ... somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
>* * *
>Somebody said being a mother is boring ....
>somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.
>Somebody said if you're a'good' mother,
>your child will 'turn out good'....
>somebody thinks a child comes with
>directions and a guarantee.
>* * *
>Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
>mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader
>with his math.
>* * *
>Somebody said you can't love the second child as
>much as you love the first .... somebody doesn't
>have two children.
>* * *
>Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother
>is labor and delivery....
>somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus
>for the first day of kindergarten ...
>or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'
>* * *
>Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
>child gets married....somebody doesn't know that
>marriage adds a new son or daughter-in- law to a
>mother's heartstrings.
>* * *
>Somebody said a mother's job is done when
>her last child leaves home......
>somebody never had grandchildren.
>* * *
>Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so
>you don't need to tell her....
>somebody isn't a mother..
>
>
>Pass this along to all the 'mothers' in your life
>and to everyone who ever had a mother. This isn't
>just about being a mother; it's about appreciating
>the people in your life while you have them....no
>matter who that person is.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
If Sameness Is A Demand We Make by Rev. Carol Carnes
If Sameness Is A Demand We Make by Rev. Carol Carnes
When I lived in Hawaii, if the temperature dropped to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, we felt we had been hit with serious winter. In California, 41 degrees was enough to cause complaints. Here in Canada those temperatures are considered balmy when they occur in January and we celebrate the warm weather!
It is all relative to what we consider normal. Deviations from the norm are either something we resist or welcome. What determines our reaction is how much our “norm” includes the possibility of change, surprise, unexpected occurrences. In Calgary we know that the Chinook winds will surely come and raise the temperatures dramatically a few times every winter. We count on that change to be part of our “norm.”
If sameness is a demand we make of our partner, our job, our children, our friends, our world, then we are going to be seriously challenged when the inevitable happens. People grow; they evolve; change their minds, rethink their politics, get new jobs, move to different cities. They find new friends, gain or lose weight, take up yoga while we sit in front of the TV. If we feel a loss or a threat from their growth, it is time to expand our sense of what “normal” is.
As the song says “Everything must Change. Nothing stays the same.” The temporariness of form or experience is something we can rely upon, absolutely. It is in the variations of weather, the ups and downs of relationships, the shift from toddler to teen, the necessity of learning new skills, that keeps us in harmony with the nature of things. A kind of non resisting ability to let things flow is a high awareness and a healthy way to live. Knowing that change will surely come, we are more likely to treasure the moment and celebrate it now.
When I lived in Hawaii, if the temperature dropped to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, we felt we had been hit with serious winter. In California, 41 degrees was enough to cause complaints. Here in Canada those temperatures are considered balmy when they occur in January and we celebrate the warm weather!
It is all relative to what we consider normal. Deviations from the norm are either something we resist or welcome. What determines our reaction is how much our “norm” includes the possibility of change, surprise, unexpected occurrences. In Calgary we know that the Chinook winds will surely come and raise the temperatures dramatically a few times every winter. We count on that change to be part of our “norm.”
If sameness is a demand we make of our partner, our job, our children, our friends, our world, then we are going to be seriously challenged when the inevitable happens. People grow; they evolve; change their minds, rethink their politics, get new jobs, move to different cities. They find new friends, gain or lose weight, take up yoga while we sit in front of the TV. If we feel a loss or a threat from their growth, it is time to expand our sense of what “normal” is.
As the song says “Everything must Change. Nothing stays the same.” The temporariness of form or experience is something we can rely upon, absolutely. It is in the variations of weather, the ups and downs of relationships, the shift from toddler to teen, the necessity of learning new skills, that keeps us in harmony with the nature of things. A kind of non resisting ability to let things flow is a high awareness and a healthy way to live. Knowing that change will surely come, we are more likely to treasure the moment and celebrate it now.
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