Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Share your Wisdom

You don't have to become a teacher!
Advice is wisdom that we always share but have you noticed we only give each other advice when something not to happy is happening? I think that should change. Why not send your friend an email with a word of advice? Or call her/him up? For instance today I will share with you some things people have shared with me. I have to tell you that some of these made my day! You never know if your friend will ever need the advice later or if it will just make her/him smile!

The message or advice can be as short as these proverbs :
  1. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
  2. A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
  3. A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
  4. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
  5. Always care about your flowers and your friends. Otherwise they'll fade, and soon your house will be empty.
  6. A paragraph should be like a lady's skirt: long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to keep it interesting.
  7. After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a mile.
  8. A woman's work is never done.
Or as eloquent as the following:

If children live with criticism,
They learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility,
They learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule,
They learn to be shy.
If children live with shame,
They learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement,
They learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance,
They learn to be patient.
If children live with praise,
They learn to appreciate.
If children live with acceptance,
They learn to love.
If children live with approval,
They learn to like themselves.
If children live with honesty,
They learn truthfulness.
If children live with security,
They learn to have faith in them-
selves and others.
If children live with friendliness,
They learn the world is a nice
place in which to live.

( don't you agree ?)

Have you heard of the paradox?
The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less.
We buy more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We've added years to life not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
We conquered outer space but not inner space.
We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We've learned to rush, but not to wait.
We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.



Sharing is Caring ;)

Friday, March 27, 2009

Smile... it's a start.

It's cliche... but sometimes all you need is a smile.

Once upon a time, I was a freshman at Oshkosh North High School, and I ate school lunch. Everyday I would slug through a line of ravenous high school eaters to order my usual: turkey and mozzarella on wheat. And everyday, I paid the same lunch lady. And she never smiled. My mission: get the lunch lady to grin. Just once.

Just an average day and the same routine: turkey and mozzarella on wheat. Same progression through the same line. But this was it. As I approached to pay the lunch lady, I flashed a smile, handed her my cash, and asked simply, "What's your name?"

A pause. A hesitation. A look in the eye. A gentle whisper. A small grin. "Betty."

"Hi, Betty! I'm Katy. It's nice to meet you. I hope you have a great day!"

"You too."

Mission accomplished.

There's power in knowing someone's name. There's importance in a smile.

Challenge: smile. At friends and family. And total strangers on the train or bus. At yourself in the mirror. You might be surprised by the result.