Guest guest Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 Make Your Life Worth Livingby Jane “Take time to be grateful.†Taking the time every day to recognize what you’re grateful for helps keep things in perspective. Gratitude carries you through the tough times, and gives you the strength to surpass the stress of challenges. Reflect on your family, your friends or the place where you live, and the satisfaction they bring you. Think about your good health and your mental or physical talents. Consider the pleasure you received from a phone call with a friend or a laugh you shared with your children. Look back on small and large moments – the affection of a pet, your success in the garden or a deep and fulfilling partnership. These are all things that nourish gratitude. And, gratitude makes life worth living! FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS Have you ever noticed how hard it can be to find the right words? It was once said that Al , former governor of New York, wasmaking his first inspection of Sing Sing prison. The warden askedhim if he might say a few words to the prisoners. The governor began, "My fellow citizens." But he suddenly feltconfused about whether the inmates may have forfeited theircitizenship. So he took a second stab at it: "My fellow convicts."There was a roar of laughter and now he became flustered. Hegallantly tried a third time: "Well, anyhow, I'm glad to see so manyof you here." There is no record of what he said after that. I have frequently struggled to find the right words. And there aretimes I am certain the right words do not even exist. Like when I'mtrying to say something hopeful or comforting in a particularlyfrightening situation. More than once I have been called to a hospital emergency room or tobe with a family surrounding the bed of a dying relative. And morethan once I've been at a loss for words. What is the right thing tosay at a time like that? What can I say that doesn't sound hollow ortrite or like I'm just not in touch with the feelings of others whoare hurting? A lot of us really don't know what to say at these times. And toooften the professionals who work daily with people on the raggededge of hope have become so desensitized they have lost any abilityto comfort. A wise obstetrician at a university teaching hospital once made acomment about comforting those who suffer. Someone asked the doctorwhat advice he offered his students, future doctors and nurses, whencaring for mothers who gave birth to stillborn infants. The doctor paused for a moment in thought. Then he said this: "Itell them that they need two eyes. One eye is not enough; they needtwo eyes. With one eye they have to check the I.V. And with theother eye they have to weep. That's what I tell them," he said. "Itell them that they need two eyes." That may be some of the wisest advice I've ever heard. We may notalways need to figure out what to say; we really only need two eyes.In Dickinson's words, "Saying nothing . . . sometimes says themost." And this from a poet whose life was all about finding exactlythe right words. I agree with the doctor - empathy goes a long way. And somehowfinding the ability to feel, even for a few moments, what another isfeeling may speak more loudly than the best words I can choose. Itspeaks to the fact that I care; I understand. It says that I amwilling to share their pain so they do not feel so alone. It says Iwant to be fully present with them and to walk alongside of them,difficult as it may be. My presence is something they can draw realstrength and hope from. Come to think of it, maybe Dickinson did find the right words:saying nothing . . . sometimes says the most. And saying nothing atall may be just the right thing to say. Steve Goodier Be the real youLet life know who you are. If you have to hide yourself to get what you want, do you really even want it? And while you’re at it, make sure you let yourself know who you are. Be absolutely honest and authentic, especially with yourself. It’s easy to get what you want from life. The real difficult and essential work is figuring out what that is. If you think it might be nice, that’s not enough. If it looks good on somebody else, that’s not enough. What you truly want is what you dearly love. It is something that uniquely and elegantly expresses the real, live, passionate person you are. You cannot find that or follow it by pretending to be who you’re not. Be the real you, all the time, and joyfully feel the flow of your own great abundance. Ralph Marston -Dear Readers, " Morning Coffee " is a labor of love and meant to be shared with others to spread encouragement and inspiration. If you share, please be kind and give credit where credit is due and copy and paste or forward with Page Header and contact information included.Thank you , " Morning Coffee"Created, and maintained by:Dizzyrizzy@... GrandmaGail2BC@...Copyright © 1996 -2010" Morning Coffee" all rights reserved.To subscribe or unsubscribe send an email to the following email addresses. Subscribe: YourMorningCoffee-subscribe Unsubscribe: YourMorningCoffee-unsubscribe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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