The friends we have in life are varied in number. Some people have friends every place they go while others have one or two. Yet friendship is gauged not by the number but the quality of those friendships.
There are stories which abound telling of true friendship, acts by those that go beyond a mere acquaintance. From a bibilical story of four men lowering their paralyzed friend through a roof to meet with Jesus to those of friends giving an organ so that another could live. They range from the spectacular to common everyday interactions.
Each of us must count closely those whom we call friends for they are valuable in your life. To pick you up when you are down, to bring you back to reality when you stray from it and to be a stabilizing force in your life. These people give you a solid base from which to grow. You will be able to maintain a better attitude when your strength is built in part by good friendships.
In turn you need to be a good friend to others as well. Giving of yourself to others in kindness, in friendship, in many ways to lift that person is important to your own life.
"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Success or Failure
I have been reading a book called Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton (link is to a Wikipedia description). It talks about how in our society, the anxiety each of us can have regarding what others think of us. How we react to being judged a success or failure - this is what the author terms 'status anxiety'.
It isn't a book that is attempting to make a call for a different society or return to old ways. It helps to explain why our society is the way it is. To describe how things have changed which place us into a life that helps to create that anxiety. The book offers solutions as well but I've not gotten to that part yet. It came recommended by a person I respect. But I'll leave full judgement until I'm done reading it...as you should as well.
It isn't a book that is attempting to make a call for a different society or return to old ways. It helps to explain why our society is the way it is. To describe how things have changed which place us into a life that helps to create that anxiety. The book offers solutions as well but I've not gotten to that part yet. It came recommended by a person I respect. But I'll leave full judgement until I'm done reading it...as you should as well.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Life Among The Aquatic
Not long back my family and I toured the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Quite an impressive display of aquatic life presented in an amazing way. I've included a few pictures but found it interesting some of the 'correlations' one can draw to our own lives.
There are so many of us in so many different shapes and sizes. We become drawn to one another based in many varying ways. The variety of life both in a population of fish as well as humans is quite wide.
The type of people out there range from the nicest persons one would ever want to know, all of the way to some of the cruelest ones on earth. Look at a tank full of fish and see the aggressive fish to those that go about their business not bothering others.
Some people blend in to their natural surroundings such as the Leafy Sea Dragon trying to go about life unnoticed. While others you just can't help but notice.
There are so many of us out there and life will present challenges that are unexpected. Remember there are quite a few 'fish' in the sea and opportunity to cross paths with different people. You can impact and be impacted in so many ways. So jump into life, the water is fine.
There are so many of us in so many different shapes and sizes. We become drawn to one another based in many varying ways. The variety of life both in a population of fish as well as humans is quite wide.
The type of people out there range from the nicest persons one would ever want to know, all of the way to some of the cruelest ones on earth. Look at a tank full of fish and see the aggressive fish to those that go about their business not bothering others.
Some people blend in to their natural surroundings such as the Leafy Sea Dragon trying to go about life unnoticed. While others you just can't help but notice.
There are so many of us out there and life will present challenges that are unexpected. Remember there are quite a few 'fish' in the sea and opportunity to cross paths with different people. You can impact and be impacted in so many ways. So jump into life, the water is fine.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Reflection On The Day
Through out your day, do you take any amount of time to reflect on different parts of your life or daily activity? To understand what you have accomplished to understand how to accomplish those objectives in your life, reflection must take place. Peter F. Drucker, a 20th century educator and author said, “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
To sit back and contemplate that which you already completed in your life or simply in the last few hours prepares you for what is to come. As I have written before, take seven minutes daily to sit and think of your day. The quiet thought can be used in most any way but should be done with a minimal amount of distraction.
There are those that sit in quiet solitude and that can be difficult to accomplish in this very busy day and age. I tend to use two different methods of doing this. One is on my drive home from work. My radio is set to a classical music station to relax and provided an atmosphere of quiet concentration. Secondly is to use this same method during a lunch hour at work. Placing head phones on to drown out the cacophony of all going on around me.
You may have a method suitable to you, but take the time to think about how your day is going. This reflection helps you understand what went right and what didn't. This will also help prepare you for what is to come. Take seven minutes to reflect and prepare you for more that life has to offer.
To sit back and contemplate that which you already completed in your life or simply in the last few hours prepares you for what is to come. As I have written before, take seven minutes daily to sit and think of your day. The quiet thought can be used in most any way but should be done with a minimal amount of distraction.
There are those that sit in quiet solitude and that can be difficult to accomplish in this very busy day and age. I tend to use two different methods of doing this. One is on my drive home from work. My radio is set to a classical music station to relax and provided an atmosphere of quiet concentration. Secondly is to use this same method during a lunch hour at work. Placing head phones on to drown out the cacophony of all going on around me.
You may have a method suitable to you, but take the time to think about how your day is going. This reflection helps you understand what went right and what didn't. This will also help prepare you for what is to come. Take seven minutes to reflect and prepare you for more that life has to offer.
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