Simple Things

"The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life."
-Robert Louis Stevenson



Life can have its fill of trouble and complication, but it is filled so much more with the simple things. I can remember my youth and imagine the youth of my parents. There were and remain those pieces to our lives that are enjoyable and loving in memory.

But those things can be found, in the modern world of today. In fifty years, those same images shown in the video will be those that you created. Simple memories, loving memories that gave your life meaning and purpose.

Enjoy the simple things of today, enjoy the simple memories of yesterday and live with joy in your heart for the 'simple things in life'.
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Sweeping Streets

I'm ending the week with two great quotes that I like to repeat once or twice a year. They speak to much of what I believe and try to conduct my life. Read from them, be inspired by them and live your life by them.

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"If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."

Martin Luther King Jr.

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The longer I live
The more I realize the impact of
Attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important
Than the past,
Than education,
Than money,
Than circumstances,
Than failures,
Than success,
Than what other people
Think or say or do.

It is more important than

Appearance,
Giftedness or skill.
It will make or break
An organization,
A school, a home.

The remarkable thing is
We have a choice every day
Regarding the attitude
We will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past.
We cannot change the fact that
People will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do
Is play the string we have.
And that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is
10 percent what happens to me and
90 percent how I react to it.
And so it is with you.

Charles Swindell

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Happiness

"Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself." -Og Mandino
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Blogging

"The first thing you need to decide when you build your blog is what you want to accomplish with it, and what it can do if successful." -Ron Dawson

Today is just a chance to poke a little bit of fun at myself in all this realm of seriousness. Blogging is a great opportunity for people to make a difference, to enlighten others and for some to simply waste space and time on the internet.

My opportunity is to help one or several people with encouragement and advice. I am not always right or 'on the mark' with all that I say. Yet my belief is that it starts with one person taking the time to impact the life of another in a positive way. The wave started will eventually impact many others.

Begin a new wave this year by choosing to help at least one other person. I will keep blogging away, share my thoughts with others, share your thoughts with others.
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