Our
happiness depends on the quality of our
thoughts. Let us train our mind to see the good
in everything. Positivity is a choice. We don’t
see things as they are, we see them as we are.
Here's an ariticle inspired by the writings of Donna Doyon which offers inspiration and
encouragement to people who want to say goodbye
to self defeating attitudes and behaviors and
hello to greater success, healthier
relationships and more joyful living.
I recall as a young child bringing bouquets of
brilliant yellow flowers to my mother. It didn't
matter that the stems felt sticky or that both
my parents cursed the presence of these flowers
in the lawn. I thought they were beautiful!
And there were so many of them! We spent hours
picking the flowers and then popping the
blossoms off with a snap of our fingers. But the
supply of dandelions never ran out. My father or
brothers would chop off all the heads with the
lawn mower at least once a week, but that didn't
stop these hardy wonders.
And for those flowers that escaped the honor of
being hand-delivered to my mother or the sharp
blades of the lawn mower, there was another
level
of existence.
The soft, round puffs of a dandelion gone to
seed caused endless giggles and squeals of
delight as we unwittingly spread this flower
across the yard.
As I worked in my garden last week, pulling
unwanted weeds out of the space that would
become a haven for tomatoes, corn, peas and
sunflowers, I again marveled at the flower that
some call a weed. And I thought, "If only I had
the staying power of a dandelion."
If only I could stretch my roots so deep and
straight that something tugging on my stem
couldn't separate me completely from the source that feeds me life. If only I could come back to
face the world with a bright, sunshiny face
after someone has run me over with a lawnmower
or worse, purposely attacked me in an attempt to
destroy me. If only my foliage was a nutritious
source of vitamins that help others grow. If
only I could spread love and encouragement as
freely and fully as this flower spreads seeds of
itself.
The lawns at my parents' home are now beautiful
green blankets. The only patches of color come
from well-placed, well-controlled flowerbeds.
Chemicals have managed to kill what human
persistence couldn't.
I hope you and I can be different. I hope that
we can stretch our roots deep enough that the
strongest poison can't reach our souls. I hope
that we can overcome the poisons of anger, fear,
hate, criticism and competitiveness. I hope that
we can see flowers in a world that sees weeds.
By Tim Pedrosa
Stop trying
to follow the crowd, most people in the crowd don't have a clue where
they're going. Stop and think about what you're doing with your life,
and how you can change for the better. Yes, it takes courage, it take
determination, and it takes sacrifice. But the rewards are well worth
it. |
Tim
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