Most Beautiful Mid-Life Compensation?

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself“. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

There isn’t much more a person can say after that, except maybe, “Please read it again“.

Make today a great mid-life day to help someone.  Carpe diem, jeff 🙂

Little eyes are watching your mid-life

Little eyes are watching your mid life.

Here’s a poem a friend sent after he read a Lane 8 post, entitled, “Who’s Watching You“, about a week ago.

Little eyes are watching you

There are little eyes upon you
and they’re watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager
to do anything you do;
And a little boy who’s dreaming
of the day he’ll be like you.

You’re the little fellow’s idol,
you’re the wisest of the wise.
In his little mind about you
no suspicions ever rise.

He believes in you devoutly,
holds all you say and do;
He will say and do, in your way
when he’s grown up just like you.

There’s a wide eyed little fellow
who believes you’re always right;
and his eyes are always opened,
and he watches day and night.

You are setting an example
every day in all you do;
For the little boy who’s waiting
to grow up to be like you.

Reminds me of Harry Chapin’s classic folk song, “Cat’s In The Cradle“.

If you clicked the linked and watched Harry Chapin set up his song he wrote about his son Josh, you heard him say, in reference to the song’s meaning, “It scares me to death“.

Can I get an, “AMEN“!, on the scared to death part.

This is why I blog. This is why I stay positive. This is why I think so much about what I do and don’t do.

Our sons and daugthers are watching us. Carpe diem, jeff 🙂

Mid Life Repetition?

What is Mid Life Repetition?

My guess? It’s taking something important, and doing it over and over again.

It could also apply to unimportant things.

Either way, repetition is what creates habits. There may be exceptions, of course.

So here’s a repeat of a quote I posted awhile back, from Carl Jung:

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes“.

It will be a challenge, but I will not back down from trying to develop the habit of Goodness.

Some say we become what we repeatedly think about. That can be a really good, mid-life choice. Carpe diem, jeff 🙂

More Goodness?

More?  Goodness?  More Goodness?

Mid Life Goodness?  Indeed.

At mid-life, shouldn’t we be on our way to making the world a better place?

Look, I’m an optimist.   That doesn’t make me a bad person, anymore than someone who’s not an optimist. Different strokes for different folks.  Fair enough?

How does one acquire mid-life wisdom in order to want to think about mid-life goodness all the time?

I don’t know exactly.   We might at least agree that we will all do this, or not do this, in our own unique way, on our own time schedules.

Here’s a tactic I use to practice courage.  And, I believe courage is a critical success factor.

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes;  he who does not ask the question remains a fool forever“.   — Chinese Proverb

I love how quotes like this make me think at a different, and perhaps obvious, level.  Hope your day is filled with courage and great thinking.  Carpe diem, jeff 🙂

Mid Life Common Sense?

Mid life common sense?

Watching President Obama last night give his “First 100 Days” speech, he spoke of many things facing our Nation and the World.

First up was Swine Flu.

What struck me about this topic, is what all of us can do. He listed a handful of easy, simple steps. See if any of this sounds ridculous.

1. Wash your hands often.
2. Cover your mouth when you sneeze.
3. Don’t touch your eyes or mouth without washing your hands.
4. If you’re sick, stay home.
5. If your child is sick, keep them home.

After 50 years on this planet, I’ve learned many important lessons. Many of them were learned “the hard way”.

Hours before the President’s speech, while driving my son home from school, we talked about this very subect. It was good timing, because the school is also teaching the kids what to do.

Mid life is like this. There are simple things we can do to alleviate certain “dangers”. The difference is we already know these things to be self-evident, or common sense.

The other difference is we don’t need anyone to tell us.

Or do we?

Make it a great day to practice mid-life common sense. Because if you don’t, who will. Carpe diem, jeff 🙂