Tag: Values

Joyful Anticipation

Joyful
Joyful

Do you look forward to each new day?

I mean, with a joyful anticipation? Not an awful dread.

This can be challenging to say the least. You have to suspect that some readers may not believe I have much experience with Hell, with challenges, problems, obstacles, fear, failure, struggle, grief, agony, hopelessness, strife, worry, doubt.

Do all of you have a ton of experience with these things?  Okay then, I rest my case. We all do. No one is immune.

Then why am I so optimistic and “joyful”?

Great question.  Some people think I’m crazy. A weirdo.  Or, worse, a fake.

It’s taken like 50 years, but, I’m totally cool with it all. Finally.

One of the secrets to being joyful, is so simple, you’re not going to believe it. And it brings great joy to tell you that tomorrow, I’ll reveal January’s “value”.

Simple Thanks Mid Life?

Simple.  Thankful. Present. Childlike. Humble.

At mid life, there are many things that can distract us from being present.  And when this occurs, we can not be thankful for even the simple things.

Not being thankful for even the simple things leaves us open to create habits that take us farther and farther from thankfulness.

This should alarm us.  And maybe, just maybe, we should be thankful for our alarm.

Only One Success?

“There is only one success – to be able to spend life in your own way”. — Christopher Morley

Agree to disagree?  Good.  Because I’m going to do both here.

Sure, it’d be great to do whatever it is you want to do, when you want to do it.  And yet, it sounds a bit self-centered to my ear.

What abut sacrifice and service to others less fortunate?  Ask Mother Teresa her opinion on Christopher Morley’s quote.  Ask Jesus, or Abe Lincoln, or Martin Luther King.

Ask a mother, a father, a school teacher, a doctor or a nurse.  Ask a street sweeper, or a cook.

We all should consider where we stand on this issue.  And if we like our answer, awesome.  If we don’t…..

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Thought Dependent?

“The happiness of our life depends on the quality of our thoughts”. — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

My new friend Frank, the front office manager at Mitchell’s Sand Castles, on Sanibel Island, told me I am always smiling. I wanted to say, “And your point is”?, but I didn’t.

We had a decent discussion about finding your source for motivation, and finding your purpose in life.

Just yesterday, I wrote a post about something that daily enhances my life.

Amazing how something as simple as changing a radio station has yielded such noticeable benefits.

Well, not only changing the station, but then keeping it there.  Carpe diem,  jeff noel 🙂

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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 🙂