Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Our First Anniversary
August 17 is the first anniversary of this blog. When I started writing the first blog I wondered where I would ever find enough words to finish it. This is blog number 77 and those words keep flowing from my pen each time it touches the paper! Thank you for reading my blogs. If it wasn’t for people like you reading my blogs they would just be a waste of my time.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Compared To What?
You ask me “How’s my day?” Compared to what? Do you ever think another question before you ever give an answer? Inspiration for this blog came from a quote from Barney Frank made on an early morning TV show. I was sitting just getting awake with my first cup of “Bob’s high-powered” cappuccino along with my usual channel flipping, when MY Friend said; stop! There it is! And, I knew that I would spend the rest of my morning pulling those words from inside my pen to my paper.
I’ve learned that sometimes a quick reply to a friendly greeting can rise the heckles of the questioner. But, an unspoken question in my mind could give me time to give a more pleasant answer.
That; “compared to what”, mental question could be applied to many more things than greetings. With the changing of only that last word we could change the way we look upon our lives! We could change that word to; who, others, them, when, or where!
If you would ask me “how are you?”, I could give you my new answer “compared to what?” My answer would probably by “I’m great!” Why? Because more than nine out of ten people my age are long gone and I’m still breathing! Compared to those others, doesn’t that alone make me great? When we really start comparing things, it really changes nothing, but doesn’t it really change everything? Don’t we live our lives by continually comparing our lives to others?
Who are you comparing YOU to? You don’t have to look far to realize that you have it better than most of the rest of the world! It’s only human to want more. But, who are you comparing that more to? Unbelievable amounts of money is being spent each day trying to teach us to never be satisfied with what we have, we’re continually being told that we must always want more. I believe, that maybe, it’s time to stop and count the blessing we already have! Time to think, and maybe give thanks, for all those things we already have. Maybe even time to compare us to US!
In my many years of talking to people, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard them say; I just can’t seem to---, I never could, I don’t know why I can’t do ---, or even, tell me why I can’t be like them! Of course you can’t, you were created differently, so why try to compare yourself to them! I’m sure you can do things they can’t! Wouldn’t it have been just as easy to say things like; I’ve always had a talent for ---, it’s always been easy for me to ---, or when I look around I find many that are far worse off than I am. I think it would be wise for everyone to take a lesson from that friendly used-car salesman. How long would he stay in business comparing his cars to someone else’s junkers?
Throughout my life I’ve had others tell they are doing something because everyone else is doing it! I’m sorry but that everyone else thing never fit my lifestyle! I’ve always felt that if the world wanted to be out of step with me, so be it. If they want to set their standards lower than mine, it’s up to them. I’ll respect their world but I don’t have to live in it. I want to be able to compare me to me, not to everyone else!
Most of us set goals or standards for ourselves. Probably first we look around to find someone, hopefully someone we look up to, to compare ourselves to. Sadly those goals are rarely reached by comparing with others. Set them according to you, compare those goals to you, as you improve you immediately see a better you.
In the length of time it took me to finish that last half cup of cappuccino this morning, I learned a few things that I believe will change the rest of my life! Now when you ask me a question, and I pause for a second, and then you see a smile come on my face before my answer you must remember that I probably ask myself “compared to what?”
I’ve learned that sometimes a quick reply to a friendly greeting can rise the heckles of the questioner. But, an unspoken question in my mind could give me time to give a more pleasant answer.
That; “compared to what”, mental question could be applied to many more things than greetings. With the changing of only that last word we could change the way we look upon our lives! We could change that word to; who, others, them, when, or where!
If you would ask me “how are you?”, I could give you my new answer “compared to what?” My answer would probably by “I’m great!” Why? Because more than nine out of ten people my age are long gone and I’m still breathing! Compared to those others, doesn’t that alone make me great? When we really start comparing things, it really changes nothing, but doesn’t it really change everything? Don’t we live our lives by continually comparing our lives to others?
Who are you comparing YOU to? You don’t have to look far to realize that you have it better than most of the rest of the world! It’s only human to want more. But, who are you comparing that more to? Unbelievable amounts of money is being spent each day trying to teach us to never be satisfied with what we have, we’re continually being told that we must always want more. I believe, that maybe, it’s time to stop and count the blessing we already have! Time to think, and maybe give thanks, for all those things we already have. Maybe even time to compare us to US!
In my many years of talking to people, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard them say; I just can’t seem to---, I never could, I don’t know why I can’t do ---, or even, tell me why I can’t be like them! Of course you can’t, you were created differently, so why try to compare yourself to them! I’m sure you can do things they can’t! Wouldn’t it have been just as easy to say things like; I’ve always had a talent for ---, it’s always been easy for me to ---, or when I look around I find many that are far worse off than I am. I think it would be wise for everyone to take a lesson from that friendly used-car salesman. How long would he stay in business comparing his cars to someone else’s junkers?
Throughout my life I’ve had others tell they are doing something because everyone else is doing it! I’m sorry but that everyone else thing never fit my lifestyle! I’ve always felt that if the world wanted to be out of step with me, so be it. If they want to set their standards lower than mine, it’s up to them. I’ll respect their world but I don’t have to live in it. I want to be able to compare me to me, not to everyone else!
Most of us set goals or standards for ourselves. Probably first we look around to find someone, hopefully someone we look up to, to compare ourselves to. Sadly those goals are rarely reached by comparing with others. Set them according to you, compare those goals to you, as you improve you immediately see a better you.
In the length of time it took me to finish that last half cup of cappuccino this morning, I learned a few things that I believe will change the rest of my life! Now when you ask me a question, and I pause for a second, and then you see a smile come on my face before my answer you must remember that I probably ask myself “compared to what?”
Monday, August 1, 2011
Things Change
Many times you’ve heard me say that we must keep learning. It’s up to us, you and me! We are the only ones that can pave our way into our tomorrows. And, we have to learn to face the fact that our tomorrow is where it all is. Our world is changing and we must change with it! There was a line from an old song that went like this; Stop the world, I want to get off! It will not happen, if we stop our learning, the world continues to move. It will just pass us up!
I came from a generation that had to wind a Big Ben alarm clock each night just to keep it running so it would wake me in the morning in time for school. I had a Grandma that would have been shocked if I wouldn’t have held a door open for a lady. I’m sure she would have died if a man would have sat down at her dinner table with his cap on! Being “proper” was a part of her life. Her “standards” were far higher than those we find today. Yes, things change!
Our key word is CHANGE! I’ve also noticed that I find another word used many times in the same sentence with our key word. That word is progress. We use that word as something good, bad, or even as profanity in describing today’s world.
Words, for me, seemed to be just something that popped out of my mouth whenever I was communicating with others. They flowed out so easily! Then, I was told to write this blog! That word CHANGE smacked me right between the eyes! Before, all I had to do was shut my mouth and the words stopped. There was little thought, it was just an open or shut thing!
Now, in my blog, every word is in black and white! Those spoken words that were so soon forgotten had now changed to written words. Those small easily forgotten statements suddenly became headlines and they seemed to me to be all in CAPS! Suddenly those unnoticed words I used in my conversations almost became stumbling blocks in black and white! I had to rethink every word that was there in black and white! There’s that word again! Change, unlike my spoken word, I now was able to (edit) my words before they fell on other ears! I also discovered many new key words that I had used sparingly in conversations. Words like; responsibility, respect, faith, hurt, goals, standards, learning, and maybe the most important others.
It breaks my heart to have to look at today’s “throw-away people!” I’ve seen too many unwanted babies turn into unwanted adults ending up in our prisons! I feel the very worst is intelligent kids that their only goal in life is throwing themselves away! Here in Florida, we find that for every hundred persons, one is in prison! I just can’t accept that! Higher standards MUST be set! I’m sure no one wants to be that one in a hundred!
I think my key word, in this changing world, has always been learning. Sometimes I called it “figuring things out” but it was always learning. Those that know me know that I always have several things cooking in this head of mine at the same time.
I’ve heard many excuses for not wanting change. The one I hear most often is; I like things just the way they are or the way they used to be. There is no, just the way they are! It’s gone! It’s history never to return again! You can’t go back home, remember it’s changed!
Oh yes, you ask about my alarm clock. Now it’s called an Atomic clock. It’s accurate to the second. I don’t ever have to wind it. The only thing that can make it stop is if the battery power runs out. Tomorrow it will wake me for breakfast, if I can figure out which button to push! Yes, isn’t change great?
I came from a generation that had to wind a Big Ben alarm clock each night just to keep it running so it would wake me in the morning in time for school. I had a Grandma that would have been shocked if I wouldn’t have held a door open for a lady. I’m sure she would have died if a man would have sat down at her dinner table with his cap on! Being “proper” was a part of her life. Her “standards” were far higher than those we find today. Yes, things change!
Our key word is CHANGE! I’ve also noticed that I find another word used many times in the same sentence with our key word. That word is progress. We use that word as something good, bad, or even as profanity in describing today’s world.
Words, for me, seemed to be just something that popped out of my mouth whenever I was communicating with others. They flowed out so easily! Then, I was told to write this blog! That word CHANGE smacked me right between the eyes! Before, all I had to do was shut my mouth and the words stopped. There was little thought, it was just an open or shut thing!
Now, in my blog, every word is in black and white! Those spoken words that were so soon forgotten had now changed to written words. Those small easily forgotten statements suddenly became headlines and they seemed to me to be all in CAPS! Suddenly those unnoticed words I used in my conversations almost became stumbling blocks in black and white! I had to rethink every word that was there in black and white! There’s that word again! Change, unlike my spoken word, I now was able to (edit) my words before they fell on other ears! I also discovered many new key words that I had used sparingly in conversations. Words like; responsibility, respect, faith, hurt, goals, standards, learning, and maybe the most important others.
It breaks my heart to have to look at today’s “throw-away people!” I’ve seen too many unwanted babies turn into unwanted adults ending up in our prisons! I feel the very worst is intelligent kids that their only goal in life is throwing themselves away! Here in Florida, we find that for every hundred persons, one is in prison! I just can’t accept that! Higher standards MUST be set! I’m sure no one wants to be that one in a hundred!
I think my key word, in this changing world, has always been learning. Sometimes I called it “figuring things out” but it was always learning. Those that know me know that I always have several things cooking in this head of mine at the same time.
I’ve heard many excuses for not wanting change. The one I hear most often is; I like things just the way they are or the way they used to be. There is no, just the way they are! It’s gone! It’s history never to return again! You can’t go back home, remember it’s changed!
Oh yes, you ask about my alarm clock. Now it’s called an Atomic clock. It’s accurate to the second. I don’t ever have to wind it. The only thing that can make it stop is if the battery power runs out. Tomorrow it will wake me for breakfast, if I can figure out which button to push! Yes, isn’t change great?
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