Anyway

Mother Teresa
Isn't she cute!

I woke up today with a desire to be a better person. I admire Mother Teresa and when a friend recently shared a thought from Mother Teresa with me, I desired change. Here it is:

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered.
          Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
          Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you.
          Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous.
          Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
          Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough.
          Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God.
          It was never between you and them anyway."

~ Mother Teresa

Is this thought awesome or what?!

The Canyons of My Mind

The Canyons of My Mind

Too numerous to name, too beautiful to describe, as I meander through the canyons of my mind, all is simply peaceful.  Setting my fast-paced world aside, I take time to look around.  Where am I today?   I find myself at the base of a most familiar canyon.  I see the steep canyon walls present their rocky ledges to me, yet I worry not.  There is always a way out, and it’s restful down here in my canyon.  Shade trees sprout near the babbling creek.  The dragonflies flit about.  There are no gnats here.  They are not allowed.  The air is crisp and exhilarating.  I inhale.  I exhale.  My mind slows.  I sigh.  There are plenty of large, smooth, round boulders nearby.  I love them.  I choose one to lay my tummy across.  I stretch my back as far as I can while I succumb to the feel of the warm rocky surface against my tummy, my legs, my arms.  It soothes me.  As I stretch I send my toes deep into the sun-soaked sand on one side of the boulder, my fingers grab playfully at the heated sand on the opposite side. The sand sifts through my hands.  The side of my face is comforted by the smoothness of my newfound bed.  I am caught in the world of nature.  I can smell the mineral residue left on the sun-dried logs and pebbles all around me.  A mossy smell also fills the air drifting my thoughts to the local wild flowers and their tender perfumes as well.  I am suddenly aware of the pleasant trickling flow of water that meanders just a few feet from me.  It cascades through its homemade passages making a delightful melody.  It calls to me.  It holds me captive.  As I relax, ever so slightly a breeze whistles quietly through the nearby trees enticing me, offering me much-needed sleep.  I am safe in this canyon.  I let the canyon envelope me.  My eyes droop.  My mind is heavy.  The smells and sights linger and seem to swirl around me.  The constant rhythm of the water completes my journey by sending my mind into a quiet space, a new place.  All around me is blue.  I am immersed in it, a subtle, mellow blue.  I will myself to stay in this place for a while.  I am comfortable.  I am happy.  I want sleep.  In the last moments of consciousness, I am glad that I know my way home from here, even in the dark.  I will go later, when it is time.  I will wait here for a while.  As I drift off into the blue, I realize that most of my canyons are like this one—peaceful, protected, and calm.   Without reserve, I now let go of everything, especially of my thoughts.  It is time for them to go their ways.  I rest.  I let the friendly birds sing me off to lullaby land.  I am peaceful knowing that I will awake refreshed again sometime … maybe tomorrow.

A Lesson at Dawn

I could have been hit by a truck today as I pulled out from the dentist office parking lot. It was dawn. It was still fairly dark. The truck was a dull grey without headlights on. I drove on out crossing the street and turning in front of the truck's pathway to go the opposite direction as he. I saw the potential for a problem. I could have been crunched. I flashed my lights once at the truck to suggest he turn those lights on so another person might see him in time to avoid a crash as well. The driver either did not see me flash them or chose to ignore my warning.

I thought about that experience as I drove on. How often do we do that, either not look at something in our lives that may help us or someone else or ignore the warnings of others to the same end?

Today I was lucky, or blessed, to be safe. Tomorrow I may not be so lucky.