A journal of positive thoughts and inspirational quotes
This is a compilation of thoughts and quotes that I have found or written recently, as well as many that I've collected throughout the years. Most thoughts are posted randomly, as I feel inspired. A listing of quotes can be found alphabetically (check the 2008 and 2009 archives listing), or by source.
Feel free to suggest additions!
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” – Proverbs 23:7
I love this. It's a quote from the movie Rocky Balboa (2006).
There's a lot of truth here. As a father, I have tried to send this message on to my own kids, as well as try to absorb the full meaning of it in my own heart.
Quoting Rocky Balboa? Yep, truth and wisdom often comes from unlikely sources.
"Let me tell you something you already know.
The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done.
Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!" See also: The Man Who Created Rocky
I received this great inspirational message from a friend at the beginning of my mission, many years ago. It continues to inspire me. It is a message from Our Father in Heaven, letting us know we have the power to make ourselves as good as we desire.
Whether one believes in God or not, the message is still powerful.
The Power
I gave you the power to choose.
With this gift, I placed you even above my angels, for angels are not free to choose sin. I gave you complete control over your destiny. I told you to determine for yourself your own nature in accordance with your own free will.
You have the power to choose to degenerate into the lowest forms of life, or you also have the power to be reborn into the highest forms, which are divine.
I have never withdrawn your great power, the power to choose for yourself.
What have you done with this tremendous gift? Think. Look at yourself. What choices have you made in your life that you would do differently, if only you had the opportunity to choose again?
But what is past is past. The sun cannot rise where it sets, and the milk that was spilt is sour.
Use wisely your power of choice.
Choose to love, rather than hate.
Choose to laugh, rather than cry.
Choose to create, rather than destroy.
Choose to persevere, rather than quit.
Choose to praise rather than wound.
Choose to give, rather than steal.
Choose to grow, rather than rot.
Choose to pray, rather than curse.
Choose to live, rather than die.
Know that your misfortunes are not my will, for all power is vested in you! The accumulation of thoughts and deeds which have brought you to this point in life are all your own doing, not mine!
You are capable of great wonders. Your potential is unlimited. You are more than a human being, you are a human becoming. Never settle for the crumbs of life. Never hide your talents, from this day hence.
You have been “born again”.
But just as before, you can choose failure and despair, or happiness and success. I can only watch – in pride – or sorrow.
Here are some great thoughts on dreaming big, shooting high and doing it right:
Make no small plans. They have no magic to stir humanity’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical plan once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and daughters are going to do things that will stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon, beauty. Think big. -Daniel Burnham, 19th century planner and architect
As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. - Donald Trump
If you can dream it, you can do it! All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. It's kind of fun to do the impossible. – Walt Disney
A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral. - Antoine de Saint Exupery
What one can dream, one can achieve. - Jules Verne
SWEAT is an acronym for five action words that, when realized, can take us to a new level of achievement. Yet any one of these words by themselves could serve as an inspirational motto:
See. Have a vision of the future. Set specific goals, then use those goals to focus your life. You have to know where you=re going in order to get there.
Work. Put in the time and effort necessary to achieve your goals. A veritable smorgasbord of work opportunities await you. And with completed work comes great satisfaction.
Expect. Great Expectations is not just a novel by Dickens. You need to expect that the work you do will produce results. To expect involves an element of hope or belief in oneself. A positive attitude coupled with unbridled optimism will take you far.
Achieve. When we combine specific goals with concerted effort and expectation, achievement will be the result. We rehearse achievement with every successful effort.
Thanks. We need to be grateful to those around us who enable us to pursue our dreams and help us achieve our goals. This attitude of gratitude ultimately permeates our very being, and becomes unconditional rather than contingent on some great performance.
Watching the Olympics is big in our family. We spend many hours in awe of the greatness of those games. Not only are they fun to watch, but it is also very inspiring to see the achievement of such skilled athletes in so many areas. When you think of all the training and experience that goes into their efforts, it is truly amazing. Their experience usually includes a lot of falling or crashing, getting injured, getting down, getting up, rehabilitating, and re-conditioning, as well as the many heartbreaks of not quite achieving what they wanted, when they wanted, or how they wanted. But the good ones keep going, keep trying, and ultimately achieve glory - whether through a medal or the through the shear victory of accomplishing a goal, finishing and doing their best.
Some famous Olympic athletes have achieved their highest attainment and glory after having overcome a serious setback or injury, or while they are still in the mode of returning to their best form. Others achieve the top honors after a long period of having expended the greatest training efforts of their lives.
The Olympic competitors are in the pursuit of the great Olympian ideals: Citius, Altius and Fortius, which translated from Latin mean Swifter, Higher and Stronger. They also believe in the Olympic Creed, which is:
"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."
We are not all, nor can we all, be Olympic level athletes. But we all can take inspiration from these Olympic ideals and the heroes that have applied them so well in their lives. We can be heroes in our own right by overcoming our trials and achieving the swiftest, the highest and the strongest within us.
1. A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.
2. A great man is always willing to be little.
3. A great part of courage is the courage of having done the thing before.
4. A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.
5. A man is a method, a progressive arrangement; a selecting principle, gathering his like to him; wherever he goes.
6. A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise shall give him no peace.
7. A man is what he thinks about all day long.
8. A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.
9. Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
10. All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.
11. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
12. Always do what you are afraid to do.
13. America is another name for opportunity.
14. An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.
15. As a cure for worrying, work is better than whiskey.
16. As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way.
17. Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.
18. Before we acquire great power we must acquire wisdom to use it well.
19. Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.
20. Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.
21. Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.
22. Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
23. Do the thing we fear, and death of fear is certain.
24. Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
25. Earth laughs in flowers.
26. Enthusiasm is the mother of effort, and without it nothing great was ever achieved.
27. Every man has his own courage, and is betrayed because he seeks in himself the courage of other persons.
28. Every man in his lifetime needs to thank his faults.
29. Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.
30. Every natural fact is a symbol of some spiritual fact.
31. Every wall is a door.
32. Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world.
33. For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.
34. For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.
35. God enters by a private door into every individual.
36. He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.
37. Hitch your wagon to a star.
38. I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.
39. I hate the giving of the hand unless the whole man accompanies it.
40. I have no hostility to nature, but a child's love to it. I expand and live in the warm day like corn and melons.
41. I have thought a sufficient measure of civilization is the influence of good women.
42. I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching.
43. If a man can... make a better mousetrap, the world will make a beaten path to his door.
44. If you would lift me up you must be on higher ground.
45. In skating over thin ice our safety is in our speed.
Part One of excerpts from a great little inspirational book by Og Mandino:
"True wealth is of the heart, not of the purse."
"Obstacles are necessary for success because...victory only comes after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better...or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward; turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future."
"Never feel shame for trying and failing for he who has never failed is he who has never tried."
"Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough."
From The Scroll Marked II
I will greet this day with love in my heart.
And how will I do this? Henceforth will I look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.
And most of all I will love myself. For when I do I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul, my heart. Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.
From The Scroll Marked III
I will persist until I succeed.
I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does failure course my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep.
The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.
I will persist until I succeed.
From The Scroll Marked IX
My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value unless they are followed by action.
I will act now.
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim tribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness—these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens....reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.” – George Washington
“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.” – Thomas Jefferson
“[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure, than they have it now, they may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty.” – John Adams
“...The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ ” – Benjamin Franklin
“Were my soul trembling on the wing of eternity, were this hand freezing to death, were my voice choking with the last struggle, I would still, with the last gasp of that voice, implore you to remember the truth: God has given America to be free.” – Patrick Henry
“And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.” – Abraham Lincoln
"I would be the greatest fool on earth if I did not realize that I could never satisfy the demands of the high office without the help of One who is greater and stronger than I am." - Abraham Lincoln
“Let us look forward to the time when we can take the flag of our country and nail it below the Cross, and there let it wave as it waved in the olden times, and let us gather around it and inscribed for our motto: ‘Liberty and Union, one and inseparable, now and forever,’ and exclaim, ‘Christ first, our country next!’ ” – Andrew Johnson
“We cannot read the history of our rise and development as a nation, without reckoning with the place the Bible has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic. Where we have been the truest and most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity.” – Franklin Roosevelt
"Without God, there is no virtue, because there’s no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we’re mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” – Ronald Reagan
One day, a group of older, wise and well-experienced men and women from around the world, who had met and conquered many challenges of life, came together to review and explain what they had learned during their lifetimes. Between them all, they had experienced just about every imaginable situation in life - difficulties, challenges, sorrows, happiness, fulfillment, and excitement - that can be had in this life.
When they came to the end of the day, these people who have already been there and done that, identified many lessons that could benefit those of us still making our way through life. Here's a sampling of their advice:
Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
When in doubt, just take the next small step.
Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
Your job won't take care of you when you're sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
Make peace with your past so it won't mess up your present.
It's OK to let your children see you cry.
Don't compare your life to others. You do not understand what their journey is all about.
Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry, God never blinks.
Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
Over prepare, then go with the flow.
No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
Frame every so-called disaster with these words, "In five years, will this matter?"
Always choose life.
Forgive everyone everything.
What other people think of you is none of your business.
Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
However bad or good or bad a situation is, it will change.
Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
Believe in miracles.
God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
Your children get only one childhood.
Get outside everyday. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
No matter how you feel, get, dress up and show up.
The best is yet to come.
All that truly matters in the end is that you are loved.
Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
I wrote this several years ago, but thought it fit well with the last post:
(photo by Ken R. Young)
My heavy eyelids
do not need coaxing to close.
The heaviness weighing upon my mind,
caused by a steady stream of struggles and burdens,
has created a forceful desire
for a cerebral pause,
an emotional relief.
The trials of life have left me exhausted.
I can no longer deal with
the incessant stings and jabs
that have afflicted my recent days.
I must depart this consciousness.
Within a few moments
sleep overcomes and blesses my mind
with much needed escape.
Floating, I drift off
through a canvass of billowy clouds
which slowly dissipates
to reveal a stunning view.
Before me lies the awesome magnificence
of a high mountain scene -
peaks capped with snow,
lakes shimmering with reflected sunlight,
and evergreens, aspen and wildflowers
providing a tapestry of strength and beauty
across the landscape.
The sounds of nesting birds,
fluttering leaves, cricking bugs and a gurgling stream,
accentuate the living reality
of my sub-conscious experience.
All the senses are enlivened
as they soak up the joy,
the peace and the power
of this paradisiacal setting.
Is this heaven?
My soul rejoices that I am here!
I reach out to embrace it all,
to consume it
and make it a part of me.
And then it strikes me -
I am basking in the glories of earth.
This earth, which is my home,
my life, my reality.
I realize with surging conviction,
that I love my home,
I love my life and
I love my reality - complete with its struggles and burdens.
For this mountain of beauty
is a symbol of everything that is good
and right in my life.
The love of family and friends,
and the multi-colored palette of earthly blessings
which has painted my life
are represented here.
My inner strength is restored.
Newfound vigor races from the heart
and forces open my eyes.
I look around
and begin recognizing the true sources
of joy in my life.
One by one,
the details of my mountain vision
are re-created in the realities of my life.
The emerging scene is beautiful and breathtaking.
I now see that my life,
colored with love and joy,
as well as tears and trial,
is a marvelous, extraordinary experience.
It is an exciting challenge
to live, to love, to find joy
and embrace it.
I've often thought of life and it's struggles and journey as climbing a high mountain. I've had the chance to climb several mountains in my life and am still, as everyone, trying to reach the summit of my own life's mountain. There are many crags and steep slopes, potential dangerous spots to avoid along the trail. But there are also beautiful plants, flowers and trees, wonderful vistas, occasional intriguing wildlife, refreshing streams and waterfalls, places of shade and resting, and many opportunities for using and stretching muscles.
Getting to the top can be an exhilarating experience, both because of the achievement and the great views. Knowing your hard work has paid off is very fulfilling. But sometimes it can be tempting to give up before you reach the top and head back down. I have done that, too.
My friend Steven Kapp Perry offered his thoughts on climbing mountains:
"I recently spent most of a week climbing King's Peak with the scouts--including two of my own sons. It's the highest peak in Utah and a grueling climb, and somewhere about half-way up the nearly vertical rock slide, I found myself wondering, 'Why are we doing this? Is it for...fun?'
As I looked ahead and saw everyone above me giving their all in the climb, I don't think anyone would have used the word "fun" at that moment.
So why do we climb mountains with these boys? I think it's so they know that they can do hard things. In fact, it's also so we grownups know we can do hard things.
The hard parts of our lives are rarely ever 'fun,' but when we look back on them with perspective, we see how the Lord used them to help us stretch and grow and become better (i.e. more broken and humble and dependent on him) than we were. And they give us confidence that he'll help us through the next challenge.
'Fun' may not be the exact word, but it is worth climbing mountains."
I agree.
Miley Cyrus recently released the song "The Climb", the lyrics from which I think go very well with this topic:
The Climb
I can almost see it that dream I am dreaming But there's a voice inside my head saying "You'll never reach it"
Every step I'm taking Every move I make feels Lost with no direction My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying Gotta keep my head held high
There's always gonna be another mountain I'm always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be an uphill battle Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there Ain't about what's waiting on the other side It's the climb
The struggles I'm facing The chances I'm taking Sometimes might knock me down But no, I'm not breaking
I may not know it But these are the moments that I'm gonna remember most, yeah Just gotta keep going
And I, I got to be strong Just keep pushing on
'Cause there's always gonna be another mountain I'm always gonna wanna make it move Always gonna be an uphill battle Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there Ain't about what's waiting on the other side It's the climb!
So, we must keep climbing...
Here's a picture of me and my two sons on top of Mt. Timpanogos.
Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began.
Honestly, no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh, way too difficult!", "They will never make it to the top." or, "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing, one by one, except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher.
The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But one continued higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn't give up!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower, except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top! Then all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal?
It turned out that the winner was deaf!
The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you - the ones you have in your heart!
Always think of the power words have. “There's life and death in the power of the tongue”(Proverbs 18:21). Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!
So often we stand in our world of darkness waiting for someone to come along and pull the cord, to open the drapes and let the light in. But since we are free agents we can reach up and pull the curtains apart ourselves - we have control - we are responsible for our happiness - not someone else.
Someone can come along and pull the cord and change the scene, or the feeling, from darkness to light and it makes us happy, but if we always wait for someone else to come along we are dependent on them for our happiness, and they may not come along, or may not come soon enough, or may spend a lot of time searching for the right cord.
2. A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.
3. A penny saved is a penny earned.
4. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.
5. Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one.
6. Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do.
7. Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.
8. Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.
9. By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
10. Diligence is the mother of good luck.
11. Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.
12. Energy and persistence conquer all things.
13. God helps those who help themselves.
14. Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.
15. He that can have patience can have what he will.
16. He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.
17. He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees.
18. Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?
19. Honesty is the best policy.
20. I look upon death to be as necessary to our constitution as sleep. We shall rise refreshed in the morning.
21. I wake up every morning at nine and grab for the morning paper. Then I look at the obituary page. If my name is not on it, I get up.
22. If you would be loved, love, and be loveable.
23. If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.
24. In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.
25. In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.
26. Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what to eat for dinner. Liberty is a well armed sheep.
27. It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness...there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.
28. It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
29. It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.
30. Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.
31. Marriage is the most natural state of man, and... the state in which you will find solid happiness.
32. Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
33. One today is worth two tomorrows.
34. Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody.
35. Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste.
36. Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
37. The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.
38. The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.
39. There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means - either may do - the result is the same and it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier.
40. When you're finished changing, you're finished.
41. Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow.
42. Write your injuries in dust, your benefits in marble.
When you walk through a storm Hold your head up high And don't be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm Is a golden sky And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on, walk on With hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone, You'll never walk alone.
Born in Porbandar, India, in 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would have been 146 years old today. One of the most recognizable leaders of all time, Gandhi was (and continues to be) revered for his satyagraha — nonviolent civil disobedience — philosophy in leading India to independence and inspiring civil rights and freedom movements around the world.
Gandhi was often called by the title "Mahatma", which is Sanskrit for "Great Soul".
1. Be the change you want to see in the world.
2. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
3. The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority.
4. There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.
5. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
6. Suffering cheerfully endured, ceases to be suffering and is transmuted into an ineffable joy.
7. Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected.
8. Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.
9. Nobody can hurt me without my permission.
10. There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever.
11. My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet.
12. Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning.
13. Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.
14. You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.
15. Just as the body cannot exist without blood, so the soul needs the matchless and pure strength of faith.
16. When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator.
17. We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.
18. An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.
19. It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.
20. You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.
21. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
22. Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.
23. The only tyrant I accept in this world is the 'still small voice' within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority.
24. An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
25. You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.
26. The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problem.
27. A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.
28. A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.
29. In a gentle way, you can shake the world.
30. You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau
The waves of the sea, Help me get back to me. -Jill Davis
Don't grow up too quickly, lest you forget how much you love the beach. - Michelle Held
May your time be filled with relaxing sunsets, cool drinks and sand between your toes. - Unknown
The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. - Kate Chopin
My love, I would like even more;
to be an ocean if you are the wave;
to be a wave, if you are the ocean. - Nicolas Guillen
If you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you're lucky enough. - Unknown
Moments in paradise, when life touches heaven, include:
1. Walking along a soft, white sand beach while the gentle, rolling tide caresses your feet.
2. Viewing the magnificent splendor of ocean beauty at sunset or sunrise.
3. Sitting near the ocean shore, watching and listening to the breaking waves rolling in. - Ken R. Young Sea More at: Beach-Sea-and-Ocean: Quotes-and-Sayings.
1. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. - Melody Beattie
2. If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. - Meister Eckhart
3. Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude. - E.P. Powell
4. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy
5. Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. - Edward Sandford Martin
6. What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving? - Erma Bombeck
7. Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. - W.J. Cameron
8. He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart. - J.A. Shedd
9. Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day. - Robert Caspar Lintner
10. Heap high the board with plenteous cheer and gather to the feast,
And toast the sturdy Pilgrim band whose courage never ceased. - Alice W. Brotherton
11. Forever on Thanksgiving Day
The heart will find the pathway home. - Wilbur D. Nesbit
12. To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. - Johannes A. Gaertner
13. A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. - Cicero
14. Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart. - Seneca
15. Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. - Unknown
16. The thing I'm most thankful for right now is elastic waistbands. - Unknown
17. Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. - William Arthur Ward
18. May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs! - Author Unknown
19. God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" - William A. Ward
20. If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. - Frank A. Clark
21. None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. - Fred De Witt Van Amburgh
22. The pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts… nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. - H. W. Westermayer
23. Gratitude is the heart's memory. - French Proverb
24. Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving. - W. T. Purkiser
25. The unthankful heart...discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! - Henry Ward Beecher
26. We should spend as much time in thanking God for His blessings as we do asking Him for them. - St. Vincent de Paul
27. Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts." - Henri Frederic Amiel
28. When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself. - Tecumseh
In learning how to deal with the struggles in my life, the song “The Impossible Dream” from the musical “Man of La Mancha” has become a spiritual mantra for my quest to come closer to the Lord by conquering my weaknesses and fighting “the unbeatable foe”. I have thought a lot about the meaning of each line in the song and how it can apply to my life and my quest.
Following the below song lyrics, I review the words of each line in the song with my personal interpretations.
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!
This is my quest to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far;
To fight for the right without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause!
And I know, if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable stars!
From “Man of La Mancha” Lyrics by Joe Darion, Music by Mitch Leigh
“To dream the impossible dream”
It’s like a challenge to dare to dream, to accomplish something that may seem to be impossible, either because of our own insecurities and doubts, or because of what is generally accepted in society as being either very difficult or impossible. But taking the step forward in allowing ourselves to dream that which seems impossible, begins to make it possible.
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." - T.S. Eliot
“To fight the unbeatable foe”
Who is the unbeatable foe? Does such a being exist? If anyone, we might think it to be our own selves. Yet our true inner self is the force which is doing the dreaming and the fighting; so it becomes a matter of letting the inner self, or spirit, to become the captain of the army which is fighting. Fighting who? Most likely, that would be Satan. But is he unbeatable? I don’t believe so, though I know he can put up a good fight. He is our enemy and would love us to believe that he is unbeatable, so that we will lay down our weapons and quit trying. When we do that, he has won. But it is we who hold the weapons and wear the armor, and as long as we hold fast to these, we shall beat the unbeatable foe.
"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul." - William E. Henley
“To bear with unbearable sorrow”
Sorrow for sins, mistakes, grief for a loved one’s passing, un-kept promises – there are many ways in which we experience sorrow here on earth. I believe that when we are able to experience the burden of heavy sorrow, we taste a bit of the pain and sorrow the Savior had in our behalf at Gethsemane. He who bore the most unbearable sorrow of all can help us bear the sorrow we must have to overcome, conquer and improve. The extremity of unbearable sorrow can be the launching pad for our journey towards heaven, fueled by the Lord’s atonement and His love for us.
When we look upon our sins and mistakes as things which increased the burden of sorrow which fell upon the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane, we can, and should, muster up greater determination to not do anything more which will have added more to His sorrow on our behalf.
"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it." – Moliere
“To run where the brave dare not go”
At times in our lives, we are faced with the opportunity to stretch ourselves and take steps in directions we have not previously pursued, or down paths that frighten us. The courage it takes to face our fears and to pursue a path that we know will ultimately bless and benefit us, but which may also provide pain and soul-stretching, is tremendous. It requires that we have our eye on the end goal, the reward for blood, sweat and tears. It requires a no-matter-what-it-takes attitude. It requires that we “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” (2 Nephi 31:20)
Many who might otherwise seem brave may not dare to go down such paths. Only by inviting the strength of the Lord to be with us can we dare such a venture.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
“To right the un-rightable wrong”
First off, nothing we do is “un-rightable”, or not able to be made right; unless, of course we deny the Holy Ghost. But we may believe sometimes that the wrong we have done is so bad, or has caused so much damage to ourselves or to others, that we are unable to fully overcome it and be completely forgiven. We need to truly believe in the Savior’s atonement, and to accept its power in our lives. We need to truly believe in ourselves, that we are capable of fully repenting, of being forgiven, and of having a change of heart. We need to look forward to the day that we no longer desire to sin, but seek only after righteousness.
Perhaps life has wronged us in some way we couldn't control, or we have been wronged by others. These types of wrongs can sometimes seem insurmountable, or "un-rightable". We can get so bogged down by their effects, that we are unable to move past them, and ultimately we fall victim to our own acceptance of them in our lives.
Satan wants us to believe that our lives are “un-rightable”. He wants us to accept the wrong situations in our lives as normal, or not worth the effort to remove. But I believe that the reward of increased happiness, spiritual strength and blessings, and the assurance of eternal salvation and exaltation are extremely worth any efforts we take to make our lives right. And, it is important to remember that, in the end, it really is the Lord who makes us right and relieves our burdens; it is through his infinite grace and mercy for us that we can be made right. We only need to take the first step and invite His love, grace and atoning power into our hearts and lives.
"I will write of him who fights and vanquishes his sins, who struggles on through weary years against himself…and wins." – Caroline B. LeRow
“To love pure and chaste from afar”
This is an interesting combination of words, which can have so much meaning. To have love which is pure and chaste for everyone would go a long way to making us more like the Savior. This kind of love given non-discriminatingly to others would change a lot of what we do and what we think. It would serve as a very strong armor in the battle for righteousness and against sin and temptation.
If we could only truly believe that we all are children of God, and that we all have both the right and responsibility to love and be loved in a pure and chaste manner, how could we ever desire to do anything to or with another person that wasn’t pure and chaste? This is the pure love of Christ, of which we all have a portion and need to seek to obtain or develop more.
Sometimes we need to learn to love “from afar”. To recognize that because of our differences, or challenges, or physical separation, our love will sometimes be at a distance. The distance can sometimes be hard to understand, but the love can and needs to be there and continue to grow. Sometimes a pure and chaste love can only occur when it is “from afar”.
"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." – Moroni 7:47 “To try when your arms are too weary”
To keep on trying after it seems we have become worn out from trying is a difficult thing to do. Yet, it seems that is where the real reward or benefit comes. The saying, “no pain, no gain”, is true in so many ways.
I’m reminded of the story of a man who was in the Martin Handcart Company, one of the many groups of Mormon pioneers who crossed the plains, who related his struggles and efforts to keep trying when his arms, legs and whole body were too weary from pulling a heavy handcart over the plains and Rocky Mountains. He told of how he would choose a landmark ahead of him and decide that when he reached it, he would quit, because he felt he couldn’t go on any further. After reaching the chosen landmark, he felt as if the cart was pushing him, and so he continued on. He bore testimony that it was the strength of the Lord and his angels that allowed him to go on.
I believe that there is an extra storage of strength for all of us to tap into, when we feel that our own is gone. If our pursuit is righteous, the Lord will “prepare a way for [us] that [we] may accomplish” whatever is required of us (see 1 Nephi 3:7).
To “try when your arms are too weary” is too have an attitude of never giving up, of relying on the Lord for extra strength, and of having faith that we can do it - because the Lord wants us to.
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." – Philippians 4:13
“To reach the unreachable star”
By having an attitude of never giving up and having sufficient faith in the strength of the Lord, we are then able to reach heights, or stars, that would otherwise be unreachable to us. This is where the grace of the Lord comes into play – when we not only have done what we can do, but have exercised faith and earnestly sought and invited the Lord to take over and lift us higher.
Our part includes setting high goals, aiming high. A favorite thought of mine is that if you aim for the stars, you may only hit the top of the tree, but if you aim for the top of the tree, you may only hit the trunk. The Lord’s grace, when invited and applied, will allow us to aim for the stars and to hit or reach them.
What is the “unreachable star”? For me, it is to return to live with Heavenly Father in His kingdom and partake of all the blessings of Eternal Life with Him. And to do this with those I love. Sometimes, as I stumble through life, I wonder if I can ever prepare myself enough for that. Do I have what it takes to be worthy of such blessings? Maybe not on my own, but with the Lord’s strength and grace, I believe I do. So, it’s up to me to make room enough for Him and his grace in my life so that I will reach my star.
"To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life." - Robert Louis Stevenson
"This is my quest, to follow that star"
That word "quest" seems to really fit how I feel about what I'm after. A pursuit, a journey, a path with a goal. My quest to follow and reach that star is what motivates me onward - it is my purpose for living and for trying. My star is my vision of being complete, strong, purposeful and happy - living with God and those I love. It's a star, though far away, that continues to shine in the sky, twinkling as if to remind me of how pretty it is and how much I really do want to reach it.
So my life's journey must be to continue watching it and following it, and never losing sight of it.
"Man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" - Robert Browning
"No matter how hopeless, no matter how far"
Sometimes it can feel almost hopeless in pursuit of a goal which seems so far off or difficult to achieve. But that which is worth having is worth striving for. No pain, no gain. The prize is worth the price. I'm sure if I could only have a constant and clear vision of the glorious award and joy that awaits me in the celestial kingdom, I would do all I could all the time to achieve it. Ah, but that is where faith comes in. We are told and are given testimonies of that glory that we are striving for. It is our faith in the Lord and his gospel which keeps us moving forward "no matter how hopeless, no matter how far".
Building a strong faith and a determination to do what is required - whatever it takes - is what will carry us onward. A determination to not give up, to always get up when you fall, to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks. You have to decide in your heart that reaching that star is of utmost importance and that you will not allow yourself to be deterred, slowed down or stopped. Dedication to a goal is the key to achieving it.
I must decide to continue being faithful and dedicated to righteousness and the pursuit of that star, "no matter how hopeless, no matter how far". It may be far, but I am sure it is not hopeless.
"The worth of every conviction consists precisely in the steadfastness with which it is held." - Jane Addams
"To fight for the right, without question or pause"
To fight- that's really what we are doing. We're in a battle against the devil and his cohorts, whose influences are around us everywhere, as well as all the negative situations in our world. It takes courage to go to battle, a courage fed by faith, testimony and a desire for something better. It also requires fear - a fear of what might be if we don't fight. It requires a good deal of confidence and trust in the Lord, our captain, that he will lead us through successfully, and trust in the strength of the armor that he has given us. The gospel itself, the scriptures, prayer, inspiration from the Holy Ghost, our covenants, the commandments, the temple and many other things make up the spiritual armor that we wear into battle.
It's strange how, even though we've been given so much strong, effective armor, that sometimes we choose not to wear it, or we decide to lower our shield. And, somehow we fool ourselves into thinking that by removing the armor or not carrying the shield, we will still be fine and unscathed in battle. Satan knows when our armor is removed and where our weak points are, and he will most assuredly target them.
Sometimes we "question or pause" in battle, when the going gets tough, or we lose faith and confidence. Or, maybe we pause because of an attractive distraction and feed a weakness. When we pause, we stop in our progress. We lose ground and Satan pushes us back. Effort already expended is wasted because we have to fight again to re-gain ground.
To be successful in fighting for the right, we must be so dedicated to the goal and so confident in the Lord and his armor, that we refuse to question or pause - and we march forward.
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." - Ephesians 6:13
"To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause"
It seems there really is a battle going on, on the road to heaven. At times we are required to "march into hell", a period or series of very difficult challenges that can and do test our mettle and faith. It's keeping our eyes and thoughts on the "heavenly cause" that can help us through the hell. In facing and overcoming my life's challenges, I have had several marches through hell. The influence and impact of these have been quite strong at times. And although at times I have and do falter, I have an overall desire and will to march on towards heaven, even though I must pass through some hell.
Facing a particular problem, challenge or weakness, and working to conquer it can be very hellish. I have a testimony that Satan is real and he knows our weaknesses. When we pledge to overcome and do better, he pledges to knock down our resolve, and trip us on the way. So, our determination to reach the goal and our constant seeking for divine assistance becomes essential. We must be willing to endure the inevitable trial of our strength, faith and determination, knowing that the prize is worth the price - that reaching heaven is worth suffering through some hell.
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." - Louisa May Alcott
"And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest"
To be true to the truth is the key. True in keeping the course and being dedicated to the cause - always - in everything I do. That is a daunting task and a quest in itself. Shakespeare, in his play "Hamlet", said "To thine own self be true". To be true to my own self is to follow the path which my heart and spirit dictates. It is being true to my inner self.
Recognizing that this truly is a glorious quest is also significant. It is glorious in that it is a path to glory. A way to achieve and experience glory.
What is glory, anyway? Without looking it up in the dictionary I would describe it as beautiful holiness, joy in perfection, peace and happiness in ultimate fulfillment. If that is what such a quest is, or leads to, then my inner (own) self greatly desires it. So, to get the rest of me to get there, too, I need to be diligent in following the course and "be true to this glorious quest".
"Shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory!" - Joseph Smith, D&C 128:22
"That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest"
To leave this world with a peaceful and calm heart seems to be something everyone desires, yet it doesn't always happen. Many things can keep us from peace, but an inner peace is something that can and should be achieved before we die, no matter what our earthly circumstances. That inner peace is obtained by feeling like we have followed our heart and have tried to become one with God.
In trying to become one with God, I must continue to pursue my quest and reach that star. To know when I am dying or have died that I kept trying, kept improving and worked hard to develop a good relationship with the Lord will allow me to achieve a peaceful and calm heart.
"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars." - Henry Van Dyke
"And the world will be better for this, that one man scorned and covered with scars"
I have no doubt that I will be well scarred, from the many errors and failed attempts to do my best and overcome weaknesses, by the time I die. Already, I have had many scars. But scars can heal and be removed through the love and atonement of the Savior. I have seen and have faith in that. I need to have greater faith in myself and my abilities to continually seek the power and influence of His atonement in my life.
The vision of a man trudging forward in faith and courage, very visibly beaten up and scarred, and yet brightened by hope and determination, is a powerful picture. It is one in which I want to see myself.
All those who follow this course will most certainly cause a better world - for themselves and for others.
"Bad breaks need not break a good man. They may, with God's help, even make him better." - Neal A. Maxwell
"Still strove with his last ounce of courage"
Down to the last ounce. To have the determination to continue to go forward, using my last ounce of courage, is also very powerful and challenging. Again, I think of that pioneer who continued pulling his handcart until he thought he could no longer, and then recieved heavenly help to go on.
I believe that if we continue to strive and push forward, even when we feel our courage is nearly gone, that we will gain new courage and strength, and be blessed for it. If we fear pushing forward because we think we may not have enough courage or strength to meet the test, and we then choose to stop trying, then perhaps that is when our courage is depleted. To gain greater strength in our physical muscles, we need to work out and exercise them. To gain greater spiritual courage and strength, the same is true.
"So long as man’s courage endures he will conquer; upon the courage in his heart all things depend." - H.G. Wells
I desire to have the determination to always strive to overcome my weaknesses and be a better person, a better husband, father, son, brother, friend and servant of the Lord - no matter what, no matter how much courage I have left. I can see and I can feel that by doing so, I will be able "to reach the unreachable star!"
This is my quest.
- Ken R. Young
P.S. - Here's another quote that makes a good cap to this dissertation:
"In the end the great truth will have been learned, that the quest is greater than what is sought, the effort finer than the prize, or rather that the effort is the prize, the victory cheap and hollow were it not for the rigor of the game." - Benjamin Cardozo Also, see this nice version of the song:
"Life is an amazing journey; sometimes while climbing it seems like you will never reach the next ridge. Yet, when you finally do, it is so truly amazing to look back and realize where you have been and what great accomplishments you have made, just getting to where you are at this moment! Never give up, the best is always yet to come! Keep the faith and enjoy the moments."
Situated near the geographic center of San Francisco is a tall hill known as Twin Peaks. It offers the best unobstructed panoramic view of the city and the San Francisco Bay. While on a recent trip to San Francisco, I came upon a picture of this striking view, and was lured into finding my way to the top of this hill. Without consulting a map, I decided to drive to the hill and up to the viewpoint near the summit.
I could see where the hill was, and driving towards it, I determined that it should be quite simple to find a way up. But I soon learned, that although there are many roads leading up the hill, most of them do not reach the top. By taking several wrong turns, I explored many roads and various sides of the hill. Some of the roads looked as though they might reach my intended destination, but had either a dead end or a turn leading back down. At one dead end I was actually able to see the road that led up to the top, but I could not get to it. It was not until I frustratingly drove back down a good portion of the hill, being almost ready to give up, that I discovered and made a turn on to the right road. The right road even had the right name: “Twin Peaks Boulevard”.
So simple and so obvious. Had I only looked at a map before beginning my hilltop journey, I would have easily been able to start on the right road, and make it to the top a lot sooner. Perhaps stubbornness or pride played into that – I’m a man, you see, I don’t need directions! As I drove up, I could see that this was the road I had been searching for, and had full confidence that it would lead me to the top. The drive going up was not easy – both steep and winding – and yet each new bend and increased level of elevation offered previews of the fantastic view that was to come.
How happy I was to finally reach the top and take in the beautiful views! Blue skies allowed clear vision for many miles stretching across the San Francisco Bay Area. The majestic city, the Golden Gate Bridge, the pretty bay dotted with islands and sailboats, and the green hills of the north and east bay areas all played part in the awesome visual experience.
The journey up to this spot was long and frustrating (more than it needed to be!) and at times, fraught with dead ends, downturns, steep inclines, and winding curves. I’m sure there are many people who have taken this journey and experienced breakdowns or flat tires, or for some reason were not able to make it to the top. There are probably also many others, who having heard of this viewpoint, did not feel it was worth the time or the effort to make the journey, and never came, never saw. Then there are also those who are unaware that such a place exists. And, like me, I’m sure there are others who have tried to make their way up without the help of a map, but who got lost on the many roads that don’t lead to the top, and at some point gave up.
It struck me, as I enjoyed the view at the top, how similar this all was to life’s experience. Following directions, taking the right road, not giving up, learning from mistakes, being willing to come down a bit in order to rise again better, and conquering the steep and winding road ultimately will lead us to success and happiness.
Excerpts from the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach:
(photo by Ken R. Young)
"Most gulls don’t bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight – how to get from shore to food and back again.
More than anything else Jonathan Livingston Seagull loved to fly.
After failing several times to improve his flight, and crashing into the water, he sank low. The weight of failure was heavy on his back. He vowed he would forget this foolishness and be a normal gull.
Discovering the key to overcoming his failures (adapting his wingspan to that of a falcon’s short wings), he tried again and succeeded! The speed was power, the speed was joy and the speed was pure beauty. His vows of a moment before were swept away.
Such promises are only for the gulls that accept the ordinary. One who has touched excellence in his learning has no need of that kind of promise.
How much more there is now to living! Instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there’s a reason to life! We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. We can be free! We can learn to fly!
Jonathan discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is so short.
The most important thing in living was to reach out and touch perfection in that which he most loved to do.
Proverb: 'The gull sees farthest who flies highest'.
The only difference between the normal gull and those who seem special and gifted is that they have begun to understand what they really are and have begun to practice it."
Message:
Find your flight to perfection. Be the best at whatever you do.
1. Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.
2. Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.
3. Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.
4. Follow your instincts. That's where true wisdom manifests itself.
5. If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit.
6. Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.
7. My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
8. Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.
9. Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not.
10. The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.
11. The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.
12. The thing you fear most has no power. Your fear of it is what has the power. Facing the truth really will set you free.
13. The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.
14. Turn your wounds into wisdom.
15. Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.
16. Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have.
17. What God intended for you goes far beyond anything you can imagine.
18. Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.
19. You CAN have it all. You just can't have it all at once.
20. The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.
1. It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.
2. To realize one's destiny is a person's only obligation.
3. We have to take advantage when luck is on our side, and do as much to help it as its doing to help us. Its called the principle of favorability. Or beginners luck.
4. A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such speed. It feels an impulsion ... this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond the horizons.
5. What's the world's greatest lie? It's this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate.
6. When you want something with all your heart, that's when you are closest to the Soul of the World. It's always a positive force.
7. I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we're living now.
8. In his pursuit of the dream, he was being constantly subjected to tests of his persistence and courage. So he could not be hasty, nor impatient. If he pushed forward impulsively, he would fail to see the signs and omens left by God along his path.
9. There is only one way to learn. It's through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey.
10. The wise men understood that this natural world is only an image and a copy of paradise. The existence of this world is simply a guarantee that there exists a world that is perfect. God created the world so that, through its visible objects, men could understand his spiritual teachings and the marvels of this wisdom.
11. People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them.
12. Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.
13. When you are loved, you can do anything in creation. When you are loved, there's no need at all to understand what's happening, because everything happens within you.
14. It was my fear of failure that first kept me from attempting the master work. Now, I'm beginning what I could have started ten years ago. But I'm happy at least that I didn't wait twenty years.
15. When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.
One ship sails East, And another West, By the self-same winds that blow, 'Tis the set of the sails And not the gales, That tells the way we go. Like the winds of the sea Are the waves of time, As we journey along through life, 'Tis the set of the soul, That determines the goal, And not the calm or the strife.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
(photo by Ken R. Young)
Swedish translation:
Ett skepp seglar österut,
Och ett annat västerut,
I samma vind som blåsar,
Det är seglens uppsättning,
Inte vindens riktning,
Som bestämmer hur det seglar.
Liksom havets vindar,
Är tidens vågor,
När igenom livet vi går,
Det är själens uppsättning,
Inte lungn eller strid,
Som bestämmer vart vi når.
1. All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one... characteristic we must posses if we are to face the future as finishers.
2. An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
3. As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.
4. As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.
5. Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?
6. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.
7. Dreams are the touchstones of our character.
8. Friends... they cherish one another's hopes. They are kind to one another's dreams.
9. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
10. Goodness is the only investment that never fails.
11. Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.
12. If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.
13. If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.
14. Ignorance and bungling with love are better than wisdom and skill without.
15. In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high.
16. It is better to have your head in the clouds, and know where you are... than to breathe the clearer atmosphere below them, and think that you are in paradise.
17. It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?
18. It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate.
19. It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
20. Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.
21. Money is not required to buy one necessity of the soul.
22. Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.
23. None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
24. Not only must we be good, but we must also be good for something.
25. Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify.
26. Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.
27. Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
28. Thaw with her gentle persuasion is more powerful than Thor with his hammer. The one melts, the other breaks into pieces.
29. The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.
30. The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.
31. There is no remedy for love but to love more.
32. There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.
33. Truths and roses have thorns about them.
34. We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success.
35. What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. What you get by achieving your goals is to as important as what you become by achieving your goals.
36. You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.
37. He is the best sailor who can steer within the fewest points of the wind, and exact a motive power out of the greatest obstacles.
