Thoughts that keep coming back to me lately, words of "wisdom" for me:
1) When you give a gift, don't expect anything back, including an expression of thanks. This also includes "gifts" of encouragement or just a nice e-mail. If it comes back to you, all the better. If it does not, and you expected it to, what was the value of the gift, anyway? This is a hard one for me but it's important.
2) "Not everything that's true needs to be said". Thanks, Lanita for that one....it's goes against every fiber in my being to keep some things "unsaid" but if I'd live by this one, I'd live much more peacefully with others, I think...
3) "You weren't around when you were young". This one comes from Dad. As in, you don't remember the junk that you did when you were that age. But oh yes, we do...
4) "I need help". Interestingly, this came from the book How to Raise Totally Awesome Kids by Chuck and Jenni Borsellino. I'm realizing more and more how hard it is for me to reach out and admit that as a pregnant mother of a toddler, I am overwhelmed and need help. Emotionally and physically, but I do no one a great service by trying to carry the burden alone. I will seek out more help.
5) Keep it real. In relationships, I hide from the "messy" stuff because it hurts to deal with it. But the more I am open with my feelings, the more I feel accepting of the differences I ineveitably will have at times with others.
6) "What's said during jury duty, stays at jury duty". Thanks, judge for that one. I guess that goes along with #2, so if I'm called in again for a nice juicy case, I will have a tough time with #6 as well. *Sigh*
7) It's okay to find your own rhythm. Taken from Angelica and her Kindermusik teacher, Miss Cindy. Stand when other sit, tap the floor when others tap the drum. Do what you must, but be true to your heart's dictation.
Happy fourth of July weekend!
Words--yes, what a great subject! Something that has gotten me in trouble more than once :) You've covered it well and given us much to think about. #2--my thanks to Lanita, too--struck a chord with me, I'll tuck that one away for future use!
ReplyDeleteMy contributions? Well, let's see... one of my favorites has always been "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).
And, a family classic: "Turn the clock back to where it ticks." Ha, ha. Remember when you came up with that one some years back? Did any of us really know what that meant? Open to personal interpretation, I guess!
Thanks for the post. Great reminder of the power of words--both good and bad...