Instructions for Life – The Dali Lama

A good friend passed these on to me… Thanks Robin

  1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
  2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
  3. Follow the three R’s:
    • Respect for self
    • Respect for others and
    • Responsibility for all your actions.
  4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
  5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
  6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
  7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
  8. Spend some time alone every day.
  9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
  10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
  11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
  12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
  13. In disagreements with loved ones deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
  14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
  15. Be gentle with the earth.
  16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
  17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
  18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
  19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

What I Believe

A friend recently asked me to write about what I believe for a religious studies class she was taking at her local Catholic church.   I believe she asked as she knows that I am a little ways from center in my beliefs. 

I came across the following quote that seems to summarize my beliefs:

We believe in the formless and eternal Tao, and we recognize all personified deities as being mere human constructs.  We reject hatred, intolerance, and unnecessary violence, and embrace harmony, love and learning, as we are taught by Nature.  We place our trust and our lives in the Tao, that we may live in peace and balance with the Universe, both in this mortal life and beyond.  ~~~~ Creed of the Western Reform Taoist Congregation Continue reading “What I Believe”

We Happened Upon Death

My mother’s birthday was going to fall in the middle of the week, so I decided to drive down to Muskogee for the weekend to celebrate it with her. Saturday, we drove to Tulsa, and we went shopping for her a birthday present. Afterwards we had lunch a Macaroni Grill. Since it was such a nice day I decided to take the slower way back to Muskogee rather than the turnpike.

As we were nearing her house traffic on US 69, a major artery, came to a stop. After a while we began to inch forward. I could see three ambulances near the intersection; two different fire department vehicles had passed us as well as a multitude of police vehicles.
Continue reading “We Happened Upon Death”

What Religion is God

The question has been asked before, What religion is God?

Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam.  It is a once in a life time requirement of every able-bodied Muslim. The pilgrimage must take place during the second week of the Islamic month, Dhul Hijjah.  During the Hajj, there are many rituals to be observed in a short period of time. One is the Stoning of the Devil, a reenactment of the Devil tempting Abraham three times as he prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac.
Continue reading “What Religion is God”

Quote for the Day – Douglas Adam

“He often felt his life was a dream and he wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it.” ~ Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

This probably hits closer to home than many.  I remember an aunt of mine who has Alzheimer’s.  In one of her few vaguely lucid moments she commented, “It all has felt like a dream.”

To see more Quotes for Day, visit this link: Quotes for the Day

#douglasadams #hitchhikersguidetothegalaxy #quotes

 

 

Quote for the Day – Charles R. Swindol

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

~Charles R. Swindol

To see more Quotes for Day, visit this link: Quotes for the Day