"Thought for Today:"Some of the most important questions in life are rarely asked by us. It is as though we take our life for granted until it becomes too late and it is taken back from us. I don't necessarily mean those mind-boggling issues that ask,'Why are you here', but other simpler things like, 'Why do birds sing? The answer is older than the hills as my mother often told me, 'Billy, birds sing for no other reason than they have a song to sing!' She was effectively telling me that when I find 'myself' in this world, I will also have found 'my purpose' as to 'Why I am here'. I must then carry out my purpose in life and 'sing my song' in whatever expressive form my talent lies.
We are each blessed with talents of varying nature. More often than not, most aspects of personality are easily recognised as being a talent, such as writing, painting, singing, dancing, musical, sculpting, or indeed any handicraft or artisan work.
Our most important talents are, however, those things we automatically do daily in our dealings with people we encounter and bring to bear at times of need in their lives. Chief among these talents are included one's capacity to honestly express, be loving, sharing, compassionate, sympathetic, empathetic, lend an ear, give helpful advice, be a good neighbour, good parent, loving sibling or good friend.
Often, one's most precious talent can be summed up by simply 'Being there' for another at times of need! Mum also advised that if we don't strain our eyes trying to see the fault in the cloth, we might see the wonderful workmanship that went into making the garment. If we look gently at what lies before us, whether person, creature or thing, we will see more clearly the totality of craft that went into its creation.When we look for 'bad' or 'failure' we find that for which we look. The same applies, if instead, we look for 'goodness' and 'success'.
Some people possess the capacity to look at a thorn and see a budding rose; some can see a hurt person and hear their inner cry; others look at the night and see the day that follows. Once one opens up their heart to all the possibilities of life, one's hopes and dreams are more likely to be realised. If we allow goodness into our lives, we will become sensitive enough to recognise the maleness in every woman and the woman in every man, the child in every adult, and the adult in every child. It is this openness of heart and extent of vision which enables us to see the humanity in every person and the Godliness in every human being.
I once came across a beautiful Indian prayer whose words I cannot recall precisely, but whose message was (my words), 'I am neither North, South, East or West but feel at home in all tepees. No boundaries exist in my breast; no cultural walls separate my mind from the thoughts that concern you, and no hurt that ever touches you leaves me unpained by your suffering. You are my earth neighbour and my heavenly companion'.
The very first thing we learn as a foetus inside our mother's tummy is to 'hold on to life' by remaining attached to the umbilical cord; a vein that carries oxygenated blood and nutrients from the placenta to the foetus through the abdomen, and removes waste products. Once born into this world, an infant instantly learns how to hold on to the one they love and keep them close. As the infant grows into a young child, their mother teaches them how to change their first clinging at her breast into a hug within her loving arms. As the individual grows into a teenager, their hug is often seen as an embrace within the loving arms of another. Entry into lasting union with our sweetheart and wife/partner witnesses the final transformation from foetus to soul mate: when the embodiment of two hearts, minds, bodies and souls become as one again; just like it was when you were inside your mother's tummy waiting to enter the outside world. What better example do we need to illustrate that all hugging and warm embrace is the very stuff that life is made of?
One is never too young to learn the pleasure that can be derived from hugging, a tree, an animal or a human being. It matters not who or what one hugs, as the positive transfer of body energy is universally beneficial to the hugged and the hugger. "William Forde: February 21st, 2018 .
We are each blessed with talents of varying nature. More often than not, most aspects of personality are easily recognised as being a talent, such as writing, painting, singing, dancing, musical, sculpting, or indeed any handicraft or artisan work.
Our most important talents are, however, those things we automatically do daily in our dealings with people we encounter and bring to bear at times of need in their lives. Chief among these talents are included one's capacity to honestly express, be loving, sharing, compassionate, sympathetic, empathetic, lend an ear, give helpful advice, be a good neighbour, good parent, loving sibling or good friend.
Often, one's most precious talent can be summed up by simply 'Being there' for another at times of need! Mum also advised that if we don't strain our eyes trying to see the fault in the cloth, we might see the wonderful workmanship that went into making the garment. If we look gently at what lies before us, whether person, creature or thing, we will see more clearly the totality of craft that went into its creation.When we look for 'bad' or 'failure' we find that for which we look. The same applies, if instead, we look for 'goodness' and 'success'.
Some people possess the capacity to look at a thorn and see a budding rose; some can see a hurt person and hear their inner cry; others look at the night and see the day that follows. Once one opens up their heart to all the possibilities of life, one's hopes and dreams are more likely to be realised. If we allow goodness into our lives, we will become sensitive enough to recognise the maleness in every woman and the woman in every man, the child in every adult, and the adult in every child. It is this openness of heart and extent of vision which enables us to see the humanity in every person and the Godliness in every human being.
I once came across a beautiful Indian prayer whose words I cannot recall precisely, but whose message was (my words), 'I am neither North, South, East or West but feel at home in all tepees. No boundaries exist in my breast; no cultural walls separate my mind from the thoughts that concern you, and no hurt that ever touches you leaves me unpained by your suffering. You are my earth neighbour and my heavenly companion'.
The very first thing we learn as a foetus inside our mother's tummy is to 'hold on to life' by remaining attached to the umbilical cord; a vein that carries oxygenated blood and nutrients from the placenta to the foetus through the abdomen, and removes waste products. Once born into this world, an infant instantly learns how to hold on to the one they love and keep them close. As the infant grows into a young child, their mother teaches them how to change their first clinging at her breast into a hug within her loving arms. As the individual grows into a teenager, their hug is often seen as an embrace within the loving arms of another. Entry into lasting union with our sweetheart and wife/partner witnesses the final transformation from foetus to soul mate: when the embodiment of two hearts, minds, bodies and souls become as one again; just like it was when you were inside your mother's tummy waiting to enter the outside world. What better example do we need to illustrate that all hugging and warm embrace is the very stuff that life is made of?
One is never too young to learn the pleasure that can be derived from hugging, a tree, an animal or a human being. It matters not who or what one hugs, as the positive transfer of body energy is universally beneficial to the hugged and the hugger. "William Forde: February 21st, 2018 .
