Thank You Friends!

Two Wolves: A Cherokee Teaching

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life...

He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

One wolf is evil -- he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good---he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied: "The one you feed.”

Along with letting our families know how much we love and appreciate them, Dorothy and I want you to know how grateful we are for the kind words and encouragement from all of you.  Without you enjoying our posts and passing them on to those you feel will be intrigued by them, we wouldn’t see the tremendous growth in our friends.  Thank you for your support!

In this traditional month of giving thanks we want to remember the special people in our lives;  our parents who showed us the path for achievement, our siblings who helped us learn selflessness, our grandparents who taught us that we could be magnificent, our teachers and mentors who give us the gift of expansion, our children who teach us that we succeed as they succeed, our friends who give us love, laughter, and sometimes prod us in the “right” direction, and our spouses who support our whims and dreams.

We both feel that we truly live under lucky stars and we are so thankful for all of the gifts we’ve been given.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Susan and Dorothy

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are.

                                                                                                    Bishop Desmond Tutu 

Years ago, renown author and lecturer, Leo Buscalia was asked to judge a contest, the purpose of which was to find the most caring child.  The winner was a 4-year-old child whose next-door neighbor, an elderly man, had recently lost his wife of many years.  Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went to him, climbed up on his lap and sat there quietly.  When his mother asked him what he had said to the man, the boy said, “Nothing, I just wanted to help him cry.” 

After stumbling upon this story again this week, I set out to see what other children had to say about love.  I want to share what I found with you today, with hopes that it will bring a smile and a bit of sweet perspective: 

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”  Rebecca- age 8 

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” Billy – age 4 

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.” Karl – age 5 

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” Chrissy – age 6 

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” Terri – age 4 

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” Danny – age 7 

“Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss” Emily – age 8 

“Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.”  Bobby – age 7 (Wow!) 

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,” Nikka – age 6  (We need a few million more Nikka’s on this planet) 

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” Noelle – age 7 

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.”  Tommy – age 6 

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.”  Cindy – age 8 

“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”  Clare – age 6 

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”  Elaine-age 5 

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” Chris – age 7 

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.”

Mary Ann – age 4 

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.”  Lauren – age 4 

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” Karen – age 7 

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.”

Mark – age 6 

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”  Jessica – age 8 

I’ve been so moved by these sweet words of wisdom, I just can’t stop thinking about them. I hope they’ve touched you, too!  Let’s all try heeding the simple lessons of these beautiful children.  This week let’s all share our French fries, make friends with someone we hate, shoot little stars, stop (opening presents, watching TV, sending texts, rushing) and listen, and if we mean it - say it a lot! 

Namaste,

Dorothy 

Dorothy: If you're having trouble getting into the swing of the "season" - or the "season" brings you special challenges, I recommend visiting your local grade school in the weeks ahead.  Volunteer to read, or help in the lunchroom or whatever suits you...but I guarantee the sweet faces of the children you pass (this week many wearing construction paper Pilgrim hats or Indian headdresses!) will help you to make the shift!  The good and beauty of the world lies within a child's face! 

Susan: The simplicity and truth in young wisdom touches me deeply. Sharing our hearts can change the world.

Live With Passion

Man, unlike the animal, has never learned that 

the sole purpose of life is to enjoy it.

-Samuel Butler

Life is supposed to be fun and lived with gusto!  We hope this poem touches your heart and reminds you to enjoy every day.

The Dash Poem

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone

From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

And spoke of the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth

And now only those who loved her

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,

The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;

Are there things you'd like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what's true and real

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger

And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives

Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect

And more often wear a smile,

Remembering that this special dash

Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read

With your life's actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent your dash?

All our best for the terrific week!

Susan and Dorothy 

We can disagree without being disagreeable

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

Indira Gandi

Try as I may to distance myself from the influences of the media, politics, and general discord the world is currently experiencing, staying out of the fray has become a full-time and, sometimes, exhausting effort. I fear it’s taking its toll on me. There is definitely a disturbance in the force, and I’m feeling a little “off.”

It occurred to me recently that my conversations with others who do not necessarily share my views/values have been less conscious and more defensive and pejorative than is my usual way. Born of my own fears and sense of uncertainty, I realize I’ve been taking on the role of converter or judge, and in so doing, have diluted and distorted my authenticity, as well as the truths I hold dear.

I do not like this disagreeable me. So, I am working hard to renew my hope that though I cannot end the wars, stop the hunger, or the MADNESS that seem to have all of humanity off balance right now, I can, by being an honorable, compassionate citizen of the world, soften the hard edges a bit. I believe this matters, so am committed to doing the work. 

It is time for me to drop the rocks of fear, judgment, resentment and uncertainty I seem to be clenching so tightly right now.  It is time for us all to put down the guns, the labels, the inequity of supremacy and entitlement and offer instead an outstretched hand of trust, understanding and acceptance. I have come to understand that an outstretched hand does not require that we give up our values or beliefs; it simply enables us to look beyond the conflict to the common ground of our humanity, and reminds us that we can disagree without being disagreeable.

The other day I found myself in a conversation that had the potential of escalating into a true brouhaha. As the “THEM vs US” lines began being drawn, I forced myself to look directly into the eyes of the person whose attitude was becoming the most defensive and began mentally ticking off the things about him I knew we had in common:  Like me, he loves his family, has bills to pay, cares about the environment, votes, volunteers and kisses his dog on the lips. I couldn’t help but giggle. And, when I told him of the dog-kissing image I was holding in my mind, he giggled, too, then reached out his hand and said, “Let’s put this to rest and go find some dogs to kiss!”

Scott Russell Sanders, whose essays have been said to “cleanse the door of perception”, offers a thoughtful perspective when he asks in Hunting for Hope, “If compassion won't reach across the dinner table, how can it reach across the globe?” Peace will come out of celebrating our commonalities, not in emphasizing our differences.

It starts with me.

Dorothy

Dorothy:   The slower pace of the darker days has arrived. I look forward to this time of year, to gathering up my loose ends and settling into nesting mode. I will make soup today, read a good book, and enjoy the autumnal landscape outside my window. I hope there is a peaceful space in your day too.

Susan:  Once again, business travel has filled this week with opportunities to connect with people who are generous with their kindness. It’s truly a gift to realize how many of us are endeavoring to make our world a little more balanced.

Thank you friends for your continued support and enthusiasm!  We're happy to welcome so many new followers and hope you're finding inspiration here.  Please let us know your thoughts and suggestions..either here at the blog, on Facebook, or at our email addresses: 

Dorothy@the51percentproject.com or Susan@the51percentproject.com