Posts by Pat:
Wisdom from Winnie the Pooh
Meaningful truths abound in childen’s books! And Winnie the Pooh and his friends are thought-provoking and inspiring!
Here’s some of my favorites!
On friendship~
On self-esteem~ “You are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think.”
On caring~ “Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
On life~ “Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved.”
On individuality~ “The things that make me different are the things that make me.”
On ever-lasting love~ “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”
On cooperation~ “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
On the smallest of things~ “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
On being in the moment~
On listening~ “If the person you are talking to does not appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
On doing what’s needed~ On beauty~
On getting where you want to go~ On the serendipity of life~
So…do you have a favorite quote from Winnie (or another childhood favorite)?
I think my favorite (at least in this moment!) is this next one…
So should we ask why? Part 2
Last week I wrote about weakening questions like “Why does this always happen to me?” On the other end of the spectrum, there are the what and how questions that are strengthening questions. These are the questions that bring forth a perspective that will help us overcome any obstacle or challenge. Some examples of what questions are: […]
Don’t ask why! Part 1
There are basically two types of questions that we can ask ourselves on a daily basis. And today’s post will focus on the first type. This first category of questions weakens our ability to think effectively and, at the same time, makes us feel inadequate and incapable as we lose ourselves within our excuses and […]
Another Zen parable
A traveler finds himself lost, wandering in the forest for many days. Finally he comes upon a grass hut, the home of a lonely hermit. Exhausted and starving, the traveler remembers hearing stories of the ornery and aggressive hermit he must not confront-or die. If the traveler threatens the hermit with his machete and demands […]
Forrest Gump at Heaven’s Gate
Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven and is met by St. Peter himself at the Pearly Gates. But the gates are closed. St. Peter say’s “Well, Forrest, it’s certainly good to see you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast and we’ve been administering an entrance examination for everyone. […]
Earth Hums Just Like We Do!
Scientists say that our planet generates a constant, deep thrum of noise. Not just noise, but rather a kind of music-“huge, swirling loops of sound” that are so low they can’t be heard by most human ears. But apparently, as of 1998, we have sensitive equipment that is getting better at picking up what the […]
Is it funny?
There’s this story… Theresa, a language teacher, was explaining to her class that in French and several other languages, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine. (I do remember my days of high school French!) “House” for instance is feminine: “la maison.” “Pencil” however is masculine: “le crayon.” So, a student asked, […]
Band-aids or surgery!?
What do Scotch Tape, Post-it Notes, and paper clips have in common? Each apparently has a different function, is made of a different material, and serves its own purpose. Oh sure, you can say they’re all office supplies (and you’d be right) but we can look a little deeper for their common purpose. Paper clips […]
Are squirrels really pessimists?
Nooo! I don’t want to believe it! I’ve prided myself on being an optimist! And I just know that it is good for me to think optimistically!! But… research published by the American Psychological Association last year showed that pessimists-because of their penchant for seeing life through a grim lens-take steps to improve their health, […]
Our stumbles can transform us
An interesting thought from spiritual author and teacher Marianne Williamson: “In order to create their beautiful plumage, peacocks sometimes eat thorns. Hard, pointed, razor-like objects are processed in their abdomens and then contribute to feathers with colors and shapes unmatched throughout nature for their extraordinary beauty. So it is with us. Often that which is […]