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Stories to Challenge Us?

Posted by Pat on October 1, 2012 in Uncategorized |
fish in water     Word pictures do it for me! How about you?
     So let’s imagine a fish (you? me?) being told that we are surrounded by water but don’t quite realize what this means, since we can’t “see” it.
     We can imagine our fish-self swimming north, south, east and west in search of water.  If we think of ourselves as this fish, we can even imagine continuously endeavoring to discover just where the Waters of Life are and how to approach them.
     Perhaps some wise old fish might say,
    “It has come down to us through tradition that in ancient times our ancestors knew about a wonderful ocean of life. They prophesied a day when all shall live in the Waters of Life happily forever.
    And can’t we imagine all the other fish getting together, rolling their eyes, wiggling their tails, looking wise and mysterious and beginning to chant, “O water, water, water, we beseech you to reveal yourself to us; we beseech you to flow around and through us, even as you did in the days of our revered ancestors.”
     As a matter of fact, we are in the Water of Life as the fish is in the ocean. The Spirit of Life is all around us. It flows through us. It permeates everything. It is the essence of all form and flows through every condition. And yet we are still looking for It. What we look for we unwittingly look at, but fail to recognize.
 (this metaphor comes from Ernest Holmes’ little book “This Thing Called Life.”)
     Are we always looking outside ourselves for answers? Do we recognize what we want when we get it? Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence? Do we continue to search for the “better” or the “more” when we have been gifted with our own uniqueness, talents, and experiences?
mouse afraid of cat
     What about the story of the mouse who was afraid of the cat? His fear grew and grew until at last he wished with all his might to become a cat. His wish was granted, and he did indeed become a cat.
But the cat was then afraid of the dog…
But the dog was afraid of the lion…
But the lion was afraid of the hunter…
But the hunter, poor man, was afraid of his wife…
So the hunter became a wife.
But, alas, this was not the end of the chain of fear, for the wife, too, was afraid. She was afraid of the mouse!
fear of the mouse
   So is there a lesson we can learn from these “stories?”
  • Perhaps to acknowledge that there’s a lot we don’t know?
  • Perhaps that it doesn’t matter what we don’t yet know?
  • Perhaps to allow that we are what we should be, where we should be?
  • Perhaps to view ourselves with a sense of humor?

Do you have any “stories” that speak to you?  We’d love to have you share!

 

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Got Stuff?

Posted by Pat on September 24, 2012 in Uncategorized |

 As I move my summer clothes out to make room for my fall clothes, I again have to deal with how much stuff (including clothes) that I have.    Stuff that equals clutter.. Do you too have someplace in your home, office, files, closet, garage, car, etc. that might meet this description? It’s interesting that with our larger […]

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Chocolate Rules!

Posted by Pat on September 17, 2012 in Uncategorized |

  My sister and I had a fun business called Chocolate! Chocolate! in Seattle a number of years ago. Since we chose not to make our own, we got to sample great chocolates from all over the world. Sampling and selling chocolate to other chocolate lovers  was great fun, plus we also sold other chocolate “paraphernalia” like: […]

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Life 101

Posted by Pat on September 11, 2012 in Uncategorized |

Here’s one of my favorite stories: Little Emma is 6 years old and in first grade and it’s the end of the first week. When Mom picked her up from school, Emma bounced happily into the car. “How was school today, honey?” Immediately and very happily, Emma answered: “I had my first test today!” “How’d […]

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Every End is a New Beginning

Posted by Pat on September 2, 2012 in Uncategorized |

    Summer is winding down, and we can feel it because after Labor Day, fall unofficially begins. The school year gets underway. The Halloween decorations come out in the stores.     The weather sort of sneaks up on us-cool one day and hot the next. And “Indian summer” is fun to look forward to as […]

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The Power of Your Words

Posted by Pat on August 24, 2012 in Uncategorized |

    Have you ever seen it rain cats and dogs? How healthy are you if you are fit as a fiddle? Have you ever blown your top, lost your marbles, or been in a pickle or a jam? How many times have you paid an arm and a leg for something?      These phrases illustrate […]

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Your Journey or Your Destination?

Posted by Pat on August 17, 2012 in Uncategorized |

Back in 1979 a questionnaire in Success Magazine was sent to 1134 adults asking the simple question: “Is success a destination or a journey?” The result was 926 said it was a destination! But success is not just a destination. It is a journey. When my sister and I took a trip to France last year, our enjoyment […]

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2

Eat Dessert First!

Posted by Pat on August 12, 2012 in Uncategorized |

Life is uncertain…eat dessert first! Just the message you would expect from a previous chocolate store owner! (My sister and I were smart enough never to hire the applicant who said “I’d give anything to work in a chocolate store!” for we couldn’t afford the loss of inventory!) We’ve all been inundated with a glut […]

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2

Are You As Happy As Your Dog?

Posted by Pat on August 1, 2012 in Uncategorized |

We’re in the midst of it! What is it? And why should we care? It’s the “Dog Days of Summer” from July 3 to August 11 each year, so named by the Romans after Sirius, the “Dog Star.” Have you noticed any conspicuous laziness of your dog during these hot and sultry days? Or even of yourself? Lollygagging around? […]

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Powerful Lessons from Stephen R. Covey

Posted by Pat on July 24, 2012 in Uncategorized |

Think of what the most important resources in your life have been. Stephen Covey’s death this last week brought to my memory one of my very favorite resources, the business AND personal growth book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” from 20 years ago. The principles that Covey shared in his writings are timeless, […]

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