Love, Not Hate
By Don
Let your heart grow wide and tall,
Each of us has a special call,
A tiny voice says love them all,
Sometimes it's hard
to let down your guard,
All hate should be barred,
Love those you hate,
It can't wait,
Surely it will improve your fate.
Saturday, July 31, 2004
Saturday Thought: Lives of Our Enemies
I ran across this wonderful quote by
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and just had
to share it with all of you. It feels just so right:
"If we could read the secret history of our enemies,
we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering
enough to disarm all hostility."
In other words, find compassion in another
man's pain!
I ran across this wonderful quote by
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and just had
to share it with all of you. It feels just so right:
"If we could read the secret history of our enemies,
we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering
enough to disarm all hostility."
In other words, find compassion in another
man's pain!
Friday, July 30, 2004
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Every Cloud a Silver Lining
By Don
Hidden blessings,
everywhere I look,
in the clouds that block the sun,
in the irate client that demands what I cannot give,
in the confusion I must work through to find the truth,
even in the fear that hounds me like a pack of wild dogs,
Give thanks for the burrs under your saddle,
All make us stronger, wiser, and more loving.
By Don
Hidden blessings,
everywhere I look,
in the clouds that block the sun,
in the irate client that demands what I cannot give,
in the confusion I must work through to find the truth,
even in the fear that hounds me like a pack of wild dogs,
Give thanks for the burrs under your saddle,
All make us stronger, wiser, and more loving.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Tuesday Thought: Personal Leadership
Here is one to bear in mind today regarding
leadership:
"Personal leadership is not a singular experience.
It is, rather, the ongoing process of keeping your
vision and values before you and aligning your life
to be congruent with those most important things.
--Stephen Covey
Here is one to bear in mind today regarding
leadership:
"Personal leadership is not a singular experience.
It is, rather, the ongoing process of keeping your
vision and values before you and aligning your life
to be congruent with those most important things.
--Stephen Covey
Monday, July 26, 2004
Monday Thought: As a Man Thinketh
I read James Allen's As a Man Thinketh
this weekend. What a wonderful little
book. And so powerful! Here is one of
many observations made by the late 19th
Century writer.
"A man's mind may be likened to a garden,
which may be intelligently cultivated or
allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated
or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth.
If no useful seeds are put into it, then an
abundance of useless weed seeds will fall
therein, and will continue to produce their
kind."
The basic message: "Be careful of what
thoughts you think, for they have major
consequences for your life and others."
You can read As a Man Thinketh online
here.
I read James Allen's As a Man Thinketh
this weekend. What a wonderful little
book. And so powerful! Here is one of
many observations made by the late 19th
Century writer.
"A man's mind may be likened to a garden,
which may be intelligently cultivated or
allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated
or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth.
If no useful seeds are put into it, then an
abundance of useless weed seeds will fall
therein, and will continue to produce their
kind."
The basic message: "Be careful of what
thoughts you think, for they have major
consequences for your life and others."
You can read As a Man Thinketh online
here.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Headfooters
By Don
Perfectly imperfect circles,
with gangly arms and legs,
reaching out for love,
Simple ungraceful lines,
each living in a separate world,
on the same page of life,
Freshly poured pallets of color,
spilling over their boundaries,
not unlike the passion and fear
hiding inside all of us,
Obsessive, intricate etchings,
intent upon filling the blind inner emptiness,
suspended somewhere between the heart and mind,
Distorted images of childish joys,
submerged in deep pools of self-abuse and anguish,
Sunny faces hanging
with crooked smiles from dimly-lit buildings,
Puzzling gray paint smears,
hiding the endless inner labyrinths
the artist walks daily in search of sanity,
One-dimensional wild beasts, engorged phalluses, and
simple chairs made from broken branches,
Headfooters, outsider art, raw vision,
all glimpses of reality from imprisoned minds,
all jarring reminders of the fine lines in life for all of us.
By Don
Perfectly imperfect circles,
with gangly arms and legs,
reaching out for love,
Simple ungraceful lines,
each living in a separate world,
on the same page of life,
Freshly poured pallets of color,
spilling over their boundaries,
not unlike the passion and fear
hiding inside all of us,
Obsessive, intricate etchings,
intent upon filling the blind inner emptiness,
suspended somewhere between the heart and mind,
Distorted images of childish joys,
submerged in deep pools of self-abuse and anguish,
Sunny faces hanging
with crooked smiles from dimly-lit buildings,
Puzzling gray paint smears,
hiding the endless inner labyrinths
the artist walks daily in search of sanity,
One-dimensional wild beasts, engorged phalluses, and
simple chairs made from broken branches,
Headfooters, outsider art, raw vision,
all glimpses of reality from imprisoned minds,
all jarring reminders of the fine lines in life for all of us.
Sunday Thought: Outsider Art
Sometimes you simply stumble onto
interesting and unique things in life.
During a visit to the Shaker Square area
of Cleveland yesterday, Mary and I
received our first introduction to what
is called "Outsider Art."
What is "Outsider Art?" According to
Bill Shubert, the owner of Headfooters
Art Gallery, "the field of outsider art is
a complex and hotly debated one. The
term is a bit of a catch-all that includes
contemporary folk art, third world art,
visionary, naive, and self-taught art.
It includes the art of the insane and
prison inmates as well as the art of
children. It can be primitive or obsessive.
What it is not, is part of the artistic
mainstream. What it will be in the future
is uncertain."
We are very glad we stumbled upon Bill's
unique and interesting gallery. Thanks
Bill.
Visit Headfooters Art Gallery's website and
discover more about the gallery and the
field of outsider art worldwide.
Sometimes you simply stumble onto
interesting and unique things in life.
During a visit to the Shaker Square area
of Cleveland yesterday, Mary and I
received our first introduction to what
is called "Outsider Art."
What is "Outsider Art?" According to
Bill Shubert, the owner of Headfooters
Art Gallery, "the field of outsider art is
a complex and hotly debated one. The
term is a bit of a catch-all that includes
contemporary folk art, third world art,
visionary, naive, and self-taught art.
It includes the art of the insane and
prison inmates as well as the art of
children. It can be primitive or obsessive.
What it is not, is part of the artistic
mainstream. What it will be in the future
is uncertain."
We are very glad we stumbled upon Bill's
unique and interesting gallery. Thanks
Bill.
Visit Headfooters Art Gallery's website and
discover more about the gallery and the
field of outsider art worldwide.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Saturday Thought: Perfection
As I look out my office window this morning
and behold the sunlight filtering through the
trees, a hummingbird amusing itself at the feeder,
and Mary's lovely flowers, only one word comes
to mind: Perfect!
It's easy for all of us to annoy ourselves and
others with demands for more of whatever
there is in life. I remind myself that perfection is
a state of mind, which is available to us anytime
we want to access it.
I see perfectly this morning.
As I look out my office window this morning
and behold the sunlight filtering through the
trees, a hummingbird amusing itself at the feeder,
and Mary's lovely flowers, only one word comes
to mind: Perfect!
It's easy for all of us to annoy ourselves and
others with demands for more of whatever
there is in life. I remind myself that perfection is
a state of mind, which is available to us anytime
we want to access it.
I see perfectly this morning.
Friday, July 23, 2004
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Life's Reach
By Don
Life,
with its many branches,
reaches out to me,
Touching me,
in places I never knew,
Reviving old parts of me,
that were dying,
Propelling me,
in new directions,
where I must grow,
Awakening me,
to deep memories and dreams,
bubbling within my soul,
Life,
reaches out to me,
and I joyously grasp Her hand.
By Don
Life,
with its many branches,
reaches out to me,
Touching me,
in places I never knew,
Reviving old parts of me,
that were dying,
Propelling me,
in new directions,
where I must grow,
Awakening me,
to deep memories and dreams,
bubbling within my soul,
Life,
reaches out to me,
and I joyously grasp Her hand.
Thursday Thought: Achieve Don't Compete
Boy, did I need to hear this message. It cuts to the
heart of my consulting work with clients. It's not
about competing per se, rather achieving. I guess
that is why I have moved in the direction of helping
my clients become more performance-based, as
opposed to becoming more competitive.
"Competition is a by-product of productive work,
not its goal. A creative man is motivated by the
desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."
--Ayn Rand
Boy, did I need to hear this message. It cuts to the
heart of my consulting work with clients. It's not
about competing per se, rather achieving. I guess
that is why I have moved in the direction of helping
my clients become more performance-based, as
opposed to becoming more competitive.
"Competition is a by-product of productive work,
not its goal. A creative man is motivated by the
desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."
--Ayn Rand
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Wednesday Thought: Honesty
Here is a really good quote on honesty. It
seems to fit today very well.
"Honesty characterizes the person and enables
him to create an identity, to communicate a real
presence, and to establish authentic bonds with
others. The individual increasingly comes to know
who he is through the stand he takes when he expresses
his ideas, values, beliefs, and convictions, and through
the declaration and ownership of his feelings."
By Clark Moustakas
Source:
Thoughts on Leadership: A Treasury of Quotations compiled by William D. Hitt
Here is a really good quote on honesty. It
seems to fit today very well.
"Honesty characterizes the person and enables
him to create an identity, to communicate a real
presence, and to establish authentic bonds with
others. The individual increasingly comes to know
who he is through the stand he takes when he expresses
his ideas, values, beliefs, and convictions, and through
the declaration and ownership of his feelings."
By Clark Moustakas
Source:
Thoughts on Leadership: A Treasury of Quotations compiled by William D. Hitt
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Tuesday Thought: It's Possible!
It's up to each and every one of us to
bring new possibilities to life. In my
work, it is vital that people believe
it is possible to turnaround cities, help
people, businesses, and communities
overcome hard times, and deal with
other major challenges.
Here is an important perspective
I try to bear in mind in my work and
in my life:
"Think "impossible" and dreams get
discarded, projects get abandoned , and
hope for wellness is torpedoed. But let
someone yell the words "It's possible,"
and resources we hadn't been aware of
come rushing in to assist us in our quest.
I believe we are all potentially brilliant
and creative--but only if we believe it,
only if we have an attitude of positive
expectancy toward our ideas, and only
if we act on them."
Source: Greg Anderson
The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness
It's up to each and every one of us to
bring new possibilities to life. In my
work, it is vital that people believe
it is possible to turnaround cities, help
people, businesses, and communities
overcome hard times, and deal with
other major challenges.
Here is an important perspective
I try to bear in mind in my work and
in my life:
"Think "impossible" and dreams get
discarded, projects get abandoned , and
hope for wellness is torpedoed. But let
someone yell the words "It's possible,"
and resources we hadn't been aware of
come rushing in to assist us in our quest.
I believe we are all potentially brilliant
and creative--but only if we believe it,
only if we have an attitude of positive
expectancy toward our ideas, and only
if we act on them."
Source: Greg Anderson
The 22 Non-Negotiable Laws of Wellness
Monday, July 19, 2004
A Grandfather's Passing
By Don
Just an ordinary school day,
Like most days,
I came home for lunch,
Why was Dad home from work?
Mom and Dad sat at the kitchen table,
The house was too quiet,
Grandpap had died,
The man of few words,
who wore suspenders, smoked a pipe,
and fixed things in his workshop, was gone,
Fifty-two years before,
this strong and determined man
landed at Ellis Island alone,
His family loved him and respected his courage,
I like to think Vito Iannone
set sail for a new world
on that cold February morning in 1958.
By Don
Just an ordinary school day,
Like most days,
I came home for lunch,
Why was Dad home from work?
Mom and Dad sat at the kitchen table,
The house was too quiet,
Grandpap had died,
The man of few words,
who wore suspenders, smoked a pipe,
and fixed things in his workshop, was gone,
Fifty-two years before,
this strong and determined man
landed at Ellis Island alone,
His family loved him and respected his courage,
I like to think Vito Iannone
set sail for a new world
on that cold February morning in 1958.
Monday Thought: How We Treat Others
At the start of this new week, it is worthwhile
for all of us to consider how we treat others.
This is a wonderful quote speaking to this
very issue:
"How far you go in life depends on
your being tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic
with the striving, and tolerant of the weak
and strong. Because someday in your life
you will have been all of these."
--George Washington Carver
At the start of this new week, it is worthwhile
for all of us to consider how we treat others.
This is a wonderful quote speaking to this
very issue:
"How far you go in life depends on
your being tender with the young,
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic
with the striving, and tolerant of the weak
and strong. Because someday in your life
you will have been all of these."
--George Washington Carver
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Promises
By Don
Promises,
weathered by time,
slip away,
if not renewed.
Promises,
fettered in the distant past,
fade away like clouds,
if no longer relevant.
Promises,
like ships without anchors,
allow us to drift
away from our word.
Promise yourself one thing,
that nothing stays the same,
give while you can,
and never over-promise.
By Don
Promises,
weathered by time,
slip away,
if not renewed.
Promises,
fettered in the distant past,
fade away like clouds,
if no longer relevant.
Promises,
like ships without anchors,
allow us to drift
away from our word.
Promise yourself one thing,
that nothing stays the same,
give while you can,
and never over-promise.
Saturday Thought: What Shall We Believe
Some say we are experiencing a "crisis of belief" in the world.
I am not so sure that is the problem as the presence of a
wide array of beliefs. It's hard to decide who and what
to belief.
This advice helps me in making the personal choice in
this regard:
"Believe nothing merely because you have been told it...
Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of
respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination
and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit,
the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to and
take it as your guide." --Buddhist Aphorism
Some say we are experiencing a "crisis of belief" in the world.
I am not so sure that is the problem as the presence of a
wide array of beliefs. It's hard to decide who and what
to belief.
This advice helps me in making the personal choice in
this regard:
"Believe nothing merely because you have been told it...
Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of
respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination
and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit,
the welfare of all beings - that doctrine believe and cling to and
take it as your guide." --Buddhist Aphorism
Friday, July 16, 2004
Friday Thought: Humor
Bring your sense of humor to work today. You
need it and so do your colleagues. It's Friday.
Laugh, enjoy, smile.
Great quote on humor:
"The sense of humor is the oil of life's engine.
Without it, the machinery creaks and groans.
No lot is so hard, no aspect of things is so grim, but it
relaxes before a hearty laugh." --George S. Merriam
Bring your sense of humor to work today. You
need it and so do your colleagues. It's Friday.
Laugh, enjoy, smile.
Great quote on humor:
"The sense of humor is the oil of life's engine.
Without it, the machinery creaks and groans.
No lot is so hard, no aspect of things is so grim, but it
relaxes before a hearty laugh." --George S. Merriam
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Thursday Thought: Why Are We Here?
This quote sums it all up for me:
"To have striven, to have made an effort,
to have been true to certain ideals - this
alone is worth the struggle. We are here to
add what we can to, not to get what we can
from, life.” --Sir William Osler, 1849-1919,
Canadian Physician
This quote sums it all up for me:
"To have striven, to have made an effort,
to have been true to certain ideals - this
alone is worth the struggle. We are here to
add what we can to, not to get what we can
from, life.” --Sir William Osler, 1849-1919,
Canadian Physician
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Wednesday Thought: Learning from Others
There have been countless people throughout my life
who have been wonderful teachers to me. I give thanks for
what they taught me, even though they did not directly
set out to do that.
From my Dad, I learned how to find poetry inside
myself. From my Mom, I learned determination and
never staying down for the count. From my wife Mary,
I learned many things, but especially how love
reinvents itself everyday. From my friends Derk and
Dan, I've learned to tune into my spiritual side as
a source of daily strength and courage. The list
goes on and on.
For this reason, this quote means a lot to me:
"Everyone's life is an object lesson to others."
--Karl G. Maeser
There have been countless people throughout my life
who have been wonderful teachers to me. I give thanks for
what they taught me, even though they did not directly
set out to do that.
From my Dad, I learned how to find poetry inside
myself. From my Mom, I learned determination and
never staying down for the count. From my wife Mary,
I learned many things, but especially how love
reinvents itself everyday. From my friends Derk and
Dan, I've learned to tune into my spiritual side as
a source of daily strength and courage. The list
goes on and on.
For this reason, this quote means a lot to me:
"Everyone's life is an object lesson to others."
--Karl G. Maeser
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Holding Onto the Question
By Don
Stranded somewhere in between,
like a hitchhiker along a lonely country road,
Somewhere, but nowhere,
Something, but nothing,
Suspended...in a bottomless pool of imagined realities,
Reaching for the edges...of something, anything,
Grasping onto a slowly drifting question,
floating me safely back to shore,
Now i know...there are no answers.
By Don
Stranded somewhere in between,
like a hitchhiker along a lonely country road,
Somewhere, but nowhere,
Something, but nothing,
Suspended...in a bottomless pool of imagined realities,
Reaching for the edges...of something, anything,
Grasping onto a slowly drifting question,
floating me safely back to shore,
Now i know...there are no answers.
Tuesday Thought: Deal with the Real
That is my motto for the day. The
spark for that motto was having my
Monday U.S. Air flight to Philly being
cancelled at the last moment, causing
me to miss my speech in Atlantic City,
or almost that is. Turns out I was able
to give the speech via the phone line and
a high quality speaker on the other end.
Everything worked out just fine.
Lesson: All that fretting was about nothing.
Therefore this quote makes sense to me:
"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is
only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable."
--Theodore N. Vail
That is my motto for the day. The
spark for that motto was having my
Monday U.S. Air flight to Philly being
cancelled at the last moment, causing
me to miss my speech in Atlantic City,
or almost that is. Turns out I was able
to give the speech via the phone line and
a high quality speaker on the other end.
Everything worked out just fine.
Lesson: All that fretting was about nothing.
Therefore this quote makes sense to me:
"Real difficulties can be overcome; it is
only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable."
--Theodore N. Vail
Monday, July 12, 2004
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Sunday Thought: Business Success
Business success is a widely written about issue.
Everyone in business wants to be "successful," whatever
that means. To me, it means doing something of "value"
for someone else, and they happen to pay me for it.
What is the secret to business success? It's providing
value to others.
To do that, we must understand what our clients and
customers want and need. To that end, I offer you this
quote:
"The golden rule for every business man is this:
"Put yourself in your customer's place."
--Orison Swett Marden
Business success is a widely written about issue.
Everyone in business wants to be "successful," whatever
that means. To me, it means doing something of "value"
for someone else, and they happen to pay me for it.
What is the secret to business success? It's providing
value to others.
To do that, we must understand what our clients and
customers want and need. To that end, I offer you this
quote:
"The golden rule for every business man is this:
"Put yourself in your customer's place."
--Orison Swett Marden
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Saturday Thought: Use This Day Wisely
Today is a beautiful Saturday. I'm happy.
What shall I make of this wonderful day?
This quote helps me decide:
"This is the beginning of a new day. You
have been given this day to use as you will.
You can waste it or use it for good. What
you do today is important because you are
exchanging a day of your life for it. When
tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever;
in its place is something that you have left
behind...let it be something good."
--Author Unknown
Today is a beautiful Saturday. I'm happy.
What shall I make of this wonderful day?
This quote helps me decide:
"This is the beginning of a new day. You
have been given this day to use as you will.
You can waste it or use it for good. What
you do today is important because you are
exchanging a day of your life for it. When
tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever;
in its place is something that you have left
behind...let it be something good."
--Author Unknown
Friday, July 09, 2004
Friday Thought: May You Feel Loved
These Are My Wishes For You
By Sandra Sturtz Hauss
May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.
May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.
Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.
May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.
May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.
Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.
May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.
Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.
May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.
May you always feel loved.
These Are My Wishes For You
By Sandra Sturtz Hauss
May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.
May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.
Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.
May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.
May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.
Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.
May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.
Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.
May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.
May you always feel loved.
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Room to Grow
By Don Iannone
Too much noise,
silence is a blessing,
Too many buildings,
open space is freedom,
Too many programs and plans,
serendipity makes life,
Too much thinking,
dreams need space to grow
Too much of everything,
blank spaces are opportunities,
Unclutter your life,
make some room to grow.
By Don Iannone
Too much noise,
silence is a blessing,
Too many buildings,
open space is freedom,
Too many programs and plans,
serendipity makes life,
Too much thinking,
dreams need space to grow
Too much of everything,
blank spaces are opportunities,
Unclutter your life,
make some room to grow.
Tuesday Thought: Show Some Enthusiasm
People like to be around other people who are
enthusiastic about life.
Wear your enthusiasm today. Let it explode like
the fireworks you watched on the Fourth!
Two great quotes on enthusiasm:
"None are so old as those who have outlived
enthusiasm." --Henry David Thoreau
"Every production of genius must be the
production of enthusiasm." --Benjamin Disraeli
People like to be around other people who are
enthusiastic about life.
Wear your enthusiasm today. Let it explode like
the fireworks you watched on the Fourth!
Two great quotes on enthusiasm:
"None are so old as those who have outlived
enthusiasm." --Henry David Thoreau
"Every production of genius must be the
production of enthusiasm." --Benjamin Disraeli
Monday, July 05, 2004
Life If We're Not Careful
By Don Iannone
Success knocks,
it never stops,
once you answer.
Money beckons,
only illusive wealth comes,
and just more wanting.
Power lures,
once caught in its snare,
hooked forever.
Time demands,
taking away,
the better of who we are.
Selfishness sets in,
filling the space,
meant for compassion.
Control overtakes us,
clenched in its ugly jaws,
never letting us go.
Death comes,
finally we see clearly,
it's too late to do it right.
By Don Iannone
Success knocks,
it never stops,
once you answer.
Money beckons,
only illusive wealth comes,
and just more wanting.
Power lures,
once caught in its snare,
hooked forever.
Time demands,
taking away,
the better of who we are.
Selfishness sets in,
filling the space,
meant for compassion.
Control overtakes us,
clenched in its ugly jaws,
never letting us go.
Death comes,
finally we see clearly,
it's too late to do it right.
Monday Thought: Making Things Happen
My activist spirit has been getting the best of me
lately. I have always had a need to feel like I am
making a difference in what I do. This quote kind
of sums up what I have been feeling:
"There are three types of people in this world:
those who make things happen, those who watch things
happen and those who wonder what happened. We all
have a choice. You can decide which type of person
you want to be. I have always chosen to be in the
first group." --Mary Kay Ash
My activist spirit has been getting the best of me
lately. I have always had a need to feel like I am
making a difference in what I do. This quote kind
of sums up what I have been feeling:
"There are three types of people in this world:
those who make things happen, those who watch things
happen and those who wonder what happened. We all
have a choice. You can decide which type of person
you want to be. I have always chosen to be in the
first group." --Mary Kay Ash
Sunday, July 04, 2004
First Dates with Life
By Don Iannone
The mid-morning sun pours buckets
of summer color onto the forest floor,
Something stirs in the quiet shadows,
A pair of fawn playfully prance
in their proud mother's footsteps,
Their coal black eyes beam
with the radiant curiosity of youth,
Each day is a first date with life
for the eager young deer,
Every step a lyrical adventure,
filled with unrehearsed beauty,
Once again, Nature fills me with hope.
By Don Iannone
The mid-morning sun pours buckets
of summer color onto the forest floor,
Something stirs in the quiet shadows,
A pair of fawn playfully prance
in their proud mother's footsteps,
Their coal black eyes beam
with the radiant curiosity of youth,
Each day is a first date with life
for the eager young deer,
Every step a lyrical adventure,
filled with unrehearsed beauty,
Once again, Nature fills me with hope.
Sunday Thought: Hope
If only I had Emily Dickinson's
gift with words. Today's message
is simple: Allow hope to lead and
lift your life, no matter what issues
or obstacles you may face! There is
always room for hope in the world.
"Hope is the thing with feathers, that
perches in the soul-and sings the
tune without words, and never stops-
at all." --Emily Dickinson
If only I had Emily Dickinson's
gift with words. Today's message
is simple: Allow hope to lead and
lift your life, no matter what issues
or obstacles you may face! There is
always room for hope in the world.
"Hope is the thing with feathers, that
perches in the soul-and sings the
tune without words, and never stops-
at all." --Emily Dickinson
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Spirits When We Sleep
By Don Iannone
When we sleep,
our spirits prepare
for our waking moments,
They set the table,
where we are nourished,
They clear away the cobwebs
that we may think clearly,
They leave us notes,
reminding us of what's most important,
They clean our inner mirror,
that we may see ourselves truthfully,
They plant seeds in our life garden,
that grow into beautiful thoughts and feelings,
They fill us with mystery,
that propels our imagination,
They remind us each night,
that we should awaken to our dreams.
By Don Iannone
When we sleep,
our spirits prepare
for our waking moments,
They set the table,
where we are nourished,
They clear away the cobwebs
that we may think clearly,
They leave us notes,
reminding us of what's most important,
They clean our inner mirror,
that we may see ourselves truthfully,
They plant seeds in our life garden,
that grow into beautiful thoughts and feelings,
They fill us with mystery,
that propels our imagination,
They remind us each night,
that we should awaken to our dreams.
Friday, July 02, 2004
The Battle of Musts and Wants
By Don Iannone
Duty calls, I must leave you,
I'd rather write poetry any day,
but my work beckons me,
Some days it's a real struggle,
trying to balance what I want and what I must,
It's especially hard on beautiful summer mornings
that invite you out into the streaming sunlight to play,
Once in a while, it is perfectly ok
that you must do what you want to do.
By Don Iannone
Duty calls, I must leave you,
I'd rather write poetry any day,
but my work beckons me,
Some days it's a real struggle,
trying to balance what I want and what I must,
It's especially hard on beautiful summer mornings
that invite you out into the streaming sunlight to play,
Once in a while, it is perfectly ok
that you must do what you want to do.
Friday Thought: Reality
Most of us try to live in "reality." Well,
sort of. History is chock full of debates
about the nature of reality. Several
generations of philosophers have burned
many midnight candles on the subject.
Reality is a topic of discussion in our
everyday lives. In my own work, I am
struck by the number of times boards of
directors, managers, the media, and other
groups get tangled up in arguments over the
nature of reality. How many times have I
heard the question: "What are the REAL
strengths of our community for economic
development?" And how many times have I
heard the statement: "Get real!"
I've concluded reality is not as easy as
it seems--to any of us. The following quote
by John Lennon helps to explain why:
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination."
--John Lennon
Most of us try to live in "reality." Well,
sort of. History is chock full of debates
about the nature of reality. Several
generations of philosophers have burned
many midnight candles on the subject.
Reality is a topic of discussion in our
everyday lives. In my own work, I am
struck by the number of times boards of
directors, managers, the media, and other
groups get tangled up in arguments over the
nature of reality. How many times have I
heard the question: "What are the REAL
strengths of our community for economic
development?" And how many times have I
heard the statement: "Get real!"
I've concluded reality is not as easy as
it seems--to any of us. The following quote
by John Lennon helps to explain why:
"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination."
--John Lennon
Thursday, July 01, 2004
How We Are
By Don Iannone
Incomplete,
we seek our missing pieces in others,
Partial,
we search for life's magical gestalt,
Naked,
we cloth ourselves in transient ideas,
Afraid,
we hide behind our anger,
Ashamed,
we turn away from those who love us,
Sorrowful,
we pretend to be happy,
Angry,
we avoid our deepest fears,
Lonely,
we withdraw deeper into ourselves,
Attached,
we hold onto things we don't need,
Poetic,
we try to speak from our heart about what matters.
By Don Iannone
Incomplete,
we seek our missing pieces in others,
Partial,
we search for life's magical gestalt,
Naked,
we cloth ourselves in transient ideas,
Afraid,
we hide behind our anger,
Ashamed,
we turn away from those who love us,
Sorrowful,
we pretend to be happy,
Angry,
we avoid our deepest fears,
Lonely,
we withdraw deeper into ourselves,
Attached,
we hold onto things we don't need,
Poetic,
we try to speak from our heart about what matters.
Thursday Thought: Legs on Your Ideas
I've talked a lot about "doing" and "nondoing"
here on Conscious Living. There is something
that appeals to me at this moment in this quote:
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do."
--Goethe
I would add that knowing facilitates
effective and appropriate action and
willingness is a prerequisite to doing.
I've talked a lot about "doing" and "nondoing"
here on Conscious Living. There is something
that appeals to me at this moment in this quote:
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do."
--Goethe
I would add that knowing facilitates
effective and appropriate action and
willingness is a prerequisite to doing.
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