Yes, time is passing and it may seem like you won't be able to do all the things that you want to do. But actually, there is more than enough time. There is time to do many important and wonderful things - things that really matter. They may be the most significant actions of your entire life.
There is time to help others and time to feel good about yourself. Think about how you can do some of the things that follow and how they will affect your life. It will be time well spent.
Some people find it difficult to express feelings openly. Try to do it anyway. Are there those who love you? Now is a wonderful time to tell them that. Let them know that you value their love. Be sure to include how important they have been in your life and are now. Tell them how their being in your life sustains you and gives your life value. Can you imagine how awful it would be for them to never know how much they mean to you?
Write that letter. Make that phone call. Reach out and give that hug. Try saying things like, “I’m so happy that you are my friend”. Do it – and be lavish in your praise.
Write that letter. Make that phone call. Reach out and give that hug. Try saying things like, “I’m so happy that you are my friend”. Do it – and be lavish in your praise.
Consider your relationship with your family and children. A friend of mine shared with me that he has not spoken to his son in fifteen years! Holy Smokes! I hope that you will look over that whole area of family. As parents, we always understood that a Mom or Dad would do anything for their kids. Honestly, most of them would have died for them. Well here’s an area that really matters and where your time can be well spent.
Telling a son or daughter that they are loved is fine, and necessary. But telling them how important they are to your very existence is a precious gift for them. You can tell them that nothing in the world can duplicate the intensity of a child’s love, and how grateful you are to have it. Take the time to tell them how you share their joy and their pain because you love them so much.
In my friend’s case, he said that his son had done bad things when he was young. That’s why he finds it difficult to “love” him. How’d you like to be judged by what you were like or what you did when you were only a kid? We are all different now. We grow, we learn, we change – they do too.
Telling a son or daughter that they are loved is fine, and necessary. But telling them how important they are to your very existence is a precious gift for them. You can tell them that nothing in the world can duplicate the intensity of a child’s love, and how grateful you are to have it. Take the time to tell them how you share their joy and their pain because you love them so much.
In my friend’s case, he said that his son had done bad things when he was young. That’s why he finds it difficult to “love” him. How’d you like to be judged by what you were like or what you did when you were only a kid? We are all different now. We grow, we learn, we change – they do too.
Don’t forget to give some time to offer kindness and gentleness to others. It is like food for both those who receive it and those who offer it. Imagine the joy you can give to Grandpop and Grandmom by just giving them a big, long hug without explanation. As people age they don't get hugged/touched like they used to - and they miss it.
A kind word of appreciation to that guy who bags your groceries will make his day. Save some for all of those people who make your life a little easier. You’ll like how you feel.
A kind word of appreciation to that guy who bags your groceries will make his day. Save some for all of those people who make your life a little easier. You’ll like how you feel.
Take some time to ask yourself if there are people you do not like. Are these people that you believe have hurt you? Do you know some people who can make you angry? Are there those to whom you will no longer speak? If the answer is yes to any of these, then consider how long this has been a part of your life. Has it been years? What is the toll this has taken on you? Does it still make you angry? Do you feel bad about it? You deserve to feel better than that, don’t you? What a wonderful time to relieve yourself of all those negative feelings. There is a way to make it all disappear, just like magic. Magic?
Do you believe in magic? I don’t either, but there is a magic trick you can use. I figure that you don’t have to believe in magic if you just use the trick, and it works. Using it will bring peace back into your life. What's the trick? It is the very powerful act of forgiveness. To forgive someone is to do something magical. A lot of wondrous things will occur.
First, you will have freed the person whom you have judged. He or she is now relieved of the pain of being blamed. That person will now have more positive psychic energy with which to pursue their own happiness. Secondly, you will also receive substantial benefits. They are immense. Forgiving another is like letting out the steam that has built up in YOUR boiler. Judging someone harshly, blaming or instilling a feeling of blame in them has taken a heavy toll on you. It causes a corrosive effect on your mind, your relationships, and your physical well-being.
There is also much evidence to indicate that a substantial amount of destructive stress is internalized when we are harboring negative feelings toward another person. The additional “magic” in forgiving, is that you will become stress-free. You will begin enjoying a sense of rebirth and of feeling good about yourself.
If you think about it, you’ll find that there is enough time after all, to do all of the things that really matter.
