| General Non-Fiction posted April 19, 2022 |
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What we allow in our minds can influence our lives
The Difference Between Us
by T B Botts
I've long been a pessimist. I'm not sure why. I think I took the negative comments that my dad used to expound, and allowed them to influence my outlook on life. I don't recommend adopting such a course. There are so many great things that happen to all of us every day, that perhaps they lose their value in our eyes.
I've been on a roll lately, feeling sorry for myself because I can't do what I once did. Everything seems to hurt, and it's an effort just to go stroll around the neighborhood. I've allowed myself to be bored, which is almost never a good thing. It can lead to making bad choices which will be regretted in the future.
I was sitting at the computer this afternoon, strolling through various sites, when I remembered one of my favorite authors and decided to check in on him and see if he's still alive and kicking.
His name is Robert Fulghum, and I was delighted to see that not only is he alive, but he's still working at the age of 84. I love his positive outlook on life. I think that because he expects to be delighted with whatever he encounters, he's never disappointed. What a great attitude to have.
He's written a handful of books, the first of which was a best seller; actually I think they all were. His first was titled, All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten. It covers all the basics; sharing, taking naps is good, cookies and milk are wonderful, saying please and thank you, as well as a number of other great things.
I believe his second book was taken from an actual headlines. It's titled - It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on it. If I recall correctly, when the fellow who was rescued from the burning bed was asked why he was on it, his reply was that it was on fire when he lay down on it. People are strange.
In his book UH-OH, he tells a hilarious story about the best cigar that he never smoked. For his book True Love, he went to a Seattle coffee shop and put out a sign that said- Tell me a true love story and I'll buy you a cup of coffee and maybe make you famous. You can imagine the stories he got.
I just read today on his blog about a tilted tea kettle. The craftsman in Japan threw it out because it wasn't perfect, so Robert asked if he could have it. He's kept it for years and was washing it in the sink or some such thing, when the lid fell off and broke. He mentioned that in the past he would have been angry. Now he realizes that things just happen in life. God isn't up in heaven throwing things our way to make life miserable. When we twist our ankle or break a window or drop our phones in the dishwater, it's just life. Most things can be fixed. What seems overwhelming today will seem trivial tomorrow.
I'm reminded of my son when he was about seven or eight. He had gone to bed. I was in the living room watching TV when I could hear him in his room crying. When I went in to inquire as to why he was so upset, he said- " Who will marry me?" I assured him that when the time was right, if he wanted to be married, no doubt he would find the right woman. I was right, he did and he has a lovely daughter with his beautiful wife. Life is good.
I'm glad I ran across Robert's blog. I needed a new outlook on life, if only for today. Tomorrow will have it's own set of issues. I hope that I can remember to keep everything in perspective.
I've long been a pessimist. I'm not sure why. I think I took the negative comments that my dad used to expound, and allowed them to influence my outlook on life. I don't recommend adopting such a course. There are so many great things that happen to all of us every day, that perhaps they lose their value in our eyes.
I've been on a roll lately, feeling sorry for myself because I can't do what I once did. Everything seems to hurt, and it's an effort just to go stroll around the neighborhood. I've allowed myself to be bored, which is almost never a good thing. It can lead to making bad choices which will be regretted in the future.
I was sitting at the computer this afternoon, strolling through various sites, when I remembered one of my favorite authors and decided to check in on him and see if he's still alive and kicking.
His name is Robert Fulghum, and I was delighted to see that not only is he alive, but he's still working at the age of 84. I love his positive outlook on life. I think that because he expects to be delighted with whatever he encounters, he's never disappointed. What a great attitude to have.
He's written a handful of books, the first of which was a best seller; actually I think they all were. His first was titled, All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten. It covers all the basics; sharing, taking naps is good, cookies and milk are wonderful, saying please and thank you, as well as a number of other great things.
I believe his second book was taken from an actual headlines. It's titled - It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on it. If I recall correctly, when the fellow who was rescued from the burning bed was asked why he was on it, his reply was that it was on fire when he lay down on it. People are strange.
In his book UH-OH, he tells a hilarious story about the best cigar that he never smoked. For his book True Love, he went to a Seattle coffee shop and put out a sign that said- Tell me a true love story and I'll buy you a cup of coffee and maybe make you famous. You can imagine the stories he got.
I just read today on his blog about a tilted tea kettle. The craftsman in Japan threw it out because it wasn't perfect, so Robert asked if he could have it. He's kept it for years and was washing it in the sink or some such thing, when the lid fell off and broke. He mentioned that in the past he would have been angry. Now he realizes that things just happen in life. God isn't up in heaven throwing things our way to make life miserable. When we twist our ankle or break a window or drop our phones in the dishwater, it's just life. Most things can be fixed. What seems overwhelming today will seem trivial tomorrow.
I'm reminded of my son when he was about seven or eight. He had gone to bed. I was in the living room watching TV when I could hear him in his room crying. When I went in to inquire as to why he was so upset, he said- " Who will marry me?" I assured him that when the time was right, if he wanted to be married, no doubt he would find the right woman. I was right, he did and he has a lovely daughter with his beautiful wife. Life is good.
I'm glad I ran across Robert's blog. I needed a new outlook on life, if only for today. Tomorrow will have it's own set of issues. I hope that I can remember to keep everything in perspective.
I've been on a roll lately, feeling sorry for myself because I can't do what I once did. Everything seems to hurt, and it's an effort just to go stroll around the neighborhood. I've allowed myself to be bored, which is almost never a good thing. It can lead to making bad choices which will be regretted in the future.
I was sitting at the computer this afternoon, strolling through various sites, when I remembered one of my favorite authors and decided to check in on him and see if he's still alive and kicking.
His name is Robert Fulghum, and I was delighted to see that not only is he alive, but he's still working at the age of 84. I love his positive outlook on life. I think that because he expects to be delighted with whatever he encounters, he's never disappointed. What a great attitude to have.
He's written a handful of books, the first of which was a best seller; actually I think they all were. His first was titled, All I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten. It covers all the basics; sharing, taking naps is good, cookies and milk are wonderful, saying please and thank you, as well as a number of other great things.
I believe his second book was taken from an actual headlines. It's titled - It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on it. If I recall correctly, when the fellow who was rescued from the burning bed was asked why he was on it, his reply was that it was on fire when he lay down on it. People are strange.
In his book UH-OH, he tells a hilarious story about the best cigar that he never smoked. For his book True Love, he went to a Seattle coffee shop and put out a sign that said- Tell me a true love story and I'll buy you a cup of coffee and maybe make you famous. You can imagine the stories he got.
I just read today on his blog about a tilted tea kettle. The craftsman in Japan threw it out because it wasn't perfect, so Robert asked if he could have it. He's kept it for years and was washing it in the sink or some such thing, when the lid fell off and broke. He mentioned that in the past he would have been angry. Now he realizes that things just happen in life. God isn't up in heaven throwing things our way to make life miserable. When we twist our ankle or break a window or drop our phones in the dishwater, it's just life. Most things can be fixed. What seems overwhelming today will seem trivial tomorrow.
I'm reminded of my son when he was about seven or eight. He had gone to bed. I was in the living room watching TV when I could hear him in his room crying. When I went in to inquire as to why he was so upset, he said- " Who will marry me?" I assured him that when the time was right, if he wanted to be married, no doubt he would find the right woman. I was right, he did and he has a lovely daughter with his beautiful wife. Life is good.
I'm glad I ran across Robert's blog. I needed a new outlook on life, if only for today. Tomorrow will have it's own set of issues. I hope that I can remember to keep everything in perspective.
 Recognized |
#16 April 2022 |
In life, we have both ups and downs. Every day isn't all sunshine and lollipops, nor is it continuous walking through glass barefoot. We have a lot to be thankful for.
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