I am grateful for understanding early (thanks to Thomas Hardy)
when it comes to friends, family and ultimately my wife
for knowing who the right people are with whom to share my life.
“At your very best, you still won't be good enough for the wrong person.
But at your absolute worst, you'll still be worth it to the right person”
May we be blessed whether sparked within our own heart…
or influenced from the Gods above…
Instead of seeing the differences between us
as an opportunity to hate…
we see them
as an opportunity to love.
I am tired of concentrating on hate…it’s so malignant, painful and distressing
on top of that it’s offensive…draining and depressing.
So today I’ll take a moment and from that topic I’ll be shifting…
to concentrate on love…it’s much more comforting
much more joyful and uplifting.
Think of all the different kinds of love there are in life
that emanate from our one heart
a variety of love…with each one playing a different part.
Remember the moment you first fell in love.
how your insides seemed to rearrange…
and how from that one moment…you were forever changed.
Think of all the people who make you light up when you see…
your partner, your children, your friends, your pets…your family.
Think of all the the foods you love…
Just thinking about them can make you beam…
Chocolate, bananas, cookies…pizza and ice cream.
Think of all the wonders of nature you love…
Rainbows, sunrises, sunsets, butterflies and bees
the ocean, flowers, ladybugs, dolphins, clouds and trees.
Think about your favorite color, hobby, favorite cereal…
your favorite art…
your favorite TV show or movie, favorite car
a song you know by heart….
This is just the tip of the love’s iceberg
What if…out there in the world are many, many more…
What if there are as many kinds of love
as there are grains of sand along the shore?
Then…when we concentrate on love…
when love in our hearts abounds…
We are ready to discover…
all those other loves in life…still waiting to be found.
I am grateful for all the friends I have…
for my family and my wife…
and grateful to be living
one gorgeous ordinary life.
Today when you’re picking out your clothes…
When deciding the who you want the world to see…
May you clothe yourself in love…
in kindness and generosity.
Now, more than ever when we see the direction our world is going…
Love, generosity and kindness are the seeds we should be sowing.
Planting these seeds…so our children….all children…will come to know
how their love, kindness and generosity is what makes their seedling grow.
And once their tree peeks through the soil…they will joyously see
how every act of love, kindness and generosity…adds a new leaf to their tree.
They will see, when it comes to making their tree grow, what is paramount…
Is how their love, kindness and generosity…can be provided in small amounts.
As they watch new leaves form on their tree…they will come to understand.
the power in every kindness, every act of love, every time they lending a helping hand
Every time they hold a door, pat someone on the back…
allow someone to go ahead of them…even if they’ve been waiting for a while.
Every time they listen, leave a note, give a hug, a compliment…a smile.
How quickly all children will discover…from the tiniest of seeds…
Small amounts of love, kindness and generosity…
is all their tree of kindness needs.
They will see what nature intended…
that as they add more and more leaves to their tree
How love, kindness and generosity form a self fulfilling prophecy…
because as they watch their kindness tree grow…all children will come to learn
with every act of love, kindness and generosity…they give…
an act of love, generosity and kindness is returned.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful…if we planted these seeds…
in all the lands across the seven seas…
Who knows?
The world might just change direction…if we grew more kindness trees
I am grateful for understanding
three important principles
that have allowed me to keep a sense of
what is important,
what is fundamental
and what is necessary..
Knowing how life is Precious
Knowing life is fragile
And knowing life is momentary.
