More and more these days we are all being called to do more with less, for less and in spite of rising tensions in all areas of our life. I believe it breaks across all industries and walks of life. We all just got ahead of ourselves and sometimes adjustment is needed. I was thinking of this allegory last weekend as I was trimming bushes and cutting back the Crepe Myrtles in our front yard. It seems counter-intuitive to cut back almost all of last years growth during the last throes of Winter, just before Spring begins. But if you know anything about plants, if you don't continually prune, the growth will not be nearly as robust in the coming growing season.
All that being said, it brings me back around to one of the major tenets of my life. I found these "rules" several years ago when on a plane trip back from my mother's funeral in Pennsylvania. I was obviously at a low point and came across the following long quote...
The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001
I hope you are able to make the same leap of understanding about life that I was. It is not about the forces from without. True happiness and fulfillment comes from working towards what you know to be "right", despite what others may try to burden you with. Persevere, continue on and thrive into what you are called to be. You will be happier for it.
