ALWAYS A SURE FIT

---------------------
Went through my old files with the sole intent of ridding it of accumulated 'junk'. What are these, you might ask. It's stuff that when you first saw it consider it essential and then as time goes by you finally realize that it is not. So off it goes to the trash bin.

But I found this gold nugget of wisdom......

"If your parents ever measured you as a child, they had you stand against a wall, and made a little pencil mark on the wall to show your growth. They did not measure you against your brother, or the neighbor's kids, or kids on TV.

When you measure your growth, make sure to only measure your today self by your past self. If you compare your relationships, your success, or your anything against anyone else, you are not being fair to you. Everyone has a different path, a different pace, and different challenges to face along the way."   --- Doe Zantamata, author-artist-photographer

Oftentimes I hear of people saying they wished they were somebody else..... that they had somebody else's beauty, money, title, position, or fame. That they feel themselves and their lives so unworthy and miserable as compared to those they admired. At a certain point of my struggling youth and years I thought so, too. Everybody else were simply fantastic in their own respective lives except poor ole' me with the challenges life seemed keen on hurling in my direction. Dodging it was out of the question because it had such perfect aim no matter how I tried to duck it. Darn!

Until I found my own groove.... When I began to use my mind more and understood with my heart better. I finally learned.

I was traveling my own road, just as everybody else was traveling his or hers. Each of the roads a sure-fit to the persons traveling it respectively. Each living his own story. There will be good times and bad times in proportion each would require for his joy and too necessary learning. There will be different talents finding expression in many diverse ways.....  fast or slow....  weak or strong.....  big or small....  humble or grand. There will be different challenges as well as different blessings. All these and more will be on everybody's table in the portion or measure each would require --- always a sure fit. Somebody up there is running the whole show.

I learned with appreciation and gratitude for everything that was...  is... and will be.  Recognized and fully understood that both the good and the bad are there to serve a purpose. Separately or together will continually serve to shape me into the person I was meant to be, by God's design. 

"Everyone has a different path, a different pace, and different challenges to face along the way."

So don't ever wish you were somebody else. Because you are just where you are meant to be.....  to learn and learn some more.... and become better, in God's perfect time. While you are at it, enjoy the journey and remember to count your blessings.

EVERYDAY IS A NEW DAY OF LEARNING

‘Everyday is a new day of learning’ – I like that line. Each day brings with it the wonder and awe of new things. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to know them, savor them, and enjoy them-- To be there side by side with it and to know that by its experience our lives are further enriched. To know that learning transforms our minds and hearts; thereby leading us to becoming better versions of our old selves. To discover too that even in the nothingness of a day there is a tiny seed of learning somewhere there that is simply waiting to be unfurled.

Don’t we go through all lengths to better ourselves through education, a thriving career, lofty positions, or a string of achievements or connections – so then why don’t we use that same energy to better ourselves in the arena of our humanity? Wealth or the best of schools does not necessarily produce people for the world but people of the world.

It’s not who we are or what we have but rather what we do with ourselves or of our god-given talents which define us. Because who we are or what we have do not really belong to us although they seem to -- the truth is it is not given us for our sole use alone. But rather it’s given us to serve others with and to try making our world a better place. In the end it redounds to making our lives better (within) enabling us to create a happier world (without).

Behind every new experience is the opportunity to grow even bigger and better, to like and know ourselves more, to appreciate our gifts and to understand how better to use it, to see and appreciate the work of God’s hands in everything around us, to be kinder and compassionate to others, to appreciate the beauty of a person regardless of color, race, or creed and to respect that person for his contribution to life and to the world, and if I may add, to appreciate his contribution to our own little corner of that same world. Those things can come with each day God brings to us.

Let’s seize the day not because life is precious (It is!) but also because the day contains tremendous learning treasures for you and me. For to help us better understand our rightful place in the bigger scheme of things, is by God's design.

Blessings to you all.

THE GREATEST FAN OF LIFE

".....

I'LL BE BETTER WHEN I'M OLDER..
I'LL BE THE GREATEST FAN OF YOUR LIFE
....."

Song: "I'LL BE"
Sang by Edwin McCain

The rest of the song is nice; an old love song of long ago. But I like best that part there quoted above. I'm going to twist it a wee bit like this.......

"I will be the greatest fan of Life".

The greatest thing you can do in your life time or with your life is to be better. Usually to us people it comes round when we have gathered quite a good number of years which comes much later in life. With age comes wisdom and maturity as the saying goes. Well, because that's how long or how slow we learn.... slow learners that we are.

When life sends us lessons, we don't get it the first time almost always. Often we need to go over the same lesson again and again and again. And this often exasperates us. But hold on, be patient with the lesson.. with self. Even if sometimes almost all of our lives go down until we realize that ... yeah, I get it now! Finally.. !!

To be or become better involves all that you are mind body and soul. You don't do it halfheartedly nor simply by cruising down through the journey. It can't be an involvement so trivial.. superficial.. skin-deep... flickering.. akin to a shooting star here one minute and gone the next. You can't dip a hesitant finger into the pot of life to taste or to test it. Do that and you'll run out of time. That's not what is being asked of you... of us. Nope, what you do is jump into life like fish jumps into the water knowing that it can and will swim. And indeed it can and will swim!

The aim is to become better; not to waste this life on the non-essentials that do not contribute to that end. The earlier you begin the learning, the better for you. And don't worry cos, like fish, we can and will swim! That's how God made us.

Be a better or rather the best human being you can ever be. Every step in that direction is a worthy song of praise to our Creator. That makes God smile.

Be blessed and stay blessed.