Looking before we leap is wise. And fortunately, life has a way of urging us to be more careful. When we encounter roadblocks on the way to our goals, life is often saying to us, “Before proceeding, you need to think about this a little more.”
Each of us is in a position to help someone be sustained and have what they need. We have it within our power to nourish others and help them keep going. And the joy of providing sustenance is so great, the wonder is that we don’t do it more often.
It would be good for us to adopt the same attitude toward life that the artist has toward his or her work. For one thing, we need to have the artist’s pride of craftsmanship, aspiring to excellence and wanting to do the best work we’re capable of.
We shouldn’t be afraid to bring any idea into the sunlight. If it is valid, the light will demonstrate that, and if not, the sooner we find out, the better. Ultimately, time will tell. Truth will be left standing when its competitors have vanished.
Good efforts need to be sustained. It is hard to keep exerting effort for an extremely long time, especially when things don’t seem to be working out well. But the rewards in life are generally reserved for those who will try and try and keep trying.
We need to open our eyes and count the blessings that are either ours or could be ours. We need to see how much opportunity there may be, even in seemingly desperate situations. In a word, we need to be more resourceful.
“Dreams and dedication are a powerful combination.” There is no stopping the person who has weighed the alternatives and made a radical commitment to one passionate pursuit. Quality lives don’t just happen — they come from concentrated choice.
When it comes our time to lead others in one of life’s relationships — and authority is given to us to get the job done — let us be aware that we’re being tested. The responsibility will call for the highest and best within us. Let’s pass the test!
Too often, we make the effort to be courteous to everybody else but treat those nearest and dearest to us with rudeness and irritability. But if anybody in the world deserves to get our very best behavior, isn’t it those we come home to after work?
We must translate our feelings of compassion into actions of mercy. Most of us are moved by compassionate feelings. We do love our neighbors, to some extent. But feelings must be urged into action. Compassion must actually bathe the fevered brow.
