Author: We can Paint the Sunrise

Dear Me,

“One worthwhile task carried to a successful conclusion is worth half-a-hundred half-finished tasks.”

—Malcolm S. Forbes

Dear Me,

Dear Me,

For every hill I’ve had to climb,
For every stone that bruised my feet,
For all the blood and sweat and grime,
For blinding storms and burning heat
My heart sings but a grateful song—
These were the things that made me strong!

For all the heartaches and the tears,
For all the anguish and the pain,
For gloomy days and fruitless years,
And for the hopes that lived in vain,
I do give thanks, for now I know
These were the things that helped me grow!

‘Tis not the softer things of life
Which stimulate man’s will to strive;
But bleak adversity and strife
Do most to keep man’s will alive.
O’er rose-strewn paths the weaklings creep,
But brave hearts dare to climb the steep.

– L. E. Thayer

Dear Me,

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

– Howard Thurman

Dear Me,

“Remember, each conscious thought creates an impact in your subconscious mind, and the more repetitive these thoughts become, the faster they will be programmed as beliefs.”

–M. Alexander

Dear Me,

Dear Me,

To get better, be better. You must change yourself to change your life.

Dear Me,

There is this zen parable of a man and his horse that has been on my mind. We view the scene from a bystander, who is watching as this man, atop his horse, gallops quickly, appearing to be in an hurry, on an urgent mission, towards something important. As the man on the horse draws closer, this bystander calls out, ” where are you going?” And to this the rider replies, “I don’t know! Ask the horse!”

This story so accurately represents a great many of us in life; Riders, sitting atop the horse made up of our unconscious habits; but who don’t know where we are going, why we are moving so fast; who allow our habits to dictate our direction and speed.

Clarity of intention is important. Being present matters. Mindfulness is paramount. We need to stop, step back, and focus. See the full picture from a bystander’s view. Where is it we really want to go? Are our current efforts taking us in that direction? Do our current habits, those things we do unconsciously, benefit us, or do they hinder us; do they work against us, slow us down, or move us away from the direction we want to go.

As we take this step back as a bystander to our own lives; as we seriously examine whether our current habits help us or hinder us, we must also ask the more important question: are we still the master of our fate? Are we still in control of our direction? “Are we running the day, or is the day running us?”

–Original Dear Me Thought

Dear Me,

Dear Me,

“To-day is Yesterday’s plans put into action. To-morrow begins To-day. Your Worth to yourself and the World is measured by what you contribute each day in Usefulness. Success is the Sum of the Days. Then Do To-day.”

–George Matthew Adams