Let's Talk About Words

         Today's topic in The Daily Book of Positive Quotations is about taking responsibility for your life. Linda Picone explains that many people think that their life would be different if only they were given the opportunity. I agree with Linda that the chances are that those people were given opportunities that they did not take. As I reflect on my life, there were many paths I could have taken, some that I did take and others I did not. It was a big decision for me when I chose to self publish my  book  Fun4Babies . I also made a conscious choice to take on more responsibility at work that ultimately led to the opportunity of mentoring and training other teachers. Opportunities may present themselves, but they do require action. If you spoke to most athletes, writers, singers or CEO's of companies, you will hear of a long list of choices they made to get to where they are. Rarely would you hear a story of success without work on their part....

        Today's Positive Quotation topic is "Breaking someone's spirit". Linda Picone states that words are such powerful weapons, but I will take it one step further and say that thoughts are just as powerful. Most of the spiritual books that I read discuss how powerful one's thoughts and intentions are. They claim that people create their experience of the world based on how you think about it. There are countless songs like the one by Sister Hazel that sing, "If you want to be somebody else, change your mind." Not change your circumstance, not change your words and not change someone else. Even in the movie "Don Jon" that I saw today, his love interest was trying to change him. Relationships can indeed be the catalyst for change, but the decision, the intention, the thought must come from within that person. We all know that hitting someone and calling names can hurt, but intentions and thoughts can hurt others as well as ourselves. When ...

           "When a friend is in trouble...Think of something appropriate and do it." said E.W. Howe. He was a novelist that passed away in 1937 yet that advice stands the test of time. Instead of asking others how you can help, spend some time in thought and decide what you can do to help whatever the circumstance is. This can be applied to helping people that you don't know as well. I have always wanted to help others yet I never felt that I had enough money to make a difference. After some soul searching, I realized that I could help others with my time. I volunteered at a women's shelter helping clean and organize their recreational space, in addition to watching the children so that the mothers could attend meetings. That was an appropriate way for me to help others in need. What is your way? Read my words and see my quotes at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

           Today's post in The Book of Positive Quotations quotes Charles De Gaulle as saying," Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it his own". After reading this, my first thought is that it is wrong, that people need others in times of crisis. How is it that to be a "person of character" one must handle it alone? After much contemplation, I have come to realize that although you can rely on family and friends to help you through a crisis, only you can truly understand what you feel and what would be the best response. A person's reaction could be talking it over with friends, accepting help from family members, but those responses still fall back on oneself. One must, on their own, accept the help if they choose after thought and consideration. My choice would be to read book after book about our soul and our purpose for living as a means of facing...

         What did Hermann Hesse mean by the quote, "Knowledge can be communicated but not wisdom"? Knowledge is facts, information and skills that a person can acquire from experience, and the definition of wisdom is the quality of having knowledge and experience. At first glance they do not seem that different, but as you break the definitions down you realize that others can teach you knowledge through their words and their actions. Wisdom seems to be your own interpretation of the knowledge that you are exposed to. It is your thoughts, feelings and responses to all that you learn, situations that you are in and circumstances that you encounter. Intelligence is a trait that most people are in awe of, but in many ways that is a talent or a God given gift. One's ability to learn knowledge is determined by drive and ability, yet wisdom is limitless. All people possess an infinite ability to gain wisdom from the life they are living. Read my words and see my...