Approaching the New Year!

Part One of reflections on where we are today.

Depending on just where in the world you are, the New Year of 2014 is anything from a few to twenty-four hours away.  How that year turns out will, to a very great extent, depend on millions and millions of behaviours.  In other words, the behavioural choices each of us makes. Because, as millions of us already understand, our world on this, our only, Planet is facing changes potentially beyond our imagination.  Caring for our Planet and all of life upon it is meaningless without those behavioural choices being the right ones for our Planet.

A couple of days ago, I read the following on Facebook.  It seemed an appropriate tale for the start of 2014.

ooOOoo

Now what?
Now what?

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL :

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

  1. Free your heart from hatred – Forgive.
  2. Free your mind from worries – Most never happens.
  3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
  4. Give more.
  5. Expect less from people but more from yourself.

You have two choices … smile and close this page, or pass this along to someone else to share the lesson.

ooOOoo

Part Two of these reflections is tomorrow.

A very Happy New Year to you.

11 thoughts on “Approaching the New Year!

  1. Hi Paul and Jean, Wonderful story! Happy New Year! I’m busy, too, just got my 6th book onto Kindle. I pray that they sell and fund the McAlister Foundation. I’ve a new project, a home for people who want to get well with natural medicine and go home, not linger in a nursing home. Bless you in this coming year and always. Love, Marcie G. The Hydrogen Lady

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    1. Marcia, lovely to hear from you and so glad that you still being a busy lady. Good luck with the project, and the books. Drop me an email with your telephone number and Jean and I will call.

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      1. Marianne, welcome to you and thank you so much for calling by and leaving a comment. Just dropped in here and read your story. What’s this ‘recovering lawyer’ all about? 😉 Oh, and a Happy New Year to you.

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      2. It’s a bit like this – but without the booze! 😉

        “recovering alcoholic
        Web definitions
        Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker’s health, personal relationships, and social standing. …
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovering_alcoholic

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