Mother Teresa & 8 Points to keep yourself on track

Mentors are viewed as inspirations and leaders who set uplifting examples.  Mother Teresa's life choices illustrate what it feels like to 'do the right thing.'  She set the intention to be herself regardless of what she encountered.  Her  behavior speaks for itself. Take this to heart.  Keep yourself on track:

1) People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centred.  Forgive them anyway.

-As you forgive, you choose not to be lowered to their level and thus rise-up higher to inspire.  People who gripe about life would like nothing better than to hurt successful people. Why give them that satisfaction?  Why not inspire them to transform instead?

2) If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

-Be kind because this is your nature, not because you have ulterior motives.  Be genuine and you will attract sincere, like-minded people to assist you with your pursuits.        

3) If you're successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies.  Succeed anyway.

-People will disagree with you or be offended.  Ignore these reactions.  As you learn to avoid relationships of convenience, you can build a reputation of integrity.

4) If you're honest and frank, people may cheat you.  Be honest and frank anyway.

-Treat others as you would hope to be treated.  Rise above a fear of dishonesty.  Set examples.

5) What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight.  Build anyway.

-As you give life to your inner passions, you share joy because it gives your life meaning. If anyone burned your writings or destroyed your creations, you couldn't help but continue.  You sense this is what you're meant to do.

6) If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

-People around you always benefit from examples of happiness. Even grumps might come around.

7) The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow.  Do good anyway.

-Give of yourself not as an effort to seek approval but to uplift or cheer people for the sake of it.  Visit friends, relatives and strangers in nursing homes or hospitals. Brighten their spirits.

8) Give the world the best you have; it may never be enough.  Give the world your best anyway.

-As you detach yourself from desired outcomes, you'll be surprised at the benefits.  You aren't meant to predict all the events you touch. Many are beyond your scope and control. Appreciate all that unfolds.

Rowing into oblivion

I recall a heralding experience I had as a teenager near my family's summer place, that renewed my faith in something beyond me. I invited my cousin Meg out for a row in the yellow dingy.  In a late afternoon, we casually ventured out into the harbor and admired the scenery.  As the wind came up, white caps formed on waves.  I reassured my cousin and said I'd row us around the local penninsula. Little did I know a storm would suddenly arise and threaten to carry us out to sea... 

Before long, fog rolled in and my passenger became petrified.  She lost any faith she had had in my navigational ability.  This contrasted my sense of excitement and adventure about our crazy situation.  I reminisced aloud of heros from some of my favorite books.  Yet, even my humorous tone turned serious when one oar fell out into the water and floated away from us.  Needless to say, the state of my passenger helped rock the boat. As she began to panic, I made efforts to calm her. Not long after, a powerful force pushed the oar back in our direction, and I grabbed it.  That went completely against the current. 

At that point, we saw the penninsula through the mist.  Considering how far we'd come, I agreed it would be wise to go ashore and walk the boat around the tip of the penninsula with the bow line. Meg might've abandoned me then, but as it happened, she couldn't climb a wet, rocky cliff.

Our feet slipped on the eroded stones on shore. The water felt refreshing on our feet.  Meg walked ahead of me and expressed aloud she wished the 'whole ordeal' was over.  When the drenched bow line slipped from my fingers in the fog, I could've sworn a man appeared long enough to help me grab it. Yet, looking up, the cliff left him nowhere to go.  Perplexed yet, grateful, I invited my passenger back into the bow and continued rowing.  She opted not to row at all. As I worked, I encouraged her to keep her spirits up. She didn't laugh though I offered her reasons. With the weather, pea soup fog and now intermittent rain, we both looked like drowned rats. 

Even in light of everything, I kept chatting and managed to enjoy myself. It wasn't long before we could see a person on a cottage deck in the distance. He waved. I smiled and kept rowing. I thought he waved at the gulls just overhead. I didn't feel we needed rescuing. As I rowed against the wind, the fog gradually cleared.  Although I shivered with no raincoat, I was glad to build stamina, resilience and determination.  I liked thinking of the story we'd share on our return.

In the end, our plan for a quick rowing trip took us three hours. My cousin admits she had no idea what she was getting into. As it happens, she hasn't accompanied me on another rowing trip since. Such memories cause me to bear in mind that experiences in our best interests may be things we never thought about. Who would voluntarily row in a storm? That boat experience prompted me to develop survival skills and keep my mind open to possibilities and alternatives. As crises evolve, I learn how faith sees me through. I convince myself I may not control the elements, but I do determine how I react to them, what I choose to attract, see and gain.

Cement sent from heaven

The following is a true story which helps you learn why this man takes angels seriously.

When I was 23, I was sailing in the Caribbean, off the coast of Cuba, and my small boat capsized.  A friend and I had taken it from the Havana Yacht Club and foolishly sailed out too far, without having the sense to wear life jackets.  Sail and rudder were gone.  With great effort, we hauled ourselves inside and sat there, water up to our waits, helpless.  A burst of wind came up, and the next thing we knew, we were clinging to the gunnels of the submerged boat.  It was too far to swim ashore and the waters were full of sharks. We drifted in a swift current, southwestwardly, along the coast.  Before long, it was pitch dark.  I was shaking inside with fear, not knowing how we would ever be found in the darkness, not being sure how long the boat would remain afloat.  I prayed more persistently than ever. I promised God if that he saved us, I would serve him well.

I don't know how much time had gone by when my companion screamed in pain.  A Portugese man-o-war had brushed across his belly, its poison leaving a wake of angry welts.  He kept taking about jumping overboard and, I recall my attention was diverted from my own desperation to talking to him about anything I could think of to distract him from his anguish.  But, I felt it was hopeless.  In the morning, if we lasted that long, the sun would emerge and burn us to a crisp.

Miraculously, morning came and the sun was not as threatening as I'd imagined.  We were at least a mile from shore, and still afloat.  Much to my surprise, I saw a large ship approaching and became excited.  The ship had seen us.  As the ship grew closer, I could read the large letters painted on the side: Lehigh Portland Cement.  The sailors threw the ladder down and one kind man helped us on deck.  We drank coffee and the ship turned back to harbor.  I said a prayer of thanks, reminding myself of my promises and determined to do my best to remain faithful to them.

For years I remained convinced my prayers had been heard by God.  And recently, I began to wonder whether God had sent an angel to send us safely home.

-Frederic Flach, MD, based on an excerpt from The Secret Strength of Angels 

What is Balance?

Balance is forever present, yet people often find themselves believing they must chase it. Slow down. Stop even. Watch the mind going in circles. Let go of beliefs that have you side-tracked. What is permanent is an innate state unaffected by worry.

To paraphrase the poet Kalhil Gibran,

Without the energy of Hate, we don't understand the full energy of Love.
Without Sadness we don't understand the full energy of Happiness.
Without Evil we don't understand the full energy of Good.
Without Chaos we don't understand the full energy of Peace.

Staying power

Notice the conditions and relationships that have staying power or longevity in your life.  What keeps them in your scope or focus of attention?  What solidifies a bond between friends or partners and convinces them to 'stick it out' even when circumstances are difficult? What keeps certain people connected?

"The prospect of growing old together," admit one middle-aged couple.

"The loneliness I see among mature singles around me," replies one married man.

"We give each other strength," admits a female partner of 10 years.

"The joys of our children and grandchildren," explain grandparents.

"Shared values," notes a married woman.

You hear about financial troubles, serious illness, workaholism and other hurtful habits or activities, and yet, people who choose to stay connected somehow recognize how trivial many of their trials, disagreements or concerns really are.  They talk things out and let go.  They learn how not to hold grudges.  Instead, they focus on what brought them together.  They reminisce about how and why they overcame problems in the past. 

Couples that stay together through hardship learn it enables them to grow stronger and build trust. They learn the value of apology and forgiveness in and work through destructive, negative thoughts and feelings.  Healthier relationships are those where partners find ways to face the truth about themselves and also evolve together. A shared vision, a willingness to listen to each other, can lead to a relationship with staying power.  People will often offer you advice about your life.  Evaluate it thoroughly from your perspective. You are accountable for your decisions. Depend on yourself. Have faith in yourself. Share your intuitive views and see what feels right.