Giving and getting

For it is in giving that we receive. St. Francis of Assisi c. 1181 – 1226 When I was a young child, I wasn’t particularly fond of returning to school after the holidays — though not for the reason you might think. It wasn’t so much that I didn’t like school as the fact that all my friends asked the same question: “What did you get for Christmas?” I’d have to recite the items I got and then ask them what they’d received. And naturally, each of us made a mental note of who got more. We judged ourselves on …
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Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving

Happiness is not a matter of good fortune or worldly possessions. It’s a mental attitude. It comes from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about what we don’t have. It’s so simple — yet so difficult for the human mind to comprehend. Bill P. and Lisa D. Authors, Hazelden Publishing This Thursday in America, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day — a day set aside to remember and give thanks for all the blessings we have. For all those who celebrate Thanksgiving Day, I hope your day is filled with good food, friends and family, and fond memories of those …
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Life is hard

Suffering is our psychological resistance to what happens. Events may create physical pain, but they do not in themselves create suffering. Resistance creates suffering. Dan Millman 1946 – If your childhood was anything like mine, you grew up hearing fairy tales and absorbing lessons from them. Most of these children’s stories have a common beginning: “Once upon a time…” They also tend to have a common ending: “And they all lived happily ever after.” While my childhood was far from ideal, there was one theme that was continually repeated: someday, things will be better. Here are some of the thoughts …
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