My Spiritual Journey Day 26

Sirach 11

Be Cautious

Stand by your duty and stick to it; grow old at your work. Don't be jealous of what sinners achieve; just stick to your own work, and trust the Lord. It is very easy for the Lord to make a poor person suddenly rich. Devout people will receive the Lord's blessing as their reward, and that blessing can be given in a moment. Don't be concerned about what you need, or what success the future holds for you. On the other hand, don't think that you have everything you need or that nothing can go wrong for you in the future. When things are going well, people don't think about hard times; and when things are going badly, they forget about prosperity. The Lord can easily wait until the day of our death to reward or punish us. At that time our deeds are open for all to see; all our happiness can be erased in that one moment of misery. So then, don't think of anyone's life as happy until it is over, because all the evidence is not in until the person is dead.

Do your duty, that is best; leave unto the 

Lord the rest. Take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Stop blaming. Stop complaining. Refuse to take anything personal. Make yourself happy. Live in the present moment. Use the power of intention. Feel calm and confident.

Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail. The reward of doing one duty is the power to do another. A man who neglects his duty as a citizen is not entitled to his rights as a citizen. Knowledge of our duties is the most essential part of the philosophy of life.

Every right has its responsibilities. Men who do things without being told draw the most wages. 
The real freedom of any individual can always be measured by the amount of responsibility which he must assume for his own welfare and security. Never mind your happiness; do your duty. 

After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer.
William R. Alger

The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.
Lois McMaster Bujold

The greatest want of the world is the want of men - men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.
Ellen G. White

We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we neglect to do it.
Robert Baden-Powell

Justice is the sum of all moral duty.
William Godwin

With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 25

Sirach 11

Be Cautious

Everything comes from the Lord: success and failure, poverty and wealth, life and death.  Wisdom, understanding, knowledge of the Law, love, and the doing of good deeds—all these come from the Lord. Error and darkness have been with sinners from the beginning, and those who enjoy evil will have it with them into their old age. The Lord's gifts to religious people are gifts that endure. If he approves of you, you will always be successful. Someone may grow rich by working hard and denying himself pleasure, but what does he get for it? He says to himself, now I can finally sit back and enjoy what I have worked for. But he has no idea how long it will be before he must die and leave his wealth to others.

Truly, our own life is our gift from God but what we become as a person is our gift in return to God. Our body is the temple of God's Kingdom when we let our soul glitter like diamond upon the eyes of God if sense of righteousness lives within every breath we take as we deal with other people and so with God.

God will fight your battles if you just keep still. He is able to carry you through. Trust Him. Keep standing, keep believing and keep hoping. Where God guides, He provides. No matter how things look, God is still in control. Stay in peace and be hopeful. Your blessing is coming soon. So much can change from one day to the next, but the one thing that always remains the same is God. Stay focused on Him. In God We Trust. Ask God to use you. Ask Him to show you how you can be a blessing everywhere you go. Keep honoring Him so that others can see Him through you.
Germany Kent

Thy will be done, my Lord. Because you know the weakness in the heart of your children, and you assign each of them only the burden they can bear. May you understand my love–because it is the only thing I have that is really mine, the only thing that I will be able to take with me into the next life. Please allow it to be courageous and pure; please make it capable of surviving the snares of the world.
Paulo Coelho

Prayer:

Dear Lord, May we never forget that everything we have comes from God!

May we always remember that everything we have comes from you!

May we always remember that humility is the key to success!

May we always remember that we are blessed to be a blessing!

May we continually glorify God with everything God has blessed us with!

In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 24

 

Sirach 11

Be Cautious

Before you start criticizing, get your facts straight and think the matter through. Don't interrupt while someone is speaking; hear what he has to say before you answer. Don't get into an argument over something that is none of your business. Don't take part in decisions that are being made by sinners.

My child, don't get involved in too many things. If you try to do too much, you will suffer for it. You won't be able to finish your work, and you won't be able to get away from it either. For instance, here is someone who never stops working like a slave, but gets further behind all the time. On the other hand, someone else may be very poor and not up to his task. He may be slow, and he may need help, but the Lord is pleased with him and pulls him out of his bad situation. When he is back on his feet again, everyone is astounded.

What do we tell our children? Haste makes waste. Look before you leap. Stop and think. Don't judge a book by its cover. We believe that we are always better off gathering as much information as possible and spending as much time as possible in deliberation.

The scars of others should teach us caution. 
Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.

Misery don't call ahead. That's why you have to stay awake - otherwise it just walks on in your door.

Scars fade with time. And the ones that never go away, well, they build character, maturity, caution.
Erin McCarthy

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 23

 

Sirach 11

The Deceptiveness of Appearances

The wisdom of a humble man will lift up his head, and will seat him among the great. Do not praise a man for his good looks, nor loathe a man because of his appearance.  The bee is small among flying creatures, but her product is the best of sweet things. Do not boast about wearing fine clothes, nor exalt yourself in the day that you are honored; for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works are concealed from men.  Many kings have had to sit on the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown. Many rulers have been greatly disgraced, and illustrious men have been handed over to others.

All that glisters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
William Shakespeare

Why is appearance important in society?

It boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. One feels very reassured when other people admire them and prefer to associate with them as they find them very attractive. An attractive physical appearance enhances personality. 

I have come across several wealthy acquaintances and friends and their down to earth behaviour has always made me respect them which they truly deserve.  

There are also with a 'poor thing' tag and we feel sorry for them and do whatever we can to put them at ease. While abroad, we had a next door neighbour with his wife and three kids, whose appearance being drab, dingy and depressing. Their looks including their living conditions were extremely pathetic. Looks sure can be deceiving as we learnt later, they were an absolute miserly lot who loved to live like beggars though the gentleman earned more than enough to feed an army. He saved what he earned for a rainy day perhaps and loved living on charity. Without spending a penny he earned, all the kids attended best schools and universities with the help of philanthropic organisations and later settled in the West. Such people make us think twice before extending any help to the real needy ones.

My favourite hobby is reading and I am a sucker for quotes. Here are a few for collection 🤗

Trust not too much to appearances.~ Virgil

Beauty is produced by the pleasing appearance and good taste of the whole, and by the dimensions of all the parts being duly proportioned to each other. ~ Vitruvius

Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person. ~ Chanakya

The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart. ~ St. Jerome

We should look to the mind, and not to the outward appearance. ~ Aesop

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. ~ Khalil Gibran

People who don’t have it think beauty is a blessing, but actually it sets you apart.~ Candice Bergen

The Lord prefers common looking people. That is why he made so many of them.~ Abraham Lincoln

It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.~ Oscar Wilde

Appearance rules the world.~ Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

When you look in the mirror, your ‘appearance,’ that outer you, is what you see first. ~ Teri Hatcher

You mirror what the world mirrors to you. ~ Jennifer Lopez

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.~ Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

People that seem so glorious are all show; underneath they are like everyone else.~ Euripides

The art of a people is a true mirror to their minds. ~ Jawaharlal Nehru

You are only what you are when no one is looking.~ Robert C. Edwards

We look into mirrors but we only see the effects of our times on us – not our effects on others. ~ Pearl Bailey

If one wishes to become rich they must appear rich.~ Oliver Goldsmith

Nothing so much prevents our being natural as the desire to seem so.~ Francois De La Rochefoucauld

First appearance deceives many.~ Ovid

What lies behind appearance is usually another appearance. ~ Mason Cooley

Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.~ Aesop

Think not I am what I appear.~ Lord Byron

Beware, so long as you live, of judging men by their outward appearance. ~ Jean de La Fontaine

Neglect of appearance becomes men.~ Ovid

Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The biggest problem with every art is by the use of appearance to create a loftier reality. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance~ Henry Ward Beecher

Stop saying these negative things about yourself. Look in the mirror and find something about yourself that’s positive and celebrate that! ~ Tyra Banksia

We only see what we want to see; we only hear what we want to hear. Our belief system is just like a mirror that only shows us what we believe. ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul. ~ George Bernard Shaw

Your best appearance may be what is most remembered about you; don’t leave home without it.~ Clarence E. Hodges

I’m a mirror. If you’re cool with me, I’m cool with you, and the exchange starts. What you see is what you reflect. If you don’t like what you see, then you’ve done something. If I’m standoffish, that’s because you are. ~ Jay-Z

Shadows cannot see themselves in the mirror of the sun. ~ Evita Peron

When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.~ Richard C. Cushing

Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter? ~ Pablo Picasso

A beautiful woman should break her mirror early. ~ Baltasar Gracian

Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life. ~ Yoko Ono

Things are entirely what they appear to be and behind them … there is nothing.~ Jean-Paul Sartre

Mirrors are ice which do not melt: what melts are those who admire themselves in them. ~ Paul Morand

If you begin to think you’re something you’re not, you’re looking in the wrong mirror. ~ Eugene Cernan

Monkeys are superior to men in this: when a monkey looks into a mirror, he sees a monkey. ~ Malcolm de Chazal

Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.~ Phaedrus

You’re only as good as your last haircut.~ Susan Lee

The world is governed more by appearances than by realities, so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it.~ Daniel Webster

Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success. ~ Christopher Lasch

If you find the mirror of the heart dull, the rust has not been cleared from its face. ~ Rumi

Beauty is truth’s smile when she beholds her own face in a perfect mirror. ~ Rabindranath Tagore

He that has a great nose, thinks everybody is speaking of it.~ Thomas Fuller

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. ~ Aristotle

No one is so miserable as the poor person who maintains the appearance of wealth. ~ Charles Spurgeon

Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it. ~ Ernest Holmes

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. ~ Edith Wharton

Hold up a mirror and ask yourself what you are capable of doing, and what you really care about. Then take the initiative – don’t wait for someone else to ask you to act. ~ Sylvia Earle

Things are seldom what they seem.~ W. S. Gilbert

A sister is both your mirror – and your opposite. ~ Elizabeth Fishel

Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations. ~ Earl Nightingale

To establish yourself in the world a person must do all they can to appear already established.~ Francois De La Rochefoucauld

A man’s manners are a mirror in which he shows his portrait. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Last but not the least:

Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearance only. ~ Samuel Butler

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 22

 

Sirach 10

Humility and Self-respect

When you do your work, don't make a show of your skill, and don't try to put on a show when you are in trouble. It is better to work and have more than you need than to go around boasting but hungry.

My child, keep your self-respect, but remain modest. Value yourself at your true worth. There is no excuse for a person to run himself down. No one respects a person who has no respect for himself. Poor people can be honored for their good sense, and rich people can be honored for their wealth. If someone is honored while he is poor, think how much he will be honored if he becomes rich! If someone is despised while he is rich, think how much more he will be despised if he becomes poor!

One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.
Shannon L. Alder

A humble person is rare to come across now-a-days. However, it can be challenging to even free yourself from the pit of arrogance and pride. To be humble doesn’t mean to have low self-esteem. Humble people can have great talent, yet they’re extremely self-aware of their talents, and keep everything in perspective.

When you’re humble, the results speak for themselves. When you’re humble, you’re not afraid to ask for help, praise others, and even accept compliments. If you’re truly humble, people will notice and gravitate towards you.

Even though many people may think of humility as becoming weak, unworthy, and valueless, real humility is a powerful soul force, which when unleashed, can bring a person into a place of purpose, vision, power and wealth.

Self-respect is the opinion you have of yourself, or, in other words, your self-image. Self-respect is not about being arrogant or conceited. In fact, it is about having a healthy and realistic self-image – one that represents who you are.

Healthy self-respect has a number of benefits: it can help you focus on your strengths and achievements; it can help you work towards your goals rather than giving up; it offers motivation for change and improvement.

Self-respecting yourself should be an ongoing process because our opinions of ourselves change over time. Don’t disrespect yourself by undermining your capabilities!

I don’t respect those who don’t respect me. You call it ego. I call it self respect. I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely—at least, not all the time—but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don't see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.

To elaborate on Abraham Lincoln's quote, I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go except to cry out to God. In the midst of financial commitments while educating our only child, losing my job was a huge blow as his future was pinned on it. That was what I thought then. I ran pillar to post to get myself another job forgetting my dignity as my self-esteem was too low and things never worked out. I was desparate, scared and worried. I did pray to have my own way but God had his own plan for our future. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day. God's plan I could not understand at that moment, but now I do. He guided and protected me and my family from every difficult situation with his abundant blessings and peace. He does it every day of our lives. Thanks and praise be to God 🙏

These are the few ways we can practice humility:

To speak as little as possible of one's self.
To mind one's own business.
Not to want to manage other people's affairs.
To avoid curiosity.
To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
To pass over the mistakes of others.
To accept insults and injuries.
To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.
To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
Never to stand on one's dignity.
To choose always the hardest.
Mother Teresa.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 21

 

Sirach 10

People Who Should Be Honored

Who deserves honor? The human race does, because people fear the Lord. Who does not deserve honor? The human race does not, because people break the Lord's commands. A leader should be honored by those who follow him, and the Lord honors those who fear him.

Rich people, famous people, and poor people all take pride in their fear of the Lord. It is not right to refuse honor to a poor person who is intelligent, and it is not right to give honor to a sinner. People of influence, rulers, and judges will be honored, but none of them is greater than a person who fears the Lord. A slave who is wise will have free citizens serving him; and if they are sensible, they will not resent it.

You are no richer than what you carry in your mind, no stronger than what you hold in your heart, and no purer than what you harbor in your soul. If anyone is eligible for recognition as long as they have made a contribution to their local community or wider society and deserved to be honoured, to me, top of my list are my two grandmothers..one my very own and the other one is my hubby's. Both shared the same name "Magdalene". Though both were not educated, these young widows besides bringing up their children and grandchildren in dire poverty, dedicated their lives by their voluntary work, improved life for people less able, sick, poor or rich without any partiality, displayed moral courage and left behind a rich legacy to be carried on by us, their grandchildren.  My grandmother did voluntary work whereas my hubby's grandmother was employed in a reputed Charitable Institution as a helper and both were so devoted to share their spare time, helping the other less fortunate ones than themselves. We have tried our level best to follow their footsteps, however, have a long way to go because I feel we still are in the process of matching their good deeds..but I don't think we will be able to do full justice to their achievements. May God rest their souls in peace.

Famous Mark Twain Aphorism About Deserving Honors
On the whole it is better to deserve honors & not have them, than to have them & not deserve them.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 20

 

Sirach 10

Pride

Don't be angry with someone for every little thing he does wrong. Don't do anything out of injured pride. Arrogance and injustice are hated by both the Lord and people. Injustice, arrogance, and wealth cause nations to fall from power, and others then rise to take their place. We are only dust and ashes; what have we got to be proud of, our body decays even while we are alive.  A long illness puzzles the doctor.  Even a king may be alive today and dead tomorrow. When a person dies, all he then possesses is worms, flies, and maggots.

Pride has its beginning when a person abandons the Lord, his maker. Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be full of wickedness. That is why the Lord brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them. The Lord has overthrown kings and put humbler people in their place. The Lord has pulled up nations by the roots and established humbler ones in their place. The Lord has overthrown empires and completely devastated their lands. He destroyed some so completely that they are not even remembered any more. The Creator never intended for human beings to be arrogant and violent.

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. 'Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. Pride to me means accepting who you are and being proud of all you stand for. Regardless of what you believe or think, nobody should be able to make you feel ashamed of who you are or what you stand for. To me pride is saying to the world, “this is who I am and I'm proud of it.” 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance, which goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people that they don't like. 

Reminds me of an incident..in an inebriated state an argument broke out among three egoistic men on a trivial issue, which took such an ugly turn by one of the proud men hurling uncalled for abuses at the other. The one who thought he was fighting for a just cause apologized, second one who had started the argument became a Saint but the third ever arrogant and proud one found it difficult to reconcile. Few months later, another argument..now with his own family and their offspring walked out of the house in the middle of the night. Even after several apologies, they have not been able to mend matters because his pride is bigger than his heart and his ego is bigger than his head, which has made him lonely. 

Do not let arrogance go to your head and despair to your heart; do not let compliments go to your head and criticisms to your heart; do not let success go to your head and failure to your heart.
Roy T. Bennett, 

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 19

 

Sirach 9 & 10

Rulers

A skilled worker is admired for the things he makes, and a leader's wisdom is proved by his words. Someone who speaks rashly and recklessly is feared and hated by everyone in town.

A wise ruler will educate his people, and his government will be orderly. All the officials and all the citizens will be like their ruler. An uneducated king will ruin his people, but a government will grow strong if its rulers are wise. The Lord sees to the government of the world and brings the right person to power at the right time. The success of that person is in the Lord's hands. The Lord is the source of the honor given to any official.

“If you have power, be just; wealth, be generous; knowledge, be wise; titles, be humble; and life, be grateful.” 

Thucydides, is one of the greatest of ancient Greek historians and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the struggle between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century bc. His work was the first recorded political and moral analysis of a nation's war policies. He quotes: "Some legislators only wish to vengeance against a particular enemy. Others only look out for themselves. They devote very little time on the consideration of any public issue. They think that no harm will come from their neglect. They act as if it is always the business of somebody else to look after this or that. When this selfish notion is entertained by all, the commonwealth slowly begins to decay".

Politics and religion go hand in hand and I try my best to avoid any arguments on these two topics due to my lukewarm interest but today's  electronic media is so powerful and forceful you tend to read or hear what is communicated and that is unavoidable. 

I wish I could express like Mercedes Lackey, an American writer of fantasy novels whose quote I try to comprehend still.."When a ruler gives up on empathy and sentiment, it is a sign of desperation. It means they’re paring away emotion in favor of efficiency and numbers and a twisted fantasy of a better life without the joys and burdens of caring about something outside of themselves. Contempt for kindness and generosity is the surest sign there is that someone has nothing else left to them but a horrible emptiness much worse than weakness. It’s an—anti-strength. And the dying monster plods along, unaware it’s rotting".

The sign of a good leader is easy to recognise, though it is hardly ever seen. For the greatest leaders are those who share as equals in the trials and struggles, the demands and expectations, the hills and trenches, the laws and punishments placed upon the backs of those governed. A great leader is motivated not by power but by compassion. Therefore he can do nothing but make himself a servant to those whom he rules. Such a leader is unequivocally respected, and loved for loving.

The Inevitable

I like the man who faces what he must
With step triumphant and a heart of cheer;
Who fights the daily battle without fear;
Sees his hopes fail, yet keeps unfaltering trust
That God is God; That somehow, true and just,
His plans work out for mortals; not a tear
Is shed when fortune, which the world holds dear,
Falls from his grasp; better, with love, a crust
Than living is dishonor; envies it,
Nor loses faith in man; but does his best,
Nor even murmurs at his humbler lot;
But with a smile and words of hope, gives zest
To every toiler; he alone is great
Who by a life heroic conquers fate.
- Sarah Knowles Bolton

May God bless and guide all rulers to lead the countries and people they rule wisely.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 18

Sirach 9

Friendships with Others

Never abandon old friends; you will never find a new one who can take their place. Friendship is like wine; it gets better as it grows older. Don't be jealous of a sinner's success; you don't know what kind of disaster is in store for him. Don't take pleasure in the things that make ungodly people happy; remember that they will be held guilty as long as they live. If you keep away from someone who has the power to put you to death, you will not have to fear for your life; but if you must go near him, be very careful, or he may kill you. Be conscious that you are walking among hidden traps, that you are an easy target.

Get to know the people around you as well as you can, and take advice only from those who are qualified to give it. Engage in conversation with intelligent people, and let the Law of the Most High be the topic of your discussions. Choose righteous people for your dinner companions. Your chief pride should be your fear of the Lord.

I forget faces and names unintentionally, creating an identity crisis often and one such incident haunts me since the day it occurred. I left my hometown at a very young age for better future and after almost four decades abroad, returned home for good. Almost everyone around my hometown still recognise me easily, they say my looks haven't changed but I honestly feel downhearted to accept the fact that I have forgotten many a close old friends, which is appalling. It's not with purpose but my memory bank is blank. I met one of my close friends at a funeral service three years back, who sat next to me and stared at me as though trying to tell me something but I could not recall her face or name. After the service she came to me and said 'Hey, I am Rosalyn..remember me?'. And to my horror and embarrassment, I couldn't place her. She must have really felt hurt thinking it must an act on my part but seriously I was trying to recollect...alas I could only remember once she left the place. It was too late by then to go after her and give her my hug in apology🤗.We used to share and exchange novels on romance (Mills & Boon..Barbara Cartland..), crime (Agatha Christie, James Hadley Chase and alike) borrowed from the local library to read and I believe books that bound us in close friendship as I believe books are like old friends. Even if you're not reading them over and over again, you know they are there. And they're part of your history. They sort of tell a story about your journey through life. Now after three years I am still looking out for her but somehow I haven't been able to meet her. She will hug me back for sure❤️🤗

In her quote Shannon L. Alder beautifully explains old friendship:
A woman or man of value doesn’t love you because of what he or she wants you to be or do for them. He or she loves you because your combined souls understand one another, complements each other, and make sense above any other person in this world. You each share a part of their soul's mirror and see each other’s light reflected in it clearly. You can easily speak from the heart and feel safe doing so. Both of you have been traveling a parallel road your entire life. Without each other's presence, you feel like an old friend or family member was lost. It bothers you, not because you have given it too much meaning, but because God did. This is the type of person you don't have to fight for because you can't get rid of them and your heart doesn't want them to leave anyways.

And last but not the least I want to end the day with this poem titled "True Friendship"
by Alora M. Knight:

It isn't the years,
It isn't the tears
That makes life worthwhile.
It's the memories that grew
And the people you knew
That will bring back a smile.

Mistakes that were made,
Plans often mislaid
Are a part of the past.
What you've kept in your mind
Is where you will find
What you wished to hold fast.

Some things in life
May be had without strife.
It can happen that way.
Still, a friendship is earned,
And where love is concerned,
I'm willed to say.

When life draws to a close,
Let me be one of those
To cry, "Life has been great!"
It's the friends that were made,
Those who lived unafraid.
That is proof of the world we create.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 17

 

Sirach 9

Advice about Women

Don't be jealous of the wife you love. You will only be teaching her how to do you harm. Do not surrender your dignity to any woman. Keep away from other men's wives or they will trap you. Don't keep company with female musicians; they will trick you. Don't look too intently at a virgin, or you may find yourself forced to pay a bride price. Don't give yourself to prostitutes, or you may lose everything you own. So don't go looking about in the streets or wandering around in the run-down parts of town. When you see a good-looking woman, look the other way; don't let your mind dwell on the beauty of any woman who is not your wife. Many men have been led astray by a woman's beauty. It kindles passion as if it were fire. Don't sit down to eat with another man's wife or join her for a drink. You may give in to the temptation of her charms and be destroyed by your passion.

But when thou findest sensibility of heart, joined with softness of manners, an accomplished mind, and religion, united with sweetness of temper, modest deportment, and a love of domestic life; such is the woman who will divide the sorrows and double the joys of thy life. Take her to thyself; she is worthy to be thy nearest friend, thy companion, the wife of thy bosom.
Noah Webster

Says it all❤️

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 16

 

Sirach 8

Using Common Sense 

Do not challenge a person who has influence; you may fall into his power. Do not quarrel with someone rich; he may bribe people to turn against you. Gold has destroyed many people and corrupted kings. Don't argue with someone who talks too much; you will just be adding fuel to his fire. Don't make fun of someone who has bad manners; he may insult your ancestors. Don't criticize someone if he is already turning away from sin. Remember that we are all guilty. Never think less of someone because he is old; some of us are growing old, too. Don't be happy over the death of anyone; remember that all of us must die.

Do not disregard what the wise have said. Study their proverbs; from them you can learn to be cultured and to serve great people. Pay attention to what old people say, for they learned from those who came before them. You can learn from them, and they can teach you how to have an answer ready when you need one.

You should not provide a sinner with more opportunity to sin. You might get hurt yourself; it's as easy as getting burned while adding logs to a fire. You should not get up and walk out on someone who is insolent. He might twist your words and use them against you. You should not lend anything to someone more powerful than you. If you do, you might as well consider it lost. You should not guarantee anyone else's loan to an extent that you cannot afford. You must be prepared to pay any such guarantee. You should not bring a lawsuit against a judge. He will win because of his position. You should not travel with anyone who is reckless. It will cause you nothing but trouble. He will do any foolish thing he pleases, and you will die with him.

You should not get into an argument with anyone who has a hot temper or go to some place where the two of you will be alone. Violence means nothing to such a person, and he will attack you when there is no one to help you. You should not ask a stupid person for advice. He will not be able to keep secret what you tell him. You should not do anything in front of a stranger that should be kept secret. There is no way of knowing what will happen if you do. You should not reveal your most private thoughts to anyone. If you do, you may as well throw away any chance of happiness.

Below are a few quotes I like which relate to common sense:

It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.

Common sense is like deodorant, those who need it the most never use it.

To make a mistake is human, but to blame it on someone else, that's even more human.

Everyone has photographic memory; some just don't have the film.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

You're born free, then you're taxed to death.

If you don't succeed at first, hide all evidence that you tried.

But the best one is:

Top 15 Things Money Can’t Buy
Time. Happiness. Inner Peace. Integrity. Love. Character. Manners. Health. Respect. Morals. Trust. Patience. Class. Common sense. Dignity.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 15

 

Sirach 7

Relations with Others

Don't betray a friend for money. Don't betray a real friend for all the gold in the world.

Don't miss your chance to marry a wise and good woman. A gracious wife is worth more than gold.

Don't mistreat servants who do their work well, or employees who do their best for you.
Show the same love to wise servants that you would show to yourself, and let them have their freedom.

Take good care of any animals you own. If they make money for you, keep them.

If you have sons, educate them. Teach them self-discipline while they are young.

If you have daughters, keep them virtuous, and don't be too indulgent with them. When you give your daughter in marriage, you have finished a great task, but give her to a sensible man.

If you have a good wife, do not divorce her, but do not trust yourself to someone you don't love.

Honor your father with all your heart, and never forget how your mother suffered when you were born. Remember that you owe your life to them. How can you ever repay them for all they have done for you?

Fear the Lord with all your heart, and have respect for his priests. Love your Creator with all your strength, and give his ministers your support. Honor the Lord and respect the priests. Supply them with what you have been commanded to give: the first produce, the offering for sin, the shoulder of the sacrificial animal—all the required sacrifices and offerings.

Give your help to the poor, and the Lord will give you his perfect blessing. Be generous to every living soul, and be gracious to the memory of the dead. Show sympathy to those who have lost a loved one, and mourn with them. Do not hesitate to visit the sick. You will be loved for things like these. Whatever you do, remember that some day you must die. As long as you keep this in mind, you will never sin.

"People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.”
— Joseph F. Newton Men

summing up, at the heart of life lie the relationships we have with other people, with family, co-workers and friends close by and far away at the other side of the world.

And how we let these relationships flow and grow has huge impact on the happiness both in our life and in the lives of the people we care about.

There are many things that make humans, human. One major component is the capacity to form and maintain relationships. These relationships are absolutely necessary for any of us to survive, learn, work, love, and procreate.

When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.”
– Donald Miller

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 14

 

Sirach 7

Miscellaneous Advice

If you do no wrong, no wrong will ever come to you. Do not plow the ground to plant seeds of injustice; you may reap a bigger harvest than you expect.

Don't ask the Lord for a place of honor or ask the king for an important position. Don't try to convince the Lord that you are righteous or make a show of your wisdom before the king. Don't set your heart on being a judge, unless you have the strength of character it takes to put an end to injustice. If you let yourself be influenced by someone in a position of power, your integrity will be damaged. Don't commit any crime against the general public, and don't disgrace yourself among your townspeople.

Don't commit the same sin twice. The punishment you get the first time ought to be enough.

Don't think that God Most High is going to take into account how very generous you are and so accept any offering you decide to make.

Never get tired of praying, and never miss a chance to give to the poor.

Don't laugh at someone who has been humiliated. It is the Lord who humbles a person, but the Lord also raises him up again.

Don't think up lies to tell about your friends. Don't tell lies at all. It never does any good.

In an official assembly, don't get up and talk a lot of nonsense. And don't repeat yourself when you pray.

Don't try to avoid farm work or other hard labor; the Most High has given us these jobs to do.

Don't join up with a crowd of sinners; remember that the Lord's punishment is sure to come.

Be very humble, because the decay of death awaits us all.

Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.

Voltaire

Injustice is what I want to touch upon.  A common cause of injustice is human selfishness. Human injustice is not always caused by attempt to gain unfair advantage or malice; it may be simply the result of the flawed human decision making.

I have someone very close to my heart, my twin soul I call her. But we are at times north and south pole. I am much stronger and she is more like a weak toddler. She is an introvert and I am part extrovert.  I can call myself a Tomboy because I grew up with boys, but overprotection by parents and my absence, made her shy and timid. We balance. Common ground we share is our sensitive nature and no malice. We both go into a shell quickly but it's quite difficult to pull her up from the deep pit she buries herself into whereas I bounce back in no time.

Quite briefly, In her mid 20s after her post graduation, she started working in the IT Cell tutoring students in a reputed College. A few of the so highly educated lecturers and the staff, pulled a prank on her. She was made to believe that one of the lecturers had fallen in love with her, and simple minded that she was, she believed. The moment she confessed it to one of her colleagues, rumours spread like wildfire in the whole college. When she realised that the entire staff had made a laughing stock out of her, she had a nervous breakdown with hallucinations. I wasn't around to help her when she needed me for I was out of the country. Doctors consulted diagnosed her condition as schizophrenia and the stigma attached to it made matters worse. The real injustice was the College authorities aware of the entire incident blamed her for her foolishness and closed the whole issue, unfairly without punishing any of the culprits and justified their actions. The undeserved outcome was that she left her job as she lost all appetite for career and her life too. She is better but damaged still as sometimes in a good shape and sometimes unreasonably stubborn. Prayer helps her. She is in her 40s now and I was extremely joyful to have her with me today after a long lapse due to Covid around. When she spoke of aliens and demons around and we need to pray, it broke my heart. But holding and hugging her close to my tormented heart tightly saying that I love her, comforted us both. She knows I love and care for her.  I pray God forgives these people.

Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay; the worst is death and death will have his day.

William Shakespeare

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 13

Sirach 6

Learn from Wisdom

My child, learn to value Wisdom while you are young, and you will still be able to find her when you grow old. Work as hard to find Wisdom as a farmer works to plow and plant his fields; then you can expect a good harvest. You will have to work at it for a while, but you will soon be enjoying what you have earned. Undisciplined people find Wisdom's demands too hard and don't have enough determination to meet them. Her requirements are a burden heavier than they are willing to bear, and they quickly lay them aside.

Discipline means just that—discipline, and not many people are able to discipline themselves.

My child, listen to me and take my advice. Put Wisdom's chains around your feet and her yoke around your neck. Carry her on your shoulder and don't be resentful of her bonds. Follow Wisdom, and keep to her ways with all your heart. Go looking for her, and she will reveal herself to you. Take hold of her and don't let go. Then you will discover the peace of mind she offers, and she will become your joy. The signs of slavery you wear will become signs of royal majesty. Her chains will be your protection, and you will wear her yoke like a magnificent robe. You will wear Wisdom like a splendid crown.

My child, you can learn if you want to. You can be clever if you are determined to be. If you are willing to listen, you will learn and become wise. Go where the old people are; find someone who is wise, and stay with him. Be ready to listen when religious people speak, and don't miss anything that shows insight. If you find someone with understanding, get up early to call on him; wear out his doorstep with your visits.

Devote all your time to studying the Lord's commands and thinking about them. He will give you the insight and wisdom you are looking for.

To quote John Greenleaf Whittier..Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been’

As per Wikipedia, Wisdom is difficult to teach. The intelligent can learn, comprehend, understand and meet rational decisions based on logic. A wise person knows out of experience. It is the inner knowing what to do in a given situation.In some cases, the decision that is met appears to be irrational, but more often than not it turns out to be the right thing to do. The wise person knows from within, supported by the insights gained from a reflective disposition.

Wish I was wise when younger, but I always had these excuse called "responsibility". I am not perfect and all-knowing, I learnt wise lessons through my follies. Now I’m in my early 60s, so I think I have a few important pearls of wisdom or wise lessons about life to share.

As I couldn't fulfill my dream of studing medicine, my relentless goal was to give our only child the best of education, who performed brilliantly academic-wise. When he completed his 'O' levels with all A+ grades, without any prior plan, I took a decision, with a hesitant nod from my hubby, that we would send him abroad for his "A" levels. He was offered a 50% scholarship by one of the UK colleges with a 'if bursary available' clause in the acceptance letter, which in my euphoria I forgot to notice.  so the College granted a 75% scholarship for the first year and 50% for the second year. Since both my hubby and I  were employed, I thought we would manage. No big deal. 

We both planned to accompany our son to UK but due to visa restrictions for Indian nationals, he had to travel alone. In the bargain, we lost our airfare because they were nonrefundable.

Second blow was every three months the College had a break for one month which was not made known by the College. As we did not have any friends or relatives we had to bring him home to Bahrain, which cost a bomb additionally. We had also to find a local sponsor.. luckily without financial commitment we could get one just for namesake. Thank God.

Third blow was under Company Policy women who attain the age 55 were set for retirement and I lost my job. I was overwhelmed, angry, bitter and worried as to how we will be able to complete our son's education. I realised I had bitten more than I can chew at that moment. Everything is planned by God but we are overconfident as ever and forget that fact..then we are overwhelmed. But God also stood by us all along and guided us all through our ordeal especially our financial commitment. I paid a heavy price though, mentally and physically. Once his "A" levels were through, I brought him down to India and enrolled in one of best institutions, where he completed his BTech in flying colours. My hubby found a better job and he could provide for both of us to complete our son's studies and our necessary comforts. Thank you Jesus. By the grace of God he is suitably employed abroad. As we put all the eggs in one basket with a sole intention of educating him, now in turn he takes care of us financially. Praise the Lord.

Everything we underwent taught us a lesson.  The question is: Do we have the courage to discover what lesson was taught? Are we brave enough to make use of the wisdom we gained? And the answer is a simple 'yes'. Now I always give sound advice whenever any parent approaches me who thinks in the same lines as mine, to think it over once again carefully. One most important thing is though we struggled financially because of my hasty decision, I do not regret what we went through because I believe in my heart that God allowed me to fulfill my dream through my child in a hard way perhaps, as this is a beneficial investment for the future of our child, in the longer run. 

Life can be really tough, especially in times of coping with setbacks and failures. But I know from experience everything that happens teaches a lesson whether you like it or not. It took me days, months and years to let go of the ego-based grief, self-pity, and anger about what had happened. But once that work was done it gave way to a reflective approach to discovering the valuable insights and wisdom that were taught.

One must remember that this process takes a lot of time. Wise lessons might not immediately catch our attention, but they will come as very profound realizations once we are ready to comprehend them. With the insight that time provides, we will be able to accept the situation and be courageous enough to let go of anger and bitterness. Only then, with an impartial point of view, profound but wise lessons can be drawn from the things that happened to us, hence increasing our knowledge about the important wisdom about life.

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
Socrates

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 12

 

Sirach 6

Friendship

If you are polite and courteous, you will enjoy the friendship of many people. Exchange greetings with many, but take advice from only one person out of a thousand. When you make friends, don't be too quick to trust them; make sure that they have proved themselves. Some people will be your friends only when it is convenient for them, but they won't stand by you in trouble. Others will fall out with you over some argument, and then embarrass you by letting everyone know about it. Others will sit at your table as long as things are going well; they will stick to you like your shadow and give orders to your servants, but they will not stand by you in trouble. If your situation takes a turn for the worse, they will turn against you, and you won't be able to find them anywhere.

Stay away from your enemies and be on guard against your friends. A loyal friend is like a safe shelter; find one, and you have found a treasure. Nothing else is as valuable; there is no way of putting a price on it. A loyal friend is like a medicine that keeps you in good health. Only those who fear the Lord can find such a friend. A person who fears the Lord can make real friendships, because he will treat his friends as he does himself.

In life one of the important and valuable things is friendship. Our educational institutions, jobs, cities, and circumstances change, but best friends are constant. In a true friendship, a person can be themselves completely without the fear of being judged. It makes you feel loved and accepted. Having a loving family is okay but you also need true friendship to be completely happy. Some people don't even have families but they have friends who are like their family only.

Friendship means familiar and liking of each other's mind. I am fortunate enough to have three friends with whom I share a close bond. We talk to each other and spend time together whenever occasion permits. We trust one another and also help each other when we arr in trouble or are hurt, from wherever we are, far or near. They are the ones I look up to and trust. I cherish their friendship and so do they.

Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. In a true friendship, someone who has your back, no matter what. They watch put for you and ensure you are not in danger. A good friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have. They will never purposely lead you into making decisions that aren't good for you. There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. A true friendship will always have your best interest at heart which comes when the silence between two people is comfortable. 

There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy." - Henry Ford

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 11

 

Sirach 5 & 6

Sincerity and Self-control

Be certain about what you believe and consistent in what you say. Don't try to please everyone or agree with everything people say.  Always be ready to listen, but take your time in answering. Answer only if you know what to say, and if you don't know what to say, keep quiet. Speaking can bring you either honor or disgrace; what you say can ruin you.

Don't get a reputation for being a gossip, and don't tell tales that will hurt people. Just as robbers will suffer disgrace, so liars will suffer severe condemnation. Do nothing destructive, whether it seems insignificant or not and do not be an enemy when you should be a friend. A bad reputation brings you the disgrace that lying sinners deserve.  Do not let your passions carry you away; this can tear your soul to pieces like a bull. You will be left like a dead tree without any leaves or fruit. Evil desire will destroy you and make you a joke to your enemies.

When I watch a waterfall, I realise water is so soft and gentle as it flows down, gradually carving through the hardest stone to reveal great beauty. Sometimes what seems weakest is actually most powerful.

In recent times my closest sibling opened up to me whose marriage was being smothered by the weight of everything unsaid. It was all normal-range day today issues like wishing his wife were less irritable with his teenage son and more affectionate with him but there's been a kind of fear about facing it, as if it could blow up the relationship and things reached to such extent he felt separation was the only way out. What was actually blowing up their relationship is the communication gap. If we communicate in a heartfelt way, it's dignified and compelling, and it usually evokes support and open-heartedness from others. One needs to be confident, have faith in your sincerity, and in the truth itself. 

What Is Self-Control?
People use a variety of terms for self-control, including discipline, determination, grit, willpower, and fortitude.

Just this morning I posted on a group a silly and quirky sticker in response to a comment by one of my cousins, which after a while realised without ascertaining the fact, was wrong. Not that any of my cousins took it seriously but I felt I should have exercised a little self-control by  managing my actions, feelings and emotions. I learn albeit slowly.

Now to touch on gossip, before I mention the two of the best tales that I read on gossip🤯, allow me to let the cat out of the bag😻🙀😿. I was my mom's confidente until she left for her heavenly abode, in fact we gossiped anything and everything under the sky, which strictly remained between us, never to share with anyone. But in the end of our gossip, she always justified it by saying "it's a God's gift that we both cannot hear..if you don't hear you commit less sins". Her logic..what we said and heard was a billion dollar question though! GOD ALONE KNOWS🙄.. so secrets remain secrets😂

The first tale is:
In ancient Greece, Socrates (the famous philosopher) was visited by an acquaintance of his. Eager to share some juicy gossip, the man asked if Socrates would like to know the story he’d just heard about a friend of theirs. Socrates replied that before the man spoke, he needed to pass the “Triple-Filter” test.

The first filter, he explained, is Truth. “Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to say is true?” The man shook his head. “No, I actually just heard about it, and …”

Socrates cut him off. “You don’t know for certain that it is true, then. Is what you want to say something good or kind?” Again, the man shook his head. “No! Actually, just the opposite. You see …”

Socrates lifted his hand to stop the man speaking. “So you are not certain that what you want to say is true, and it isn’t good or kind. One filter still remains, though, so you may yet still tell me. That is Usefulness or Necessity. Is this information useful or necessary to me?”  A little defeated, the man replied, “No, not really.”

“Well, then,” Socrates said, turning on his heel. “If what you want to say is neither true, nor good or kind, nor useful or necessary, please don’t say anything at all.”

And the second tale doing rounds or floating on the social media often is:

Once upon a time, an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later he was proven innocent. After being released, he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In court, the old man told the judge, “They were just comments, they didn’t harm anyone.”

The judges, before passing sentence on the case, told the old man, “write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper.” “Cut it up into little pieces and on the way home, throw the pieces of paper out of your car window. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence.”

The next day, the judge told the old man, “Before receiving the sentence, I want you to go out and gather up all the pieces of paper that you threw out of your car window yesterday.”

The old man said, “I can’t do that! The wind spread them all over the place and won’t know where to find them.”

Then the judge replied, “The same way, simple words and comments may destroy the honor of a person to such an extent that a person will not be able to fix it. If you can’t speak well of someone, don’t say anything at all. Let’s all be masters of our mouths, so that we won’t be slaves of our words.”

“Gossips are worse than thieves because they steal another person’s dignity, honor, reputation and credibility which are impossible to restore. So remember this: when your feet slip, you can always recover your balance but when your tongue slips, you can never recover your words!”

If you cannot keep a secret then never tell anyone about it. If you cannot keep it to yourself then don't expect from anyone else.. simple as that.

“Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.” ~ Proverbs 21:23

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 10

 

Sirach 5

Don't Be Presumptuous

Don't rely on money to make you independent. Don't think you have to have everything you want, and then spend your energy trying to get it. Don't think that no one can exercise authority over you; if you do, the Lord is certain to punish you. Don't think that you can sin and get away with it; the Lord does not mind waiting to punish you. Don't be so certain of the Lord's forgiveness that you go on committing one sin after another. Don't think that his mercy is so great that he will forgive your sins no matter how many they are. He does show mercy, but he also shows his furious anger with sinners. Come back to the Lord quickly. Don't think that you can keep putting it off. His anger can come upon you suddenly, and you will die under his punishment. Don't rely on dishonest wealth; it will do you no good on that day of disaster.

To quote Tal Ben-Shahar "Happiness, not gold or prestige, is the ultimate currency.”

Only a few on this earth think that they don’t want to be rich but want to be happy. My mantra is if you have clothes to wear, food to eat and a roof over your head, increased disposable income has just a small influence on our sense of well-being. Money is needed, as it can certainly help you achieve your goals, provide for your future, and make life more enjoyable, but merely having the stuff doesn’t guarantee fulfillment.  

The big question is, “Can money buy happiness?” There’s no simple answer.

We lost several of our family members and friends, quite a number of them really wealthy. They all had to leave behind all their possessions, which will be the case for all of us one day. I know of someone who was too wealthy, but too sick with kidney failure, on dialysis thrice a week. Four sons settled in different parts of the world, none could be besides him, except his wife when he breathed his last in the Covid ward. Likewise another gentleman having his own business slogged tirelessly, mostly to give higher education abroad, lost his life to Covid all alone. His two sons couldn't travel to be besides him in his final moments. During hospitalization he was found to be sick with various ailments. Both these men willingly sacrificed their free time to make more money. They are not alone, such people don't believe that prioritizing money over time may actually undermine their happiness.

Yes, money can buy some happiness, but money and material possessions does not lead to happiness. There’s a real danger that increased income can actually make you miserable, if your desire to spend grows with it. But that’s not to say you have to live like a monk. The key is finding a balance between having too little and having too much—and that’s no easy task.

The Almighty gently reminds us daily to take it easy, He is in charge, He takes care but even if we hear him we ignore Him. I am reminded of this beautiful poem "Do Not Quit" by Edgar Albert Guest, which I love💕

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit - rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns. 

As everyone of us sometimes learns. 

And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.  

Don't give up though the pace seems slow - 

you may succeed with another blow. 

Often the goal is nearer than 

it seems to a faint and faltering man; 

Often the struggler has given up 

when he might have captured the victor's cup; 

and he learned too late 

when the night came down, 

how close he was to the golden crown. 

Success is failure turned inside out - 

the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, 

and when you never can tell how close you are, 

it may be near when it seems afar;

so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - 

it's when things seem worst, you must not quit.

Hope animates the wise, and lures the presumptuous and indolent who repose inconsiderately on her promises. 

-  Luc De Clapiers

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 9

 

Sirach 4

Self-confidence

Take advantage of opportunities, but guard yourself against evil. Don't underrate yourself. Humility deserves honor and respect, but a low opinion of yourself leads to sin. Do not let others have their way at your expense; do not bring on your own ruin by giving up your rights. Never hesitate to speak out when the occasion calls for it. Don't hide your wisdom. Your wisdom and education can be known only by what you say. Do not, however, go against the truth, and remember that you do not know everything. Don't be ashamed to confess your sins; there's no point in trying to stop a river from flowing. Don't allow yourself to be dominated by someone who is stupid or show partiality to influential people. Stand up for what is right, even if it costs you your life; the Lord God will be fighting on your side.

Don't be quick to speak or lazy and negligent in your work. Don't act like a lion at home or be suspicious of your servants. Don't stick out your hand to get something if you're going to be tightfisted when the time comes to pay it back.

Not all of us are born with an inbuilt sense of self-confidence. Sometimes it can be hard to develop confidence for some, either because of personal experiences which have caused us to lose confidence or because we suffer from low self-esteem. There could be several reasons.

Greater self-confidence allows us to experience freedom from self-doubt and negative thoughts about ourselves. It also makes us more willing to take risks and more able to move outside our comfort zone or the chicken coop.

I am not too proud of the number of times I have lost my self-confidence, but I have bounced back fairly quick. Such instances are mostly due to my gradual hearing loss since my teens. However, I didn't let it deter myself pursuing my education or career that lasted more than three and a half decades. Hearing aid did help me later cope and made life easier. I should have known better but for my apprehensive attitude or backward thinking perhaps, I avoided the hearing aids for a long time. Lesson to boot😁

I avoid connecting to family and friends unless it's absolutely necessary. It doesn't mean that I am a loner, I enjoy and prefer it. I communicate better in writing. The thing about hearing loss is that no one can see it, so most people are impatient. They just assume that the person with hearing loss is being rude or slow-witted. There were situations extremely hilarious and at times embarrassing but I have sailed through. I must remember the funny incidents to jot down now on and see the lighter side of it.

When I don't hear, the best thing I learnt to do is to smile or nod my head, heart of hearts hoping it was not a question which needed a response. It took me a while to realise that everything could be said in a silence. Actually I believe people with partial or totally deafness can function very well in the hearing world whereas hearing people cannot function well in the deaf. It makes me wonder often why and how is that I cannot hear the loud banter of my close family, whereas I can perfectly hear whispers passed through lips of my closest friends or persons I am comfortable with and makes us giggle like small children and whisper more! Is there a wall built somewhere deep in the recesses of my heart, soul and mind? When you're different, sometimes you don't see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn't. 

Self-confidence means trusting in your own judgment, capacities and abilities. It's about valuing yourself and feeling worthy, regardless of any imperfections or what others may believe about you. Also, self-esteem comes, in part, from the feeling that the people around us approve of us.

It's easy to lose confidence if you believe you haven't achieved anything. We must look at what we have already achieved and think of things one is good at. Everyone has their own strengths and talents gifted by God, we must improve them. My hobby is reading and putting thoughts that run through my mind into words. 

There will always be someone willing to hurt you, put you down, gossip about you, belittle your accomplishments and judge your soul. It is a fact that we all must face. However, if you realize that God is a best friend that stands beside you when others cast stones you will never be afraid, never feel worthless and never feel alone - Shannon Alder.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 8

 

Sirach 4

Wisdom as a Teacher

Wisdom takes care of those who look for her; she raises them to greatness. Loving her is loving life itself; rising early to look for her is pure joy. Anyone who obtains Wisdom will be greatly honoured. Wherever he goes, the Lord will bless him. Wisdom's servants are the servants of the Holy One, and the Lord loves everyone who loves her. Those who obey her will give sound judgements; those who pay attention to her have true security. Put your trust in Wisdom, and you will possess her and pass her on to your descendants. At first, Wisdom will lead you along difficult paths. She will make you so afraid that you will think you cannot go on. The discipline she demands will be tormenting, and she will put you to the test with her requirements until she trusts you completely. Then she will come to you with no delay, reveal her secrets to you, and make you happy. But if you go astray, she will abandon you and let you go to your own ruin.

If you are planning for a year, sow rice; 
if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; 

if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.
- Chinese Proverb

Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today. I am an awakener not a teacher. I believe that the art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery. 

Early 70s, when I was in Middle School my studies were discontinued due to family crisis. My Mom's right side was paralyzed and being an eldest child had to shoulder the responsibility of babysitting my youngest brother. But for the insistence of the Headmistress of the Sacred Heart Girls' School, a convent run by the Bethany Order, I would never have returned back to School.  The best part was that all the teachers discovered my love of learning, they in turn gave me tuitions staying back after school hours without expecting any financial gains. Though I had missed out three fourth year of my studies by then, with their collected efforts, I cleared my Board Exam (we had Board exams back then in the 70s for Middle School) scoring 1st Class marks!

I am filled with gratitude to each one my teachers for their selfless personal interest, love, enthusiasm, care and patience and for all their great lessons which to me are still amazing even today. If I can write with such fluency, it is only because of the three loves that the teachers possess: love of learning, love of learners, and the love of bringing the first two loves together. They helped me shape my future and made me what I am today. I feel so fortunate to have been placed in their classes. It was so noble of them. Except for one or two teachers who I meet these days who are quite in their advancing age, rest of our beloved teachers and the Headmistress are no more. May their souls rest in eternal peace 🙏. 

Each one of them are special to me in moulding my future as they were amazing who inspired me daily and for that I am thankful because they all are truly wonderful teachers. As a teacher they gave me the tools I needed to face my future.

I had to struggle for my education, so we made sure that our only child received the best of education. He is well settled with God's abundant blessings. Often times I feel that he is wiser than me as I learn a lot from him. I am thankful to the Almighty God for letting wisdom enter our lives, guiding us all every step of our way, in order to fulfill my dreams through our son❤️.

To quote William Arthur Ward:

The mediocre teacher tells. 
The good teacher explains. 
The superior teacher demonstrates. 
The great teacher inspires.
 
Jesus is our best Teacher🙏

Good night friends 😇