There is gold in those distant hills

Orlando lakefront property
There is a chance that a big house on a lake facing Disney fireworks could do the same thing

 

There is gold in those distant hills. And the gold is the two big, desirable emotions we all want to possess – peace and contentment.

Peace with who we are.

Content with what we have.

Authenticity is the only path.

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Thanksgiving Week

Few Know Peace & Contentment Better Than These Two
Few Know Peace & Contentment Better Than These Two

Feeling thankful and showing gratitude, comes down to a simple choice:

  1. Being thankful for what you have
  2. Or worrying about what you don’t

Long ago, while contemplating the meaning of life, I became convinced it is to have peace with who you are, and to be content with what you have.

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Are You Praying Too Slow?

There Is No Limit For Prayer
There Is No Limit For Prayer

There is no fancy website test here. But the question, “How well do you pray?”, is a good one to think about.

For probably 20 years, I’ve thought to myself that the meaning of life is peace and contentment.

Peace with who you are, and content with what you have.

In 51 years, I have found nothing even comes close to offering this, except daily, moment to moment prayer. And in the last ten years, through trial and error, there is great peace and contentment.

The phrase “carpe diem“, or seize the day, means nothing, if you don’t actually do it.

And doing it requires a peace and contentment that is uncommon.

Being present. Being thankful. Being forgiving. Exercise. Nutrition. Rest. Play. Purposeful work.

I don’t think these are out of reach for anyone. Do you?

Guilty Feeling

Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces

What makes humans feel guilt?

What makes you feel guilty?

Know what makes me feel guilty?

Goodness.

This week, my son and I have taken several sunset walks. We end up in our back yard. A really big back yard. The sun has set, and now it’s twilight.

“Son, look around. Do you see how much space is here in this yard, from one side to the other?”

He says, “Yes.”

“I’m not saying that other sized yards are better or worse. I’m just saying that Mommy and Daddy worked really, really hard to make this yard possible.”

For something like seven years, Cheryl and I spent, what seemed like a majority of our weekends looking for a big yard near Walt Disney World.

The first 15 years in Central Florida, I worked every weekend, and had either a Saturday or a Sunday off, but never both.

And on that lone weekend day off, we combed the area north of Disney, south of Disney, east of Disney, west of Disney.

The result? Nothing. Year after year. Nothing.

Until one day….

Just One Penny

Driving home from Gold’s Gym at dusk yesterday, there was a man holding a cardboard sign at a huge intersection.

His cardboard sign message began, “Just One Penny”.

It happened so fast I couldn’t catch the whole message. It seemed like the next part was, “Makes a big difference”.

In fifty years my wife and I have never owned an ATM card. We don’t carry cash.

However, I keep a few dollars in the glove compartment, which we use to pay the three dollars it costs each time our son is at the Kiddie Gym.

I rolled the window down and handed him something. It was more than a penny, but it was probably not more than enough.

But at least I tried. Can you imagine begging for something as insignificant as a penny?