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A Man and a Butterfly

October 17, 2019
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One beautiful day, a man was sitting on a bench when a butterfly landed on his arm.  The man marveled at the beautiful butterfly.  He believed that everything happens for a reason, even a seemingly small thing such as the butterfly landing on his arm.  He wondered what was the reason for this?  What was he to learn from this?  So he said hello to the butterfly and it responded.

He asked the butterfly “what is it like to be a butterfly?”.   “It is wonderful”, the butterfly said.  I fly around wherever I want.  I hear everyone say how beautiful I am.  When I land on someone, they don’t try to swat me off like a bee.  They are happy to see me and I put a smile on their face.  I’m really very happy to be a butterfly.”  The man said “that really does sound wonderful.”

The butterfly went on to say, “Let me tell you a secret.  When I was a caterpillar, for what seemed like an eternity, all I did was crawl around looking for food or shelter.  Life didn’t seem to have any purpose or meaning.  I heard about becoming a butterfly and even though I wanted change, I was scared.  I had become comfortable with what I was and was scared of something so very new.  I was comfortable with the known and fearful of the unknown.  Now I look back and I am so happy to have become the butterfly that I am and was meant to be”.

The man never forgot what the butterfly told him.  He let it be a constant reminder for him to be like the butterfly.  To change and grow and grow.  To also fly and anyone he landed on, he would make sure that when he left them, he left them with a smile on their face.

 Be Good Do Good Think Good

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from → Stories and Poems to Inspire

I Can See Clearly Now*

September 10, 2019
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Here is a cute story that will probably give you a chuckle.  It might also cause you to think about whether you are guilty of this.  We all are, at least a little, at least sometimes

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.
The next morning while they are eating breakfast,
the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
“That laundry is not very clean” she said,
“She doesn’t know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.”

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.  Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband,

“Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this”

The husband said, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows”.**

“We don’t always see things as they are, we see things as we are” Anais Nin

May we all remember to always keep our windows clean.

Then, sing along with me, “I can see clearly now…….

Be Good Do Good Think Good

*title of song originally done by Johnny Nash

** I wish I knew the source f this story, so that I could give proper attribution

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from → Stories and Poems to Inspire

“I Don’t Feel Like It”*

August 27, 2019
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Do you suffer from “I don’t feel like it -itus”?  Here is a cure for whenever it gets in the way.

You know you should get some exercise but you don’t feel like it.  You have a list of excuses to choose from

“I didn’t sleep well.”

” I had a fight with my significant other.”

“I had a bad day at the office.”

Etcetera. ecetera….You know that exercise is good for you.  You know from experience that when you exercised, you always feel better afterwards. So it’s important to make that extra effort to exercise. Making that extra effort is now part of the workout. It’s as though you began with some heavy lifting. You have trained yourself to overcome an emotion that stands in the way of your progress and growth.

Kabbalists speak of “Head over Heart.” The head is above the heart, so that metaphorically the head should overrule the heart. The head represents the intellect that knows what is right to do. The heart represents the emotions which are often impulsive and when acted upon alone, sends us off the path of our improvement and growth. Ideally, eventually the head and heart will find a balance to work together.  Until we find that balance we should let the head overrule.

Beyond exercise, which is for ourselves, the same head over heart approach applies to our dealings with others. Too often we are not as kind, compassionate, or charitable, because at that moment we “don’t feel like it.”

When we are feeling up and in a good mood, it’s easy to be giving. Giving of ourselves is hardest, just like exercise, when we’re not in the mood.  Just like exercise, that is precisely the time to make that extra effort, knowing that it’s the good and right thing to do, and that you will feel better afterwards.

Eventually, using that knowledge, it will become easier and easier to automatically do the right thing.  So whenever you find yourself saying “I don’t feel like it,” tell yourself that that’s all the more reason to do it.

Doing good always makes you feel good

“There is no better exercise for your heart, than reaching down and helping to lift someone up.” – Bernard Meltzer

With that in mind, keep this in mind

“The greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.” –  Dr. Jonas Salk

Be Good Do Good Think Good

*An “Oldie but Goodie” updated

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from → Everything Bagel

Grateful To Be A Witness

July 30, 2019
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This is a story of a special moment that I recently witnessed while driving.

I was stopped at a red light, with one car ahead of me.  Suddenly, an elderly man gets out of the front passenger seat of the car in front of me. He leaves the door open, and walks away to the left.  I wonder, what is he doing, why didn’t he close the door, what’s going to happen when the light turns green?

What would you think.  Would you get angry, because this could hold up traffic and you might be stuck there.  Or, would you stay calm and patiently await the outcome.

After nearly a minute of wondering and watching him walk slowly across two lanes, I now see him at the corner.   Wow, I now see him beginning to assist a blind woman with a cane cross the street.  He walks her all the way across four lanes, even as lights change, motioning for cars to wait.  Then he returns to the car and gets in.

What a powerful reminder of what it means to do for another.  He didn’t know her.  She didn’t ask for help.  Walking was a little difficult for him.  He wasn’t concerned about the cars behind him.  His only concern was helping another.

Everything happens for a reason.  She was presented to him so that he could do a good.  I was there to witness this act, so that  given the opportunity I would remember .  Those opportunities are presented to us all the time.

What can we learn from this

Be patient

Don’t assume or jump to conclusions

When presented with a similar opportunity, remember this man and follow his example

Being a witness to this true act of kindness is something I am grateful for.

Be Good Do Good Think Good

 

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from → Stories and Poems to Inspire

“What I Felt From Above”

July 18, 2019

The story in this video moved me so much, that I must post it here and share it with you.

It is a beautiful, touching, and inspiring story of a true miracle, of faith, and true love of another human even if a stranger. A true example of “Love thy fellow as yourself”.  It touches on and in so many ways summarizes so much of the overall message of this site.

 

“I saved your body, but you saved my soul”

Muawia Kabha an Israeli Arab medic volunteer with United Hatzalah

 Be Good Do Good Think Good

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from → Everything Bagel

Happy Days Of Independence 2019

July 3, 2019

On this Fourth of July 2019, we will have been blessed with and enjoyed 243 years or 88,753 days of independence since the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.  It said;

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. 

The founding of America was a novel idea in building a nation based on individual rights and freedom. Without these rights and freedom we could not pursue our dreams and our individual purpose. Something to be eternally grateful for!  

We were created with Free Will.  The USA was created to be a land that gave us the opportunity to express our Free Will.  With the freedom of Free Will, we can choose to elevate ourselves and become the person we were created to be.  A person who follows “Love your fellow as yourself” (Leviticus 19;18).  When we use that freedom to be who we are meant to be, to fulfill our unique purpose, America will be all that it’s meant to be and what it was created for. 

To have that freedom to pursue and become our true selves is indeed something to be thankful for.  That liberty should be celebrated everyday by using it for the good.  

May we cherish, be grateful for, and protect those freedoms for many, many more days and years.

 May we use our freedom to fulfill our greatest human potential.

Watch this video of the amazing rendition of the National Anthem by this beautiful seven year old girl 

 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY  

G-d Bless America

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from → Everything Bagel

A Life Worth Saving

June 25, 2019
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“Today is the oldest you’ve ever been yet the youngest you’ll ever be again” – Eleanor Roosevelt

So what do you do with today?  How do you treat today?  Is it just another day to cross off the calendar, or a day filled with purpose, your purpose.  Is It a day that brings you closer to the human being you were destined and created to become by what you do with today.

Think about this story* as you consider how to use each day in your life.

There was a very wealthy man who lived a in large mansion.  One day when he was home a fire broke out.  The fire department showed up and a fireman when in to save the homeowner.  He carried him out to safety.  The wealthy man was very thankful and said, “I am a very wealthy man and would like to give you a reward.  Anything you want, name it”.  The fireman said he was glad to have helped and a reward was not necessary.  The wealthy man insisted, until finally the fireman said, “If you want to do something, live a life worth saving”.

Exercise

What is a “life worth saving”?

What does a “life worth saving” mean to you?  Do you think you are presently living a “life worth saving”?

Be Good Do Good Think Good

*Adapted from a story in the book Hayom Yom

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from → Everything Bagel, Stories and Poems to Inspire
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