“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Sir Isaac Newton 1643-1727
My lovely wife, whom many of you know, once asked me a question, “Do you have a story for everything?” I thought a moment and then responded, “I have a story about that!” …So here we go with the April issue! (Happy Spring!)
Recently my daughter in-law recommended a small book titled “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff. Now Pooh is a family favorite bear, first introduced to me by my daughter who had a “Pooh” song that she shared with us years ago.
In rethinking Pooh and his friends, I came across some “thoughtful thoughts.” When Piglet asked Pooh what the first thing he thought about every morning, Pooh said, “What ‘s to eat?” Now I would not argue with Pooh. Maybe we are all a bit like him with “what’s to eat,” and perhaps each of us should stop for a moment and consider what is the first thing that we think about every morning! Why does it matter what I think about first thing each morning? It may force us to think about the priorities in our lives. Think about it!
Continuing with the Pooh team, one morning, Owl, in all his wisdom, asked Piglet what the “best day” was for him. Piglet responded, “Today!” There is a lot of wisdom in Piglet’s answer. Do all of us respect today as much as we should. Today is today; it is the only day that we can address directly. Our future will be based on today! Yesterday was yesterday, and there is not much we can do to go back and change it. After all, we cannot drive a car very successfully by looking only in the review mirror. Nor will we be successful if we just stop and wait for tomorrow, therefore wasting our today. Tomorrow is not here yet, but we cannot do much with tomorrow until tomorrow. Today should be the “best day.” How we approach it will decide how we see today when it becomes tomorrow.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “Whatever you are be a good one, adding that “the best way to predict your future is to create it, today.” While our past will help build our tomorrows, we must maximize today! Think about it!
Some years ago, I was the proud owner of 300+ dandelion blossoms on my front lawn, with many more on the back lawn. I decided to attack those babies. I bought the chemical and the sprayer and proceeded to spray each blossom. After some time, Jeanne came out the door and asked what I was doing. I explained that I was killing dandelions. She said that’s a lot of work and in the long run she pointed out that the dandelions will eventually win. She was correct, but I smiled and said, “But not today!” My favorite Day? “Today!”
And one more from Pooh: “Even the smallest voices can make the biggest of differences.” But Piglet responded, “It is hard to be brave when you are only a very small animal.” I respond, “Leadership must step in!”
When we encourage others, small voices or big voices, with acts of leadership, can begin a process that will change the world. Encouragement will make all the difference. Consider the small voices as well as the big voices. Start by just looking around.
“Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence.
Gloria Naylor, writer
“Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of those things that matter least.”
Goethe
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