Chapter 8
Love Makes The World Go Round
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Today's Empowering Quote
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"All you need is love."
-John Lennon/Paul McCartney
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Today's Empowering Question
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"How would it feel to do something
special for (name a person) who can't or won't do anything in
return?" ------------------------------
Today's Fast Session
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We've all experienced what it feels
like to help someone who needed it, haven't we? It feels great.
When I say someone who needed it, it's easy to picture victims of
tragedies, accidents or those who are ill.
But the truth is...
We all have needs. Little ones and big ones. Every day.
And if
we only give of ourselves, whether it be time, money or good
feelings and a smile ONLY when those we are giving to are dying,
mourning or destitute, then a couple
dynamics start and/or continue.
One is that the world you live in,
your community and your immediate environment becomes or stays one
of individuals who are only looking out for themselves. A
perfect example is what happens with most teenagers who are now
spreading their wings and getting new privileges never before
enjoyed. Feelings of "I don't have to..." and "You can't make
me..." are devastating to every facet of society, including the
person carrying these beliefs.
Being only or primarily
"self-centered" is what makes people take things that aren't
theirs. It causes hazing over or "forgetting" the truth even though
there are certain bad consequences to others. This sick mentality
of hiding the truth to escape a potential punishment is facilitated
in our homes, our schools and in our jobs. When honesty is
only offered up when it won't hurt, then there is no learning, no
growing and we ALL get hurt by it. I'm convinced that honesty
and compassion may be the most important virtues that a person could
possess. The knowledge that, "We got away with that one!" doesn't
help-it hurts. It teaches us to look for short-cuts to the reward
by cheating. It prevents us from doing something nice for someone
else "just because." It makes us believe that "winning" and
"getting mine" are the only things that count.
Legendary coach
John Wooden's philosophy is that doing our best is the most
important thing. And because that was the goal, not winning, his
UCLA basketball teams did win 10 national championships in 12 years.
What's this got to do with "All you need is love"?
-Love is doing
what's best for all. -Love is believing that you get more by
giving more, not hoarding what little you've got.
-Love is knowing
that you've got incredible talents (you do!) and using them for a
larger good. -Love is seeing the good in others and helping it
shine. -Love is feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
-Love is
continuing to learn and compassionately helping others to learn,
too. In the weeks that have followed since September 11th, we've
all seen what love is. Here's the challenge... Keep it in mind
always. Every time we: -Cheat and try to find justification
-Lie to protect ourselves or others
-Yell insults to others in the name of "just being honest"
-Ignore someone who needs assistance
...every time we do these
things, we teach ourselves to do it again. We teach those around us
to do them.
And we become something we despise in others.
It's awfully hard
to have high self-esteem and feel worthy of success then, isn't it?
It's not hard to wonder why most people don't achieve more in life,
huh? We don't
think we're worth it. Not after all we've done "to" other instead
of "for" others. We've all got it in us. I've seen it. You've
seen it. But we only occasionally show brief glimmers of it.
Show more today.
Do your best. Help someone before they ask. Tell the truth.
Teach what you know. Earn your rewards and you'll get more than you
think. Just give it a try.
Don't worry about what reactions you
do or don't get from anyone else. The most important thing is that
YOU know you're doing right and showing love in all that you do.
Give all your passion in everything you do today and I'll bet you'll
sleep better tonight than you have in a long, long time.
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Today's Winning Beliefs
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-- I have unlimited capacity to
love
-- I am a shining example of love in action
-- Love is growing and expanding in my life
-- Others are naturally drawn to me
-- I am worthy of love and praise
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