Thought For The Day

[luna-tic]

Do you have any words of wisdom you live by?
Any thoughts or one liners that would encompass your beliefs or way of life?
A short anecdote to sum up an experience that you learnt by and could possibly be used by others to their advantage?

[luna-tic]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention; Religious thoughts are included but please, nothing too heavy.

[wizard69]

carpe diem (sieze the day)
It could be your last...

[luna-tic]

That's a good one Wiz.

[naomi24]

Words of wisdom? Mmmm. I do think when things can't get worse, they have to get better, but my real philosophy on life is 'sod it', because you can't improve it by worrying.

I learnt to think like that when I was divorced, depressed, unwell, and struggling every single day to do full time job I hated just to pay the mortgage, run an old car, keep a nice home and to give my little girl a good education and a decent standard of living. I never wanted to ask social services or anyone else for anything, and I didn't, and it worked, so you see things do get better. You just have to have faith in yourself and in your own abilities. It's amazing what you can do if you try. I wasn't that great when there was a big spider in the house though!!

[jenstar]

A stranger is just an enemy you haven't made yet.

[mankymonky]

If the grass looks greener on the other side, it's time to water your own lawn.

[cruella]

My day to day saying is
Everything in moderation.

[wizard69]

Red sky at night--shepards delight
Red sky in the morning--shepards house on fire

[Theland]

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

[luna-tic]

Thanks everyone, By all means-Keep them coming.
Here's a few I've scribbled down over the years:

Knowledge alone is no substitute for wisdom.
The path of life is eternal but we choose how to use each incarnation.
True wealth is not obtained by financial gain alone but richness in life's experiences.
When words proceed thought, the heart of conversation is lost.
Why do narrow minds have such large ego's.
Our life-force binds us with all creation, so why do we think we are superior to everything else?
If you keep speaking-you're not listening.
Too many cooks spoil the broth and too many broths give you indigestion.

[luna-tic]

Naomi, I admire your vivacity and down to earth approach to life.
I don't go much on spiders either.
jenstar, when I started at my previous job there was a guy sat opposite me in the rest room that had the appearance of an axe murderer then the bosses told me I had to work with him-turned out he was one of the nicest persons I've ever met.(maybe his axe was being repaired).
Hey manky, I think my lawns dead.
Cruella, I agree unless I really like something then my moderation becomes an excess.
wiz, I'll fetch a pail of water.
Theland, I'd probably turn my cheek.

[naomi24]

Thanks Luna. I have to say I do try to live by Theland's contribution to this thread - do unto others etc. I remember when I was about 6 or 7, I read "The Water Babies" by Charles Kingsley and in it is a woman called Mrs Do-as-you-would-be-done-by. She's stuck with me throughout my life.

Jenstar: Do you always see strangers as enemies?

[chakka35]

When I was just an A/C Plonk during my National Service in the RAF I was on breakfast cookhouse fatigues one morning and my job was to dish out the bacon. As the door opened and 300 ravenously hungry airmen piled in I was terrified but managed to get through the next 20 minutes of frantic bacon-serving with only one error: at one point the Flight Sergeant behind me had to call an airman back and point out that I had given him only one rasher instead of two. In the wash-up afterwards (literally, to some extent!) we were having the biggest breakfast I have ever eaten when the Flight Sergeant reckoned we hadn't been bad. "Oh come on, Flight," I said in my usual big-mouth way ,"I reckon we were b------y good!" "You weren't," he said. "Remember that bloke you gave only one rasher to?" "Well," I replied "that was only one out of 300!".
And his reply is what I ever never forgotten:
"It may have been only one out of 300 to you, son, but to that airman that was his only breakfast today."
I think of that Flight Sergeant whenever I am tempted to say, or hear some politician saying, something like "This affects only 6 percent of the people concerned" and I find myself muttering "It may be only 6 per cent to you, sunshine, but...."

[naomi24]

Chakka, couldn't agree more. You might like this written by Archie Menzies who served with the Royal Engineers during World War II.

Casualties were light

Our attack was most successful,
We landed during the night.
Opposition met was feeble.
Our casualties were light.

Such is the kind of news we hear,
In broadcasts on the air,
The news announcer reads the words,
Without the slightest care.

But that attack included one,
Who perished in the fight,
Included was this soldier in
"Our casualties were light".

It happened as he stormed a post,
That held up our advance,
He died so that the main attack,
Would stand a better chance.

"Killed in Action", was the verdict,
His number, name and rank,
Are carved upon a wooden cross,
Beside a river bank.

His wife received a telegram,
Commencing "We regret",
And 'ere she finished reading it,
Her eyes with tears were wet.

Her husband gone, her future too,
Alone she has to fight
The world - yet she was told
"Our casualties were light".

[chakka35]

Oh yes, Naomi. A perfect example. Thank you.

[luna-tic]

Thanks chakka and naomi, excellent stories.
My Father served with the Royal Engineers during WW2.