What about your dream house?
“In order to plan your future wisely, it is necessary that you understand and appreciate your past.”
Jo Coudert
This morning an acquaintance of mine became a friend. We talked about the years ahead and how we could plan for our happiness. We both had experienced a period in our lives when other people had more influence over what we did then we ourselves had. They decided what box we would work in and sometimes even live in. Heck they knew what was good for us, or at least we let ourselves believe they did. We must be good guys, they said so.
Fortunately we both got to the point where we realized that we were in charge of our own happiness. The bottom line was that we decided to listen to ourselves and take responsibility for our own lives. We would hear what others had to say and then decide if we wanted what they had to offer. Sadly in my experience too many of us wait to take control of our lives until it is too late. Even worse many of us never even stop long enough to put down those things that might enrich our lives, too many never recognize their opportunity to be happy when it is in front of them because they never designed their dream life. Instead of being our own architects and designing that special place for ourselves we buy someone else design and then live within its walls, sometimes never realizing why we are unhappy.
My new friend has decided that she will design her own place from the bottom up. She is putting together a list of all the amenities and necessities that she wants in the life she is about to build. Me I can hardly wait to see what it looks like.
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“Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede your progress. Remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider yourself defeated again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life’s blueprint. Smile!”
Og Mandino
~~~
A Jewish man and a Chinese man were conversing. The Jewish man commented upon what a wise people the Chinese are.
"Yes," replied the Chinese, "Our culture is over 4,000 years old. But, you Jews are a very wise people, too."
The Jewish man replied, "Yes, our culture is over 5,000 years old."
The Chinese man was incredulous, "That’s impossible," he replied. "Where did your people eat for a thousand years?
~~~
On my recent birthday my wife gave me a superb birthday present. She let me win an argument.
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Four retired Army vets are walking down the street window shopping. Then they turn a corner and see a sign that says "Veterans Bar" over the doorway of an entry into an establishment that doesn’t look all that well kept up. They look at each other then go in. On the inside, they realize in this case, they could judge the ‘book by it’s cover’.
The old bartender says in a voice that carries across the room, "Come on in and let me pour one for you! What’ll it be, gentlemen?" There seems to be a fully stocked bar so the men all ask for a martini. In short time the bartender serves up 4 iced martinis – shaken not stirred and says, "That’ll be 40 cents, please." The four men stare at the bartender for a moment then look at each other – they can’t believe their good luck. They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis and or! der another round. Again, four excellent martinis are produced with the bartender again saying, "That’s 40 more cents, please."
They pay the 40 cents but their curiosity is more than they can stand. They’ve each had two martinis and so far they’ve spent less than a dollar. Finally one of the men says, "How can you afford to serve martinis as good as these for a dime a piece?"
The bartender replies, "No doubt you’ve noticed the decor in here. And the outside ain’t nothin’ to write home about. I don’t waste money on that stuff. But, here’s my story. I’m a retired Master Sargent and I always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the lottery for $45 million and decided to open this place for real veterans. Every drink costs a dime, wine, liquor, beer, all the same."
"Wow. That’s quite a story." says one of the men. The four of them sipped at their martinis and couldn’t help but notice three other guys at the end of the! bar who didn’t have a drink in front of them and hadn’t ordered anything the whole time they were there. One man finished his martini and, gestured at the three at the end of the bar without drinks and asks the bartender, "What’s with them?"
The bartender says, "Oh, they are retired in Florida. They’re waiting for happy hour
~~~
The Good News, Canada has offered to help the U.S. in the war on terrorism! They Have pledged 2 battleships, 6000 troops and 10 fighter jets.
The Bad News, with the current exchange rate, that comes out to 2 canoes, a mountie and a couple of flying squirrels.
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A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience.
~~~
The sad thing is that I can relate to some of the following:
Three old guys were out walking.
First one says. "Windy isn’t it? "
Second one says, "No its Thursday"!!
Third one says. "So am I. Lets go get a beer"
~~~
I’ll believe psychics when one phones me, just in the nick of time, yelling, "Duck!"
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Two old guys were sitting in the park, talking, when the subject turned to getting older. The
first guy said "Women have all the luck when it comes to getting older."
"What do you mean?" asked the second guy.
"Well," replied the first. "I can barely remember the last time I got aroused in bed, but my wife is healthier than ever!"
"Healthier? How is that?" his buddy wondered.
"Years ago, when we were younger, almost every night before bed she’d get these terrible headaches." he answered. "Now that we’re older, she hasn’t had a headache in years."
~~~
"Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?"
George Carlin
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QUESTIONS I’VE WONDERED ABOUT
Do people in Australia call the rest of the world "up over"?
Does killing time damage eternity?
Why doesn’t Tarzan have a beard?
Why is it that night falls and day breaks?
Why is it that when you are driving and looking for an address, you turn down the radio?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Do pilots take crash courses?
How can there be self-help "groups"?
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"Both humor and faith are the expressions of the freedom of the human spirit,
of its capacity to stand outside of life, and itself, and view the whole scene."
Reinhold Niebuhr
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NOTE:
Ray will be away at meetings all day tomorrow and he has turned off the presses until Friday.
Don’t worry he is OK, I think.
~~~
Stay well, do good work, and have fun.
Ray Mitchell
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies.
The editor is somewhat senile.
Ray's Daily 