Ray's Daily

Ray’s Daily

September 12, 2019

http://rays-daily.com

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.

Benjamin Franklin

I had a full day yesterday and have a lot to do this morning so I am again sending you a reprint. While it is from sixteen years ago it seems still relevant to today’s challenges.

 I, like so many others around our nation yesterday, concentrated much of my thoughts on 9-11. The program at my Kiwanis club was focused on not only the event itself but also on the aftermath and the experiences of those who were personally affected. One of our members was on-site as a grief counselor the week following the tragedy, others had relatives who could have been lost, many had visited the site and viewed the destruction. A guest reported that she has chosen her profession as a grief counselor for children due in part to her own 9-11 experience. Everyone has been affected in some way by the events of that day.

Later in the day I had lunch with two good friends. One of my lunch partners soon will be off to Italy to spend time in Rome, and then on to Tuscany where she will stay in a villa that will be her base of operations as she visits Florence and other beautiful cities of the region. Her mother and her daughters will be with her, as well as others. Our discussions at one point centered on the fears that have been instilled in so many of us by the regular reports of the threat of terrorist activity. I shared my regret that so many of our fellow citizens either travel in fear or don’t travel at all anymore. What a tragedy—the world has so much to offer us all.

Logically foreign travel to most of the world is safer than driving on our superhighways, in fact the odds of encountering terrorism are millions to one. My wife and I will continue to travel as we always have. We expect to enjoy ourselves and refuse to spend our time in worry. I wonder what the effect will be on the next generation of children if parents bar travel or frighten their children with what might happen when they do travel. I honestly believe that if we let events effect us to such a degree, the terrorists will have scored another victory because we gave in to their threats. Life is too short, enjoy it, have faith, and please don’t spend your time in worry.

~~~

When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness. Our enemies would dance with joy if only they knew how they were worrying us, lacerating us, and getting even with us! Our hate is not hurting them at all, but our hate is turning our own days and nights into a hellish turmoil.

Dale Carnegie

~~~

And God Created Dog and Cat

A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer to ‘Where do pets come from?’ Adam said, ‘Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day. Now I do not see you any more. I am lonesome here and it is difficult for me to remember how much you love me.’

And God said ‘No problem. I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself.’

And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and it wagged its tail.

And Adam said, ‘Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal.’

And God said, ‘No problem. Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him Dog.’

And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him. And Adam was comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that Adam’s guardian angel came to the Lord and said, ‘Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He struts and preens like a peacock and he believes he is worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well.’

And the Lord said, ‘No problem. I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will see him as he is. The companion will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration.’

And God created Cat to be a companion to Adam. And Cat would not obey Adam. And when Adam gazed into Cat’s eyes, he was reminded that he was not the Supreme Being. And Adam learned humility.

And God was pleased. And Adam was greatly improved. And Dog was happy.

And Cat didn’t care one way or the other.

~~~

I’m a light eater.  As soon as it’s light, I start to eat.

~~~

Rabbi Bloom had just accepted a junior role at a synagogue for his first posting. The senior Rabbi there, Rabbi Gold, was well loved by his congregation and considered to be very wise with a wicked sense of humor.

One day, not long after he joined, Rabbi Bloom said to Rabbi Gold, “You know I told you during my interview that I had won many prizes in the Yeshiva for my sermons? Well, I don’t think there is a subject in the world that I could not instantly find a Biblical text for and then incorporate it into a sermon.”

Rabbi Gold couldn’t help but decide to put him to the test. “Rabbi Bloom,” he said, “I want you to give my sermon next Shabbos. But there will be no need to prepare it in advance. Instead, when you get into the pulpit, you will find a sealed envelope and inside the envelope will be a single sheet of paper on which I will have written a one-word topic. I challenge you to find any kind of text that will fit.”

Rabbi Bloom thanked Rabbi Gold for the opportunity and said he looked forward to the challenge with relish. The day came. Rabbi Bloom walked up the stairs to the pulpit, opened the envelope, looked at the sheet of paper on which was written “constipation”, and started his sermon. “And Moses took the two tablets and went off down the mountain…..”

~~~

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

~~~

While working at the mall, I saw an elderly couple holding hands while they were walking. As they approached, I commented on how romantic it was.

He replied, “We have been holding hands when we go out in public for over thirty years. I have to. If I let go, she shops.

~~~

Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night. Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all.

Ovid (43 BC – 17 AD)

~~~

Ray Mitchell

Indianapolis, Indiana

Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.

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