Ray’s Daily
May 22, 2020
Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.”
Nicholas M. Butler
Another week is about to end. The thing I like most about the weekends these days is that there is nothing I must do. In truth they are not that much different than other days as there are few things I must do. I do keep somewhat busy providing for my wife’s needs,
In my state we are lifting some of the restrictions on outside activities, but my age and medical status make it wise to just continue to stay in my apartment. What has been a pleasant surprise has been how well I seem to be doing. Sure, I would like to be able to eat out, see a play or two but I seem to be capable of enjoying what I can do. I feel sorry for those who have become so depressed that they do not believe that things will get better.
I know things may never be the same but I am confident that they will be much better than they are now. So my friends, join me in the optimistic knowledge that there are better days ahead.
Here is a short article that reminded me about how I feel.
My Views On Confidence
By Glory Fu Yu-Liang
What is confidence? Many people define confidence through materialistic images, such as one’s job, money, social status, education, or features. My views on confidence have nothing to do with outward appearances. On the contrary, I believe that confidence comes from within. In other words, confidence is a positive attitude within us that makes an outward reflection through our behavior.
Confident people are equipped with a positive mindset, as well as an honest and unbending character. When facing difficulties, they are convinced that they can overcome them, and even make plans for the better. When things don’t go their way, they focus on other possibilities. If they encounter defeat, they quickly get back on their feet and don’t allow negative emotions to linger. Even if their hard work doesn’t pay off, they still believe that at least they have tried their utmost to overcome their challenges with courage. To them what counts in success is to stay active and positive. That is confidence.
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“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.”
Noam Chomsky
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She said, as pastor of a two-church parish, my husband had to drive every Sunday morning about six kilometers from the 9:30 service at one church to the 11 o’clock at the other. He would often find the parking lot of the second church full, and be forced to park down the road and race to the church on foot. The problem was finally solved when he selected a parking spot near the side door of the church, where he posted a sign: YOU PARK – YOU PREACH.
~~~
I was interviewing a jeweler for a story I was writing on giving new life to old jewelry, and I asked him to tell me about his most memorable client.
“It was a divorced woman who had me make a pair of earrings from her inscribed wedding band,” he remembered. “One earring read, ‘with all,’ and the other, ‘my love.’
When I asked why she had wanted it done that way, she answered, ‘To remind me that the next time anyone says that to me, I should let in go in one ear and out the other.'”
~~~
I don’t have to attend every argument I’m invited to.
~~~
After driving up and down several lanes, I finally found a parking spot at the shopping mall. I noticed another man driving very slowly in the same direction, and, since he was closer, I gave him the “Are you going to park there?” look.
His responding gestures were very confusing. First he shook his head. Next he pointed at me, then at the parking space and then at himself, his watch and the mall. Finishing off, he frowned, raised his palms upward and shrugged. Once I parked, I walked over to the driver to make sure he didn’t want the space.
“You must be single,” he replied. “If you were married, you would’ve known that was the universal sign for ‘Go ahead and take the spot. I’m waiting for my wife.’
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The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
~~~
A man and his wife were lying in bed the other night when he noticed she had bought a new book entitled, “What 20 Million American Women Want.”
He grabbed the book out of her hands and started thumbing through the pages.
His wife was a little annoyed. “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?”
He calmly replied, “I just wanted to see if they spelled my name right.”
~~~
Wife: If I left you for some man, would you be sorry?
Husband: Why would I be sorry for a man I don’t even know.
~~~
A truck driver tried to edge his semi past the lady driver on the road ahead of him as she was obviously having difficulty deciding which lane she wanted to be in. Finally, her mind made up, the woman veered into the truck driver’s lane and jammed on her brakes, which resulted in a slight collision.
Unhurt but obviously harried, the lady driver rushed over to the truck driver and started to bawl him out, barking, “You knew I was going to do something idiotic. Why didn’t you stop to wait and see what it was?”
~~~
I always wanted to be a procrastinator, never got around to it.
~~~
A New York judge is ready to go through the day’s business and he is very rushed. The first case up involves an elderly Jewish gentleman with a long beard, payos, the works.
The judge, without asking a question, says to the clerk: “Quick…get me a translator.”
Translator shows up and the judge says: “Ask him what his name is, how old is he and where does he come from?”
The translator says: “Die judge vilt vissen, vos is dein namen, vie alt bist du, and fun vie kumst du?”
The old man smiles, looks at the judge and says in perfect English with a British accent: “Your Honour. My name is Sir Chaim Ginsbug. I shall be 82 next Thursday and I’ve come from England where I hold the chair of Hebrew Philosophy at Oxford University.”
The translator turns to the judge and says: “Ehr zukt, ehr is Sir Chaim Ginsburg, ehr is tzwei und achtzig yur alt, und ehr is, mit sach Yiddish philisoph, areingekummen fun Oxford.”
~~~
The first Ten Commandments are the hardest.
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Mary: And then he says, “You criticize everything I do!”
Jill: I see. And is that true?
Mary: No! He just never does anything right!
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“The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
~~~
Ray Mitchell
Indianapolis, Indiana
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than fifteen years to people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are more than 2000 readers from around the world.
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