Always A River To Cross

There is always a river to cross;
Always an effort to make
If there’s anything good to win,
Any rich prize to take.
Yonder’s the fruit we crave,
Yonder the charming scene;
But deep and wide, with a troubled tide,
Is the river that lies between.

For the treasures of precious worth
We must patiently dig and dive;
For the places we long to fill
We must push and struggle and strive.
And always and everywhere
We’ll find, on our onward course,
Thorns for the feet and trials to meet
And a difficult river to cross.

For the rougher the way that we take,
The stouter the heart and the nerve;
The stones in our path we break,
Nor e’er from our impulse swerve.
For the glory we hope to win
Our labors we count no loss;
Tis folly to pause and murmur because
Of the river we have to cross.

So, ready to do and to dare,
Should we in our places stand,
Fulfilling the Master’s will,
Fulfilling the soul’s demand;
For though as the mountain high
The billows may war and toss,
They’ll not overwhelm if the Lord’s at the helm
When the difficult river we cross.

-unknown

Can’t is the Worst Word that’s Written or Spoken

Can’t is the worst word that’s written or spoken;

Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it many a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day;
It rings in our ears like a timely sent warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.

Can’t is the father of feeble endeavor,
The parent of terror and halfhearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honest toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and the dreams of a man.

Can’t is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man’s purpose and shortens his aim.
Despise it with all of your hatred of error;
Refuse it the lodgement it seeks in your brain;
Arm against it as a creature of terror,
And all that you dream of you someday shall gain.

Can’t is the word that is foe to ambition
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that’s deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed ’twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: “I can.”

The Grumble Family

There’s a family nobody likes to meet;
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street
In the city of Never-Are-Satisfied,
The River of Discontent beside.

They growl at that and they growl at this;
Whatever comes, there is something amiss;
And whether their station be high or humble,
They are all known by the name of grumble.

The weather is always too hot or cold;
Summer and winter alike they scold.
Nothing goes right with the folks you meet
Down on that gloomy Complaining Street.

They growl at the rain and they growl at the sun;
In fact, their growling is never done.
And if everything pleased them, there isn’t a doubt
They’d growl that they’d nothing to grumble about!

But the queerest thing is that not one of the same
Can be brought to acknowledge his family name;
For never a Grumbler will own that he
Is connected with it at all, you see.

The worst thing is that if anyone stays
Among them too long, he will Learn their ways;
And before he dreams of the terrible jumble
He’s adopted into the family of Grumble.

And so it were wisest to keep our feet
From wandering into Complaining Street;
And never to growl, whatever we do,
Lest we be mistaken for Grumblers, too.

Let us learn to walk with a smile and song,
No matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
And then, be our station high or humble,
We’ll never belong to the family of Grumble!

By L. M. Montgomery

Six Witty Quotes and Commentaries

Witty and inspirational thoughts and ideas helped me many times in tough situations and in serious hardships.  These might, hopefully, help you in one or another way.

Just don’t take it deep into your heart. If you take something, you will most probably want to keep it. And you cannot retain anything. (E. M. Remarque)

Someone also said that a strong attachment is the best way to stop developing oneself. Our life is a constant progress and movement and we should move on with our lives despite our problems and trials. To some it might be some fatal sickness, to others – a loss of a loved one. I know, it is very hard to get loose of someone who was very close to you. One has to live with all the  memories tearing the heart apart. However, when he or she is gone, you have to move on – it’s what he would wish for you.

The one who finds new in old things is worthy to be a teacher.(Confucius)

Our life is full of revelations and new things, even though we might not be able notice it. You can look at the same diamond from different angles and it’s going to shine in different colors. The same stone will look different. Our lives can be a series of discoveries and revelations and it’s up to us, whether we are open to it or close our eyes and hearts. That’s what a true teacher does – he shows it to those who are not able to see.

The longer I study the depths of the universe and its architecture details, the more proofs I find that the universe knew in some way that we were going to appear. (F. Dyson).

The famous scientist Einstein, who came up with the relativity theory, also said that the harmony of the universe architecture is too obvious and leading to the idea, that it must have been created. Scientists are still guessing how was is possible for the Earth to appear the way it is now – as a mind blowing perfect life oasis in the limitless cold and rigorous universe. They are also making theories about the existence of a humankind. Even though the classical thought of the amebic origin prevails, I try to keep to the idea that someone far greater, powerful and wise (God) made us not only for a purpose of pure existence, but also for a particular calling.

If you want to rule peacefully, you have to surround yourself with the love of the nation rather than weapons. (Periander)

I could not agree with it more. You don’t have to look very far – just a few decades ago Stalin was a leader of a Russian nation. The whole nation was filled with fear, tyranny, oppression and torture. The ones who did not obey were sent to Siberia, concentration camps, killed in prisons or tortured. If Stalin ever considered any of his comrades a traitor, a poor man would be killed or exiled the next day without any court trial. On the other hand, he must have been a very lonely and unhappy man. Life is not easy, when there is no one to trust and everyone looks like a potential enemy.

We find in life what we give to it. (R. V. Emmerson)

Give and it shall be given to you. You will reap what you sow. Many quotes of this kind you can find in the Bible. The principle works everywhere – in business, marriage, health – you name it. The more we give, the more we can take. The less we sacrifice, the less we can take. It’s up to us to decide what and to what extend should we give. I always like to think of my life as a river. It always has to flow to sustain life and it always has to give some water to get some water. If it was not giving anything, it would soon become a swamp.

I will speak badly of no men, but I will tell every good deed I know about everyone. (B. Franklin)

It is in our nature to slander and defame each other. There is not one human who is absolutely blameless and pure. We are all wicked in one way or another, but there is one particular action which is disgusting in any way you think about it. The Bible tells that scandal is like honey to men, though it becomes sour in their stomach, once they swallow (say) it. We are humans, after all, and the only way to stop the bad talk is realizing what consequences the backbiting has. Imagine that it was you, who was being talked about behind your back. Not a very comfortable feeling, is it?

I suggest reading daily at least few motivational quotes and evenfunny quotes to brighten up your day. They were written by personalities, the ones who made a difference in their lives and history. They, surely, would have something to teach us.

Uninstructed

“I am going to send you down to earth,”
Said God to me one day,
“I’m giving you what men call ‘birth’– 
Tonight you’ll start away; 
I want you there to live with men; 
Until I call you back again.”

I trembled as I heard him speak,
Yet I know that I must go;
I felt His hand upon my cheek, 
And wished that I might know –
Just what on earth would be my task,
And timidly I dared to ask.

“Tell me before I start away, 
What thou would have me do;
What message would you have me say?
When shall my work be through? 
That I may serve on earth, 
Tell me the purpose of my birth.”

God smiled at me and softly said:
“Oh,  you shall find your task.
I want you on life’s path to tread, 
So do not stay to ask.
Remember,  if your best you do, 
That I shall ask no more of you.”

How often, as my work I do, 
So commonplace and grim, 
I sit and sigh and wish I knew 
If I am pleasing Him.
I wonder if, with every test, 
I’ve truly tried to do my best.

-Edgar A. Guest

Be unstoppable. Keep going. Keep on going.

A 'Take Diversion' signboard cannot stop the journey. When you look beyond, ends become bends. Potholes and speed breakers can slow down the journey, but do not have the power to stop the journey. The bullet that has left the gun must now hit the target. It cannot return to the gun. Journey begun must be journey completed. Project taken must be project accomplished. Purpose identified must be purpose served. Failure isn't an option. Retreat isn't a possibility. Keep going. Keep on going.

The world can stop you only temporarily. The only one who can stop you permanently is yourself. Stop not. Temporary setbacks should never alter permanent focus. You may trip. You may even fall. But, you will not stay fallen. Let life put you down seven times. You will, and you must rise eight times. Getting up one more time is what resilience is all about. Keep going. Keep on going.

You are just one evening away from greatness. You may not know which evening, but your time will come. All those who laughed at you will look up to you one day. All those who didn't accept you will admire you one day. Don't be bothered about what the world thinks of you. It is not their opinion that counts. It is your opinion of yourself that really counts. In the end, what really matters is what you think of yourself. Even if nobody believes in you, if you believe in yourself, then the destination is yours. Keep going. Keep on going.

Every failure, every setback, every defeat are mere temporary finishing lines. Life holds her bounties beyond the imaginary finishing line. For a resolute soul, there are no finishing lines. Go beyond the finishing line. Need be paths may be changed, processes will be altered, but not the goal. If you must detour, you will. But you will not give up. You will not give in. A place for you, out there at the top, is already reserved with your name written on it. No mortal forces, self-created or inherited from outside, is going to stop you from reaching there. Persist. Persevere. Prod on. Push yourself. Pull yourself. Keep going. Keep on going.

It is not the end till you accept it to be the end. Do not let others to define the end. You define the end. You will define the end on your terms. It is over only when you believe it is over. Even if life hands you over a period (.), you make a comma (,) out of it and continue the script. The question isn't, “Will you reach?” The question is only, “By when will you reach?” Sooner or later is the only question. Keep going. Keep on going.

Let the script of your life be titled, “Here is a man, whom, even God never tried to stop.”

Be unstoppable. Keep going. Keep on going.

31 Reasons To Be Grateful For Your Pain

When we’re in pain, we tend to feel sorry for ourselves, and focus on the pain in a self-pitying way, which of course, makes it far worse. If we can shift to feeling grateful for the pain, we open ourselves to the lessons that the experience has for us. So here are 31 reasons to feel gratitude for pain.

                         

1. Pain is a great teacher. Life is so intoxicating, that we often miss the lesson life is giving us. But pain gets our attention like nothing else can.
2. Pain makes life interesting. Life would be much duller without pain.
3. Pain lets you know you’re alive. There is only a brief period in the life of the soul where we get to experience pain. Before we come to earth, there is no pain, nor is there pain after we die. Pain is the privilege of living on the earth, the price of admission for the manifestation of your being in all its glory.
4. Pain reminds you of the fragility of life.
5. By bringing your mortality to your attention, pain reminds you that life is a great opportunity. How are you seizing that opportunity today?
6. Pain means you are going through rapid growth. We often forget this, because the larger design of our life is unclear to us.
7. Pain matures you. People who have experienced a lot of pain seem older. Will that experience translate into wisdom?
8. Pain gives you sympathy for others.
9. Pain is an experience that all living beings share, and it can connect you to the experience of the whole of life.
10. Pain softens your heart.
11. Pain is an opportunity to be brave. Among some of the Native peoples of the Americas, it was seen as a loss of face for a warrior to be captured in combat. To show a captured warrior kindness, his captors would torture him to death slowly, leaving the marks of torture on his body for his tribe to find. This restored his honor, giving him a place in the lore of his tribe, and was called ‘showing brave’. This is an extreme example, but it may help you to deal with your own pain to think of it as an opportunity to handle it with nobility.
12. Pain clears the way for inspiration, like a draft of cold crisp air clears your lungs.
13. Pain deepens the experience of joy. Just as light and shadow are both necessary to perceive form, joy and pain give meaning to each other, enriching the experience of life.
14. Pain teaches you to be grateful for the little things. I injured my floating rib  once doing martial arts, and it hurt a lot during the day, when I was laying down at night, and at lots of other times. It really makes me grateful for the times when my body feels strong and whole.
15. Pain that you experience over time teaches you patience.
16. Pain helps you to surrender. There are many times when we must endure a pain we cannot control. What a beautiful opportunity to surrender to the will of the One Being.
17. Pain teaches you acceptance. Sometimes the pain will go away when we have fully accepted it.
18. Pain can teach you that you are in control of your experience. If you anticipate and fear the pain, you make it worse. If you tell yourself the pain is beneath you, it gets better. If you tell yourself the pain is merely strong sensation, it becomes so.
19. Pain breaks open even the hardest heart.
20. Pain lets you know where your wounds are. All of us have sensitive hearts, whether we are aware of it or not. We may try to cover it up or protect ourselves, but our hearts feel pain and receive wounds. These wounds bring us pain, and its an opportunity to create healing.
21. Feeling pain is much better than feeling nothing.
22. Pain teaches you the value of sacrifice. Giving up something that is dear to you because of something else that is more important is one of the greatest of human qualities, and the key to accomplishment, friendship, and love. Sacrifice and pain are bound together; without pain, sacrifice would have no meaning.
23. Pain is a loyal friend, one who will be there even if everyone else went away. Life has so few constants. It’s comforting to know that pain will be there.
24. Pain causes change, and there is no change without pain.
25. Love brings pain, and the greater the love, the greater will be the pain.
26. The pain of love creates the opportunity to be healed by love.
27. Pain brings the opportunity to triumph over self-pity.
28. Pleasure lulls you to sleep, but pain wakes you up. In the continual awakening of life, pain is the alarm clock.
29. Pain allows you to confront fear. With every painful experience, you have the opportunity to work with your fear; you can endure this, what’s so bad about whatever it is you fear?
30. Enduring pain builds mastery.
31. Pain connects you to some of the greatest human beings who have ever lived. Jesus could not have become Christ without the pain of the crucifixion. I have great admiration for Joan of Arc, Mansur al Hallaj, Noor Inayat Khan, and for the countless others who suffered pain, torment and death for their beliefs. If every pain I experience brings me closer to these beings, it’s worth it.