Friends share wisdom and smiles

Timely, thoughtful quotes and comments I've received recently:

1. Posted by Deirdre on Facebook

“A great deal of chaos in the world occurs because people don't appreciate themselves. Having never developed sympathy or gentleness toward themselves, they cannot experience harmony or peace within themselves, and therefore, what they project to others is also inharmonious and confused. Instead of appreciating our lives, we often take our existence for granted or we find it depressing and burdensome. …

“Certainly we should take our lives seriously, but that doesn't mean driving ourselves to the brink of disaster by complaining about our problems or holding a grudge against the world. We have to accept personal responsibility for uplifting our lives."

– Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, The Sanity We Are Born With

2. Psalm written by Neil, a rabbi

G-d Almighty please help me to help myself and to get the help I need, to appreciate what You've given me, and to serve you for real. Help me remember that I must be for myself, must love myself, need to work on that. You haven't taken me this far to abandon me now - I know. There is no reason to give up hope.

If only I could see myself more the way others see me. If only I could see the good that I put forth for others while questioning myself. Sometimes it's hard to pray. I pray through my pain. I pray through my writing. I pray through my essence.

3. From a blog entry by Frances, whose mother is very ill

I have to realize not only that this is what life is and that food doesn't solve it, but that This Is What Life Is. Parents age, and they die. … Separations occur. I suffer from depression, food and nicotine addiction. I have talents. All of these things require day-to-day responsibility and acceptance. And none of them are the end of the world. At worst, they mean periods of great grieving -- but my life will probably move on if I'm not hit by a truck or something. There will still be lilacs each spring, Neapolitan mastiff puppies, yogurt, naps.

4. Posted by Cathy on Facebook:

"Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness." – Carl Jung

To end on a light note...

5. From a circulating email forwarded by Cheryl

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.

The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

"But no one knows what God looks like," the teacher said.

Without missing a beat or looking up, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

Thanks, friends!