Aiyoku's Inspirations 80

What's good about this?

Ralph Marston

Questions can have a powerful effect on your thinking, and here's a question that can profoundly improve your perspective. What's good about this? When you see a news story, or hear about something that's happened to a friend, or come across a challenge in your own life, ask yourself. What's good about this?

Get in the habit of asking the question and you'll be training your mind to always look for the answer. After a while, without even asking, you'll immediately see the positive aspect of every situation you encounter.

And that is indeed a powerful place to be. For when you can zero in on the positive possibilities, you have the opportunity to create enormous value.

People who attain magnificent levels of achievement live in exactly the same world as those who never seem to go anywhere. One big difference is that high achievers have learned to see real value where others see nothing but dead ends and despair.

Choose to be the person who sees the positive possibilities by remembering to ask this question, whatever the situation may be. What's good about this?

Do You Know Your ABCs?

Marie T. Russell

A is for acceptance of myself and others.

B is for blamelessness and removing blame from my perceptions.

C is for compassion for everyone everywhere.

D is for detachment and letting others be themselves.

E is for expressing myself with love.

F is for freedom to be true to my divine nature.

G is for godliness, living it and seeing it everywhere.

H is for harmony within and without.

I is for intuition and listening to mine while respecting yours.

J is for journaling and writing down my feelings, dreams, and thoughts.

K is for kindness toward humans and animals too.

L is for love, always and for all.

M is for mindfulness and paying attention to my thoughts.

N is for now, the only time there is.

O is for others and loving them as they are.

P is for positive attitudes towards all.

Q is for questions and asking them as I go.

R is for response-ability in all of my life.

S is for serenity, my choice each and every day.

T is for thankfulness for the great and the small.

U is for Universe, the One I adore.

V is for value which I recognize in all.

W is for willingness to be the best I can be.

X is for x-ray and making myself transparent.

Y is for yielding to the flow of life.

Z is for zest as I live life with enthusiasm.

The Power of Laughter

Steve Goodier

Did you follow the 1987 football season when the Denver Broncos played the Cleveland Browns for the AFC title?

Less than two minutes remained in the game and Cleveland was ahead by a touchdown. The Broncos had just fumbled the ball out of bounds on their own 1/2-yard line. Hostile Cleveland fans were already throwing dog biscuits onto the field and celebrating a sure Cleveland win.

While the announcer was discussing who Cleveland would play in the Super Bowl and Denver fans were nursing bruised egos, the Broncos huddled in their own end zone. Quarterback, John Elway, was known for miraculous wins, but this situation was almost impossible.

All-pro left tackle, Keith Bishop, looked around the huddle at his teammates, took a deep breath, and said, "Hey, now we got them right where we want them!" Tense silence was broken by laughter. One player laughed so hard he fell down! Somehow the joke lent perspective to an absurd situation and a sense of calm confidence replaced anxiety.

What followed has been dubbed in the annals of football lore as The Drive. In less than two minutes, John Elway and the Broncos drove the length of the field and tied the game with just seconds left. They won in overtime and went on to the 1988 Super Bowl (which, judged by the Broncos' poor showing, was itself a kind of joke...).

An amazing shift occurred in the huddle that day. Laughter prepared them to bring their best to a demanding situation as nervous, negative energy was swept away in the absurdity of the moment.

Laughter has a way of creating positive change in any tense and stressful circumstance. But, as Mark Twain said, laughter is the greatest weapon that we humans possess and it's the one we use the least. Daily, we have countless opportunities to use the power of laughter to make a positive difference.

Will You Catch Stardust?

Blades of grass, when did you cease to be my carpet,
soft and green, caressing my bare feet?

Sunlight, when did you cease to be my warmth,
freckling my skin with ardent kisses?

Wind, when did you cease to calm me,
brushing across my tear-drenched cheek?

Cricket voices, when did you cease to sing me to sleep,
with moonlit music suspended in the darkness?

Restless sea, when did you cease to cleanse my spirit,
flowing through my fingertips as I bathed in salty swells?

Silver stars, when did you cease to light my way,
slicing through indigo nights while I danced?

Lost child, when did you cease to run with abandon
across grassy meadows, exposed to the sunlight,
face uplifted to gusts and gales?

Spirit of light, when did you cease
to bathe in warm tide pools,
moonlight twisted in your hair?

Indigo dancer, will you remember the call of the night music,
arms raised to the light, will you catch stardust?
Or will you miss the sparkling remnants
falling upon your pillow as you sleep?

The Making of a Memory

One can't predict when or where they will come from; those memories that stay with us a lifetime, and never fail to bring us warm fuzzy feelings.

My husband had just finished loading his car; made one lap back through the house and then into the kitchen. “I guess filling my thermos is all I have left to do, and then I'm off.” Down the drain went the hot water that had been warming his thermos. With a very nostalgic look on his face he softly said, “When I filled this with water earlier, I thought of your mom. In fact, anytime I fill my thermos I think of her.”

“Oh honey, that's so sweet. I know she's watching and listening right now with a big smile on her face,” I responded as tears began to brim my eyelids.

“You know, I never fill my thermos that I don't think of her, and I always smile too.” The tone in his voice was so tender as he spoke of my mother who is no longer with us.

Years ago we had been visiting my parents, and the morning we were leaving mother watched as Jerry began to fill his thermos. Being the “coffee drinker” in the family, he's always placed himself in charge of thermos duties. Mom then casually offered up a tidbit of advice. “Jerry, if you would fill your thermos with hot water and let it sit a while, your coffee would stay hot longer on your drive.” The look on his face was priceless as her simple suggestion sunk in. Well of course it would! It only makes all the sense in the world! Who wouldn't know that? He dumped the small amount of coffee already in the thermos, and ran the tap until it was at its hottest; then refilled with piping hot water. After pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee, he sat down to enjoy a few more minutes with mom, and to discuss this unique new idea.

Words of wisdom from a loving mother-in-law made an impact that will never be forgotten. When spoken that morning, Jerry didn't realize he would always hear those words ringing in his ears, or that they would bring a smile to his face time and time again. And Mother would never have dreamed her words would be a treasured and everlasting memory in the heart of her son-in-law.

The “fondest, lasting memories” don't necessarily come from “major moments” in life...the making of a memory simply happens.

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