Daily Motivation 9-11-2012

Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Today's Gift

Good friendships are fragile things and require as much care as any other fragile and precious things. —Randolph Bourne

A good friendship is like a flower garden. It needs attention and care. We start by preparing the soil and then planting our tiny seeds. Our friendships have foundations like the soil, and in them we plant seeds of trust and understanding.

Like a garden, friendships need care and love in order to thrive. We nourish friendships with visits, thoughtful favors, and trust. When we are feeling down or in need of help, a friendship can offer us more than just beauty.

When we work at our friendships, they are not seasonal but bloom in any weather, and they surround us with comfort and the knowledge that we have, and deserve, love.

How can I nurture a friendship today?

From Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

I used to think I'd never know the difference between serenity and depression
because depression subdued me. --S.H.

 

Depression is familiar to us all, and less incapacitating than it used to be. We
have made progress, we can be assured. "This too shall pass" is not an empty slogan.
Each of us can recall, with ease probably, a period we thought we'd never survive.
Maybe our problem was family-related, or a tough on-the-job situation. Or maybe
we felt inadequate and lacking in strength to cope with all situations. But we managed.

Here we are today, taking charge of our lives and moving forward in search of serenity.
Serenity no doubt eludes us, again and again, throughout the day. But we can let our
minds rest. We can give our thoughts to the wind, and serenity will find us. Serenity's
peace nurtures us, strengthens us to withstand the turmoil ahead. There is always
turmoil ahead. Life's lessons are found there. The irony is that a life with no problems
doesn't offer the opportunities we must have if we are to grow.

 

Action for the Day: I will let the serene moments wash over me. I will cherish them.

They soften me. And the blows of today's tumultuous storm will be lessened.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

A Simple Idea
First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn't work.
Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life,
Our Higher Power was going to be our director. He is the Principle; we are His agents.
Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone
of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 62

Thought to Ponder . . .
Avoidance is not the key; surrender opens the door.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
K I S S = Keep It Simple; Surrender.

 

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Daily Motivation

Fill the future

To make the future bright, fill the present with meaningful, purposeful effort. To generate real hope for the future, give some real commitment to taking action in the present.

Don’t waste your time longing for a past that will never come again. Instead, take the best of that past and work now to build it into the future.

Tomorrow can be the best day yet. Today is when you can do what is necessary to make it so.

Dream big dreams, make big plans, and then act on them with dedication and persistence. Enjoy the feeling of effectiveness in the present while you build the best future you can imagine.

Don’t let the fears and excuses hold you back. Your future is yours to create, so do it right now with confidence, commitment and authentic purpose.

Feel the pure goodness that lives deep within you. Now is when you can act to fill the future with that very same goodness.

— Ralph Marston