Daily Motivations 5-14-2010

Friday, May 14, 2010

Today's Gift

Nature is the Art of God.
--Sir Thomas Browne

The most relaxing activities may be the ones in which we do absolutely nothing. And if we can do nothing amid the sounds of nature - birds chirping, water bubbling in a brook, the wind rustling in the trees - so much the better. During these moments, away from the noise and chaos of our fast-paced, stress-filled lives, we commune most directly with nature and our Higher Power. Without distraction, our bodies can totally relax; there is no danger, no need to be ready to respond to anything. All we have to do is be.

If we live in the city, we can take refuge in its parks, a quiet room, or the library. We can listen to the sounds of nature on records or cassette tapes. The point is to slow down, to smell and taste the rain, to hear the chirping of crickets and the rustling of leaves and our own thoughts. When we remember nature, we remember - our bodies remember - that we are a part of nature, part of something greater than ourselves.

Today help me hear the sounds of nature and let them comfort and heal me.

You are reading from the book:

Body, Mind, and Spirit by Anonymous

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

Keep It Simple

Make yourself an honest [person], and then you may be sure that there is one rascal less in the world. ---Thomas Carlyle

Honesty does not mean saying all we think or feel. Many of our thoughts and feelings are only with us for a minute. They are not always the truth. For example, saying to someone you love, "I hate you!" in the middle of an argument can destroy things.

Honesty means living by what is true to us. Then we choose when and how to say things to others.

Think of honesty as the air we breathe; it's what keeps us alive, but it can get polluted and kill. It must be treated with respect and care.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me know the power of honesty. Help me speak it with care and respect.

Action for the Day: Before I speak today I'll ask myself: "Is this true? Am I speaking because this needs to be said?"

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One Day At A Time

Fear
We were prodded by unreasonable fears or anxieties into making a life business
of winning fame, money, and what we thought was leadership.
So false pride became the reverse side of that ruinous coin marked "Fear."
We simply had to be Number One people to cover up our deep-lying inferiorities.
- As Bill Sees It, p. 46

Thought to Ponder . . .
Situations I fear are rarely as bad as the fear itself.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
F E A R = False Expectations Appearing Real.

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Daily Motivation

Opportunities big and small

You won't solve all your problems today, but you can take care of one or two of them. You probably won't get all the way to your destination, but you can definitely make some progress.

Every day offers numerous opportunities to make progress. Make use of as many of them as you can.

Steady, persistent effort may not seem like it's having much effect at the time you're doing it. Keep going though, because over time those little steps forward can take you a long, long way.

Right now, there's a valuable difference you can make. Instead of just letting the next few moments pass by with nothing to show for them, choose to invest them wisely.

Move your world forward a little bit. No one else may even notice, but you will know, and you will benefit, and so will they.

By fully appreciating and utilizing the smaller opportunities, you attract the bigger opportunities into your life. Use what you have, with persistence and faith, and you'll most surely get wherever you wish to go.

-- Ralph Marston