Inspired by a post, ‘Don’t Quit Too Easily‘ by a friend in the blogging world and whenever I hear someone going through tough time, I always like to share this quotation with them:
“When the night seems to be its darkest, it means the sun will soon rise up. Press on … Don’t give up!”
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A few days back, I read a good article from my sister’s laptop on attitude and what really captured my attention was a quotation from Viktor E. Frankl. Viktor was an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who spent two-and-a-half-year period in concentration camp.
Through his personal experience in the concentration camp, he shared that what determined the sort of person the inmate would become ultimately was an inner decision and not the influenced of the camp alone. He said,
“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
This quotation comes at the most fascinating hour. I was just reading Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables and in the book, there were a few passages that questioned, “could the environment and the things that happened to a person eventually change the person’s soul from good to bad and vice versa?” I couldn’t reconcile with that.
I couldn’t have agreed more with Viktor Frankl. I believe that even in the most difficult time, even when one is deprived of life, liberty, or property from an external force, one’s freedom to choose one’s attitude cannot be taken away from one. In so to speak, it is important that we guard our attitudes at all time especially during tough times.
One cannot always control every situation and thing that happens or how they happen. However, one can always control one’s attitude toward every situation and thing after they happened to one. That alone is a most enlightening thought but yet rarely put to use by many. How would one’s life be if one can look at every situation with an attitude that one can make it work or make it better? One’s life would definitely not be the same again!
“I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.” — Wayne Dyer
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Which will you choose? A jigsaw puzzle that you can get easily in a shop where you get to choose the exact picture that you want; it could be a cute dog, a beautiful mountain or landscape scenery, famous Disney’s cartoon characters and just about anything you can think of. How about a jigsaw puzzle where you don’t get to see the whole picture? It is like what Tom Hanks said in Forrest Gump, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” That is too much uncertainty for most to deal with and yet the excitements that come from the uncertainties are intriguing to some. Life wouldn’t be colourful if everything is as planned.
In so speaking, which will you choose? I like some excitements in life because they are usually unexpected, which make life more colourful and even more interesting, though excitements may not always be good. Yet at the same time, I think it is important to have plans and goals in life so that we know where we are heading to. The end destination might not always be what we expected but just like the say, “… it is not the end destination, but the journey towards the destination that is most important …” It is important that we enjoy the journey and stop at time to smell the flower along the way. Don’t worry too much about the end destination because when you shoot at the stars, even if you don’t hit any, you will end up among them.
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” — Les Brown
In an email which I received recently, it mentioned that patience is a virtue. I agree with it immediately when I read the subject line. However, I do not agree totally to the story that was used to illustrate that patience is a virtue. The story went that a couple sought only a job that would keep them in town but ended up with a multi-million dollar company. Patience is certainly a virtue in this case as building a multi-million dollar company not only takes time but also a lot of hard work. So what is it that I don’t agree?
In the story, it said that if the couple had seen the final picture, or the picture on the front of the jigsaw puzzle box, they probably would have shaken their heads and said “Impossible Dream.” It may have appeared to them so hard or impossible to bring to life that they may never have embarked on the journey at all. If you knew how it would turn out? Would you have said, “Impossible Dream” too? Probably a lot of people would have said that while some would hold on to that image and knowing that they could not fail, they would push on into the unknown bravely.
Some men see things as they are and say, “Why?” I dream of things that never were and say, “Why not?” — George Bernard Shaw
It is not the picture on the jigsaw puzzle box that would stop the couple, it would be themselves. It is important to have the end picture in mind and even more important to make plans and goals in working towards the picture in the mind. Just do what is in your heart and trust that eventually you will get there.It is of the utmost importance to believe in yourself and have faith that you can achieve the picture in your mind. Keep this closely in your mind.
“When the night is the darkest, it means that soon the day will break. Press on!”
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Have you ever thought about this, “who is the one that hinders your progress most?” What flashed across your mind immediately could be the faces of people you know; you parents, your siblings, your friends, your boss, your co-workers and almost everyone else. How about yourself? The honest one would definitely include himself or herself in the list. I was reading an email from a friend this morning about the world being a mirror and it dawned upon me that we are the greatest hindrance in our own lives. There is no way one can control how others think about him/her but one can definitely control how one think about himself/herself.
How often are you affected by something that people said? I know I am guilty of that sometimes. I remembered a quotation by Abraham Lincoln that goes something like this, “I am not affected by what others are saying as long as I know what they are saying is not true of me.” As I recite this quotation repetitively everyday, I know that I will be less and less affected but what others are saying about me. But it certainly does not discourage one from heeding positive advice.
Thus speaking, one must always be flexible to take in good advice which can create positive change in one’s life. If what others said (which is not true of you) affect you, it may appear that they were hindering your progress. But in actual fact, you are the one hindering you.
I remembered when I first started chatting in the internet, I used the nickname ‘mirror.’ Of course the reason why I used that nickname was not because I was vain but rather to constantly reminds myself to reflect on my thought, actions and words. I did not realize then that I was doing myself a great service. Since oneself is the biggest hindrance in one’s progress in life, what would be a better way than to constantly take stock on ones thought, actions and words.
Quoting from the email I read, “There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: It is You” How often did you tell yourself that something is not achievable or not within your reach? Probably there might be some truths in what you said. Let’s put that aside first. Have there ever been cases before where you thought you cannot achieve something, but you went on and achieved it? Can’t think of any? How about the time when you were still a baby? Did you not learn to walk and to run eventually? You are right, when you were a baby, you did not know how to spell the word ‘impossible’. You just picked yourself up one more time after you fell, you learnt to balance yourself and eventually took your steps. The truth is no one is born knowing how to walk – one learns along the way.
“Be the change you want to see in this world.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi certainly said it well in the above quotation. There is only one person who is capable to set limits to one’s growth and it is one. You are the only one who can create positive change in your life. You are the only person who knows what you want in life and you will know that when you look for it hard within you. I would like to share with you a passage which I like:
Your life Today is the result of the choices you made Yesterday. Your life Tomorrow will be the result of the choices you make Today. What are the choices you would make Today that will change your life Tomorrow!
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Have you heard of this before, “we should love people and use money rather than the reverse?” The first time I came across this perspective was about 3 years ago when I was reading the book ‘You were Born Rich’ by Bob Proctor. I have always remembered this important point ever since. Money is important, at least for any person living in a civilized society. However, we must understand as mentioned earlier that ‘we should love people and use money rather than the reverse.’ I totally agree with this!
Bob Proctor said in his book that money is a servant and we its masters. This is probably what led to the famous saying, “Money is the root to all evil!” Is there any truth to this? Some people would have agreed with it. If money is not the root of all evil, why had it caused so many people to kill, to rob, to cheat and even to betray loved ones for it. All evidences ‘appear’ to support that point. If money is guilty, it should have been hung or locked up for life. Money may have indirectly caused all the heinous crimes but it is definitely not to be blamed. If I may have your permission, I would say, “it is the greed for money that is the root of all evil.”
Money by itself is a neutral medium, it does not know how to perform good or bad deed and it certainly do not know how to differentiate right or wrong. It is the one who holds the money that determines the fate of the money. The money, in the hands of philanthropists, would be put to building schools, hospitals, cancer researches and in any possible ways to increase the well-being of humankind. More often than not, their actions created positive changes in the lives of many … even long after they themselves left the world.
In 2005 alone, Oprah Winfrey donated $52 million dollars to charitable organizations and functions. For publicity? Some may say. But I seriously think otherwise, not that I have known her personally. She could have kept it all for her own use but she chose to give it away to people who don’t have as much. That is certainly a commendable act!
According to Fortune Magazine, “Warren Buffett has pledged to gradually give 85% of his Berkshire stock to five foundations. A dominant five – sixths of the shares will go to the world’s largest philanthropic organization, the $30 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who activities, internationally famous, are focused on world health — fighting such diseases as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis — and on improving U.S. libraries and high schools.” What can we say about that?
If you run a search for Philanthropist in Google, you can end up with a list that just goes on and on. I believe you would have come across many people around you who are donating or giving to charities. You could have already been a regular contributor to a certain charity too. Remembering that we should always love people and use money — wisely. Money’s worth is determined by one who holds it.
Quoting from Auntie Joyce of Sir Richard Branson, “what’s money for anyway? It’s to make things happen.” That cannot be more true! Money can be a powerful force, when employed by the right people, to do good that go way beyond its worth. However, just in case that you are thinking right now that one can only do good if one is rich, think again. There is no need for one to be rich to do good. Doing good can be as simple as to consciously remind oneself to do no harm to others and that costs nothing. One can change the world, even if in a small way.
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One And Only You by James T. Moore, Photo credit: Unsplash
I remember a quotation which I have always liked to share with my friends, “If there is only one gift which I can give you, it will be the gift of how others see you … and you will know how special you are to them.” Indeed, each of us is unique and special in our own ways and no two are exactly the same. Each of us can make a difference and help others even if in a small way. Sometimes, even a simple smile goes a long way and it costs us nothing to smile.
Smile at each other, smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other – it doesn’t matter who it is – and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other. – Mother Teresa
Every single blade of grass,
And every flake of snow,
Is just a wee bit different.
There’s no two alike, you know.
From something small, like grains of sand,
To each gigantic star
All were made with THIS in mind:
To be just what they are!
How foolish then, to imitate;
How useless to pretend!
Since each of us comes from a MIND
Whose ideas never end.
There’ll only be just ONE of ME
To show what I can do.
And you should likewise feel very proud,
There’s only ONE of YOU.
That is where it all starts
With you, a wonderful
unlimited human being.
Symphony of Love have been set up for almost 2 years now. It has given me much pleasure to share the positive power and wisdom of love quotations with Symphony of Love’s subscribers almost everyday. I will get an email reply to ‘unsubscribe’ from the mailing list once in a while. Sometimes, I get very good email from subscribers to share with the rest. There were a few times I felt very touch when some subscribers forwarded the love quotations to their loved ones; but they had clicked ‘reply’ rather than ‘forward’ and sent the email back to me with their love messages. Thank you for helping to spread love around.
This morning when I checked my email, I received a reply from a new subscriber asking me some very interesting questions. I replied asking for permission to think about the questions before answering back. The questions were going through my mind for the whole day while I was carrying out my daily routine and yet I found no answers. Two of the questions asked were:
1. Could you explain to me more about the love which God has given to us?
2. What are the sources of love?
With regards to the first question, the challenge lies in trying to define something abstract like love. Probably Duke Ellington said it best when he said, “Love is indescribable and unconditional. I could tell you a thousand things that it is not, but not one that it is.” And Kristen Kappel said, “Love is something you can’t describe like the look of a rose, the smell of the rain, or the feeling of forever.” Indeed! I have compiled love quotations from many people (from both famous people and from unknown sources) and no two persons had the exact thought about love; they might have similar thought but not exactly the same.
However, I noticed one thing that comes closest to explain about the love which God has given us, is in the giving – unconditional love. Leo Buscaglia said, “Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means.” Katharine Hepburn said it best when she said, “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only with what you are expecting to give — which is everything.”
One of the best example of unconditional love would have to be from that of parents. I believe that most of us had experience the unconditional love that our parents had shown us at one time or another. I remembered when I was young, there were two incidents where I had really high fever. My mother was so worried that she practically stayed besides my bed, soaked a piece of towel in cold water and put it over my forehead. There were many times when she would check on us in the night, especially when the weather turned cold, to make sure we were kept warm with our blankets. I knew because I was awake.
Recently I shared a story about a friend of mine who has a special child (Mom, I Graduated Today!) and that is another case of unconditional love. “Unconditional love – it is in the giving that the other person realizes.” The person who is receiving might not even know sometimes, but it never stops you from giving – that is unconditional love, the love which God has given to us.
With regards to the second question, love exists in different forms and degrees. It can be the love one experience in the family from one’s parents, siblings and relatives. It can be love from one’s friends. Even from strangers. Usually the love that one experience in the family is more intense comparing to love from friends which are in term more intense comparing to love from strangers. However, this is not true in all cases. As what Mother Teresa said, “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” The love that she had shown is truly extraordinary.
At this point, you may agree with some points and disagree with others. Much as I would like to represent the thought of all people, I understand that different people has different view of love. Just as Albert Einstein said, “When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, you think it’s only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think its two hours. That’s relativity.” One thing I do believe is that love does make us wiser. One of the love quotations which I like is by Benjamin Franklin, which he said, “Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and half shut afterwards.”
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