Saith Me… Likability

The most important person you want to please is the person looking back at you in the mirror.

It is certainly better to be disliked and respected, than to be liked but held in contempt.

Just remember to be respected does not mean to be feared; and if everyone seems to dislike you, you might want to take a good hard look at your own nature.

However, if you are virtuous and kind to yourself and the world around you, yet still are not liked my the masses, you must be doing something right.  Keep up the good work, and maybe the masses will learn something from you.

Censorship or Good Neighbor

Is it censorship or a violation to constitutional rights when a privately owned company providing a service chooses to set decency policies?  In a recent Facebook debate, I read a multitude of criticism over Facebook deleting a photo some deemed objectionable and others deemed humorous.   The following are some questions that came to my mind.

  1. When does a privately owned company providing a service become so big that it is perceived as “public” space rather than a service?
  2. Why is an attempt to protect civility or decency perceived as a civil rights infringement to so many?
  3. When did the public come to conclusion it is a smart idea to save original data, photos or conversations on a server they do not personally own?

I have become a huge fan of using technology and social media to communicate with distant acquaintances and friends.  I have found social media to be an enjoyable way to connect, but I always utilize the advice of my mother, my journalism instructors and my own common sense.

Vacations

You know you have reached exhaustion when unpacking the souvenirs seems beyond your ability.  It is strange how the excitement of a vacation can push you past the aches and pains of a tired body.  You can walk further than you normally do, sleep briefly and restlessly night after night, and unhealthily for days on end, all with continued stamina.  Then you arrive home, drop your bags, cringe at the piles of mail, dread the laundry and want to sleep all day.

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Remembering the Roses

It is funny how memories can return with a flood due a smell, sight or sound. The flood of recollection washes over you. For a moment, time and space dissolve and you are transported to a different moment of your life. A time you once thought you would never forget, but somehow had.

While it is easy to remember big events in life, remembering the roses often takes a low priority. You may have taken the time to smell them, you may have even taken a roll of film or two, but you didn’t take the time to reflect on the roses over the years. Occasionally looking at the photos in a book, does not seem to be enough to keep the roses fresh and vivid. The fragrance fades with time and only an image remains, not the full experience.

It seems the best remembered roses are the ones we share with others. Those who originally smelled them with us, those who help us remember the fragrance as well as the shape and color. Taking time to smell the roses is important, but if we hope to remember the fullness of life’s journey, then taking time to cultivate and nurture the relationships of the loved ones who walked with us through the garden is vital. It is how we will remember the roses.

Forgetfulness

Hey, don’t you remember me?

Is it a sign I have written too many blogs or just of advancing age when I can no longer remember what I have written in the past?

It does make reading my own postings so much more interesting, because they are like long, lost friends.  I recognize their faces but have forgotten their names.

Answered Prayers

Prayers are often answered in the most unexpected ways. Preconceived notions can cause us to miss the answer when it comes. Therefore, we must always be receptive and alert.  Most especially, we should be grateful, regardless of how the answer is delivered or by whom.  The Lord will send us angles and answers to our prayer, but we must be willing to receive them.

Matthew 21:22

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.