Dad Talks
From time to time we share philosophical perspectives that might help to see things on a different level. Here's a collection, enjoy!
My 2 cents!
I found a penny (left) during one of our walk/runs today and it got me thinking. The one on the right came from my change stash in my car. Both are worth the same right? They both have intrinsic value. However, the roughed up one was barely recognizable; in fact, I almost didn't notice it. Also, the one on the left was not fulfilling its purpose as a penny. It was out of circulation. The roughed up penny was just starting to show signs of beauty in the patina that only comes from wear and tear. This beauty takes time to develop and effort to see.
Many people in our communities have been scarred by addiction and mental health struggles. They feel worthless and discarded because in some instances’ they've been told that lie. But, each person in this world has value and purpose. They've been given unique talents that the world needs. They also have beauty that will only truly be revealed after trials.
What to do about all this. Realize that we are all the one on the left. None of us are without dings and scars and all of us have beauty, purpose, and worth. Be on the look out to find another struggling with self-worth; pick them up, spend time with them, get them back in circulation. Make sure that they know their value. They need to know their value, purpose, and beauty because the world needs their talents.
Bwell!
Out of the gutter!
The other day I was cleaning out some roof gutters that apparently had not been cleaned in sometime. They were completely clogged with debris and even had large weeds growing in them. I also noticed several good-sized maple trees. This got me thinking. Those trees don’t stand a chance in their current situation. They may look healthy and vibrant but they are doomed. It won’t be long before their roots run out of room and nutrients. In fact, it’s a miracle that they could grow in that environment in the first place. I then started thinking about any of us struggling with addiction or mental health issues and how much we have in common with these trees. We all too often find ourselves in toxic relationships and hostile environments where we struggle to cope and survive. If we don’t change our surroundings we also are doomed. That’s our goal at Running2bwell; to change the environment for folks, to give some support, peace and encouragement.
So, I brought the tree home and planted it in a nice pot with fresh potting soil and gave it a good drink of water. I felt very proud of myself for “saving” this poor doomed tree. But then something strange happened. The tree began to wither and it looks like it won’t be too long before it drops its leaves. This reminded me of an even greater truth. Even when we do exactly what we are supposed to do, the results are never up to us. Paul said, “some plant the seed, some water it, but God makes it grow”. We still need to do our part but then we must leave the results up to God.
So now, having done my part, I wait. I am believing that this tree, even if it drops its leaves, will sprout and flourish in the spring. I also have faith to believe that the seeds that we are planting at Running2bwell will one-day sprout and flourish and many will find peace.
How was your day?
What a great question and we ask it so much that it has become routine. We usually answer “good, yours?” and then move on. But wait a minute, let’s stop and think about the question and carefully consider our answer.
First, thank you for asking. Thank you for caring about me and how my life has been since we last talked. Thank you for taking into consideration how I’m doing and being ready to listen and offer help.
But how do we score a day? The Olympics are currently on and we see the athletes judged down to that little hundredth that separates gold from silver. Their score is even subdivided into style and technical points. Can we think of our days that way as well? For instance, I had a 9.5 day emotionally but only a 7 physically making my cumulative score 8.25 (assuming equal weighting). So, if I had a rough day at school or work, I can make up for it physically by going for a walk or run. If I’m struggling physically (sick or just really tired), I can reach out to a friend for support to bring up the overall score for the day.
But perhaps the most important aspect is that I get to judge my day, no one else. My perception of my day is the critical thing here. I’m not only the judge of each category in my day I get to decide which categories are used to determine if my day was good or bad. I’m free to choose what makes a good day. How empowering! How hopeful is that?
Good, old fashioned, counting my blessings, simply taking stock of the good things that happened today is how I can “MAKE IT” a good day. You may have lost your job, failed a class, lost a close relationship but do you have the necessities of life (food, shelter, water), do you have any friends or family that can help, do you have opportunities to change and grow? The answer is always “yes”. The bottom line is that we all have the power to make it a good day because we are the judges with the score cards in our hands.
So, how was your day? Mine was pretty good: