�Who Says You Can�t Teach an Old Dog a New Trick or Two�

Yesterday I was faced with one of those moments that just seemed to catch me off guard. I guess I could plead ignorance or I could list a multitude of excuses why it’s not my problem, but if I did I wouldn’t grow as a person and I wouldn’t be practicing the forgiveness and compassion I have committed to work on.

So the best thing I can do now is ask myself – What was my part? Well obviously I wasn’t listening compassionately to that person when they were first calling out for help and so I wasn’t there (meaning my thoughts were in other places) when they needed me most. Now I can hear many people saying hey you can only do what you can do – yes that is true if I am content to continue on in life the way I have lived in my past – but that’s not what I want – I really want to become a better person and that means I must be present (not only in body – but in all senses as well) when I am talking to people, thus listening with compassion and without thinking of what I will say in return or how there words might apply to my life.

In fact I want to be a flower in the desert – now I know this may sound strange to some – but I really want to be there for those whose life I enter – I know I will stumble along the way and I know I will never meet the expectations of some – BUT as Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.”

I’d hate to set my goals to low and then reach them!

Inspiration comes from may sources and in the most amazing ways when you open your eyes and heart to allow it in.

Flower In The Desert

by Loki

This happened many many summers ago.

There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking…It was growing by itself…enjoying every day…and saying to the sun “When shall I be grown up”? And the sun would say “Be patient”—Each time I touch you,you grow a little”…And she was so pleased.Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand…And this is all she wanted to do—bring a little bit of beauty to this world.

One day the hunter came by—and stepped on her.—She was going to die—and she felt so sad.Not because she was dying —but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.

The great spirit saw her, and was listening.—Indeed,he said …She should be living…And he reached down and touched her—and gave her life.

And she grew up to be a beautiful flower…and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.

www.spiritual-endeavors.org

One of the readers sent this to me – so it is my pleasure to add it to this post

Two days ago I had to go and pick up my medical results. I had no reason for concern but I did have the occasional negative thought creep into my head. Fortunately for me over the years I have learned to displace negative thinking with positive thoughts through the practice of meditation. To cut to the chase everything was fine, but it was on the bus ride home that my concern for society was tweaked.

As I sat on the bus I watched each member of “Generational L” climb aboard. Wow was it disheartening! Not one person out of 10, over the age of 50 entered that bus with any spark of enthusiasm for life.  It was like they had reached the age of “Self Seeking Sympathy” the “Poor Me – Pity Pot” Syndrome.

BUT WHY?

Sure one or two people may have had some form of disability but 10 out of 10 needing canes, walkers, limping at turtle speed, requiring additional assistance to get on or off of the bus – NO WAY!  To me it was as if they had finally found the magical way to attain attention and they were now important in some small primitive way. But it’s all wrong – we still have so much left to give – yes I said give! We must change the way we think and alter our personal expectations of what lays before us as we age. Now I’m not saying we won’t get older but what I am saying is that we can approach life with zest and enthusiasm at any age if we want too – it’s simply a matter of choice.

Back in 1995 I was a foolish 40 year-old in the midst of a midlife crisis. I was persuaded by a few friends to ride a bull, yes a real bull, horns and all. Well the result wasn’t pretty, when I hit the ground I blew out half of a disc in my lower back. For a month I couldn’t bend over more than a couple of inches as I awaited my appointment to see a neurosurgeon at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville TN. When I finally got in to see him and after a quick look at my x-rays he said, “Here are your options; first I can operate and you will be 80% pain free and 20% pain for the rest of your life and second, if you go to the gym and workout faithfully and keep yourself in shape you will be 80% pain free and 20% pain for the rest of your life.

Now I have to admit I was stunned! Here I was with the top neurosurgeon in the US and he was telling me there was no quick fix. Yes I wanted the quick fix like 90% of all N. Americans, but after listening to him a little longer I chose the gym with the realization that if I didn’t choose to control my own destiny and the physical state of my body I was never going to be comfortable again. Fifteen years later I can happily report that pain in my lower back is now a rare occurrence rather than a reoccurring state.

So what’s the point here – you got to give a little to get a little – start exercising one day at a time – apply self discipline to keep yourself going and set small attainable goals. Once these goals are accomplished set new goals, upping the challenge just a little. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I can promise you this – if you start today your life will be a whole lot better one year from now – all you need to do is stick to it!