A brief-yet-ongoing journal of all things Carmi. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll reach for your mouse to click back to Google. But you'll be intrigued. And you'll feel compelled to return following your next bowl of oatmeal. With brown sugar. And milk.
In the wake of Joplin, Slave Lake, Sendai and any number of places on the planet currently enduring their own unique challenges from above and beyond, I thought this quote was especially appropriate:
"When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow."
Shauna Niequist
Your turn: Thoughts?
One more thing: The new Thematic theme will be "Got the blues," and it launches later tonight. Hope you'll watch for it!
Please note that Written Inc. has been set up so that all comments must first be moderated before they go live on the blog. I apologize for the inconvenience, but this is to ensure bots and trolls don't muck up the works. If you have any difficulty leaving a comment here as a result, please feel free to email it to carmilevy AT gmail DOT com. Thank you for your understanding.
hmm, not too sure about saying 'thank you ' to bitterness... maybe a bit later after the sting of the hurt goes away.. you are right we do learn from the rough experiences.. its a shame we have to learn it that way...
ReplyDeleteI don't DO why questions, not for big things, not for little things. I've found that when an answer is offered, whether or not it is 'right', the answer will usually piss me off more than the question that triggered it.
ReplyDeleteWe can't control all that happens to us, but we can control our response. I can light a candle, I can send well wishes, I can offer a shoulder and shed a tear. I can tell those I love what they mean to me, because this could happen to any of us, at any time. No one is promised tomorrow, we have to live today.
That's a really thought-provoking quote. Thanks, Carmi.
ReplyDeleteYou've given me cause for reflection here, Carmi. I tend to question so many things, particularly when human suffering is involved.
ReplyDeleteI would like to believe there are greater purposes behind the random events that take place from day to day, let it be sweet or bitter, whether I know what they are or not. It isn't so much about what should or should not happen. It is how the people transcend the darker moments of their lives that moves me.
ReplyDeleteYou just have to look at everything that happens as an opportunity to learn. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes life goes against you, but if you walk away from each experience a little smarter and a little wiser, then it pays off. My dad always told me that any day you learn something is a day you didn't waste. That's got me through a lot of tough stuff.
ReplyDeleteIf you remain bitter, created by what goes wrong around you, then you are missing life.
ReplyDeleteIt is not easy and it is surely hard not to question...
I suppose I made it easy on myself because I have made up my mind that when we die, no matter what the afterlife, we are enlightened. We no longer sweat the small stuff and are hearts, minds and souls are fully expanded. I kind of like to pictures those who have left me and gone on, looking down to say to me "Kiddo, it's going to be alright, you'll see when you get here...you will understand and have true bliss"!
Some days, I dwell, I cry, because our lessons are painful and sometimes nothing makes any sense at all! But everyday I truly try not to miss the good things and the beauty in my life...
If you remain bitter, created by what goes wrong around you, then you are missing life.
ReplyDeleteIt is not easy and it is surely hard not to question...
I suppose I made it easy on myself because I have made up my mind that when we die, no matter what the afterlife, we are enlightened. We no longer sweat the small stuff and are hearts, minds and souls are fully expanded. I kind of like to pictures those who have left me and gone on, looking down to say to me "Kiddo, it's going to be alright, you'll see when you get here...you will understand and have true bliss"!
Some days, I dwell, I cry, because our lessons are painful and sometimes nothing makes any sense at all! But everyday I truly try not to miss the good things and the beauty in my life...