Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for the support you give to the Thought for the Day. It is a privilege and an honour to start each day with you. The Thoughts go out through my distribution, your distributions and through social media. It travels around the world, it goes to our men and women serving in the armed forces through their siblings and mothers and fathers, it goes to school with some teachers who use it for discussions and lessons for young adults, and of course it goes to each one of you and for that I am so very grateful. I have been writing this blog since 2004 and I am inspired and motivated to write every day because of all of you.
In my own journey I was introduced to the some of the most brilliant people whose writing literally changed my life…..and those men and women are still my constant companions as I stay dedicated to reading and learning each day. A big thank you and much love goes to them; Robin Sharma, David Dibble, Don Miguel Ruiz, Eckhart Tolle, Iyanla Vanzant, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, and Stephen Covey to name a few. They share their wisdom and their love through their writing and their lessons are the gems in my life learning. And it is my hope that in my writing I pay it forward…..and share some of those thoughts and wisdom with you. It is not my intention to tell you what to think, but rather to give you something to think about….and if it resonates, if it helps you to take action, to make change where you need to, then we achieve the power of making small daily progress together and I love the idea of that ……
As we contemplate the end of 2013 and look ahead to 2014 it is important to take inventory for the year……and tap into that place of change and growth and make sure that it is alive and well, not stagnant. We must ask ourselves tough questions, that introduce us to our next level of growth…….and we must examine what we have learned, how we have changed our thinking, and what beliefs we must let go of, in order to move even closer to our authentic selves. We must spend our time, and efforts with those that we love and cherish. Because the one thing I am sure of, is that the purpose of life is to love….not to hurt, not to hurt others, but to want the best for everyone in the human race. For how well you live comes down to how well you love…..not only those in your immediate family, but how well you love the world and want it to do well – and everyone in it.
This year we lost one of our great men…..Nelson Mandela. He personified forgiveness and reconciliation in how he responded to his own life’s challenges. He taught us so much about the value of forgiveness and of moving forward with a heart filled with love not hatred. He is one of many that the world has been blessed with….and we do them a disservice if all we do is mourn their loss. We need to take their wisdom and weave it lovingly into our own lives……we need to find ways to forgive and reconcile on a grand scale……so that it becomes part of the fabric of how we approach all of the world’s problems. We honour them when we live in accordance to their wisdom, not just by mourning their passing.
So as you contemplate your family traditions and gatherings…….remember to place love at the centre of everything you do and then keep that in your heart and take it with you everywhere you go in 2014. Forgive someone or something that you have been holding a grudge against……because forgiveness sets you free. It is far better to forgive and forget than to remember and hate…….because the only one you hurt when you withhold forgiveness, is you. So do things with love…..love opens, love asks, love expands, and love creates. Ultimately when you look back on your life……the moments when you have really lived will be the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
No matter what your beliefs and celebrations this time of year. My wish for each one of you is that you have a holiday filled with peace, joy, love, and light. As you think about next year and contemplate how to make it your best yet…..be gentle with yourself, don’t push the river……go with the flow and give yourself the gift of presence……..be fully in your life and in the lives of those you love. For one day all they will have is their memories and you are in charge of those. Our supreme happiness in life….comes because we are loved. Life opens a new gate at the end of every year and we decide how we will pass through it…….and in order to accomplish anything in life we must have cooperation among all the forces, both inner and outer. Remember within you is the essence of everything you are……the only locked doors are the ones you have built, and the reality is that you have everything within you…..to be living your best life.
Robin Sharma said “Life’s simplest pleasures are life’s greatest joys. Most people don’t discover what’s most important in life until they are too old to anything about it. They spend many of their best years pursuing things that matter little in the end. While society invites us to fill our lives with material objects, the best part of us knows that the more basic pleasures are the ones that enrich and sustain us. No matter how easy or hard our current conditions, we all have a wealth of simple blessings around us waiting to be counted. As we do our happiness grows. Our gratitude expands…..and each day becomes a breath taking gift.”
With much Love and Peace…..from our house to yours. The Thought for the Day will return Monday January 6th, 2014
Lisa Scott