To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worth while in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of
others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the
greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile
to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I
have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side,
so long as I am true to the best that is in me.
--Christian D. Larson
(All photos taken by my Hansel in our beloved Sedona, AZ.)
12 comments:
Beautiful...
May your weekedn have your promises easily fulfilled.
Big Love, Connie !
OK, friends - this might be one of those times when I speak too freely, but I think we can discuss it and discussion is good! :)
What is up with this quote? It seems to be very popular and to speak deeply to a lot of people.
But I don't think all fear is weakness or that anger is always ignoble. I am definitely not always going to have a cheerful expression or look at the sunny side of terrible things. What does it mean to be "too happy to permit the presence of trouble"?
Hansel took some beautiful shots of you lost in your drawing, and those footprints in the sand, marvelous, beautiful place for creating. Happy creating Connie, enjoy the weekend.
Corrine
here, here.
i'm so glad that you're sharing your journey, connie. i'm walking my own journey right along side you and it amazes me how many times our paths are parallel to one another.
big hugs,
j.
I had never heard this poem or quote... it's beautiful... at the same time, I also hear you, Emma! For me, while it speaks of stepping into our greatness, I'd also love to add... To embrace my imperfections, to befriend my fear, to get up and dust myself off when I stumble, to keep moving forward even if feel paralyzed, and to reach for the whole of who I am rather than hang out on the edges.
On another note though, it is a joy and an honor to witness your heart's unfolding, Connie... and what beautiful photos!
Love how you said that, Lisa. Thank you!
HI Emma!!
I post this poem one Saturday of every month here on Dirty Footprints Studio. It is also on my "About" page. I'm glad you started this discussion, for it got me to think deeper on why do I post this---if yes, what the promise is, could seem so over the top or unattainable. Good question.
For me the poem is something I like to reflect on to remind myself that I always have choices...and I can choose to move forward into happiness or anger, bravery or fear, etc.
For me "too happy to permit the presence of trouble" is best interpreted through my own experience at my work. Where I work, people tend to be always unhappy and swimming in negativity. When I first started working there--I had a horrible time staying afloat. I fell into all the muck, and wasn't swimming but drowning in it. My second year there, it all of a sudden occurred to me that I had a choice. I could join their unhappy interpretation of the world and our jobs--or I could switch my way of thinking and look for all the happy and positive things daily---and express those--and think those. This wasn't the easiest thing to do..because honestly it has taken me until this year to really get it--so this has been a three year journey altogether--but, I don't have all the trouble in my daily life like I used to when I started--because I've chosen to be too happy in this place of unhappiness. And, I can vouge--that the children that do give ALOT of trouble to the other teachers--don't do the same to me...and I like to think it's because of my excess of happiness I have there--and with them. And, I just wanted to add...since I've made my decision to leave this place--my happiness has escalated and funny, my experience at work now has become even a more sweeter one.
Strange, but I think there is something there to all of this.
So for me, this poem is a practice. I Promise Myself to practice to _________. And, in my life practice it makes sense. To you, you might edit and change some things, or be like Miss Lovely Lisa, and add some beautiful things to it as well. I LOVE that about poetry...and life...and I LOVE that you brought this discussion up...and I hope more people add to it.
Thank you Emma. And thank you Kim, Corrine, Jessie, and Lisa for your kind and loving words. My heart has wrapped itself around all of you in a big hug!!
Have a beautiful weekend!!!
great discussion here ...
i remember a couple of years ago the director of the yoga studio where i teach was changing the text she used for the Yoga Sutras in the teacher training program. It is the Nischala Devi "The Secret Power of Yoga" and to oversimplify things here, it adopts a positive spin on the sutras. I I was so resistant to it because it seemed too positive; that it was denying the dark side of our being and that only pushes it further into the dark and gives it more power.
well, i've had the book for awhile and have dipped into it in various periods of my life and i am experiencing the wisdom of it. Connie, you write about having a choice and that is such an empowering awareness. When addressing the Yamas and the Niyamas Devi writes "It is up to each of us in our hearts to decide which level of consciousness we want to abide in, in our spiritual life and in the world."
I think the empowered way of responding is to recognize when darkness (anger, lethargy, irritation etc) has arisen in us, making note of how it is affecting us, perhaps recognizing the source and then knowing we can choose how we wish to respond. how is my energy being affected? do i wish to give energy to that? is this in alignment with who i aspire to be? i don't think it is a denying of our stumbling, our fears ... rather it is using those moments to dig deep and find the roots of those emotions or experiences. i only know i've had to extract some pretty deeply rooted weeds of mis-perception about myself ... fear is a biggie ... that i am not enough ... feeling separate and alone ... feeling limited ... I then can ask myself "is this what you truly believe?" This is my practice - to constantly seek out the assumptions that drive me and then decide if i really believe these things to be true.
i know when i have rough days, often i am not living in alignment with who i believe i truly am deep within. that disconnection from source triggers some pretty unhealthy reactions. by cultivating the positive, i drift back into my center.
wow, i totally drifted off course! i am grateful for the insightful comments here ... isn't that the best art? it inspires discussion and allows me to see through another's eyes and heart. thank you all for that!
(really, i think i've had a bit too much caffeine!)
Great discussion!!
I identify a lot with much of what has been written in this comments.
This poem just doesn't speak to me and, in fact, bothers me, but the interpretation you are living by, Connie, makes a lot of sense.
And though I was a bit hesitant, I believed I could bring this up here without it being an Us vs Them. I'm so glad that is so! :)
great thoughts
cheers
janet
your posts really are like a breath of fresh air. you motivate me so much. (hugs)
i love these photos! hugs!!
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