What happens to us and how we react to those things.
We only really have control of ONE of those. Experiences divided by Expectations equal Disappointment. When disappointments come and we handle them without wisdom we amplify the negative consequence.
"Most People Are About As Happy As They Make Up Their Minds To Be." Quote from Abraham Lincoln.
"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters". Epictetus
"Things are neither good nor bad but thinking they are makes it so". William Shakespeare (Rosenkrantz in Macbeth)
The events that happen to us are neutral. Our neighbor fell down the stairs a day ago. He is going to spend the rest of his life in an nursing home. How he thinks of this will make all the difference. We buried another neighbor yesterday. He had been unwell a long time. He made the decision to share his misery with all. He died very much alone and miserable.
I contrast that to a wonderful Christian Woman I knew. She had both legs amputated, was in pain, and yet was one of the most sunny happy people you ever saw. To the day she died she shared the love of Jesus. She never ever complained or argued with her pain. I was sad and yet when she died my first words were Praise God. (her suffering was over)
We need to restore the art of Stoicism in our culture. Stop the complaining. Stop the self pity. Stop the temper tantrums every time something doesn't go our way. Life is short.. live it well.. find joy. Find Peace.
By the way, that woman was my wife's grandmother... Ruth. No second hand here.
We only really have control of ONE of those. Experiences divided by Expectations equal Disappointment. When disappointments come and we handle them without wisdom we amplify the negative consequence.
"Most People Are About As Happy As They Make Up Their Minds To Be." Quote from Abraham Lincoln.
"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters". Epictetus
"Things are neither good nor bad but thinking they are makes it so". William Shakespeare (Rosenkrantz in Macbeth)
The events that happen to us are neutral. Our neighbor fell down the stairs a day ago. He is going to spend the rest of his life in an nursing home. How he thinks of this will make all the difference. We buried another neighbor yesterday. He had been unwell a long time. He made the decision to share his misery with all. He died very much alone and miserable.
I contrast that to a wonderful Christian Woman I knew. She had both legs amputated, was in pain, and yet was one of the most sunny happy people you ever saw. To the day she died she shared the love of Jesus. She never ever complained or argued with her pain. I was sad and yet when she died my first words were Praise God. (her suffering was over)
We need to restore the art of Stoicism in our culture. Stop the complaining. Stop the self pity. Stop the temper tantrums every time something doesn't go our way. Life is short.. live it well.. find joy. Find Peace.
By the way, that woman was my wife's grandmother... Ruth. No second hand here.
No comments:
Post a Comment