When u come to the edge of all the light u know,
and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown,
faith is knowing one of two things will happen,
there will be something solid to stand on
or you will be taught on how to fly……
If there is any kindness I can show, any good thing I can do to any fellow human being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
-William Penn
From "Field Notes on the Compassionate Life," by Marc Ian Barasch:
If there’s a facet of human nature that, when you hold it up to the light, shines bright enough to blind you, it’s altruism. A selfless deed, witnessed up close, is like a lamp blazing up from darkness before your pupils can adjust. We’re a little bedazzled by people who don’t seem to be out for themselves, who do good to others without stopping to consider if others will do good unto them. The altruist lives in this world, with its grubbiness and inconstancy, but doesn’t always seem entirely of it.
In Judaism, the term hesed ("steadfast love") refers to God’s unbounded caring that never wavers-as well as what we who are made in His image are capable of reflecting. (One scholar calls hesed "the aspect of divinity which seeks to bestow love and blessings without limit.") Agape, an ancient Greek word for the most unlimited, unselfish, accepting form of love, was adopted by early Christians to describe humanity’s proximate attainment of God’s love for his creation. It is said in Genesis that He not only handcrafted each creature, but "saw that it was good." (I am charmed by one theologian’s proposition that agape be translated as "Seeing-Good.") Key to agape’s character, says a Christian ethicist, is "a feel for the preciousness of all human beings."
Here compassion is synonymous with a love not meted out according to merit, but falling like spring rain on the virtuous and the sinner alike. It has potency in the world: It creates and transforms, and those whom it touches touch others. Said a student of the Hindu spiritual teacher Neem Karoli Baba, "What astounds me when I am around Maharaji wasn’t that he loved everybody. After all, he was a saint, and saints are supposed to love everybody. What astounded me was that when I was around him, I loved everybody. It’s the kind of love that’s contagious."
BEing Enlighted to me is to live at the present moment, follow ur heart n be true to urself, therefore u can b joyous n share whateva joy u hav w/ others. In my case, I remind myself to keep on smiling as our smile is the simplest n the most beautiful gifts we can give to ourselves, this world n any living beings around us…. +)
Also in competition, winning is not so important, but the journey itself is what really matter. Therefore I wish evryone’s of u’s, will appreciate ur journey and no matte how tough or hard, pls rmb to smile to urself cos u ve done all the best u could, each day everyday…..
This is my fav’s quote… Taken from CHristian prayer book +)
THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM
To dream the impossible dream; To fight the unbeateable foe
To bear the unbearable sorrow; To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong; TO love pure and chaste from afar
To try when ur arms too weary; To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest; To follow that star
No matter how hopeless; No matter how far
To fight for the right ; without questions or pause
To be willing to march into hell
FOr a heavenly cause
And I know if only I be true; To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peacefull and calm
When I’m laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scar
Still strive with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.
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Lov,
Mel
