Lately I’ve been thinking to myself that everything will be all right in the end. If everything is not all right – this must not be the end. I don’t know who said that first.
One thing I’m trying during these plague times is to do a little better job of maintaining my own positive attitude. I’m finding three things helpful:
1 –Â Â I’m more grounded on days I have a purpose, someone to help or at least a list. Today, I’m writing this post.
2 –  I feel gratitude when I remember to pray for at least a few of the people who don’t have some of the advantages I do. Today I’m am praying for whoever rented the small overheated, high rise apartment that my son used to live in. I honestly hope it was rented to a single person and not another whole family. I’m also praying that the mayor’s wife in a nearby city has only a mild case as she just tested positive. And I’m praying that the mayor doesn’t catch it as he takes two weeks off to care for her. Last week I prayed for people who were alone and feeling lonely. This week my prayers are devoted to those trying to get along with those they are in quarantine with.
3 –Â I’m paying more attention to my self-talk and learning what I need to say to myself to maintain a positive, and hopeful attitude. So I’ve been thinking a lot about aphorisms of encouragement. An aphorism is a pithy statement of truth. I’m finding I like them so much, I’ve added one to every web page under the menu on the left side of the screen. If you know other short verses or words of encouragement, let me know and I’ll add them to the list. A different one appears each time the screen is refreshed.
Here are a few of my favorites for troubled times.
I hope at least one of them tickles your soul.
When you have less, be more.
Good things happen to the human spirit when it is left alone. – John Taylor Gatto
Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you have to keep moving.
You are capable of more than you know.
When life gives gives you lemons, make daiquiris with little floating umbrellas.
A change of perspective is worth 80 IQ points. – Alan Kay
If you bring forth what is within you, it will save you; if you do not bring forth what is within you, it will destroy you. – The Gospel of Thomas
Fear is the mind killer. -Frank Herbert
This too shall pass. – Rumi
The best thing for being sad, is to learn something. – T.H. White
If you’re going through hell, keep going. – Winston Churchill
After the rain, comes the rainbow.
When one door closes, another opens.
We’re not on our journey to save the world but to save ourselves. But in doing that you save the world. -Joseph Campbell
Since so many people are tense and difficult, I want to include just a couple for dealing with that.
I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends. – Abraham Lincoln
People will throw stones at you. Don’t throw them back. Collect them and build an empire.
Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out how easy it is to get along. -Paramahansa Yogananda
The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people. -Theodore Roosevelt
Not everyone thinks the way you think, knows the things you know, believes the things you believe, or acts the way you would act. Remember this and you will go a long way in getting along with people. – Arthur Forman
Situations cannot create feelings – only your thoughts about the situation can.
If we could look into the hearts of others and understand the hardships that every one of us faces daily, I think that we would treat each other with more gentleness, patience, tolerance and care.
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. -Joseph Addison
Keep calm and carry on.
If you serve a multi-faith world, we are here to provide you with the resources you need. –Â Â interfaithresources.com