What are the Odds?: I do not like elephants

Quotes

"You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed, as your deed is, so is your destiny." Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.5 (Translated by Eknath Easwaran.).

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation. There is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now." Goethe

" I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make a life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt, or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a person humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming." Goethe

"Being committed to place ourselves in an environment that we know will make us grow and teach us about our deepest selves builds character, strength, and courage. We soon find ourselves in the habit of growth and find that "we’ve arrived" by our mere presence on the path. We find ourselves at home in the heat of our own refinement." Scott Moore

"The last thing the world needs is another perfect Downward Facing Dog pose. What the world does need is another open heart." Judeth Lasater

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

I do not like elephants

Elephants are not my favorite. I do not like elephants because they walk right into the middle anything they choose and sit right down in the middle of the room making a mess of everything. Do you know how much energy is wasted to host an elephant? A lot. Food alone to keep it alive is an endless endeavor and then add all the clean up... There is no ability to enjoy company- you can't even see each other through or around the elephant that is blocking the view. Peace and serenity- forget it. The problem is that convincing an elephant that it is not welcome takes at least 2 people- (sometimes much more depending on the size of the elephant). But if only one person is courageous enough to face the elephant then very little progress is made. Next thing you know elephant #1 has called all its friends to join in and the have destroyed everything. Just why are we so afraid of elephants? Not that I am not guilty of my own elephant phobia from time to time. I just think that I would rather be using all that energy for something other than the maintenance of an elephant. Anyone willing to join me in my quest to banish elephants from mine and other's living rooms and back to Africa where they belong?