M.L. Rowland's Blog, page 7
January 22, 2015
Day is Done. Gone the Sun.
“Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.”
��Photo by M.L. Rowland
“You Can’t Shake Hands…”
“You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist.”
�� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��–Mahatma Gandhi
��Photo by M.L. Rowland
January 21, 2015
“We are in Danger of Destroying Ourselves…”
We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity.”
�� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� — Stephen Hawking
50,000 gallons of oil recently spilled into the Yellowstone River.
How many oil spills is too many?
January 20, 2015
Life’s Most Persistent Question
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
Photo by M.L. Rowland
January 18, 2015
Go for the Gusto!
Imagine what we could do if we attacked life’s problems with this much gusto.
Get ready!
Get set!
GO��make the world a better place!
(Thanks, Project Alpha Wolf, for the quote and the photo!)
January 17, 2015
The Cumulative Power of Words
This is a simple demonstration on how effectively and completely everyday words can��evoke emotions.
Slowly read the following list of words.
Tear
Rage
Fear
Death
Shatter
Hatred
Anger
Kill
Cold
Crash
Evil
Lies
Scream
Harsh
Maim
Horror
Darkness
Terror
Blare
Pound
Deceit
Ice
Black
Stab
Rip
Hard
Chaos
Destroy
How do you feel after reading this list?
Unsettled?
Disturbed?
Now read this second list.
Soft
Calm
Heal
Smile
Friend
Breeze
Puppy
Truth
Music
Sunshine
Trees
Green
Cuddle
Lush
Flower
Kitten
Happy
Bright
Kindness
River
Laugh
Light
Gentle
Yellow
Warmth
Love
Nuzzle
Peace
Notice a difference in how you feel after reading each list?
No fancy descriptions. No flowery adjectives.
Simple words.
One after another.
Interesting and thought-provoking, isn’t it?
Be careful of what you say. And write.
You have the power to build, to uplift, to heal, to help.
And you have to power to hurt, to cripple, to tear apart, to destroy.
It’s your choice.
FEAR. Face it. Conquer It.
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
Some of the time, most of the time or all the time, we live our lives in fear. Fear of what has happened in our past. Fear of what might happen in the future. Always looking over our shoulders. Always waiting for something bad to happen or perhaps for ANYTHING to happen.
Recognizing your fear, then facing your fear, are the first steps to conquering that fear.
Whatever that fear might be.
Fear of making someone angry. Fear of making a mistake or failing. Fear of letting someone down. Fear of looking bad or foolish. Fear of someone not liking you or thinking you’re perfect. Fear of someone not loving you.
If any of these things happened, what’s the worst that could happen? Really. Would you survive? Could you come out on the other end of it a stronger, better person.
Of course, you could.
What would happen if today, instead of walking through life with your head down, with your shoulders hunched, tiptoeing around, walking on eggshells, looking back over your shoulder, waiting for something bad to happen, or for anything to happen, you walked with your head held high, shoulders back, looking straight ahead?
What if today you recognized what your fear is? What if today you faced your fear head on, looked it in the face and stared it down?
You might just win the contest.
Taking it a step further, what would happen if today, instead of waiting passively for something, anything, to happen, you actively focused on and worked on making something happen?��What if today you stopped thinking of yourself as a victim, that something bad always happens to you, passively waiting for your life to change and get better? What if today you started thinking of yourself as a winner, that something great or good or wonderful can and will happen, that you can take part in making that something great or good or wonderful happen?
Something great or good or wonderful might just happen.
Some of the time, most of the time or all of the time, we’re stronger than we think.
Face your fear.
Conquer your fear.
Change your perspective.
Change your life.
Make it happen.
Do it today.
Do it now.
Do it anyway and make a difference.
January 16, 2015
The Power of Words
Be careful what you say…and write.
“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.”
–Yehuda Berg
Do It Anyway and Make a Difference.
Do It Anyway and Make a Difference
This means…
Quit stalling.
Quit��hesitating.
Quit��procrastinating.
Quit��hedging your bets.
Quit��wallowing in self-pity.
Quit��making excuses.
Quit sitting around doing nothing.
Quit being afraid.
Quit doing WHATEVER it is you’re doing that’s holding you back!
Do it anyway.
Do it today.
Paint that picture.
Take that class.
Make that call.
Learn that language.
Save that animal.
Write that letter.
Read that book.
Sign that petition.
Forgive that person.
Speak out for what you believe in.
Fight for what is right
And good
And just
And true.
Make a positive contribution.
If you do, you can’t help but change the world and make it better.
So…
Do It Anyway and Make a Difference.
