Today's message, "You're not as important as you thought you were", generated an unusual level of response, both positive and negative. The positive comments expressed a sense of relief and of putting one's trust in God.
"Just what I need during a difficult time... Today, I will meet my friend for lunch as planned, and then just come home and love my dog." - Emily
"We ALL need to realize our smallness in God’s grand scheme of things. Live life joyfully, live life lovingly.” - Glenn
"Great message today. I usually go back and forth between feeling like I'm more important than I really am or that I'm not important at all. Either way is simply self-centeredness. What I would like to be all day, every day, is God-centered." - Philip
The negative comments, including one that began, "I no longer wish to have your emails coming into my home," believed my message to be demeaning their value as human beings, which is, of course, the exact opposite of my intent.
Each of us is of infinite value, and each of us has the ability to make a profound difference in the lives we touch. We leave our most profoundly positive impact on those around us by the nature of our lives and the example we set - not by how busy we are, or how important we believe we are. Setting an example of being loving, relaxed and joyful, regardless of external circumstances, is a great legacy for our family and for the world. Self importance - ego - is not a path to happiness. Focusing one's whole life on responsibilities, without taking time for self-renewal and play, abandons the joy and the true value of life. I want my tombstone to read, "Inspired others," rather than, "Never missed a day at the office."
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Wednesday, July 1, 2009
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5 comments:
I missed days at the office so I am leaning towards inspiring others. Much more gratifying. The intent of your quotes need to be looked at from every angle, not just one. It's like reading a whole book in one sentence.
i loves the inspiration from 7/1/09. i have to remember that i am not the only one i the world and that i need to take time for myself especially since i have two small children at home. i some times get wrapped up in work and kids that i forget that in order to be a productive worker and mother i need the time to unwind if it nothing but just a few minutes at the end of the day.keep up the good work. ps that message was confirmation from what my pastor said last sunday thanks
Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them all.
I think you're emails are wonderful. Reading them opens up a whole world of thoughts that sometimes, in our attempt to live, we forget about. We forget about the lovely thing that life is because we do, as you say focus on being busy with several stressful items that we have in our lives. I met a man a few months ago that was very inspiring to me, married with kids, has his bachelor's and his master's, worked in an accounting firm for over 10 years, at another firm for over 5 years.... and we met because I am currently doing my master's and am doing a project that brought us together. He stated "I have lived my life and worked so hard, and I do not even know my kids" -- this was a grand reality check, because life is so much more than work, school, making money, paying bills -- there are rainbows after the rain, there is sunlight that lights our path, there is laughter and smiles, there are the first steps of a child, there are so many beautiful things to focus on.
"The good news is that you aren't as important as you thought you were. Relax. The weight of the world is not on your shoulders. Take a day off." -- this is a very important passage in your writing that inspired so many comments. Taking a day off can be mental challenge... but it is a great feeling. Take a day to be happy, and not express anger. Take a day to ackowledge the good in people. Life is not a problem to be solved.... It is a mystery to be lived (I read that some where too) ... So I agree with you, Mr. Jonathan Lochwood Huie. We are not as important as we think we are and the moment we realize that, a lot of weight will come off our shoulders, which will allow us to focus on more relaxing and healthy things.
~Yoly
Agreed. It's so difficult to realize in the midst of each day that working and playing aren't the things people live for, just the things we do to survive. I want my tombstone to read, "Shared His Blessings."
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