Lost in translation . . .

Guest post by PinkM

Well, Pete honored me by asking me to guest post on here. No idea what wisdom is expected, but I’ll do my best to be me.

A couple of days ago, I did this post on giving and uplifting others in all I do, and a couple of comments prompted this post.

See, we have the tendency to use English translations in relationships, and from my observation, they don’t always hold true. For example:

Giving / Receiving - According to the dictionary definition, these two are opposites right? Well, in relationships, they’re not. People have the tendency to believe that one has to be a giver or a receiver; you cannot be a perennial giver, and a receiver. If one is building themselves into being a giver, it’s taken to mean that that person will not receive. That’s not true.
The opposite of giving is not giving. The opposite of receiving is not receiving.

My saying I want to be ever generous means, I want to move from the position of not giving (all the time), to giving (all the time). Receiving comes in another context. Basically, giving and receiving IMO are not mutually exclusive.

Making Others Shine – Again, the opposite of this isn’t dimming my light. It just means that external approval will cease to be so important to me, and instead, I’ll channel that light onto someone who need it more to build their confidence.
Case in point. You have an important project to deliver, but instead of working on it and taking all the glory (which will mean less time, and more efficiency for the company), you help your junior do the work, and let him take the glory.

IMO, in that case, I haven’t dimmed my light one bit. See, I know I can do it and do it well, but the person beside me needs to learn. He needs to build his confidence in whatever task. He’s still growing.
Letting those beside you take the glory is a sign of growth and security in who you are, and as such, outside affirmation doesn’t mean that much (nose in the air self righteousness)

Character vs Personality – I was watching this episode of Desperate  Housewives that they talk about why you should probably love the rude neighbor who will speak their mind, and not trust so much, the polite neighbor, who has nothing but kind words for you, and nothing else (this was in reference to Susan, the rude neighbor and Orson, the ever so polite guy, who was stealing from everyone).

I get this feeling that society is emphasizing so much on people developing perfect personalities, without advocating for fundamental character issues.
We’re taught to say the right thing, the right words and everything to keep the peace.

As long as you’re 'correct' you’re accepted. Something is fundamentally wrong with that. Let us work on character development and sincerity, and at the end of the day, we’ll be a better people.

Pray. Deep from your heart, since the world has lost the way

Inspiration comes to us from many places. Nothing however, compares to what happens when we connect with God, in prayer and supplication. The outcome is invariably beyond comprehension.

At a time when countless bad things are happening in our lives, our country and even globally, we need to connect with God in prayer. Now is the time to pray, deep from our hearts.

Following is a very inspiring song by Celine Dion. Be uplifted:

PRAYER
By Celine Dion

Can we touch the soul of heaven
Can we unite a sacred lesson
Every child creates a skylight of beauty
Can you hear cathedrals falling
All the universe is calling
Cry a single cello from your heart
Since the world has lost her way
Loneliness journey endlessly
Yet the promised chance remains
Gifts of what could be

So let the children remember the sun
Let them dance let them soar
For their lives have begun
Let the children engender the rain
As the river runs through fields
Forever subsiding their pain
Prayer

Every voice along the shoreline
Standing still within time
Spinning unresolved the walking
As each season passes
Through wonderland and looking glasses
The secret garden shires beckons you
Gentle flower, don't fade away
Sweet innocent still harbors thee
In the faith of golden dreams
Where one love lives eternally

Let the children remember the sun
Let them dance let them soar
For their lives have begun
Let the children engender the rain
As the river runs through fields
Forever subsiding their pain

Prayer
Prayer
Prayer

Bless the children for they are the light
They are the truth of spirit in flight
Yes the children engender the rain
As the river runs through life
Healing their pain
If you could trust with your heart but for time
Sweet angels, conceive you have
Forever and always believed Prayer

Prayer
Prayer
Prayer

The above lyrics and artist names are copyrighted to Celine Dion. They appear  here for educational and personal use only.

Let us learn, share and stand in the gap to seek God's grace in overcoming the odds that are stacked against us.

Communicate. Build Bridges. Interact with People

"Hope is the bridge that connects you to where you want to go
Faith assures you that the bridge will hold
Love gives you a reason to cross it."

Looking back at the days I was in college, I realize that life at the time accorded us many luxuries we cannot have in adult life.

Consider communication and friends. How often do you wish that you had the time to see someone, attend social events, make courtesy calls, make amends, or meet new people? With limited free time and increasing responsibilities, we often find ourselves alone.

Those we eventually interact with are the people who are a part of our daily lives - our colleagues in the office, neighbors at the estate or the people we fellowship with every Sunday. Yet, we still yearn to communicate.

Having listened to the Gospel album "Bridges: Songs of Unity and Purpose", about five years ago, I now realize how important it is to interact with like minded people and seek purpose in our unity. This album was released in July 1999. Its deep and inspired message however still lingers on. Get more details of this great collaborative music on eBay. This is music worth listening to.

BRIDGES

Some people believe bridges are designed to span chasms and to make possible passage over the impossible. They do span chasms, but more importantly, they encourage communication, making what is inaccessible accessible and what is foreign familiar.

Steel, concrete and wood are materials for bridge building of one kind. But introduction, familiarity and co-operation are building blocks for the human bridge.

Make familiar the foreign and encourage communication.

Remember if I were you and you were me, and if I am not afraid to touch your hand, you will reach for mine, we can stand together, stay together and even soar together as the raven and the dove.

And where there is desire, prayer and belief, all things are possible.

- PAUL WRIGHT (The Album 'Bridges' by various Gospel artists)

Now, go out there and start communicating. You may be surprised to find that those you need to communicate and bridge gaps with the most are the ones closest to you.
Communicate, and share the above words with your friends. You now believe and are inspired. Then do something about it.

Let us learn, share and grow together, in unity and purpose.

Giving the Best We Have - 'Life's Mirror' by Madeline Bridges

UPDATE: Thanks Catressa for the correction on crediting the right Madeline Bridges.

Over a decade ago, I stumbled upon the first stanza of the following poem by Madeline Bridges, né Mary Ainge De Vere. She was an American poet who was born in 1844 and died in 1920.
Here are some of her poems.



That alone changed my life. It has been a principal source of motivation as I continually seek to do good in my life. To do unto others what I'd like them do unto me. To live and let live.

Following is the entire poem. Be edified:

LIFE'S MIRROR

There are loyal hearts, there are spirits brave,
There are souls that are pure and true,
Then give to the world the best you have,
And the best will come back to you.

Give love, and love to your life will flow,
A strength in your utmost need,
Have faith, and a score of hearts will show
Their faith in your word and deed.

Give truth, and your gift will be paid in kind;
And honor will honor meet;
And a smile that is sweet will surely find
A smile that is just as sweet.

Give pity and sorrow to those who mourn,
You will gather in flowers again
The scattered seeds from your thoughts outborne
Though the sowing seemed but vain.

For life is the mirror of king and slave,
'Tis just what we are and do;
Then give to the world the best you have,
And the best will come back to you.

- Madeline Bridges

The above poem says it all. Honestly, there's nothing to add to Madeline's words.

Let us learn, share and purpose to always give the best.

Beyond the Window: 'Seeing' the best for Others

The Human Condition

[caption id="attachment_43" align="alignright" width="280" caption="People walking on a Sandy Beach"][/caption]

The human condition is such that we have the innate ability to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves from harm. It is the self-preservation instinct. The instinct that ensures that a species does not become extinct.

Taken to another level, this is what made the marine iguanas of the Galapagos islands learn how to swim... and that is why they can actually change their body size to adapt to varying food conditions, with some reducing their length by as much as 20% when food is scarce... [read more].

Selfishness vs Self-preservation

With human beings however, there is usually a gray line when you try to separate selfishness from  self preservation. Many times, we are guided by the "each man for himself and God for us all mantra."

Way back in 1999, I listened to a story on Family FM's 'Power Up', about the need for selflessness and unconditional kindness in our lives. This story forever changed the way I interact with others, and it made me realize that a candle indeed loses none of its light by lighting up for others.

Following is the 'Beyond the Window' story. Be edified:

Beyond the Window

Two men shared a room in a hospital. One was an elderly man who was terminally ill. Cancer had destroyed most of his internal organs. This room was his final abode. He was counting down the days...

The other man was a fairly younger person. His was not a life threatening disease, bu the was bed-ridden all the same. He was in much pain though, and often screamed and wailed as pain got the better of him. The older man usually calmed him down.

These two men often talked. At the beginning, they engaged in small talk, as they got to know each other. As the days turned into weeks, they became really good friends. And when their stay in hospital extended into months, they became family.

[caption id="attachment_44" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="People enjoying themselves on the beach"][/caption]

The hospital room they were in was such that only the old man could look out the window. The younger man could not. The old man therefore used to narrate to his friend, what the view outside was. He would tell him how beautiful the beach outside was (this hospital was in a coastal town). He often said how he saw people walking on the sandy beach, how children were playing in the shallow waters and how birds flew in the blue sky. This would really pacify the younger man who was in debilitating pain most of the time.

These stories continued for several months, until one day, the old man gave a rather interesting story. He said that he saw a marching band on the beach. The children passed near enough for him to look at them, and they were waving at him. Unfortunately, he couldn't wave back because he was so weak. This particular description of the goings-on outside made the younger patient feel especially good.

The following morning, nurses came over to move the body of the old man. He had died in his sleep. The younger man was shocked, realizing how calm and collected his friend looked as he told him what was happening outside. It was then that he requested the duty nurse to move him to that bed, so that he could enjoy the view outside.

When his wish was granted, he was shocked beyond words. The sunny beach was nowhere to be seen. There were no people walking on the beach. No birds flying is the clear blue sky. The window in this room only opened into a hospital corridor. The window in this room only opened into an ordinary hospital corridor.

[caption id="attachment_45" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A Hospital Corridor"][/caption]

"So why did he lie to him all this time?" he asked the nurse. "He told me of things which I cannot see. Why would he do that?"

"Mr Jones," replied the nurse. "Your friend was blind. He could not even see that hospital corridor you are now looking at. He lost his eyesight a while back. And yes, his previous room provided such a view. I guess he was narrating all that to ease your pain. You should be thanking him, Mr Jones."

Mr Jones could not hold back the tears in his eyes. He quickly realized that his old friend had been 'seeing' all these wonderful things for him.

The blind can 'see' too

Go out, and 'see' the best for others. Try and do for others what may even be beyond your ability.

And contrary to popular belief, the blind can indeed lead those who can see.

Let us learn, share and grow.