Life is not a hardship to be enduredWritten by Charlie Badenhop
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This time around, needing hedge clippers to get job done, I cut weed-tree down as close to sidewalk as possible, and I must say that I had a sense of "Good riddance!" when I did so. Well, I think it was very next morning, or two days at most, when I went outside to find bloody thing sprouting new growth. This time I quickly dug away at it with a small shovel, but I couldn't unearth it, and sure enough, new growth quickly answered call to arms. At this point I was beginning to concede a shift in balance of power. Regardless of my superior education and specialized negotiation skills, weed-tree was prevailing. What to do? I knew by now that there was only one viable course of action. First, I found a new place to park my bike. Next, I went out and purchased some plant food and liberally watered and fed weed-tree every day. My little beauty grew gloriously and I soon began to lovingly trim it into a "bonsai" shape! Some years later it is looking truly gorgeous! Two questions come to my mind, and I wonder if they come to yours as well. 1. Can a weed-tree that is nurtured, praised, and pruned, still be considered to be a weed-tree? 2. Isn't life much grander once we realize that so much of what goes on is not under our control? I only hope my spirit, can be half as strong as tree that has offered itself to me.
Charlie Badenhop is the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Benefit from his thought-provoking ideas and a new self-help Practice every two weeks, by subscribing to his complimentary newsletter "Pure Heart, Simple Mind" at http://www.seishindo.org/anger/index.html .
| | ResponsibilityWritten by Dr. P.C. Simon
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To escape responsibility, we ascribe all personal qualities to heredity and environment. Another cop out is "I can't help it. It is my nature. It is my make-up. I have been doing it every since I was a child, I can't change now. An old dog cannot be taught new tricks. Your belief systems, your preconceived ideas are like blinders. You are responsible for your blinders. If you wear them red, you see danger where you look. For all our actions, we had our choice. When we make a choice, we have to accept responsibility for that choice. Some try to make you angry, but making yourself angry is your choice. You do not have to react to something someone says or does. I am not saying that you will not get angry if prodded but I can say that you do not have to give that person power to control your emotions. Your emotions are yours and not for others to manipulate. The best way to avoid being manipulated is to recognize act of others to manipulate us. For example, someone might cut right in front of you and get you upset, more it happens to you, more you get upset. Why? Because your resistance to people cutting in front of you is creating a force which will cause its actualization. When you stop resisting, such actions will happen less frequently. It might happen but one thing is certain, you will not be upset and therefore may not even notice it happening. The story of Zachias is typical. He was a dwarf and did not want to be seen by Jesus because he was a tax collector. It was customary that tax collectors grabbed more than stipulated tax and pocketed excess. This is immoral and Zachias knew it. So, he did not want to be seen by Jesus. Therefore, he did not come to front of crowd. He got into tree and hid himself among its branches but he was afraid, "Will Jesus see me?" What happened? When Jesus, who was walking along noticing needs of people thronging to him, reached tree, he looked up and said, "Zachias, come down. I will dine with you tonight." Job said same thing, namely "The thing I feared most has come upon me." Zachias' agitation, his desire to see Jesus and his fear that Jesus would see him was actually causing very air to literally vibrate. So we are creating these negative events by concentrating on them. Therefore, take responsibility. In "The Autobiography of a Yogi", we read that Yogananda left his door open for thief to walk in and take cabbages away from under cot where they were hidden. The thief did not take money on top of cot because Yogananda was more concerned about cabbages. His thought prodded thief toward cabbages. My paternal family is known to be intolerant, impatient, easily provoked and explosive. My mother used to tease my father saying, "I can make you set fire to house right now." He recognized what she meant and would reply, "I am not such a fool as to be manipulated by you." So, recognize your weakness. Do not fall for manipulation, Even when our car is hit from behind, we have to take responsibility. If we had watched, we would have known that one following us was too close and we should not apply brakes suddenly or we should warn him of that possibility by applying brakes momentarily and releasing them. Whatever happens to us happens because we make it happen. If we are sick, over sleep, dream a bad dream, quarrel with our girlfriend of boyfriend, we make these things happen. In fact, there are no accidents. Take responsibility for what happens to you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Simon is a retired research microbiologist, philanthropist, philosopher and author. Among his publications is the Missing Piece to Paradise and the Philosopher’s Notebook http://www.buymyebook.com/buy/authorinfo.asp?id=1572X1802Y1 visit his website at http://www.interchange.ubc.ca/psimon/book2.htm
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