Keep Your Promise (post by Kirk Weisler)
“One of the most important ways to manifest integrity is to be loyal to those who are not present. In doing so, we build the trust of those who are present. ~Stephen Covey, Author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
I will always remember being at a meeting where Stephen Covey was asked what could be done to build or rebuild trust after it was lost. His reply was profoundly simple, he said, “Make a promise and keep it. It doesn’t matter whether it is big of small… after you have kept your promise… do it again.”
How to Handle the Difficult Times
By Leo Babauta
Sometimes, life just wallops us against the head, deals us with such a blow that it takes our breath away.
A loved one dies, you lose a job, someone you care about gets sick, your car gets totaled, or hopelessness hits you.
What do we do when the world around us crumbles, when we can’t seem to find a way out?
The times when things are falling apart are exactly the best times to practice mindfulness and compassion. These are the times we’re preparing for, in a way, when we meditate regularly with mindfulness and compassion, during the non-traumatic times.
The times when the world is collapsing are the richest areas of exploration, and when we need the tools most.
So the way to work with these times is this:
Stay with the pain. Don’t run from it, don’t try to do anything about it, but face it with courage.
Stay with the bodily feeling, dropping below your story, and smile at it, be friendly with it, have the braveness to just be with it like you would with a friend who’s hurting.
Do it in small doses if that’s all you can handle. Do it with patience, noticing that your mind wants to run. Keep coming back, and you’ll earn trust in yourself to stay with the hard feelings.
Eventually, you see that the feelings aren’t so bad, that you can stay with them and the world won’t end, that they’ll go away like a passing cloud, that these feelings and thoughts aren’t you but just passing phenomena. You’ll start to take them less seriously, see that they’re No Big Deal, hold them lightly, give them space in your mind.
When the world is falling apart, this is the time to practice.
Best Morning Ever!! (post from Frank Somerville KTVU)
“Mommy I’m so happy.”
That’s what Brooklyn told her mom the other day when she finally got to meet Delvar.
Delvar drives a garbage truck in Bloomington, Illinois
And Brooklyn waits for him every Thursday.
She’d never actually met him until earlier this month.
On her birthday she wanted to give him a cupcake.
So they waited outside.
And when Delvar came by he stopped he pulled over.
This is what Brooklyn’s mom posted about what happened next.
I guarantee it will make you smile:
HOLY COW… BEST MORNING EVER for Brooklyn (and me).
What a start to her birthday.
Thursdays are by far her favorite day… garbage day.
For about a year now, Brooklyn has anxiously awaited the garbage truck’s arrival at our house.
It started with waving from the window, then we had to try and be outside to wave, and when we missed the truck driving by the house, I’d drive around the neighborhood to find the garbage truck and wave… on our way out the door in the mornings.
Every… Thursday, my heart is full when I see the joy that our amazing garbage man brings Brooklyn when he honks and waves at her with a BIG smile.
And today, we finally got to meet him!!!
Brooklyn and I wrapped up one of her birthday cupcakes and waited for him.
When he came down our street, she ran to the corner.
We were waving like usual and I motioned for him to come over by us.
He pulled over, got out and gave us his BIG smile.
Brooklyn was instantly speechless as she handed him the cupcake.
I explained to him that he makes our day every Thursday, and we really appreciate the honking and waving, and how special of a day it is for us.
Then… (melt my heart)… he explained that he looks forward to seeing us every Thursday as well.
He said that he has a meeting every Thursday morning and always tries to get out of there in a hurry so that he can make sure to see us every week.
He said he doesn’t have any kids of his own, but he mentors several children and just loves them. I can’t believe that I never got his name, so for now he will continue to be “our favorite awesome smiley garbage man”.
After he left, we continued onto daycare.
Brooklyn was unusually quiet in the backseat.
I asked her if she was okay, and she said “Mommy I’m so happy.”
So… to “our favorite awesome smiley garbage man”…
THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for the joy that you bring Brooklyn every Thursday morning, for making her birthday special, and for making my heart happy.
It may be a little thing that you do, but it means so much to us!”
Thanks, Delvar, for your kindness and your service to the City!
—Brooklyn’s mom
I love this story.
#GoOutAndInspireSomeoneToday
Thanks to April Scott for telling me about this story.
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