Open Your Mind to Prosperity

Wishing all of you a Happy Chinese New Year!

You are embarking on a journey to realize a dream. You probably know about Zeng Zi’s saying. Every day, he examines himself many times. What does he examines? There are several things. First, in work, is he devoted to his duty? Is he loyal to his job or superior? Second, in socializing with friends, is he sincere and does he keep his promises? Thirdly, things that he has learnt, has he reviewed them? This is a standard on learning. As a person, have you become better today? In self-cultivation/self improvement, have you achieved any new enlightenment? Have you lifted yourself to a higher level of attainment?
These are the standards for a superior man to reflect on every day.

“Jun Zi’ (superior man) is the term that appears most frequently in Lun Yu. The principle behind this term is always simple and harmonious. It does not exist only in the sages’ books more than 2000 years ago. It actually exists now in the options before us.

In a 15th century religious reformist’s book, there is this little story that happened when he was young. This story changed his entire life.

One day, under a scorching sun, he passed by a huge worksite. The workers were moving bricks with sweat streaming down their backs. He did not know why they were doing it. He asked the first worker: “What are you doing?” The worker said gruffly: “Can’t you see? I am doing hard labour moving bricks.”

The young man still could not understand, so he asked the second worker: What are you doing?” This worker was milder and friendlier than the first one. He arranged the bricks in his hands and took a look and said: “I am putting up a wall.”

The young man went to ask the third worker: “What are you doing?” This worker’s face radiating with gentleness looked up, wiped away his sweat and told him proudly: “You are asking me? I am building a church!” We can see that the three workers were doing exactly the same job. But they had three levels of interpretation of their job.

The first level, he is a pessimist. In everything he does, he finds a reason to say this is hard labour that life gives me. He is right in a way. We need to work. We can see that work is tough. This is a reality.

The attitude of the second worker is a “professionalism” attitude. You know you are putting up a wall which is part of a product. This is your salary, your job function, your job title. You know that you have a duty to fulfill in your job. So you won’t perform below the baseline of your professionalism. But you don’t aspire to things at a higher level of attainment. What is this level? This is the level that Confucius describes as ‘qi” (implement). If you exist as an implement, you are qualified.

The third level is the level of idealist. You know that every brick, every drop of sweat now will eventually lead to a church. You know you have a final dream. You are embarking on this journey to realize this dream. Every step you take has a value. What you give will eventually be rewarded. When you are on such journey, whatever you do will never make you a mere implement. It is a simple principle. But it has a deeper meaning. After satisfying the requirements of a superior man at the various levels mentioned before, when you come to the stage of actual applications, do not be content with what you are doing, delve into the interpretation of the job at hand. See how it relates to your life, to your dream. See whether you, at your present position in society, will be able to build up a church. Perhaps your personal effort helps in building a church or perhaps having the dream of building a church helps you succeed as an individual.

The superior man is Confucius idea of what a man of good moral character should be. In Lun Yu, which contains only 20,000 words, the term jun zi (superior man) appears more than 100 times. Even today, people still aspire to the standard of the superior man.

How can we become a superior man?

In Bible, there are three things that are irretrievable. They are: an arrow that has been shot out, words that have been uttered and opportunities that have been missed.

Like water splashed, words uttered are difficult to recover. You can’t take them back. So a truly superior man would rather get something done first. This is the standard set by Confucius. “A superior man is ashamed of talking more than doing.” This has since become the Chinese idiom yan guo qi xing (more talk than action). If a man talks more than he does, a superior man would regard it as a shame.

So a superior man is always harmonious easy to get along with and respectful. Under this premise, he finishes calmly what he intends to do. The strength of a superior man is always the strength of his action and not the strength of his words. A truly superior man after understanding something thoroughly aspires to achieve on even higher standard. He does not tie himself down to a fixed job or a minor role. He is flexible. He progresses with times. He constantly adjusts himself according to major changes in society. Because he improves constantly, he enjoys a good position. This is what Confucius says: “A superior man is unlike an implement.” A superior man does not exist in this world merely as an implement. What is meant by being an implement? This means, as a qualified man, you just follow the rules and do a good job in your given position. In other words, idealism is a higher level of attainment than professionalism. For a superior man, what he does is not as important as the motive behind what he does. Man is a strange animal. We let thinking decide our action. In other words, attitude decides everything. Day in day out, we do more or less the same things. But reasons differ as to why we do certain things.

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It is often said that at homes, we rely on parents; outside, we rely on friends. In society, friends are very important. Birds of a feather flock together. Your friends can serve as a mirror in which you see your own image. Lun Yu contains clear standards on making friends.

There are three types of good friends and three types of bad friends. What are the standards for good friends? In what ways can they help us in our life and career? Who are the three bad friends? What impact do they have on our life? How can we distinguish between good and bad friends?

What Lun Yu teaches us about the way to make friends? In life, the kind of friends that we have is a direct reflection of the kind of person we are. A good friend is like a book. It can open up a whole world for you. Birds of a feather flock together. To know someone, you need only to observe his social circle. Observation of his external environment can shed light on his values. What kind of friends does Lun Yu encourages us to make? Very simple, Confucius says, in this world, there are three types of good friends and three types of bad friends.

First, we will talk about the three types of good friends. The so called three types of good friends are the upright, the forgiving and the well informed. First, friends are upright, magnanimous and principled. A good man should not flatter. He must have a sound moral character and be able to stand stall in society. This is a kind of good friends. He can make you decisive when you are hesitant. Being tolerant and forgiving is a virtue. When a careless mistake is made or an injury is caused by others, the impact of harsh reproach and criticism. We feel worse during our repentance.

Two woodcutters went to the same mountain daily to chop woods. The first one set off very early in morning and came back in the night time. The second woodcutter set off in the afternoon after he finished his lunch and came back before night time.

The first woodcutter managed to chop less than a basket of wood. The second woodcutter managed to chop baskets of wood.

One of their fellow villagers was very puzzled, he followed the first woodcutter and found that he was working very hard in chopping the tree and did not idle around. The next day this fellow villager went to see the second woodcutter and found that he was working very hard in sharpening his axe. On the third day afternoon, the fellow villagers went to see them chop the trees. He saw the first woodcutter chopped the tree four times but the tree did not fell down whereas the second woodcutter chops the tree once and the tree fell down immediately.

When we are working, are we using the correct method to do our work or are we like the first woodcutter; working very hard but less result? It is important to review our work flow and remember to sharpen our tools.

Year 2008 is for us to start afresh to enjoy, grow and face new challenges.

Wish Everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

SECRET SANTA
by Kathleene S. Baker

The man had just filled his car with gas; he was cold, wet, and ready to head for home. He opened his car door and bent down to climb inside.

“Sir, sir.”

He glanced in the direction of the frail voice to find a well-dressed, elderly lady attempting to get his attention.

He closed the car door and walked towards her. “Can I help you, ma’am?”

The older woman explained that the gas pump was not working properly, and asked if he knew what she was doing wrong.

“These are new pumps and very touchy-even for me. I’ve found the easiest thing to do is forget locking them while I fill; they keep shutting off for some reason.”

“Oh my! I can’t keep pressure on that handle until my tank is full. My hands don’t have much strength in them anymore.” She cast her blue eyes to the ground in frustration.

“I’d be honored to fill your tank for you!” The man’s Texas accent was gentle and he gave her a little wink. “By the way, I love your British accent.”

“Yes, a British accent in Texas.people always notice!” She smiled. “We just came to the States a few years ago. That’s my husband in the car.” She paused for a moment, “He has Alzheimer’s now.”

“I’m so very sorry.for both of you.” After a slight lull the gentleman continued. “Why don’t you get back in the car while I do this; the snow is picking up and you’re going to get wet.”

She was a lovely woman with snowy-white hair; her attire was prim and proper as one would expect from a Brit. “I’d rather visit if you don’t mind. Our son is out of town for Christmas; he’s with his wife’s family this year and I’m feeling a bit blue.”

A knot formed in the Texan’s throat and he hoped to change the subject. “Just what are the two of you doing out in this weather? I hope your drive home is a short one. You know these Texas drivers aren’t the best when it comes to snow and sleet,” he teased.

“We’re on our way home from a Christmas party. The medical center has one each year for the Alzheimer patients. They are rather like children’s parties-and they have Santa visit. Oftentimes patients will have moments they recall things from their past. Some sing along to Christmas carols when they haven’t carried on an actual conversation in quite a long while.”

“Did anyone recognize Santa today?”

“Oh, yes, my husband recognized Santa and tried to steal his hat! He even said, ‘Ho, ho, ho-Merry Christmas.’ His recollection was rather brief but it was the highlight of my day.” She grinned.

The gas pump clicked off, the woman swiped her credit card to make payment, and turned to thank the man who had been willing to help her. The two were saying their farewells when the squeal of brakes, a thud, and breaking glass at the intersection caught their attention.

“Oh, my!” The lady whimpered with a distressed expression. “It’s getting so slick. I’ve got to hurry and get home.”

“Ma’am, I’d be honored to follow you in case you have problems.”

She hesitated momentarily and then appeared relieved, “Oh, I’d be so grateful. I can’t thank you enough. And by the way, my name is Margaret.” She reached out to shake hands with her new friend.

“Margaret, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Ray.” He patted her hand gently before they released their grasp. “You just drive slowly; I’ll be right behind you.”

When Margaret pulled into her garage Ray stopped curbside. “I just want to be sure you get inside safely,” he shouted.

Margaret waved and asked him to wait for a moment-then nodded and spoke to her neighbor hanging Christmas lights. She guided John into the house, quickly reappeared in the garage, and motioned for Ray to pull into the driveway.

She thanked Ray again and soon mentioned this being the first Christmas she and her husband had ever spent alone. Ray, always a soft touch for older folks, was happy to listen. She spoke fondly of traditions her family adhered to when she was a child in England and revealed an interesting glimpse into her past.plus a taste of her cherished memories from across the pond.

“You know mistletoe is very traditional in England. My first “real” kiss was under the mistletoe when I was a teenager. Oh, what memories I have.” For a split second, Margaret looked like a young girl again.

Several minutes passed before Margaret began to shiver and they were forced to say farewell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas morn found Margaret peeking out her front door just as the sun crested the horizon. She stepped outside, instantly clasped her hands like a small child, and peered up and down the street. With not a soul in sight she began to examine the items discovered on her porch.each one dredged up memories of years gone by in Merry Old England.

Just above her head hung an arrangement of mistletoe adorned with elegant lace; she touched it gently. Bedecked with Victorian ornaments, a small, lighted Christmas tree sat in the corner-beneath it a homemade mincemeat pie wrapped securely and tied with golden ribbon. The card attached said only, “From: Santa.” Hanging from the doorknob a brilliant red Santa Claus hat with tag, “To: John.”

Margaret called to John; he slowly made his way and stepped outside. Nothing on the porch sparked his interest until Margaret placed the Santa hat in his hands. After staring at it and stroking the velvety softness, he plopped it onto his head. It sat askew but John’s face beamed as his voice rang out across the neighborhood, “Ho, ho, ho! Ho, ho, ho!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Parked several houses away, a Secret Texas Santa sniffed and wiped at a lone tear… a happy tear. “Merry Christmas and God Bless.” He smiled and drove towards home.

©2007Kathleene S. Baker
Lnstrlady@aol.com
www.txyellowrose.com

Yes, animals are more deluded because of their capacity of their physical body, but occasionally some of them might be able show us the love that we have forgotten on our ‘busy road’. Just like this story.

this is real touching…

Hey, wake up! wake up!

A dog was knocked down by a car and died on the middle of the road. Later, another dog is seen beside the corpse of the dog, he tried to wake his friend up using his leg.

Let’s move to the safer side of the road…i will move you to the safer side!

When his attempts to wake his friend failed, he tried to push his friend to the side of the road. But the weight of his friend was proven too heavy for him.

Anyone help, tell me what to do.

Though the traffic is busy and dangerous, he just will not go away from his friend. Just stand beside his friend howling and crying.

A lot of people saw this incident and feel very touched. Even a dog can show his loyalty and love to his friend. How about us, do we show loyalty to our firends?

Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn’t fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer? Who hasn’t dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships?

Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our attic.

This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing.

But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher.

The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can’t do this. It’s too hard. It’s too impossible. No one can do this.

However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment.

Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.

On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result is Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.

If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another header, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’

As of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’

As you iterate through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all.

You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic.

Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, No gain”? That is as true as it can be.

So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.