Steve Goodier Inspirations

[Rhonda]

BACK TO BASICS

One man said of his marriage, "I very distinctly remember my wedding
day. As we unloaded the moving van into our little house, I said,
'Darling, this is your and my little world.'"

"And I suppose," wondered his friend, "that you've lived happily ever
after?"

"We've been fighting for the world's championship ever since," he
said.

That must have been the same couple who seemed to always be in
conflict, but had a habit of calling a truce at bedtime. Every evening
they knelt together and asked for strength to fight one more round....

They often wondered why they remained together. One night, while
kneeling, she said to him, "Why don't we just ask God to strike one of
us dead tonight, then this marriage would have peace at last...and I
could go live with my sister."

All relationships experience conflict. Marriages, friendships, parents
and children. But too many unfortunate souls, like this couple, seem
to be unable to resolve their differences. Their relationship dries
up, becomes brittle and breaks apart like a old and valuable
photograph left in the hot sun. A union that once seemed a work of art
eventually resembles a discolored and crumbling canvass. Finding and
restoring those pieces to anything attractive can be a near-impossible
task.

And the amazing realization is this: the incidents that finally
destroy a relationship are usually small and insignificant! Momentous
decisions and huge obstacles generally don't pull people apart. Most
people in committed relationships can stand united when disaster
strikes. It is the little problems, the insignificant stressors, that
do the most damage when allowed to fester.

Do you know what issue causes the greatest number of conflicts in
households? According to a "USA Today" report, people argue most often
about which TV show to watch! Would any couple or family have believed
that the selection of television programs would become the major cause
of their unhappiness?

They forgot what is important! They forgot that relationships are
built of such things as love, respect, consideration, kindness, and
understanding. They forgot all those compelling and wonderful reasons
that brought them together in the first place. Instead, they let minor
inconveniences become major issues. In short, they forgot the
basics. And they are paying a high price for their forgetfulness.

For healthy and satisfying relationships, it's vital to remember the
basics:

Remember that the people of your life are more valuable than the
things. That is basic.

Remember that there's a difference between inconveniences and
hardships. That is basic.

Remember that the "little things," if left unattended, can hurt a
relationship as much as the big ones. That, too, is basic.

And remember that love between individuals -- friends or family -- is
the most precious possession we humans can hope to attain. Above all,
other people should be cherished.

It's basic -- all of it. But it's the stuff of happy lives.

-- Steve Goodier
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P.S. CELEBRITY QUIP
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent
disinclination to do so. -- Douglas Adams

[Rhonda]

EVERYTHING CAN BE DIFFERENT

"Arizona Highways" magazine once reported a funny sign spotted at the
Road Runner Market in Quartzsite, Arizona. A sign on the counter read:

"Your patience is appreciated.
New electronic cash register.
Same old ladies."

Apparently, the business machines were changing faster than the
clerks! Which isn't to say that people can't change. They can. In
fact, our greatest hope is birthed from knowing that we CAN change. We
don't have to remain the same. Things can be different than they are.

Nobody can change your life. It is something only you can do. New and
beautiful things await those who believe that things can be different.

I've known relationships to dramatically improve once the couple
learned this simple axiom: "You can't change your partner; but your
partner can change." We change because we want to and because we
believe we can. There is great hope in that.

The unhappiest people change the least. They are not convinced they
can start over! They often believe that they cannot truly be different
and must continue leading unhappy lives forever. They should learn
from snakes....

Snakes know about shedding the past and putting on something new. Old
ways, old habits, old ideas and old attitudes don't fit forever. Once
outgrown, we can shed them and grow into a new skin. (Ever thought
you'd be learning a life lesson from a snake?)

Everything will be different when you are different. It begins with
two indispensable ingredients - desire and belief. Those who WANT to
shed the old skin and who BELIEVE they can, will make needed changes.
And they will be happy.

-- Steve Goodier
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P.S. AIN'T IT SO
One of the best things people can have up their sleeves is a funny
bone.

[Rhonda]

THE POWER OF A TOUCH

Writer Gordon MacDonald said that each night he reads a story to his
little daughter. One day he was preparing to be away from home for a
few days and he taped a selection of stories for his daughter to
listen to while he was gone.

When he came back, he was eager to hear his daughter's reaction.
She answered, "Dad, the stories were fine, but it wasn't the same --
I
couldn't sit on the tape recorder's lap."

Too often we underestimate the power of touch. Negative as well as
positive touch has the power to elicit strong emotions. It can hurt
and it can heal. Touch people in a negative way and you may get a
strong reaction you didn't expect. Touch them in a safe, affirming
and
affectionate way, and you'll probably get just as strong a response -
-
only this one you will welcome.

Touch is powerful for infants. Newborns who are touched will thrive.
Studies have shown that babies deprived of touch have a significantly
higher mortality rate than those who are held and cuddled by caring
adults -- even when the "touched" babies are reared in unsanitary
conditions.

Touch is powerful for teenagers. Teens who are touched communicate
better. Many adolescents assert their independence by refusing to
be hugged by their parents. But most of them will accept a simple
back
or shoulder massage. That act of touch communicates love in a
powerful
way. It will frequently break down emotional barriers and even help
young people to "open" up and talk about what is on their minds.

Touch is powerful for adults. Both men and women who are touched are
happier and healthier. According to University of Colorado
researchers, most adults would like to be touched more. Holding a
hand
or offering a hug can warm hearts and heal relationships like nothing
else can.

Touching is powerful. Learn the art of a caring touch and you'll
discover a magical key that opens the lives and hearts of those you
care about.

-- Steve Goodier
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QUOTE
The Sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on
it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else
in the universe to do. -- Galileo Galilei

[Rhonda]

FINER THAN WEALTH

I love the story about an angel who suddenly appears at a faculty
meeting and tells the dean of the college that, in return for his
unselfish and exemplary behavior, he will be given his choice of
infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean
selects infinite wisdom.

"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt
of lightning.

Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint
halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say
something wise."

The dean looks at them and says, "I should have taken the money."

Though wealth is highly regarded in our world, I rather suspect this
fictitious academic made the better choice. Wisdom, like many other
virtues, is usually more difficult to obtain and can be far more
satisfying.

I've heard it said that when our hearts are empty, we collect
"things." On the other hand, when our hearts are full, we tend to lose
interest in most of the "stuff" of life. The "things of the heart"
become all important. Things like love and joy and peace. Or wisdom.
Or hope. Or faith.

And the wonderful truth is that these gifts are given freely to any
who will take them! None of us has to live without love. There really
is joy to be found in this life. And we can know peace - now.

Fra Giovanni gave us these immortal words in 1513:

"No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in today.
Take heaven!
No peace lies in the future that is not hidden in his present
moment. Take peace!
The gloom of this world is but a shadow.
Behind it, yet within reach, is joy.
There is a radiance and glory in the darkness, could we but see,
and to see we have only to look. I beseech you to look.
Life is so generous a giver...."

You have already been offered things even finer than infinite wealth.
Will you grasp them and make them yours - today?

-- Steve Goodier
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P.S. FAVORITE QUOTE
Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with
popcorn. -- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

[Rhonda]

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ALL STRESSED UP AND NO PLACE TO BLOW

All stressed up and no place to blow. Does that sometimes sound like
you?

It is rarely the big crises of life that cause us destructive worry.
Rather, those persistent small concerns do the most long-term damage
to our spirits, minds and bodies.

According to Bernard Asbell and Karen Wynn in the book WHAT THEY KNOW
ABOUT YOU (Random House, 1991) here are the top ten reasons
middle-aged people worry:

1. Concern about weight
2. Health of a family member
3. Rising prices
4. House maintenance
5. Too much to do
6. Misplacing or losing things
7. Outside or yard maintenance
8. Property, investments, and taxes
9. Crime
10. Physical appearance

How many times do you find yourself on this list? Yet, none of these
is a huge problem. It's true.you don't get ulcers from what you eat --
you get them from what's eating you!

I asked a woman who was facing some truly large problems, "Can you
just get through today?" I felt there was no other course of action
for her than to concentrate on managing only the concerns of the
present. Anything more seemed overwhelming.

She said, "I always take just one day at a time. And sometimes I take
one hour at a time. And sometimes it's one minute!"

If worry and anxiety are getting the best of you, first take steps to
manage the problem, fix the problem or get rid of the problem. Then,
you need only look ahead to the end of the day. Can you get through
this day? This hour? If so, that may be enough.

It was the Buddha who said, "The secret of health for both mind and
body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or
not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and
earnestly." And Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about itself."

It's about learning to live one day at a time. And it's great
advice... particularly when you are all stressed up and no place to
blow.

-- Steve Goodier
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[Rhonda]

THE ABC'S OF HANDLING MISTAKES

A grizzled old sea captain was often spotted by his crew
opening a small, locked box on the bridge, peeking inside at its
contents and shutting the lid before anyone might glimpse inside. The
crew's curiosity grew and, on the day he retired, they rushed to the
bridge, cut the lock and looked inside the box. There they found a
sheet of paper that read, "Left - port. Right - starboard."

Are you afraid to make a mistake? Some people feel as if no one is
ever paying attention until they make a mistake! If you goofed in a
big way recently, maybe you need to hear about Roy Riegels.

The story is told about Roy and the 1929 Rose Bowl championship
football game between Georgia Tech and the University of California.
Shortly before halftime, a man named Roy Riegels made a huge mistake.
He got the ball for California and somehow became confused and started
running in the wrong direction! One of his teammates outdistanced him
and tackled him after he had run 65 yards, just before he would have
scored for the opposing team. Of course, Georgia Tech gained a
distinct advantage through the error.

The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. All but
Riegels sat down on the benches and on the floor. He wrapped his
blanket around his shoulders, sat in a corner, put his face
in his hands and wept.

Coach Nibbs Price struggled with what to do with Roy. He finally
looked at the team and said simply, "Men, the same team that played
the first half will start the second."

All the players except Roy trotted out to the field. He didn't budge.
Though the coach looked back and called to him again, he remained
huddled in the corner. Coach Price went to him and said,

"Roy, didn't you hear me?"

"Coach," he said, "I can't do it. I've ruined you; I've ruined the
school; I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium
to save my life."

But Coach Price put his hand on Riegels' shoulder and said, "Roy, get
up and go on back; the game is only half over."

Roy Riegels went back and those Tech men will tell you that they have
never seen a man play football as well as Roy Riegels played that
second half.

The next time you make a mistake, it might be good to remember the ABC
method of handling mistakes.

A -- Acknowledge your error and accept responsibility for it. Don't
try to fix the blame on other people or circumstances. When you fix
the blame, you never fix the problem.

B -- Be gentle with yourself. The game is only half over. This is not
the first mistake you ever made, nor will it be the last. You are
still a good and caring person. Besides, later you may laugh at the
blunder, so try to lighten up a bit now.

C -- Correct it and move on. Correcting mistakes may also mean to make
amends, if necessary. "Those who are wise don't consider it a blessing
to make no mistakes," says Wang Yang-Ming. "They believe instead that
the great virtue is the ability to correct mistakes and to continually
reinvent oneself."

Now, go make your mistakes. And though some may be no less than
spectacular, if you practice the ABC method, you'll live to laugh
about many of them.

-- Steve Goodier

This reading can be found in Steve Goodier's book PRESCRIPTION FOR
PEACE
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P.S. FAVORITE QUOTE
Do not look back on happiness, or dream of it in the future. You are
only sure of today; do not let yourself be cheated out of it. --
Henry Ward Beecher,

[Rhonda]

LIVING LONG ... OR LIVING WELL?

A tough, old cowboy was asked by his grandson how to live a long life.

"The secret of living a long life is to sprinkle a little gunpowder on
your oatmeal every morning," the grizzled man replied.

The grandson did this religiously and he lived to the age of 93. When
he died, he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren
and a fifteen foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.

He definitely went out with a bang.

Personally, I would rather remember somebody for how beautifully she
lived than how spectacularly she died. And I would prefer she leave a
hole in my heart than in the crematorium.

Besides, it has never been about how long we may live, but always
about how well we are living today.

Dave Dravecky, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants baseball team,
learned a lesson about what it means to live well.

Dave was enjoying an outstanding career until the day he was diagnosed
with a soft tissue cancer in his left arm. His professional baseball
career was over. After various treatments failed to stop the cancer,
doctors advised Dave to have his arm amputated.

Some people may feel that a diagnosis of cancer, the loss of a career
and the amputation of an arm may as well be a death sentence. Of
course, many survivors know better. Dave, too, learned that his life
was far from over.

When his little daughter Tiffany first saw her father after surgery,
she went straight to him and hugged him long and hard. Then she
smiled and announced that she was happy his left arm was gone. She
explained that over the last few weeks, the arm had caused her father
so much pain that he hadn't been able to hug her. With the arm out of
the way, they would be close again.

Dave Dravecky will never be the baseball star he had hoped to become.
He lost his arm and will always wonder if cancer will return. Maybe he
will live a long life, and maybe not. But regardless of how long he
lives, what matters is how well he lives.

He only has to hug Tiffany to remember.

-- Steve Goodier
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Please note the quote was from a famous author but the word sensor changed the name as it did albino pea c o c k s

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P.S. CELEBRITY QUIP
Seeing a murder on television can... help work off one's antagonisms.
And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you
some. -- Alfred Hitchthingy

[Rhonda]

DRIVING AWAY THE SHADOWS

When Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. on
April 14, 1865, he was carrying two pairs of spectacles and a lens
polisher, a pocketknife, a watch fob, a linen handkerchief, and a
brown leather wallet containing a five-dollar Confederate note and
several newspaper clippings on the Lincoln presidency.

Why did he keep the newspaper clippings? Some of them extol his
achievements as president of the United States. In one, Henry Ward
Beecher is quoted in a speech as saying, "Abraham Lincoln may be a
great deal less testy and wilful (sic) than Andrew Jackson, but in the
long race, I do not know that he will be equal to him." The reporter
then writes, "The storm of applause that followed this seemed as if it
would never cease."

Why would he carry such a clipping? If we know anything about Lincoln,
we know that humility was one of his most attractive virtues. I can't
imagine that he read from the article during political discussions or
entertained dinner guests with its keen insight.

I do not know the answer to these questions. But I am aware that
Abraham Lincoln suffered from bouts of serious depression. Could it be
that in those "dark nights of the soul," when despair settled over his
mind like a cold and heavy snow, that he could reach into his pocket
and find hope? Could it be that these words reminded him of what he
had dedicated his life to, the good he had tried to do and the lives
he had affected?

Francis of Assisi once said, "A single sunbeam is enough to drive away
many shadows." We are all collectors of sunbeams. We may have saved
away letters and mementoes that warm our hearts and encourage us when
we need a lift.

And we can all be radiators of sunbeams, too. A letter, card or note
of sincere appreciation can drive away dark shadows like nothing else.

Will you be giver of the light?

-- Steve Goodier
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P.S. FAVORITE QUOTE
Jokes of the proper kind, properly told, can do more to enlighten
questions of politics, philosophy, and literature than any number of
dull arguments. -- Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-92

[Rhonda]

BEAUTY SECRET

Comic Phyllis Diller quipped that she once entered a beauty contest.
"I not only came in last," she said, "I was hit in the mouth by Miss
Congenial­ity."

Ed Feinhandler believes he is the world's ug­liest man! But others
disagree because, the fact is, Ed has dis­covered a universal "beauty
secret."

He has won 15 "Ugly Man" competitions. According to the Daily Sparks
Tribune (Sparks, Nevada USA), Ed drives a minivan with "Mr. Ugly"
personalized license plates. Good looks were never important to him.
But helping people always has been, and the thousands of dollars he
has raised over the years from "Ugly Man" competitions has been
donated to charity. In his spare time, Ed coaches youth sports,
teaches tennis to un­derprivileged children and delivers Christmas
bas­kets to the elderly. That's the beauty of it!

To know Ed is to know a beautiful man whose real attractiveness comes
from within. His secret is that beauty has little to do with physical
looks, and much to do with the heart.

You, too, probably know some exquisitely beautiful people. They are
kind and generous. They are happy and contented. And if you look
closely inside your own heart, you may discover more beauty there than
you imagined possible. As Ed Feinhandler teaches us, beauty has more
to do with love than looks.

-- Steve Goodier


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P.S. For an autographed picture of Ed, go to
www.mrugly.com/homepage.html.
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P.S. AIN'T IT SO
The trouble with jogging is that by the time you realize you're not in
shape for it, it's too far to walk back. -- Franklin Jones

[Rhonda]

THE POWER TO REALLY LIVE

I had just graduated from college and was about to move away to attend graduate school. An older friend said something to me I thought was odd at the time. She cautioned, "Don't ever lose your enthusiasm." I was not particularly aware that I had much enthusiasm, nor was I sure how to keep from losing it.

But since that time, I have come to realize what she meant. Over the years, I have been assailed by discouragement and difficulties. At times I have felt totally without energy and even disenchanted with
life around me.

I like what Mark Twain said about enthusiasm. When asked the reason for his success, he replied, "I was born excited." I think I now know why my friend said, "Never lose your enthusiasm." For even if one is born excited, enthusiasm can be lost along the way. And too many of us never find it again.

However, the happiest, most fulfilled and most successful people have discovered the necessity of an enthusiastic approach to living. Thomas Edison was such a person. He was known for his energy and verve. He eventually acquired 1,093 patents for his inventions, including the electric light bulb, phonograph and motion picture camera. He was known to work tirelessly and joyfully. He seemed to love what he did
and pursued it with passion.

Edison eventually established Menlo Park, the first factory ever dedicated to making nothing but inventions. It was a forerunner of the private research laboratories now owned by many large corporations.
Edison promised that Menlo Park would turn out a minor invention every ten days and something big every six months or so. At one point, he was working on 47 new projects at once! Others have made more money
than Thomas Edison, but none have been more enthusiastic or productive.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will
accomplish your object." Enthusiasm is an engine fueled by a love for what we do. It will power us anywhere we want to go and take us places we would never reach without it!

By Steve Goodier