Today I want to bring them to you, with my added input where needed, of course.
1. "Live and let live."
The past is the past let it go and forget especially those things that were not so good. On occassion people have told or asked me about the past, I choose not to speak about them or dredge in them because I need/want to move onto a better place. Please people...let it go especially the bad look at the light in the future.
2. "Be giving of yourself to others." - People need to be open and generous toward others, he said, because "if you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid."
If more people thought of others instead of themselves wouldn't it be a happier place for everyone. Think of the impact your decisions has on people around you aside from just you.
3. "Proceed calmly" in life. - "He says that in his youth he was a stream full of rocks that he carried with him; as an adult, a rushing river; and in old age, he was still moving, but slowly, like a pool" of water, the pope said. He said he likes this latter image of a pool of water -- to have "the ability to move with kindness and humility, a calmness in life."
Kindness, humility. Really no matter who you are where you are be kind and humble. Don't look down upon others. You could be a CEO sitting next to someone who cleans your toilet, at the end of the day everyone is just another person trying to navigate the world. Remember in a blink of an eye the roles could be reversed. Do unto others as you would like to be done to you. It will pay off in the end. When you need a person help the way you treated them will be remembered.
4. "A healthy sense of leisure." The pleasures of art, literature and playing together with children have been lost, he said.
"Consumerism has brought us anxiety" and stress, causing people to lose a "healthy culture of leisure." Their time is "swallowed up" so people can't share it with anyone.
Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children; work schedules make it "complicated, but you must do it," he said.
Families must also turn off the TV when they sit down to eat because, even though television is useful for keeping up with the news, having it on during mealtime "doesn't let you communicate" with each other, the pope said.
Making time for one another to have fun, so important. Work hard, play hard. A balance.
5. Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because "Sunday is for family," he said.
And this one he hit right on the head for me. Sunday is for family. Inadvertently we started Sunday family dinners at my house. They are hectic and crazy, but by far one of my favorite days of the week. Everyone around the table, chilling and being silly.
6. Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people. "We need to be creative with young people. If they have no opportunities they will get into drugs" and be more vulnerable to suicide, he said.
"It's not enough to give them food," he said. "Dignity is given to you when you can bring food home" from one's own labor.
The value of work. He could not have said this better. Teaching our children less entitlement.
7. Respect and take care of nature. Environmental degradation "is one of the biggest challenges we have," he said. "I think a question that we're not asking ourselves is: 'Isn't humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?'"
Teach the love of the outdoors. The glory, stillness, and beauty it holds for each and every person.
8. Stop being negative. "Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self-esteem. That means, 'I feel so low that instead of picking myself up I have to cut others down,'" the pope said. "Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy."
Negativity. I hate negativity. I yes want to look at the glass half full side. Negative people drag me down and that just doesn't work for me. Let's be positive.
9. Don't proselytize; respect others' beliefs. "We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. But the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes: 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you,' No. Each person dialogues, starting with his and her own identity. The church grows by attraction, not proselytizing," the pope said.
I love this statement from him because he is the catholic pope. No where within these messages is he pushing his faith onto others. It is a view of teaching and learning from others.
10. Work for peace. "We are living in a time of many wars," he said, and "the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive" and dynamic.
Wish I had a comment on the last but do not. What I do know is I love this list in general. I am enjoying the fact that the Catholic Pope is taking viewpoints based on where he came from in life and that are with the times. And let me state, I am not Catholic. That is where the religion conversation shall end...see number 9 above. For this list, his regard to the current times, and choices to live his life simply, he wins as the pope with the mostest.
There are my Thursday Thoughts.
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