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Cancer and concern are cares that often come together. The cancer patient is concerned for their situation and their family, friends and caregivers show concern for the patient. Hard times and challenges can bring pity for self and others.

It is just so hard. They don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this. How can this be happening? Concerns over physical health and emotional well being cause us all to feel for those in this situation.

Today I learned of Devin, a 15 year old cancer patient who was not doing well. He had every right to be discouraged and depressed. So did his visitors, family and friends. He could have looked into his heart and focused on his sad position.

For some like Devin the seeking sorrow in self-pity just is not in their language or life. Sure the struggle was tough but Devin had a perspective worthy of us all.

He asked for a small refrigerator for his 15th birthday, his last. In the refrigerator he stored sodas for his visitors. He made a sign for the refrigerator door:

“The Soda Factory — come depressed and leave refreshed.”

He then helped his visitors to find “refreshment” in their interactions with him and their shared soda.

The simple truth is that Devin was living the solution to self-pity. He was teaching lessons on how to face personal sorrow.

The principle of life is this: simple sincere service is the stuff that takes our minds off our own situation.  Sypathetic words spoken softly, a listening ear, and shared feelings from the heart just may be enough to move yourself and others off the path of self-pity.

This is a simple service with deep power to the people involved. Listen from the heart.  Speak from the heart.  Share a heartfelt story.  Carry on a conversation.  Share in their concerns.  Understand their situation.  See in your troubles the situations of those around you.  As you are talking about solutions to THEIR situation your own answers may surface.

Simple acts of concern can take us on a journey of service and understanding which reveal to our heart and minds solutions for our own situation.  Self-pity is overcome by service.  Sometimes this service is simple.  It may be nothing more than a radiant smile but it just may be enough to keep you and I on the positive path of personal progress.

 

Resolve with me to share in someone’s struggles. See if the service doesn’t lighten the burdens you bare.

George Fourie was having a bad week.

He had missed the last three days of his life. When he woke; his mother was at his side after traveling around a 1000 km to be there. He found out he had a broken neck and some serious head injuries.

Within days his doctor looked at him and laughed.  When pressed the doctor revealed, “You are not supposed to be here.  Anybody with your head and neck injuries we normally just ignore because they die within two weeks.”  George realized he had another chance at life.

The auto accident and George’s brush with death changed everything.  He moved forward with greater purpose!  He heard what life was teaching.

After hearing this on The Teach Jim Show I asked myself … am I listening to the lessons life is trying to teach?  Being a bit more sensitive here are some of the lessons I’ve learned this week.

You and I are magnificent!

The Butterfly Circus (low res) from The Butterfly Circus.

You and I are talented!

The Dot – By Peter Reynolds

You and I can embrace how we look.

As a beauty I’m not a great star.
There are others more handsome by far,
But my face, I don’t mind it,
Because I’m behind it—
’Tis the folks in the front that I jar.
[Anthony Henderson Euwer, “My Face,” in Rhymes of Our Valley (New York: James B. Pond, 1916), 92]

We can do something about the “tough times” we face.

Scratchings from the Little Red Hen

Said the big white rooster, “Gosh all Hemlock, things are tough,

Seems that worms are getting scarce and I cannot find enough.

What’s become of all those fat ones is a mystery to me;

There were thousands through the rainy spell, but now where can they be?”

The little red hen, who heard him, didn’t grumble or complain,

She had been through lots of dry spells, she has lived through floods of rain;

So she flew up on the grindstone and she gave her claws a whet,

And she said, “I’ve never seen a time there were no worms to get.”

She picked a new and undug spot; the earth was hard and firm.

The big white rooster jeered, “New ground! That’s no place for a worm.”

The little red hen spread her feet, she dug fast and free,

“I must go to the worms,” she said, “the worms won’t come to me.”

The Rooster vainly spent his day, through habit by the ways,

Where fat worms have passed in squads, back in the rainy days.

When nightfall found him supperless, he growled in accents rough,

“I’m as hungry as a fowl can be. Conditions sure are tough.”

He turned to the little red hen and said, “It’s worse with you,

For you’re not only hungry, but you must be tired too.

I rested while I watched for worms, so I feel fairly perk;

But how are you? Without worms too? And after all that work?”

The little red hen hopped to her perch and dropped her eyes to sleep,

And murmured, in a drowsy tone, “Young man, hear this and weep,

I’m full of worms and happy, for I’ve dined both long and well,

The worms were there, as always – but I had to dig like hell!”

Oh, here and there white roosters are still holding sales positions,

They cannot do much business now, because of poor conditions.

But as soon as things get right again, they’ll sell a hundred firms -

Meanwhile, the little red hens are out, a-gobbling up the worms.

Embrace Each Day!

Leveraging Life’s lessons into the most benefit for you and I means sharing our story and the stories of others. It means making the most out of this moment of our lives so we can enjoy the peace and joy of this time.  The little things in life become the most important.  Important messages make meaningful connections.  Thank you for ready.

Embrace each day of our lives. Do you have ears to hear life’s lessons like George did. I keep trying and hope you are too!
(More on George and That MLM Beat tomorrow.)

 

Years ago, I was introduced to a teaching principle.  Great teachers not only use the best teaching methods to reach their students. Master teachers teach important timeless truths. More than tactic or technique these teachers teach important truths their students may or may not want to learn.  Quality teachers teach their students what is most important using the best methods possible. So, what is of greatest worth in life to teach?

Today I ask you a difficult question I’ve had to ask myself.  Are you and I busy looking for large gold nuggets?  Do we want it all right now?  Are we so set on the big, earth shattering solutions that we are overlooking the simple beauties and riches along the way?

Sometimes when we pursue answers to the problems we face, we jump forward in leaps and bounds seeking to accumulate wealth.  In our running forward in a frenzy we risk missing the flecks of gold along the way.  Life lessons worth learning are strung along our path.  Are we seeing them? Do we see the riches of today?

The accumulation of great riches often happens through the patient collection of tiny gold flecks gathered carefully along the way.  I am grateful much of the wealth I enjoy today has come in this way.  Enjoy this parable:

By small and simple means are great blessings brought to pass. Does your daily method of operation foster this kind of service and reward?  Are you serving others in small and simple ways?  Are you getting better along the way?

I wish you the greatest of wealth and happiness.   Collect the flecks of gold of life.  Enjoy the great wealth from these small and simple things done well over time.  You can accumulate great wealth… beyond your dreams.