Monday February 16th
Today’s thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
The shy man usually finds that he has been shy without cause and that, in practice, no one takes the slightest notice of him.
–Robert Lynd
We sometimes feel self-conscious in front of others. It may be that we’ve just gotten braces or a new haircut and we’re afraid everyone will stare at us. We stop smiling and talk with our heads bowed. Many people have worn braces and many more will. We need not be ashamed just because we feel different. By beginning to smile again we will see how many people really didn’t notice our braces, or our haircuts, or anything but what they see inside us.
All we need to do is lift our heads and smile. We will be amazed to find how little even our best friends notice about the externals, the things that don’t really matter. Who we are is far more noticeable and far more important than what we look like. A smile at shy times helps us accept ourselves as others do.
You are reading from the book:
Today’s Gift by Anonymous
Tuesday February 17th
Today’s thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:
…we live several lives in one lifetime.
Waking up from a terrifying dream, we first sigh with deep relief, “Thank God it was just a dream.” After we have made a big mistake in real life we long for the chance to undo it. We do not get to undo those moments, but life is still full of second chances . . . and third and fourth chances. The big question is. Do we learn from our experiences?
In some ways, we live several lives in one lifetime and we have several phases in one relationship. Today is a new day, and it presents all the possibilities of a new beginning. We have learned from the past. As painful and difficult as our experiences were, we can feel stronger today because we have learned from them. Injustice and fateful accidents can befall anyone. Yet many difficult times never need to be repeated. Today we can be grateful for another day with all the new opportunities it brings.
Name one way you are different today because of what you have learned from your experience.
You are reading from the book:
The More We Find In Each Other by Merle Fossum and Mavis Fossum