No 10 Changing Lives through Dancing
By David Earl Woodbury
Friday, March 4, 2016
“I’m at a time in my life where I realize that those who can’t forget are worse off than those who can’t remember! Secret to happiness is Good Health and a Short Memory!” -Rita Davenport
A while ago, I realized that someone with whom I had held a grudge for a long time, did not even know that they were making my life miserable and unhappy. They did not know that they had wronged me so many years ago, and that they had, in my mind, “done me wrong”. All that pain and misery was wasted because I had not told that person what they had “done to my life” and I was angry about it.
I typed a letter and poured out all the pain and said exactly what they had done to me. I got it all out, every little bit of anger and resentment, and then I burned the letter. As the paper burned, I realized that I had only hurt myself all those years and that I was drinking poison and was waiting for the other person to die.
The proof of the pudding was that I saw that person recently, and they were lovely to me and supportive and loving. I drank it all in and enjoyed the reunion because I had let go of the hurt. I guess I have now forgotten and began to enjoy my new Short Memory! What a shame that I had let that anger get the best of me for so very long.
“Never neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening. It may be — usually is, in fact — a false alarm that leads to nothing, but it may on the other hand be the clue provided by fate to lead you to some important advance.”- Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), British microbioligist who discovered penicillin.
Perhaps this truly was fate and was opening my mind and heart to a new possibility of happiness in my life.
“A life without purpose is a languid, drifting thing; Every day we ought to review our purpose, saying to ourselves: This day let me make a sound beginning, for what we have hitherto done is naught!”- Thomas a Kempis
What is now my daily purpose? Realizing that my life is truly now about service and what I can give back to others. There’s just not enough “stuff” to make me happy any more. Perhaps giving back “stuff” to others is the only formula for constant happiness for me now. I never feel bad after donating time, effort, or funds to helping others or helping a great cause.
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) American First Lady and Political Activist
Some advice, choosing the path of giving back is not easy. You have trouble finding the right people to understand your calling, and when you meet them, they encourage you to always grow to your potential, and that’s a good thing. You must seek out the givers and then convince them that you are real deal and then get on the giving path in life.
Look fear in the face and move forward. At some point in life, we are all going to have to stare fear in the face. Perhaps for those of us who have practiced this monthly, weekly, or daily, this task may be easier than for others who avoid doing things that scare them.
“If there is one thing upon this earth that mankind love and admire better than another, it is a brave man, — it is the man who dares to look the devil in the face and tell him he is a devil.” – James A. Garfield
Look at what frightens you, dare to look at that fear, then call it what it truly is, a devil and be brave. You’ll have a short memory, forgetting the bad and only remembering the good.
Be Strong!
Thank you,
David Earl Woodbury
DavidEarlWoodbury@gmail.com (email me if you like this blog)