Recently I started posting a “Thought for the Day” on Facebook. It’s something I used to do every day when I did a podcast with my son. No particular reason, it’s just something I enjoy. It’s been well-received so I’ll keep it up as long as I have something to share.
All of the quotes I post are short and there is a reason for that. No, it’s not because America’s attention span is getting shorter and shorter even though I believe that to be true. It’s actually because I like the background color options Facebook has.
I’ve noticed that if you try to type too many words it defaults back to the standard font and the white background. Is there a hack for that? Maybe, but I like the short thoughts that get right to the point.
I spent the first few years of my radio career at music stations. We were always taught to keep it “tight and bright.” “Word economy” was preached to me often. I became pretty good at it and actually struggled when I moved to talk radio. An hour is a long time to fill so I learned to elaborate a bit.
I also had to learn to elaborate more when I wrote my first book. I needed more pages so I went back to just about every story to expand on my thoughts. I’ve since noticed that some of my favorite authors, David Baldacci and James Patterson, paint a picture with their words. You can “see” the setting they’re writing about and feel what the character is feeling.
I’ll admit it though, I do like it when someone is concise.
“Get to the point, will ya?!!”
Some of the quotes I posted this week:
- Don’t look for happiness…create it.
- Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence.
- A negative mind will never give you a positive life.
However my favorite from this week, and I think out of all the quotes I’ve posted so far is:
“Grow through what you go through.”
It’s attributed to the author and spiritual thinker Eric Butterworth.
(How can I get a job as a “thinker?”)
“Grow through what you go through.”
How powerful is that? Six words that say more than some of us could accomplish with a whole paragraph.
I almost didn’t post it because I thought it was too short and maybe the message wasn’t clear. Until I thought about it.
Think of all the things you have gone through in your life. The blessings, the laughter, the good times… and especially the bad times. The hurt, the sadness, the health issues, and the unfairnesses.
If you’re like most people I know, there’s been a lot.
The doubt, the fear, the anger.
However…YOU’RE STILL HERE! You survived! And, chances are, you’ve become a better person because of it!
Here’s one I just thought of:
“Get better, not bitter.”
I wish I had thought about this when I was “going through” many of those things in my life. Honestly though, I probably wouldn’t have listened.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Yeah? Well it just MIGHT kill me!
My mother used to tell me, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.” There were many times I felt like God had me mixed up with someone else better equipped to handle all this.
My Aunt Hilda used to say, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” I remember thinking, “Huh?”
Things become so much clearer the older we get, don’t they? Yes, the younger me couldn’t, or wouldn’t, understand those sayings. I guess it was stubbornness or I was too focused on the moment.
I don’t often comment about my bad days but I have ‘em! It’s usually when it’s cloudy, cold and raining. Every joint hurts and the muscles that don’t? I’m sure they’re thinking about it. I know others who struggle and my advice is always, “Just keep moving. And if you can, keep moving forward.” Sometimes it’s baby steps but it’s something.
I look at my sleeping grandchildren sometimes and I want to say a prayer that they never face any adversity in their lives. But then I think, how will that prepare them to handle the bad days? Bad days are inevitable. The boyfriend or girlfriend that breaks up with you. The job you don’t get. The car that breaks down. The death of a friend or loved one.
I was thinking today maybe I should print that saying on a T-shirt and wear it proudly.
“Grow through what you go through.”
Maybe we CAN learn something from every experience.
Get better, not bitter. I like that one too!
Have a good week my friend and always remember the words of that great philosopher, Dory in “Finding Nemo”:
“Just keep swimming!”
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