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It is wealth to be content.

-- Lao-tzu

On the evening of the first day of spring, a woman gave her husband a bright red geranium in a clay pot. To celebrate, he placed it on the window sill, and together they marveled at the delicate petals.

In the harsher light of morning, though, the man frowned at the geranium and said to his wife, "How shabby it makes the sofa look." They spent the day at the furniture store and came home with a new couch, blue with red flowers, like the geranium.

They placed the couch in front of the window sill and admired together its grace and line and fashionable upholstery.

But the next morning, the man frowned at the couch and said, "How shabby it makes the carpet look." Soon they had a lavish new carpet, which led to new curtains, lamps, and chairs.

When the room was completely redone, they set the geranium back in the window and surveyed the finest room in the neighborhood. The man frowned. "The geranium," he said, "it's out of place. It will have to go."

If there is anything we wish to change in the child,

we should first examine it and see whether

it is not something that could be better changed in ourselves.

-- Carl Jung

Children are smart. Remember how we used to imitate our parents' behavior? We'd dress up like them, mimic their words, even copy their attitudes.

We wanted to be just like them because we thought they were the most wonderful people in the world.

We can see this happen all around us, younger ones imitating parents, older brothers and sisters, and older friends. It's very flattering.

The problem is that children imitate not just healthy behavior and attitudes, but also sometimes the not-so-healthy.

We get very uncomfortable when we look at a younger person misbehaving and see ourselves in that person. Suddenly, we aren't flattered any more.

When we see things we don't like in others, we must first look at ourselves to see if we need changing. This is all we can do -- change ourselves.

Others may follow our example or they may not, but we can be sure that, when we watch our own behavior, most of what we see of ourselves in others will be flattering.

I measure every Grief I meet

With narrow, probing, Eyes --

I wonder if it weighs like Mine --

Or has an easier size.

-- Emily Dickinson

How can we measure all the grief we feel, and how can we put up with it?

Doesn't the Grief of Death weigh a ton or more?

Doesn't it stretch out to a month, a year, or longer still?

Is the Grief of Failure lighter than the Grief of Despair, but maybe longer?

Isn't the Grief of Emptiness the heaviest of all?

Whether we try to ignore or make light of it, our grief, like a ton of feathers or a ton of rocks, is all the same to us.

This much is sure: if we lock our grief in, it will weigh more on us and lengthen out; if we open our hearts with weeping and words, others will help carry it away.

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03/06/2009

Dividers from Gran Gran's

__________

I'm Not Lisa

by Jessi Colter

___

I’m not Lisa,

My name is Julie.

Lisa left you years ago.

My eyes are not blue; but mine won’t leave you

‘Till the sunlight has touched your face.

She was your morning light,

Her smile told of no night.

Your love for her grew

With each rising sun.

And then one winter day,

His hand laid her away.

She left you here drowning in your tears,

Here, where you’ve stayed for years,

Crying "Lisa, Lisa."

I’m not Lisa,

My name is Julie.

Lisa left you years ago.

My eyes are not blue; but mine won’t leave you

‘Till the sunlight shines through your face.

I’m not Lisa.

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