Money:

If money is the root of all evil, why do churches beg for it?

Like many things, money can do good as well as bad. Just like some people are wonderful and some are butts. Religion teaches the facts of greed but then the pastor sells salvation. Just like paying lip service to a balanced budget but going on a spending spree. People can get greedy, and many do. After the necessities are covered, why would anybody want more? It's disgusting.

Can you tell it's Sunday?


-© 2009 by Willy

P.S., "With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my crooked arm for a pillow, is not joy to be found therein?" - Confucius, a looong time ago.

The Happiness Epidemic

Happiness can be caught like the flu. Yesss!

We are social animals. We share the flu, and we share our behavior too. Just like being fit is "in" and smoking is "out," other social behavior, like happiness, can catch on. We can catch a case of Happy. Or, conversely, happiness propagates... like kindness.

Time magazine reported in a terrific article last Christmas that Harvard social scientist Dr. Nicholas Christakis and UC San Diego's James Fowler announced last year the results of a 20-year study of 5,000 people showing that emotions can pass among a network of people. Your happiness may be determined by your friends' friends. Or your happiness can infect your friends and, in turn, their friends. What a nice flu to catch!

This might explain why we like happy people and like to hang around them. Birds of a feather flock together.

How the hub (me!) becomes happy to begin with is based upon a positive attitude... and a decision. But the point is that it goes both ways... I can draw happiness as well as generate it.

Everything matters... everything you do and say has positive (or negative) repercussions. Want to make your world better? Be happy, be kind, and be a good example.


- © 2009 by Willy

It's In The Hands

Aretha Franklin asked how-can-she-tell-if-he-loves-me in her song "It's In His Kiss." She said we can't tell by looking in the eyes, the face, by an embrace, nor by the way they behave... it was all in the kiss. It made a good song, but was dead wrong. It's all in their behavior, and watching them gives them away.

I believe that you can tell a whole lot about another person by watching their hands and what they do with them.

If she's wringing her hands, she's stressed, but at what? If his arms are crossed and folded, watch out. If her handshake is too strong, she's domineering. If his hand is asking for money or just taking it from your purse, he's a leach you don't want. If her hands are tatooed, she's self-centered and has no room for you. If his hands are on the keyboard or phone and he's ignoring you, you mean nothing to him.

If her hand's index finger is pointing at you, she's transfering blame and life will be hell. If it's his middle finger he's showing you, put some space between you. If her hand is on your butt, she's got a one-track mind and she's no good. If his hand is clenched into a fist, get out now while you can.

If you allow your heart in her hands, you've made a mistake. If your own hands are continuously paying for everything, you're screwing up here too.

If she's using her hands to plant a tree or to perform work, that's as it should be. If his hands are curled around a handlebar, he's having fun, but if it's a golf club, you'll be a widow. If she's giving you a hand, that's terrific. If his hands are resting in his lap, he's relaxed and listening to you. If her hands are laced on her head, she's fun. If his hand is waving at you, he likes you. If her hands are massaging you, you have not one care in the world.

If his hands are praying, if her hands are holding yours gently, or protecting you, or if they are caring and serving hands, or one arm is around your back with hand on shoulder, giving you a hug when you need it... you found a great friend indeed. Treasure this one.

-© 2009 by Willy

Amazing

There's this rotten tree on my favorite hiking trail. It's about 18 inches in diameter at eye level and about twenty feet tall, so it must weight a ton or two. For years it's been dead and completely rotten, but still there, at the side of a mountain road. It delights me to see my old friend still standing. I can't see what's holding it up other than a wish and a prayer. Probably the same wish and prayer that holds me up too.

Thanks, whoever you are, that's doing the wishing and prayering. And a wink and a nod.

- © 2009 by Willy