In February, a person can’t go very far without this reminder: it is the LOVE month. Red hearts on cards and candies, clothes, mugs, and little cupid images flying everywhere especially next to and in your face. I love February as much as anyone else, however, I know a few friends who are trying to keep their thoughts positive and their chins raised up high during this giddy month, while deep down inside, the pain of a lost love either through death, divorce, separation or simply an estranged relationship lingers like an unwanted guest in their minds.
To tie this award with thoughts of helping anyone struggling to get through February, the theme that has evolved is the, ABC Simple Guide on the Art of Content Living focusing on a variety of cool quotes and words from my small collection.
Many of the quotes come from Fulton J. Sheen‘s book: Guide to Contentment ( GTC) and words from David Olsen’s book: The Words You Should Know. Other quotes not noted are from Wikiquote.
ABC Simple Guide on the Art of Content Living
A–Angels . . . “God sets many angels in our paths, but often we know them not; in fact, we may go through life never knowing that they were agents or messengers of God to lead us on to virtue, or deter us from vice.” ~(GTC)
Here’s a simple prayer to remember when life gets a bit rough:
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
to whom God’s love commits me here,
ever this day, be at my side
to light, to guard
to rule and guide. ~Amen.
B–Blog! “A blog is merely a tool that lets you do anything from change the world to share your shopping list.” ~Anonymous
Blogging is an excellent way to get out of yourself and meet the world! You can be a support to someone going through difficult times or simply create a place you feel good about. Your goodness will shine out to those who find your blog!
C–Cheerfulness… “is that quality which enables one to make others happy.” ~(GTC)
D–Dancing . . . “People dance because dance can change things. One move can bring people together. One move can set a whole generation free. One move can make you believe like you’re something more. … Dance can give hope.” ~ Moose (Adam Sevani)
Turn up your music and dance, dance, dance!! In the living room . . . kitchen, bedroom, anywhere!
E–Equanimity is the ability to stay calm, even-tempered even in a difficult situation. Strive to live each minute with equanimity!
F–Felicity. . . something that gives rise to sublime contentment . . . bliss . . . extreme happiness!
“A mind always employed is always happy. This is the true secret, the grand recipe, for felicity.” ~Thomas Jefferson
G–God’s grandeur… is gargantuan! Enough said!
H–Holiness . . . “an oil which increases a hundredfold the energies of the body, which is the wick.” ~Francis Thompson
I–Influence “is that which a man is, the sum total of all his beliefs, actions, goals, habits, values, affections, manifested in all he does and does not.” ~(GTC)
J–Johnny Depp.
A bit of eye candy for this special day with Mr. Johnny Depp ~~ Image via Wikipedia
Oops, I meant, “the way we JUDGE others is very often the judgment which we pronounce upon ourselves.” ~(GTC)
K–Kindness “drives gloom and darkness from souls and puts hope into fainting hearts. It sweetens sorrow and lessons pain.” ~Lawrence G. Lovasik
L–Love and Life . . . “The greatest thing in the world is to be in love and be loved in return.” ~Moulin Rouge
Don’t ever give up on life. Life can be so beautiful, especially after you’ve spent a lot of time with it. ~Yoko Ono 9 June 2009
M–Meditation . . . “Man does not want to be with God as much as God wants to be with man. This is the secret of meditation. Try it and be happy.” ~(GTC)
N–Ne plus ultra . . . if you receive the Ne plus ultra Blog Award, it means you have arrived at blog nirvana dude!
O–Optimist . . . “ Optimist” is a word which here refers to a person…who thinks pleasant thoughts about nearly everything. For instance, if an optimist had his left arm chewed off by an alligator, he might say, in a pleasant and hopeful voice, “Well, this isn’t too bad. I don’t have my arm anymore, but at least nobody will ever ask me if I am right-handed or left-handed”, but most of us would say something more along the lines of “Aaaaah! My arm! My arm!” ~Lemony Snicket
P–Peace . . . “You may assuredly find perfect peace, if you are resolved to do that which your Lord has plainly required,— and content that He should indeed require no more of you,— than to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him.” ~John Ruskin
Q–Quintessence . . .“It is easy enough to be friendly to one’s friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
R–Reading . . . “Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest.“ Book of Common Prayer, collect for the Second Sunday in Advent.
S–Sleep . . . A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. ~Irish Proverbs
T–Theater . . . (my fave quote!!) “All the world’s a stage ~And all the men and women merely players ~ They have their exits and their entrances ~ And one man in his time plays many parts …“ ~William Shakespeare,
U–Understand . . . “Understanding someone is better than words sometimes.” ~Anonomous
V–Victory . . . “One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.” ~Josh Billings,
W–Water . . . “I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man.” ~Henry David Thoreau
X–X-ray vision . . . some people wish they had it like Superman!
Y–You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~Kahlil Gibran
Z–Zero . . . What can I say?? Zero has no hero . . . or ”The point about zero is that we do not need to use it in the operations of daily life. No one goes out to buy zero fish . . .” ~Alfred North Whitehead
There you have it. A few words, okay, lots of words on content living. Let me thank a few blog friends who simply filled my world with lots of love!
Cosy Travels of the Viking and His Kitten
That’s it!
To all my blogger friends . . .
HAPPY SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY!! Image via Wikipedia
To my friends who may feel a bit out of the love fuss of this day just remember . . .GOD LOVES YOU IMMENSELY!!
~May you be blessed beyond measure~
Sunshine XOXO
