If You Can

If You Can
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong
,If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friend’s limited education and never correct him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion or politics...

Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog!

Compassion

“Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment.”

—Arthur Jersild; professor of psychology and education

What's Cathy Reading

Right now I am reading "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. It seems like everyone is recommending this book and I understand why. The writer did extensive research on what makes a company jump from being a good company to being a great company. Many of the ideas in the book can be applied to improving one's life and definitely to improving one's leadership style.

I am also reading "From Dead to Worse" by Charlaine Harris, book 8 of the Sookie Stackhouse series (Southern Vampire series). If you are looking for a light series and enjoy vampires then I highly recommend it.

What's Cathy Reading

Currently I am reading "Dead as a Doornail" by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse series); "God, I Have Issues: 50 ways to pray no matter how you feel" by Mark E. Thibodeaux, S.J.; and "The White Rose of Scotland" by Audrey McClellan.

The first is for fun, the second for faith and the third I am going to return to the library and maybe read at a later date.

What is Integrity?

“Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won't cheat, then you know he never will.”
—John D. MacDonald (1916-1986); author

Hannah's Hope

A local Girl Scout leader is trying to get the word out about this very worthy cause. She said:

"I was also wondering if we can help get the word out about a concert that is raising money to help a little girl: http://www.hannahshopefund.org/ When we were selling cookies at the mall last weekend her father came up and was very nice to my girls and asked if we could try to get the word about the concert out - that right now there is more overhead than tickets sold."

If you, or your child, like to listen to Radio Disney then this would probably be a great concert to go to. And you will be helping out a little girl too.

Look for a Good Laugh

“A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, overflows, and bubbles all around.”

—Carolyn Birmingham

The quote is brought to you by Foundation for a Better Life.

My recommendation for a place to find a good laugh is "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" the NPR news quiz.