Quotations Weblog

One way to keep the Christmas holidays more about love and less about commercialism is to give yourself a little bit of silence every day, even if it’s just five minutes. Some call it meditation, others call it prayer, sometimes just being able to sit for five minutes without interruption is a luxury. Make sure you set aside this time, even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom. You will feel more at peace with the season and yourself if you do.

During this time of Christmas shopping and trying to find the perfect gift, I’m sure that all of us are actively thinking about the people who make us happy. We want to give them something wonderful that will show them how happy they make us. Here’s an idea.

Concentrate on “giving back.” What does that person give you that brings you such joy. Did you get your sense of humor from your dad? Then a gift the appeals to his dry wit would probably be a good present. Did you get your ability to handle money wisely from your mom? Then give her something that she might appreciate like new personal accounting software or a huge silly pink piggy bank.

Another way to “give back” is to give to others the way you’ve been given to. Teach a child a funny joke or how to save money for a special toy. Heck, teach another adult how to lighten up or be safer with their money. There are so many ways to give back what you have been given that I couldn’t think of them all here.

What have you been given in this life? Sometimes the perfect gift is just acknowledging and appreciating what others have given you in the past.

I love this quote because I have felt it so many times. Being an atheist isn’t as easy as you might think it is. Sure, there are no lengthy church services to endure, but facing the void of the unknown alone is a difficult task. Far more difficult than a few Hail Marys.

We are embarking on Thanksgiving and there will be prayers before the big meal. There are so many things that I am thankful for this year. I may not be able to thank a divine being for the gifts that have been bestowed on me, but that doesn’t make me any less grateful.

Here is a quick list of the things I’m thankful for this year:

• Being a full-time writer.
• Having a wonderful, funny and smart husband.
• Having a sister who is a best friend.
• Having a brother-in-law who is better than a brother.
• Having a mother who always knows the right thing to say.
• Having a supportive community of friends.
• Having a computer that works so I can write without restrictions.
• Having a loyal group of readers who find what I have to say interesting enough to keep coming back. (Thanks, guys!)

I could go on listing all the other things that I am grateful for in my life. This list is just a beginning for me. Whether you have a god to thank or not, please make your own list and make it known to the world.

It seems like there is no age where the human race hasn’t been bombarded with propaganda. Ever since man learned to communicate, it seems that we have been telling each other what we should think. How can I ensure that I am the chess player, not the chess piece? I am an all-or-nothing kind of person. I only know two ways to ensure that I am the chess player: become uber-informed or take myself out of the game.

Uber-Informed:

We are lucky. We live in the information age. There is so much information on the Internet that we can be inundated with it. We can become buried by it. The best option is to read both sides: the liberal and conservative. No matter how you usually lean, being able to see both viewpoints of every issue is the only true way that you can know that you are the chess player and not the chess piece. Understanding the concerns of each opposing side of the issues will set you free.

Get Out of the Game:

This option seems to be a growing concern. Many people have decided to just take themselves out of the game. It doesn’t matter to them which side wins. It doesn’t matter which side makes concessions. All that matters is staying out of the fray. If you don’t vote, you don’t have a voice, but you don’t need to scream your head off and still be unheard.

I must admit that I usually choose the Get Out of the Game Option. There were so many unheard protests during my youth that I have decided to save my voice for myself. I will use my voice to shout out the joys of the world instead of speaking out about the atrocities. I’m not ignoring the atrocities, I just have chosen to conserve my energy. I feel powerless against them, so I have chosen to remove myself from the conflict.

It may seem like the cowards way out, but it’s the only way I can assure that I am the chess player in my life.

Today’s first quote on The Motivational Quotes of the Day page left me a little flat:

Thanks, Cicero. That makes it so much easier. You’re right. Reason SHOULD direct and appetite SHOULD obey, but life isn’t all that easy. What do I do when my appetites seem to be running the show? You don’t have an answer for me? Lucky thing you weren’t around when Caligula was running Rome.

Of course, being right almost lost Seneca his head during Caligula’s reign. I like his advice better. Whenever my desires start to take over my consciousness, I concentrate on keeping busy with the many tasks that I have in my life.