Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70’s and 80’s - could write something so very eloquent… and so very appropriate. A sad event can make a different in someone’s life. Below is a message written by George Carlin not long after his wife died:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because t hat is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, “I love you” to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Allow me to share a short story about a conversation a father had with his son that I got from a friend. I was inspired reading it and see what opens up for you.

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son.

“How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” The father asked.

”Oh yeah,” said the son.

”So, tell me, what you learned from the trip?”

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Isn’t perspective, or point of view a wonderful thing? Contemplate what would happen if you are grateful for everything you have, instead of worrying about what you don’t have. Peace of mind.

Henry David Thoreau once said, “The man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.”

A man is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has. Thus, appreciate and be grateful with every single thing you have!

Share this with your friends and acquaintances and help them refresh their perspective and appreciation, and have peace of mind.

Everyone wants to live a happy life. Well, almost everyone. Yes you are right, there are people who chose to live a miserable life. I say once more, there are people who chose to live a miserable life. How’s that?

To many of us, we are hoping that happiness will come to us someday. Listen my friends, that someday will never come. If you want happiness, it’s NOW.

Have you heard yourself saying, “I’ll be happy when I have a million dollars.”

When you have that one million you’ll probably say, “I’ll be happy if I made another million.”

Zig Zigler once said, “Money won’t make you happy… but everybody wants to find out for themselves.”

It is not how much money you have that will make you happy, it’s how many time you give it out to make a difference in people’s life. If you don’t believe it, just try it on. But remember; don’t let other people know you’re giving the money.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive,” – Jesus

“The hand that give is better than the hand that receive,” – Mohammed.

You probably have said this, “I’ll be happy when my better half changes her/his attitude.”

However everyday, when you came back from work you’ll find the same old her. Or everyday when he came back from work, you’ll find the same old man. Sometime you think it’s better for you to remain single.

“How I wish he/she change her way of being, and my life will be better.”

Talking about change, I’ll like to quote Carol Burnett, “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.”

Thus if you’re thinking of changing someone way of being, you’re fighting a loosing battle. The more you try to fix him/her, the more miserable you’ll be. The best thing you can do is to accept him/her as he/she is and as he/she is not and have a commitment that he/she will change himself/herself.

Being happy is a matter of choice. You can choose to be happy or unhappy at any moment in your life.

You might ask, “What do you mean I have a choice? I have no choice. I’m stuck in this situation.”

Think again, are really stuck in that situation? Consider that you like to be in that situation. Think what you’ll get as a payoff by being in that situation. Are you blaming someone, or perhaps yourself, for the situation you are in? Are you invalidating someone? Or are you trying to proof that you’re right and someone is wrong? OR you are right about how wrong you are?

I want to share what I have read in a book titled “Happiness Now”, by Andrew Matthews. He wrote about P. C. Taylor whose work is to clean New York City subway tunnels. Taylor spends 25 years of his life in the dirty, stinking, rat-infested, trash-ridden tunnels through which the trains run. Does he hate his job? Does he feel miserable? NO. Taylor loves his job very much.

He said, “Homeless people live down there in those tunnels. And I’m helping to give them a better home. And while I’m helping the homeless, I’m putting my two daughters through college!”

If you think your work is suck, think about Taylor’s job. It is your point of view that matters. Change your point of view, you’ll change your life from a miserable to a happy life. I have one good article on changing point of view, here’s the link if you choose to read; http://www.myself-help.com/Change_Your_Point_of_View.html.