Your Philosophy of Life

02/19/20 • 4 min

Often we hear things repeated, or we read about them online and we take it for granted that whatever it is must be true. But in this age of rampant false information, we need to take the extra time to check our facts.

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For instance, I found a quiz that I thought would be good for this podcast. In many places online it's mentioned as the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. But before blindly following and repeating what many say is a fact, I decided to do some research first and found that Shulz made no such statements.

We don't know who the real creator of the quiz is, but it's been circulating on the Internet since at least 2000, and somewhere along the way someone believed that Schulz had authored the quiz. From there, the story continued to spread. When facts get distorted, it takes a while to straighten them out.

Regardless who wrote this quiz, it's worth repeating because of the truth it contains. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just think about them and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. (I had to Google what that even is, since I don't really follow sports. Apparently the Heisman trophy is awarded annually to the outstanding player in NCAA football.)

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? If you have a real interest in those topics, you may have been able to answer some of them. The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday, even those that are the best in their fields.

But the applause dies .. Awards tarnish ... Achievements are forgotten. Praise and certificates are buried with their owners.

Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Wasn't that easier than the original questions?

The lesson here is that the people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money ... or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.

Now I'm challenging you to care for other people, to make a difference in their lives the way someone did for you. Who are you going to spend time with today?

Carol

Prefer to Read the Rest of the Content?

Regardless who wrote this quiz, it's worth repeating because of the truth it contains. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just think about them and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

But the applause dies .. Awards tarnish ... Achievements are forgotten. Praise and certificates are buried with their owners.

Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Wasn't that easier than the original questions?

The lesson here is that the people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money ... or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.

Now I'm challenging you to care for other people, to make a difference in their lives the way someone did for you. Who are you going to spend time with today?

Carol

Previous Episode

The Power of Our Thoughts

Have you ever considered how much the things we think about affect our lives, either positively or negatively?

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Famed physician Ben Carson had an uncontrolled temper as a young man, to the point that he almost hit his mother. Ben did hit a boy in the hallway at school and another time threw a rock at a boy and broke his glasses. Every time he told himself that he didn’t mean to hurt anyone and could control his temper.

Finally, he got angry with his best friend for changing the station on the radio, whipped out his switchblade and threw it at him. The blade hit his friend in the stomach but broke when it connected with the large metal belt buckle he wore.

Ben almost killed his best friend and almost ruined his life because he couldn’t control his temper. He finally realized what a problem he had and spent four hours praying and asking God to heal his anger. After that, he never had a problem with anger again. Imagine what the world may have missed if Ben Carson hadn’t done that.

I realized after reading that story that it isn’t just temper that saps my energy, it’s whenever I let my emotions run wild. My husband can be late for dinner and I’ve already imagined all kinds of terrible scenarios and how I’ll cope with them. As well as upsetting me, allowing my thoughts to have free rein is a big waste of time. And the majority of the things we imagine never come to pass!

In the book Never Again, the author says:

“Wherever you go, there you are. Whatever you own, you are still the same person. Whoever you are with, you are still you. Wherever you work, you are still the same person.

If I hate my life, moving my same life to another building is not going to help.”

That reminded me of a time in my early twenties. My marriage had just ended and I was all ready to pack up and move hundreds of miles away, to a place where I didn’t know anyone. My wise mother advised me not to, that the grass wouldn’t be any greener somewhere else. Thankfully I listened.

Another aspect of the power of our thoughts comes from a daily devotional called “Come Away My Beloved” by Frances J. Roberts.

She says: “Worry is an actively destructive force. Anxiety produces tension, and tension is the road to pain. Fear is devastating to the physical well-being of the body. Anger throws poison into the system that no antibiotic can ever counteract.

Resentments and ill will bring about more arthritis than is caused by the wrong diet. More asthma is caused by repressed fury than by pollen or cat fur. Ten minutes of unbridled temper can waste enough strength to do a half-day of work.”

I know from experience that Ms Roberts is right. If I get really upset about something I end up feeling totally drained physically. I also know that it’s impossible for me to be thankful and negative at the same time.

As you go about your daily life today, I hope your thoughts uplift and encourage you, and as a result, others will also be encouraged by you too.

All the best, Carol

Next Episode

The Little Bird

Have you heard the story of the little bird before? Here are my thoughts on it and our reactions to the things that happen in our lives, especially now, as we make choices about the ways we respond to our circumstances.

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A little bird was flying south for the winter. He got so cold that he froze up and fell to the ground in a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped manure on the little bird. As he lay there in the manure, the bird began to realize how warm he was. The manure was actually thawing him out!

He lay there warm and happy, but soon he began to complain about the odor. A passing cat heard the little bird complaining. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of manure and promptly dug him out - and then ate him.

The moral of the story is that not everyone who drops manure on you is your enemy (sometimes they are even unaware they've done it) and not everyone who digs you out is your friend. So instead of complaining when you're in a miserable situation, know when to speak and when to keep quiet.

For instance, when those I love complain and tell me how awful their circumstances are, it affects my view of the person they feel has done something to them. Then, even though things are rosy again, I've still been left with the smell of the wrongs that were supposedly committed and it isn't that easy for me to forget.

There are also times when being dug out of the manure in our lives can do us more harm than good. There may be things we were meant to learn while we are in those situations and being rescued isn't any help to us. It's like our attempts to help a butterfly out of her cocoon. We may think we are doing a good thing, but that butterfly would die because there wasn't time for her wings to strengthen before she was freed.

What messy things do you need to go through in your life?

I read recently about a lady who became a drug addict at 15 years old and for the next 15 years of her life that was her story. As a result of that lifestyle, she wound up in prison. After she was released, it took many more years, but she ended up becoming a pastor who specifically went into women’s prisons and ministered to the ladies there. Now she has purchased a large home where female ex-offenders can go to live when they are released until they get on their feet again. You can read more about Cynthia and her amazing story at recoverychick.com

If you or I had met that lady during her years as a drug addict, we would probably have thought she was so buried in garbage that she would never amount to anything. And we would have been so wrong. No one is beyond hope. As I volunteer with the homeless, the addicted, and those in prison, I don’t want to ever forget that story. I want to see past all the outward things to the potential within each person I meet.

As our world changes, may we be those who see the good in people, who encourage, help, and bring out the best in others.

Take care, CarolYour Chief Encourager