A Thankful Heart

Some thoughts for the season when emotions may be a little more intense. Take time to slow down and let go of the negative and embrace the positive. 

I wrote this as a Facebook post, and decided to expand it into a blog post. 

It seems that our holiday season is hurried and harried and oftentimes we find ourselves frustrated, short-tempered and on edge when we should be happy, relaxed and thankful. It is our culture of having and getting, giving and receiving the biggest and best of gifts, when it really should be about giving from the heart and being thankful for what we have. This goes back to what we learned earlier in the week from The Wisdom of the Doughnut.

Let us reflect on this a moment and then go forward with a different mindset and an open heart.

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The Wisdom of the Doughnut

Did you know that you can find wisdom in the oddest of places? Well you can, and this has been around for over 100 years. It was written back in 1904 as this poem which first appeared in a New York newspaper.

Twixt optimist and pessimist

The difference is droll;

The optimist the doughnut sees -

The pessimist the hole

In 1929 a restaurant in Charleston, West Virginia rewrote it in a more contemporary style with a target audience of coffee drinkers...who often ate doughnuts (also called sinkers).

As you ramble through Life, Brother,

Whatever be your goal.

Keep your eye upon the doughnut,

And not upon the hole

This though-provoking poem is often known as the optimist's creed. It is a wonderful life motto which even inspired two presidential candidates who worked it into their campaign speeches. It was also adopted by the Mayflower Doughnut shop chain and appeared on their doughnut boxes. It had a picture depicting two court jesters, one staring contentedly at a fat doughnut with a small hole, and the other looking dejectedly at a skinny doughnut with a large hole.

This was presented during the "time for children" segment at church one Sunday like this:

As you go through life make this your goal.

Keep your eye on the doughnut and not the hole.

It was explained that the doughnut represents the things we have (our blessings), and the hole is what we don't have. The verse instructs us to focus on what we have and not what we don't have or wish we had. 

During this holiday season and throughout the year, let's be thankful for the doughnut and not worry about the hole.

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Each Moment Counts

These words from Corita Kent reminds us that life is more than just the big events, but the moments that lead us there. Each one is necessary for us to successfully navigate the journey of life.



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Simply Complicated

"You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I'm looking forward for your next post, I'll try to get the hang of it!" 

Wow, it sounds like my writing must be so profound and so complex that it will take some period of time for them to "get the hang of it". I know you are wondering what masterpiece spawned such feelings of self-doubt. Am I next in line for a coveted Pulitzer Prize? I think not, but you be the judge. Here are the words that were "too complicated" for my commenter.

Puffy white clouds bring

Peaceful daydreams and lazy

days then drift away

Twas but a simple Haiku, paired with the above photo. So I won't be taking home the prize, and I sure could have used that 15 grand for a nice vacation somewhere under big, puffy white clouds.


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Perfection or Good Enough?

How often does your quest for perfection get in the way of finishing your tasks? How much more time would you have for other things if good enough was exactly that...good enough? 

Wouldn't you rather mark five things off your to-do list and spend time with your family or read a book that's been collecting dust rather than dwell for hours on one task trying to get the last details perfect?

What is stopping you? Who are you trying most to please most, yourself or someone else? Does it matter to them or are they quite happy with good enough, especially if it means they get to spend more time with you?

For the record, there is a difference between doing a perfectly adequate job and doing it poorly; just as there is a difference between striving for perfection and being satisfied with having done a perfectly adequate job. More completed tasks equals more progress which, in turn, provides a greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction than that one task which took hours.

From another perspective, there are those people who take immense pleasure in the intricate details of a project, and their satisfaction comes as much from the journey as from the completion itself. This is an entirely different thing.

Are you a perfectionist or a "good enough" kind of person?

If you enjoyed this post, please leave a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.