Path to Joy: 2nd of 12 – Money
What are the two quickest ways to double your money? Answer: Fold it in half. You can also watch your money in a mirror. Question 2: Where can you always find money? Answer: In the dictionary. Here’s more money humor: Joe says, “I hate paying income tax.” Mary says, “You should be a good citizen and pay with a smile. Joe answers, “I’d like to, but they insist on money.” Read more Funny Money Jokes. Welcome to Succeed and Soar’s Path to Joy: Money, adapted from The Treasure Chest’s “The Twelve Rules of Happiness.” Of the 2nd Path, much has been said, including: The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Bible, I Timothy 6:10 The lack of money is the root of all evil. – Mark Twain [This quote is also attributed to George Bernard Shaw] A man in debt is so far a slave. – Ralph Waldo Emerson A penny saved is a penny earned. – Benjamin Franklin Check out these 18 Money Management Tips to Improve Finances This Post’s Featured Art, “Money,” A Visual Meditation. A man who both spends and saves money is the happiest. Samuel Johnson What I like best about the picture. The moon. Why? While I like the sun, the flowers and their roots, the moon is special because it’s new and growing toward full. I like the silver rays radiating from the moon as it lights the dark times. What does this picture teach? THE SEEDS: Some are flying away from the flowers. Some land nearby and are developing their own roots. This teaches me that letting go can be as beneficial – even necessary – as holding things close. THE FLOWER AND SEEDLING ROOTS: They teach that anchors are important and that sources of nourishment and enrichment are sometimes hidden. NIGHT AND DAY: Both times can be meaningful and productive, literally and symbolically. They are parts of the whole. How can these insights lead to joy? With money, how it’s obtained and dispersed can be paths to joy. Money can be spent-sent out into the world to buy things that improve life. In saving and keeping money close, it can grow within easy reach. The picture reminds that those who both spend and save can be happiest. NOTE These ‘Paths to Joy’ are adapted from The Treasure Chest, an old book I found years ago. Page 117 contained “The Twelve Rules of Happiness.” Of special delight is using paints markers and ink to illustrate meditations inspired by this wisdom. The technique is adapted from the book Visual Journaling, Going Deeper Than Words, by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox. Shop Sandra’s OnLine Art Gallery
Path to Joy: 1st of 12 – Keep Life Simple, Honest and Real
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. – Leonardo da Vinci Years ago, I found an old book of inspirations called The Treasure Chest. Page 117 contained “The Twelve Rules of Happiness.” This letter launches “Twelve Paths to Joy,” my adaptation using visual meditations I called Illustrated Wisdom. This Post’s Featured Art, “Simplicity,” A Visual Meditation What I like best about the picture The gleam of the gold paint. The lines circling upward. Why The shining gold brightens and adds vitality. The lines look like paths that trip the light fantastic with leaves and flowers growing along the way. What does this picture teach? Because the intent was to envision life lived simplistically, to me: The dark borders suggest night, a time of rest within which large, gold stars shine. The gold sprays look like galaxies where countless stars cluster. The dark shows possibilities that cannot be seen by daylight. The curlicue lines teach that many dances are possible. The spirals say life can have carefree moments. The flowers remind to appreciate life’s beautiful, natural and simple gifts. The green dots represent seeds. They teach that opportunities can be abundant and grow from tiny packages. How can these insights lead to joy? The picture reminds me to: Relax, Enjoy the times when life dances, Find delight in peace and contentment, in keeping life simple, honest and real. The ‘Paths to Joy’ are adapted from The Treasure Chest, an old book I found years ago. Page 117 contained “The Twelve Rules of Happiness.” Of special delight is using paints markers and ink to illustrate meditations inspired by this wisdom. The technique is adapted from the book Visual Journaling, Going Deeper Than Words, by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox. In this “Twelve Paths to Joy” series, permanent markers, ink, colored pencils, crayons, metallic, water color, acrylic and tempera paints are applied to 98-pound, 11 x 14-inch, mixed media paper. The doodling and dabbling, scribbling and splashing provides a process for stepping away from life’s hustle and bustle while creating pictures guided by the heart [rather than structured by the mind]. Along the way, Peaceful and inspiring spaces are opened Choices are clarified Important insights are gained The body, mind and spirit are relaxed and refreshed To see more of my art and purchase prints, Visit: SandraGouldFord.ImageKind.com
Desiderata [the List]
When I was twenty, I worked for an airline and used my first travel passes to fly my mom cross country to San Francisco for her birthday-Mother’s Day. In a Fisherman’s Wharf gift shop, I found Desiderata. It raised my awareness. From time to time, I like to share this list: Go placidly amid the noise & haste & remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly & clearly; and listen to others, even the dull & ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain & bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is. Many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity & disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue & loneliness. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. Max Ehrmann Wisdoms Collection The inspiring and beautiful work in my Fine Art America collections is available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here Thanks for your support! Sandra Gould Ford NOTE: size and placement of the art and words]can be changed as well as background colors.
Face Everything And Rise (fear)
When I was in tenth grade, my family lived on a lonely hilltop . The narrow, two-story house was surrounded by apple and pear, cherry and peach trees. One gray afternoon, as I strode from the kitchen, a dark and monstrous form loomed above the other side of the doorway. There are several acronyms for FEAR, like Forget Everything and Run. I screamed and fell flat on my back. My little sister had climbed on a chair beside the dining room wall. Silent, she hid herself in the shadows. When entered the room, she arched her arms and wriggled her fingers above my head. I think she was too shocked by my terror to laugh … right away. Nowadays, on the rare occasions I recall my sister’s stupid “Creature from The Black Lagoon” imitation, I think: If I’d looked up and seen what was real, I wouldn’t be blushing now. I think of other acronyms for FEAR. Each has its own time and place, phrases like: Forgetting Everything About Reality For Everything a Reason Fail Early And Responsibly Face Everything And Rise Read more The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black star Will Smith’s three minute video about his first sky-diving adventure provides a funny and cool way to understand FEAR. Click on his picture [below] and enjoy. Featured image: “Catalpa Blooms 04” (c) 2020 Sandra Gould Ford. Prints start at $9.49. Visit Gallery.
Circles and The Hero’s Journey
The world is round, and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning. ~ Ivy Baker Priest A Meditation Years ago, I founded a Creative Writing Program at the Allegheny County Jail that is now called Words Without Walls. In one class, a student said that addiction and crime had taken them to an end from which they saw no new beginning. I mentioned Joseph Campbell, the myth interpreter who believed the monsters we face [a/k/a obstacles and barriers, the difficulties, betrayals and defeats] are the vampires, hydra and furies we’ve been prepared for and that people with huge potential don’t get tiny, irksome problems. They must fight fire-breathing dragons. The Circle that is the Hero’s Journey seems designed to both reveal hidden strengths while forcing growth that could happen no other way, and be continuous. Over and again, failures allow fresh starts. Opportunities dress like challenges. Dead ends reveal paths to new beginnings on the hero’s journey that is life. Please view and enjoy this “Every Story” video. NOTE: Featured Image is “Riding The Enterprise,” (c) 2020 by Sandra Gould Ford. “Enterprise” is an amusement park ride named for the Star Trek starship.
The Road from Casper
Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone, Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own. — Adam Lindsay Gordon A MEDITATION: The Road from Casper The time has come to frame my letter from the Flying J Truck Stop. The penciled message contains a business card with hand-written promise of “One free Lg Fountain drink” should I ever drive through Casper, Wyoming again. The note also delivered the two postcards I regretted not buying, plus my payment. I’ve kept them for decades because beneficence flew thousands of miles, from a stranger, above a sometimes-stingy, mean-spirited world. Plus, the writer’s kind response delivered the brightening energy that uplifted my life, especially when considering Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s words, “ In every moment, something sacred is at stake.” Purchase “Road to Casper” photograph. Prints start at $9.49.
LEAP(ing) Day
Whatever you are ready for is ready for you. — Reverend Ike A Meditation: LEAP(ing) Day U.S. Route 30 is Pennsylvania’s portion of this country’s first coast-to-coast road. The Lincoln Highway opened on Halloween in 1913, when cars like Brush Roadsters, Mighty Michigans and Bailey Electrics putt-putted on modified buggy wheels from Times Square, New York City to Lincoln Park, San Francisco. In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell said that the adventures we’re ready for are the ones we get. When driving Route 30 between Bedford and Somerset one February, I topped a hill, snapped a picture, took a breath and wondered: What awaits on the way through this wintry world and beyond that distant horizon? I may also have asked, What leaps must I make, ready or not? People who find spiritual meaning in numbers [numerologists] believe that the once-in-four-year combination of 2 + 29 [February 29] offers special opportunities to “catch up in our own lives.” According to Forever Consciousness, 2 involves realizing the soul’s purpose and 11 [29 or 2+9 = 11] signifies awakening. Whether or not the numerologist view works, why not believe some high jumps and bounds are possible on Leap Day? “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7, King James Bible. And keep in mind, the International Date Line is in New Zealand. That’s eighteen hours ahead of Pittsburgh, which allows a bit more of 2-29 for some springing. Featured Image Information & Purchase. “Route 30” prints start at $18.89.
Because You Live. Thank Goodness!
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, Whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 to 1882) A Meditation: Emerson was a philosopher and poet. He was born in Boston and attended Harvard Divinity School. Emerson believed that — because everything is connected to God — everything is divine. In an 1841 essay, this transcendentalist encouraged people to: Find their own life callings instead of following society’s expectations. Develop their own voices and understandings of life (rather than relying on others’ opinions). Be honest in all relationships. His essay, “Self Reliance,” reads in part, Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the place the divine providence has found for you, the society of your contemporaries, the connection of events. Great men have always done so, and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age, Read entire essay. Because you live, these opportunities await! Thank goodness! Perhaps a place of divine providence for one man is the way he’s helping thousands breathe easier through the laughter he’s caused by giving breath to a tiny, drowned lizard. Click on the picture below. Enjoy. The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here
Forgive and Forget? Part 2 of 2: Sometimes Never.
Forgive but do not forget, or you will be hurt again. Forgiving changes the perspectives. Forgetting loses the lesson. – Paulo Coelho Dr. Gerald Jampolsky is the psychiatrist who founded The Center for Attitudinal Healing, which now has 130 centers worldwide. In addition, Dr. Jampolsky has written several gorgeous books about love and healing, including Forgiveness, The Greatest Healer of All, and has said, “Forgiveness means letting go of the past.” Sometimes, history should be held onto. Psych Central’s list of four reasons to forgive and NOT forget says that remembrance of mistreatment and injury can prevent “being a victim of the same offense again.” As George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Here, ‘IT’ means people who are five to ten per cent of the population. They are the one in twenty people characterized by: Shallow Charm Contrived Reactions Pathological Lying No Guilt Secretly backstab and betray Create animosity [breaking up friends and families] These six descriptions are from How to Spot a Sociopath. The next is from “9 Ways to Identify that Sociopath, Psychopath, or Narcissist in your life.” The hundreds of thousands of people in this country with these anti-social personality disorders will also play “mind games” to control friends, family members, co-workers, and even strangers. This post ends with a must-see, reality-call video about the people [from all professions and walks of life] who find satisfaction in hurting others. In deciding whether ‘Forgive and Forget’ is always a good idea, consider Ishmael Beah’s words, A lot of people, when they say forgive and forget, they think you completely wash your brain out and forget everything. That is not the concept. What I think is you forgive and you forget so you can transform your experiences, not necessarily forget them but transform them, so that they don’t haunt you or handicap you or kill you. Remember, after wounds heal, there are reasons scars remain. Believe Nicolas Cage’s words about the heroic rescue attempts at the collapsing World Trade Center on September 11, 2001: Angels exist in people. Wisdoms Collection The inspiring and beautiful work in my Fine Art America collections is available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here Thanks for your support! Sandra Gould Ford NOTE: size and placement of the art and words]can be changed as well as background colors.
Forgive and Forget? Part 1 of 2: Sometimes, Maybe.
For the past week, I‘ve been rethinking whether ‘forgive and forget’ is a good idea and found recommendations like Sydney Banks’, “If we can forgive everyone, regardless of what he or she may have done, we nourish the soul and allow our whole being to feel good.” The spiritual teacher Sri Chimnoy, who lived to uplift humanity, advised, “Forgive, you will have happiness. Forget, you will have satisfaction. Forgive and forget, you will have everlasting peace, within and without.” Frederick Lenz said, “Our task is to bring ourselves resolutely more and more into light, to forgive and forget …because to remember them is only to keep problems in mind.” Hmmm. Sometimes, keeping problems in mind is a good idea. I smile when reading Confucius’s advice, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” My smile broadens and brightens when reading Sue Grafton’s, words, “I know there are people who believe you should forgive and forget. For the record, I’d like to say I’m a big fan of forgiveness as long as I’m given the opportunity to get even first.” William P. Young had a point when he said, “Forgiveness is not about forgetting. It is about letting go of another person’s throat.” The source for the next quote wasn’t located, “I prefer to hate and remember than forgive and forget.” My next post will show why these points of view have merit. After all, the goal here is to Succeed and Soar. Wisdoms Collection The inspiring and beautiful work in my Fine Art America collections is available as prints, framed and on canvas as well as on journals, greeting cards, weekender bags, shower curtains, puzzles and much more. Shop Here Thanks for your support! Sandra Gould Ford NOTE: size and placement of the art and words]can be changed as well as background colors.