I shift gears in life just like my car does.  When I find myself revving faster and making less progress, it's time to shift gears.  When I find myself sputtering and jerking, it's time to shift gears.  Like the car, shifting gears for me, could mean I need to slow down and appreciate things OR it may mean that I need to speed up and get things done!

Just like the car, I'm never really sure when I need to shift gears; but, I can always feel it coming.  Sometimes I can go for a long time, like highway driving, and sometimes its frequent, like city driving.  For me, the changing and adapting is the fun part of living!!

"Thus in all these ways we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us."

Of course, as a civilization, we must change our mindset from conqueror of the earth to steward of the earth.

"We will never bring disgrace on this our City by an act of dishonesty or cowardice.
 
We will fight for the ideals and Sacred Things of the City both alone and with many.

We will revere and obey the City's laws, and will do our best to incite a like reverence and respect in those above us who are prone to annul them or set them at naught.
 
We will strive increasingly to quicken the public's sense of civic duty.
 
Thus in all these ways we will transmit this City, not only not less, but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us."


(Taken by the young men of ancient Athens when they reached the age of seventeen.)

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:

'If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began
eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy
the coffee God has provided us.'

God brews the coffee, not the cups ... Enjoy your coffee!

'The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.'

Live simply
Love generously
Care deeply
Speak kindly

Pour another glass of wine, duh.