You Are God's Best Idea! Daily Epigram for: February 1, 2012

“He who bites his tongue should think of something better to chew on."-Douglas Holzmeier

In my less enlightened days - I used to be proud of my ability to “bite my tongue”. People never knew just how much I wanted to offer a repartee to their arguments. 99 times out of 100 - I’d “keep it to myself” – but – boy, when I would let go - I’d really let go. Damming negative emotions is no better than damning people. As long as we hate each other for our differences, there will be little emotion or love left to unify our consents.

In broadcasting school - to limber up our chops - we would put a pencil in our mouths and read aloud this poem:

The Disagreeable Man
by William Schwenk Gilbert:

If you give me your attention, I will tell you what I am:
I'm a genuine philanthropist - all other kinds are sham.
Each little fault of temper and each social defect
In my erring fellow-creatures, I endeavor to correct.
To all their little weaknesses I open people's eyes,
And little plans to snub the self-sufficient I devise;
I love my fellow-creatures - I do all the good I can -
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!
And I can't think why!

To compliments inflated I've a withering reply,
And vanity I always do my best to mortify;
A charitable action I can skillfully dissect;
And interested motives I'm delighted to detect.
I know everybody's income and what everybody earns,
And I carefully compare it with the income-tax returns;
But to benefit humanity, however much I plan,
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!
And I can't think why!

I'm sure I'm no ascetic; I'm as pleasant as can be;
You'll always find me ready with a crushing repartee;
I've an irritating chuckle; I've a celebrated sneer,
I've an entertaining snigger; I've a fascinating leer;
To everybody's prejudice I know a thing or two;
I can tell a woman's age in half a minute - and I do -
But although I try to make myself as pleasant as I can,
Yet everybody says I'm such a disagreeable man!
And I can't think why!

We tell the world what we think of it and the Universe obliges. What we assume or think we know about another is whispered into their consciousness. It is the “echo effect”. Remember – you are transmitting thoughts – whether they are spoken out loud or not is irrelevant. Pet peeves bite the hands that hold them.

We can do better than this. You are not obligated to agree with a given point of view or even take a peek from it – but as we allow others to have their perceptions without judgment – our own allowances multiply.

I never write about politics or religion. I belong to a spiritual party with open primaries. People find fits for their personalities. There was a research project recently which found that people who see what is - tend to belong to one party while those who see what can be - tend to belong to another. We need both! It is the Yin/Yang - Complimentary Opposites: Dark/Light – Male/Female – Hot/Cold – Water/Fire – Air/Earth.

If we – as a global society – are always turning in one direction - we’d be going in circles and ending up where we started. When we send rockets into space we have to send radio signals to make slight right and left corrections because if the craft is off even a centimeter – it can send the probe thousands of miles off course. Correction can be divine.

So – how do you tactfully correct a friend who is off course? This has to be done with – through and as – Love. When I am talking with a person who is making poor choices I say: “With love – have you thought about…?” This works virtually every time. But if you just blurt discontent - it hurts. People never forget the times we bruise them. It is a built in and instinctive mechanism that teaches us to stay away from snakes that rattle and bees that sting. Try substituting understanding for judgment and you may very well find authentic and glorious differences. Thorns have Roses – Rinds have Oranges – Bathwater has Babies. You’ll never get the full story if you are bound to the cover.

As the famous axiom goes – we become what we think about most. We are literally consuming – or being consumed – by our thoughts. Give yourself good thought for food. Remember to chew well and swallow your pride. Your tongue will thank you!

"Life is meant to be nourishing - it is up to you to season or
sweeten to taste."-Douglas Holzmeier


You Are God's Best Idea!

~Douglas Holzmeier

Author of You Are God's Best Idea! Divine Acceptations and Living the Undeniable Life! (Balboa Press/Hay House)


www.YouAreGodsBestIdea.com Order You Are God's Best Idea! (The Book)