Feathers in the Wind

  "You shall not wrong one another." Leviticus 25:17

There is a 19th century folktale about a man who went about town slandering the town's wise man. One day, he went to the wise man's home and asked for forgiveness. The wise man, realizing that this man had not internalized the gravity of his transgressions, told him that he would forgive him on one condition: that he go home, take a feather pillow from his house, cut it up, and scatter the feathers to the wind. After he had done so, he should then return to the wise man's house.


Though puzzled by this strange request, the man was happy to be let off with so easy a penance. He quickly cut up the pillow, scattered the feathers, and returned to the house.


"Am I now forgiven?" he asked.


"Just one more thing," the wise man said. "Go now and gather up all the feathers."


"But that's impossible. The wind has already scattered them."


"Precisely," he answered. "And though you may truly wish to correct the evil you have done, it is as impossible to repair the damage done by your words as it is to recover the feathers. Your words are out there in the marketplace, spreading hate, even as we speak."


How interesting it is that we, as human beings, so quick to believe the bad that others say about someone; so accepting of the "news" contained in print and television tabloids, and so ready to assume the worst regarding another's actions, actually allow ourselves to believe that the evil "we" spread about someone won't really matter. Incredible that we can't seem to immediately and resolutely accept the fact that the gossip we speak can - and often does - significant damage to that person. 1


"Gossip is like a fired bullet. Once you hear the sound, you can't take it back." 2

1,2 Lori Palatnik and Bob Burg.

 

I found this today and thought that it was something valuable to ponder.

God Bless,

Daily Grace

Holy Mother

Like many Catholics, I have a special love and devotion to Our Lady. Maybe one of the reasons this devotion to her is so strong, so easy, so natural, is because of the love and respect I have for my own mother; I’m just thinking out loud here. 

My love for Our Lady has been there from my earliest memory and I am truly grateful for her presence in my life. I call on her everyday to pray and intercede for me, my family, those who ask for prayer and those who don't.

Anyway today, I was blog surfing again..........and came across another wonderful catholic blog  I wanted to share with you called "the way of the upright is a highway" . This is where I found this fabulous tribute to our Holy Mother sung by both Eric Clapton and Luciano Pavarotti.

I hope it moves you as much as it moved me.

God Bless you all and may Our Holy Mother hold you close to her Immaculate Heart.

Daily Grace

BURNT BISCUITS..............

There was a kid whose mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. He remembered one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, his mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of his dad. He remembers waiting to see if anyone noticed!


Yet all his dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at his mom and ask him how his day was at school. He doesn't remember what he told them that night, but he does remember watching his dad smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!


When he got up from the table that evening, he remembers hearing his mom apologize to his dad for burning the biscuits. And he'll never forget what his dad said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."


Later that night, he went to kiss Dad good night and he asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. His dad wrapped him in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

Aren't our lives full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people?

Learning to accept each others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating healthy, growing, and lasting relationships.

Let's make that our prayer for one another... that we'll remember to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of our lives and lay them at the feet of God. In the end, He's the only One who will be able to give us relationships where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

Please pass me a biscuit, and OK, the burnt one will do just fine !

This was given to me by my mom. I thought that I would pass it on to you in a spirt of gratitude and humor.

Have a blessed day!

Daily Grace