As a keen observer of the world around us it appears to be quite easy these days to fall into the deepest throes of despair.
Ever increasing levels of crime and corruption, pollution, disease, pollution, taxes, drugs, poverty and wars that never seem to end, confront us day after day until hopelessness threatens to become a way of life for most of us.
We must never ever despair!
Despite the evil and degradation that appears to swirl around us and our children, we should never forget that we still possess the power and the potential to change and significantly improve our own lives as well as the world around us.
Never should we capitulate or abandon hope, even when we are struggling to survive in an ocean of tears.
Og Mandino on his book, "The Return of the Ragpicker" talks about a French priest and wise man, Pierre Charron, who five centuries ago said that despair is like a spoilt child, who "when you take away one of their playthings, throws the rest into the fire for madness."
"Despair grows angry with itself, becomes its own executioner, and revenges its own misfortunes." We must never ever give up on ourselves.
Despair is born from fear, and is a direct result of us losing confidence in ourselves and our ability to deal with life's challenges.
When we reach that point, few of us realize that we are also admitting that we have lost faith. Faith in God and His ability to assist us.
It is at times like this that it is important to commit to the following:
• to never succumb to the fear of failing by focusing on the goals that that you have not yet achieved,
• to embrace adversity as a friend who will teach you far more about yourself than good fortune and success ever will,
• to remember that failure is only a guide and a stepping stone to success,
• to rejoice over what you have, little though it may be,
• to never lose faith in a brighter tomorrow,
• to hold fast to your dreams and your plans for a better life,
• to repeatedly remind yourself that success always has a price,
• to work with enthusiasm and love, no matter what the task at hand may be,
• to endure at your chosen task even after others ceased, for real success is only achieved at the end of the extra mile,
• to treat everyone you meet as you would want them to treat you,
• to control your tongue and temper, guarding against foolish moments of fault-finding and insults,
• to greet everyone you meet with a smile and a soft word of encouragement instead of a frown or silence,
• to be sympathetic and attentive to the struggles and sorrows of others,
• to look for every opportunity to be kind to others, as life is too short to be vengeful or malicious,
• to remember that yesterday has passed, forever beyond your control,
• to remember that tomorrow is not guaranteed, and not worth worrying about,
• to remember that today is the only day and today is all there is,
• whatever you plant you will reap, what ever you put into whatever you do, you will get back, and to remember that only fools sit idly by and wait for success to arrive,
• to always deliver more than is expected of you,
• to set goals to be accomplished before every day has ended,
• to strive to be the best you can be, and this may not necessarily be wealth or success,
• to accept yourself as you are,
• to remember that your true worth depends on how you feel about yourself and and how much value you add to the world around you, and not on the praise of others,
• to resist the temptation to compete with and surpass the achievements of others,
• to ignite whatever you do with enthusiasm and excitement.
