Postcards from the Funny Farm

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Your answer to that question may be the reason you’re not getting what you want.

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

-Dale Carnegie

Of all his quotes, this one is the best in my opinion. It’s like the old adage your mother and father said when you were young: “If you want to have a friend, you have to be a friend.” Ah if it were only so simple to put into practice. Here’s a gem of knowledge I’ve picked up: aspirers to greatness, get out your pens.

When fettered by the pressures of the day, there is a way out. Well, I’ll call it a way through since “way out” connotes quitting. Instead of focusing on your pressures and concerns, tell yourself on the way to work or whatever it is you are doing: “I will try and help others first today.” You will find this to be a transformative experience that will open your mind more to those around you. As a result, you will be more accepting and your troubles will likely become easier to deal with. I wouldn’t recommend this unless I had tried it. And as always, I write it here in part to remind myself to use it. Try thinking of others above yourself tomorrow and see what happens. I think you’ll be pleased and surprised.

I talked with my mom today on the phone and she had an amazing quote for me. Without sounding like a typical son, I have to tell you that I have one of the smartest moms on Earth.  She taught preschool for 20 years and holds a degree in history from Cal State Fullerton. There are other accolades, one of which includes raising a son who writes a blog from the funny farm (borderline accolade LOL) … anyway, read what I have to say about her quote won’t you?

As we chatted about certain woes people in our extended family like job lay-offs and divorces, (Thankfully not me! Our advice was for people not in the conversation, ever have that kind of phone convo?) Anyway, she offerred me some simple advice as I was trying to give some to her. We were talking about how important it is to be conscious only in the “now.” As Eckhart Tolle says: “The past is just a dream, the future never comes. All we have is now.”  She said this quote that I absolutely love:

Learn how to find peace between the things that happen.

Now, I don’t normally write about the phone conversations I have with mom. She’s a great lady and like I have said, she raised me! BUT this one was so great and helped me so much this morning (even when I didn’t even think I needed help!) I had to share it with my readers before I started teaching today. Remember it … we all ought to. To read more about Eckhart Tolle, read my latest article published at BlogCritics where I discuss Consciousness and the Current Recession in America. Have the best day of your life! (another lifelong quote of my Mom’s)

It’s been said that life is a series of lines you wait in until the end and even there you have the funeral procession. I guess you lead that line … anyway, I think the notion is true. We wait to get into kindergarten then middle school, high school, college, marriage, parenthood, middle age, old age, and finally death. Ah, but if it were only that easy. We have letters to learn, forms to fill out, blood tests to take, and a mammoth mountain of other requirements to fulfill before each line shows us to the front.

My title says: “whistle” while you wait, but I know it’s not that easy. Besides whistling, which connotes a “devil-may-care” attitude, you can do things to make the line faster and more pleasant. What are you waiting for today? Instead of waiting, which brings anxiety, do something and you’ll be so glad you did it when your number comes.

As you know, we here at the funny farm house are waiting to buy our new home about a block away. It seems like the miracle mile. We have been so stressed about where to get the closing costs. While I have been “waiting,” I have liquidated my TSA account, applied for grants and other sources and done all I can every day (as has my wife). This is proactive waiting. Knowing I have done all I can in the waiting process helps me sleep better when I hit the good old mattress.

You can whistle without guilt while you wait proactively. The good news is, all the necessary funds have come our way and we have the funds to close. Now, as we see the front of the line approaching, we’re all whistling happy tunes. And aren’t we glad that we don’t have to be waiting in line (like so many are nowadays) for foreclosure help.

What can you do while you wait?