Saturday, November 4, 2023

It's nice to be nice, as my mother once said (Pugwash)



Wie geht's?

As you know, I start each day with a couple of readings. One is from 266 Days With Wisdom by Venerable master Hsing Yun, and the other is from The Daily Stoic (subtitled 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living).

Increasingly, I have come to realise that my parents taped into mindfulness and stoic philosophies for their messages to me and my brother. 

Whether they did so consciously I'm not sure. But I like to think they did, as they had wisdom beyond their years.

One of my mother's favourite sayings was 'two wrongs don't make a right'. As I listened to Pugwash's Two Wrongs song on my commute this week, I realised how deeply that saying has affected me and my approach to others. 

I still use it when the need arises - and it's interesting how often it arises.

I'm picking my mother had heard this phrase from her own mother and passed it on to me, as I have maybe passed it on to my own children.

It's a good one. Within it is the idea of treating others as you'd like to be treated, reflecting on your actions, thinking of the consequences of your actions. Those ripples create your own karma and affect the karma of others.

One of my father's favourites was 'if a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing right'. Mindfulness, right there.

Concentrate on the moment. Be present. Take pride in your work. 

It's all there.

Love and peace - Wozza

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