“Start by doing what is necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”   
 
Francis of Assisi
 
Can you see yourself accomplishing the impossible?
 

Changing Our Vision
 
 
There was a very wealthy man who was bothered by severe eye pain. He consulted many physicians and was being treated by several. He did not stop consulting a galaxy of medical experts; he consumed heavy loads of drugs and underwent hundreds of injections. But the ache persisted with more vigor than before.
 
At last, a monk who was supposed to be an expert in treating such patients was called for by the suffering man. The monk understood his problem and said that for some time he should concentrate only on green colors and not let his eyes fall on any other colors. It was a strange prescription, but he was desperate and decided to try it.
 
The millionaire got together a group of painters and purchased barrels of green paint and directed that every object his eye was likely to fall to be painted green just as the monk had directed. When the monk came to visit him after few days, the millionaire's servants ran with buckets of green paint and poured it on him since he was in red dress, lest their master see any other color and his eye ache would come back.
 
Hearing this, the monk laughed and said "If only you had purchased a pair of green spectacles, worth just a few dollars, you could have saved these walls and trees and pots and all other articles and also could have saved a large share of his fortune. You cannot paint the world green."
 
Let us change our vision and the world will appear accordingly. It is foolish to shape the world, let us shape ourselves first.
 
www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”   
 
Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
How does your ignorance shape your opinions and actions?

“Think wrongly, if you please, but in all cases, think for yourself.”   
 
Doris Lessing
 
Who are you thinking for?
​

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”   
 
Theodore Roosevelt
 
Are you smart enough to show people how much you care?
​

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.”   
 
Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
How brave are you in finding your purpose?
​

“Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right, and stick to it.” 
 
George Eliot
 
Are you doing the wrong things for what you think are the right reasons?
​

“Learn as if you were going to live forever, and live as if you were going to die tomorrow.”   
 
John Wooden
 
What new things will you learn today?

“To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children…to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better…to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived…this is to have succeeded.”   
 
Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
How do you define your personal success story?

Powerful Advice from a Dying 24-Year-Old
 
 
Most of us go through our days on autopilot, not really living, but merely existing. We have so much outwardly, but feel so empty and lost on the inside. We allow our minds to keep us up late at night, mulling over things that don’t really matter in the end, such as bills, money, what others think of us, etc.
 
We count down the hours on the clock until we can go home for the day, rest, and do it all again the next day. We run around all chasing something, and wake up one day wondering why we even chased it. It may not matter to you now, what you do with each day of your life, but maybe this advice from a dying 24-year-old will give you a wake-up call.
 
“I am only 24 years old, yet I have actually already chosen my last tie. It’s the one I will wear on my funeral a few months from now. It may not match my suit, but I think it’s perfect for the occasion.
 
The cancer diagnosis came too late to give me at least a tenuous hope for a long life, but I realized that the most important thing about death is to ensure that you leave this world a little better than it was before you existed with your contributions. The way I’ve lived my life so far, my existence or more precisely the loss of it, will not matter because I have lived without doing anything impactful.
 
Before, there were so many things that occupied my mind. When I learned how much time I had left, however, it became clear which things are really important. So, I am writing to you for a selfish reason. I want to give meaning to my life by sharing with you what I have realized:
 
– Don’t waste your time on work that you don’t enjoy. It is obvious that you cannot succeed in something that you don’t like. Patience, passion, and dedication come easily only when you love what you do.
– It’s stupid to be afraid of others’ opinions. Fear weakens and paralyzes you. If you let it, it will grow worse and worse every day until there is nothing left of you, but a shell of yourself. Listen to your inner voice and go with it. Some people may call you crazy, but some may even think you’re a legend.
– Take control of your life Take full responsibility for the things that happen to you. Limit bad habits and try to lead a healthier life. Find a sport that makes you happy. Most of all, don’t procrastinate. Let your life be shaped by decisions you made, not by the ones you didn’t.
– Appreciate the people around you. Your friends and relatives will always be an infinite source of strength and love. That is why you shouldn’t take them for granted.
It is difficult for me to fully express my feelings about the importance of these simple realizations, but I hope that you will listen to someone who has experienced how valuable time is.
 
I’m not upset because I understand that the last days of my life have become meaningful. I only regret that I will not be able to see a lot of cool stuff that should happen soon like the creation of AI, or Elon Musk’s next awesome project. I also hope the war in Syria and Ukraine will end soon.
 
We care so much about the health and integrity of our body that until death, we don’t notice that the body is nothing more than a box – a parcel for delivering our personality, thoughts, beliefs and intentions to this world. If there is nothing in this box that can change the world, then it doesn’t matter if it disappears. I believe that we all have potential, but it also takes a lot of courage to realize it.
 
You can float through a life created by circumstances, missing day after day, hour after hour. Or, you can fight for what you believe in and write the great story of your life. I hope you will make the right choice.
 
Leave a mark in this world. Have a meaningful life, whatever definition it has for you. Go towards it. The place we are leaving is a beautiful playground, where everything is possible. Yet, we are not here forever. Our life is a short spark in this beautiful little planet that flies with incredible speed to the endless darkness of the unknown universe. So, enjoy your time here with passion. Make it interesting. Make it count!”
 
From the article: Powerful Advice From A Dying 24 Year Old published by Power of Positivity at:
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/powerful-advice-dying-24-year-old/ 

“Well done is better than well said.”  
 
Benjamin Franklin
 
Do your actions match your thoughts and words?
​