“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
George Orwell
“Study the past if you would define the future.”
Confucius
future
Quotations on Service to Others
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“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Mahatma Gandhi
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”
Barack Obama
“Life is for service.”
Fred Rogers
“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
John F. Kennedy
Favorite Christmas Movies: Part 1
StandardThis is a post that I have used before, but given the season of the holidays, especially at a time when giving as opposed to greed should be happening (although that should always be the case), I thought I would repost this series.
There are so many aspects of this holiday season that are wonderful to me: getting together with loved ones, friends and family alike; the spirit of giving that I hope continues to grow; celebrations; the holiday music; and the memories of happy times. Among the favorite memories I have are a few specific Christmas movies.
The movie I will talk about today is Scrooge with Albert Finney as the star; he does a magnificent job in his performance as the miserly and misanthropic loan-shark. This musical version of A Christmas Carol is one of the finest filmic adaptations of the classic Christmas Eve ghost story and morality tale. This film follows the story closely with Scrooge being visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, of Christmas Present, and of Christmas Future. Among the movies best songs are Scrooge singing “I Hate People” which clearly shows his despicable and greedy nature, “Thank You Very Much” in which a tap dance is done on Scrooge’s coffin in the future, and “I Like Life” in which the ghost of Christmas Present teaches Scrooge about experiencing life as well as having empathy for others.
https://christmascarolindoha.wikispaces.com
This movie does an excellent job of showing Dickens’ critique of a greed based society and one that did little or nothing to help alleviate the enormous difficulties of the poor. When first confronted by the ghost of his dead partner Marley, Scrooge tells him that he was always a good man of business. Marley’s ghost responds, “Mankind should be our business.” This is a sentiment that stands today. We should be putting the good of humanity above the pursuit of greed.
I was a teenager when this movie was first released in 1970, and I loved seeing it with two of my closest friends. We were captivated by the music and the story, and it remains as powerful to me as when I first saw it. If you have never had the opportunity to see this particular film, I give it my highest recommendation.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/
I also remind all of us, in paraphrasing the Master Charles Dickens, that we must always remember to make the good of others our business. That matters more than accumulation of wealth.
The Wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr.
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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
“Courage is an inner resolution to go forward despite obstacles;
Cowardice is submissive surrender to circumstances.
Courage breeds creativity; Cowardice represses fear and is mastered by it.
Cowardice asks the question, is it safe?
Expediency ask the question, is it politic?
Vanity asks the question, is it popular?
But conscience ask the question, is it right? And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right.”
A Milestone!
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http://fbelek.com/free-printable-calendar-12/
I began this blog almost a year ago, and I had no idea what I was doing. I was hoping to reach readers with my thoughts on books, on reading, and on writing. It seemed like I was planting a garden, but I wasn’t sure how to tend to it. I remember being very excited when I reached 25 followers, because it seemed like quite an achievement.
This week I reached over 2000 followers! I can’t quite believe it, but I am thrilled and thankful to everyone who has followed me. The seeds I have planted are growing into what I hope is a strong oak tree. I hope I have provided interesting reading for you, and I will try my best to continue to make the site interesting.
Again, to all of you who are my followers–THANK YOU!!!
