Hello boys and girls. Gommy is feeling very melancholy today. My sweet son-in-law, John, sent me a beautiful inspirational power-point piece that would bring a tear to most people's eyes.....and especially to a Gommy who has learned so much in the Autumn of my own life.
It was all about how we should not judge anyone or anything by just one glimpse or encounter. There is a saying that Gommy likes and it is: "If you knew me many years ago.....you don't know me now, because I'm not that person any longer."
The beautiful piece tells a story of a father who sends his four sons out to look at a tree and to come back and tell the father what they saw. The first son went out in Winter. The second son went out in Spring. The third son, in Summer and the fourth son went out in Fall. When they had all gone and returned, they each came back to explain what they had observed (judged). The son who had gone in Winter said he saw an ugly tree, all bent and twisted, with no leaves on it and not very pretty at all. The son who went out in the Spring, said he saw a tree that was dotted with green buds and blossoms that smelled of sweetness. The third son who went in Summer told of a tree teeming with buds, blooms and leaves that were full of promise. The last son went in Fall and told of a tree laden with fruit that was full of life and fulfillment.
The Father told the sons they were all right. But that their perception was only of one season for the tree. To fully understand the tree, they would have had to see all of the seasons of the tree and not judge it from one season alone.
We all have seasons of our lives. And the joy and sadness, and the successes and disappointments, and the loves and losses all make up who we are. It went on to say that if we give up in the Winter of our lives, we miss the promise of fulfillment in another season. We mustn't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of a season yet to come. We also must not judge anyone by only one season of their life. We are a combination of all of our seasons and everything that has happened to us in our lives.
The piece explains that our happy times keep us sweet.....our trials and tribulations make us strong...our failures make us humble and our sorrows keep us human....our faith keeps us growing....but it is God who keeps us going!
This is so true and when you think about it for a while.....you will see how true it really is. When you think back on your own life, you can remember times that you were happy, or sad, or scared....and you can see how each of those times had an impact on your attitude or disposition. We are a culmination of every experience we live. How we react to each instance....is how the rest of our life will turn out.
Live your life with optimism....don't be negative. Look for things to be grateful for because they are everywhere. Maybe you don't have everything you wish you had....but you do have much to be thankful for. And remember that there is always someone who has much less. It is also important to remember that we haven't earned the most prized of these possessions.....our lives. Our life was given to us through the Grace of God. Grace cannot be earned......it is given. So be 'graceful' in life. And as the piece goes on to say......Live Simply....Love generously....Care deeply.......Speak kindly.....and leave the rest to God....May God continue to Bless each and every one of you.....Hugs & Mush, Gommy PS...Thank you John
