How Do You Gauge How Happy You Are?

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From Denny: Apologies to everyone who was looking for their quote today. We had serious thunderstorms move through yesterday and we lost power. It was like the heavens opened up and decided it was time for a deluge!

Anyway, today's quote was from a U.S. President. We hear a lot of quotes and sometimes don't realize they were said originally by American Presidents. Even a culture often grows up over time around the thought in that quote, so it is with this one.

Generations later we are now addressing how to work our attitudes to improve our lives. Well, Abraham Lincoln, who knew an awful lot of terrible adversity, certainly understood what it took to build and maintain a positive attitude.

He lost 69 elections and he lost all his children over a span of time. He was also President during the trying times of America's only Civil War and was ill with a slow disease. His wife went into a terrible depression upon the loss of their youngest son from illness.

Lincoln was a strong-willed kind-hearted man who even brought his political enemies into his administration in the effort to govern the country in a bi-partisan manner. Lincoln is most famous for several of his inspiring speeches and deciding to dare to go against the tide of convention and free America's slaves. He was all about doing the best job possible for the sake of ALL the American people.

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"People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be." - President Abraham Lincoln



quotes, politics, positive attitude, presidential quotes, American Civil War, United States, History, Civil War, President, List of Presidents of the United States

What is the 1 Funny Decision That Makes It Difficult to Plan Your Day?

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From Denny: Author E. B. White is best known for his children's books he wrote for his nieces and nephews. One of the most famous is Charlotte's Web.

Do you know much about him other than the books? He was born in New York state in 1899. He went into the Army and after the Army he attended Cornell University. He wrote for the college newspaper, the Cornell Daily Sun.

What was his real name? It was Elwyn Brooks White and his nickname was Andy at his college newspaper where people just starting calling him that and the name stuck over the years.

After graduation, White went to work as a reporter in 1927 for The New Yorker Magazine and became quite famous. He also wrote a column for the prestigious Harper's Magazine from 1938 to 1943.

White decided to strike out on an unusual tangent for a newsman of his time period and start writing down tales for his nieces and nephews who kept begging him to tell them stories. He thought it great fun and indulged them. Children and parents today benefit from his pastime of story telling. By 1945 White started publishing these stories as small books. Now the "rest is history" as the saying goes and his stories are considered classic children's literature.

By 1957, he and his wife Katherine picked up and moved to Maine where he continued his writing. He died in 1985 at the ripe old age of 86.

Did you know White was terribly shy about giving a speech, reading aloud or reciting a poem aloud as a child in school? He was embarrassed to speak in public (a phobia most people share). He used to write his speeches for class and then beg someone else to read them aloud for him. Now that's shy! Good thing the man could write. He also shared with us a wonderful sense of humor as indicated by today's quote from him.

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"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." - E. B. White (1899 - 1985)


Oh, and in case you are interested for your children or grandchildren, nieces and nephews, I found several titles of his books, including some for adults on writing style, and placed them in the Beautiful Illustrated Quotations Store. There are so many versions available. I always wonder what an author from another time period - before our current technology - would think of their books recycled in various forms like this... Who knows what tomorrow will bring for the writers of today's blogs? That will prove interesting to see how the future markets our writing of today!

How Do You Test a Person's Character the Most? Adversity? No.

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From Denny: Truer words could never have been spoken by President Abraham Lincoln! They apply to politics, religion, employers and parenting. It is easy to abuse your power over someone - "because you can." After all, who is going to stop you?

That's why it is so very important to develop true personal discipline in the cultivating of emotional intelligence to protect yourself from becoming an abuser so despised by others - and God. Who wants negative Karma slapping you in the face when you are at your most weak or vulnerable? No one who is sane asks for that intentionally.

How do you cultivate emotional intelligence? Start with cultivating analytical and then critical thinking. Critical thinking will pave the way for you to no longer be deceived by others who practice the art of misdirection, illusion and clever lying arguments. You will recognize you are being manipulated immediately.

Critical thinking is also useful in understanding the motivations of others in a situation, especially an explosive one like politics or family relationships. Really, politics is just an extension of a national family squabbling over tiny specks of truth rather than the big picture focus of what's right and good for the majority of the governed. People waste time getting caught up in contentiousness and then the whole house falls down around their ears. Reminds me of that movie "The War of the Roses," a divorcing couple that were savagely sadistic and destructive toward one another to the point of literally killing each other. What a waste of time and passion that could have been put to more constructive use for the betterment of others rather than the self-absorbed selfishness aimed at the need to win at all costs.

President Lincoln was a Republican President yet today would be recognized as a moderate or even as a Democrat. He was not a screamer partisan who hated all as the Republican Party has become in the past 25 years. He brought into his administration men from many political persuasions and parties of his time, including his political enemies. He made the effort to be bi-partisan. Whether the others chose to do right by the country was up to them.

Once in the White House, Lincoln quickly recognized he had tremendous power to do whatever he willed and desired not to abuse that power over the country. Before getting elected to the White House he lost 70 elections, surely a test of adversity. In this quote, Lincoln talks about adversity as he knew it well. He also knew great power. The politicians and political rhetoric folks could take a lesson from this thought-provoking President of high emotional intelligence and strong moral character.

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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." - President Abraham Lincoln


Abraham Lincoln, United States, Society and Culture, Politics, Emotional intelligence, Presidents, History, Social Studies, Kids and Teens, presidential quotes, quotes

Are You Careful How You Form Your Opinions?

From Denny: This quote really sums up the problem in American politics the past decade or so - and said by an assassinated President decades before our current issues, how appropos.

You also can apply it to crank science, literature analysis and just plain gossip about your family, friends and neighbors! :)

This quote really warns about not going off "half-cocked" and becoming "a loose cannon on deck" lest you end up labeled a fool or an irresponsible flake by those around you.

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"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - President John F. Kennedy

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President John F. Kennedy quote opinion politics American politics United States History Presidents

What Must We Do to Promote Honesty in the World?

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From Denny: This is the first time I've seen a quote from this angle concerning honesty. It really does speak to the hypocrisy of a society to demand honesty of its citizens yet promote greed, lies, deceit and corruption on the government and business levels all because it fills their wallets with wealth and their hands with ruthless unchallenged power. Absolute power really does corrupt absolutely.

For too long cultures and countries have relied upon the honesty of their middle class to carry the weight of the sins of their leaders. In America the Republicans finally achieved their 50 year plan: destroy the unions, the middle class wealth and redistribute wealth and power back into the hands of the few. Now the Democrats are left trying to pick up the pieces and resurrect a better and functioning society. Meanwhile, the Republican wealthy continue to attack and confuse the minds of the middle class with the usual lies and misdirection about how they created this mess in the first place.

What's truly amazing is how many people from the middle class actually were foolish enough to support an agenda that took away their jobs, jacked up the prices of their health care and raised their federal, state and local taxes. God really is calling people to personal responsibility and to quit giving away their common sense and personal authority to others to use for selfish reasons. The watch phrase in this new time is: choose wisely.

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"We must make the world honest before we can honestly say to our children that honesty is the best policy." - George Bernard Shaw

What Do You Do to Reach Enlightenment and Then Afterward?

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Alonzo E. Lyon in about 1905 at age 25. He did not become my grandfather until age 80.

From Denny: I've always liked this quote. What's interesting is that my Christian Grand Dad from Kentucky, who had never heard of Zen, taught me the same concept through his wisdom AND his attitude AND his actions - something completely lost on his own son and other grandchildren, even arrogantly dismissed and ignored.

I was the only kid who liked to literally sit at his feet and listen to his tales of his youth, his farming and other business adventures and finally the wisdom of what he had learned in this life. He was one of those rare individuals who read the Bible literally every day as he found great Joy in doing so - yet he never was a finger-in-your-face kind of man. Grand Dad really understood the true messages from Jesus, unlike so many of his time period.

As I was doing some family genealogy I found out many things about my grandfather he never publicized. During his time he felt God blessed him with wealth and, therefore, it was his job to be responsible with that wealth and do a lot in the community. He didn't do that on a flashy basis with his name on a million buildings and show off at public events. He did it one person at a time - just like Jesus.

Basically, he functioned in the office of Apostle as he helped so many people from so many walks of life when they experienced hard times. Then those people went out and passed it forward to help others too.

He was a childhood best friend of a Supreme Court Chief Justice (Vinson) who was deciding about civil rights and segregation. That Justice used to come home to Kentucky and go fishing with Grand Dad (Alonzo Lyon). I know my grandfather; he would not let any moment pass to press for the civil rights of African-Americans. He was horrified and disgusted at the treatment of returning WWII black veterans.

Grand Dad also pressed for women's rights as he considered women " the best of mankind." What a unique attitude for his time! He was the parent - and the inspiration - my father never chose to be. Grand Dad often called him down on his bad attitude, especially toward women, "there was no call for that, not even with children."

Women loved his company. Children flocked to him as I often strolled with him around the neighborhood every summer to share him with the other kids who had grandparents who were indifferent to children. Every summer he was like the local celebrity!

Well into his late 80's he made friends with the local five-year-olds. When questioned about that practice he would reply, "I've outlived my wife, my friends and most of my family including my twin. Besides, you make friends with every generation." With a huge knowing smile and a wink in his eye, "It won't be that long before this little boy will be a young man and we can go fishing together!" He definitely was "a fisher of men."

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"Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water." ~ Zen Buddhist Proverb

How to Truly Do the Art of Listening

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From Denny: Here's a tricky one that reads like a "word problem" from high school math class! It reminds me so much of the typical Asian spiritual adept when teaching...

"I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying." ~ Charles C. Finn

What Priority Do You Give Love? One Thought.

"Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own." - H. Jackson Browne

What Possesses and Controls You?

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From Denny: Boy, this is an interesting way to phrase a philosophy, especially the second line! This quote brought to mind those kudzu vines I used to see and battle in my own backyard when I lived in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kudzu was originally imported from China in the 1930's to feed cattle since it was a fast growing vine. It easily grows a foot a day! It tends to take over where unattended like roadsides and farm pastures. Kudzu laughs at weed killers and grows on past their futile attempts.

These days the smart people have learned to just harvest the root. Why? The Japanese love kudzu root as they use it for a thickener as we use cornstarch to thicken our gravies. I guess if you can't kill it; harvest it! :)

Here's the awesome quote that gives a lot of food for thought (could not resist the pun, pardon me, it's Monday!)

"Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you." - Andre Gide

How Does Unhappiness Happen? One Answer.

From Denny: Now here is something revolutionary for those who are just beginning the path of self-development. It really does explain the role of family and national culture and how it can affect our happiness quotient!



“There is only one cause of unhappiness: the false beliefs you have in your head, beliefs so widespread, so commonly held, that it never occurs to you to question them.” — Anthony de Mello

How is Happiness Easily Acquired?

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“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.” — James Oppenheim

Do You Know the Main Ingredient for Courage?

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From Denny: This is one of those quotes where the truth is hidden in plain sight!

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin

How is Greatness Measured?

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From Denny: So often society measures the worth of a person by how many things they own, the high price those "things" cost, and how quickly they are acquired. Here is another more truthful definition of greatness by a female civil rights leader who was honored at a leadership conference.

“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has to overcome to reach his [or her] goals.” – Dr. Dorothy Height, honoree at Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

How Would You Define a Free Society?

Adlai Stevenson shows aerial photos of Cuban missiles to the United Nations in November 1962 (his father was 23rd Vice President of America) Image via Wikipedia

"My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular." - Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.

Are You Any Good at Fooling Other People?

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From Denny: This is a famous quote that makes us all smile. But did you remember who actually said it? Quite the surprise to be coming from this historical figure!

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time." - President Abraham Lincoln

What is the Most Difficult Test for a Person?

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From Denny: From a beloved President come some very wise words. And he ought to know of what he spoke; he lived it!

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln






A couple of very interesting articles to read too!

Related articles by Zemanta

• President Lincoln heard more 'No' than 'Yes' (imperfectaction.com)
• Ronald White - "A. Lincoln: A Biography" (eyeonbooks.com)

How Smart is Your Genius?

From Denny: And this quote coming from a world renown genius! The guy had such a great sense of humor...

"The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." — Albert Einstein

What Can Money Do for You?

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From Denny: I'm in a mood for "funny but true" today! Get a grin!

"Money can’t buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." — Spike Milligan

How Do You Develop Courage in Your Life?

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"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." — Ambrose Redmoon

How Do You View the World?

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Considering the past eight years of our toxic politics, this quote is more poignant than ever to keep in mind when we interact with others for business, politics or personal relationships.

"To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail." — Abraham Maslow