“Money will buy a fine dog, but only kindness will make him wag his tail.” (Unknown) The nation’s Stimulus Plan might be a way to buy us out of our current economic dilemma. But hard times call for kindness, too. Let’s make it a point to be kind to someone today. It will be good for them; it will be good for us; it will be good for the world, too. ;-) Jack
FROM B.D. IN MI: Today's message is the hardest thing about my job, keeping employee's attitude going in the right direction. JACK' REPLY: In my hometown, there used to be a cigar store, Hickey Bros., which also sold newspapers, candy, gum, etc. They had a slogan, which was shown on their outdoor sign: "Your purchase FREE if we ever forget to Thank You." We always tried to catch them at forgetting, but they never did.
FROM S.H. IN MI: Since you mention kindness and the stimulus package and in the same Winning Words, I guess I'm trying to be kind to our politicians. No time to read all of the newspapers, so I get my main news take from the Lehrer show on PBS. Shields and Brook. Shields says the stimulus package contains all the things that really Barack Obama campaigned on. Brook says the Republicans felt they couldn't sign on because of the programs and how they are put together. When we have so many people without jobs, more and more getting without homes, more and more without any kind of health insurance, more and more having the stress of just laying around, doing nothing, more and more probably moving in with the relatives or else being out in the street, more and more just plain ill and sick, now it seems even more and more not even getting their income tax refunds (evidently in Kansas), probably we're going to have more and more communities without adequate number of policemen and firemen, what would it have taken for the current administration of Democrats to swallow their Democratic agenda and just use the huge stimulus package to work on infrastructure, goals both parties could agree upon--roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, the VA, actually that would have been an extreme kindness to us all. I wish the Democrats had been kinder to the Republicans and now realize that the ball is in the Republicans court and their job is to be kind to the Democrats and actively pray and work for the success of this stimulus package. Thank you for writing these Winning Words--there is no turning back, things that have been done have been done, whatever happens we must resolve within ourselves to be kind and spend our money in a kind way.
FROM PR J.S. IN MI: What is it that the Lord requires of us but to do justice, to love KINDNESS and to walk humbly with our God? Those three go hand in hand. To walk humbly with our God is to recognize that we are creatures and not the Creator. To be a creature of God is a great thing to be. And in that greatness we can find it possible to act with not only justice but with mercy or kindness toward our fellow creatures. When we think we are the creator, we deceive ourselves and denigrate those who are only creatures. JACK'S REPLY: Always the preacher.
FROM L.K. IN OH: If we had more consistent,enduring and thorough-going kindness among us all, maybe government wouldn't be called upon to prime so many pumps. Can money stimulate kindness, or merely compensate for lack of it? JACK'S REPLY:
I think of the song from CABARET
If you haven't any coal in the stove
And you freeze in the winter
And you curse on the wind
At your fate
When you haven't any shoes
On your feet
And your coat's thin as paper
And you look thirty pounds
Underweight.
When you go to get a word of advice
From the fat little pastor
He will tell you to love evermore.
But when hunger comes a rap,
Rat-a-tat, rat-a-tat at the window...
See how love flies out the door...
That clinking
Clanking sound of
Money money money money money money
Money money money money money money REPLY FROM L.K.: I've never thought money can buy love, rather that love can buy money AND use it kindly.
FROM M.L. IN ILLINOIS: kindness goes a long way.................................... JACK'S REPLY: How do you teach kindness to the kiddies? (M.L. is pre-school teacher) FROM M.L.: well, funny you should ask. it was a topic of conversation this morning. we have an ending circle time before it is time to put coats on and get ready to go home. i use this opportunity to reflect upon the day. our motto is, "we are caring sharing loving peaceful people". my question today was about the caring part. they came up with all sorts of unkind/uncaring incidents. i suggested that whenever they feel the need to be unkind, they should stop and ask themselves a question. "what good can/will come from this?" it's the question i ask myself. then we make a promise to try to be more loving the next time we are together. the other way to teach kindness is to be kindness. i am so fortunate to have a staff of teachers who inderstand and practice kindness daily.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: This is the best way to describe what I think about your WW today...it's from Jewel... "Hands"If I could tell the world just one thingIt would be that we're all OKAnd not to worry 'cause worry is wastefulAnd useless in times like theseI won't be made uselessI won't be idle with despairI will gather myself around my faithFor light does the darkness most fearMy hands are small, I knowBut they're not yours, they are my ownBut they're not yours, they are my ownAnd I am never brokenPoverty stole your golden shoesIt didn't steal your laughterAnd heartache came to visit meBut I knew it wasn't ever afterWe'll fight, not out of spiteFor someone must stand up for what's right'Cause where there's a man who has no voiceThere ours shall go singingMy hands are small I knowBut they're not yours, they are my ownBut they're not yours, they are my ownI am never brokenIn the end only kindness mattersIn the end only kindness mattersI will get down on my knees, and I will prayI will get down on my knees, and I will prayI will get down on my knees, and I will prayMy hands are small I knowBut they're not yours, they are my ownBut they're not yours, they are my ownAnd I am never brokenMy hands are small I knowBut they're not yours, they are my ownBut they're not yours, they are my ownAnd I am never brokenWe are never brokenWe are God's eyesGod's handsGod's mindWe are God's eyesGod's handsGod's heartWe are God's eyesGod's handsGod's eyesWe are God's handsWe are God's hands
FROM GOOD DEBT JON: Money will buy a lot of “stuff” but only private companies can create real jobs. How can you create wealth by taking from pocket “A” of a taxpayer to add something (less a government overhead) to pocket “B” of a taxpayer? Everything government does is expense using money coercively taken from the very people it pretends to help. Worse yet, politicians don’t have the guts to “take” the money. They are borrowing it and slipping the bill to our children and grandchildren. At the worst part of the depression in 1933 we were leveraged 40 percent as a nation (debt equaled 40 percent of GDP). Before the last 2 trillion (2008) we borrowed we were leveraged 70 percent as a nation. I am all for kindness but not blindness. Kindness among the affected not towards the perpetrators. The stimulus plan is a Trojan Pig birthed by George Bush et al and now nursed to adulthood by Obama and company. Very Clintonesque for Obama to state there “are” no earmarks in the stimulus bill. Guess is depends on what your definition of “is” is. Only machine politics can pass an 1100 page bill without any member of The House or the Senate reading it. That is not representation that is dictatorship and deserves no kindness. JACK'S REPLY: As Olllie said to Stanley, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."
FROM MOLINER C.F.: Be kind to your web-footed friends
FROM SNOWBIRD F.M.: AMEN!
FROM ANDY ROONEY: I've learned that being kind is more important than being right.
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