Thursday, June 29, 2006

Light up your friends' lives...and your own.

Treat your friends as you do your pictures, and place them in their best light.

Jennie Jerome Churchill1854-1921, Mother of Winston Churchill

[This is Owen the hippo who became attached to the tortoise (or is it a turtle?) after his mother died. You have probably all seen these pictures rolling around the internet. I would be glad to give credit to the photographer, but I don't know who it is. Just want you to know that I am not claiming the glory here.]

When you think about your friends, do you hold them in their best light?

The Society of Friends (or Quakers) use the term "hold in the Light" when they pray. I believe that when we think about our friends with love, we pray for them. When we see them in their best light, we pray for them.

If I get short tempered or irritable with a friend, I try to remember what I love about him or her. It doesn't always make my irritability go away, but it sometimes stops me from saying something stupid that I will regret. Then if I need to say something difficult, I can hold them in my heart with highest regard and use the tone of voice that presumes the outcome I want--understanding...compassion...forgiveness.

Those closest to me will tell you that I don't always succeed, but I try.

May your words be Light to your friends...then notice how wonderful they look in that light.

Wanda Tucker, Coach

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