There
are three things that are the most valuable possessions on earth. Gain these and you truly become rich.
Love
Family and friends
Kindness
Love
The
three most esteeming words that one could ever hope to hear are the words “I
love you.”
I
will never forget the first time I said those words to my parents. I was a sophomore in college and to my
recollection had never heard those words expressed from my parents nor had I
said them to my parents.
I
screwed up my courage one Sunday in October and dared say “I love you.” It was magical. It was wonderful. It was esteeming for all of us, and the
ramifications rumbled through the rest of our family and in time the “I love
you” expressions became a regular staple in our home.
There
is power in love, and healing in the words “I love you.”
Family and Friends
"My friends are my estate."
Emily
Dickinson said that, and it is true. And
when family also becomes friends, well, that is the cherry on top of the ice
cream.
Having
a ‘heart’ friend is one of the most esteeming experiences one can imagine. I have that in my wife Carolyn. You should tune in sometimes to our dinner
conversations. They flow like honey on a
hot biscuit (Oops, my southern roots came out just now). Never have I had a friend like her, and
besides that – she is Nanny of the year.
I love her and know without a shadow of a doubt that she also loves me.
I’ve
been blessed to call a lot of people “friend” down through my years of
living. And I am a rich man because of
that.
Kindness
In
a harsh and unforgiving world, we seek a bit of kindness. Oh, we see pockets of it here and there, but
we need it in huge bucket loads.
Oprah
Winfrey, on her last TV show, said the world is craving esteem and validation. What is the art of validating another if it
is not kindness?
With
my words I can make a cheap joke or I can build you up. Guess which I choose? I like this admonition from the scriptures.
Let the words of my mouth and the
meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O my God.
(Psalm 19:14)
Offering
Hope
Encouragement
Inspiration
One
Word at a Time