Please Forgive Me

This morning I was thinking about the power of second chances. I know all well how fortunate one is to have a second chance at something in life. Everyday, I wake-up and thank God for another day and then I go about my business. To be honest, most days I forget that without a second or maybe even a third or fourth chance, I would not be writing this blog.

So, this morning, I stopped and added that to my prayer for the day, I said, God, thank you for the second chance to prove to the world that I am here to make a difference. I then got myself together and went about my daily routine. A moment later something nudged me and made me think, I said, God is not the only one who allows for second chances, I myself have that power as well.

That's when I realized that everyday, many people are looking to make amends for their wrongs. If I am to be a true believer in second chances then it would be only fair to allow them to have a "do-over" as well. This apply's to parenting, friendships or relationships, it is important to be willing to open yourself up to the forgiveness of others.

Many times we forget from where we came. Once we get our "do-over" we just act as though we deserved it all along and forget that it is a second chance. Take a moment today and ask yourself if you have been particularly hard on someone who is trying to make amends. Be careful to not forget that we all deserve a chance and that while it may seem difficult, it is the right thing to do.

When it comes to parenting, it can be very difficult to trust our children again, once they have fallen. But we must extend the hand and offer another chance. When God gives us another opportunity to be who we really are, it is our duty to extend that same forgiveness to our children.

In relationships and friendships, it is a must to do as we would like done unto us. Don't be selfish. Be very aware that we are all human and that we all fall short at times. Take the time to hear with both ears the amends of others and promptly forgive them. In the end, you will have fulfilled the contract that comes with being forgiven yourself. If we get too full of ourselves and believe that we deserve a second chance, in time it will be taken away from us and we must start all over again.

When someone says I'm sorry, take the time to say, "you are forgiven". The choice is within.

Brian Patrick Lewis, is a trained Chef, Author and Speaker. His new book, "in the weeds, landscape of a chefs life" can be found at http://brianpatricklewis.com/

Please Leave a Message

Once while Mahatma Gandhi's train was pulling slowly out of the station, a reporter ran up to his compartment window. "Do you have a message I can take back to my people?" he asked.

It was Gandhi's day of silence, respite from his demanding speaking schedule, so he didn't reply. Instead, he scrawled a few words on a scrap of paper and passed it to the reporter: "My life is my message."

Gandhi worked throughout India attempting to be the change in the world that he hoped to see in it. A man of compassion and service to others, Gandhi lived his truth.

When you live what you believe - when you walk the talk - your life becomes your message, and one that can inspire others.

Gandhi, Mother Theresa, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and many other spiritual and inspirational leaders of our time have led lives that were ultimately about truth and compassion.

Yet you don't have to be a spiritual master or enlightened being to bring your message to the world.

Two people you may have heard about come to mind.

Former mountaineer and author of Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson has dedicated his life to building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan - especially for girls. After a failed attempt to climb K2 in 1993, to repay the kindness he experienced in a remote village of the Karakoram mountains he promised to build a school there. That promise, and his message of peace through education, continues to expand and attest to the power of the humanitarian spirit. As of 2009, (according to the website) Mortenson has established or significantly supports 131 schools in rural and often volatile regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Equally powerful is religious thinker and author Karen Armstrong's efforts to create a global Charter of Compassion. Armstrong, who has written more than 20 books on faith and the major religions, studying what Islam, Judaism and Christianity have in common, says that at the essence of all religion is compassion. She says the central tenet of all religions is The Golden Rule i.e., treat all others as you wish to be treated, and she is working with religious and spiritual leaders around the world to implement this message in The Charter of Compassion. The Charter will be launched on November 12, 2009.

Whether our lives and actions reach others on a global scale, compassion - like charity - begins at home.

What's my message? "Inner peace, world peace." Because you can only begin to bring peace to the world by being at peace, with yourself and those around you.

What's your message?

My philosophy of writing, and all art, echoes Gaboury's belief about architecture: "The essence of architecture is space structured for human beings, but the ultimate goal is symbolic, metaphoric or spiritual, like any other art form. The difference with architecture is that it links art with the practical."

I believe that powerful writing, too, can link the artistic with the practical.

You can hire me to write feature length stories, or to produce short, snappy creative content for print, broadcast or online.

http://barbaraedie.com/