My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.
– Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou (4 April, 1928 – 28 May, 2014) was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees.
“The wish to travel seems to me characteristically human: the desire to move, to satisfy your curiosity or ease your fears, to change the circumstances of your life, to be a stranger, to make a friend, to experience an exotic landscape, to risk the unknown..”
― Paul Theroux, The Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road
Paul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work is The Great Railway Bazaar(1975), a travelogue about a trip he made by train from Great Britain through Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, through South Asia, then South-East Asia, up through East Asia, as far east as Japan, and then back across Russia to his point of origin.
“When your life feels like you’re on a sailboat, with no wind to fill your sails, there are still choices. You can drop anchor and enjoy your surroundings. Start your motor, if you have one. Grab an oar and start paddling, or wait for the wind to fill your sails once again. There are always other choices while crossing the ocean of life…”
― James A. Murphy, Book : The Waves of Life Quotes and Daily Meditations
LIKE SO MANY of us, at one time James wasn’t really living the life he so longed for. He was just going through the motions, day-in and day-out. However, James was fortunate enough to have been introduced into the field of personal development in his 20’s. It was here that he began his journey of self-discovery, a journey overgrown with the difficulties of the lessons of his past.
The path James chose, has constantly challenged him, forced him to make sacrifice’s, and caused him to grow. A path which has taken him to new heights.
He has been a student and a teacher in the field of human behavior for over two-decades. His studies have led him to read over 400 books in the area of psychology, sociology, human behavior and self-help. He is a licensed practitioner in the science of Neuro-Linguistics and a certified Strategic Coach.
James is an avid outdoors enthusiast who enjoys, biking, hiking, scuba diving, beaches everywhere and travel. He has lived in Berlin, Germany; Istanbul, Turkey; and Vicenza, Italy. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Fiji.
I got on to the bus. Seeing the crowd inside, I was upset. There was no place to sit. Just then, a person vacated his seat.The man standing next to the vacant seat could have sat there, but instead he offered the seat to me.
At the next stop, the same thing happened again. He gave his seat to another. This happened 4 times during the entire journey. The man looked like a normal worker, returning home after a long day at work…
At the last stop when all of us got off, I spoke to him.
“Why were you giving your seat to another person every time you got a vacant seat?” His answer took me by surprise. “I haven’t studied much in my life nor do I know many things. I don’t have much money either. So I don’t have anything much to give to anyone. That’s why I do this everyday. It is something I can do easily.
“After working all day I can stand for a little longer. I gave my seat to you and you said thank you. It gave me satisfaction that I did something for someone. I do this daily & feel I am contributing in some way. I go back home refreshed & happy every day that I gave something to someone.”
I was speechless!
Wanting to do something for someone on a daily basis is the ultimate gift.
This stranger taught me a lot – How easy it is to be rich from within!
Beautiful clothes, lots of money in the bank account, expensive gadgets, accessories & luxuries or even educational degrees – may or may not make you rich and happy; but a small act of giving is enough to make you feel rich & Happy everyday
A eleven years old girl went to her mother to complain. “I can’t manage to have friends. They all stay away from me because I’m so jealous.”
Her mother was taking care of newly-born chickens, and the girl held up one of them, which immediately tried to escape. The more the girl squeezed it in her hands, the more the chicken struggled.
Her mother said: “try holding it gently.”
She obeyed her. She opened her hands and the chicken stopped struggling. She began to stroke it and the chicken cuddled up between her fingers.
“Human beings are like that too,” said her mother. “If you want to hold onto them by any means, they escape. But if you are kind to them, they will remain for ever by your side.”
― Paul Theroux, The Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road
