friends who add & multiply

There are a few kinds of “friends”; ones that add, multiply, subtract or divide. Be blessed by those who add and multiply you mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Be patient with those who subtract and divide and be wary as to not be influenced by their thoughts and perspectives in life.

Friends who add or multiply are those who encourage us. Encouraging us to pursue our purpose and goals for our lives. Positive “influencers” who do not judge us but stick with us through thick and thin. Friends who are by our side as we weather the storms of our lives, who never once put us down. Invest more of our lives into such friends without any expectations of returns (what they can do for us).

Friends who subtract or divide are those who are self-centered or judgmental. They have the “whats in it for me” mentality. Everything seems to revolve around his (her) life. Insensitivity reigns. At times appearing cold and inattentive, these friends seem objective in giving (dishing out) advice and opinions. Invest our time in guiding them to change their ways of thinking with the purpose of helping them to see the light. If they accept, well and fine. If not, limit our time with them till they are ready to listen to us and make efforts to change themselves thereafter.

We are perfect. But we can endeavor to improve along our life’s journey. Friends come in many types. Accept them. But know the different types and connect with them appropriately.

Enjoy the ride and all the best!

 

our life purpose & goals

It is wise to count our days by knowing our purpose and goals in life.

Purpose is the WHY and goals are the WHATS. Purpose is the reason we are born to do; i.e. our calling or life mission.

Examples of a purpose are “to serve the illiterate children” or “to help the poor” or “to make this world a greener place” or “to eradicate poverty in a particular area or province or country”. One of my favorite model is Bangladeshi banker and Noble Peace Prize winner, Dr Muhammad Yunus.

His purpose is to provide funding for people to make a living for themselves by starting small businesses.

His goals are in developing the concepts of micro-credit and micro-finance. These loans are given to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. In 2006 he and the Grameen Bank received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts through micro-credit to create economic and social development from below.

A life purpose is the destination or the long term view of our lives and goals are the building blocks we used to get to our destination in life.

Take a moment to search and clarify our purpose and goals for our life. Learn to count our days in pursuing our purpose by achieving our milestone goals, one by one. Then, we’ll have lived fulfilled lives worthy of our calling.

of the people, by the people, for the people…

Watching ‘Lincoln’ was a joy. Daniel Day Lewis and Steven Spielberg and their colleagues produced such succinct and inspiring art that moves hearts, nourishes minds and inspires souls.

My favorite part is at the beginning when the following excerpt of Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was depicted …

“– that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Excerpt: The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln on 19Nov1863

My tears well up and flowed gracefully filling the ground beneath my feet, my land, with hope for nations, all nations, to rise up and focus on doing their jobs to serve as they are all respectively…….” government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth “!