Maybe life will be a lot better if we live more positively. The problem with most of us is that we tend to see the darker sides of life, get depressed and lose track of things. Even in the worst of situations, we can still chose to be positive, optimistic and happy. We can't change everything about our lives, but we can change our attitudes and reactions.
"looking at the positive side of every story is worth more than a thousand dollars"

       Cheri, Ricardo, and everyone,   I see some truth Cheri in the idea that we do not necessarily have to have some Big lofty goal; our purpose may be to just be from wherever we are, actually I feel sure it is, until we are led or moved elsewhere.  I mean our purpose surely is in today and all the days that lead us to all the places we will go, no matter where those places will be.  This idea along with this next idea might give us some peace....while yes, God says, "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,"  he also has shown us that there are times and seasons for things in our lives, and we are encouraged to not be anxious about anything.  I have personally experienced times when I wanted something to be so bad, and did everything possible...over time...to make progress toward my goal, and nothing...zero!  I bet some of you have felt this; it feels like there's something blocking you from what you are trying to gain.  Then a time came or comes when every door just opened or opens, one after the other with little effort.  After this I saw that things happened in the right time. 

    To discern the difference between striving and perservering for a purpose that has met it's time and one that hasn't is of issue and interest.  If we seek the interior spirit, I believe the answer is there.  But again, to discern the difference between the loud voices of our mind and the quieter one of whatever you want to call it...spirit, intuition, subconscious, etc...will provide the peace that we are seeking/expecting to find in the full realization of our purpose, but that is not reliant really on the final outcome or attainment, but on the knowledge that we are making the intended progress and the acceptance of the journey which is filled with, in each day, many purposes and doors of giving and receiving and growing and I am led to think that we make more progress, or have more peace by "seeing" what each day is opening to us, and by seeking to take hold or participate in what is being offered each day, than by "thinking" I cannot be whole or satisfied or truly living yet because I have not found entrance into the very center of my highest goal or purpose or desire.  Perhaps we waste some of our time by living in a future vision and not in what God is trying to show us today or give us today!  And then I think, we will "see" more of what is given to us each day and be more fullfilled each day by what is ours to see and possess each day, just by the simple looking for it, expecting, and having faith or belief that every day God gives us here on earth is surely not without purpose and meaning and things to give and to receive. 

     Don't know always where these travels will take me, but in conclusion anyway, let's all Look for what is being given to us each day, and let's remeber that so much of what God is wanting to give us comes through people, and that means what someone else may need, may be something we have to give, and the more conscious we are of this fact, the more we will see and recognize opportunity to give and receive, and in this light, no man is an island, but we all possess so many things that we are holding onto that maybe God intends for us to give out and give away for others and also at the same time, we might "look" for the many things he is trying to give us through other people.      Maybe this idea goes along with the idea that if we expand ourselves our world will expand too....or simply...if we sow unto others we will reap from others also....or as we've all heard, if we want to be Rich we become so by......becoming rich (enriched)!    But if we hold to ourselves we..... shrink?

      

Kim, You have a real gift of expression. That was beautiful, thank you. Cheri

I have to say Kazeem that I couldn't agree more. If life has taught me one thing its that we all determine our own destinies. We and we alone control the steering wheel. We just need to learn what roads to go down and which ones to stay away from. Granted, more often than not we'll run across detours. But its from these detours that we can learn the most from life! It boils down to how we use what we learn. :-)

Hi Kim,

I rather like what you say but can I make a suggestion? Yes? Have a look at your last  block of italicised text. Do you find it difficult to read? I do.

I put off reading what you had to say because I found it too confronting. Great blocks of italicised text are difficult to read. Simple fonts and lots of paragraphs will get you read more often.

Like I said, it's not WHAT you wrote but the method of delivery that I am commenting on.

While I am on this subject, I think that the latest changes to these forums are slowing them down for no real advantage. I had to wait several minutes for all the items to load - OK I have a slow computer!

The massive number of individual items that need to load before you can commence typing a response is annoying. It has certainly dropped the number of responses that I am making (some people might think THAT is an advantage - LOL!). The photos across the top stretch the page to silly proportions. Those blasted interfering comments that interrupt reading and writing are annoying in the extreme.

In short, I don't like any of the new innovations. The advantages that they give are far outweighed by the disadvantages.

Now Kim, to demonstrate my point I'm gonna italicise, compress and enlarge all that I have written and you will get a "visual" comparison of what I mean. OK? Here it is:

I rather like what you say but can I make a suggestion? Yes? Have a look at your last  block of italicised text. Do you find it difficult to read? I do. I put off reading what you had to say because I found it too confronting. Great blocks of italicised text are difficult to read. Simple fonts and lots of paragraphs will get you read more often. Like I said, it's not WHAT you wrote but the method of delivery that I am commenting on.

While I am on this subject, I think that the latest changes to these forums are slowing them down for no real advantage. I had to wait several minutes for all the items to load - OK I have a slow computer! The massive number of individual items that need to load before you can commence typing a response is annoying. It has certainly dropped the number of responses that I am making (some people might think THAT is an advantage - LOL!). The photos across the top stretch the page to silly proportions. Those blasted interfering comments that interrupt reading and writing are annoying in the extreme. In short, I don't like any of the new innovations. The advantages that they give are far outweighed by the disadvantages. Now Kim, to demonstrate my point I'm gonna italicise, compress and enlarge all that I have written and you will get a "visual" comparison of what I mean. OK? Here it is:

See what I mean? OK. That was not personal criticism. I said it in the interest of getting more people to read what you write.

It's great to have all these options at our disposal. However, the novelty wears off pretty quickly for readers. Yes, we have all had a little play with them but I think the main point of these forums is to communicate NOT draw pretty pictures and use all sorts of gimmicks and tricks.

My final thought is that excessive use is a "visual assault" on the readers' eyes. Having said that... I've waved the red flag - go for it Winston - LOL!

Gary