Some interesting thoughts on a rainy day.

I am on a distribution list from Thomas Dismukes and wanted to share some of his thoughts on this rainy Thursday. Some of them made me smile and others gave me pause to stop and think for a moment. Hopefully, they will do the same for you!

Hello Alan,
Here are a few quotes to ponder. Several people have asked if I would also add one of my stories, so I've also added "The Meek Shall Inherit the Water." I hope my misery gives you great pleasure! :) Keep living a life of significance, by telling your story through your time, talents, treasures and touch! Remember, there is meaning behind the madness.
With warm regards,
Thomas Dismukes

Make others happy wherever you go, not whenever you go.
FEAR—is False Evidence Appearing Real.
Your life will either shed light or cast a shadow.
Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway. John Wayne
If you work 75% of your capacity, 75% will become your capacity
If there exists no possibility of failure, then victory is meaningless. Robert Schuller
Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens, we have to keep going back and begin again.
A sharp tongue sometimes cuts it’s own throat.
The need to be right all the time is the biggest bar to new ideas.
Everything in the universe is subject to change and everything is right on schedule.









The Meek Shall Inherit the Water.

I’m not sure if it’s true but they say the last words of a red neck is, “Watch this!” I don’t think I’m a red neck, but I know I’ve certainly said it a time or two.
I am a compassionate lover of animals, bugs and birds. I tend to see them as the underdog, the less fortunate, the weak, and “helpless.” I enjoy being around them and if there is anything I can do to help them out I usually do what I can do. This day was no exception. I was enjoying the beautiful spring day with my wife Kim, out on the dock on Lake Keowee, SC. The birds were chirping, the squirrels were corkscrewing around the trees, the fish were splashing, it was a zip-pedee-dooda with a blue bird on my shoulder kind of day.
We were minding our own business just relaxing and eating our picnic lunch when off in the distance we heard the call of a family of Canada Geese. They must have been used to seeing people on the docks and scavenging for scraps of food because they were heading our way. They were a cute little family. The strong gander up front leading the charge as six tiny gosslets rapidly tried to keep pace. The graceful mother trailed shortly behind to protect the rear and to get a better view of her family making a wake toward us.
Kim had made us sandwiches for lunch so as they drew near to the dock I began to tear the crust off my sandwich. It was the least I could do for this poor helpless family. I would give up part of my sandwich… so that…they may live. Yes, I felt “one with nature.” They looked so sweet and gentle, treading patiently for me to feed them. Yes, just call me “nature boy”, in tune with the ecosystem dynamic. I grabbed the crust and began to bestow my bounty upon these needy birds with a toss of my hand. I anticipated them showing me with honks of gladness and thanksgiving but to my surprise, the gander began to aggressively HISS at me. I was shocked! Here I am providing his family with food, and he has the gall to HISS at me. Surely this must be a misunderstanding, so I tossed another handful their way. Once again the gander HISSED and even aggressively flexed his shoulders and bowed up toward me. And to beat all, he would do this AFTER his family ate my food. I was not trying to hurt his family I was trying to be KIND! Well, his little attitude got me a little angry. Here I am trying to help them out and this ungrateful recipient was trying to bite the hand that was feeding him!
I wondered just how tough he really was. Yeah, he thought he was big and bad, trying to show off in front of his little lady and kids! But I knew he was all honk. I continued to mildly harass the family with an overly exaggerated toss just to watch him fuss. When all of my sandwich was gone, rather than thanking me, the ungrateful heathens started to HISS at me more as if I had not given them enough! While they began to congregate at the end of the dock, obviously discussing their disappointment with my peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich, I sat with Kim and told her how disgusted I was with their ungrateful behavior. And then I began to think. In hindsight that’s where the trouble began.
An idea came to my head that would satisfy my urge of revenge. I never wanted to hurt the geese; I only wanted to “put them in their place.” They would see my majestic splendor. The incredible power of a human being and humbly recognize that I am far superior then they. It would be a tough lesson for them to learn, but it had to be done, for the children.
I gently backed up 40 feet to the beginning of the dock and quietly mouthed to Kim the last words of a red neck. With all my might and speed I could muster, I sprinted to the end of the dock where the family of geese were congregated, and with a warriors scream, I jumped, spread eagle.
It was my contention that the geese would see me in mid air and recognize the error of their ways. With that, they would humbly scatter, in recognition of their fault.
I was in mid air, when my warrior’s scream turned to a whimpering shrill. Four feet from the waters edge, I realized they were not being humbled nor were they seeing the error of their ways! I wish someone had told me geese could retract their claws like cats. I didn’t know they even had claws. Nor did I realize they had razor sharp teeth like an Amazon piranha! For future reference they also have a keen ability to hone in on vital parts of the body such as eyes, nose, ears and other “sensitive” body parts. They nearly blinded me and took the ability to father children before I even hit the water. With a load splash, I gracefully belly flopped into the water, expelling any remaining air I vitally needed to escape the wrath of the most assuredly reincarnation of Satan. Under the haven of water I felt safe for a brief moment until to my horror, I saw two goose torpedoes bearing down on me. They must have followed to trail of blood! I could only flip my legs around, half kicking them off and half swimming deeper, which did not help my now near suffocation problem. Seconds pasted and they finally stopped their pursuit. I looked up into the water and saw no swimming claws and determined it was safe to surface.
I broke the surface gasping for air and freedom. BAM! Direct hit. They went straight for the jugular! Where did they come from and where was Kim?! I blew the ballast and sucked in half the lake. Finally after hearing my screams through my surfacing bubbles, Kim was able to shoo Satan’s helper away with a paddle. It was over! Thankfully Kim was a Life Guard and had been trained in how to drag limp bodies to shore.
A vital lesson was learned through this…humbling episode and can be summed up in a single phrase said by Jesus Christ, “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Thomas Dismukes