My 12 Step Program
Monday, December 23, 2002
If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100
people, with existing social and economic ratios remaining the same, it
would look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 North and South Americans (including 6 from the United States)
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-caucasian
30 would be caucasian
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective,
the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes
glaringly apparent.
The following is also something to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you
are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the
loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of
starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three
billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a
roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of
this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are wealthier than 92% of the world's
population.
If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare,
even in the United States and Canada.
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that
someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world that cannot read at all. HOW LUCKY WE ARE. ¶ 12/23/2002 10:20:00 AM
people, with existing social and economic ratios remaining the same, it
would look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 North and South Americans (including 6 from the United States)
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-caucasian
30 would be caucasian
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective,
the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes
glaringly apparent.
The following is also something to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you
are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the
loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of
starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment,
arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three
billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a
roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of
this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish someplace, you are wealthier than 92% of the world's
population.
If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare,
even in the United States and Canada.
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that
someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over
two billion people in the world that cannot read at all. HOW LUCKY WE ARE. ¶ 12/23/2002 10:20:00 AM
Friday, December 20, 2002
Today's thought is:
Attitude is everything!
Today will be what we make it. Regardless of the
weather, the kinds of work to be done, the
personalities crossing our paths, we'll feel joy and
peace if that is our choice.
Agonizing over circumstances that aren't to our
liking or dwelling on our failure to control other
people, whether friends or foes, has robbed us of the
happiness that is always ours to experience.
Depression, anger, fear, and frustration shadowed
our steps because we didn't take control of the only
thing that's ever been in our control absolutely--
attitude.
It's so easy to blame others for every wrinkle in our
lives. But as we grow accustomed to the idea of
taking full responsibility for how we think and feel,
we'll be empowered. No longer will our sense of
self feel diminished. And, as Abraham Lincoln is
credited with saying, we will be just as happy as we
make up our minds to be.
Nobody can mess with my attitude but me!
¶ 12/20/2002 12:22:00 PM
Attitude is everything!
Today will be what we make it. Regardless of the
weather, the kinds of work to be done, the
personalities crossing our paths, we'll feel joy and
peace if that is our choice.
Agonizing over circumstances that aren't to our
liking or dwelling on our failure to control other
people, whether friends or foes, has robbed us of the
happiness that is always ours to experience.
Depression, anger, fear, and frustration shadowed
our steps because we didn't take control of the only
thing that's ever been in our control absolutely--
attitude.
It's so easy to blame others for every wrinkle in our
lives. But as we grow accustomed to the idea of
taking full responsibility for how we think and feel,
we'll be empowered. No longer will our sense of
self feel diminished. And, as Abraham Lincoln is
credited with saying, we will be just as happy as we
make up our minds to be.
Nobody can mess with my attitude but me!
¶ 12/20/2002 12:22:00 PM
Monday, December 09, 2002
I haven't really written here in ages! I'm still sober, I am just so busy I barely have time for anything.
We go to church a lot now too. I am enjoying this time of year. I guess the thought of drinking still occurs to me from time to time, but with my physical problems I know it would kill me so I don't do it! I guess that is a good deterant (that word looks misspelled!)
I am happy, joyous and free. Peaceful, calm...............................wow...............is that weird or what? ¶ 12/09/2002 02:01:00 PM
We go to church a lot now too. I am enjoying this time of year. I guess the thought of drinking still occurs to me from time to time, but with my physical problems I know it would kill me so I don't do it! I guess that is a good deterant (that word looks misspelled!)
I am happy, joyous and free. Peaceful, calm...............................wow...............is that weird or what? ¶ 12/09/2002 02:01:00 PM
