I used to dislike receiving forwarded emails. Will I really go to hell if I don't forward to the 10 friends I don't have? If I can drum up six friends, will my wildest dreams come true in six months? Should I reply? Hmmm....Once I unwittingly expressed this frustration with this kind of mail in front of a woman who was a prolific sender of the stuff, though I didn't realize it. She was a disabled woman with a warm word and a smile for everyone. "I don't always have something important to say, but I want the people I care about to know I'm thinking of them," she said to me. I could see I had hurt her feelings. "And I only send the ones I think are good to people I really like."
So I read these. I forward and reply as much as possible. And I make a point of learning something, of finding goodness. It's always there. Look at these pearls:
1. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
2. Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled.
3. Meanness doesn't just happen overnight.
4. Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
5. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
6. It doesn't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
7. You cannot unsay a cruel word.
8. Don't judge folks by their relatives.
9. Don't interfere with something that isn't bothering you.
10. Timing has a lot to do with the outcome off a rain dance.
11. Letting the cat out of the bag is a whole lot easier than putting it back in.
12. If you get to thinking you're a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else's dog around.
13. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
More at Thursday Thirteen
52 Comments
Words to live with if you can.Good luck it's not easy.If anyone can it would be you.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good list to wake up to, as I'm drinking my morning coffee. In Buddhism, one of the steps of the Eightfold Path is 'right speech.' It's something we all have to remember, since it's so easy to forget!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point your friend made about sending them out of friendship..... but they can still be infuriating when they clog up ones inbox all the same!
ReplyDeleteWell, at least I'll have company in Hell! :) I never forward those things either. I have a friend who is always kind, positive and hopeful. And, sometimes she sends the most hatefill forwards. I am shocked by them - shocked. (shaking my head) I think she doesn't pay that much attention.
ReplyDeleteHappy TT! - great pearls btw!
You are a better person than I, most forward go straight into the trash can. I do like the one about not judging someone by their relatives...
ReplyDeleteMy problem is I am way too nasty to forward nice email. I delete it. A good joke is an entirely different thing.
ReplyDeleteI don't forward, don't read, delete.
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
http://thepinkflamingo.blogharbor.com/blog
P. S. Maybe that's why I never have good luck, am never blessed, and never win a fortune with the lottery!
These are gems indeed. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful list.
ReplyDeleteI love #4! But isn't it sometimes cruel to play with their minds like that?
ReplyDeleteWow....what an awesome list. It really made me stop and think AND shake my head. Thanks for stopping by and for the insight. Happy TT my friend:)
ReplyDeleteI just send back something stupider if people do that...
ReplyDeleteSeriously, usually I just delete. I only get upset when they are vicious (you'll die if you don't send to "x" number of people)
Smiles,
Holly
http://theabundanceplace.com
:) Love your thirteen as always! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a good point, but not so good when people send you stuff that you find offensive 'cause they're sending the same thing to their entire address book.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see that the subject line of an email starts off with "FW", I forward it... straight to the trash can. The people who send some of the hate-filled ones like others have mentioned ruin it for people like you whose hearts are in the right place.
ReplyDeleteAs for your T13... 4, 6, and 7 made the strongest impression on me.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Sandy, thanks for the visit!
ReplyDeleteWise words in the thirteen proposition!
Luiz
Those are indeed "pearls" of wisdom; maybe I need to rethink my position on those forwards. Thanks for commenting on my list. Yes, wouldn't we enjoy afternoon tea with Emily? When I looked through your site, I was reminded of her poems on faith, like "Some keep the Sabbath going to Church..." and "I never saw a Moor..."
ReplyDeleteHm, never really thought about them in a "good light", but you're right, some of them are worth taking a look at. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThankfully I seem to have fallen off the mailing lists for these forwarded emails. Happy TT.
ReplyDeleteWise words. Thanks for sharing. Happy T13!
ReplyDeletegreat list....thanks for visiting my TT
ReplyDeleteI love these - how positive!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet Sandy I know whenever we are nice for no reason it makes me happier
ReplyDeleteSandy, I had a similar experience. My SIL is not very computer savvy, but wow she is the queen of email forwards. I usually saw who they were from and automatically deleted them. The other day I read one (and posted the sentiment on my blog).
ReplyDeleteWe get in too much of a hurry and miss some special messages that come to us from the most unexpected places!
I skim and delete most of them. Yes, the kind thought is there, but I usually try to send something a bit more personal along with it instead of just every previous recipient header info and who they sent it to's email addresses.
ReplyDeleteHappy TT!
Those are good...although, #8 is hard to do sometimes...they may grow to be like their relatives..and that is not always a good thing.
ReplyDeletereally good insight. i strogly agree that you can't unsay cruel words.
ReplyDeleteGreat lists, Sandy! I got an awards for you hope you'll visit my site.
ReplyDeleteWords to live by...and so simply stated!
ReplyDeleteA good list. I like #10.
ReplyDeleteI still don't send any of this stuff on though.
These are particularly great pearls of wisdom! Thanks for the new take on all those forwarded emails, perhaps I will spend more time perusing them and less time hating them!
ReplyDeleteOh my. Such pearls, so neccesary in a specific situation in my life.
ReplyDeleteI am SO glad you didn't delete these!
Thanks Sandy, for those lovely phrases. I'm copying them and plastering them all around my office. And oh what that thoughtful elephant could learn from you...:)
ReplyDeleteI loved this TT. Your friend not only forwarded an e-mail with some great thoughts, she passed along some wisdom.
ReplyDeleteMaribeth
www.marnini.wordpress.com
I would never dare to put a cat back in a bag, lol !
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice list and fun to read in this setting, but I'd rather hear how chemo is going and that the dog peed on the rug than get a generic multiforwarded thing from people I want to care about. These are an impediment to close relationships.
ReplyDeletewonderful thoughts!
ReplyDeleteGood to remember. I throw a lot of them out too.
ReplyDeleteI love number 4. You can melt a lot of animosity just by being nice. A cat doesn't play with a mouse that isn't playing. Gotta go around that stump!
Wonderful thoughts and words. I never forward on those email either. After I read them, I just delete them.
ReplyDeleteHappy TT!
Wow that is a really good set of wisdom, i think i am a bit short of some of them Great post
ReplyDeleteSandy, I believe my favorite is #4!
ReplyDeleteFunny. Only yesterday I got one of those "forward this prayer in 5 minutes to 12 people" emails. I liked the sentiment of the prayer and I appreciated the sender thinking of me. So I forwarded it with certain disclaimers: You don't have to do it in 5 minutes, if chain letters bother you, you don't have to do it at all, etc. I was of course supposed to return it to the sender as well. After I'd hit SEND, I thought, Did my disclaimers hurt her feelings?
I so agree with you! These are wisdom worth knowing.
ReplyDeleteJust Say these Words T-13
Pearls of wisdom, Sandy.
ReplyDeleteI still don't open forwards of forwards though, because one never knows what may be attached to mess up my computer.
I also think that if I care enough to send something I think is worthy of someone's time and attention, then it's worth my time to start a clean fresh email.
such wisdom my friend!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWise words indeed:)
ReplyDeleteI liked them all, thanks Sandy. Should we name them Proverbs 32?
ReplyDeleteMy T-13 is up, with music.
Blessings, e-Mom @ Chrysalis
I came as a newbie to Sky Watch Friday and your picture is wonderful...However, the smiley face caught my eye and then I read on and your words touched my heart this morning.
ReplyDeleteThank you and I believe I may forward a few of those emails :)
Thank you for this post. I can see it is time for some attitude adjustment! lol
ReplyDeletehttp://byrningbunny.wordpress.com/
I love those pearls of wisdom! And you are so right about those forwarded e-mails. For some people...it is the way they let us know they care about us. But I must admit, I usually just delete them. I worry that many of them are started by bad people...as a way to collect lots of e-mail addresses.
ReplyDeleteReally great TT and thanks for stopping by mine.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those people who really dislike those forwards too. This post is going to make me see them in a different way. I might even send out a responding thanks for thinking of me email when I get them.
Those are some excellent pieces of advice!
ReplyDeleteI know I have some older relatives who forward me a lot of things- what a great perspective on why they probably do it.
That's a great list!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my grandmothers TT.
This is a wonderful list of words to live by! More people should follow this...many more! Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being here.