Inspirational Short Story, Female Fantasy Art, Relaxing Music

If you keep on saying things are going to be bad,

you have a good chance of being a prophet.

-- Isaac Bashevis Singer

Many of us have the habit of taking a negative outlook on whatever comes along. We don't believe things will work out for us; we don't think we will have a good day; we can't accept our friends' warm feelings.

To follow this gloomy path is a strange distortion of faith -- it is faith in the negative. Any forecast, whether hopeful or pessimistic, is a step into the unknown. So why do we choose the dark one?

We get a payoff for our pessimism which keeps us hooked. It creates misery, but serves our demand for control.

There is more risk in being open to something positive because we cannot force positive things to occur.

We can only be open to them and believe in the possibility.

But when we predict the negative and expect only bad things, we squelch many good things or overlook them. Then we say, "I knew it would be this way," and in our misery we satisfy our self-centered craving to be in charge.

When we surrender our need to be in control, we are more open and welcoming of the good things that come our way.

To keep your character intact

you cannot stoop to filthy acts.

It makes it easier to stoop the next time.

-- Katherine Hepburn

Good habits are as easily formed as bad ones.

It's quite likely that most of our daily activities are routine.

With little need for forethought, we make our necessary motions every day. And if we've behaved toward others in disrespectful ways on many occasions, we may thoughtlessly repeat those acts today.

Yet we should be grateful that we are in full control of all actions we choose to take. No one else has power over our behavior. No one else can push us into actions for which we'll feel shame or remorse.

Responsibility for who we are, in all respects, is our birthright. Perhaps we don't always rejoice over this fact. And yet, it is the one absolute that guarantees we each have the power to become who we wish to become.

__________

11/08/2024

Some of the lines, bars & banners by vikimouse at The New Mousepad (dead link 2009)

__________

Lyin' Eyes

Sung by: The Eagles

___

City girls just seem to find out early
How to open doors with just a smile
A rich old man and she won't have to worry
She'll dress up all in lace and go in style

Late at night a big ole house gets lonely,
I guess every form of refuge has its price
And it breaks her heart to think her love is only
Given to a man with hands as cold as ice.

So she tells him she must go out for the evening
To comfort an old friend who's feeling down
But he knows where she's going as she's leaving
She is headed for the cheatin' side of town.

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes

On the other side of town a boy is waiting
With fiery eyes and dreams no one could steal
She drives on through the night anticipating
'Cause he makes her feel the way she used to feel

She rushes to his arms, they fall together
She whispers it's only for a while
She swears that soon she'll be coming back forever
She pulls away and leaves him with a smile

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes

She gets up and pours herself a strong one
And stares out at the stars up in the sky
Another night - it's gonna be a long one
She draws the shade and hangs her head and cries
She wonders how it ever got this crazy
She thinks about a boy she knew in school
Did she get tired, or did she just get lazy
She's so far gone, she feels just like a fool

My, oh my, you sure know how to arrange things
You set it up so well, so carefully
Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things
You're still the same ole' girl you used to be

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes...
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes...
Honey you can't hide your lyin' eyes...

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