No. 682 - A "TREASURE-TROVE" OF RULES TO LIVE BY
No. 682
Jim Davidson -- NEWSPAPER COLUMN
A “TREASURE-TROVE” OF RULES TO LIVE BY!
We all know, or at least we should, that it’s just as important to be reminded as it is to be educated. I believe it was Will Rogers who is credited with saying that. Certainly we need to learn new things, but we also need to be reminded, as a refresher course of things that we know, but may have forgotten. We have a good friend here by the name of Diane Russell who reads my column in the Log Cabin Democrat, and the other day she sent me about five pages of just “solid” good information that I want to pass along to you. She sent them with a note that they were just suggestions that I may be able to use some time. Diane is retired, but she is a volunteer, and a giver from the word go. We need more people in the world like her.
Her first section was titled, THANKS: for helping those in need. A. Giving your time. B. Donating money to a worthwhile cause. C. Donating blood. D. Visiting the sick and those who are homebound. E. Giving relief to a caregiver. F. Reading to a child. G. Sending notes of encouragement. H. Giving thoughtful and useful gifts. I. Changing a tire for a helpless female or an elderly or handicapped person. Thanks to those people who don’t litter and to those who pick up litter after trashy people. Thanks for helping widows and orphans.
Special thanks to those special people who foster, adopt, or help in some way, those children who are unwanted, abused or neglected. Thanks for taking care of your animals, and that includes not allowing them to run free and create problems for other people. Plus it means cleaning up after them. Thanks to those who have chosen careers (like the armed forces, law enforcement, fire fighters, etc.) that help protect our freedom, enforce the laws of the land, save lives and provide help to victims of suffering and tragedies. Thanks for NOT driving when: A. intoxicated or impaired from drugs, whether legal or illegal. B. Using a hand-held cell phone. C. Text messaging. D. Putting on make-up or shaving. E. Reading.
Her second section was titled, MANNERS: 1. In addition to the obvious thank you, please and pardon me. 2. Sending notes of thanks. 3. Returning calls. 4. Cell phone usage: Not to be used while driving or other inappropriate places. These include restaurants, meetings or any place where it is disruptive and annoying to others. 5. Dressing inappropriately (in other words…showing more than should be seen.) A personal note here: Young people must be taught these things if they are to know and practice them. Wouldn’t this be a better world if we would all do that?
Her third section was titled, CHARACTER: 1. Keeping your word. 2. Being trustworthy.
3. Not cheating. 4. Not lying. 5. Keeping commitments. 6. Paying debts. 7. Being an honorable person and this includes respectful, decent, law-abiding, helpful, generous, kind, sympathetic and thoughtful.
Her final section is titled, FINANCES: “If you can’t pay cash you can’t afford it.” This was a quote of my dad’s and he lived by it. He saved money to buy his cars and trucks, tractor and his horse. He paid cash for his land (100 acres) and we lived in a shack of a house on the property for a number of years while he saved money to pay cash for a brand new house.
Being in debt is like having a ball and chain around your neck. There are many advantages to being debt free: less stress and worry, saving interest which is like throwing money down the drain. We should not try to keep up with the Joneses (neighbors, friends or relatives.) Old fashioned you say. Really?
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(EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Davidson is a public speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034. To support literacy, buy his book: “Learning, Earning & Giving Back.”)
