Category: Current Affairs
If you had been putting money in an account for 30 years only to discover that some funds had been taken and your balance reduced because Agnes down the street has mismanaged hers, would you accept it? Strike Member on Radio Ulster
“Give a man a gun and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank and he can rob the world”
Jim McCartney (Not sure where he got it)
Its about who trained the dog and how they treated it as opposed to what breed the dog is…
Why put off your good resolution? Rise and begin this very moment and say, “Now is the time to be up and doing; now is the time to fight; now is the time to amend”. When things go badly and you are in trouble, then is the time to win merit. You must pass through fire and water, before you can come into the place of rest. You will never overcome your vices, unless you discipline yourself severely. Thomas Á Kempis
Thomas Á Kempis was a fourteenth century monk who’s writings are still widely read across the world today. By this very fact alone it’s self evident that he has lots of valuable wisdom and insight to pass on to society. Wisdom that is as fresh today as it was all those centuries ago when it was first written. As I read further into his book today this quote jumped off the page as I’ve been recently thinking a lot about discipline.
I grew up with a mother who wasn’t disciplined and a father who was. This is not a criticism in fact it often blended well and made the house both functional and relational. However it’s perhaps time to deal with the outdated thoughts and concepts I have embraced concerning discipline. Somewhere in the depths of my mind I have a file labelled “discipline” and it reads as follows;
Discipline = Boredom, Stale, Restricting, Lonely, Cold, Lifeless, Joyless, Soulless, Rigid…
Just describing the above file and definition exposes some of the issues and archaic thinking that I have embraced and adopted as a child and nurtured as an adult. My inaccurate and incomplete thinking of discipline has largely remained unchallenged and has heavily influenced my day to day living and approach to life. If I’m honest the area it has had the largest impact on has been my relationship with food however it’s not been without influence in many other areas of my life.
Generally speaking it’s easier not to be disciplined and not to have to challenge oneself. To date unless it’s something of great magnitude and importance I’ve chosen the easier path. However as I approach my forties it’s time to review my thinking and update the file. It’s time to wipe the slate clean and to renew my thinking. It is time to mature and adopt a more purposeful and balanced approach. Perhaps the new file should read as follows;
Discipline = Productful, Essential, Costly, Challenging, Protecting, Preserving, Helpful, Tough, Loving…
Has our culture of instant gratification and greed been at the expense non commercial holistic self care?
Ocean Blue 