Collected words, phrases and ideas from my life so far. Some orginal, some not. I read this every second day to remind myself.
Anthony’s Rules of Life
Don’t Stress. Never stop dreaming. Be honest. Plant impossible gardens. Enjoy the freedom of being naked occasionally. Read something everyday. Sing loud and with enthusiasm. Savour emotions: good AND bad. Believe in magic. Make little signs that say ‘yes’ and plant them all over the house. Play with everything. Take naps. Never forget your friends. Cry during movies. Take moon baths. Do things that scare you. Cultivate moods. Look forward to dreams. Do it for love. Draw on the walls. Climb trees. Forgive. Laugh a lot. Bend rules but never lose respect for them. Giggle with children. Interact positively. Nevr forget that everyone has feelings. Listen to old people. Open up. Write love letters. Tell people how you feel. Entertain your inner child. Don’t lie. Get wet. Stare at the stars whether you know their names or not (make up names if you don’t). Try watching snails. Don’t become too attched to money - it’s not that important. Remember that imagination is the key to real life. Don’t worry about what you want to be when you grow up. Dive in. Dance in the rain. Try new things. Share experiences. Experiment with life. Encourage people. Take a shy person out. Quote poetry. Feed baby ducks. Play with kittens. Push boundaries. Make people laugh. Hug trees. And always keep smiling. Never forget where you came from and have a rough idea of where you’re going but most importantly live in the now. Always try to see the world through the eyes of a child. Remember that you are what you take the time to become.
Well, I can’t let a dpr thread go without sharing with him.
An original Nymthought: Don’t ever take a step backwards, not even to gain momentum.
And, for everyday use, gods know it’s been done before, but the Desiderata is still one of my favourite all-purpose keeping-things-in-perspective pieces.
I’m not sure what the copywrite laws are on it, so I’ll just quote the part that’s dearest to me.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
You forgot “Barrack for the Cockroaches”, mate. Apart from that, bloody good. The “plant impossible gardens” bit was sublime. One of those Doper visitations that appear on this board from time to time. Loved it.
Jesus. Talk about finding it when you need it. I’m glad you guys bumped this, too. I REALLY needed it today.
It’s amazing how you can sometimes forget the most important things.
dpr … thanks for the advice in the OP, mate. I’ve saved it on my hard drive. Bloody good!
Nymysys – Desiderata comes from 1927, republished by the church it’s often connercted with in the 1950s. It’s been reproduced so many times everywhere, I doubt anyone comes along looking for royalties any more. Well done for quoting it, though!
I often make people read Desiderata when they’re feeling really down, and feel they deserve nothing more. I remember wheeling my Mum in a wheelchair to the foyer of the hospital she was in, after she said she was feeling like life, after a stroke, was not worth living. And I read out Desiderata to her, as a big poster of it was hanging up in the foyer.
I think it helped at the time. I think it told Mum why I never gave up on her.
Well I’m glad it helped some people. Nice to know you can lift someone’s spirits or help them through their day.
I should have mentioned in the OP that when I first posted this, I was encouraging people to add their own.
But let it noted that any support for the cockroaches will bring negative karma upon you. We don’t support favourites around here.
