Friday, April 8, 2005

Time for John Scalzi's weekend assignment:

Weekend Assignment #54: Tell us all a single piece of wisdom you've learned from personal life experience. It can be a small thing, it can be a big thing, a simple tip or trick or the most important thing you've ever learned from life. But whatever it is, you should be able to state it in one sentence. That way people will remember it easier.

Well, I can state it in three words, Just be nice.  But I'll take this opportunity to share a poem I wrote some time back with that title:

                       JUST BE NICE
                © copyright October 28, 2003
                        Donna Wood

I read Scripture every day
Ere my morning's under way.
I hear sermons every week
Complicated and oblique.
Topics seem to vary some,
But I've found this rule of thumb:
Here's the message, quite concise:
It comes down to, "Just be nice!"

We can argue, fume and fuss
Over what God wants from us.
You can search, and finally heed,
Almost any kind of creed.
I've found this most useful tool:
Jesus gave the Golden Rule.
It's such sound and sage advice
Meaning simply, "Just be nice."

These I learned before age three;
Mother drilled them into me.
"Jesus saves" and "God is love".
"Share with friends" and "Do not shove".
People make it too obscure,
But this teaching shall endure.
For success, this will suffice:
Do no harm, and just be nice!

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."  Matthew 7:12

Extra Credit: Tell us: Would you have listened to your own bit of advice as a teenager? Be honest, now. 

Even now I often fail to follow that advice.  It isn't that I don't try.  But "self" gets in the way.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have 25 SPED students who would chase down and rob anyone who said "Just be nice."

Stacey

Anonymous said...

Very Good, Donna.  Anne

Anonymous said...

That is what I try to do. You are right though, self does get in the way sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Truth is often simple.  Living in truth is not always simple!  But, it's wonderful advice!

http://journals.aol.com/cyndygee/TheRealWorldofcyndygee/entries/994/