Scattered Thoughts

Not all things are what they seem.

We think that when things are bad, they can’t get any worse, well we know they can and do.

When all seems lost it isn’t.

When all things seem great they are not.

When nothing seems just, it is.

How do we deal with this? How do we ever know what is true and right?

Most of the time our worries hang on one little thought that we mull over and over in our mind and is generally not worth worrying about.

Have you ever done or said something and other people have taken the credit. Well don’t get hung up on these little things your reward will come your way eventually. Probably, not from where you would expect it!

Be careful of walking in pride it will come back to curse you. The wheels grind slowly but grind very fine. As someone once said the halo you carry on your head will slowly slip down and turn into a noose.

Have you ever said I have been humbled by this or that experience, and have truly learned from it?

If it hadn’t been for him! If she hadn’t said! If that person hadn’t done! If the company hadn’t! Well we can place blame wherever a person wants but it really boils down to looking inside and being at peace with yourself.

I know, but this is a bunch of scattered thoughts that have been bouncing around in my brain over the last couple of weeks.

Sifu Hayes

www.silentriverkungfu.com Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

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What we learn but seem to forget

When you look inside your heart, do you find when you are snippy and negative and ugly to another person? I find that my heart is not right, and my inner condition is probably not in very good shape. Our world seems to be lacking in heart the welfare of other people around us. We all have struggles in the same realm. Put aside get rid of malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and slander. Actually Robert Fulghum could not have said it better; this came from the Kansas City Times in 1986.

ALL I EVER REALLY NEED TO KNOW

I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN!

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and

how to be; I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate

school mountain but there in the sandbox at nursery school.

These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit

people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t

take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash

your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing

and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for

traffic, hold-hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little

seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody

really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the

plastic cup---they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you

learned, the biggest word of all: Look. Everything you need to know is in there

somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics

and sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all--the whole world--had

cookies and milk about 3 o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our

blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to

always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And

it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best

to hold hands and stick together.

This goes right along with what you learn in the Martial arts is so important.

Sifu Hayes

www.silentriverkungfu.com Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

UBBT Ultimate Black Belt Test

Banquet

Thanks go out to all who participated in the set up and break down of Chinese New Year’s Banquet, the speed and efficiency of the people who were involved was above and beyond. You do not know how much it is appreciated. Walking in at two thirty and seeing the tables set, mats laid and sound system set out was very comforting. The food was fantastic as usual. To all the students from four years old to I will not mention what age. Thanks for your performances they were entertaining and I know some of the spectators left in awe. That is what all of your hard work is for. Congratulations to the lion dance team for pulling off another great performance. That goes to the performers and those behind the scenes. Also congratulations to those who were promoted this year.

Sifu Hayes

www.silentriverkungfu.com Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

UBBT, Ultimate Black Belt Test.

Hang in, there press on, keep at it, don’t give up.

Most things that are worthwhile, take a lot of work and they take time, and persevering.

Calvin Coolidge put it this way. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not! Nothing is more common than unsuccessful individuals with talent. Genius will not, unrewarded genius is almost a proverb, education will not the world is full of educated derelicts, persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Hard task, tough road ahead, keep at it, press on.

Wow what strong words, persistence is the key.

Sifu Hayes

www.silentriverkungfu.com Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

Ultimate Black Belt Test

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