Unclaimed--100 Words

Unclaimed.

Yesterday, I received a green post card from the Alabama Treasury department. Or some department like that.

The card indicated that the state of Alabama had money that belonged to me, but had been unclaimed by me.

That caught my attention!

I called to see which unknown great uncle had died and left me his estate. Or, which tax refund check was too low and they wanted to give me more money.

Sadly, that wasn’t to be the case.

Lowe’s had failed to refund for a delivery.

No rich uncle. No estate.

Maybe lunch at McDonald’s for my family.

Fickle--100 Words

Fickle.

I like the sound of that word.

It’s just funny sounding. Don’t believe me? Say it out loud.

What do you think? Try it again. Fickle!

See what I mean?

There are other funny words. I’ve liked the word oxymoron.

I also like the word onomatopoeia. Know the word? If not, look it up! (I sound like an English teacher saying that.)

Words have great sounds and great meanings.

Sometimes, words bring great joy. Sometimes great pain.

Whoever said “Sticks and stones may break my bones. But words will never hurt me” didn’t know what he/she was talking about!

Christmas--100 Words

Christmas.

Mention that word and countless thoughts come to mind.

Some would immediately talk about Santa. Others would talk about reindeer or eggnog or family get-togethers.

Maybe the word memories come to mind. Or a favorite tradition.

The word Christmas stirs all kinds of thoughts.

Unfortunately, the first thought for too many of us about the word Christmas is the wrong thought—it is secular and worldly. We’ve distanced the sacred and made it secular. We’ve moved from holy to hollow. We’ve moved from THE birth to Santa.

This year, let’s refocus our thoughts on what Christmas is all about.

Happiness--100 Words

Happiness.

No. Life isn’t all about happiness. I get that.

Nowhere are we promised that we’ll always be happy.

Maybe we spend too much time seeking happiness. Begging for it to be our friend.

It’s almost as if we’ll settle for any type of happiness. From any source.

Alexander Pope said, “False happiness is like false money; it passes for a long time as well as the true, and serves some ordinary occasions; but when it is brought to the touch, we find the lightness and alloy, and feel the loss.”

Touch happiness carefully. Handle it gently. Examine its origin.

Fulfillment--100 Words

Fulfillment.

Fulfillment is what JC Penney’s does when you order online.

Fulfillment is when you keep the promise to be at your child’s baseball game or recital.

But, what about fulfillment in life? What does it take to know fulfillment?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.”

Aren’t those heart symbols most important? They sure beat material things. They beat temporal things.

This Christmas, what will bring you fulfillment?

Disagreement--100 Words

Disagreement.

How well do you handle disagreement? Is disagreement good? Is disagreement not acceptable? Does disagreement frustrate you?

Is it your way or the highway?

General Colin Powell said, “When we are debating an issue, loyalty means giving me your honest opinion, whether you think I'll like it or not.”

Here was a man who could demand total agreement to his point of view, no matter what others thought or said. But, to him, loyalty meant honesty.

I agree.

What better way to demonstrate friendship than honesty.

Don’t like what I say? Fine by me. Feel free to say so.

Fairy Tales--100 Words

Fairy tales.

We grow up hearing all kinds of fairy tales.

Snow White. Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. Little Red Riding Hood.

Have you read those stories? Not the sanitized Walt Disney version.

Have you ever read Grimm’s fairy tales in their original format?

Frightening stuff.

Yet, we dress our children up as Snow White or Cinderella.

We play various versions of Little Red Riding Hood on the playground.

Never thinking twice about their original meaning. Maybe not even caring.

What we teach our children is important. The fables told. The myths continued from one generation to the next. They all matter.

Inner Peace--100 Words

Inner peace.

What does that mean?

Where do we “find” it?

Right now, many are looking for inner peace by putting up Christmas decorations, going shopping, attending parties, and maybe even going to church. After Christmas, they’ll be looking elsewhere for it.

I’m not critical. I have no room to talk. I’ve searched for inner peace my entire life.

I’ve looked in the right places. And, in the wrong places.

So, I keep looking.

Not sure if true inner peace will be found. Or, can be found.

Maybe not this side of heaven.

What about you? Have you found it?