Words of Wisdom from Mufasa ;-)

So it's been ages since I last posted...school has definitely started back full steam.  I'm incredibly excited about my courses so far though and my Graduate Assistantship is amazing!  I have high hopes for a wonderful semester :-)

I've taken a bit of a break in organizing since what's left is not that visible and it's not stressing me out now to the point of having to get stuff done, which is good...and bad...lol.  But when it's all complete, I'll be sure and show off the final results :-)

For now, I'd like to share some great quotes I came across in Mufasa's Little Instruction Book from Disney Press.  Remember I said awhile back that I was going to post quotes from the quote books I'm donating?  Well this is the first one::

- "Very little in life is black and white - except if you're a zebra!"

I think this has a lot of relevance in the ways that we interact with other people.  We may assume that they are acting a certain way for a certain reason, but honestly, we have no idea what is truly going on in their lives.

Ngorongoro Crater, TZE [taken by me]

- "When a lion is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package."

I LOVE this one!  It is so so true and a really great way of visualizing what happens when we only consider ourselves.  We tuck ourselves in and don't allow ourselves to expand out to the people around us.  How can we help and love others when we are wrapped up in a tight self-absorbed ball?  (No matter how big our problems may be...)  I really need to focus on this one, especially when the downward spiral starts to take hold...

Serengeti National Park, TZE - lion cub [taken by me]

- "The only way to have a friend is to be one."

Amen to that!  Friendship takes time and effort on the part of both friends.  It really sucks when you're the only one putting energy into the relationship - but when both parties are enthusiastic about caring for each other, neither person can help but feel loved.

- "Sometimes you have to be like a giraffe and stick your neck out to get what you want."

I'm going to keep this visual in mind for the future.  Be like a giraffe!!  A super important thing for meek, doormat me to remember...  I need to stop expecting people to roll out the carpet for me and invite me to do things with them.  If I want to do something, I need to start sticking my neck out there like a giraffe and make it known that I want to be a part of the group.  It's incredibly painful to not be automatically, reflexively included but maybe after a few times of sticking my neck out, I will be :-/

Tarangire National Park, TZE [taken by me]

- "It's no good running swiftly if you are on the wrong path."
Doing this leads to simply falling flat on your face :-(

Serengeti National Park, TZE [taken by me]

- "To speak without thinking is to pounce without first seeing your prey."

An interesting way to look at it - if you speak without thinking first, then you've wasted your energy on something that may get you nowhere - or may set you back a few paces.

- "No lion can think clearly when his paws are clenched."

  "Always think before you roar."

Don't act in anger.  Let your feelings simmer down before you do something about them...

- "No one knows the story of tomorrow's dawn." - African proverb

A hopeful way to look at the future.  We never know what great things might come across our path.

Tarangire National Park, TZE [taken by me]

That's all for now!  But since I'm back in the swing of a non-Summer schedule, 

I'll get back to posting regularly too :-)  Glad to be back to writing.