Good Ole Ben...
Turning over YET another LeafI've been reading the "Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin". Lest you think I'm some sort of goofball--or zealot--it's for our book club. Never in a million years would I have chosen this book on my own. All I can say is WOW. This man is the most amazing person I've read about in a very long time. It's no wonder people wanted to be near him. He mentiones all sorts of things he's done (even his dumb mistakes) and what he's learned from them. He's so... Human. On of my favorite parts of the book are on pages 60-70. He makes a list of all the things he feels are importanta and discusses how he is going to make them "HABITUDES". I like that word. He took one section a week and worked on that thing all week long. Then mentions what he has learned about himself through that life change. So, I've decided to adopt his thinking and dive in,choosing things I struggle with, changing them. I hope it lasts longer than a week. Here is the list: (slightly remenicent of another "13" things Iknow) TEMPERANCE Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation
SILENCE Speak not but what may benefit others;avoid trifiling conversation
ORDER Let all your things have a place;let each part of your business have it's time RESOLUTION Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve FRUGALITY Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself i.e.
WASTE NOTHING INDUSTRY Lose no time; be always employed in something useful;cut off all uneccisary actions
SINCERITY Use no harmful deceit; think innocently and justly;and if you speak, speak accordingly
JUSTICE Wrong none by doing injuries, or ommitting the benefits that are your duty MODERATION Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. CLEANLINESS Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation
TRANQUILLITY Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or anavoidable
CHASTITY rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injory of your own or another's peace or reputation
HUMILITY Imitate Jesus, and Socrates One of my favorite parts he talks about is his decision to approach conversations with other people. He made it a rule "to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of other, and all possitive assertion of my own. I even forbid myself ... the use of every word or expression in the language that imported a fixed opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly, etc and adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so and so."(pg 71- the autobiography of benjamin franklin). What a testimony to what a humble man he was! He had so much intellegence and probably knew more than most everyone around him, but he decided to never make another person feel stupid or contradict them to point out their obvious errors. So that is my goal this week. It will be a tough one, since I grew up with family who LOVE to be right---therefore I LOVE TO BE RIGHT! :D Wish me luck
SILENCE Speak not but what may benefit others;avoid trifiling conversation
ORDER Let all your things have a place;let each part of your business have it's time RESOLUTION Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve FRUGALITY Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself i.e.
WASTE NOTHING INDUSTRY Lose no time; be always employed in something useful;cut off all uneccisary actions
SINCERITY Use no harmful deceit; think innocently and justly;and if you speak, speak accordingly
JUSTICE Wrong none by doing injuries, or ommitting the benefits that are your duty MODERATION Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. CLEANLINESS Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation
TRANQUILLITY Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or anavoidable
CHASTITY rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injory of your own or another's peace or reputation
HUMILITY Imitate Jesus, and Socrates One of my favorite parts he talks about is his decision to approach conversations with other people. He made it a rule "to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of other, and all possitive assertion of my own. I even forbid myself ... the use of every word or expression in the language that imported a fixed opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly, etc and adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so and so."(pg 71- the autobiography of benjamin franklin). What a testimony to what a humble man he was! He had so much intellegence and probably knew more than most everyone around him, but he decided to never make another person feel stupid or contradict them to point out their obvious errors. So that is my goal this week. It will be a tough one, since I grew up with family who LOVE to be right---therefore I LOVE TO BE RIGHT! :D Wish me luck
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