Thought For the Day: Let Our New Year’s Resolution Be This: We Will Be There For One Another As Fellow Members of Humanity, In the Finest Sense of the Word

“Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.” – Goran Persson

I have once again chosen to set out 12 resolutions this year more as primary goals working toward being a better person. Once again, these are divided into four sections – family, career/education, spirituality, and personal growth, with four goals in each of these categories. Of course, I will attempt to work on myself otherwise as well. Maybe if you have never set goals, perhaps the first goal or resolution might be to choose one thing you think would better you as a person. Then determine the smaller goals that would set you on that path to achieving the larger goal. Also remember to give yourself the grace to have flexibility and realize that some goals are ideas that shape themselves further as you think on them and you can easily realize this is not the goal you wished but yet another is. If you shoot for the stars but land on the moon, you still have gotten further than you would have had you not been brave enough to reach out at all, right? You can do anything you set your mind to do. Believe in yourself and others will believe too.

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Dollar Rich (Soul Poor)

Castle, Home and Garden 2017 - Tiffany Woods
Dollar Rich (Soul Poor)
by Michael Doyle

You can live life on the stealth
Having unbounded amounts of wealth
And if you have no one to live for
You may be dollar rich, but you're still poor

You can own precious gems and art
Things that some would swear they could not part
But if you have no one to live for
You may be dollar rich, but you're soul poor

Tiffany's might make spectacular glass
But if its all the same , I'll give it a pass
Because if you have no one to truly live for
You may be dollar rich, but you're still poor

Engraved with words kept in a metal pocket
Are three words for you to wear in a locket
To be loved and love back is what to live for
Without love, you might be rich but you're soul poor

This then is the only thing that makes life alright
To find what and who you love and then hold on tight
Because this gives you what it is to truly live for
Material things don't make you rich, it takes something more

You can search the world over to find one true love
Keeping your eyes dreaming on the moon shining above
Because until you find your someone special to live for
You may be dollar rich, but you'll always be soul poor

(c) December 31, 2021 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
North Pole – A Beautiful Winter Escape - A Dream Within A Dream

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Thought For the Day: If You Must Play, Decide On Three Things At the Start: the Rules of the Game, the Stakes, and the Quitting Time

“If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.” -Chinese proverb

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First Principles: Be At War With Your Vices, At Peace With Your Neighbors, and Let Every New Year Find You A Better Person

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

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Another New Song Sung

Lost Gardens of Thera @ New Santori - Moonlight

Another New Song Sung
by Michael Doyle

The troubled midnight and the moon’s repose                      (La figlia Che Piange – T. S. Elliot)
Made me think of song I’ve yet to compose
Too many notes still in their ragged jumble
Too many words falling into their mumble

There must be something new yet to say
Still, it seems I feel the same things every day
Always tossing around the same old feeling
While striving for the new in what I’m revealing

A couple more chords thrown in for fun
Certain that this song will be the one
That makes its way to collective memory
Or at least provides moments of reverie

Four chord progressions are better than three
When accompanied by some sort of melody
That makes others want to hum or whistle along
And yes, I’ll pretend it yet another new song

(c) December 28, 2021 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

Deadman's Island - A Haunting Melody

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First Principles: The Bible Is the Best of All Books, For It Is the Word of God and Teaches Us the Way To Be Happy In this World and In the Next

 “Condescend, merciful Father! to grant as far as proper these imperfect petitions, to accept these inadequate thanksgivings, and to pardon whatever of sin hath mingled in them for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Savior; unto Whom, with Thee, and the blessed Spirit, ever one God, be rendered all honor and glory, now and forever. … The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts. … Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” – John Jay

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Thought For the Day: The Most Important Discoveries Will Provide Answers To Questions That We Do Not Yet Know How To Ask

“The most important discoveries will provide answers to questions that we do not yet know how to ask and will concern objects we have not yet imagined.” -John N. Bahcall, astrophysicist (30 Dec 1935-2005)

 John N. Bahcall is known for helping to solve the solar neutrino problem and the development of the Hubble Space Telescope.  

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New Beginning Off Of An Old Ending

There is a tradition at the Short Form Poetry Workshop to work a couple of new poems from the end of famous older poems. This is one of the two written last night:

Ashley's Oasis Elite -- Love On An Early Winters Day

New Beginning Off of An Old Ending
by Michael Doyle

Learn to labor and to wait (A Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Janus set his particular date
As I let my usual list evolve
Into promises yet to resolve
Things that I must yet attain
Something valuable to obtain
In working toward my perfection
Or least heading in that direction
Hoping that I might yet have hope
In all the things that I must cope
Setting myself to this yearly task
As I question why Janus must ask
That we put aside the old year
To greet the new one in good cheer
Yet here we are again
With me grasping for that win
While the world knows mixed weather
I push on through to become better
Growing as I must or at least I’ll try
2022 will be golden, don’t ask why

(c) December 28, 2021 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

Ashley's Oasis Elite - Cozy Fire At the Flower Garden
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First Principles: It Is Religion and Morality Alone, Which Can Establish the Principles Upon Which Freedom Can Securely Stand

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. … Statesmen may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a greater Measure than they have it now, They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty.” – John Adams

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Thought For the Day: It Takes the Highest Courage To Utter Unpopular Truths

“The authoritarian sets up some book, or man, or tradition to establish the truth. The freethinker sets up reason and private judgment to discover the truth… It takes the highest courage to utter unpopular truths.” – Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

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