Proverbs, Politicians and Taxes

"Peace comes within the souls of men, when they realize their oneness with the Universe, 

when they realize it is really everywhere... 

it is within each one of us."

If this is true....I guess we are never going to see any peace....

I was looking for 'walk a mile in my moccasins' because I have noticed how the politicians change their mind depending on which role they play. When Obama was a Senator, he was against the President raising the 'debt ceiling' of the National debt. He felt it was irresponsible and voted against it.  Now that he is President; he is for raising the debt.

When he becomes a regular civilian again; I dare say, he will be for

 'not taxing (what he considers) the rich' 

because he will no longer have the taxpayers paying for his 

Air Force One, his house and chef. He will have to pay for his own transportation and cook. He will have to walk a mile .....to see the world from a different perspective.

I have a friend who thought I didn't want to pay any taxes because I complained about them all the time. That person liked paying their taxes. I am thinking that they don't know what they pay in taxes. 

I remember my mother, not complaining about taxes while my father was alive.  After his death, I could hear her scream across several State borders when she realized she had to pay taxes. It was less than $1000, but listening to her over the phone, I thought someone was killing her.

I told that person who likes paying taxes; that I felt we are unjustly taxed. We are not poor enough to get tax credits and we are not rich enough to have loopholes like General Electric who made billions in profits and paid no taxes on it. 

It is all legally done. 

Pres. Obama appointed the CEO of General Electric to one of his councils, recently. So it's O.K, not paying any taxes and still be honored at the White House.

Whereas, my household is stuck with paying a third of our income in taxes. We work most our life to pay a government who gives our money away to favor others....although LEGALLY, according to the Laws enacted by the same government who is giving my money away, but not for my benefit; like infrastructure; but more for, organizations that don't need it; like  the Nevada Cowboy's Poetry Convention. 

Did I get an invitation? 

Yes, our government use and abuse the system to their advantage; and if, I were in their shoes; they would still be considered crooked and so would I be a crook, if I had empathy with them. 

There should be moral values, in combination, with empathy. I am sure there are some people who feel empathy with Hitler and Marx.

When we walk a mile in someone else's shoes, we should consider whose shoes we are in....  proverb by Nancy Kerry

I know for certain that I do not practice the 
'wisdom of the Ages 

but I like reading them anyway. 

Wisdom of the Ages

http://www.racingbirds.com knowledge.html

Being wise is being able to transform information and knowledge into conclusions and act accordingly. The wise one has the ability to see into the future, by drawing conclusions based on his experience and knowledge from the past. Hence his actions will have the awareness of the past, understanding of the present, and knowledge of how today's decisions will impact on the future. 

The same applies to our sport. Our experience and wisdom can and should teach us to draw conclusions and to know the consequences of our actions.

When I was much younger I was taught, "If you can not think of something good to say about someone then say nothing". Perhaps the following timely post on the Pigeon Mailing List is the source of that wisdom.

The post was also an awakening for me with realization that I at times have chosen to ignored the lesson. 

The triple filter test

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?" "Hold on a minute," Socrates replied.  "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test.  It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple Filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued.  "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.  That's why I call it the Triple Filter Test. The first filter is Truth.  Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said.  "Actually I just heard about it and......."

"All right," said Socrates.  "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness.  Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary ........"

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true.  You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of usefulness.  Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?" 

Have you ever noticed that those who seem to revel in calling other's names always select a word  that describes themselves?  Most criticism is rooted in jealousy.  Instead of retaliation it should be seen as a complement. Allowing you to walk away from the source  with a smile. 

Who hasn't heard ? "Do unto other's as you would have them do unto to you" Or the Native American saying; "Walk a mile another man's moccasins before you criticize him" We live in a world of personalities,  Allowing someone  to be who they are and not making their problem yours is a key to your peace of mind. The time used to criticize anyone else would be better applied with self improvement.

A vacationing business man was walking along a beach when he saw a young boy. Along the shore were many starfish that had been washed up by the tide and were sure to die before the tide returned. The boy was walked slowly along the shore and occasionally reached down and tossed the beached starfish back into the ocean.

The business man, hoping to teach the boy a little lesson in common sense, walked up to the boy and said, "I have been watching what you are doing, son. You have a good heart, and I know you mean well, but do you realize how many beaches there are around here and how many starfish are dying on every beach every day. Surely such an industrious and kind hearted boy such as yourself could find something better to do with your time. Do you really think that what you are doing is going to make a difference?" The boy looked up at the man, and then he looked down at a starfish by his feet. He picked up the starfish, and as he gently tossed it back into the ocean, he said, "It makes a difference to that one." 

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. 

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. 

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. 

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots, but it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape