SATURDAY 31st OCTOBER 2015 07:33 GMT

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
31st October 1517
The Start of The Protestant Reformation
German priest Martin Luther wrote a disputation against clerical abuses, especially nepotism, simony, usury, pluralism, and the sale of indulgences. It is generally believed that, according to university custom, on 31 October 1517, Luther posted the ninety-five theses, which he had composed in Latin, on the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg. However, whether this actually happened with the theses themselves is disputed.

On the same day, Luther sent a hand-written copy, joined with honorable comments, to the archbishop Albert of Mainz and Magdeburg, who was in charge of the indulgence sales, and to the bishop of Brandenburg, the superior of Luther at the time. 

Within two weeks, copies of the Theses had spread throughout Germany; within two months throughout Europe. In January 1518 Christoph von Scheurl and other friends of Luther translated the Ninety-Five Theses from Latin into German, printed, and widely copied them, making the controversy one of the first in history to be aided by the printing press.

The theses struck a chord with many, both in the clergy and laity, who were exasperated with hypocrisy and corruption within the Roman Catholic church. Ultimately there was a polarisation of views around authority - those who held that the final authority lay with the bible not the church became known as "Protestants". 

On 15 June 1520, the Pope warned Luther with the papal bull (edict) Exsurge Domine that he risked excommunication unless he recanted 41 sentences drawn from his writings, including the 95 Theses, within 60 days. On 10th December Luther publicly set fire to the bull and decretals at Wittenberg. The pope consequently excommunicated Luther on 3rd January 1521.

With Luther gaining rapid support, particularly amongst princes in the north of the Holy Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic hierarchy attempted to restore its authority by the Diet (church conference) of Worms on 18th April 1521. A famous theological debate took place between Luther, who was guaranteed safe passage, and theologian Johann Eck. Ultimately Luther refused to recant any of his writings, and was condemned as a heretic. 

Most northern princes however, who were generally worse off financially and politically because of their obligations to the Roman Catholic church, supported Luther and broke away from the church, supporting Luther's new church. The Protestant revolution was now permanent. 

The Roman Catholic church responded with internal reforms and reorganization known as the "Counter-Reformation" which successfully regained many areas that initially turned Protestant. Permanent losses were limited to northern Germany, northern Switzerland, Holland, Scandinavia, England and Scotland. 

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Shift 2 of the Weekend Job
TV footie

Twitter Followers = 2,028 (no change)
Non-followed eliminated = 2
@ProNetworkBuild, @kbwealth3
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 1
@MurrayNewlands, 
Spammers not followed back = 1
@DrKeithKantor 

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

Missus meeting with doctors, despite my pushy written input, did not result in further investigation. Convinced Missus has simply twisted her knee, they just gave her a sick note for two weeks and some posture advice. There's now nothing to be done for a fortnight, after which the knee will be better or they'll finally get it scanned.

On the personal front, development has reached a very interesting point. I can now cease internal thought at will, but it takes continual concentration to do it. I am now visualizing my mind as a strong young dog on a leash that I have to keep tight to control the dog. 

Internal silence does not mean the absence of mental activity. There's a conscious feeling of "knowing" from which actions occur. These actions are not flawless, because they still only come from my imperfect mind, but they are considerably better that those that arise from random thought. Eliminating random thought considerably decreases the degree of internal chaos.

It's taken me a very long time to reach this point as I've needed much evidence and experience to convince me that intuition can govern this character better than thought can. I am no longer in any doubt. The next short-term objective is to spend the majority of the day in internal silence.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Which part of you can run you better?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Dry, calm and mild throughout, with plenty of sunny/clear spells
Max Temp = 14 degC at 1pm
Min Temp = 11 degC at midnight
Sunrise at 07:04
Sunset at 16:36
Moon: 

Weathertrack: A very large anticyclone over Eastern Europe will extend over England and Wales, drawing mild air from the south and restricting a long weather front to Scotland and Ireland
Air Pressure: 1019 millibars and rising

6. TODAY'S ONELINER
I'm too lazy to write an autobiography. That's the story of my life. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
Kristen Carney on Gentleman's Clubs

8. TRIVIA
The Romans invented central heating and would warm rooms from under the floor using what was called a hypocaust, literally “heat from below.” Homes of some rich people had both running water and central heating.

9. ZEN WISDOM
Adversity reveals your true nature.

FRIDAY 30th OCTOBER 2015 07:18 GMT

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
30th October 1995
The 2nd Quebec Referendum
The second Quebec Referendum was a public ballot held in the Canadian province of Quebec to decide if it would become an independent country. 

Quebec is the only province of Canada where the majority of the population is French-speaking and Roman Catholic. In the 1960's, though there was a rapid increase in secularization, there was also a rise in Quebec nationalism and culture. This culminated in 1980 in the provincial government calling a referendum over independence. With the opposition federalists launching a clever campaign emphasizing they were both proud Quebecois and proud Canadians, the proposal was resoundly defeated. 

However, the strong NO vote was based on promises that Quebec would be given special status within Canada. Subsequently, when two different political accords to facilitate this, the Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional accords were not carried out, the latter rejected by a nationwide Canadian referendum, there was a strong sense of injustice in the province.

In 1994 the separatist Parti Quebecois led by Jacques Parizeau won the provincial election and immediately announced a referendum on independence that was held the following year. Unlike the first referendum, the NO campaign was poorly run, and the separatists were confident of victory. The referendum prompted the highest voter turnout in Quebec history of 93.52%

The result was extremely close - The NO vote won by 50.58% to 49.42% - Parizeau resigned the next day controversially blaming the rich and ethnic minorities for the defeat. There was some considerable controversy after the referendum over the rules for rejecting ballot papers, the mass-enfranchising of immigrants and misappropriated funds for the NO campaign. Furthermore, since the federal government had no say in the referendum, the unilateral declaration of independence planned by the separatists in the event of a YES vote would have caused a constitutional crisis as the Canadian Supreme Court would have declared it illegal.

The controversy went on for a further ten years, but Quebec was finally formally recognized as a distinct society within Canada by the Federal Government by the Calgary declaration of 1997 and was given increased powers of veto. 

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Shift 1 of the Weekend Job
TV Comedy night

Twitter Followers = 2,028 (down 1)
Non-followed eliminated = 1
@MancHypnosis
Unfollowers eliminated = 0
-
New Followers followed back = 0
-
Spammers not followed back = 0
- 

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

With Missus having an important GP consultation today, I will be sending a covering letter to push them a bit further than Missus would. We need a diagnosis ASAP so we know what we're up against. 

Aside from this large issue, within myself it's simply a case of getting on with stuff, as my intuition continues to take over the government from my conscious thought. There has however been another subconscious memory malfunction yesterday - I bought Missus a magazine she already subscribes to. This is the latest incident where the subconscious failed to "prod" me as it would have in previous years. 

Chatting to people of the same age, it would seem that this is one of the symptoms of ageing. They all report a general rise in "forgetfulness". To counter this, a checking regime is now required on an increasing number of scenarios:
Typing - I can no longer subconsciously type - I have to consciously spell the words and look at the keyboard rather than simply let my fingers do it themselves.
Keys - I need a checking regime that I haven't left them in in locks!
Bags and belongings - have I brought them all with me?
Buying stuff - do we have it already?

I fear that with age, this checking regime will expand! I do however fully accept the ageing experience as intrinsic to the character experience, so it's simply a case of changing behaviour to adapt to it.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you successfully adapting and coping with what you have experienced?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Persistent and occasionally heavy rain is expected during the morning with fog over the Pennines but will move during the afternoon. Further rain is expected overnight, and brisk southerly winds. It will stay mild overnight and become foggy. 
Max Temp = 15 degC at 1pm
Min Temp = 9 degC at 7am
Sunrise at 07:02
Sunset at 16:38
Moon: 

Weathertrack: A series of weather fronts will move north across Britain

Air Pressure: 1011 millibars and rising

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Researchers claim that the internet is making us more stupid & impatient. Huh? Whatever. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

The Graham Norton Show: Cameron Diaz on her public statements

8. TRIVIA

Ancient Egyptians knew the existence of Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter. They had names for them such as Sebequ,a god associated with Seth, (Mercury), “god of the morning” (Venus), “bull of the sky” (Saturn), “Horus the red” or “Horus of the horizon” (Mars), and “Horus who limits the Two Lands” (Jupiter).

9. ZEN WISDOM

To the extent that we contemplate ourselves and elevate our state of life, we can deepen our understanding of others. Someone who does so is capable of recognizing and treasuring people’s individuality. A person of wisdom tries to invigorate others and bring out the best in them.

THURSDAY 29th OCTOBER 2015 07:50 GMT

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
29th October 1618
The execution of Sir Walter Raleigh
Raleigh was born to a Protestant family in Devon, the son of Walter Raleigh and Catherine Champernowne. Little is known of his early life, though he spent some time in Ireland, in Killua Castle, Clonmellon, County Westmeath, taking part in the suppression of rebellions and participating in the Siege of Smerwick. Later, he became a landlord of property confiscated from the native Irish. He rose rapidly in the favour of Queen Elizabeth I and was knighted in 1585. Instrumental in the English colonisation of North America, Raleigh was granted a royal patent to explore Virginia, which paved the way for future English settlements. In 1591, he secretly married Elizabeth Throckmorton, one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting, without the Queen's permission, for which he and his wife were sent to the Tower of London. After his release in 1593, they relocated to his estate at Sherborne, Dorset.

In 1594, Raleigh heard of a "City of Gold" in South America and sailed to find it, publishing an exaggerated account of his experiences in a book that contributed to the legend of "El Dorado". After Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, Raleigh was again imprisoned in the Tower, this time for being involved in the "Main Plot" against King James I, who was not favourably disposed toward him. In 1616, he was released to lead a second expedition in search of El Dorado. This was unsuccessful, and men under his command ransacked a Spanish outpost. He returned to England and, to appease the Spanish, with whom James was making peace, Raleigh was arrested and executed in 1618.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Business Promotional Work
Meditation
Me Time 
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,029 (down 1)
Non-followed eliminated = 2
@fycibugemujy +1 untraced
Unfollowers eliminated = 1 
MattBowd1
New Followers followed back = 1
@AbdulMbindo
Spammers not followed back = 1
@kbwealth3, 

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

The week is shooting by alarmingly fast! The reality is that this perception of speeding time is not going to go away so there needs to be acceptance of it being "normal" - this character's time is limited (like every other!) and simply needs to be made best use of.

Son is struggling with nicotine withdrawal as he has finally bowed to the pressure from all sides to quit smoking. Not liking any of the nicotine substitute or other methods, he has decided to go cold turkey. This has made him tetchy and intolerant, and went too far yesterday. Bless him, he subsequently felt bad and atoned in full by both apologizing and clearing the kitchen. 

I expect the withdrawal will ease over the next few days, then will come the lifelong struggle to permanently stay off it. I'm quite fortunate in that my own more exotic addictions are not generally accessible to the public like tobacco is, so it's an easy job to stay clean. 

With clients slacking off and the other two at home, I've "let myself go" somewhat this week. A little slobbiness does no harm, but it's time to put structure and discipline back into the day. 

I continue to make excellent progress however in intuitively-led internal silence, and I continue to pursue this objective.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Is it time to review your life and decide what you want to achieve with the time left?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
After a mainly dry start, rain and freshening winds will spread from the west this morning. Rain may be heavy in places, especially on the hills, but will clear during the afternoon with sunny spells developing and winds moderating.
After a dry evening with some clear spells, thickening cloud will bring further rain from the southwest after midnight, and with some fog on the hills by morning.
Max Temp = 12 degC at noon
Min Temp = 9 degC at midnight
Sunrise at 07:00
Sunset at 16:40
Moon:

Weathertrack: A series of weather fronts will cross Britain over the next few days

Air Pressure: 1006 millibars and rising

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

My friend and I laugh at how competitive we are, but I laugh more :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Dave Allen on airplanes

8. TRIVIA

The youngest known survivor of breast cancer is Aleisha Hunter from Ontario, Canada. At only three years old, Aleisha underwent a complete mastectomy in 2010 to treat her juvenile strain of breast cancer.

9. ZEN WISDOM

All history is created by courage 

 

WEDNESDAY 28th OCTOBER 2015 07:26 GMT

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
28th October 1886
The Statue Of Liberty is formerly dedicated
The Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States, is dedicated in New York Harbor by President Grover Cleveland, to celebrate 100 years since the Declaration of Independence.

Originally known as “Liberty Enlightening the World,” the statue was proposed by the French historian Edouard de Laboulaye to commemorate the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution. Designed by French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, the 151-foot statue was the form of a woman with an uplifted arm holding a torch. Its framework of gigantic steel supports was designed by Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, the latter famous for his design of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In May 1884, the statue was completed in France, and three months later the Americans laid the cornerstone for its pedestal in New York Harbor. In June 1885, the dismantled Statue of Liberty arrived in the New World, enclosed in more than 200 packing cases. Its copper sheets were reassembled, and the last rivet of the monument was fitted on October 28, 1886, during a dedication presided over by President Cleveland and attended by numerous French and American dignitaries.

On the pedestal was inscribed “The New Colossus,” a sonnet by American poet Emma Lazarus that welcomed immigrants to the United States with the declaration, “Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. / Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. / I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” In 1892, Ellis Island, adjacent to Bedloe’s Island, opened as the chief entry station for immigrants to the United States, and for the next 32 years more than 12 million immigrants were welcomed into New York harbour by the sight of “Lady Liberty.” In 1924, the Statue of Liberty was made a national monument, and in 1956 Bedloe’s Island was renamed Liberty Island. The statue underwent a major restoration in the 1980s.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Shopping
Business promotional work
Meditation
Me Time
Missus Time

Twitter Followers = 2,030 (up 3)
Non-followed eliminated = 0
-
Unfollowers eliminated = 0 
-
New Followers followed back = 2
@GettingGreat, @ElizMaryHancock 
Spammers not followed back = 1
@Cube_Precision

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

Missus knee has not responded at all to the intense bombardment of anti-inflammatories in cream and tablet form, so we can reasonably assume that the area isn't inflamed. Missus having rested it for two full days is coming shopping to see if she can still walk on it. In any case a visit to the doctors on Friday will helpfully move things on with some tests - the most annoying thing is not knowing what the problem is, and therefore nothing being done to help it. I intend to send a reasonably diplomatic "butt-kicking" letter with Missus to the doctor to ensure things get moving.

Outside of this issue, days now pass with alarming speed! This of course I must simply accept and make the best use of. It could be reasonably argued that the several hours I spent adding a new rock compilation to my phone was not the best use of time, but on the other hand I believe music to be highly therapeutic and the time spent an investment.

The practice of Internal Silence is going well and is becoming more natural, though I can still be led by distractions into dark scenarios. Now however I've had clear experience of intuition running things better than thought, it's getting easier to defer all experiences and scenarios to it. This confidence reduces fear, the major "bugger-upper" of wellbeing and so my mind is more freed up to enjoy the delicious sensation of simply being, which of course feeds back in a loop to making internal silence easier.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you developing and growing as a person?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Rain, mostly heavy, most of the day. 
Rain will clear after dark then it will be dry with prolonged clear periods thereafter 
A light south-westerly will pick up in the evening, strengthening and swinging south-easterly overnight
Max Temp = 11 degC at noon
Min Temp = 9 degC at midnight
Sunrise at 06:58
Sunset at 16:42
Moon: 

Weathertrack: A strong weather front will cross Britain today 

Air Pressure: 1006 millibars and static

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

Supermarkets could save me a lot of time and effort by adding an “All the stuff you can microwave” aisle. :D

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Rachel Weisz and Dawn French discuss Daniel Craig - The Graham Norton Show

8. TRIVIA

Greece has no navigable rivers

9. ZEN WISDOM

Life is a struggle, and ultimate victory is only decided in its final chapter. That is why it's important not to become intoxicated by one's success or become disheartened in defeat.

TUESDAY 27th OCTOBER 2015 08:29 GMT

Read my book - ENLIGHTENMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
Also available - EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR ORDINARY FOLK
 
WISDOM, HUMOUR, AND LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF CAN BE FOUND ON MY PINTEREST PAGE and FACEBOOK PAGE
TO FIND OUT WHAT I DO, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE

1. ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
27th October 1970
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber release Jesus Christ Superstar
This musical was their third on from The Likes of Us, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Superstar grew out of Tim Rice’s longtime fascination with Judas Iscariot, whom he conceived not as a craven betrayer of Jesus, but rather as a dear friend struggling with the implications of Jesus’ growing celebrity. Although the musical would later find broad support among leaders of liberal Christian churches, it was nevertheless too controversial to gain the financial backing necessary for a stage production. Lloyd Webber and Rice therefore chose to package Superstar as an album first.

Working with a cast that included Murray Head, later of the pop hit “One Night In Bangkok” (1985), in the role of Judas, Ian Gillan of rock band Deep Purple as Jesus and Yvonne Elliman of the 1977 #1 hit “If I Can’t Have You” as Mary Magdalene, Lloyd Webber and Rice recorded the Jesus Christ Superstar album in the summer of 1970 and released it in Britain and the United States the following Autumn.

The Jesus Christ Superstar album spawned a Top 40 single in versions of “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” by both Yvonne Elliman and Helen Reddy, and it shot all the way to the top of the Billboard album charts in early 1971, paving the way for a smash Broadway opening later that year. 

As with many Rice/Webber compositions, and despite the risky premise, this musical has proved to be a spectacular success and is still performed frequently to this day.

2. TODAY IN MY LIFE
Blogging
Business promotional work
Missus Time
Meditation
Me Time

Twitter Followers = 2,027 (no change)
Non-followed eliminated = 1
@mugasobafasi
Unfollowers eliminated = 0 
-
New Followers followed back =0
-
Spammers not followed back = 1
@tatibakuwop

3. TODAY'S SELF-OBSERVATION

Having the other two home for half-term has not proved particularly irksome - housework has been abandoned, but I get plenty of time to myself as Missus can't move around much due to her poorly knee. I put in enough time to keep her happy yet still get plenty for me.

Very good progress is being made on emptying the mind, and it's having tangible results on my behaviour and wellbeing. Intuition, wordless and thought-free, is proving much better at running this character, making balanced and measured decisions. Now it's starting to have an impact when I'm alone, I want to expand it to all my interactions, so that all my communication comes direct from the intuition rather than from calculated thought. Intuition is faster, simpler and better!

The "price" is that it demands much mental energy and very high levels of concentration to keep in intuitive mode. However I am confident that as my faith and confidence in my own intuition grows, fear diminishes and so my focus does not have to push so hard against it to stay intuitive. This is a very exciting time on the spiritual front, and once I can be intuitive in all communication, confrontation and adversity, this character is going to be seriously effective!

Whilst mind and spirit are flourishing, the body that carries them is of course dying! I believe if everyone over 30 and therefore dying contemplated this, they'd make better use of the time! Never being particularly sporty, the loss of muscle tone and resilience that ends the career of sportsmen in their 30's happened virtually unnoticed. Losing my hair and turning grey also did not really get in my way. It was the appearance of erectile dysfunction in my forties and long-sightedness in my fifties where it finally began to bite.

Erectile dysfunction, though of course upsetting when you're unprepared, is also kinda fascinating to observe. When you're mentally sexually stimulated, you at best get a "semi", but precum, a sign of arousal, flows more-or-less as it did in younger days. The mind and the hormones thus still "work" but the penis itself doesn't - you're horny but with no boner. Annoyingly however, a full bladder at 3am gives you ROCK HARD boners. A natural erection thus now indicates the need for a wee rather than a good cum.   

Physical stimulation if continual and skillful still manages to evoke the appropriate response but the stimulation, physical, mental and visual, has to be strong and everything takes longer. I am therefore fine on my own, but intercourse is more challenging! Missus, bless her, though she has my heart, though keen is not a skilled seductress. How grateful I am therefore to live in the age of cheap Viagra! You have to time the taking of it just right, but it means I can meet her needs.

Of course, ultimately, EVERYTHING has to be let go of - your character simply dissolves back into the universal consciousness, so it's important to make the maximum difference in the limited time available.

4. TODAY'S QUESTION FOR YOU
Are you making the very best of your life?

5. TODAY'S WEATHER IN BRADFORD
Foggy/cloudy and increasingly damp, with a light to moderate easterly wind
Max Temp = 11 degC at 3pm
Min Temp = 9 degC at 9am
Sunrise at 06:57
Sunset at 16:44
Moon:

Weathertrack: Britain will be in a run of mild southerly air as a weather front approaches slowly from the west

Air Pressure: 1009 millibars and falling slightly

6. TODAY'S ONELINER

How come Dracula looked so immaculate when he couldn't see himself in a mirror?

7. NOW THAT'S FUNNY!

Peter Cook & Dudley Moore - The one-legged Tarzan sketch - classic!

8. TRIVIA

Built by the Roman emperor Hadrian (118-125), the Pantheon (“Temple of the Gods”) in Rome is remarkable because its massive dome is made of concrete that has withstood the elements for almost 2,000 years—with no steel reinforcing. The Pantheon was the largest concrete curved dome in existence until the nineteenth century.

9. ZEN WISDOM

One cannot expect to become happy without hardship or effort. Because we challenge ourselves we become strong. To become strong is to become happy.