Quote of the Week

"Goodness is the only investment which never fails."

-Henry David Thoreau

Goodness Simplified

Sometimes being good to those closest to you is the hardest thing to do.  I suppose in one way or another its easy.  You know what the other person likes, or exactly what their needs might be. You have time with them and so on.  But I find that just because I'm privy to this necessary information and I am always around my dear ones doesn't always mean I do something about it.  

Today as I was driving the kids to school I was thinking as I always try to do ("try" being the key word as loud noise makes this hard to do!).  In my mind I think I am being good to my family or dear ones by always planning and preparing.  Planning and preparing a new meal, which consists of recipe research, shopping for obscure items and "don't interrupt me" cooking time.  Planning and preparing a nice and comfortable home which consists of constant cleaning, shopping for things to organize with or "necessary" things to make the house more cozy and inviting.  Planning and preparing for a trip which consists of more shopping, organizing, packing,  gathering etc. etc.  And the list could on and on with all of the things that we are "getting ready" and preparing for.  It's a lot of business.  Your business might look different than mine but in one way or another it's all the same.  

And here is the point . . .  most of the time all of the preparation and planning and doing sucks the life out of the actual event or end result which is suppose to the be the "good" and quality thing.  To some end we complicate our own lives (I'm quite guilty of this).  It's the doing versus being.  Doing something for your family rather than just being with them.  I am a doer and I can do, do, do until I am no fun to be with.  

And today as I drove my kids to school, the sun was shining and the leaves were radiating beauty, and I thought what is the point of all of the doing if you are never going to stop and actually enjoy the end result.  One thing always leads to another and there is always doing to be done.  

So be good to those closet to you by just "being good" to each other in the most simplest of ways.  Slowing down, stopping for conversations and listening,  enjoying just being together and being enjoyable to be around.  Enjoy the the end result of all of your hard work. And better yet, enjoy each other while you do what you have to do!