The Gossip.

Getting ready to head off back to France for a few weeks  so a few hectic days in front of me. But before that I will meet with my friends today, last time for a while. I was talking to to somebody and saying that  I looked forward to those meeting . it was nice to catch up with all the gossip and hear what had been happening in their lives.

The minute I said that I realised that I had used a word that I seldom ever use, gossip. Gossip is a dangerous thing because it is seldom or ever anything nice that is being said. 

Sadly it is something that happens far too frequently and often in places you would least expect it to happen. 

I found that when I was a minister it often happened in church circles and frequently caused much grief. Again as a teacher in teachers staff rooms it occurred with the same bad consequences. 

Mildred, the church gossip, and self-appointed monitor of the church's morals, kept sticking her nose into other people's business.

Several members did not approve of her extra curricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. 

She made a mistake, however, when she accused Frank, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon. 

She emphatically told Frank (and several others) that every one seeing it there "WOULD KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING!"

Frank, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away.  He didn't explain, defend, or deny. He said nothing.

Later that evening, Frank quietly parked his pickup in front of Mildred's house... Walked home... and left it there all night.

Not what would be said about that in the morning, because everybody would know exactly what was happening.

Have a gossip free day. I am off to share life experiences with my friends. 

Travel Arrangements.

Yes, I know another Iona painting.This one was promised to a friend who is organising a charity event. I have to say that working on an easel has not been easy with my elbow and my fingers seem to be getting sore rather fast because of it. Not sure if this is ready for a frame need to consider it for a bit, not that I have much time to do so.  But I cannot manage paint today.

I found myself saying a few times yesterday, "What we do for friends." I am sure some of my friends will tell me how I could make this a bit better. 

This reminded me of an account Of a prisoner and his wife. He had been sent to jail and his wife did not want to be parted from him so on her first visit to the prison she covered her hands in super glue. As they held hand they became glued together.  

There new found closeness was short lived, their separation was indeed painful.

 This technique is not recommended for a "close relationship." 

If you want more closeness... if you desire relationships that are deeper and broader, more meaningful and longer-lasting, then remember the acronym for "TRAVEL."

T is for TRUST - 
Trust is the glue that holds people together (not Super Glue). A relationship will go nowhere without it.

R is for RESPECT 
- Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead. It's about respecting others and letting them know that you value them.

A is for AFFECTION 
- Sometimes affection means love. Sometimes it means a touch. Always it means kindness.

V is for VULNERABILITY 
- Though we may feel afraid to let another too close, no relationship will go anywhere without risking vulnerability.  The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness, also keep out the joy.  And the love.

E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY 
- Learn to be open. Learn to communicate freely. What kinds of relationships you make are largely determined by how openly you have learned to communicate.

L is for LAUGHTER 
- Victor Borge got it right when he said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." It's also the most enjoyable.

For relationships that can really go somewhere, just remember the word "TRAVEL"
... Then enjoy the trip!

And enjoy today as you travel through it with your friends. 

A bad Day ??

This is the painting I should have put on yesterday. This is the North Beach on Iona a place where I spent many peaceful hours on my own in the year I spent there. 

Trouble was I could not find it when I was looking on my computer for it. We all have those kind of days. I began to work on the pastel of Iona which has to be complete for Friday. I am doing it for a charity event next Saturday.

I managed to to do the drawing before my elbow starts playing up again.  We shall see what today brings.

I was not the only one having a bad day yesterday. My friend appeared later than I am used to seeing him. His computer was failing to connect to the internet. A visit to get things sorted out. Problem solved. 

As I say we all have bad days and they can get us down.  But let us get it into some kind of perspective. 

These are verified true accounts of the peoples bad days.

After the Exxon Valdez disaster a conservation group spent thousands to rescue animals and birds effected by the event. The two most expensive rescues were two seals. Eventually after much care and attention and feeding they were ready for the wild.  They had arranged a release ceremony and many onlookers had turned up for the release. 

With much applause they were returned to the sea. The onlookers were shocked when two minutes later in full view, A killer whale swallowed both of them.

A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist to the electric kettle. Intending to jolt him from the current she whacked him with a large plank of wood that was nearby by the back door.  In so doing she broke his arm in two places. Until that moment he was happily listening to his favourite band on his walkman. 

Two animal rights protesters were protesting at the cruelty of send wild pigs to a slaughterhouse in Germany. Suddenly the pigs, all 2,000 of them escaped through a broken fence, trampling over the two protesters and trampling them to death.

And finally I am equally certain this is another true account.

A terrorist, Khay Rahnajet, didn't pay enough postage on a letter bomb he had sent to an embassy. It was returned to him marked, "return to sender." Forgetting it was a bomb, he opened it and was blown to bits.

  I think we need to consider bad days in the light of other peoples bad day. Not so bad at all. 

Have a great day.

A lesson Learned.

While on Iona I learned many things, but probably the most important thing of all that I learned was that I had much more to learn. The other thing was that if I wanted life to have any meaning and value that it would not be imposed upon me I would have to do it myself. 

I remember one day at the end of the winter walking alone on the beach at the north of Iona. Beautiful white sands and blue seas. It was not a warm day but warm enough to sit down on the sand and compose a poem.

Iona Beach.

I stood upon that empty beach

alone among its beauty.

Cerulean the sea stretched out 

to kiss the waiting sky

Caressing the dutchman Cap

Crashing on the cave of Staffa.

A timpani of sound I could not hear. 

But in my mind it sang.

Bare feet on golden sands

Whispering grass atop the white faced dunes.

No words could ere express the inner beat

In majesty so rare.

In that lingering moment time stood still,

So small I felt.

Stooping ,I took within my palm a million grains of sand.

letting it trickle through outstretched fingers.

Reminding me of ever moving time

Like the sands of time that pass

through the hourglass of life.

Each grain had its place and part 

in the forming of a beach

Each a part in the wonder of life.

I my part must also find,

to make the greater part. 

It is not about changing things it is about finding our place in it all.

There was a very wealthy man who was bothered with severe eye pain. He had consulted many specialists all to know avail. He had consumed many medicines  and undergone many treatments. Still the ache persisted. 

As a final effort he went to consult  a monk supposedly an expert on such problems. The monk listened to his tale of woe and told him if he was to solve this problem then he was only to look at the colour green.

He was prepared to spend all he had. He had his whole house and garden painted green. Everything that his eye might fall upon he had painted green just as the monk had directed.

No expense was spared. 

It did seem to be working because his eye was giving him little pain. When the monk heard his tale of expense at making everything green the monk burst into laughter. 

"Would it not have been cheaper to purchase a pair of green tinted spectacles?"

You cannot paint the world green. Instead let us change our vision of it. It is foolish to try and shape the world first let us shape ourselves. 

I hope this is not too over sentimental. Have a wonderful day. 

 

 

Singing while you work.

I spent one of the most interesting years of my life on this little island, three miles long one and half miles across. At that time the population on the island was almost 80 and that included those eight or nine of us who lived permanently in the Abbey.

It was a time of real change in my life having given up my regular job and trying to teach myself enough to get into either university or collage to become a youth worker or maybe more. 

I look at the many paintings I have done of the island and think of the people I shared that time with often. It was at this time that I had definitely decided to give up being a member of the 99 club and to find ways of making life more meaningful and hopefully happier. 

What is the 99 club I hear you say?

Once there was a King who, despite all the wealth he had was neither happy nor content. 

One day as he rode through the village near his castle he saw a poor looking man working and toiling and yet singing. Fascinated by this the king wondered how it was the he the supreme leader of all he surveyed did not seem as happy as this poor man. 

The King went to the poor man and asked him why he was so happy. The man responded instantly telling him that he might not have much but he was able to feed his family and to give them a roof over their heads. he had a good wife and two lovely children.

The king returned to his castle still perplexed by the answer he had been given.  He called in his most trusted adviser and asked him how this could be? 

"Ah, it is simple," said the adviser. "He has as yet not been made part of the 99 Club."

"And what is the 99 Club," asked the king.  The adviser told the king that if he truly wanted to know he should put 99 gold coins in a bag and leave them at the door of the poor man and watch closely.

The king did just that. 

When the poor man found the bag of gold coins he could not believe his fortune.  he took the bag into the house and counted them four times. Each time he counted 99. He then began to wonder what had happened to the hundredth coin, because surely nobody would leave only 99. 

He searched everywhere for the missing coin to complete the collection.  Finally on failing to find it he decided he would have to work harder to earn it and make the 100 complete. He did just that. 

From that day his life changed. he became tired with work he began to get irritable and unable to sleep. He became very grumpy and complained that none of them were helping him to earn the extra gold coin.  He stopped singing at work instead become grouchy. 

The king had watched this happening and spoke with his adviser. " He has now become a member of the 99 Club and is no longer happy with his lot and is permanently seeking to get more and better."

"The 99Club is the name given to all those who have enough to be happy but are never happy with what they have. They are always yearning more and striving for that extra one." 

They tell themselves that if they get that one thing then they will be content but they never are. 

Did my year on the island change me? For certain it did it resulted in, "An interesting life."

My wish for you all is just that an interesting life. Have a great day. 

  

Try too hard.

Have you ever felt that you just tried too hard to make something happen.? I get that feeling so often in life. The trouble is the harder we try, how often the worse it gets.

I spent ages trying to paint those hands I showed the other day in pastel on a sheet of black paper and try as I might I could not get it to work for me.

There is a lovely tale about the Buddha . One day he was out walking with some of his followers and students. It was a warm and beautiful day. They had been walking for some time and the noon day sun was warm. They decided to stop and take a time of rest at the side of a river. 

The Buddha suggested they get some water from the river to sooth their thirst. One of the students took a bowl and headed down to the bank. Just as he arrived a group of women began washing cloth in the river. The action stirred up some of the mud from the river bed. 

Then along came a man with two ox and a cart and he led them into the water, again stirring up much of the mud from the river bed. 

He returned to the group and told them the water was far too muddy to drink. The buddha told them to rest and wait. 

Sometime later he suggested once again that they go and get some water. Again the student took the bowl and headed down to the river. 

This time he returned with a bowl filled with clear refreshing water.  The buddha took the bowl and said to the student. "You see you have now got clear water and it did not take much effort on your or our part to get it."

It is a bit like our mind and our striving. Sometimes we try far too hard when what we should be doing is taking outr time and clearing the head and letting things happen naturally. 

Have a wonderful day.

What Do You See?

Hands that do painting.

For those who live in the uk you will know exactly the little ditty that is in my mind. I will let you finish it sure that Jim will come up with something clever. 

It never fails to amaze me what sparks in my mind and sets me off on wild fantasies. This is another from the iPad but this one for sure I am going to do On pastel paper and on reflection I think I might do it on a black background. It just might help to see the real meaning of this painting. 

One day a professor entered the lecture hall and asked the students to take out a sheet of paper and pen and prepare for an examination.. He then went round each student and laid before them a sheet of paper with the blank side showing up. 

Once prepared he told them to turn over the sheet of paper and write what they saw before them. On doing so they noticed that the sheet of paper had just one black dot printed in the centre of the sheet. 

They all looked up and the professor said, "I want you to write about what you."

After a bit of confusion they all began to write.  At the end of the allotted time the papers were gathered in. The professor read out what each student had written.

Without exception they had all written about the black dot, describing its size and position on the page.

After reading the last one there was a deathly hush in the room. The professor then told the students he was not going to grade the test merely discuss the results with them.

"Did you notice that everybody without exception wrote about the size and position of the black dot?  Nobody wrote about the white paper on which the dot appeared. Everyone of you focused on the black dot, exactly what we do in life. We have a white page to observe and enjoy but we concentrate instead on the little black dots, the little failures. 

We have much to rejoice in, nature renewing itself day by day, our friends around us, our aims in life , our hopes and ambitions, the little miracles that happen every day. The very fact that another day stretches before us. The love we give and receive."

"However, we insist on focusing only on the dark spots. The health issues that bother us, the lack of wealth, complicated relationships, and out little disappointments of others. These dark spots are small compared to everything else we have in life and we let them pollute the rest."

"Take your eyes away from the black spots in life and enjoy instead the many good things that life and nature give. Be happy and be positive."

Have a wonderful day. 

  

Lazy.

Do you ever find yourself getting angry while watching television and people are going on and on about what society should be doing to help them in their difficult situations?

I do not find myself very often but yesterday I just could not stop myself. I do feel bad that I had this reaction. There was a person being interviewed who had five children. She had a lovely looking sitting room and the children all looked very well dressed and cared for. So she was doing a good job. There was an enormous television in the room. 

My first reaction was that she was doing well. Then she began to  complain that she was finding life hard. Her friends on Facebook seemed to have more than she did it was just not fair. The fact that she had friends on Facebook meant that she had access to internet  and data. 

The five children had four different fathers non of whom she had ever lived with. She had never had a job since leaving school because she was so often pregnant. 

Now I am aware that I was being judgemental and allowing my own very difficult and poor background to influence my thinking and you might be right to think I was in the wrong. Trust me I am giving my reaction very serious thought and will be the first to admit I might have not looked deeply enough. 

I found myself thinking about this ancient tale.

There was a very lazy man who spent most of his time finding ways to feed himself that did not involve labour.  One day he noticed a fruit farm with sweet looking fruit ready for eating. Seeing nobody around he stole into the place and began to pick some fruit.

He then noticed the owner approach and ran off into a nearby forest.

In the forest he saw something that made him stop and watch. What he saw was a fox that had lost the use of its back legs. The lazy man wondered how this fox managed to feed itself in such a condition. It cannot run after food how is it staying alive?

At that very moment a lion came into view with a piece of meat in its mouth. All the animals on seeing the lion ran away except for the fox who could not.  The lazy man got himself up into a tree. As he watched he saw the lion drop the meat before the fox!

The lazy man was amazed at the way of nature, the way of the Chi. That nature seemed to care for its own. 

He then felt that it must be the same for him that nature would look after him. So he found a comfortable place to sit and wait for nature to nurture him. He sat for two days waiting for food but nothing came his way. Finally hunger was taking over and he prepared to leave.

As he began to leave an old sage appeared on the path. He spoke to the sage about what he had seen. he then asked, "Oh wise one why has nature looked after  the crippled fox and yet that very same nature, chi, has been cruel to me?"

The old sage looked at him and smiled, "It is true that nature has its plans and its way. You are part of nature and part of that plan. But my son. You have read this sign that you saw wrongly. Nature does not want you to be like the fox. Nature wants you to be like the lion."

I know some of my friends who read these will tell me, various things. Trust me I am doing loads of thinking. 

Have a marvellous day. 

When to give up?

We have heard much about the entertainer Bruce Forsyth in the last few days after his death.  He had indeed become very much a part of the world of entertainment.

I have to admit to watching some of his output with its slick yet seeming off the cuff presentation skills. As a minister I know that the skill of looking as everything is off the cuff takes a great deal of preparation and for this I admired him. I also admired the William Barclay preacher and professor for the exact same skill.  His lecture notes were marked where he would walk away from the podium and a further mark where he would return. That takes practice and work.

Recently I had given up on watching Bruce on TV. he was churning out the same material he had done for years, good on him , but I just felt the one skill he had not learned was when to give up. 

There comes a time for all of us when it is time to move on and think of something else to fill the days between rising and sleeping.  I hope I have enough friends who will be willing to tell me when to give up on writing this every day. 

I heard an interview the other day of an elderly lady who had just got married for the fourth time. She was now 84 years of age. Something else Bruce never tired of, getting married. 

The elderly lady was interviewed on Radio 4 and it was an interesting interview to say the least.

The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 84, and then about her new husband's occupation.

"He's a funeral director," she answered.

"Interesting," the newsman thought.

He then asked her if she wouldn't mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living.

She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years. After a short time, a smile came to her face and she explained that she first married a banker when she was in her early 20's, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40's, later on a preacher when in her 60's, and now, in her 80's, a funeral director.

The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers.

"Easy, son," she smiled. "I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go!"

The show must go on. have a wonderful day. 

Troubled Thoughts.

One of the only blessing of my struggle with this infected elbow, yes there is always a silver lining to every situation, is that the medication has meant deep sleeps during the night.

For most of my life if not all of it sleep has never come easy. My mind is greedy to be active and it refuses to stop even when I feel tired. I have written sermons in the middle of the night and got out of bed to make notes just in case they were not with me in the morning. 

The same with writing examination papers and worksheets and teaching plans. UP I would get to write down notes of what I was hearing. 

Some of my best painting have come to me in the wee small hours. I am sure I am not alone in this. My daughter gave me a little speaker that fits inside my pillow so that I can listen to the world broadcast during the night. 

I really cannot remember sleeping as I have these past few weeks. But this was not the case for the man in the tale I wish to share with you. 

Ramchand and Premchand were neighbours. Ramchand was a poor farmer. Premchand was a landlord.

Ramchand used to be very relaxed and happy. He never bothered to close the doors and windows of his house at night. He had deep sound sleeps. Although he had no money he was peaceful, and his dealing with others left him relaxed and clear of worry.

Premchand used to be very tense always. He was very keen to close the doors and windows of his house at night. He could not sleep well. He was always bothered that someone might break open his safe and steal away his money. He envied the peaceful Ramchand.

One day, Premchand visited Ramchand and gave him a boxful of cash saying, “Look my dear friend. I am blessed with plenty of wealth. I find you in poverty. So, take this cash and live in prosperity.”

Ramchand was overwhelmingly happy. He was joyful throughout during that day. 

When night came, Ramchand went to bed as usual. But, this night, he could not sleep. He went and closed the doors and windows. He still could not sleep. He began to keep on looking at the box of cash. The whole night he was disturbed.

As soon as day broke, Ramchand took the box of cash to Premchand. He gave  the box to Premchand saying, “Dear Friend, I am poor. But, your money took away peace from me. Please bear with me and take back your money.”

There are more important things in life than material wealth. 

Hell?

Not the painting you expected, not the one on my Facebook page. Only those who read it will know the difference .

For a great many the above painting will not be one that you like. I am aware of this and have never in the past posted anything anywhere near it  because I am aware. The last time I showed a painting of a naked body one of my friends commented that maybe I should be thinking that I am too old for that.

I felt at that moment that I was on the brink of standing before the pearly gates. 

The human form was something for years I kept well away from drawing or painting. It has to be perfect or it will look terrible. This in fact is not the case, I learned so my fears disappeared and I made some terrible attempts. 

The one thing about painting the human form is that it is an exercise of control and serious contemplation over what is being drawn.

Enough of that let us return to the pearly gates. 

Once upon a time, there was a man who had the heart of kindness and love all his life. 

When death came everyone just assumed and said that he would now be at peace in heaven, the only place for a good man like he. 

The man himself had never given thought to what would happen to him after death, he was only interested in living the peaceful life. 

Now this is where the story takes a twist. When he checked in at the pearly gates the assistant of peter made an error and on checking his name sent him straight to hell. 

On arrival at hell no check is made because all are very welcome. So he entered and stayed. 

Some days later the devil storms up to the gates of heaven and demands an explanation.

"What is this all about? This is pure terrorism!" he said. "You sent that man down to hell and he is completely undermining me! From day one he has been listening to people, looking them in the eye, talking to them. Now everybody is sharing their feelings and hugging each other . This is not the sort of thing I want in hell!. Please take him back where he belongs.

Now back to the painting. Concentration and thought and seeing people as they really are  brings its own awareness and peace. 

Those who have a peaceful state of mind, a mind full of understanding and compassion in their everyday life, experience a sort of heaven and create  that around them.

Those on the other hand with an agitated mind experience a kind of living hell and cannot help but create negativity around them. 

To see people as they are and appreciate them for what they are is the road to peace. 

Have a marvellous day.

  

Games People Play.

Games People Play. 

You can hardly believe some of the tales that you overhear on the golf course. Apart from all the putts that sat on the lip of the hold and refused to go in and all those marvellous shots that just about happened. 

What I did not know was that there was golf in the afterlife, not that I am ready to tee off there just yet. 

But I heard the Peter and God played frequently.

Peter is a testament to material values, decked out as he is in the latest golf fashion, with a brand new set of clubs and all the accoutrements.

God, in contrast, is a picture of virtue wearing his old gardening clothes and trailing a tatty old canvas bag with a real mixture of ancient and rusting clubs, some of which even have hickory shafts.

On the first hole St Peter smacks a beauty 275 yards straight down the middle.
God, however, tops his drive that trickles along the ground.

It only travels about 70 yards but just before it's about to stop a rabbit runs out of the gorse, grabs the ball in its mouth and hurtles off down the fairway while St Peter watches in astonishment.

Before the rabbit can reach safety, however, a magnificent eagle swoops down and snares the rabbit in its talons before rising majestically, the rabbit still struggling in its grasp but defiantly holding the golf ball in its mouth.

As the eagle soars over the green a bolt of a lightning from a clear blue sky strikes it, killing the bird instantly. It drops the rabbit, which in turn drops the golf ball, which strikes a sprinkler head at the side of the green and takes one bounce straight into the hole for an ace on a par-5 hole.

St Peter slowly turns and says to God: "Are you going to show off all day or are we here to play golf?"

Now I am sure you are aware that this is a funny story.  This next little tale is not so funny at all and knowing some golfers it could well be a very true story. 

Alex and Jim are trying to get in a quick eighteen holes, but there are two terrible lady golfers in front of them hitting the ball everywhere but where it's supposed to go. 

Alex comments to Jim, "Why don't you go over and ask if we can play through?" 
Jim gets about halfway there, turns and comes back so Alex asks, "What's wrong?" 

Jim replies, "One of them is my wife, and the other is my mistress."
Alex responds, "That could be a problem. I'll go over and have a word." 

He gets about halfway there and he turns and comes back, too. 
So Jim says, "What's wrong?"

Alex murmurs, "Small world."

Have a marvellous day.

Please describe.

Another of my older paintings.

Had a rather pensive and thoughtful day until I met up with my good friends for a bit. We then went back a long way as we recalled some of those funny moments that cheer the inner being. 

Somehow or other we started talking about when we were both teachers and preparing students for examinations. This is probably because right now the students of today are just getting the results of the examinations they sat just before the summer break.

Examinations are a very serious moment in the lives of most students and it is understandable that they sometimes have a little sense of panic and make some rather sill silly mistakes. 

Like myself there are teachers who keep notes of those and they find there way into the staff rooms of the land.  

Let me give your day a light start and a smile. 

Name some famous pilgrimages. 

Muslims used to go to Gamages but now it’s closed. Christians still go on pilgrimage to Lord’s.

Name the four seasons. 

Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

What is the equator?
A menagerie lion running around the Earth through Africa.

Name a greenhouse gas. What could be done to decrease global warming?
Cows make large amounts of methane when they fart. This could be reduced by fitting them with catalytic converters.

Now that I would really love to see. 

How are the main parts of the body categorised? (E.g. abdomen.)
The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The branium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O and U.

Briefly describe the skeleton and its function in the body.
The skeleton is what is left after the insides have been taken out and the outsides have been taken off. The purpose of the skeleton is something to hitch the meat onto.

And one last little one.

What is the Fibula? A little lie. 

Go on smile and have a good day.

                                

There Seem No Words.

There are times in life when words just seem meaningless. I arrived home yesterday from a nice quiet time spent with friends to hear about the events in Spain. I like many of you have walked down those very streets. I have taken school trips and walked down those streets. 

Words can never express the horror we feel so maybe I should not even try. 

I gather my words from the depths of my heart,

My feeling and thoughts let free over the boundaries of space.

Like the scent of a rose on the wind I send my feelings

To those  in innocence walked the paths I trod.

To face the hate of horror.

Like raging waves my heart cries out.

I gather courage from the peeled rose,

Allowing strength my bones to fill.

To console and ease the pain,

to sail through storms.

When words alone seem not enough .

Yet all we have to express love. 

Like me I am sure your thoughts are with those in Spain this day. 

Don't get greedy.

I have been doing a little painting thesis last few days but taking it slowly and easily so here today is another of my abstracts from the past. This one one is in the pile that will eventually be painted over. I called it the journey of life.

A bit of a shambles of a painting to be honest but for many life can so easily be a bit of a shambles. Yesterday I had a tee time booked to play a little golf. I drove all the way to Aberdour to discover I had left the wheels of my trolly back at home. I cancelled my time and drove home collected my wheels and drove back in time to grasp another free slot of somebody who had cancelled because it was raining. 

Such is the ways of life.

I heard an interesting comment made more than once yesterday by a group of golfers playing not far from me. "Do not get greedy play safe." 

Now here is a little ditty that might be appropriate in so many places. If found myself giving thought to just what is greed. If we do not desire something, can we ever succeed? Is this the same as greed?

What do the famous teachers of old say about greed?

A student asked his teacher this very question, "What is Greed?" 

The teacher told the student to walk through the field of corn and select the best grain of corn he could find. "But there is one rule, you cannot turn back for what you have passed. You must pick only as you move forward."

The student did as told. He walked through the field and as he did so he saw a beautiful grain of wheat. He instantly liked this and fell in love with it. He did not pick it because he thought there might be another bigger and better one yet before him. He looked and looked as he travelled through the field. he saw many good grains but none as good as the one he had already passed. 

Eventually he arrived at the far side of the field empty handed. He returned to the teacher and told him his tale of searching for better. 

The teacher looked at him, "You did find one seed that you thought was wonderful but kept looking for bigger and better.  But you discovered that there was no bigger or better. That my student is what we call greed."

I was walking up the ninth fairway and watched the group behind me play off the sixth tee. Don't get greedy I could almost hear the older one say. Play safe. As I moved towards my ball I saw his drop in the centre of the green and roll towards the hole where it disappeared from sight. A hole in one. 

It was not for me, maybe I was not playing safe maybe I was being greedy and trying too hard. I certainly have done that in the past and lost out more than once. 

Have a trouble free day and play safe.