Two Idioms to Live Your Life By

I love idioms or parables, but you can describe them in any way. There is nothing as effective as a relatable try to help us understand.

Here are two that I think are relevant in today's world - "Know your limitations and "Don't judge others by their cover."

Know your limitations - Excess is not always the best

A boy was singled out by his teacher for being a prize student and doing all the homework that had been asked of him during the week.

The teacher told the boy, “Come up to the front and take some lollies from the jar.”

The boy ran up to the front of the class, eagerly eyeing the big jar of lollies on the teacher’s desk.

When he got there, he put his hand into the jar and grabbed so many lollies that he could not get his hand out of the jar. Reluctant to let go of any, he started to get frustrated and angry.

The teacher turned to him and said, “Be satisfied with a smaller number of lollies, and you will be able to get your hand out.” “It is better to have some than none at all.”

I don’t know about you, but I always set the bar too high. I am a great list maker, but my lists are always more than I can do in a day.

We often get ourselves into situations where we exceed our limitations. Too much to eat, too much to drink, and many other situations that I am sure you are familiar with.

It can sometimes be the same in work situations. We take on too much and burn ourselves out, ultimately setting ourselves back, rather than making long-term progress.

Knowing your limitations is a valuable lesson. Doing so can prevent disappointment and anxiety when things do not work out as planned. We all learn as children that we can’t have or do everything, but sometimes, as adults, we need a reminder.

I know I do.

How about you?

Do You Judge People by Their Cover?

You have heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover. “

Well, the same can be said for people. Branding someone before you know their true story is unfair, and everyone has a story.

There is a parable (that I have modified slightly) that goes like this:

A father was traveling on a train with his ten-year-old son in the same carriage as an elderly couple. The boy talked non-stop to his father.

“Dad, look at those paddocks; they are so green. Green, green, green.”

“Look at the clouds; they are so white in the blue sky. They look like they are chasing it, don’t they Dad?”

“Wow, look at that big lake. The water is so blue, isn’t it?”

The elderly man was starting to get frustrated with the non-stop chatter from the boy; he was trying to read his newspaper.

After a while, the gentleman lowered his paper and said to the father, “You know there are some good doctors who could help your boy. You should think about taking him; it will only get worse.”

Instead of getting upset, the father smiled and replied, “Oh, I know. We have just come from such a doctor. My boy was blind from birth, and today is the first day he has had sight.”

The elderly gentleman recoiled into his newspaper to try and hide his shame.

It is easy to judge people by the way they look. Some people with disabilities have the kindest natures and the purest hearts. They cannot help their disability; they certainly did not ask for it.

Others dressed in the latest fashions are full of self-importance and care little about others. For many, that is how they got their position of wealth.

In this modern world, it is a pertinent reminder of how quickly we can judge, especially when we do not know all the facts.

Till next time,

Calvin

[All rights reserved Calvin London 2024]