Author: Susan Schulte

“Forever is composed of nows.”

This quote is by Emily Dickinson, an American poet who lived in the 1800s.  Her poems are well known and they are regularly part of literature courses at universities and high schools.

Dickinson’s words are a reminder that what we do and say each day matters.  That it’s not just certain occasions or times of accomplishment that have value (although they do also), but that every day does.  Often in our modern world there is an emphasis on what is coming next rather than on making the most of the present.

It’s special to see how young children naturally live in the present.  I often take my grandson, who is a toddler, to a park near his home.  As I watch him enjoying running from place to place and playing on the playground equipment, I’m reminded of this.  And when I am with him and feeling happy that he is happy and healthy, I too appreciate the present, for my focus is on what he is doing and not on something I need to do later.

Each day there are opportunities to treat each other with kindness and respect, to be nonjudgmental, to offer our assistance, to express gratitude, and in many other ways to do our part to add to that which is positive in our world.  And during the times when we are not with others, to spend the gift of time well no matter what we’re doing.  That can include exercising, doing housework, walking the dog—all of these activities matter too.  Silent prayer while doing such activities adds even more value to what we are doing.

For those who are not already doing so, I encourage you to learn about Jungian psychology and through that to endeavor to be more conscious persons.  Becoming more conscious adds positive change and meaning to our lives, helping us to live each day more fully.  I especially recommend Jungian analyst John A. Sanford’s books.  And it certainly can be beneficial to meet with a Jungian therapist.

Everything we do each day makes up our “forever.”  Whatever we are able to do to add to that which is good and right for others and for ourselves adds purpose, meaning, and beauty to that forever.

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you’?”

This quote is by William Arthur Ward who was an American motivational writer.  He was known for writing positive sayings which appeared in many publications and other media.

This quote caught my attention, both because of the importance of expressing our thankfulness and also because of the unique way Ward reminds us of the gift of life, of the 86,400 seconds of life we have each day.

As we go about our day doing the various activities we need to do, it can be easy to take for granted the many things for which we should be grateful–our families and friends, health, abilities, jobs, people who have been positive influences, and the opportunities that come our way.  And the clean air we breathe, the birdsong we hear, the beauty of the sky, and the many other aspects of nature, not only in the countryside but also in urban areas.  The list of things for which we should be thankful goes on and on.

Focusing on the many blessings we have rather than on what we don’t have adds to our sense of wellbeing and helps us to be more positive in general.  In fact, there are research studies that have found that this approach helps to decrease the effects of depression and other mental illnesses.

Each day is a gift from our Creator.  It’s important to value that gift and, as Ward reminds us, to say thank you for that gift.

“From my point of view, God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us.”

This quote is by Pope Francis, who was Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 2013 until 2025.  He was the first Pope from a Latin American country, and he was known for his concern for the poor, migrants, and refugees, his emphasis on God’s mercy, and his humility, as well as for many other qualities.

Pope Francis’ description of God as the light that illuminates the darkness causes me to think about the gift of faith.  For having faith helps us as we take the steps of our earthly journey and gives meaning to that journey.  The light that illuminates also brings to mind the word “enlightened”—being able to recognize truth and to remember the good that is in others.

His words “even if it does not dissolve it,” referring to the darkness, reminds us of the realty that life will always include challenges, times of doubt, not having the clarity about certain things that we would like to have, and wondering why certain realities are as they are, including the presence of evil in the various forms it takes.

And Pope Francis’ words “a spark of divine light is within each of us” reminds us that our Creator created each one of us as a unique human being and gave us, and continues to give us, life for as long as we are on our earthly journeys and beyond.  That divine light is also our inner voice who gives us guidance each day–the guidance that comes to us through our dreams, synchronicities, unanticipated happenings, our intuition, and in other ways.  Knowing that divine light is within us is a reassuring source of hope.

I am thankful for Pope Francis’ words and for all that he did to make our world a better place for many people during his earthly journey.

“We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.”

This quote is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, author, and resistance leader against Nazism.  He was imprisoned and later killed when he was 39 years old for his involvement in the resistance.

When I first read Bonhoeffer’s quote, I had the thought that his words are a profound way of describing compassion.  For when we are compassionate, we recognize that every person we encounter has experienced and/or is experiencing things we don’t know about, and those experiences often involved a level of suffering.  Suffering has many degrees and takes many forms, including what might be termed milder forms such as being disappointed or realizing a person who we trusted is no longer trustworthy, to more serious and persistent forms such as being physically abused, having chronic pain, or struggling with depression.  These and many other forms of suffering naturally affect a person’s personality, the ways they interact with others, and their worldview.

When I read Bonhoeffer’s words “in light of what they do or omit to do,” I thought about how we tend to make judgments about others after seeing them do a certain behavior or by noticing something someone hasn’t done that we think that person should have done.  But these observations are just part of what we know about the person.  There is far more that we do not know, including what they have suffered or are presently suffering.  When we judge others, we are doing the opposite of being compassionate toward them.  Also, when we judge others, we go against the teachings of many world religions, including Christianity where Jesus said “Do not judge” and reminded us to instead look at ourselves and see our own faults.

I recently saw a photo of a child in tears because her parents were being deported.  The woman and man had lived in the United States for a few years, had jobs, and had taken the steps to become citizens, which is often a long process. The person who had posted the photo said it made him ashamed of our country.  I believe many Americans would also disagree with how these people were being treated.  This type of treatment, including them being denied due process, was an example of lack of compassion at a systems level.  Too often compassion is lacking not only by individuals but also by such systems, including certain laws, legal processes, and political agendas.

It is concerning that the virtue of compassion is not considered to be more essential by some of us.  People who perform compassionate acts are sometimes ridiculed, including on social media, by certain news organizations, and in films.  Just as with all of the values that matter, each of us individually needs to try to grow in compassion, not only because it matters to our own soul work, but also so that others are influenced.  This is especially important for children to see so that they too will be compassionate as adults.

I’m thankful for Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s thought-provoking words and for the other ways he showed wisdom and courage when he was on his earthly journey.

“I have just three things to teach:  simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”

This quote is by Lau Tzu, a Chinese sage and philosopher who was born in the 6th century BC.  He is considered to be the founder of Taoism and is generally credited as the author of the Tao Te Ching.

One of my first thoughts when I read Lau Tzu’s quote was how fitting it is that he refers to simplicity, patience, and compassion as treasures.  For, as with treasure, those three qualities have great value.  Thankfully, many people do value them.  And what a difference it would make in our world if many more people did.

Simplicity can refer to choosing to live in a more modest way, to not be taken in by the materialism of our modern-day culture.  Sharing our money, time, and/or abilities with organizations and causes that assist others is another way to live more simply for, by doing so, we are not holding on to those gifts just for ourselves.  Simplicity can also refer to the simplicity of the spoken word, being clear and thoughtful when talking with others.  These are a few of the many ways that we can add the value of simplicity to our lives.

When we are patient, we show others that we care about them by not putting our agenda first.  We try to be understanding about whatever the situation is that requires us to be patient, to pause and be present with others.

Being compassionate toward others is one of the most helpful qualities we can have.  None of us can know the many influences that formed the personalities of other people—how they were treated as children, whether they felt loved and secure, whether they were given attention, and what behaviors were modeled to them by the adults in their lives.  And as adults how various experiences and interactions affected them.  Therefore, it’s important to pay attention when we are having judgmental thoughts about someone, and instead to remind ourselves to be compassionate rather than making judgments.

I value the qualities of simplicity, patience, and compassion, but I certainly need to remind myself of them from time to time.  It helps me to remember the times throughout my life when I was treated with patience and compassion and when I was positively affected by seeing others living in a more simple way.

There are many qualities that matter and, as Lau Tzu says, simplicity, patience, and compassion are three of great value.