Episode Transcript
[00:00:14] Hello, friend, and welcome to Imagine the Possibilities.
[00:00:17] Skip here. And I'm glad you decided to join me today.
[00:00:22] Let me start with a simple question.
[00:00:25] Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if we had something simple that we could hang our hats on?
[00:00:33] Something that could guide us and help us live a better life?
[00:00:39] Something that made us better, while at the same time made all those around us better?
[00:00:46] Common sense and cowboy logic tells me that the answer to that question is yes.
[00:00:55] All this revolves around a ruler.
[00:00:58] It wasn't a king, it wasn't a dictator, it wasn't a president.
[00:01:05] It was the measuring kind.
[00:01:08] It was a simple 12 inch ruler.
[00:01:10] But here's the thing.
[00:01:12] Printed on the back of that ruler were 11 words.
[00:01:18] 12 do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
[00:01:22] Those words are the golden rule.
[00:01:25] Back then I had one of those rulers and a lot of my friends had one.
[00:01:32] And for the most part, we actually tried to follow those words.
[00:01:37] I have to admit, we weren't perfect, but we knew it was something that was worth trying to live by.
[00:01:45] It didn't seem like a big deal, but looking back now, I realize it actually was.
[00:01:52] Today, I believe things have changed. I really can't imagine school being allowed to sell something like that.
[00:02:00] And sadly, it feels like people change too.
[00:02:04] Somewhere along the way, it seems some of us have forgotten the golden rule and the simple power it has to make life better.
[00:02:15] When I look around today, I see something that really bothers me.
[00:02:20] It seems that we've become quicker to criticize people.
[00:02:25] And it seems we hurt people and don't even think about it. And then it takes us longer to show kindness to people when we do.
[00:02:37] Sometimes we treat our family poorly, sometimes it's our friends.
[00:02:43] And sometimes people don't even know.
[00:02:46] We don't see them. We don't acknowledge them, we don't wish them a happy day.
[00:02:52] We just move around them.
[00:02:55] Thing is, we still complain when we feel we're not being treated right.
[00:03:02] Think about that.
[00:03:03] I'm guilty of it. At times it just happens. But it's because I lose focus.
[00:03:12] And I believe that we all tend to do that at times and think about how others treat us.
[00:03:23] In today's world, I feel like that means not very well.
[00:03:29] But there is good news.
[00:03:31] If we really want to make things better in our homes, in our communities, and even in our countries in the world, there's a way to start.
[00:03:44] The problem is someone has to go first.
[00:03:49] Now that someone in reality, as you and I, each of us individually, we have to make a personal Decision.
[00:04:02] We have to decide that we're going to live by the golden rule, even if a lot of those around us don't do it.
[00:04:11] Maybe even a family member or friend doesn't do it. But we've got to do it. We have to if we want to change things.
[00:04:19] And in reality, that's the hard part.
[00:04:23] Because what if you or I show kindness to another person, but they don't show kindness to us?
[00:04:33] Now there's cases, I mean, sometimes, I guess people don't.
[00:04:38] They aren't used to someone showing them a kindness and because we do, they don't know how to respond.
[00:04:46] And for them it sometimes takes time to, I guess learn is the right word.
[00:04:54] So we've got to be patient.
[00:04:57] And then I think there's times people been hurt, maybe badly hurt, or maybe it's just so many hurts over time that there's a lack of trust and they're not ready yet. And we've got to again be patient.
[00:05:20] The other thing about change, I think we have to understand is real change doesn't happen in the blink of an eye.
[00:05:31] It happens one moment at a time.
[00:05:34] One encounter, one conversation, one act of kindness.
[00:05:42] But I think there's something interesting that begins to happen when enough people start living by the golden rule.
[00:05:52] Other people begin to notice it. They begin to feel it, and I guess the right word, slowly they begin to do the same thing, pass their feelings on to other people.
[00:06:07] Those small acts of kindness once started to begin to grow in others.
[00:06:15] We'll see more people, maybe friends and family choose kindness and we'll see them choose understanding.
[00:06:26] And the fact is that the number of people living by that simple rule will begin to grow.
[00:06:34] It may start out slowly, but then the momentum changes and we see it happening more and more and faster and faster.
[00:06:44] Think of it like a ripple across water.
[00:06:49] Throw a rock in the middle of a pond and you see all those ripples spread out. And they continue to spread out.
[00:06:56] And at that point we start seeing something remarkable.
[00:07:02] A better world is starting to take shape.
[00:07:07] It really is a simple idea.
[00:07:10] The golden rule. It's just 11 words.
[00:07:15] Yet those 11 words have the power to change the world, change the way that we treat others, and in return, how others treat us, how the world treats us in return.
[00:07:33] All we have to do is to decide to start.
[00:07:37] And the sooner we start, the better.
[00:07:42] By the way, I just ordered myself a golden ruler from Amazon.
[00:07:47] It's actually a golden metal ruler with a golden rule on it.
[00:07:52] However, it's been updated just a wee bit.
[00:07:56] It now says treat others as you would like others to treat you.
[00:08:02] It's now 10 words, but it's still as pure, positive and powerful as the original Golden Ruler.
[00:08:11] Before we finish today, here's one last thought.
[00:08:15] Every possibility we reach began as something we first imagined.
[00:08:23] And when imagination is joined with desire and perseverance, possibilities have a way of becoming reality.
[00:08:32] I wish you much success.
[00:08:35] Remember that your future belongs to you.
[00:08:38] Stay humble, be kind, love unconditionally and laugh often. I hope that you have a super day and I pray that God blesses you in a super way.
[00:08:51] Until next time, stay humble, be kind, love unconditionally and laugh often.
[00:09:00] Remember that your future belongs to you and never forget this.
[00:09:06] You're enough, you're worthy.
[00:09:09] You're always seen as always. I wish you much success, have a super day and may God bless you in a super way.
[00:09:22] Thanks again and God bless.
