TIME CAPSULE

by Henry Jackson

     To Halina and David:

     I suppose that the time capsule in which this memo is to be placed
will primarily be of interest to you two at some point in the future.  I am
therefore addressing it to you.

     Although, I could discuss many things, I choose to tell you about some
of the lessons that I have learned about life and that I consider
particularly valuable.

     1.  Approach life with gratefulness:  Be grateful for a sunny day, and
for a rainy day (which has its own magic if you look for it).  Look for
simple things in life to be thankful for: a casual conversation with a
friend, finding a parking spot, a delicious apple.  Once we adopt the habit
of being on the lookout for things to be thankful for, they appear in
abundance and our life is filled with blessings.

     2.  Everyone is doing the best they can:  The person who deliberately
chooses to do an evil act is rare.  Most of what we do that irritates
others, or that others do that irritates us,
is inadvertent rather than intentional.

     In relationships with others, seek clarity and compassion.  Everyone
struggles with their own concerns, with their inclination to be
self-involved or preoccupied with their own interests, rather than aware of
others and sensitive to their needs.  We can start with the assumption that people intend to cause us harm or irritation and we will
spend much of our lives in anger, being critical of others --
or we can start with the assumption that no one
wishes to hurt us, that others are simply absorbed
with their own worries, and that everyone is doing the best
that he or she can.

     3.  Let people be who they are:  None of us has the right and we
certainly have no obligation to change anyone else.
We cannot know what is best for anyone else
or what would suit their personality better.  The
human personality is so intricate that it is hazardous
and presumptuous for us to try to change anyone.

     4.  The best things in life aren't things:  It takes effort to resist
the consumer values of our culture, and to remain aware that
we do not need, and do not derive commensurate enjoyment from,
many of the things that we are urged to acquire --
at the cost of spending so much of our
lives working to earn the money to buy them.  The one who dies
with the most toys, still dies, and the things that we own, own us.
The measure of
an individual is not what he or she has --
but what he or she is.

     There are two ways to feel wealthy:  Earn more or desire less.
It is important to exercise some critical judgment about the things
that we are encouraged to desire, so that we do not spend out lives working excessively to obtain things that do not
significantly enhance our lives.

     5.  This is my movie:  Each of us is living his or her own drama
-- it is not a dress rehearsal.  And each of us is the principal actor,
playwright, director, producer and audience of the movie or play that is
our life.  We have to recognize and accept our personal responsibility for
our movie and not see ourselves as victims of circumstances or the
influence of others.  We must constantly ask ourselves -- Is this the way
I want my movie to turn out?  And if it isn't, we have to take action
to make the changes that are necessary.
Each play is unique and is the most authentic expression of who we are.
It is the single most important and
creative act that we are capable of.

     Live fully every scene and every line, with awareness that
the play is of infinite value because it is performed only once
and then never again.
     All the best of good wishes for good things in abundance in the New
Year.

With Love.
 

                 -- Henry Jackson     <henryj@ican.net>

Posted with Mr. Jackson's permission (note below)...
_________________________________________
Dear Debbie:

I am honoured, and I have not misspelt 'honoured' I am an English born
(London) Canadian citizen.

All, you need to know is printed in Heartwarmers, and I posted it to
everyone I know on the Internet, including Heartwarmers.  The lovely
responses I have received enhance my opinion of the human race,
particularly wonderful, wonderful
Americans. A few sour ones, but what the heck.

Enjoy your day, enjoy your life.

Henry
________________________________________
Heartwarmers Mailing List Note:

Henry says,  "I wrote this on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1999.  I had a
dream in which my daughter and her fiance had called and asked me to write
something that could be hidden in a time capsule for 25 years.  I thought
that some members of Heartwarmers might enjoy it."
___________________________________________________
At the end of every Heartwarmers mailing, it reads...
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