This evening, we had the family over. The boys, their wives, the grandkids. Our dogs. A full house. It was a great night. And in the spirit of the traditional “summer family gathering” …. we ordered Chinese food. From my favorite place. It is a little spot in Oxford, called Yum-Yum’s. They make great eats!
There was swimming; feed time with the geese, goats, and chickens; a tour of the barn-building; some Bocci Ball; Koi Fish feeding; and of course… lots of puppy-play-time. Yes, the star of the show… besides Mary tripping in the barn …. was none other than Little Lewey. As I mentioned, a truly nice gathering.
Dinner was especially good. But there is always a bonus when you have Chinese Food. It is like eating Cracker Jacks. There is a prize waiting for you at the end of the deal. The Incredible Fortune Cookie.
Truthfully, I think all food types and places should have a gizmo such as this. Italian, Mexican, Indian, German, American… every restaurant far and wide needs a Fortune Cookie, or the equivalent of. Cannoli, or Kuchen, or Churros. Anything with a Fortune stuffed inside.
Sometimes, they are just completely batty. Other times they are right on. Mine, tonight, was right there.
It said, “You have a sincere desire to improve.” To which I said…”Ahhh. The story of my life.” And everyone laughed. But, it is true. It IS the story of my life.
I figured out pretty early in my time, that there is no such thing as “perfect” for the human being. As hard as we try, it is always just slightly out of reach. In some cases, it is WAY out of reach.
Regardless. Even if there is not such a thing, I think most of us, at some point in our lives, hope to be great. Or famous. Or noteworthy. Yet most of us will never be a George Washington, or an Albert Einstein, a Harriet Tubman, or a Rolling Stone, or a Beatle.
Here is the thing though. My belief is that we are here to do good. We are here to create love and kindness. If we do nothing else, we should always strive for this. So our human purpose isn’t so much in the grandeur or the magnificent. Like the cure for cancer, or the walk on the moon.
It is in the every day. The little step. The “one more thing” in which we work on being better. Better at life. Better at being humans…. who are good to other humans.
So my cookie reminded me of this tonight. You have a sincere desire to improve. And it is true. I do.
I want to get better…. at being better.
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“Keep your best wishes, close to your heart and watch what happens”
― Tony DeLiso, Legacy: The Power Within
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“True glory consists in doing what deserves to be written, in writing what deserves to be read, and in so living as to make the world happier and better for our living in it.”
― Pliny the Elder
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