do you have a personal "mantra"?
 

the "have your say" thread got me thinking of mine.

i have always had anger management issues. road rage, stuff like that. things bothered me. road rage almost got me and my fiance killed. i flipped off a guy while we were on my motorcycle and he was a bigger rager..he went at us with his car. while i plotted my first murder, my special lady calmed me down. she told me a Buddhist children's story. here's the story:

there were two monks walking along a trail. they were making a long journey back home. part way home, they come to a wide shallow stream. they found a hottie (sorry, i'm paraphrasing/embellishing) standing there trying to figure how to cross the stream. without saying a word, one of the monks walks up to her, sweeps her up, and carries her across. he places her safely and dry on the other side and without a word, continues on.

the two monks walk for days and days, but finally gets back to the temple.. the second monk (finally) speaks up. he says, "brother, i dont think you did the right thing. it is forbidden for us to touch a female. you should not have carried that woman"

the first monk replies, "brother, are you still carrying that woman? unlike you, i put her down a long time ago".

this clicks with me..why let insignificant things (they all eventually become insignificant) bother you?

my mantra..well it is really a secret code between my wife and i, is:

"be the other monk"

when i am anguishing over something stupid. when i am bothered, she whispers it to me.

Respect the truth.

Nothing that cool, Vash (which it is, great story)...although I'll steal it and say it was the OM:D

Do the right thing is the resonance I seek.

If someone hates you for no reason, give that motherfucher a reason.

Don't sweat the petty stuff.

Don't pet the sweaty stuff.

“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” ~ Buddha

"Worry is interest paid on a debt that never comes due."

don't do anything to someone you wouldn't want done to yourself, unless they pay you well for the service-

started when i was a cabdriver and hung onto it-

Vash, Total respect for being able to recenter yourself. I have anger issues and unfortunately the control I have had to develop came from nothing anywhere as close to noble as yours.

Nice story vash, I feel as if I am carrying a female softball team on my back lately. Will try to correct that.

Make no little plans. - Daniel Burnham

I always liked this quote, it inspires me to think big, plan big, and work hard.

Be the ball.

Live free or die.

You are never too old to have a happy childhood.

Although I consider myself to be an easy going person there are times when I am challenged....mostly by crappy drivers! No road rage here...just frustration!

I always wondered why those safe driver courses I took in leu of points never "corrected" my mantra!

My big thing is respect and communication though.....that's where we fail as a society, IMO.

Mine? It appears at the bottom of every post. Loosely translated it means "Not quick to forgive, Not likely to forget".

Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

Age quod agis.

But seriously?

"do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind"

.*ahem* 'fuch you, pay me'