LOOKING FORWARD - bne.catholic.edu.au... · Formation and Leadership LOOKING FORWARD Reflective Booklet 2016. 2. 3 ... Looking Forward 2016, Module 1 Reflective Reading C. 7 In His

Formation and Leadership

LOOKING FORWARD Reflective Booklet

2016

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Contents

Two Spaces ........................................................................................ 4

An Afternoon in the Park .................................................................. 5

Living Each Day ................................................................................. 6

In His Footsteps .................................................................................. 7

Happiness is an attitude ................................................................... 8

True Love ............................................................................................ 9

Beginner’s Mind ............................................................................... 10

Parable of the dead bodies in the river ...................................... 11

Love: The One Creative Force ...................................................... 12

Puppies For Sale .............................................................................. 13

THE 100/0 PRINCIPLE ........................................................................ 14

WHY .................................................................................................. 15

Believe in Your Talents .................................................................... 16

The Cookie Thief .............................................................................. 17

Joy in the Journey ........................................................................... 20

I wanted to change the world ...................................................... 21

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Two Spaces

Every day after school, the son of a well-known Rabbi would enter his house, place his backpack

on the dining room table, leave the house through the back door and head into the woods behind

the house.

At first, the Rabbi gave little thought to his son’s ritual. Until it continued for days and then for weeks.

Every day, out into the woods for almost a half hour. The Rabbi grew concerned.

“My son,” he asked one day. “I notice that every day you leave our home to spend time in the

woods. What is it you are doing there?”

The son replied. “There is no need to worry. I go into the woods to pray. It is in the woods that I can

talk to God.”

“Oh,” the Rabbi said, clearly relieved. “But you should know that God is the same everywhere.”

“Yes”, he replied, “I know that God is the same everywhere. But, I am not.”

Terry Hershey

Looking Forward 2016, Module 1 Reflective Reading A

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An Afternoon in the Park

There was once a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God

lived, so he packed his suitcase with a packed of Tim Tams and a six-pack of Coke and he started

his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just

staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to

take a drink from his Coke when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry. He offered her a Tim

Tam. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted

to see it again, so he offered her another one and she smiled at him. The boy was so delighted!

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word. After a while the boy

realised how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps,

he turned around, ran back and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by

the look of joy on his face. “What did you do today that made you so happy?” He replied, “I had

lunch with God.” But before his mother could respond he said “And guess what? She’s got the

most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned

by the look of peace on her face. He said, “Mother, what did you do today that made you so

happy?” She replied, “I ate Tim Tams in the park with God.” But before he could reply she added,

“You know, he’s much younger than I expected.”

Author unknown

Looking Forward 2016, Module 1 Reflective Reading B

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Living Each Day

The story is told of a man who set out with a pilgrim’s staff to find a certain saintly hermit to ask of him a question. When he found the hermit, he said, “If you just had one day to live, how would you spend the day?”

The old hermit stroked his long white beard and answered, “Well, first I would say my morning prayer... Afterward, I might fix a little tea and go out and weed the garden. Then I might go down the road to visit my neighbour John ... Then I might take a nap.”

“Wait,” the pilgrim interrupted. “Why should the last day be any different from the rest?”

Author unknown

Looking Forward 2016, Module 1 Reflective Reading C

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In His Footsteps

It was a really busy day in our year one classroom. But then every day was always busy. On this particular day however I was having trouble moving around - all because of one little boy. Len was on my heels no matter where I went. Whenever I stopped he would bump into me. When I turned around I would trip over him.

Several times I patiently suggested other things to move him away but he simply smiled an innocent smile and said he would rather be here me. Then he continued to bounce happily along behind me.

After stepping on his toes for the fifth time, I began to lose my patience and insisted he go outside and play with the other children.

When I asked him why he was acting this way he said: “Well, my mummy told me to always walk in Jesus’ footsteps, but I can’t see him so I’m walking in yours.”

Author unknown


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Happiness is an attitude

The 92-year-old, small, well-poised and blind lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably made and makeup perfectly applied, moved to a nursing home today.

Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.

“I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room, just wait.”

“That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ... It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away ... just for this time in my life.”

Author unknown


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True Love

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On examination, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, and got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound. While taking care of his stitches, I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, ‘And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?’

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, ‘She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is.’

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, ‘That is the kind of love I want in my life.’

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

Author unknown


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Beginner ’s Mind

Once, a professor went to a Zen Master. He asked him to help him understand the world.

The Master quietly poured a cup of tea. The cup became full but he continued to pour.

The professor watching this, was at first silent then could not stand it any longer. He questioned the Master impatiently, “Why do you keep pouring when the cup is full?”

“I want to point out to you,” the Master said, “that you are the teacup, attempting to understand while your mind is full. First, empty your mind of preconceptions before you attempt to understand.”

Author unknown


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Parable of the dead bodies in the river

Once upon a time there was a town that was built just beyond the bend of a large river. One day some of the children from the town were playing beside the river when they noticed three bodies floating in the water. They ran for help and the townsfolk quickly pulled the bodies out of the river.

One body was dead so they buried it. One was alive, but quite ill, so they put that person into the hospital. The third turned out to be a healthy child, who they then placed with a family who cared for it and took it to school.

From that day on, every day a number of bodies came floating down the river and, every day, the good people of the town would pull them out and tend to them – taking the sick to hospitals, placing the children with families, and burying those who were dead.

This went on for years; each day brought its quota of bodies, and the townsfolk not only came to expect a number of bodies each day but also worked at developing more elaborate systems for picking them out of the river and tending to them. Some of the townsfolk became quite generous in tending to these bodies and a few extraordinary ones even gave up their jobs so that they could tend to this concern full-time. And the town itself felt a certain healthy pride in its generosity.

However, during all these years and despite all that generosity and effort, nobody thought to go up the river, beyond the bend that hid from their sight what was above them, and find out why, daily, those bodies came floating down the river (Rolheiser, 1999, p. 168).

Author unknown


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Love: The One Creative Force

“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbour… Let no one ever come to you without

leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face; kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting. “

Mother Teresa.

A college professor had his sociology class go into the Baltimore slums to get case histories of 200 young boys. They were asked to write and evaluation of each boys future. In every case the students wrote, “He hasn’t got a chance.” Twenty-five years later another sociology professor came across the earlier study. He had his students follow up on the project to see what happened to these boys. With the exception of twenty boys who had moved away or died, the students learned that 176 of the remaining 180 achieved more than ordinary success as lawyers, doctors and businessmen.

The professor was astounded and decided to pursue the matter further. Fortunately, all the men were in the area and he was able to ask each on “How do you account for your success?” In each case the reply came with feeling, “There was a teacher.”

The teacher was still alive, so he sought her out and asked the old but still alert lady what magic formula she has used to pull these boys out of the slums into successful achievement.

The teacher’s eyes sparkled and her lips broke into a gentle smile. “It’s really very simple,” she said. “I loved those boys.”

Eric Butterworth


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Puppies For SaleA store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read “Puppies For Sale.” Signs like that have

a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner’s

sign. “How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.

The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $300 to $500.”

The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. “I have $23.70,” he said. “Can I

please look at them?”

The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle

of his store followed by five teeny tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerable behind.

Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that

little dog?”

The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered

it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became

excited. “That’s the little puppy that I want to buy.”

The store owner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give

him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger and

said, “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other

dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact I’ll give you $23.70 now, and $5 a month until I have him paid for.

The store owner countered, “You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be

able to jump and play with you like the other puppies.”

To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled

left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, “Well, I

don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!”

By Dan Clark from Chicken Soup for the Soul


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AL RITTTER

THE 100/0 PRINCIPLE THE SECRET OF GREAT RELATIONSHIPS

80% of life’s satisfaction comes from meaningful relationships (Brian Tracy)Do you believe that?Would you like to have better relationships with your spouse, your boss, your co-workers or your customers?

Enter the 100/0 PRINCIPLETHE 100/0 PRINCIPLE IS SIMPLE…BUT POWERFUL.It’s this…You take full responsibility for the relationshipTHE 100

Expecting nothing in returnTHE 0

STEP 1Demonstrate RESPECT and KINDNESS to the other person whether he or she deserves it or not.

STEP 2Do not expect ANYTHING in return…zero, zip, nada.

STEP 3BE PERSISTENT with your graciousness and kindness. Often, we give up too soon. Remember…EXPECT NOTHING IN RETURN!

THE 100/0 PARADOX…This may strike you as strange, but HERE’S THE PARADOX:When you take authentic responsibility for a relationship, more often than not the other person quickly chooses to take responsibility as well.Consequently, the 100/0 relationship quickly transforms into something approaching 100/100.When that occurs, true breakthroughs happen for the INDIVIDUALS, their TEAMS, their ORGANISATIONS, and their FAMILIES.Remember, the 100/0 Principle is about GIVING, not taking.It’s about the HEART, not the head.It’s about KINDNESS, RESPECT and PATIENCE.

It’s a little thing that MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

BE 100%... IT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Author unknown


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WHY

On the street I saw a small girl cold and shivering in a thin dress with little hope of a decent meal or warmth. I became angry and said to God: “Why did you permit this? Why don’t you do something about it?”

For a while God said nothing, and then he replied: “I certainly did do something about it. I made you.”

Sr Mary McGeady


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Believe in Your Talents

Powerful ripples are created by those who believe in their talents, and are prepared to live up to the potential of those talents.

Throughout his life, Renoir was told by many people that he had no talent, and that he should give up with his painting. An art expert once looked at some of Renoir’s work and sneered:

“You are, I presume, dabbling in painting to amuse yourself.”

To this Renoir replied: “Of course. When it ceases to amuse me, I will stop painting.”

Near the end of his life, Renoir suffered from advanced rheumatism in his hands. This caused him considerable pain with every brushstroke he took. Upon seeing this, Matisse asked him:

“Why is it that you still have to work? Why do you continue to push yourself?”

To which Renoir answered: “The pain passes, but the pleasure, the creation of beauty, remains.”

When you believe in your talents, you can create daily changes all around you. Renoir refused to give up on his belief in his talent, and even today, his work continues to generate ripples in the hearts and minds of millions of people.

Tony Ryan, The Ripple Effect: How You Can Make a Difference to the

World Every Day, Head First Publishing, Annerley, 1999.


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The Cookie Thief“A woman was waiting at an airport one night,

With several long hours before her flight.She hunted for a book in the airport shops.

Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.She was engrossed in her book but happened to see,That the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be.Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between,

Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.So she munched the cookies and watched the clock,

As the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock.She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by,Thinking, “If I wasn’t so nice, I would blacken his eye.”

With each cookie she took, he took one too,When only one was left, she wondered what he would do.

With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh,He took the last cookie and broke it in half.

He offered her half, as he ate the other,She snatched it from him and thought… oooh, brother.

This guy has some nerve and he’s also rude,Why he didn’t even show any gratitude!

She had never known when she had been so galled,And sighed with relief when her flight was called.

She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate,Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat,

Then she sought her book, which was almost complete.As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise,

There was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.If mine are here, she moaned in despair,The others were his, and he tried to share.

Too late to apologize, she realized with grief,That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.”

Author unknown


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The old Indian chief was dying. His face was lined with life lived, his eyes filled with peace and patient waiting. Summoning his three sons, he spoke of his final wish.

“When I die, one of you must succeed me as the leader of our tribe. I want each of you to climb our holy mountain and bring back something of beauty. The one whose gift is the most outstanding will succeed me.”

The sons departed, following the path deep into the forest, travelling with the height of tall trees, and finally climbing the mountain, old and stone-solid. After some days, they returned from their travels. The first brought his father a flower from the summit, rare, beautiful and delicate, with a preciousness that called for great care. The second son brought a stone, colourful, smooth and round polished by rain and sandy winds. The third son’s hand was empty.

He said: “Father, I have brought nothing back to show you. As I stood at the peak of our holy mountain, I saw on the other side, through the cleft and out into sunlight, a beautiful land filled with green pastures and a crystal lake. I breathed the mist and caught in my eyes the glisten of the coming sun. And I had a vision of where our tribe could go for a better life. I was so overwhelmed by what I saw and by what I was thinking that I returned with nothing.”

And the father replied:

“You shall be our tribe’s new leader, for you have brought back the most precious gift of all - the gift of a vision for a better future.”

Stories and Parables for Preachers and Teachers. P. Wharton


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Two children were playing in the sand on a beach working hard at building an elaborate sand castle.

It had a moat, gates, towers and internal passages.

They had nearly finished their project when a big wave swept in and destroyed it, melting away the towers, flooding the passages and leaving lumps of soggy sand.

One would expect the children to shout in dismay or burst into tears. Not so. Instead they watched with delight and ran off laughing and holding hands. Soon

they were sitting in another spot on the beach, beginning again on another castle. There is an important lesson for all of us, in ministry, in leadership, in life.

Nothing we build is destined to live forever. All of the structures we invest our time in and talent in are doomed to be short lived.

Sooner or later the wave comes and they are gone. When that happens, it is only the person who has held hands who will be able to laugh.

Author unknown


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Joy in the Journey

Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.

“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.

“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers volunteered excitedly.

The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.

After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors.

Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth. Look what we found along the way!”

Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for – to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging!

But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Nor every love will last. Not every endeavour will be completed. Not every dream will be realised.

But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!”

Author unknown


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I wanted to change the worldWhen I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My

family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

Author: unknown monk around 1100 AD


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Images (Looking Forward Reflective Readings) in the sequence in which they appear:

• Cover: Sunset with sun rays, sky with clouds and sun Shutterstock image ID 374773567 Copyright IDEAPIXEL

• Bi-coloured Maple Tree, Wing-Chi Poon, 5th November 2005 at West Trail, Lost Maples State Natural Area, Vanderpool, Texas, USA, Creative Commons Licence

• Summer of Green field, flare Shutterstock Image ID:296548073 Copyright: Jaktana phongphuek

• Sunset/sunrise with clouds, light rays and other atmospheric effect Shutterstock Image ID:116758246 Copyright: wongwean

• Footprints on beach Shutterstock Image ID:109711586 Copyright: melis

• Portrait of a happy woman playing with autumn leaves in forest Shutterstock Image ID:113583727 Copyright: Aleksandr Markin

• Lovers in a park on grey background, vector illustration Shutterstock Image ID:78951280 Copyright: ducu59us

• Round bookshelf in public library Shutterstock Image ID:170760092 Copyright: connel

• Zigzag river flows between summer valleys.a Shutterstock Image ID:377603497 Copyright: Jaros

• red apple resting on the book with chalk board as background Image ID:154985321 Copyright: Bartek Zyczynski

• Row of different puppies, dogs isolated Shutterstock Image ID:326925641Copyright: absolutimages

• Meadow Of Dandelions to Make Dandelion Wine. Sunset or Sunrise Shutterstock Image ID:428865055 Copyright: Alik Mulikov

• Young woman with open arms in front of the ocean Shutterstock Image ID:159147182 Copyright: Glayan Release Information: Signed model release filed with Shutterstock, Inc

• Oil painting flowers dandelion, cornflower, daisy in fields. Sunset meadow landscape with wildflower, hill and sky in orange and blue color background. Hand Paint summer floral Impressionist style Shutterstock Image ID:323585228 Copyright: Fon_nongkran Release Information: Signed property release filed with Shutterstock, Inc

• Chocolate cookies on white linen napkin on wooden table. Chocolate chip cookies shot on coffee coloured cloth, closeup. Shutterstock Image ID:163416644 Copyright: Natali Zakharova

• Head of Indian Chief, black silhouette Shutterstock Image ID:213874462 Copyright: Kudryashka

• Two little boys building large sandcastle on the beach Shutterstock Image ID:95374099 Copyright: Martin Valigursky Release Information: Signed model release filed with Shutterstock, Inc

• Cartoon vector illustration of a shovel digging Shutterstock Image ID:111054455 Copyright: Andre Adams

• Grateful man with his hands raised on the mountain top on background of the sea in the moonlight night. This is a 3d render illustration Shutterstock Image ID:494957920 Copyright: Orla

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LOOKING FORWARD - bne.catholic.edu.au... · Formation and Leadership LOOKING FORWARD Reflective Booklet 2016. 2. 3 ... Looking Forward 2016, Module 1 Reflective Reading C. 7 In His