Marston

Some collections from Ralph Marston courtesy of Jun Virola posted at ka-PhilDHRRA e-group
Do It Right
It usually takes longer to do it right. And yet when you do it right it lasts much longer too. It usually takes more effort to do it right. And yet when you do it right the effort is never wasted. Often, you have to go against the crowd if you are to do it right. And yet, in time, the world will come to appreciate and value what you have done. You will probably have to make short-term sacrifices in order to do it right. Yet the long-term, continuing benefits you receive are well worth the cost. People who would rather take shortcuts will resent you for doing it right. Yet they will come to understand your wisdom when their own shortsightedness fails them. It takes initiative and courage to do it right. And in return you attain a level of achievement that cannot be reached any other way.
Build on It
You know what to expect from yourself. What if you expected a little bit more? You're comfortable with how much you can accomplish. What if you decided to accomplish a little bit more? Where you are is a great place to be. Because you can start from where you are and expand upon it. You can take what you've been doing, and do it a little better. You can take what you know, and use it as a basis for learning more. There are certain areas of life in which you've been successful. And now you have an opportunity to build on that success. This place, this moment, this life situation is your starting point. Build on it, and you can go wherever you choose.
Live with Kindness
Even a small kindness can have a big impact. Because kindness, once it is given, takes on a life of its own. Even a small kindness can reach far, far beyond you. Because kindness is multiplied as time goes on. Do you want to quickly and profoundly change your world for the better? Kindness is a powerful way to make that happen. No, not every kindness you give will be immediately appreciated or acknowledged or passed along. Yet genuine kindness is impossible to deny, and even when it seems to accomplish nothing, kindness does indeed have an impact. In fact, the less effective kindness seems to be at first, the longer and more profoundly its power will be felt. For in one way or another, kindness always makes a difference. Live with kindness and you live with strength, with confidence, with positive effectiveness. Live with kindness and you make your world a better place to be.
A Solid Foundation
Life is busy and the world is complex. Give yourself time to take it all in. Events come at you quickly, and keep coming all the time. Regularly give yourself the time and space to make sense of it all. When you get too caught up in your efforts, you can lose track of why you're making them. Take the time, again and again in the midst of it all, to remember why you do what you do. Keep yourself connected to the reality of who you are. Don't allow yourself to be defined by the events that come and go, for that would leave you with nothing solid to hold on to. Cultivate and nurture a part of yourself that can rise above whatever may come. Then you will have a powerful perspective from which to deal with it all. Make sure your life has a solid foundation in what is real, in what is lasting, in what is meaningful to you. And then nothing will have the power to overwhelm you for long.
-- Ralph Marston