Proverbs for Abundant Living

  Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, TOR

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In life we are to encourage and build up each other;
not to discourage and tear down one another.

In life we are to add, not subtract;
to multiply, not divide.

In life we are to leave an enduring impression;
not a careless dent.

In life we are to smooth out the rough roads along the journey;
not create new potholes.

In life we are to sing a joyful song;
not just drone a groan.

In life we are to add our harmonious strains to life's symphony;
not strain the symphony with clatter and clang.

In life we are to soar on eagles' wings.
not to peck and cluck with our beaks in the dirt like chickens.

In life we are to radiate light into unseen places;
not permit unknown fears to dim our radiance.

In life we are to leap in faith;
not to limp with doubt.

In life we are to give freely of our time, our love, our resources;
not to cling on to them greedily.

In life we are to lift up others;
not push them down.

In life we are to open our hands to those in need;
not to clutch our hands in fists of distrust.

In life we are to lend a helping hand to make loads lighter;
not use heavy hands to hold others back.

In life we are to be messengers of peace, signs of joy;
not Chicken Little portents of gloom-n-doom.

In life we are to enjoy, to savor, to remember, to reflect;
not to overlook, to forget, to ignore, to reject.

In life we are to seek conscious awareness;
not doze in the doldrums of half-awake.

In life we are to dare mighty things;
not to fear things gravely.

In life we are to show up, stand up, step forward and speak up;
not to cringe in fear, choosing to sit down, or to step back,
allowing the voices of silence to speak so loudly.

In life we are to exercise proper stewardship of earth's resources;
not pillage the heritage of future generations.

In life we are to move forward through forgiveness;
not grind to a halt mired in bitterness and resentment.

In life we are to be wacky, weird, and wonderful
in our own unique God-given way;
not to be staid-n-proper lemmings, stuck on life's treadmill.

In life we are to reach, to stretch, and to soar;
not to slink in fear, held back by mistrust and doubt.

In life we are to realize: "I am a remarkable Somebody!";
not listen to other's jabs:
"You're a Nobody, an Everybody, an Anybody."

In life we are to comprehend, "I am worthwhile";
not tremble with feelings of worthlessness.

In life we are to create, to laugh, and to live life nobly;
not to despair, to moan, or to live life less.