~His words ... My conclusion~

I was sitting at a Starbucks a couple of weeks ago and met a very old man. We began to talk and of course I initiated the conversation.

Before I elaborate on our conversation I would like to share something with you first.

One, we all have a life to live. How we live our lives can easily dictate our future and our death.

Second, God does not necessarily make people famous, He makes us effective. And our effectiveness helps others to become successful, in living.

Thirdly, this man spoke with emotional content, not anger and with meaning.

 This what he said to me:

• "I believe it is better to tell the truth than to lie".
• "I believe it is better to know than to be ignorant".
• "I believe it is better to be free than to be a slave".

To me those words were so profound. To me this was a great man, yet he looked so feeble, his eyes looked so worn, but I believe at one time his eyes were bright and crystal clear. I sensed a man that at one time was a very strong man. I could feel his spirit, though weakened, it was still strong.

You know, I use to believe that there were great men, but after talking to this old gentleman I now know this:

There are no great men, there are only great challenges, that ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet.

Words, when used correctly can be very powerful. Words have the power to build and to tear down. To encourage and to discourage. Words have the power raise a person up or keep them down.

This man understood the bonds of slavery and from him I learned that to realize freedom, the mind has to learn to look at life, which is a vast movement without the bondage of time. For freedom lies beyond the field of consciousness.

Watch, but don't stop and interpret, "I am free" -then you are living in a memory of something that has gone. To understand and live now, everything of yesterday Must die.(Not necessarily forget).

I learned that the mind must be wide opened to function freely in thought. A limited mind cannot think freely.


After this old gentleman and I completed our conversation, I was encouraged, I felt resurrected and I felt built up, even at my age.

I believe if each of us could understand and digest the words of this man, we would all see things differently than the way we see them now.



I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.