A Song-er

By Raoul Pascual

Raoul’s Two Cents: September 22, 2023

Encouragement

(Serious stuff. Move on to the jokes if not interested.)

Florence Littauer gave an excellent talk about the importance of giving words of encouragement. Do listen to it (CLICK HERE). It inspired today’s topic.

After listening to Florence, I made sure I encouraged my grand kids when I picked them up from school. I am slowly becoming the grandfather I wish I had when growing up. Sure, I knew my grandparents loved me, but I don’t remember having any deep conversation with them. No, I don’t blame them for not sharing their wisdom. Some people aren’t good at expressing themselves. I still consider myself fortunate to have good parents, uncles and aunts around me.

Sadly, I have friends who are deeply scarred from their distant and even abusive relationship with their parents and adult oppressors (especially during their young impressionable years). A wise man said our past should EXPLAIN us and not DEFINE us — ie. although our past experiences form our World View, we should always seek positive adjustments. Of course this is easily said than done but it’s still true.

The Cancer of Bitterness

I was watching the news. Are you alarmed by the genuine insanity we face in our modern society? The conspiracy theories are endless … and for good reason. Who are the puppet masters orchestrating the coordinated and unabated crime and the senseless judicial system? I believe these narcissists and hypocrites grew up with discouraging words and are products of abuse.

I wouldn’t be surprised if these deranged influencers grew up in dysfunctional families. The most dangerous are those who grew up with resentment and bitterness and have hardened their hearts. Go ahead, choose any of these evil, power-hungry politicians and you’ll find missing Dads, addicted Moms, pedophiles and bullies. They were not treated with love. Looking for the anti-Christ? He will be one of them.

Conclusion

I grew up hating math. I didn’t understand the concept. I used to have nightmares. My anxiety reached its pinnacle when my math teacher called his weak students “stupid.” Then, when I was a freshman in high school, I was determined to get over my phobia. I studied ahead. And my teacher was full of encouragement. I excelled in Algebra. In fact, in the first semester of my 2nd year, my teacher was surprised and told me I had the highest grade in the whole year. Of course, I was overconfident and things went downhill from there. No, today I am still not a fan but I can get by.

I know this isn’t a new insight. But I just had to remind us all. A word can springboard ideas to benefit mankind or it can dash dreams to the ground. A word can shape a hero or it can harden the heart of a future dictator. A word has endless possibilities.

Of course this is just me. TGIF People!

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Instruction does much, but encouragement — everything.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing
— 1 Thessalonians 5:11