Length: 640 Words Reading Time: 2 Minutes 30 Seconds
My dear Misunderstood,
I started carrying several pocket charms in 2004, when I first came to Reno, Nevada, to live after I retired from working in Saudi Arabia. I bought these pocket charms at a New Age store that called itself The Melting Pot; this store was the center of the counter-culture community in Reno.
I bought these pocket charms because each charm has an English word on one side and one, two, or three Chinese characters on the reverse that translates the English word into Chinese. I first started with four charms: Balance, Change, Forgiveness, and Love. I carried those four to remind me to be mindful of those four ideas because they were so important to me.
Over the years, I have added many different charms to my pocket collection and, at one point, I carried 17. I have given away over 200 charms to children and young adults I have met during my travels to such countries as Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. I would ask these new friends to close their eyes and choose one pocket charm from my cupped palm. I enjoyed the look on their faces as they chose a charm and inspected it. Most of the time, they were delighted with their choice. Only two or three times did someone ask to select a different charm. I believe my random acts of kindness for those individuals created a special memory for them and for me.
I do not travel as much as I did in the past, so I carry 11 charms now for only my use. At present, I have Balance, Change, Forgiveness, Love, Joy, Courage, Tenderness, Wealth, Luck, Wisdom, and Gratitude.
I have established a daily practice each morning. I place the charms in my pocket and choose one for the day to guide my thoughts and actions for the day.
I want to share with you how I focus on each of these charms. For me, it is an easy practice to follow, simple but profound.
Balance: Strive to balance your life each day. Live according to your values and beliefs.
Change: Be open to change, which includes being open-minded, an active listener, and a willingness to see the world through the eyes of another.
Forgiveness: Forgive everyone for all real or imagined hurts. And of the greatest importance, learn to forgive yourself.
Love: Strive to love yourself and your neighbor as well. I believe this is the hardest thing for all of us to do because we misunderstand what love is. Love is actually a verb and not just a feeling or an emotion. So, be caring, loving, and compassionate to all human beings regardless of their relationship or status in life.
Joy: Bring joy to your own life and to the lives of others. What a wonderful gift this can be. Leading a joyful life will change your life forever.
Courage: Live your life with courage in the face of all adversity and trials. It will build strength and character.
Tenderness: Be kind to one and all.
Wealth: Use your wealth wisely and give to those less fortunate than yourself, especially the homeless.
Luck: Make your luck by being prepared.
Wisdom: Seek wisdom for the benefit of all.
Gratitude: Have an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for all that you have in your life at present.
Remember that each day is a wonderful gift from God. Savor it as you would a precious jewel. Remember the past is gone and the future is promised to no one. All we have is today.
A wise man once wrote, and I paraphrase a bit: “You can cancel your past any time you want. How? By simply starting your life over right now.”
I wish you well on this day and my favorite greeting: Be of great cheer!
With great affection,
Old White Beard