Summer Days

These past summer days have been terribly hot. Now, try to remember, have you complained of the heat at least once? Of course you have; so have all the adults I know, including myself.  We all complain all day. 

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Finding solutions to the heat is what we should be doing: 

“Realize that if you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it,” said A nthony D’Angelo, an American singer-songwriter. 

In order words, we can spend the time complaining to look for ways to solve our complaints.

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One other person who had great advice to complainers was Randy Pausch, a  professor of Computer Science in the US. He was a very popular lecturer among his audiences. 

He said, “Don’t complain; just work harder.” Randy practiced what he preached.

Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he frequently lectured on seeing the happy and good side of things, instead of focusing on the sad and gloomy side. He encouraged people to be more thankful for what they had, instead of complaining about what they didn’t have.

At the last stages of his sickness, he continued to deliver lectures that inspired his audiences to work harder and complain less, or not at all. He died at age 48. 

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 A friend of mine told me about his mother, Aling Cecilia, who suffered from a rare, painful disease that kept her in bed for months.

“Not once did my mother complain. She avoided moaning when in pain. Instead, she bit lips so that nobody would be worried about her.” 

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We all know about the greatest Man who ever lived—Jesus.

He never complained. Not even when He was arrested, made to carry His cross while being lashed, crowned with thorns, stripped naked, and nailed to the cross for sins He never committed.  Before he died, He even said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

We also read in Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:14 NLT): “Do everything without complaining and arguing . . .” 

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To help us survive the hot, hot, hot days, I asked a few kids to give me a tip. They gave me not one, but six ways to stay cool: 

1. Put an ice cube on your skin and see how long it takes to melt.

2. Call grandma and grandma to make sure they are okay and chat with them.

3. Have a water-drinking contest with your playmates.

4. (For girls—and also boys who have long hair) Use a fan to blow your hair around like a fashion model’s and take pictures.

5. Read that book you haven’t had time for because you’re usually playing outside.

6. With your savings, treat your brother or sister to an ice cream cone when the ice-cream man passes by.

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This one’s from me: Write a note to remind yourself to stop complaining. I have just written one to myself. Can you add more?

Please email me your suggestions: gdchong@ gmail.com  or leave a message in my blog’s comment box http://leaves ofgrace.blogspot.com