Category: Words To Live By

We’ve all had to do it at some point in our lives and we often dread doing it. And it usually happens when it’s most inconvenient to us. Something readily relied upon suddenly isn’t working quite right or maybe it’s downright broken and we’re forced to contact a technical support desk for help. But what happens all too often during that phone call is an expenditure of our anger and impatience at a person that is only trying to do their job.

A very long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was one of those technical support staff at a small firm that handled check processing for convenience stores. This company that I was employed at had various computer equipment that was placed in each of those stores. Part of my job description at that time was to troubleshoot issues that occurred in the field with that equipment. Sometimes the people that called for help had no technical background and asked me things such as where to find “the anykey” when the computer prompted them to “press any key”. And other times I had to help people even understand what a mouse was. But there was one time I remember a frantic guy calling me as he was trying to get his system working. He kept screaming at me that his screen was blank and he didn’t let me get a word in edgewise. When I finally did, I discovered his computer wasn’t even turned on and that was how simple that call got resolved. Most of the problems I ever had in resolving any customer issue was due to them being unable to remain patient and talk in a clear manner while I tried to dissect what was going on. The name calling, swearing, and rude behaviors that often arose with impatient consumers never helped. In fact, it worked the opposite by blocking my ability to fix their problem quickly and efficiently.

Most people today have such little patience with anything, especially when it comes to something they readily rely upon that suddenly isn’t working the way they need it to be working. So sadly, before even that person dials some technical support desk, they are already very tense and ready to do battle over their issue. And with much of the technical support for things today being in other countries such as India, accents can create a communication barrier and further complicate the issue with more stress and tension. But what most people forget when they call any place for technical support, is that there is a human being with a heart and soul on the other end who is just trying to do their job by offering their help.

Ironically, this morning I had a technical issue with a new e-mail address that I set up in iCloud. The whole phone call from beginning to end took more than an hour. But throughout it all, I remained very patient and understanding and had an extremely pleasant phone call the entire time. I finally did get everything working with only a minor glitch that a support ticket had to be opened on. The best part about it though was that at no time before, during, or after did I lose my cool, nor did I ever falsely blame or accuse the people helping me for any of the minor inconveniences I had.

I’m glad I’m not part of any technical support desk these days though because the stress levels can be extremely high in those types of jobs. I do my best today to respect when I’m talking to one of them because I was once in their shoes too. I also try to remember that those people have a heart and soul and their own life conditions to deal with. As devastating as it may sound, the person I’m talking to could have just tragically lost a loved one or had some other terrible thing happen in their life. Yet they are still trying to do their job by helping me and that thought usually makes any of my issue seem a lot more trivial which often will give me a lot more patience too.

If you have to make a technical support phone call today, try to take a moment today and take a deep breath before you do so. Realize that your kindness and patience will lead you to getting your issue resolved much easier. But most importantly, don’t forget you are also dealing with one of God’s children who has a heart and soul just like you.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

While I’m not a church goer, I have to admit that I do love passing by those that take the time to put a truly inspiration slogan on their welcome sign for all those driving by to see. Sometimes I see ones that bring a great smile on my face or even a joyful laugh. Other times I have quite honestly just rolled my eyes. Irregardless, I decided to pool some of them together that I felt were noteworthy and have touched my own life. Here they are in no particular order:

1. A fellow who says it can’t be done is likely to be interrupted by someone doing it.

2. A half truth is a whole lie.

3. A person is never so empty as when he is full of self.

4. Could God nominate you for Best Actor or Actress?

5. aonvatlis – Let God unscramble your life.

6. Don’t let the littleness in others bring out the littleness in you.

7. Don’t tell God how big your storm is, tell your storm how big your God is.

8. Forbidden fruit creates many jams.

9. God can turn your world of broken pieces into many other peaces.

10. God has way more savings than Walmart.

11. God wants spiritual fruit not religious nuts.

12. Honk if you love God, text it if you want to meet God now.

13. If God brought you to it, God will bring you through it.

14. If your mouth is out of order, so is your life.

15. Ipad? Iphone? Ipod? Try Ipray.

16. Pointing out faults? Look in the mirror and not through a telescope.

17. Moses was once a basket case too.

18. Most things wrong in your life started by forgetting what things were right.

19. People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

20. Screaming “Oh God! Oh God!” in bed really isn’t quite the same thing as praying.

21. Thank God for those dirty dishes, at least you have food to eat.

22. Try God, not Google for the real answers you’re seeking.

23. What you thought was coincidence may have been a God incident.

24. When you feel down to nothing, God is really just up to something.

25. You have one new friend request. God Accept/Deny.

While those are just some of the many church slogans that I have seen on their signs and been inspired by, there are many others I’ve also seen along the way that have upset me too. Sometimes they are slanted with hate and propaganda. And generally it’s those types of signs that make me cringe or roll my eyes. One example of a negative church sign I found was “Obama Osama, Humm, Are they brothers?” Another was: “Jews killed Jesus”. And even worse, look at this one: “Santa Klaus never died for anyone”. With free speech, I guess things like this are expected but I know that God is all about unconditional love and definitely not about creating bias like this.

Regardless, I’m just grateful for the many church signs though that are truly about unconditional love and inspiration. It’s my hope that all churches will put slogans on their welcome signs that are not slanted towards one particular point of view but are all encompassing and all loving. I would like to end this article with my own slogan that I’d like to see on a church sign someday. I hope you enjoy it…

“Is your life a puzzle? Let God put the pieces together…”

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

According to some recent statistics, approximately 80% of all the people in the United States identify themselves as a Christian and 84% of the world’s population maintain some level of religious faith and following. What this means is that approximately 8 in every 10 people in both this country and throughout the entire world hold some level of belief in a Higher Power. Given those staggering numbers, I am very troubled by the amount of people who continue to have a hard time forgiving someone who has apparently wronged them in some way, shape, or form when one of the greatest principles of building faith is also in carrying love and forgiveness for everyone.

Why do people continue to hold onto their grudges like they are a best friend? Do people realize that every major religion in this world practices forgiveness in their doctrines? While I’m not a religious person, I do consider myself a spiritual one and follow many of the same teachings and beliefs that Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha, and Muhammad held. In Christianity especially, Jesus always practiced forgiveness to everyone and yet isn’t it ironic that when 8 out of every 10 people in the United States identify themselves as Christians, we still have many hate crimes, violence, and bloodshed that all revolve around the lack of forgiveness.

For the longest time I identified myself as a Christian but was so far from living that way. I carried many grudges like badges of honor and felt hate towards so many. All that did was make me a very negative and angry person who held a tainted view on life. And the more that people “crossed my path”, the more grudges I carried. And the more grudges I carried, the more I disliked everything in life, including myself.

I’ve learned that carrying a grudge is like wanting to have cancer in my body. I’m sure if I went up to anyone who was carrying a grudge and said that they were carrying cancer by holding onto their resentments, most would likely do whatever they could to let them all go. But most don’t realize the poison that is building within their body by carrying any type of grudge.

I believe that God is the opposite of a grudge and is instead, all about forgiveness. There are so many examples in all of the major religions of that, even in the ones that don’t specifically believe in one deity. I have chosen today to not follow any of those religious because I don’t want to put myself in a box. But what I do follow is a higher set of guidelines, ones which allow love for everyone and ones that work on forgiving all those who have ever harmed me, even the most painful ones.

The three most painful ones I have ever had to practice forgiveness towards was with an adult man who molested me, my father who committed suicide, and my mother who spent the last few years of her life drunk. In each of those cases, I held onto to a lot of anger and rage and couldn’t forgive any of them for years. My health suffered as a result on every possible level. When I finally came to a place of healing and forgiveness with all of them, it was as if I became a lighter person.

While I don’t have proof that toxicity builds in the body when one holds onto a grudge and refuses to forgive, I do know that nothing good ever came out of it when I did. The closer I’ve become to God in my life, the more I’ve realized that I need to do what I can to be an example for others in practicing love, forgiveness, and peace for everyone. I am one of those 8 in 10 people in this world who maintains some level of faith in a Higher Being. My Higher Being is God who I know always forgives, so why shouldn’t I too?

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson