♥..::Arlene's View::.. ♥

Monday, October 22, 2007

Law of the Garbage Truck

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you
let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee
ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're
probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful
person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a
New York City taxi ca b.
Here's what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station.
We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car
jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other
car's back end by just inches!
The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident,
whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.
And I mean, he was friendly.
So, I said, "Why did you just do that?
This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"
And this is when my taxi drive r told me what I now call, "The Law of the
Garbage Truck."
Many people are like garbage trucks.
They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and
full of disappointment.
As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it.
And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump
on you, don't take it personally.
You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.
You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck."
I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me?
And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people:
at work, at home, on the streets?
It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."
I began to see garbage trucks.
Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead
People."
Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks."
I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off.
And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile,
wave, wish them well, and I move on.
One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this
every day on the football field.
He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled.
He never dwelled on a hit.
Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting.
Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from
school with hugs and kisses.
Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at
their best for the people they care about.
The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take
over their day.
What about you?
What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage
trucks pass you by?
Here's my bet.
You'll be happier.

Life's too short to wake up in th e morning with regrets, so..
Love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe that everything happens for a reason.
If you get a chance , TAKE IT!
If it changes your life , LET IT!
Nobody said it would be easy...
They just promised it would be worth it!

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Rediscovering Litanies

My second assignment for Catching153: Write about the Litany, specifically the Litany of Loreto. If I thought my first assignment of interviewing Auntie Emely was tough, this was even tougher. While doing this article, it was hard to concentrate on where to start. I’ve encountered the Litany of the Saints a lot of times and often sang it in Church in special occasions. But what does it really mean? So my netvigation began and took me to so many resources in the internet that I suddenly found myself in an “information overload” situation. How ironic (and providential) that I suddenly prayed the Litany of Loreto, and thus, found my feet to start my teaching assignment on the Litany of Loreto.

So, first things first. What is a litany?

Citing newadvent.org: “Latin: Litania, letania, from Greek lite, prayer or supplication. A litany is a well-known and much appreciated form of responsive petition, used in public liturgical services, and in private devotions, for common necessities of the Church, or in calamities — to implore God's aid or to appease His just wrath.
In my own words, a litany is a powerful prayer with the key word “response” – in the same way when we pay the Prayers of the faithful during Mass.

Trivia: Did you know? The Litany was prayed fervently during moments of dire need during the medieval times.

Second important question: Why pray the litany? I liked this source for the youth which explains the litany so beautifully that I just have the quote them: “If you have ever talked about someone you really look up to, and you listed all their good qualities, you have experienced the basic idea behind litanies. When you're describing someone you love and admire, you want to say all the wonderful things you can think of about that person. When you pray a Catholic litany, you're telling God, or Mary, or the saints (depending on whom the litany is addressed to), "You're so wonderful! You're so holy! You did so many great things, and I want to be like you. Help me to get to heaven.”

Who/What/Where is Loreto? What is the Litany of Loreto? It’s actually a small town on the Eastern coast of central Italy, and according to tradition, is the house where Mary was born and in which the Archangel Gabriel made his Annunciation to her.¹ The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary was popularized in the 1850’s in Loreto, thus the Litany of Loreto. The litany of Loreto enshrines both Old and New Testament imagery to form an expansive verbal tapestry, offering a panoramic view of the Blessed Mother's place in salvation history.²It is prayed (usually privately) on Marian feasts and their vigils, on Saturdays, and is often added to Rosaries.³ Need I say more?

The image at right is a version of the very unique and stylized statue of Our Lady of Loreto which is kept at the shrine. The statue -- the original was destroyed by fire -- depicts Our Lady holding Jesus and as clad in a dalmatic. Its deep hues are due to the original wood's having been darkened by the soot from candles and lamps that burned around it in the shrine's sanctuary.(Fisheaters.com)

In summary, I discovered that the Litany of Loreto is such a beautiful prayer, so rich in history and tradition that reflects the life of our Mother. Quoting Catholictradition.org, “How can mankind be stingy in praise of God's Mother when He has honored her more highly than we can ever dream of?” Indeed.

- end of article -

Litany of Loreto

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.

Mother of Christ, pray for us.

Mother of divine grace, pray for us.

Mother most pure, pray for us.

Mother most chaste, pray for us.

Mother inviolate, pray for us.

Mother undefiled, pray for us.

Mother most amiable, pray for us.

Mother most admirable, pray for us.

Mother of good counsel, pray for us.

Mother of our Creator, pray for us.

Mother of our Savior, pray for us.

Virgin most prudent, pray for us.

Virgin most venerable, pray for us.

Virgin most renouned, pray for us.

Virgin most powerful, pray for us.

Virgin most merciful, pray for us.

Virgin most faithful, pray for us.

Mirror of justice, pray for us.

Seat of wisdom, pray for us.

Cause of our joy, pray for us.

Spiritual vessel, pray for us.

Vessel of honor, pray for us.

Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.

Mystical rose, pray for us.

Tower of David, pray for us.

Tower of ivory, pray for us.

House of gold, pray for us.

Ark of the covenant, pray for us.

Gate of heaven, pray for us.

Morning star, pray for us.

Health of the sick, pray for us.

Refuge of sinners, pray for us.

Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.

Help of Christians, pray for us.

Queen of Angels, pray for us.

Queen of Patriarchs, pray for us.

Queen of Prophets, pray for us.

Queen of Apostles, pray for us.

Queen of Martyrs, pray for us.

Queen of Confessors, pray for us.

Queen of Virgins, pray for us.

Queen of all Saints, pray for us.

Queen conceived without original sin, pray for us.

Queen assumed into heaven, pray for us.

Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.

Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us O Lord

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY

Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto us Thy servants, that we may rejoice in continual health of mind and body; and, by the glorious intercession of Blessed Mary ever Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness, and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. Through Chrsit our Lord. Amen.

Sources:

http://www.newadvent.org

http://www.catholicyouth.freeservers.com/litanies/litanies.htm

http://www.fisheaters.com/litanies.html - ^{1, 3}

http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/litany-loreto.htm - ²