They Don’t Burn Trash Anymore

Jalál (Glory), 19 Rahmat (Mercy), 165 BE – Saturday, July 12, 2008 about 5:51 AM PDT

This is Saturday, trash pick-up day in my neighborhood. Weekly review day, time for me to review the past week past and see what I need to change. This is also the last day of Rahmat (Mercy) and time to set goals for Kalimat (Words). What does all this have to do with trash and not burning trash anymore?

Changing bad habits is like taking out the trash, it is something you have to do everyday. I can remember my grandfather taking the trash out to the alley. He would carry it out and put it in a huge metal barrel, with metal lid that went on it. Then, when that can was full, usually once a week, he would burn the trash that was in the barrel. He usually burned trash on Friday afternoon, because the city would pick the trash up on Saturday. By burning trash on Friday, he made sure that the fire was out and there were no embers to sit the trash truck on fire.

After he carried the trash to the alley, he would wash the containers out that went back into the house. Grandma then put the container in whatever room they belonged. As I said before, taking trash out is like changing bad habits, it is a continuous process. It is a never-ending process because it is a daily process. You have to be vigilant or you forget something; sort of like forgetting to empty a trash container in the house by carrying it contents to the outside trashcans, if you forget you will regret it later.

Writing a Personal Mission Statement

Istijlal (Majesty), 1 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Thursday, February 7, 2008 about 8:03 AM PST

I wrote a personal mission statement early in 2007, but on March 12, 2007 my world fell apart when I took my mother to the Emergency Room. My mother is out of the hospital, recovering, and I have found my priorities have changed. Therefore, I have decided to rewrite my personal mission statement.

It is never too late to be what you might have been. ~~George Eliot

According to I Will Change Your Life.com a personal mission statement does three things. It outlines (1) "what you want to be", (2) "what you want to do", and (3) the values you upon which you are basing this being and wanting. Founded on self-knowledge and decision-making, a personal mission statement can help a person change.

Afraid lest he be caught up in a net of words tripped up, bewildered and so defeated – thrown aside – a man hesitates to write down his innermost convictions. ~~William Carlos Williams

I did not give a lot of thought to my last mission statement, a big mistake because that statement did not help me during the stress last year. This year I am going to give more thought to it. I have set March 21, 208 to complete my mission statement; this is the first day of spring and the day I celebrate as the New Year.

I will write my personal mission statement in phrases that I can repeat several times each day. I will answer three questions

1. What do I want to be?
2. What do I want to do?
3. What do I value?