The other ten commandments

I don't know what it is about the end of summer and the beginning of the school year, but it sends me to closets and drawers to organize them. This past weekend, I cleaned out all the clutter from my desk. It's been some time since I've done this. I found one document that was part of an editing project I completed over four years ago. I must admit, though, that each year, when I go through this purging process, despite the fact I find a lot of trash, there are also treasures here and there.

My desk cleaning contained something I think I put aside some time ago to share on this line. But it slipped to the bottom of a pile, never to be seen again until a few days ago. So, now I share it with you before it disappears again. The most famous author, Anonymous, wrote "The Other Ten Commandments."

 

      I.         Thou shall not worry. For worry is the most

                  unproductive of all human activities.

    II.         Thou shall not be fearful, for most of the things we

                 fear never come to pass.

  III.         Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to 

                 them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing 

                 this.

  IV.         Thou shall face each problem as it comes. You can

                only handle one at a time.

    V.         Thou shall not take problems to bed with you, for 

                 they make very poor bedfellows.

  VI.         Thou shall not borrow other people’s problems. They 

                 can better care for them than you can.

 VII.         Thou shall not try to relive yesterday for it is forever 

                 gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life 

                 and happy now!

VIII.        Thou shall be a good listener, for only when you 

                 listen do hear ideas different from your own. It is 

                 hard to learn anything new when you are talking. . . 

                 And some people do know more than you do.

   IX.        Thou shall not become “bogged down” by frustration, 

                 for ninety percent of it is rooted in self-pity and will 

                 only interfere with positive action.

     X.        Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking the

                 small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big 

                 one.

 

If you use The Other Ten Commandments with the Traditional Ten, you will have powerful guidelines to live a life that will be rewarding for you, as well as those you encounter.