RECIPES FOR LIVING...

I am blessed with many wonderful friends – among them, the Publisher and Editor of the Tampa Bay Magazine, Aaron R. Fodiman.   He is a big, warm, fuzzy, incredibly insightful and very funny bear of a man.  I absolutely love his outlook on life and I adore him and his beautiful wife, Margaret.  Recently, he wrote the following column under “The Publisher Postulates” section in his magazine.  I felt so strongly about his message that I asked permission to reprint it here on my blog!  I received a big, booming “YES! ABSOLUTELY!”  I’m hoping you will enjoy it as much as I did. 

“We are all born into this world without a recipe book to tell us precisely how to live.  If we had been given one, things might have been much easier.  So, although it is late in the game for some of us, I thought I would review some of the recipes I have found helpful in my journey.  My basic concept about life is the age-old instruction of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  The best part about this recipe is that you don’t have to interpret what it means, as we easily understand how we would like to be treated.  We seldom are in a quandary about what we would do if the shoe were, so to say, on the other foot. 

          One of my other favorite recipes is the simple and straightforward, “Do the right thing.”  Unfortunately, that can sometimes be a difficult decision to make.  I generally find myself referring back to my first recipe of what would I think the right thing to do would be if it was being done to me.  It is interesting how often your thoughts may vary, depending on whose bull is being gored.

          Along with these two basic recipes, there are thousands more, but of those, my favorite is the Serenity Prayer that advises to let me accept that which I cannot change and change that which can and should be changed, provided that I have the wisdom to recognize the difference.  Now, there is a challenge for you.  If you can determine which is which, life certainly will become happier for you and those around you.

Aaron R. Fodiman

          If you are wondering why, at my age, I’m still looking for recipes to help guide me through life, it is because life is all we have; and, therefore, I believe anything we can pursue to make it better, more fun, easier or more rewarding is definitely worth the effort.  Simple statements, such as “Never eat yellow snow,” or “Measure twice, cut once,” are helpful, but refer only to certain types of limited situations, whereas I’m constantly in search of those thoughts that can be applied almost universally, despite the circumstances.  Such is the case with the concept of treating others as you would want them to treat you.  Strangely, another recipe that has held up for me throughout my life is, “There is no such thing as a free lunch,” and the idea that if it is worth having, it is worth working for.

          The nice thing about these recipes is that, much the same as in cooking, you can modify them to your personal taste; but you must not deviate too far from the principle behind the list of ingredients and preparation instructions.  Life is something we learn about as we go through it.  Our lives, like our meals, are what we make of them; and since we are limited to one life, it’s up to each of us to make it the best that we can.  Just follow the recipe.  I try to. "  

 Thanks, Aaron!

SURVIVAL TIP FOR THE DAY:  I love to try new recipes, but maybe we need to review and reevaluate the old ones.  I intend to – starting with the oldies but goodies – the ones written on my heart!