Maya Angelou on Oprah…

I saw this episode and I was really touched by it. I just got this email so thought I’d pass it on…

Oprah asked Maya what she thought of growing old - she said it was "exciting." Regarding body changes she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts.They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou went on to say:

I’ve learned…

…that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow
…that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights
…that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life
…that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making a life”
…that life sometimes gives you a second chance
…that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back
…that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision
…that every day you should reach out and touch someone
…People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back
…that I still have a lot to learn
…that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel

(I did a bit of formatting just to make it a little easier to read)

When I say... "I'm a Christian"

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'." I'm whispering "I was lost, now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on!

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect, my flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou; I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow.

The perfect lunch break

12.15 – leave work

12.25 – arrive home, put away stuff from last night, put on load of washing, heat lunch

12.30 – take seat in front of TV, turn on episode of All Saints

12.40 – get lunch from microwave and Coke zero from fridge, return to seat

1.15 – All Saints finishes, put dishes in sink (rinse), hang washing

1.20 – leave home

1.30 – arrive work – no one cares that your hour lunch break was a little long

(after work washing is dry!)

I only have a max of 9 more chances to do this for a while.

Slow Down Culture

I received this from my accountant at work last week. I thought it was interesting, so thought i'd pass it on.

An interesting reflection : Slow Down Culture It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.