The Wisdom Project
Thomas, Jr., age 69
What are the top 1-3 things you would like to pass on to others? How did you learn this?
Do the Right Thing!
I think the greatest life lessons are the ones that you learn early, and you hold fast to as you grow. My greatest life lesson was in sports. When I was playing basketball at our YMCA league in Phoenixville, PA I had a habit of getting excited when the referee would call a foul on me. One day I told the referee that he was sick in the head! As you know, I got ejected from the game. When I went home, I told my mother that the referee made a bad call and that he was sick in the head. My mother asked me, “What kind of person do you want to be?” Do you want to be a person who is loud and ruff and complaining all the time? My mother told me that you have to decide what kind of person do you want to be. So I made up my mind at that point, that I was going to be kind person, that I was going to be respectful and do the right thing. And the right thing was to go back and tell the official that I was sorry and apologized for my words and actions. From that moment one I was going to do the right thing! Doing the right thing is a choice, and you have to have it in your mind before the incident happens because if you wait for the incident happens you probably won’t do the right thing. Do the Right Thing was a lesson that I learned very early!
You’ve seen a lot of significant events and changes over the course of your life. What wisdom can you share from your observations and experiences of the world in your lifetime so far?
Open Your Eyes & Heart!
You experience wisdom from your own eyes and through your own heart. That’s what has to change. Your eyes and your heart walk you through the journey. They both have to be directed in a certain way in order for you to maneuver through all of life’s circumstances. Through all of the things that happen, you see them through your own eyes and through your own heart. The first thing you must have is a clean heart, clean spirit, and an understanding of God, and your relationship to him which focuses on you. If you have God first and his understanding you will see ALL of Life’s circumstances differently. You must be strong enough to know that what everybody else is doing isn’t the right way to go. You must know that in your own heart so that you are not a follower and can take a leadership role. Through all experiences, I see things with the heart of God, so that God can set me on a path that is different from those of everyone else.
What obstacles and disappointments have you faced that you were able to put into perspective, turn into a positive, and/or contribute to in a way that made things better? What did you learn from these experiences that you can share with those who did not have those same experiences?
Setback into a comeback: Weakness into Strength
Everyone knows that when you lose someone, when someone passes, that is very difficult time in their lives. What you must remember is that you have to turn that negative feeling into a positive feeling. You must encourage yourself to be strong, and that you are going to do certain things, and persevere to overcome. The weaknesses must turn into a strength so that you can continue to go on. So instead of being saddened, we must find Joy. Instead of experiencing isolation, you must continue to find a group of people with whom to come together. Above all, you must be committed. You must continue to say to yourself, “I’m going to do this for this specific purpose!” I’m going to allow for this person’s legacy to live on through me. We will take on their legacy in positive energy that we can spread to the world. This is how you can overcome loss.