Great advice from, of all people...

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
George Carlin...
Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

ETA: Correction:
Turns out this was not written by George Carlin afterall!
I will check snopes.com in the future. Reading the site in reference to this was a bit of a shock. The essay is still very good...but lots of conflict and confusion surrounding the situation. Thank you to everyone who alerted me regarding this.
 

goldenguru

Active Member
LOL BBK. I was suspicious when I didn't read the F-bomb within the first ten words.

Thanks for setting the record straight.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
I just checked, as well. I found this:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp

husband & I are increasingly used by people we know (and some we don't) as a source to verify or bust anything circulating. It's a fascinating process. Always worth a try, before you send out anything. Another one we did today was that myth about coughing to save yourself from a heart attack. We got it sent to us as a PowerPoint, which is much harder to check. But I found it! So did husband, turns out we were both working on it independently.

I've learnt a new term as a result - glurge. This piece incorrectly attributed to George Carlin doesn't quite qualify as glurge in my book. True glurge should be so sugary as to risk giving you diabetes, and almost always finishes with something like, "If you do not immediately send this to your 100 best friends you are a heartless, soulless creature who deserves to burn forever in the pits of Heck." Or similar emotional blackmail.

Just for curiosity, Google "glurge" and have fun browsing!

Marg
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
Still a good message - food for though, you know? Thanks for sharing. I get 'misquoted' emails nearly everyday but that doesn't mean the message intended is wrong.
 
Thanks for the piece, Nomatic.

For the record, the true author (listed at both links above) is Dr. Bob Moorehead, retired minister of Overlake Christian Church, Seattle, WA. [See the note at snopes.com about the circumstances of his "retirement". Pity. But the hypocrisy of the messenger doesn't destroy the value of the message.]

The first time I got this in an email I knew as soon as I read "pray too seldom" that it couldn't have been authored by George Carlin. He is way too cynical and anti-religious to write something like that. For example, he labeled this piece a "sappy piece of [one of the seven words you can't say on TV or CD]".

 
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