- September 29, 2014
- 11:24 am
- Al Gini
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10 Tips for a Better Life
Gini in a Bottle
10 Tips for a Better Life
Al Gini
This summer Pope Francis gave an interview to the Argentine news weekly, Viva. In it the Pope offered his “Top 10 Tips” for joy in one’s life. Whether you’re a Catholic, a Muslim, a Jew, or a non-believer his list is a commonsensical and a worthwhile read. Enjoy!
- Live and let live. “Everyone should be guided by this principle,” he said. In Italy the saying is, “Move forward and let others do the same.”
- Be giving of yourself to others. People need to be open and generous toward others. “If you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid.”
- Proceed calmly in life. By this he meant: be kind, be calm, and be humble.
- A healthy sense of leisure. The pleasures of art, literature and playing together have been lost. We all need to play/recreate more.
- Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because “Sunday is for family.”
- Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people. We need to be creative with our young people. If they have no opportunities they will be vulnerable, they will lose hope.
- Respect and take care of nature. “Environmental degradation is one of the biggest challenges we have, “he said. “I think a question that we’re not asking ourselves is: Isn’t humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?”
- Stop being negative. “Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self-esteem”. That means: ‘I feel so low that instead of picking myself up I have to cut others down.”
- Don’t proselytize; respect others’ beliefs. “We can inspire others through being a witness. We need dialogue more than dogma.”
- Work for peace. “We are living in a time of many wars, “he said. “The call for peace must be shouted.