Roger Meyer

In movies and songs, and as advice from actors, singers, and celebrities, we often hear the messages: “Follow your heart” and “Trust your feelings.” Some extol the supposed virtues of listening to their “sixth sense” or their “psychic intuition.” Does the fact that we feel something make it so? Is it generally a good idea to trust our feelings? Or, could doing so get us into real trouble?

Pull two cents out of your pocket or purse. What is a cent or penny worth? It is only 1/100th of a dollar. But what are your “two cents” really worth?

We might hear someone say “That’s not worth two cents!” in describing some item they regard as almost worthless. This idiomatic expression is also illustrated when one offers an opinion when it wasn’t requested. We say, “Here’s my two cents’ worth.”

One way we learn is by imitating someone. Children, especially, are imitators. But adults also learn by imitating others, particularly those they admire. Who do you imitate?

Each of us had a mother who carried and nourished us in her womb until we were born. Most of us had a mother who rocked us, fed us, burped us, and bathed us. She kissed our skinned knee, sent us off to school in clean clothes, and made sure we did our homework. She taught us right from wrong and a thousand other lessons. Our mothers should be honored.

There is a very old saying about money: “You can’t take it with you.” Truly, when life is over, we leave everything behind. This ancient bit of wisdom comes right out of the Bible.

Life’s most simple and yet profound pearls of wisdom are found in the pages of the Bible. The modern-day maxim that we “can’t take it with us” is found in the book of Ecclesiastes, written by ancient Israel’s King Solomon. Ecclesiastes is a book filled with eloquent advice, sharing truths about fleeting human life. As it reminds us, our life’s work and pleasures are all-too-brief.