Diana Fransis - Everyday Wisdom: Extraordinary Inspiration from Around the World

Copyright 2017 by Diana Fransis Onorato

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Jane Sheppard

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-1947-7

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-1948-4

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my husband, Jake Onorato. You are the most positive and empowering person I know. Thank you for being so good to me.

To my mother and father, for all the years of hard work you invested in my growth. I appreciate everything you have done for me and I love you both!

Introduction

This book was created to encompass words of wisdom about living the good life from ordinary individuals in all walks of life. It is meant to open and enlighten our perspectives regarding the worlds abundant philosophies, united into one manuscript. Contributors had the opportunity to share their wisdom, bringing light to original words, ideas, and experiences that would have otherwise remained unknown.

Opening this conversation with the rest of the world is a way of honoring all the abundant ways of life, in answer to the question, If there were anything you could tell the rest of the world, what would it be?

The goal for this project was to create something that left a feel-good, life-loving impression on others. With the help of many, weve tried to create that feeling, getting as many people involved as we possibly could to share some incredible words of wisdom.

This is a book was written by everybody, for every-one to enjoy.

Focus your energy on rebuilding the world

I have a great distaste for people who always find something to complain about, because life is too short. If they took that same energy they use for complaining and finding fault, and instead put it toward something constructive, they could rebuild the world.

Sandy Kaplan

Reflection

When I made the decision to explore wisdom, I became energized and excited at what I would uncover. The motivation for this project started as a quest for personal growth to ascribe more meaning and value to every moment of the day. I was eager to hear stories that would inspire me for personal guidance and growth, but I was also looking forward to sharing my findings with others.

The birth of this project started many years ago, when I was writing my thesis for graduate school about the study of wisdom. Initially, I was interviewing older adults but have expanded my population after learning that wisdom is not necessarily an age-related characteristic. As I was nearing the end and trying to gather my thoughts on what I learned about wisdom, my imagination suddenly became still. This stillness turned into months escaping me. Much of this time was spent reflecting and analyzing some of the material I had gathered, however, nothing significant seemed to be coming my way. I had pages and pages of content, yet I decided to search for ideas beyond what I had already compiled. Search after search, I reached dead ends. Everything, along with this project, seemed inconclusive. During this delayed time, I experienced many personal life-changing moments myself.

To name one, I was unexpectedly laid off from my job. This was an extremely low and confusing point in my life. To simply put it, I felt like I had failed a million times. But instead of continuing to feed off of my internal panic, I kicked my heels to the side and decided to experience the world barefoot for a while. During my time off, I completed and presented my graduate thesis, I traveled, I landed a book contract with Skyhorse Publishing, who believed in my idea, graduated from graduate school, and within that six-month hiatus, landed an incredible career opportunity. Shortly after, my husband also gained the opportunity of a lifetime. We purchased our first home and moved. During my own personal journey to find happiness, purpose, and wisdom in every situation I encountered, I became effortlessly enlightened at the value of the simple things in life.

When I think about what I learned along the way, I am reminded of one older gentleman telling me that the best days of his life were during the Great Depression. Similarly, another individual who told me she admired and looked up to her friend who grew up in poverty, revealed that people can be fulfilled with very little.

What I have learned about wisdom is nearly transferrable but when I reflect on the responses I received, I am reminded that everything is within reach.

At first thought, wisdom appears as a topic that is mysterious and hard to achieve. I was wrong.

When I think of wisdom now, I think of things that are simple and natural. When I think of wisdom, I think of being with family, spending more time appreciating them, and creating more memories before it is too late. When I think of wisdom, I think of being in love, loving others, enhancing my relationships, and fulfilling my role as a friend, wife, and daughter. When I think of wisdom, I think of making the decision to live a happy, positive, and meaningful life. When I think of wisdom, I think of all matters close to the heart.

Wisdom, to me, is the ability to reflect on life and fully appreciate what is there. It does not need to take a lifetime to acquire wisdom and you dont need to look far.

Acknowledgments

To every single individual who contributed words of wisdom, thank you for sharing your empowering thoughts to inspire the lives of others. You are the reason this book is in our hands.

To those who have not yet contributed, allow this to be your platform. Help keep the wise words coming by sending your submissions to .

Have enough to put a meal on the table. That is enough.

I was born in Emporia, Kansas, in a room upstairs. In those days, during the depression, very few people could afford a hospital room. Some of the best years of my life were during the depression. Everyone was poor you didnt really realize the difference between having something and not having something. If you had enough to put a meal on the table, that was enough. You would never think about having something that someone else had because that other person had the same thing you did.

Royce Woodward

Dont just pass the butter

I believe in prayer. I pray every night. My prayers get longer the more friends I have to pray for. Like [my friend] who lives in my assisted living community, she is completely paralyzed on her right side. Her foot, her arms, even her kidneys are paralyzed. She has been that way for years. She was that way when I came here, but she is happy. I eat at the same table with her. I always wait for her to come down I always sit with her during lunch and dinner because I help her. She just has her left hand, so I wait for her and I sit with her and I tear the sugar packet and hand it to her. She hands me the bread and I butter it and hand it back to her and anything else that I can do. So, I guess she is the best friend that I have here. I always pray for her I help her because I love her and its just one little thing that makes me happy and it makes her happy.