H. Jackson Brown - Highlighted in Yellow: A Short Course In Living Wisely And Choosing Well

Brown, H. Jackson, 1940

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A short course in living wisely and choosing well.

Author of Lifes Little Instruction Book

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A short course in living wisely and choosing well.

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Rutledge Hill Press

Nashville, Tennessee A Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Copyright 2001 by H. Jackson Brown, Jr., and Rochelle Pennington.

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews and articles.

Published by Rutledge Hill Press, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, Tennessee 37214.

www. ThomasNelson. com

Pages 230-231 constitute an extension of this copyright page.

Design by Harriette Bateman.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Brown, H. Jackson, 1940

Highlighted in yellow : a short course in living wisely and choosing well / H. Jackson Brown, Jr. and Rochelle Pennington, p. cm.

ISBN 1-55853-834-8 (pbk.)

1. Conduct of life. I. Pennington, Rochelle, 1963- II. Title. BJ1581.2 .B715 2001 170'.44dc21

2001001193

Printed in the United States of America 5 606 05 04 03

www.instructionbook.com

Introduction vii Kindness 1 Generosity 39 Simple Pleasures 75 Attitude 113 Marriage 145 Parenting 191 Acknowledgments 230

,A.n eight-year-old was asked about his study habits. Well, he said, theres stuff and theres important stuff. I try to remember just the important stuff. That worked well for him, and, you know what? It will work for us, too.

Whether youre in high school or college, or a student of life itself, the textbooks are thick and the reading list long. So many words, so little time; whats a person to do?

Get a yellow highlighter.

You cant learn it all; no one can. But you can get a pretty good feel for any material just by highlighting the main thoughts. What is it you want to remember? What do you think will be on the test? Highlight it now for easy review later.

Highlighted in Yellow is a collection of stories and quotes on some of lifes dearest subjects: the importance of acting with kindness and generosity toward others, securing meaningful relationships with those we love, choosing attitudes to carry us through the common hours

of everyday life, and discovering the satisfaction that comes from the appreciation and enjoyment of simple pleasures.

These are calming words, healing words, encouraging words that inspire change and reward effort. We hope they will help you live wisely and choose well.

So do the required reading. Finish your homework. Class is always in session and were tested every day.

Kindness

The Radio Quiz

ICdndness. I came to fully understand its impact in only a few short minutes while taking one of the more important examinations of my life.

The test was oral. The test giver was a radio announcer. The classroom was my car.

While traveling along in the rain on a Monday morning, a voice coming from the little speaker next to my steering wheel asked, Can you name the last Nobel Peace Prize winner? I knew I should remember, but the name escaped me. While I was trying to think, more questions were asked: Can you name a recent Pulitzer Prize winner? Again, I couldnt. Can you name athletes who received gold medals in the last Olympics? Or the last woman to be crowned Miss America?

Or ... or ... or. No... no... no. Music, literature, art, government officials, scientistsI was zero for zero and wondering how many other listeners were answering correctly.

And then it happened. A question was asked that I could answer: Can you name the last person who told you they loved you? My

heart melted as I remembered, vividly and without hesitation, my children running for the bus that morning, yelling over their shoulders simultaneously, Love you!

Another question, and again I had the answer. Can you name the last person who hugged you? Certainly. Most definitely.

Still others: Can you name a person who showed you kindness recently? Of course.

Can you name a person to whom you showed a kindness recently? Again, of course. Yes, of course. Can you name someone whose smile makes a difference in your day? Or a teacher whose dedication made a difference in your life? Yes, yes, I know. Oh, who to choose? There are so many.

The announcer spoke of the friends, neighbors, co-workers, and even strangers who touch our lives, and I continued to smile. He spoke of helpfulness, of generosity, of thoughtfulness and charity. I felt like laughing out loud. What a way to start ones day! And on a Monday. In the rain.

Kindness matters. It is longed for and lived for. The mighty accomplishments and praiseworthy achievements of the past may be chiseled in stone, but it is the quiet and lovely acts of kindness that are written on our hearts.