Advice From George Carlin

<p>Someone sent me this and I wanted to share it with my CC friends.</p>

<p>George Carlin’s wife recently passed away…he posted this food for thought.
A wonderful Message by George Carlin:</p>

<p>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. </p>

<p>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.</p>

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

<p>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. </p>

<p>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. </p>

<p>These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men & women but 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. </p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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. </p>

<p>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.</p>

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

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

<p>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</p>

<p>My MIL grew up with George Carlin, and always told great stories about him (he was the only one on the block who roller skated better than she). When she was fighting breast cancer ten years ago, they carried on a correspondence which meant a great deal to her; he was very supportive. i got to meet him once when he was doing a show in the area, a few months before her death. He was just wonderful to us, and a great friend to her.</p>

<p>That letter is just beautiful–he’s a smart, incredibly thoughtful man.</p>

<p>If you are familiar with George Carlin (his humor is usually a bit too offensive for me ) , you might guess that he did not write this piece. In fact, here’s what he <em>really</em> thinks, which actually IS kind of funny! :</p>

<p>“PARADOX OF OUR TIME”

</p>

<p>More background on this - one might even be inclined to appreciate the piece for itself until you learn who really wrote it. :</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp[/url]”>http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Okay, well, he was still pretty cool to my MIL. shrug.</p>

<p>I would remove the above evidence of my being a sap, LOL, but the program won’t let me edit now. oh well.</p>

<p>I’'ll admit to being a SAP. Still think there is a message we can take with us.</p>

<p>Liking the piece doesn’t make anyone a sap! Even George said that many of the sentiments expressed in it were true enough.</p>

<p>I was surprised that Carlin had written it, so it’s not a shock that he didn’t. I found packed with truths (“… more conveniences, but less time”), perhaps expressed in a sappy way, but thought-provoking nevertheless. I’m sorry to learn that it was written by such a reprehensible character.</p>

<p>I was suprised too when I first read the piece in the OP because I didn’t see any four letter words. I thought George Carlin always used a mouthful of them. Not that it makes me less appreciative of him. I can tolerate a little colorful language.</p>

<p>The dead giveaway that Carlin didn’t write it is the ‘we pray too little’ line. His fingers would break <em>themselves</em> first.</p>

<p>^^ LOL, so true! I should also say that S is a huge fan so I have heard some of his more offensive stuff.</p>

<p>It also occurred to me that it is quite ironic that Moorehead wrote so convincingly about paradoxes. Maybe he was really talking about himself.</p>

<p>Ugh - After seeing Carlin live one time back in the early 70s after thinking he’d be funny after watching him on Carson, I’ve ignored him ever since. He was high on drugs, couldn’t remember his lines, couldn’t ‘deliver’ a single joke, tried appealing to the crowd with drug references, then finally just left the stage early since he couldn’t remember any more material.</p>

<p>I hope rehab helped him.</p>

<p>Garland - I’m glad he was good to your MIL though.</p>

<p>The first snippet sounded nothing like George Carlin. The second snippet sounded 100% like George Carlin!</p>