Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Fault is too.

You don't like to believe this because there is validity in the fault you see. Of course, there is, yet you are the one who has seen it and thought about it.

Beloveds, let sleeping dogs lie. Let life be what it is. You are not meant to be the editor of the Universe.

If you want to improve life in the world as it is, then, without question, find that which you like. This has been said so often, and is such a simple thought that you may pass right by it.

The most valuable thing you can do today is to find something you like about something.

When you are in a good mood, this is easy to do. When you are not in a good mood, this is harder to do.

But look around you, beloveds. A bird sings every day. A bird never says: "I don't feel like singing today." A bird sings because that is what birds do.

A human being has a choice, to find joy or to find fault.

The question posed to you isn't: "What do you feel like doing today, or what do you feel like saying today?"

It is the same as when you go to work. Mostly you are not in the position of asking: "What do I want to do today?" Most likely you have to ask: "What needs to be done today? What is important that I do today?" You may not feel like adding up numbers, but that may be what has to be done.

In your life, what is optimum for you to do today? Every single day of your life, regardless of the weather, regardless of where you are, it is for you to note something you like. Even if the weather is cold and blustery.

When there is someone you see fault in, then look for something in the person that you don't see fault in. There may be ten things you don't like about the person, but will you, as a favor to me, find one thing you could like? If he is a nit-picker, perhaps like you, he may not care about what you care about, but he cares about something.

And now we come to you, beloved. If you are a nit-picker with yourself, find something about yourself that you like. Turn yourself from a nit-picker into a good-natured person easy to please yourself. Perhaps the best thing you can be today is be a person who is amicable.

Perhaps you can find as many good reasons to be pleased as you used to find to be displeased.

What if a person you are dealing with now rubs you so much the wrong way that you can't, try as you may, draw a clear breath in his presence. There is not one single thing you can think of that pleases you. I will tell you what to do then. This one simple advice may change your whole life. Here is what I suggest when you are stymied and someone simply cannot please you. Here's what you do:

Think of something you can do to please the person. Can you get him a cup of coffee? Give him a stick of gum? Ask him to tell you what you can do for him? Ask him about his daughter or his dog? What would be the cost to you, beloved? What might be the reward to the person?

No matter how trying a situation with someone may be for you, you have the power within you to ease it. If you cannot ease it for yourself, then see what you can do to ease it for the other person.

Isn't it strange that I would have to ask this of you when all are your brothers and sisters, and you, theirs?