Together in pursuit of happiness

Tom B. Dorr of Post Falls recently published a booklet on how to be happier at work.

While it’s probably not headed to the New York Times bestseller list, “TRUE Pro: Be Happy, Do Better” contains advice that would make not just the workplace, but the worldplace a little better for everyone.

Sprinkling humor in with some basic business wisdom, Dorr’s focus is on fundamentals. In fact, TRUE stands for Thankful, Respectful, Useful and Encouraging. They’re qualities that the lowest guy or gal on the office totem pole all the way up to the president of the United States would benefit by applying and constantly striving to improve.

Character is key, according to Dorr, who defines it this way: “Character is revealed by what you do when you don’t know what to do.” Dorr also believes each of us is capable of changing our character for the better, and that, in essence, should be one of our great pursuits in life.

For lasting success, character needs to be accompanied by competence — another area Dorr reminds us we’re all capable of working on and improving.

We appreciate Dorr creating his publication for public consumption because the pain and negativity around us needs to be offset by encouragement and success stories. Speaking of encouragement, Dorr shares two great quotes:

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Still, Dorr managed to save the best for last. It’s a poem he penned that resonates with us and, we hope, will with you:

Some measure life by length of years

Others by the volume of tears

Still more by things possessed

But we measure life by deeds done best

and souls that are blessed.

•••

Maybe Tom has a spare copy of his booklet for you. You can ask by writing to him at: Tom@TomDorr.com

Blessings abound.

Do you know how lucky you are? How lucky we all are?

Funny, but some of the people who feel most blessed aren’t rich, famous or even all that fortunate in some people’s eyes.

We’re thinking of Roger, who slipped from death’s waiting arms several months back. He’s long had health problems, has to work well beyond retirement age to make ends meet and has a smile that won’t surrender no matter how bad things might look. Roger spreads no ill will and is a blessing to all who meet him.

Then there’s Graham, another battler who has taken the blows life’s delivered and returned them with hugs and prayers. A humble veteran, Graham knows no retreat from an ethical path. His mission is to help others, and he works on that every day. One word describes Graham perfectly: Patriot.

We’re thinking of young Alexander, whose childhood in an orphanage was marked by whippings on their naked bodies whenever he or any of the other children showed emotion. Adopted by a loving family, Alexander today exudes the best of the American spirit: independence, compassion, the quest for constant improvement.

Some days the world can look pretty scary. Misery can be found without effort. But on the eve of our national day of giving thanks, scrutiny inward and outward reveals something else entirely.

We’re alive. We’re free.

We’re blessed, each and every one of us.