On my way to Prescott Valley today to do laundry, as I was in Dewey, I saw an old man walking along the road. I could see that he was a bit ragged and it was hot so I decided to ask him if I could give him a lift.
His name was Henry Yazi, a Navajo. It was hard to understand his words as he had a heavy native accent, few teeth, and was working a wad of gum that kept making an appearance between is lower teeth and is lower lip.
He said he had an appointment at the V.A. tomorrow. He started out in Flagstaff this morning. His niece dropped him off there. I was his fifth ride of the day. He was in the Army, in Viet Nam and Germany 1964, 1965, and 1966.
I asked him what his childhood was like. He said it was hard. His father finally was able to arrange for him to go to school but he said his English was poor and it made school very hard.
I decided to take him to where ever he needed to go. I wasn’t in a hurry and it was so easy for me to just sit there and drive. I asked him if he had a place to stay in Prescott and he said he would stay at the Mission. I assumed that that was a shelter provided by the Salvation Army. As we got into Prescott, he directed me away from down town and toward the medical center. He said that there was an Albertson grocery store where he knew someone who he could stay with. I dropped him off at the store. We shock hands. He said God bless you. I said it was a pleasure to meet him.
Driving back, I prayed. I don’t usually pray solicitous prayers. But I thought that this guy could really use some help, and that God ought to know about it. I prayed, “God if ever a person needed some help right now, Henry Yazi could use some. So, please send him some help.” Immediately the words came into my head “I just did.”.
There are resume traits and achievements, and there are eulogy traits and achievements. Your great grandchildren won't know much about you. For nearly all of us, hundred years after our deaths, we will be gone from memory. This is it. Right now. Try to be kind, now. That is a creed. As Elvis said, "Don't be cruel."
Thank you Mardy. I used to interview medical students for acceptance into our medical residency program and one of my questions to them was to give me their credo. It was eye opening to hear the various responses. I learned more from that one answer than most anything else.
Thanks so much, Manisha. That may be the best "job interview" question I've ever heard, and I can only imagine how helpful it could be in garnering critical information about an applicant. I would guess that two of the worst answers would be: (1) "I don't have one" and (2) "What's a credo?"
Thank you Mardy. I was generally impressed with their answers. To get through four years of Medical school (plus for others a whole other past career) takes grit, so learning how they managed this with an overarching credo was incredibly telling. I could see the ones that were going to be stable based on the belief that guided them.
Thank you Arlene. Think back to your younger self. It was quite impressive, these young people knew what they wanted out of life and how they needed to achieve it - and could articulate it! The ones that answered the best, always received high marks from me. I was pleasantly surprised and humbly inspired by the candidates.
I gave them a choice of mantra or credo but they all seemed to understand my question. Best answer that stuck with me was, “when I am overwhelmed, I ask myself, how do you eat an elephant….one bite at a time.”
Thanks, Barbara. No matter what we call them, our personal vision/mission/credo statements are critically important, should be periodically reviewed for relevance, and modified where necessary.
I love LOVE Frankie Laine! Although he is a bit before my time, I grew up parents who watched Rawhide regularly and I know the words to the theme song by heart! He is the best and I am so glad that your video included Rawhide!! Thank you, Dr. Mardy. And, BTW, your quote about "credo" is the best quote I have seen today!!
Thanks for weighing in, Roger. When I found a video clip of "I believe" that also included "Rawhide," I just couldn't pass it up! Thanks also for your heartwarming words about my final thought. I must confess that, when it came to me, I liked it as well!
I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that Exodus 19 & 20, in the Christian Bible - "The Ten Commandments" falls quite a bit short of a credo. I've studied and explored these verses quite extensively and find them too specific to be universally useful. As I see it there's no commandment (for instance) to not be a bully. There's no commandement to treat women equally, or for that matter to treat gays and trans folks ar equals. The all inclusive statement that might well be used as a credo is "The Golden Rule"(as dj has pointed out in these comments) or one or more of its iderations. About 600 years before Christ, Confucious articulated a version of this golden credo. It says don't do anything to anyone else that you wouldn't want done to you. I not only can live with that, I really try to do so.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Mike. In my view, the Ten Commandments don't "fall short" of being a credo; they were never meant to be one! They were commandments, pure and simple. But I fully agree with your thoughts about The Golden Rule. It has all the elements of a credo, in all of its many variations.
Yes. God given Commandments. They were behaviors to follow by comanding that they be followed. They were a shotgun blast of stuff not to do. Even after the Jews left Egypt and wandered to the (almost mythical) Mt. Sinai, there were other negative behaviors that could have been, but were not commanded, i.e., left out of "God's commandments." The commandments that God carved on tablets were stated as negatives, i.e.," don't do these things." As such, they wern't as helpful as they could have been, had there been a more thoughtful, all inclusive, credo. From my point of view, if these behaviors were important enough to have been carved into stone, shouldn't they have been more complete?
It was, as they say, a different time! And, of course, it is helpful to remember that it never really happened. It was just a powerful and dramatic story invented by some ancient storyteller who was probably working for some ruler who wanted to keep his people in line.
OMG. You've burst my bubble. It never happened? God didn't blow a mean trumpet, make the mountain shake and deliver a message to the people through Moses? I'm only hanging in here because there are literally bazillions of people who still believe that these stories are real - and they are in the Bible to teach, allegoricaly or not. I'm clinging to your original proposition (and hopefully making your case) that a good credo is best. Wouldn't it be better for those bazillions if the old story was better? And here we are - doing unto each other - and enjoying it. You've kicked me in the brain again (and I have reciprocated this time). It's the golden rule!
Ok. If the 'golden rule' can be considered a credo, I can accept it as mine. There's another quote from an ancient rabbi but I'll have to search around for it. It was more complete than just 'do unto other's....
My credo comes from learning in Sunday School, at the Apostolic Gospel Church, in the bottoms of Columbus Ohio. I believe, "if you bring light into the world, it never goes away; but bring darkness and it is perpetual as well". The Wizard gives the Tin Man one to which I subscribe as well. He tells him, "a heart is not judged by how much you love but by how much you are loved by others". Thanks for steering our thoughts to the deeper issues.
OMG. You've burst my bubble. It never happened? God didn't blow a mean trumpet, make the mountain shake and deliver a message to the people through Moses? I'm only hanging in here because there are literally bazillions of people who still believe that these stories are real - and they are in the Bible to teach, allegoricaly or not. I'm clinging to your original proposition (and hopefully making your case) that a good credo is best. Wouldn't it be better for those bazillions if the old story was better? And here we are - doing unto each other - and enjoying it. You've kicked me in the brain again (and I have reciprocated this time). It's the golden rule!
Mr. Clark is quoted as saying, "I also hold one or two beliefs that are more difficult to put shortly." After reading them, I think we do now have a "short" term we can use for these beliefs, "woke."
I hate to admit, since I subscribed solemnly to the Christian credo when I was ordained a priest, that it has become increasingly slippery as I near my end. At my best, I believe I have been granted the miracle of life. Against seemingly insurmountable odds. At my less than best, I simply wonder about it all. I am powerfully drawn to the Jesus story because Jesus had the courage to be kind, even to those who would do him harm. If I have a bedrock credo, it is that the happiness we all wish for, is found in seeing the divine in everyone, in every tiny semblance of being that has dared to embrace tenure on this small planet. I believe there has never been a wasted cell since the outrageous once-cell amoeba risked evolving.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is inspired by God and Titus 1:2 says it is impossible for God to lie. If God created the universe, which I believe he did, he could certainly have caused the miracles that the Bible talks about.
Thanks for weighing in, Bruce. I completely support your right to believe that the words of the Bible are divinely inspired, or even the word of God. That is not my belief, however, and I would hope that you would extend the same courtesy to people like me.
I do extend that courtesy. Just wanted others to know the other side of the story. If you want more info. to investigate go to jw.org. and look up Is the Bible really the word of God. We have a book on the subject. Really enjoy your news letter
I'm wondering why I'm finding this week's topic so difficult........ I have been doing a lot of thinking but I keep hitting a wall. When I think of 'credo' the first thing that comes to mind is 'religion' . But I never grew up with that in any of my religion studies. Another thing that credo brings to my mind is assigning a 'label' to someone or something. Credo is an academic word (in my mind) and since I'm opposed to labeling people, I don't seem to be able to define my own 'credo'. Am I resisting being 'labeled'?? I used to tell my students that I was an 'anti-fanatic fanatic'.... How can I make 'credo' into a 'label' like that? And I'm wondering if by having a credo of your own, is it something that you are able to change over time? ......Sorry, it's been a pretty awful week here. One of our incredible blind cats, Melly, was outside with us when she was run over by a neighbor. It's not what you think, she would only go outside with us and the dogs for a short walk...never more than 3' from us....Despite warnings to slow down the neighbor kept moving and ran over her! It wasn't an accident, it was sheer stupidity! But things are improving...and today we have reason to believe that she will recover!! HOORAY!!! Credo needs more marinating before I can sort it out. Take care folks. Stay cool and safe.
Perhaps the reason you're having trouble with the word is because you've had such an awful week. I can only imagine how painful it was to witness that scene. When you get back to reflecting on the word "credo," know that is has roots in religion, but is now more of a secular term. Also put the word "label" out of your mind. Simply ask yourself, "What are the beliefs and principles that guide my life?" Everything else is extraneous.
Great advice from a great man...and a friend. I really needed this, thank you. Good news, Melly is doing so well that tomorrow the vet is going to operate to fix her jaw. She's being fitted with a knee brace (it's NOT broken) and he's ordering a special halter so we can take her outside ON A LEASH. On top of everything else I've had to deal with....the toilet was stopped up BUT I fixed it! Call me Josephine the Plumber. Things are looking up and my problems are flushing away!! LOL... Did you see my comment referring 'the golden rule'.... This is now my personal credo...…….. "Whatever is hateful and distasteful to you, do not do to your fellow man." MORE THAN THE 'GOLDEN RULE'....
The true story of Henry Yazi and God.
By Brent Scott
July 12, 2011
On my way to Prescott Valley today to do laundry, as I was in Dewey, I saw an old man walking along the road. I could see that he was a bit ragged and it was hot so I decided to ask him if I could give him a lift.
His name was Henry Yazi, a Navajo. It was hard to understand his words as he had a heavy native accent, few teeth, and was working a wad of gum that kept making an appearance between is lower teeth and is lower lip.
He said he had an appointment at the V.A. tomorrow. He started out in Flagstaff this morning. His niece dropped him off there. I was his fifth ride of the day. He was in the Army, in Viet Nam and Germany 1964, 1965, and 1966.
I asked him what his childhood was like. He said it was hard. His father finally was able to arrange for him to go to school but he said his English was poor and it made school very hard.
I decided to take him to where ever he needed to go. I wasn’t in a hurry and it was so easy for me to just sit there and drive. I asked him if he had a place to stay in Prescott and he said he would stay at the Mission. I assumed that that was a shelter provided by the Salvation Army. As we got into Prescott, he directed me away from down town and toward the medical center. He said that there was an Albertson grocery store where he knew someone who he could stay with. I dropped him off at the store. We shock hands. He said God bless you. I said it was a pleasure to meet him.
Driving back, I prayed. I don’t usually pray solicitous prayers. But I thought that this guy could really use some help, and that God ought to know about it. I prayed, “God if ever a person needed some help right now, Henry Yazi could use some. So, please send him some help.” Immediately the words came into my head “I just did.”.
A powerful story, Brent. Thanks so much.
I love this! I love that you heard God speak to you.
It also reminds me of a quote (sorry, don't know where it comes from):
Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous.
I too have heard that quote...I'm sure some on has the answer...
I've shared your story w/ many today. TY ♥️
There are resume traits and achievements, and there are eulogy traits and achievements. Your great grandchildren won't know much about you. For nearly all of us, hundred years after our deaths, we will be gone from memory. This is it. Right now. Try to be kind, now. That is a creed. As Elvis said, "Don't be cruel."
Well said, Peter. Thanks for sharing your creed.
💯!!
Thank you Mardy. I used to interview medical students for acceptance into our medical residency program and one of my questions to them was to give me their credo. It was eye opening to hear the various responses. I learned more from that one answer than most anything else.
Thanks so much, Manisha. That may be the best "job interview" question I've ever heard, and I can only imagine how helpful it could be in garnering critical information about an applicant. I would guess that two of the worst answers would be: (1) "I don't have one" and (2) "What's a credo?"
Thank you Mardy. I was generally impressed with their answers. To get through four years of Medical school (plus for others a whole other past career) takes grit, so learning how they managed this with an overarching credo was incredibly telling. I could see the ones that were going to be stable based on the belief that guided them.
Btw , thankfully I never heard, “I don’t know” or “huh?” :)
Manisha, I am wondering what I would have said ... perhaps 'let me think about it........'
Thank you Arlene. Think back to your younger self. It was quite impressive, these young people knew what they wanted out of life and how they needed to achieve it - and could articulate it! The ones that answered the best, always received high marks from me. I was pleasantly surprised and humbly inspired by the candidates.
I gave them a choice of mantra or credo but they all seemed to understand my question. Best answer that stuck with me was, “when I am overwhelmed, I ask myself, how do you eat an elephant….one bite at a time.”
Thanks for the additional information. Very instructive.
Kenneth Clark was one of my earliest heroes. Thank you for such an interesting and inspirational column this week, Mardy. All the best, John.
Thanks, John. Nice to hear. He inspired a whole lot of people.
I like your definition. What a different world we would live in if that thought preceded every statement that anyone ever uttered alouid.
Thanks. Yes, just imagine.
perhaps simply follow the golden rule, & be humble
Simple but powerful. Thanks, dj.
So much to think about here. I wrote my Creed 30 years ago! Though I didn’t call it that! Might be time to fine tune it! Thanks for the inspiration…
Thanks, Barbara. No matter what we call them, our personal vision/mission/credo statements are critically important, should be periodically reviewed for relevance, and modified where necessary.
Have enjoyed your weekly for years Dr Mardy— first met you at Vistage in Cincinnati
Wrote my credo in 2012 because of another Vistage speaker - Balaji- — and didn’t know that credo was the name for it…but captures how I try to live—
Savor the day, while always learning , for a better tomorrow
Thanks Dr Mardy! I am always learning something interesting when I read your weekly
Rob
Thanks for joining the conversation, Rob. Love your statement. Crisp, clean, pithy. Thanks also for your kind words about my weekly newsletter.
I love LOVE Frankie Laine! Although he is a bit before my time, I grew up parents who watched Rawhide regularly and I know the words to the theme song by heart! He is the best and I am so glad that your video included Rawhide!! Thank you, Dr. Mardy. And, BTW, your quote about "credo" is the best quote I have seen today!!
Thanks for weighing in, Roger. When I found a video clip of "I believe" that also included "Rawhide," I just couldn't pass it up! Thanks also for your heartwarming words about my final thought. I must confess that, when it came to me, I liked it as well!
I'm going to go out on a limb here and state that Exodus 19 & 20, in the Christian Bible - "The Ten Commandments" falls quite a bit short of a credo. I've studied and explored these verses quite extensively and find them too specific to be universally useful. As I see it there's no commandment (for instance) to not be a bully. There's no commandement to treat women equally, or for that matter to treat gays and trans folks ar equals. The all inclusive statement that might well be used as a credo is "The Golden Rule"(as dj has pointed out in these comments) or one or more of its iderations. About 600 years before Christ, Confucious articulated a version of this golden credo. It says don't do anything to anyone else that you wouldn't want done to you. I not only can live with that, I really try to do so.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Mike. In my view, the Ten Commandments don't "fall short" of being a credo; they were never meant to be one! They were commandments, pure and simple. But I fully agree with your thoughts about The Golden Rule. It has all the elements of a credo, in all of its many variations.
Yes. God given Commandments. They were behaviors to follow by comanding that they be followed. They were a shotgun blast of stuff not to do. Even after the Jews left Egypt and wandered to the (almost mythical) Mt. Sinai, there were other negative behaviors that could have been, but were not commanded, i.e., left out of "God's commandments." The commandments that God carved on tablets were stated as negatives, i.e.," don't do these things." As such, they wern't as helpful as they could have been, had there been a more thoughtful, all inclusive, credo. From my point of view, if these behaviors were important enough to have been carved into stone, shouldn't they have been more complete?
It was, as they say, a different time! And, of course, it is helpful to remember that it never really happened. It was just a powerful and dramatic story invented by some ancient storyteller who was probably working for some ruler who wanted to keep his people in line.
OMG. You've burst my bubble. It never happened? God didn't blow a mean trumpet, make the mountain shake and deliver a message to the people through Moses? I'm only hanging in here because there are literally bazillions of people who still believe that these stories are real - and they are in the Bible to teach, allegoricaly or not. I'm clinging to your original proposition (and hopefully making your case) that a good credo is best. Wouldn't it be better for those bazillions if the old story was better? And here we are - doing unto each other - and enjoying it. You've kicked me in the brain again (and I have reciprocated this time). It's the golden rule!
Ok. If the 'golden rule' can be considered a credo, I can accept it as mine. There's another quote from an ancient rabbi but I'll have to search around for it. It was more complete than just 'do unto other's....
Dr. Mardy,
My credo comes from learning in Sunday School, at the Apostolic Gospel Church, in the bottoms of Columbus Ohio. I believe, "if you bring light into the world, it never goes away; but bring darkness and it is perpetual as well". The Wizard gives the Tin Man one to which I subscribe as well. He tells him, "a heart is not judged by how much you love but by how much you are loved by others". Thanks for steering our thoughts to the deeper issues.
Best,
Jamie
OMG. You've burst my bubble. It never happened? God didn't blow a mean trumpet, make the mountain shake and deliver a message to the people through Moses? I'm only hanging in here because there are literally bazillions of people who still believe that these stories are real - and they are in the Bible to teach, allegoricaly or not. I'm clinging to your original proposition (and hopefully making your case) that a good credo is best. Wouldn't it be better for those bazillions if the old story was better? And here we are - doing unto each other - and enjoying it. You've kicked me in the brain again (and I have reciprocated this time). It's the golden rule!
Thanks, Mike. Reciprocal relationships are the best!.
Mr. Clark is quoted as saying, "I also hold one or two beliefs that are more difficult to put shortly." After reading them, I think we do now have a "short" term we can use for these beliefs, "woke."
Ah, yes. A wonderful concept--until it was appropriated by radicals on the left and turned into a hammer.
We can always go with, "empathy."
I hate to admit, since I subscribed solemnly to the Christian credo when I was ordained a priest, that it has become increasingly slippery as I near my end. At my best, I believe I have been granted the miracle of life. Against seemingly insurmountable odds. At my less than best, I simply wonder about it all. I am powerfully drawn to the Jesus story because Jesus had the courage to be kind, even to those who would do him harm. If I have a bedrock credo, it is that the happiness we all wish for, is found in seeing the divine in everyone, in every tiny semblance of being that has dared to embrace tenure on this small planet. I believe there has never been a wasted cell since the outrageous once-cell amoeba risked evolving.
Thank you, Mardy, for provoking this burst of ???
Thanks for your burst of reflective thinking, Blayney. You've had quite the journey. Thanks for sharing elements of it with us.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that all scripture is inspired by God and Titus 1:2 says it is impossible for God to lie. If God created the universe, which I believe he did, he could certainly have caused the miracles that the Bible talks about.
Thanks for weighing in, Bruce. I completely support your right to believe that the words of the Bible are divinely inspired, or even the word of God. That is not my belief, however, and I would hope that you would extend the same courtesy to people like me.
I do extend that courtesy. Just wanted others to know the other side of the story. If you want more info. to investigate go to jw.org. and look up Is the Bible really the word of God. We have a book on the subject. Really enjoy your news letter
I'm wondering why I'm finding this week's topic so difficult........ I have been doing a lot of thinking but I keep hitting a wall. When I think of 'credo' the first thing that comes to mind is 'religion' . But I never grew up with that in any of my religion studies. Another thing that credo brings to my mind is assigning a 'label' to someone or something. Credo is an academic word (in my mind) and since I'm opposed to labeling people, I don't seem to be able to define my own 'credo'. Am I resisting being 'labeled'?? I used to tell my students that I was an 'anti-fanatic fanatic'.... How can I make 'credo' into a 'label' like that? And I'm wondering if by having a credo of your own, is it something that you are able to change over time? ......Sorry, it's been a pretty awful week here. One of our incredible blind cats, Melly, was outside with us when she was run over by a neighbor. It's not what you think, she would only go outside with us and the dogs for a short walk...never more than 3' from us....Despite warnings to slow down the neighbor kept moving and ran over her! It wasn't an accident, it was sheer stupidity! But things are improving...and today we have reason to believe that she will recover!! HOORAY!!! Credo needs more marinating before I can sort it out. Take care folks. Stay cool and safe.
Perhaps the reason you're having trouble with the word is because you've had such an awful week. I can only imagine how painful it was to witness that scene. When you get back to reflecting on the word "credo," know that is has roots in religion, but is now more of a secular term. Also put the word "label" out of your mind. Simply ask yourself, "What are the beliefs and principles that guide my life?" Everything else is extraneous.
Great advice from a great man...and a friend. I really needed this, thank you. Good news, Melly is doing so well that tomorrow the vet is going to operate to fix her jaw. She's being fitted with a knee brace (it's NOT broken) and he's ordering a special halter so we can take her outside ON A LEASH. On top of everything else I've had to deal with....the toilet was stopped up BUT I fixed it! Call me Josephine the Plumber. Things are looking up and my problems are flushing away!! LOL... Did you see my comment referring 'the golden rule'.... This is now my personal credo...…….. "Whatever is hateful and distasteful to you, do not do to your fellow man." MORE THAN THE 'GOLDEN RULE'....
Good news on the Melly front. And yes, I saw your other post. Well done.