Nature's Ordeal Crippled by Kindness...

     A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. After a few days a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had got as far as it could, and it could go no further.

     So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

     Neither happened ! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

     Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we went through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we have been. We would never fly ! Life becomes wonderful and more fruitful when it is full of difficulties.

The Present...

     Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing the scenes and sounds of the world outside.

     The man in the other bed began to live, for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

     As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

     As soons as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up to take his first look at the world outside. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to make you happy."

     The richest person in the world is one who knows how to make each moment happy for the self and others. Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present.

Precious Possessions...

     A father was very annoyed with his five year old daughter for wasting money on gold wrapping paper. She was wrapping a gift for her father to place under the Christmas Tree. On Christmas eve, when her father unwrapped the gift and opened the box inside, he found that there was nothing inside the box. It was empty. He screamed at her for really wasting the expensive wrapping and for gifting him an empty box. But she very sadly replied that the box wasn't empty and that she blew several kisses into the box especially for her father. Hearing her say this, his heart went out to her and his eyes filled up with tears, he felt hurt and annoyed with himself for shouting at his daughter. All she wanted to show her father was her love and affection for him.

     In the very real sense, each one of us as humans have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends. There are no more precious possessions anyone could hold. So hold on to these precious possessions and never let go. These are those which touch your heart directly, telling you that you are loved and are Special, if not, Very Special to someone always.

Going With The Flow...

     An old man accidentally fell into a swirling river leading to a high and dangerous waterfall. Onlookers feared for his life. Miraculously, he came out alive and unharmed downstream at the bottom of the falls. People asked him how he managed to survive. " I accomodated myself to the water, not the water to me. Without thinking I allowed myself to be shaped by it. Plunging into the swirl, I came out with the swirl. This is how I survived." This story also reminds us of the water sport their force. The faster and fiercer they are, the higher the thrill the surfer gets. He lets go off all control and fear and moves with the nature's flow.

     When we let go of our petty egos, limited controls and our narrow-minded vision, we are able to perceive and move with the higher forces that guide our destiny towards a better purpose.

Heart of Gratitude...

     A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said :  ' I am blind, please help.'  There were only a few coins in the hat.

     A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

     Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write? "
     The man said, " I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."
     I wrote : ' Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.'

     Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

     Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.
    
     Enjoy your day with a heart of gratitude. :-)

My First Award ! (not a story)... :-)



 
           It's a pleasant surprise for me to receive a 'One Lovely Blog Award' from a lovely blogger LiLing of Malaysia.  Thanks a lot LiLing ! I'm so touched and honoured to have been considered for this Award, despite the fact that we have just got acquainted with each other recently.   I love all her posts especially all video clips ! Do visit LiLing from 'Shadows Overhead' ...you'd love her blog.

     The idea of receiving an Award never came across my mind. This is my first Award :-) ... I'm so lucky...within 3 and a half months of  blogging , I've been selected for Editors Pick (Featured Blogger) and this Lovely Blog Award !  It really boosts n' encourages me and gives happiness as well as a sense of responsibility towards this bloggers world to maintain and do better work.

     Once again, thanks to LiLing for the lovely surprise !

     With regards to the award :
  



      Award Rules :

1.  Accept the Award. Check !

2.  Post it on their blog together with the name and link of the person who granted the Award. Check !

3.  Pass the Award to 15 other blogs that are newly discovered.  Hmm..its quite difficult... as I think all bloggers deserve this Award in their own way. :-)
    

        

    

The Story of a Soldier...

     This story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

     "Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favour to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me."
     "Sure," they replied, "We'd love to meet him."
     "There's something you should know"  the son continued, " he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a landmine and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."
     " I'm sorry to hear that, son. May be we can help him find somewhere to live."
     "No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."
     "Son," said the father, "You don't know what you're asking. Some one with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."

     At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide.

     The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror , they also discovered something they didn't know..... their son had only one arm and one leg !

May be...

     There was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news his neighbours came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied.

     The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful !" the neighbours exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbours again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer.

     The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbours congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer.

Moral :  Whatever happens happens for good !

The Woman and The Stone...

     A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

    " I've been thinking,"  he said, " I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone. "

Pan Cakes...

     Six years old Brandon decided one saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving alfoury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He did't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove, (and he didn't know how the stove worked ! ) . Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.


     And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.


     That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying like Brandon to 'make pancakes,' for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried.

Destiny...

     During a momentous battle, a Japanese General decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.

     On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the General took out a coin and said, " I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself."

     He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigourously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle a lieutenant remarked to the General, " No one can change desiny." "Quite right" the General replied as he showed the Lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

     Faith can move mountains. There is nothing like the power of positive thinking. If you believe in yourself or that a higher power is on your side, you can accomplish anything.

The Burden...

     Once upon a time many moons ago, two monks were walking in silence through the forest ; a younger monk, Anjan, and an older monk Nanda. Eventually their path led to a stream. There they saw a beautiful young lady, exquisitely clad, standing on the bank. She was in great distress because she wanted to cross the stream, but did not know how, without getting her fine long robes wet.

     Without hesitation, Nanda scooped her up, crossed the stream, and set her down on dry ground. She thanked him and continued on her way, and the monks continued on theirs, again in silence. Anjan was uncertain, distressed and confused.

     He became more and more restless and then finally he spoke. " Brother Nanda," he said, " I do not know what to make of it. You know our order is an austere order, and we cannot so much as speak to a woman. But.... but.... you saw that lady, you.... uh .... picked her up and carried her across the stream ! And yet...." he continued, almost choking, " You just keep on walking as if nothing happened !"

     " It is quite simple," Nanda replied. Our order also instructs us to help people in need. I carried a helpless woman and set her down on the opposite bank, but you, Brother Anjan, are still carrying her !" So who, indeed , had the lighter burder, and the lighter step?

     Purity is a state of mind, an awareness of one's nature and freedom from attachment of any kind. An act is good or bad according to the quality of thoughts.

Unconditional Love...

     A store owner was putting up a sign that read "Puppies for Sale". Soon a little boy came along and asked, " How much are you gonna sell those puppies for ? "  The store owner replied, "Anywhere between $30 to $50." The little boy reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. He said, " I have only $2.37, but can I have a look at them?" The store owner smiled and whistled.
      Out of the kennel came his dog named Lady, running down the aisle followed by five little puppies.

     One puppy was lagging considerably behind. The little boy immediately singled him out. He asked the owner what was wrong with that one and the owner explained that the pup was born with a bad hip socket and would limp all his life.

     The little boy was all set to buy that particular pup. The store owner tried to convince him that he would not really want a lame pup, but the little boy was adamant to buy the same for the same price as the others. He did not want the store owner to give the pup to him free. He looked him straight in the eye and said, " This pup is worth every bit as much as the other dogs and I'll pay the full price. In fact, I will give you $2.37 now and 50 cents every month until I have him paid for." Still the store owner tried to tell the boy that the pup would not be able to run, jump and play like the other puppies. Then the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the man and said, "Well, I don't run so well myself and the little puppy will need someone who understands."

      Tears welled up in the store owner's eyes and he smiled and said, "Son, I hope and pray that each and every one of these puppies will have an owner such as you."

     We may never know of a greater character unless there is in ourselves something congenial to it. In life, it does'nt matter who you are, but whether, someone appreciates you for what you are, accepts you and loves you unconditionally.

The Scar That Changed to Beauty...

     A little boy invited his mother to attend his school's first parent-teacher conference. To the little boy's dismay she agreed to go. He immediately felt that this would be the first time his classmates and his teachers would meet his mother and he somehow was embarrassed by her appearance. Although his mother was beautiful; she had a very prominent scar that covered nearly the entire right side of her face. The little boy never had the courage to talk about this scar either with his mom or anyone else. During the conference, he overheard the conversation between his mother and his teacher as he stood hiding a little far away from where his mom stood. In the course of their conversation, the teacher did ask his mother how she got her face scared. And his mother was telling her... When my son was a baby, suddenly one day the room he was in, caught fire. Nobody wanted to go in because the fire was out of control. At that moment, she rushed in. As she ran towards his crib, she saw a beam coming down and so she placed herself over her body to shield him. In the process, she was knocked unconscious and a fireman fortunately came in and saved both of them. She then went on to say that the scar would be permanent and she never regretted doing what she did.

     At that moment, the little boy hearing this ran up to his mother and hugged her with tears in his eyes. At once he felt an overwhelming sense of pride for his mother which changed his feelings for her, all at once. 

      In this story even the scarred appearance changed to beauty.


       

Echo Of Life...

   A man and his son were walking in the forest. Suddenly the boy trips and feeling a sharp pain and he screams, " Ahhhh !"
     Surprised, he hears a voice coming from the mountain, " Ahhhh !"
     Filled with curiosity, he screams, " Who are you? "
     But the only answer he receives is : " Who are you? "
     This makes him angry so he screams, " You are a coward !"
     and the voice answers : " You are a coward ! "
     He looks at his father, asking, " Dad, what is going on? "
     "Son," the man replies, " pay attention ! "
     Then he screams : " I admire you ! "
     The voice answers : " I admire you ! "
     The father shouts : " You are wonderful ! "
     The voice answers : " You are wonderful ! "
    
     The father explains, " People call the 'ECHO' but truly it is 'LIFE'. Life always gives you back what you give out. Life is a mirror of our actions. "

Take One Step at a Time...

     A farmer's donkey fell into a well and the poor animal brayed piteously for hours, as the farmer did not know what to do. Since the animal was old, the farmer decided that it just wasn't worth retrieving the donkey and decided to cover up the well as well. So he called all his neighbours to help him shovel mud into the well to cover it up. At first the donkey realised what was happening and brayed horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quietened down.

     A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of mud that hit the donkey's back, he was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed to see the donkey stepping up over the edge of the well and trotting off.

     Life is so much like this,  all kinds of dirt is shovelled on our lives. Like the donkey, we too can shake it off and take a step up.  Life isn't easy... that's just the way it is.

A Glass of Milk...

     One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a glass of milk. He drank it slowly and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
     "You don't owe me anything", she replied. "Mother taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."
     He said, "Then I thank you from my heart."

     Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

     Dressed in his doctor's gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words....

                               " Paid in full with one glass of milk."
                                       
                                                     signed
                                             Dr. Howard Kelly

    



    
   

You Have Two Choices...

     Jerry is the manager of a restaurant. He is always in a good mood. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply, " If I were any better, I would be twins !"

     Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs , so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant...because Jerry was a normal motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it ! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today. I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood. I always choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it. Everytime someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I always choose the positive side of life."
     "But it's not always that easy," I protested.
     "Yes it is," Jerry said.
     "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's your choice how you live your life."

     Several years later, I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business. He left the back door of his restaurant open and then in the morning, he was robbed by three armed men. While Jerry trying to open the safe box, his hand shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

     I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, " If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

     "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have looked the back door," Jerry replied, "Then after they shot me as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices : I could choose to live or could choose to die. I choose to live."
     "Weren't you scared?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expression on the faces of the doctors and nurses. I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man!' I knew I needed to take action."
     "What did you do?" I asked, "Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry.
     "She asked if I was allergic to anything."
     "Yes" I replied.
     The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets !"
     "Once their laughter," I told them, "I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead !"

     Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that everyday you have the choice to either enjoy your life or to hate it.

Who I am Makes a Difference...

     A teacher in New York, decided to honour each of her seniors in High School by tellling them the difference each of them had made. She called each student to the front of the class one at a time. First she told each of them how they had made a difference to her and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon, imprinted with gold letters, which read, "Who I am Makes a Difference."

     Afterwards, the teacher decided to do a class project, to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a Community. She gave each student three more blue ribbons, and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgement ceremony. Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report to the class in about a week.

     One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive in a nearby company, and honored him for helping him with his career planning. He gave him a blue ribbon, and put it on his shirt. Then he gave him two extra ribbons and said, "We're doing a class project on recognition, and we'd like for you to go out, find some one to honour, and give them a blue ribbon.

     Later that day, the junior executive went into see his boss, who had a reputation of being kind of a grouchy fellow. He told him that he deeply admired him for being a creative genius. The boss said, "Well sure." The junior executive took one of the blue ribbons and placed it right on his boss's jacket, above his heart, and then he asked, offering him the last ribbon, "Would you take this extra ribbon, and pass it on by honouring somebody else?... the teenager who gave me these is doing a school project, and we want to keep this ribbon cermony going and see how it affects people."

     That night, the boss came home and sat down with his 14 years old son. He said, "The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office, and one of my employees came in and told me he admired me, and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine ! He thinks I am creative genius ! Then he put a blue ribbon on me that says, "Who I am Makes a Difference." He gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to honor. As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about who I would honour with this ribbon, and I thought about you. I want to honour you.....My days are hectic and when I come home, I don't pay a lot of attention to you. I yell at you for not getting good enough grades and for your messy bedroom. Somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and , well,  just let you know that you do make a difference to me. Besides your mother, you are the most important person in my life. You're a great kid, and I love you !"

     The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he couldn't stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his father and said through his tears, "Dad, earlier tonight I sat in my room and wrote a letter to you and Mom, explaining why I had took my life, and I asked you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide tonight after you were asleep. I just didn;t think that you cared at all. The letter is upstairs. I don;t think I'll need it after all."
     His father walked upstairs and found a heartfelt letter full of anguish and pain.

     The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch, but made sure to let all of his employees know that they made a difference.

     The junior executive helped many other young people with career planning, one being the boss' son, and never forgot to let them know that they made a difference in his life.
     In addition, the young boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson : "Who you are DOES make a difference."


     I'm passing the blue ribbon to you  ;)

Footprints...

     One night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with GOD... and across the sky flashed scenes of my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand... one belonged to me and the other to GOD.

     When the last scene of my life flashed in the sand, I noticed that at times along the path of life there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of my life. This really bothered me and I questioned GOD about it.

     "GOD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why. In times when I needed you most, you would leave me."

     GOD replied, " My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never ever leave you during your times of trials and sufferings. When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
 
  

True Love...

       It was a busy morning, approximately 8.30 am,  when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in hurry as he had an appointment at 9.00 am.

     I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him look at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

     On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redness his wound.

     While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

     I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

     As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

     I was surprised,  and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?"

     He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is." I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

     True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be , and will not be.



    .
    

    

The Bamboo And The Fern Story...

     One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship , my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.  I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
      "God, I said,  "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
 His answer surprised me...
      "Look around," He said, "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
      "Yes, I replied. "
     "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light, I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo." He said, "In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again,  there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said, "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just  6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle," He said to me.
     "Did you know , my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
    "Your time will come," God said to me, "You will rise high !"
     "How high should I rise?" I asked.
     "How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
     "As high as it can?" I questioned.
     "Yes", He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness. Bad days give you experiences. Both are essential to life.
     Keep going...
     Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrows keep you Human, Failures keep you humble, Success keeps you Glowing, but Only God keeps you going !

      Rise as high as you can !

Attitude...

     Father : "I want you to marry a girl of my choice."
     Son : "I will choose my own bride !"
     Father : "But the girl is Bill Gate's daughter."
     Son : "Well, in that case... ok."

     Next  father approaches Bill Gates.
     Father : "I have a husband for your daughter."
     Bill Gates : "But my daughter is too young to marry !"
     Father : "But this young man is a Vice-President of the World Bank."
     Bill Gates : "Ah, in that case... ok."

     Finally father goes to see the President of the World Bank.
     Father : "I have a young man to be recommended as a Vice-President."
     President : "But I already have more Vice- Presidents than I need !"
     Father :  "But this young man is Bill Gate's son-in-law."
     President : "Ah, in that case... ok."

     Moral : Even if you have nothing, you can get anything, if your Attitude is positive.






    
     

Father To Son...

Dear Son...

     The day that you see me old and I am already not, have patience and try to understand me...

If I get dirty when eating... if I can not dress... have patience. Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you...

If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one times... do not interrupt me... listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep...

When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me or scold me... remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in order that you wanted to bath....

When you see my ignorance on new technologies... give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking smile... I taught you how to do so many things... to eat good, to dress well... to confront life...

When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our conversation... let me have the necessary time to remember... and if I can not do it, do not become nervous... as the most important thing is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me...

If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need to and when not...

When my tired legs do not allow me walk... give me your hand... the same way I did when you gave your first steps...

And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live any more... that I want to die.. do not get angry... some day you will understand... Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived...

     Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the best thing for you and that I tired to prepare the way for you... You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you started living...

Help me to walk... help me to end my way with love and patience. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.

     I love you son...

        Your father

Holding Hands...

     Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."

     The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

     "What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

     "There's a big difference," replied the litter girl.

     "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

     In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.  So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours...


    
   

To All Married Couples And Singles Who Intend To Get Married...

     When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, "I've got something to tell you." She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

     Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. "I want a divorce", I raised the topic calmly. She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, "why?"  I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, "you are not a man !"

     That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer ; I had lost my heart to a lovely girl called Dew. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her !

     With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, 30% shares of my company and the car. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent  ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Dew so dearly.

     Finally she cried loudly infront of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

     The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Dew. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

     In the morning she presented her divorce conditions : She didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both sturggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple : Our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

     This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into our bridal room on our wedding day. She reqested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door every morning. I thought she was going crazy.  Just to make our last days together, bearable...I accepted her odd request.

     I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. "No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce," she said scornfully.

      My wife and I hadn't anybody contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, "daddy is holding mummy in his arms." His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, "don't tell our son about the divorce." I nodded, feeling somewhat upset.   I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

     On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young anymore. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying ! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her !

     On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Dew about this. It become easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

     She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, "all my dresses have grown bigger." I suddenly realized that she had frown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. Suddenly it hit me ; she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart.

    Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. Our son came in at the moment and said, "Dad, it's time to carry mum out." To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life.

     My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this  last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly ; it was just like our wedding day.

     But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, "I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy."

     I drove to office... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind... I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door and I said to her, "Sorry Dew," I said, "I do not want to divorce anymore."
     She looked at me, astonished. Then touched my forehead, "Do you have a fever?" She said. I moved her hand off my head, "Sorry Dew, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death does us apart."

     Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife.  The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote : "I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart."

     The small details of our lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, the property, the bank balance that matters. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage !

   

Confessions of a kid...

        Little Bobby came into the kitchen where his mother was making dinner. His birthday was coming up and he thought this was a good time to tell his mother what he wanted.
     "Mom, I want a bike for my birthday."

     Little Bobby was a bit of a troublemaker. He had gotten into trouble at school and at home. Bobby's mother asked him if he thought he deserved to get a bike for his birthday. Little Bobby, of course, thought he did. Bobby's mother wanted Bobby to reflect on his behaviour over the last year.

     "Go to your room, Bobby, and think about how you have behaved this year. Then write a letter to God and tell him why you deserve a bike for your birthday."

     Little Bobby stomped up the stemps to his room and sat down to write God a letter.

Letter 1
Dear God,

     I have been a very good boy this year and I would like a bike for my birthday. I want a red one.

Your friend,
Bobby

Bobby knew that this wasn't true. He had not been a very good boy this year, so he tore up the letter and started over.

Letter 2
Dear God,

This is your friend Bobby. I have been a good boy this year and I would like a red bike for my birthday. Thank you.

Your friend,
Bobby

Bobby knew that this wasn't true either. So, he tore up the letter and started again.

Letter 3
Dear God,

I have been an OK boy this year. I still would really like a bike for my birthday.

Bobby

Bobby knew he could not send this letter to God either. So, Bobby wrote a fourth letter.

Letter 4
God,

I know I haven't been a good boy this year. I am very sorry. I will be a good boy if you just send me a bike for my birthday.

Please ! Thank you,
Bobby

Bobby knew, even if it was true, this letter was not going to get him a bike. Now, Bobby was very upset. He went downstairs and told his mom that he wanted to go to church. Bobby's mother thought her plan had worked, as Bobby looked very sad.

"Just be home in time for dinner", Bobby's mother told him.

     Bobby walked down the street to the church on the corner. Little Bobby went into the church and up to the altar. He looked around to see if anyone was there. Bobby bent down and picked up a statue of the Mary. He slipped the statue under his shirt and ran out of the church, down the street, into the house, and up to his room. He shut the door to his room and sat down with a piece of papper and a pen.

     Bobby began to write his letter to God.

Letter 5
God,

I'VE KIDNAPPED YOUR MAMA. IF YOU WANT TO SEE HER AGAIN, SEND ME THE BIKE !!!

Don't Copy If You Can't Paste...

     Not too long ago, a large seminar was held for ministers and reverends in training. Among the facilitators were many well-known motivational speakers.

     One such speaker boldly approached the pulpit and, gathering the entire crowd's attention, said, "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife !"
     The crowd was shocked ! He followed up by saying, "That woman was my mother !" The crowd burst into laughter and he gave his speech, which was well received.

     About a week later, one of the ministers who had attended the seminar, decided to use that joke in his sermon. As he shyly approached the pulpit one sunny Sunday, he tried to rehearse the joke in his head. It was a bit foggy to him. Getting to the microphone he said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife!"
     His congregation sat shocked, murmuring. Ater standing there for almost 10 seconds, trying to recall the second half of the joke, the pastor finally blurted out ".....and I can't remember who she was !" 

Moral of the story : Don't copy if you can't paste  :)

Tomato Story...

     A jobless man applied for the position of  'office boy' at Microsoft. The HR Manager interviewed him then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
"You are employed," he said "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start."
The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail."
"I'm sorry," said the HR Manager, "If you don't have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job."

     The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10kg tomato crate. He then sold the tomatoes in a door to door round. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times and returned hom with $60.

     The man realized that he can survive by this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled everyday.
     Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.
    5 years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers in the US. He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a Life Insurance.
     He called an Insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded the broker asked his e-mail.
     The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail."
     The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire !" "Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail ?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft !"

Moral 1

Internet is not the solution to your life.

Moral 2

If you don't have Internet, but work hard, you can be a millionaire.

Moral 3

If you are receiving messages by e-mail, you are closer to being an office boy/girl, than a millionaire. :)




    

It Matters......The Way You Communicate :)

     Jack and Max are walking from religious service. Jack wonders whether it would be alright to smoke while praying. Max replied, "Why don't you ask the Priest?" So Jack goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I smoke while I pray?" But the Priest says,  "No, my son, you may not. That's utter disrespect to our religion."

     Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Priest told him. Max says, "I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try." And so Max goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I pray while I smoke?" To which the Priest eagerly replies, "By all means, my son. By all means."

Moral : The reply you get depends on the question you ask.

For Example : Can I work on this project while I'm on vacation? ;)

Inspirational Winners...

     A group of sales people left town for a meeting and told their families they would be back home friday evening for supper. But as with meetings the way they are, one thing leads to another and they didn't finish on time. They were delayed and had to catch a flight.
     They came to the airport just at the last minute, with tickets in hand, and ran, hoping the plane hadn't departed. While running, one of them hit a table and on the table was a fruit basket. All the fruit got scattered and bruised but they didn't have time to stop. They kept running and made it to the plane and all of them breathed a sigh of relief that they had made it, except one. He got in touch with his feelings, got up, said good-bye to his friends and went. What he saw made him glad that he came out.
      He went to the table that was knocked down and behind the table was a ten years old blind girl who was selling the fruits to make a living. He said, " I hope we haven't ruined your day." He pulled out $10 from his pocket, handed it her and said, " This will take care of the fruits," and he left. The girl couldn't see what was going on ; all she could hear was the footsteps leaving. As the footsteps feded away, she shouted from behind, "Are you God?"
     He missed his flight but was he a winner? You bet. One can be a winner without a medal and one can be a loser with a medal if winning is not kept in perspective.

Good Example...

     A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates,  so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number of people he/she hates.
     So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some 3 ; while some up to 5 potaotes.
    
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes.

     Besides, those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

     The teacher asked," How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

     Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher said, "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred in your heart, and you will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime?"

Moral of the story :

1) Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that you not carry sins for a lifetime.
2) Forgiving others is the best attitude to take care for others even you don't like them.


    

God's Wife...

      A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peeping  through the window, and shivering with cold.
     A lady approached the boy and said, " My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?" " I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boy's reply. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel. By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of  socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said," No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?" As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words : "Are You God's Wife?"

Chosen to clap and cheer...

     Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.
     Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that  he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement, "Guess what Mom,"  he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me : "I've been chosen to clap and cheer."

Adopted Child Means...

     Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different colour hair than the other family members. One child suggested that he was adopted and a little girl said, " I know all about adoptions because I was adopted." " What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means," said the girl, " that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy."

Caring Child...

     Author and Lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the Most Caring Child.

     The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked his what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said, " Nothing, I just helped him cry."

No Limits...

     While a man was polishing his new car, his four year old son picked stone and scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times, not realizing he was using a wrench.
     At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the child say his father with painful eyes he  asked, " Dad, when will my fingers grow back?"
Man was so hurt and speechless. He went back to car and kicked it a lot of times.
Devastated by his own actions, sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches, child had written "LOVE YOU DAD".
     The next day that man committed suicide...

     Anger and Love has No Limits. So let the river of life flow in Limits so that this fresh water stream is never scattered.