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the legend of the
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the center and release five white doves awaiting to spread
good will and peace."
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PERSPECTIVE
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his
son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose
of showing his son how poor people live. They spent
a couple of days and nights on the farm of what
would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked
his son, "How was the trip?" The son replied,
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father
asked. "Oh yeah," said the son. "So,
tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked
the father.
The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and
they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the
middle of our garden and they have a creek that has
no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and
they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to
the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they
have fields that go beyond our sight. We have
servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy
our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around
our property to protect us, they have friends to
protect them."
Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how
poor we are." The boy's father was speechless.
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you
wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for
everything we have, instead of worrying about what
we don't have.
GOD'S
WINGS
An article in National Geographic several years ago
provided an interesting picture of God's wings.
After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park,
the forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to
assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found
a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched
statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.
Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked
over the bird with a stick. When he gently
struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under
their dead mother's wings.
The loving mother, keenly aware of impending
disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of
the tree and had gathered them under her wings,
instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would
rise.
She could have flown to safety but had refused to
abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived
and the heat had scorched her small body. The
mother had remained steadfast.
She had been willing to die so those under the cover
of her wings would live.
INTEGRITY
Many years ago, Al Capone
virtually owned Chicago. He was notorious for
enmeshing the windy city in everything from
bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
Capone had a lawyer nicknamed
"Easy Eddie." Eddie's skill at legal maneuvering
kept Big Al out of jail for a long time. To show his
appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Besides a
large salary, he and his family occupied an estate
so large that it filled an entire block. Eddie lived
the high life and gave little consideration to the
atrocities that were going on around him.
Eddie did have one soft spot…a
son that he loved dearly. He saw to it that his
young son had the best of everything. And, despite
his involvement with organized crime, he even tried
to teach him right from wrong. Even with all his
wealth and influence, there were two things he
couldn't give his son…a good name and a good
example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a
difficult decision. He decided to tell the truth
about Capone, clean up his tarnished name and offer
his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he
would have to testify against the Mob, and the cost
would be great. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life
ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago
Street.
He had given his son the
greatest gift he had to offer…and paid the ultimate
price. Police removed from his pockets several items
including a religious medallion and a poem clipped
from a magazine: “The clock of life is wound but
once and no man has the power to tell just when the
hands will stop. Now is the only time you own. Live,
love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For
the clock may soon be still.”
World War II produced many
heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch
O'Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the
aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific.
One day his entire squadron
was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he
looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone
had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not
have enough fuel to complete his mission and get
back to his ship. As he was returning to the mother
ship he saw something that turned his blood cold, a
squadron of Japanese aircraft were speeding their
way toward the defenseless American fleet. He
couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in
time, nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching
danger.
Laying aside all thoughts of
personal safety, he dove into the formation of
Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibers blazed as
he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane
after another. Even after his ammunition was finally
spent, he continued to dive at the planes, trying to
clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many as
possible.
Finally, the exasperated
Japanese squadron took off in another direction.
Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered
fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival he
reported in and related the events surrounding his
return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his
plane showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to
protect his fleet. He had in fact destroyed five
enemy aircraft.
The date was February 20,
1942, and for his brave actions Butch became the
Navy's first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval
Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. A
year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the
age of 29. His home town would not allow the memory
of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare
Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the
courage of this great man.
Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's
son.
author unknown ~ sent via e-mail from
Becky, Chicago IL
WISDOM OF A
LITTLE BOY
Being a veterinarian, I
had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish
Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners were
all very attached to Belker and they were hoping
for a miracle. Upon examining Belker, found he
was dying of cancer.
I told the family there were no miracles left
for Belker, and offered to perform the
euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their
home.
As we made arrangements, the parents told me
they thought it would be good for their
four-year-old son, Shane, to observe the
procedure. They felt he could learn something
from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my
throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane
seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last
time, that I wondered if he understood what was
going on.
Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully
away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's
transition without any difficulty or confusion.
We sat together for a while after Belker's
death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that
animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up,
"I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of
his mouth next stunned me - I'd never heard a
more comforting explanation.
He said, "Everybody is born so that they can
learn how to live a good life - like loving
everybody and being nice, right?"
The four-year-old
continued, "Well, animals already know how to do
that, so they don't have to stay as long."
author unknown ~ sent via e-mail from
Lane, Topanga Canyon CA
CARROTS, EGGS AND COFFEE BEANS!
A young woman went to
her mother and told her about her life and
how things were hard for her. She did not
know how she was going to make it and wanted
to give up. She was tired of fighting and
struggling. It seemed as one problem was
solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to
the kitchen where she filled three pots with
water. She placed carrots in the first, eggs
in the second, and ground coffee beans in
the third. She let them boil without saying
a word. In about 20 minutes, she turned off
the burners. She fished out the carrots and
placed them in a bowl. She pulled out the
eggs and placed them in a second bowl. She
ladled the coffee into a third bowl.
Turning to her
daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you
see?"
"Carrots, eggs, and
coffee," the daughter replied."
The mother brought her
closer and asked her to feel the carrots.
The daughter did and noted they were soft.
Next, she had her daughter take an egg and
break it. After pulling off the shell, she
observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she
had her daughter sip the coffee. The
daughter smiled as she tasted its rich
aroma.
The daughter then
asked, "What's the point, mother?"
Her mother explained
that each of these objects had faced the
same adversity - boiling water - but each
reacted differently. The carrot went in
strong, hard and unrelenting, but after
being subjected to the boiling water, it
softened and became weak.
The egg had been
fragile, its thin outer shell protecting its
liquid interior. After sitting in the
boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee
beans were unique. After they were in the
boiling water, they changed the water.
"Which are you?" she
asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks
on your door, how do you respond? Are you a
carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean."
Think of this: Which
am I?
Am I the carrot, that
seems strong but with pain and adversity I
wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg, that
starts with a malleable heart, but changes
with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit,
but after a death, a breakup, a financial
hardship or some other trial, have I become
hardened and stiff? Does my outer shell look
the same, but on the inside am I bitter and
tough with a stiff spirit and hardened
heart?
Or am I like the
coffee been? The bean actually changes the
hot water, the very circumstance that brings
the pain. When the water gets hot, it
releases the fragrance and flavor.
If you are like the
bean, when things are at their worst, you
get better and change the situation around
you. When the hours are the darkest and
trials are their greatest, do you elevate to
another level?
author unknown ~ sent via e-mail from
Bobbi, St Louis MO
PEBBLE PUSHER
Many years ago in a
small Indian village, a farmer had the
misfortune of owing a large sum of money to
a village moneylender. The moneylender, who
was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's
beautiful daughter. So he proposed a
bargain.
He said
he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could
marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his
daughter were horrified by the proposal. So
the cunning money-lender suggested that they
let providence decide the matter. He told
them that he would put a black pebble and a
white pebble into an empty money bag. Then
the girl would have to pick one pebble from
the bag.
1) If she picked the
black pebble, she would become his wife and
her father's debt would be forgiven.
2) If she picked the
white pebble she need not marry him and her
father's debt would still be forgiven.
3) But if she refused
to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown
into jail.
They were
standing on a pebble strewn path in the
farmer's field. As they talked, the
moneylender bent over to pick up two
pebbles. As he picked them up, the
sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked
up two black pebbles and put them into the
bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble
from the bag.
Now, imagine that you
were standing in the field. What would
you have done if you were the girl? If you
had to advise her, what would you have told
her?
Careful analysis might
produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should
refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should
show that there were two black pebbles in
the bag and expose the money-lender as a
cheat.
3. The girl should
pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in
order to save her father from his debt and
imprisonment.
Take a
moment to ponder over the story. The above
story is used with the hope that it will
make us appreciate the difference between
lateral and logical thinking. The girl's
dilemma cannot be solved with traditional
logical thinking. Think of the consequences
if she chooses the above logical answers.
What would you recommend to the Girl to do?
Well,
here is what she did .... The girl put her
hand into the moneybag and drew out a
pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled
and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path
where it immediately became lost among all
the other pebbles.
"Oh, how
clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if
you look into the bag for the one that is
left, you will be able to tell which pebble
I picked."
Since the
remaining pebble is black, it must be
assumed that she had picked the white one.
And since the money-lender dared not admit
his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed
an impossible situation into an extremely
advantageous one.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Most complex problems
do have a solution. It is only that we need
to think.
author unknown ~ via e-mail from Deepak,
Bridgeport NJ
SAND AND STONE
A story tells that two friends were
walking through the desert. During some
point of the journey they had an argument,
and one friend slapped the other one in the
face. The one who got slapped was hurt, and
without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
Today my best friend slapped me in the
face.
They kept on walking until they found an
oasis where they decided to take a
bath. The one who had been slapped got
stuck in the mire and started drowning, and
the friend saved him. After recovering
from the near drowning, he wrote on a
stone: Today my best friend saved my
life.
The friend who had slapped and saved his
best friend asked, "After I hurt you, you
wrote in the sand and now, you write on a
stone, why?"
The other friend replied, "When someone
hurts us we should write it in sand where
winds of forgiveness can erase it away. And,
when someone does something good for us, we
must engrave it in stone where no wind can
ever erase it."
It is said that it takes a minute to
find a special person, an hour to
appreciate them, a day to love them, and
then an entire life to forget
them. Rather than value the things you
have in your life, value the people in
your life! Write your hurts in
sand and carve your benefits in stone.
author unknown ~ sent via e-mail from Holly,
Robbinsdale MN
BUTTERFLY
One
day, a small opening appeared in a cocoon; a man
sat several hours and watched for the butterfly
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 gotten as far as it could;
it seemed it could go no further.
So
the man decided to help the butterfly; he took a
pair of scissors and opened the cocoon. The
butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a
withered body; it was tiny and had shriveled
wings.
The
man continued to watch because he expected that
at any moment the wings would open, enlarge and
expand, become firm and able to support the
butterfly’s body.
Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent
the rest of its life crawling around with a
withered body and shriveled wings. It never was
able to fly.
The
man, in his kindness and goodwill, did not
understand that the restricting cocoon and the
struggle required for the butterfly to get
through the tiny opening were intended to force
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 life. If we went through our life with no
obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be
as strong as we could have been… never able to
fly.
author unknown
~via e-mail from Irene, Santa Monica CA
GOOSE STORY
Science has discovered why geese fly in a V
formation when they head south for the winter. It is
learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it
creates an uplift for the bird immediately
following. By flying in the V formation, the flock
adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each
bird flew on its own. LESSON: People who share a
common direction and sense of community travel on
the thrust of one another.
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly
feels the drag resistance of trying to go it alone
and quickly gets into formation to take advantage of
the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
LESSON: If we have the sense of a goose, we will
stay in formation with those headed where we want to
go.
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in
the wing and another goose flies point. LESSON: It
pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing
leadership - interdependent with each other.
The geese honk from behind to encourage those up
front to keep their speed. LESSON: Make sure our
honking from behind is encouraging, not less
helpful.
Finally, when a goose gets sick or is wounded, two
geese fall out of formation and follow him down to
help and protect him. They stay with him until he is
able to fly or dead, then they launch out on their
own or with another formation to catch up with the
group. LESSON: Stand by each other.
author
unknown ~ via
e-mail from Sarah, Minneapolis MN
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This
includes age, weight and height. Let the
doctors worry about them. That is why you
pay them.
2. Keep only cheerful friends (or cheer up
your blue buddies). Grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the
computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
Never let the brain idle.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud; laugh until
you gasp for breath.
6. Let the tears fall where they may;
endure, grieve, and move on. The only person
who is with us our entire life, is
ourselves. Be alive while you are
alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love;
whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music,
plants, hobbies. This is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good,
preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you alone can improve,
get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Ask forgiveness
and forgive yourself. Take a trip to
the mall, to the next city; to a foreign
country -- not a guilt trip.
10. Tell the people you love that you love
them at every opportunity.
Life is not measured by the number of
breaths we take, but by the moments that
take our breath away.
author
unknown ~ sent via e-mail from Molly, St Paul MN
INTERVIEW WITH
GOD
I dreamed I
had an interview with God.
“So you would like to interview me?” God
asked.
“If you have the time” I said.
God smiled. “My time is eternity. What
questions do you have in mind for me?”
“What surprises you most about humankind?”
God answered...
“That they get bored with
childhood, they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make
money...and then lose their money to restore
their health.”
“That by thinking anxiously about the
future, they forget the present, such that
they live in neither
the present nor the future.”
"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived.”
God’s hand took mine and we were silent for
a while.
And then I asked...“As a parent, what are
some of life’s lessons you want your
children to learn?”
“To learn they cannot make anyone love them.
All they can do is let themselves be loved.”
“To learn that it is not good to compare
themselves to others.”
“To learn to forgive by practicing
forgiveness.”
“To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.”
“To learn that a rich person is not one who
has the most, but is one who needs the
least.”
“To learn that there are people who love
them dearly, but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the
same thing and see it differently.”
“To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also
forgive themselves.”
"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.
"Is there anything else you would like your
children to know?"
God smiled and said, “Just know that I am
here... always.”
author unknown ~ sent via e-mail from Kim,
Tolouca Lake CA
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on
the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski
concert. After they were seated, the mother
spotted an old friend in the audience and walked
down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders
of the concert hall, the little boy rose and
eventually explored his way through a door
marked "NO ADMITTANCE."
When the house lights dimmed and the concert was
about to begin, the mother returned to her seat
and discovered that the child was missing
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights
focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting
at the keyboard, innocently picking out
"Twinkle,Twinkle Little Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his
entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and
whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep
playing." Then, leaning over, Paderewski
reached down with his left hand and began
filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm
reached around to the other side of the child,
and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice
transformed what could have been a frightening
situation into a wonderfully creative
experience. The audience was so
mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else
the great master played. Only the classic,
" Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Perhaps that's the way it is with life.
What we can accomplish on our own is hardly
noteworthy. We try our best, but the
results aren't always graceful flowing music.
However, with the hand of the Master, our
life's work can truly be beautiful.
The next time you set out to accomplish great
feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice
of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't
quit. Keep playing."
author unknown
~ sent via e-mail from Liz, Woodbury MN
A frail old man went
to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and
four-year old grandson. The old man's hands
trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his
step faltered. The family ate together at
the table, but the elderly grandfather's
shaky hands and failing sight made eating
difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto
the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk
spilled onto the tablecloth. The son and
daughter-in-law became irritated with the
mess.
"We must do something
about Grandfather," said the son. "I've had
enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating,
and food on the floor." So the husband and
wife set a small table in the corner. There,
Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the
family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had
broken a dish or two, his food was served in
a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in
Grandfather's direction, he sometimes had a
tear in his eye, as he sat alone. Still, the
only words the couple had for him were
sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or
spilled food.
The four-year-old
watched it all in silence. One evening
before supper, the father noticed his son
playing with wood scraps on the floor. He
asked the child sweetly, "What are you
making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
"Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and
Mama to eat your food when I grow up." The
four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
The words so struck
the parents that they were speechless. Then
tears started to stream down their cheeks.
Though no words were spoken, both knew what
must be done. That evening, the husband took
Grandfather's hand and gently led him back
to the family table. For the remainder of
his days, he ate every meal with the family.
And for some reason, neither husband nor
wife seemed to care any longer when a fork
was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth
soiled.
author unknown ~ via e-mail from
Shawn, Austin TX
LIFE IS NOT A RACE
Have
you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round? Or
listened to the rain lapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight; or gazed
at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly? When
you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply? When
the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the
next hundred chores running through your head?
You'd
better slow down, don't dance so fast. Time is
short. The music won't last.
Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow," and in
your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost
touch, let a good friendship die, cause you never
had time to call and say "Hi"?
You'd better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere you miss half
the fun of getting there. When you worry and
hurry through your day, it is like an unopened
gift.... Thrown away...
Life is not a race. Do take it slower. Hear the
music before the song is over.
author
unknown ~ via
e-mail from Cathy, King Ferry NY
I'VE
LEARNED ... By Andy Rooney
I've
learned that when you're in love, it shows.
I've learned that just one person saying to me,
"You've made my day!" makes my day.
I've learned that having a child fall asleep in your
arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the
world.
I've learned that being kind is more important than
being right.
I've learned that you should never say no to a gift
from a child.
I've learned that I can always pray for someone when
I don't have the strength to help in some other way.
I've learned that no matter how serious life
requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act
goofy with.
I've learned that sometimes all a person needs is a
hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I've learned that life is like a roll of toilet
paper. The closer It gets to the end, the faster it
goes.
I've learned that we should be glad God doesn't give
us everything we ask for.
I've learned that money doesn't buy class.
I've learned that it's those small daily happenings
that make life so spectacular.
I've learned that under everyone's hard shell is
someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I've learned that God didn't do it all in one day.
What makes me think I can?
I've learned that to ignore the facts does not
change the facts.
I've
learned that when you plan to get even with someone,
you let that person continue to hurt you.
I've learned that love, not time, heals all wounds.
I've learned that the easiest way to grow as a
person is to surround myself with people smarter
than I am.
I've learned that everyone you meet deserves to be
greeted with a smile.
I've learned that nothing is sweeter than sleeping
with your babies, and their breath on your cheek.
I've learned that no one is perfect until you fall
in love with them.
I've learned that life is tough, but I'm tougher.
I've learned that opportunities are never lost;
someone will take the ones you miss.
I've learned that when you harbor bitterness,
happiness will dock elsewhere.
I've learned that I wish I could have told my Mom
that I love her one more time before she passed
away.
I've learned that one should keep his words both
soft and tender, for tomorrow he may have to eat
them.
I've learned that a smile is an inexpensive way to
improve your looks.
I've learned that I can't choose how I feel, but I
can choose what I do about it.
I've learned that when your newly born grandchild
holds your finger in his tiny fist, you're hooked
for life.
I've learned that one wants to live on the
mountaintop, but joy and growth occur while you're
climbing it.
I've learned that it is best to give advice only
when it is requested and when it is a life-death
situation.
I've learned that the less time I have to work with,
the more things I get done.
~ via e-mail from Keri, Cleveland OH
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After much consideration, I've
decided to install Love. Can you
guide me through the process?
Tech
Support: Yes I can help you. Are
you ready to proceed?
Customer:
Well, I'm not very technical,
but I think I'm ready. What do I
do first?
Tech
Support: The first step is to
open your heart. (pause) Have
you located your heart?
Customer:
Yes, but there are several other
programs running. Can I install
Love while they're running?
Tech
Support: What programs are you
running?
Customer:
Let's see, I have past-hurt, low
self-esteem, grudge, and
resentment running right now.
Tech
Support: No problem, Love will
gradually erase past-hurt from
your current operating system.
It may remain in your permanent
memory, but it will no longer
disrupt other programs. Love
will eventually override low
self-esteem with a module of
it's own called high
self-esteem. However, you have
to completely turn off grudge
and resentment. Those programs
prevent Love from being properly
installed. Can you turn those
off?
Customer:
I don't know how to turn them
off. Can you tell me how?
Tech
Support: With pleasure. Go to
your start menu and invoke
forgiveness. Do this as many
times as necessary until grudge
and resentment have completely
erased.
Customer:
Okay done, Love has started
installing itself. Is that
normal?
Tech
Support: Yes, but remember that
you have only the base program.
You need to begin connecting to
other hearts in order to get the
upgrades.
Customer:
Oops! I have an error message
already. It says, "error-program
not run on external components."
What should I do?
Tech
Support: Don't worry. It means
the Love program is set-up to
run on internal hearts but has
not yet been run on your heart.
In non-technical terms, it means
you have to
Love
yourself before you can Love
others.
Customer:
So what should I do?
Tech
Support: Can you pull down
self-acceptance; then click on
the following files:
Forgive-self;
Realize-your-worth;
Acknowledge-your-limitations.
Tech
Support: Now copy them to the
"My Heart" directory. The
system will overwrite any
conflicting files and begin
patching faulty programming.
Also, you need to delete
verbose self-criticism
from all directories and empty
your recycle bin to make sure it
is completely gone and never
comes back.
Customer:
Got it. Hey!!! My Heart is
filling up with new files. Smile
is playing on my monitor and
Peace and Contentment are
copying themselves all over My
Heart. Is this normal?
Tech
Support: Sometimes. For others
it takes a while, but eventually
everything gets downloaded at
the proper time. So Love is
installed and running. One more
thing before we hang-up. Love is
Freeware. Be sure to share it
with others and they will return
some cool modules back to you.
Customer:
I promise to do just that.
Tech
Support: As the
manufacturer, I suggest a
daily maintenance schedule for
maximum Love efficiency. Keep in
touch.
author unknown ~ via
e-mail from Julie, Tulsa OK
I'VE LEARNED
I've learned
that no matter what happens, how bad
it seems today, life does go on, and
it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned
that you can tell a lot about a
person by the way that he/she
handles three things: rainy days,
lost luggage, and tangled tree
lights.
I've learned
that regardless of your relationship
with your parents, you will miss
them when they're gone.
I've learned
that making a "living" is not the
same thing as making a "life."
I've learned
that life sometimes gives you a
second chance.
I've learned
that you shouldn't go through life
with a catcher's mitt on both hands
- you need to be able to throw
something back.
I've learned
that if you pursue happiness, it
will elude you; but, if you focus on
your family, your friends, the needs
of others, your work and doing the
best you can, happiness will find
you.
I've learned
that whenever I decide something
with an open heart, I usually make
the right decision.
I've learned
that even when I have pains, I don't
have to be one.
I've learned
that every day; you should reach out
and touch someone; people love human
touches, holding hands, a warm hug,
or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned
that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned
that people will forget what you
said and what you did, but people
will never forget how you made them
feel.
author unknown ~ via e-mail
from Jodi, Boca Raton FL
ON GETTING OLD
The other day a young person asked me how I felt
about being old. I was taken aback, for I do not
think of myself as old. Upon seeing my reaction,
she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained
that it was an interesting question, and I would
ponder it, and let her know.
Old age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, probably
for the first time in my life, the person I have
always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime
despair over my body ... the cellulite, the
wrinkles, the baggy eyes, the jiggly thighs, and the
sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that
old lady that lives in my mirror, but I don't
agonize over those things for too long.
I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful
life, my loving family for less gray hair or a
flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind
to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become
my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that
extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for
buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need,
but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am
entitled to overeat, to be messy, to be
extravagant. I have seen too many dear friends
leave this world too soon; before they understood
the great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read until 4
a.m. and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself
to those wonderful tunes of the 50's, and if I at
the same time wish to weep over a lost love, I
will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is
stretched over a bulging midriff, and will dive into
the waves with abandon if I choose to ... despite
the pitying glances from the bikini set. They, too,
will get old ... for youth, naturally taunt
muscles, and smooth skin are only temporary.
I know I am sometimes forgetful, but there again,
some of life is just as well forgotten ... and I
eventually remember the important things. Sure,over
the years my heart has been broken. How can your
heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a
child suffers, or even when a much beloved pet
passes away? But broken hearts are what give us
strength and understanding and compassion. A heart
never broken is pristine and sterile, and will never
know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my
hair turn gray, and to have my youthful laughs be
forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So
many have never laughed, and so many have died
before their hair could turn silver. I can say,
"No!" and mean it. I can say, "Yes!" and mean it.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You
care less about what other people think. I don't
question myself anymore. I've even earned that
glorious right to be wrong.
So, to answer your question, I like being old. It
has set me free. I like the person I have become.
I am not going to live forever, but while I am still
here, I will not waste time lamenting what could
have been, or worrying about what will be. And ...
I shall eat dessert every single day ... preferably
chocolate ... and I shall eat it before the entree,
if I so desire!
author unknown ~ via e-mail
from Pat, Montevideo MN
COP AN ATTITUDE
There once was a woman, who woke up one
morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed
she had only three hairs on her head.
Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my
hair today?" So she did and she had a
wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the
mirror and saw that she had only two hairs
on her head.
"H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my
hair down the middle today" So she did and
she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the
mirror and noticed that she had only one
hair on her head.
"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear
my hair in a pony tail." So she did! She had
a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the
mirror and noticed that there wasn't a
single hair on her head.
"YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix
my hair today!"
Attitude is every thing.
Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you
meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly.......
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to
pass... It's about learning to dance in the
rain.
author unknown ~ via e-mail
from Judy, Philadelphia PA
THE SECRET
GOD, our CREATOR, gathered all of Creation
and said,
"I want to hide something from the humans
until they are ready for it. It is the
realization that they create their own
reality."
The eagle said, "Give it to me, I will take
it to the moon."
The Creator said, "No. One day they will go
there and find it."
The salmon said, "I will bury it on the
bottom of the ocean."
"No. They will go there too."
The buffalo said, "I will bury it on the
Great Plains."
The Creator said, "They will cut into the
skin of the Earth and find it even there."
Grandmother Mole, who lives in the breast of
Mother Earth, and who has no physical eyes
but sees with spiritual eyes, said, "Put it
inside of them."
And GOD, our Creator said,
"It is done."
author unknown ~ via e-mail
from Carole, Spokane WA
|
1. People are
illogical, unreasonable, and
self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good,
people will accuse you of selfish
ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are
successful, you win false friends
and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do
today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do
good anyway.
5. Honesty and
frankness make you vulnerable. Be
honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest men
and women with the biggest ideas can
be shot down by the smallest men and
women with the smallest minds. Think
big anyway.
7. People favor
underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend
years building may be destroyed
overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really
need help but may attack you if you
do help them. Help people anyway.
10. Give the world
the best you have and you'll get
kicked in the teeth. Give the world
the best you have anyway. |
Live
In
PeaceSM
(L.I.P.SM) is a
service of
SandDollar
cosmetics inc, a company that believes
beauty has depth and shows at the surface...
LiveInPeace.info
promotes understanding and encourages harmony in the world
by providing resources for essential life skills: tools for managing one's self, for
negotiating through conflict, for respecting others and
for commanding respect by exemplary behavior.
|
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