My First Christmas Party-- Copyright (c) 1999 Carol Laycock --- Alberta, Canada

Grandma is ninety-eight this Christmas. In spite declining health, she
forges on with characteristic determination, hope, and wit. We thought
we might lose her last October - how many more heart attacks can her
frail body take? -- but, true to form, Grandma rallied again. "I
couldn't miss a Christmas party, now could I!" she quipped on the way
home from the hospital.

"No, Grandma," I laughed "It wouldn't be a party without you."

I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma. I was just a kid. I
remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big
sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even
dummies know that!"

My grandma is not the gushy kind, never was. I fled to her that day
because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always
told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot
easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told
her everything. She was ready for me.

"No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That
rumour has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain
mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second cinnamon bun.

"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town
that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through
its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those
days. 'Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who
needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked
out of Kerby's.

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother,
but never had I shopped for anything all by myself.

The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish
their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there,
confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and
who on earth to buy it for.

I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbours,
the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about
thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker. He was a kid
with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs.
Pollock's grade-two class.

Bobbie Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went
out for recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note,
telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that
Bobbie Decker didn't have a cough, and he didn't have a coat. I
fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy
Bobbie Decker a coat.

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real
warm, and he would like that.

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter
asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.

"Yes," I replied shyly. "It's ... for Bobbie."

The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the
coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and
ribbons, and write, "To Bobbie, From Santa Claus" on it-- Grandma said
that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to
Bobbie Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and
forever officially one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house, and she and I
crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk Then Grandma
gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."

I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present
down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of
the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the
darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood
Bobbie.

Forty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent
shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie Decker's bushes. That night, I
realized that those awful rumours about Santa Claus were just what
Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we
were on his team.

The Gold Slippers--- Author Unknown --- Submitted by Tammy --- Texas at Motivateus.com

It was only four days before Christmas. The spirit of the season
hadn't yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot
of our local discount store.

Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute
shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered.

My feet ached almost as much as my head. My list contained names of
several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their
feelings would be hurt if didn't buy them anything.

Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of
items, I considered gift-buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled
my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long
checkout lines. I picked the shortest but it looked as if it would
mean at least a 20 minute wait.

In front of me were two small children - a boy of about 5 and a
younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered
tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He
clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl's
clothing resembled her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curly
hair. Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face.

She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the
Christmas music sounded in the store's stereo system, the girl hummed
along, off-key but happily.

When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully
placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were
a treasure.

The clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. The boy
laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his
pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. "I guess we will have to put
them back, " he bravely said.

"We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow." With that
statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. "But Jesus would
have loved these shoes, " she cried. "Well, we'll go home and work
some more. Don't cry. We'll come back," he said.

Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in
line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a
pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, "Thank you lady."

"What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?" I asked.

The boy answered, "Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said
she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus." The girl spoke, "My
Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just
like these shoes."

"Won't mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?"

My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face. "Yes" I
answered, "I am sure she will."

Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the
true spirit of giving." 'Tis the Season!! Remember that it's better to
give than receive.

ARE YOU WANTING TO FLY

Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons
from Arabia. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he
had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be
trained.

Months passed and one day the head falconer informed the king that
though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the
sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had
arrived.

The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to
the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task
to the member of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the
palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch. Having
tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "May be I need
someone more
familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this
problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get a farmer."

In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high
above the palace gardens. He said to his court, "Bring me the doer of
this miracle."

The court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the
king. The king asked him, "How did you make the falcon fly?"

With his head bowed, the farmer said to the king, " It was very easy,
your highness. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting."

We are all made to fly — to realize our incredible potential as human
beings. But instead of doing that, we sit on our branches, clinging to
the things that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but
for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar,
the comfortable, the mundane. So for the most part, our lives are
mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling.

So let us learn to destroy the branch of fear we cling to and free
ourselves to the glory of flight.

Be Good To Yourself.-Author Unknown

Be Good to yourself
Trust yourself.
You know what you want and need.

Put yourself first.
You can't be anything for anybody else unless you take care of yourself.

Let your feelings be known.
They are important.

Express your opinions.
It's good to hear yourself talk.

Value your thinking.
You do it well.

Take the time and space you need.
Even if other people are wanting something from you.

When you need something, don't talk yourself out of it.
Even if you can't have it, it's ok to need.

When you are scared, let someone know.
Isolating yourself when you're scared makes it worse.

When you feel like running away, let yourself feel the scare.
Think about what you fear will happen and decide what you need to do.

When you're angry, let yourself feel the anger.
Decide what you want to do. Just feel it, express it, or take some action.

When you're sad, think about what would be comforting.
When you're hurt, tell the person who hurt you.
Keeping it inside makes it grow.

When you have work to do and you don't want to do it,
Decide what really needs to be done and what can wait.

When you want something from someone else, ask.
You'll be okay if they say no.
Asking is being true to yourself.

When you need help, ask.
Trust people to say no if they don't want to give.
When people turn you down,
It usually has to do with them, and not with you.
Ask someone else for what you need.

When you feel alone, know there are people who want to be with you.
Fantasize what it would be like to be with each of them.
Decide if you want to make that happen.

When you feel anxious, let yourself know that in your head.
You've moved into the future to something scary
And your body has gotten up the energy for it.

Come back to the present.

When you want to say something loving to someone, go ahead.
Expressing your feeling is not a commitment.

When someone yells at you, physically support yourself
By relaxing into your chair or putting your feet firmly on the floor.
Remember to breathe.
Think about the message they are trying to get across to you.

When you're harassing yourself, stop.
You do it when you need something.
Figure out what you need and get it.

When everything seems wrong,
You are overwhelmed and need some comforting.
Ask for it.
Afterwards, you can think about what you need to do.

When you want to talk to someone new and are scared, breathe.
Don't start rehearsing, just plunge in.
If it doesn't go well, you can stop.

If you're doing something you don't like to do,
(such as smoking or overeating), Stop.
Think about what you really want.

If you're stuck and can't think clearly, talk out loud to someone.

When you can't think straight,
Stop thinking. Feel.

When you're in need of love, reach out.
There are people who love you.

When you're confused, it's usually because you think you should
Do one thing and you want to do another.
Dialogue with yourself or present both sides to a friend.

When you feel harried, slow down.
Deliberately slow your breathing, your speech, and your movements.

When you have tears, cry.
When you feel like crying and it's not a safe place to cry,
Acknowledge your pain and promise yourself a good cry later.
Keep your promise.

When everything seems gray, look for color.

If one of these rules seems wrong for you, talk about it with someone.
Then, rewrite it so it fits you.

Remember, Be Good To Yourself!

Me and God

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.

God said, "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
seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I
would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo
seed. I would not quit.

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.
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. The bamboo had a different purpose
than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will
come and you will rise high."

How high should I rise I asked.

He asked in return, "How high will the bamboo rise."
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 bring back this story. I hope these words can
help you see that God will never give up on you. He will never give
up on you!

Lesson from the story: In life never lose hope and never give up or
quit in life and Success will come to you later in life.

Some of the Inspiring Quotes which tell not to give up in life so we
can learn something from these Quotes:

1) Never expect things to happen, struggle and make them happen.
Never expect yourself to be given a good value.. create a value of
your own.

2) If a drop of water falls in lake there is no identity. But if it
falls on a leaf of lotus, it shines like a pearl, so choose the best
place where you would shine..

3) Falling down is not defeat...defeat is when you refuse to get up...

4) Ship is always safe at shore... but it is not built for it..

5) It is great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults; greater
to tell him/her. (on the face not behind the back)

6) When you are successful your well wishers know who you are when you
are unsuccessful you know who you are well-wishers are.

The Family Motto:Dave Simmons, Dad, The Family Coach

I took my daughter, Helen (eight years old) and son, Brandon (five
years old) to the Cloverleaf Mall in Hattiesburg to do a little
shopping. As we drove up, we spotted a Peterbilt eighteen-wheeler
parked with a big sign on it that said, "Petting Zoo." The kids jumped
up in a rush and asked, "Daddy, Daddy. Can we go? Please. Please. Can
we go?"

"Sure," I said, flipping them both a quarter before walking into
Sears. They bolted away, and I felt free to take my time looking for a
scroll saw. A petting zoo consists of a portable fence erected in the
mall with about six inches of sawdust and a hundred little furry baby
animals of all kinds. Kids pay their money and stay in the enclosure
enraptured with the squirmy little critters while their moms and dads
shop.

A few minutes later, I turned around and saw Helen walking along
behind me. I was shocked to see she preferred the hardware department
to the petting zoo. Plus, I thought the children had to wait till the
parents came to pick them up. I bent down and asked what was wrong.

She looked up at me with those giant limpid brown eyes and said sadly,
"Well, Daddy, it cost fifty cents. So, I gave Brandon my quarter."
Then she said the most beautiful thing I ever heard. She repeated the
family motto. The family motto is in "Love is Action!"

She had given Brandon her quarter, and no one loves cuddly furry
creatures more than Helen. She had watched both me and my wife do and
say "Love is Action!" for years around the house. She had heard and
seen "Love is Action," and now she had incorporated it into her little
lifestyle. It had become part of her.

What do you think I did? Well, not what you might think. First, we
went back to the Petting Zoo, since Brandon was by himself. We stood
by the fence and watched Brandon go crazy petting and feeding the
animals. Helen stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and
just watched Brandon. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket; I
never offered it to Helen, and she never asked for it.

Because she knew the whole family motto. It's not "Love is Action."
It's "Love is SACRIFICIAL Action!" Love always pays a price. Love
always costs something. Love is expensive. When you love, benefits
accrue to another's account. Love is for you, not for me. Love gives;
it doesn't grab. Helen gave her quarter to Brandon and wanted to
follow through with her lesson. She knew she had to taste the
sacrifice. She wanted to experience that total family motto. Love is
sacrificial action.

The Whisper-John Trent, Ph.D.,Vice President of Today’s Family, Men of Action

Recently, I heard a touching story which illustrates the power that
words have to change a life — a power that lies right in the hands of
those reading this article. Mary had grown up knowing that she was
different from the other kids, and she hated it. She was born with a
cleft palate and had to bear the jokes and stares of cruel children
who teased her non-stop about her misshaped lip, crooked nose, and
garbled speech. With all the teasing, Mary grew up hating the fact
that she was "different". She was convinced that no one, outside her
family, could ever love her … until she entered Mrs. Leonard's class.

Mrs. Leonard had a warm smile, a round face, and shiny brown hair.
While everyone in her class liked her, Mary came to love Mrs. Leonard.
In the 1950′s, it was common for teachers to give their children an
annual hearing test. However, in Mary's case, in addition to her cleft
palate, she was barely able to hear out of one ear. Determined not to
let the other children have another "difference" to point out, she
would cheat on the test each year. The "whisper test" was given by
having a child walk to the classroom door, turn sideways, close one
ear with a finger, and then repeat something which the teacher
whispered. Mary turned her bad ear towards her teacher and pretended
to cover her good ear. She knew that teachers would often say things
like, "The sky is blue," or "What color are your shoes?" But not on
that day. Surely, God put seven words in Mrs. Leonard's mouth that
changed Mary's life forever. When the "Whisper test" came, Mary heard
the words: "I wish you were my little girl."

Father, I wish there was some way that I could communicate to you the
incredible blessing which affirming words impart to children. I wish,
too, that you could sit in my office, when I coun- sel, and hear the
terrible damage that individuals received from not hearing affirming
words–particularly affirming words from a father. While words from a
godly teacher can melt a heart, words from a father can powerfully set
the course of a life.

If affirming words were something rarely spoken in your home growing
up, let me give you some tips on words and phrases that can brighten
your own child's eyes and life.These words are easy to say to any
child who comes into your life. I'm proud of you, Way to go, Bingo …
you did it, Magnificent, I knew you could do it, What a good helper,
You're very special to me, I trust you, What a treasure, Hurray for
you, Beautiful work, You're a real trooper, Well done, That's so
creative, You make my day, You're a joy, Give me a big hug, You're
such a good listener, You figured it out, I love you, You're so
responsible, You remem- bered, You're the best, You sure tried hard,
I've got to hand it to you, I couldn't be prouder of you, You light up
my day, I'm praying for you, You're wonderful, I'm behind you, You're
so kind to your (brother/sister), You're God's special gift, I'm here
for you.

The Making Of A Mother

By the time the Lord made mothers, He was into the sixth day working
overtime. An Angel appeared and said "Why are you spending so much
time on this one?"

And the Lord answered and said, "Have you read the spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not elastic; have 200 movable
parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap
that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she
stands up; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a
broken heart; and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six pairs
of hands! No way!" said the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's
the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!"

"And that's on the standard model?" the Angel asked.

The Lord nodded in agreement, "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see
through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing
even though she already knows. Another pair in the back of her head
are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can.
And the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for
looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves
him or her without even saying a single word."

The Angel tried to stop the Lord "This is too much work for one day.
Wait until tomorrow to finish."

"But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am so close to finishing this
creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself
when she is sick AND can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger
and can get a nine year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman, "But you have made her
so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You
have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?" asked the Angel.

The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be
able to reason, and negotiate."

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the
woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like You have a leak with this model. I
told You that You were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak." the Lord objected. "That's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow,
her disappointment, her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her
pride."

The Angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of
everything for this one. You even created the tear!"

The Lord looked at the Angel and smiled and said, "I'm afraid you are
wrong again. I created the woman, but she created the tear!"

EAGLES IN A STORM

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long
before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come.
When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it
up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle
is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift
it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience
them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief
toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's
power to lift us above them.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness,
tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above
the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how
we handle them.

NOBODY IS PERFECT UNTIL YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH THEM.

When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away,
and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace
and dullness.

Love shows up in all forms, even very small and cheeky forms, it has
never been a model, it could be the most dull and boring
form......flowers, and romantic moments are only used and appear on
the surface of the relationship.

Under all this, the pillar of true love stands......and that's our
life. Love, not words win arguments...

Send this on to everyone special in your life, even the people who
really make you mad sometimes.

Sometimes we expect far too much of the people around us, and because
no one can ever live up to those expectations, we are almost always
disappointed.

Wouldn't it be better if we just let go, and let people be who they
are? Then we'd be able to see them as they are -- with all their
beauty and goodness in which we take joy, and with all their faults
which we can also see in ourselves.

When we have put someone up on a pedestal, sculpturing them to fit our
needs and desires by smoothing out the rough edges and creating new
curves here and there, we cannot see the real person underneath our
work. All we see is the illusion we have created. That is denying the
person's real identity and is disrespectful.

It's much better for our friends and for ourselves if we drop our
expectations and illusions, and accept them all just the way they are.

Whether we realize it or not, everyone we know is very special to us.

The most important thing to remember is... Always appreciate the
friends that you have.

A fight may come and go very easily, but a friendship could last forever.

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with
the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the
ones that care.

HOW RICH ARE YOU

It All Depends on the way You Look At Things

One day a rich father took his son on a trip to the country with the
firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and
a night on the farm of a very poor family.

When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"Very good Dad!"

"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"

The son answered, "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have
four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they
have a creek that has no end.We have imported lamps in the garden,
they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a
whole horizon."

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.
His son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!"

Friends

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that
Person...

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need
You have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
Guidance and support,

To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,

This person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an
End.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away..

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
Fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has
Come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,

Things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional
Foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson,

Love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other
Relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Love Yourself-Dr. Ripal K. Kotak

We all know what love is. We've felt it at one time or the other for
people around us, who form part of our life. I am not talking of
romantic love. I am talking of the deep sense of affection and bonding
that we feel for people we care about, whether it be parents,
children, friends, or someone else. Unconditional love does not
require any of these to be exceptional in any manner, we love them
just as they are; their joy forms our joy, their pain our shared
burden. We have faith in them; we think highly of them. Their success
or failure does not change our opinion of them. To us they are perfect
just the way they are; their strengths, their weaknesses, all form a
part of who they are and that is who we love and cherish. We accept
them with their idiosyncrasies and their peculiarities; we don't judge
them for who they are, instead we love them for it.

Now I want you to ask you if you feel the same way about yourself. Do
you love yourself? As children we didn't judge ourselves, as adults we
do. Do you accept yourself just the way you are? Do you like the way
you look? Do you think you are successful? Do you think you are
worthy?

Our opinion of ourselves has more to do with our success and failure
in life than that of others.

If the success or failure of people you care about doesn't affect the
way you feel about them, why don't you extend the same courtesy to
yourself?

It doesn't matter how rich, good looking, or successful you are. What
matters is how you perceive yourself and those around you.

Every snowflake is perfect. So are you. Unique and perfect. Love
yourself for who you are, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in
health. Love yourself with all your frailties and weaknesses. Your
pimples form as much a part of you as do your dimples. Enjoy them
both.

You may not be the best in your field, you may not be the best
looking, or the most successful… but that should not stop you from
loving yourself.

Every fiber of your being resonates with the melody of the Universe.
You are as much a marvel as the other wonders the Universe offers.
Just open your eyes and see. Every pebble, every stone, every weed is
perfect. They are all part of the whole, each making their own
contribution to the world.

With love comes faith, with faith comes belief. Learn to trust
yourself. If you face a setback believe in yourself enough that you
will see yourself through troubled times. If you fall don't chastise
yourself for falling, instead applaud yourself as you stand up again.

You are precious just the way you are. You do not need to do or
achieve anything to prove this. Know this. Love yourself the way you
are. You are here and you belong. Just as everyone else.

Look at yourself with the same loving eyes with which you see the ones
you cherish.

Go ahead. Have a love affair with yourself. No one deserves it more.

EIGHT CLUES TO HAPPINESS By- KHUSHWANT SINGH

Having lived a reasonably contented life, I was musing over what a
person should strive for to achieve happiness. I drew up a list of a
few essentials which I put forward for the readers' appraisal.

1. First and foremost is GOOD HEALTH. If you do not enjoy good health
you can never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct from
your happiness.

2. Second, A HEALTHY BANK BALANCE. It need not run into crores but
should be enough to provide for creature comforts and something to
spare for recreation, like eating out, going to the pictures,
travelling or going on holidays on the hills or by the sea. Shortage
of money can be only demoralizing. Living on credit or borrowing is
demeaning and lowers one in one's own eyes.

3. Third, A HOME OF YOUR OWN. Rented premises can never give you the
snug feeling of a nest which is yours for keeps that a home provides:
if it has a garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and
flowers, see them grow and blossom, cultivate a sense of kinship with
them.

4. Fourth, AN UNDERSTANDING COMPANION, be it your spouse or a friend.
If there are too many misunderstandings, they will rob you of your
peace of mind. It is better to be divorced than to bicker all the
time.

5. Fifth, LACK OF ENVY towards those who have done better than you in
life; risen higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be
very corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others.

6. Sixth, DO NOT ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE to descend on you for gup-shup. By
the time you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by
their gossip-mongering.

7. Seventh, CULTIVATE SOME HOBBIES which can bring you a sense of
fulfilment, such as gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or
listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks or to
meet celebrities is criminal waste of time.

8. Eighth, every morning and evening, devote 15 minutes to
INTROSPECTION. In the morning, 10 minutes should be spent on stilling
the mind and then five in listing things you have to do that day. In
the evening, five minutes to still the mind again, and ten to go over
what you had undertaken to do.

RICHNESS is not Earning More, Spending More Or Saving More, but ...

"RICHNESS IS WHEN YOU NEED NO MORE"

Thought for the Day - 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. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts,
gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle.' An idle mind is the
devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. 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, whatever. Your home 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 can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the
next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Creating The Life You Want-by Barrie Davenport

Who is in the driver's seat of your life? Your job? Your family?

The changing wind of life's circumstances?

Ask yourself, "Is my life the way I want it to be?" If not, what is
blocking you from jumping in the driver's seat of your life?

21 Truths to Living the Life Your Want

1. Understand that sustained happiness rarely comes from outside
circumstances. Your wealth, beauty, power, or acquisitions have far
less to do with happiness than your appreciation for what you have
this very moment and your loving relationships with others.

2. You can live your life by design, but you must acknowledge your
power in that, plan for it, and take the necessary actions.

3. You can't have it all, but you can have enough to be very happy.
Prioritize and focus on the top 3 or 4 most important areas of your
life.

4. Stop focusing on what you don't have or don't like. Focus on what
you do have and do like, and create a plan for what you think you can
improve and change.

5. Abandon perfectionism. It is a useless pursuit with no end. It
creates stress and unhappiness. Learn to find the balance point
between good enough and peaceful living.

6. Put your own deepest needs first. If you are living for others
before yourself and pushing your own needs aside, eventually you will
crumble in some way — through depression, anger, anxiety or
destructive behaviors.

7. Your choices may disappoint or offend others. That is sometimes
necessary in order to grow and live authentically. Those who love you
and want the best for you will accept and support you.

8. Count your blessings. You probably already have many of the things
you want for your life. Don't take them for granted.

9. Address personal issues head-on. Don't use these as an excuse for
not having what you want in life. If you have a wound, a personality
or relationship problem, or an anxiety, go to a counselor and work on
it. Resolve it. Weak people don't go to counselors, but strong
forward-moving people do.

10. Pick one small problem or irritation and resolve it. Feel how much
personal power and energy that gives you. Imagine how it would feel to
resolve one of your bigger problems or concerns.

11. Consider disengaging from people who bring you down or drain your
energy. Build relationships with people who are positive,
action-oriented, and supportive.

12. Pick the one change that would make the biggest positive
difference in your life. Begin visualizing your life with this change
implemented. Practice this regularly throughout the day.

13. Take this one step further and begin writing some specific action
steps that might help make this change happen.

14. Strengthen your strengths. Make yourself indispensable in your
area(s) of interest and expertise.

15. Always leave time for fun. Make fun happen in your life.

16. Don't neglect your relationships. Don't take them for granted.
Find out what makes your loved ones happy, and do that for them.

17. Learn to let it go. Worry is the most fruitless expenditure of
energy on the planet. Very little is worth worrying about. If you must
do something, take action instead.

18. Don't assume that you can't do something. Prove that you can't,
and if so, try something else.

19. More often than not, your fear is the culprit for inaction. More
often than not, your fears are unfounded or at least out of
proportion. More often than not, your fear will go away once you take
action.

20. Focus on the task at hand. When you feel overwhelmed and pulled in
many directions, just pick an important thing and do it without
distraction. Then do another one.

21. Life is short. You have a limited number of days on this Earth.
There isn't time to waste your days in worry, anger or frustration.
Make the most of this moment and the next and the next and the next .
. .

If you want to have a wonderful life, spend your days in positive,
forward-moving action and thought. Dismiss your longings for what you
don't have. Enjoy the actions as much or more than the outcomes.

The real secret to having the life you want is learning to love the
life that you have.

Have you been to the bank? Unknown Author

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $
86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening
deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.
What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!!!! Each of us has
such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with
86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this
you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance.
It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each
night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's
deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no
drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on
today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health,
happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a
pre-mature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a
silver medal in the Olympics. Treasure every moment that you have! And
treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special
enough to spend your time. And remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history Tomorrow is mystery Today is a gift That's why
it's called the present!!

THE LAW OF THE GARBAGE TRUCK

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were
driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a
parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other
car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head
around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved
at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car
and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me
what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around
full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of
disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump
it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move
on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at
home or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks
take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with
regrets, so..... 'Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the
ones who don't.

LIFE IS TEN PERCENT WHAT YOU MAKE IT AND NINETY PERCENT HOW YOU TAKE IT.

How to Cope with Loneliness 10 Tips for Coping with Feeling Lonely by Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Loneliness is a state of mind rather than a measure of how many people
you interact with. You can be overwhelmed with a feeling of loneliness
in a bustling restaurant or a cheering football stadium, in a business
meeting or a family gathering. You can feel contented, complete, and
at peace with the world deep in a forest far from the nearest human.
So what causes feelings of loneliness and how can you overcome them?

Loneliness is really a form of neediness, the feeling of needing some
expression of companionship and support that you don't feel you are
getting. You feel lonely when the state of your world doesn't appear
to be as it should. We are most likely to feel lonely when we have
lost companionship that we previously had - a loved one died, left us,
or moved away; our family, social group, or employer has rejected us.
We feel the contrast between how things are now and how they used to
be better. The other cause of loneliness is comparison with the
apparently happy social networks of others. Seeing others appearing to
enjoy their connections with family, friends, and lovers, we long for
those same pleasures.

Comparisons are odious. - Anonymous

Here are ten tips for coping with feelings of loneliness...

1. Focus on the present. Whenever you find yourself longing for the
past, Stop. Bring your attention back to the present. You can't go
back to high school and be the cheerleader or football hero again. You
can't relive the college sorority or fraternity parties. Rather, look
to the great opportunities for your life today and tomorrow.

2. Be yourself and be proud of yourself. You aren't the celebrity
being hounded by the news media; you aren't the person down the street
with a dozen cars parked out front day and night; you aren't anyone
but yourself, and that is a wonderful thing. Be happy and proud that
you are exactly who you are.

3. Learn to enjoy spending time completely alone. Once you can be
comfortable alone, you will defeat your compulsive need for
companionship. Take long silent walks in the woods or on the seashore.
Consider going for a multi-day hike and sleeping alone under the
stars.

4. Know the purpose of your life, and keep busy with activities that
support your purpose. When you know that your life is directed toward
an important purpose, the support and encouragement of others lessens
in significance. It is much harder to feel lonely when you are
actively engaged with tasks that further your vision for your life.

5. Be of service to others. Volunteering your time to those less
fortunate has a number of benefits. You will feel good about yourself.
You will realize that you really are one of the more fortunate people
in the world. The bonus is that service organizations attract the kind
of people who have the potential of becoming great friends.

6. Find a furry four-legged friend. If you don't already have a cat or
dog, rescue one from your local animal shelter.

7. Join groups for the activities, and let the socializing be a bonus.
Try a book, bridge, or sailing club; a kayaking, walking, or hiking
group. Take lessons. Learn to dance, sing, play a musical instrument.

8. Be physically active. Walk, do Yoga and Qigong, join the gym, try
Latin Cardio Dance. The endorphins that exercise generates make you
happier, and it's hard to feel lonely when you're happy.

9. Turn on happy music. Find the kind of music that makes you feel
happy and turn up the volume. Dance to your music, sing to your music,
let your music reverberate within you.

10. Know that your higher power is always with you. You are never
alone when you accept that Spirit is always with you and within you.
Have a conversation with your higher power today.

Information Please

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in
our neighborhood. I remember well the polished old case fastened to
the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too
little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination
when my mother used to talk to it.

Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an
amazing person - her name was "Information Please" and there was
nothing she did not know.

"Information Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct
time. My first personal experience with this genie-in-the-bottle came
one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the
tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer. The
pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying
because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the
house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.

The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and
dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the
parlor and held it to my ear.

"Information Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.
"Information." "I hurt my finger. . ." I wailed into the phone. The
tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me." I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" "No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer
and it hurts."

"Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could.

"Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said
the voice.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her
for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She
helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk that I had caught
in the park just the day before would eat fruits and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called
"Information Please" and told her the sad story. She listened, then
said the usual things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was
un-consoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so
beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of
feathers on the bottom of a cage?" She must have sensed my deep
concern, for she said quietly,

"Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better. Another day I was on the telephone.
"Information Please." "Information," said the now familiar voice. "How
do you spell fix?" I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I
was 9 years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my
friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box
back home, and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new
phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the
memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often,
in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of
security I had then.

I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have
spent her time on a little boy. A few years later, on my way west to
college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about half an hour or so
between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister,
who lived there now.

Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator
and said, "Information, Please".

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well, "Information."

I hadn't planned this but I heard myself saying, "Could you please
tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause.

Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed. "So it's really still you,' I said.

"I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."

"I wonder", she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I
never had any children, and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked
if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister. "Please
do, she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered
"Information." I asked for Sally.

"Are you a friend?" She said. "Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, she said. Sally had been working
part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks
ago."

Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Did you say your name
was Paul?" "Yes." "Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it
down in case you called. Let me read it to you."

The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing
in. He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.

That is self belief.

There is a cute story told about the Governor of Texas, then Mark White.

Governor White and his wife were driving through the open Texas
countryside one day, out for a relaxing drive and talk

The couple happened to be around the area where Mrs. White grew up,
and as they pulled into a gas station to fuel up and check out the
car, Mark noticed a little nervousness with his wife. He didn't say
anything, but when the gas station attendant came out to their car,
Mark began to notice what was really going on. Both his wife and the
attendant looked surprised to see each other, and they acted with that
awkwardness that two people have when they've been close in the past,
but weren't anymore.

Governor White pretended not to notice this. They finished at the gas
station and continued back down the highway. The car fell silent and
neither said a word. For a long time they remained silent, and all the
while Mrs. White kept looking out the window, staring off out into the
distance. Mark was considerate and patient with this silence, and he
continued to drive in the silence. But after the silence had gone on
for almost an hour, he interrupted, trying to break the silence.

"Honey, I couldn't help but notice how you and that gas station
attendant looked at each other. You were involved with each other at
one point, weren't you," he asked ?

"Well, yea," She responded, quitely.

"Well, I guess I know how you feel. You were probably thinking about
that and needed some space, right," he continued ?

"Yea," she said again.

"I guess you were probably thinking about how different your two lives
had become. I guess you were thinking that if you had married him,
then you'd be the wife of a gas station attendant now, instead of my
wife. Right," he said ?

"Well, No. Actually I was thinking that he'd be the governor now."

90-10 secret

The 90/10 secret is incredible! Very few know and apply this secret.
The result? Millions of people are suffering undeserved stress,
trials, problems, and heartache. They never seem to be a success in
life. Bad days follow bad days. Terrible things seem to be constantly
happening. Theirs is constant stress, lack of joy, and broken
relationships. Worry consumes time, anger breaks friendships, and life
seems dreary and is not enjoyed to the fullest.. Friends are lost.
Life is a bore and often seems cruel. Does this describe you? If so,
do not be discouraged. You can be different!. Understand and apply the
90/10 secret. It will change your life! What is this secret? 10% of
life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how
you react.

What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what
happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane
may be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver
may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%.

The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%! How? By your
reaction. You cannot control a red light, but you can control your
reaction.

Don't let people fool you, YOU can control how you react!

Let's use an example.

You're eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a
cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what
just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react.

You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the coffee cup
over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your
spouse and criticize her for placing the cup to close to the edge of
the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and
change your shirt.

Back downstairs you find your daughter has been too busy crying to
finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your
spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive
your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an
hour in a 30 mph speed limit zone.

After a 15 minute delay and throwing $60 (traffic fine) away, you
arrive at school. Your daughter runs to the building without saying
good-bye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you
forgot your briefcase.

Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse
and worse. You look forward to going home. When you arrive home you
find a small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter.

Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning.

Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the Policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?

The answer is D. You had no control over what happened with the
coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad
day.

Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over
you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say "It's OK honey, you
just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush
upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase. You come back
down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on
the bus. She turns and waves. You and your spouse kiss before you both
go to work. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff.
Your boss comments on how good of day you are having.

Notice the difference? Two different scenarios. Both started the same.
Both ended different. Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do
not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% is
determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 secret.

If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge. Let
the attack roll off like water on glass. You do not have to let the
negative comment affect you! React properly and it will not ruin your
day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired,
getting stressed out, etc.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you loose your
temper? Pound the steering wheel? (A friend of mine had the steering
wheel fall off!) Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do
you try and bump them? WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at
work? Why let the blue car ruin your drive. Remember the 90-10
principle, and do not worry about it!

You are told you lost your job. Why lose sleep or get irritated? It
will work out. Use your "worrying" energy and time into finding
another job. The plane is late. It is going to mangle your schedule
for the day. Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant?
She has no control over what is going on. Use your time to study, to
get to know the other passengers, etc. Why get stressed out? It will
just make things worse.

You now know the 90-10 secret. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results!!!

What would God ask?

God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people
you drove who didn't have transportation.

God won't ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many
people you welcomed into your home.

God won't ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will
ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.

God won't ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of
class you displayed.

God won't ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if
they dictated your life.

God won't ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you
compromised your character to obtain that salary.

God won't ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked
overtime for your family and loved ones.

God won't ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you
promoted others.

God won't ask what your job title was, but will ask if you reformed
your job to the best of your ability.

God won't ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did
to help others.

God won't ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people
to whom you were a true friend.

God won't ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what
you did to protect the rights of others.

God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you
treated your neighbors.

God won't ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the
content of your character.

God won't ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will
ask how many times they didn't.

Somebody is proud of you -author unknow

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a
very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the
bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a
game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he
entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but
also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he
didn't want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang
in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and
perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All through high
school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench.
His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of
encouragement for him.

When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the
football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make
the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster
because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at
the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle
they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he
rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared
his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games.
This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four
years at college, but he never got to play in the game. It was the end
of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice
field shortly before the big play off game, the coach met him with a
telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly
silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this
morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his
arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week
off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.

In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent
young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his
football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players
were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach,
please let me play. I've just go to play today," said the young man.
The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his
worst player in this close. Feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave
in. "All right," he said. "You can go in." Before long, the coach, the
players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This
little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything
right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed,
blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score
was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid
intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The
fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such
cheering you've never heard! Finally, after the stands had emptied and
the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that
the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach
came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic!
Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?" He looked at the coach,
with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did
you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and
forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first
time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

A wonderful motivational story for any age…..

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and
challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood
up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me
with a smile that that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old.
Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of
course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married,
have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to
be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting
one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and share a
chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next
three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was
always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her
wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily
made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled
in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was
living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football
banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and
stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech,
she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a
little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said,
"I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is
killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell
you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop
playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There
are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving
success. "You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to
have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many
people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!"

"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If
you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't
do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am
eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do
anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That
doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always
finding the opportunity in change."

"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we
did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear
death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She
challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our
daily lives. At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had
begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to
the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to
be all you can possibly be.

Lessons:

1. You are never too old to learn.

2. Laugh and find humor everyday .

3. Don't let change overwhelm you, let change help you find
opportunities you may have never seen!

Read this, and let it really sink in... Then, choose how you start your day tomorrow...

Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood
and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him
how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be
twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had
followed him around from restaurant to restaurant.

The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He
was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry
was 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! You can't be a positive person
all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I
wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can
choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.

I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can
choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to
learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can
choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive
side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not 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. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live
life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant
industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought
about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never
supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open
one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While
trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped
off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry
was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.
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. Wanna 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 locked the back door," Jerry
replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two
choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to
live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" 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 ER and I saw the
expressions 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 burly 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!' Over their laughter, I told them,
'I am choosing to live. 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 every day we have the
choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Positive thinking the the first step towards a happy life.

Attitude is everything

If everyone applies just these, the whole world will live in happiness.

What Do We Want From Life?

Once upon time there was a poor peasant in Russia. He was very
contended whatever he had. He was managing his family's affairs with
whatever he was earning. But his elder brother was richer than him.
One day, as his mind wandered, he thought that his brother was getting
richer and richer, day after day. He thought he could also be richer,
and provide with more facilities to his family. So he started saving
some money to buy more land. Once he had enough money, he started
shopping for land.

He noticed that on the adjacent land, there were some nomads living
there. He bought some gifts and went to their Chief. He presented the
gifts to him (the chief) and told the purpose of his visit. The Chief
welcomed him, accepted the gift and fulfilled his request to acquire
the land. He told him that he could have the land without giving him
anything. He can take as much land as he could cover by walking
through the land before sunset. He should start in the morning and
whatever distance he could cover during the day, he could have it.

The peasant got very happy to hear this offer. Now he could have lots
of land without paying anything. He came in the morning and started
running, not walking, so that he could cover the largest area. In the
desire to cover the maximum area, he neither took his food, nor drank
water, or took any rest. He just continued running. Without eating, or
drinking, or resting he just got damn tired when he came back in the
evening, and as he came back to the Chief, he got exhausted and died
right on the spot.

Sadly people made the arrangements for his funeral and buried him in a
6′x4′ land – that is what everybody needs.

Lesson: Don't be greedy, you may loss everything in the process.
Remember you will one day loss everything you own and leave this earth
for good.

Source: Russian Folktale, Uknown

Story about Self-Confidence:

The business executive was deep in debt and could see no way out.

Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He
sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save
his company from bankruptcy..

Suddenly an old man appeared before him.

"I can see that something is troubling you," he said.

After listening to the executive's woes, the old man said, "I believe I can help
you."

He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand
saying, "Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today,
and you can pay me back at that time."

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by
John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

"I can erase my money worries in an instant!" he realized. But
instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed check in his safe.
Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a
way to save his business, he thought.

With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms
of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was
out of debt and making money once again.Exactly one year later, he
returned to the park with the uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time,
the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back
the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and
grabbed the old man.

"I'm so glad I caught him!" she cried. "I hope he hasn't been
bothering you. He's always escaping from the rest home and telling
people he's John D.Rockefeller."

And she led the old man away by the arm. The astonished executive just
stood there, stunned. All year long he'd been
wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a
million dollars behind him.

Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or imagined, that
had turned his life around. It was his new found self-confidence that
gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

" Life may give 10000 reasons to CRY, but its upto you to find a
reason to SMILE "

Article: The Myths of Forgiveness - By Corey Sondrup ***

It seems like every self-help book, seminar, and workshop addresses
the concept of forgiveness. Forgiveness has become the "buzz word" of
the new millennium. Forgiveness cannot be emphasized enough,
especially when it comes to optimal healing. Unfortunately, most
people--patients and physicians included--have a distorted and
inaccurate idea of what forgiveness truly is. Webster's Dictionary
defines forgiveness as "1) to excuse for a fault or offense; pardon.
2) to renounce anger or resentment against."

The definition of forgiveness is not enough; we must apply the
principles of forgiveness. Before we can apply forgiveness to our
everyday lives, we must have an understanding of what forgiveness is
and what it is not. There are many myths surrounding forgiveness that
should be addressed and eliminated before true forgiveness can be
incorporated in one's life.

Myth #1: To truly forgive one has to forget. Unless you suffered a
traumatic brain injury or was the victim at an early age, there is a
high probability that you will remember a particular trauma or event.
It is virtually impossible to forget a broken heart, cheating spouse,
or abusive parent. The experience is forever recorded within your
subconscious and your energy field. The event itself does not define
who you are. It is merely an experience on your journey.

You can still remember an unpleasant situation or person and still
forgive. You will probably not forget the experience, but you can put
it behind you as you move forward in life. But the memory of the
experience is still there. If the memory of the unpleasant person or
experience causes discomfort, grief, or anger, then there is still a
"charge" to you energy field and you have not completely forgiven the
person, situation or experience. When you can honestly recall the
unpleasant experience or person and there is no "tugging-of-your
heartstrings," the emotional charge is gone. Then you are in a state
of forgiveness.

Myth #2: When you forgive a person, you must trust them! This is one
of the biggest misconceptions of forgiveness. If trust has been
broken, it takes time to rebuild and earn trust. Trust cannot be
forced on someone. Trust has to be earned. If trust is repeatedly
broken, then the intelligent thing to do is never trust them again.
Once again, you can forgive someone. But, trust is completely
different.

Myth #3: You must respect the person(s) that you have forgiven. Again,
respect and forgiveness are two separate entities. Respect, like
trust, is earned; it cannot be forced upon or demanded. If someone is
not worthy of your respect then he or she is not worthy of respect
(even if they are family).

Myth #4: When you forgive someone, you must totally and completely
accept them. When you forgive someone or something, the forgiveness is
for yourself. You choose to take your power back so that someone or
something no longer controls your life. This is where healthy
boundaries are important. If a friend or loved one has hurt or
betrayed you and you have forgiven him or her, you can accept them for
who they are (to an extent). But, if they do not earn your trust and
respect and you know their integrity is lacking, move forward in life
and seek people that unconditionally love and uplift you. You can
accept people for who they are even if they lack respect, honor,
trust, and integrity. But, it is up to you to realize that you're not
going to allow that type of person into your life. This can be
particularly difficult with close family members. We can still love
them. But, if they lack honor, integrity, and they continue to bring
you down, move on. Life is too short.

To all the guys who read this…..please read fully and understand…………..

This is a beautiful article: The woman in your life...very well expressed...

Tomorrow you may get a working woman, but you should marry her with

these facts as well.

Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are; Who is earning

almost as much as you do;

One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as

human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or

your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a

system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary

achievements.

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost

as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people

who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your

family, name

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while

you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances,

environment and that kitchen

One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and

cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are,

maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant,

a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning

just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and

sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too

demanding, or if she learns faster than you;

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even

men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and

yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your

irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent

insecurities;

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't,

simply Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just

like yours, are to be met;

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most

important, relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you

just help her some and trust her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she

knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your

sensitivities and most importantly - your uderstanding, or love, if

you may call it.

But not many guys understand this......

Please appreciate "HER"

I hope you will do....

Why did he cry? (A True Story)

A true story that happened in China. A bus full of passengers was

traveling on hilly road. Midway through the journey, 3-armed thugs

were eyening the pretty woman bus driver. They forced the bus to stop

and wanted to have fun with the driver! The woman driver naturally

shouted for help, but all the rest of the passengers just kept quiet.

Then a weakly looking middle-aged man came forth to ask the 3 men to

stop; but he was instead beaten up.

The man was very angry and appealed loudly to the other passengers to

stop this uncivilized act but nobody responded. And the 3 men dragged

the driver to the bushes nearby. An hour later, the 3 thugs and the

ruffled driver came back to the bus and the driver is ready to drive

off again.... "Hey you, get down the bus!" the woman driver shouted to

the man who tried to assist her earlier on. The man was bewildered and

said: "What's wrong with you? I was trying to save you just now and

was I wrong in doing so?" "You save me? What have you done to save

me?"

The driver retorted, and a few of the passengers were quietly laughing

away. The man was really angry. Even though he did not have the

ability to save her, he should not be given this treatment at all. He

refused to get down the bus and said; "I paid for the trip and I have

the right to remain." The driver put on a grim face and said: "If you

don't get down, the bus will not move on." What was unexpected was

that the passengers, who were oblivious to the barbaric act of the

thugs just now, suddenly woke up and in a concerted effort asked the

man to get down the bus saying:
"You might as well get off the bus, we have things to attend to and

cannot afford anymore delays!"

A few stronger passengers were indeed trying to drag the man down the

bus. The 3 thugs were smiling knowingly at each other and commented:

"We must have done a great job to the lady!" After much ado, the man's

luggage was thrown out the bus window and he was ousted out of the

bus. The bus started on its journey again. The driver straightened up

her hair and turned the radio to full volume. The bus was reaching the

hilltop and will go downhill after a turn. The right side of the bus

was facing an unfathomable cliff. The speed of the bus increased

gradually. The driver's face was very calm with both hands on the

steering wheel. Tears started to swell in her eyes. One of the thugs

realized something amiss and said to the driver: "Drive slowly, what

are you trying to do?" The driver said nothing, but the bus traveled

faster and faster. The thug tried to grap hold of the steering wheel,

but the bus shoot towards the cliff like an arrow leaving the bow.

The next day, the local paper reported a tragic accident at the 'Tiger

Taming Hill' region. A medium sized bus fell through the cliff and the

driver and the 13 passengers were all killed. The man who was chased

down the bus saw the paper and cried. Nobody knew what was he crying

about and why he cried!

You know why he cried?If you were in the bus, would you stand up like the man did?

We need people like him to create and sustain a normal society!

When we treat others with our hearts; we will receive warmth and love

from people!

It is a very tragic story. What will you do if you are the bus driver?

Life driven by anger is no life.

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 little 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...

THESE SETS OF THREE LITTLE WORDS CAN MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN ONE'S LIFE

There are many things that we can do to perk up and strengthen our
interpersonal relationships. Yet the most effective involves the
saying of just three words. When spoken or conveyed, these statements
have the power to forge new friendships, deepen old ones and restore
relationships that have cooled. The following three-word phrases can
enrich every relationship.

I'll Be There: If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of
the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has
broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to
hear the phrase "I'll be there." Being there for another person is the
greatest gift we can give when we are truly present for other people,
important things
happen to them and us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are
restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core
of civility.

I Miss You: Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if
couples simply and sincerely said to each other "I miss you." This
powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired
and loved. Consider how ecstatic you would feel, if you received an
unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday,
just
to say "I miss you".

I Respect You: Respect is another way of showing love. Respect conveys
the feeling that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your
children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds and
become close friends. This applies to all inter-personal
relationships.

Maybe You're Right: This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an
argument and restoring frayed emotions. The flip side to "Maybe you're
right" is the humility of admitting, "Maybe I'm wrong". Let's face it,
when you have a heated argument with someone, all you do is cement the
other person's point of view. They, or you, will not change their/your
stance and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship
between you. Saying "Maybe you're right" can open the door to further
explore the subject, in which you may then have the opportunity to get
your view across in a more rational manner.

Please Forgive Me: Many broken relationships could be restored and
healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness.
All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles and failures. A man should
never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is
saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.

I Thank You: Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who
enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't
take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their
friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand,
people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not
have the attitude of
gratitude.

Count On Me: A friend is one who walks in, when others walk out.
Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it is the
emotional glue that bonds people. Those who are rich in their
relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come,
a good friend is there indicating you can "count on me."

Let Me Help: The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When
they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being
asked, they pitch in and help.

I Understand You: People become closer and enjoy each other more if
they feel the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your
spouse know in so many little ways that you understand her/him, is one
of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship. This applies
to any relationship.

I Love You: Perhaps the most important three words that you can say.
Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person's deepest
emotional needs; the need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be
wanted. Your family, your friends and you, all need to hear those
three little words. "I love you."

The least we can do as individuals is to motivate and inspire another
human being!

A candle loses nothing by lighting another

Why does a women need to cry

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a
woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And
you never will."

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry
for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked,
"God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said:

"When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world,

yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection
that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else
gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue
without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all
circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and
fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife,
but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him
unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to
use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the
clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs
her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the
doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."