What is Spirituality?

Spirituality is not about a religion. Neither is it about gods and rituals. Spirituality is a principled way of life; it's an attitude. There are a dozen attributes to life, to building a positive attitude, embedded in the very word 'SPIRITUALITY'. Let me walk you through each letter of the word 'spirituality'.

'S' stands for Seva, to think beyond yourself and reach out to others. Seva is to be selfless in your thoughts and way of life. Most of us are sevikas or sevaks in some form or other; for we know that the joy of giving is far greater than the joy of receiving.

'P' signals two aspects, the first of which is the passage of life. None of us are immortal. So on this passage of life as William Penn, the poet, wrote, "I expect to pass through the life but once, if there be any kindness i can show, let me do it now, as i shall not pass this way once again." And even as you do so, please do it with a sense of perseverance for perseverance can move mountains. So run your own race in very act of life.

Moving on to the three 'I's in the word 'spirituality', these reflect three distinct values. Integrity, Inner Voice and Inspire – be inspired and inspire others. Integrity is character. Inner voice is the stairway to spirituality as it always goads you to do what is right, to live by one's conscience and by values. Following this stretch is inspirational for you and others as well.

'R' is to learn to smell the roses on your way. Being positive is so restorative. You will never feel that you are ever in the midst of a storm. Every situation can then be faced with equanimity and fortitude. For one knows that this, too, shall pass.

'T' stands for transcendence, so transcend with inner reflection, meditation, yoga, self-control and compassion. The second 'T' says, if you practise these creative ways of looking at life, you will surely attain tranquillity and be at peace with yourself.

'U' is all about the universality and oneness of humankind. On realising this, increasingly you are able to brush aside prejudices. Differences cease to matter. Aren't each one of us just a speck in the universe?

'A' is for acceptance. Accept yourself and others unconditionally. 'A' also entails the total negation of arrogance, and with humi-lity being the ACE in your chosen field.

And this brings me to the letter 'L' that reminds you to have the largeness of heart to remember only the goodness of people and blanket out any pain or hurt that is encountered in varying degrees of relationships. The past and future are of no relevance as we cannot control or predict either. Most important, learn to travel light. The Moment is now. Life is too short, so cherish every moment.

'T', the second last letter in spirituality, stands for Trust. Let me share something that Steve Jobs would say: "You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." How true!

And finally – 'Y' – the last letter, stands for You – and for me, too. Only YOU can make this happen.

The writer is chairperson, the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development.

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.'

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.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

But do share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each day!

Being There-author unknown

Being There

Being there can be lending a hand, lifting a heavy load.

Being there can be a smile on a cloudy day.

Being there can be a crust of bread to the poor, giving shelter from the storm.

Being there can be a thought, a blessing, a prayer.

Being there can be showing support, and enthusiasm.

Being there can be listening quietly while someone else has something important they'd like you to hear.

Being there can be a friendly hug, or a warm embrace.

Being there can be expressions, penned on a page.

Being there can be the transferring of a certain glance.

Being there can be offering your time.

Being there can be sitting silently beside someone to watch the sun slide behind a silver sea.

Being there can be wiping a tear.

Being there can be chasing the moon at midnight.

Being there can be a whisper, a word, a soft touch at the right moment.

Being there can be riding the ferris wheel together without ever leaving the ground.

Being there can be a telephone call, closing the miles.

Being there can be a kiss on a fevered brow.

Being there can be the gift of a flower.

Being there can be teaching with kindness.

Being there can be sharing the depth of a powerful silence.

Being there can be wishing you were somewhere when you must be someplace else.

Being there can be taking someone's place when they must be somewhere else.

Being there can be driving through the blazing brilliance of autumn.

Being there can be just holding hands.

Being there can be waiting out the tough times.

Being there can be touching God through the heart, and letting His will be done.

Read it:)

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, t heir conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.

FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly. < SPAN>

THIRTEEN! .... When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

Define Success- Robin Sharma

Too many people are living their neighbors' lives. So many amongst us are building our futures based on a definition of success sold to us by society+the media+our peers. That's fine if you're consciously choosing to live by those values. But what if – at truth – you have a different set of values. And the success you are currently chasing actually has little to do with what will make you happy when you review your life at the end?

My encouragement is to take 60 minutes over the next few days and rethink what you are investing your mental focus and physical energy on. Are you spending your time on work that matters and personal pursuits that are moving the needle forward? Or are you stuck in the thick of thin things? Being really busy being really busy?

A life is a tragic thing to waste. Yet too many of us – born into the potential to live soaring lives as well as contribute to raising the lives around them – waste our best hours on mindless distractions, needless interruptions and activities that are nothing more than an escape.

Focus on these dimensions of your life if you're serious about REAL success:

• Personal development
• Family connections
• Being world-class at your work
• Having a network of friends who elevate you
• Creating a phenomenal lifestyle
• And using your life to make a difference.

That last metric is the key. What's the point of having success but failing at Significance? Yes, chase your dreams and rise to lofty heights in the world. But please remember: greatness comes from living for a cause larger than you. And leaving our world better than you found it.

Just A Few Little Words---- Copyright (c) 1999 Walter Westfall

It only takes a few little words to cause much pain,

and it only takes a few words to cause much happiness.
It only takes a few words to crush a heart,
and it only takes a few words to give a heart joy.

It only takes a few words to alienate a friendship,
and it only takes a few words to make a friendship blossom.
It only takes a few words to cause someone to go astray,
and it only takes a few words to help them find their way back again.

It only takes a few words to destroy someone's hopes and dreams,
and it only takes a few words to give a person reason to hope and dream again.

It only takes a few words to make someone cry,
and it only takes a few words to take their tears away.
It only takes a few words to make someone's day sad and dreary,
and it only takes a few words to make someone's day happy and cheery.

It only takes a few words to cause dark clouds to appear,
and it only takes a few words to chase all those dark clouds away.
Just a few little words can comfort one in grief, can soothe a broken heart,
can bring one back from the brink of despair.

Just a few little words can help someone cope,
can help someone lonely feel not so alone.
Just a few words can calm someone's fears,
and ease someone's troubled thoughts.

Just a few little words can brighten someone's day,
and make their road in life easier to travel.
Just a few little words can lift someone's burdens,
and help them make it through the day.

 

10 principles for Peace of Mind..(anonymous)

1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked.
Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God.. God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.

2. Forgive And Forget:

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive,20Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.

3. Do Not Crave For Recognition:

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yours lf in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely.

4. Do Not Be Jealous:

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by his/her destiny, which has now become his/her reality. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will only take away your peace of mind.

5. Change Yourself According To The Environment:

If you try to change the environment single-handedly, the chances are you will fail. Instead, change yourself to suit your environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has been unfriendly to you, will mysteriously change and seem congenial and harmonious.

6. Endure What Cannot Be Cured:

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations, and accidents that are beyond our control… If we cannot control them or change them, we must learn to put up with these things. We must learn to endure them cheerfully. Believe in yourself and you will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and will power.

7. Do Not Bite Off More Than You Can Chew:

This maxim needs to be remembered constantly. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable of carrying out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. . Why take on additional loads that may create more worries? You cannot gain peace of mind by expanding your external activities. Reduce your material engagements and spend time in prayer, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind that make you restless. Uncluttered mind will produce greater peace of mind.

8. Meditate Regularly:

Meditation calms the mind and gets rid of disturbing thoughts. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it yourself. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour everyday, your mind will tend to become peaceful during the remaining twenty-three and half-hours. Your mind will not be easily disturbed as it was before. You would benefit by gradually increasing the period of daily meditation. You may think that this will interfere with your daily work. On the contrary, this will increase your efficiency and you will be able to produce better results in less time.

9. Never Leave The Mind Vacant:

An empty mind is the devil's workshop. All evil actions start in the vacant mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile . Actively follow a hobby. Do something that holds your interest. You must decide what you value more: money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work or religious work, may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even when you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name.

10. Do Not Procrastinate And Never Regret:

Do not waste time in protracted wondering " Should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months, and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Value your time and do the things that need to be done. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can learn from your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes, but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET. Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Why cry over spilt milk?

THE POWER TO CHOOSE IS YOUR GREATEST POWER---- Author Unknown

At anytime, you can decide to alter the course of your life.
No one can ever take that away from you.
You can control your own destiny;
Make yourself do whatever is possible,
Make yourself become whatever you long to be.

You don't have to buy from anyone.
You don't have to work at a particular job.
You don't have to participate in any given relationship.
You can choose.
The choice is yours.
It is always your next move.

 

Principles of Life

• Winning isn't everything. But wanting to win is.
• You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets the credit.
• When everything else is lost, the future stillremains.
• Don't fight too much. Or the enemy would know your art of war .
• The only job you start at the top is when you dig a grave.
• If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.
• If you do little things well, you'll do big ones better.
• Only thing that comes to you without effort is old age.
• You won't get a second chance to make the first impression .
• Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes.
• Never take a problem to your boss unless you have a solution.
• If you are not failing you're not taking enough risks.
• Don't try to get rid of bad temper by losing it.
• If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
• Those who don't make mistakes usually don't make anything
• There are two kinds of failures. Those who think and never do, and those,who do and never think.
• Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.
• All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.
• Change your thoughts and you change your world.
• Understanding proves intelligence, not the speed of the learning.
• There are two kinds of fools in this world. Those who give advise and, those who don't take it.
• The best way to kill an idea is to take it to a meeting.
• Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.

20 Things-Life is to short to tolerate

You don't have to settle, it's simply a choice you make every day. If you feel like you're running in place there's a good chance you're tolerating things you shouldn't be. It's time to reclaim your life.

Starting now, stop tolerating…

People who bring you down. – Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.

A work environment or career field you hate. – Don't settle on the first or second career field you dabble in. Keep searching. Eventually you will find work you love to do. If you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don't stop. You're on to something big. Because hard work ain't hard when you concentrate on your passions.

Your own negativity. – Be aware of your mental self-talk. We all talk silently to ourselves in our heads, but we aren't always conscious of what we're saying or how it's affecting us. Start listening to your thoughts. If you hear negative thoughts, stop and replace them with positive thoughts.

Unnecessary miscommunication. – Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Speak clearly. Ask questions. Clarify things until you understand them.

A disorganized living and working space. – Clear the clutter. Get rid of stuff you don't use.

Your own tardiness. – Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don't have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness and other unnecessary headaches.

Pressure to fit in with the crowd. – Oftentimes, the only reason others want you to fit in is that once you do they can ignore you and go about their business. Don't conform. Be you, because that's the only person you can be.

An unhealthy body. – Your health is your life. Don't let it go. Eat right, exercise and get an annual physical check-up.
Fear of change. – Life is change. Every day is different. Every day is a new beginning and a new ending. Embrace it and make the best of it.

All work and no play. – Enjoy yourself and have a little fun while you can. If you're smiling, you're doing something right.

People or beauty ads that make you feel inadequate. – Good looks attracts the eyes. Personality attracts the heart. Be proud to be you. You are already beautiful.

Not getting enough sleep. – A tired mind is rarely productive.
Doing the same exact thing over and over again. – You are the sum of your life experiences. The more you experience, the more interesting your life story gets.

Personal greed. – Don't let greed and deceit get the best of you. Greed will bury even the lucky eventually.

A mounting pile of debt. – Always live well below your means. Don't buy stuff you don't need. Always sleep on big purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and stick to them.

Dishonesty. – Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless. Period. Don't be dishonest and don't put up with people who are.

Infidelity. – Intimate relationships are a sacred bond – a circle of trust. If both parties aren't 100% onboard the relationship isn't worth fighting for.

An unsafe home. – If you don't feel safe at home you'll never feel safe anywhere. Build a loving household in a safe area that you are proud to call 'home.'

Being unprepared. – Life is unpredictable. And there's a big difference between being scared and being prepared. Always be prepared.

Inaction. – Either you're going to take action and seize new opportunities or someone else will. You can't change anything or make any sort of progress by sitting back and thinking about it.
And remember, you only live once, but if you live it right once is enough.

How to be Happy in Life by Breaking the Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

While some people manage to retain their happiness, most of us become more unhappy than happy by the time we enter high school. What happened? We were taught three "facts" that set the stage for a lifetime of unhappiness: "Life is scary," "Life is less scary if you accumulate stuff." and "You and everyone else must follow the rules." Those who accept those "facts" without question embark on a lifetime of what I call "The Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering."

The Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering has four stages: a. Fear, Neediness, and a sense of Obligation. b. Demands. c. Disappointment. and d. Anger, Resentment and Blame. The Cycle then loops back to Fear/Neediness/Obligation and continues throughout an unhappy person's life unless the Cycle is broken.

Break the Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering and you regain your happiness. But how to break the cycle? The only way to break the cycle is to consciously reject one or more of the three false "facts" we were taught.

Here are four paths for breaking the Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering...

1. Confront Fear of the Unknown. Our greatest fear is the fear of the unknown. It could also be called fear of the future because the future is unknown. The way to begin to reduce fear of the unknown is to confront that fear. Acknowledge that you don't know what tomorrow may bring and that that causes fear. Once you have shown a light on fear of the unknown, you can address that fear with courage and, if you believe in a Higher Power, a faith and trust in ultimate goodness.

2. Question your Needs. It is human nature to want more "stuff" and to hoard for a "rainy day," but happiness doesn't come from houses, cars, electronic gadgets, or a bank account or retirement fund. Make a list of everything you don't have that you think you need. Make a list of everything that you do have that you think you couldn't live without. Now cross out everything on the first list and at least half the items on the second list. Not only do you not need those things, most of them create more unhappiness than happiness. Feeling needy is a big source of unhappiness that can be eliminated through conscious choice and a continued commitment to simplicity. Question your non-material needs as well. Joyful relationships are wonderful, but you don't need to be in relationship. If you are single, eliminate the thought that something is lacking, and just live each day joyfully.

3. Grant yourself Freedom. Most of us have spent a lifetime believing that we bear huge obligations. Our parents heaped obligations upon us, then our schools, our church, our community, our friends and family. Stop! There is almost nothing you actually need to do. You truly do have choices about what you do and what you don't do. Each time you begin a thought with "I need to..." or "I have to...," pause and ask yourself who is demanding that you do that thing and what the consequences would be if you did something else instead. Make the choices YOU want to make. Take actions from conscious choice and not from fear or unthinking habit.

4. Grant Freedom to others. This is the flip-side of #3. The sky never opened up with a great voice pronouncing how others should dress, speak, vote, worship, spend their leisure time, manage their money, or raise their kids. Your opinions of how others should behave are merely your opinions and having the expectation that others should conform to those opinions is a major cause of unhappiness. Live and let live - you will be much happier for it.

THE 4 AGREEMENTS---- Don Miguel Ruiz

1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORDS:
Speak with integrity and say only what you mean. Avoid using the words to speak against yourself or to gossip about another. Use the power of your words in the direction of truth and love.

2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY:
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say or do is a projection of their reality and their dreams not yours. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS:
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement you can transform your life.

4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST:
Your best is going to change from moment to moment. It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to when you are sick. Under any circumstances simply do your best and you will avoid self judgment, self abuse and regret.

 

Take Time-- Anonymous

Take time to laugh.
It is the music of the soul.
Take time to think.
It is the source of power.
Take time to play.
It is the source of perpetual youth.
Take time to read.
It is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to pray.
It is the greatest power on Earth.
Take time to love and be loved.
It is a God-given privilege.
Take time to be friendly.
It is the road to happiness.
Take time to give.
It is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to work.
It is the price of success.

Childhood Doesn't Wait-...Author Unknown

I was sitting on a bench
while in a nearby mall,
When I noticed a young mother
with two children who were small.

The youngest one was whining,
"Pick me up," I heard him beg
but the mother's face grew angry
as the child clung to her leg.

"Don't hang on to me," she shouted
as she pushed his hands away,
I wish I'd had the courage
to go up to her and say...

"The time will come too quickly
when those little arms that tug,
Won't ask for you to hold them
or won't freely give a hug.

"The day will sneak up subtly
just as it did with me,
When you can't recall the last time
that your child sat on your knee.

"Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
when we cherished time alone
Our babies grow and leave behind
those special times we've known.

"So when your child comes to you
with a book that you can share,
Or asks that you would tuck him in
and help him say his prayer...

"When he comes to sit and chat
or would like to take a walk,
Before you answer that you can't
`cause there's no time to talk"
Remember what all parents learn
so many times too late,
That years go by too quickly
and that childhood doesn't wait.

"Take every opportunity,
if one should slip away
Reach hard to get it back again,
don't wait another day."
I watched that mother walk away
her children followed near,
I hope she'll pick them up
before her chances disappear

A Lesson From The Elders (Story)

Grandfather was an elder Cherokee Native American who had a wrinkled, nut brown face and kind dark eyes. His grandson often came in the evening to sit on his knee and ask the many questions that children ask.

One day the grandson came to his grandfather with a look of anger on his face; the child's anger turned to quiet tears. "Come sit, tell me what happened today", grandfather said. "Father and I went to the store today and because I helped him, he bought me a present of a jack-knife. It was small but a good size for me.

Here the boy laid his head against his grandfather's knee and became silent. The grandfather, softly placed his hand on the boy's raven hair and said, "And then what happened?"

Without lifting his head, the boy said, "I went outside to wait for father and to admire my new knife in the sunlight. Some town boys came by and saw me, they got all around me and starting saying bad things. They called me dirty and stupid and said that I should not have such a fine knife. The largest of these boys pushed me back and I fell over one of the other boys. I dropped my knife and one of them snached it up and they all ran away laughing." Here the boy's anger returned, "I hate them. I hate them all."

The elder Cherokee, with eyes that have seen too much, lifted his grandson's face so his eyes looked into the boy's face. Grandfather said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those who have taken so much with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feeling many times. It is as if two wolves are inside me…. It is a terrible fight.

One wolf is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. It will only fight when it is right to do so and in the right way. This wolf stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The other wolf is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of a temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing. This wolf represents fear, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, lies, false pride and superiority. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me for both of them try to dominate my spirit. This same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person too.The boy looked intently into his grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which wolf will win?" The old Cherokee simply replied…."The one you feed.

Simplify Living-by Cat Le Stevenson

We've been deep-cleaning around the house lately: donating old clothes and getting rid of any extras that have been unused for sometime. In order to create ease with our daily routine, we've been simplifying our home and life.

My husband and I have a lot of random items from previous moves that we've been unable to shake – mainly sentiment that has spared numerous boxes of trinkets from our childhood or souvenirs from our travels.

But we honestly have no use for any of this stuff. They're space-takers – they're extras.

In an effort to simplify our life, we often turn to our material possessions: de-cluttering, donating, and organizing our space to create a sense of calm.

I imagine that one (or more) of the below may be true for each of us:

• We feel the burden of too much stuff.
• We bought a material item for temporary happiness.
• We own big-ticket possessions — the home, the car, or the debt for whatever else — that we spend much of our time and energy working for.

I'm in whole-hearted agreement that the collection of materialism can have a nagging tendency to feel overwhelming at times.

Simplifying, on a life-scale, can seem like a daunting task— but I'm here to offer some good news:

We don't have to reject all consumerism, move to a remote island, or follow a strict Zen routine in order to experience the inner peace that comes with simple living.

We can start now – this very moment – with all the daily extras we carry around with us.

Beyond physical clutter, most of us carry accumulated stuff with us each day – mentally.

Today, we can start getting rid of those extras:

• The constant rushing through errands, conversations, and stop lights in order to get to the next moment – that's extra.
• The questioning of our intuition and straying from our values for temporary fulfillment – that's extra.
• The replaying of our busy, all-consuming to-do list throughout the day – that's extra.
• The long-winded lecture that accompanied the request of our significant other to put the toilet seat down – that's extra.
• The justifying excuse about why we didn't fulfill a commitment – that's extra.
• The woulda-coulda-shoulda self-talk about the interview for a prospective job that happened a few hours ago – that's extra.
• The split attention of back-and-forth text messaging, while playing with our child– that's extra.

• The grasping for external diversions to distract us of what needs to be addressed internally – that's extra.
• The checking of emails sporadically throughout the day, while supposedly focusing on an important deadline – that's extra.
• The saying yes to a commitment, event, project, happy hour, baby shower when our schedule is already overbooked– that's extra.
• The all-consuming plan for the future that robs us of what we are doing now – that's extra.
• The agonizing over the piece of cake we managed to scarf down (oops!) hours earlier in the day – even that is extra.

We crowd our mind with extras each day – harmful self-talks, incessant worrying, attention-comprising multi-tasking, unnecessary busyness – that muffle the simplicity we can be experiencing right now.

If we did not carry the extras of mental clutter…

We could begin to uncover the bliss of inner peace. We could show up, wholly, in everything that we do, deepening our connection to both ourselves and with others because we're fully present with our attention.

Simply Your Life By Simplifying the Mind

The de-cluttering of a home may appear easier to navigate than the inner-world of mental and emotional clutter. But the two are not so different: just as with our physical world, we can begin to organize our inner-environment by creating space.

Here are a few ideas on where to begin:

• Listen to your inner wisdom. What is speaking to you about the lack of clarity at this moment? Observe what is asking for your attention – then proceed to address, accept, forgive, or simply let go to create room for clarity.

• Revisit and reconnect with your values. Discard all the commitments that do not serve your higher intents. Life is too precious to settle for a compromised scheduled; live each day aligned to your purpose.

• Become aware of a recurring fear-based thought that may create clutter, anxiety or an overwhelming feeling– replace it with an empowering affirmation. For example, perhaps you often worry about tight finances. An affirmation to replace a negative thought of not having enough money could be: "I am prosperous, I am secure, and I am surrounded by an abundance of financial opportunity."
• Journal to detoxify on what's going on inside. Allow the release of emotions onto a piece of paper to become a routine cleansing. Self-awareness is a powerful tool for constant clarity. So often we become stuck in a rut of mental exhaustion because we haven't given ourselves the opportunity to release. Stay connected with your emotional and mental well-being by integrating journaling into your daily routine.

• Begin a meditation practice for 20 minutes each day to sweep the mental barriers clean. Meditation is a sanctuary for a busy mind to relax.

• Account for the overdue commitments, bills, and errands by purging them all onto a calendar with due dates. Many tasks only require a small, dedicated amount of time to complete; yet, it's often easy to compound the urgency or difficulty by replaying the list over and over.The intent of putting these to-do's on a calendar is to liberate our attention, and allow us to return to the present.

When we remove all the extras by creating more space…

We will begin to feel the simplicity of living each moment as it is meant to be.

We can freely bask in the awareness of being alive.

We are happier and lighter.

Life is like a Cafetaria

A friend's grandfather came to America from Eastern Europe. After being processed at Ellis Island, he went into a cafetaria in lower Manhattan to get something to eat. He sat down at an empty table and waited for someone to take his order. Of course nobody did. Finally, a woman with a tray full of food sat down opposite him and informed him how a cafetaria worked.

"Start out at that end," she said. "Just go along the line and pick out what you want. At the other end they'll tell you how much you have to pay."

"I soon learned that's how everything works in America," the grandfather told a friend. "Life's a cafetaria here. You can get anything you want as long as you are willing to pay the price. You can even get success, but you'll never get it if you wait for someone to bring it to you. You have to get up and get it yourself."

This is the story of an eagle

The Eagle has the longest life-span of it's species
It can live up to 70 years
But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision
In it's 40th year its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food
Its long and sharp beak becomes bent
It's old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, stick to it's chest & make it difficult to fly
Then, the eagle is left with only two options: DIE or go through a painful process of CHANGE which lasts 150 days
The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on it's nest
There the eagle knocks it's beak against a rock until it plucks it out
Then the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out it's talons
When it's new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking it's old-aged feathers
And after 5 months, The eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years
Why is change needed? Many times, in order to survive we have to start a change process. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions. Only freed from past burdens, can we take advantage of the present.

Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but
by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us,
but by the attitude we bring to life.
A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive
thoughts, events, and outcomes.
It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.

When it rains, most birds head for shelter; the eagle is the only
bird that, in order to avoid the rain, starts flying above the cloud.

A Act of Kindness

I put my  carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat.  It  was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read and  perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before  take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant  seats, totally surrounding me.  I decided to start a conversation. 'Where  are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa.  We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being  deployed to Afghanistan.

After flying  for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available  for five dollars.  It would be several hours before we reached the east,  and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time….

As I reached  for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy  lunch.  'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch.  Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks.  I'll wait till we get to base  '

His friend  agreed.

I looked  around at the other soldiers.  None were buying lunch.  I walked to  the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar  bill.  'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.'  She grabbed my arms  and squeezed tightly.  Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son  was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for  him.'

Picking up  ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated.   She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best – beef or  chicken?'

'Chicken,' I  replied, wondering why she asked.  She turned and went to the front of  plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is  yours with thanks.'

After we  finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest  room.  A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did.  I want to be part of  it.  Here, take this.'  He handed me twenty-five  dollars.

Soon after I  returned to my seat, I saw the Aircraft Pilot coming down the aisle, looking  at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but  noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he  got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I want to shake  your hand.'

Quickly  unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand.  With a  booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once,  someone bought me a lunch.  It was an act of kindness I never  forgot.'  I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the  passengers.

Later I  walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.  A man who  was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to  shake mine.  He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we  landed  I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.  Waiting  just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my  shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word.  Another  twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering  the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base.  I  walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you  some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich.  God  Bless You.'

Ten young men  left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.   As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe  return.  These soldiers were giving their all for our country.  I  could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so  little…

A veteran is  someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to his  country for an amount of  'up to and including my life.'

That is  Honor, and there are way too many people who no longer understand  it.

Tough Love

Baby giraffes never go to school. But they learn a very important lesson rather early in life. A lesson that all of us would do well to remember:

The birth of a baby giraffe is quite an earth- shaking event. The baby falls from its mother's womb, some eight feet above the ground.

It shrivels up and lies still, too weak to move. The mother giraffe lovingly lowers her neck to smooch the baby giraffe. And then something incredible happens.

She lifts her long leg and kicks the baby giraffe, sending it flying up in the air and tumbling down on the ground. As the baby lies curled up, the mother kicks the baby again and again. Until the baby giraffe, still trembling and tired, pushes its limbs and for the first time learns to stand on its feet.

Happy to see the baby standing on its own feet, the mother giraffe comes over and gives it yet another kick. The baby giraffe falls one more time, but now quickly recover and stand up. Mama Giraffe is delighted. She knows that her baby has learnt an important lesson:

Never mind how hard you fall, always remember to pick yourself up and get back on your feet.

Why does the mother giraffe do this? She knows that lions and leopards love giraffe meat. So unless the baby giraffe quickly learns to stand and run with the pack – it will have no chance of survival. Most of us though are not quite as lucky as baby giraffes.

No one teaches us to stand up every time we fall. When we fail, when we are down, we just give up.

No one kicks us out of our comfort zone to remind us that to survive and succeed, we need to learn to get back on our feet.

If you study the lives of successful people though, you will see a recurring pattern. Were they always successful in all they did? No. Did success come to them quick and easy? No, no! You will find that the common streak running through their lives is their ability to stand up every time they fall. The ability of the baby giraffe!

The Pig and the Horse

There was a farmer who collected horses; he only needed one more breed to complete his collection. One day, he found out that his neighbor had the particular horse breed he needed. So, he constantly bothered his neighbor until he sold it to him. A month later, the horse became
ill and he called the veterinarian, who said:- Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days. I'll come back on the 3rd day and if he's not better, we're going to have to put him down.Nearby, the pig listened closely to their conversation.

The next day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig approached the horse and said:

- Be strong, my friend. Get up or else they're going to put you to sleep!

On the second day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig came back and said:
- Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die! Come on, I'll help you get up. Let's go! One, two, three…On the third day, they came to give him the medicine and the vet said:

- Unfortunately, we're going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise, the virus might spread and infect the other horses.

After they left, the pig approached the horse and said:

- Listen pal, it's now or never! Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! That's it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three… Good, good. Now faster, come on…. Fantastic! Run, run more! Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you're a champion!!!

All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting:

- It's a miracle! My horse is cured. This deserves a party. Let's kill the pig!

Points for reflection: this often happens in the workplace. Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or who's actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen.

LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT RECOGNITION IS A SKILL!

If anyone ever tells you that your work is unprofessional, remember:
amateurs built the Ark and professionals built the Titanic.

The Socrates Triple Filter Test.

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great
philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is TRUTH. "Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and…"

All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of GOODNESS. "Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary…"

"So", Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of USEFULNESS. "Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No… not really…"

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem. So, lets use this triple filter each time we hear loose talk about any of our near & dear ones (friends/relatives/colleagues). It will save us time and trouble.

The Bear Story

A bear was walking across  Rainbow Bridge (Old Hwy 40 at
Donner Summit, Truckee) on Saturday when two cars, also
crossing the bridge, scared the bear into jumping over the
edge of the bridge.  Somehow the bear caught the ledge
and was able to pull itself to safety.  Authorities decided
that nothing could be done to help Saturday night so they
returned Sunday morning to find the bear sound asleep on
the ledge.

After securing a net under the bridge the bear was tranquilized,
fell into the net, lowered, then woke up and walked out of the net.

There is a moral to this story you know; this old bear made
a wrong move and found he was hanging by his nails. Somehow
he was able to pull himself up onto the ledge where he saw he
was in a very bad, impossible situation and what did he do?
Yep, he took a nap and sure enough God took care of the
situation while he was asleep.

The moral of the story is that when confronted with a bad
situation, sometimes the best solution is to take a nap and
let God take care of the rest.

I think I'm going to take a nap right now.
God is on the job.

10 Simple Truths For Living a Life You Love

• Produce, do not procrastinate.
• 
  
• Manage your energy not your time.
• 
  
• Perfection is merely a facade that steers you in the wrong direction.
• 
  
• Personal innovation is the key to any type of life success.
• 
  
• Thoughts precede actions, which precede change. Care + Commitment = Change. Commitment alone does not equal change. There is a personal component to all that we do.
• 
  
• Now is everything. Perseverance is power. Inspiration is everywhere.
• 
  
• All that needs to be known dwells inside your own heart. Tap into that knowledge within, and trust that knowledge. Be confident in yourself and your power to choose your own perspective. You have more power than you know what to do with in your life. Harness that potential, and your limits will know no bounds.
• 
  
• Invest in yourself. Personal knowledge and self-discovery are invaluable. Don't limit your potential by limiting your personal treasury. You are your greatest ally and asset.
• 
  
• From a place of clarity, you can move forward with freedom and creativity. Within clarity, there is no such thing as "stuck."
• 
  
• We all hunger for a fulfilling life — a life filled with meaning and purpose — for ourselves and for the people around us.

Some good quotes

f you are right then there is no need to get angry
And if you are wrong then you don't have any right to get angry.

Patience with family is love,
Patience with others is respect,
Patience with self is confidence
and
Patience with GOD is faith.

Never Think Hard about PAST,
It brings Tears…
Don't Think more about FUTURE,
It brings Fears…
Live this Moment with a Smile,
It brings Cheers.!!!!

Every test in our life makes us bitter or better,
Every problem comes to make us or break us,
Choice is our whether we become victim or victorious !!!

Search a beautiful heart not a beautiful face.
Beautiful things are not always good
but good things are always beautiful.

Remember me like pressed flower in your Notebook.
It may not be having any fragrance
but will remind you of my existence forever in your life.

Do you know, why God created gaps between fingers?
So that someone who is special to you, comes and fills those gaps by
holding your hands forever.

Being a Mother-Author Unknown

We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentions that she
and her husband are thinking of "starting a family". "We're taking a
survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more
spontaneous vacations...."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to
decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn
in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of
child bearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her
with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper
without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane
crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of
starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than
watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think
that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce
her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an
urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop her best crystal without
a moment's hesitation.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has
invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by
motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be
going into an important business meeting and she will think of her
baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of her discipline
to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions will no longer be
routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room
rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma.
That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming
children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed
against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that
restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess
herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that
eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never
feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be
of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up
in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for
more years - not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child
accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a caesarian scar or shiny stretch marks will
become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband
will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could
understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder
the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she
should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she
would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women
throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk
driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about
most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat
of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your
child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh
of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the first
time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed
in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reach
across the table, squeeze my daughter's hand and offer a silent prayer
for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble
their way into this most wonderful of callings. This blessed gift from
God . . . that of being a Mother.

The Pear Tree

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to
judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to
go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third
in summer and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to
describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that
smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful
thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and
drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because
they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one
season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy,
and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end,
when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your
spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral lessons:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the
difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time later .

Boy and Tree

There was one time a very young boy, who used to spend time playing by a tree.

One day he got bored and he said to the tree, "I'm bored, I've played
with these toys too many times!"

The tree replied, "OK, you can climb up on me and play on my branches."

The boy got really happy with this suggestion and he had a lot of fun
playing and sitting high up, on the branches of the tree.

When he started school, he spent more time away from the tree, but one
day he came back to it, and the tree was overjoyed to see its young
companion, and it encouraged him to climb on, but he refused.

"My clothes are going to get dirty if I climb up on you."
So the tree thought for a while, and said, "OK, bring a rope and tie
it to me, and you can use my branches as a swing."

The boy liked that idea, so he did that too, and would come back every
other day to sit for a while on that swing.

Whenever he used to get hot, the tree told him to rest in its shade.

As he got older, and moved on to college, times became harder on him
and he ran short of food, so he went back to the tree which he had
stopped visiting for a long time.

The tree recognised him immediately and welcomed him, but he was
hungry and complained to the tree, "I don't have any food to eat, my
stomach is cringing with hunger."

So the tree said, "Pull down my branches and take off the fruit, and
fill yourself up."

The young guy didn't even hesitate, but jumped up and tore off one of
the smaller branches and ate to his fill.

Over the weeks, he tore off all the branches and ate all the fruit.

After the fruits had all gone, he went away and didn't come back to the tree.

When he reached his middle ages, he came back to the tree and said to
it, "I have been very successful in life.

I have earned a lot of money, I have a huge house and I have found a great wife.

Now I want to travel and see the world."

The tree was now very old, but to help its long time companion, it
didn't wait, and said, "Bring a saw, cut off my trunk and make a boat.
Then you will see the wonders of the world."

So again, without hesitation the man cut down the tree.

The same tree which he had played on, ate its fruit, laid in its
shade; he cut it down and made a boat.

As soon as it was finished, he sailed away and wasn't seen by his people again.

One day, an old man, walked past the tree.

It hadnt recovered from the time he had cut it down. He went up to the
tree, but didn't say anything.

He felt the tears coming down from his eyes.

This time the tree spoke in a faint voice, "I'm sorry. I don't have a
trunk for you to climb, nor fruit for you to eat, nor branches of
shade for you to lie in. All I have now are my deep roots."

The old man whispered, "That's fine. Tree roots are the best place to
lie down, snuggle up and sleep after a long life."

The tree symbolizes our parents, and the boy symbolizes us.

The moral of the story is that we make use of our parents like tissue,
and use them all up, and don't even give thanks, but they stay with us
till the very end.

You are your best judge!

Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his
course. He took 3 days and painted beautiful scenery. He wanted
people's opinion about his caliber and painting skills. He put his
creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below aboard which
read -"I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I
might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a
cross wherever you see a mistake."

While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was
completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs
(crosses) and some people had even written their comments on the
painting. Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his master's
place and burst into tears.

This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying,
"I'm useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I'm not worth
becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely. I feel like
dying"

Master smiled and suggested "My Son, I will prove that you are a great
artist and have learnt flawless painting. Do as I say without
questioning it. It WILL work."

Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he
presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took
that gracefully and smiled.

"Come with me." master said.

They reached the same street-square early morning and displayed the
same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another
board which read -"Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I'm new
to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes
etc. I have put a box with colors and brushes just below. Please do a
favor. If you see a mistake, kindly pick up the brush and correct it."

Master and disciple walked back home. They both visited the place
same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there
was not a single correction done so far. Next day again they visited
and found painting remained untouched. They say the painting was kept
there for a month for no correction came in!

Moral of the story: It is easier to criticize, but difficult to
improve! So don't get carried away or judge yourself by someone
else's criticism and feel depressed. Judge yourself! You are your
best judge!

A Parrots Advice.

A story worth reading.....or listening to.

A man had a parrot of which he was excessively fond. He kept it in a
silver cage and fed it fruits and nuts and anything else the bird
asked for, for the parrot was so clever it could engage in
conversation.

The parrot longed for freedom and often asked for it but the merchant
would always reply: "Ask for anything else."

One day the parrot said to him: "Give me freedom and I'll give you
three pieces of advice that could be of great benefit to you." The
merchant loved the parrot but he loved money more. He thought: "If his
advice helps me amass wealth, it would be worth it."

"Go," he said, opening the cage.

The parrot hopped out onto his hand.

"Never grieve over loss of wealth," he said. The merchant thought it
was tame advice but said nothing.

The parrot flew to the roof of the merchant's house. "This is my
second advice," he said. "Never believe everything that is told to
you."

"Tell me something that I don't know," said the man, sounding annoyed.

"What you don't know is that I've two priceless gems in my stomach,"
said the bird.

"Two priceless gems," echoed the merchant. "Oh, what a fool I was to
set you free! I'll regret this for the rest of my life!!"

"Don't you want to hear my third advice?" asked the parrot.

"Tell me," said the merchant, bitterly.

"I advised you never to grieve over losses but here you are grieving
over losing me," said the parrot. "I advised you never to believe
everything you hear but you immediately believed me when I told you I
had two gems in my stomach. Could I have survived if I really had two
gems in my stomach? My third advice is: "Listen, learn to listen with
your mind instead of just with your ears."
And with that, the parrot flew away, leaving the merchant gaping.

The Power of an Apology

This morning I accidentally hit my 3 year old with my handbag as I was
coming through the door.

She said "Oh Mum you hit me!"

I responded with, "But darling I didn't mean it, so why are you
cracking up at me?"

"But you did hit me Mum. You hit me and it hurts."

"But I didn't mean it sweetie – ok?"

Then I realised that actually – No it's not ok. Whether it is
intentional or not it needs to be recognised as pain that you have
caused another. It really does. She had a little red mark on her
forehead and it was in fact my doing.

Whether I meant to do it or not.

So I put the groceries down, leaned forward and asked her to show me
the mark. I then gave her a Magic Kiss. I said I was really sorry then
gave her a cuddle. No more was spoken about it.

It was a really easy thing to do. Much easier than arguing and saying
-"It's not my fault because I didn't mean it!" Yes – a lot of things
are not intentional but they still need to be recognised as pain.

How hard is it to just face someone, kiss them and apologise?

The Secret-Unknown

A woman named Vicki once knew a young person at church named Susan.
Susan always seemed effervescent and happy, although Vicki knew she
had faced struggles in her life. Her long-awaited marriage had quickly
ended in divorce. She had struggled to get a grip on her single life.
She hadn't chosen it, but she decided she would live it with utmost
enjoyment and satisfaction. Susan was active in Sunday school, in the
choir, as a leader of the junior high girls' group, and in the church
renewal movement. Vicki enjoyed knowing Susan. Susan's whole face
seemed to smile.

One day Vicki asked Susan, "How is it that you are always so happy,
you have so much energy, and you never seem to get down?" With her
eyes smiling, Susan said, "I know the Secret!"

"What secret is that, what are you talking about?" Vicki asked. Susan
replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share
the Secret with others."

Vicki agreed, "Okay, now what is it?"

The Secret is this:

"I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me
truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and meet my needs.
When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according
to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of
what I think I do. HE has never let me down."

Since I learned that Secret I am happy.

Vicki's first thought was, that's too simple! But upon reflecting over
her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make
her happy -but it didn't! She thought a better-paying job would make
her happy -but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness?
Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating
pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God. Susan knew the
secret, Vicki learned the secret, and now you know it too!

We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His wisdom can
do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you!

7 Ways to Deal with the Negative People in your Life - By Lori Radun

Have you ever been faced with trying to stay positive when others
around you are negative? Negative people can be a challenge to be
around. They will bring you down and drain your energy. A negative
person can throw your best laid plans to be positive right out the
window. Whether your child or spouse has an occasional negative day or
you deal with a family member, friend or co-worker that is chronically
negative, there are things you can do to remain positive in the face
of negativity.

1. Let the Negativity Pass
Whatever you do, do not argue with a negative person. Arguing only
adds fuel to the fire. A negative person will feed off any negativity
that will strengthen his mood or attitude. I have noticed when my
children are in a crabby mood, it is best to avoid trying to convince
them to analyze and adjust their attitude. As soon as I take the
approach of being in opposition with them, they seize the opportunity
to prove to me that life stinks. Their negativity intensifies and the
situation gets worse before it gets better. Sometimes the best thing
to do is remain silent and let the negativity pass.

2. Negative People Need Love
You know how difficult it can be to give love and positive attention
to negative people. Unfortunately, that is often exactly what they
need. Deep inside that mean and critical person is a person that is
usually afraid he or she is unlovable. It is our challenge to rise
above the negative attitude and love the injured person inside. How do
you show love when someone is negative? You must listen to what she is
trying to tell you. Acknowledge the feelings she has by saying
something like, "You sound very angry right now". Even if you don't
quite understand the person's feelings, know that your reality is
different than someone else's. Ask how you might help the negative
person. This shows legitimate interest in her happiness. Offer a hug
even if you get rejected. Remember not to take a rejection of your
love personally. A negative person often has difficulty receiving love
from others.

3. Focus on the Positive
If you try really hard, there is always something positive to be found
in any situation. Pretend you are on a treasure hunt and search for
any gold or jewels you can emphasize. Even a negative person has
positive qualities. When a person is drowning in negativity, it can be
difficult for them to see the positive. So often my clients focus on
the negative aspects of themselves. They forget about all the great
things they are doing. I admit that sometimes a negative person
doesn't want to see the positive. This might require her to shift her
outlook. Negativity can become a habit and habits are hard to break.
Be patient and gently remind your grumpy friend or family member to
look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Hopefully, in her
down time, she will begin to reflect on what you have said.

4. Ask Negative People to Elaborate
You may hear a negative person say things like: "Women are fickle."
"You can't trust doctors." "My husband makes me miserable." These
kinds of statements are a type of cognitive distortion referred to as
generalizations. To help a person sort through her distorted thinking,
ask for more specifics. Questions like "Which women are fickle?" or
"What specifically about your husband is making you miserable?" force
a person to evaluate what he or she is really trying to say. A
negative person will either give up because it takes too much effort
to explain himself, or he or she will get to the bottom of the issue.

5. Detach and Avoid Trying to Change the Negative Person
Learning to detach emotionally from a negative person can greatly
benefit you and the other person. A negative person will fight you if
you try to change them. If you want, you can try a little reverse
psychology and agree with everything she says. I once read a great
article about a mother who was exasperated with her son's negative
mood. Everything she tried to soothe him and make him feel better
backfired. She finally gave up and started agreeing with everything he
said. When her son told her his friends were mean, she agreed with
him. When he complained that his teacher didn't know anything, she
couldn't agree more. After several minutes of this kind of dialogue
with her son, his mood suddenly shifted. He declared that he was tired
and he went to bed with a smile on his face.

6. Stay Away from Negative People
If you have negative people in your life that are critically affecting
your mental and physical health, you need to evaluate whether or not
you want these people in your life. Some people are so chronically
negative that you have no other choice but to remove them from your
life. It's possible to do that with friends. You can find another job
if your boss or other co-workers are bringing you down. Other people,
such as children and spouses, are difficult to remove from your life.
In this instance, professional counseling may be the answer. To
protect your well being, you need to enforce very strong boundaries
with negative people.

7. Keep Your Own Negative Thoughts and Behaviors in Check
If you do nothing else but focus on managing your own negative
thoughts and behavior, you will come a long way towards remaining
positive. A negative attitude is contagious, but a positive attitude
is infectious as well. Hang out with positive people that encourage
you to be your best self. Use positive affirmations to overcome
negative self-talk. Express your gratitude for all the positive things
in your life. Take the time everyday to watch all the beautiful things
going on around you. Read inspirational material and listen to joyful
music. Take care of yourself spiritually. Do whatever you have to do
to remain positive and happy despite the negativity you face.
The world will be a better place because of you and your attitude. And
you never know, you just might help a negative person make a change to
a better way of living.

The Dollar Bill-— Author Unknown

A story tells of a merchant in a small town who had identical twin
sons. The boys worked for their father in the department store he
owned and, when he died, they took over the store.

Everything went well until the day a dollar bill disappeared. One of
the brothers had left the bill on the cash register and walked outside
with a customer. When he returned, the money was gone.

He asked his brother, "Did you see that dollar bill on the cash
register?" His brother replied that he had not.

But the young man kept probing and questioning. He would not let it
alone. "Dollar bills just don't get up and walk away! Surely you must
have seen it!"
There was subtle accusation in his voice. Tempers began to rise.
Resentment set in. Before long, a deep and bitter chasm divided the
young men. They refused to speak. They finally decided they could no
longer work together and a dividing wall was built down the center of
the store. For twenty years hostility and bitterness grew, spreading
to their families and to the community.

Then one day a man in an automobile licensed in another state stopped
in front of the store. He walked in and asked the clerk, "How long
have you been here?"

The clerk replied that he'd been there all his life. The customer
said, "I must share something with you. Twenty years ago I was "riding
the rails" and came into this town in a boxcar. I hadn't eaten for
three days. I came into this store from the back door and saw a dollar
bill on the cash register. I put it in my pocket and walked out. All
these years I haven't been able to forget that. I know it wasn't much
money, but I had to come back and ask your forgiveness."

The stranger was amazed to see tears well up in the eyes of this
middle-aged man. "Would you please go next door and tell that same
story to the man in the store?" he said. Then the man was even more
amazed to see two middle-aged men, who looked very much alike,
embracing each other and weeping together in the front of the store.

After twenty years, the brokenness was mended. The wall of resentment
that divided them came down.

It is so often the little things that finally divide people- words
spoken in haste; criticisms; accusations; resentments. And once
divided, they may never come together again.

The solution, of course, is to let it go. There is really nothing
particularly profound about learning to let go of little resentments.
But for fulfilling and lasting relationships, letting them go is a
must. Refuse to carry around bitterness and you may be surprised at
how much energy you have left for building bonds with those you love.

A Story To Ponder: Author Unknown

Your Biggest Weakness Can Become Your Biggest Strength.

This is a story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo
despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car
accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was
doing well so he couldn't understand why, after three months of
training, the master had taught him only one move.

"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"

"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever
need to know," the Sensei replied.

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the Sensei took the boy to his first tournament.
Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The
third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his
opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one
move to win the match.

Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced.
For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the
boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to
stop the match when the Sensei intervened.

"No," the Sensei insisted, "Let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: He
dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The
boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and
every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really
on his mind.

"Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the Sensei answered. "First, you've almost
mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second,
the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your
left arm."

The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

Moral of the story: We sometimes allow our weaknesses to be our
downfall rather than using them to our advantage. We tell ourselves we
cannot do something because we do not feel it is our strength. But, if
we didn't dwell on our weaknesses, we may find that we could succeed.

The Home Run

At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves children with
learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a
speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After
extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature
does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot
understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was
mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity
to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way
other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were
playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I
knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their
team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to
play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some
confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting
much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said,
'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I
guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the
ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put
on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in
my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but
was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the
right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously
ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to
ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again..

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was
on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to
win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all
but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat
properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the

plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting
winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to
lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground
ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown
the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's
head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first!

Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and
struggling to make it to the base.

B y the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had
the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance
to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but
he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw
the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him
circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him
by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to
third!

Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators,
were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero
who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his
face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and
humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having
never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home
and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Cultivate Your Inner Oasis - By Janet Nesto

20 Thoughts That Create Personal Power

1. I am responsible for myself and all that I experience.

2. My thoughts determine who I am, therefore my positive thoughts
create a positive life.

3. My thoughts create my relationship with my past, my present and
future, my self-worth, my choice of employment, my successes, my
failures, and the quality of my relationships.

4. Everyone has problems. Therefore, I am never alone in my experiences.

5. All negative thoughts can be changed, and all positive thoughts can
be maintained.

6. My negative thoughts and feelings have no power other than the
power I assign them. They are simply thoughts and feelings that are
flexible and flowing if I allow them to be.

7. I love and nurture my body, my mind and spirit.

8. I welcome love and affection into my life.

9. I give myself permission to enjoy and experience intimacy without
guilt, shame, or fear.

10. When I forgive myself or others, I am healing me and breaking the
chain of negativity.

11. All positive change begins with my acceptance of my current reality.

12. I create and increase my personal power when I live a now focused life.

13. Regular laughter increases the quality of my life and strengthens
my immune system.

14. I am powerless over all of YOUR actions.

15. I invite people into my life who have time for me and who are free
to love and care for me.

16. I am worthy of the support and the love that I am given.

17. I am responsible for my own emotional and physical safety, and I
am willing to set healthy and loving boundaries that provide the
safety I need.

18. Loving me allows me the freedom to love you.

19. Miracles are the norm and not the exception, and at least one
miracle occurs in my life every day.

20. I choose to view this day as the most wonderful day of my life.
"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can
start from now and make a brand new ending" Carl Bard

What you sow, you shall reap.

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

"Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back"

Life Advice---- By Unknown

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what
may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain.
Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

Here are a few things you can do to have a happier life:

1. Pray.

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or
that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and un clutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects
over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern,
find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you
can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house
key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can
prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a holy book with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small
problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try
and pray...

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is
often a good 'Thank you God'.

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for
that you've never been grateful for before.

Remember: God has a way of turning things around for you.
'If God is for us, who can be against us?'