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.