What goes around comes around

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was those chills which only fear can put in you.
He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.
As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid.
Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.”
He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin.
There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: “You don’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.”
Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard….
She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.”
There is an old saying “What goes around comes around."

THE HORSE THAT WANTED MORE BEAUTY

A cosmic god had ahorse. The horse was beautiful and also it had many good qualities. But it wanted to be more perfect in every way. It especially wanted to become beauty unparalleled.
One day the horse said to the cosmic god, "0 Lord, you have given me beauty. You have given me other good qualities. I am so grateful to you. But how I wish you could make me more beautiful. I would be extremely, extremely grateful if you could make me more beautiful."
The cosmic god said, "I am more than ready to make you more beautiful. Tell me in what way you want to be changed."
The horse said, "It seems to me that I am not well proportioned. My neck is too short. If you can make my neck a little longer, my upper body will be infinitely more beautiful. And if you can make my legs much longer
and thinner, then I will look infinitely more beautiful in my lower body."
The cosmic god said, "Amenl" Then immediately he made a camel appear in place of the horse. The horse was so disheartened that it started to cry, "0 Lord, I wanted to become more beautiful. In what way is this kind of outer form more beautiful?"
The cosmic god said, "This is exactly what you asked for. You have become a camel."
The horse cried, "Oh no, I do not want to become a camell I wish to remain a horse. As a horse, everybody appreciated my good qualities. Nobody will appreciate me as a camel."
The cosmic god said, "Never try to achieve or receive more than I have given you. If you want to lead a desire-life, then at every moment you will want more and more. But you have no idea what the outcome will be. If you cry for a longer neck and legs, this is what will happen. Each thing in my creation has its own good qualities. The camel is not as beautiful as you are, but it carries heavy loads and has a tremendous sense of responsibility.

Inner Changes Bring Outer Changes

The quality of your life depends to a large extent on the quality of your inner emotional and mental life. If you are lazy, worry too much and afraid to try new things, you stick to the same spot. If you are not afraid to change your thinking, your life will soon change accordingly. Your habitual thoughts, and the content of your subconscious mind determine your behavior and the way you act in the world.
When you change the way you feel and think, you ultimately change your inner vision, actions and behavior. This causes your outer life to change accordingly.
Let's now see a few examples!
If you are the worrying type, you are probably afraid of changes, and prefer to stick to the same kind of life you well know. You see other people who attain success, and though you wish you were successful too, you do nothing about it. In your mind you see yourself living exactly as you are living now, and find it hard to imagine different circumstances. It may never occur to you that you can visualize a different reality.
In this case your way of thinking limits you. You constantly see in your mind's eye the same daily reality, and consequently your conscious and subconscious minds stay programmed to experience and attract the same kind of reality.
Suppose you come to understand and realize that your outer reality is shaped to a great extent by your inner world. This realization will cause you to aspire to a better life. You will start to envision the kind of life you want to live. If you keep thinking and visualizing a different and better kind of life, soon these thoughts will sink into your subconscious mind and motivate, inspire and energize you to take action.
The new thoughts will cause new expectations, and change the way you view the outer world. The inner changes in you will gradually affect your outer life. Your behavior, and the way you act will change. You will have more energy, ambition and inner strength. You will get over your fear of change, and be ready to take action to change and improve your life, in accordance with the changes inside you.

By Remez Sasson

POWER OF AFFIRMATIONS

Affirmations are positive sentences that describe a desired situation, and which are repeated many times, in order to impress the subconscious mind and trigger it into positive action. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the affirmations, they have to be repeated with attention, conviction, interest and desire.
Imagine that you are swimming with your friends in a swimming pool. They swim fifteen rounds, something you have never done before, and as you desire to win the respect of your friends, you want to show them that you can make it too. You start swimming, and at the same time keep repeating in your mind: "I can do it, I can do it...". You keep thinking and believing that you are going to complete the fifteen rounds. What are you actually doing? You are repeating positive affirmations.
More than often, people repeat in their minds negative words and statements concerning the situations and events in their lives, and consequently bring upon themselves undesirable situations. Words and statements work both ways, to build or destroy. It is the way we use them that determines whether they are going to bring good or harmful results.
Affirmations work in the same manner as creative visualization. The repeated words build mental images and scenes in the mind, and help to focus on the aim or situation one wants to achieve or create. Frequent repetitions affect the subconscious mind, which in turn reshapes the way one thinks, acts and behaves.
The conscious mind, the mind you think with, starts this process, and then the subconscious mind takes charge. This means that the most frequent thoughts that pass through your mind, ultimately, affect your life and your destiny.
Affirmations work in the same manner like computer commands. They program the mind, which then affects one's life, and even the events and circumstances one goes through.
Sometimes they work fast, but more often they need time to make changes. Repeating positive affirmations a few minutes, and then thinking negatively, neutralizes the effects of the positive words. You have to refuse negative thoughts, otherwise you will not attain positive results.
We mentally repeat negative statements, without even being aware of the process. We use them when we tell ourselves that we cannot do something, that we are too lazy, or when we believe we are going to fail. The subconscious mind always accepts and follows what we tell it, whether it is good or bad for us, so why not choose only positive statements?

How to Repeat Affirmations
It is advisable to repeat affirmations that are not too long, as they are easier to remember. You can repeat them anytime your mind is not engaged in something in particular, such as while traveling in a bus or a train, waiting in line, walking etc, but do not affirm while driving or crossing a street. You may also repeat them in special sessions of 5-10 minutes each, several times a day.
There should be no physical, emotional or mental tension while repeating them. The stronger the concentration, the more faith you have in what you are doing, the more feelings you put into the act, the stronger and faster will be the results.
It is very important to choose only positive affirmations. If for example you desire to lose weight, do not say, "I am not fat, I am losing weight." By saying this sentence you are repeating to your subconscious mind that you are fat. The word "losing" also evokes negative images. It is better to say, "My body has an athletic form, and weighs the right and healthy weight". Such words evoke positive images in the mind.
Always affirm in the present tense, not the future tense. Saying: "I will be rich", means that you intend to be rich one day, in the indefinite future. You are actually telling yourself that some day you will be rich, never now. It is better and more effective to say, and also feel, "I am rich now", and the subconscious mind will work overtime to make this happen now, in the present.
As to results, sometimes they may come fast, and at other times might take more time to manifest. Getting results depends on how much time, energy, faith and feelings you invest in repeating your affirmations, on the strength of your desire and on how big or small is your goal.
By using the power of affirmations you state what you want to be true in your life. You see reality, as you want it to be. For a while, you ignore your current circumstances and your doubts, and concentrate on a different reality.

Positive Affirmations
- I am healthy and happy.
- Wealth is pouring into my life.
- I am sailing on the river of wealth.
- I am getting wealthier each day.
- My body is healthy and functioning in a very good way.
- I have a lot of energy.
- I study and comprehend fast.
- My mind is calm.
- I am calm and relaxed in every situation.
- My thoughts are under my control.
- I radiate love and happiness.
- I am surrounded by love.
- I have the perfect job for me.
- I am living in the house of my dreams.
- I have good and loving relations with my wife/husband.
- I have a wonderful and satisfying job.
- I have the means to travel abroad, whenever I want to.
- I am successful in whatever I do.
- Everything is getting better every day.

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING by Remez Sasson

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds.
Not everyone accepts or believes in positive thinking. Some consider the subject as just nonsense, and others scoff at people who believe and accept it. Among the people who accept it, not many know how to use it effectively to get results. Yet, it seems that many are becoming attracted to this subject, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it. This is a subject that is gaining popularity.
It is quite common to hear people say: "Think positive!", to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to think what the power of positive thinking means?

The following story illustrates how this power works.

Allan applied for a new job, but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself as a failure and unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going to get the job. He had a negative attitude towards himself, and believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested this attitude, due to his negative past experiences with job interviews.
His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of wrinkles.
During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude, worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.
Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.
In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.
He got the job because he made a good impression. Of course he had also the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.
What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind's eye what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.
Positive and negative thinking are both contagious. All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive persons and shun negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive. They dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.
Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.

Practical Instructions
In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.
Read about this subject, think about its benefits and persuade yourself to try it. The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.
Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.
Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.
In case you feel any inner resistance when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.
It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.
Another method to employ is the repetition of affirmations. It is a method which resembles creative visualization, and which can be used in conjunction with it.

THE SCHOLAR'S FOUR QUESTIONS

There was once a great scholar. Everybody in the kingdom appreciated him because he was so learned. Unfortunately, in spite of his great learning he had great pride.
One day this scholar put on a gold necklace and went to the palace of another king. He said, "Whoever can defeat me in wisdom will get this necklace. I challenge everybody!"
All the scholars in that particular kingdom had heard about this scholar and they were afraid that they would lose. So they would not accept his challenge. The king was very sad that nobody would accept the challenge.
Finally, the court jester said, I accept your challenge."
The king had almost surrendered to the scholar but thought it would be amusing to see his jester compete. He believed he was only a joker and would not be able to win the necklace.
The court jester said, “I will ask you four questions. if you answer any of my questions correctly, then you will lose, but if all your answers are incorrect, then I will accept defeat and the king will give you anything you want."
Then the court jester asked his first question: "Where do you come from?"
The scholar said, I live here." This was incorrect, since he came from another kingdom. So by giving the wrong answer the scholar passed the first test.
The jester's second question was, "How long have you been here?"
"Three years," the scholar said, which was also incorrect. Still the court jester was unable to trick him.
The third time the jester asked, "Our king is good, kind and generous. Do you agree?"
The scholar said, "Your king? What you are saying is totally wrong. Your king is undivine and very unkind." So again the scholar passed the test.
The court jester said, "It seems that I can't defeat you. How many questions have I asked so far?"
The scholar said, "You have asked me three questions; you have one more. If I do not answer it correctly you will lose. "
The court jester cried out, "Look! The scholar has lost. He has answered this question correctly."
So the scholar gave his necklace to the court jester, and the jester immediately gave it to the king. The scholar's pride was totally smashed. He said, "I will never come to your kingdom to challenge anybody again."
All the scholars were very impressed by the court jester's cleverness. They knew that they would not have been able to defeat the great scholar. The jester said, "You see, when great scholars are not alert, they lose. Had he been alert, he could have saved himself."


from Garden of the Soulby Sri Chinmoy
Published by Health Communications

Emptying the Sea

Once two partridges, a husband and wife, were going on a trip. Before they left, the wife laid some eggs near the ocean. Then the husband said to the sea, "We are going on a sea voyage. You must take care of these eggs for us. if we don't find the eggs when we return, we'll empty you."
The sea agreed to take care of the eggs, and it kept them safe. A few days later the two partridges came back, but they couldn't find the eggs. They screamed at the sea. The sea wanted to give them the eggs, but it couldn't find them. The birds cursed the sea; they began taking out a drop of water at a time and throwing it on the land.
"We are going to empty you," they said to the sea.
Some little birds saw all this and they asked, "What are you doing?"
The partridges replied, "We are punishing the sea because it didn't keep its promise to look after our eggs."
The little birds thought it was a noble task and they joined the partridges. After a while some big birds took up their cause. They also started taking out water drop by drop. This went on for weeks.
One day, Garuda (a divine bird who carries the great cosmic god Lord Vishnu) came and asked, "What are you doing?"
The birds said, "Can't you see? We are emptying the sea. "
Garuda said, "You fools, how long will this take? You will never be able to do it. The sea is vast, infinite."
But the birds answered, "No, we have determination and perseverance."
Garuda was very surprised and said, "Let me show them Compassion. I'll ask Lord Vishnu to help them. if Vishnu helps, then certainly they will be able to find their eggs. if the eggs are still in good condition, Vishnu will be able to return them. But if they are destroyed, he can do nothing for them."
He went to Vishnu. "Vishnu, I have never seen fools like these. If you really care for fools, then will you do them a favor?" Garuda then told him the whole story.
Vishnu said, "No, they are not fools. They are showing the spirit of patience and perseverance. This is how human beings must try to empty the ignorance-sea, drop by drop. it is what seekers must and should do. The ignorance-sea is vast. If sincere seekers want to empty it and replace it with knowledge-light, then they must do it the same way, drop by drop. I am very pleased with these birds. I will command the sea to return the eggs."
Garuda said, "The sea wanted to give them the eggs but it misplaced them and believes they are destroyed."
Vishnu said, "I will use my psychic power to show the sea where they are."
He used his psychic power and the sea immediately found the eggs and returned them to the partridges. Then Vishnu said to the birds, "Perseverance, patience and self-giving all are of paramount importance to fulfill one's divine task. "

THE POWER OF THOUGHTS

One day, a yogi and his disciple arrived to the big city. They had no money with them, but they needed food and a place to stay. The disciple was sure that they were going to beg for their food, and sleep in the park at night."There is a big park not far from here. We can sleep there at night", said the disciple. "In the open air?" Asked the yogi."Yes", responded the student.The yogi smiled and said: "No, tonight we are going to sleep in a hotel and eat there too".The student was amazed. "How?""Come and sit down", said the yogi.
They both sat down on the ground and the yogi said:"When you focus your mind intently on any subject, it comes to pass."
The yogi closed his eyes and started to meditate with full concentration. After about ten minutes he got up and started to walk, with his disciple following him. They walked through several streets and alleys, until they arrived to a hotel.
"Come, let's enter inside", the yogi said to his disciple.
They just set foot in the entrance, when a well-dressed man approached them.
"I am the manager of this hotel. You look like traveling swamis and I believe you have no money. Would you like to work in the kitchen, and in return I'll give you food and a place to stay?"
"Fine", responded the yogi.
The disciple was perplexed and asked the yogi: "Did you use any magic? How did you do that?"
The yogi smiled and said, "I wanted to show you how the power of thoughts works. When you think with full and strong concentration about something that you want to happen, and your mind does not resist the subject of your thought, your thought materializes."
"The secret is concentrating, visualizing, seeing details, having faith and projecting mental and emotional energy into the mental scene. These are the general prerequisites. When your mind is empty from thoughts, and only one single thought is allowed to enter, it gains a very great power. One should be very careful with what he thinks. A concentrated thought is powerful, and exerts a very strong influence."
The disciple looked at his teacher and said: "I see that I have to sharpen my concentration in order to be able to use this power."
"Yes, this is the first step", responded the yogi.

EFFORT IS IMPORTANT BUT!!!!

A giant ship engine failed. The ship's owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure but how to fix the engine. Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing ships since he was a young. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work. He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the ship's owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away. The engine was fixed!
-->A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for ten thousand dollars.
"What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!" So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill." The man sent a bill that read: Tapping with a hammer...... ......... ........ $ 2.00 Knowing where to tap......... ......... ........ $ 9,998.00 \

Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort makes all the difference!

When The Wind Blows--Fear Not!

A young man applied for a job as a farm hand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep when the wind blows." This puzzled the farmer. But he liked the young man and hired him. A few days later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm. They quickly began to check things out to see if all was secure. They found the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been sat next to the fireplace. The young man slept soundly. The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements. The tractor had been moved into the garage. The barn was properly locked. Even the farm animals were calm. All was well! The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep when the wind blows."

Character as it applies to the smallest of duties brings about an inner peace as evidenced by this story!

FACE DIFFICULTIES POSITIVELY

This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back, HE WOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!
This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" He repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually helped him . . . all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity.

THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE VERY REAL POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT US!

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

KNOW YOUR VALUE

A well-known speaker started off his public speech in a strange manner – by holding up a Rupee 1000 Note !! Holding up the Note high in the air in one of his hands, he addressed the eagerly looking curious audience, "Who would like this Rupee 1000 Note?" With great cheers almost all of them raised their hands with the shout, "I want it", "I want it" !! He said, "Oh! that's nice. Well, I am going to give this Note to one of you... But, first let me do this." Then, he crumpled the Note in his hands vigorously & now showed the awkwardly wrinkled 1000 Rupee Note by holding up high in his hand. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" The same hands went up in the air this time too."Well", he replied, "What if I do this?" and he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe like a mad man. It seemed he is deriving great merriment in his unusual act. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. It was so smudgy that no one could recognise it now as a 1000 Rupee Note. "Now who still wants it?" Strangly, now also, all the hands were up in the air with equal cheers & spirit.Now he addressed his audience with great feeling. "My friends," said he, "You have all learned a very valuable lesson today. No matter what I did to this valuable Rupee Note, all of you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth the same - Rs.1000/-.Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt of shame & insult by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come in our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. In the eyes of God, you are the same "most precious jewel of His".
"VALUE HAS A VALUE ONLY IF ITS VALUE IS VALUED !"

DONT OVERLOAD ONESELF

Once upon a time a Washer man was bringing up two donkeys. Let us say Donkey-A and Donkey-B.Donkey-A felt it was very energetic and could do better than the other. It always tried to pull the washer man’s attraction over it by taking more load and walking fast in front of him. Innocent Donkey-B is normal, so it will walk normal, irrespective of the waterman’s presence. After a period of time, Washer man started pressurizing Donkey-B to be like Donkey-A. But Donkey-B unable to walk fast, got continuous punishment from washer man. It was crying and told personally to Donkey-A "Dear friend, only we two are here, why to compete with each other....we can carry equal load at normalspeed ". That made Donkey-A all the more energetic and next day it told to washer man that it can carry more load and even it can run fast also.Obviously happier washer man looked at Donkey-B.., his BP raised and he started kicking Donkey-B. Next day with smile, Donkey-A carried more load and started running fast. But it was breathtaking for Donkey-B and it couldn't act that way....But the washer man was frustrated, so he harassed Donkey-B terribly, and finally it fell down hopelessly.Then Donkey-A felt itself as a supreme and happily started carrying more load with great speed. But now the Load of the Donkey-B is also being carried by Donkey-A., and still it has to run fast. For some period it did, finally due to fatigue it got tired and started feeling the pain. But washer man expected more from Donkey-A. It also tried best, but couldn't cope up with his owners demand. The Washer man got angry with Donkey-A also and started harassing to take more load... Donkey-A was crying for long time and then tried its best... But it couldn't meet the owner's satisfaction. Finally the day came when due to frustration the washer man killed Donkey-A and went for searching some other Donkeys.

Its an endless story....... ...But the moral of the Story in Corporate and social life is......,
"Think all colleagues are same and that everyone is capable.... Always Share the Load equally..... Don't ever act smart in front of your Boss and never try for getting over-credit...."

A LITTLE DOG'S ANGEL

High up in the courts of heaven today
a little dog angel waits;
with the other angels he will not play,
but he sits alone at the gates.
"For I know my master will come" says he,
"and when he comes he will call for me.
"The other angels pass him by
As they hurry toward the throne,
And he watches them with a wistful eyeas he sits at the gates alone.
"But I know if I just wait patientlythat someday my master will call for me.
"And his master, down on earth below,
as he sits in his easy chair,forgets sometimes,
and whispers lowto the dog who is not there.
And the little dog angel cocks his earsand dreams that his master's voice he hears.
And when at last his master waitsoutside in the dark and cold,
for the hand of death to open the door,
that leads to those courts of gold,
he will hear a sound through the gathering dark,
a little dog angel's bark.

Author: Noah M. Holland

A GIFT OF LOVE

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy ... called me a freak." He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart. The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured," the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, "You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret," said the father. The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. "But I must know!" He urged his father, "Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him." "I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know ... not yet." The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come ... one of the darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother had no outer ears. "Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?" Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

Author: Unknown

Do We Have As Much Sense As A Goose?

On the premise that by observing God's hand in nature, we can gain some basic truths for ourselves:
This fall when you see geese heading back south for the winter flying in a "V" formation, you might be interested in knowing what scientists have discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following.
By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
BASIC TRUTH #1 -- PEOPLE WHO SHARE A COMMON DIRECTION AND SENSE OF COMMUNITY CAN GET WHERE THEY WANT TO GO QUICKER AND EASIER BY TRAVELING ON THE TRUST OF ONE ANOTHER.
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
BASIC TRUTH #2 -- IT PAYS TO TAKE TURNS DOING HARD JOBS.
The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
BASIC TRUTH #3 -- IF WE WANT HELP FROM THOSE OUT IN FRONT OF US, WE WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO KEEP DOING A GOOD JOB.
Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gun shot and falls out, two gees fall out of formation and follow him down to protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out with another formation.
BASIC TRUTH #4 -- GREAT THINGS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN WE WORK WITH AND HELP ONE ANOTHER.

GIVE TIME TO UR FAMILY

The Story goes like this..............It's a lovely story of mother. Just read through tillthe end and let the things seep through your skin and you feel everymoment of the experience.After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to takeanother woman outto dinner and a movie.She said, "I love you, but Iknow this otherwoman loves you and would love to spend some time withyou."The other woman that my wife wanted me to visitwas my MOTHER, whohas been a widow for 19 years, but the demandsof my work andmy three children had made it possible to visit heronly occasionally.That night I called to invite her to go outfor dinner and amovie."What's wrong, are you well?" she asked. My motheris the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or asurprise invitationis a sign of bad news."I thought that it wouldbe pleasant tospend some time with you," I responded."Just the two of us." She thought about it for amoment, and thensaid, "I would like that very much."That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was abit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticedthat she, too,seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited inthe door with hercoat on. She had curled her hair and was wearingthe dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiledfrom a face that was as radiant as an angel's. "Itold my friendsthat I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,"she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about ourmeeting."We went to a restaurant that, although notelegant, was very niceand cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were theFirst Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes couldonly read largeprint.Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sittingthere staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on herlips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you weresmall," she said."Then it's time that you relax and let me return thefavor," I responded.During the dinner, we had an agreeableconversation -nothing extraordinary but catching up on recentevents of each other's life.We talked so much that we missed the movie.As we arrived at herhouse later, she said, "I'll go out with youagain, but only ifyou let me invite you." I agreed."How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when Igot home. "Verynice. Much more so than I could have imagined," Ianswered.A few days later, my mother died of a massiveheart attack. Ithappened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anythingfor her.Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurantreceipt from the same place mother and I had dined.An attachednote said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn'tsure that I could be there;but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one foryou and the otherfor your wife. You will never know what that nightmeant for me.I love you, son."At that moment, I understood the importance of sayingin time:"I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time thatthey deserve.Nothing in life is more important than your family.Give them the time they deserve, because these thingscannot beput off till "some other time."

SILENT LOVE STORY

From the very beginning, the girl's family objected strongly on her dating this guy. Saying that it has got to do with family background & that the girl will have to suffer for the rest of her life if she were to be with him.Due to family's pressure, the couple quarrel very often. Though the girl love the guy deeply, but she always ask him: "How deep is your love for me?"As the guy is not good with his words, this often causes the girl to be very upset. With that & the family's pressure, the girl often vents her anger on him. As for him, he only endures it in silence.After a couple of years, the guy finally graduated & decided to further his studies in overseas. Before leaving, he proposed to the girl: "I'm not very good with words. But all I know is that I love you. If you allow me, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As for your family, I'll try my best to talk them round. Will you marry me?"The girl agreed, & with the guy's determination, the family finally gave in & agreed to let them get married. So before he leaves, they got engaged.The girl went out to the working society, whereas the guy was overseas, continuing his studies. They sent their love through emails & phone calls. Though it's hard, but both never thought of giving up.One day, while the girl was on her way to work, she was knocked down by a car that lost control. When she woke up, she saw her parents beside her bed. She realized that she was badly injured. Seeing her mum crying, she wanted to comfort her. But she realized that all that could come out of her mouth was just a sigh. She has lost her voice.The doctor says that the impact on her brain has caused her to lose her voice. Listening to her parents' comfort, but with nothing coming out from her, she broke down.During the stay in hospital, besides silence cry, it's still just silence cry that companied her. Upon reaching home, everything seems to be the same. Except for the ringing tone of the phone. Which pierced into her heart every time it rang. She does not wish to let the guy know. & not wanting to be a burden to him, she wrote a letter to him saying that she does not wish to wait any longer.With that, she sent the ring back to him. In return, the guy sent millions & millions of reply, and countless of phone calls,.. all the girl could do, besides crying, is still crying.The parents decided to move away, hoping that she could eventually forget everything & be happy. With a new environment, the girl learnt sign language & started a new life. Telling herself everyday that she must forget the guy. One day, her friend came & told her that he's back. She asked her friend not to let him know what happened to her. Since then, there wasn't anymore news of him.A year has passed & her friend came with an envelope, containing an invitation card for the guy's wedding. The girl was shattered. When she opened the letter, she saw her name in it instead.When she was about to ask her friend what's going on, she saw the guy standing in front of her. He used sign language telling her "I've spent a year's time to learn sign language. Just to let you know that I've not forgotten our promise. Let me have the chance to be your voice. I Love You. With that, he slipped the ring back into her finger. The girl finally smiled.

GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY, GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that that lit up her entire being.She said, "Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze."Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel.""No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age."I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.After class we walked to the student union building and share a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. "You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dean and don't even know it!""There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.""Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

HELP OTHERS WIN

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy. They slowed down and looked back. They all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said,"This will make it better." All nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know one thing. What matters most in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What truly matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

LOVELY STORY

A boy was born to a couple after 11 years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was the apple of their eye. When the boy was around two years old, one morning the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for work so he asked his wife To cap the bottle and keep it in the cupboard. His wife, preoccupied in the kitchen, totally forgot the matter. The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle and fascinated by its color, drank it all. It happened to be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages. When the child collapsed, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified how to face her husband.When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words.

QUESTIONS:
1. What were the four words?
2. What is the implication of this story?

ANSWER: The husband just said, "I Love You Darling."

The husband's totally unexpected reaction is proactive behavior.The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life.There is no point in finding fault with the mother. Besides, if only he had taken time to keep the bottle away, this would not have happened. No one is to be blamed. She had lost her only child. What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy from the husband that is what he gave her.If everyone can look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be much fewer problems in the world.Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiving attitude,selfishness, and fears. And you will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.
"A successful relationship requires falling in love many times -with the same person."

KING AND QUEEN

Written by: Eruch Jessawala

The following story reveals something of the nature of this love, this real love that Meher Baba was talkingabout. It concerns a king and a queen who lived and ruled some centuries ago. They loved eachother and were happy together. The king was a wise and just ruler, and under his reign his kingdomflourished and peace and prosperity prevailed over the land. The King's subjects were happy andcontent. In short, it was almost an idyllic existence, but there was one flaw, one minor thing whichprevented the queen from being completely happy. And this was that the king seemed to have nointerest in God. It was not that he was against God. He had no objection to his subjects or his wifeworshipping God as they saw fit, it was just that he never seemed to join in.Because the king was such a good man, whose life seemed naturally full of virtue, it was notimmediately apparent that he was not a believer. But, as time passed, the queen noticed that the kingalways seemed to make some excuse so as not to attend religious festivals. And while sheunderstood that the nature of his duties prevented him from worshipping as regularly as she did, sherealized after a while that not only had she never seen him perform worship, she had never evenheard him utter a short prayer. In fact, she had never heard him mention the Lord's name.Now, the queen was very religious, and when she began to suspect that her husband, the king, wasnot a lover of God, she became quite upset. She did her best to persuade him to join her in herdevotions, but no matter how hard she tried, he always found some excuse for not joining her. Thiswas the only thing that marred her happiness, but as time passed, it became a bigger and biggerthing. She would think to herself, "My husband is such a good man, his kingdom is peaceful andprosperous, his subjects are happy. Just think how perfect life would be if only he loved God." Orsometimes she would fear that because her husband did not love God, the peace and prosperitymight be taken away, and the more she thought about it, the more upset she got.She began to lose interest in her duties as queen. Uppermost in her mind was the thought that herhusband was not loving God as he should. Next to that, nothing else seemed important. She beganto spend more and more time by herself in the palace temple. Her eyes, which previously had alwaystwinkled with delight, now seemed pensive and brooding. Her constant cheerful smile was replacewith a frown. The king observed this and was sad, but whenever he asked the queen what waswrong, she would say, "Nothing." For she had already told the king she would like it if heworshipped regularly, and he had said, "Ask me for anything but that."And so life went on, with the king attending to his duties, and the queen becoming more and moredespondent and withdrawn. Now it so happened that one day, after this had been going on for sometime, the king awoke and went to the ramparts of his palace. This was his usual custom. He wouldrise early and climb up to the ramparts and look out over his kingdom. He used to feel that he couldascertain the pulse of his kingdom from there. He had learned to tell, just from standing there in theearly morning hours, whether there was any unhappiness or sorrow in the kingdom that neededattending to.Well, this morning, as he looked out, he was surprised to see that many people were already awakeand were busy putting up decorations. Others were cleaning the streets or their homes, and it wasclear that some sort of major celebration was about to take place. This puzzled the king. He couldn'tthink of any festival or celebration which took place at that time of year. He called his prime ministerand asked him what was happening."It is the queen's order, sire," the prime minister replied."The queen's order?""Yes, sire. Early this morning she got up and ordered that today was to be a day of rejoicing. Sheinstructed that orders were to be given to all your subjects that today was a day of celebration.""Why did she do that?""I don't know, sire. She didn't say."The king was puzzled at this. Of course it was in the queen's power to pass such an order, but as shehad taken no interest in the affairs of the kingdom for some time, this was a complete mystery to theking. Why had she suddenly given such an order? He went to see the queen, who greeted him in herbest clothes and with a dazzling smile on her face."Did you order this celebration?" the king asked."Yes," the queen admitted."Why? What is it? What has happened that has made you so happy all of a sudden?""Oh my king," the queen exclaimed, "I am so happy. At last what I have been praying for all theseyears has come true. Last night, while you were sleeping, you turned over and I heard you utter thename of God. That is why I have ordered this celebration.""What!" exclaimed the king, "has my Beloved escaped from my heart and passed through my lips!"And with that the king sighed and dropped dead.

STORY ON GOSSIP

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me 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 student let's take a m! oment to filter what you're going to say. 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 student something good?""No, on the contrary...""So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?"The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though,because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student 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 even Useful,! why tell it to me at all?"The man was defeated and ashamed.This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

SALTY COFFEE - VERY TOUCHING

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home.... suddenly he asked the waiter. "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story , the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee e, as she knew that's the way he liked it. After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life,even though I have to drink the salty coffee again". Her tears made the letter totally wet.Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee? It's sweet. She replied.

WOODEN BOWL

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day that building blocks are being laid for the child's future.Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ... today, and everyday!

TAKE HOLD OF EVERY MOMENT

A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
"This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package." He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on. Was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it. He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothings he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died. He turned to me and said:
"Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion".
I still think those words changed my life. Now I read more and clean less. I sit on the porch without worrying about anything. I spend more time with my family, and less at work. I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through. I no longer keep anything. I use crystal glasses every day. I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if i feel like it. I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to. The words "Someday..." and "One Day..." are fading away from my dictionary. If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels. I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food. It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come. I would regret it, because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, letters... letters that i wanted to write "One of this days". I would regret and feel sad, because I didn't say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.
Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives. And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day. Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

SANDS OF FORGIVENESS

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.