Inspiration
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Inspiration
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Inspiration, Motivation and a Little Humor too!
After Sept. 11th, one company invited the remaining members of other companies
who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their
available office space. At a morning meeting, the head of security told
stories of why these people were alive...... and all the stories were just:
One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have. The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. all the little things that annoy me. I think to myself,
this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment. you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light,
don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you. and may you remember their possible purpose.
THE BLESSING OF THORNS Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her ease. During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose annual holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come. What's worse, Sandra's friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered aloud. For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life but took that of her child? "Good afternoon, can I help you?" The shop clerk's approach startled her. "I....I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. "For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving Special?" asked the shop clerk. "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?" "Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." Then the door's small bell rang, and the shop clerk said, "Hi, Barbara...let me get your order." She politely excused herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped...there were no flowers. "Want this in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers!?! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again." she said as she gently tapped her chest. "Uhh," stammered Sandra, "that lady just left with, uhh... she just left with no flowers!" "Right... I cut off the flowers. That's the Special... I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet." "Oh, come on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that?" exclaimed Sandra. "Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling very much like you feel today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major surgery." "That same year I had lost my husband, "continued the clerk," and for the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel." "So what did you do?" asked Sandra. "I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. I've always thanked God for good things in life and never thought to ask Him why those good things happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement...twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator. "Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that?" "No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she learned from "thorny" times, and that was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks to Him for what that problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the special!" "I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too... fresh." "Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns." Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out. "I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in minute." Thank you. What do I owe you?" asked Sandra. "Nothing." said the clerk. "Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you'd like to read it first." It read: "Dear God, I have never thanked you for my thorns. I have thanked you a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to you along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of your rainbow look much more brilliant." To the world, you may just be somebody...but to somebody, you may be the World. TOP 10 INNER-PERSONAL BENEFITS OF WLS FREEDOM Freedom from shame, guilt, ridicule, embarrassment, and worry. Freedom to move without pain and struggle. Freedom from the control of food. Freedom to dream without limitation. PEACE OF MIND Peace of mind knowing our HEALTH is the best it can possibly be. Peace of mind that our families will NOT have to go on without us.
Peace of mind that we've done all WE can to insure we are around to take care
of those CHOICES To have unlimited options from which to choose everything from our clothing to our cars, to how we use our bodies and live our lives. Unlimited career options, relationship options, and all around LIFE OPTIONS! FITTING IN Fitting in any chair, any car, any booth, any seatbelt, any store, any bathroom stall, any bathtub or shower, any amusement park ride, any intimate position, any clothing we like, and most of all......... Just plain "fitting in" to society! OPTIMISM Suddenly life becomes half full instead of half empty. We feel more positive about ourselves, our future, and our life. We react to the world in a more positive light because we are no longer prisoners of our bodies. As we release the demon of food that has controlled us for so long, we accept and forgive ourselves for our own weakness; releasing us to become more tolerant and forgiving of others. Therefore, causing us to feel lighter in body AND spirit. DIGNITY The dignity that comes with being able to: take care of ourselves, reach for personal hygiene, easily get out of a chair, couch, or car, walk a reasonable distance, not drip with sweat when everyone else isn't, tie our shoes, or pick up what we drop. To be able to climb stairs, or out a window, or pull/lower ourselves or someone we love to safety if a life depended on it. SELF-CONFIDENCE As we regain our confidence in everyday activities, our confidence grows in our ability to do and try things we've never done before. With each accomplishment, we can see further and believe in ourselves a little more. Life becomes an adventure! Dr. Robert Schuller calls this "The Peak to Peek Principle" and authored a wonderful book by the same name. SELF-ESTEEM With increased self-confidence we often see increased self-esteem... Our vision of our own self-worth. The more we feel able to contribute, the more we come to believe in ourselves and the value of our place in the world. When we value ourselves, we experience self-respect, increased self-worth or "worthiness", and a higher deserve level. All of which leads to healthier relationships with ourselves and others. INTEGRITY
The journey of WLS, all that leads us to it and all that follows, is a test
of our courage. When we are courageous, we challenge ourselves to our limits.
We get to find out just what kind of "stuff" we're really made of. We may
find joy in the discovery that we are stronger than we ever imagined. And we
find acceptance in the realization that we have weaknesses we never wanted
to face. All of this is OK! All of this opens us up to self-acceptance and
honesty about who we really are. And when we know who we truly are within, we
no longer need live in fear of being "found out" or fear of losing control to
anything or anyone outside ourselves. We find the courage to live by our own
convictions. And...we can honestly say to ourselves and the world, "Who you
see, is who I am", AND FINALLY to end on a lighter note, my favorite "superficial" benefit of WLS is.............. A WHOLE NEW WARDROBE!!! From hat to shoes and coat to undies, NOTHING will fit anymore. So that means I get to design a whole new me on the outside to reflect the whole new me on the inside! Enjoy your benefits everyone.....YOU'VE EARNED THEM!!! What The World Needs Now We've got 15 very important feel-good "facts" that you should never, ever forget. 1. At least five people in this world love you so much they would die for you. 2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way. 3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you. 4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you. 5. Every night SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep. 6. You mean the world to someone. 7. Without you, someone may not be living. 8. You are special and unique in your own way. 9. Someone who you don't even know exists loves you. 10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it. 11. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look. You most likely turned your back on the world. 12. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it. But if you believe in yourself, sooner or later, you WILL get it! 13. Always remember compliments you received and forget about the rude remarks. 14. Always tell someone how you feel about them. You will feel much better when they know. 15. If you have a good friend, take the time to let them know that they're great.
A RNY friend of ours....a middle aged woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God, she asked "Is my time up?" God said "No...you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live."
Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and take advantage of her now known life span. She decided after having lost so much weight that she would have a facelift, liposuction, panni and tummy tuck. She even had someone come and change the color of her hair. Since she had so much time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it.
After her last operation, she was finally released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was run over and killed by a speeding ambulance. Arriving in front of God, she demanded, "HEY!!!! I thought you said I had another 40+ years? Why didn't you yank me out of the path of that ambulance?"
God replied, "Give me a break....I didn't recognize you." The Ten Commandments of Weight Loss Surgery 1. THOU SHALL NOT DRINK with thy meals. This means never! This is cheating...cheating yourself. It washes the food out of your pouch and allows you to eat more. This will slow and eventually stop your weight loss. PLUS you will not be getting all the benefits of the wise choices you have filled your little pouchy-poo with. 2. THOU SHALL EAT SLOWLY, very slowly. This is not a rule for the first few months post op. This rule is for the rest of your life. If you eat too quickly, you will surely stretch your pouch. Eat too quickly and you will learn the hard way...the nausea is stifling. Oh and CHEW CHEW CHEW!! And when you think you are done, CHEW SOME MORE. Or your food will keep coming back to visit you. 3. THOU SHALL TAKE THY VITAMINS. This surgery is a great tool for weight loss. But, as with all benefits, there are costs...and malnutrition is one of the potential prices of this surgery. Take a multivitamin supplement every day for the rest of your life and it is one you may never have to pay. You will also need to have your blood checked periodically for B-12 levels. 4. THOU SHALL EAT ADEQUATE PROTEIN.
What is adequate? I am not a physician, so I cannot say for sure. I have
heard everything from 50-60 grams a day (which equals about 2 oz. Of protein)
to a much higher number ...(to figure out the amount of grams of protein
equals in ounces, multiply the # of grams by .0353. That will give you an
ounce calculation. It may not sound like a lot, but when you get down to brass
tacks, and really look at what you eat at a meal, are you getting in at least
2 oz of meat at a sitting? Then filling in with the rest? Meat is usually
very heavy and it is hard to digest so it ends up being the
last thing we work on at a meal. A lot (I did not say all) of post ops tend to
take more of what rests comfortably in their pouch...all I am saying is to be
aware and then adjust so you are meeting those requirements...above all be
balanced in your diet (DON'T FREAK CAUSE I USED THE D WORD HERE....definition
of diet-from Greek diaita, literally, manner of living, from diaitasthai to
lead one's life- 5. THOU SHALL EXERCISE. Just do SOMETHING. Even if it means starting off simply...take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Park at the furthest spot in the parking lot. Carry your shopping basket instead of pushing the cart (on small shopping days of course...LOL). 6. THOU SHALL DRINK at least 64 ounces of water, everyday. It seems that some people have problems doing this. Use a water bottle and carry it with you everywhere. Sip all day long. Or refill a gallon jug and drain it every day. Do it in 2 pitchers. Do it with 2-32oz sport water bottles. Please note however, that if you are drinking coffee or tea with caffeine, you will have to compensate for the diuretic effects of the caffeine. Caffeine robs your body of water, therefore, you will not only be unable to count the coffee or tea, but you will have to drink an extra cups of fluid for every cup of regular coffee or caffeinated tea that you drink to compensate for the diuretic effects of the caffeine. 7. THOU SHALL EAT WELL BALANCED MEALS. I think my friends' doctor said it best: Protein first and foremost, then green/yellow vegetables, then fruit, then starches. 8. THOU SHALL NOT EAT SUGAR, in ANY form....no candy!!! Treat yourself with some fresh fruit!! If I can give up blueberry blizzards from Dairy Queen, anybody can give up sweets! 9 THOU SHALL NOT modify these commandments to suit thy needs. It will not work. You will only defeat yourself physically.
10. THOU SHALL LOVE THYSELF and be happy with the body God gave thee. God did
not intend for all of us to be supermodels, and this surgery will NOT make you
one. Happiness comes from within. Be happy with who and what you are. Or you
will defeat yourself mentally. Then the battle will be lost before it is
ever even begun.
Hope This day is for hope And I have none. Trapped in this body for the world to see Not knowing where I will be when my last breath is taken, So this is a day with hope, And I have none.
Being the child that was always different and not being the graceful one My family held out hope, And I have none.
I am changing my life to be what I want it to be. To be the one that is no longer different, that will change my outer beauty. With this day is for hope And I now have some.
Christina Lynn King
A complete stranger told me that I was allowed to be selfish A simple thank you will never be enough.
Learning all that I can about what I am considering A simple thank you will never be enough.
I am the one who chooses the path of my overweight life A simple thank you will never be enough.
Sue helps more people than she can ever know A simple thank you will never be enough.
Let her be blessed for all the world to see That a simple thank you will never be enough.
Christina Lynn King
Copyright ©2002 Christina Lynn King
A Picture of Peace There once was a King who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.
The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell and in which lightening played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest ... perfect peace.
Which picture do you think won the prize?
The King chose the second picture. Do you know why?
--Author Unknown
There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all. She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper.
The day passed and the young girl was finally able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone. The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence. She said, "You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one." You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.
Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us. Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence.
Dr. Seuss Explains Computer Crashes
Many of you have wondered why a computer crashes. It is usually very technical but maybe this will help. Dr. Seuss Explains Why Computers Sometimes Crash (Read this to yourself aloud - it's GREAT!)
If a packet hits a pocket on a socket on a port, and the bus is interrupted at a very last resort, and the access of the memory makes your floppy disk abort, then the socket packet pocket has an error to report.
If your cursor finds a menu item followed by a dash, and the double-clicking icon puts your window in the trash, and your data is corrupted cause the index doesn't hash, then your situation's hopeless and your system's gonna crash!
If the label on the cable on the table at your house says the network is connected to the button on your mouse, but your packets want to tunnel to another protocol, that's repeatedly rejected by the printer down the hall, and your screen is all distorted by the side effects of gauss, so your icons in the window are as wavy as a souse; then you may as well reboot and go out with a bang, 'cuz sure as I'm a poet, the sucker's gonna hang!
When the copy of your floppy's getting sloppy in the disk, and the macro code instructions cause unnecessary risk, then you'll have to flash the memory and you'll want to RAM your ROM then quickly turn off the computer and be sure to tell your Mom!
The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was serious, and written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II - a mere 59 years ago! Obviously, the intent was not to be "funny," but by today's standards, this is hilarious! For those of you with efficiency issues, pay attention to #8 and I loved #3! # 4 would have been ground enough for sexual harassment.
Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees
There's no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are eleven helpful tips on the subject from Western Properties:
1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they're less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.
2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.
3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.
4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
5. Stress at the outset the importance of time; the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.
6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.
7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.
8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.
9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.
10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.
11. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.
10 Rules For Being Human
1. You will receive a body... You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
2. You will learn lessons... You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called "life".
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons... Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work".
4. Lessons are to be repeated until they are learned... A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end... There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better place than "Here"... When your "There" has become a "Here", you will simply obtain an other "There" that will again look better than "Here".
7. Other people are merely mirrors of you... You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you... You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie within you... The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. You will forget all this.
-Author Unknown The Awakening A time comes in your life when you finally get it ... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change
or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.
You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not
Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't always fairy tale endings
(or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after"
must begin with you and in the
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are . . . and that's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.
You stop bitching and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in the process a sense of safety & security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties and in the process a sense of peace & contentment is born of forgiveness. You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the crap you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look and how much you should weigh, what you should wear and where you should shop and what you should drive, how and where you should live and what you should do for a living, who you should marry and what you should expect of a marriage, the importance of having and raising children or what you owe your parents.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with and in the process you learn to go with your instincts. You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.
Your learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.
You learn that you don't know everything; it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.
Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love. How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name.
You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and change so it is with love. . . and you learn that you don't have the right to demand love on your terms just to make you happy.
And, you learn that alone does not mean lonely . . .And you look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10 and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you "stack up." You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.
You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK . . . . and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands. You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less. And, you allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to glorify you with his touch . . . and in the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.
And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care of it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest.
And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn, that for the most part, in life you get what you believe you deserve . . . and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's OK to risk asking for help. You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time. FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms.
And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening. And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state - the ego.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls. You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about; a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.
Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart's desire. And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.
Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want, as best as you can. - unknown
Courtesy of Jimbo Greetings all,
So there he went, my dear father-in-law, to the doctors office, for, lo, these past several months he has had less than wonderful capacity to perform his marital obligations. So, with his dear wifey, my Mother-in-law, in tow, did he enter that sanctum sanctorum of medical professionalism, his dear doctors office and request a prescription for the little blue wonder pill, Viagra... To which the doctor queried, and why dost thou feel thyself in need of Viagra? To which Gary, my father-in-law replied, "It's not a Hickory Dickory, Doc..." The laughter continues
Subject: Just a good policy 1. Any and all compliments can be handled by simply saying "Why, thank you" 2. Some people are working backstage, some are playing in the orchestra, some are on stage singing, some are in the audience as critics and some are there to applaud. Know who and where you are. 3. Never give yourself a haircut after three margaritas. 4. When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste. 5. Never continue dating anyone who is rude to the waiter and doesn't like dogs/cats. 6. Good sex should involve laughter. Because think about it, it is funny. 7. You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape. 8. The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship: "I apologize" and "You are right". 9. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them. 10. When you make a mistake, make amends immediately. It's easier to eat crow while it's still warm. 11. The best advice that I remember my mother ever gave me was, "Go! You might meet somebody!" 12. If he/she says that you are too good for him/her, believe it. 13. I've learned to pick my battles; I ask myself, Will this matter one year from now? How about one month? One week? One day? 14. Never pass up an opportunity to pee. 15. If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You have another chance! 16. Living well really is the best revenge. Being miserable because of a bad or former relationship just might mean that the other person was right about you. 17. Knowing how to listen to music is as great a talent as knowing how to make it. 18. Work is good but it's not that important. 19. Never underestimate the kindness of your fellow man. 20. And finally, be really nice to your friends. You never know when you are going to need them to empty your bedpan.
Click here for a great motivator (Under
age 40? You won't understand.) ARE YOU A REASON, A SEASON, OR A LIFETIME? Pay attention to what you read. After you read this, you will know the reason it was sent to you! People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each 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.
Then 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.
Thank you for being a part of my life.
A Fly's Story Once upon a time, there was a happy little fly buzzing around a barn when she happened upon a large pile of fresh cow manure. Since it had been hours since her last meal and she was feeling hunger pangs, she flew down to the irresistible delicacy and began to pig out.
She ate and ate...and then...she ate some more!!! Finally, she decided she'd had plenty. She washed her face with her tiny front legs, belched a few times, then attempted to fly away. But alas...she had eaten far too much and could not get off the ground.
Wondering what to do about this unpleasant situation, she looked around and spotted a pitchfork leaning upright against the barn wall. She'd found a solution!! She realized if she could just climb up that handle and jump off to become airborne she'd be able to fly again.
So, she painstakingly climbed to the top of the handle. Once there, she took a deep breath, spread her tiny wings, and leaped confidently into the air. She dropped like a rock and splattered all over the floor.
Dead Fly.
What is the moral of this sad story?
"Never fly off the handle when you know you're full of sh*t."
Things You Don't Want to Hear During Surgery "Better save that. We'll need it for the autopsy." "Someone call the janitor - we're going to need a mop." "Accept this sacrifice, O Great Lord of Darkness" "Bo! Bo! Come back with that! Bad Dog!"
"Wait a minute, if this is his spleen, then what's that?" "Hand me that...uh...that uh.....thingie." "Oh no! I just lost my Rolex." "Oops! Hey, has anyone ever survived 500ml of this stuff before?"
"There go the lights again...." "Ya know, there's big money in kidneys. The guy's got two of them." "What do you mean you want a divorce?"
Things You Don't Want to Hear When Regaining Consciousness
"I don't know what it is, but hurry up and pack it in ice." "Hey Charlie, unzip the bag on that one, he's still moving." "Blink once for 'yes'". "What do you mean we have the wrong patient ?"
"Why is there a tag on his toe ?" "Do you think he can hear us ?" "I didn't even know a human could bend that way." "I'm sorry, we must not have used enough anesthesia. Just relax now. We'll be done in a jiffy."
"Hold the patient still, we've almost pried it open." "Did the doctor know he would look like that afterward ?" "Of course I've performed this operation before, nurse !" "Nurse, make sure you're getting all this down. It'll make a great 'ER' script."
Subject: How to Stay Young
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her. 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," the devil's name is Alzheimer's. 4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Laugh so
much that you can be 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, don't put out a mailbox on the highway of death and just wait in residence for your mail. 7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is 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. Go to the mall, the next county, a foreign country, but not to guilt country. 10. Tell the people you love, that you love them, at every opportunity. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
--Author Unknown.
Maybe Maybe when the door of happiness closes, another opens but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.
Maybe God wanted us to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.
Maybe the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
Maybe it is true that we don't know that we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.
Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but if it does not, be content it grew in yours.
It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.
Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.
Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.
Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you are the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.
Do you ever feel like you've been HOLDING BACK? Like you haven't LAUGHED as hard as you know you can laugh and RUN as hard as you know you can. RUN and sung the TRUE SONG of your soul?
This is the beginning of another year. YOUR YEAR.
Immerse yourself in life. Have brownies for breakfast. Skate. Enjoy old people. Jump in the deep end.
Work really hard. GIVE with reckless abandon. Paint something. Read a book you don't yet UNDERSTAND. CRY till your nose runs. LOVE with your whole heart.
LIFT YOUR FACE TO THE SUN.
The Facts of Life: 1. At least 5 people in this world, love you so much they would die for you. 2. At least 15 people in this world love you, in some way. 3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you. 4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you. 5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep. 6. You mean the world to someone. 7. Without you, someone may not be living. 8. You are special and unique in your own way. 9. Someone that you don't know even exists loves you. 10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it. 11. When you think the world has turned it's back on you, take a look - you most likely turned your back on the world. 12. When you think you have no chance at getting what you want, you probably wont' get it, but if you believe in ourself, you probably sooner or later will get it. 13. Always remember compliments you received, forget about the rude remarks. 14. Always tell someone how you feel about them, you will feel much better when they know. 15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.
The Ditch The Ditch is part of a story told to me by my father. My grandfather once took three men out to test them for being a buggy driver. He drove them up to a ditch and asked them to tell him how close they could drive to the ditch without going in. The first driver said he could easily drive within a yard of the ditch. The second one said he could go within about a foot of the ditch. The third one said he would not drive anywhere near the ditch and to count him out of the running. The third driver was hired.
The object lesson to WLS is to stay away from The Ditch by not trying to
see how much of this or that you can eat. The real key to long term weight
loss through WLS seems to be the adoption of a new attitude towards food. The
small size of the new stomach allows us to achieve a feeling of satiety with
much less food. The trick seems to be to recognize that the smaller amount of
food will be sufficient and not to tempt fate by trying to see how much we can
now eat. The Flanagan Pouch Study (cottage cheese test) showed that relative
pouch size, i.e., 4 oz vs 8 oz, had little to do with weight loss success.
What mattered was whether both the 4 oz and 8 oz person developed new eating
habits and stayed away from The Ditch. Butfirst Syndrome Friends, I have a condition often found in folks of my age. The scientific world is frantically searching for a cure. This is an ailment many of us suffer from and may not as yet have been diagnosed. However, now you maybe able to discuss it with your loved ones and try to explain what really happened to you all those times you tried so hard to accomplish something and didn't. It's called the "Butfirst Syndrome." It's like when I decide to do the laundry. I start down the hall and notice the newspaper on the table. Okay, I'm going to do the laundry "Butfirst" I'll read the newspaper. After that, I notice the mail on the table. Okay, I'll just put the newspaper in the recycle stack, "Butfirst" I'll look through that pile of mail and see if there are any bills to be paid. Now where's the checkbook? Oops! There's the empty glass from yesterday on the coffee table. I'm going to look for that checkbook, "Butfirst" I need to put the glass in the sink. I head for the kitchen, look out the window, and notice my flowers need a drink of water. I put the glass in the sink, and darn it, there's the remote for the TV on the kitchen counter. What's it doing here? I'll just put it away, "Butfirst" I need to water those plants. Head for door and Ack! I stepped on the dog. The dog needs to be fed. Okay, I'll put that remote away and water the plants. "Butfirst" I need to feed the dog. At the end of the day: Laundry is not done, Newspapers are still on the floor, Glass is still in the sink, Bills are unpaid, Checkbook is still missing, Flowers are wilting; the dog ate the remote control. AND, when I try to figure out how come nothing got done all day, I'm baffled, because I KNOW I was BUSY ALL DAY! I realize this condition is serious.... and I should get help, But first I think I'll read all my email.
"Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is taking action in spite of
fear." Humor- Virus Warning for Women! Most of you have read the scare-mail about the person whose kidneys were stolen while he was passed out. While that was an "urban legend," this one is not. It's happening every day. I'm sending this "warning" only to a few of my closest friends. You too may be a victim at some point. Read on.
My thighs were stolen from me during the night of August 3rd a few years ago.
It was just that quick. I went to sleep in my body and woke up with someone else's thighs. The new ones had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Who would have done such a cruel thing to legs that had been wholly, if imperfectly, mine for years? Whose thighs were these? What happened to mine? I spent the entire summer looking for them. I searched, in vain, at pools and beaches, anywhere I might find female limbs exposed. I became obsessed. I had nightmares filled with cellulite and flesh that turns to bumps in the night. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in jeans and Sheer Energy pantyhose.
Then, just when my guard was down, the thieves struck again. My rear end was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to match my new rear end (although badly attached at least three inches lower than the original) to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. Now my rear complemented my legs, lump for lump. Frantic, I prayed that long skirts would stay in fashion.
Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning while fixing my hair, I watched, horrified but fascinated, as the flesh of my upper arms swung to and fro with the motion of the hairbrush.
This was really getting scary. My body was being replaced, cleverly and fiendishly, one section at a time. In the end, in deepening despair, I gave up my T-shirts. What could they do to me next?
Age? Age had nothing to do with it. Age was supposed to creep up, unnoticed and intangible, something like maturity. NO, I was being attacked, repeatedly and without warning.
That's why I've decided to share my story; I can't take on the medical profession by myself. Women of America, wake up and smell the coffee! That isn't really "plastic" those surgeons are using. You know where they're getting those replacement parts, don't you? The next time you suspect someone has had a face "lifted," look again! Was it lifted from you? Check out those tummy tucks and buttocks raisings. Look familiar? Are those your eyelids on that movie star? I think I finally may have found my thighs and I hope that Cindy Crawford paid a really good price for them!
This is NOT a hoax! This is happening to women in every town every night. Warn your friends now!!
What you need to know about Women (written by a man)
Women,
by nature, are evil. It is only when we understand this simple concept that
men can ever hope to understand women. Hopefully, with these guidelines, men
will have a better understanding of the mysterious ways of womankind. The first thing one must remember about a woman is that she knows everything. This is without exception. To go as far as say that a woman knows what you are thinking is not unrealistic. If, at any point of time, you are unsure of what you are thinking, one of the best ways to find out is to ask the nearest woman. But, unfortunately, there is a drawback to asking a woman such a question. This drawback is that she, in all probability, will answer. And once a woman starts talking, it is very rare that she will ever stop. I believe this has something to do with the way that women think. Women believe that as long as they are talking, people listen to her.
Of course, listening to a woman talk can be very tedious at times. It is OK not to listen to her as long as you nod your head in agreement and say Uh-huh every now and then. This makes the woman think you are listening and therefore she is happy.
Happiness is a good thing in a woman. If a woman is not happy, all hell breaks loose. In order to help a woman keep a state of happiness, one should buy her gifts for various reasons. These reasons include the one month anniversary, the one year anniversary, Presidents Day, and any day whose date is a multiple of one. These gifts could be in the conventional form of flowers and candy, or for greater happiness, cars and real estate. Often, when a woman says something, it is not what she means. But, other times, she says exactly what she means. It is only possible to distinguish these two cases if you are a woman. Since women already know the nature of women, this is of no use to them. For men, we can only hope to distinguish the difference, for a mistake in judgment can result in death.
Women know what men want. This is very strange, because even as sometimes men don't know what they are thinking, men usually don't know what they want.
However, I must observe that it seems that what men want for the most part is women. This is unfortunate, for women know this fact and know that it is possible for them to do almost anything and this fact will not change. Women have a very delicate nature. It is virtually impossible to keep one happy all of the time. It is totally impossible to know what one is thinking or feeling. And it is also impossible for men, knowing how evil they are, not to love them.
THE DAFFODIL PRINCIPLE.... Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. "I will come next Tuesday, " I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call.
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said, "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see bad enough to drive another inch!"
My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."
After several minutes, I had to ask, "Where are we going? This isn't the way to the garage!"
After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car and each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns-great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted as a group so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.
"But who has done this?" I asked Carolyn.
On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline.
There it was, The Daffodil Principle. For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun-one bulb at a time-to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top. Still, just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world. This unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable (indescribable) magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.
The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time-often just one baby-step at a time-and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world. "It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years. Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"
My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"
. . . . . Author Unknown
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation, or when we retire. The truth is there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with... and remember that time waits for no one. So, stop waiting...
Until your car or home is paid off
There is no better time than right now to be happy.
So work like you don't need money,
Take a stroll with me . .
Close your eyes . . . And go back . . . Before the Internet . . . Before semi-automatics and crack . . .before SEGA or Super Nintendo .
.WAYBACK .
I'm talking about sitting on the curb, sitting on the stoop, about hide and go seek, Simon Says, Red light - Green light. Lunch boxes with a thermos.
Chocolate milk, going home for lunch, penny candy from the store, hopscotch, butterscotch, skates with keys, Jacks, Hula Hoops and sunflower seeds, wax lips and moustaches, Mary Janes, saddle shoes and Coke bottles with the names of cities on the bottom.
Running through the sprinkler, circle pins, bobby pins, Mickey Mouse Club, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Kookla, Fran & Ollie, Spin & Marty . . . all in black & white.
When around the corner seemed far away, and going downtown seemed like going somewhere. Climbing trees, making forts, backyard shows, lemonade stands, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, staring at clouds, jumping on the bed, pillow fights, ribbon candy, angel hair on the Christmas tree. Jackie Gleason, white gloves, walking to the movie Theatre, running till you were out of breath, laughing so hard that your stomach hurt.
Remember all that?
Not stepping on a crack or you'll break our mother's back . . paper chains at Christmas, silhouettes of Lincoln and Washington ...the smell of paste in school and Evening in Paris. What about the girl who dotted her "i's" with hearts? The Stroll, popcorn balls, & sock hops.
Remember when . . .there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds & PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school was for "gym." And the girls had those ugly gym uniforms. When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up. When nearly everyone's Mom was at home when the kids got home from school. When nobody owned a pure-bred dog.
When a quarter was a decent allowance, When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny. When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces. When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done, everyday and wore high heels.
When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, all for free, every time. And, you didn't pay for air. And, you got trading stamps to boot! When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.
When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed . . and did! When the worst thing you could do at school was smoke in the bathrooms, flunk a test or chew gum. And the prom was in the auditorium and you danced to an orchestra.
When a '57 Chevy was everyone's dream car to cruise, peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady and girls wore a class ring with an inch of wrapped Band-Aids, dental floss or yarn coated with pastel frost nail polish so it would fit her finger.
And no one ever asked where the car keys were because they were always in the car, in the ignition, and the doors were never locked.
Remember lying on your back on the grass with your friends and saying things like "That cloud looks like a . . . " And playing baseball with no adults to help kids with the rules of the game. Remember when stuff from the store came without safety caps and hermetic seals because no one had yet tried to poison a perfect stranger. And...with all our progress .....don't you just wish, just once, you could slip back in time and savor the slower pace .... and share it with the children of today... When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited the student at home.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives, but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! But we survived because their love was greater than the threat. Send this on to someone who can still remember Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Laurel & Hardy, Howdy Doody and The Peanut Gallery, The Lone Ranger, The Shadow Knows, Nellie Belle, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk as well as the sound of a reel mower on Saturday morning, and summers filled with bike rides, baseball games, bowling and visits to the pool....and eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar.
Didn't that feel good, just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that.
SLOW DANCE
Have you ever watched kids On a merry-go-round? Or listened to the rain Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight? Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast. Time is short. The music won't last.
Do you run through each day On the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done Do you lie in your bed With the next hundred chores Running through your head?
You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast. Time is short The music won't last.
Ever told your child, We'll do it tomorrow? And in your haste, Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, Let a good friendship die Cause you never had time To call and say "Hi"?
You'd better slow down Don't dance so fast. Time is short The music won't last
When you run so fast to get somewhere You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day, It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away.
Life is not a race. Do take it slower Hear the music Before the song is over.
The Woman in the Mirror Walking past the mirrored glass, I take a timid peek, I see a woman staring back, I'm too choked up to speak.
The puffiness, at last, is gone, The skin is pink and glowing, The many pounds that melted off, Finally, is showing.
Hard to believe, till recently, This same woman was dying, Stuffing food to ease the pain, Heartbroken and crying.
Life revolved around each snack, She lived for every meal, Anything to numb the hurt, She didn't want to feel.
When did she get so pretty? When did God remove the grief ? How did this miracle happen? Who provided the relief ?
What a gift! A second chance! I thank God every day, For His grace in showing me, There IS a better way.
I walk, I dance, I make love too, My heart is filled with gladness, I'm out of bondage, out of pain, There is no room for sadness.
This woman in the mirror, Smiles softly back at me, She has good cause to be so pleased, She's finally been set free.
The Pickle Jar The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the dresser in my parents' bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty his pockets and toss his coins into the jar. As they were dropped into the jar they landed with a merry jingle when the jar was almost empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar was filled. I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and silver circles that glinted like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured through the bedroom window. When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank.
Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the seat of his old truck. Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me hopefully. "Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill, son. You're going to do better than me. This old mill town's not going to hold you back." Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly. "These are for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill all his life like me." We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone. I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled in his palm. "When we get home, we'll start filling the jar again."
He always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other. "You'll get to college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters," he said. "But you'll get there. I'll see to that."
The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town. Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had been removed. A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance, and faith.
The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the most flowery of words could have done. When I married, I told my wife Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life as a boy. In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad had loved me. No matter how rough things got at home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his coins into the jar.
Even the summer when Dad got laid off from the mill, and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime was taken from the jar. To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever to make a way out for me. "When you finish college, Son," he told me, his eyes glistening, "You'll never have to eat beans again...unless you want to."
The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad's arms. "She probably needs to be changed," she said, carrying the baby into my parents' bedroom to diaper her. When Susan came back into the living room, there was a strange mist in her eyes. She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into the room.
"Look," she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins. I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a fistful of coins. With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same emotions I felt. Neither one of us could speak.
This truly touched my heart.....I know it has yours as well. Sometimes we are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings. Sorrow looks back. Worry looks around. Faith looks UP!
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough laughter to keep you smiling, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you humble, and enough faith to nourish your soul.
Happy are those that dream dreams and are willing to strive to make them come true. ....Anonymous LIFE IS A TEST AND YOU'RE GRADED ON A CURVE At age 4, success is not peeing in your pants. At age 12, success is having friends. At age 16, success is having a drivers license. At age 20, success is having sex. At age 35, success is having money. At age 50, success is having money. At age 60, success is having sex. At age 70, success is having a driver's license. At age 75, success is having friends. At age 90, success is not peeing in your pants
SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The water wasn't very deep, so the mule could stand on the bottom. 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 and 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 should shake it off and step up. This he did, blow after blow of dirt hitting his back. "Shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up" 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 the 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. All I really need to know I learned from Noah's Ark 1. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark. 2. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big. 3. Don't listen to critics -- do what has to be done. 4. Build on high ground. 5. For safety's sake, travel in pairs. 6. Two heads are better than one. 7. Speed isn't always an advantage. The cheetahs were on board, but so were the snails. 8. If you can't fight or flee -- float!!! 9. Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth. 10. Don't forget that we're all in the same boat. 11. When the fertilizer gets really deep, don't sit there and complain -- shovel!!! 12. Stay below deck during the storm. 13. Remember that the ark was built and piloted by amateurs and the Titanic was built and piloted by professionals. 14. If you have to start over, have a friend by your side. 15. Remember that the woodpeckers INSIDE are often a bigger threat that the storm outside. 16. Don't miss the boat. 17. No matter how bleak it looks, there's always a rainbow on the other side. 18. Noah didn't wait for his ship to come in, he built one.
Rise to the Challenges
I Hope You Dance
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder, You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger, May you never take one single breath for granted, GOD forbid love ever leave you empty handed, I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens, Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance, Never settle for the path of least resistance Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin', Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin', Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter, When you come close to sellin' out reconsider, Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance, And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance. I hope you dance....I hope you dance. (Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along, Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone.)
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens, Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
Dance....I hope you dance. I hope you dance....I hope you dance. I hope you dance....I hope you dance.. (Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.
---Mother Teresa
Brighten Your Corner
We cannot all be famous or be listed in "Who's Who", But every person, great or small, has important work to do.
For seldom do we realize the importance of small deeds, Or to what degree of greatness unnoticed kindness leads.
For it's not the big celebrity in a world of fame and praise, But it's doing unpretentiously in an undistinguished way.
The work that God assigned to us, unimportant as it seems, That makes our task outstanding, and brings reality to dreams.
So do not sit and idly wish for wider, new dimensions where you can put into practice, your many good intentions.
But at the spot God placed you begin at once to do, Little things to brighten up the lives surrounding you.
If everybody brightened up the spot where their standing, By being more considerate, and a little less demanding.
This dark old world would very soon eclipse the evening star, If everybody brightened up the corner where they are
To: YOU Date: TODAY From: THE BOSS Subject: YOURSELF Reference: LIFE
I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.
I WISH YOU ENOUGH Recently, I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough." She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy."
They kissed and she left. He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?"
"Yes, I have," I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing.
"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?" I asked. "I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back would be for my funeral," he said.
When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"
He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," he continued. Then, turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.
He then began to sob and walked away.
My friends, I wish you enough.
Personal Positive Affirmations
Just for today I will respect my own and other's boundaries. Just for today I will be vulnerable with someone I trust. Just for today I will take one compliment and hold it in my heart for more than just a fleeting moment. I will let it nurture me. I am a precious person. I am a worthwhile person. I am beautiful inside and outside. I love myself unconditionally. I can allow myself ample leisure time without feeling guilty. I deserve to be loved by myself and others. I am loved because I deserve love. I deserve love, peace, prosperity and serenity. I forgive myself for hurting myself and others. I forgive myself for letting others hurt me. I forgive myself for accepting sex when I wanted love. I am willing to accept love. I am whole and good. I am capable of changing. The pain that I might feel by remembering can't be any worse than the pain I feel by knowing and not remembering. I am enough.
Let Me Love You One Day At A Time Let me love you one day at a time, and please love me that very same way. We may never learn all there is to know about love, but every day together will teach us a little more about ourselves and the special kind of happiness we can bring to each other. One of the best things you've helped me learn is that love starts with being honest, speaking straight from how we really feel. I like how we've opened doors, and windows of our lives and invited each other to come in, look around and get acquainted. The more I'm with you, the more at home I feel.
Let me love you one day at a time.
Why talk about "always" and say things we're not sure we mean, when we can talk about today and mean exactly what we say. Let's think of each sunrise as a fresh start, a brand new beginning... and try to fill each day with as much love as it can hold. I know you're not always going to be exactly the same person Sunday thru Saturday, January thru December, and neither am I. We both need laughing times and crying times.... and time for every mood in between. The important thing is that you can be the kind of you that feels most natural and that I can be my most favorite kind of me. That's what makes us so comfortable together.... it's also what keeps us from taking too much for granted.
Let me love you one day at a time.
Let's not wonder how long love will last but how beautiful we can make it grow. Let's give our best to each other but, let's never expect miracles of our love. There's no need to.... the reality of you and me is better than all the impossible dreams and fantasies I've ever imagined. Being with you is feeling proud, blessed, grateful for each hour we share. Let me love you, not according to any how-to-book, or by someone else's set of rules.... but simply for who you are and how you are with me. And please love me, not for what I might be molded into, but for what I am here and now. Don't expect me to be someone all good and all giving, someone who could never disappoint you.... someone to right to be real and too perfect to be me. I'm just as human as anyone I know.... and very thankful that you are too. Let's try to remember that love means keeping in touch with each other's thoughts and feelings.... listening not just to words, but to the emotions behind them.... seeing, not just the smiles and frowns but the hurt and pleasures that cause them.
Let me love you one day at a time, starting today.
Let's have the courage to try to change whatever needs changing about us, and wisdom to know what should never be changed. Believing in ourselves and in our ability to handle whatever tomorrow brings.... and trusting that this love we share will continue to grow stronger as the future years unfold....
One Beautiful Day At A Time.
Did you know......
When a circus elephant is young it is tied with a huge chain and immovable steel post. It is conditioned to believe that it cannot get away. By the time it is grown the trainer only needs to put a small piece of rope around its leg connected to a small 3 inch stake.
Many of us have been conditioned to behave like this elephant. Each day we have an imaginary chain tied to us in the form of a rope and a stake. We never stretch beyond it or break free from our self-imposed limitations and discover our strengths and special abilities.
Thomas Edison said, "If we did all the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." Once you recognize your own ability you will develop a strong belief in yourself, a belief that could move mountains.
I'd rather be a "Could-Be" if I couldn't be an "Are." For a "Could-Be" is a "May-Be" with a chance of reaching Par. I'd rather be a "Has-Been" then a "Might-Have-Been" by far; For a "Might-Have-Been" has never been. But a "Has" was once an "Are."
-Author Unknown
Somebody said that it couldn't be done, But he with a chuckle replied That maybe it couldn't, but he would be the one Who wouldn't say as "till he tried." So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried, he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it. Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that; At least no one has ever done it." But he took off his coat and took off his hat And the first thing he knew he'd begun it. With the lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit, He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done, and he did it. There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure; There are thousands to point out to you, one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you. But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin, The take off your coat and go to it; Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing That cannot be done, and you'll do it.
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Edgar A. Guest HOW TO HANDLE STRESS Drive to work in reverse. Dance naked in front of yours pets. Use you Mastercard to pay your Visa bill. Make a list of things you have already done. Pop some popcorn without putting the lid on.
Find out what a frog in the blender really looks like. Bill your doctor for the time you spent in his waiting room. Get a box of condoms- wait in line at the checkout counter and ask a cashier where fitting rooms are.
Read the dictionary backwards and look for subliminal messages.
When someone says "Have a nice Day!" tell them you have other plans.
As you travel through life
There are some situations is to simply let go and move on gather courage together and choose a direction that carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles and take a step forward the process of change can be tough but think about all the excitement ahead if you can be stalwart enough!
There could be adventures you never imagined just waiting around the next bend and wishes and dreams just about to come true in ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships that spring from new interests as you challenge your status quo and learn there are so many options in life, and so many ways you can grow!
Perhaps you'll go places you never expected and see things that you've never seen or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds and wonderful spots in between!
Perhaps you'll find warmth and affection and caring- a "somebody special" who's there to help you stay centered and listen with interest to stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends are supportive of all that you do and believe that whatever decisions you make, they'll be the right choices for you!
So keep putting one foot in front of the other and taking your life day by day.
There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road. Don't look back- you're not going that way!
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