Be Happy

If you are not happy, what's the use of having all the money in the world?
Be contented with what you have and who you are.

When you age, you realize that a lot of things that you are upset about when you are young are actually quite trivial. When you let all that go, you will be happier.

Life's Lesson 2

Every once in a while, life hands you a moment so precious, so overwhelming, that you almost glow. When you experienced one of those moments, write it down and present it to another person, so that it might provide him/her a road map in his/hers journey in life...

Here are some of the lessons learnt from life :

* Pray not for things... but for wisdom and courage

* Never take action when you are angry

* Always enter a room with purpose and confidence.

* Do Not discuss business in elevators, you never know who may overhear you.

* Never pay for work before it's completed.

* Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war

* Do Not Gossip

* Beware of the person who has nothing to lose

* When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail.

* Do Not spread yourself too thin. Learn to say 'No' politely and quickly

* Do Not expect life to be fair

* Never underestimate the power of forgiveness

* Instead of using the word 'Problem', try substituting it with the word 'Opportunity'

Listening

When someone talks, listen and hear them out.
Put yourself in his/her's shoes.
Remember that there are always differences in backgrounds among us. even between members of the same family. Each person sees things from his or hers perspectives.

A first born child and one who has been an only child for a long time (and has been the center of attraction all the while) will worry at the thoughts of having a new additional member in the family. Child number two who has entered into a ready made family of three- with a sibling in the middle of it will view and expect things differently. Always try to reserve judgment until all facts are in.

Do not assume anything. What is being said might not seem important to you, but it is important to the speaker, or he would not have taken the time to say it. A good way to hurt someone's feeling is to ignore, even unintentionally, what he or she has to say. Take the time to listen, there's no such word as 'too busy' especially when it comes to those who are very close to you. There might not be a 'next time'..

Failure

We all go through tough times, and we all fail at one time or another.

These words by an unknown author have helped me through many times of testing. Perhaps, they will help you too:

Failing doesn't mean I'm a failure,

It just means I have not succeeded yet.

Failing doesn't mean I have accomplished nothing,

It just means I have learned something.

Failing doesn't mean I have been a fool,

It just means I have enough faith to experiment.

Failing doesn't mean I have been disgraced,
It just means I dared to try.

Failing doesn't mean I don't have what it takes,
It just means I have to try things differently next time.

Failing doesn't mean I am inferior,
It just means I'm not perfect.

Failing doesn't mean I have wasted my time,
It just means I have a reason to start over.

Failing doesn't mean I should give up,
It just means I must try harder.

Failing doesn't mean I'll never make it,
It just means I need more patience.

Failing doesn't mean I'm wrong,
It just means I must find a better way.

Failing doesn't mean God has abandoned me,
It just means I must obediently obey his will.

Better Tomorrow

I have lived a long life.

But if i could do it again, I'do some things differently.

I'd see people as people and not as shades of colour

I'd work harder and grumble less..

I'd be thankful for what I have

Rather than look at others with envy..

I'd still pray for prosperity and health

But I would'nt just wish them for myself

I'd understand

We can have disagreements

but there's no need for ill feelings

Back in my days, we hoped for a better tomorrow

But now i see..

It only begins if we take time to learn

from yesterday..

The Cab Ride

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, and then drive away.

But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.

So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute", answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters.

In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

"It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated".

"Oh, you're such a good boy", she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice".

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have
very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me
to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when
they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.
Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that
passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we
pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have
been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door.
The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.

Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in
my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.
But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others
may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY
WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here, we might as
well dance".

Count Your Blessings

A disheartened young law student once consulted his senior. He had failed the bar examination for the second time, was out of money and felt there was nothing to live for.

The doctor took out a pad and asked him a few questions. 'Are you married?'
The young law student answered 'Yes, my wife has been terrific through this whole ordeal, though I do not know why she stays with me.'

'Any medical problem?' the doctor asked.
'No. I have a strong constitution. Played sports in university.'
'You seem ambitious.'said the doctor.
'Yeah' he said. ' I have a lot of ambition. That's what made me successful in school sports even though I was small.

The doctor then tore off the page and handed it to him. The doctor had written on it:
a) Wife loves him. Will not give up on him.
b) Health excellent
c) Ambitious: Helps him to succeed in spite of obstacles.

He stared at the list and then said, 'That's amazing. I guess I was so obsessed with failing the exam that I couldn't see any hope.'

The young man did finally pass his bar exam on his 5th try. And today he's a successful lawyer.

Helping Others

A clergyman was consulted by a widow who was feeling sorry for herself because she'd be alone on an upcoming holiday. The pastor said, 'I am going to give you a prescription,' and proceeded to to write the name and address of a poor elderly couple.

'These people are a lot worse off than you,' he said bluntly. 'Do something for them'.
The woman went away muttering to herself, but the next day she went to the address. There, in a tiny apartment, she found the couple. They were fragile and barely able to fix meals for each other. So, she arranged to cook their holiday dinner.

When she saw the clergyman the following week, she had a new bounce in her step. ' It was certainly the best holiday I have had in years,' she told him.
************************
Helen Keller, the american author who was deaf and blind from infancy, once remarked:
'I find life an exciting business- and almost as exciting when it is lived for others'.

Happy Teacher's Day

Teacher's Album
(by Kathy M. - revised by Sandi H.)

This album with its love
Is sent with thanks to you
For the ways you show you care
And the things you say and do.

You take your time with your students,
Molding minds so patiently.
You instruct by your example,
Giving your heart unselfishly.

You look at all your students
Through the eyes of tenderness.
You see each one's potential
And chances for success.

This album is a keepsake,
And I hope it will convey
The gratitude that's felt
For your care in special ways.

This album comes with a message,
Words seldom expressed.
You're wished life's greatest joys
And every happiness..

Thank you Teacher for making me who i am today..

Making A Change

Her name was Mrs. Thompson.

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front
row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath and Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review
each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from the grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in
the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.

But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say,"Mrs.Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end
of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and despite the lie, that she loved all children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time, he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer...the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with the several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear,"Thank you, Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said,"Teddy, you have it wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Please remember that wherever you go and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and /or change a person's outlook on life.

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."

Take A Break

Sometime ago, I found myself writing too many articles, giving too many speeches, seeing too many clients and not doing anything well.

So I went on leave. I took all day walks, planted trees, build cabinets and spent times with my family. After a few months, my cholesterol level was down 100 points, my blood pressure 30. I felt good for the first time in years.

Most people can take short breaks- two or three days in which we alter our routine. Perhaps, you cannot control your job, but you may be able to make other changes in life: like taking a class, establishing a special family night, getting to know new people or starting an exercise program.

Taking a break, clears the mind and spirit.

The Choice

At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

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

Then he told the following story:

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

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

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the base loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be
next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chances to win the game ? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him
circled the bases toward home.

All ! were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"

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

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run home! Run home!" Shay ran to home,stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

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

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

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the "natural
order of things." So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

Possible

Some people blame everything on circumstances:
'Nobody could succeed with the financial problems that I have (the husband, the boss, the parents,and all sorts of various reasons).

What they are trying to say is that they are powerless to change their lives. Of course, if you believe that you are weak, you make yourself so. People need to discover that their actions can make a difference.

The darkest day for English writer Thomas Carlyle began when a maid mistakenly used the only copy of his manuscript to start a fire. Carlyle sank into a deep despair. Then gradually he force himself to rewrite 'The French Revolution' word by word and sentence by sentence. The novel becomes a classic till today.

What goes around

He almost didn't see the 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 that chill 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 he 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 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 gonna be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson."

There is an old saying "What goes around comes around."

Opportunity

One day years ago, literary agent, Mike and I made what I thought was a superb proposal to an editor, but it was ejected on the spot. Walking back to the hotel, I was discouraged but not Mike.

'This is when selling gets fun', he said. 'We'll go back and appeal to their needs. Then, they will beg to buy from us. All we have to do is to figure out the right approach!'.

What I regarded as failure, Mike saw it as a temporary setback. He seems charged by the challenge. Eventually, we thought of a new approach and it was successful. We even negotiated a contract with the very publisher who has turned us away.

'Leaders don't think about failure. They don't even use that word, relying instead on synonyms as mistake, glitch, false start, mess and error. But never 'failure'.

Rehearse Success

Optimists always picture themselves accomplishing their goals.

A world class marksmen once said this (when asked about the qualities that make for success in that sport):

'The secret is mental conditioning. Everyday, I play a movie in my head in which I see myself shooting a perfect score'

One corporate president started his sales career by selling pots and pans door to door. The first day, he made only 1 sale in 40 attempts. But he never forgets the face of the woman who finally bought something : how it changed from suspicion, to interest and finally to acceptance. For years, he would recall her face as a talisman whenever things got hard.

No Pain, No Gain

One for the Heart

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups. And set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

'Mister,' he said, 'I want to buy one of your puppies.'

'Well,' said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, 'These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.'

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.

'I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?' 'Sure,' said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. 'Here, Dolly!' he called.Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.

As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up..

'I want that one,' the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, 'Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.'

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.

In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, 'You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.'

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy. 'How much?' asked the little boy. 'No charge,' answered the farmer, 'There's no charge for love.'

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

Goodbye from a Genius

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, famous writer from Colombia, and Nobel Peace prize winner for literature, has retired from public life for reasons of health. He has a form of cancer which is terminal. He has sent a farewell letter to his friends and it has been circulated around the Internet.

He says:

If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me a little bit more of life, I would use it to the best of my ability.

I wouldn't possibly, say everything that is in my mind, but I would be more thoughtful of all I say.

I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean to express.

I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that for every minute that we close our eyes, we waste 60 seconds of light.

I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep.

If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress in a simple manner, I would place myself in front of the sun, leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy.

To all men I would say how mistaken they are when they think that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love.

I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them to learn how to fly by themselves.

To old people I would say that death doesn't arrive when they grow old, but with forgetfulness.

I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody wants to live on top of the mountain, without knowing that true happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used to reach the top of the hill.

I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little hand, his father's finger, it has trapped him for the rest of his life.

I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look down at another man, only when that man needs help to get up from the ground.

Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that today is the last time that that I am going to see you asleep, I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord to let me be the guardian angel of your soul.

If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would say "I love you".

There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity to do things right, but in case I am wrong, and today is all that is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you & that I will never forget you.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn't wait; do it today, in case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile, a hug, a kiss, and that you were too busy to grant them their last wish.

Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to their faces how much you need them and love them. Love them and treat them well; take your time to tell them "I am sorry";" forgive me"," please" "thank you", and all those loving words you know.

Nobody will know you for your secret thought. Ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to express them.

Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you.

If you don't do it today...tomorrow will be like yesterday, and if you never do it, it doesn't matter, either, the moment to do it is now.

For you, With much love,
Your Friend,
Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Life Trials

Thomas Edison's manufacturing facilities in New Jersey were heavily damaged by fire 1 night in December 1914. Edison lost almost $1 million worth of equipment and the record of much of his work.

The next morning, walking among the charred embers of his hopes and dreams, the 67 year old inventor said: There is value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Now we can start anew.'

Edison understood the great principle of living. Almost any situation (good or bad) is affected by the attitude we bring to it. Tough minded optimists approach problems with a 'can-do' philosophy and emerge stronger from tragedies.

Indeed, studies suggests that upbeat people can earn more money, do better in school, are healthier and live longer than pessimists. While many suffered setbacks, optimists learned techniques for defeating dejection and keeping their spirits high during difficult periods.

Have Fun

A marriage should be cherished with lots of fun and excitement.

Do NOT be too serious in everything. Even a long marriage should be accompanied with some fun. Ignore the empty and bored feelings. Bring excitement and enjoyment. Think of the ways to spend some quality time together.

Faith

The most basic and essential attribute of a Muslim marriage is the common faith that binds the couple. Since Islam is a way of life and not just a religion confined to weekly worship it becomes an integral part of a Muslim's life.

The frame of reference shared by the couple eases communication and sharing of values which is not possible in an interfaith marriage. It is highly recommended that faith play an important role in the developing a loving relationship.

As the Prophet Muhammad said, that even if a husband places a morsel of food in his wife's mouth, he gets a reward for this act and Allah increases the bond of love between them.

So when we love each other for the sake of Allah WE ACTUALLY INCREASE OUR FAITH.

The Future

You know, as we come to the end of this phase of our lives, we find ourselves trying to remember the good times and trying to forget the bad times, and we find ourselves thinking about the future.
We start to worry , thinking, "What am I gonna do? Where am I gonna be in ten years?" But I say to you, "Hey, look at me!" Please, don't worry so much.
Because in the end, none of us have very long on this earth. Life is fleeting.
And if you're ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky when the stars are strung across the velvety night. And when a shooting star streaks through the blackness, turning night into day... make a wish and think of me.
Make your life spectacular. I know I did. I made it.

-Robin Williams in 'Jack'-

QUE SERA SERA

~WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE~

When I was just a little girl

I asked my mother, "what will i be?

Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?"

Here's what she said to me

"Que sera, sera... whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que sera, sera... what will be, will be"

When I was just a child in school

I asked my teacher, "what will I try?

Should I paint pictures? Should I sing song?"

This was her wise reply

"Que sera, sera... whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que sera, sera... what will be, will be"

When I grew up and fell in love

I asked my sweetheart, "what lies ahead?

Will we have rainbows day after day?"

Here's what my sweetheart said

"Que sera, sera... whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que sera, sera... what will be, will be"

Now I have children of my own

They ask their mother, "what will I be?

Will I be handsome? Will I be rich?"

I tell them tenderly

"Que sera, sera... whatever will be, will be

The future's not ours to see

Que sera, sera... what will be, will be

Que sera, sera

Doris Day (Jay Livingston and Ray Evans)

Patience

Patience really works as time goes by.
Patience is not losing but being more understanding.
Patience is not cowardice but being more rational.
Patience is not anger but being more mature.
Patience could lead you to think deeper to a clearer solution.

So, be patient..

Changing Your Partner

The fact is..You Cannot Change Your Partner

If the situation is not right, change yourself by changing the way you think, your way or your attitude. Accept your partner in any shape.

Remember: you cannot change him/her, you can only change yourself.

It's true that every good and perfect gift is from above..

you were presented to me as a beautifully packaged gift full of humor, talent, intelligence, beauty and love..

It isn't finding the perfect person but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly ....we all have our flaws but when I view you through my eyes, perfection is all I see

Appreciation

Appreciate each other while you can.

Assume that you might die tomorrow.

Treat your loved ones with all your heart, so that you won't have regrets in the future.

Let's treasure our moments together!

Precious Time

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling 5 balls in the air.

They are: WORK, FAMILY, HEALTH, FRIENDS and SPIRIT. You are trying to keep all 5 balls in the air and not let them fall down. Imagine WORK is a rubber ball. Never mind if you drop it because it will bounce back.

But the other 4 balls: WORK, FAMILY, HEALTH, FRIENDS and SPIRIT are made of glass. If you dropped one of them, they might get scuffed,damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same balls again. That is what you must understand.

Thus..work efficiently during office hours and leave the office on time. Spend those precious hours with your family, friends and take good care of yourself. Rest properly and be happy

Family Values

Almost anything that a family does together -whether it is eating in a restaurant or camping, or going to church or hiking or bicycling- is worthwhile, because it promotes a family spirit. Children may resent at times that they cannot do what every other child on the block is doing. But, they gain the security of a family membership.

The civilizing of a child began when they know the meaning of restraints. If a child is to learn to be an adult, he has to begin by respecting the adults he knows best : his parents and grandparents. By learning to obey his father and mother, a child has the freedom within the boundaries they set for him to discover his own identity. By learning to respect other people's rights, a child gains his self confidence to claim as his own.

Home Ground

Home ground is the place where you have known the smells, the seasons, the birds and the beasts, the human voices, the buildings, the houses and the weather. It is the first landscape that you know before you became what you are today.

You may love the place if you flourished there. Or you may hate the place if you had suffered there. But love it or hate it, you cannot shake free from it.

Even if you have moved to the other side of the world, even if you have become familiar with new landscapes, you will still have the picture of the old home ground etched in memory.

Children

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters
of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
and though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
--Kahlil Gibran-

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

A speech from Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios to Stanford graduates.. on love and loss in life.

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

"About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than THREE to SIX months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

"I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

"This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.

Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

"When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

"Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. It was their farewell message as they signed off... Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."

Power to be Happy

Flixster - Share Movies

This life is yours.
Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well.
Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly.
Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature.
Take the power to control your own life.
No one else can do it for you.
Take the power to make your life happy.

Beauty

Wildfire

Each year, actress Whoopi Goldberg, co-hosts 'Comic Relief' to aid her country's homeless people. This is one among the many projects that she is involved in.

She says :
I fear waking up one morning and finding out that my life was all for nothing.
We are here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to reach people through the darkness.

When you are kind to someone in trouble, you hope that they remember and are kind to someone else and so on. Soon, it will be like a wildfire and spread itself around.

Listening

Listening is..
knowing when to close your mouth and open your ears.

Looking into a friend's eyes, leaning forward or nodding your head can help someone to open up. The unspoken message is:

You are important
What you say is important
And I want to hear any and every secret
That you are willing to share with me..

Madness in Job Hunting

In a tight market job like today's, a bold imaginative stroke can work wonders.

A young job applicant walked down a corridor at Vogue Magazine in New York after failing to get an interview. As she passed the open door of a large editorial office, she noticed two empty desks and inquired about them. Learning that they have been vacated by 2 caption writers who had recently left the staff, she casually sat down, saying: 'This must be where I am supposed to work.'

The employees in the room stared as the young woman settled in, but her self possession discouraged questions. Very shortly, she was handed some photographs to caption, then more. And she kept right on working until she had an official job.

Such presumptions in seeking a job is usually not recommended. Job hunters are counseled to play it straight, follow traditional routines, avoid the garish, flamboyant and unconditional. And this is sound advice for most people most of the time.

Sometimes though, when you have fought the good fight through ego flattering months, it's good for the soul to smash out of the groove. An occasional bold stroke will not hurt too much. Surprisingly often, it works.

Aging

Age gracefully?
I think not. I will age ferociously instead.
Seize everything valuable within reach.
Extend, Question, Give. The face will follow.
No cosmetic surgeons in the world could ever produce such a face.

As Time Goes By

The day my daughter said she was moving in with her boyfriend, I shared what I know about living without any kind of tie such as marriage. But it was to no avail.

However, over the last few years, as i continue to learn more about living together, I was even more convinced it was the wrong thing to do. I became so determined to help young women and men avoid or cope with the pregnancies that all too often result from living together.

As our children become young adults, we can no longer make decisions for them.
Nor can we keep them completely away from harm. But at least we can arm them with all the facts that we can find.

The last thing that we can do is pray that they will make the right choices..

Negative Thinking

When someone is convinced that things can't be done, he will cling to the conviction in the face of the most obvious contradiction.

At the time that Robert Fulton gave the first public demonstration of his steamboat, one of those 'can't be done' fellows stood in the crowd along the shore repeating :
'He can't start her!'

Suddenly there was a belch of steam and the boat began to move.
Startled, the man stared a moment and then began to chant ' He can't stop her!'

Failure

Is failure difficult to achieve?

To be a failure, you must live with no desire for achievement.
No goals, no objective, no drive. Life becomes stagnant. Nothing interesting ever happen to you, because nothing interests you anyway. You complaint without trying to find a solution. You feel that everything and everyone is against you. You just don't do anything about it.

You go to work and come back home. The next day, you go to work and come back home again. You let the decisions of your life be made by default. You became the rider instead of the driver of your own life. Your day, today and tomorrow is no different than your day yesterday.

To become a failure needs a certain character traits. Only people who has those specific, special talents can fail. And they have to stick to those traits to ensure that they are always in the failure mode. Any desire to deviate from those specific traits will take them out from the failure mode. It's not that easy to be a failure.

Fulfillment

The bird that makes,
It's first time flight
Knows the secret of success
So does the blossoming flower
That burst forth in happiness..

The foal that walks on shaky legs
Knows what achievement means
Its the joy that comes
from fulfillment of your dearest hopes and dreams..

Acceptance

In 1990, after 14 years being a single parent, I remarried.
This did not create major stress for my 3 sons. But it was a big adjustment. I waited for a sign that they are completely comfortable with this major adjustment in their life.

One night, my boys were going out together after dinner. Turn by turn, they kissed me good night. When it's time to approach my new husband, Marty, I expected the normal round of handshakes. Instead, Michael, then Tom and Tim went to Marty and hugged him for the first time. They have finally accepted their new step father.

Suddenly, I remembered the evenings long ago when I had huddled with 3 frightened youngsters. Wrestling with the impact of divorce, they had learned some basic rules for coping with life many changes and challenges. They had done well. They could handle whatever came their way. That's the most that any parent could ask for..

Friendship

'Heart talk' shows care in action and builds friendship.

As you learn to see everyone as your friend, and not as an enemy, you release all judgments. Just keep your heart open to your friends as you listen to them...

A friend in need of a soul to hold
Looks to their friends with unshielded hopes
They know they're heard and cared for..
That's a friend.

I look at myself in the mirror each day
And when I feel the world has let me down
I know I'm strong, smart, and I care
And I have you standing by my side.
Listening without judging..
That's a friend

Day by Day

'Each day, I am reborn. Each day i must begin again',cellist Pablo Casals said at 93.

'For the past 80 years, I have started each day in the same manner. It is not a mechanical routine, but something essential to my daily life. I go to the piano, and I play 2 preludes and fugues of Bach. It is a rediscovery of the world, of which i enjoyed being a part. It makes me aware of the wonders of life and marveled at the wonderful feeling of being a human being.

The music is never the same to me, Never. Everyday is something new, fantastic and unbelievable.

Biography

A man's words and acts are only a little part of a person's life.

His real life is led in his head and is known to none but himself.
All day long, the mill in his mind is grinding and his thoughts are his actual history.
These are his life, which are not written and cannot be written.

What he did, what skeletons are hidden in his closets are his alone. The world may judge a man at fault for doing something but there might be a good reason behind his act that is known only to him alone.

A day in a person's life would make a book of 80000 words (that is 365 books a year).
Biographies are only the clothes and buttons on a man.
The real biography of a man, remember, cannot be written.

-Mark Twain-

I'll Be There..

Being there for another person is among the greatest gift you can give.

When we are truly present for other people,

we share their happiness and lightens their burden..

We are renewed in love and friendship...

We are restored emotionally and spiritually...

Being there' is at the very very core of civility.

Dear Friend,

I would always be there for you as you have always stand by me..

The Tiger

The Tiger
By Remez Sasson

Tiger

A teacher and his student were walking from one village to another, when they suddenly heard a roar behind them. Turning their gaze in the direction of the roar they saw a big tiger following them. The first thing the student wanted to do was to run away, but as he has been studying and practicing self-discipline, he was able to halt himself, waiting to see what his teacher was going to do.

"What shall we do Master?" Asked the student.

The teacher looked at the student and answered in a calm voice:
"There are several options. We can fill our minds with paralyzing fear so that we cannot move, and let the tiger do with us whatever pleases it. We can faint. We can run away, but then it will run after us. We can fight with it, but physically it is stronger than us."

"We can pray to god to save us. We can choose to influence the tiger with the power of our mind, if our concentration is strong enough. We can send it love. We can also concentrate and meditate on our inner power, and on the fact that we are one with the entire universe, including the tiger, and in this way influence its soul."

"Which option do you choose?"

"You are the Master. You tell me what to do. We haven't much time", responded the student.

The master turned his gaze fearlessly towards the tiger, emptied his mind from all thoughts, and entered samadhi (a kind of trance). In his consciousness he embraced everything in the universe including the tiger. In this deep meditation the consciousness of the teacher became one with consciousness of the tiger.

Meanwhile the student started to shiver with fear, as the tiger was already quite close, ready to make a leap at them. He was amazed at how his teacher could stay so calm and detached in the face of danger.

Meanwhile the teacher continued to meditate without fear. After a little while, the tiger gradually lowered its head and tail and went away.

The student asked his teacher in astonishment, "What did you do?"

"Nothing. I just cleared all thoughts from my mind and united myself in spirit with the tiger. We became united in peace on the spiritual level. The tiger sensed the inner calmness, peace, and unity and felt no threat or need to express violence, and so walked away."

"When the mind is silent and calm, its peace is automatically transmitted to everything and everyone around, influencing them deeply", concluded the teacher.