I was taking my usual morning walk when a garbage truck pulled up beside me. I thought the driver was going to ask for directions. Instead, he showed me a picture of a cute little five-year-old boy. "This is my grandson, Jeremiah," he said. "He's on a life-support system at a Phoenix hospital."
Thinking he would next ask for a contribution to his hospital bills, I reached for my wallet. But he wanted something more than money. He said, "I'm asking everybody I can to say a prayer for him. Would you say one for him, please?"
I did. And my problems didn't seem like much that day.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Fight Against Racism
The following scene took place on a BA flight between Johannesburg and London.
A White woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a Black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess. "Madam, what is the matter," the Hostess asked.
"You obviously do not see it then?" she responded. "You placed me next to a Black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat."
"Be calm please, " the Hostess replied. "Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another seat is available." The Hostess went away and then came back a few minutes later. "Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in the Economy class.
I spoke to the Captain and he informed me that there is also no seats in the Business class. All the same, we still have one seat in the First class." Before the woman could say anything, the Hostess continued:
"It is not usual for our company to permit someone from the Economy class to sit in the First class. However, given the circumstances, the Captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting."
She turned to the Black guy, and said, "Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First class." At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by
what they had just witnessed stood up and applauded.
A White woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a Black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess. "Madam, what is the matter," the Hostess asked.
"You obviously do not see it then?" she responded. "You placed me next to a Black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat."
"Be calm please, " the Hostess replied. "Almost all the places on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another seat is available." The Hostess went away and then came back a few minutes later. "Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in the Economy class.
I spoke to the Captain and he informed me that there is also no seats in the Business class. All the same, we still have one seat in the First class." Before the woman could say anything, the Hostess continued:
"It is not usual for our company to permit someone from the Economy class to sit in the First class. However, given the circumstances, the Captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting."
She turned to the Black guy, and said, "Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First class." At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by
what they had just witnessed stood up and applauded.
We'll See
Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the central region of China. He didn't have a lot of money and, instead of a tractor, he used an old horse to plow his field.
One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead. Everyone in the village said, Oh, what a horrible thing to happen. The farmer said simply, We'll see. He was so at peace and so calm, that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.
Everyone's reaction now was, What a lucky man. And the farmer said, We'll see.
A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, What a poor fellow!
The farmer smiled and said, We'll see.
Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said, What a fortunate man.
The farmer said, We'll see.
Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, What a shame for the poor boy.
The farmer said, We'll see.
Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits. When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him.
Everyone said, What a fortunate young man.
The farmer smiled again - and said We'll see.
Moral of the story:
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from.
One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead. Everyone in the village said, Oh, what a horrible thing to happen. The farmer said simply, We'll see. He was so at peace and so calm, that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.
Everyone's reaction now was, What a lucky man. And the farmer said, We'll see.
A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, What a poor fellow!
The farmer smiled and said, We'll see.
Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said, What a fortunate man.
The farmer said, We'll see.
Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, What a shame for the poor boy.
The farmer said, We'll see.
Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits. When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him.
Everyone said, What a fortunate young man.
The farmer smiled again - and said We'll see.
Moral of the story:
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons from.
Sitting on Your Talent
There was a man played piano in a bar. He was a good piano player. People came out just to hear him play. But one night, a patron told him he didn't want to hear him just play anymore. He wanted him to sing a song.
The man said, I don't sing.
But the customer was persistent. He told the bartender, I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want that guy to sing!
The bartender shouted across the room, Hey buddy! If you want to get paid, sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!
So he did. He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And nobody had ever heard the song Mona, Mona Lisa sung the way it was sung that night by Nat King Cole!
He had talent he was sitting on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, he went on to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.
You, too, have skills and abilities. You may not feel as if your talent is particularly great, but it may be better than you think! And with persistence, most skills can be improved. Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you possess!
The better question is not - What ability do I have that is useful? It is rather How will I use whatever ability I have?
The man said, I don't sing.
But the customer was persistent. He told the bartender, I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want that guy to sing!
The bartender shouted across the room, Hey buddy! If you want to get paid, sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!
So he did. He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And nobody had ever heard the song Mona, Mona Lisa sung the way it was sung that night by Nat King Cole!
He had talent he was sitting on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, he went on to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.
You, too, have skills and abilities. You may not feel as if your talent is particularly great, but it may be better than you think! And with persistence, most skills can be improved. Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you possess!
The better question is not - What ability do I have that is useful? It is rather How will I use whatever ability I have?
Destiny
During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.
On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose.
Destiny will now reveal itself.
He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.
After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, No one can change destiny.
Quite right, the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.
On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose.
Destiny will now reveal itself.
He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.
After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, No one can change destiny.
Quite right, the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.
Things to Remember
I find what I look for in people. If I look for God, I find God. If I look for bad qualities, I find them. I, in a sense, select what I expect, and I receive it.
A life without challenges would be like going to school without lessons to learn. Challenges come not to depress or get me down, but to master and to grow and to unfold thereby.
In the Father's wise and loving plan for me, no burden can fall upon me, no emergency can arise, no grief can overtake me, before I am given the grace and strength to meet them.
A rich, full life is not determined by outer circumstances and relationships. These can be contributory to it, but cannot be the source. I am happy or unhappy because of what I think and feel.
I can never lose anything that belongs to me, nor can I posses what is not really mine.
To never run from a problem either it will chase me or I will run into another just like it, although it may have a different face or name.
To have no concern for tomorrow. Today is the yesterday over which I had concern.
To never bang on a closed door Wait for it to open and then go through it.
A person who has come into my life has come either to teach me something, or to learn something from me.
A life without challenges would be like going to school without lessons to learn. Challenges come not to depress or get me down, but to master and to grow and to unfold thereby.
In the Father's wise and loving plan for me, no burden can fall upon me, no emergency can arise, no grief can overtake me, before I am given the grace and strength to meet them.
A rich, full life is not determined by outer circumstances and relationships. These can be contributory to it, but cannot be the source. I am happy or unhappy because of what I think and feel.
I can never lose anything that belongs to me, nor can I posses what is not really mine.
To never run from a problem either it will chase me or I will run into another just like it, although it may have a different face or name.
To have no concern for tomorrow. Today is the yesterday over which I had concern.
To never bang on a closed door Wait for it to open and then go through it.
A person who has come into my life has come either to teach me something, or to learn something from me.
Think Again - When You Think You Have Lost
I was praying two days ago and suddenly I saw the sun shinning. I never saw the sun so orange. It would disappear again behind rooftops of houses and again it would come and again it would disappear behind the rooftops. I asked God why is he letting the sun come up and then let is disappear again. He did not answer me till this morning when I was talking to a woman who also read a course in miracles. She told me that probably God wanted to show me that there is brightness, but also there is darkness. At that moment I understood that life is not this or that, but life is this and that.
Hope is not something we have to lose, the same counts for sadness; the more you resist sadness the harder it will get. To have hope is to have faith. Even in the darkest periods of the life faith and hope are always there; the most faithful friends. The sun did not leave, it was there behind the rooftops. It came when it was time for it to come. Being aware that the sun always will shine will give you hope in a new life. Every new day is a new life and the sun shines everyday. Even at night when we don't see it, it is there. Just as the trees, the birds and the see. There is always hope. It is as stable as any part of the nature, for it is nature. God created nature. We created pain and hurt, because we do hurt each other sometimes, forgetting that a simple sorry would do the cure.
Each day I am more aware of the nature and that I am part of it. Sometimes a big nature disaster will occur, but the nature will always fix it again. So my friends, if you have a broken heart for whatever reason, know that you are a part of nature and nature will always fix it again.
I am sharing this with you knowing that a lot of us are having or had a broken heart. Every time we get mad or sad it is our love for ourselves or for someone else that gets damaged. I think that life is about love; you make breakfast in the mornings for your family because you love them, you buy yourself a new book, because you love you. Everything you do or don't do is because you love, and when that feeling gets, hurt your heart brakes. When you think you have lost..............THINK AGAIN!!!!!!!!
Hope is not something we have to lose, the same counts for sadness; the more you resist sadness the harder it will get. To have hope is to have faith. Even in the darkest periods of the life faith and hope are always there; the most faithful friends. The sun did not leave, it was there behind the rooftops. It came when it was time for it to come. Being aware that the sun always will shine will give you hope in a new life. Every new day is a new life and the sun shines everyday. Even at night when we don't see it, it is there. Just as the trees, the birds and the see. There is always hope. It is as stable as any part of the nature, for it is nature. God created nature. We created pain and hurt, because we do hurt each other sometimes, forgetting that a simple sorry would do the cure.
Each day I am more aware of the nature and that I am part of it. Sometimes a big nature disaster will occur, but the nature will always fix it again. So my friends, if you have a broken heart for whatever reason, know that you are a part of nature and nature will always fix it again.
I am sharing this with you knowing that a lot of us are having or had a broken heart. Every time we get mad or sad it is our love for ourselves or for someone else that gets damaged. I think that life is about love; you make breakfast in the mornings for your family because you love them, you buy yourself a new book, because you love you. Everything you do or don't do is because you love, and when that feeling gets, hurt your heart brakes. When you think you have lost..............THINK AGAIN!!!!!!!!
Spit It Out
My daughter Beth has always been one of the wisest people that I have ever known. Even as a baby this wisdom was apparent. I can remember when I first tried to get her to eat green beans from a baby food jar. With the first spoonful she made a terrible face. When I tried to give her a second spoonful she spit it out instantly and it ran down her bib turning it an ugly shade of green. I then foolishly tried to give her a third spoonful. This one she spit out with such force that it landed on both my face and my shirt. When Beth saw what she had done she let out a delighted giggle and I had to smile myself as I wiped off my face. Later wondering how bad those green beans actually were I took a bite of them myself. Never in my entire life had anything tasted quite so nasty as they did.
Unlike that wise baby, though, many of us continue to take in nasty things everyday of our lives. We hear terrible things said about ourselves and others. We read words filled with hate and prejudice. We see acts of violence and meanness everywhere we go. Instead of spitting them out and refusing to let them dwell in our hearts, souls, and minds, however, we hold them inside of us, digest them, and allow them to become a part of us. In the end we even become more like these things ourselves. We are what we eat, after all.
Don’t allow yourself to keep eating and digesting the fear, anger, and hate that this world so often tries to feed you. Spit it out. Refuse to take another bite. And then like a happy Child of God return laughter, love, and joy for it instead. God loves you and prepares you a meal of kindness, goodness, laughter, smiles, love, joy, and oneness with Him everyday. Why eat something nasty when you can delight in this feast and share it with the whole world instead.
Unlike that wise baby, though, many of us continue to take in nasty things everyday of our lives. We hear terrible things said about ourselves and others. We read words filled with hate and prejudice. We see acts of violence and meanness everywhere we go. Instead of spitting them out and refusing to let them dwell in our hearts, souls, and minds, however, we hold them inside of us, digest them, and allow them to become a part of us. In the end we even become more like these things ourselves. We are what we eat, after all.
Don’t allow yourself to keep eating and digesting the fear, anger, and hate that this world so often tries to feed you. Spit it out. Refuse to take another bite. And then like a happy Child of God return laughter, love, and joy for it instead. God loves you and prepares you a meal of kindness, goodness, laughter, smiles, love, joy, and oneness with Him everyday. Why eat something nasty when you can delight in this feast and share it with the whole world instead.
A Tale Of Two Friends
A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, he wrote in the sand:
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE"
They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but his friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he carved on a stone:
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE"
The friend, who had slapped and saved his best friend, asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you carve on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away, but when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BLESSINGS IN STONE.
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE"
They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but his friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he carved on a stone:
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE"
The friend, who had slapped and saved his best friend, asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you carve on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away, but when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BLESSINGS IN STONE.
Hare And Tortoise
Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster. They decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race. The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he'd sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race. He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep. The tortoise plodding on overtook him and soon finished the race, emerging as the undisputed champ. The hare woke up and realized that he'd lost the race.
The moral- "Slow and steady wins the race. This is the version of the story that we've all grown up with."
THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE, there are few more interesting things.....it continues as follows......
The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some soul-searching. He realized that he'd lost the race only because he had been overconfident, careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there's no way the tortoise could have beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.
The moral - " Fast and consistent will always beat the slow and steady. It's good to be slow and steady; but it's better to be fast and reliable."
THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE
The tortoise did some thinking this time, and realized that there's no way it can beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. It thought for a while, and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran at top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of kilometers on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what to do. In the meantime the tortoise trundled along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.
The moral - " First identify your core competency and then change the playing field to suit your core competency."
THE STORY STILL HASN'T ENDED.
The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends and they did some thinking together. Both realized that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again, but to run as a team this time. They started off, and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. There, the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they'd felt earlier.
The moral - "It's good to be individually brilliant and to have strong core competencies; but unless you're able to work in a team and harness each other's core competencies, you'll always perform below par because there will always be situations at which you'll do poorly and someone else does well.
Teamwork is mainly about situational leadership, letting the person with the relevant core competency for a situation take leadership.
Note that neither the hare nor the tortoise gave up after failures. The hare decided to work harder and put in more effort after his failure. The tortoise changed his strategy because he was already working as hard as he could."
In life, when faced with failure, sometimes it is appropriate to work harder and put in more effort. Sometimes it is appropriate to change strategy and try something different. And sometimes it is appropriate to do both. The hare and the tortoise also learnt another vital lesson. When we stop competing against a rival and instead start competing against the situation, we perform far better.
To sum up, the story of the hare and tortoise has much to say: Chief among them are that fast and consistent will always beat slow and steady; work to your competencies; pooling resources and working as a team will always beat individual performers; never give up when faced with failure; & finally, compete against the situation - not against a rival.
The moral- "Slow and steady wins the race. This is the version of the story that we've all grown up with."
THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE, there are few more interesting things.....it continues as follows......
The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some soul-searching. He realized that he'd lost the race only because he had been overconfident, careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there's no way the tortoise could have beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.
The moral - " Fast and consistent will always beat the slow and steady. It's good to be slow and steady; but it's better to be fast and reliable."
THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE
The tortoise did some thinking this time, and realized that there's no way it can beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. It thought for a while, and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran at top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of kilometers on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what to do. In the meantime the tortoise trundled along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.
The moral - " First identify your core competency and then change the playing field to suit your core competency."
THE STORY STILL HASN'T ENDED.
The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends and they did some thinking together. Both realized that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again, but to run as a team this time. They started off, and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. There, the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they'd felt earlier.
The moral - "It's good to be individually brilliant and to have strong core competencies; but unless you're able to work in a team and harness each other's core competencies, you'll always perform below par because there will always be situations at which you'll do poorly and someone else does well.
Teamwork is mainly about situational leadership, letting the person with the relevant core competency for a situation take leadership.
Note that neither the hare nor the tortoise gave up after failures. The hare decided to work harder and put in more effort after his failure. The tortoise changed his strategy because he was already working as hard as he could."
In life, when faced with failure, sometimes it is appropriate to work harder and put in more effort. Sometimes it is appropriate to change strategy and try something different. And sometimes it is appropriate to do both. The hare and the tortoise also learnt another vital lesson. When we stop competing against a rival and instead start competing against the situation, we perform far better.
To sum up, the story of the hare and tortoise has much to say: Chief among them are that fast and consistent will always beat slow and steady; work to your competencies; pooling resources and working as a team will always beat individual performers; never give up when faced with failure; & finally, compete against the situation - not against a rival.
Family & Stranger
I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh excuse me please" was my reply. He said, "Please excuse me, too; I wasn't really watching for you." We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye. But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones,young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My son stood beside me very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken. While I lay awake that night in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger,common courtesy you use, But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the doo at you that way." He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway." I said, "Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue." Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family ----an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?
We went on our way and we said good-bye. But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones,young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My son stood beside me very still. When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken. While I lay awake that night in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger,common courtesy you use, But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the doo at you that way." He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway." I said, "Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue." Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family ----an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?
Enjoy The Coffee
There was group of Notre Dame alumni, highly established in their careers, who got together at their alma mater to hear a guest lecturer and to visit their old university professor.
Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality to the coffee in most cases, just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.
What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... and then began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."
God brews the coffee, not the cups... enjoy your COFFEE.
Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality to the coffee in most cases, just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.
What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... and then began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."
God brews the coffee, not the cups... enjoy your COFFEE.
Ever Increasing Joy
One of the most fascinating discoveries that I have made in my life is that no matter how much love you give to others or joy you share with them you still end up with more than you started with. It is a wonderful miracle that never stops amazing me. When I smile and wave at my neighbor across the road I send all of my joy with it. Yet, when I go back inside my house I find that I have even more joy warming my heart and soul than I did before. When I stop to share a few nice words with someone I meet I share my kindness with them as well. Later, however, I find that the kindness in me has grown greater rather than less. When I give my children a hug and tell them I love them I can actually feel the love flowing from my heart and soul to their's. Still, when I look inside myself afterwards I find that the love within me has increased once again.
I still smile everyday at this wonderful miracle although it must drive the mathematicians crazy. I rejoice in this special law of giving that God has blessed our hearts and souls with. I thank God for the ever increasing joy, love, peace, happiness, goodness, and delight that flows back into my life whenever I share it with others. I hope too that one day the entire world realizes this glorious truth and lives it as well.
Norman Vincent Peale said, "Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself." Never stop giving your joy away then. Never stop sharing your love with the world. You will be amazed at just how much love you can bless others with. You will be delighted at just how much joy you can spread. And most of all you will be surprised at just how much more love and joy grows in your heart and soul when you do so.
I still smile everyday at this wonderful miracle although it must drive the mathematicians crazy. I rejoice in this special law of giving that God has blessed our hearts and souls with. I thank God for the ever increasing joy, love, peace, happiness, goodness, and delight that flows back into my life whenever I share it with others. I hope too that one day the entire world realizes this glorious truth and lives it as well.
Norman Vincent Peale said, "Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself." Never stop giving your joy away then. Never stop sharing your love with the world. You will be amazed at just how much love you can bless others with. You will be delighted at just how much joy you can spread. And most of all you will be surprised at just how much more love and joy grows in your heart and soul when you do so.
Our Expectations
A turtle family went on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outings. Finally the Turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found it. For about six months they cleaned up the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements.
Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell.
He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years, Six years... Then in the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "SEE I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."
Moral: "Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves."
Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell.
He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years, Six years... Then in the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "SEE I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."
Moral: "Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
