INSPIRATION -- NEW YEAR EDITION 2004


Title: Looking For A Soul Mate

Once upon a time, there was a teacher and his student lying down under a big tree near a big grass area. Then, suddenly, the student asked the teacher,

Student: Teacher, I'm confused, how can we find our soul-mate? Can you please help me?

Teacher: (Silent for few second, than he answer) Well, it's a pretty hard and easy question.

Student: (Thinking hard) Huh?

Teacher: Look on that way, there are a lot of grass there, why don't you walk there but please never walk backward, just walk straight ahead. On your way, try to find a beautiful grass and pick it up then give it to me. But just one.

Student: Well, ok then, wait for me. (Walked straight ahead to the grass field)

A few minutes later

Student: I'm back.

Teacher: Well I don't see any beautiful grass on your hand.

Student: On my journey, I found few beautiful grasses, but I thought that I would find a better one, so I didn't pick it up. But I didn't realize that I'm at the end of the field, and I hadn't picked up any. Because you told me not to go back, so I didn't go back.

Teacher: That's what happened in real life.

What is the message of this story?

* Grass - is people around you
* Beautiful Grass - is people that attract you
* Grass Field - is time

* In looking for your soul mate, please don't always compare and hope that there will be a better one. By doing that, you'll waste your lifetime, cause remember "Time Never Goes Back".

It applies the same in finding your ideal life partner, your suitable career or business, therefore the morale is love and grab hold of the opportunity that you have now, don't waste time!

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Title: Loving An Imperfect Person

They have been married for two years. He loves literature and often posts his work on the net, but nobody ever reads them. He is also into photography and he handles their wedding photos. He loves her very much. Likewise with her. She has a quick temper and always bullies him. He is a gentleman and always gives in to her.

Today, she's being willful again.

Her: "Why can't you be the photographer for my friend's wedding? She promised she'd pay."

Him: "I don't have time that day."

Her: "Humph!"

Him: "Huh?"

Her: "Don't have time? Write less of those novels, and you will have all the time you need."

Him: "I... someone will definitely recognize my work some day."

Her: "Humph! I don't care, you'll have to do it for her!"

Him: "No."

Her: "Just this once?"

Him: "No."

Negotiation's broken. So, she gave the final warning: "Give me a Yes within three days, or else..."

First day, she "withheld" the kitchen, bathroom, computer, refrigerator, television, hi-fi... Except the double bed, to show her "benevolence".

Of course, she has to sleep on it too. He didn't mind, as he still has some cash in his pockets.

Second day, she conducted a raid and removed everything from his pockets and warned, "Seek any external help, and you bear the consequences."

He's nervous now. That night, on the bed, he begs for mercy, hoping that she'll end this state. She doesn't give a damn. No way am I giving in, whatever he says. Until he agrees.

Third day, night. On the bed. He's lying on the bed, looking to one side. She's lying on the bed, looking to the other side.

Him: "We need to talk."

Her: "Unless it's about the wedding, forget it."

Him: "It's something very important."

She remains silent.

Him:"Let's get a divorce."

She did not believe her ears.

Him: "I got to know a girl."

She's totally angry, and wanted to hit him. But she held it down, wanting to let him finish. But her eyes already felt wet. He took a photo out from his chest. Probably from his undershirt pocket, that's the only place she didn't go through yesterday. How careless.

Him: "She's a nice girl."

Her tears fell.

Him: "She has a good personality too."

She's heartbroken because he puts a photo of some other girl close to his heart.

Him: "She says that she'll support me fully in my pursue for literature after we got married."

She's very jealous because she said the same thing in the past.

Him: "She loves me truly."

She wishes to sit up and scream at him "Don't I?"

Him: "So, I think she won't force me to do something that I don't want to do."

She's thinking, but the rage won't subside.

Him: "Want to take a look at the photo I took for her?"

Her: "...!"

He brings the photo before her eyes. She's in a total rage, hits his hand away and leaves a burning slap on his face.

He sighs. She cries.

He puts the photo back to his pocket. She pulls her hand back under the blanket.

He turns off the light, and sleeps. She turns on the light, and sits up. He's asleep. She lost sleep. She regrets treating him the way she treated him.

She cried again, and thought about a lot of things. She wants to wake him up. She wants to have a intimate talk with him. She doesn't want to push him anymore. She stares at his chest. She wants to see how the girl looks.

She slips the photo out. She wanted to cry and she wanted to laugh.

It's a nicely taken photo. A photo he took for her. She bends down, and kissed him on his cheek.

He smiled. He was just pretending to be asleep.

"You learn to love, not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly."

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Title: Objections From Family

From the very beginning, girl's family objected strongly on her dating this guy. Saying that it has got to do with family background and the girl will have to suffer for the rest of her life if she were to be with him.

Due to family's pressure, the couple quarrel very often. Though the girl love the guy deeply, but she always ask him: "How deep is your love for me?" As the guy is not good with his words, this often causes the girl to be very upset.

With that and the family's pressure, the girl often vents her anger on him. As for him, he only endures it in silence.

After a couple of years, the guy finally graduated and decided to further his studies in overseas. Before leaving, he proposed to the girl: "I'm not very good with words. But all I know is that I love you. If you allow me, I will take care of you for the rest of my life. As for your family, I'll try my best to talk them round. Will you marry me?"

The girl agreed, and with the guy's determination, the family finally gave in and agreed to let them get married. So before he leaves, they got engaged. The girl went out to the working society, whereas the guy was overseas, continuing his studies. They sent their love thru emails and phone calls. Though it's hard, but both never thought of giving up.

One day, while the girl was on her way to work, she was knocked down by a car that lost control. When she woke up, she saw her parents beside her bed. She realized that she was badly injured. Seeing her mum crying, she wanted to comfort her. But she realized that all that could come out of her mouth was just a sigh. She has lost her voice... The doctor says that the impact on her brain has caused her to loss her voice. Listening to her parents' comfort, but with nothing coming out from her, she broke down.

During the stay in hospital, besides silence cry, it's still just silence cry that accompanied her. Upon reaching home, everything seems to be the same, except for the ringing tone of the phone. This pierced into her heart every time it rang. She does not wish to let the guy know and not wanting to be a burden to him, she wrote a letter to him saying that she does not wish to wait any longer.

With that, she sent the ring back to him. In return, the guy sent millions and millions of reply, countless of phone calls. All the girl could do, besides crying, is still crying... The parents decided to move away, hoping that she could eventually forget everything and be happy.

With a new environment, the girl learns sign language and started a new life. Telling her everyday that she must forget the guy. One day, her friend came and told her that he's back. She asked her friend not to let him know what happened to her. Since then, there wasn't anymore news of him.

A year has passed and her friend came with an envelope, containing an invitation card for the guy's wedding. Girl was shattered. When she opens the letter, she saw her name in it instead. When she was about to ask her friend what's going on, she saw the guy standing in front of her.

He used sign language telling her "I've spent a year's time to learn sign language. Just to let you know that I've not forgotten our promise. Let me have the chance to be your voice. "I Love You." With that, he slipped the ring back into her finger. The girl finally smiled."


*Treat every relationship as if it's the last one, then you'll know how to give.
*Treat every moment as is it's the last day, and then you'll know how to treasure.

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Title: "Hello. Information Please"

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood.

I remember well, the polished old case fastened to the wall and the shiny receiver on the side of the box.

I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother would talk to it.

Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person and her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know.

"Information Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct time.

My first personal experience with this genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement. I whacked my finger with hammer.

The pain was terrible but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give me sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway, the telephone!

Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlor and held it to my ear.

"Information Please" I said into the mouthpiece just above my head.

A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.

"Information."

"I hurt my finger!" I wailed into the phone.

The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.

"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with a hammer and it hurts."

"Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could!

"Then chip off a piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything.

I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math.

She told me that my pet chipmunk, which I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts. Then there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called "Information Please" and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said the usual thing grown-ups say to soothe a child. But, I was inconsolable. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul, you must remember that there are other worlds to sing in." Somehow, I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone.

"Information Please".

"Information," said the now familiar voice.

"How do you spell 'fix'?"

I asked. All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest.

When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston.

I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and somehow I never thought of trying the tall, new shiny phone that sat on the table in the hall.

As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.

Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then.

I appreciated now how patient, understanding and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy. A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle.

I had about half-an-hour or so between planes.

I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then, without thinking about what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please." Miraculously, I heard the small clear voice I knew so well.

"Information." I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell 'fix'?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must be healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really still you," I said.

"I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?"

"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle.

A different voice answered, "Information." I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she said.

"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said.

"Sally had been working part time in the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago." Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Are you Paul?"

"Yes". "Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you."

The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant. Never underestimate the impression you make on others.

Whose life have you touched today?

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Title: Family

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 door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue. He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise. You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."

By this time, I was feeling very small, and then my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found them, out by the tree. I picked them because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue."

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today. I shouldn't have yelled 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?

So what is behind this story? Do you know what the word FAMILY means?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU!

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Title: A "Love" Story

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived. Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all the feelings prepared their boats to leave. Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment. When the island was almost totally under, Love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help.

Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, "I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."

Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." "I can't help you," Vanity said. "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."

Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."

Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, "Happiness, please take me with you." But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.

Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, "Come Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realized how much she owed the elder.

Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?" Love asked. Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

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Title: Relentless Pursuit Of Perfection

A Good Story for Great Friends...

There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all. She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper.

The days passed and the young girl was finally able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone. The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence. She said, "You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one." You can put a knife in a person and draw it out.

It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.

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Title: Never Mind, There's Tomorrow

Once, there lived a child. He lived in a happy family, with parents and siblings. However, he never stopped to think about how wonderful his life had been. He just kept on playing, squabbling with his siblings when they did not want to play what he wanted to play. However, when he wanted to apologize, he always said, "Never mind, there's tomorrow."

When he grew up a little, school was a very nice place for him. He learned, made friends, and was very happy. However, he never thought that this was happiness to him. It all came so naturally that he felt it should become part of his life. One day, he had a great fight with his best friend. Though he knew he was in the wrong, he never took the initiative to apologize or made up with his best friend. His excuse was, "Never mind, I'll do it tomorrow."

When he grew up yet some more, that best friend was no longer part of his. Even though he still sees his friend around, but they don't even greet each other. But that was all right, because he still had other good friends. He and his friends did almost everything together, eating, playing, doing homework, and fooling around. Yes, they were another bunch of very good friends.

When he graduated, work kept him very busy. He's found himself a very pretty and virtuous girlfriend and she soon became his constant companion. He made himself busy with work, because he wanted to get promoted to the highest position with the shortest time possible.

Sure, he missed his good friends. He missed them a lot. But he never got down to keep in touch with them, not even a telephone call. He always said, "Boy, I'm so tired, I'll catch up with them tomorrow." It didn't affect him at all because he could find colleagues who are always willing to go pubing with him. Thus, as time passes by, he's forgotten to call his friends.

After he's got married with kids, he works even harder in order to bring comfort to his family. He never buys flowers for his wife anymore, nor does he remember his wife's birthdays and wedding anniversary. It was all right because his wife always understood him, and never blamed him. Of course, he felt guilty at times and wanted very much to have a chance to say to his wife "I love you", but he never got down to doing it. His excuse was "never mind, I'll do it tomorrow for sure". He never made it to his children's birthday parties, but his time he did not knew how it would affect the children. The children began to drift away from him, as they never really spent time with their father.

One day, disaster struck when his wife was killed in an accident. It was a hit and run accident. But on that day, he was in the middle of a meeting. Failing to understand that it is a fatal accident, he arrived by his wife's deathbed only to see her on the verge of death. Before he could mouth out the words "I love you", his wife had already passed away.

The man became despondent and tried to find solace in his children after his wife's death. However, he soon realized that the children do not even try to communicate with him. Soon, his children have grown up and found their own families. Nobody cared for this old man who in the past hadn't spared his time for them.

He moved into the best Old Folk's Home, which provides excellent service with the money he has saved for him and his wife's 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversary celebrations. All the money intended to go to Hawaii, New Zealand, and other countries went into the fund that pays for his stay in the home.

From that time until his deathbed, there were only old folks and nurses taking care of him. He now felt the loneliness that he did not feel before. Upon his deathbed, he called a nurse in and said to her, "Ah. If only I had realized this earlier... " and died with tears upon his cheek.

What I am trying to tell you is time never stops. You go on and on, and before you realized it, you've already gone very far. If you had quarreled, make up quickly!

If you feel you need to hear your friend's voice, don't hesitate to pick up the phone.

If there are many dreams that you wish to fulfill, fulfill them as soon as possible.

Lastly, but most importantly, if you feel you need to tell somebody that you care, don't wait until it is too late. If you keep thinking you will do that another day, then that day will never come. If you always think that tomorrow will come, then 'tomorrow' will run out quickly and you'll realize the time that you've left behind you.

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Title: Motivation

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill.

In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.

"Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20."

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!

Please pass this onto everyone in your email address book. You will never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring!

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Title: Attitude

Jerry is the manager of a restaurant in America. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood I always choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it I always choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I always choose the positive side of life."

"But it's not always that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's your choice how you live your life."

Several years later, I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business: he left the back door of his restaurant open one morning and was robbed by three armed men. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily,

Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.

In their eyes, I read "He's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything." "Yes." I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets!" Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy your life or to hate it. The only thing that is truly yours -- that no one can control or take from you -- is your attitude, so if you can take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.

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Title: Who Meant The Most To You?

There is this guy who loves two gals at the same time but he doesn’t know which one he loves more. Someone taught him:

"If you are happy, who do you think of first? If you think of her, she is the one you love more."

NO, THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO TEST THE FORMULA OF LOVE.

Ask yourself this question honestly:

"When you are sad, which gal/guy you want to share your burden with?" If you think of that gal/guy first, she/he is the one that you love more. However if you think of the same gal/guy when you are happy & sad, that's the most perfect. But if you didn't think of the same gal/guy, I would advise you to choose the one you are willing to share your sadness with.

In life, there are more sorrows than happiness. There are too many people whom you can share your happiness with, not necessary your lover. If you live your life happily, you can also enjoy it alone. Sadness, however not many people is willing to share burden with you. If you are willing to tell her/him your unhappiness, she/he got to be someone who is closest & most understanding to you.

In other words, if she/he only thinks of you when she/he is happy, but look for someone else when she/he is sad. This kind of lover is too unstable; she/he didn't treat you as someone she/he can spend the rest of her life with.

Of course, I will be very happy if I am the first person to share her/his happiness. But, if she/he is sad, I will be too willing to stay by her/his side & ease her/his pain. Only then, I will believe I hold a very important position in her/his heart.

If you are sad, who comes to your mind first?

Friendship is a strange thing. We find ourselves telling each other the deepest details of our lives... things we don't even share with the families who raised us. But what is a friend? A confidant? A shoulder to cry on? An ear to listen? A heart to feel? A friend is all these... and more. No matter where we met, no matter how long we've been together... I call you friend. A word so small, yet so large in feeling, a word filled with emotion, a word overflowing with love. Truly great things come in small packages.

Once the package of friendship has been opened, it can never be closed. It is a constant book always waiting... waiting to be read and enjoyed. We may have our disagreements... we may have our disappointments... we may argue.. we may concern one another friendship is a unique bond that lasts through all tribulations. A part of each of us goes into our friendships... our humor... our experiences... our tears.

Friendships are foundations... necessary for life... and love.

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Title: How Many Friends Do You Have?

Think about it...

The old man turned to me and asked, "How many friends have you?" Why 10 or 20 friends... I have plenty, and I named off just a few.

He rose quite slow with effort and sadly shook his head "A lucky child you are to have so many friends," he said.

"But think of what you're saying, there is so much that you do not even know who to name." A friend is not just someone to whom you say 'Hello'

A friend is a tender shoulder on which to softly cry on... a well, to pour your troubles down... and of course, raise your spirits high.

A friend is a hand to pull you up from darkness and despair... When all your other "so called" friends have helped to put you there.

A true friend is an ally who can't be moved or bought... a voice to keep your name alive, when others have forgotten.

But most of all, a friend is a heart... a very strong and sturdy wall for from the hearts of friends there comes the greatest love of all!!!

So think of what I've spoken for every word is true and answer once again my child, "How many friends have you?"

And then he stood and faced me awaiting my reply. Softly I answered, "If lucky... one... I HAVE YOU!!!"

Pass this on and let your friends know that you care!!!

A Friend Is Always Special Because Friends Love You Because You Are You!

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Title: A Price To Everything In Life

There was this museum laid with beautiful marble tiles, with a huge marble statue displayed in the middle of the lobby. Many people came from all over the world just to admire this beautiful marble statue.

One night, the marble tiles started talking to the marble statue.

Marble tile: Marble statue, it's just not fair, it's just not fair! Why does everybody from all over the world come all the way here just to step on me while admiring you? Not fair!

Marble statue: My dear friend, marble tile. Do you still remember that we were actually from the same cave?

Marble tile: Yeah! That's why I feel it is even more unfair. We were born from the same cave and yet we receive different treatment now. Not fair!"

Marble statue: Then, do you still remember the day when the designer tried to work on you, but you resisted the tools?

Marble tile: Yes, of course I remember. I hate that guy! How could he use those tools on me, it hurt so badly.

Marble statue: That's right! He couldn't work on you at all as you resisted being worked on.

Marble tile: So???

Marble statue: When he decided to give up on you and start working on me instead, I knew at once that I would be something different after his efforts. I did not resist his tools, instead I bore all the painful tools he used on me.

Marble tile: Mmmmmm......

Marble statue: My friend, there is a price to everything in life. Since you decided to give up half way, you can't blame anybody who steps on you now."


The moral of the story is ....
It simply means that the more hard knocks you go through in life, the more you'll learn and put them to use in the future!! Do not be discouraged by setbacks and failures. Past is past, you can't change it but it is actually a blessing in disguise. Past was good, Present is better and the future will always be the best.

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Title: Be Contented

After a conversation with one of my friends, he told me despite taking 2 jobs, he brings back barely above 1K per month, he is happy as he is.

I wonder how he can be as happy as he is considering he has to skimp his life with the low pay to support a pair of old parents, in-laws, a wife, 2 daughters and the many bills of a household.

He explained that it was through one incident that he saw in India... that happened a few years ago when he was really feeling low and touring India after a major setback.

He said that right in front of his very eyes, he saw an Indian mother chop off her child's right hand with a chopper. The helplessness in the mother's eyes, the scream of pain from the innocent 4-year-old child haunted him until today.

You may ask why did the mother do so; had the child been naughty, had the child's hand been infected?? No, it was done for two simple words - - - TO BEG!

The desperate mother deliberately caused the child to be handicapped so that the child could go out to the streets to beg. Taken aback by the scene, he dropped a piece of bread he was eating half-way. And almost instantly, a flock of 5 or 6 children swamped towards this small piece of bread which was covered with sand, robbing bits from one another. The natural reaction of hunger.

Stricken by the happenings, he instructed his guide to drive him to the nearest bakery. He arrived at two bakeries and bought every single loaf of bread he found in the bakeries. The owner was dumbfounded but willingly sold everything. He spent less than $100 to obtain about 400 loaves of bread (this is less than $0.25 per loaf) and spent another $100 to get daily necessities.

Off he went in the truck full of bread into the streets. As he distributed the bread and necessities to the children (mostly handicapped) and a few adults, he received cheers and bows from these unfortunate. For the first time in his life he wondered how people can give up their dignity for a loaf of bread which cost less than $0.25.

He began to tell himself how fortunate he is. How fortunate he is to be able to have a complete body, have a job, have a family, have the chance to complain what food is nice and what isn't nice, have the chance to be clothed, have the many things that these people in front of him are deprived of...

Now I begin to think and feel it, too! Was my life really that bad? Perhaps... no, I should not feel bad at all... What about you? Maybe the next time you think you are, think about the child who lost one hand to beg on the streets.

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, it is the realization of how much you already have."

When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

Please send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life in one way or another, to those who make you smile when you really need it, to those that make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, to those who you want to let them know that you appreciate their friendship.

- posted by T @ 8:18 pm

 
LiLi and Her Mother in Law


A long time ago in China, a girl named Li-Li got married and went to
live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found
that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their
personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her
mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never
stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was
that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her
mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness
in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and
dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it.
Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs. She
told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that
she could solve the problem once and for all.

Mr. Huang thought for a while, and finally said, "Li-Li, I will help
you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell
you."
Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do."

Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with
a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison
to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to
become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will
slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious
meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make
sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very careful to
act very friendly towards her. Don't argue with her, obey her every wish,
and treat her like a queen." Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang
and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served
the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr.
Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper,
obeyed her mother- in-law, and treated her like her own mother.

After six moths had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li
had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she
almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her
mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and
easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to
love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives
that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her
mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and
daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again.
She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing
my mother-in-law! She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her
like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave
her."

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to
worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were
vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your
attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you
gave to her."

MORAL: Have you ever realized that how you treat others is exactly
how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: 'The person who
loves others will also be loved in return.'

It doesn't matter what leads me here,
what matters is what I leave with -- Anoymous

Romans 12:21, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with
good." Remember: Jesus died for us, can't we live for Him by spreading His
Word; we'll definitely be rewarded.

GOD BLESS!!!!
- posted by T @ 7:28 pm

 
Formula for Success

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is equal to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26

Then ......
H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

K+N+O+W+L+E+D+G+E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

L+O+V+E=12+15+22+5=54%

L+U+C+K = 12+21+3+11 = 47%

None of them makes 100% !!!
Then what makes 100%?
--Is it Money? ..... No!!!!!
--Leadership? ...... NO!!!!

Well,....

A+T+T+I+T+U+D+E = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

Don't you think so?? Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps
change our "ATTITUDE".
It is OUR ATTITUDE towards Life and Work that makes OUR Life 100%
Successful...

- posted by T @ 7:28 pm

 
DREAMS

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

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS
OPTIONAL.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by
what we give. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God
brings you to it--He will bring you through it. Lord I love You and I
need You, come into my heart, Today. For without You I can do nothing.
- posted by T @ 11:46 pm