Lessons of a lifetime...

I really like this PG. There is ALWAYS a chance that we may not know all the facts and so , therefore, could possibly be wrong. We must always leave our minds open for the unknown.

Yes, that's true Dawn! Ever wondered ....the human mind is believed to be belonging to the most intelligent species on this planet ...but this mind often perceives only what we want it to. This is what we call pre-conceived notion. Human mind, no matter how powerful it is, cannot think beyond a certain limit. Then who is it that governs our mind?

A Lesson for a Lifetime
Posted by ancutamaria on June 11, 2008

When I arrived at 6 a.m. in the large hospital kitchen, Rose was already checking name tags on the trays against the patient roster. Stainless steel shelves held rows of breakfast trays which we would soon be serving.

“Hi, I’m Janet.” I tried to sound cheerful, although I already knew Rose’s reputation for being impossible to work with. “I’m scheduled to work with you this week.”

Rose, a middle-aged woman with graying hair, stopped what she was doing and peered over her reading glasses. I could tell from her expression she wasn’t pleased to see a student worker.

“What do you want me to do? Start the coffee?”


Rose sullenly nodded and went back to checking name tags.

I filled the 40-cup pot with cold water and began making the coffee when Rose gruffly snapped, “That’s not the way to make coffee.” She stepped in and took over.

“I was just doing it the way our supervisor showed us to do it,” I said in astonishment.

“The patients like the coffee better the way I do it,” she replied curtly.

Nothing I did pleased her. All morning her eagle eyes missed nothing and her sharp words stung. She literally trailed me around the kitchen.


Later, after breakfast had been served and the dishes had been washed, I set up my share of trays for the next meal. Then I busied myself cleaning the sink. Certainly Rose couldn’t criticize the way I did that.

When I turned around, there stood Rose, rearranging all of the trays I had just set up!

Totally exhausted, I trudged the six blocks home from the University of Minnesota Hospital late that June afternoon. As a third year university student working my way through school, I had never before encountered anyone like Rose.

Fighting back tears, I wrestled with my dilemma alone in my room. “Lord, what do you want me to do? I can’t take much more of Rose.”

I turned the possibilities over in my mind. Should I see if my supervisor would switch me to work with someone else? Scheduling was fairly flexible. On the other hand, I didn’t want to be a quitter. I knew my older co-workers were watching to see if my actions matched my words.

The answer to my prayer caught me completely by surprise — I needed to love Rose.

Love her? No way! Tolerate, yes, but loving her was impossible.

“Lord, I can’t love Rose. You’ll have to do it through me.”

Working with Rose the next morning, I ignored the barbs thrown in my direction and did things Rose’s way as much as possible to avoid friction. As I worked, I silently began to surround Rose with a warm blanket of prayers. “Lord, help me love Rose. Lord, bless Rose.”

Over the next few days an amazing thing began to happen. As I prayed for this irritating woman, my focus shifted from what she was doing to me, and I started seeing Rose as the hurting person she was. The icy tension began to melt away.

Throughout the rest of the summer, we had numerous opportunities to work together. Each time she seemed genuinely happy to see me. As I worked with this lonely woman, I listened to her–something no one else had done.

I learned that she was burdened by elderly parents who needed her care, her own health problems, and an alcoholic husband she was thinking of leaving.

The days slipped by quickly as I finished the last several weeks of my summer job. Leaves were starting to turn yellow and red, and there was a cool, crispness in the air. I soon would be returning as a full-time university student.

One day, while I was working alone in one of the hospital kitchens, Rose entered the room. Instead of her blue uniform, she was wearing street clothes.

I looked at her in surprise. “Aren’t you working today?”

“I got me another job and won’t be working here no more,” she said as she walked over and gave me a quick hug. “I just came to say good-bye.” Then she turned abruptly and walked out the door.

Although I never saw Rose again, I still remember her vividly. That summer I learned a lesson I’ve never forgotten. The world is full of people like Rose–irritating, demanding, unlovable - yet hurting inside. I’ve found that love is the best way to turn an enemy into a friend.

That's a very touching story in deed, Michael. We as humans should first try to step into the other person's shoes before reaching a conclusion. That's where our emotional intelligence comes to play.

Second thing that it proves is that love can break the toughest of barriers. ...very apt!

wonderful.....Yes dear why we start judging ppl frm within a min??? Why we start doubting someone without knowing anything bout that person ?? Why cant we believe that he or she may be true , honest.......hmmmm One should always try to understand a person not frm his answers but frm his questions...

It's often because we have highly efficient brains and we are too proud of this fact. We are greatly emotional like no other living thing on earth. Did you ever wonder Vasu ...why we suffer, when all other species on this planet are happy, content and confined to their own small world? Because we can use our emotions negatively and positively both ....and we suffer for the former kind of their use. We suffer because we expect too much from others.

Hmmmm......Yes pankaj i agree with you ?? But what exception
you are talking about my dear?? Noh dear i don't expect anything frm anybody...truly speaking....except some kindness...some warmth frm those ppl whom i love..not even return love also...yes dear i am afraid of anything that is negative...so i always keep my face to the sunshine so that i can only see the light....who i am to judge others when i myself is not sure how right i am ????? smilessss
Vasu

People seldom listen to other's points of views, they are too busy waiting to try and convince the other guy is wrong.

P.S. I like your story there, Pankaj. :)

Because ....with acquisition of knowledge the human race became too wise to regard others' knowledge ....even the other human beings'.

Another funny story that I sent to all my consultant friends who got into this profession by mistake. The story leads to the same conclusion: Are we smart enough to know how right or wrong people around us could possibly be?

Once upon a time there was a shepherd looking after his sheep on the side of a deserted road. Suddenly a brand new Porsche screeches to halt. The driver, a man dressed in an Armani suit, Cerutti shoes, Ray-Ban sunglasses, TAG-Heuer wrist-watch, and a Pierre Cardin tie, gets out and asks the Shepherd: "If I can tell you how many sheep you have, will you give me one of them?" The shepherd looks at the young man, and then looks at the large flock of grazing sheep and replies: "Okay."

The young man parks the car, connects his laptop to the mobile-phone, enters a NASA Webster, scans the ground using his GPS, opens a database and 60 Excel tables filled with logarithms and pivot tables, then prints out a 150 page report on his high-tech mini- printer. He turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1,586 sheep here.

"The shepherd cheers," That's correct, you can have our sheep."

The young man makes his pick and puts it in the back of his Porsche.

The shepherd looks at him and asks: "If I guess your profession, will you return my animal to me?" The young man answers, "Yes, why not".

The shepherd says, "You are a consultant ".

"How did you know?" asks the young man.

"Very simple," answers the shepherd.

"First, you came here without being called. Second, you charged me a fee to tell me something I already knew, and third, you don't understand anything about my business... Now can I have my DONKEY back?"

Another one. A little long but worth a read:

At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, 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, who was mentally and physically disabled 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 I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my 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.

I 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. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my 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 I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases 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 chance 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.

B y 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 me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:
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.

May your day, be a Shay Day.

That is a beautiful story, ...PG, it really made me cry.
I will try to remember another "lesson".. shortly it would be like that:
A man with faith in God one day got sick. He was not worried at all, because every day when he would walk on the beach, along with his footprints, there was another pair of footprints right next to his.. And he knew God was by his side. Every day he got sicker and sicker, but he took relief in seeing the second pair of footsteps in the sand as he walked... One day, on his usual walk, he noticed only one pair of footsteps behind, and got very sad and discouraged, thinking "God, why have you abandoned me?" The next day, he died. Arrived "face to face" with God, he asked Him the same question, why he had abandoned him in his last day on earth... and God replied: "I never abandoned you, Son, that day I was carrying you in my arms".

I know it is a very "plastic" representation, but if we get past the paradigms, I think we could all learn something from it :)

No matter how plastic one finds our versions, but these are a few inspiring episodes of life telling us to keep going whenever we feel we have had enough of life.

This was another lovely keepsake. Thanks for sharing, Adriana.

You're welcome, I love this topic :)

Beautiful story PG. :)) And in the same time, full of wisdom. I always came to the comclusion that misunderstandings and missinterpretations can come between not only two people, but also between a person and a certain situation. Recently, i had an experince that was a little funny and in the same time sad..This type of misunderstandings can break up friendships and special connections and i have seen it hapening before. In my opinion, communication is the key. If you loose contact with a person and all you do are a few things here and there..you understand them THE WAY YOU WANT...WITHOUT ASKING THAT PERSON, IF YOUR UNDERSTADNING WAS CORRECT OR NOT.I am not sure if i make sense here or not...but i can give more details if i have to:P.

You are so correct, Florina. I wish we could value our relationships and conserve them for as long as possible. What else are we going to leave back when we pack up from this world?

It makes lot of sense, Florina. Do share whatever you want to. This is the right forum.

We minimize our worries and maximize happiness through sharing.

Your wrong......

Welcome back Kevin after a long time.

But your remark is wee small and does not explain. Elaborate ...I'm curious.

Lets just say i was looking to blame others instead of squaring my shoulders and accepting responsibility. In this case I had relied on another member of my organization to take care of a situation that directly affected my scope of responsibility and influence. When this member failed to get the job done I was all to eager to Blame him. In fact it was my fault as even though he had failed I was still ultimately responsible and could of taken other steps to insure that my area was not affected even if he did not get the job done. in other words I could of safeguarded and planned for his failure instead of transfering my responsibility to him. Dont get me wrong he still was responsible for his failure but ultimately I had been all to willing to relinquish responsibility and was in fact allowing myself to fall victim to anothers irresponsibility. In todays society we see examples where people are soley to blame yet we see them attempting and at times succeeding in pushing their responsibility onto others. It sickens me. Ultimately i feel your responsible for your lot in life as am I. I am not saying there are not cases of gross negligence just that if you truly accept responsibility for yourself life tends to transition much more smoothly.

Kevin: Even at the risk of sounding to repeat myself I have to say that the basic problem lies in the perceived value of a situation. My folks taught me that I should solely own the responsibility of my team's failures and share the credit of my successes with my entire team. I followed this religiously and have my team stand by me in every difficult situation.

It's easier said than done and we all come across such situations in life -knowingly or unknowingly. So, don't bother yourself with any negative feelings, bud.

If I portrayed a negative feeling there wasnt one. I agree with your philosophy entirely. It was merely a growth moment for me that has helped shape me to this day.

Oh! For a moment I interpreted it as if the thing was still lingering at the back of your mind.

No it was a turning point....a maturing point if you will and I am the better for it.

We keep learning all of our life. In other words that's life.

You know I used to think that but I am not so sure anymore. I would like to think everyone keeps learing but then I run into people who dont seem very evolutionary at all...lmao

They are also a part of the same life. You just need to look at the things with a different perspective that should suit your imagination and keep you happy.

Totally happy, If anything I feel a slight amount of pity for them because they are the ones who seem so lost

If I don't sound like preaching may I suggest to do whatever keeps you happy rather than bothering how others feel about their acts?

Preach on Preacher man...lol

I think my biggest life changing lesson was when I had a superior in my company call me with a few words of advice. His main comment was "Kevin, Dont be a victim". I have shaped my life off that comment ever since.

smilesss.......

A beautiful and moving anecdote !!
Please think of this from my perspective....it's not just an amusing story for me..

Give your remarks on this one:

LOOKS ARE DECEPTIVE: Judging People by Appearance!

A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University President's outer office.

The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.

"We'd like to see the president," the man said softly.

"He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.

"We'll wait," the lady replied.

For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away.

They didn't, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted.

"Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they'll leave," she said to him!

He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.

The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple. The lady told him, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year.

He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."

The president wasn't touched. He was shocked.

"Madam," he said, gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died.. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."

"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly. "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."

The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard."

For a moment the lady was silent.

The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now.

The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?"

Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.

Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

...A TRUE STORY by Malcolm Forbes

wooooow, i had no idea this is how Standford started!!!! Wonderful story! And very emotional !!! Yes, many of us judge a person solely by appearance and..first impression. Why? Because we are to selfish and very ...rushed to take conclusions. This is just my NICE way of saying it:)))

Good to note that it has already started showing results! Every story has a meaning. This one is not an anecdote though, but a lovely story...which has a deep meaning.

I know this true story....the first time I read it a year ago, I felt deeply moved by the simplicity of this couple..

Exactly ...when we often feel that we know everything ...someone humbly makes us realize how little we know of ourselves ....leave apart other things.

Yeah....like you make me realise how little I know of myself...lol

Awwwww! *HIDING BLUSHES*

Hey....I'm turning "pinnnnkk"..like my flower !!

*KEEPS BLUSHING*

A food for thought for you:
Her Diary

Today night, I thought he was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a cafe to have some coffee.

I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment. Conversation wasn't flowing so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk, he agreed but he kept quiet and absent.

I asked him what was wrong - he said, "Nothing."

I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said it had nothing to do with me and not to worry.

On the way home I told him that I loved him, he simply smiled and kept driving. I can't explain his behavior; I don't know why he didn't say, "I love u, too.."

When we got home I felt as if I had lost him, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there and watched TV.; he seemed distant and absent.

Finally I decided to go to bed. About 10 minutes later he came to bed.

I decided that I could not take it anymore, so I decided to confront him with the situation but he had fallen asleep. I started crying and cried until I too fell asleep.

I don't know what to do.. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else.

My life is a disaster.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````


His Diary

Today India lost (the cricket match) against Bangladesh.
.....Damn it!


Now... that's what I call: Simplicity of men vs Complexity of women

: )

Hahahahaha.....Complexity???????????????

Simplicity and Complexity being the opposites attract each other ....!! ha ha...

And this joke ...that resembles the theme story quite a bit:
A man feared his wife wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.

"Here's what you do," said the Doctor, "stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.

"That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He says to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see what happens." then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for dinner?" No response. So the husband moves to closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, "Honey, what's for dinner?" Still no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, Honey, what's for dinner?" Again he gets no response so; He walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. "Honey, what's for dinner?" Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her.

"Honey, what's for dinner?" ;;;; "James, for the FIFTH time I've said, BOILED CHICKEN!"

Lesson of my lifetime!!

Never regret anything! and specially not the moment that once made u smile!

There's some scope for debate ...I feel. The objective of momentary pleasures can often influence your decision making in right (sometimes referred to ethical) direction.

I would highly recommend here a book I read and would always read again with the same interest and pleasure: "Illusions-The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah" by Richard Bach, of which I dare quote a few words :)

"You are never given a wish without being given
the power to make it true.
You may have to work for it, however."

"Every person, all the events of your life, are there because you have drawn them there.
What you choose to do with them is up to you."

"A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed, it feels an impulsion....this is the place to go now.
But the sky knows the reason and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.."

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull is the only book of Richard Bach that I have read yet. The book itself is an inspiration of a lifetime. I'm glad you have quoted another of his masterpiece. I'll buy it tomorrow itself.

Every quote is a lesson ....especially this: You are never given a wish without being given the power to make it true. That gives me more reasons to read it....

Thanks Adriana. :D

You're very welcome, I loved Jonathan Livingstone Seagull too :) and I hope I'll get to read more of Bach's books, they are indeed a must read :D

Oh absolutely! And now, while talking about the books and seagulls, I wouldn't miss to recommend Erich Segal's Love Story and Oliver's Story. These books also taught me a few life lessons.

I'll try to find them :) Thank you PG

Mind you ...they are no inspirational books, Adriana. But they are the perfect love stories I ever read ....full of humor and sentiments all at the same time.

I see :) Lately I preferred inspirational/spiritual books, less other kind of writings, except maybe some of the reference books in the universal literature.. somehow I feel like I'm wasting my time reading something else, I want to know more and more, and be closer to the Truth (I hope I'm making sense to you), although I know very well that most of the lessons we have to learn are not in books, but in every little experience we encounter in our lives :D

True. But you won't regret having read these, I'm sure.

Ok , if I find them, I'll read them :), you seem like a reasonable man :)))))))))))

Reasonably sensible man...lol.

I would love to know what members think of this song I found it very moveing and a lesson we can take with us to our love ones.
.

Michael ...could you give me two days so as to respond to this? I could watch the video but I have no access to speakers these days. However, the captions were excellent.
Thanks!

Today I realized after listening to the song that the captions were actually lyrics. The song was as beautifully sung as the lyrics were.

Now take this:
A guy woke up at home with a huge hangover. He forced himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he saw is a couple of aspirins and a glass of water on the side table. He sat down and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed.

He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotless, clean. So is the rest of the house. He takes the aspirins and notices a note on the table. "Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to go shopping. Love You!"

So he goes to the kitchen and sure enough there is a hot breakfast and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating. He asks, "Son, what happened last night?"

His son says, "Well, you came home around 3 AM, drunk and delirious. Broke some furniture, puked in the hallway, and gave yourself a black eye when you stumbled into the door". Confused, he asks, "So, why is everything in order and so clean, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me? I should expect a big quarrel with her!"

His son replies, "Oh, that! Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your clothes and shoes off, you said, "hey!!!!!!! Leave me alone! I'm married!"

Moral:

Breakfast -- $ 10.00

Self-induced hangover -- $ 20.00

Broken furniture -- $ 100.00

Saying The Right Thing Even When Drunk - "PRICELESS " !!!!!!!!!!!!

That is funny... but so true! :))

Life's Lesson
He took me out
He held my hand
I thought he was
The perfect man
.
I was there
When he needed me
I was by his side
When no one else would be
.
I took his hand
when he was in pain
And cried a tear
for his pain
.
Then one day
the tables turned
And one of life's lessons
I soon learned
.
I was alone
with no one there
I lay in pain
and cried in fear
.
No one cared
to hold my hand
Or tell me that
they understand
.
Now he's long gone
And I can't feel
the wounds inside
They must have healed
.
He changed my life
And now I can see
What a better person
This has all made me be
.
© Tasha Strickland (age 15)

A beautiful portrayal of love, pain and emotions this poetry is ....specially from someone who would be believed not to understand their meaning at this early age.
We often learn things a hard way ...but those learnings stay with us for a life time.

hmmmm.....i know how someone feel when this happen ...i understand her pain.....i am crying.....vasu

Today when I opened my mailbox a story sent by a close friend hit me hard. I started wondering whether I was worth the job I was doing all these years? Take a look:

An elderly couple retired to the countryside - to a small isolated cottage overlooking some rugged and rocky heath land.

One early morning the woman saw from her window a young man dressed in working clothes walking on the heath, about a hundred yards away. He was carrying a spade and a small case, and he disappeared from view behind a copse of trees.

The woman thought no more about it but around the same time the next day she saw the man again, carrying his spade and a small case, and again he disappeared behind the copse.

The woman mentioned this to her husband, who said he was probably a farmer or gamekeeper setting traps, or performing some other country practice that would be perfectly normal, and so not to worry.

However after several more sightings of the young man with the spade over the next two weeks the woman persuaded her husband to take a stroll - early, before the man tended to arrive - to the copse of trees to investigate what he was doing.

There they found a surprisingly long and deep trench, rough and uneven at one end, becoming much neater and tidier towards the other end.

"How strange," the old lady said, "Why dig a trench here - and in such difficult rocky ground?" and her husband agreed.

Just then the young man appeared - earlier than his usual time.

"You're early," said the old woman, making light of their obvious curiosity, "We wondered what you were doing - and we also wondered what was in the case."

"I'm digging a trench," said the man, who continued, realizing a bigger explanation was appropriate, "I'm actually learning how to dig a good trench, because the job I'm being interviewed for later today says that experience is essential - so I'm getting the experience. And the case - it's got my lunch in it."

He got the job.

Moral of the story
Don't wait for anything. Start today if you want to be successful in your life. The best contribution one can make to humanity is to improve oneself. Only the player with the initiative has the right to attack.

Action plan
Times will change for the better when you change. So start taking initiatives whether it is at your work place or at your home. Initiatives are first step towards Self Development.

Once i told you that i don't wait to help someone after asking it...i did it before if i feel that he or she may need it......Do you remember????
Vasu

GOD WILL ALWAYS PROVIDE !!

A poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and
unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested
that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir!
I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did
not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard
the conversation between the two. The customer walked
forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for
whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?"

Louise replied, "Yes sir." "OK" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she
reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and
scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement
when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the
customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the
groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not
balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on
them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he
grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it
with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

"Dear Lord, You know my needs and I am leaving this in
Your hands."

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and
stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer
handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said;

"It was worth every penny of it. Only God Knows how
much a prayer weighs."

THE POWER OF PRAYER: When you receive this, say a prayer.
That's all you have to do.

Lata: I know that it is the unconditional belief we have in just about ANYTHING that can work miraculously for you. And if it is GOD you have no limits.

Yeah..you're right..Without faith, nothing works in this world.

It’s important to start believing in prayers and god.... but it is more important for our actions to be such that God starts believing in our prayers and in us. : )

The Bible says : "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials"...
When we are faced with difficult situations, we think.."why me ??"..but we should also realise that when God gives us these hardships, he also gives us the strength to overcome them..

"Gospel truth"