discuss what is........???

The Butterfly's Struggle by Tony Masiello

2010-12-30T22:32:00.000-08:00

What do butterflies have in common with the human spirit? Meet Maggie, a middle aged wife and mother who was about to find out.

Maggie wasn’t rich like a millionaire or poor in a manner of being homeless. She was living an average comfortable life. It was made even better when a beautiful baby girl came her way. She and her husband made sure their daughter had her needs met and they were still able to take a yearly vacation by the beach.

Maggie was a partner in her husband’s business. They both had a different set of duties which kept everything in balance. One day a devastating blow came to her husband’s business, and over a three year period the business dropped out of site. Her husband had to totally reinvent himself and was yearning to fulfill a dream with a new vocation. She was happy for him and supported him fully, but still the money was not coming in.

Maggie began to feel guilty that she wasn’t contributing with any kind of income. It had been a long time since she had worked outside the home and had to work for someone else. Needless to say she was scared but still had faith that everything would be okay. She began job hunting and found filling out applications somewhat difficult, especially the part asking for job references. Keep in mind that she was self-employed with her husband for almost 20 years. It felt as though that didn’t count for anything as she was never called for an interview.

At the time she was job hunting her mom became more ill than she had been and ended up in the hospital for a week. Once Maggie’s mom returned home she became her mom’s helper one day a week. She did the shopping, changed sheets, vacuumed and did other things that her mother was not able to do anymore. Of course her mom would pay her for her time and labor but she still felt she needed to find another source of income.

One of the first applications she had filled out finally came through. She passed the interview with flying colors and was told she was “exactly” what they were looking for. Although it was only part time it was exactly what she wanted. It was important for her to be home when her daughter arrived home from school. She was told they would be in touch when the schedule was ready. Knowing she had the job made her feel contented and productive again.

Within a few weeks though, she received an e-mail saying that the company had changed the job into a full time position and she was not qualified. Maggie was devastated. She felt betrayed and felt she had been lied to. That evening she was alone as her husband and daughter had gone out for the night. She welcomed the aloneness and wanted to drown her sorrows in a hot tub of bubbles.

As she knew she would, she began to cry, softly at first just from the sheer pain of being rejected. Three long years of struggle had finally caught up with her. Then she became angry; angry at everything from the circumstances that got her there, to God himself. She cried harder and yelled, “What do you want me to do?” She really felt that God had abandoned her.

When she was able to cry no more, she became exhausted and gave up. It was at that moment that a silent idea came to her to offer other elderly people home care assistance.

Using another talent for computers she printed off some flyers and cards and distributed them to her church, grocery stores and even placed a small ad in the newspaper. Within a week she had procured two new clients.

Now, even though she’s not a CEO of a major company or a power player she feels happy and productive again. So, had God really abandoned her? Let’s look at nature for the lessons and the answer.

Before a butterfly can emerge out of it’s chrysalis it has to go through a lot of struggling. Yes, struggling. Each time it lunges out to escape, acids are being removed from its wings. If someone were to come along and break the chrysalis open for it then the butterfly would die from those acids. In essence the struggle is necessary for the butterfly to survive. Then in the stillness, when the struggle is over, the butterfly can come out and share its beauty with the world.

We as humans are not any different. There are times that we need to struggle, to rid ourselves of the acids that make up sadness, fear, and anger. It is only at this time when we are exhausted and still that we begin to hear the Universe whisper to us.
Source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/the-butterflys-struggle.html

My Resignation by Author Unknown

2010-12-30T20:18:00.000-08:00

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an eight-year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four-star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer's day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple, when all you knew were colors, multiplication tables and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.

All you knew was to be happy, because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.

I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simply again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive when there are more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, mankind and making angels in the snow.

I want to play with my pets and my days of imagination to last forever

So here are my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401(k) statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first because,"Tag! You're it!"
Source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/my-resignation.html

Kindness by Author Unknown

2010-12-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was -- a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to compassion.

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat -- more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat -- wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. "Sir?" she asked. "Are you all right?"

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished her e, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet And if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And... And thank you for the coffee."

She frowned. "I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's black."

The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, I do take cream and sugar -- perhaps more sugar than is good for me." He patted his ample stomach.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I don't need it now," he replied smiling. "I've got the feeling that this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar."
Source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/kindness.html

I Would Pick More Daisies

2010-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

When the late Nadine Stair of Louisville, Kentucky, was 85 years old, she was asked what she would do if she had her life to live over again.

"I'd make more mistakes next time," she said. "I'd relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been on this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

"You see, I'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, and a raincoat. If I had to do it over again, I would travel lighter than I have.

"If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds and I would pick more daisies."

Source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/i-would-pick-more-daisies.html

What Does Love Mean?

2010-12-13T23:38:00.000-08:00

This is from a widely circulated email where the source is unknown:

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all even when his hands got arthritis, too. That's Love."
Rebecca - age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss."
Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."
Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears iteveryday."
Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her oldclothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you"
Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. (Now this will melt your heart.) The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/what-does-love-mean.html

Why Not for Man?

2010-12-13T23:36:00.001-08:00

Where we live, on the Eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips. They curl into the smaller creeks and coves like tender palms.

The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and the ducks who ride an inch above the waves of Chesapeake Bay as they skim their way into harbor. In the autumn, by the thousands, they come home for the winter. The swans move toward the shores in a stately glide, their tall heads proud and unafraid. They lower their long necks deep into the water, where their strong beaks dig through the river bottoms for food. And there is, between the arrogant swans and the prolific geese, an indifference, almost a disdain.

Once or twice each year, snow and sleet move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, or the creek shallow, there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice.

It was on such a ! morning near Oxford, Maryland, that a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Across the river, beyond the dock, the snow laced the rim of the shore in white. For a moment she stood quietly, looking at what the night's storm had painted. Suddenly she leaned forward and peered close to the frosted window.

"It really is," she cried out loud, "there is a goose out there."

She reached to the bookcase and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Into their sights came the figure of a large Canada goose, very still, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.

Then from the dark skies, she saw a line of swans. They moved in their own singular formation, graceful, intrepid, and free. They crossed from the west of the broad creek high above the house, moving steadily to the east.

As my friend watched, the leader swung to the right, then the white string of birds became a white circle. It floated from the top of the sky downward. At last, as easy as feathers coming to earth, the circle landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life he still had might be pecked out by those great swan bills.

Instead, amazingly instead, those bills began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose was rimmed by a narrow margin of ice instead of the entire creek. The swans rose again, following the leader, and hovered in that circle, awaiting the results of their labors.

The goose's head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. He was moving his big webbed feet slowly. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if he had cried, "I cannot fly," four of the swans came down around him. Their powerful beaks scraped the goose's wings from top to bottom, scuttled under its wings and rode up its body, chipping off and melting the ice held in the feathers. Slowly, as if testing, the goose spread its wings as far as they would go, brought them together, accordion-like, and spread again.

When at last the wings reached their fullest, the four swans took off and joined the hovering group. They resumed their eastward journey, in perfect formation, to their secret destination.

Behind them, rising with incredible speed and joy, the goose moved into the sky. He followed them, flapping double time, until he caught up, until he joined the last end of the line, like a small child at the end of a crack-the-whip of older boys.

My friend watched them until they disappeared over the tips of the farthest trees. Only then, in the dusk, which was suddenly deep, did she realize that tears were running down her cheeks and had been - for how long she didn't know.

This is a true story. It happened. I do not try to interpret it. I just think of it in the bad moments, and from it comes only one hopeful question: "If so for birds, why not for man?

source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/why-not-for-man.html

Twenty Dollars

2010-12-13T23:35:00.001-08:00

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 20 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on theground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now 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. Nomatter 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 happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are stillpriceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.

You are special - don't ever forget it."

source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/twenty-dollars.html

This Too Shall Pass by Fion Lim

2010-12-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought that life was dealing me with hard blows, more blows came along. I questioned the meaning of life. I questioned the meaning of existence. I questioned why my life was so hard. No matter how hard I asked, there was no reply from the walls of my bedroom.

In the stillness of the night, huddled on my bed, protected by the privacy of my bedroom, I let my tears drop. At first, it was merely droplets. Then it swiftly gathered strength and soon I was sobbing terribly. My face scrunched into the most tormented expression I could muster up. At the same time, I was careful about stifling my sobs in case someone in the house hear it. It was not entirely successful as a few sobs would escape.

My poor little dog lied down quietly besides me and had a bewildered look in his eyes. Well, it wasn't the first time he witnessed me launching into these occasional intense tear-releasing and cleansing episodes.

When I was a teenagers years ago, I thought that holding my tears back was a sign of strength. Now I know that tears work for me.

These days, I cried at reading inspiring stories. Goodness, when I dug out a copy of "Chicken Soup for the Couple's Soul" and reread it recently, I couldn't believe how I cried at almost nearly every story. Before I could dry up my tears and began the next story, the tears came again. Unbelievable.

Had the control switch over my tears been switched off by over the years?

What I found amazing and amusing was that, tears soothed me. I learned that crying was a form of relief therapy for me. It comforted me in an unexplainable way. I cried when I'm moved. I cried when things got overwhelming. I cried when I felt extremely frustrated. I cried when I missed my boyfriend terribly. And I usually chose to cry at bedtime when others were in bed.

Pieces of tissue would be wasted to dry up my tears. Sometimes it's too much and I had to walk quietly into the bathroom to wash up my messed-up face.

The next morning, though feeling a little worn from last night gut-wrenching sobbing session, somehow I felt renewed and a sense of lightness of being. Magically, things didn't seem that bad anymore.

I still missed my boyfriend very much but at least he's alive and breathing from thousands of miles away. Things were still frustrating but I had to admit they weren't life-threatening. Of course my obstacles still remained but they didn't appear as impossible as last night. I'm still alive and I took it as a sign that I have more to live and to give.

My footsteps became lighter and as I walked, I could even mentally check off a list of blessings in my life right at this moment. I'm grateful to be alive... I'm so thankful that I'm healthy... I'm so thankful to have a loving family... I'm so happy and grateful to be doing work that I enjoy...

I knew that no matter how happy I was at one moment or how desperately anxious I was at another moment, life still went on.

I recalled from the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding", where there's this bellman who delivered my favorite line from that movie, "My grandmother always said, 'This, too, shall pass'."

source: http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/this-too-shall-pass.html

The Seven Wonders of the World

2010-12-13T23:33:00.001-08:00

Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear... (She hesitated a little, and then added...)
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful - and we don't have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

Enjoy your gifts!

The Lollipop Lesson by Kimberly Carnevale

2010-12-13T23:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a difficult year to say the least. My daughter, service dogs and I lost our home due to abuse right about this time last year. We've depended upon the kindness of others to provide temporary shelter, food and clothing; and are truly grateful.

For a while after the attack, I was numb. Post Traumatic Stress froze my emotions in an attempt at self-preservation. I tried to remain strong for my daughter, waiting until she was asleep to cry the tears of fear, loss, and panic that gripped my heart.

I tried desperately to rationalize the situation, but no matter how I looked at it, I came up empty. I kept thinking, "On the whole, I'm a good person. I give of my time, possessions and my heart to others. I treat people fairly and always try to do the right thing. I'm teaching my daughter the same morals and values that had been instilled in me as a child..." and yet, though I was a good person, and my daughter was an innocent; we sustained a brutal attack brought on by alcoholic rage of a once-loved and trusted family member. I couldn't get my mind around the betrayal. I prayed a lot. I was disheartened that I didn't get any response, and felt that God had betrayed me as well.

I became obsessed with my loss, and the injustice of the whole thing. At one point, I felt as though my daughter might be better off without me, that I was holding her back from having a secure future. If she were placed with a real family, then she would have a chance at a good life...one with a roof over her head. I was the one who was disabled and unable to provide adequately for her; I was excess baggage. She had her whole future ahead, and I feared that having me in it ensured her a difficult and dismal one. I prayed for guidance, I prayed for answers, I prayed for hope; but I didn't get the answer I'd expected.

I felt as though I failed my little girl in so many ways. She misses having friends, a place to play, a room of her own with pretty things, and the security of knowing what tomorrow will bring. The guilt felt like a wet coat, gradually getting heavier, wearing me down and preventing me from moving forward.

Children are so resilient. I've learned so much from my little girl over the past year, and I look at her with a new wonder and admiration these days. Though she clearly remembers the horrors that no child should ever have been witness to, she forgives as we are taught early on. For most, true forgiveness is lip service. "I forgive you," is a benign phrase we are prone to say when we know we should, but we often lack the ability to truly let go. Not my little girl. She still remembers the attack, still feels the loss; yet she has somehow found it in her heart to completely forgive our attacker who hurt us so badly.

Sarah never complains, although she has every right to. She went from having a beautifully decorated bedroom of her own, to having only what the police could load into our van that cold, scary night; and a few subsequent, police-guarded truck loads that permitted us a few more boxes of belongings. The rest was left behind...along with the only home she ever knew, all her friends, and the innocence and security that should be a child's right; all that was cruelly snatched away from her.

Commercials she sees on TV with toys and trips to amusement parks, (things that she knows she can't have), taunt her at every turn, yet she is the first to offer up one of her few remaining and cherished toys to another child who is sad or hurt. At bedtime, she thanks God for the blessings in her life and offers up prayers to others, never asking for anything for herself, because she feels as though she has all she needs. She doesn't complain when I'm sick and can't play with her, or that I can't afford to give her the extra things I know deep inside she would love to have...only issues an "I love you Mommy...you're the BEST Mommy!" whenever possible, seemingly oblivious to my disabilities and my shortcomings.

I dug through the change at the bottom of my purse and bought her a lollipop at the store today. She'd had her eye on it the entire time we were in line to pay for our purchases. It was the kind of lollipop you'd see in days gone by that are twisted with different colors; a neat old-fashioned pop that cost $1.00. She never asked for it, never whined or even gave me the "look" that pleaded silently...which is exactly why I decided to get it for her. I really couldn't afford it, it's the end of the month and I only had $1.35 left to my name. I wouldn't have any more money coming until the first of the month, almost a week away, when my scant disability check arrives... but she'd been such a good girl, and I really thought she deserved a special treat. I foolishly worried that my last few cents should've been better spent.

When I reached into my purse and counted out enough for the pop, you would have thought I gave her the key to the magic kingdom! "Thank you Mommy! You're the BEST Mommy!” She shrieked with sheer joy, thankfulness gushing from her lips and unabashed love and joyous tears shining in her eyes as she hugged me with every ounce of strength her tiny body could muster.

All at once, the cloud of despair that had hung over me lifted and I shed the coat of guilt I'd been carrying for so long. In that moment, I felt the divine presence and grace I’d been praying for. He broke through the wall of protection I'd erected and sent His Message through the thing He knew I loved more than life itself; my daughter. I knew without a doubt in that very instant, that I was the family that my little girl needed. I knew that I wasn't baggage holding her back; I was the glue that was needed to keep us together. I knew that my daughter needed me and loved me despite my shortcomings, and despite our situation. I knew without a doubt that my prayers had been answered and I had been blessed from above. With tears in my eyes, I realized that the angel that stood happily devouring her unexpected treat at my feet had also blessed me; and I was never going to be the same.

I had been awakened from my nightmare. I was ready to continue my journey, willing to embrace whatever challenges may lie ahead; secure in the knowledge that I already had all I needed; the rest was a bonus.

I was in awe at this child of mine, and I was so thankful for the lesson she'd taught me.... while I’d wasted my time feeling guilty and focusing on what we'd lost, my daughter had moved on and was focusing on what remained...something that was more important than anything else; through it all, we had each other. Though I only had 35 cents to my name, I felt richer than ever.

My daughter's youthful insight to an adult situation brought me to a place where there is no longer any room left for doubt or worry; leaving me with the ability to put all those useless feelings that had been cluttering up my mind behind me, ultimately freeing me up to enhance my life through opportunities I have since created from my new perception.

Though she's only four, my daughter has the ability to be able to look past what she's lost to find true joy and satisfaction of having only the very basic necessities; and being truly grateful for them. She rejoices in the simplest of kind gestures and goes out of her way to do the same for others. How many of us adults can claim that? I've learned a lot from her; I hope you have, too.

In the spirit of giving, I wish for your life be blessed with the insight of my little girl, the shedding of your wet coat, a new and positive perception of life...filled with an unlimited supply of lollipops.

--Proud to be the one Sarah calls, "Mommy"

***Epilogue: This story was posted on many Internet bulletin boards over the past month or so. Because of the Lollipop Lesson, and other automatic writings that God provided me with since, I have been noticed by several publishers and companies looking to print my story; and for me to tell it as a motivational speaker. God moved the cloak of despair from my eyes so that I could see new and exciting opportunities born of faith and the amazing inspiration of my little girl.

What is Beauty?

2010-12-07T22:47:00.000-08:00

Beauty:

Beauty is a characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides aperceptual experience of pleasure, meaning, or satisfaction. Beauty is studied as part of aesthetics, sociology, social psychology, and culture. An "ideal beauty" is an entity which is admired, or possesses features widely attributed to beauty in a particular culture, for perfection.

The experience of "beauty" often involves the interpretation of some entity as being in balance and harmony with nature, which may lead to feelings of attraction and emotional well-being. Because this is a subjective experience, it is often said that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." In its most profound sense, beauty may engender a salient experience of positive reflection about the meaning of one's own existence. A subject of beauty is anything that resonates with personal meaning.

The classical Greek noun for "beauty" was κάλλος, kallos, and the adjective for "beautiful" was καλός, kalos. The Koine Greek word for beautiful was ὡραῖος,hōraios,an adjective etymologically coming from the word ὥρα, hōra, meaning "hour." In Koine Greek, beauty was thus associated with "being of one's hour."

A ripe fruit (of its time) was considered beautiful, whereas a young woman trying to appear older or an older woman trying to appear younger would not be considered beautiful. In Attic Greek, hōraios had many meanings, including "youthful" and "ripe old age."

Historical view of beauty:

There is evidence that a preference for beautiful faces emerges early in child development, and that the standards of attractiveness are similar across different genders and cultures. Symmetry is also important because it suggests the absence of genetic or acquired defects.

Although style and fashion vary widely, cross-cultural research has found a variety of commonalities in people's perception of beauty. The earliest Western theory of beauty can be found in the works of early Greek philosophers from the pre-Socratic period, such as Pythagoras. The Pythagorean school saw a strong connection between mathematics and beauty. In particular, they noted that objects proportioned according to the golden ratio seemed more attractive. Ancient Greek architecture is based on this view of symmetry andproportion.

Classical philosophy and sculptures of men and women produced according to these philosophers' tenets of ideal human beauty were rediscovered in Renaissance Europe, leading to a re-adoption of what became known as a "classical ideal". In terms of female human beauty, a woman whose appearance conforms to these tenets is still called a "classical beauty" or said to possess a "classical beauty", whilst the foundations laid by Greek and Roman artists have also supplied the standard for male beauty in western civilization.

Human beauty:

The characterization of a person as “beautiful”, whether on an individual basis or by community consensus, is often based on some combination of Inner Beauty, which includes psychological factors such as personality, intelligence, grace, politeness, charisma, integrity,congruence and elegance, and Outer Beauty, (i.e. physical attractiveness) which includes physical factors, such as health, youthfulness,facial symmetry, averageness, and complexion.

Standards of beauty are always evolving, based on what a culture considers valuable. Historical paintings show a wide range of different standards for beauty. However, humans who are relatively young, with smooth skin, well-proportioned bodies, and regular features, have traditionally been considered to be the most beautiful throughout history.

A strong indicator of physical beauty is "averageness", or "koinophilia". When images of human faces are averaged together to form a composite image, they become progressively closer to the "ideal" image and are perceived as more attractive. This was first noticed in 1883, when Francis Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin, overlaid photographic composite images of the faces of vegetarians and criminals to see if there was a typical facial appearance for each. When doing this, he noticed that the composite images were more attractive compared to any of the individual images.

Researchers have replicated the result under more controlled conditions and found that the computer generated, mathematical average of a series of faces is rated more favorably than individual faces. Evolutionarily it makes logical sense that sexual creatures should be attracted to mates who possess predominantly common or average features.

A feature of beautiful women that has been explored by researchers is a waist-to-hip ratio of approximately 0.70. Physiologists have shown that women with hourglass figures are more fertile than other women due to higher levels of certain female hormones, a fact that may subconsciously condition males choosing mates.

People are influenced by the images they see in the media to determine what is or is not beautiful. Feminists and doctors have suggested that the ultra-skinny models featured in magazines promote eating disorders, and others have argued that the predominance of white women featured in movies and advertising leads to a Eurocentric concept of beauty, feelings of inferiority in women of color, and internalized racism.

The black is beautiful cultural movement sought to dispel this notion. Mixed race children are often perceived to be more attractive than their parents because their genetic diversity protects them from the inherited errors of their individual parents.

The concept of beauty in men is known as 'bishōnen' in Japan. Bishōnen refers to males with distinctly feminine features, physical characteristics establishing the standard of beauty in Japan and typically exhibited in their pop culture idols.

Ugliness:

Ugliness is a property of a person or thing that is unpleasant to look upon and results in a highly unfavorable evaluation. To be ugly is to be aesthetically unattractive, repulsive, or offensive. Like its opposite, beauty, ugliness involves a subjective judgment and is at least partly in the "eye of the beholder." Thus, the perception of ugliness can be mistaken or short-sighted, as in the story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen.

Although ugliness is normally viewed as a visible characteristic, it can also be an internal attribute. For example, an individual could be outwardly attractive but inwardly thoughtless and cruel. It is also possible to be in an "ugly mood," which is a temporary, internal state of unpleasantness.

For some people, ugliness is a central aspect of their persona. Jean-Paul Sartre had a lazy eye and a bloated, asymmetrical face, and he attributed many of his philosophical ideas to his life-long struggle to come to terms with his self-described ugliness. Socrates also used his ugliness as a philosophical touch point, concluding that philosophy can save us from our outward ugliness. Famous in his own time for his perceived ugliness, Abraham Lincoln was described by a contemporary: "to say that he is ugly is nothing; to add that his figure is grotesque, is to convey no adequate impression." However, his looks proved to be an asset in his personal and political relationships, as his law partner William Herndon wrote, "He was not a pretty man by any means, nor was he an ugly one; he was a homely man, careless of his looks, plain-looking and plain-acting. He had no pomp, display, or dignity, so-called. He appeared simple in his carriage and bearing. He was a sad-looking man; his melancholy dripped from him as he walked. His apparent gloom impressed his friends, and created sympathy for him - one means of his great success."

What is kindness?

2010-11-19T21:39:00.001-08:00

About ten years ago when I was an undergraduate in college, I was working as an intern at my University's Museum of Natural History. One day while working at the cash register in the gift shop, I saw an elderly couple come in with a little girl in a wheelchair.

As I looked closer at this girl, I saw that she was kind of perched on her chair. I then realized she had no arms or legs, just a head, neck and torso. She was wearing a little white dress with red polka dots.

As the couple wheeled her up to me I was looking down at the register. I turned my head toward the girl and gave her a wink. As I took the money from her grandparents, I looked back at the girl, who was giving me the cutest, largest smile I have ever seen. All of a sudden her handicap was gone and all I saw was this beautiful girl, whose smile just melted me and almost instantly gave me a completely new sense of what life is all about. She took me from a poor, unhappy college student and brought me into her world; a world of smiles, love and warmth.

That was ten years ago. I'm a successful business person now and whenever I get down and think about the troubles of the world, I think about that little girl and the remarkable lesson about life that she taught me.

Source: Submitted by a Writer of AL-Islaah Publications.

What is Love of Allah?

2010-11-19T21:35:00.001-08:00

Once at the time of Hajj, there was a gathering in Mecca of some friends of Allah; the youngest among whom was Junaid Baghdadi (ra). In that gathering, there was a discussion on the subject of 'Love for Allah' and as to who is the lover of Allah. Many of them expressed their views on the subject, but Junaid (ra) kept quiet. He was pressed to say something.

With his head bowed down and tears in his eyes, he said, "The lover of Allah is he who forgets his own self, remains engaged in Allah's remembrance with due regard to all its requirements; sees Allah with the eyes of his heart, which is burnt by the heat of Allah's fear; Allah's remembrance affects him like a cup of wine, he speaks the word of Allah as if All-Mighty Allah speaks through his mouth; if he moves, he does so under the command of Allah; he gets peace of mind only through the obedience of Allah; and when such a stage is reached, his eating, drinking, sleeping, awakening and, in short, all his actions are for the pleasure of Allah; he neither pays heed to the worldly customs, nor does he attach any importance to unfriendly criticism by people."

what is blessing?

2010-11-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."

What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

"It is He, Who has created for you (the sense of) hearing (ears), sight (eyes), and hearts (understanding). Little thanks you give." [surah Al-Mu'minun; 78]

what is real friendship?

2010-11-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time...
There was a rich King who had 4 wives.
He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day
she would leave him for another.
He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidante and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her to help him get through the difficult times.
The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.
One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short.
He thought of his luxurious life and pondered, "I now have 4 wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good!
When you die, I'm going to remarry!"
His heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me
and keep me company?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave."
Her answer came like a bolt of thunder and the King was devastated.
Then a voice called out:
"I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny,
she suffered from malnutrition.
Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"
In Truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives ...
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth.
When we die, it will all go to others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
And our 1st wife is our Soul,
(Guidance)
often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the ego.
However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.
So cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now!
It is your greatest gift to offer the world. Let it Shine!

what is desire? and how it make others blind?

2010-10-30T10:11:00.000-07:00

The rose and the nightingale

There once was a man who lived in India with a large garden full of the most beautiful flowers and the most delicious fruits. But the most beautiful thing in the garden was a rose bush that flowered the whole year round. Day after day new buds would open up into beautiful, gorgeous smelling roses which filled the owner of the garden with great happiness. He loved his roses more than anything.
One day, he heard the sweet song of a nightingale through the open window of his house. He entered the garden to investigate where the sweet sounds were coming from. There he found the nightingale singing in the rose bush. To his utter dismay he saw that the bird, pausing from its singing to take a break, pecked at a young rosebud with his sharp beak, completely destroying it within a matter of seconds.
The man flew into a rage and decided to catch the nightingale.
He scattered grains of corn on the path, covered it with a net and waited until the nightingale, tired of singing and hungry, noticed the grains. And so it happened. After a while, the nightingale stopped singing, flew down to the path and started eating the grains of corn. It wasn’t long before the nightingale was entangled in the net. The man ran to the path and said: ‘Right, nightingale, now I am going to kill you.’
The small bird fluttered and trembled in terror and asked: ’But why? What have I done?’
‘You pecked off one of my rosebuds, so that it will never flower!’
‘But, dear man,’ spoke the nightingale. ‘That one rose is just one short moment out of all the happy moments you enjoy. If you kill me, you take away all the possible moments of happiness of my entire life! That is not fair!’
The man thought for a while. Then he said: ‘Yes, that would not be fair. Alright, I’ll let you go.’ And he freed the nightingale from the net.
The nightingale was very grateful to the man and said: ‘As you showed yourself to be full of understanding and love, I want to express my thanks to you. A treasure is hidden between the roots of that banyan tree. Dig it up and use it sensibly.’
The man immediately started to dig and found a jug in the earth, filled to the brim with gold coins. After he had recovered from the surprise, he asked the nightingale: ‘But why is it, nightingale, that you saw the jug under the soil, but did not see the net on the ground?’
And the nightingale said: ‘Well, that’s just the way it is. I could not do anything with the gold, but I longed for the grains of corn. And desire can make you blind.’
publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is method of coming of wealth? how treasure come?

2010-10-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

The treasure

Rabbi Isaak lived in Poland, in the town of Krakau. One night, the rabbi was told in a dream that he should travel to the town of Prague, where a treasure was thought to have been buried under the large bridge to the king’s palace. Rabbi Isaak initially didn’t set any store by the dream, but when he dreamt the dream for the sixth time, he decided to start looking for the treasure after all.
After a long journey, Rabbi Isaak arrived in Prague and immediately set off for the palace. But the bridge turned out to be guarded day and night by soldiers. From a safe distance the rabbi observed the bridge, but as he was standing there every day, eventually he aroused suspicion from the captain of the guards. The captain approached the rabbi and asked him what he was doing at the palace. Rabbi Isaak saw that the captain was a kind person and told him of his dream.
The captain howled with laughter. ‘My goodness, rabbi, you seem to be a wise man, yet you take dreams seriously? If I were as gullible as you are, I would not be here now, but in Poland, in the town of Krakau. And I will tell you why. I also have a dream that keeps coming back. I happened to have one last night. In my dream a voice said that I should go to Krakau, to the house of a certain Isaak, to dig there, in a corner of the kitchen, for a hidden treasure. What do you say, rabbi, wouldn’t it be mad if I would travel all the way to Krakau and start asking there for a man called Isaak? Half of the male population in that town is called Isaak!’
Rabbi Isaak was totally amazed. He thanked the captain for his story and returned to Krakau as quickly as possible. He ran into his house and started digging in all corners of the kitchen. And he found a treasure that was so big, that he had no more financial worries for the rest of his life.

publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is real flower?

2010-10-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

The real flower

When the queen of Sheba was visited by the famous king Solomon, who she really wanted to surpass in wisdom, she gave him a kind of riddle. She took him to an area in her palace where extraordinary artists had laid out an amazing artificial field with artificial flowers. The sea of colourful flowers rippled softly in a breeze that had also been created artificially.
Colours, scents and wind could not be distinguished from the real thing.
The queen spoke: ‘One out of all these flowers is real, king Solomon. Could you point it out to me?’
Solomon looked around closely. He used all his senses and concentrated very hard, but could not pick out the real flower. He started to perspire heavily and said to the queen of Sheba:’It is very warm here. Would you please ask your servant to open a window?’
The queen gave orders for a window to be opened.
‘That is the real flower,’ said king Solomon a little while later.
He pointed. There was no mistake. A bee had flown in through the window and had landed on the only real flower.
Although it is difficult to have the wisdom of Solomon, notes with this story say, it is much harder to be a bee.
And most difficult of all is to be a real flower.
morel: This Arab story shows how truth can still be found in a world of artifice and the imaginary.
publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is well averseness planing? by Helen Ramsey

2010-10-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

Homecomings

Working in Detroit...Rain, Rain, and more Rain...
I dashed to the rental car drop off, to the shuttle, and to the airport only to find out from an airline ticket representative that my return flight was one hour late.
As I cleared security, the progress of my flight went from one hour, then two hours, then three hours, then four hours late departing. I learned about these delays from the announcements given by a weary airline gate agent.
It became clear that I was going to miss my connecting flight home.
After minute-by-minute travel rearrangements, and knowing that I had to deliver a web-based training the next morning back home, Jim decided to drive the three hours to the hub airport, fetch me, and drive me back.
Jim and I arrived home at 4:30 am. Funny what dreams you have when your Starbucks frequent drinker card gets punched all the way through in 24 hours. I napped a couple of hours, made coffee, logged on to the internet conference site for my training, and waited and waited and waited.
It is lonely at a web-based live meeting training when no one logs in. Do you know why they didn't log in? Because I had actually scheduled the training for the next day, not this day that we had raced home to await. I had a brain freeze and remembered the last weekday I worked with this group and that just stuck.
I worried about telling Jim that he had held off sleep, driven through a storm to raise Noah's ark, and road construction to get me home 24 hours early for a training. But the phone eventually rang as he called from work and it was time to own up.
What do you think he said?
What would you have said?
Would you have scolded? Yelled? Teased? Berated? Would you call all of your friends and let them know? I might say nothing but put the incident in a mental "debit" column, ready to trot out the offense at the next opportune time.
Well, Jim's response to finding out that he had driven almost 400 miles round trip in the rain, construction, and fatigue-time of the night in order to get me home eight hours early was a slight chuckle and this comment, "The important thing is you are home."
...the important thing is your are home...
Today, remind someone how vital it is that they are at home with you. If they live away, tell them how important it is that they have a home in your heart.
publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is self motivation and self believe? by Sabine (Pahala, Hawaii, USA)

2010-10-29T23:53:00.000-07:00

Home of My Heart

Germany

wasn't my place. I was born and raised there but it just didn't feel like home. When I was a teenager, this feeling grew stronger and stronger. Somehow, I felt like a bird in a cage, unable to spread my wings and express myself.

My greatest pleasure was my nightly visualizations. Before I went to sleep, I imagined my place, my perfect home in the mountains of a tropical country overlooking the ocean. There I lived with several people and children in small houses in complete happiness, harmony and bliss.

During this time, I didn't believe in anything like God, the Universe, a higher power, let alone, thoughts becoming things. Nonetheless, the Universe started working overtime for me. Only in retrospect can I see the miracles, cause and effect lessons and manifestations which ultimately led to the fulfillment of my dream. There truly are no coincidences, no ordinary moments in life. Everything has profound meaning.

One of the most significant events in my life was the day, I met a Michael on a small island in Holland. We fell madly in love with each other. Unfortunately our lifestyles didn’t match. He was a vagabond, a gypsy, traveling from one place to another, and I was caught up in the rules and laws of society and unable to join him. Although we never lived together, meeting him led through many apparently unrelated events to the manifestation of my dreams.

Even though Michael and I went our separate ways, he never stopped visiting me. He came to see me several times a year. I went to college, feeling lonely, desperate and depressed, looking for answers outside of myself. Eventually I got stuck in a terrible relationship with a very abusive man. I totally surrendered to him, giving away my own tremendous power.

During this time of darkness Michael was the light of my life. Seeing him reminded me of the existence of love and joy which I had completely excluded from my life. At that time, I put all the blame on my partner. He was my captor, not leaving me any choices but surrender. Taking responsibility for my life seemed to be far out of my reach.

On one of his visits, Michael brought Lea, his new girlfriend, along. They had met each other in the desert in

Israel

. From the moment we met there was a strong connection between Lea and me, which over the years led to a deep, loving friendship. Strange as it may seem, jealousy never was an issue. A year later, when I saw her for the second time, we both had a baby boy.

I loved my child but my depression intensified. I didn’t see a way out of the nightmare relationship I had with my son’s father. At my most desperate point I knew I had two choices: Die (mentally) or run.

We are always surrounded by angels who never fail to appear in our times of greatest need. It was then at this crucial point in my life, that Lea knocked on my door asking me if I wanted to go to

America

with her. Michael’s and her relationship was over. I said yes and chose running because dying wasn’t an option, I had a child to take care of.

We planned to meet in New York and then travel through California looking for a place to live. Secretly, I got passports, tickets, sold whatever I could sell, took my boy and left without telling anybody.

When I met Lea in New York she told me that our plans had changed. She had met a lady in the library in Manhattan who asked her if she would like to housesit for her on the Big Island of Hawaii. So, we were going to Hawaii. I had never even thought of that before. Truly, the miraculous ways of the Universe are beyond anything we could have ever imagined with our rational minds.

It was dark when we arrived in Hawaii. We were very tired and went to sleep right away. The next morning I went outside and couldn’t believe my eyes. Before me was a beautiful, tropical mountain valley with the most amazing view on the ocean. It was the perfect reflection of the landscape of my dreams. I knew instantly that I had found my place, the home of my heart. I fell in love with Hawaii.

Over time, we built several small houses on a large piece of land we took care of. There we lived happily and joyfully with our children and several other people. Even our lifestyle became a replica of my visualizations. I remember going outside at night, looking at the stars, feeling the gentle, caressing energy of Hawaii and thinking: This is a fairytale land. I am so blessed.

For the past 25 years, Hawaii has been my living, magical, spiritual classroom. Surrounded by the intense, divine spirit of this island, I always feel loved, protected and guided. Here is where my faith and trust in the Godessence began to grow, illuminating my life with joy, purpose, love, abundance and, most of all, never ending gratitude.
publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is the end of life? by Robin Lee Sardini

2010-10-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

Death Is Not The End
by Robin Lee Sardini

Her name was Bonnie. She was 57 years old the day she died. It was her birthday. She was a hard worker who loved gardening in her sprawling country yard. She was a beloved elementary school teacher and volunteer in her community. She loved her family and her baby grandson.

She was a woman of faith and honor. She was the kind of person you could always count on to be there if you needed anything. I know...she was my neighbor.
As a testament to the impact she had on the lives of those she met, the line at the funeral home wound back and forth in serpentine fashion through the room in which she lay, into the reception area, out the door and down the long parking lot. She was loved by countless many.
The verse on her memorial card was a profound expression of the inextricable mix of her love of the beauty in nature and her faith in the afterlife. May we all find hope and comfort in these exquisite words by Juanita DeLong:
My Hereafter
Do not come when I am dead
To sit beside a low green mound,
Or bring the first gay daffodils
Because I love them so,
For I shall not be there.
You cannot find me there.
I will look at you from the eyes of little children;
I will bend to meet you in the swaying boughs of bud-thrilled trees,
And caress you with the passionate sweep of storm-filled winds;
I will give you strength in your upward tread of everlasting hills;
I will cool your body in the flow of the limpid river;
I will warm your work-glorified hands through the glow of the winter fire;
I will soothe you into forgetfulness to the drop,
drop of the rain on the roof;
I will speak to you out of the rhymes of the Masters;
I will dance with you in the lilt of the violin,
And make your heart leap with the bursting cadence of the organ;
I will flood your soul with the flaming radiance of the sunrise;
And bring you peace in the tender rose and gold of the after-sunset.
All these have made me happy,
They are a part of me;
I shall become a part of them.
by Juanita DeLong

publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is best way to utilize time? by Walter Bovay

2010-10-29T23:48:00.000-07:00

Chicken Man - Inspirational Story

by Walter Bovay
(Charleston, SC -

USA

)

I utilized my time wisely while I was in the Navy, and earned both my B.S. and M.A degrees in my spare time while serving on active duty. It was never my career goal to retire from the Navy and wind up frying chicken and making subs in a supermarket deli...

After a 5 year stint as a human resource manager, the market dried up for experienced HR professionals, so I tried a back door approach to stay in human resources. I took a menial position in a supermarket deli frying chicken and making submarine sandwiches hoping to transfer to the corporate HR Department. Mentally, I never resigned myself to being a minimum wage employee. This was just an avenue to get a transfer into my dream position...

Because I approached my job with a different mind set, I was a "breath of fresh air" in the deli. Abraham Maslow would call this Self-Actualization; the joy is not in the compensation, but in performing the job itself. Every day, I practiced two personal philosophies: "Treat every customer like they are your next employer," and, "Treat every customer like family and treat every employee like customers."

In two years time, regretfully, the store didn't realize the gem they had, and I decided to move on. My two year experience taught me several things. I learned being nice is a choice, and why not choose to be nice? My working conditions were not enviable, but I went out of my way to be the bright spot in my customer's day. I knew many by first names and many shopped our deli exclusively because they enjoyed being treated as special. Not only did being nice make my shift enjoyable and rewarding, but I could see in the faces of my customers, that niceness equates to the intangible joy experienced when one receives a beautiful bouquet of flowers for no special reason from a loved one or a friend. This is exactly the same message conveyed by Peggy McColl in an article entitled, "Something of Value," appearing on 11/30/07 in, 'Insight of the Day' by Michael Angier/SuccessNet.org.

A world without niceness makes for a sea of disgruntled customers and a very dismal planet. Spread cheers over sneers!

what is confidence? always be confident...

2010-10-29T23:44:00.000-07:00

Because I Was Told I Can

About 6 months ago, I joined a gym. Every morning, there is one personal trainer there that works out at the same time that my little group does our workout. He does his "routine" with such a quiet determination that he makes it all look very easy; although I know all too well how hard he is working. When I am tempted to whine and quit, I watch him push himself to his own limits, and I find myself motivated to work as hard and without complaint.
A couple of weeks ago, I was watching him do chin ups. He made them look effortless. I broke away from my group and asked him if I could try a chin up. I had never tried before, but he just made it look so easy. He eagerly stepped aside and encouraged me to step up to the bar. I pulled myself up without thinking...once...then twice. That was all I had in me, I had no strength left. I told him that was all I had, so he stepped up behind me and pushed me up for a third and fourth "pull." It felt so good. I felt strong and I smiled from ear to ear.
The next day when I was done my workout, I asked him to spot me again. Again, I did two. Again on day three and so on. I thought it was pathetic that I could only do two, but when I came to the gym at the end of the week, he was standing there just shaking his head. When I asked him what was up, he said he was impressed with my chin ups. He told me that when they are training firefighters, the men are required to do 5 chin ups, and women are required to do 1 or 2. He explained that most people can't do them at all, and that he was impressed that I could. He further told me that if I practiced every day, I would be doing 5 or 6 in no time. At this point I should probably add that I am 50 years old...and female.
The moral of this story...because I didn't know any better, because he told me I could, I saw no reason to doubt. I just jumped in and gave it a try - and I did it! I didn't see it as a great accomplishment, because I didn't realize that it was difficult and it became my goal to get stronger. No one told me I couldn't do it, in fact, I was encouraged to try. Had he told me initially how difficult it was, I more than likely would not have tried at all. Or I might have tried, but given it only half an effort, because failure would have been the expectation. I applaud him for letting me believe that for me, it was not only a possibility, but that success was a realistic expectation.
How many times have we decided not to try at all because we were told that we couldn't, that we shouldn't, that we had expectations that were too ambitious? How many times have we told our children, our friends and our co-workers that they couldn't do something; that their ideas were impossible or beyond reach? How many times have we told ourselves that we would fail before we even started?
I started to ponder examples that I had witnessed and this came to mind...I recalled a conversation a friend of mine had with his daughter just prior to her heading off to university. He spoke to her (with good intentions) of how hard she would have to work in order to succeed. University wasn't like High School - this was the real world and now she would have to grow up. This child quit after two years. Another friend spoke to her daughter of the adventure she was embarking on and how proud she was. I remember how we laughed because the mother already had her outfit picked out for convocation day! This child just graduated with her degree in physiology. Looking back, neither daughter was more intelligent than the other. Was it the silent expectations (or lack thereof) that predicted the outcome?
I have a new approach now. I have experienced first hand how good it feels to rush in so innocently. To believe that we CAN do it and go on to accomplish exactly what we set out to do, because no one told us we couldn't. I've learned how important it is to support others (and ourselves) in our endeavors and to let them know that we believe they can do it rather than telling them we think that they can't.
I personally want to be like my trainer; standing there behind the people that I love, encouraging them, believing in them and being ready to catch them when they get tired. I will be the one that is there on the second and third day making sure they try again, because I know they CAN.
What a powerful lesson this has been for me. I'll be doing "5" in no time at all. Because I was told I CAN.

publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is the beauty of creation of human heart?

2010-10-29T23:35:00.000-07:00

A Glass of Milk
by Author Unknown

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.

She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.

He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.

She read these words.....

"Paid in full with one glass of milk"

(Signed)

Dr. Howard Kelly

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

what is unforgettable love of children?

2010-10-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

A Box of Kisses
by Author Unknown

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty.
He yelled at her, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside it?"
The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it is not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.
It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us as humans have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, and family. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

publish at http://discuss-what-is.blogspot.com/

discuss what is........???

The Butterfly's Struggle by Tony Masiello

My Resignation by Author Unknown

Kindness by Author Unknown

I Would Pick More Daisies

What Does Love Mean?

Why Not for Man?

Twenty Dollars

This Too Shall Pass by Fion Lim

The Seven Wonders of the World

The Lollipop Lesson by Kimberly Carnevale

What is Beauty?

What is kindness?

What is Love of Allah?

what is blessing?

what is real friendship?

what is desire? and how it make others blind?

The rose and the nightingale

what is method of coming of wealth? how treasure come?

The treasure

what is real flower?

The real flower

what is well averseness planing? by Helen Ramsey

Homecomings

what is self motivation and self believe? by Sabine (Pahala, Hawaii, USA)

Home of My Heart

what is the end of life? by Robin Lee Sardini

Death Is Not The End by Robin Lee Sardini

what is best way to utilize time? by Walter Bovay

Chicken Man - Inspirational Story

what is confidence? always be confident...

Because I Was Told I Can

what is the beauty of creation of human heart?

A Glass of Milk by Author Unknown

what is unforgettable love of children?

A Box of Kisses by Author Unknown

Death Is Not The End
by Robin Lee Sardini

A Glass of Milk
by Author Unknown

A Box of Kisses
by Author Unknown