An Afternoon in the Park

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered a root beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! 

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever. 

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. 

She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" 

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!" 

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home.

Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" 

She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Fathers day Quotes

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.
Jim Valvano
  

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.
William Shakespeare
  

It is a wise father that knows his own child.
William Shakespeare

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong. ” -Charles Wadsworth

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection. – Sigmund Freud

 

Small boy’s definition of Father’s Day: It’s just like Mother’s Day only you don’t spend so much.” — Unknown

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. - Clarence Budington Kelland

Dad, I may not be the best, but I come to believe that I got it in me to be somebody in this world. And it’s not because I’m so different from you either. It’s because I’m the same. I mean, I can be just as hard-headed, and just as tough. I only hope I can be as good a man as you. ~Jake Gyllenhaal

There will always be a few people who have the courage to love what is untamed inside us. One of those men is my father. ~Alison Lohman

“My father always told me, ‘Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.’ ” — Jim Fox

“Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad.” — Anne Geddes

“Life was a lot simpler when what we honored was father and mother rather than all major credit cards.” — Robert Orben

I'm a father; that's what matters most. Nothing matters more.
Gordon Brown
  

I wasn't anything special as a father. But I loved them and they knew it.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
  

To be as good as our fathers we must be better, imitation is not discipleship.
Wendell Phillips
  

I would want my legacy to be that I was a great son, father and friend.
Dante Hall
  

I'm always going to love my father.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
  

Being a father helps me be more responsible... you see more things than you've ever seen.
Kid Rock
  

You don't have to deserve your mother's love. You have to deserve your father's.
Robert Frost
  

To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter.
Euripides

One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.
George Herbert

A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
  

Dad taught me everything I know. Unfortunately, he didn't teach me everything he knows.
Al Unser
  

I decided in my life that I would do nothing that did not reflect positively on my father's life.
Sidney Poitier
  

It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.
Anne Sexton

Our fathers had their dreams; we have ours; the generation that follows will have its own. Without dreams and phantoms man cannot exist.
Olive Schreiner
  

One father is more than a hundred School masters.  ~George Herbert,Outlandish Proverbs, 1640

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown

    What Is A Dad?

    A dad is someone who
    wants to catch you before you fall
    but instead picks you up,
    brushes you off,
    and lets you try again.

    A dad is someone who
    wants to keep you from making mistakes
    but instead lets you find your own way,
    even though his heart breaks in silence
    when you get hurt.

    A dad is someone who
    holds you when you cry,
    scolds you when you break the rules,
    shines with pride when you succeed,
    and has faith in you even when you fail…


DAD,
When i was born,
You were there to catch me when i fall, whenever and wherever.
When i said my first words,
You were there for me,
to teach me the whole dictionary if need be.
When i took my first steps,
You were there to encourage me on.
When i had my first day at school,
you were there to give me advice and help me with my homework.
I still havent finished school,
or walked down the aisle, or had my first child.
But i know you will be there for me through all these times and more, the good and bad.
So i just wrote this to say 'I LOVE YOU DAD!!!'
- Louisa Mansfield



a father is someone that
holds your hand at the fair
makes sure you do what your mother says
holds back your hair when yor are sick
brushes that hair when it is tangled because mother is too busy
lets you eat ice cream for breakfeast
but only when mother is away
he walks you down the aisle
and tells you everythings gonna be ok
- Unknown



It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father.
- Pope John XXIII

Keep Your Fork

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with cancer and had been given 3 months to live. Her doctor told her to start making preparations to die (something we all should be doing all the time). So, she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what she wanted to be wearing. The woman also told her pastor that she wanted to be buried with her favorite bible.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important", the woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the woman not knowing quite what to say. "That shocks you doesn't it?" the woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request" said the pastor.

The woman explained, "In all my years of attending church socials and functions where food was involved (and let's be honest, food is an important part of any church event, spiritual or otherwise), my favorite part was when whoever was cleaning away the dishes of the main course would lean over and say, 'You can keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew something better was coming, when they told me to keep my fork. I knew that something great was about to be given to me. It wasn't Jell-O or pudding. It was cake or pie something with substance. So I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder, ' What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: Something better is coming so keep your fork too."

The pastor's eyes were welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that that woman had a better grasp on heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people walked by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question, what's with the fork? And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and told them about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they would probably not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So, the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you, oh so gently, that there is something better coming!

The Thorns

 Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks as she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her ease. During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss.

As if that weren't enough her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come. What's worse, Sandra's friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity

that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "Had she lost a child? No--she has no idea what I'm feeling,"
Sandra shuddered. Thanksgiving? "Thankful for what?" she wondered. For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life but took that of her child?
"Good afternoon, can I help you?" The flower shop clerk's approach startled her. "Sorry," said Jenny, "I just didn't want you to think I was ignoring you."
"I....I need an arrangement."
"For Thanksgiving?"
Sandra nodded.
"Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving Special." Jenny saw Sandra's curiosity and continued. "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories, that each arrangement insinuates a particular feeling. Are you looking for something that conveys gratitude this Thanksgiving?"
"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted. "Sorry, but in the last five months, everything that could go wrong has."
Sandra regretted her outburst but was surprised when Jenny said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." The door's small bell suddenly rang.
"Barbara! Hi," Jenny said. She politely excused herself from Sandra and walked toward a small workroom. She quickly reappeared carrying a massive arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses. Only, the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped, no flowers.
"Want this in a box?" Jenny asked. Sandra watched for Barbara's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems and no flowers! She waited for laughter, for someone to notice the absence of flowers atop the thorny stems, but neither woman did.
"Yes, please. It's exquisite," said Barbara. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I'd not be so moved by its significance, but it's happening again. My family will love this one. Thanks."
Sandra stared. "Why so normal a conversation about so strange an arrangement? she wondered. "Ah, said Sandra, pointing. "That lady just left with, ah....."
"Yes?"
"Well, she had no flowers!"
"Right, I cut off the flowers."
"Off?"
"Off. Yep. That's the Special. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."
"But, why do people pay for that?" In spite of herself she chuckled."
"Do you really want to know?"
"I couldn't leave this shop without knowing. I'd think about nothing else!"
"That might be good," said Jenny. "Well," she continued, "Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling very much like you feel today. She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she faced major surgery."
"Ouch!" said Sandra.
"That same year, I lost my husband. I assumed complete responsibility for the shop and for the first time, spent the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel."
"What did you do?"
"I learned to be thankful for thorns."
Sandra's eyebrows lifted. "Thorns?"
"I'm a Christian, Sandra. I've always thanked God for good things in life and I never thought to ask Him why good things happened to me? But, when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time to learn that dark times are important. I always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."
Sandra gasped. "A friend read that passage to me and I was furious! I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."
She started to ask Jenny to "go on" when the door's bell diverted their attention. "Hey, Phil!" shouted Jenny as a balding, rotund man entered the shop. She softly touched Sandra's arm and moved to welcome him. He tucked her under his side for a warm hug.
"I'm here for twelve thorny long-stemmed stems!" Phil laughed, heartily.
"I figured as much," said Jenny. "I've got them ready." She lifted a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerated cabinet.
"Beautiful," said Phil. "My wife will love them."
Sandra could not resist asking. "These are for your wife?"
Phil saw that Sandra's curiosity matched his when he first heard of a Thorn Bouquet.
"Do you mind me asking, "Why thorns?"
"In fact, I'm glad you asked," he said. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but we slogged through, problem by rotten problem. We rescued our marriage--our love, really. Last year at Thanksgiving I stopped in here for flowers. I must have mentioned surviving a tough process because Jenny told me that for a long time she kept a vase of rose stems--stems!-as a reminder of what she learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific thorny situation and give thanks for what the problem taught us. I'm pretty sure this stem review is becoming a tradition."
Phil paid Jenny, thanked her again and as he left, said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"
"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to Jenny.
"Well, my experience says that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, Sandra, Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that we might know His love. Do not resent thorns."
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take twelve long-stemmed thorns, please."
"I hoped you would," Jenny said. "I'll have them ready in a minute. Then, every time you see them, remember to appreciate both good and hard times. We grow through both."
"Thank you. What do I owe you?"
"Nothing. Nothing but a pledge to work toward healing your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." Jenny handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach a card like this to your arrangement but maybe you'd like to read it first. Go ahead, read it.
"My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn! I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorn. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear, teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my rainbow.--George Matheson"
Jenny said, "Happy Thanksgiving, Sandra," handing her the Special.
"I look forward to our knowing each other better." Sandra smiled. She turned, opened the door, and walked toward hope.

Good for the Soul

Good for the Soul

Sometimes in our lives there are moments that are pure magic. For me, this was one of them.

Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food and I would even thank you more if mom gets us ice-cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart." Then in theatrical whisper he added, indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing, "Too bad she never asks God for ice-cream. A little ice-cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally I bought my kids ice-cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice-cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already."

Of all my children he is by far my most . . . trying. The quickest to anger, the first one to break something, and the last one to do as he's told.

None of it matters though, 'cause like he said, his soul is good already!

It Is More Blessed To Give

A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it.

"Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.

Paul nodded. "My brother gave it to me for Christmas."

The boy was astounded. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you nothing? Boy, I wish...." He hesitated.

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish that he had a brother like that. But, what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down to his heels.

"I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?"

"Oh yes, I'd love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?"

Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But, Paul was wrong again. "Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked.

He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed at the car.

"There she is Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas. This is what I've been trying to tell you about."

Paul got out and lifted the younger lad into the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him, and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when he said: "It is more blessed to give...."

The Professor and the Chalk

The Professor and the Chalk

This is a true story of something that happened just a few years ago at USC.

There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years he had taught this class and NO ONE had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever *really gone against him* (you'll see what I mean later). Nobody would go against him because he had a reputation.

At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to the class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" In twenty years, nobody ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove he is God, and yet he can't do it." And every year he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it could shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students could do nothing but stop and stare. Most of the students were convinced that God couldn't exist. Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years they had been too afraid to stand up.

Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to enroll in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was one of the required classes for his major. And he was afraid. But for three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he hoped.

Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor, and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the room. The professor shouted, "YOU FOOL! If nothing I have said all semester has convinced you that God doesn't exist, then you are a fool! If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!"

He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. And as it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, UNBROKEN. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man and then ran out of the lecture hall.

The young man who had stood up proceeded to walk to the front of the room and share his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of his power through Jesus.

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

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

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

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

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers.

While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

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

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

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

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

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

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

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

Have a Happy Married Life

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand  and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly.  Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn’t know how  to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a  divorce. I raised the topic calmly.
She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I  avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the  chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t  talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what  had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory  answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I  just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce  agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30%  stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into  pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become  a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I  could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally  she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see.  To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which  had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The  next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at  the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell  asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.
When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In  the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want  anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She  requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a  life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a  month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken  marriage.
This was agreeable to me. But she had something more,  she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our  wedding day.
She requested that every day for the month’s  duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door every morning.  I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together  bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife’s  divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No  matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said  scornfully.

My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my  divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on  the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us,  daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of  pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked  over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said  softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat  upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to  work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us  acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the  fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman  carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There  were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had  taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On  the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy  returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.
On  the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was  growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry  her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me  stronger.
She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on  quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed,  all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown  so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our  son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To  him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential  part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged  him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change  my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from  the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand  surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was  just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me  sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a  step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t  noticed that our life lacked intimacy.
I drove to office… jumped  out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay  would make me change my mind… I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door  and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She  looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a  fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I  won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I  didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each  other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on  our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.
Jane  seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed  the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At  the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife.  The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote,  I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed – dead.

My  wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to  even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me  from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru  with the divorce –At least, in the eyes of our son— I’m a loving  husband…

The small details of  your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the  mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an  environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in  themselves. So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little  things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy  marriage!
                                                                    Author Unknown

Never Judge Someone

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an  urgent surgery. He answered the call asap, changed his clothes &  went directly to the surgery block.

He found the boy’s father pacing in the hall waiting for the doctor.
On seeing him, the dad yelled:“Why did you take all this time to  come? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have  any sense of responsibility?”

The doctor smiled & said: “I am sorry, I wasn’t in the  hospital & I came as fast as I could after receiving the call…… And  now, I wish you’d calm down so that I can do my work”

“Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do??” said the father angrily
The doctor smiled again & replied:“I  will say what Job said in the Holy Book 
“From dust we came & to  dust we return, blessed be the name of God”. Doctors cannot prolong  lives. Go & intercede for your son, we will do our best by God’s  grace”
“Giving advises when we’re not concerned is so easy” Murmured the father.

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy,“Thank goodness!, your son is saved!”And without waiting for the father’s reply he carried on his way running. “If you have any questions, ask the nurse!!”

“Why is he so arrogant? He couldn’t wait some minutes so  that I ask about my son’s state” Commented the father when seeing the  nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face: “His son died  yesterday in a road accident, he was at the burial when we called him  for your son’s surgery. And now that he saved your son’s life, he left  running to finish his son’s burial.”


MORAL : "Never judge anyone….. because you never know how their life is & what they’re going through.

Why I need to Be Not so Busy

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paying job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best money could buy.

Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.

Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.

However, the family still did not get to see father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he enrolled for another course in the open university.

Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Jubilantly, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough, it would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients. Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. But he often yearned to spend more time with his family.

As expected, Father’s hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take anymore courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family.

Father did not wake up the next day.

Why I Miss My Family even for a Day

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.

For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?

“Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!”

Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks – if not months. I know my expression betrayed me.

I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!”

The man suddenly stopped smiling.

He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”

Why I Took my Mom for a Date ?

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.”

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, “she said, as she got into the car. “They can’t wait to hear about our meeting.”

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,” she said. “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation – nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.

“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates – one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till “some other time.”

Spirituality make it work for you at work

1: Take responsibility

If we want to be happy at work, we must take responsibility for our happiness. No one but you yourself are responsible for your own happiness. This is the most powerful principle for change from sadness to happiness , Instead of blaming the boss or the colleague, we look to see where we have gone wrong. Instead of fretting and worrying about a mistake, we see how we can make amends. Instead of wilting in a toxic work environment, we take responsibility for changing it. The moment we do this  situations stop pulling us down and instead become instruments of growth. Instead of becoming discontented, demoralised or indifferent, each negative situation actually becomes an impetus to growth! This is alchemy, and our capacity to use this in all situations is a measure of our spiritual growth and happiness quotient .

 2: Get your priorities right on Life

What exactly are you looking for in the workplace , Is it money, career , prestige. Once you know why you are here, you will be able to better adapt your expectations and also be focused on what you want in life and especially would result in better performance too.  Quite often, when we have many responsibilities, we do not have the choices of doing work that we want to do. For the sake of our dependents we must keep on doing whatever we are doing whether we like it or not . Such aware- ness will give us the patience to stay at the workplace and work harder to resolve our issues. If however, that is not the case, and what we want is not what the work- place can give us, we can look for something better which not only we improve our performance but would also make our life peaceful and full of happiness and energy.

3 : Never react especially when you are sure that it has been done wrong to you.

No matter what the situation, try and avoid reacting and specially instantly ,  Our reactions are  controlled by emotions and emotions are good servants but poor masters. It is reactions  that expose us to bad karma and trap us in unpalatable situations. 

As read this In Buddha’s great insight, and it forms the root of his solution. If we do not react and rather give our response , eventually we will overcome our karma, both good and bad, and free ourselves of the cycle of birth and death. Not reacting is very important. 

Obviously as we are not Buddhas, we will react on occasions, but at least when the matter is serious and may affect our future / reputation, we ought to be able to control our reactions and respond wisely . Always take your time before reacting and a good one night sleep over it is the best way to prepare you to respond wisely as it will bring more clarity, guidance and detachment.

4: Have self-esteem and self confidence

A bad day at work  can pull you down. To ensure it does not harm you need to cultivate your worthiness and confidence. Guide yourself with positive thoughts and affirmations. Try and analyse your negative side and think of improving on them. Remember that it is okay not to be perfect, while at the same time don't stop to try and improve yourself. When we are in love with ourselves, we do not blame ourselves each time we commit a mistake, or each time someone else criticises our performance. We simply affirm ourselves to be more careful next time.

Self love is the greatest help we can have.

5: Communicate and share right and positive thoughts 

The workplace is all about learning to work as a team involving other people of all sorts and one of the most important lessons in that area is to communicate and share right. When we learn the art of clarifying situations or expectations or mis understandings ,when we explain our situations or ask for help, we bring clarity and openness into the space. Most issues can be resolved once we understand how to talk about it.

Communicate right also means knowing when not to communicate. Insulate yourself from gossip and politics. Both these will mesh you in a net of negativity from which there is no  Never get involved with negative talk at the office. If people try to involve you in such things, turn the topic into some interesting and positive direction.

6: Practice Spirituality

 Practising  spirituality will make you  so optimistic that you will be able to handle every  situation . 

7: Cultivate your intuition

Your inner guide is your best compass to help you negotiate the treacherous waters of the workplace full of politics and ups and downs . If you learn to cultivate it by being sensitive to your gut instincts and honouring it, you will know intuitively which workplace to join or not to join, which colleague to trust and the key decisions to take at work. 

Try this as a guidance from your soul .

After taking a decision, do you feel heavy or light? If heavy, obviously there is something which is not right in the decision.

Listening to your inner guide will put you in the flow of the universe. Without much effort you will find yourself achieving success because you will know when to act and when not to and what to do and what not to. 

8 : Do the right thing

It is often tempting to be unscrupulous at work. To take or give cutbacks, to manipulate and conspire against others, and to lie or steal. Most of us rationalise that sharp practices and act on it  at work because we are not fully responsible for what we do, but that logic won’t cut any ice with the universe. We are responsible for our actions whether at home, the workplace, in public or in private, because we are one person no matter where we are.

When we compromise our integrity, we lose touch with our soul, and therefore with our guiding forces and intuition .

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Come to Light From Darkness

There are two ways of passing from this world — one in light, and one in darkness. When one passes in light he does not come back but when one passes in darkness he returns.

Bhagwad Gita 8.26

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When the force of the desire for Truth blossoms, selfish desires wither away, just like darkness vanishes before the radiance of the light of dawn.

Adi Shankara

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Do not extinguish the lamp of Divine Grace and do not let the candle of wisdom die out in the darkness of lust and error.

Kahlil Gibran

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Above the cloud with its shadow is the star with its light. Above all things reverence thyself.

Pythagoras

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Truly, it is in darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest of all to us.

Meister Eckhart