www.boston.com boston globe L.A. Fire photos

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/09/wildfires_in_southern_californ.html

Keep your Fork

The tale above was written by Roger William Thomas in 1994 and first published in the 1996 book, A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul. It has been republished in various forms and in various venues, including Anne Landers’ popular column. The version circulating via e-mail is, expectedly, changed significantly from its original – most notably that the dying woman in Thomas’ original was described as “not only one of the oldest members of the congregation, but one of the most faithful,” in contrast to the young woman in the version above.

Curiously, the notion of living life in anticipation that the best moment was yet to come was put into writing a decade earlier.

In the mid-1980’s, Glen Wheeler, a retired minister from southern Ohio, wrote a touching story about his marriage and his wife’s life-long battle with heart disease called “Hold On To Your Fork.” The story was published nationally by Standard Publishing of Cincinnati, Ohio, and has appeared in newspaper columns and other collections of inspirational stories.

Here is the original “Hold on to Your Fork” by Glen Wheeler, of Worthington, Ohio, as published in the Summer/Autumn 2001 issue of Ohio’s Heritage magazine (reprinted with permission):

“Hold on to Your Fork”

“Recall in your mind the most delicious meal you ever enjoyed. It could have been at home, at a restaurant, or at a family get-together. It could have been at a church meeting, a cookout, or on a special occasion. But let your mind go back to that memorable time. Do you remember when, as the meal came near an end, the host or hostess would urge you to have additional meat, more vegetables or salad? Your response was, “Thank you, but I am so full, I cannot eat another bite.” This dialogue would be repeated two or three times until at last, the hostess would begin removing the dinner plates from the table. As each plate was removed, she would say, “Hold on to your fork.” Why would she say that when you already stated there was no room for more food?

“Because she knew what was coming. In a few moments, the hostess returned with a generous helping of your favorite dessert. Immediately forgetting your previous comments, you picked up the fork.

“And this is the way life is.

“I still remember my 1943 graduation from Lincoln High School in Vincennes, Indiana. I thought I was the greatest. About the time the tassel was moved, the message “Hold on to your fork” was whispered. And sure enough, in the fall of 1943, I enrolled at Johnson Bible College, Knoxville, Tennessee. Oh, the many emotions I had! Four hundred miles away from home, among strangers, sharing a dorm room, learning new procedures – What an experience! But finally, I again walked across the platform, received my diploma, moved the tassel, and seemed to hear “Hold on to your fork.”

“And so I did. On August 31, 1948, the strains of Lohengrin’s wedding march filled the sanctuary of the First Christian Church in Vincennes, Indiana. I thrilled as I watched a beautiful bride walk toward me, escorted by her father. We took each other “for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death parts us.” Was I ever happy I had held onto my fork!

“All that we ever dreamed about having was now ours. A ministry at First Christian Church in Harriman, Tennessee, our first car, our own home, our own bank account, our first mortgage and our first credit card. But that haunting refrain came once again. “Hold on to your fork.” What could be better? In a few years, here came a little boy to bless our home, then a few years later, another one.

“After eight years in Harriman, we moved to West Frankfort, Illinois, where Evelyn suffered her first heart attack and we realized that she would not enjoy a normal life span.

“We faced many questions and uncertainties but the rewards of faith are many. When we moved to Ironton, Ohio, in 1961, we had no idea of the adventure before us, nor how many times we would assure each other that the best was yet to be.

“In 1963, local doctors referred Evelyn to the Cleveland Clinic where, after a series of tests and evaluations, they performed open-heart surgery and implanted a metal heart valve. She was one of the early pioneers in this type of heart surgery. A young lady from our church took Evelyn’s care as her ministry and became a member of the family. Doctors advised us that Evelyn might live three to five years, so we tried to live each day to the fullest and to make as many priceless memories as possible. At Christmas, Evelyn gave me a watch chain with a miniature heart valve and a charm that read “Stick with me, the best is yet to be.”

“Three years passed. Then five years. Then ten and twelve and fifteen – far longer than the doctors had anticipated. Our children married and three granddaughters blessed us. Evelyn’s ministry literally reached hundreds who sought strength, advice, and comfort from one who had walked in their shoes for so many years. Her courage and infectious laughter were ever present and practiced, as was her deep, radiant and unwavering faith.

“Then, in 1977, the fork wavered. While attending the North American Christian Convention in Cincinnati, Evelyn suffered an embolism and, in just 48 hours, lost her eyesight. The following three years were a time of great adjustment.

“The Northeast Church of Christ in Columbus extended us an invitation in the fall of 1978. In December of 1980, doctors advised that they felt that the heart valve, which had done its job for more than seventeen years, should be replaced and that an artificial aorta valve needed to be implanted.

“On March 1, 1981, Evelyn entered the hospital for surgery to be performed the following day. Early in the morning of March 5, doctors brought the news we dreaded – “We’re sorry, but we did all we could.” – and the fork not only slipped, it broke. After so many years, it just wasn’t possible that this beautiful one was gone. The arrangements were made and services were held at the Northeast Church of Christ in Columbus. We then held services of praise, victory, thanksgiving, and love at the beautiful Central Christian Church in Ironton, where she had ministered with me for more than fifteen years. It was a tribute to her life and influence.

“Then came the pilgrimage to peaceful Woodland Cemetery. After graveside services, I reluctantly got into the family car to leave. As we drove away, I did what I have seen hundreds of other family members do: I turned slightly for one final glimpse. My eyes were filled with tears and my heart nearly bursting, yet I seemed to hear a familiar feminine voice whisper “Glen, the best is yet to be – it really is. Hold on to your fork.”

- Glen Wheeler is the chaplain for Worthington Christian Village, author of four books and a 2001 inductee to the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. Adapted for print from Standard Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio. Published with permission.

Outside of e-mail circles, Thomas’ version is never represented as a true story. Instead, it is presented as a parable meant to inspire thought and warm the heart. Wheeler’s version is presented as the author’s true experiences. Perhaps Thomas had read Wheeler’s tale and decided to put his own twist on it to make the concept of “keeping your fork” much more visual. Or, maybe the two men received their inspiration from the same source. It’s hard to tell.

Two Choices

 This not the real boy. This picture is from Google public domain.

Two Choices

What would you do?….you make the choice. Don’t look for a punch line,

there isn’t one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the

same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning

disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that

would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school

and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

‘When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does,

is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot

understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?’

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. ‘I believe that when a child like Shay, who was

mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to

realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way

other people treat that child.’

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing

baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ I knew that

most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as

a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would

give him a much needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be

accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much)

if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, ‘We’re

losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can

be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.’

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on

a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my

heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but

was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the

right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic

just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I

waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth=2 0inning, Shay’s team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was

on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win

the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all

but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat

properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that

the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life,

moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least

make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly

towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball

right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the

ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head,

out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, ‘Shay, run to

first!

Run to first!’

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first

base.

He scam pered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second, run to second!’

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and

struggling to make it to the base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the

ball…the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be

the hero for his team..

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he

understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the

ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him

circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, ‘Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay’

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him

by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, ‘Run to

third!

Shay, run to third!’

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators,

were on their feet screaming, ‘Shay, run home! Run home!’

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who

hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

‘That day’, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face,

‘the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity

into this world’.

Shay didn’t make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never

forgotten being the hero and making me so20happy, and coming home and

seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes

through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to

sending messages about life choices, people hesitate.

The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but

public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools

and workplaces.

If you’re thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that

you’re probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren’t

the ‘appropriate’ ones to receive this type of message Well, the person

who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference..

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize

the ‘natural order of things.’

So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us

with a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up

those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the

process?

　

　

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it’s least

fortunate amongst them.

May your day, be a Shay Day.

 

Melissa K. Henke

 

 

 

 

　

　

　

 

 

To Kill an American by an Australian Dentist

   

---

Absolutely beautiful and well said…     Written by an Australian Dentist   To Kill an American You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)  ‘An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.  An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.     An American is Christian , or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in   Afghanistan . The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.        An American is also free to believe in no religion…… For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.  An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.   The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence , which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.     An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return……….        When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!        As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan .. The national symbol of America , The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America         Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11 , 2001 earning a better life for their families. It’s been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.   So you can try to kill an American if you must.. Hitler did. So did General Tojo , and Stalin , and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself . Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.                                        Please keep this going! Pass this around the World . Then pass it around again.  It says it all, for all of us  Please do not just delete.  Pass it on first.  Thanks!

The works of Steven Wright

If you’re not familiar with the work of Steven Wright he’s the famously erudite scientist and comic who once said: “I woke up one morning and all of my stuff had been stolen and replaced by exact duplicates.”

His mind sees things differently than most of us do, to our amazement and amusement. Here are some of his gems:

1 – I’d kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

2 – Borrow money from pessimists — They don’t expect it back.

3 – Half the people you know are below average.

4 – 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5 – 82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

6 – A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

7 – A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

8 – If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.

9 – All those who believe in psycho-kinesis, raise my hand.

10 – The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

11 – I almost had a psychic girlfriend…..but she left me before we met.

12 – OK, so what’s the speed of dark?

13 – How do you tell when you’re out of invisible ink?

14 – If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

15 – Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

16 – When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

17 – Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

18 – Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

19 – I intend to live forever……so far, so good.

20 – If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

21 – Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.

22 – What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

23 – My mechanic told me, “I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.”

24 – Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

25 – If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

26 – A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

27 – Experience is something you don’t get until just after you need it.

28 – The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

29 – To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

30 – The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

31 – The sooner you fall behind, the more time you’ll have to catch up.

32 – The colder the X-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

33 – Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don’t have film.

And my all time favorite-

34 – If your car could travel at the speed of light , would your headlights work?

QR Code to www.lavere.net

Grandpa gives a lesson.

Picture taken from google public domain and are not the people written about.

        Letter from Granddad:

        John is 63 years old and owns his own business. He is a

        life-long Republican and sees his dream of retiring next

        year is now all but gone. With the stock market crashing and

        all the new taxes coming his way, John knows he will be

        working for a good number more years.

        John has a Granddaughter. Ashley is a recent college grad.

        She drives a late model car, wears all the latest fashions,

        and also likes going out and eating out a lot.

          Ashley campaigned hard for Obama, and after he won the election she

        made sure her Grandfather (and all other Republican family

        members) received more than an earful on how the world is

        going to be a much better place now that Obama won the election.

        Ashley recently found herself short of cash and cannot pay

        her bills, again. As she has done many other times in the

        past, she e-mailed her Grandfather asking for some financial

        help. Here is his reply:

        ”Sweetheart,

        I am replying to your request for more money. Ashley, you

        know I love you dearly and am sympathetic to your financial

        plight. Unfortunately, times have changed. With the election

        of President Obama, your Grandmother and I have had to set

        forth a bold new economic plan of our own….the ‘Ashley

        Economic Plan’. Let me explain. Your grandmother and I are

        highly productive, wage-earning tax payers. As you know, we

        have lived a comfortable life and in return have forgone

        many things like fancy vacations, luxury cars, etc. We have

        worked hard and were looking forward to retiring soon. But

        this plan has changed. Your president is significantly

        raising our personal and business taxes.. He says it is so he

        can give our hard earned money to other people. Do you know

        what this means, Ashley? It means less income for us. Less

        income means we must cut back on many business and personal

        expenditures. One example is, we were forced to let go of

        our receptionist today. You know her. She always gave you

        candy when you visited my office. Did you know she worked

        for us for the past 18 years? I can’t afford her anymore.

        That is a taste of the business side. Some personal economic

        affects of Obama’s new taxation policies include none other

        than you. You know very well that over the years your

        grandmother and I have given you thousands of dollars in

        cash, tuition assistance, food, housing, clothing, gifts,

        etc., etc. By your vote, you have chosen another family over

        ours for help. Judging from your Email requesting more

        money, I recommend you call 202-456-1111. That is the direct

        telephone number for the White House. You yourself

        repeatedly told me I was foolish to vote Republican. You said

        Mr. Obama is going to be the people’s president and is going

        to help every American live a better life. Based upon

        everything you have told me and things we heard from him as

        he campaigned, I am sure Mr. Obama will be happy to send a

        check or transfer money into your checking account. Have him

        call me for the transaction and account numbers, which by

        now I know by heart.

        Perhaps you now can understand what I have been saying for

        all my life: those who vote for the president should

        consider what the impact of an election will be on the

        nation as a whole, and not just be concerned with what they

        can get for themselves (welfare, etc.). What Obama voters

        don’t seem to realize is all of the “government’s” money he

        is ‘redistributing’ to illegal aliens and non-taxpaying

        Americans (deemed “less fortunate”) comes from tax money

        collected from income tax-paying families. Remember how you

        told me, “Only the richest of the rich will be affected”?

        Guess what, honey? Because of our business, your Grandmother

        and I are now considered to be the richest of the rich. On

        paper, it might look that way. But in the real world, we are

        far from it. But, as you said while campaigning for Obama,

        some people will have to carry more of the burden so all of

        America can prosper.. You understand what that means, right?

        It means that raising taxes on productive people results in

        them having less money. Less money for everything, including

        granddaughters.

        Congratulations on your choice for “change”. For future

        reference, I encourage you to attempt to add up the total

        value of the gifts and money you’ve received from us over

        the years, and compare it to what you expect to get over the

        next four years from Mr. Obama.

        Remember, we love you dearly… but from now on you’ll need

        to call the number referenced above when you need help.

        Good luck, sweetheart.

        Love,

        Grampa.

        

          PS: How was your recent trip to Jamaica ? I have never been

        there but I hear it is lovely this time of year.”

This is my John

This is (A) John the one that sent this to me. While this may  not have been written for him it is damn close.

I’m glad to call him my friend for over 30 years.

Read this

LET IT REALLY SINK IN……

THEN CHOOSE .

 
John is the kind of guy you love to hate…  He is always in a good mood
and always has something positive to say.  When someone would ask him
how he was doing, he would reply, ‘If I were any better, I would be
twins!’
 
He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John 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 and asked
him, ‘I don’t get it!’
‘You can’t be a positive person all of the time.  How do you do it?’

 

 
He replied, ‘Each morning I wake up and say to myself, 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,’ he 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 affect your mood.
You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.  The bottom line:  It’s
your choice how you live your life.’

 

I reflected on what he said.  Soon hereafter, I left the Tower 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 he was involved in a serious accident,
falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released
from the hospital with rods placed in his back.
I saw him 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 I did ask him what had gone through
his mind as the accident took place.
‘The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my
soon-to-be born daughter,’ he replied.  ‘Then, as I lay on the ground, I
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.
He continued, ‘…the paramedics were great.
They kept telling me I was going to be fine.  But when they wheeled me
into the ER 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 John.
‘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, ‘Gravity”
Over their laughter, I told them, ‘I am choosing to live.  Operate on me
as if I am alive, not dead.’
He 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.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.’  Matthew 6:34.
After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

 

 

You have two choices now:
01..  Delete this

 

  02..  Forward it to the people you care about.

Gordon Grillin Beans

Picture from a Google post

Gordon Grillin Beans 

Gordon Special Grillin Beans 6/21/2006
1 22oz can Bush Grillin beans Might try Smoke house beans also
meat bacon or ham  smoked pork hocks would be very good very lean.
1/3 cup of black strong coffee
1 table spoon bourbon I use jack Danials
1/2 to 1 tsp Coleman’s mustard powder
1/2 tsp  Lausanne Cajun Seasoning

Just simmer for  10 to 15 minutes to let the flavors blend

one could add molasses maybe 1 tsp for extra flavor.
and  small ammount of chopped tomatoes if desired

 

Modified from Joyce Hank receipt

 

http://seasoningz.com/seasoningz-blog/gordon-grillin-beans/” >Gordon Grillin Beans

My Name is Rose

This picture is from public domain and not the real Rose.

This story has been posted before but it is nice to read.

My Name is Rose
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.
‘Good friends and family are like stars……..You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there…’

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, ‘Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?’

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, ‘Of course you may!’ and she gave me a giant squeeze..

‘Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?’ I asked.

She jokingly replied, ‘I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a coup le of kids…’

‘No seriously,’ I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

‘I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!’ she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this ‘time machine’ as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, ‘I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.’

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ‘ We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.’

She concluded her speech by courageously singing ‘The Rose.’

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they’ll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE..

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

 

How many people in the US have your name?

HowManyOfMe.com

There is 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

“What are you doing?” I asked without fear,
“Come in this moment, it’s freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!”
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire’s light
Then he sighed and he said “Its really all right,
I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night.”
“It’s my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I’m proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ‘ Pearl on a day in December,”
Then he sighed, “That’s a Christmas ‘Gram always remembers.”
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘ Nam ’,
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he’s sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue… an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.”

“So go back inside,” he said, “harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.”
“But isn’t there something I can do, at the least,
“Give you money,” I asked, “or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,
For being away from your wife and your son.”

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
“Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.”

PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many
people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let’s try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people
stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us

Tips for a Happier Life

Tips for a Happier Life

1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did the previous year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
14. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
15. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
16. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
17. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
18. Smile and laugh more.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don’t compare your partner with others.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
29. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
30. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
31. The best is yet to come.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often.
35. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy.
36. Each day give something good to others.
37. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
38. Share this with someone you care about (Click the “Share” link below)

Written by a yogi called Nithya Shanti.

Sent by Paloma Griffin

The Sack Lunches

If you have not tried this in your lifetime, I encourage you to do so.
The warm feeling you get is really precious.

One well worth passing on.

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned
seat.  It was going to be a long flight. ‘I’m glad I have a good book to
read and perhaps I will get a short nap,’ I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled
all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me.  I decided to start a
conversation.  ‘Where are you headed?’ I asked the soldier seated
nearest to me.

‘Petawawa.. We’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then
we’re being deployed to Afghanistan .’

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five dollars.  It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he
planned to buy lunch.  ‘No, that seems like a lot of money for just a
sack lunch. Probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks.  I’ll wait till we
get to base.

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers.  None were buying lunch.  I
walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty
dollar bill.  ‘Take a lunch to all those soldiers.’  She grabbed my arms
and squeezed tightly.  Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.  ‘My son
was a soldier in Iraq ; it’s almost like you are doing it for him.’

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were
seated.  She stopped at my seat and asked, ‘Which do you like best -
beef or chicken?’

‘Chicken,’ I replied, wondering why she asked.  She turned and went to
the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from
first class.  ‘This is yours

with thanks.’

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading
for the rest room.  A man stopped me.  ‘I saw what you did.  I want to
be part of it.  Here, take this.’  He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Air craft Pilot coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked , I hoped he was
not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my
side of the plane.  When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out
his hand, and said, ‘I want to shake your hand.’

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain’s hand.
With a booming voice he said, ‘I was a soldier and I was a military
pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch.  It was an act of kindness I
never forgot.’  I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of
the passengers.

Later

I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.  A man
who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand,
wanting to shake mine.  He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.  Waiting
just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in
my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word.  Another
twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip
to the base.  I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five
dollars. ‘It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about
time for a sandwich.  God Bless You.’

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers.  As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer
for their safe return.  These soldiers were giving their all for our
country.  I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to his country for an amount of ‘up to and including my
life.’

That is Honor, and there are way too many people who no longer
understand it.

May God give you the strength and courage to pass this along to everyone
on your email buddy list.

——————————————————————————–

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING

A message every adult should read because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately
wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make my
favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each
other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of
your time and money to help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something should
give to those who don’t.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw you take care
of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t
feel good, and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw tears come
from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I saw that you
cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I learned most of
life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking I looked at you and
wanted to say, ‘Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn’t looking.’

I AM SENDING THIS TO THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS,
BUT THINK THAT NO ONE EVER SEES.

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend)
influences the life of a child.

How will you touch the life of someone today?
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak
kindly.
Leave the rest to God

Don’t regret growing older.
It is a privilege denied to many.

-Unknown

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

This picture is taken from public domain and not the people in the story.

How true?

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving
family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I’ve aged, I’ve
become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I’ve become my
own friend. I don’t chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for
not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn’t
need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat,
to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before
they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until
4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful
tunes of the 60 &70’s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a
lost love … I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging
body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to,
despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just
as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not
break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when
somebody’s beloved pet gets hit by a car?
But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and
compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will
never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning
gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep
grooves on my face..
So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair
could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about
what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore.
I’ve even earned the right to be wrong. And may heaven help all those
idiots to know, what you and I both know, That I am always right..

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I
like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but
while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have
been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every
single day(if I feel like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!

It Does Make You Feel Good. Natural Highs!

Think about them one at a time before going on to the next one.

It Does Make You Feel Good. Natural Highs!

1 Falling in love.

2 Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3 A hot shower.

4 No lines at the supermarket.

5 A special glance.

6 Getting mail.

7 Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8 Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9 Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10 Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

11 Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).

12 A bubble bath…

13 Giggling.

15 The beach.

16 Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.

17 Laughing at yourself.

18 Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

19 Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

20 Running through sprinklers.

21 Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

22 Having someone tell you that you’re beautiful.

23 Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS

24 Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

25 Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep

26 Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).

27 Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

28 Playing with a new puppy.

29 Having someone play with your hair.

30 Sweet dreams.

31 Hot chocolate…

32 Road trips with friends.

33 Swinging on swings.

34 Making chocolate chip cookies.

35 Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

36 Holding hands with someone you care about.

37 Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

8 Watching the expression on someone’s face as they open a much desired present from you.

39 Watching the sunrise.

40 Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

41 Knowing that somebody misses you. 42 Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.

43 Knowing you’ve done the right thing, no matter what other people think.