Post by Rhonda on Feb 6, 2009 5:41:16 GMT -5
GAME ANYONE CAN PLAY
The most miserable people live in their own little worlds of
isolation. They do little for others and rarely have much fun.
I heard of one older gentleman who was considered by the townspeople
to be both rich and thrifty. His austerity earned him the reputation
of a miser. When he died, everyone expected the authorities to find
money stashed everywhere in his home. All they found were a few gallon
cans filled with coins.
It came out that he had used most of his money to help put needy young
students through college. And the coins filled his pockets as he
walked down the streets of the business districts looking for cars
whose parking meters had expired. When he found one, he would drop in
a coin. One of his neighbors commented, "That explains why he looked
so happy and contented!"
Of course! People who go out of their way to help others will always
be happy.
I once tried the same thing with parking meters. I decided that,
whenever possible, I would look for expired meters and drop in a coin.
It became a game to see how many I could find just around my own car.
Then I learned something disturbing. I discovered it was illegal to do
that in the city where I lived. When I learned that I was breaking the
law, I quit looking for meters to feed. And I lost an extra bit of joy
I found in anonymously helping out a stranger.
I believe that now it's time to change the rules of the game. It can
be about doing something kind for somebody else - anything! - and not
getting caught. Anonymous notes or cards ... flowers on a desk ...
raking leaves in secret ... you get the idea. The trick is to remain
anonymous. Plan in secret, act in secret, and most of all, have fun.
It's a game that is guaranteed to make you smile. And best of all,
everyone is allowed to play.
-- Steve Goodier
__________
There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore
like an idiot. -- Steven Wright
THE GREATEST SUCCESS OF ALL
"Skipper, a special message just came in for you from the admiral,"
the sailor said to his captain as he saluted. "I have it right here."
"Read it to me," the captain ordered.
The sailor read, "You are without a doubt, the most conceited,
self-absorbed, EGO-MANIAC ever to command a ship in the United States
Navy."
The skipper responded, "Have that communication decoded at once!"
For some people, it's all about them. For others, it's all about you.
Like author Leil Lowndes says, "There are two kinds of people in this
life. Those who walk into a room and say, 'Well, here I am.' And those
who walk in and say, 'Ahh, there you are.'"
Which are you? Are you more focused on getting your own needs met, or
on easing the burdens of others? Are you mostly trying to make
yourself happy, or are you interested in the happiness of those around
you?
Albert Einstein reminded us that "life isn't worth living, unless it
is lived for someone else." And toward the end of his life, he removed
the portraits of two scientists -- Isaac Newton and James Maxwell --
from his wall. He replaced them with portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and
Albert Schweitzer. Einstein explained that it was time to replace the
image of success with the image of service.
Maybe the greatest success of all is when we realize that it's not all
about us. And maybe the greatest happiness to be found is when we
share the happiness of others.
-- Steve Goodier
__________
__________
P.S. FAVORITE QUOTE
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways
you
can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the
people you can, as long as ever you can. -- John Wesley
THINGS MAY NOT BE AS THEY SEEM
My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment.
She cooked for students & teachers to support the family.
There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me.
I was so embarrassed.
How could she do this to me?
I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.
The next day at school one of my classmates said, 'EEEE, your mom only has one eye!'
I wanted to bury myself.
I also wanted my mom to just disappear.
I confronted her that day and said, ' If you're only goanna make me a laughing stock, why don't you just die?'
My mom did not respond...
I didn't even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger.
I was oblivious to her feelings.
I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her.
So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.
Then, I got married.
I bought a house of my own.
I had kids of my own.
I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts, Then one day, my mother came to visit me.
She hadn't seen me in years and she didn't even meet her grandchildren.
When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited.
I screamed at her, 'How dare you come to my house and scare my children!'
GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!'
And to this, my mother quietly answered, 'Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,' and she disappeared out of sight.
One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house.
So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip.
After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.
My neighbors said that she died.
I did not shed a single tear.
They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.
'My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion.
But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you.
I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were
growing up.
You see........
when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye.
As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with one eye.
So I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.
With all my love to you,
Your mother.
These and so much more are the sacrifices Mothers make for their kids.
Many whom never ever are thankful,or care one way or the other,about anyone but theirselves.
It is not that they were raised to be that way.
It is very sad to be a mom of such kids,and grandkids,who learned
to be this way from their parents.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."
The most miserable people live in their own little worlds of
isolation. They do little for others and rarely have much fun.
I heard of one older gentleman who was considered by the townspeople
to be both rich and thrifty. His austerity earned him the reputation
of a miser. When he died, everyone expected the authorities to find
money stashed everywhere in his home. All they found were a few gallon
cans filled with coins.
It came out that he had used most of his money to help put needy young
students through college. And the coins filled his pockets as he
walked down the streets of the business districts looking for cars
whose parking meters had expired. When he found one, he would drop in
a coin. One of his neighbors commented, "That explains why he looked
so happy and contented!"
Of course! People who go out of their way to help others will always
be happy.
I once tried the same thing with parking meters. I decided that,
whenever possible, I would look for expired meters and drop in a coin.
It became a game to see how many I could find just around my own car.
Then I learned something disturbing. I discovered it was illegal to do
that in the city where I lived. When I learned that I was breaking the
law, I quit looking for meters to feed. And I lost an extra bit of joy
I found in anonymously helping out a stranger.
I believe that now it's time to change the rules of the game. It can
be about doing something kind for somebody else - anything! - and not
getting caught. Anonymous notes or cards ... flowers on a desk ...
raking leaves in secret ... you get the idea. The trick is to remain
anonymous. Plan in secret, act in secret, and most of all, have fun.
It's a game that is guaranteed to make you smile. And best of all,
everyone is allowed to play.
-- Steve Goodier
__________
There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore
like an idiot. -- Steven Wright
THE GREATEST SUCCESS OF ALL
"Skipper, a special message just came in for you from the admiral,"
the sailor said to his captain as he saluted. "I have it right here."
"Read it to me," the captain ordered.
The sailor read, "You are without a doubt, the most conceited,
self-absorbed, EGO-MANIAC ever to command a ship in the United States
Navy."
The skipper responded, "Have that communication decoded at once!"
For some people, it's all about them. For others, it's all about you.
Like author Leil Lowndes says, "There are two kinds of people in this
life. Those who walk into a room and say, 'Well, here I am.' And those
who walk in and say, 'Ahh, there you are.'"
Which are you? Are you more focused on getting your own needs met, or
on easing the burdens of others? Are you mostly trying to make
yourself happy, or are you interested in the happiness of those around
you?
Albert Einstein reminded us that "life isn't worth living, unless it
is lived for someone else." And toward the end of his life, he removed
the portraits of two scientists -- Isaac Newton and James Maxwell --
from his wall. He replaced them with portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and
Albert Schweitzer. Einstein explained that it was time to replace the
image of success with the image of service.
Maybe the greatest success of all is when we realize that it's not all
about us. And maybe the greatest happiness to be found is when we
share the happiness of others.
-- Steve Goodier
__________
__________
P.S. FAVORITE QUOTE
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways
you
can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the
people you can, as long as ever you can. -- John Wesley
THINGS MAY NOT BE AS THEY SEEM
My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment.
She cooked for students & teachers to support the family.
There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me.
I was so embarrassed.
How could she do this to me?
I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.
The next day at school one of my classmates said, 'EEEE, your mom only has one eye!'
I wanted to bury myself.
I also wanted my mom to just disappear.
I confronted her that day and said, ' If you're only goanna make me a laughing stock, why don't you just die?'
My mom did not respond...
I didn't even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger.
I was oblivious to her feelings.
I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her.
So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.
Then, I got married.
I bought a house of my own.
I had kids of my own.
I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts, Then one day, my mother came to visit me.
She hadn't seen me in years and she didn't even meet her grandchildren.
When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited.
I screamed at her, 'How dare you come to my house and scare my children!'
GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!'
And to this, my mother quietly answered, 'Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,' and she disappeared out of sight.
One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house.
So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip.
After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.
My neighbors said that she died.
I did not shed a single tear.
They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.
'My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion.
But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you.
I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were
growing up.
You see........
when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye.
As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with one eye.
So I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.
With all my love to you,
Your mother.
These and so much more are the sacrifices Mothers make for their kids.
Many whom never ever are thankful,or care one way or the other,about anyone but theirselves.
It is not that they were raised to be that way.
It is very sad to be a mom of such kids,and grandkids,who learned
to be this way from their parents.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."