Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the “no man’s land ...” between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.
“You can go,” said the lieutenant, “but i don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.” The lieutenant’s advice didn’t matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company’s trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.
“I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded.”
“It was worth it, though, sir,” said the soldier.
“What do you mean; worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.”
“Yes, Sir” the private answered. “But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying, “Jim ..., I knew you’d come.”
Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u looks at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life. May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS. A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out. War doesn’t determine who’s right. War only determines who’s left.
-- Author Unknown
Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thank You
Thank you for your friendship
Thank you for our friendship
For it means so much to me,
Your kindness and understanding
And loving ways you share so free.
Thank you for being beside me
When I needed someone that cared,
And thank you for all your loyalty
For the times together we shared.
Thank you for our friendship
For it's something even money can't buy,
Thank you for holding me tightly
When there was a need I had to cry.
Thank you for always smiling
When I couldn't smile at all,
And thank you for boosting my ego
For the times I felt so small.
Your friendship I cherish so deeply
So this message to you I send,
May God bless and always watch over you
And may you always remain my friend.
-- Author Unknown
Thank you for our friendship
For it means so much to me,
Your kindness and understanding
And loving ways you share so free.
Thank you for being beside me
When I needed someone that cared,
And thank you for all your loyalty
For the times together we shared.
Thank you for our friendship
For it's something even money can't buy,
Thank you for holding me tightly
When there was a need I had to cry.
Thank you for always smiling
When I couldn't smile at all,
And thank you for boosting my ego
For the times I felt so small.
Your friendship I cherish so deeply
So this message to you I send,
May God bless and always watch over you
And may you always remain my friend.
-- Author Unknown
Friday, December 21, 2012
Three Words That Make Relationships Better
Three-Word Phrases, can be tools to help develop every relationship.
There are many things that you can do to strengthen your relationships. Often the most effective thing you can do involves saying just three words. When spoken sincerely, these statements often have the power to develop new friendships, deepen old ones and even bring healing to relationships that have soured.
The following three-word phrases can be tools to help develop every relationship:
Let me help:
Good friends see a need and then try to fill it. When they see a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they jump in and help out.
I understand you:
People become closer and enjoy each other more when the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know - in so many little ways - that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship. And this can apply to any relationship.
I respect you:
Respect is another way of showing love. Respect demonstrates that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds and become closer friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships.
I miss you:
Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if couples simply and sincerely said to each other “I miss you.” This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved. Consider how important you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say “I miss you.”
Maybe you’re right:
This phrase is very effective in diffusing an argument. The implication when you say “maybe you’re right” is the humility of admitting, “maybe I’m wrong”. Let’s face it. When you have an argument with someone, all you normally do is solidify the other person’s point of view. They, or you, will not likely change their position and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying “maybe you’re right” can open the door to explore the subject more. You may then have the opportunity to express your view in a way that is understandable to the other person.
Please forgive me:
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
I thank you:
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don’t take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.
Count on me:
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship. It is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating “you can count on me.”
I’ll be there:
If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase “I’ll be there.” Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people, important things happen to them and us.
We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.
Go for it:
We are all unique individuals. Don’t try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how far out they seem to you. God has given everyone dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only.
Support and encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to “go for it.”
I love you:
Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person’s deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends and you, all need to hear those three little words: “I love you.” Love is a choice. You can love even when the feeling is gone.
-- Author Unknown
There are many things that you can do to strengthen your relationships. Often the most effective thing you can do involves saying just three words. When spoken sincerely, these statements often have the power to develop new friendships, deepen old ones and even bring healing to relationships that have soured.
The following three-word phrases can be tools to help develop every relationship:
Let me help:
Good friends see a need and then try to fill it. When they see a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they jump in and help out.
I understand you:
People become closer and enjoy each other more when the other person accepts and understands them. Letting your spouse know - in so many little ways - that you understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship. And this can apply to any relationship.
I respect you:
Respect is another way of showing love. Respect demonstrates that another person is a true equal. If you talk to your children as if they were adults you will strengthen the bonds and become closer friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships.
I miss you:
Perhaps more marriages could be saved and strengthened if couples simply and sincerely said to each other “I miss you.” This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired and loved. Consider how important you would feel, if you received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say “I miss you.”
Maybe you’re right:
This phrase is very effective in diffusing an argument. The implication when you say “maybe you’re right” is the humility of admitting, “maybe I’m wrong”. Let’s face it. When you have an argument with someone, all you normally do is solidify the other person’s point of view. They, or you, will not likely change their position and you run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying “maybe you’re right” can open the door to explore the subject more. You may then have the opportunity to express your view in a way that is understandable to the other person.
Please forgive me:
Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles and failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
I thank you:
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don’t take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.
Count on me:
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship. It is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady and true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating “you can count on me.”
I’ll be there:
If you have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, you will know how good it feels to hear the phrase “I’ll be there.” Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people, important things happen to them and us.
We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.
Go for it:
We are all unique individuals. Don’t try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how far out they seem to you. God has given everyone dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only.
Support and encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to “go for it.”
I love you:
Perhaps the most important three words that you can say. Telling someone that you truly love them satisfies a person’s deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated and to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends and you, all need to hear those three little words: “I love you.” Love is a choice. You can love even when the feeling is gone.
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, December 6, 2012
The Gift of Acceptance
As she was waiting for her clothes to dry, an elderly woman sat silently on the bench and mumbled to herself. At first I thought that she may have a mental illness as she was shabbily dressed and simply sat mumbling. Her soft yet repetitve words seemed to have annoyed everyone and people sitting nearby moved away from her as many do homeless people. Some had even asked the woman on duty if she could be removed.
I sat on the bench beside her and glanced over, prepared to smile ... but she did not look my way. So we sat together waiting for clothes to dry and we said not a word to each other. Yet she continued her "mumbling" that actually seemed to lull me into a quiet and peaceful place.
When her clothes stopped she simply remained seated, in no rush to get them folded before they wrinkled like so many of us do. I started to wonder who she was, what was her "story" and even if the clothes were hers or she simply came inside to sit down.
As my dryer came to a stop, I got up and started folding things and she remained seated. When I was nearly done, she rose from the bench and came towards me. Her eyes were a cloudy blue but seemed to look straight through me ... for a moment I felt I must know her, but could not recall her in any way.
I smiled and this woman very graciously handed me a small card. Inside was written, "I am a simple woman and many find me odd. I have not spoken to others since my son died in the war. Thank you for sitting beside me as I prayed for him." As I read the card, tears welled in my eyes and this fragile woman reached out her hand and placed it on mine. I realized that her "mumblings" were prayers and her lack of contact with even a smile was due to her sense of hopelessness. How sad she must be to live in a world where she was shunned because she seemed "different".
I returned to the laundry many more times and we sat together as she prayed. One sunny day, I came in and there sat a lovely woman, dressed neatly and appearing somewhat uncomfortable in this setting. I said hello and she nodded. Then I sat down on "my bench" and waited for my friend to come so we would pray together. But this day, when I sat, she did not come.
After waiting for a bit, I began to whisper the prayers that I had been able to make out from the weeks of being seated beside " my unknown friend". The woman who I had encountered upon arrival came closer to me and cleared her throat. She asked if she might sit. A bit on edge as I was awaiting my "friend" I said "Of course" and as she sat, she looked at me with the most pure blue eyes I had ever seen.
Within a few moments, she introduced herself as "Alice" . We exchanged friendly greetings and sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Finally, "Alice" asked me if I came here often to do my laundy. Funny question I thought but it was better than talking about the weather! I noted that I usually came and sat "with a friend" but she seemed to not be coming this day. Alice reached out her hand and I could see she was not one to frequent a laundramat ... exquisitely done nails, beautiful rings and maybe a sense of uneasiness.
Alice began in a gentle tone to speak to me about a woman she called "Mother". She spoke of their "status in the community" and the outreach work that her Mother had prided herself on teaching her children. She remarked that each week, her Mother would come to this place, put coins in the dryers when clothing stopped and needed more time, and sit silently. The family thought she had dementia, but she was not a "problem" and had lost her son in Vietnam ... never really recovering from his loss. This had been his place to come and do his laundry when he was home from college many years before he went to Vietnam. She continued on and I listened carefully to her story.
It all started to make sense to me...this young woman must be the daughter of "my friend" and this "place" was where her Mother felt close to her son. But her daughter never knew she did not sit "silently" as suspected. She prayed for her lost son and the courage and grace to continue to be of service.
When Alice finished her story, she asked "Did you ever meet my Mother?" Without hesitation, I proudly said that I knew her Mother and that each day we met here, we sat on this bench, and prayed for her loved ones. Alice stood and prepared to leave, but before she did, she handed me a fine linen envelope: " I believe this is for you". Without another word, she gracefully walked away.
I sat back on my bench and looked at the envelope, so simple and addressed only to "A dear friend". Taking in a deep breath, I opened the envelope and took out the linen stationery inside and began to read:
My Dear Companion and Friend,
In the beginning when I came to this place, I came in sorrow. I sat and remembered my boy, and prayed. People cast glances my way and acted as if I was somehow a bit crazy. I sat in the same place and talked with my son and prayed that he would know I loved him still and was so proud to be his "mum".Then one day, you walked in and sat beside me. As time went by, you continued to come and my prayers became your prayers. I wondered how you could understand an old fool like me let alone decipher what I was saying. Somehow, you understood ... In this life, I tried to do good. To be someone who others could look up to and feel that my intentions were always to assist, never judge or do harm. I raised my son that way. He was such a good man and my children so thoughtful and kind. If you are reading this now, you must have met my daughter, Alice. She is a grand lady but thinks I am losing my mind. At one point, I also believed that...and then I met you. You asked me for nothing and gave me something that I will carry with me until I leave this earth. You gave me acceptance, respect and treated me with a gentle regard for the person I was. What you may not have realized was that coming here became a time I truly looked forward to. I looked forward to meeting you, dear lady, and never even knew your name. I am going to meet my son very soon and I wanted to write this while my mind was clear and make sure that Alice would carry out my wishes. Your presence and acceptance of what seemed like oddities meant so much to me. No-one has ever been so kind without expecting something in return. I was always happy to give, but you gave me a gift that is priceless: the gift of acceptance and time spent with an old lady that everyone decided was "sick". I will forever be in your debt and you will forever be in my heart.
My Precious Friend: I love you and have left something for you and those who may come to this place to remember me by. Bless you always!
Tears fell from my eyes as I realized how my friend would no longer come and sit with me. Just as she had come to look forward to our time together, so had I. I was filled with joy to know that she understood her prayers made perfect sense to me and her presence filled my day with a sense of peace and love.
Sometimes, without any idea, we do something simple and it becomes something wonderful in another's life. The "something" special she left was a wonderful new bench that had a small plaque on the top. In clear and sincere writing,it said: Heaven on Earth: Friend to Friend.
I was and remain blessed to have followed my heart that very first day we met and believed that I was meant to share my time sitting on a bench and praying in a most unlikely place. Sometimes I still go back and simply sit and say a brief prayer for my friend ... I always leave with a smile!
-- Author Unknown
I sat on the bench beside her and glanced over, prepared to smile ... but she did not look my way. So we sat together waiting for clothes to dry and we said not a word to each other. Yet she continued her "mumbling" that actually seemed to lull me into a quiet and peaceful place.
When her clothes stopped she simply remained seated, in no rush to get them folded before they wrinkled like so many of us do. I started to wonder who she was, what was her "story" and even if the clothes were hers or she simply came inside to sit down.
As my dryer came to a stop, I got up and started folding things and she remained seated. When I was nearly done, she rose from the bench and came towards me. Her eyes were a cloudy blue but seemed to look straight through me ... for a moment I felt I must know her, but could not recall her in any way.
I smiled and this woman very graciously handed me a small card. Inside was written, "I am a simple woman and many find me odd. I have not spoken to others since my son died in the war. Thank you for sitting beside me as I prayed for him." As I read the card, tears welled in my eyes and this fragile woman reached out her hand and placed it on mine. I realized that her "mumblings" were prayers and her lack of contact with even a smile was due to her sense of hopelessness. How sad she must be to live in a world where she was shunned because she seemed "different".
I returned to the laundry many more times and we sat together as she prayed. One sunny day, I came in and there sat a lovely woman, dressed neatly and appearing somewhat uncomfortable in this setting. I said hello and she nodded. Then I sat down on "my bench" and waited for my friend to come so we would pray together. But this day, when I sat, she did not come.
After waiting for a bit, I began to whisper the prayers that I had been able to make out from the weeks of being seated beside " my unknown friend". The woman who I had encountered upon arrival came closer to me and cleared her throat. She asked if she might sit. A bit on edge as I was awaiting my "friend" I said "Of course" and as she sat, she looked at me with the most pure blue eyes I had ever seen.
Within a few moments, she introduced herself as "Alice" . We exchanged friendly greetings and sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Finally, "Alice" asked me if I came here often to do my laundy. Funny question I thought but it was better than talking about the weather! I noted that I usually came and sat "with a friend" but she seemed to not be coming this day. Alice reached out her hand and I could see she was not one to frequent a laundramat ... exquisitely done nails, beautiful rings and maybe a sense of uneasiness.
Alice began in a gentle tone to speak to me about a woman she called "Mother". She spoke of their "status in the community" and the outreach work that her Mother had prided herself on teaching her children. She remarked that each week, her Mother would come to this place, put coins in the dryers when clothing stopped and needed more time, and sit silently. The family thought she had dementia, but she was not a "problem" and had lost her son in Vietnam ... never really recovering from his loss. This had been his place to come and do his laundry when he was home from college many years before he went to Vietnam. She continued on and I listened carefully to her story.
It all started to make sense to me...this young woman must be the daughter of "my friend" and this "place" was where her Mother felt close to her son. But her daughter never knew she did not sit "silently" as suspected. She prayed for her lost son and the courage and grace to continue to be of service.
When Alice finished her story, she asked "Did you ever meet my Mother?" Without hesitation, I proudly said that I knew her Mother and that each day we met here, we sat on this bench, and prayed for her loved ones. Alice stood and prepared to leave, but before she did, she handed me a fine linen envelope: " I believe this is for you". Without another word, she gracefully walked away.
I sat back on my bench and looked at the envelope, so simple and addressed only to "A dear friend". Taking in a deep breath, I opened the envelope and took out the linen stationery inside and began to read:
My Dear Companion and Friend,
In the beginning when I came to this place, I came in sorrow. I sat and remembered my boy, and prayed. People cast glances my way and acted as if I was somehow a bit crazy. I sat in the same place and talked with my son and prayed that he would know I loved him still and was so proud to be his "mum".Then one day, you walked in and sat beside me. As time went by, you continued to come and my prayers became your prayers. I wondered how you could understand an old fool like me let alone decipher what I was saying. Somehow, you understood ... In this life, I tried to do good. To be someone who others could look up to and feel that my intentions were always to assist, never judge or do harm. I raised my son that way. He was such a good man and my children so thoughtful and kind. If you are reading this now, you must have met my daughter, Alice. She is a grand lady but thinks I am losing my mind. At one point, I also believed that...and then I met you. You asked me for nothing and gave me something that I will carry with me until I leave this earth. You gave me acceptance, respect and treated me with a gentle regard for the person I was. What you may not have realized was that coming here became a time I truly looked forward to. I looked forward to meeting you, dear lady, and never even knew your name. I am going to meet my son very soon and I wanted to write this while my mind was clear and make sure that Alice would carry out my wishes. Your presence and acceptance of what seemed like oddities meant so much to me. No-one has ever been so kind without expecting something in return. I was always happy to give, but you gave me a gift that is priceless: the gift of acceptance and time spent with an old lady that everyone decided was "sick". I will forever be in your debt and you will forever be in my heart.
My Precious Friend: I love you and have left something for you and those who may come to this place to remember me by. Bless you always!
Tears fell from my eyes as I realized how my friend would no longer come and sit with me. Just as she had come to look forward to our time together, so had I. I was filled with joy to know that she understood her prayers made perfect sense to me and her presence filled my day with a sense of peace and love.
Sometimes, without any idea, we do something simple and it becomes something wonderful in another's life. The "something" special she left was a wonderful new bench that had a small plaque on the top. In clear and sincere writing,it said: Heaven on Earth: Friend to Friend.
I was and remain blessed to have followed my heart that very first day we met and believed that I was meant to share my time sitting on a bench and praying in a most unlikely place. Sometimes I still go back and simply sit and say a brief prayer for my friend ... I always leave with a smile!
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Wetting Pants
There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened.
It’s never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they’ll never speak to him again as long as he lives.
The boy believes his heart is going to stop, he puts his head down and prays — “Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I’m dead meat.”
He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.
As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy’s lap.
The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, “Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!”
Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else – Susie.
She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. “You’ve done enough, you klutz!” Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
Susie whispers back, “I wet my pants once too.”
-- Author Unknown
It’s never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they’ll never speak to him again as long as he lives.
The boy believes his heart is going to stop, he puts his head down and prays — “Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I’m dead meat.”
He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.
As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy’s lap.
The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, “Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!”
Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out. All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else – Susie.
She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. “You’ve done enough, you klutz!” Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
Susie whispers back, “I wet my pants once too.”
-- Author Unknown
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Always There
If I could catch a rainbow
I would do it just for you
And share with you it's beauty
on the days you're feeling blue
If I could build a mountain
you could call your very own
A place to find serenity
A place to be alone ...
If I could take your troubles
I would toss them in the sea
But all these things I'm finding
are impossible for me
I cannot build a mountain
or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be what I know best
A friend that's always there.
-- Author unknown
I would do it just for you
And share with you it's beauty
on the days you're feeling blue
If I could build a mountain
you could call your very own
A place to find serenity
A place to be alone ...
If I could take your troubles
I would toss them in the sea
But all these things I'm finding
are impossible for me
I cannot build a mountain
or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be what I know best
A friend that's always there.
-- Author unknown
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Friendship are like Rainbows
Friendship is like the colours of a rainbow,
Always in sight wherever you go.
Red like an apple, sweet to the core,
Once you have one, you're always wanting more.
Orange like a burning flame,
Never dying out, but always the same.
Yellow like the sun that brightens our day,
It touches the hearts of everyone, with its beautiful rays.
Green like a plant that keeps on growing,
Its leaves reaching out wherever I'm going.
Blue like the water that is so pure,
Wherever it's headed, it knows for sure.
Purple like a flower that is ready to bloom,
In my heart, it always has room.
-- Author Unknown
Always in sight wherever you go.
Red like an apple, sweet to the core,
Once you have one, you're always wanting more.
Orange like a burning flame,
Never dying out, but always the same.
Yellow like the sun that brightens our day,
It touches the hearts of everyone, with its beautiful rays.
Green like a plant that keeps on growing,
Its leaves reaching out wherever I'm going.
Blue like the water that is so pure,
Wherever it's headed, it knows for sure.
Purple like a flower that is ready to bloom,
In my heart, it always has room.
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The ABC of Friendship
A friend does most of these:
(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you!
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever Judges
(O)ffer support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains thing you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality
-- Author Unknown
(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you!
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever Judges
(O)ffer support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains thing you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Caring Friends
Our news is constantly filled with the reality of death and dying. And each of us, if we live long enough, experiences the loss of persons we loved.
Children ages eight through ten were asked what they thought about death, and these are some of their answers:
"When you die, God takes care of you like your mother did when you were alive - only God doesn’t yell at you all the time."
"When you die, they bury you in the ground and your soul goes to heaven, but your body can’t go to heaven because it’s too crowded up there already."
"Only the good people go to heaven. The other people go where it’s hot all the time like in Florida."
"Maybe I’ll die someday, but I hope I don’t die on my birthday because it’s no fun to celebrate your birthday if you’re dead."
"I’m not afraid to die because I’m a Boy Scout."
"Doctors help you so you won’t die until you pay their bills."
I’ve observed that the loss of a loved one can be one of the most difficult things we humans can face. And one of our greatest needs as we experience such a loss is for simple, human comfort. I’ve known friends of sick and dying people to sit by a bedside or in a hospital room for hours, even days, at a time. I’ve sometimes heard them offer words of prayer. I’ve seen food in homes of people who are dying overflow from kitchen to dining room - food brought by comforting friends from church and concerned neighbors. And I’ve observed friends to just listen - for as long as it takes. Caring friends are indispensable in times of trouble.
When U.S. Congressman Sam Rayburn (1882-1961) discovered that he was ill, he announced to the House of Representatives he was going home to Texas for medical tests. Some wondered why he did not stay in Washington where there were excellent medical facilities. His answer was a beautiful tribute to friendship: "Bonham is a place where people know it when you're sick, and where they care when you die."
No one wants to go through difficult times alone. So Rayburn traded the best of medical technology for the closeness of loving friends. He knew that good friends are good medicine. Often the best.
-- Steve Goodier (Life Support System)
Children ages eight through ten were asked what they thought about death, and these are some of their answers:
"When you die, God takes care of you like your mother did when you were alive - only God doesn’t yell at you all the time."
"When you die, they bury you in the ground and your soul goes to heaven, but your body can’t go to heaven because it’s too crowded up there already."
"Only the good people go to heaven. The other people go where it’s hot all the time like in Florida."
"Maybe I’ll die someday, but I hope I don’t die on my birthday because it’s no fun to celebrate your birthday if you’re dead."
"I’m not afraid to die because I’m a Boy Scout."
"Doctors help you so you won’t die until you pay their bills."
I’ve observed that the loss of a loved one can be one of the most difficult things we humans can face. And one of our greatest needs as we experience such a loss is for simple, human comfort. I’ve known friends of sick and dying people to sit by a bedside or in a hospital room for hours, even days, at a time. I’ve sometimes heard them offer words of prayer. I’ve seen food in homes of people who are dying overflow from kitchen to dining room - food brought by comforting friends from church and concerned neighbors. And I’ve observed friends to just listen - for as long as it takes. Caring friends are indispensable in times of trouble.
When U.S. Congressman Sam Rayburn (1882-1961) discovered that he was ill, he announced to the House of Representatives he was going home to Texas for medical tests. Some wondered why he did not stay in Washington where there were excellent medical facilities. His answer was a beautiful tribute to friendship: "Bonham is a place where people know it when you're sick, and where they care when you die."
No one wants to go through difficult times alone. So Rayburn traded the best of medical technology for the closeness of loving friends. He knew that good friends are good medicine. Often the best.
-- Steve Goodier (Life Support System)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Be there for Friends
There were two childhood buddies who went through school and college and even joined the army together.
War broke out and they were fighting in the same unit. One night they were ambushed. Bullets were flying all over and out of the darkness came a voice, "Harry, please come and help me."
Harry immediately recognized the voice of his childhood buddy, Bill. He asked the captain if he could go. The captain said, "No, I can't let you go, I am already short-handed and I cannot afford to lose one more person. Besides, the way Bill sounds he is not going to make it." Harry kept quiet.
Again the voice came, "Harry, please come and help me." Harry sat quietly because the captain had refused earlier. Again and again the voice came. Harry couldn't contain himself any longer and told the captain, "Captain, this is my childhood buddy. I have to go and help." The captain reluctantly let him go. Harry crawled through the darkness and dragged Bill back into the trench. They found that Bill was dead.
Now the captain got angry and shouted at Harry, "Didn't I tell you he was not going to make it? He is dead, you could have been killed and I could have lost a hand. That was a mistake."
Harry replied, "Captain, I did the right thing. When I reached Bill he was still alive and his last words were 'Harry, I knew you would come.'
Good relationships are hard to find and once developed should be nurtured. We are often told: Live your dream. But you cannot live your dream at the expense of others. People who do so are unscrupulous.
We need to make personal sacrifices for our family, friends, and those we care about and who depend on us.
-- Author Unknown
War broke out and they were fighting in the same unit. One night they were ambushed. Bullets were flying all over and out of the darkness came a voice, "Harry, please come and help me."
Harry immediately recognized the voice of his childhood buddy, Bill. He asked the captain if he could go. The captain said, "No, I can't let you go, I am already short-handed and I cannot afford to lose one more person. Besides, the way Bill sounds he is not going to make it." Harry kept quiet.
Again the voice came, "Harry, please come and help me." Harry sat quietly because the captain had refused earlier. Again and again the voice came. Harry couldn't contain himself any longer and told the captain, "Captain, this is my childhood buddy. I have to go and help." The captain reluctantly let him go. Harry crawled through the darkness and dragged Bill back into the trench. They found that Bill was dead.
Now the captain got angry and shouted at Harry, "Didn't I tell you he was not going to make it? He is dead, you could have been killed and I could have lost a hand. That was a mistake."
Harry replied, "Captain, I did the right thing. When I reached Bill he was still alive and his last words were 'Harry, I knew you would come.'
Good relationships are hard to find and once developed should be nurtured. We are often told: Live your dream. But you cannot live your dream at the expense of others. People who do so are unscrupulous.
We need to make personal sacrifices for our family, friends, and those we care about and who depend on us.
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Sands of Forgiveness
A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”
The other friend replied “When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.
-- Author Unknown
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”
The other friend replied “When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.
-- Author Unknown
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Friend
God Made The World with heart full of Love,
Then he looked down from heaven above.
And saw that we all need a helping hand,
Someone to share with, Who’ll understand.
He made special people to see us through,
The glad times and the sad times, too.
A person on whom we can always depend.
Someone We Can Call A Friend.
-- Author Unknown
Then he looked down from heaven above.
And saw that we all need a helping hand,
Someone to share with, Who’ll understand.
He made special people to see us through,
The glad times and the sad times, too.
A person on whom we can always depend.
Someone We Can Call A Friend.
-- Author Unknown
Friday, April 1, 2011
A Man and His Dog
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of the long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at the desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure. There's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump."
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself. Then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."
"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."
-- Author Unknown
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of the long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at the desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure. There's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump."
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself. Then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.
"This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."
"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."
-- Author Unknown
Saturday, March 5, 2011
It is
It's nice to know that you're secured with that someone. That even if the rain is pouring hard and the sky is almost dark, he'll never leave you just so you won't feel alone. Even if his friends had left him (and even if he has to be somewhere else) he'd still stay by your side, just so you won't feel alone.
It's so good to know that you have someone who'll be willing to help you cope up in every frustrations you're having. Every depressing moments, every down moments, every self-worthless-realization moments, he'd be there, not because you want someone to be with you, but because he wants to be with you.
It's great to know when a person appreciates every little thing you do. Even a smile would mean a lot to him, just because you own that smile. And that even if no words are expressed as long as the eyes understand, you'd be able to communicate, just like that.
It's overwhelming when a person tells you that he loves you for who you are. He may not have an answer when you ask him why, but really, he doesn't have to have reasons for loving you.
It's more grateful to know that someone is grateful to have you. We don't choose the people who enter our lives, so it must be luck that you have that person, then you have to be thankful. It may just be coincidence or fate, but whatever the reason is, you have to be thankful in having him the same way he is thankful for having you.
It's a wonderful feeling when you're on the verge of giving up the things you've worked hard for, someone isn't just helping you carry the weight on your shoulders, but he carries it on his own because he'd also be in pain when you are in pain. And then you'll realize, trials would all be worth it as long as you have him, not because he would do things for you, but because you gather all the strength you need, in him and his love.
It's a superb feeling when one is willing to take the risks just so you'll be happy. Unselfishness rule in him just so happiness would take over you.
It's a nice feeling that when you're apart, and days seem to be long, that person misses you. Yes, you might feel bad about not being with each other, but knowing that you feel the same way would drive those blues away, thinking, you'd fight over that feeling because you're looking forward to seeing each other, and that's something to be happy about.
It's a great feeling when he wants to be with you because of the happiness you have when you're together. That even if corny jokes and senseless stories are told, it won't matter as long as you're together.
It's a lovely feeling when someone thinks about your future, with or without him. He cares and he cares enough to think of you and what you'll be someday. But of course, he also wants to be in it someday.
It's a nice feeling when you can be who you really are with that person. No pretentions, no lies, no hypocrisy, because he accepts you for who you are. You can be funny, you can be embarrased, but it won't matter coz it doesn't matter to him. Trust and faith in each other keeps you alive. And it will always do.
It's good to know that you have someone who'll not have the intentions of breaking your heart. Instead, he would be willing to mend it, picking up the broken pieces of your heart that your past love have scattered in the ground. He may not be able to put the pieces back to where they really belong, but you shouldn't mind, because he had repaired that heart of yours, and he fixed it in his own way. He loves you in his own way, not the way your past did. He fixed your heart in a different way, to keep you from feeling the pains of your past heartache and to make you feel, the love, that he's unselfishly giving.
It's a great feeling when that person has every effort to let you feel what he feels for you. Because of the distractions, you may not hear him shout it to the world, but as long as you feel it, his efforts has paid off, big time. And when you feel the same way too ... He'd feel as if he's the luckiest person alive.
... when in fact, you're more blessed to have him.
-- Author Unknown
It's so good to know that you have someone who'll be willing to help you cope up in every frustrations you're having. Every depressing moments, every down moments, every self-worthless-realization moments, he'd be there, not because you want someone to be with you, but because he wants to be with you.
It's great to know when a person appreciates every little thing you do. Even a smile would mean a lot to him, just because you own that smile. And that even if no words are expressed as long as the eyes understand, you'd be able to communicate, just like that.
It's overwhelming when a person tells you that he loves you for who you are. He may not have an answer when you ask him why, but really, he doesn't have to have reasons for loving you.
It's more grateful to know that someone is grateful to have you. We don't choose the people who enter our lives, so it must be luck that you have that person, then you have to be thankful. It may just be coincidence or fate, but whatever the reason is, you have to be thankful in having him the same way he is thankful for having you.
It's a wonderful feeling when you're on the verge of giving up the things you've worked hard for, someone isn't just helping you carry the weight on your shoulders, but he carries it on his own because he'd also be in pain when you are in pain. And then you'll realize, trials would all be worth it as long as you have him, not because he would do things for you, but because you gather all the strength you need, in him and his love.
It's a superb feeling when one is willing to take the risks just so you'll be happy. Unselfishness rule in him just so happiness would take over you.
It's a nice feeling that when you're apart, and days seem to be long, that person misses you. Yes, you might feel bad about not being with each other, but knowing that you feel the same way would drive those blues away, thinking, you'd fight over that feeling because you're looking forward to seeing each other, and that's something to be happy about.
It's a great feeling when he wants to be with you because of the happiness you have when you're together. That even if corny jokes and senseless stories are told, it won't matter as long as you're together.
It's a lovely feeling when someone thinks about your future, with or without him. He cares and he cares enough to think of you and what you'll be someday. But of course, he also wants to be in it someday.
It's a nice feeling when you can be who you really are with that person. No pretentions, no lies, no hypocrisy, because he accepts you for who you are. You can be funny, you can be embarrased, but it won't matter coz it doesn't matter to him. Trust and faith in each other keeps you alive. And it will always do.
It's good to know that you have someone who'll not have the intentions of breaking your heart. Instead, he would be willing to mend it, picking up the broken pieces of your heart that your past love have scattered in the ground. He may not be able to put the pieces back to where they really belong, but you shouldn't mind, because he had repaired that heart of yours, and he fixed it in his own way. He loves you in his own way, not the way your past did. He fixed your heart in a different way, to keep you from feeling the pains of your past heartache and to make you feel, the love, that he's unselfishly giving.
It's a great feeling when that person has every effort to let you feel what he feels for you. Because of the distractions, you may not hear him shout it to the world, but as long as you feel it, his efforts has paid off, big time. And when you feel the same way too ... He'd feel as if he's the luckiest person alive.
... when in fact, you're more blessed to have him.
-- Author Unknown
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Some Friends are Forever
Sometimes in life,
you find a special friend:
someone who changes your life
by being a part of it.
Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop;
someone who makes you believe
that there really is
good in the world.
Someone who convinces you
that there is an unlocked door
just waiting for you to open it.
This is forever friendship ...
When you're down, and the world seems dark and empty,
your forever friend lifts you up in spirit
and makes that dark and empty world
suddenly bright and beautiful.
Your forever friend gets you through
the hard times, the sad times,
the confused times.
If you turn and walk away,
your forever friend follows.
If you lose you way,
your forever friend guides you and cheers you on.
Your forever friend holds your hand
and tells you that everything is going to be okay.
And if you find such a friend,
you feel happy and complete,
because you need not worry.
You have a forever friend for life,
and forever has no end.
-- Author Unknown
you find a special friend:
someone who changes your life
by being a part of it.
Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop;
someone who makes you believe
that there really is
good in the world.
Someone who convinces you
that there is an unlocked door
just waiting for you to open it.
This is forever friendship ...
When you're down, and the world seems dark and empty,
your forever friend lifts you up in spirit
and makes that dark and empty world
suddenly bright and beautiful.
Your forever friend gets you through
the hard times, the sad times,
the confused times.
If you turn and walk away,
your forever friend follows.
If you lose you way,
your forever friend guides you and cheers you on.
Your forever friend holds your hand
and tells you that everything is going to be okay.
And if you find such a friend,
you feel happy and complete,
because you need not worry.
You have a forever friend for life,
and forever has no end.
-- Author Unknown
Saturday, April 17, 2010
A True Real Friend
True real friends double your happiness and half your burdens. Basically how you would like a true real friend to be, you should be like this to your true friends. Trust, forgiveness, accountability are some ingredients of a true friend. True friendships are hard to come by. And what's more, life is short. So treasure these friends if you have already have them. If you don't continue to search, because once you have them, life becomes so much easier to live, no matter what happens. I have been through pretty rough patches and I dare say, without my friends I would not have made it.
Friendships need lots of energy and patience to maintain them. Not to mention time too. When your friend needs you, sometimes when things are not going too well on your side, it is often so easy to turn a deaf ear to their pleas. It is especially during these times, that you must find the strength in you to help your friend. And it is during these times that your friendship will be forged and made stronger.
And you must always be happy for their successes, even when things are not going too well on your side. It might be hard to do for some people but it is something that you need to learn. Think about all the sacrifices your friend has made for you and all the times when he or she was happy for you despite his or her own troubles.
Think about all the happy times you all enjoyed and the sad, rough times you all went through together. That should give you sufficient patience to actually be a true friend for them. Remember, true friends are the next best thing to family. They will always be your pillar of support no matter what. Always.
-- Author Unknown
Friendships need lots of energy and patience to maintain them. Not to mention time too. When your friend needs you, sometimes when things are not going too well on your side, it is often so easy to turn a deaf ear to their pleas. It is especially during these times, that you must find the strength in you to help your friend. And it is during these times that your friendship will be forged and made stronger.
And you must always be happy for their successes, even when things are not going too well on your side. It might be hard to do for some people but it is something that you need to learn. Think about all the sacrifices your friend has made for you and all the times when he or she was happy for you despite his or her own troubles.
Think about all the happy times you all enjoyed and the sad, rough times you all went through together. That should give you sufficient patience to actually be a true friend for them. Remember, true friends are the next best thing to family. They will always be your pillar of support no matter what. Always.
-- Author Unknown
Thursday, April 15, 2010
One Last Visit to the Beach, On Her Doorstep
I need to share a powerful and strangely wonderful event in my life that involves death and cancer. I am certain you are struggling with the fact that I am using the words wonderful, cancer and death in the same sentence. I think that after you hear this story you will agree that in this case it is an appropriate combination of words.
A dear friend of mine was dying of cancer. Shortly before she died she shared with me that she was very sad that she would never get to go to the beach again. She grew up near the ocean and it was a special place for her. The cancer had made her too weak to travel the 4-5 hours from her home to the ocean. I shared this with several of her friends and we decided we had to do something about it.
On a Saturday afternoon in June, while her family kept her distracted and away from the windows, the plan unfolded. We dumped three tons of white beach sand in her driveway. After the sand was spread about, out came the two cabanas, beach balls, pails, shovels, boogie boards, beach chairs, a variety of decorations and a fire pit for the bonfire on the beach at night. We even rented a sno-cone machine since it had gotten to the point where flavored ice was about all she was able to eat. There were two CDs playing. One was the sounds of waves breaking on the beach and the other alternated between The Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffett.
When all was in place, her daughter brought her out to her private beach where she was greeted by a few dozen friends dressed in flowered shirts. She came out of the house with some new flip-flops and a beach bag (where else would a beach going cancer patient keep her morphine drip). We shed a tear or two that day, but it was mostly filled with laughs, grins and most of all love. The guest of honor was given a squirt gun and allowed to squirt anyone at will. The day ended with a fire on her beach and s'mores for everyone.
She died two weeks later but made it out to her beach four or five more times before she left us. I guess the message of this story is that when someone is in need, we need to think out of the proverbial box for ways to help. And the next time someone tries to sell you some oceanfront land in Kansas, you might just want to check it out.
-- Tom Gerdy (http://www.helpother.org/)
A dear friend of mine was dying of cancer. Shortly before she died she shared with me that she was very sad that she would never get to go to the beach again. She grew up near the ocean and it was a special place for her. The cancer had made her too weak to travel the 4-5 hours from her home to the ocean. I shared this with several of her friends and we decided we had to do something about it.
On a Saturday afternoon in June, while her family kept her distracted and away from the windows, the plan unfolded. We dumped three tons of white beach sand in her driveway. After the sand was spread about, out came the two cabanas, beach balls, pails, shovels, boogie boards, beach chairs, a variety of decorations and a fire pit for the bonfire on the beach at night. We even rented a sno-cone machine since it had gotten to the point where flavored ice was about all she was able to eat. There were two CDs playing. One was the sounds of waves breaking on the beach and the other alternated between The Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffett.
When all was in place, her daughter brought her out to her private beach where she was greeted by a few dozen friends dressed in flowered shirts. She came out of the house with some new flip-flops and a beach bag (where else would a beach going cancer patient keep her morphine drip). We shed a tear or two that day, but it was mostly filled with laughs, grins and most of all love. The guest of honor was given a squirt gun and allowed to squirt anyone at will. The day ended with a fire on her beach and s'mores for everyone.
She died two weeks later but made it out to her beach four or five more times before she left us. I guess the message of this story is that when someone is in need, we need to think out of the proverbial box for ways to help. And the next time someone tries to sell you some oceanfront land in Kansas, you might just want to check it out.
-- Tom Gerdy (http://www.helpother.org/)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The True Friend
Someone you can laugh with
and cry with.
Someone you can hold in moments of great joy
or great sorrow.
Someone you can sit with for hours
and not say a word,
because that someone
is special.
Someone you can share
your deepest secrets with,
your triumphs, your sorrows,
your fears.
A True Friend is someone who will always
have that special place in your heart,
A place that, sadly, few can see,
for that place is you, the true you.
A True Friend is someone who has a direct path
to that place in your heart,
and you have a direct path
to theirs.
A True Friend will always be there,
with no hesitation, no doubt.
Someone you trust and love, unconditionally
for who they are.
A True Friend is someone you will sacrifice
life and limb for,
today, tomorrow
and always.
-- Author Unknown
and cry with.
Someone you can hold in moments of great joy
or great sorrow.
Someone you can sit with for hours
and not say a word,
because that someone
is special.
Someone you can share
your deepest secrets with,
your triumphs, your sorrows,
your fears.
A True Friend is someone who will always
have that special place in your heart,
A place that, sadly, few can see,
for that place is you, the true you.
A True Friend is someone who has a direct path
to that place in your heart,
and you have a direct path
to theirs.
A True Friend will always be there,
with no hesitation, no doubt.
Someone you trust and love, unconditionally
for who they are.
A True Friend is someone you will sacrifice
life and limb for,
today, tomorrow
and always.
-- Author Unknown
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Everyday
YOU Make Me Smile
YOU Let Me Know YOU Care
YOU Help Me See The Good In Things
And For ME Your Always There
EVERYDAY
YOU Ease My Pain
And Help Me Through My Day
YOU Let Me Know I'm Not Alone
YOU Teach Me Love That Way
EVERYDAY
I Say A Prayer
TO Keep YOU Safe And Free
And Every Day Is Filled With Hope
That You'll Spend Time With Me
EVERYDAY
YOU Show Me Love
Wanting Nothing Back From Me
And Let Me Know YOU Are My Friend
And Keep Me Company
EVERYDAY
I Look Around
Even When My Life's A Mess
Knowing In My Heart Of Hearts
MY Friends Are Just The Best
EVERYDAY
I Thank The Lord
For Having Given Me
The Very Best That I Can Have
That Is MY Friends You See
God Bless And Keep YOU ALL
-- Author Unknown
YOU Let Me Know YOU Care
YOU Help Me See The Good In Things
And For ME Your Always There
EVERYDAY
YOU Ease My Pain
And Help Me Through My Day
YOU Let Me Know I'm Not Alone
YOU Teach Me Love That Way
EVERYDAY
I Say A Prayer
TO Keep YOU Safe And Free
And Every Day Is Filled With Hope
That You'll Spend Time With Me
EVERYDAY
YOU Show Me Love
Wanting Nothing Back From Me
And Let Me Know YOU Are My Friend
And Keep Me Company
EVERYDAY
I Look Around
Even When My Life's A Mess
Knowing In My Heart Of Hearts
MY Friends Are Just The Best
EVERYDAY
I Thank The Lord
For Having Given Me
The Very Best That I Can Have
That Is MY Friends You See
God Bless And Keep YOU ALL
-- Author Unknown
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Say a Kind Word to Someone Else
Few kids today are taught the value of empathy. It seems so hard for people to have compassion toward others and to actually understand what they are going through.
I was raised in a very loving family. As a child I was taught to put others before myself. We were always told to go out of our way to make someone else happy. My mom would tell me to say at least one kind word to someone every day. I will admit that it wasn’t always very easy to do. But as soon as you see the look of gratitude in that person’s eyes you just want to do as much as you possibly can.
I had an experience with a guy that I knew where people were always making fun of him. He was the guy that everyone liked to pick on. Because he was home taught, the only people he knew were the ones that he went to church with. Even there I would see people being mean to him. Every time I saw that happening I knew in my heart that it was wrong. From that moment on I decided I would make an eort to be his friend. I started taking him places with me and introduc-ing him to people. I could tell by just doing that I was making him so happy. And I loved the fact that I was really making a dierence in his life. For a while people were giving me a bad time for hanging around him. But it didn’t matter to me, because I knew that what I was doing was right.
After a while I realized that he wasn’t the kind of person everybody thought he was. And I was lucky to have him as a friend. And to this day we are still really good friends. People have almost completely stopped making fun of him. But the weird thing is that he never changed. What had changed was the hearts of others around him.
From this experience I’ve learned to be more loving and to show a little more empathy toward other people. What I did for my friend was so easy to do. And at the same time I had a lot of fun. I could only hope that others would start following my example. Before you start judging someone try to find out who he or she really is. You might be surprised. I want to make it a goal for everyone to say a kind word to someone else at least once a day. I can promise you that it will be the best feeling you ever get, knowing that one word could make someone’s day a little brighter.
-- Author Unknown
I was raised in a very loving family. As a child I was taught to put others before myself. We were always told to go out of our way to make someone else happy. My mom would tell me to say at least one kind word to someone every day. I will admit that it wasn’t always very easy to do. But as soon as you see the look of gratitude in that person’s eyes you just want to do as much as you possibly can.
I had an experience with a guy that I knew where people were always making fun of him. He was the guy that everyone liked to pick on. Because he was home taught, the only people he knew were the ones that he went to church with. Even there I would see people being mean to him. Every time I saw that happening I knew in my heart that it was wrong. From that moment on I decided I would make an eort to be his friend. I started taking him places with me and introduc-ing him to people. I could tell by just doing that I was making him so happy. And I loved the fact that I was really making a dierence in his life. For a while people were giving me a bad time for hanging around him. But it didn’t matter to me, because I knew that what I was doing was right.
After a while I realized that he wasn’t the kind of person everybody thought he was. And I was lucky to have him as a friend. And to this day we are still really good friends. People have almost completely stopped making fun of him. But the weird thing is that he never changed. What had changed was the hearts of others around him.
From this experience I’ve learned to be more loving and to show a little more empathy toward other people. What I did for my friend was so easy to do. And at the same time I had a lot of fun. I could only hope that others would start following my example. Before you start judging someone try to find out who he or she really is. You might be surprised. I want to make it a goal for everyone to say a kind word to someone else at least once a day. I can promise you that it will be the best feeling you ever get, knowing that one word could make someone’s day a little brighter.
-- Author Unknown
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)