Spiritwalk hosts

Thought for Today Archive

August 1, 1998

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a yes or a no
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake,
or a pot to boil, or a better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants,
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

No!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
Where Boom Bands are playing.

With banners flip-flapping,
Once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go!
There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored.
There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
Will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
With the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't.
Because sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone,
There's a very good chance
You'll meet things that scare you
Right out of your pants.
There are some,
Down the road between hither and yon,
That can scare you so much
You won't want to go on.

But on you will go
Though the weather be foul.
On you will go
Though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
A frightening creek,
Though your arms may get sore
And your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
And I know you'll hike far
And face up to your problems
Whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
As you already know,
With many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
And remember that Life's
A Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft,
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you'll move mountains!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixy or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

~  Dr. Seuss

August 2, 1998

 

NAMASTE means: I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,

I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where

if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me,

there is only one of us.

~  Ram Dass

August 3, 1998

"The Piano"

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a
mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated,
the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the
aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of
the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way
through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin,
the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was
missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on
the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her
little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle,
Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly
moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep
playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left
hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached
around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a
frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. And
the audience was mesmerized.

Whatever our situation in life--however outrageous,
however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark
night of the soul-- There is a whispering deep within our beings, "Don't
quit. Keep playing. You are not alone, Together we will transform
the broken patterns into a masterwork of my creative art. Together,
we will mesmerize the world with our song of peace."

August 4, 1998

ONE DAY AT A TIME

There are two days in every week about which
we should not worry, two days, which should
be kept free from fear and apprehension.
One of these days is YESTERDAY,
with its mistakes and cares, its faults and
blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY
has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back
YESTERDAY. We cannot undo a single act
we performed; we cannot erase a single
word we said, YESTERDAY is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is
TOMORROW, with its possible adversaries,
its blunders, its large promise and poor
performance. TOMORROW is beyond
our immediate control. TOMORROW'S sun will
rise either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds~
but will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in
TOMORROW, for it is as yet unborn.

This leaves only one day ~ TODAY. Any man
can fight the battles of just one-day. It is only
when you and I add the burdens of those
two eternities ~ YESTERDAY and TOMORROW
~ that we break down. It is not the experiences
of TODAY that drive men mad ~ it is the remorse
or bitterness for something which happened
YESTERDAY and the dread of what
TOMORROW will bring.

Let us therefore, live but ONE DAY AT A TIME.

~  Michelle

August 5, 1998

We all need the feeling
of importance in our lives
if only for a moment.
The need to know that
you are liked and loved
That one moment
can live on forever
in our hearts and souls.
For each of us
the outcome can be different.
for some, a smile
or passing the feeling on to others.
We all need to know someone cares.

~  Cathy Jokelson

Thursday, August 6, 1998

WHICH ARE YOU???

Which of nine 'money
personalities' describes you?

Are you more of a spendthrift or a tightwad?
Does your adrenaline get pumping
at the thought of the latest stock offering,
or do you prefer the safety of
Treasury bonds?

Financial psychology pioneer Kathleen Gurney
found that investors fit one of
nine "money personalities."


They are:


Safety players: Average earners who prefer
secure investments. They lack the
confidence and motivation to take
more calculated risks, even though they
may be well educated. They feel
they're doing fine financially and repeat whatever
investment strategies seemed
to work for them before.


Entrepreneurs: High income earners who enjoy
the power and prestige that money
brings. Mostly males, they are driven by a
passion for excellence and and
achievement. Investing in the stock market
is their favored strategy.


Perfectionists: They are so afraid of making
a mistake that they often avoid
making a decision altogether. They'll consider
every angle and find fault with
practically any risk venture. Finding suitable
investments is difficult.


Producers: They rank high in work ethic but
lower in earned income because of
lack of self confidence in money management
skills. They work hard, desire
more and feel they have difficulty getting
ahead financially.


Optimists: Money brings them peace of mind;
they are more interested in
enjoying it than making it grow. They are not
highly involved with their money,
taxes or investments, mainly because they
find it too stressful.


Hunters: Highly educated, above average
income earners, they tend to be
impulsive in spending and investment decisions.
Mostly females, they attribute financial success
more to luck than ability and judgment.


Achievers: The second highest income earners,
usually college grads and mostly married.
They feel that hard work, diligence and effort will pay
off. They are proud of their accomplishments
and tend to recoil at other people
handling their money. Protecting their
assets is their primary consideration.


High rollers: They are thrill seekers who
enjoy taking financial risks. For
them, money brings instant power and recognition.
They are creative, extroverted and competitive.
They prefer to risk their assets rather than sit
back bored by financial security.


MONEY masters: They are the No. I wealth
accumulators, even though they don't
necessarily earn the most. They rank first
in degree of desired involvement
with their money and enjoy the participation.
They trust the recommendations of
others and act on sound advice. Success
through determination is their philosophy.

~  Kathleen Gurney
    The Associated Press

Friday, August 7, 1998

Lifeline

Each of us is born on a line; from the moment of
conception to the moment of our death, we are all
on a lifeline. The passage from one point to the
next is filled with experiences and interactions,
and each of us will express our true spirits as
these moments present themselves. The journey
is one of progression; it is a contemplation of
the future. We are all searching for something,
traveling towards our dreams. What exists now
is really all that ever exists, we cannot feet the
past of a thousand years nor can we touch the
lifeline of tomorrow. We dance to the music
of here and now; we sing the songs of today.
We have an understanding about who we are
and what destiny is ours to fulfill.

Let the winds of change blow all around
you and follow your lifeline wherever
it may lead, knowing that others are
pursuing their fate on different pathways
leading them in different directions.
Each and every one of us will find a true
sense of purpose if we travel our own
roads on our own lifeline.

Saturday, August 8, 1998

What a Baby Costs by Edgar A. Guest
-------------------------------------
"How much do babies cost?" said he
The other night upon my knee;
And then I said: "They cost a lot;
A lot of watching by a cot,
A lot of sleepless hours and care,
A lot of heartache and despair,
A lot of fear and trying dread,
And sometimes many tears are shed
In payment for our babies small,
But every one is worth it all.

"For babies people have to pay
A heavy price from day to day--
There is no way to get one cheap.
Why, sometimes when they're fast asleep
You have to get up in the night
And go and see that they're all right.
But what they cost in constant care
And worry, does not half compare
With what they bring of joy and bliss--
You'd pay much more for just a kiss.

"Who buys a baby has to pay
A portion of the bill each day;
He has to give his time and thought
Unto the little one he's bought.
He has to stand a lot of pain
Inside his heart and not complain;
And pay with lonely days and sad
For all the happy hours he's had.
All this a baby costs, and yet
His smile is worth it all, you bet."

Sunday, August 9, 1998

As I sit back and reflect on the past
Certain things seem a bit clearer
What am I doing with my life??
Where am I going??
What will be in the future??
Nothing can be really known
but there has to be some kind of direction
to have a feel for what the future holds.
The most important part of my future
is to think for myself.
Not to let anyone be a major part
until I am sure of myself.
It will take time, but time heals
the wounds from the past.

Cathy Jokelson

August 10, 1998

Let Your Life Be a
Wonderful Adventure!


Let your life be an exploration. Let people and
places be a part of your life, and experience each
and every unique situation with a sense of wonder
and delight.

Look in all directions to seek out the answers you
long to know, and discover the secrets that keep
questioning your heart. Be willing to make changes
and be ready to face the challenges. Accept the
opportunities that present themselves, and endure
and cope with the difficulties that can arise
from time to time.

Remember that there is no one
way to live your life, but a thousand different
ways for each of us to be. Make your life the
way you want it to be and create a lifestyle that
brings you happiness. Search for your true meaning
in life by devoting yourself to your ideals, and enjoy
your wonderful adventure through time by
making every day special.

August 11, 1998

This is a poem my mother wrote to me
many, many years ago, when we lived
thousands of miles apart. Mom made
her transition a few years after she wrote
this. Now her lovely poem is even more
poignant to me, for she now knocks on
MY daydream door, and I have sent this
poem to my own kids who live far away.....Sher Lynne

Once a day, and sometimes more,
You knock upon my daydream door
And I say, "Come right in.
I'm glad you're here with me again."
Then we sit down and have a chat,
Recalling this, disussing that,
Until some task that I must do
Forces me away from you.
Reluctantly, I say goodbye,
Smiling with a little sigh,
For tho' my daydreams bring you near
I wish that you were really here.
But what reality cannot change
My dreams and wishes can arrange
And through my wishes you'll be brought
to me each day, my dear, in thought.

~  Helen Gilchrist

August 12, 1998

"Thank You""

Thank you" is one of those wonderful phrases
people use to express a special gratitude.
But there's often a lot more to it than those
two words can say.

When it comes from the heart, from
deep inside the nicest feelings and
the most special thoughts,

"Thank you" means so much.
It means thank you for taking the
time to show that you care. It means,
"you really made my day,"
and sometimes it means that you really
make all the days so much better.
It means you make me feel so nice,
and I wish I could do the same for you...
just by letting you know how much
you mean to me. "Thank you" means
you didn't have to...
but I'm so grateful that you did.

"Thank you" means that you've done
something special that I'll never forget.

~  Chris Gallatin

August 13, 1998

THE BRIDGE BUILDER by Will Allen Dromcoole


An old man going a lone highway
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and wide and steep,
With waters rolling cold and deep.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting your strength with building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day,
You never again will pass this way.
You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you this bridge at eventide?"

The builder liftedd his old gray head.
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
The chasm that was nought to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfuall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim --
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

August 14, 1998

Discipline is not the path to education.

The surest way to corrupt a youth
is to instruct him to hold in
higher esteem those who think
alike than those who think
differently.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1800's)

Knowledge which is acquired under
compulsion has no hold on the
mind. Therefore do not use compulsion,
but let early education be
rather a sort of amusement; this will
better enable you to find out
the natural bent of the child.
Plato (300 BC)

Out wretched species is so made that
those who walk on the
well-trodden path always throw stones
at those who are showing a new
road. Voltaire (1700's)

Every child is an artist. The problem is
how to remain an artist
once he grows up.
Pablo Picasso (1900's)

What does education often do? It makes
a straight-cut ditch of a
free, meandering brook.
Thorequ (1800's)

The more laws and order are made
prominent,
The more thieves and robbers there
will be.
Lao-tzu (500BC)

You see, if we could have right education
from the very tenderess
age, it would bring about a state in
which there is no contradiction
at all, either within or without; and
then there would be no need
for discipline or compulsion because
you would be doing somthing
completely, freely, with your whole
being. Discipline arised only
when there is contradiction.
J. Krishnamurti (1900's)

Thanks to Neal Rosen for today's "Thought"

August 15, 1998

The boy was walking and had a ton
of stuff in his arms including books,
two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove
and a small tape recorder.
Mark knelt down and helped the boy
pick up the scattered articles. Since
they were going the same way, he helped
to carry part of the burden. As
they walked Mark discovered the boy's
name was Bill, that he loved video
games, baseball and history, and that
he was having lots of trouble with
his other subjects and that he had
just broken up with his girlfriend.

They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark
was invited in for a Coke and
to watch some television. The afternoon
passed pleasantly with a few
laughs and some shared small talk,
then Mark went home.

They continued to see each other around
school, had lunch together once
or twice, then both graduated from junior
high school. They ended up in
the same high school where they
had brief contacts over the years.
Finally the long-awaited senior year
came and three weeks before
graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could
talk. Bill reminded him of
the day years ago when they had first met.
"Did you ever wonder why I
was carrying so many things home that
day?" asked Bill. "You see, I
cleaned out my locker because I didn't
want to leave a mess for anyone
else. I had stored away some of my mothers
sleeping pills and I was
going home to commit suicide. But after
we spent some time together
talking and laughing, I realized that if
I had killed myself, I would
have missed that time and so many
others that might follow. So you see,
Mark, when you picked up those books
that day, you did a lot more, you
saved my life.

Every little hello, every little smile,
every helping hand saves a
hurting heart. Pass it on. With this
email also comes the token that
says that YOU are special.
There's a miracle called Friendship that
dwells in the heart. You don't know
how it happens Or when it gets
started but, you know the special
lift it always brings and you realize
that Friendship Is God's most precious gift!

Thanks to Richard Milstein for todays "Thought"

Sunday, August 16, 1998

Count Your Blessings

Today I stood at my window and
cursed the pouring rain,
Today a desperate farmer prayed
for his fields of grain
My weekend plans are ruined,
it almost makes me cry
While the farmer lifts his arms and
blesses the clouded sky.
The alarm went off on Monday and
I cursed my work routine,
Next door a laid off mechanic feels
the empty pockets of his jeans.
I can't wait for my vacation,
some time to take for me,
He doesn't know tonight how
he'll feed his family.
I cursed my leaky roof and the
grass I need to mow,
A homeless man downtown checks
for change in the telephone.
I need a new car, mine is getting really old,
He huddles in a doorway, seeking
shelter from the cold.
With blessings I'm surrounded,
the rain, a job, a home,
Though my eyes are often blinded
by the things I think I own.

- Author Unknown

Thanks to Windy (RedRose Gal)

Monday, August 17, 1998

There are many who seek knowledge for the
sake of knowledge;

That is curiosity


There are others who desire to know in order
that they themselves be known;

That is vanity.


Others seek knowledge in order to sell it;

That is dishonorable.


But there are also some who seek
knowledge in order to edify others.

That is LOVE!

Tuesday, August 18, 1998

~ You and Yourself ~

It is rewarding to find someone whom
you like, but it is essential to like yourself.
It is quickening to recognize someone
as a good and decent human being, but
it is indispensable to view yourself as
acceptable.It is a delight to discover
people who are worthy of respect, admiration,
and love, but it is vital to believe yourself
deserving of these things.
For you cannot live in someone else. You
cannot find yourself in someone else. Someone
else cannot give you a life. Of all the people
you will know in a lifetime, you are the only
one you will never leave nor lose.
To the question of your life, you are the only
answer. To the problems of your life, you are
the only solution.

-- Author Unknown

Thanks to Michelle for todays "Thought"

Wednesday, August 19, 1998

DELIGHT


Delight is the by-product of enthusiasm
and a zest for life.
It often comes to us in unexpected
ways that touch our hearts
and make us smile. We can all live
in delight everyday by
proactively creating delight and them
sharing it with others.

1. Practice Optimism
Optimism is almost always a catayst
for delight. Optimistic
people never stay down for long.
For some people, Optimism
comes naturally...others have to work at it.
Practice seeing the
glass as half full rather than half empty.
When you catch yourself uttering a half empty
phrase, STOP, and deliberately
change it to a half full phrase. Read
positive literature. Seek out
upbeat, optimistic people. Listen to
uplifting music on the way to
and from work.

2. Start A Delight (100 Smile) Journal.
Keep a small notebook in your pocket or
handbag. Everytime you catch yourself
smiling and feeling delight, jot down what
caused the feeling. It may be something
as simple as a rainbow, sunlight on the water,
or an unexpected call from an old friend.
It may be as significant as a promotion,
a special gift, or winning
a contest. Shoot for a minimum of 100
items on your Delight List
within the first month. As your journal
entries grow, you will find
more and more delight coming your way...
it was probably there all
along, you just didn't take the time to recognize it.

3. Make Delight A Part Of Your Daily Vocabulary.
Using the word DELIGHT frequently will raise
your delight index.
Instead of the standard "good morning"...
greet others with "What
a DELIGHTFUL day!" Sign personal letters
and cards "With Delight."
Tell others you are DELIGHTED to see them.
Use the "D" word as often as possible.

4. Establish Your Personal Delight Dream Team.
Close your eyes and picture eight or ten
people you have always
admired and respected and whose
experience and wisdom could
help you. For example, your Delight Dream
Team could be composed of Past Presidents, f
amous scientists, humanitarians, authors, your
parents or grandparents.....maybe Thomas Leonard???
Members of your team may be living or
deceased. Be sure to record their names
in your Delight Journal and whenever you
have a problem that needs
solving or an idea that needs a sounding
board and you can't reach your
coach...convene your Delight Dream
Team for a special Board Meeting.
You will be amazed at the wisdom
and delight that will come your way
through your special team.

5. Create a Delight Retreat.
Set aside a special place in your home
as a delight retreat. This retreat
may be an entire room or maybe just
the corner of a bedroom or
sunroom. Fill your retreat with flowers,
candles, beautiful artwork,
photographs, inspirational reading material,
and music. Use as many
things as possible to bring peace and
delight to your retreat. Make time
each and every day to visit your Delight Retreat.
Spend as much time
there as possible. Ban worry from your
retreat and delight in the serenity
and pleasure it will bring you.

6. Cultivate Your creativity.
Make it a rule to do something NEW every week...
better yet....every day!
Drive home a different way and DELIGHT
in the new scenery. Buy a magazine or book
on a subject you have never read about. Learn a new
skill. Eat at least one delightful new food
you have never eaten..savor it.
Left to our own devices, we humans tend
to do the same ole' things the
same ole' way, day in and day out.
CREATE and enjoy the DELIGHT in
your new adventures.

7. Make Out A Lifetime To Do List.
Spend some time in your Delight Retreat
and forget your household or
work To Do Lists. Make a Lifetime
To Do List. Compile an on-going list
of things you want to do that will bring
DELIGHT into your life. Include
things as simple as taking up a new
hobby or as grand as walking the
Great Wall of China or taking a cruise
down the Amazon River or sipping
champagne in a hot air balloon on the
California coast at sunrise. Keep
your Lifetime To Do List posted in your
retreat and begin looking for ways
to make it a reality.

8. Declare A Quarterly Delight Holiday.
At least once every three months, more
often if possible, announce a
Delight Holiday and only do these
things from your Smile Delight Journal
or your Lifetime To Do List that will
bring you great delight.

9. Make A Clean Sweep In Your Personal
and Professional Life.
In order to make room for more DELIGHT
in our life we must first clear
out the clutter in our life. Remove the
tolerations. We all have areas of
our mind, our physical environment,
our finances and our professional
and personal relationships that need
some cleaning up. Take the Clean
Sweep Assessment and set a goal of
increasing your original score monthly.
Start with the smallest messes and
tolerations so that you can go after the
larger messes after you build a
momentum and celebrate your successes.

10. Seek Out Ways To Bring Delight
To Others Daily.
Many people have forgotten the
DELIGHT that comes from adding value to
the lives of other people. Delight is a
gift that comes back to us many times
over. Giving delight ot others may
be as easy as looking a stranger in the
eye and smiling...giving a friend a much
needed hug of support...bringing
someone a token of appreciation or a
surprise for no reason...volunteering
for a local charity...or taking an afternoon
off with your spouse or child to
do what DELIGHTS them.Giving DELIGHT
to your clients may be adding value
to your relationship with a quick call just to say
"I was thinking about you
and wanted to see how things are going?'...
or sending them a funny card, a
congratulatory note or a thank you for all
your hard work and for being such
a great client. DELIGHT, like optimism,
is very contaigious...spread it every
chance you get and let's start a DELIGHT epidemic!

Today I will cultivate and spread delight.

Thursday, August 20, 1998

How to build character:

Non-violence is not a garment to be
put on and off at will. Its seat
is in the heart, and it must be an
inseparable part of our very
being.
Mohandas K. Gandhi (1900's)

The superior man thinks always of virtue;
the common man thinks of
comfort.
Confucius (500 BC)

Let me admonish you, first of all, to go alone;
to refuse the good
models, even those sacred in the
imagination of men...Imitation
cannot go above its model.
Emerson (1800's)

Never do anything against conscience
even if the state demands it.
Einstein (1900's)

War is the greatest of all crimes; and yet
there is no aggressor who
does not color his crime with the
pretext of justice.
Voltaire (1700's)

It is dangerous to be right when the
government is wrong.
Voltaire (1700's)

Resistance to the organized mass can
be affected only by the man who
is well organized in his indivuality as
the mass itself.
Carl Jung (1900's)

August 21, 1998

I want to be six again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think
it's the best place in the world to eat.

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

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

I want to play kickball during recess
and stay up on Christmas Eve
waiting to hear Santa and Rudolph on the roof.

I long for the days when life was simple.
When all you knew were your colors, the
addition tables, and simple nursery rhymes,
but it didn't bother you because you didn't
know what you didn't know, and you didn't care.

I want to go to school and have snack time,
recess, gym, and field trips.

I want to be happy because I don't know what
should make me upset.

I want to think the world is fair, and everyone
in it is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible.

Sometime, while I was maturing, I learned too much.
I learned of nuclear weapons, starving and abused kids,
and unhappy marriages. I want to be six again.

I want to think that everyone, including myself,
will live forever because I don't know
the concept of death.

I want to be oblivious to the complexity of life,
and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want television to be something I watch for fun,
not something I use for escape from
the things I should be doing.

I want to live knowing the little things I find exciting
will always make me as happy as when
I first learned them.

I want to be six again.

I remember not seeing the world as a whole,
but rather being aware of only the things
that directly concerned me.

I want to be naive enough to think
that if I'm happy, so is everyone else.

I want to walk down the beach and
think only of the sand beneath my
feet, and the possibility of finding that
blue piece of sea glass I'm
looking for.

I want to spend my afternoons climbing
trees and riding my bike,
letting the grownups worry
about time, the dentist,
and how to find the money to fix the car.

I want to wonder what I'll do when I grow up,
not worry what I'll do if this doesn't work out.

I want that time back. I want to use it
now as an escape, so that when my
computer crashes, or I have a mountain
of paperwork, or two depressed
friends, or second thoughts about so
many things, I can travel back and
build a snowman without thinking about
anything except whether the snow sticks
together and what I can possibly use
for the snowman's mouth.

I want to be six again.

----Author unknown

Thanks to Flo Johnasen for todays "Thought"

August 22, 1998

MAY YOU HAVE.....

 

Enough happiness to keep you sweet

 

Enough trials to keep you strong

 

Enough sorrow to keep you human

 

Enough hope to keep you happy

 

Enough failure to keep you humble

 

Enough success to keep you eager

 

Enough friends to give you comfort

 

Enough wealth to meet your needs

 

Enough enthusiasm to look forward

 

Enough faith to banish depression

 

Enough determination to make each

day better than yesterday.

 

Thanks to Clair Lewis (Grandmabunny)

for today's "Thought"

Sunday, August 23, 1998

Understanding Yourself

All you can be is what you are.
All you own is what you experience.
All you are is what you are aware of.
To live in ignorance of yourself is to be incomplete.
You cannot take strength from the good parts of
yourself you do not know.
If you want to see the world most clearly,
turn your eye inward before you look about.

You are responsible for what you say.
You are responsible for what you are.
You are responsible for what you feel.
You are responsible for what you do.

You are not responsible for becoming
what someone else wants you to be.
You are not responsible for distorting
the truth to keep from hurting another
person's feelings.

You are responsible when someone
breaks a secret you told
him/her, because you were a poor
judge of character.
You are responsible when people
use what you say to hurt
you, because you should be able
to tell when a person
does not wish you well, and you
are responsible for defending yourself.
You are responsible for the ties
other people have with you,
because it takes two to tango.
You are responsible for everything
in your life that wouldn't
be there unless you did something.

If you don't like your lifestyle, you are responsible.
If you don't like your job, you are responsible.
If you don't like your home, you are responsible.
If you don't like your husband or wife, you are responsible.
If you don't like you, you are responsible.
If you don't like the way you are treated, you are responsible.

The last may be hard to accept,
but the truth still is, was, and
always will be that "you get what you give."

Without taking responsibility for your life,
you will never be
happy, because no one can fix your
life but you.

You are responsible for everything in
your life, all the
successes and all the failures.
Accept your successes
with modesty and gratitude that
your plans have worked
out. Accept your failures as
realities from which you
must learn. If you accept your
responsibility, you have
something to learn from everything,
and you have the
best chance of growing to
meet the future.

---David Viscott, M.D. (from RISKING)

Monday, August 24, 1998

The Story Behind the Picture
of the Praying Hands

Back in the fifteenth century,
in a tiny village near
Nuremberg, lived a family with
eighteen children. Eighteen! In order
merely to keep food on the table
for this mob, the father and head of
the household, a goldsmith by
profession, worked almost
eighteen hours a day at his trade
and any other paying chore he could find
in the neighborhood.

Despite their seemingly hopeless
condition, two of Albrecht
Durer the Elder's children had a dream.
They both wanted to pursue
their talent for art, but they knew
full well that their father would
never be financially able to send
either of them to Nuremberg to
study at the Academy.

After many long discussions at
night in their crowded bed,
the two boys finally worked out a pact.
They would toss a coin. The
loser would go down into the nearby
mines and, with his earnings,
support his brother while he attended
the academy. Then, when that
brother who won the toss completed
his studies, in four years, he
would support the other brother at
the academy, either with sales
of his artwork or, if necessary,
also by laboring in the mines.

They tossed a coin on a Sunday
morning after church.
Albrecht Durer won the toss
and went off to Nuremberg.

Albert went down into the dangerous
mines and, for the next
four years, financed his brother,
whose work at the academy was
almost an immediate sensation.
Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and
his oils were far better than those
of most of his professors, and
by the time he graduated, he was
beginning to earn considerable fees
for his commissioned works.

When the young artist returned
to his village, the Durer
family held a festive dinner on their
lawn to celebrate Albrecht's
triumphant homecoming. After a
long and memorable meal, punctuated
with music and laughter, Albrecht rose
from his honored position at
the head of the table to drink a
toast to his beloved brother for the
years of sacrifice that had enabled
Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His
closing words were, "And now,
Albert, blessed brother of
mine, now it is your turn. Now you
can go to Nuremberg to pursue your
dream, and I will take care of you."

All heads turned in eager expectation
to the far end of the
table where Albert sat, tears streaming
down his pale face,
shaking his lowered head from side to
side while he sobbed and
repeated, over and
over, "No ...no ...no ...no."

Finally, Albert rose and wiped
the tears from his cheeks.
He glanced down the long table
at the faces he loved, and then,
holding his hands close to his right
cheek, he said softly, "No,
brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg.
It is too late for me. Look ...
look what four years in the mines
have done to my hands! The bones in
every finger have been smashed
at least once, and lately I have
been suffering from arthritis so
badly in my right hand that I
cannot even hold a glass to return
your toast, much less make delicate
lines on parchment or canvas
with a pen or a brush. No, brother ...
for me it is too late." More than
450 years have passed. By now,

Albrecht Durer's hundreds of
masterful portraits, pen and
silver-point sketches, watercolors,
charcoals, woodcuts, and copper
engravings hang in every great museum
in the world, but the odds are
great that you, like most people,
are familiar with only one of
Albrecht Durer's works. More than
merely being familiar with it, you very
well may have a reproduction hanging
in your home or office.

One day, to pay homage to Albert
for all that he had sacrificed,
Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew
his brother's abused hands with
palms together and thin fingers
stretched skyward. He
called his powerful drawing simply
"Hands," but the entire world
almost immediately opened their
hearts to his great masterpiece
and renamed his tribute of love
"The Praying Hands."

The next time you see a copy
of that touching creation,
take a second look. Let it be your reminder,
if you still need one, that
no one -no one - - ever makes it alone!

Tuesday, August 25, 1998

"Harvard"

The President of Harvard made a
mistake by prejudging
people and it cost him dearly.

A lady in a faded gingham dress
and her husband,
dressed in a homespun thread bare suit,
stepped off the train in Boston, and walked
timidly without an appointment
into the president's outer office.

The secretary could tell in a moment
that such backwoods,
country hicks had no business at
Harvard and probably
didn't even deserve to be in
Cambridge. She frowned.
"We want to see the president,
" the man said softly. "He'll
be busy all day," the secretary
snapped. "We'll wait," the
lady replied.

For hours, the secretary ignored them,
hoping that the couple
would finally become discouraged
and go away. They didn't.
And the secretary grew frustrated
and finally decided to
disturb the president, even though
it was a chore she always
regretted to do. "Maybe if they just
see you for a few minutes,
they'll leave," she told him. And he
signed in exasperation
and nodded.

Someone of his importance obviously
didn't have the time
to spend with them, but he detested
gingham dresses and
homespun suits cluttering up his outer
office. The president,
stern-faced with dignity, strutted
toward the couple.

The lady told him, "We had a son
that attended Harvard for
one year. He loved Harvard. He was
happy here. But about a
year ago, he was accidentally killed.
And my husband and I
would like to erect a memorial to him,
somewhere on campus."
The president wasn't touched;
he was shocked.

"Madam," he said gruffly, "We can't put
up a statue for every
person who attended Harvard and
died. If we did, this place
would look like a cemetery."

"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly,
"We don't want to erect
a statue. We thought we would like
to give a building to Harvard.

The president rolled his eyes.
He glanced at the gingham
dress and homespun suit, then
exclaimed, "A building! Do
you have any earthly idea how
much a building costs? We have
over seven and a half million
dollars in the physical plant at
Harvard." For a moment the lady
was silent. The president was
pleased. He could get rid of them now.

And the lady turned to her husband
and said quietly, "Is that all
it costs to start a University?
Why don't we just start our own?"
Her husband nodded.

The president's face wilted in
confusion and bewilderment.

And Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford
walked away, traveling to
Palo Alto, California, where they
established the University that
bears their name, a memorial to
a son that Harvard no longer
cared about.

Wednesday, August 26, 1998

ON EDUCATION

He always wanted to explain things.
But no one cared
So he drew.
Sometimes he would draw and it wasn't enough
He wanted to carve it in stone or write it in the sky.
And it would be only him and the sky and the things
inside him that need saying.
And it was after that he drew the picture.
It was a beautiful picture.
He kept it under his pillow and let no one see it.
And he would look at it every night and think
about it.
And when it was dark, and his eyes were closed, he
could see it.
And it was all of him.
and he loved it.
When he started school he brought it with him.
Not to show it to anyone but just to have it with
him like a friend.
It was funny about school.
He sat in a square, brown desk.
Like all other square brown desks
And he thought it should be red.
And his room was a square, brown room.
Like all the other rooms.
And it was tight and close.
And stiff.
With the teacher watching and watching.
The teacher came and spoke to him.
She told him to hold the pencil and chalk,
with his arm stiff and his feet flat on the floor.
Stiff,
He hated to hold the pencil and chalk,
with his arm stiff and his feet flat on the floor.
Stiff.
With the teacher watching and watching.
The teacher came and spoke to him.
She told him to wear a tie like all the other boys.
He said he didn't like them.
And she said it didn't matter!
After that they drew.
And he drew all yellow and it was the way he felt
about morning.
And it was beautiful.
The teacher came and smiled at him.
"What's this" she said. "Why don't you
draw something like Ken's drawing?
Isn't that beautiful?
After that his mother bought him a tie.
And he drew airplanes and rocket ship like
everyone else.
And he threw the old picture away.
And when he lay alone liking at the sky
it was big and blue and all of everything.
But he wasn't anymore.
He was square inside.
And brown.
And his hands were stiff.
And he was like everyone else.
And the things inside him that needed saying
didn't need
it anymore.
It had stopped pushing.
It was crushed.
Stiff.
Like everything else.


(This was written by a high school senior
two weeks before he committed suicide)

REPRINTED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
CONN. INNER COLLEGE CATALOGUE

Thanks to Shelli for today's "Thought"

Thursday, August 27, 1998

Friday, August 28, 1998

Saturday, August 29, 1998

Quotes on the building of character:

I share no man's opinions; I have
my own. Ivan Turgenev (1800's)

If a man hasn't discovered something
that he will die for, he isn't
fit to live.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1900's)

Children say that people are hung
sometimes for speaking the truth.
Joan of Arc (1400's)

A true artist takes no notice
whatever of the public.
Oscar Wilde (1900's)

The probability that we may fail in
the struggle ought not to deter
us from the support of a cause
we believe to be just. Abraham
Abraham Lincoln (1800's)

War will exist until that distant
day when the conscientious
objector enjoys the same reputation
and prestige that the warrior
does today.
John F. Kennedy (1900's)

When a true genius appears in the
world, you may know him by this
sign, that the dunces are all in
confederacy against him. Jonathan
Jonathan Swift (1700's)

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost (1900's)

To have character means, surely,
to be able to withstand the false
and hold on to the true; but to
build character is difficult,
because for most of us what is
said by the book, by the teacher, by
the parent, by the government is
more important than to find out
what we ourselves think. To think
for oneself, to find out what is
true and stand by it, without being
influenced, whatever life may
bring of misery or happiness -
that is what builds character.
Jiddu Krishnamurti (1900's)

Thanks to Neal Rosen for today's "Thought"

Sunday, August 30, 1998

This is from a speech from the CEO of Coca Cola:

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in
the air. You name them---work, family, health, friends, and spirit
and you're keeping all of these in the air.

"You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it,
it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health,
friends, and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these,
they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even
shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that
and strive for balance in your life."

Thanks Flo Johnasen for today's "Thought"

Monday, August 31, 1998

The Rainbow Connection

Once upon a time, the colors of the world started to quarrel.
All claimed that they were the best. The most important.
The most useful. The favorite.

GREEN said: "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of
life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves.
Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside
and you will see that I am in the majority."

BLUE interrupted: "You only think about the earth, but consider
the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and
drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space
and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be
nothing."

YELLOW chuckled: "You are all so serious. I bring laughter,
gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the
moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a
sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there
would be no fun."

ORANGE started next to blow her trumpet: "I am the color of
health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I
serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important
vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and
pawpaws. I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the
sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one
gives another thought to any of you."

RED could stand it no longer. He shouted out: "I am the ruler
of all of you. I am blood--life's blood! I am the color of danger
and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire
into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as
the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose,
the poinsettia and the poppy."

PURPLE rose up to his full height. He was very tall and spoke
with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings,
chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign
of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They
listen and obey."

Finally INDIGO spoke, much more quietly than all the others,
but with just as much determination: "Think of me. I am the
color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all
become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight
and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for
prayer and inner peace."

And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or
her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and
louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightning,
and the thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down
relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close
to one another for comfort.

In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak: "You foolish
colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate
the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special
purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another
and come to me."

Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.

The rain continued: "From now on, when it rains, each of you
will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder
that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope
for tomorrow."

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