IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME

IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME

(A few weeks ago a woman was killed in an auto accident. She was very well liked, so the office shut down for her funeral and it was on the news and so on. On the day the workers came back to work, they found this poem in their e-mail that the deceased woman had sent on Friday before she left for home.)

If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all that we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss some tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity,
And all I've promised you."
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day is the same way,
There's no longing for the past.

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart "

(May God watch over you and your family now and always. There is no right time to do the wrong thing. There is no wrong time to tell someone you care.)

~Anon!

Life's Simple Pleasures

Take life's simple pleasures, let them set your heart free.

Life can be hurtful, and not always fair.
Life can surround you, with people who care.
Life clearly does offer, its ups and its downs.
Life teaches us to take, the good with the bad.
Life is a mixture, of happy and sad.

So.....

Take the life that you have, and give it your best.
Think positive, be happy, let the Universe do the rest.
Take the challenges, that life has laid at your feet.
Take pride and be thankful, for each one you meet.
To yourself give forgiveness, if you stumble and fall.
Take each day that is dealt you, and give it your all.


Take the love that you're given, and return it with care.
Have faith that when needed, it will always be there.
Take time to find the beauty, in the things that you see.
Take life's simple pleasures, let them set your heart free.

Source: Positive Thoughts

MEANING EXPLAINED

"The meaning of life is to give life meaning."

When our younger daughter came home from college one year, she presented me with a coffee mug. The motto on the coffee mug read: "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

"Isn't that your philosophy in a nutshell?" she laughed. She was exactly right.

I make my meaning — or else I don't. All that exists until I actively make personal meaning is the possibility of meaning and, while I wait to get started, the experience of emptiness. There is the possibility that I will experience the next hour as meaningful, a possibility that turns into a reality only if I make a certain kind of decision and a certain kind of investment.

If I don't make that decision and that investment, I experience myself as going through the motions and wasting my precious time. We've all had that experience — for many of us, far too much of the time.

We are on the threshold of understanding a shining idea: that each individual life can have meaning even if the universe has none.

Each of us comes with appetites, genetic predispositions and everything else that "human being" connotes, and still we are free to choose what meaning we intend to make. This, nature has granted us. I get to decide what will make me feel righteous and happy, and you get to decide what will make you feel righteous and happy.

You can turn the meaning that was waiting to be made into the meaning of your life. You and you alone are the sole arbiter of the meaning in your life.

The second you turn to someone and say, "What does life mean?" or, "What should my life mean?" you've slipped into a way of thinking that courts inauthenticity and depression. The second you agree with someone simply because of his position or reputation, whether that someone is a guru, author, cleric, parent, politician, general or elder, you fall from the path of personal meaning-maker.

You and you alone get to decide. That is the awesome proposition facing every modern person. The revolutionary idea that I'm proposing is that as limited as we are in a biological and psychological sense, we are exactly that free in an existential sense. If we do not live that way, honoring that existential freedom, we get sad and depressed. If we do not live that way, we find ourselves wishing that we had opted for authenticity and had decided to matter.

I understand completely the extent to which people are burdened by the feeling that they and their efforts do not matter. It isn't that people don't work hard or try hard. They do. But two thoughts — that they are disposable throwaways in a meaningless universe — and that nothing they do can alter that painful truth — play havoc beneath the surface, draining them of motivational energy and fitting them for a depression.

These doubts must be met in the following way: you announce that meaning does not exist until you make it, and then you don the mantle of meaning-maker. The split second you do this, all previous belief systems — both those that told you what to believe and those that told you that there was nothing to believe — vanish.

You let go of wondering what the universe wants of you, you let go of the fear that nothing matters and you announce that you will make life mean exactly what you intend it to mean. This is an amazing, glorious and triumphant announcement. The instant that you realize that meaning is not provided (as traditional belief systems teach) and that it is not absent (as nihilists feel), a new world of potential opens up for you.

You suddenly have the opportunity to pursue personally-resonant activities and the philosophical and psychological pillars to support those pursuits. You break free of tradition, with its restrictions, demands and narcissistic bent, and set out to make your life a thing of value. You haven't made it that thing yet, simply by announcing your intention, but you have aimed yourself in a brilliant direction: in the direction of your own creation.

Meaning is a deep, inexhaustible wellspring and an infinitely renewable resource. Today it may not seem meaningful to sit by a pond and feed the ducks, since you have too much you want to do. Sixty years from now — or tomorrow, for that matter — you may decide that sitting by a pond for an hour or two is abundantly meaningful. At 9 a.m. the meaning that springs to your mind might be to fight an injustice; at 10 a.m., to send your daughter at college a sweet note; at 11 a.m., to work on the song you're writing; at 1 p.m., to pass on meaning and pay some bills; at 2 p.m., to resume fighting that injustice; and so on. You can invest every increment of time that rises up before you with the next appropriate meaning. There is always another meaning available.

To think of meaning as something to find — something like a lost wallet or a lost ring — is to picture meaning as a very paltry thing.

In this mental model, meaning is so small a commodity that you can acquire it by listening to a guru's lecture or by sitting cross-legged in a dark room. You weren't sure what was meaningful — a guru speaks and now you know. Really? And what if you didn't tape the lecture and happen to forget what he said? Is meaning lost to you again? And what if you did tape it? Do you have to listen to the tape constantly to know what meaning means to you? Is that the way to construe meaning?

Meaning is nowhere out there. If it were, that would make it a tiny, trivial sort of thing. What if you discovered that the meaning of life was to stand on one foot while singing show tunes? What if you discovered that the meaning of life was to praise a one-armed man who lived in a faraway land? Would you find either of those revelations particularly exciting?

There is no way to complete the sentence, "The meaning of life is ... " without producing a small, sad result. If meaning were the sort of thing that could be tagged to the end of a sentence, as if it were the answer to a question, it would not be worth considering. But it is not at all that sort of thing.

Meaning is a psychological experience, an idea you create and an evaluation you make about life. This wellspring is within you, but it also IS you.

When you think about a problem for a long time and a solution finally arrives, it arrives to you but also from you. It was your neuronal activity, your set of experiences, your genetic endowment and everything that you are that provided the answer. You got the answer, but you also provided the answer.

Meaning is the same sort of thing. You receive it and you also provide it. Could any other subject be more fascinating or more practically important? Making meaning is the centerpiece activity of our species. Isn't it time that we understood it better?

Eric Maisel, Ph.D., is the author of more than 40 books and is widely regarded as America's foremost creativity coach. He trains creativity coaches nationally and internationally and provides core trainings for the Creativity Coaching Association. His books include "Coaching the Artist Within," "Creative Recovery," "Fearless Creating," "The Van Gogh Blues" and many others. His most recent book is "Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions." His websites include www.BrainstormTheBook.com and Noimetics: Bring Meaning to Life!, a class with the Academy for Optimal Living.

Source: The Inspiration Line

A Glorious Recipe for the Soul

Fold two hands together,
And express a dash of sorrow;
Marinate it overnight,
And work on it tomorrow.

Chop one grudge in tiny pieces
Add several cups of love,
Dredge with a large-sized smile,
Mix in ingredients from above.

Dissolve the hate within you,
By doing a good deed;
Cut in and help your friend,
If he or she should be in need.

Stir in laughter, love and thankfulness,
From the heart it has to come;
Toss with genuine kindness, then
share with folks who may need some.

The amount of people served,
Will all depend on you ...
This recipe can feed an entire world,
If you really want it to!

~Author Unknown

Source: The Inspiration Line

The Someday To Be Happy Is Today

Live your dreams
A little each day.
They aren’t out of reach
Unless you fail to reach out.
Put off unimportant things
But don’t put off living.
Other things can wait,
Your happiness can’t,
If your life is to have purpose and meaning.
The “someday” to be happy is today.

Choose how to live your life.
Life isn’t decided for us
But by us.
Every action is a decision with consequences.
Choose wisely!
The reward should always
Be greater than the price.

Take time to play, but also to think.
Life can’t mean much without much thought.
To be where you want to be
Ask yourself questions, then take action
So often we go with the flow
And become lost.
Don’t be led; be the leader of your life.

Stop waiting for happiness to happen
and get busy making it happen.
Work with what you have
And what you have will increase.
If one door is closed, open another;
Happiness often comes unexpected.
Watch what you aim for
Because your heart will follow.
Aim nowhere and you’ll go nowhere.
Aim high enough and you may touch the stars.
Aim to be happy
And you will do much more than just pass through life,
You’ll live it to the fullest.

Copyright © 1996 By Nancye Sims

IF THE MOUNTAIN SEEMS TOO BIG TODAY

By Laura Ding

If the mountain seems too big today
then climb a hill instead.

If the morning brings you sadness
it's okay to stay in bed.

If the day ahead weighs heavy
and your plans feel like a curse,
there's no shame in re-arranging;
don't make yourself feel worse.

If a shower stings like needles
and a bath feels like you'll drown,
If you haven't washed your hair for days
don't throw away your crown.

A day is not a lifetime,
A rest is not defeat.
Don't think of it as failure,
just a quiet, kind retreat.

It's okay to take a moment
from an anxious, fractured mind.
The world will not stop turning
while you get realigned.

The mountain will still be there
when you want to try again.
You can climb it in your own time.
Just love yourself till then.

Source: Begin With Yes

Laura Ding - Edwards 

Count your smiles instead of your tears

Try to be grateful for even the difficult and challenging situations that arise in your life. It is often through these situations that we experience the most profound spiritual and emotional growth. You can learn to view each apparent obstacle as an opportunity to develop a new quality, strength, skill, insight, or wisdom and be grateful for the lessons. Each and every challenge is another opportunity for growth and expansion.

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;
Love your neighbor as much as yourself.

Source: Positive Thougths

DON'T QUIT

By John Greenleaf Whittier

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

To let go

''In the end these things matter most:
How well did you love?
How fully did you love?
How deeply did you learn to let go? ''
~The Buddha.

''Letting go doesn't mean we don't care.  Letting go doesn't mean we shut down.  Letting go means we stop trying to force outcomes and make people behave.  It means we give up resistance to the way things are, for the moment.  It means we stop trying to do the impossible--controlling that which we cannot--and instead, focus on what is possible--which usually means taking care of ourselves.  And we do this in gentleness, kindness, and love, as much as possible.'' ~Melody Beattie

 To let go isn't to forget, not to think about, or ignore.
It doesn't leave feelings of anger, jealousy, or regret.

Letting go isn't about winning or losing.
It's not about pride and it's not about how you appear,
and it's not obsessing or dwelling on the past.

Letting go isn't blocking memories or thinking sad thoughts,
and it doesn't leave emptiness, hurt, or sadness.
It's not about giving in or giving up.

Letting go isn't about loss and it's not about defeat.

To let go is to cherish the memories, but to overcome and move on.
It is having an open mind and confidence in the future.

Letting go is learning and experiencing and growing.

To let go is to be thankful for the experiences
that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow.
It's about all that you have, all that you had,
and all that you will soon gain.

Letting go is having the courage to accept change,
and the strength to keep moving.

Letting go is growing up.
It is realizing that the heart can sometimes be the most potent remedy.

"To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path and set yourself free." ~Leonard Jacobson

There are things that we never want to let go of, people we never want to leave behind. 
But keep in mind that letting go isn’t the end of the world; 
it’s the beginning of a new life.(unattributed)

Source: Positive Thoughts

Life Intentions

May I open ever more to the flow
and the miracle of this sacred moment;
May I open ever more to the
subtle whisperings of Spirit and of my heart.

May I frequently stop, connect with all of us,
and breathe the Web of Love;
Your sacred love flows into me,
my sacred love flows out to you.

May I recognize and acknowledge
judgment, competition, and arrogance when
it arises in me, and then choose to
transform it into acceptance and love.

I commit to see in you the absolute divinity
that you are in this very moment!
May I be real and authentic in my interactions
with myself and with all in my life.

When I find myself in a rush, may I stop
until I’m ready to move from my heart;
When I’m overly serious, may I find ways
to tickle my heart to joy and laughter.

May I recognize fear
as an invitation to growth;
In connecting with others, may my first and
last thought always be that of love.

~By Fred Burks at Global Community For All and Web of Love

Source: Inspiration Line

BROTHERS IN ARMS

By Carl Phillips

The sea was one thing, once; the field another.
Either way, something got crossed, or didn’t.
Who’s to say, about happiness?
Whatever country, I mean, where inconceivable

was a word like any other lies far behind me now.
I’ve learned to spare what’s failing,
if it can keep what’s living alive still,
maybe just awhile longer.
Ghost bamboo that the birds nest in,
for example, not noticing the leaves,
color of surrender, color of poverty
as I used to imagine it when I myself was poor
but had no idea of it.
I’ve always thought gratitude’s the one correct response
to having been made, however painfully,
to see this life more up close.
The higher gods having long refused me,
let the gods deemed lesser do the best they can —
so a friend I somewhere along the way

lost hold of used to drunkenly announce,
usually just before passing out.
I think he actually believed that stuff;
he must surely, by now, be dead.
There’s a rumored humbling effect

to loss that I bear no trace of.
It’s not loss that humbles me.

What used to look like memory —
clouds for hours breaking,

gathering, then breaking up again —
lately seems instead
like a dance,
one of those slower, too complicated numbers
I never had much time for.
Not knowing exactly what it’s come to is
so much different from understanding
that it’s come to nothing.
Why is it, then, each day,
they feel more the same?

Source: FB/Trixie Angeles Crus

Meanings

Standing for what you believe in,
Regardless of the odds against you,
and the pressure that tears at your resistance,
... means courage.

Keeping a smile on your face,
When inside you feel like dying,
For the sake of supporting others,
... means strength.

Stopping at nothing,
And doing what's in your heart,
You know is right,
... means determination.

Doing more than is expected,
To make another's life a little more bearable,
Without uttering a single complaint,
... means compassion.

Helping a friend in need,
No matter the time or effort,
To the best of your ability,
... means loyalty.

Giving more than you have,
And expecting nothing,
But nothing in return,
... means selflessness.

Holding your head high,
And being the best you know you can be
When life seems to fall apart at your feet,
Facing each difficulty with the confidence

That time will bring you better tomorrows,
And never giving up,
... means confidence
 
By : Author Unknown  

Source: Positive Thoughts

Don't count the years-count the memories

Don't go for looks;
they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth;
even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
because it takes only a smile
to make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile.

Dream what you want to dream;
go where you want to go;
be what you want to be,
because you have only one life
and one chance to do
all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness
to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human
and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past;
you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone
around you is crying.
 
Don't count the years-count the memories...........
 
Poet Unknown 

Source: Positive Thoughts

Wisdom for Life’s Journey

Your life is a journey ahead of you. Each day is a new beginning.
Yesterday is a friend that will guide you.

There will be good times and bad times;
Cherish the good, because they make life sweet,
But be thankful for the bad,
For through them you come to know
The important things in life
And the meaning of life.
There will be times when you face
Difficult decisions,
And you won’t know which way to turn.
The important thing is that you make a choice,
And move forward.

There will be times that test your strength and endurance,
But don’t give up;
Refuse to accept defeat,
For perseverance is the key to success.
there will be times when you are hurt by love.
Forgive those who hurt you
So that your heart will be free to love again.
There will be times when you make mistakes.
Remember that mistakes are not a reflection of your self-worth,
But of your humanity.
Nor do they make you less of a person.
Because of the lessons you’ve learned,
You’ve grown and become wiser.

There will be times when your search for happiness
Leads to frustration and disappointment,
But don’t stop believing in happiness.
Being happy with yourself goes a long way toward
Knowing happiness in your life.
There will be times when life seems unfair,
But don’t allow it to make you bitter
And steal your joy.
Nothing is worth this.
When fear stands in the way of reaching out for your dreams,
Confront them and you will conquer them.

There will be times when your faith is shaken,
But don’t despair,
It will rise up and carry you above the storm and to victory.

Copyright  © 1996 By Nancye Sims

Source: Positive Thoughts

You Will Have New Dreams

Sometimes things don’t work out,
This doesn’t mean nothing will.
One thing isn’t everything,
Now isn’t forever –
Even though it may feel like it.
Give yourself time
To see things clearly.
What we feel
Isn’t always true.
In time the disappointment will pass,
Your feelings will change,
Your life will be different,
You will have new dreams.

No matter how hard we try
We can’t hold onto today.
It will pass.
So we must hold its joys
And its disappointments
With open hands
Because they weren’t meant to stay,
But to fill today’s purpose.

Let go of today’s disappointments
So your hands will be free
To accept tomorrow’s blessings.
Life is not just one day of your life,
But all of your tomorrows.
Each day has its own happiness.
Enjoy today but then move on
To enjoy all of your tomorrows……

Copyright © 1996 By Nancye Sims

Source: Positive Thoughts

The Difference

I got up one morning
and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish
that I didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,
and heavier came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me? I wondered.
He answered, "You didn't ask."

I wanted to see joy and beauty,
but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn't show me.
He said, "But you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God, gently and lovingly chided,
"My child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning, and
paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish
that I had to take
time to pray.

~Anon~

DANCE LIKE NOBODY IS WATCHING

We convince ourselves that life will be better
after we get married, have a baby, then another.

Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough
and we'll be more content when they are.

After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.

We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together,
when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.

If not now ... when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza ...

"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin.
But there was always some obstacle in the way,
something to be gotten through first,
some unfinished business,
time still to be served,
a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin.
At last it dawned on me
that these obstacles were my life."

This perspective has helped me to see
that there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.

So, treasure every moment that you have.
And treasure it more because
you shared it with someone special,
special enough to spend your time ...
and remember that time waits for no one ...

So stop waiting until you finish school ...
until you go back to school ...
until you lose ten pounds ...
until you gain ten pounds ...
until you have kids ...
until your kids leave the house ...
until you start work ...
until you retire ...
until you get married ...
until you get divorced ...
until Friday night ...
until Sunday morning ...
until you get a new car or home ...
until your car or home is paid off ...
until spring, until summer ...
until fall ... until winter ...
until you are off welfare ...
until the first or fifteenth ...
until your song comes on ...
until you've had a drink ...
until you've sobered up ... until you die ...
until you are born again to decide
that there is no better time than right now to be happy ...

Happiness is a journey ... not a destination!!

Thought for the day:

"Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching."

~Crystal Boyd~

Source: Positive Thoughts

Think it Over

Today we have higher buildings and wider highways
But shorter temperaments and narrower points of view.

We spend more, but enjoy less.
We have bigger houses, but smaller families.
We have more compromises, but less time.
We have more knowledge, but less judgment.
We have more medicines, but less health.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk much, we love only a little, and we hate too much.

We reached the Moon and came back, but
we find it troublesome to cross our own street and meet our neighbors.
We have conquered the outer space, but not our inner space.

We have higher income, but fewer morals
These are times with more liberty, but less joy.
We have much more food, but less nutrition.

These are the days, in which it takes two incomes for each home,
but divorces increase.
These are times of finer houses, but more broken homes.

THAT IS WHY I PROPOSE, THAT AS OF TODAY,

You do not keep anything for a special occasion, because
everyday that you live is a SPECIAL OCCASION.

Search for knowledge, read more, sit on your front porch
and admire the view without paying attention to your needs.

Spend more time with your family and friends,
eat your favorite foods,
visit the places you love.

Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment;
Not only about survival.
Use your crystal goblets.
Do not save your best perfume,
And use it every time you feel you want it.

Remove from your vocabulary phrases like "one of these day"
And "someday".
Let's write that letter we thought of writing "one of these days".

Let's tell our families and friends how much we love them.
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life.
Every day, every hour and every minute is special.

And you don't know if it will be your last.
If you're too busy to take the time to send this message to
someone you love and you tell yourself you will send it "one of these days".

Just think .......... "One of these days"

~Ron Bird~

After A While by Veronica Shoftsall

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning and company doesn't mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. .

After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to leave you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure;
You really are strong, you really do have worth.
And you learn, and you learn
With every goodbye you learn.

~Veronica Shoftsall~

Source: Positive Thoughts

If You Give a Part of Yourself to Life

If you give a part
of yourself to life,
the part you receive back
will be so much greater.
Never regret the past,
but learn by it.
Never lose sight of your dreams;
a person who can dream
will always have hope.
Believe in yourself;
if you do, everyone else will.
You have the ability
to accomplish anything,
but never do it at
someone else's expense.
If you can go through life
loving others,
you will have achieved
the greatest success of all.

by Judy LeSage

Source: Positive Thoughts

WHAT WILL MATTER

May we be reminded of tomorrow when our time is up. Come to think of what finally would matter at the end. All things we have done on earth righteously, with faith, in hope and love of the Lord will surely matter when we face our Creator.

WHAT WILL MATTER

By Michael Josephson

Ready or not
someday it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises,
no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected
whether treasured or forgotten,
will pass to someone else.

Your wealth
fame and temporal power
will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned
or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments and frustrations
and jealousy will finally disappear.

So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans
and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses
that seemed so important
will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from,
or on what side of the tracks you lived,
at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter?
How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought,
but what you built;
not what you got,
but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success,
but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned,
but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity,
compassion,
courage or sacrifice that enriched,
empowered or encouraged others
to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence,
but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew,
but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What matters is not your memories,
but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered,
by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident
It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

Look For The Sunshine

Life can make choices for us.
Sometimes these choices
Seem unfair
And make us unhappy if we let them.

But in the end we control our own destiny
Because we can decide how we are going to allow
People or events to affect us.

So much of our happiness, and unhappiness,
Lies within the choices we make.

We can accept that life isn’t the way we want it to be,
Or we can work to change it so it will be.

We can walk through the shadows,
Or we can choose to smile
And to seek out the sunlight.

We can create grand dreams
That never leave the ground,
Or we can be builders of dreams that that touch the sky.

We can look at only
The negative aspects of ourselves,
Or we can lift ourselves up
By being our own best friend.

We can live in the past
Or dream about the future,
Or we can live for today.

We can give up when the road becomes difficult,
Or we can keep on going
Until the view is much better.

The choices in life are endless,
And so is the potential for happiness.

Copyright © 1996 By Nancye Sims

Source: Positive Thoughts

Never surrender your dreams.

Follow your heart,
never surrender your dreams.
Constantly work towards your goals.
Believe in yourself, and always be truthful.
Take time to enjoy life's pleasures.
Keep your mind open to new experiences.
Think before acting,
but don't forget the joys of spontaneity.
Make your own decisions.
Look out for yourself, but remember
that you share this universe with others.
Look for the good in others,
everybody has their own song to sing.
Live each moment to the fullest,
for a moment too soon becomes a memory.
Look for opportunities, not guarantees.
Hope for the best.
Give people a chance to love you,
for that is how you learn to love.
Live your life for yourself,
but always be considerate of others.
Believe in tomorrow, for it holds the key
to your dreams.

~ Melissa Ososki ~

Source: Positive Thougths

Reach For Your Star

Do not take anything as being forever
because forever
is only as long as today.

Know that the people who are richest
are not those who have the most,
but those who need the least.

We are at our strongest
when life is at its worst,
and at our weakest
when life no longer offers a challenge.

It is wiser not to expect
but to hope, for in expecting you ask for disappointment,
whereas in hoping you invite surprise.

Unhappiness doesn't come
from not having something that you want,
but from the lack of something inside that you need.

There are things to hold on too,
and things to let go,
and letting go doesn't mean you lose,
but that you acquire that which has been waiting
around the corner.

Most of all,
remember to use your dreams
as a way of knowing yourself better,
and as inspiration
to reach for your star.

By Nancye Sims
Copyright@2011

Source: Positive Thoughts

Choose Your Choices Wisely

Life doesn’t come ready-made;

You create it

With every choice you make.

Choose your choices wisely.

Wise ones are your sunshine,

Foolish ones are your shadow.

Don’t make any choices

You can’t live with.

Some choices aren’t easy.

Make the best one you can,

Hope for the best,

Let it go.

Trust whatever happens

Is for the best

Because you did your best.

Sometimes you make the

Wrong choice.

Don’t worry about it;

Often, it leads to the right one.

Happiness isn’t in the past

But in the choices of today.

It’s not in never making a mistake,

But in never letting a mistake

Keep you from happiness.

Choices give you the freedom

To choose whatever makes you happiest.

Make the most of this freedom

To make the most of your life.

Life is a gift

But happiness is a choice.

Choose it today,

Choose it everyday,

And no day

Will be without sunshine.

Copyright 1996 © By Nancye Sims

Source: Positive Thoughts

You Can Reach The Mountain Top

No matter what your problem is,
whether its as big as a mountain,
or as small as a grain of sand,
you can overcome it.
You can be victorious!
There are solutions to every problem,
you simply have to discover them.

Think of your problem as a three part journey;
with a beginning, a middle, and an end.
You may be at the beginning,
just now realizing there is a problem,
or you may be further along,
gaining some ground,
but no complete victory just yet.
Where ever you are isn't as important
as moving forward,
and not letting anything stop you from arriving
at the mountain top.
Success! Problem solved! Problem gone!
Know that not only do you
have inner strengths that will help you,
others will help you along the way,
as will higher powers.
You are never alone on your journey,
never are you hopeless.

Miracles occasionaly happen over-night,
but don't look for this.
Expect victory to take some time,
and give yourself time.
It will take take work
and maybe sacrifice,
but it will be more than worth it.
It may take you places you've never been before.
(Think of it as scenery along your journey.)
For sure,
victory will take a lot of determination,
greater yet,
it will take a firm commitment.
But if you stay with it,
staying is the key word
as you can't win if you don't stay in the game,
sooner or later,
you'll get there,
you will know the unequaled joy,
of winning,
of conquering that mountain.

To help you achieve victory over your problem,
it would be wise t
o daily recite the following words,
or over and over
throughout the day
if the day seems long and hard,
and your strength is weak.
A Creed For Overcomers.
I will not give up. I
will get through this.
There are solutions to my problem.
I will not accept defeat.
I will not surrender.
I will win.
I will overcome.

Now keep believing.
Keep working.
You will get on the other side
of your problem.
All overcomers do!
Keep your eyes on the prize.
Success is just one more step
up that mountain side,
congratulations are waiting,
so start planning a celebration now,
a great, great big victory celebration,
because you are going to conquer,
you are going to overcome,
and because my friend,
you are going to reach the mountain top,
and my oh my,
what a glorious view.....  

By Nancye Sims
Copyright@2011  

Source: Positive Thoughts

Humanity ~ Love and Peace

Getting in touch with the love that dwells within our souls is the most important step one can take on life's journey throughout our world. Every human being has the capacity for love. The love within all of us reaches and seeks to express itself unconditionally.

As humans we have personalized love, and it's my belief that love is given to us not to be personalized, sentimentalized or emotionalized.

Our limited nature allows love to be directed here and not there, now and not then. Love has a desire to be given and received unconditionally in order to thrive. Without love we would wither.

Looking inward and finding the capabilities of love, allows us as humans to be more accepting and understanding of ourselves and others, and therefore allows us to learn and heal.

If we all, as humans, choose to allow unconditional love and peace to exist together then we would not have to search for new paths to consciousness ... or ponder the disasters that may face our children in the future. We do have the ability to end the old cycles and enter into a new way of thinking.

"The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace." ~Mother Teresa

I read a book named 'Agape: What Love Really Is' by J. Kevin Abraham. Within the pages of this book is an intriguing story and many thought-provoking ideas on the meaning of love. I choose to share with you the author's words pertaining to love and our human existence.

"Our emotions inform us when we do not love others or when we do not love ourselves. When we make the choice not to love, we deny ourselves the freedom to act on our individual potential to be our unique selves." ~J. Kevin Abraham 

We, as children of our God can unite in spirituality and ask for assistance in achieving Love and Peace in this world ad infinitum (without end).

~Mary Ann Faris, February, 2011
 (Feedback Welcome: MsFaris@hotmail.com)

Source: Inspiration Line

Listen To The Dream In You

Listen
To the dream within you.
It’s there
In whatever
Puts stars in your eyes
And makes your heart sing.

Listen
To your feelings,
And you will hear
Who you are
And what you must do.

Listen
To your needs,
And you will know
Where to find
What you are looking for.

Listen
To the wisdom within.
It is trying to lead you
To your destiny.

Listen
To the song in you,
And your life
Will be one of harmony.
You will be
Who you were meant to be.
You will be complete
And at peace
And happier than you’ve ever been,
If only you will

Listen
To the dream within you.

Copyright ©1996 By Nancye Sims Source: Positive Thoughts

Love is a Wonderful Gift

Love is a wonderful gift.
It's a present so precious words can barely begin to describe it.

Love is a feeling, the deepest and sweetest of all.
It's incredibly strong and amazingly gentle at the very same time.

It is a blessing that should be counted every day.
It is nourishment for the soul.
It is devotion, constantly letting each person know how supportive its certainty can be.

Love is a heart filled with affection for the most important person in your life.

Love is looking at the special someone who makes your world go around and absolutely loving what you see.

Love gives meaning to one's world and magic to a million hopes and dreams.
It makes the morning shine more brightly and each season seem like it's the nicest one anyone ever had.

Love is an invaluable bond that enriches every good thing in life.
It gives each hug a tenderness, each heart a happiness, each spirit a steady lift.

Love is an invisible connection that is exquisitely felt by those who know the joy, feel the warmth, share the sweetness, and celebrate the gift.

~D. Pagels

Source: Positive Thoughts

I Know What I Feel ...And I Sense My Power

Ask yourself:

“What have I always desired to be or wanted to do in my life?
Then go within and listen. Something may just bubble up.
Listen and trust ... for it may not come to you until some time later.

What is your vision?

Do you have a "pipeline consciousness" that is willing to:

· Magnetize to you what you want.
· Let go of old beliefs.
· Learn and follow spiritual laws of creating prosperity.
· Discover your real talents and, with them, create the work you love.
· Listen to your higher self and manifest your destiny.

You and I are born unique miracles of love,
yet we get disconnected from this love in our early years.

We will look everywhere for external clues to our meaning and purpose
until we find these answers by GOING WITHIN and reconnecting
with that wonderful power that made us a miracle.

That power is a wise, creative, healing and respectful Love.

On the way, there will be signposts and people to guide and
teach us about the options we have to choose what our minds think;
though, nobody else can learn our lessons or realize our dreams for us.

We choose thoughts each moment of every day we are here.

Often these thoughts are of hatred, criticism, guilt, remorse and fear
which return to us — multiplied and magnified as EXPERIENCE..

However, if we choose to love ourselves from a place of deep respect,
we dissolve these barriers and we re-learn that we are all MIRACLES.

Today, choose to have thoughts that
free your “wonder child” ...

From Love The Miracle You Are by Roger King www.RogerKing.info

Source: Inspiration Line

LIGHT, PEACE AND LOVE

By Laurence Houseman

Light looked down and beheld darkness;
"Thither will I go," said Light.
Peace looked down and beheld war;
"Thither will I go," said Peace.
Love looked down and beheld hatred;
"Thither will I go," said Love.

So came Light, and shone;
So came Peace, and gave rest;
So came Love, and brought life.

Source: THE FRIENDSHIP BOOK OF FRANCIS GAY 1998, U.K.

A Place for Me

There is a special place in life, that needs my humble skill,
A certain job I'm meant to do, which no one else can fulfill.

The time will be demanding, the pay is not too good,
And I wouldn't change it for a moment, even if I could.

There is a special place in life, a goal I must attain,
A dream that I must follow because I won't be back again.

There is a mark that I must leave, however small it seems to be.
A legacy of love for those who follow after me.

There is a special place in life, that only I may share.
A little path that bears my name, awaiting me somewhere.

There is a hand that I must hold, a word that I must say,
A smile that I must give, for there are tears to blow away.

There is a special place in life that I was meant to fill.
A sunny spot where flowers grow, upon a windy hill.

There's always a tomorrow and the
best is yet to be, for somewhere
in this world, I know there
is a place for me.

~© Grace E. Easley
Source: Inspiration Line

Leave Good Footprints

Truly life is a precious journey
all of us take.

Each decision we make is a step
that leaves an indelible footprint,
for good or bad,
success or failure,
happiness or sorrow.
So walk carefully my friend
with much thought;
your footprints will follow where ever you go.

Make good footprints
and good will be your ever present companion.
Walk in love.
Reach out in kindness.
Speak peace.
Harm no one.
Be a light for good.
Live in truth.
Spread hope.
Embrace your fellowman.
Build bridges.
Be a friend to all.
Show compassion.
Bless others.
Champion respect.
Give your best.
Do what is right.
Make a difference. (Everyone can!)

Live your life in such a thoughtful and honorable way,
that when you or others look back
on the landscape of your life,
You will feel good,
You will feel proud,
Of the footprints you have left behind,
and
the life-size portrait
of you
they have etched
on the glass of time.

Footprints that not only allowed you
to live well,
happy,
and at peace,
But footprints that made this world
(that sometimes seems crazy)
a better place to be,
Because it was graced by your presence,
blessed by your spirit,
gifted abundantly,
by the bright footprints
you left behind.....

@Nancye Simms
2011

Source: Positive Thoughts

To Walk in Beauty

No garment is more becoming than love.
No vitamin more invigorating.
No lotion, potion, or cosmetic more glamorizing.
The exciting secret of true beauty is love.

Some say that when beauty fades, love goes.
Isn't it the other way around?
Beauty only fades when love is gone.

In you would walk in beauty, stay in love.
You will see the loved one as beautiful.
You will see yourself as beautiful.
All the world about you will be beautiful.
And the people in that world
Will seem more beautiful,
For they will reflect the shining warmth
And beauty in you radiate.

~Marjorie Holmes~
Source: Lord, Let Me Love

Wisdom for Life’s Journey

Your life is a journey ahead of you.

Each day is a new beginning.

Yesterday is a friend that will guide you.

There will be good times and bad times;

Cherish the good, because they make life sweet,

But be thankful for the bad,

For through them you come to know

The important things in life

And the meaning of life.

There will be times when you face

Difficult decisions,

And you won’t know which way to turn.

The important thing is that you make a choice,

And move forward.

There will be times that test your strength and endurance,

But don’t give up;

Refuse to accept defeat,

For perseverance is the key to success.

there will be times when you are hurt by love.

Forgive those who hurt you

So that your heart will be free to love again.

There will be times when you make mistakes.

Remember that mistakes are not a reflection of your self-worth,

But of your humanity.

Nor do they make you less of a person.

Because of the lessons you’ve learned,

You’ve grown and become wiser.

There will be times when your search for happiness

Leads to frustration and disappointment,

But don’t stop believing in happiness.

Being happy with yourself goes a long way toward

Knowing happiness in your life.

There will be times when life seems unfair,

But don’t allow it to make you bitter

And steal your joy.

Nothing is worth this.

When fear stands in the way of reaching out for your dreams,

Confront them and you will conquer them.

There will be times when your faith is shaken,

But don’t despair,

It will rise up and carry you above the storm and to victory….

Copyright © 1996 By Nancye Sims

Source: Positive Thoughts

Trust In Your Purpose

Everything belongs somewhere.

The stars belong to the sky,

The waves to the ocean,

The rain to the clouds,

The wind to the trees,

The mountains to the valleys.

Everything has meaning and purpose

Some need to fill

Something to accomplish.

So do you.

You have meaning and purpose,

You have a need to fill

You have something to accomplish.

Trust in your purpose,

Although it may not be clear at times

Trust it all the time,

Your heart knows it’s there,

Your heart will lead you to it.

Make life easy for yourself –

Follow it!

Don’t doubt it!

Don’t fight it!

Don’t dismiss it!

Do only one thing – Fulfill it!

Trust in your purpose

And you’ll never go wrong.

If it feels right, it is right,

If it makes you happy

You are where you belong –

And when you are where you belong,

There’s no greater feeling……


Copyright 1996 © By Nancye Sims

Source: Positive Thoughts

The Gift of Friendship

Friendship is a Priceless Gift
that cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
than a mountain of made of gold -
For gold is cold and lifeless.
it can neither see nor hear,
And in the time of trouble
it is powerless to cheer -
It has no ears to listen,
no heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
or reach out a helping hand -
So when you ask God for a Gift,
be thankful if He sends
Not diamonds, pearls or riches,
but the love of real true friends.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

INDEPENDENCE

"Freedom is a condition of your heart. You can be captive amidst great wealth and free behind bars. Do your fears, insecurities, beliefs and programs still control the way you choose to spend your days? The true freedom in life is feeling free to think, act and speak according to the dictates of your heart.
So liberate your spirit from self-censure, self-judgment and anything other than appreciation of self. Take a few minutes to appreciate the beautiful and courageous soul that you truly are. And then if you want to liberate your soul even further take a few minutes to think of someone you'd rather not and find a way to appreciate them.
This freedom to find loving allowance for all is truly the greatest liberty of all." ~Ann Albers

FREEDOM FROM CONFORMITY
We need more risk takers and eccentrics in this world. From Picasso to Mother Theresa, society thrives because of people who will stand out, or stand alone if necessary, for their dreams and their visions.

"Our concern must be to live while we're alive to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a facade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are." ~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

FREEDOM FROM WORRY
Our thoughts keep racing around in the future where we spend too much time creating confusing games with countless options, decisions, and what if’s. Worry is unproductive, unnecessary and totally useless. Statistically, most things that we worry about do not EVER happen, so worry is a needless waste of our creative energy.

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." ~Corrie Ten Boom

FREEDOM FROM CONFUSION
People who live with integrity, who focus on their values and on developing their personal character, are rarely confused. They avoid intellectual clutter, know who
they are, what they stand for, and have clarity about where they are going in life.

"Because clarity and enlightenment are within your own nature, they are regained without moving an inch." ~Lao Tzu

FREEDOM FROM PRETENSE
This vital element of character revolves around integrity, genuineness and sincerity. Webster defines it as "being credible" and "worthy of trust." To improve our personal, local and global relationships we must fully embrace our AUTHENTIC SELVES and release all need for pretense.

"A bizarre sensation pervades a relationship of pretense. No truth seems true. A simple morning's greeting and response appear loaded with innuendo and fraught with implications. Each nicety becomes more sterile and each withdrawal more permanent." ~Maya Angelou

FREEDOM FROM COMPLEXITY
We exist in a world that asks us to live complicated, stressful and complex lives and if we are not careful, we can lose ourselves, our values and our joy by falling prey to the ever-increasing demands on our time. SIMPLICITY requires us to slow down to consider how our lives reflect who we are and, most important, what we value.

"Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves." ~Edwin Way Teale

FREEDOM FROM FEAR
It's vital to remember that freedom from fear can exist only in the PRESENT tense. To overcome fear’s seduction, we must stop being trapped between the past and future and move to where freedom lives: squarely in the "Now." For only here are we free to want what we have, do what we can and be who we are so that our life can have meaning in the world.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." ~Ambrose Redmoon

FREEDOM FROM CRITICISM
Other folks can have any opinion, make any remark, or be as "critical" as they wish. That's their right. But, we also have the right to IGNORE them! Read and embrace Terry Cole-Whittaker's bestselling book that says: What You Think of Me Is None of My Business. Declare independence from those who regularly criticize, but fail to offer constructive assistance.

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain and most fools do." ~Dale Carnegie

FREEDOM FROM ISOLATION
To experience the freedom that comes from the warmth and companionship of sharing our innermost thoughts and feelings with another human being, we must step out of isolation and allow others to get close. "Today, I will get to know the real me by first taking a personal inventory, then I will practice being completely honest with another person."

"Despair and isolation are my greatest internal enemies; I need to remember I am not alone, even when it feels that way." ~Audre Lorde

FREEDOM FROM COMPULSIONS
To some degree we are all compulsive — over-working, over-spending, over-worrying and over-consuming in a variety of forms. We have believed that the only solution is CONTROL, but in trying to control our compulsions, they inevitably control us. SLOWING DOWN creates a space and freedom from driven-ness, giving us increased sensitivity and time for more positive thought and action.

"A person is rich in proportion to the things he or she can afford to let alone." ~Henry David Thoreau

"Declare YOUR independence from old patterns, habits, 'shoulds' AND relationships or addictions that have limited you. Determine to live your life to the fullest — to explore your potential and live according to your own conscience and highest aspirations. Want what you have — Do what you can — Be who you are! ~Chelle Thompson, Inspiration Line Editor

4 July 2011

Realizing Your Dream

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Abigail. I'm eighty seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course, you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked. She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a coke. For three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Abigail became a campus icon and easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Abigail to speak at our football banquet and I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began:

"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change.

"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets." She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives:

"The Rose"

Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed.

Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed.

Some say love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need.

I say love, it is a flower, and you its only seed.

It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.

It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance.

It's the one who won't be taken, who cannot seem to give,

And the soul afraid of dyin' that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long,

And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,

Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows

Lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose.

At the year's end Abigail finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

These words have been passed along in loving memory of Abigail. REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

~Anon~

The Wreck on Highway 109

A drunk man in an Oldsmobile they said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup on 109 that night;
When broken bodies lay about and blood was everywhere,
The sirens screamed out elegies, for death was in the air.

A mother, trapped inside her car, was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air: "Oh, God, please spare my boys!"
She fought to loose her pinioned hands; she struggled to get free,
But mangled metal held her fast in grim captivity.

Her frightened eyes then focused on where the back seat once had been,
But all she saw was broken glass and two children's seats crushed in;
Her twins were nowhere to be seen; she did not hear them cry,
And then she prayed they'd been thrown free, "Oh, God, don’t let them die! "

Then firemen came and cut her loose, but when they searched the back,
They found therein no little boys, but the seat belts were intact;
They thought the woman had gone mad and was traveling alone,
But when they turned to question her, they discovered she was gone.

Policemen saw her running wild and screaming above the noise
In beseeching supplication, "Please help me find my boys!
They're four years old and wear blue shirts; their jeans are blue to match."
One cop spoke up, ""They're in my car, and they don't have a scratch."

"They said their daddy put them there and gave them each a cone,
Then told them both to wait for Mom to come and take them home;
I've searched the area high and low, but I can't find their dad;
He must have fled the scene, I guess, and that is very bad."

The mother hugged the twins and said, while wiping at a tear,
"He could not flee the scene, you see, for he's been dead a year;"
The cop just looked confused and asked, "Now, how can that be true?"
The boys said, "Mommy, Daddy came and left a kiss for you."

"He told us not to worry and that you would be all right,
And then he put us in this car with the pretty, flashing light;
We wanted him to stay with us, because we miss him so,
But, Mommy, he just hugged us tight and said he had to go."

"He said someday we'd understand and told us not to fuss,
And he said to tell you, Mommy, he's watching over us;"
The mother knew without a doubt that what they spoke was true,
For she recalled their dad's last words, " I will watch over you."

The firemen's notes could not explain the twisted, mangled car,
And how the three of them escaped without a single scar;
But on the cop's report was scribed, in print so very fine:

"An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109".

@1999 Ruth Gillis
Source: Inspiration Line

Someone Who Understands

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell.
He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and
set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard.

As he was driving the last nail into the post,
he felt a tug on his overalls.
He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat
off the back of his neck, "These puppies come
from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment.
Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out
a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.

"I've got thirty-nine cents.
Is that enough to take a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer.
And with that he let out a whistle.
"Here, Dolly!" he called.

Out from the doghouse and down the ramp
ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face
against the chain link fence.
His eyes danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence,
the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.

Slowly another little ball appeared,
this one noticeably smaller.
Down the ramp it slid.
Then in a somewhat awkward manner,
the little pup began hobbling toward the others,
doing its best to catch up...

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said,
"Son, you don't want that puppy.
He will never be able to run and play with you
like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence,
reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.

In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down
both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said,
"You see sir, I don't run too well myself,
and he will need someone who understands"

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down
and picked up the little pup.
Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy.

"How much?" asked the little boy...
"No charge," answered the farmer,
"There's no charge for love."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

Source: Forward

Truly Blessed by Lynn C. Johnson

When I found more pain in othersThan I found within myself
I learned what it meant to feel compassion
And my pain began to fade

When I found more forgiveness in others
Than I found within myself
I learned what it meant to feel peace
And my heart began to mend

When I found more belief in others
Than I found within myself
I learned what it meant to have faith
And my fears began to die

And when I found more love in others
Than I found within myself
I learned what it meant to feel truly blessed
And my spirit began to soar.

~Lynn C Johnson

''Every day we are offered new means for learning and growing in love.'' Leo Buscaglia 

Source: Positive Thoughts

How could I expect more from the universe when I didn’t appreciate what I already had?

The more I focused on lack and on what I couldn’t have, the more depressed I became. The more depressed I became, the more I focused on lack. My soul whispered that what I really yearned for was not financial security but financial serenity. I was still—quiet enough to listen. At that moment I acknowledged the deep longing in my heart. What I hungered for was an inner peace that the world could not take away. I asked for help and committed to following wheresoever Spirit would lead me. For the first time in my life I discarded my five-year goals and became a seeker, a pilgrim, a sojourner.

When I surrendered my desire for security and sought serenity instead, I looked at my life with open eyes. I saw that I had much for which to be grateful. I felt humbled by my riches and regretted that I took for granted the abundance that already existed in my life. How could I expect more from the universe when I didn’t appreciate what I already had?

~Sarah Ban Breathnach~

Source: Positive Thoughts

YOU ARE

You are strong. . . when you take your
grief and teach it to smile.

You are brave. . . when you overcome your
fear and help others to do the same.

You are happy. . . when you see a flower
and are thankful for the blessing.

You are loving. . . when your own pain
does not blind you to the pain of others.

You are wise. . . when you
know the limits of your wisdom.

You are true. . . when you admit
there are times you fool yourself.

You are alive. . . when tomorrow's hope means
more to you than yesterday's mistake.

You are growing. . . when you know what
you are but not what you will become.

You are free. . . when you are in control of
yourself and do not wish to control others.

You are honorable. . . when you find
your honor is to honor others.

You are generous. . . when you
can take as sweetly as you can give.

You are humble. . . when you
do not know how humble you are.

You are thoughtful. . . when you see me
just as I am and treat me just as you are.

You are merciful. . . when you forgive in
others the faults you condemn in yourself.

You are beautiful. . . when you
don't need a mirror to tell you.

You are rich. . . when you never
need more than what you have.

You are you. . . when you are
at peace with who you are not.

There is only one you for all time.
Fearlessly be yourself.

~Anon~

Source: Positive Thoughts

Some important life lessons from The Complete Live and Learn and Pass It On

I've learned that it's never too late to improve yourself. -age 85

I've learned that position can be bought, but respect must be earned. -age 51

I've learned that the best tranquilizer is a clear conscience. -age 76

I've learned that if I want the circumstances in my life to change for the better, I must change for the better. -age 42

I've learned that warmth, kindness, and friendship are the most yearned-for commodities in the world. The persons who can provide them will never be lonely. -age 79

I've learned that beyond a certain comfortable style of living, the more material things you have, the less freedom you have. -age 62

I've learned that attractiveness is a positive, caring attitude and has nothing to do with face lifts or nose jobs. -age 56

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

Source: Positive Thoughts

Tell yourself that you have a good life, count your blessings, and learn to stay positive no matter what

Count your blessings at the end of every day – don’t focus on the problems you’ve faced that day; rather, think of all the good things that happened and the happiness they gave you.

Think of others rather than yourself – when you do things, even the smallest favors, for other people who mean something to you, you feel good about yourself.

Be proactive rather than reactive – instead of fretting over a problem and letting it stress you out, focus on how to resolve quickly and effectively. When your mind is busy trying to find a solution, you stop feeling sorry for yourself and start thinking positively.

Don’t allow your mind to remain idle – it may be clichéd, but it’s also true that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. So stay busy and keep doing something or the other to prevent negative thoughts from creeping in.

Stop negative thoughts before they form completely – if you find yourself becoming depressed because your mind is taking a negative bent, stop those thoughts in their tracks and start consciously thinking of positive things.

Spend time with people who love you and make you feel good about yourself – quality relationships make life worth living.

Anytime you feel that the weight of your burden is hard to bear, talk to a friend or someone with a sympathetic ear – even if they cannot do anything to help you out, just the fact that you have someone on your side is uplifting enough.

And finally, look around you before you start to feel sorry for yourself – there are people in situations that are a hundred times worse than yours, yet they manage to get through each day. 

Source: Positive Thoughts

Raise your standards.

Whatever you wish there was more of , be that.

Whatever you want your relationships and friendships to be , be that.

Whatever you want the world to be , be that.

If you want there to be less fear and more love in the world , start with yourself.

If you want there to be less stress anxiety , depression and tension in the world, start with yourself.

If you want the world to be a more peaceful place, fairer, more generous and compassionate, start with yourself.

"Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is raise your standards. When people ask me what really change my life I tell them that absolutely the most important thing was changing what I demanded of myself. I wrote down all the things I would no longer accept in my life, all the things I would no longer tolerate,, and all the things I aspired to becoming." ~Anthony Robbins

Source: Positive Thoughts

All you have to do is to take one-step at a time

Learn to love yourself enough so that when someone enters your life that treats you negatively, you can stand up for yourself and have the strength to let them go. You can learn that it is okay to say no to anyone who is not willing to treat you with the love and respect you not only want, but also deserve. Have the courage to walk away from anything that does not serve you well. Search for your highest good.

You may be thinking right now, how do I go about this when I do not have the things that would make me content? What is in your world externally is nothing more than a mirror of what is going on internally. So to change the external vision of what your world appears to be, go within and change it there, then the outward vision will change to mirror the inward feelings.

Understand that every new path has a beginning and a first step. To pursue anything new, all you have to do is to take one-step at a time. And that is the step before you. If we learn to feel and believe that we have all that we desire and want in life and accept what has been granted to us, more will come.

It is all about appreciation and gratitude. If you could learn to appreciate and have gratitude by focusing on what is good in your life, more goodness will flow to you. If we complain that we do not have those things, then that is where our focus is and that is what we will continue to attract to us. If we think and imagine having the life we desire, and act and feel as we have it within, it is sure to appear before us.

When negative events occur in your life, if you look for the silver lining in the dark rain cloud, you will learn that good is always flowing toward you, if you have but the eyes to see it. And when you embrace the good that comes from that stormy rain cloud, you are transforming the energy of what you previously deemed as something negative into some positive. When you sing this new song, more "good”" things can flow to you.

Source: Positive Thoughts

To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path and set yourself free

To let go isn't to forget, not to think about, or ignore.  It doesn't leave feelings of anger, jealousy, or regret.

Letting go isn't about winning or losing.  It's not about pride and it's not about how you appear, and it's not obsessing or dwelling on the past.

Letting go isn't blocking memories or thinking sad thoughts, and it doesn't leave emptiness, hurt, or sadness.  It's not about giving in or giving up.

Letting go isn't about loss and it's not about defeat.  To let go is to cherish the memories, but to overcome and move on.  It is having an open mind and confidence in the future.

Letting go is learning and experiencing and growing.  To let go is to be thankful for the experiences that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow.  It's about all that you have, all that you had, and all that you will soon gain.

Letting go is having the courage to accept change, and the strength to keep moving.  Letting go is growing up.  It is realizing that the heart can sometimes be the most potent remedy.

To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path and set yourself free.    

~Leonard Jacobson~

"Letting go doesn't mean we don't care.  Letting go doesn't mean we shut down.  Letting go means we stop trying to force outcomes and make people behave.  It means we give up resistance to the way things are, for the moment.  It means we stop trying to do the impossible--controlling that which we cannot--and instead, focus on what is possible--which usually means taking care of ourselves.  And we do this in gentleness, kindness, and love, as much as possible." ~ Melody Beattie

 Source: Positive Thoughts

Recipes For Self-Love

Take full responsibility for your life.
Stop blaming others.
See yourself as the cause of what happens to you.

Do things you like to do.
Don't stay in a job you don't like.
Participate in life at the highest level you can.

Stop terrorising yourself with your thoughts.
Be gentle and kind and patient with yourself.

Give yourself the simple pleasures of life abundantly.
Wear clothes you feel good in, get a massage etc.

Watch what you say. Avoid self put-downs.
Stop being critical of yourself and others.

Take care of your body.
Give it exercise and good food.

Be willing to create a life-style that generates and nourishes self-esteem.
Associate with others with high esteem.

Acknowledge yourself frequently.
Keep a diary of your successes and accomplishments.

Avoid comparing yourself with others.
Remember that it's who we are, not what we do, that's important

Give yourself permission to do nothing periodically.
Schedule time by yourself.

Frequently take deep breaths.
Discover the benefit and pleasure of breathing fully.

Eat first class frequently.
Don't look at the right side of the menu.

Stop trying to change others.
Focus your attention on being the way you want others to be.

Look into a mirror regularly
and say "I love you, I really love you".

Stop feeling guilty and saying "I'm sorry".
See mistakes as valuable lessons and avoid judging yourself.

Consciously generate positive thoughts and feelings of self-love
in place of old thoughts of inadequacy.

Be willing to laugh at yourself and at life.
Stop taking yourself so seriously.

Accept compliments from others without embarrassment.
Don't invalidate their positive thoughts and feelings about you.

Be kind to your mind.
Don't hate yourself for having negative thoughts.
Gently change your thoughts.

Keep your awareness and your thoughts focused
in present time instead of living in the past or future.

Acknowledge others frequently.
Tell them what you like and appreciate in them.

Invest money in yourself.
Go to seminars, workshops and courses that develop your talents.

Make a list of 10 things
you love doing and do them frequently.

Treat yourself as you would treat someone you really loved.
Praise yourself.

Source: Positive Thoughts

After A While

After a while you learn the subtle difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul.

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning and company doesn't mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts and presents aren't promises.

And you begin to accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead, with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child.

And you learn to build all your roads on today because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans, and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight. .

After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to leave you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure;

You really are strong, you really do have worth.

And you learn, and you learn

With every goodbye you learn.

~Veronica Shoftsall~

Source: Positive Thoughts

How Many Friends Have You?

An old man turned to me and asked, "How many friends have you?"
"Why, ten or twenty friends have I," and I named off just a few.
He smiled a knowing smile at me and sadly shook his head,
"How lucky you must be to have so many friends," he said.

"But think of what you're saying. There's so much that you don't know!
A friend is just not someone to whom you say 'Hello'!
A friend's a tender shoulder on which to softly cry,
A well to pour your troubles down and raise your spirits high.

A friend's a hand to pull you up from darkness and despair,
When all your other so-called 'friends' have helped to put you there!
A true friend is an ally who can't be moved or bought,
A voice to keep your name alive when others have forgot.

But most of all a friend's a heart, a strong and sturdy wall,
For from the hearts of friends there comes the greatest love of all!
So think of what I've spoken, for every word is true.
And answer once again, my child, how many friends have you?"

And then he stood and faced me, awaiting my reply.
I smiled at him and answered, "At least ONE friend have I!"

Thank YOU for being MY FRIEND!

~Author Unknown

BE

Be understanding to your enemies.
Be loyal to your friends.
Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
Be generous to those who need your help.

Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.

Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble.

Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.
Above all, be yourself.

~Anon~

Source: Positive Thoughts

Beliefs

I believe-
That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe-
That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe-
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe-
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe-
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I believe-
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time!

I believe-
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe-
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe-
That just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I believe-
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe-
That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I believe-
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I believe-
That our background and circumstances may have influenced
who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe-
That two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I believe-
That the people you care about most in life are the essence of life.
Tell them today how much you love them and what they mean to you.

"Our beliefs are so powerful that they color our entire world. We literally see what we believe, but we can--and most of us do fail to take responsibility for what we see, especially what we see within." ~ Hugh Prather.

Source: Positive Thoughts