Dream On

WHY DREAMS DON’T TAKE FLIGHT
By John C. Maxwell

MOST OF US NEVER SEE OUR DREAMS come true. Instead of soaring through the clouds, our dreams languish like a broken-down airplane confined to its hangar. Through life, I have come to identify five common reasons why dreams don’t take flight.

1. We have been discouraged from dreaming by others.

We have to pilot our own dreams; we cannot entrust them to anyone else. People who aren’t following their own dreams resent us pursuing ours. Such people feel inadequate when we succeed, so they try to drag us down.

If we listen to external voices, then we allow our dreams to be hijacked. At some point, other people will place limitations on us by doubting our abilities. When surrounded by the turbulence of criticism, we have to grasp the controls tightly to keep from being knocked off course.

2. We are hindered by past disappointments and hurts.

In the movie Top Gun, Tom Cruise plays Maverick, a young, talented and cocky aviator who dreams of being the premier pilot in the US navy. In the film’s opening scenes, Maverick showcases his flying ability but also displays a knack for pushing the envelope with regards to safety. Midway through the movie, Maverick’s characteristic aggression spells disaster. His plane crashes, killing his best friend and co- pilot.

Although cleared of wrongdoing, the painful memory of the accident haunts Maverick. He quits taking risks and loses his edge. Struggling to regain his poise, he considers giving up on his dream. Although the incident nearly wrecks Maverick’s career, he eventually reaches within to find the strength to return to the sky.

Like Maverick, many of us live with the memory of failure embedded in our psyche. Perhaps a business we started went broke, or we were fired from a position of leadership. Disappointment is the gap that exists between expectation and reality, and all of us have encountered that gap. Failure is a necessary and natural part of life, but if we’re going to attain our dreams, then, like Maverick, we have to summon the courage and deal with past hurts.

3. We fall into the habit of settling for average.

Average is the norm for a reason. Being exceptional demands extra effort, sustained inspiration and uncommon discipline. When we attempt to give flight to our dreams, we have to overcome the weight of opposition. Like gravity, life’s circumstances constantly pull on our dreams, tugging us down to mediocrity.

Most of us don’t pay the price to overcome the opposition to our dreams. We may start out inspired, but through time we fatigue.

Although never intending to abandon our dreams, we begin to make concessions here and there. Through time, our lives become mundane, and our dreams slip away.

4. We lack the confidence needed to pursue our dreams.

Dreams are fragile. They will be buffeted by assaults from all sides. As such, they must be supplied with the extra strength of self- confidence.

In Amelia Earhart’s day, women were not supposed to fly airplanes. If she had lacked self- assurance, she never would have even attempted to be a pilot. Instead, Earhart confidently chased after her dream, and she was rewarded with both fulfillment and fame.

5. We lack the imagination to dream.

For thousands of years, mankind traveled along the ground: By foot, by horse- and- buggy, by locomotive, and eventually by automobile. Thanks to the dreams of Orville and Wilbur Wright, we now hop across oceans in a matter of hours. The imaginative brothers overcame ridicule and doubt to pioneer human flight, and the world has never been the same.

Many of us play small because we do not allow ourselves to dream. We trap ourselves in reality and never dare to go beyond what we can see with our eyes. Imagination lifts us beyond average by giving us a vision of life that surpasses what we are experiencing currently. Dreams infuse our spirit with energy and spur us on to greatness.

On Golf Balls and Mayonnaise Jar: Why They Matter to You?

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students, If the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand And poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous 'yes!'

The professor then produced Two cups of coffee from under the table And poured the entire contents Into the jar, effectively Filling the Empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions." Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else, the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time And energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children.

Take time to get medical checkups.

Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time

To clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first -- The things that really matter.

Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'.

"It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

(emailed by a friend.)

Listen For My Bell.....I Will Listen For Yours!!

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her. As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray.

When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.
Good friends are like this . You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

(emailed to me by a friend.)

For Mom

WHY GOD MADE MUMS
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the sticky tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mum just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from mens' bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other Mum?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's Mums like me.

What kind of little girl was your Mum?
1. My Mum has always been my Mum and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mum need to know about Dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mum marry your Dad?
1. My Dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mum eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My Grandma says that Mum didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mum doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because Dad's such an idiot.
2. Mum. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mum is, but only because she has a lot more to do than Dad.

What's the difference between Mums & Dads?
1. Mums work at work and work at home and Dads just go to work at work.
2. Mums know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Mums have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Mums have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mum do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't have spare time.
2. To hear her talk, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mum perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. You know, her hair. I'd die it, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mum, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mum smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

An Act of Kindness - Making A Difference

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh... He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around....'

His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'

His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.'

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets..'

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favourite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favourite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference...'

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.'

(This work of fiction was penned by Elizabeth Silance Ballard in 1976 and published that year in Home Life magazine. The author's intent was far from unclear, as the piece was clearly marked as fiction and was presented as such, not as an account of a personal experience. http://snopes.com/)

Note: This story was emailed to me by a friend.

A Leader's First Duty

The first duty of a leader is personal integrity. Whether in politics, athletics, business, education, or family, who the person is counts for more than what she does. His title, fame, or salary can never compensate for a lack of character.

We all know it is true, but we seem to have ignored it of late. So we have been willing to overlook a person's out-of-control lifestyle so long as he can still score points and win games for our team. We have tolerated flagrant excess and sexual infidelities so long as the bottom-line stayed strong. We have put up with everything from perjury and kickbacks in public officials to abusive language and unfair treatment by owners and bosses. "After all," we said with straight faces, "someone's personal life has nothing to do with his competence for a public role."

But character, integrity, and honesty are alternate names for the thread that runs through those trustworthy people whose leadership we can trust. If a man or woman will deceive the mate to whom public promises were made and betray the children born to that union, he or she won't hesitate to step on you and me. People who are deceitful in one area of their lives will deceive whenever they deem it necessary. And the deciding factor will be their selfish interests, not the public trust or the good of stockholders and investors.

What the likes of Madoff, Blagojevich, A-Rod and others call to our minds is what our mothers taught us as little children. Play nice. Tell the truth. Don't take things that don't belong to you. Treat people the way you want them to treat you.

People who rise to fortune, stardom, or high position tend to be exposed soon enough when their character is fundamentally flawed. But we have been willing to vote them back into office, buy their music, invest in their schemes, pay to see them play, and otherwise support them in their public roles. We lied to ourselves by saying we just didn't see the connection between private life and public life, who they are as people and what they do as professionals.

We lied to ourselves by saying we just didn't see the connection!

Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus studied 60 successful CEOs of major corporations and found that almost all of them were still married to their first spouse. People who value commitments and promises value them at every level. If they live them at home, they live them at work.

If they don't honor them in their personal lives, they may not be working to do so in their business lives either.

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The Bible says this:

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever perverse ways will be found out (Proverbs 10:9).

This ancient proverb is confirmed to us again and again. We deny it to our shame and dismay. What is true of the headline-makers is true for you and me as well.

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Written by Rubel Shelly and emailed to me by a friend.

Indian Youth's Rite of Passage

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. If you liked this story, pass it on. If not, you took off your blindfold before dawn.

Moral of the Story: Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there.

'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'

The Lentil Seed

My boyhood dream was to acquire a big motorcycle and become a Knight of the open highway.

But getting a license to drive a bike was a completely different story! I had to learn the rules of the road by heart and practice driving so I could pass safely between strategically placed pylons without touching them. I had to learn to maneuver through crowded city streets, never forgetting to signal my intentions to other drivers...

It was a long and arduous process. But my driving instructor was philosophical about it.

I remember one particularly difficult lesson. I had taken a fall and simply could not steer the bike around a curve between the obstacles. I got upset and started to doubt I could ever succeed. "It's no good, I'll never be pass the test!" I cried.

"Calm down," my instructor said. "You may not know it, but you're making good progress every day."

I'd been a teacher myself, so I knew about the platitudes teachers use to encourage their students. Which is why I didn't believe a word he said.

"It'll take more than a cliché to convince me of that," I said.

"Tonight when you go home," he replied, "put a lentil seed in some moist cotton. Then, every day, watch it grow for half an hour. Come back and tell me what you see."

Naturally I didn't see anything. I played the game for three days, then gave up.

But finally, two months after I started and with much effort and concentration, I obtained my license to drive a bike.

On the day I took my exam my lentil seed sprouted. A tiny green shoot had pierced through the cotton. In a flash I understood the meaning of what my instructor had said.

It's impossible to make a seed grow. It has to stay underground until the moment it is ready to break through into the open air. Even if the seed were in a hurry to grow, it could not have speeded up the process. Sometimes it takes time and quiet for things to sprout in us, and come to fruition.

Although undetectable, new seeds are always present, making slow but steady progress inside us, preparing to burst forth and bloom at the right time.

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"Trees teach us patience - they do not break at the first sign of a storm."
-Carl Beaupré

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Doing What is Necessary

At home, at the office, you take care of your day-to-day life... I'm sure you have had the following experience:

Some important work needed to be done and EVERYONE was asked to help.

EVERYONE was sure that SOMEONE ELSE would do it.

ANYONE could have done it, but NO ONE did.

So SOMEONE got very angry because the work was meant for EVERYONE.

But EVERYONE thought SOMEONE ELSE could have done it...

And NO ONE doubted that SOMEONE would.

In the end EVERYONE blamed SOMEONE because NO ONE did what ANYONE could have done.

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Why keep hoping that someone else will do what you are supposed to do? Experience teaches that if you wait for someone else to do your work, you'll never find anyone and the work doesn't get done.

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"Being an aristocrat means creating your own duty."
-Nietzsche
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How to Grow a Vine

A wine grower named Giorgio called for his two sons Anton and Vitto and told them he would have to test each of them in order to decide who was best qualified to take charge of the property when he retired.

The two young men were very different: Anton was daring and mischievous, always smiling and friendly, while his brother was taciturn and hard-working, but entirely devoid of emotion.

The father gave them each a vine seedling and said: "I want you to choose the place that you think has the best conditions for your vine to grow. The one who harvests the best grapes a few years from now will take control of the property."

Anton was in no hurry to get started. "I have a lot of time before I have to start looking around. A vine grows slowly, and only yields grapes after four years anyway."

Vitto knew that too, but he decided to find the best place to plant his vine right away.

He planted his seedling on a parcel of land facing south, on top of a rocky hill. Anton made fun of him, saying: "You idiot, you chose the worst possible location! A hilltop facing south make the leaves shrivel and burn, and soil full of rocks won't allow the roots to grow. You won't get any grapes from that vine at all!"

Four years later the father once again summoned his two sons so he could taste their fruit.

Anton's basket was filled with beautiful, juicy grapes, while Vitto's basket held only a few small grapes.

Giorgio picked two grapes from each basket and tasted them in silence. The ones from Anton's basket were filled with seeds and their size was due to all the water they contained.

"Tasteless," his father said. But when Giorgio tasted Vitto's grapes his face lit up with pleasure. "These grapes are small but they're bursting with flavor," he exclaimed. "Their juice will produce excellent wine. This is very good work. How did you do it, my son?"

"I followed a simple principle," Vitto replied. "Like people, vines only yield good fruit when challenged with adversity."

(c)www.positive-club.com
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You may sometimes wonder why you have to put up with so many obstacles in life. But now you can understand that problems - the things that make you work harder - are really there to teach you. They are the events that form your character and make you the person you are today. So be prepared to confront whatever Destiny places on your path, and use it to become stronger!

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"You learn more from a good enemy than from a good friend!"
-M. de Cornouardt

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A Person is Always Unique

Did you know that scientist still haven't been able to figure out the number of possible combinations of DNA molecules? The best they've been able to do is provide an estimate: 2.4 billion to the power of 10!

That's an incredible number when you consider that the possible combinations of all particles in the universe amount to only 76 to the power of 10!

As you can see, that is vastly less than the possible combinations DNA, which form your identity.

So scientifically speaking, you are unique! There's no chance of ever finding another person exactly like you on the planet.

And you can also be sure that there never has been - and never will be - two identical human beings in the entire universe.

So why waste time and energy trying to fit into a mould? To be like someone else? You are unique, and thus radically different, no matter what you think and no matter what you do.

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The best cabinet makers always work in the same direction as the grain of the wood, never against it. You should do the same. When you have to do something that doesn't fit with your personality, that goes against your 'grain' (against your inner beliefs), you always feel it and should simply say "no". Stay unique and always refuse to do anything that may destroy your beautiful sense of unity.

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"There is One, the source, that which has no beginning and no end, which created all things, which governs all things, which is good and just, and which illuminates and supports our life." -Hermes Trimagistus

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Do You Have a "Pleasure Book?"

She is an aged woman, but her face is serene, and peaceful, though trouble has not passed her by.

She seems utterly above the little worries and vexations which torment the average woman and leave lines of cares.

A fretful Woman asked her one day the secret of her happiness; and the beautiful old face shone with joy.

"My dear," she said, "I keep a Pleasure Book."

"A what?"

"A Pleasure Book. Long ago I learned that there is no day so dark and gloomy that it does not contain some ray of light, and I have made it one business of my life to write down the little things which mean so much to a woman.

I have a book marked for every day of every year since I left school. It is but a little thing: the new gown, the chat with a friend, the thoughtfulness of my husband, a flower, a book, a walk in the field, a letter, a concert, or a drive :

but it all goes into my Pleasure Book, and, when I am inclined to fret, I read a few pages to see what a happy, blessed woman I am.

You may see my treasures if you will."

"Slowly the peevish, discontented woman turned over the book her friend brought her, reading a little here and there.

One day's entries ran thus: "Had a pleasant letter from mother. Saw a beautiful lily in a window. Found the pin I thought I had lost. Saw such a bright, happy girl on the street. Husband brought some roses in the evening."

"Have you found a pleasure for every day ?" the discontented Woman asked.

"For every day," the low voice answered; "I had to make my theory come true, you know."

The Fretful Woman ought to have stopped there, but did not; and she found that page where it was written:

"He died with his hand in mine, and my name upon his lips."


http://www.positive-club.com

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"I'm awfully worried this morning," said one woman. "What is it ?" "Why? I thought of something to worry about last night, and now I can't remember it."
-O. S. Marden

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There is Always a Solution!

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 and history--however outrageous, however desperate, DON'T QUIT. There is always a solution. You have the power to transform any problem into a way to mesmerize your audience...


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"Live and make the present hour pleasant and cheerful. Keep your mind out of the past, and keep it out of the future."
-John A. Schlinder

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"If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character". "If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home". "If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation". "When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world".
- Chinese saying

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Life is Good!

The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.

Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!"

To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.

"You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "This is good!"

"What do you mean, 'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

"If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you."

Situations may not always seem pleasant while we experience them, but it depends the way you see them... the choice is yours!

ABC of Friendship

A Friend...

(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who you are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever Judges
(O)ffer support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your fears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need tohear it
(U)nderstands you
(V)alues you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-plains thing you don't understand
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality

(From http://www.positive-club.com)

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What do you deserve?

This is a story from India during the colonial days. Most of the villagers of the village worked as peasants for the village landlord and got a very small share of the crops and a token money in return for the hard work they put all day in the field.

One year the village witnessed one of the severest droughts ever. The crop failed and the villagers did not get anything in return from the landlord. Most of the villagers fled to the cities.

One of the villagers was particularly in a very bad state. His wife was suffering from malaria and in the absence of food or money he was desperate.

One day he was sitting under the village tree and was thinking desperately about ways to get some money somehow so that he can take his wife and his children to the town, where he knew that somehow he would get some work.

He then saw his cow wandering nearby munching the dried up patches of grass and bushes.

He suddenly had a thought to sell his cow. "Surely someone would like to buy her", he thought.

The next day, early morning he started for the market. There, he stood under a tree and explained his plight to anyone who came and requested them to buy his cow. Nobody seemed to be the least interested.

The day wore by. The sun relentlessly shown on the barren landscape.

With sweat drenched dirty clothes and in the poor state of health he was in, he was looking a picture of the misery.

As evening was approaching, he was losing all hope he had started with.

Then a merchant passed him. He looked at the peasant and with a sudden drive of compassion decided to help him sell the cow.

He asked a few questions and then, in a loud voice full of enthusiasm, he announced to the passers by, "Ladies and gentlemen, never let go an opportunity like this. This cow here, gives 2 bucketfuls of milk everyday, morning and evening. Do not be mistaken by her health. It is just because she has recently given birth to a young calf.

This animal is of such an exceptional breed that last year she had won a prize during the agricultural exhibition of the neighboring village. My friend here, has come to an urgent situation and is willing to part with her for a price that seems to me ridiculous for such a prize animal. Who amongst you realize that an opportunity like this does not come everyday?"

Meanwhile, a small crowd gathered around them all willing to buy the animal. They all wanted to know the price. The merchant asked the peasant, "Well my friend, what is the price you expect? We have several buyers here".

The peasant stood up and with head held high, declared with pride and arrogance, "This animal is mine. She is too good to be sold. I shall keep her."

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This story has several morals. The first that comes to my mind is that we do not appreciate sufficiently what we have. Health, children, girl friend or boy friend etc, we take them all for granted without rejoicing each day for our luck. Sometimes it is necessary to have the look of others in order to become conscious of the value of what we have. We do not take the pain to explain the advantages of our proposal and often our remuneration is less because we do not make this effort towards the proposal. If you have others morals, let me know your conclusions, Christian. This reminds me of an architect just passed out from a famous institute, with exceptional knowledge of computers, who applied for a post. The owner was ready to hire him but did not know what salary to offer. So the owner offered him the salary generally given to fresh architects with little site experience and almost no knowledge of computer applications in architecture. He also offered, "You work for a week and once I have seen your work, I shall pay you what you deserve." The architect replied "At this price, your offer does not interest me!!!"

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"Depression and self-pity seldom attracts anybody. Be enthusiastic and the whole world will look up to you. You can win only if you love what you have."
-Amit Kumar
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The 20 dollars's bill

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked:

"Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said:

"I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.

He then asked:

"Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. To those who love you, you are priceless.

The worth of our lives come not in what we do or who we know but by who we are!

The feelings' island

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge and all of the others, including Love…

One day, it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left. Love was the only one who stayed.

Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a great boat.

Love said:

"Richness, can you take me with you?"

Richness answered:

"No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity, who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel:

"Vanity, please help me!"'

"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by, so Love asked for help:

"Sadness, let me go with you."

"Oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her! Suddenly, there was a voice:

"Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder.

Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.

When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way.

Love realizing how much he owed the elder asked Knowledge, another elder:

"Who helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered:

"Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Problems with transmission...

Maybe we have to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

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

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

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, enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lives for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well 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 that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Please send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life in one way or another, to those who make you smile when you really need it, to those that make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, to those who you want to let them know that you appreciate their friendship.

And if you don't, don't worry, nothing bad will happen to you, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message.

Desiderata

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it's a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantement, it is as perrenial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

"Desiderata" was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann (1872-1945).

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The Elephant Who Lost An Eye

An elephant came to the edge of a stream of clear rushing water. Being thirsty, the elephant leaned over, dropped its trunk into the cool water and... plunk!

"What? What happened?" the elephant cried. "I can't see! My eye... it fell in the water! Oh nooooooh," the elephant wailed in a panic, "I lost my eye!"

And, in fact, the elephant's right eye had popped out of its socket and fallen into the stream. The elephant searched frantically for the eye, groping with its trunk along the bottom of the stream. The more he groped, the cloudier the water became. That made him panic even more, and he started churning up great piles of sand, until he couldn't see anything.

Then the elephant heard the sound of laughing. Furious, he looked around to see who it was, and saw a little green frog sitting on a log, laughing and laughing.

"You think this is funny?" the elephant shouted. "I lose an eye and that makes you laugh?"

"What's funny is to see how upset you are. Calm down and everything will be fine," the frog replied.

The elephant felt a little ashamed and took the frog's advice. He stopped moving his trunk around, and soon the water became clearer as the sand sank to the bottom. And there in the stream lay his eye. He reached for it with his trunk and popped it back into its socket. And then he thanked the frog.

(c)www.positive-club, 2005

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This simple parable contains great wisdom. There's nothing funny about losing an eye... the sudden panic, thrashing around in murky water, desperation... that's exactly what happens to us when we lose control and panic. Our haste makes us blind.

We become temporarily incapable of seeing the world around us objectively and rationally. But there is an antidote to panic: wait. Wait until the situation becomes clear and the black clouds disperse.

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"Haste is the devil's work; God works slowly."
- Persian Proverb
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"BTW, did you notice how many legs the elephant has in the picture?"

The Ocean And The Fjords

Tom was a lieutenant, assistant to the captain of the frigate "Impudence." He had trouble with the hierarchical nature of command, and his natural impatience sometimes caused him to question the captain's orders.

One day, as the Impudence cruised through the frigid waters surrounding Norway, Tom went too far. He contradicted his superior in front of the entire crew.

The captain did not get angry. Instead he slowly approached the lieutenant, took him by the shoulder and walked him aside. By that time Tom already regretted his insolent behaviour.

"Look at all these fjords, Tom," the captain said. "See how many there are, and how impetuously they flow."

Tom didn't know what the captain was trying to say, but he obeyed.

"Now look the other way and see how vast the ocean is, as if it were drinking up all the light of the sun. See how its movements seem to swallow everything. Do you think the fjords are greater in majesty than the ocean?"

"No Sir, I don't."

"Really? But there are so many fjords. And they flow so much faster than the gentle swell of the sea."

"But still, Sir, the ocean is stronger and more majestic than a fjord."

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear you say, Tom," said the captain. "If rivers and seas are greater than streams and brooks, it is because they are always lower. If you want to become a captain one day, you first have to learn to obey, to listen to what I say and to learn from me. One day you may surpass me, but that day has not yet come."

(c)2005 www.positive-club.com

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This story contains a profound truth: If you want to learn, you have to know how to hold back, observe and forget yourself. Every living creature grows by assimilating what comes from outside itself.

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"The sage who wants to lead his people acts as a servant to his people."
-Lao Tzu
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According to Wikipedia:
Geologically, a fjord or fiord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.

Instinct Is A Prison

The hunted fears the predator, and the predator fears hunger and death.

One day a young child got lost in the fields. He was very far from the village he lived in, when suddenly he met a hungry tiger.

"If you eat me now, Tiger," the child said, "you will still have to hunt tomorrow."

"Yes, but if I eat you now I will live another day!" the Tiger replied.

"I can teach you how to live for many more days," said the child.

The Tiger retracted his claws, sat down and listened to the what child had to say.

"Look around you. See how much grass there is, and how many trees bursting with fruit. Stop eating meat and you will never die of hunger."

"But I am a meat eater!" the Tiger replied. "I have claws and big teeth. What shall I do with them?"

"Use them to defend those you love," said the child.

"But I am alone. I have no family and no friends."

"If you spare me, I will be your friend."

The Tiger thought about it, then said, "All right, I will taste the grass and the fruit of the trees to please you."

He spared the child and learned the joys of sharing a meal with someone else. And from that time on he was never hungry.

(c)2005 www.positive-club.com

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Our instinct can be a cruel prison, causing us to act without thinking. We shout, we get angry and perturbed, we run away when what we should be doing is sitting down and thinking about the consequences of our impulsive actions.

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"Instinct is a prison from which the most ferocious are waiting to be freed."
- M. de Cournouardt
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Shiosuy’s Indigestion

Because the other monks disturbed his concentration, Shiosuy left the monastery to seek the peace he needed to meditate.

He sat down under a birch tree on the banks of a river and started to meditate. But soon the 'flick-flock' of the fish catching flies on the surface of the water bothered him.

He tried harder to concentrate, looking inside himself for the tranquility necessary for fruitful mediation. But he could not succeed, because the birds that lived in the birch tree began singing.

Furious, Shiosuy jumped up, caught all the fish in the river, and then caught all the birds in the birch tree. He cooked them all and ate them.

Unfortunately, Shiosuy developed indigestion because of his feast, which prevented him from meditating for the next three days.

(c)2005 www.club-positif.com

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Have you ever noticed that your anger is almost never caused by objects or by the people around you, but by something in your own mind? Running away or transferring your anger to an object or to someone else will not help. The problem is in your mind, as is the calm you seek.

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"If you have to live in tumult, keep your soul calm and retracted. It is a sanctuary where you can always find happiness when you need it." -Alexandra David-Neel
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The Fire of Adversity

Gold is the most precious metal in the world because it is also one of the rarest. But you can't find pure gold simply by bending over and picking up a little shining nugget, hidden away like an Easter egg in the grass.

Gold is there, it exists, the earth produces it without effort, but it's up to man to dig it out and reveal its beauty.

How? Through the test of fire. To get rid of gold's natural impurities, they are burned away. The calcified material that remains is purged of its imperfections.

The same applies to diamonds. Did you know that it takes 250 tons of minerals to obtain a 1 carat diamond! And here again, once removed from the earth, every diamond has to be polished and cut...

So although nature does contain its treasures, it is up to man to work with the raw elements and from them fashion beauty.

(c)2005 www.club-positif.com

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Did you ever think that you were like raw gold or an uncut diamond? Nature may have spoiled you and created raw beauty in your person, but she also created tests that will purify you and form your true identity. Nothing can forge your character or affirm your identity as well as adversity.

It's up to you to find the degree of heat necessary to melt the impurities that hide your beauty. No one makes an investment without hoping to gain something back in return. It's up to you to do what is necessary to protect the investment that nature has made in you!

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"If you cannot yet see the beauty inside you, do what a sculpture does to make a statue beautiful: remove what is not necessary, scratch and polish until the beautiful lines of the stone are revealed." -Plotin +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sacred Tears

She was in the greatest distress. Her son, her darling son, had just been killed by an enemy's sword. She knelt at the feet of the sage, crying, hoping to find comfort.

The sage listened to her crying for hours. Then he listened as she spoke of her son when he was alive. And then he listened as she spoke of the emptiness of her life after his death.

Finally the sage gently spoke. "Woman, I don't have the power to dry your tears, but I can teach you how to make them sacred."

(c)2005, www.positive-club.com

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No one can avoid suffering. But should we? No, because often the road of suffering is sacred, necessary to heal the hurts of the world. Healing causes suffering, and yet it is healing that causes wounds to close. We must learn to apply reason as a balm to our unhappiness. Doing so will make it bearable.

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"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the sage calls a butterfly." -Richard Bach
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The Diamond And The Dewdrop

A beautiful diamond that a princess dropped one day lay lost in a meadow. Just above it shone a drop of dew, hanging from a shoot of grass.

The sun made them both shine, and the modest dewdrop admired the noble stone. A large beetle who was passing by recognized in the diamond someone of high origin.

"Sir, I give you homage," the beetle said.

"Thank you," the diamond responded haughtily.

Turning its head, the beetle saw the drop of dew. "One of your relatives I presume?" the beetle said, nodding toward the diamond.

The diamond burst out laughing. "How can you place me on the same level as this vulgar being? Its beauty is only imitation. It shines but it doesn't last."

The beetle was flabbergasted, and the drop of dew felt completely humiliated. Then a bird flew down and pecked at the diamond.

"Ah no," the bird said, disappointed, "I thought you were a drop of water, but you are only a diamond. My beak is dry, I feel like I'm going to die of thirst."

"Oh well, what's one bird more or less," the diamond laughed again.

But at the same time the dewdrop resolved to help the bird. "Can I be of use to you?" it said.

The bird raised its head. "Oh precious friend, you have saved my life!"

"Come then," said the dewdrop. And the bird drank it up and flew away, revived.

"Here is a lesson I won't soon forget," thought the beetle, continuing on its way. "Simple merit is worth more than rank or wealth that has no modesty or devotion. There can be no real beauty in that."

(c)2005, www.positive-club.com

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"Merit is worth more than anything." -Montesquieu
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Ugliness And Beauty

A pig contemplated his image in the water of a pond. He found he looked so ugly that he started to cry, and his tears soon obscured his image. Then he heard a voice from above:

"No creature is more beautiful than you are, pig," it said.

"That's not true!" cried the pig. "I am even uglier than a toad!"

"But there's nothing more beautiful than a toad," the voice replied.

"You see! You're contradicting yourself! A toad and I can't both be the most beautiful of creatures at the same time."

"All my creatures are most beautiful to my eyes, and all at the same time," the voice said.

It was then that the pig understood he was talking to God. He looked again at his reflection in the water, and this time his heart felt light and there was a smile on his face.

(c)2005, www.positive-club.com

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Ugliness and beauty are not consistent qualities: even among people not everyone agrees what constitutes beauty and what doesn't. Both ugliness and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.

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"Even if we travel the world in search of beauty, we must first have it in ourselves before we can find it." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
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The Dancing Cow

Michal and Kental started arguing as to which of them wrote the better music.

"My music is better," Michal said. "My melodies bring tears to the eyes of all women."

"No, my music is better," Kental disagreed. "My scores are more enchanting than anything! Your music couldn't move a cow, my poor Michal."

"And what do you think? That your scores would make it dance?"

The dispute was in full swing when a peasant passed by, leading his cow back home from the field. The two musicians saw an opportunity to put their theories to the test.

"Hello there," they said. "Would you mind if we played something for your cow?"

"Well, if it gives you pleasure, why not? She's seen a lot worse in her day, I can tell you."

Michal warmed his hands, tuned his balalaika and played the most beautiful melody ever heard by a cow. But without result - the beast ruminated without moving an ear. Vexed, Michal passed the instrument to his compatriot, who played a lively score with the same result - no reaction from the cow.

"It's a lost cause," Michal cried. "Your cow does not have a musical ear."

"Well, I don't know about that," the peasant replied. "If you would lend me your instrument for a moment, I could play something for her."

Intrigued, Michal and Kental handed over the balalaika. The peasant did his best to imitate the humming of the flies and the mooing of little cows. The cow lifted her ears, started whipping her tail from side to side, and walked closer to the peasant as if to hear the music better.

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If you have trouble communicating with people, it may be that, like Michal and Kental, you are not playing the music they are used to hearing. Don't try to flatter your listeners, but speak with words that they understand. Don't try to impose your meaning by using words and sentences that are too complex.

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"Because we think that we have to persuade, we forget how to listen."
-Robert Shapiro
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Solipsism

Two students standing beneath the flagpole of the faculty building were engaged in a heated debate.

"But can't you see that it's the wind that is really moving and, in its movement, making the flag curl and flap?"

"You are mistaken," the second student replied, "because you cannot see the wind. How then can you conclude that it is making the flag move?"

A philosophy professor who happened to be passing by decided to interrupt the conversation. He approached the two students, took a draw on his pipe and said, "I'm sorry gentlemen, but have you ever considered the following argument: it is your mind that both flaps and moves."

(c)2005, www.positive-club.com

Solipsism (Latin: solus, alone + ipse, self) is the philosophical idea that "My mind is the only thing that I know exists." Solipsism is an epistemological or ontological position that knowledge of anything outside the mind is unjustified. The external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist. In the history of philosophy, solipsism has served as a skeptical hypothesis.
(source: Wikipedia)

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What did the professor mean? Was he offering a solution to the problem of the two students? Yes, in the form of a profound truth: nothing is as we see it, because our minds create everything that we see, at the moment we see it. As such, there is no other reality than our self. This theory, called a solipsism, is doubly useful. On the one hand it protects us against faulty appearances. On the other, it indicates a path to self knowledge. That's because if my mind affects everything (is, in fact, everything) then studying what is real is the same as studying my own being.

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"Reality is just a point of view."
-Philip K. Dick
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Complain About What?

Discipline at the Brunwald monastery was terribly strict. The law of silence forced the Brothers not to talk for 10 long years. After waiting for so long, each monk had the right to say two words, but not one more.

It was Brother Hans' turn to meet with the Abbot.

"Speak Brother. I am listening," the Abbot said.

"Bed... hard," the monk replied.

"I see," said his superior.

Ten years later, Brother Hans met with the Abbot again.

"And what two words would you like to tell me?" the Abbot asked.

"Food... bad," said Brother Hans.

"I see," the Abbot sighed.

Another ten years passed and Brother Hans, kneeling once again before the Abbot, said, "I ... leave."

"Well that doesn't surprise me," the Abbot exclaimed, "since all you do is complain all the time!"

(c)2005, www.positive-club.com

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The punch line is funny, but the question remains: why did Brother Hans choose the life he did if he was not capable of profiting by it, if all that he was interested in were his personal comforts? Like him, we often find ourselves complaining about things when all we really have to do is let go and take advantage of what the world has to offer.

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"If you thank God for all the joys He has given you, you won't have
any time left to complain." - Master Eckhart
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What makes the difference?

A young black boy saw a balloon seller on a street corner. His eyes sparkled as he gazed at all the different colored balloons - red, blue, white, black, yellow...

The old man selling the balloons saw the boy hesitate, then gather his courage and approach.

"Tell me mister," said the boy, "Do the black balloons fly as high as the others?"

The old man felt a tear forming in his eye. He picked the boy up, sat him on his knee and said, "Look."

He let go of all the balloons. They drifted up in a cluster, higher and higher into the blue sky, until they were so high they disappeared.

"Did you see that?" the balloon seller asked.

"Yes," said the boy.

"Did the black balloons fly as high as the others?"

"Yes, Mister, they did."

"You see my boy, the balloons are like people. The important thing isn't their color, or what they look like on the outside. No, the important thing is WHAT'S INSIDE.

And what's inside you makes all the difference in life."

(c)2002 www.club-positif.com

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"When someone's character seems impossible to fathom,
observe his friends." - Japanese proverb
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