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Welcome to BalanSoul

All of life is a matter of balance. Every ecosystem, every organism, the planet, the universe, every atom of every molecule—all things depend upon a careful balance.
From gravity governing the fabric of the cosmos to the precision of your organ systems, equilibrium is a constant. When things are thrown off, all of these systems are designed to restore balance. It’s an essential part of the nature of existence. Without this predisposition to balance, life could not go on and existence would be chaos.

At BalanSoul, acknowledgement of this essential truth serves as our most solid foundation. It is at the heart of our passion for wisdom and unending desire for wellness—two sides of the same coin. Your body wants to be well, and it has the healing power to keep itself well and perfectly balanced, if only you’ll let it.

Perhaps more than any of my other treatments, my heart and soul rest in my mental health work.

WHAT WE OFFER

Mental Health Treatments

You contact me about treating a mental health problem, you will be met with a deep understanding and compassion. I’ve found that many……

Stress
Management

We all have stress. There is no getting around that. But we need to recognize the difference between stress that we can manage on our own….

Mood
Disorder

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Sleep
Disorder

It’s a fact that approximately a third of the world’s population is suffering from a dangerous level of sleep deprivation. ….

WHAT IS BALANSOL

350+

Happy People

350+

Are Asleep

350+

Leading In Life

BalanSoul serves not only as a hub for the naturopathic consultations and services of George Parker, N.D., but also as an extensive library and information portal for all things related to body, mind, soul, and the intricate natural balance of these branches of being.

Whether you’re looking for an immediate expert naturopathic consultation or just some enlightening reading material to compliment your morning coffee—you are free to use this site as you wish with no obligation. Most of the resources we offer through BalanSoul are completely free and widely enjoyed.

We Provide
Balance To All Of Life

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OUR BLOGS

Going the extra miles to ensure a positive results.

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Borrowed Hope

By Eloise Cole

Lend me your hope for awhile,
I seem to have mislaid mine.
Lost and hopeless feelings accompany me daily.
Pain and confusion are my companions.


I know not where to turn.
Looking ahead to the future times
Does not bring forth images of renewed hope.
I see mirthless times, pain-filled days, and more tragedy.


Lend me your hope for awhile,
I seem to have mislaid mine.
Hold my hand and hug me,
Listen to all my ramblings.


I need to unleash the pain and let it tumble out.
Recovery seems so far and distant,
The road to healing, a long and lonely one.
Stand by me. Offer me your presence,


Your ears and your love.
Acknowledge my pain, it is so real and ever present.
I am overwhelmed with sad and conflicting thoughts.
Lend me your hope for awhile.


A time will come when I will heal,
And I will end my renewed hope to others.

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Courage to Live

By Grace Noll Crowell

To those who have tried and seemingly have failed,
Reach out, dear Lord, and comfort them today;

 

For those whose hope has dimmed, whose faith has paled,
Lift up some lighted heavenly torch, I pray.


They are so frightened, Lord; reach out a hand.
They are so hurt and helpless, be their friend.


Baffled and blind, they do not understand –
They think this dark and tangled road the end.


Oh, touch to flame their hope that has burned low,
And strike with fire faith’s ashes that are dead.


Let them walk proudly once again, and go
Seeking the sure and steadfast light ahead.


Help them to move amount their fellow men
With courage to live, courage to try again.

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The Woman Who Has Courage

By Katie Chase

Stalwart and strong,
She stands upon the Rock,
Faces the wind,
And it throws itself against her
Howling and hurling at her with fierceness
The woman who has courage.

Like a lighthouse,
She stands upon the Rock,
Illuminates the scene,
And darkness encroaches
Blinding and billowing at her to bury her
The woman who has courage.

Faithful and fearful,
She stands upon the Rock
Lights the dark
And my spirit swells
Watching and waiting as she endures the storm
The woman who has courage.

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Hope

by Brian Quinn

When all about you is black with gloom,
And all you feel is pending doom.
When your bones are racked with grim despair –
When every breath is a gasp for air.
Keep on going, though you need to grope,
For around the bend is a ray of hope.

A ray of hope is perhaps all that’s left,
As your will to live has been bereft.
You’ve lost it all, it’s just no use!
You can end it all, you need no excuse.
But throw away that piece of rope,
And give yourself a chance of hope.

Just give yourself another day,
Brushing aside what your thoughts may say.
This is your life and you can make a new start,
By ignoring the brain – just follow the heart.
Taking baby steps in order to cope,
And minute by minute you’ll build on your hope.

Build on your hope, one day at a time,
Though the road be steep and hard to climb.
The hurts of the past – they should be dead.
The fears of the future are all in your head.
Just live in the present and refuse to mope
Your life will sparkle for you’re living in hope.

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Life with hope

Lleyson Hernandez

 

The emptiness is closing, creeping,

crushing all hope I have to keep on living.

 

When I have nothing left to believe in

and I think I can go no more.

 

Hope is enough to keep me alive.

Giving me strength I didn’t know I had.

 

But we can live on hope and

dreams cause with hope I can endure,

for it is the perfect cure.

 

The heart is a womb were hope is born

it is conceived in the mind.

 

Hope is a quest to be free an open door or a key.

It will keep you strong in times of despair

and just when you think you’re all alone

in the end hope will be there.

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Don't Lose Courage

Runita R Menezes

 

When things go wrong and you are blue,

 

When there’s nothing that you want to do,

 

When you feel your world’s falling apart,

 

When you feel that you just can’t make a start.

 

Don’t lose courage, don’t lose heart,

 

Put on a smile and restart.

 

For life is precious and shouldn’t be thrown away,

 

And after every dark night there’s a bright day.

 

When the road ahead seems all uphill,

 

And your chances of happiness range from zero to nil.

 

When life is hard and your spirits, are low,

 

When there’s nowhere for you to go.

 

Don’t lose courage, don’t lose strength,

 

Get on your feet and start again.

 

For though today is sad, tomorrow will give,

 

A brand new reason for you to live.

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COURAGE

Marie Fairy AJM

 

Courage gives us strength and this strength gives our life more length

 

Courage helps us to face our fears and it is the only one to wipe our tears

 

It teaches us to live with unity and helps us to maintain our reliability

 

Courage is being brave not like cowards and slaves

 

Courage is a ladder to success it is a blessing by which we are blessed

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COURAGE

Richard Baird

 

What does courage mean to me?

 

What does it mean to you?

 

To some, a single attribute, others, quite a few,

 

For courage is a lack of fear, inspired by faith and love,

 

Love of a person, place, or thing, faith in “our Lord” above.

 

In time of stress, the “Lord” provides, the strength to overcome,

 

It’s courage! giving special drive! until the goal is won.

 

When danger threatens life or limb, it’s courage to the fore,

 

A courage known by many names, as: daring! guts! and more.

 

Whatever name we give this trait, it’s valiant! stout! and bold!

 

In action, it is fortitude, a wonder! to behold.

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Anyone's Courage

Julio Hernandez

 

Courage is something any one can achieve

 

It can happen so fast if you just believe

 

Believe in yourself and you’ll be surprised,

 

your more brave then you ever realized

 

Courage is something hidin inside

 

It makes you stronger than the highest tide

 

Courage means you can face your fears

 

That you’re not afraid to shed some tears

 

In life without fear you can never be brave

 

You can’t rescue a princess if there’s no one to save

 

Life is a balance, like dark and light

 

There can be no wrong if there is no right

 

Getting courage isn’t to hard to do

 

Look deep inside and you’ll find it too

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Courage by Bea Early

Bea Early

 

The heart of love is courage,

 

The core of courage is love,

 

Without the one there is no other.

 

Love listens with courage to care,

 

The courage to forsake fear, doubt, desire.

 

Love is wisdom, love is freedom, love is kindness.

 

Love listens. Love speaks.

 

Speak love, and courage will listen.

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Tribute to Courage

James Elston

 

Courage is doing what is right

 

Without having to be told

 

Courage is manning up

 

When you know you’ve done something wrong

 

Courage is looking the enemy in the eye

 

And telling them to just bring it

 

Courage is having fear

 

But still staying strong

 

Courage is facing adversity

 

But being able to overcome it

 

Courage is leaving your family behind

 

To defend the country you love

 

Courage is being a soldier In the greatest army in the world

 

Thank you for this courage

 

That lets us live free

 

May God bless you

 

And come home safely to your families

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COURAGE

Hanson Chen

 

Courage is what it takes to stand up to others

 

 

Courage is what it takes to make your own decisions

 

 

Courage is what it takes to succeed

 

 

But it also takes courage to sit down and listen It also takes courage to admit a loss

 

 

It will take courage to respect someone others don’t

 

 

Courage is needed to withstand peer pressure

 

 

So what does this mean?

 

 

Courage is essential in your journey through life.

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Courage

Daniel Vango

 

The courage I need
I need the courage to control my instincts


The courage I need to face my fears
I need the courage to see the future


The courage I need to compare facts and opinion
I need the courage to think right


The courage I need to see if my friends trust me
I need the courage to ask questions


The courage I need to survive
I need the courage to convince myself to do something
I have to prepare myself for any thing that comes up!

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Promise Yourself

(one the most classic motivational poems)

 

Promise yourself to be so strong

that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

 

To talk health, happiness,

and prosperity to every person you meet.

 

To make all your friends feel

like there is something in them.

 

To look at the sunny side of everything

and make your optimism come true.

 

To think only of the best,

to work only for the best, and expect only the best.

 

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of

others as you are about your own.

 

To forget the mistakes of the past

and press on the greater achievements of the future.

 

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times

and give every living person you meet a smile.

 

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself

that you have no time to criticize others.

 

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger,

and too strong for fear, and to happy to permit the presence of trouble.

 

 

The Optimist Creed From The Optimist International

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Look Well to This Day

Anonymous, 50 B.C.

 

Look well to this day,

For it and it alone is life.

In its brief course

Lie all the essence of your existence:

 

The Glory of Growth

The Satisfaction of Achievement

The Splendor of Beauty

For yesterday is but a dream,

And tomorrow is but a vision.

 

But today well lived makes

every yesterday a

dream of happiness,

And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

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Start living now.

 

Stop saving the good china for that special occasion.

 

Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes.

 

Every day you are alive is a special occasion.

 

Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God.

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A Prayer For Courage

Rabindranath Tagore

 

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
But to be fearless in facing them.


Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain,
But for the heart to conquer it.


Let me not look for allies in life’s battlefield,
But to my own strength.


Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved,
But hope for the patience to win my freedom.


Grant me that I may not be a coward,
feeling your mercy in my success alone,
But let me find the grasp of your hand in my failure.

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To Believe...

Author Unknown

 

To believe is to know that every day is a new beginning.
It is to trust that miracles happen, and dreams really do come true.
To believe is to see angels dancing among the clouds,
To know the wonder of a stardust sky and the wisdom of the man in the moon.


To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,
The innocence of a child’s eyes
and the beauty of an aging hand,
for it is through their teachings we learn to love.


To believe is to find the strength
and courage that lies within us.
When it is time to pick up the pieces and begin again.


To believe is to know we are not alone,
That life is a gift and this is our time to cherish it.


To believe is to know that wonderful surprises
are just waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.
If only we believe.

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Be Who You Must Be

Diarmuid Cronin

 

I don’t know where you are on your path
I have never stood in your shoes
I see not with your eyes.
I know not what your purpose is here
In this stage of your evolution
But I feel blessed to know you
As you are not in my life by chance
And you are my teacher
As I hope you learn from me
I pray I show reverence to you
I pray not to judge you
I wish to let you be
Who you are
Who you dream of being
I will just be beside you
And watch you grow
And the day will come for sure
When we will know why
Our paths crossed this way
And until then my friend
Be who you must be

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I'll Never Give Up

Rachel A. Lund

 

Though life may be unkind
And knock me around for a while
Though I may get a few bruises
And carry some permanent scars
I won’t let it defeat me
I’ll never give up

Though life may leave me crumbled
Weeping on the floor
The tears I cry today
Will be gone tomorrow
I’ll stand up with new strength
With courage in my stubborn heart
Refusing to stay down

This isn’t the first time
Life tried to bring an end to me
Nor is this the first time
I fought to survive

I’ve experienced being crushed
Many times in this life I live
Only causing me to rise again
To defiantly stare life in the face
Letting it know

That I will never give up

Life can hurt me
And kick me while I’m down
The bruises will heal
And the scars will fade with time
While I’ll rise once again
To laugh in the face of life
Daring it to try again
Because I’ll never give up

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The Victor

C.W. Longenecker

 

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

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Various Poems

Courage, it would seem,
is nothing less than the power
to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice,
while continuing to affirm inwardly
that life with all its sorrows is good;
that everything is meaningful
even if in a sense beyond our understanding;
and that there is always tomorrow.
-Dorothy Thompson

 

 

 

Whatever you do, you need courage.
Whatever course you decide upon,
there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong.
There are always difficulties arising
that tempt you to believe your critics are right.
To map out a course of action and follow it to an end
requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs.
Peace has its victories,
but it takes brave men and women to win them.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

 

It is not the critic who counts,
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled,
or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again,
who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,
and spends himself in a worthy cause,
who at best knows achievement
and who at the worst if he fails
at least fails while daring greatly
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who know neither victory nor defeat.
-Theodore Roosevelt

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Time

by Jan Brooks

 

Time heals the wounds,
But always leaves a scar,
It’s a reminder,
Of who we really are.

Time helps the pain,
Until it eventually fades away,
Just a dull ache,
Is all that’s left every day.

Time heals the heart,
Stops the bleeding deep inside,
It beats again,
And lets us find that lost pride.

Time helps the soul,
Recover from the spiritual pain,
Builds the confidence,
And helps us learn to love again..

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What It Takes

by Jan Brooks

 

Love and compassion,
Want and need,
You have what it takes,
To go where it may lead.


Faith and insight,
Knowledge and trust,
You have what it takes,
To believe love is a must.


Strength and courage,
Desire and hope,
You have what it takes,
To find a way to cope…

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Walking Away

by Jan Brooks

 

Walking away,
From a painful past,
Letting go,
Of a love that didn’t last.


Walking away,
From someone who didn’t care,
Letting go,
And realizing it was going nowhere.


Walking away,
From the hurt and heartbreak,
Letting go,
And learning from that mistake.


Walking away,
From years of emotional pain,
Letting go,
And learning to find happiness again…

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The Future

by Jan Brooks

 

Don’t live in the past,
Live in the here and now,
Look to the future,
And you will see it all somehow.


Don’t think about the past,
Always think about today,
Think of the future,
And you will always find a way.


Don’t long for the past,
Long for this day to be great,
Long for the future,
And you know it’s never too late!

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One Life

Courage is a wonderful phenomenon
Anyone can possess it indeed
It is an everlasting feeling
Grown from a tender and loving seed

Courage is in a dying and sick child
With the biggest heart all can see
Fighting with every inch of their body
Loving life more than you and me

It is a brave and heroic firefighter
Running into a firestorm of hell
Saving lives and futures of strangers
Our own miraculous wishing well

A soldier in a fiery and deadly war
Losing brothers before their eyes
Fighting with their whole body and soul
Under a gloomy blood drenched sky

Courage is a breast cancer survivor
Beating death at its own game
Never giving up in the least bit
Rejoicing in their own personal fame

A single parent raising a child
More daunting and tedious than we see
Two roles molded into one
Becoming the mother, the father, the We

Courage is a relief aid worker
Traveling to a dangerous and foreign place
Helping the poor and unfortunate
Some things everyone should taste

Courage is beating a drug addiction
Demons consuming people’s lives
Ripping away our youth and innocence
Making us so much stronger, brave and wise

Courage is also standing up for yourself
When everyone is tearing you apart
Living the best life possible
And doing so with all your heart.

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Changes

by Jan Brooks

 

I feel these changes,
And I have a confession,
Have I beaten it,
That demon they call depression?
Has it left me?
Sometimes I’m not really sure,
But I feel different,
I don’t feel down anymore.
Is it temporary?
The truth is I don’t know,
But I have hope now,
And hopefully my courage will grow.
I feel more confident,
And I feel stronger inside,
Not so emotional,
And my thoughts I don’t have to hide.
Time has proven,
That a broken heart can heal,
The pain can fade,
And happiness I can again feel…

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Something

by Jan Brooks

 

Something beautiful,
Something brightens your day,
Lifts up your mood,
Pushes the clouds away.

Something wonderful,
Something you can’t explain,
Makes you feel good,
Lets hope it will remain.

Something inspiring,
Something just touches you,
Gives you courage,
Helps you to see it through.

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Help Others

by Jan Brooks

 

Be a strong person,
Have courage as well,
Help others,
So much you can tell.

Be a good leader,
Who will lead the way,
Help others,
Let them have their say.

Be an activist,
Stand up for your rights,
Help others,
And fight the good fights!

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Starting A New Life

by Jan Brooks

 

Starting a new life,
Letting go of all in my past,
Only memories left,
Of a marriage that didn’t last.
Starting a new life,
Moving on now from the old,
And the heartache it brought,
From a man who’s love had gone cold.
Starting a new life,
Giving up on all that I knew,
All the insecurities,
Of a man who was deceitful and untrue.
Starting a new life,
Shedding a fake and feeble disguise,
Facing the reality,
And escaping all the unfaithfulness and lies.
Starting a new life,
Finding a freedom I never had,
A new future beckons,
And I’ll try to make something good from the bad.
Starting a new life,
Looking forward to a new day,
A different direction,
And hopefully happiness will come my way…

 

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Do It Right

by Jan Brooks

 

Have a strong voice,
Make the right choice,
And you will go far,
You must be true,
See it right through,
And prove who you are.

Know what to say,
In the right way,
Use a little tact,
Have no disguise,
And tell no lies,
Always deal with fact.

Never deceive,
Always believe,
That you’ll do it right,
You know you’re strong,
You can’t go wrong,
You must keep up the fight!

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Hope

by Hope is Poets

 

Hope is the thing with petals
smiling towards the sun.
A yellow beam of light
streaming across a dark room.
Hope is a rose with no petals
bursting into full bloom.


Hope is what we wish for;
a paintbrush poised over pristine paper,
rainbow palette in hand.
Hope is a rope we cling to
when the ground gives way
beneath our feet.


Hope is waking up to see
morning’s hazy first light;
the new dawn unfolding.
Hope is joy and dreams;
what just could be;
shafts of sun peeking through a cloudy day.


Hope is taking baby steps
to reach the summit,
knowing you can survive
anything and everything.
Hope is embracing life,
believing in the wonder
when there’s nothing left.


Hope is what we are grateful for:
a caring voice on the phone,
a letter from a friend,
a family to love,
a walk hand in hand with your lover.

 

Hope is a tiny shard of light
escaping a crack beneath the door;
a willingness to cross a threshold to worlds unknown,
open to endless possibilities.

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Mountains

by Linda Nielsen

 

We are each given challenges,
it happens all the time.
Some are given small hurdles,
while others, mountains to climb.

Although we’d rather stay down here,
in our valleys safe and sound.
God may start us toward that mountain,
to get our feet up off the ground.

With anger, fear, and tears all packed,
all burdens carrying weight,
we start off on that journey,
still questioning our fate.

At first the climbing isn’t tough,
a gradual slow ascent.
Too soon the bumpy path begins,
with our energy slowly spent.

Then one by one we’ll cast aside,
emotions not needed for feeling,
that which matters most of all,
Faith, Hope, Love, and Healing.

Still it gets so hard with every step,
there’s much to overcome.
The obstacles set before us,
are getting very troublesome.

But the higher we are climbing,
we notice that the view,
gets more beautiful and beautiful,
than anything we knew.

And as our energy is fading,
and the mountain top is near.
We know that God is with us,
for He whispers in our ear.

“You needed to climb this mountain,
and be high up in the sky,
For you dear are an Angel now,
set free, with wings to fly.”

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Heart and Soul

by Mike Hall from Denver, Colorado

 

You have stolen a precious part of me.
Yet you’ll never claim the heart of me.
You can’t touch the flame that burns in me…
The spirit that lives for eternity.
I’ll give you credit
You have awakened a power in me
That is unstoppable…
A thirst in me
That is unquenchable.
And a hunger in me
That won’t be denied.
I tell you boldly
That you have met your match.
I will not give in
And I will not give up.
And you had better ready yourself
For the fight of your life.

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I Shall Be Glad

by Grace Noll Crowell

 

If I can put new hope within the heart
Of one who has lost hope,
If I can help a brother up
Some difficult long slope
That seems too steep for tired feet to go,
If I can help him climb
Into the light upon the hill’s far crest,
I shall begrudge no time
Or strength that I spend, for well I know
How great may be his need.
If I can help through any darkened hour,
I shall be glad indeed.

 

For I recall how often I have been
Distressed, distraught, dismayed,
And hands have reached to help, and voices called
That kept me unafraid.
If I can share this help that I have had.

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Poem for Hope

A Hong Kong Proverb

 

As long as we have hope,
we have direction,
the energy to move,
and the map to move by.
We have a hundred alternatives,
a thousand paths and infinity of dreams.
Hopeful, we are halfway to where we want to go;
Hopeless, we are lost forever.

 

Hope is one of the prime differences between successful people and those who can only see failure. Successful people have hope because they can clearly see their goals. People who only see failure have no hope because they see no light, they set no goals, and they see nothing accomplished. Successful people see alternatives and are willing to try different ways. People who only see failure are unable to see another way and give up to easily. With hope you are halfway to where you want to go; by setting your goals, and taking the action to achieve them, you will see your hope turn into your reality!

 

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Begin Again

by Susan Coolidge

 

Every day is a fresh beginning,
Every day is the world made new;
You who are weary of sorrow and sinning,
Here is a beautiful hope for you-
A hope for me and a hope for you.

All the past things are past and over,
The tasks are done and the tears are shed;
Yesterday’s errors let yesterday cover;
Yesterday’s wounds, which smarted and bled,
Are healed with the healing which night has shed.

Yesterday now is a part of forever,
Bound up in a sheaf, which God holds tight;
With glad days, and sad days and bad days which never
Shall visit us more with their bloom and their blight,
Their fullness of sunshine or sorrowful night.
Let them go, since we cannot relieve them,
Cannot undo and cannot atone;
God in His mercy, receive, forgive them;
Only the new days are our own,
Today is ours, and today alone.

Here are the skies all burnished brightly,
Here is the spent earth all reborn,
Here are the tired limbs springing lightly
To face the sun and to share the morn,
In the chrism of dew and the cool of dawn.

Every day is a fresh beginning;
Listen, my soul, to the glad refrain,
And, spite of old sorrow and older sinning,
And puzzles forecasted and possible pain
Take heart with the day, and begin again.

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Be The Best of Whatever You Are

by Douglas Malloch

 

If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill
Be a scrub in the valley–but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway some happier make;
If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass–
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew,
There’s something for all of us here.
There’s big work to do and there’s lesser to do,
And the task we must do is the near.

If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail–
Be the best of whatever you are!

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Hope

Never go gloomy, man with a mind,

Hope is a better companion than fear;

Providence, ever benignant and kind,

Gives with a smile what you take with a tear;

All will be right, Look to the light.

Morning was ever the daughter of night;

All that was black will be all that is bright,

Cheerily, cheerily, then cheer up.

Many a foe is a friend in disguise,

Many a trouble a blessing most true,

Helping the heart to be happy and wise,

With love ever precious and joys ever new.

Stand in the van, Strike like a man!

This is the bravest and cleverest plan;

Trusting in God while you do what you can.

Cheerily, cheerily, then cheer up.

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Laugh A Little Bit

by Edmund Vance Cooke

 

Here’s a motto, just your fit–
Laugh a little bit.
When you think you’re trouble hit,
Laugh a little bit.
Look misfortune in the face.
Brave the beldam’s rude grimace;
Ten to one ’twill yield its place,
If you have the wit and grit
Just to laugh a little bit.
Keep your face with sunshine lit,
Laugh a little bit.
All the shadows off will flit,
If you have the grit and wit
Just to laugh a little bit.
Cherish this as sacred writ–
Laugh a little bit.
Keep it with you, sample it,
Laugh a little bit.
Little ills will sure betide you,
Fortune may not sit beside you,
Men may mock and fame deride you,
But you’ll mind them not a whit
If you laugh a little bit.

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The Difference Between Strength and Courage

It takes strength to be firm.
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard.
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain.
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in.
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend’s pain.
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide feelings.
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.
It takes courage to live.

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Courage by Harihara Sudhahar Ramamoorthy

by Harihara Sudhahar Ramamoorthy


Many are the troubles we are confronted with,
Life is no more than a troublesome myth,
Reality is so bizarre and weak,
Sadness and fear has reached its peak.


What we lack is the courage to start,
Yet what we need is just a strong living heart,
Gather your wits all in one part,
And face that evil killing dart.


Whatever will happen, whatever it will take,
You are not going to let it break,
Cross the line and break your fate,
And start to try loving what you hate.


You have the right to decide your life course,
But be ready it may be all hollow and hoarse,
Try all that you can but don’t give up,
If in the end, you want the winning cup.


The courage is all that you need,
In your life, that will be the sowing seed,
It may put you in the lead,
But never will it be the weed.


If you think you are missing something,
Its the courage, the courage, in your ears it will ring.

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COURAGE

by Wish Belkin

From Wish Belkin’s “Diurnalis” © 2000


When evening comes the shadows grow, as the sun begins to set.
Take care that you don’t come to know, a thing that’s called regret.
Not what you try or what you do, throughout a carefree youth.
It’s what you don’t you’ll come to rue, when time reveals it’s truth.


There is wisdom to be had from mistaken words and acts.
You’ll find that failure’s not so bad, it strengthens you in fact.
Rejection’s fear or the fear of failure, that paralizes you.
Is the stuff of tears and that which keeps you dreams from coming true.


It takes a certain kind of nerve to tell someone you care.
But then nature tends to serve the person who would dare.
Bravery isn’t something you can cultivate from seed.
It must be conjured up anew each time that there’s a need.

 

So take these words and hold them close, it’s certain you’ll find that,
one second of courage to speak from the heart will result in you hearing them back.

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COURAGE

Courage is a wonderful phenomenon
Anyone can possess it indeed
It is an everlasting feeling
Grown from a tender and loving seed

Courage is in a dying and sick child
With the biggest heart all can see
Fighting with every inch of their body
Loving life more than you and me

It is a brave and heroic firefighter
Running into a firestorm of hell
Saving lives and futures of strangers
Our own miraculous wishing well

A soldier in a fiery and deadly war
Losing brothers before their eyes
Fighting with their whole body and soul
Under a gloomy blood drenched sky

Courage is a breast cancer survivor
Beating death at its own game
Never giving up in the least bit
Rejoicing in their own personal fame

A single parent raising a child
More daunting and tedious than we see
Two roles molded into one
Becoming the mother, the father, the We

Courage is a relief aid worker
Traveling to a dangerous and foreign place
Helping the poor and unfortunate
Some things everyone should taste

Courage is beating a drug addiction
Demons consuming people’s lives
Ripping away our youth and innocence
Making us so much stronger, brave and wise

Courage is also standing up for yourself
When everyone is tearing you apart
Living the best life possible
And doing so with all your heart.

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See it Through

When you’re up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it’s vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you
And your future may seem grim,
But don’t let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worse is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile,
When with troubles you’re beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don’t give up, whate’er you do;
Eyes front, head high to the finish.
See it through!



~ Edgar A. Guest ~

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This Too Shall Pass

If I can endure for this minute
Whatever is happening to me,
No matter how heavy my heart is
Or how dark the moment may be

If I can remain calm and quiet
With all the world crashing about me,
Secure in the knowledge God loves me
When everyone else seems to doubt me

If I can but keep on believing
What I know in my heart to be true,
That darkness will fade with the morning
And that this will pass away, too

Then nothing in life can defeat me
For as long as this knowledge remains
I can suffer whatever is happening
For I know God will break all of the chains

That are binding me tight in the darkness
And trying to fill me with fear
For there is no night without dawning
And I know that my morning is near.



~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

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Courage & Hope Quotes

If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.

 

St. Clement of Alexandra

We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.


Ralph Waldo Emerson

For hope is but the dream of those that wake.

 

Matthew Prior

Hope is the dream of the waking man.

 

French Proverb

The virtue lies in the struggle, not in the prize.

Richard Monckton Milnes

The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them.

 

Bernard M. Baruch

With lots of tragedies in Life, I chose to be positive, as it is my last resort.”

 

by Preeti Agarwal —India

Nothing but courage can guide life.

 

Vauvenargues

He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he who loses his courage loses all.

 

Miguel de Cervantes

Courage … is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life, with all its sorrows, is good; that everything is meaningful, even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow.

 

Dorothy Thompson

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.

 

Robert Louis Stevenson

Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you’re scared to death!

 

Earl Wilson

We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

 

Winston Churchill

Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength, strength and courage to yield to.

 

Oscar Wilde

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.

 

John F. Kennedy

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt

Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.

 

Napoleon Bonaparte

The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.

 

Napoleon Bonaparte

Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.

 

George S. Patton

Every man has his own courage, and is betrayed because he seeks in himself the courage of other persons.

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.

 

Bruce Lee

t takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.

 

Erma Bombeck

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

 

Dale Carnegie

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Courage & Hope Quotes!

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself.

Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them

– every day begin the task anew.

 

Saint Francis de Sales

People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit.

Most men succeed because they are determined to.

 

George Allen

A man of sense is never discouraged by difficulties;

he redoubles his industry and his diligence, he perseveres, and infallibly prevails at last.

 

Lord Chesterfield

Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.”

 

James R. Cook

You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.

You may have to work for it, however.

 

Richard David Bach

Practice hope.

As hopefulness becomes a habit,

you can achieve a permanently happy spirit.

 

Norman Vincent Peale

When we become aware that we do not have to escape our pains, but that we can mobilize them into a common search for life, those very pains are transformed from expressions of despair into signs of hope.

 

By Henri Nouwen

Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.

 

Thoreau

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.

 

E. F. Schumacher

Everyday courage has few witnesses. But yours is no less noble because no drum beats for you and no crowds shout your name.

 

Robert Louis Stevenson

The greatest mistake is life is to be continually fearing that you will make one.

 

Elbert Hubbard

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

 

Martin Luther King Jr.

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.

 

Anais Nin

“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.”

 

William Blake

If you don’t stand for something, you stand for nothing.

 

Mel Thompson

If you assume that there’s no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance for you to contribute to making a better world. That’s your choice.

 

Noam Chomsky, The Chronicles of Dissent

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.

 

Edmund Burke

It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.

 

Mark Twain


Courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair.

 

Rollo May

Hope is a waking dream.

 

Aristotle

Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them.

Vincent McNabb

With self-discipline most anything is possible.

 

Theodore Roosevelt

Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear.

 

Baruch Spinoza

If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

 

Dale Carnegie

Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.

 

Winston Churchill

I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe.

 

Dalai Lama

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

 

Dalai Lama

Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.

 

Norman Vincent Peale

The bravest thing you can do when you are not brave is to profess courage and act accordingly.

 

Corra Harris

Conscience is the root of all true courage; if a man would be brave let him obey his conscience.

 

James Freeman Clarke

f you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.

 

Martin Luther King, jr.

Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.

 

John Quincy Adams

Live as brave men; and if fortune is adverse, front its blows with brave hearts.

Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.

 

Dorothy Thompson

The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.

 

Mignon McLaughlin

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.

 

Mark Twain

All serious daring starts from within.

 

Harriet Beecher Stowe

A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.

 

Erich Fromm

Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.

 

Eddie Rickenbacker

Courage without conscience is a wild beast.

 

Robert G. Ingersoll

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

 

Maya Angelou

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

 

Maya Angelou

Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.

 

Clare Booth Luce

With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.

 

Keshavan Nair

Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit.

 

Baltasar Gracian

One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.

 

Maya Angelou

True courage is not the brutal force of vulgar heroes, but the firm resolve of virtue and reason.

 

Alfred North Whitehead

Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.

 

Aristotle

We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.

 

Helen Keller

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.

 

Anais Nin

If courage wasn’t a standard result of aging, it meant that the young could somehow acquire it as well.

 

Lawana Blackwell

Physical courage, which despises all danger, will make a man brave in one way; and moral courage, which despises all opinion, will make a man brave in another.

 

Charles Caleb Colton

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

 

Muhammad Ali

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

 

Ambrose Redmoon

Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.

 

Tom Krause

Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow that talent to dark place where it leads.

 

Erica Jong

Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.

Paulo Coelho

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.

 

Lao Tse

Come to the edge,’ he said.They said, ‘We are afraid.”Come to the edge,’ he said.They came.He pushed them…And they flew.

 

Peter McWilliams

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.

 

Mary Anne Radmacher

It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.

 

Erma Bombeck

Love bravely, live bravely, be courageous, there’s really nothing to lose.

 

Jewel

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.

 

Andre Gide

Courage is knowing what not to fear.

 

Plato

Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.

 

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

A man of courage never wants weapons.

 

Anonymous

A man of courage never wants weapons.

 

Anonymous

You’ve got to follow your passion. You’ve got to figure out what it is you love–who you really are. And have the courage to do that. I believe that the only courage anybody ever needs is the courage to follow your own dreams.

 

Oprah Winfrey

here is no need to be ashamed of tears, for tears bear witness that a man has the greatest of courage, the courage to suffer.”

 

Frankl

Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.

 

Clare Booth Luce

If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.

 

Martin Luther King, jr.

Time is neutral and does not change things. With courage and initiative, leaders change things.

 

Jesse Jackson

A timid person is frightened before a danger, a coward during the time, and a courageous person afterward.

 

Jean Paul Richter

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.”

 

Ambrose Redmoon

With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.

 

Keshavan Nair

There would be nothing to frighten you, if you refused to be afraid.”

 

Mahatma Gandhi

To be courageous requires no exceptional qualifications, no magic formula, no special combination of time, place, and circumstance. It is an opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all.”

 

John F. Kennedy

For courage to be authentic, one must encounter fear and prove superior to the fear through right action.”

 

Mark Sturgell

There are some situations where all you can do is simply let go and move on, gather your courage and choose a direction that carries you toward a new dawn.”

 

Author Unknown

Genius is talent set on fire by courage.”

 

Henry van Dyke

“You must be courageous and brave, and not fearful, in taking advantage of life’s opportunities as they are made available to you.”

 

A. Posse

“Wish not for things, but for wisdom and courage.”

 

Author Unknown from 20 Keys To A Happy Life

Courage is a condition of our thinking, our mind, and our beliefs. Each of us at every given moment has the choice to be courageous or not.”

 

Ken Keis

The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”

 

Robert Green Ingersoll


Let us not underestimate the power of hope.
No matter how fleeting its life,
It offers to us the most convincing
And fulfilling power.

 

Sri Chinmoy

 

Yesterday’s failures
Must be forgotten.
Tomorrow’s new hope
And new fulfilment
Must be cherished.

 

Sri Chinmoy

Hope is not a momentary flicker.
Hope is Eternity’s slow, steady,
Illumining and fulfilling height.

 

Sri Chinmoy

Hope Abides

 

Hope abides; therefore I abide.

Countless frustrations have not cowed me.

I am still alive, vibrant with life.

The black cloud will disappear,

The morning sun will appear

once again In all its supernal glory.

 

Sri Chinmoy

Courage doesn’t always roar.

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice

at the end of the day saying,

“I will try again tomorrow.”

 

Mary Anne Radmacher

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.

 

John Muir

Choose rather to be strong of soul than strong of body.

Pythagoras

Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength.

 

Hasidic Saying

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Never allow a person to tell you No who doesn’t have the power to say Yes.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Never allow a person to tell you No who doesn’t have the power to say Yes.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

Helen Keller

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.

 

Marianne Williamson

Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the “hero” within us is revealed.

 

Bob Riley

To go against the dominant thinking of your friends, of most of the people you see every day, is perhaps the most difficult act of heroism you can perform.

 

Theodore H. White

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.

 

Marie Curie

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Courage & Hope Quotes

“When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.”

~Unknown

“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)
Emerson was a famous American author, essayist, poet, and philosopher.


“You are never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.
You may have to work for it, however.”

~Richard David Bach (1936 – )

Bach is an American writer who is widely known as the author of the hugely popular 1970s best-sellers “Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” “Illusions,” “The Adventures Of A Reluctant Messiah” and others.

“Instead of giving myself reasons why I can’t, I give myself reasons why I can.”

~Unknown

“Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.”

~James R. Cook (1728-1778)

Cook was a British navigator, explorer, and cartographer. He became famous for his voyages in the Pacific Ocean and his accurate mapping of it, as well as for his application of scientific methods to exploration.

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”

~ Japanese Proverb

“I advise you to say your dream is possible and then overcome all inconveniences, ignore all the hassles and take a running leap through the hoop, even if it is in flames.”

~Les Brown (1945 – )

A renowned American professional motivational speaker, author and television personality. He was briefly married to singer Gladys Knight.

“When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”

~Alexander Graham Bell (1847 – 1922)

Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor and innovator who is credited in the United States with the invention of the telephone.

“Whoever I am, or whatever I am doing, some kind of excellence is within my reach.”

~John William Gardner (1912 – 2002)

Gardner was an American author and educator, as well as a former US Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson.

“When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. “

~Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 – 1945)

Roosevelt, often referred to by his initials FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States.

“Look well into thyself; there is a source of strength which will always spring up if thou wilt always look there.”

~Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (121 – 180)

Augustus was Roman Emperor from 161 to his death in 180. He was the last of the “Five Good Emperors”, and is also considered one of the most important Stoic philosophers. He was often referred to as “the Wise.”

“If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

~Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890)

Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist. Some of his paintings are now among the world’s best known, most popular and expensive works of art, many of these being produced in the final two years of his life. It was during this time that he cut off part of his left ear following a breakdown in his friendship with Paul Gauguin.

“If you’re going through hell, keep going. “

~Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

A British politician who served as Prime Minster of the United Kingdom–twice. The first appointment was from 1940 to 1945, where he demonstrated his skill in leadership during the British war effort. His second service to office was held between 1951 and 1955.

“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

~(Christopher Robin to Pooh) – Alan Alexander Milne (1882 – 1956)

Milne was an English author, best known for his books about the adventures of a bear called Winnie-the-Pooh. The character called Christopher Robin, was named after his own son, and the various characters found in the stories were inspired by his son’s stuffed animals, most notably the bear named Winnie-the-Pooh.

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. “

~Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896)

Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) depicted life for African-Americans under slavery.

“One has to remember that every failure can be a stepping stone to something better.”

~Col. Harland Sanders (1890 – 1980)

Harland David Sanders, better known as Colonel Sanders, was an American entrepreneur who founded Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

~Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862)

Was an American author, naturalist, transcendentalist, tax resister, development critic, and philosopher. This was a busy man!

“The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something.”

~Antoine de Saint Exupery (1900 – 1944)

Exupery was a French writer and aviator. He is most famous for his novella The Little Prince, and is also well known for his books about aviation adventures, including Night Flight and Wind, Sand and Stars.

“We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true, as long as we keep believing.”

~Louisa May Alcott (1832 – 1888)

Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women, published in 1868. This novel is loosely based on her childhood experiences with her three sisters.

“Dare to grow into your dreams and claim this as your motto: Let it be me.”

~Mary Kay Ash (1918 – 2001)

Was an American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.

“The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react.”

~George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)

Shaw was an Irish playwright who wrote more than 60 plays during his lifetime. He is the only person to have been awarded both the Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) for his contributions to literature and an Oscar (1938) for his work on the film Pygmalion.

“Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.”

~Charles Franklin Kettering (1876 – 1958)

Kettering was an American inventor and the holder of over 300 patents. He was a founder of Delco, and was head of research for General Motors for 27 years from 1920 to 1947. Among his most widely used automotive inventions were the electrical starting motor and leaded gasoline. He was also responsible for the invention of Freon refrigerant for refrigeration and air conditioning systems for the DuPont Chemical Company.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

~Theodore Roosevelt (1858 – 1919)

Also known as Teddy Roosevelt, he was the 26th President of the United States. His image stands alongside Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln on Mount Rushmore.

“A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.”

~Elbert Green Hubbard (1856 – 1915)

Hubbard was an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. He is most famous for his essay A Message to Garcia and was an influential exponent of the Arts and Crafts movement.

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Three Hours of Fear and Hope

By: Kenneth Miller

Zachary Mastoon thought he was finished with his fear of death. In the past few years, he had lost his mother to cancer and a friend to suicide. He’d been travelling in Thailand in December 2004 when the tsunami claimed more than 200,000 lives across the region; by chance, he was in another part of the country when the big waves hit. He believed that when his time came, he would take it calmly. But as he watched the news reports about JetBlue Flight 292, his eyes filled with anxious tears. ”Some of the experts were saying there could be a loud crash, a large fire,” he recalls. ”Others were saying it’s not a big deal at all.” 

For the 27-year-old electronic musician, the debate held more than academic significance: Zachary Mastoon was aboard the crippled plane, hoping he would make it home to Brooklyn, and the oddsmakers were squabbling on his seatback screen.

On September 21, 2005, a mechanical glitch on a medium-sized airliner seized the attention of millions around the world. Among them were the plane’s passengers, who followed the live coverage via satellite TV being fed to the cabin. Hurtling towards an emergency landing would be harrowing enough, even without the added stress of starring in a bizarre reality show. But that was where Zachary Mastoon and 139 others found themselves on an otherwise ordinary Wednesday afternoon.


Almost every air traveller has at some point wondered: What would I do if my plane ran into serious trouble? How would my fellow passengers behave? The ticket-holders on the 3.17 pm flight from Burbank, California to New York City, and their loved ones on the ground, had three long hours to grapple with such questions – and their very real fear.


Experts say that when disaster threatens, about 50 per cent of people manage to hold themselves together and function well; 25 per cent go into shock and become withdrawn, and another 25 per cent become hysterical. ”For someone with a pre-existing issue – a divorce or another difficulty – this could be a trigger for a significant reaction,” says psychologist Robert Scott, the chief trauma specialist for the Los Angeles Fire Department. In general, however, says Dr Don Nance, director of the Counselling and Testing Centre at Wichita State University, ”you cannot predict who is going to freak in those situations.”


The first signal that something was amiss occurred about 15 minutes after takeoff, when the pilot – a calm-voiced North Carolinian named Scott Burke – came on the intercom. ”For those of you who may have noticed,” he said,”we are flying in circles.” The plane’s front landing gear had failed to retract, Burke explained, and he would keep everyone posted as he investigated the problem. Few worried until he performed a low flyby of the Long Beach Airport air traffic control tower so that observers with binoculars could get a close look. Fire engines and ambulances were lined up below, clearly visible from the aircraft’s windows.


Moments later, a woman sitting towards the rear of the cabin yelled, ”Hey, we’re on TV!” While waiting for the pilot to report on the Long Beach tower’s diagnosis, passengers began flipping between the all-news channels. That’s how many first heard that the nose-gear wheels were skewed at a 90-degree angle, and that there was a chance the plane could spin right off the runway when it tried to land. Some wept or prayed. And many began reaching out to one another.


For Mastoon, hunkered in the rearmost row, help came in the form of a large plastic water bottle. ”Take a swig of this,” offered his seatmate, a 40-something real estate broker. ”It’s leaded.” The man had smuggled aboard a litre of vodka and tonic, and as Mastoon drank, his courage returned. There are two ways you can react to this situation, he admonished himself. You can be really negative and freak out, or you can say, This is completely out of my control. If I’m going to die, I don’t want to spend my last two hours biting my nails and watching TV. Mastoon took out his camera and snapped some digital photos of the televised image of the plane. Then he switched to Comedy Central, and spent the next two hours laughing.


At the front of the cabin, Lisa Schiff was floundering in the negative. An Los Angeles gallery owner, Schiff, 34, had never been a nervous flyer. But when the captain confirmed the wheel trouble and said the plane would have to make an emergency landing, she says, ”I started to fall apart pretty quickly.” Panicking, she tried to call her mother on her mobile phone, but couldn’t get a signal. ”I was aching to hear her voice,” Schiff recalls. ”I wrote her a text message saying not to worry – if something happened, I would be watching over her and my father and my brother.” She typed messages to other family members, to friends and business partners, to her boyfriend and an ex-boyfriend, even though there was no signal to send them with. She couldn’t stop crying. The seat beside her was empty, and she felt utterly alone.


Suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder. A dark-haired young woman named Christiana Lund was smiling at Schiff over the headrest. ”It’s going to be all right,” said Lund, 25, an aspiring singer who had recently moved from Los Angeles to New York and was flying back with her cat. ”Do you really think so?” Schiff asked. ”Or are you just saying that to make me feel better?” Lund insisted that she meant it. Says Schiff: ”She just reached around and held me for a while. It was the most comforting thing.”


Lund, in fact, was less tranquil than she appeared. ”I was in denial, really,” she says. She tried to believe the pilot’s assurances that there was little danger and to disregard the worst-case scenarios on TV. Still, she would soon type a text message on her phone to her younger sister, saying, ”Pray for me.” Although she hungered for information, she couldn’t watch the news shows for long without needing to get up and walk off her nerves. On one such stroll, she ran into a flight attendant, who saw the tension in her face and gave her a warm hug. So did Taryn Manning, who co-stars in the film Hustle & Flow, and Manning’s publicist. Lund returned to her seat, feeling ready to contend with whatever lay ahead.


In row 22, Sam and Janel Meza were talking about their past. Married for 35 years and the parents of three grown children, the Mezas, both 56, are pastors of the Living Hope Community Church in Mission Hills, California. ”If there’s anything I’ve ever done that you haven’t forgiven me for,” said Sam, ”I ask you to forgive me today.” Janel couldn’t think of a thing. ”Sam,” she said, ”there’s no-one I’d rather enter into eternity with than you.” The couple sang Psalm 34, with its line, ”The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him.” Beside them, a hip New Yorker grimly clutched his water bottle. ”Look out the window,” Janel told him. ”Do you see the angels?” The young man looked. ”I see them,” he whispered.


In truth, the angels who most impressed the Mezas – and many other passengers – were the six members of the flight crew. As the plane circled low over the Pacific Ocean, burning off heavy fuel to make a controlled landing somewhat easier, attendants circulated in the cabin. They were generous with jokes, reassuring words and pats on the shoulder. When they began to redistribute the plane’s weight, passing carry-on luggage to the rear in a kind of bucket brigade, Janel was again moved to prayer. ”I said, ‘Lord, that’s how I want to be, fulfiling our purpose. If you give us an opportunity to land, that’s how we want to live.’ ”


The flight attendants soon moved some passengers rearward too. Lisa Schiff found herself beside a woman her age, who was as distraught as Schiff had been not long before. To calm her new seatmate, Schiff spoke of a psychic reading she’d once had. ”I said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m going to live to be 84, so we’re all good.’ ” She held the woman’s hand for the rest of the flight.


Christiana Lund wound up next to an elderly couple who’d been through an emergency landing 44 years before. ”They said, ‘If we survived that, I’m sure we can survive this,’ ” she recalls. But far below, on a Los Angeles freeway, her father was wrestling with a darker memory: an Alaska Airlines flight that crashed in January 2000, killing all aboard, while attempting an emergency landing at Los Angeles Airport.


Richard Lund, 54, a background photographer for TV and films (he shot the Manhattan skyline that hangs behind Jay Leno on The Tonight Show), was driving to a set when he heard on the car radio that his daughter’s plane was in trouble. ”I thought, Whatever’s going to happen, I’ve got to be there,” he says. He sped to his office, told his producer he couldn’t work, and then headed north towards the airport, where newscasters said Flight 292 would be arriving within the hour.


Richard sobbed as he weaved through heavy traffic, thinking about what life would be like without Christiana. The previous night, she’d come home late from a friend’s TV shoot, and he had gone to work early that morning without saying goodbye. In desperation, he now called his daughter’s mobile phone and left a message: ”Chrissy, I don’t know if you’ll ever hear this, but I just wanted to tell you that I love you.” Then he barrelled down an exit ramp near the airport, hoping to find a vantage point where he could witness either his worst nightmare or his greatest reprieve.

On the plane, the crew had given passengers their final instructions for the emergency landing. To avoid injury if escape slides were deployed, women wearing high heels were asked to remove them. Those carrying ID cards in their hand baggage were advised to place them in their pockets. (The attendants didn’t mention that this would make it easier for bodies to be identified, but many people figured it out for themselves.) As the descent began, everyone assumed the emergency position: feet flat on the floor, head between legs and arms wrapped around the knees. 

Flight attendants began chanting, ”Brace! Brace! Brace!” and the passengers repeated the mantra, drowning out the engines.

On the plane, the crew had given passengers their final instructions for the emergency landing. To avoid injury if escape slides were deployed, women wearing high heels were asked to remove them. Those carrying ID cards in their hand baggage were advised to place them in their pockets. (The attendants didn’t mention that this would make it easier for bodies to be identified, but many people figured it out for themselves.) As the descent began, everyone assumed the emergency position: feet flat on the floor, head between legs and arms wrapped around the knees. Flight attendants began chanting, ”Brace! Brace! Brace!” and the passengers repeated the mantra, drowning out the engines.

Parked on an industrial street, Richard watched the jet roar overhead; then he lost sight of it behind a warehouse. For agonising minutes, he listened to the radio for news of a crash. But the JetBlue pilot knew precisely what he was doing. At 6.19 pm, Scott Burke brought Flight 292 down on its rear wheels, and then settled the nose as gently as a mother laying her newborn in a bassinet. Twenty ambulances were standing by on the scene, along with 24 fire engines; many of them chased the plane along the 3300-metre runway. The front tires burned away, filling the air with acrid smoke, but the landing gear held firm. When the craft coasted to a stop, near the end of the tarmac, there was a deep silence on board.


Finally, Burke announced, ”There is no fire,” and the cabin exploded in cheers. Christiana wept for the first time that day. She called her father’s mobile phone, told him she was safe. She phoned her mother, who was at a wedding in Minnesota. Last, she checked her voice mail, listened to her dad’s farewell message and could barely breathe for bawling.


Father and daughter found each other in the baggage-claim area, and clung together for a while. Then they joined several other passengers near the entrance to the terminal, where a horde of reporters and cameramen jostled for a sound bite. The next few days were crazy for the ”survivors,” as some news outlets took to calling them. There were interviews and limousines and JetBlue freebies, and for many of them a nerve-racking but uneventful flight to New York. At last, though, life returned to something like normal. Mastoon went back to his sampling equipment and turn-tables, Schiff to her gallery, the Mezas to their church, Christiana to her songwriting – and to her night job as a cocktail waitress.


By then, the investigation of the near-disaster on Flight 292 had uncovered some startling news: At least seven other Airbus A320s had suffered similar malfunctions in recent years, though all had touched down safely.
Still, no-one on board Flight 292 walked away unaltered. ”There’s something really great about flirting with death,” observes Schiff, ”…if you don’t die.”


As Christiana Lund puts it: ”I’m more focused now. I want the people in my life to know I care about them. And I don’t want to waste any more time messing around. I want to take advantage of every day.”

 

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Tracy and Her Dad's Stories

They are not both leukemia patients…learn how she conquered cancer and her father defied the odds…a great story of hope!

In 2006, I lost my job and life seemed hopeless, but in August of 2006, I finally found my soul mate. By the start of 2007, I had found my dream job, was engaged to my best friend and thought nothing could ever go bad. In February I had my yearly exam and they found abnormal cell growths. After two surgeries, they diagnosed me with Squamous cell carcinoma T1a1 stage 2 on March 28. 

 The doctors thought a radical hysterectomy would take care of it and we finally set a date for May 9th. I was fired from my job on May 3rd because I was still on probation(for the job) and they could not let me have the time off. Well, I had the surgery and by September of 2007, I was listed as being in remission and all has gone well since then.

I thought all cancer worries were over until Easter weekend of 2008. My Dad hadn’t been feeling well and my Mother took him to the emergency room. They discovered his blood counts were very low and admitted him to run more test. After about a week they gave him the diagnosis of Aplastic Anemia and set him up with an oncologist. He was home just a few days when he felt so bad that my mom took him back to the ER. He was again hospitalize and more test run. On March 28,2008(one year after my diagnosis) my dad was told he had Acute Mylogenic Leukemia(M2). He took the news very well. He said at least he now had a name for why he felt so bad and a chance to fight it. His doctor ask him to try a new clinical trial med and he agreed. He was put in the hospital and before they could start the treatment, his blood counts took a drastic drop. His doctor told him he had been dropped from the trial because he would not live long enough to finish it. They gave him less than 3 weeks to live.

At this point, Dad asked what his options were and was told he probably would not survive the first week of chemo because it was such a heavy dose and that he should go home and make the best of the time he had left. He then proceeded to tell the doctor(in a very colorful way) that he was not ready to die and wanted to start the chemo. The doctor felt the need to remind him, he would probably not survive it and Dad, again in his colorful way, told him he was not going to die in the hospital. Well, they started a three day double push of chemo and then another week of chemo. Dads counts dropped to almost nothing during this time.

Once the chemo was done they started the T-cell treatments to boost his cell production. Within a week his counts had started to come up and they sent him home. He was only home for 2 days when his counts started dropping again. They put him back in the hospital for another round of T-cell treatments and were amazed at how well he reacted to them. They ran another bone marrow test on him and found the leukemia cells had dropped from 97% to just under 6% and his body had started forming new cells.


They have determined that Dad will never go into remission but with regular chemo treatments he will be able to live a quality life for as long as his body will hold up. He is now having chemo every 8 weeks and usually only has a few bad days at the end. He has been helping my brother build a race car, planting a garden and for the first time in about 5 years, he has started driving again. He has recently celebrated his 45th anniversary with my mother, his 72nd birthday and is looking forward to the birth of his first great granddaughter in March.
This man has been a real inspiration to all of us that know and love him. He refused to give up even when the doctors felt there was no hope. His doctor has also ask him if he could write a paper on his recovery. Dad of course has agreed.

 

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Tanya's Domestic Abuse Story

Author: Burt Dubin

When I was eighteen years old, I thought I knew everything there was to know about life. I was young, determined, strong-minded, independent, and confident. I was determined to stay true to my beliefs and I was confident I could. I was very family oriented. I was close to my father and my older brother Rob, and the rest of my four brothers and three sisters. At this point in my life, I was not easily influenced by others. I had my own preconceived virtues that 

I chose to live my life by. I knew the difference between right and wrong, and because I was afraid of the consequences of my actions I usually chose what was right. In my eyes right and wrong were like black and white, I did not believe in the gray areas. The main problem with this view I was so unbelievably narrow-minded. I was so opinionated in what my own beliefs were, and I did not care what other people believed. It was my belief that there are a few rules, that I was not willing to break nor did I think others should. I did not believe in doing drugs, teen pregnancy, sex before marriage, peer pressure, abusive relationships, and abortion. I also did not know that I would spend the next ten years of my life experiencing things that would totally derail my whole view on life. Nor did I think that these experiences would be influence by a boy.

A year and a half after I graduated high school, I met a boy, for this story his name is C. When I met him, I had no idea that he would be the person who would influence and change my life. I did not know that he would be the reason why I would break all the rules I chose to live my life by. I accomplished all of this in a year and a half after turning eighteen years old. But the main event in my life that really changed my perspective was meeting this boy. This boy was my first love, and the boy who took my virginity. In my eyes he was everything. Up until this point in life, I did not allow others to influence any decisions in my life. But that changed with this boy.

Everything began like a whirl wind romance. He was seemingly sweet, caring, cool, intriguing and most of all lived life on his terms. I did not know that I would end up living my life on his terms too. It wasn’t necessarily how I met C, but it was the way he could influence my thinking without trying. The first week I met him he didn’t amaze me through flowers, gifts, nice dinners, or by the way he dressed, but by the conversation we had. The thing that really drew me to him was the fact that he did not seem like he was just trying to get me to have sex with him.

Three months later, I became pregnant and up rooted to his mother’s house. Shortly after moving in with him, he became abusive. I always told myself that I would never stay with a man that was abusive in any way toward me, but I was in love so it was okay and love would make everything better. The abuse started out slow it was always mental first. 

He knew that he was the first boy that I had ever loved and used that fact to his advantage. He was the person who painted a picture of what love was suppose to be, because before him I was closed off to any emotion that would make me vulnerable. He was my vulnerability and I listened to everything he said and took it as truth. The mental hold he had on me, influenced the next years of my life. I spent the next seven years breaking all the rules I set for myself. He influenced me to start experimenting drugs, to have sex before marriage, he got me pregnant three times, convinced me to have an abortion, and inevitably to marry him because I could not do better than him. He had such a mental hold on me that I was okay with his physical abuse on me and would convince myself that I had done something to provoke him.


All the qualities I had as a person before I met him were no longer there. I ended up losing every aspect of myself to the point that my father, who knows me better than anyone, did not recognize who I was becoming. Those seven years, I spent feeling physically and mentally weak. No matter how strong I thought I was, I was never strong enough to break free from his emotional terror he reigned on my life. I spent those seven years in love with this boy, C, but lost the person, who I had spent eighteen years of life building. I allowed myself to be so consumed in this man that he influenced who I was.


During this time, I became introverted, had low self-esteem, and made decisions that I would have never made if I did not think that it would impact whether or not he would still love me. My family or friends did not recognize me, nor did I know who I was anymore. No one understood why I stayed with this man; they just knew that something wasn’t right with my behavior. The only thing I could see was that I love this man. I felt that as long as I did everything I could to make him happy, I would be happy. Through these years, he cheated on me a total of ten times or more, choked me to almost black out, gave me several black eyes, called me names, beat up my father, convinced me to have an abortion, and pulled a knife on me. Until the last day I let him lay a hand on me.
That last day was December 12, 2006, which just so happen to be the birthday of my dead grandmother and one of my best friend’s. The day began fine, because I did not see or talk to him. He moved out two weeks prior in the middle of the night, because he said that he did not love me and also he met another woman on the internet. He promised that he would come over every night to watch the kids so I could go to work and not have to pay a babysitter. But every day for those two weeks he made me late. To make matters worse he left and did not and would not help pay any bills that he helped to accumulate. On top the bills he used my car because his car broke down. Well that night around 5:30 p.m. I called him to find out if he was on his way over to watch the kids so I could go to work and to ask him if help me with some of the bills. These questions of course, started an argument. He and I began to argue, because his response to my questions was, “I have my own bills to take care of; you need to figure it out on your own.” This made me angry that he said this to me, in my mind I was thinking, “These are your children and you helped to create these bills.” All I wanted to do was rage. I wanted to punch all the walls and scream in a fit of anger, but all I did was cry and tell him, “If you do not help me with the kids and the bills I am going to call your commanding officer!!” After all, he was a Marine Reservist, who just so happened to be a pending discharge for drugs, but that is another story for a different time. Right after saying these words he hung and I began to get a little nervous, because maybe I just should not have said anything and figure things out on my own. Two minutes later he came flying in the apartment door and charging toward the living room couch where I was sitting. I would have tried to run, but he moved too quickly, and just like any other incidences with him he always grabbed me by the neck and dragged me across the couch. I could not see anything but blur, because while he was dragging me across the couch, he was punching in the face and anywhere else on my body he could inflict pain until I wounded up on the floor. While I was on the floor he continued to punch and choke me. At this point, I tried to push him off and scream for help, but no sound would come out. I could the sound of the television and my kids coming into the room. As the kids entered the room, C yelled, “Go to your room!!” The next thing I knew C was sitting on my chest, with one hand squeezing my throat and the other hand on my mouth and nose. I could hear both of my children beating with their little hands on his back yelling, “Get off my mommy!!!” It wasn’t until he realized that I was on the verge of blacking out that he finally got off of me. I tried to get off of the floor, but I struggled to get up. I finally got up and sat on the couch, because I had to convince him to let me go to work. In order to be able to leave I needed to find some kind of strength to calm myself down so that he would believe me when I said that I would not call the police. I ended up going to work that night and to the police station afterward. That was the night I put him in jail, got a U-haul, and fled to Ohio never looking back.

Four years later, I am still trying to find myself again. Looking back at those seven years, I have realized how I have affected my family, friends, and most of all myself. It breaks my heart that I allowed a person to impact me that jeopardized the relationships with these people and most all the fact that I let someone jeopardize my life over some skewed perception of love. 

The person I was just entering adulthood and the person I was during those seven years of this abusive relationship are no longer who I am, but are part of what is molding me into who I want to become.

I found that the gray areas of life are what help to build a person’s character and help them to find the strength deep within themselves. I made many assumptions at eighteen years old that were forever changed by these experiences, but most of all I now view life with my eyes wide open and my heart wide open to people that have had to make tough decisions. I am not sure of many things, but I am sure that I will never judge person’s character by the mistakes they have made, I will never be in a situation that compromises my own personal values, and I will grow into a strong woman my children will love and appreciate. I have a better understanding of what could change a person’s views on ideas that they thought they would never go against. I will also listen to a person’s reasons for the decisions they make before I make a statement of what is right and wrong because there is always a reason behind it.


I wanted to share my story of my life and let people know that you can break free if you want too!!

 

 

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Never Quit

“Never, never, never give up!” – Winston Churchill

The words of Winston Churchill echoed across the globe during times of peace and in times of war. In our time, his words echo across the Internet. They speak to those who may have ever considered quitting, even when victory may have been a short distance away – just out of current sight.
Our next selections deal with the one common denominator regarding all those who have achieved success in any endeavor that they have set out upon. And, in truth, “success” is defined by how it is measured. Each day, we are presented with the possibilities of accomplishing small victories in our lives. 

 The question remains, do we live up to those challenges or do we allow them to defeat us? Make no mistake, walking away from a challenge is, in and of itself, a form of defeat. While looking adversity in the face and refusing to turn away is a form of victory no matter what the physical outcome.

We offer for you now, four distinctly different videos but each with a common denominator. In our first video, we will see that sometimes, we can stumble in life. But that doesn’t mean that we will fail. It just means that we have to choose whether to stay down – or get back up and continue on. Sometimes the results are quite surprising.

In our second video, we see a young lady who refused to give up, thereby demonstrating a form of courage very few of us get to see in one sustained effort. Here, there was no trophy and no applause from the crowds – just skinned knees, bruises and one thing that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. The knowledge that she refused to quit even when there seemed to be no reward for her efforts. But, in truth, there was.

The third video deals with overcoming a seemingly impossible task by overcoming one’s own mental limitations. When we do this, we not only prove to ourselves what can be accomplished, but we provide an example for others as well.

In the final video, you will witness something that no one has ever seen before. How, even in nature, refusing to give up can defeat overwhelming odds. How even in situations that seem hopeless, the ability to keep fighting can turn the “weak” into those who can be overcome by nothing.

These videos represent the essence of the role of hope in the face of adversity. When we refuse to give up – no matter what – we can achieve the impossible. Whether it can be seen on the outside or felt on the inside for a lifetime.


~ George Parker, N.D.

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The Ultimate Message of Hope For Our Time

Hope can come in many forms and, of course, there are many stories that can perfectly illustrate how hope can affect our lives and lives of those around us. But one can always pose the question as to whether or not we make a difference in our environment – even when we are not engaged in some extraordinary action that is eventually noted by those who observe and share what we’re doing? The answer to this question may surprise you. In actuality, we are in a unique position in our human history to make a positive impact that can bring light and hope into the world.

The key to understanding the basis for this astounding individual ability is to understand, first and foremost, that our nature is one of spirit that temporarily inhabits a garment that we know as the human body. The body is not our true nature – but it does reflect certain aspects of ourselves that interact with the world at large. The most powerful forms of communication and interaction come from us when we seek to find the center of peace within ourselves.

When looking closely at this, we understand that it’s a known scientific fact that our world is influenced by electro-magnetic energy. That energy exists in everything and that energy resides in each of us. However, it has since been determined that the heart, and not the brain, is the true center of our energy. This only makes sense, since the heart is up to 100% stronger electrically and up to 5,000% stronger magnetically than the brain. So what does this mean? It means that the emotions that we experience, whether positive or negative, can actually influence the encoded information sent out by the heart. This, in turn, affects our surroundings. For example, feelings of joy and hope can alter the behavior of those around us. This ability to generate positive energy can be accessed very simply by one basic practice. The practice of meditation.

This cause and effect has been demonstrated numerous times. A famous example occurred when a large group of meditation-practicing individuals were assembled in Washington in 1993. As the group began to meditate, it was quickly noticed that there was an amazing drop in the area’s crime rate. But what was even more amazing was that there was a definite mathematical parallel drawn between the number of meditating individuals and the crime rate percentage. The larger the meditation group, the larger the corresponding drop in the crime rate. This has been proven on more than one occasion and the facts speak for themselves. Each of us makes a difference in our environment. And the simplest and most profound way to create an immediate effect is through meditation.

This message of hope is critical to the survival of our civilization. We know that, in the past, our ancestors lived as one unit and practiced the ways of meditation. However, complacency eventually led them to forget their connection to one another. The result has been the swift disappearance of entire civilizations whose evidence of existence is only now being discovered. Throughout the world, new pyramids are currently being revealed that can attest to this fact. One of the most wondrous is found at the site of the lost civilization in the Mayan City of Mirador, Guatemala. There, we have found the largest valley of pyramids in the known world along with the largest known pyramid. But where are the people? Will the same question be asked about us, in the future?

The only way that we will insure our survival is to understand the realities of hope, love and the eternal message that we are all part of the same family. It is within this reality, that we will truly come to understand how important each of us is to one another. Here we offer a beautifully presented video that brings out these points for us to ponder…

~ George Parker, N.D.

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How You Interpret the World

All of us see things in different ways. Our eyes catch the light and the colors of our surroundings and we respond accordingly. But suppose our eyes were no longer able to perform this function? At that point, we would rely on other senses to provide the interpretations for us. It may be the case that we would begin to rely more heavily on our sense of smell or hearing. But still, we would have to make the decision as to how we would face this difficult situation. Do we lose hope and place ourselves in one spot while waiting for something to change? Or can we be shown that there is more than one way of “seeing” the world.

This is also true for those of us who have no visual impairment. Can just a slight change in the wording of sign allow us to take a different look at our surroundings? That small change may end up being a powerful catalyst in the way we view (and treat) those around us. Here, now, we offer an example of that effect. Just a simple moment in time with a few simple words that can change the course of someone’s day – and their interpretations…

~ George Parker, N.D.

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Casey Heynes and the Truth Behind Bullies

Here is a tale about bullies and their victims that you may have heard about. It revolved around a teenaged student by the name of Casey Heynes but, in truth, it could have been the story of any one of us. I won’t go too much into the details, but here is a brief synopsis. It appeared that Casey (although a rather large kid) was gentle enough to attract the attention of some merciless bullies who constantly attacked him. The cruelty had reached the point where one of these bullies was going to make a video of Casey’s next beating and place it online. However, unexpectedly, instead of taking a thorough beating, Casey found it within himself to grab his assailant and slam him into the ground. At that point, Casey just quickly walked away and a further altercation was avoided through the intervention of another student. The school principal subsequently punished Casey with suspension because of the incident (the same number of days as the bully). Of course, this sparked public outrage. After that episode, there was a lot of on-going publicity on the Internet (and even TV), with most of it supportive of Casey and his right to violently attack his bully in order to prevent further abuse.

That’s the story. And, in essence, it’s a story that involved millions of children throughout the years, when it come to being seriously bullied. I don’t mean the kind of teasing that is a normal part of growing up. I’m talking about serious, self-esteem damaging bullying that ultimately can negatively affect the lives of those who have been victimized. What is the cost rendered by this victimization? It can be considerable. In the case of Casey Heynes, it ended in an explosion of fury that very well might have ended the life of the kid slammed head-first into the pavement. Or it could have left the “bully” a quadriplegic.

That reaching inside for his inner strength and standing up for himself was the only action that Casey, as a kid, could perform after backing down all those other times. And you really couldn’t blame him for that. How many times have we, ourselves, wished that we had stood up for our own damaged self-esteem? Did this action solve Casey’s problems? Probably not. The real issue at hand is how we, as adults, deal with this horrendous problem.

If your child comes home from school and looks depressed, do you just ignore it? If you are a school official, are you aware of the problems that bullying can create? Have you heard reports of bullying in your school and chalked them up to just kids doing “what kids do”? Do we expect children (who represent the “Hope” of our future) to sort these things out on their own?

When we talk about having hope in the face of adversity, we are not talking about having to rely on just our own strengths when we face life’s hurdles. We are also talking about the support and love we receive from others while giving all that we have, as well. At its most beautiful, hope can be a two-way street. For the person who has been told that they have a terminal illness, should they not have a support group to help them find their inner strength? Of course they should. In that same way, we need to help our children by not allowing them to be subjected to the violence of bullying. We can do this by listening and observing while setting the tone for honest communication with our children.

And just one more thing. The actions of the much smaller (and younger) boy who was the “bully”, in the Casey Heynes episode, is also a cause for major concern. If your child was that bully, wouldn’t you want to know what was attacking his self-esteem in such a way that he felt the need to attack a larger child who had consistently refused to fight back? To be honest, we have two victims, here. Let’s hope that all the media attention doesn’t escalate this unfortunate scenario further. To have hope means to work towards having inner peace immersed in an atmosphere of love…

~ George Parker, N.D.

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The Power of Determination: Glenn Cunningham's Story

Author: Burt Dubin

The little country schoolhouse was heated by an old-fashioned, pot-bellied coal stove. A little boy had the job of coming to school early each day to start the fire and warm the room before his teacher and his classmates arrived.

One morning they arrived to find the schoolhouse engulfed in flames. They dragged the unconscious little boy out of the flaming building more dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to a nearby county hospital.

From his bed the dreadfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die – which was for the best, really – for the terrible fire had devastated the lower half of his body.

 

But the brave boy didn’t want to die. He made up his mind that he would survive. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. When the mortal danger was past, he again heard the doctor and his mother speaking quietly. The mother was told that since the fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be a lifetime cripple with no use at all of his lower limbs.

Once more the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a cripple. He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just dangled there, all but lifeless.

Ultimately he was released from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination that he would walk was as strong as ever.

When he wasn’t in bed, he was confined to a wheelchair. One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him.

He worked his way to the white picket fence bordering their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then, stake by stake, he began dragging himself along the fence, resolved that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he wanted more than to develop life in those legs.

Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk haltingly, then to walk by himself – and then – to run.

He began to walk to school, then to run to school, to run for the sheer joy of running. Later in college he made the track team.

Still later in Madison Square Garden this young man who was not expected to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run – this determined young man, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world’s fastest mile!

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A Story of Hope

Author: Unknown

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

he men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

 

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”

 

Epilogue. . . .There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can’t buy. “Today is a gift, that’s why it is called the present.”

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A Helping Hand or Two

Author: Ken Prather

About three years ago, after a long stay in a convalescent home due to a severe injury, I started an outreach program working with the elderly, disabled, and people with developmental disabilities. I primarily work as a counselor and am often called to work with people that are especially difficult to get through to. Many times, I see people after they reach rock bottom and try to work with them by simply offering unconditional love and compassion in an effort to show them self-worth, self-pride, and purpose. I try to make sure not to only give them love and compassion, but to show them that they too can give this love and compassion to others.

I received a call about three months ago from one of the nursing homes that I routinely visit, asking for assistance with a gentleman who recently arrived and who would not respond to anybody. Bill refused to talk to anyone, including his family, chaplain, doctors, and social worker. When I first visited him, I was told that the Bill’s legs had just been amputated due to some major blood clots, and as far as he was concerned, his life was as good as over. Bill was a young man of 42 years and had always been very active in sports. In fact, he had especially been active in running and enjoyed competing in many marathons. The thought of never running again sent Bill into a whirlwind of hopeless despair.

When I first arrived to see Bill, he was a bit surprised. Even though he accepted my company, he was still very depressed and feeling sorry for himself. Our first conversation did not last long and I asked Bill if I could come back and see him the next day along with a friend of mine. He hesitantly agreed to see me again, but assured me that he would not like my friend.

The next day I returned to visit Bill with my friend Tom, a man whom I also met at a nursing home. Bill was sitting in a wheelchair looking even more bitter than the day before and greeted us with a depressing, “What do you want? You want to stare at a cripple or something?” Tom understood that his abrasive words came from fear and sadness, and explained that he came seeking assistance with writing a newsletter about sports trivia. Tom explained that he needed somebody to write for him and hoped Bill might be able to help. Bill looked at us with frustration and grunted, “what’s the matter, your hands broke or something?” to which Tom replied, “as a matter of fact, I have no hands at all.”

It was then with Tom’s insistence that I proceeded to untie the straps behind his back, revealing the prosthetic limbs attached to his shoulders. Bill could only sit there and stare in disbelief with his eyes wide open, especially when I then proceeded to remove Tom’s plastic prosthetic legs as well. You see, Tom had been born without limbs.

After about five minutes of silence and with an expression of awe on his face, Bill finally managed to say, “My God, I feel sorry for you,” to which Tom quickly replied, “why should you feel sorry for me, I don’t.” Tom then went on explaining, “This is the way God wants me.” Without warning, Bill started crying and apologized profusely to us for his behavior. Tom looked at him and said in a calm voice, “there’s nothing to forgive, as long as you forgive yourself, that’s all that matters.”

 

Tom, Bill, and I spent three hours together that afternoon, and that one afternoon changed Bill’s attitude forever. I am happy to report that today, Tom and Bill are writing that sports trivia newsletter together – Tom talks while Bill writes.

As Bill told me recently, it was not Tom’s disability that inspired him so greatly, but his attitude towards life and helping others.

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Life Beyond the Flames

Burn Survivor Story: Ron Thompson

Until the night of February 22, 1984 , I was an average 16-year-old. I was in high school.

I liked playing sports and hanging out with friends. On that night, I went riding around with my girlfriend’s brother. We met some of his friends and decided to drag race. We passed a slow-moving vehicle on a curve and couldn’t see the oncoming pickup truck. We hit head on.

The engine was pushed into my lap, breaking my right leg near my hip and trapping me in the car, which then caught fire. I put my hands up to protect my face.

It got so hot the dashboard melted and dripped onto my leg. The flames were getting me.

The rescue people had to wait until the fire was out to free me with the Jaws of Life. By this time I had been burned over thirty-five percent of my body. I had third- and fourth-degree burns on my chest and back, on the right side of my face and head, and on my right arm and left hand. I lost part of the fingers on my left hand and some vision in my right eye. The fire took my right ear and my right arm just below the elbow. I also lost the rest of my childhood. I spent three months in a hospital, three months in rehab, and twenty-one-years-and-counting undergoing more than a hundred surgeries and working to recover physically and emotionally.

It’s a hard road, but I’m glad I survived. I’m married, and have four children and a grandson. I’m still trying to get the truck-driving job of my dreams. For the most part I lead a normal life. Dealing with depression is an ongoing concern. For many years I felt very lonely, struggling with how others saw and accepted me. Along with the support of my family, friends and community, it’s been very important for me to have a connection with the Phoenix Society and others who have been burned.

I continue to feel the stares from those who are curious, those who are shocked, and those who are scared by what they see. I try to use these opportunities to educate others in understanding and compassion.

My name is Ron Thompson.



(Courtesy of the Phoenix Society and Steve Lobel, author of “Recognition Beyond Burned: Portraits of Survival, Rebirth & Hope”)

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Life Beyond the Flames

Burn Survivor Story: Winson Chen

I met my challenge driving home from Atlanta on October 26, 2002. It came in the form of a high-speed collision with an eighteenwheeler. I am unsure who was at fault. I burned alive for fifteen minutes before the fire truck arrived. I was rushed to the hospital and announced dead on arrival, but the burn unit revived me and kept me in a morphine coma for two months.

My body was asleep, but I lived in my dreams. I went to school, visited my parents, dated my girlfriend; everything felt real. I imagined I went west with a gang of credit cards, charged mansions, yachts and parties, and then skipped out on the bill. The cops chased me down and sent me to jail. I awoke to my father telling me it had all been a figment of my imagination. I was confused and frightened. My pain was indescribably intense. After much explaining from loved ones, I slowly became aware of my situation.

 was mad—mad at the truck driver, mad at the world, mad at God. How had I been named the delegate to suffer? I contemplated suicide daily. The hospital staff had to tie my hands down. Then the denial kicked in. I thought, if I could dream in color for two months and believe it was real, who’s to say that being here like this wasn’t just another chapter? This wasn’t happening to me. I still dream of one day awakening from the nightmare into my old life.

Embarrassment overwhelmed me. I couldn’t do anything for myself. In the hospital, I had to be walked, fed and wiped. At home, my mother had to bathe, clothe and bandage me. Then depression took its turn. I wasn’t a bad-looking guy before the accident. True, appearances aren’t everything, but they are something. We more easily accept those we perceive as aesthetically pleasing than those we see as deformed or challenged.

I had to take my grief by the horns. Complaining changes nothing. I am alive, I have family and friends who care for me, and I have purpose. I still get looks of distaste and bewilderment, but I don’t hold individuals accountable for their responses. It’s human nature to look at what’s different. Everyone worries about what to say to survivors, but often it’s not about what you say. Just being there and listening can help more than you expect.

My name is Winson Chen.



(Courtesy of the Phoenix Society and Steve Lobel, author of “Recognition Beyond Burned: Portraits of Survival, Rebirth & Hope”)

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The Whale Said "Thank-You"

Every now and again, life presents its entanglements that seem to appear out of nowhere. One moment, we’re free and content with our lives and then, suddenly, it all changes. In a relatively short period of time, a simple complication can weave itself into a network of problems that wrap around us like prison chains. Eventually, there seems to be no way out as we struggle for even one small breath of air to keep us alive. Soon, even our sense of hope is imprisoned.

But as we struggle to free ourselves from the entrapment of hopelessness, we suddenly discover that there is more to life than just ourselves. We realize that others are there to hold out their hands in spiritual and material assistance. All that we need to do is to understand this and accept that help in deep faith and gratitude. In that one marvelous moment, we become like the desperate whale in our next illustration…

 

~ George Parker, N.D.

The Whale Said "Thank-You"

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her…
When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.

She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around…
She was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

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The Story of Peng Shuilin

How many times have we found ourselves complaining about things that, in retrospect, were never really all that important to begin with? It’s the feeling that our circumstances are “unfair” that can give rise to a sense of persecution or even just an undercurrent of irritability. When this happens, it can be helpful for us to consider others who, most certainly, might have reasons to succumb to the “unfairness” of life – but have chosen not to.

Here, we see the story of Peng Shuilin who, in 1995, was severed in half by a freight truck. Through determination and an attitude that remained positive, he has overcome a situation that many would consider utterly impossible to live beyond. To see the power of an ability to look past negative thoughts and, instead, view positive affirmations of our daily affairs, read how Peng Shuilin overcame adversity and turned his life into an inspiration for others.

~ George Parker N.D

The Story of Peng Shuilin

In life we keep complaining about what is or why we don’t have. Half the time we seem dissatisfied, though full-bodied and free to choose. Fat people say,”I want to be slim.” Skinny people say,”I want to be fatter.” Poor people want to be rich and rich are never satisfied with what they have. Peng Shuilin is 78cms high. He was born in Hunan Province, China.

n 1995, in Shenzhen, a freight truck sliced his body in half. His lower body and legs were beyond repair. Surgeons sewed up his torso. Peng Shuilin, 37, spent nearly two years in hospital in Shenzhen, southern China, undergoing a series of operations to re-route nearly every major organ or system inside his body. Peng kept exercising his arms, building up strength, washing his face and brushing his teeth.

He survived against all odds. Now Peng Shulin has astounded doctors by learning to walk again after a decade. Considering Peng’s plight, doctors at the China Rehabilitation Research Centre in Beijing devised an ingenious way to allow him to walk on his own, creating a sophisticated egg cup-like casing to hold his body, with two bionic legs attached.

It took careful consideration, skilled measurement and technical expertise. Peng has been walking the corridors of Beijing Rehabilitation Centre with the aid of his specially adapted legs and a re-sized walking frame.

RGO is a recipicating gait orthosis, attached to a prosthetic socket bucket. There is a cable attached to both legs so when one goes forward, the other goes backwards. Rock to the side, add a bit of a twist and the leg without the weight on it advances, while the other one stays still, giving a highly inefficient way of ambulation.

Oh, so satisfying to ‘walk’ again after ten years with half a body! Hospital vice-president Lin Liu said: “We’ve just given him a checkup; he is fitter than most men his age.” Peng Shuilin has opened his own bargain supermarket, called the Half Man-Half Price Store. The inspirational 37-year-old has become a businessman and is used as a role model for other amputees.

At just 2ft 7ins tall, he moves around in a wheelchair giving lectures on recovery from disability. His attitude is amazing, he doesn’t complain. “He had good care, but his secret is cheerfulness. Nothing ever gets him down.” You have a whole body. You have feet. Now you have met a man who has no feet. His life is a feat of endurance, a triumph of the human spirit in overcoming extreme adversity. Next time you want to complain about something trivial, don’t.

Remember Peng Shulin instead.

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True Story of Courage and Love

Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia, I saw a water puddle ahead on the path. I angled my direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn’t covered by water and mud. As I reached the puddle, I was suddenly attacked! Yet I did nothing for the attack was so unpredictable and from a source so totally unexpected. I was startled as well as unhurt, despite having been struck four or five times already. I backed up a foot and my attacker stopped attacking me. Instead of attacking more, he hovered in the air on graceful butterfly wings in front of me. Had I been hurt I wouldn’t have found it amusing, but I was unhurt, it was funny, and I was laughing. After all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!

Having stopped laughing, I took a step forward. My attacker rushed me again. He rammed me in the chest with his head and body, striking me over and over again with all his might, still to no avail. For a second time, I retreated a step while my attacker relented in his attack. Yet again, I tried moving forward. My attacker charged me again. I was rammed in the chest over and over again. I wasn’t sure what to do, other than to retreat a third time. After all, it’s just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly. This time, though, I stepped back several paces to look the situation over. My attacker moved back as well to land on the ground. That’s when I discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier. He had a mate and she was dying. She was beside the puddle where he landed.

Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. I could only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate. He had taken it upon himself to attack me for his mate’s sake, even though she was clearly dying and I was so large. He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should I have been careless enough to step on her. Now I knew why and what he was fighting for. There was really only one option left for me. I carefully made my way around the puddle to the other side of the path, though it was only inches wide and extremely muddy. His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself just for his mate’s safety justified it. I couldn’t do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the puddle. He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed.

I left them in peace for those last few moments, cleaning the mud from my boots when I later reached my car.

Since then, I’ve always tried to remember the courage of that butterfly whenever I see huge obstacles facing me. I use that butterfly’s courage as an inspiration and to remind myself that good things are worth fighting for.

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A Miracle of $1.10

Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn’t have the money for the doctor bills and our house. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, “Only a miracle can save him now.”

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it! “And what do you want?” the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. “I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven’t seen in ages,” he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,” Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. “He’s really, really sick… and I want to buy a miracle.” “I beg your pardon?” said the pharmacist.

“His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help you,” the pharmacist said, softening a little. “Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs.” The pharmacist’s brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, “What kind of a miracle does you brother need?” “I don’t know,” Tess replied with her eyes welling up. “I just know he’s really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay for it, so I want to use my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man from Chicago. “One dollar and eleven cents,” Tess answered barely audibly. “And it’s all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.

“Well, what a coincidence,” smiled the man. “A dollar and eleven cents – the exact price of a miracle for little brothers.” He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specialising in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

 

“That surgery,” her Mom whispered. “was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?”

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one dollar and eleven cents …… plus the faith of a little child. A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law……

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The Power of Your Actions

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.” I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend the following afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him, and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye. I handed him his glasses and said, “Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives.
He looked at me and said, “Hey, thanks!” There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. It turned out he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before coming to this school.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, “Damn boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!”. He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.

When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class.

I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation day arrived – I saw Kyle and he looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!


Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!”

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. “Thanks,” he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach… but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story.”

 

I stared at my friend in disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. “Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth.


Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person’s life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.


“Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.”

 

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A Little Compassion

By: Dan Malone

A good friend of mine named Christina has an amazing gift, I think many people forget they have it in themselves. The gift of compassion. Why do I call it a gift? Because she gives it to others.

You see Christina fosters kittens who have no home. She goes out and rescues kittens from the wild. She cares for them, makes sure they are healthy and finds good homes for them.

One very special kitten recently came in to her life. Her name is Savannah. When Christina found Savannah she was not in good condition. She was dirty, afraid and unhealthy. As with all new kittens, Christina, takes them in to her home, cleans and feeds them. Once they have reached 2 pounds, she takes them to the vet where they are tested and vaccinated. I remember this day well. Christina had called with sadness when she found out Savannah had tested positive for FIV. It’s a disease that is specific to felines and is similar to AID’s.

Not doing much better then the day Christina found her, Savannah had stopped eating and began loosing a lot of weight. You could see the bones through her thin skin. Finally she stopped walking and eating altogether. Many would consider this a loosing battle. Christina would spend nights holding Savannah, simply trying to make her feel better. All the time, Christina herself was getting worse. She would be in tears, worrying about Savannah. The thought of Savannah loosing her life was tearing Christina apart.

There are many in the world that see FIV as a life sentence. Kittens with FIV are not expected to survive and the ones who do often need special care. Since FIV is easy to spread when kittens are playing, Savannah had to be kept apart from all the other kittens. Christina was the only friend she had come to know.

Christina though sad and hurting herself, never gave up. She had awoken early one morning and began searching the internet for information. After a little searching, she found that there was some hope for Savannah. With some special medicine, and care, she found out that Savannah might have a chance to get better and live a healthy life. Christina made many calls trying to obtain the medicine, caring nothing of the cost. She was finally able to find a shelter that would order the medicine for her, at no cost. She began to give Savannah the medicine, and feeding her fluids with a syringe.

In short time, Savannah began to gain a little weight, and start walking again. It was no time before she was up and playing. One night Christina brought Savannah over to play. I will never forget the look in Christina’s eyes, and the feeling of playing with a kitten who many would have given up on. This was a truly heart warming experience.

Savannah had just recently been tested again. This time she came up negative for FIV. In many cases, mothers can pass this disease on to her kittens, and in some cases the kittens, are able to shed it off over time. Savannah was now a healthy playful kitten, with the rest of her life to enjoy a world she may have never known.

There is no doubt in my mind that Savannah will have a better life because of Christina. I also know that Christina herself will have a better life because of Savannah. I have read a-lot of inspirational stories, but this one, the one I have been able to write will live with me forever. It reminds me that love and compassion do make a difference, and to never give up on someone or something you believe in.

Today is Wednesday the 23rd of June 2004. Savannah will be going to the Vet to set spade tomorrow morning. In a week or two she will be ready for adoption. Hopefully to a family that she can have a loving and compassionate impact upon.

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Breaking Through Uncertainty

By: Jim McCormick

We all question our ability at times. Uncertainty plagues us. It is even more intense if the ability we are questioning relates to something we have never tried or not succeeded at in the past.

Set backs are common, but we rarely welcome them. We are inclined to respond negatively to adversity. It may be time to revisit that reflexive response.

I had an experience recently that caused me to reconsider whether a negative response to adversity is always justified when I was confronted with a life-threatening situation.

It was mid-morning on a warm and pleasant Saturday. I was in the midst of my first skydive of the day. It was my 2,123th jump since having taken up the sport fifteen years ago.

After about one minute of freefall and 5,000 above the ground, I parted ways with my fellow jumpers to get far enough away from them to open my parachute safely. I initiated opening around 3,000 feet above the earth.

My parachute opened with some twists in the lines between the parachute and me. This is not that uncommon. What was different this time was that I was not able to clear the twists.

The twists in the lines caused my parachute to take on an asymmetrical shape. Receiving asymmetrical inputs, the canopy did what it is designed to do and initiated a turn — that’s how it’s steered. The problem occurred when the turn quickly became a rapid, diving downward spiral that was spinning me a full 360 degrees about once every second. This was a problem.

I looked up to assess my canopy and saw something I don’t often see – the horizon clearly visible ABOVE the trailing edge of my canopy. This meant my canopy and I were now on roughly the same horizontal plane. In that I could see the horizon behind it, I was actually above my parachute and it was leading our fast spinning parade rapidly towards mother earth.

My first need was to acknowledge that I was not going to be able to solve this problem. This is not as easy as it seems. Having successfully completed over 2,100 jumps without having to resort to my second parachute, it was hard for me to believe I had really encountered a problem I could not solve. I had a natural inclination to assume I could fix this problem as I had all those in the past.

Sound familiar? It’s always easy to lapse into denial when confronted with a problem. Until we acknowledge the problem and our possible inability to solve it – or to use the methods we have used in the past – we don’t have a chance of making things better.

Fortunately, the urgency of this situation caused my hard-headed nature to yield much quicker than usual. That decision probably took a second or two.

The next step, having accepted the need to follow a different course than in the past, was to determine the course. Fortunately fifteen years of training and practice before every day of jumping took hold.

I looked straight down at the two handles on either side of my chest – one to release me from my malfunctioning canopy and one for deploying my reserve parachute – and realized I needed to quickly get them in my hands. I could not help but notice when I made eye contact with them, as had been ingrained in me during my First Jump Course way back in 1988, that by now the rapid spins had turned me back to earth and there beyond my toes was once again the horizon. This was bad!

 

Time was of the essence at this point not only because I was now rapidly progressing toward the horse pasture below me, but also because the centrifugal force I was starting to experience would soon make it impossible to get my hands to those two handles.

With my hands now securely on the handles, I was confronted with a bothersome question, “Now, which one goes first.” The wrong order could cause my reserve parachute to deploy into my spinning main parachute which would result in an incurable entanglement.

Fortunately, ingrained training once again took over and I pulled them in the right order. First the handle on the right side which released me from my spinning main parachute followed by the handle on the left side to deploy my reserve parachute.

This brought on a wonderful experience. My malfunctioning black, teal and magenta canopy was replaced with a bright, yellow never before used reserve parachute. What a lovely sight! And all this by 1,700 feet – plenty of time to spare.

Many years ago, I read a book about the challenges and responsibilities of Secret Service agents. One of the sad aspects of that profession is that agents who never have the chance to validate their years of training by responding to a threat sometimes struggle severely in retirement. They are faced with not knowing – with certainty – how they would respond when faced with the paramount challenge their career can deliver. For this reason, agents who have faced such a challenge successfully are admired within the culture of the Service.

That Saturday morning, I had the privilege of facing a similar, life-threatening and I now realize life-defining challenge. I faced what Secret Service agents call “the dragon.”

For all of us the greater dragon is not the external threat, whether it be an assassin’s bullet, the unforgiving and fast approaching earth or another challenge. The real dragon is the self-doubt we carry within us.

For those few splendid moments after landing safely, I was able to put my foot firmly on the neck of the dragon … and it felt great.

Keep this in mind the next time you are confronted with adversity. On the far side of the experiences the adversity presents, there could be a valuable gift – a renewed confidence and certainty.

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A Touch of Heaven

By: Tim Reynolds

It had been a very disheartening day. The doctors had given us the worst of news. Our daughter, who had just completed her first brain surgery to remove a tumor and was going through radiation treatments, was now officially given a two percent chance of survival as this type of cancer had no cure.

My wife and I decided to take our daughter to lunch before continuing our afternoon conversations. We went to a local restaurant where we sat in silence waiting for the waitress. Our daughter Molly wouldn’t hear of such sadness or silence so she played happily with crayons and paper while we sat and stared at the floor.

I noticed a very elderly couple sitting a few booths away, they too in silence never speaking a word. I couldn’t help but wonder what challenges they had faced in their life and if they ever faced such terrible news about a child of theirs.

 

We eventually ordered our lunch and still sitting in silence we ate what we could. At some point I became intrigued by the old couple and I watched them more intently with each passing minute. I thought to myself that they hadn’t yet spoken to each other and I wondered if it was the peace they were enjoying or the food or maybe both. However, at some point I lost interest and put my focus back on my lunch

Molly was still talking away and enjoying her meal and her mom and I both listened and tried to be happy in her presence but it wasn’t going very well. All of a sudden I saw this hand come out of nowhere. It was huge and I could tell that it had been afflicted with arthritis. The knuckles were swollen and the fingers were crooked and off center. I couldn’t take my eyes of that hand. The hand drifted down and landed on my daughter’s tiny six year old hand and as it did I looked up, it was the old woman who had been sitting with the old man in silence eating their lunch.

I looked into her eyes and she spoke, but not to me. She looked at my daughter and simply whispered, “If I could do more for you I would.” And then she smiled and moved away to join her husband who had moved towards the door.

I heard a “Hey look, a whole dollar.” Molly spoke with excitment as she discovered that the old lady had placed a crumpled one dollar bill on the back of her hand. I looked down and saw the dollar bill and quickly realized that it had been left behind by the old lady. I looked up to thank her, but she was gone. I sat stunned, not sure what had just happended and then I looked over at my wife. In almost unison, we broke out into a smile. The sadness of the day had been wiped out by the crippled hand and generous touch of an old lady.

The dollar, although exciting to Molly, was not what made us smile or begin to feel differently, it was the offer from an old lady who felt our hurt and our suffering. The crippled hand symbolized a healing touch and made us realize that we did not have to fight this battle alone; that others cared and wanted to help. We felt up-lifted and soon our day filled with more happy thoughts as we spent the rest of our lunch planning the next day at home with fun filled activities for eveyone.

I will never forget that crippled arthritic hand that taught us such an important lesson. One does not have to go through life facing hardships all alone; the world is full of compassionate and understanding people. Even those that are suffering from their own afflictions have much to give to each other.

The hand that covered Molly’s on that day still covers it. And although Molly is no longer with me, I can see her holding hands with that old lady now, both hands perfect and both faces filled with smiles and laughter. And though Heaven has these two perfect angels now, the lessons that they both taught me will remain forever in my heart.

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Total Paralysis

By: © Ferna Lary Mills

His mind was sharp, but his vision was blurred. He could think, but could not talk. He wanted to write, but could not use his hands. With one eye sewn shut, his only means of communication was by blinking his left eye. Yet with all his obstacles and challenges, he was able to ”write” a bestselling book that was turned into a movie. Who am I talking about? Jean-Dominique Bauby the author ofThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly”.


There are stories that entertain, stores that scare, and stories that motivate. This is a story of motivation, perseverance and accomplishment in the face of adversity and debilitating paralysis. Every now and then you come across a story so powerful and compelling, that it grabs you by the throat and just won’t let go. Such is the nature of the true story of Jean- Dominique Bauby – locked in his body as one is in entombed in a diving bell, yet free to wander, dream and travel to faraway places using only his mind.

Jean-Dominique was the editor of the French ELLE magazine and lived a fast pace life in the world of fashion. Then on one day in 1995 he had a massive stroke that left him completely immobile except for the movement of his left eye. Unfortunately he was the victim of a extremely rare condition called Locked-in Syndrome. Now, just take a moment to absorb Jean-Dominique’s condition – you’re mind is perfectly fine, you feel pain, hot and cold, a bead of sweat rolling down your forehead, but the only thing you can move is your left eye. How would you react? Would you be able to turn your condition into something positive?

Locked-in Syndrome is characterized by full body paralysis usually caused by a massive stroke, traumatic brain injury or even by a drug overdose. Many times the only thing a victim can move is their eyes while their brain is typically undamaged. Jean- Dominique’s mind was fully functioning, aware, and learning to cope with his new body while the blinking of his left eye was his only means of communication. Imagine for just a moment what it would be like to lie perfectly still, and the only thing you can move is your left eye. As an experiment – try to read the rest of this article using only your left eye. Go ahead. It’s the least that you can do.

Learning to “write”

The therapist assigned to Jean-Dominique devised a means to communicate by organizing the letters of the alphabet by their frequency and reading each letter. Jean-Dominique would blink once when the correct letter was read that matched the letter in the word he was thinking. He would painstakingly spell each word in the sentence he was thinking. Using this method Jean- Dominique was able to pen his memoir. He tells how he would mentally write, edit and rewrite his sentences before communicating them to his therapist.

Making a Choice

”My diving bell becomes less oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly. There is so much to do. You can wander off in space or in time, set out for Tierra del Fuego or for King Midas’s court” – Jean-Dominique Bauby

The above quote from Jean-Dominique speaks volumes about his character and his ability to overcome adversity. Jean-Dominique had a choice to make: He could either lay there and play the part of a vegetable or accept his situation and try to make some good of it. Fortunately for us, he chose the latter. Using only his mind, he was free to wander the world, visit with friends or imagine himself in another time. With a blink of an eye, he wrote a book. What is it that makes some people “overcome” adversity, while others never really seem to recover?

Question: Would you have the strength to make the same choice?

1. Accept your situation.

This is easy to say and hard to do. But, if you want any chance of overcoming adversity of any kind, you first have to accept the cards you were dealt. It’s ok to visit pity city, but at some point you have to leave it all behind.

Another great example of someone accepting and making the best of a situation is Randy Pausch, the author of “The Last Lecture”. Here’s a guy at the pinnacle of his career, a loving wife and three young kids, who finds himself with tumors in his liver from pancreatic cancer. His is given three – six months of “good health”, before the inevitable happens. Randy gives his last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University and becomes a phenomenon in his final months. His lecture if full of his life’s lessons and bits of wisdom that we all should follow.

2. Focus on what you can do
Blink and think – that’s all Jean-Dominique could do. By using a single eye movement (one that we take for granted), he was able to write letters to friends and family and eventually write a book.

3. Be prepared for hard work
Hard work and setting goals is the key to overcoming adversity. Writing a book with the blink of an eye or writing and delivering your last lecture while undergoing chemotherapy treatment, all take hard work. Jean-Dominique was able to do it, Randy Pausch did it and so did Lance Armstrong. They set goals for themselves and worked to achieve those goals. One can experience great satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment when you achieve your goals.

 

Question: Have you written down your goals and developed a plan to achieve them?

4. Be persistent – nothing comes easy
Tenacity is the key. Many times people give up after a failure or an obstacle is put in their path. Walls are meant to be torn down, climbed over or pushed through. Never, ever give up! What did Thomas Edison say? “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”. He only needed to find one way to make the light bulb work and change the world.

 

Question: Were you able to read the rest of this article using only one eye?

While The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the story of one man’s struggle with Locked-in Syndrome, it’s also a lesson in overcoming adversity. Against all odds, Jean-Dominique Bauby was able to show us that no matter how disabled or incapacitated, one can still make an impact on the world.

 

How are you going to make your mark on the world?

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Christianity and the Bible

It’s an interesting thing when those who practice Christianity find it difficult to relate their religious practices to spirituality. They may limit their faith to the writings in their Bible or the words that are said in a religious service. But upon serious study of the words set down by the apostles, given to them by Yeshua Ben Yosef (“Jesus Christ” is from the Greek), we find that His teachings were most definitely focused on our spiritual natures. The concept of focusing our spiritual energy to mold our reality was ever present in those teachings (“Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.”, Matthew 21:21).

What is the basis for these teachings and what foundations were initially laid down from ancient Judaism that created the Bible and how can we derive inspiration, refuge and hope from this? We need to ask ourselves, “If we believe in God, then what has been given us for us to hold on to, until we leave this brief and often times difficult existence?” The answers can be seen in this section of “Hope in Adversity”. Here, we’ll take a look at the Bible and how it endeavours to help those who are suffering and need the inspiration that its words can provide.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

George Parker, N.D.

Psalm 9:9
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 18:2

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the hornof my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 22:24

For he has not despised or disdainedthe suffering of the afflicted one;he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

Psalm 27:4-5
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 30:5
Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

Psalm 37:39
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble

Psalm 46:1-2
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Psalm 48:14
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.

Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 71:20-21
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

Proverbs 14:32
When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.

Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 40:18-31
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 49:14-16
But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

Isaiah 51:3
The LORD will surely comfort Zion
and will look with compassion on all her ruins;
he will make her deserts like Eden,
her wastelands like the garden of the LORD.
Joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

Isaiah 54:10
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 66:12-14
For this is what the LORD says:
“I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”
When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.

Lamentations 3:31-33
For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

Hosea 13:14
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave [a] ; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?

Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Matthew 6:19-34
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 11:25-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

John 6:39-40
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 14:1-4
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you asthe world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Romans 8:14,15
… because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ” For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:52-57
In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

2 Corinthians 4:13-16
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Thessalonians 4:13
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God

Hebrews 2:14-15
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

1 Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Revelation 7:15-17
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

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A 15-Year Journey of a Lifetime

By: Author Unknown

Growing up in a large Italian family, I learned quickly the importance of family. We were a tightly knit traditional family. My father grew up around his aunt and uncles and grandparents and parents, basically everyone, shouting Italian at each other, and so did I. My sister’s and my second home was my mommom and poppops house. Everyday they watched me. They helped me deal with my anxiety. We played card games and planted flowers, and when my sister started school it was just me. Those were the best years of my life.

hen, when i was 9, the unthinkable happened. My poppop died of mesothelioma, a slow growing cancer. I remember that night like it was last night. My family had been rocked by an earthquake of tragedy. Then 2 years later, my mommom died of lung cancer. I was destroyed. At that moment every spark of my anxiety was fanned into a flame of terror. For years I lived with the fear of everything, such as losing another family member, and especially, cancer. During my 7th grade year, when I was just 14 years old, it turned into full on depression. I couldn’t bear anyone even saying my grandparents’ names. What made it even worse after my mommom’s death, was that my tightly knit Italian family, with some exceptions accused us of things that we had never done, and left us. I felt like part of me left with them, But it’s not all bad.


Through therapy I finally defeated my depression. It felt like the greatest thing I had ever accomplished. I discovered that talking to someone really helps. And from there I took the first step in piecing my life back together. When I was 15 and in my freshman year of high school, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I got treatment. It was another giant step towards complete happiness. In school I also realized that I could be closer to my grandparents and my family in Italy if I learned our language. It’s like every day I get a constant reminder of where I came from, and it helped me figure out where I’m going.


Then my parents announced their divorce. I shouted with a sailors mouth. I had seen it coming , but it just felt like i couldn’t catch a break. My life had begun to change and my mom put my sister and I in therapy. Talking it out had helped me again. Everything had started to affect my grades in school. Then with my therapist’s help, I began to turn it all around.


Every day I think about my grandparents, and sure I’d like things to be the way they used to be. I still have a long way to go from here, but now I have everything I need to make this journey a good one from here on out. I live by a lil wayne quote as weird as that sounds, “I know this world can be cold and deceiving, but I keep my head up like my nose is bleeding” so I’ll stand tall, and know there’s nothing that can knock me down.

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Forever In My Heart

We sat together on the steps of the department. A small building. Falling apart from constant use. You could see the tiredness of the wooden doors and the weariness of the window frames. There we were. Heidi and me. The sounds of the animals echoing in the background. It was Summer. The blowflies and bees had one target. Everything.It was mid-afternoon. Almost time for feeding. Feeding was the easiest. It was like the final bell before school ended. We sat there in silence, Heidi and me. We didn’t need words to talk.

3.30pm. Sighing, we all moved slowly off to our designated areas to finish our rounds for the day. The bounding kangaroos greeted me at the gate. They knew the time. With the animals fed, we marched like ants out of the gates and into our separate lives.


Heidi and I headed for the beach. We sat together. In the distance, the city glistened in the sun. Our friendship grew closer each day we spent together. I didn’t see her much. I lived on the other side of the city. My hands were cool on the piles of sand.


Heidi was amazing. She was the clearest of all God’s creatures, still pure and uninhibited. Her sparkling blue eyes, golden hair and her unforgettable smile contributed to a flawless personality. I often wondered why people hurt her like they did.


I found out the next day that she had a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend. He was back, harassing her. She didn’t deserve it.


It was nice there. Just sitting and watching the children play, or the yachts sail past. We both thought a lot there. It was comfortable. Even in silence.


Heidi cut into my thoughts “Want a dip?” she asked.


We plunged in. I watched the bulging fish scatter as my hand cut the water. Heidi surfaced first. Treading water we discussed the finer things in life. Like the next big shopping spree, or the guys who were on the yachts.
They were the queens of the bay. Graceful when sailing, poised like dancers when moored.


Heading out of the water, we collected the discarded shells left by ocean critters and placed them beside our flamboyant towels. Sitting there we chatted and laughed about countless experiences. We always had fun together. No matter what happened.


Soon it was time to head home. The path through the cemetery was short. Shorter than any other way to the station. I didn’t mind walking to the station this way. Many of the headstones had beautiful poems or writings on them. It made me realize how lucky I was to be alive. Enjoying myself.


After seeing Heidi home, I continued on to the station. The train trip was boring. The scenery was a blur as it passed. All the way I thought about how much I enjoyed Heidi’s company.


Autumn came and went with the annual fall of bronze and golden leaves. Soon it was winter and soon I would never see Heidi again.

 couple of days later, I received a phone call informing me that Heidi was killed in a car accident, along with the driver. I was devastated. I didn’t know what do to. What to say. What to think. I needed someone to talk to. Who? I thought about everything. About everything we ever did. It was almost like my life was flashing before my eyes. It’s strange…the last time I saw Heidi we hugged. Maybe it was our fate to leave each other with a hug. I’m not sure, but I know she had so much more to offer.

My world crashed. No longer did I have anyone to go to the beach with. No longer did I have my favorite work partner. No longer did I have a great friend. No longer did I have someone to confide in.


Months later I went back to the beach and just sat. Sat and thought about Heidi and about all the great things we did together. On the way home I passed through the cemetery once again. This time, stopping to look and lay a flower on Heidi’s place of rest. Her poem was beautiful.


Do not cry
For my absence,
Feel close and
Still talk to me.
I will love you
From Heaven,
As I have loved
You on earth.


– Author Unknown –


I’m relieved I took the time, that step in healing. I’ve said my own private good-byes. Whenever I can, I go and visit Heidi. I may not be able to see her, but she will be forever in my heart.

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I Regretted But It Was Too Late

By: Author Unknown

I woke up one morning hearing my grandma (who lives a few houses away from us) shouting for my mom to help call the ambulance. Within minutes, an ambulance came and brought my uncle to the hospital. I was so shocked, I did not know what had happened! There we were, all preparing for his wedding that was going to happen next week, and then all of a sudden he was going to the hospital?

I knelt down and prayed. And right after I prayed, my mom called and told me, he’s gone. Everyone was shocked because no one even knew what happened. He was a cheerful and playful uncle everyone loved. I doubted life after that.

Just a few years later, life poured everything on me. I was chosen to lead the biggest club in my school. I was then chosen as the school’s swimming team’s captain and we had to defend the champion title. At that time, I wished there were a few of me to attend to everything! I was interviewed, invited to events, asked to give talks, flew all around the country and so on.

Then, in the midst of everything, I broke down. I was so tired of everything I turned to my best friend, Ryan, and said, “I feel like quitting”. He said, “Only losers quit and I believe, we all believe, you are not one.” With that, I continued on with all my activities. Ryan gave me a tremendous amount of support during that time.


One day, after a tiring trip to the beach, I came home and went to bed early. Upon waking up, I received a call that told me something that changed my life, “Ryan passed away…….. He drowned”.


I cannot describe how I felt at that very moment. Emotions filled me. Anger – towards Ryan for not keeping his promise, and towards God for taking everyone away. Guilt – because I never had the chance to tell Ryan and my uncle how much I appreciated them both and cherish them both. Sadness because all my supports are taken away!


I continued to wallow in my own self-pity and shut the door behind me. I told myself, “this reality is too real! I cannot take it.” I was living a life where I wanted every day to be the last.


Then Ryan’s mom called me to his house. She gave me Ryan’s artworks and some other notes and told me, “He is now in a better place.


I woke up. I totally woke up and I told myself, I had the privilege to know him. And to know my uncle. One showed me how to be happy with life and one gave me so much support just because he wanted me to succeed. They are gone but I will continue their legacy, all that they have taught me.


And I know that I have only this one chance to live life, to taste life. I am not going to waste this very chance. I am going to shape it, use it and make it the way I want it to be so that when I leave one day, I can leave behind an identity. An identity I want people to remember me as. We’ve got only one chance to live so live it the right way. Don’t waste it!

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Abortion Regret

Copyright © 1998 Colleen Graham Robertson

I had just returned home from the clinic. I had made my choice…I’d had an abortion. Tired, weary and hurting I tried to sleep.


It wasn’t a physical hurt, but a hurt that came from deep within me, a pain that branched out to every part of my being. I had never hurt like this before. Why was I feeling like this now? Why didn’t somebody tell me it would be like this? At the time before the abortion I was convinced it wasn’t even a baby. I remembered what a friend had said, “It’s not even a baby yet, it’s only a mass of tissue. So don’t worry about it. Once it’s done it’s over with!” But it’s not over! This is the worst kind of hurt. Will it ever go away? What in the world have I done? God, please forgive me!

I lie there, silent, my thoughts screaming through my head.


After a long, restless struggle, I began to feel myself drifting off. Somewhere between wakefulness and sleep I had this sensation, it was as if I were rising upward, floating, weightlessly towering far above the world below.
Suddenly, I found myself in a place far beyond my imagination. I first recall the overwhelming fragrance of what seemed to be a vast field of flowers, an awesome scent. Was I dreaming?


As I opened my eyes, breathlessly, I took it all in. Somehow, I had been transformed to another world. Without being told, I knew my eyes beheld the Celestial City. This unearthly splendor I was experiencing could not be matched by any earthly pleasure. The feeling of utter bliss stirred my senses.


As I stood enchanted by the magnificence surrounding me, I began to hear a faint cry somewhere in the distance. Wondering where it was coming from, instantly, there I was: the Pearly Gates, even more magnificent than my grandmother had described to me growing up.


There, at the foot of the gate, where the heart-broken sobs rang out, was a small child. The child’s cries penetrated my soul as if it were my own pain, until my face too was streaked with tears. “Sweetheart,” I said, “Why are you crying?”


The child replied, “The Gate Keeper said he has no name recorded for me in his Great Book, because I have no name. But it’s not my fault! I had no choice; I was aborted.”


It wasn’t until that moment I realized that this child was my own. I held my child as we cried until we saw it, a light; a light so brilliant, so radiant a glow, that it warmed our hearts and dried our tears. Out of that light we heard a voice, like divine music pronounce: “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of Heaven. Your name is, My Child.”


The name “My Child” had no more been spoken than it appeared in the Lamb’s Book of Life. At that instant, the Gate Keeper opened the gate and we heard as the trumpet blew an angelic choir singing, and it was then that we saw Him. It was Jesus, in all His glory. We knew it was Jesus, as he held out his arms, we could see his nail scarred hands. Without hesitation My Child ran to Him and was tenderly lifted up into His warm embrace. He looked to me saying, “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward. In all things set an example by doing what is good. Now go and sin no more!”


Suddenly, I was swept back to the world I thought I had left behind. Once again, I lie there silent, regretful, pondering over the wrong I had done.


Yet, anticipating the days ahead and longing to make known to others the love and forgiveness I now knew I was destined to share…Jesus!


Still, that choice would have to be theirs.

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Today is Thanksgiving Day... And Today is Jason's Birthday

By: Author Unknown

Today is Thanksgiving Day…and today is Jason’s birthday…and we are so thankful that Jason came to be our son on November 26th, l974. Jason would be 35 today…how the years have flown by and stood still at the same time.


Smiles come to us as we remember when Jason was a little boy…he loved learning…going to school…and loved creating, writing and taping TV shows, making his own TV guides.

Jason had a love of music…all kinds…good music from the 70’s…especially The Eagles…Huey Lewis…Steely Dan…Billy Joel…loved good Jazz…Miles Davis…John Coltrane…and even Frank Sinatra… This time of the year brings me memories of how Jason would give me a list of “hard to find” CD’s, as he got older…somehow I managed to find them all…I so remember the smile on his face…so sweet.


Jason loved comedy and had a wonderful sense of humor…you have heard me say that if you have ever watched Seinfeld…then you have seen Jason!…Jason had taped all of the shows…I had never watched it, but after Jason left us for his new life…Seinfeld became a part of our life…and still is… Several years ago, Jerry performed here…and I met him… And I know that this happened only because of Jason…no other explanation.

 

We miss Jason everyday…and always will…as all of you know…grief is a lifelong journey…and many of you cannot see this now…but blessings will come to you because your child lived…A couple of months after Jason died…and I was at a very low place… A poem came into my head one morning…and it starts like this…Mom, please don’t feel guilty…It was just my time to go… I know the words came to me from Jason…We all come to earth for our lifetime…and Jason’s was…24 years, 4 months and 15 days…for that we are thankful.


Life is a miracle…and we are all miracles…we are here to learn, to share, to love and to give to others… Today…on Thanksgiving…and Jason’s birthday, I would like for you to take the time to give the gift of love to someone you know, or maybe someone you don’t know…for when we give love to others it comes back to us and miracles take place… We all know how brief life is here on this earth. We will remember the miracle of Jason coming to be our son and we are better because of him.


Happy Birthday Jason…how appropriate is this quote from Jerry Seinfeld…I can hear Jason’s wonderful laugh…


“Life is truely a ride. We are all strapped in and no one can stop it! As you make each passage from youth to adulthood to maturity, sometimes you put your arms up and scream, sometimes you just hang onto the bar in front of you. But the RIDE is the thing. I think the most you can hope for at the end of life is that your hair is messed, you are out of breath…and you didn’t throw up.” —Jerry Seinfeld


We can shed tears that he’s gone…or we can smile because he lived! That is what Jason would want us to do. He wants us to live, to smile, and to know that he is still with us!


Jason…You blessed our lives and still do. Thank you for the gift of YOU…for helping us to grow and become better…we will keep trying.


We have alot to be thankful for today…JASON…his family…his friends…Sweet Memories.


Be thankful today…and be blessed.

 

We love you,
Mom , Dad and Jeff
Joy, Mike and Jeff Curnutt

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Unexpected Healing: A Memoir of a Father's Death to Cancer

By: Author Unknown

“If anyone strikes my heart, it does not break, but it bursts and the flame coming out of it becomes a torch on my path.”- Hazrat Inaya.


I had arrived at the house that Tuesday evening, the day he died. When my mother’s call reached me, the panic only mildly tempered in her voice, all she said was, “It’s really bad.”A nurse was there, holding a stethoscope to his heart, as were the two loving Filipino care givers, Arnell and Oscar. Over the last few months they had worked and slept there 24 hours and had become part of the family. My mother managed to contact the priest in time to deliver the last rites. 

I stood by the end of his bed, head bowed, reciting the prayers with the rest of them. My dad lay there, cross-eyed and still from the morphine. He was uncharacteristically quiet.


It startles me that I actually watched him take his last breath. Fitting I suppose because he watched me take my first. He made me and now I would carry his DNA to the end of my life, a strange sort of passing of the baton. I have my father’s feet: Knobby and narrow, and not especially pretty. These past several months I spent many hours massaging his feet, he liked that, and I had noticed the similarity. When they carried his body out a few hours later and his feet poked through the end of the bag, I was reminded of this again. The odd things that made me feel a part of him, here was another to add to the absurdity of death. And dying. How it all began.


My father and I were never friends. Growing up, he made fun of my looks (my Irish- Welsh genetics had proffered me a pointy chin and square masculine jaw), chided me for my spotty intelligence, and generally instilled intimidation. I regarded him suspiciously and often fearfully. His unpredictable nature was both bombastic and critical, snapping into hilarious and sweet on the turn of a dime. His illness had been with him twenty-two years, but the real end, the sharp decline, was in the last two. It was during that time when our relationship, mercifully and surprisingly, improved.


When someone is very sick, their loved ones actually get sick, too. Our sickness is one of worry, concern, and the whittling away of our energy. Inexplicably, we also carry a surplus of optimism. One has to be optimistic. When I got my dad to walk around the pool with his cane, swearing and complaining the entire five feet, I felt like the head cheerleader at the home game.


Sometimes the triumphs were smaller, like getting him to eat half a sandwich. He loved bacon on a well-toasted English muffin. And still other times, the best I could rally a cheer for was him sleeping through the night without keeping my mother up every hour. Often I didn’t even know what I was rooting for: wellness, distraction from illness, appearance of health or balance or hope, or just an ordinary day where nothing, no crisis at all, happened. Dying of cancer is very active, very much a show and it takes everyone with it.


Here’s what I learned: Watching someone die slowly is impossible, horrendous, and insurmountable. But you do it anyway. I can’t tell you when exactly, but the role of cheerleader morphed into the role of solider. Now I had been recruited for this tour of duty.


My mother and I took turns answering the baby monitor. I had purchased one as a solution to our many worries about not hearing him from other rooms. We took turns dashing up the stairs when we heard his call: straighten the bed sheets, get more protein drink, and help him to the bathroom. We were soldiers in the war, hyper alert for anything, and we were not surprised when warfare came. Vomiting, mood swings, rage, and despair. “When am I going to get over this thing?” my child-like father would ask. The only answer was the one never replied.


And what other battles was I fighting? What were our weapons? You know already the enemy is winning, that there isn’t going to be a happy ending, so the battle is for capturing every possible second left. And to be acutely present to it, pressing into the pages of your memory because both time and the disease are closing in.


Like a war zone, my parent’s house descended into chaos. Every possible surface was filled with mountains of medicine bottles, scraps of paper, and half-eaten bowls of food. Upon entering the kitchen in search for scissors and discovering my mom popping open another bottle of wine, nearly toppling the cat off the table as she poured, I made her promise we would never slide into the likes of “Grey Gardens.” This made her laugh. It was good to make her laugh. I made a point to do that when I could. Laughter was a tricky tool in my family. Funny, but often duplicitous, especially to my dad who built a career on jokes.


What comes with a tidal wave personality like his was a well equipped vocabulary for killing anything in its path, and his viciousness took no prisoners. My dad craved gobs of attention, with appetites both extravagant and massive. A daughter of strength and moderation was no match for him and our interactions were frictional.


Back to the last six weeks of his life – while spending most of the day in bed and rarely getting downstairs, he asked me to read the Sunday comics to him. This event involved explaining verbally what was in each picture. I employed various cartoon-like voices to better create the world of the comic strips. He found my interpretations less than stellar and let me know, but complimented me for a valiant effort. It remains a lovely moment for me. Another lighter moment: Upon administering medicinal marijuana in lollypop form to ease his nausea, my father looked up from his bed, sucker neatly wedged between his lips and said, “Hey Ames – did you ever think it would come to this, feeding your father pot?” No, I never did. He thanked me often for all the help.


“I am so lucky,” he once said after… well does it matter?


“No, I am the lucky one,” was my reply. Those wondrous moments slip in quietly like morning light, genuine and warm.


Some days I lay next to him and hold his hand while we listened to music or watched baseball. The World Series was on and he tried to explain the game to me. Time was moving and he had only so much left. Those afternoons I would bring my arsenal of good cheer for that was within my reach. That is what I could do. I read David Sedaris to him, brought funny stories from the paper, (one he really laughed at that involved a man blaming his cat for surfing a number of pornographic websites) and made him brownies. Throughout my entire life my dad lived on one side of the chasm and me the other, but this illness spun a thread that reached across and held us together.


Most of the time I held it together, both for him and for my mom. I stuffed it all inside until I could get home and release the vapors of anguish. There was one moment though, when even I couldn’t solider it through. I remember the day was about two weeks before his death. My father loved the TV channel where they played music. He particularly loved the Broadway station. La Cage Aux Follies was playing and in a burst of energy, my father in a rather robust voice chimed in with the refrain, “I am what I am..” It was the most vigor I had seen him in months and it made me smile for the rest of the day.


Quite the contrary came a week later. One afternoon I was laying next to him, trying to soothe him, his hand slipping out and away from mine. He was fidgeting and angry and rolled over. I could hear the labored breathing and grew alarmed at the change of his skin. I noticed that particular day he looked ghoulishly white and pasty, a reminder of the disease and its residency in his body. Over the TV came the slow refrain of Barbara Streisand singing, “Happy Days are here again.”The picture of his nearly inert body, his twitching feet searching for the covers, and the dark evening light broke the dam and my tears gave way. That day I lost the battle.

The funeral was a circus. Having gained a reputation as the dark sheep of the family, the one who left and spent some time away from the family, my attendance was met coldly. Death becomes so personal that is it almost comedic. I witnessed all the hands gripping too tightly to the cocktail glasses, the false frozen smiles, and the well-intentioned, impotent words. I stayed upstairs and lay on the bed where my father had been, thinking about him and hoping where ever he went it was peaceful.

Grieving isn’t about forgetting. It’s about dividing up one’s feelings. Portions to mourn and release and portions to re-claim and build again. It is architecture and construction – creative, tedious and unpredictable.


At his memorial everyone spoke of his large appetites, and his robust joy of life. I do not share that with him. I am moderate, cautious of this world, a small foot in it at best. To my credit, I have built a solid relationship with myself, having navigated my interior deeply and thoroughly. My dad did not. He couldn’t or wouldn’t access his personal self, I suppose because his public self was so bright and playful. The truth is I believe what lay deep in there terrified him and so he scooted away from everything too emotional or candid. Uncomfortable with intimacy, with anything that involved self reflection, we were strangers from foreign lands, joined together in crisis.


The day after he died my mother immediately had the handicap rails and ramps, bars and stools all stripped. She wanted no reminders. There is a steely practicality to my mother, her Irish ruggedness, her “forward moving, stay in line solider” attitude. We lost this battle, but we have to keep moving. She confessed there were times lo these many months that were so excruciating that she wanted to get in her car and drive far far away. The anguish of watching someone die is so overwhelming, so impossible that it is to marvel anyone can manage it. When the brink of my despair broke and fell before me, I was shocked to see that same pain created something even more astonishing: My heart had grown and taken on a new shape.


The weeks afterward: random moments that break me up. Weird reminders, wheelchairs, canes, the smell of bacon. What do we all silently promise to do to the ones who made us? We promise to hold their hand.
Cancer was my prison, dad was the prisoner, and the light through the cell window was love. He wasn’t freed in the traditional sense, but I believe his heart was given redemption. So was mine. I never did impress him much with my intelligence or wit, nor did he me. Our conversations were never deep. Who would have guessed that I felt the closest to him when in the silence we held hands and watched CSI? There was no need to dazzle with words – words were futile and false. But I had the most elegant of weapons – a blunt sword that required simply holding, not brandishing. It was what reflected off the shiny tip that mattered. The picture of father and daughter connected by flesh, quiet and undisguised.


I do not have regrets. I spent precious time with him that weaved the smallest strand we could both tread across. It was a joint effort and one that I know involved a series of miracles. My heart is shattered for sure, but like a mirror that has fallen to the ground and the pieces have cracked and splintered, they can also be glued together. More profoundly, what is now reflected back will be better. For that is the thing about death. You change. And if you were present to it you will absorb this experience into the gallery of your life. Turns out, you don’t acquire wisdom: You become it.


As horrifying as it sounds, disease is a gift. All this time I thought I was showing up for him, administering mercy and kindness to help with the transition. But I was there for me. I suppose I had always wanted a close relationship with my father, I would have asked that he always be kind to me, respectful, and supportive. I would have hoped he and I could have been great friends, with private jokes, and mutual tastes. We weren’t and I have often wondered what other woman I would be had I had his nurturing. My dad was not my hero. He was an unformed man, demonized by his excesses and crippled emotional blankness. Sometimes when I lie on my bed, I reach my hand across the pillow like I did all those months. His hand isn’t there, but I can see his face looking back at me, with gratitude in his eyes. Never underestimate the power of holding a hand.

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Mother Learns How to Comfort Bereaved Son

By: Nina Bennett

I was used to fixing the problems Timothy, my youngest son, encountered when he was a child. If his older brother knocked down his castle of blocks, I helped him rebuild it. When he fell down learning to walk, I could pick him up. When he tumbled off his bike, I would bandage his scraped knee and send him on his way again. As he made his way through the teenage years, I was there to listen, offer advice if asked, and advocate for him when it was needed. I was faced with many difficult situations while raising two sons, but there was never one I couldn’t at least make better.

When Tim’s daughter Maddy was stillborn, I was finally confronted with something I couldn’t fix. Not only was I unable to fix it, I couldn’t even make it better. The weight of this fall was so great that I didn’t know how to even begin to stand Tim back on his feet. I had no idea of how to parent a bereaved child. As vast and rich as the English language is, I could find no words to ease his pain.


I agonized over every interaction. Should I call him? What should I say? Fearing for his mental health, how many phone calls do I let go unanswered before I intervene? Should I just go to his house and pound on the door? If I don’t call or go over, will he realize that I am trying to be respectful or will he think I don’t care?


I have never felt more powerless in my life. I cried as often and as hard for my son as I did for myself. Not only was I grieving my granddaughter, I was also mourning my son as I had known him. Images of the wonderful man my son had grown to be played through my mind. The look of sheer joy on his wedding day, the excitement in his voice when he called to tell me of his wife’s pregnancy, the exuberance shown while playing with his niece and nephew. The mother in me wanted – no, needed – to take care of him. And yet there was absolutely nothing I could do.


Just as my son had to learn a different kind of parenting when his first child was stillborn, so did I. Eventually, I realized that I could parent Tim by remembering his daughter. As much as I wished to, I couldn’t bear his grief for him but I could share it.


Rather than exhibit a misguided facade of emotional control, I could be honest in showing my son how much I love and miss his daughter. She has no physical presence in this world, but I do. I can tell her story, I can give witness to her life and I can ensure her place in our family. Through my writing and speaking, I can let my son see the impact on others of his daughter’s stillbirth.


An essential part of parenting is to set an example for your children, to instill your values and beliefs by living them. In an effort to display unconditional love, I embraced and supported the decisions my son made when his daughter was stillborn without attempting to influence them.

 

One of the most important life lessons I’ve learned from Maddy is to appreciate the beauty of the journey. Too often in life we rush through the journey, intent on reaching the destination. In some instances, the destination becomes the journey. I can parent my bereaved son by showing him that it is possible to reinvest in living, that there is still joy to be found, and that the journeys of his life, while not always what he would wish them to be, are indeed beautiful.

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Death of Grandchild is a Double Loss

By: Sherry Van Pelt

My name is Sherry Van Pelt. I am a wife to my husband Max of 43 years, a mother of three and a grandmother of three. I am also an author and speaker.


April 11 was my second-born grandson, Conner’s, birthday. He would have been 16 this year. Oh, the fun age. The 16th birthday, to me, is when you no longer feel like you are a child but not quite an adult. You aren’t quite sure where to go with those feelings you have inside you. Also, the child seems to change physically.

But I will never get to see those changes in my grandson. As a matter of fact, I never got to share any birthdays with him as he was stillborn. To this day, we do not know what happened on his day of birth, but he stopped breathing shortly before he was born. No reason was ever given.


I can still feel the horrific chain of events of that day. As a grandparent, I wasn’t sure what to do. Where is there a handbook written on “What to do when you grandchild dies?”. As a grandparent, you are in such grief and in such complete shock yourself, you aren’t sure what to do first when you are given the news of the death of the baby – and your grandbaby!


I think I remember sitting on the edge of the bed completely stunned at first thinking this can’t be happening. The pregnancy was so normal, so what went wrong?


The medical staff had taken my daughter into the operating room to do an emergency C-Section, and when the doctor came out to give us the unbelievable news, I wrapped my arms around my son-in-law, David, and sobbed with him. Later, we went to see Conner in his bassinet together and just wept. The pain in my heart was so deep as I watched his daddy hold him; he shook with grief.


Suddenly, my mind whirled as I thought: What do I do now? And what do I tell my daughter when she wakes up?
After awhile, I called my husband and the other grandparents. Then I sat and waited for my daughter to come back to her room. While waiting, I prayed and prayed for God to give me the strength to help my daughter through this. You see, a grandparent has the pain of losing a grandchild and then there is the enormous pain that you have for your own child. I don’t know which hurts worse.

When Michelle (my daughter) came out, she and David cried like I’ve never seen anyone cry before. It tore me up inside. It took my breath away. I felt smothered. Then my daughter reached out to me, and we hugged and she asked me “why?” Again, no answer. All I could do was hang on to her tight and give her my love and support.

I remember on the day we lost Conner seeing all the people in the hospital walking around. Some were talking and laughing, others having lunch in the café, others leaving in their cars, and I just wanted to yell, “Hey, stop, I just lost my grandson! You need to stop and grieve with me! Can’t you see I am hurting?!” But the world goes on around us.


The pain was at times overwhelming. I felt helpless. I wanted to fix the problem. But I couldn’t. There are some things not even a parent can fix. But with my faith in tact, I went forward and was there for my daughter at all times. I respected her times when she just needed to be alone too.


But I also remembered to grieve for my grandson. You have to. You will go through many grieving steps, and you need to take each one as it comes. Your grief won’t go away overnight, and don’t let anyone try to tell you that it will whether you are the parents or grandparents. Also, friends do console the parents, as they should, but often times forget the grandparents are grieving tremendously. People forget that a grandparent grieves twice – once for the grandchild they lost and again for their own child that is hurting.

 

I wasn’t upset with anyone, that is just the way it is. I am thankful I was raised to have strong faith in God and that is what I relied on.

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Moving stories about Grief and those left behind

Grief Through the Eyes of Children at Camp Jonathan

By: Author Unknown

Jonathan was a six-year old boy who died in 1988. Social worker Mary Lee Carroll, LCSW, served as his hospice volunteer. Her work with him and his spirit inspired Ms. Carroll to develop a pediatric bereavement program for a local hospice in Connecticut. In 1994, the organization received a grant from the Junior League of Waterbury, Connecticut, to sponsor Camp Jonathan. In 1999, Camp Jonathan was incorporated and now stands alone, and serves the needs of the bereaved in the Watertown area of Connecticut.

Every summer, Camp Jonathan sponsors a week-long summer day camp for bereaved children who have suffered the death of a significant person in their lives. The comments below on the nature ofgrief were made by children who attended a one-week support program in July 2005.

 

When A New Born Baby Dies

By: Author Unknown

When my son Gabriel was stillborn at 21 weeks we were blindsided. I had no idea that in this age of modern medicine and in a country as prosperous as the United States that babies still died. I thought it was something that only happened in third world counties, or maybe back in the pioneer days. And yet, it does happen.

When a baby dies it is hard on the entire family — but I can imagine it is uniquely hard for a grandparent. Not only are you, yourself grieving the loss of your grandbaby, but your own child is hurting as well. What do you do? What CAN you do?


Often people do nothing. It used to be that when a baby died (either before or shortly after birth), the mother was not allowed to hold or see her child. She was told to forget and to try again as soon as possible. Things have changed. It has been discovered that it is better for the healing process if the mom is able to see her baby if possible; for the parents to hold and dress and photograph and name their child. If the baby was lost earlier in the pregnancy the parents may not be able to do even this. But the moment a mom finds out she is expecting she starts making plans for, and loving, her child. A loss at any stage is devastating. To be told to forget and move on can be hurtful; no matter how well intentioned the advice is.


There are support groups to help a family facing this trial. But even though this outside help is important, I often hear that families do not feel supported by those closest to them: their own family members. Part of this is due to differences in how our generations have been told to grieve. Part of it is probably due to the fact that family members are grieving themselves. And part of it, maybe, is that it is just too sad. Too sad to think about and too sad to talk about and certainly too sad to make a particular point to remember. And yet, that is often exactly what grieving parents need, people to remember.

 

You need to do what is best for you while grieving your grandchild. Nobody grieves the same and there is no straight path for healing from this loss. But it is also important to reach out to your child.

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Stories of Grief

By: Author Unknown

I lost my Mom almost a year ago, and there are times where I just feel like I can not breathe. The grief and loss that comes over me all at once is more than I can bear at times. There are times that my daughter plays the piano and I just can’t breathe, I just can’t listen. The songs she plays are the ones that my Mother taught her. The same ones that she taught me. My daughter finds comfort in this, I want to run screaming. On the other hand I can make some of the dishes (potato salad, deviled eggs etc) that I grew up with and find great peace and comfort and somehow I just know that she is right there helping along the way. 

At times I can sit and talk about my Mom at great length, other times I can’t say one thing without bursting into tears. Sometimes it is one day at a time and other times it is one moment at a time.

__________

I recall a time when I actually called a friend whose husband had died, and I got the answering machine. She hadn’t erased his voice on the machine, and I actually talked to the machine as if I were talking to him. Looking back, I felt a little stupid, but I still felt like I was talking to him.

__________

My sister died in 1998. In her memory, I wore her wedding gown on my wedding day in 2008. Even though it was my second marriage, I wanted her to be there with me and I felt it was a way of honoring her memory and feeling her presence. I know she WAS there because we got married on the beach up north and while the weather had been very unpredictable the previous weeks the day turned out to be sunny and gorgeous.

__________

My brother, a paramedic for a very large city, was killed two years ago by what we thought was a drunk driver while he was on his motorcycle on his way home to his wife and two children. Later, we found out he was run over on purpose – he was hit by a SUV going almost 100 mph – clearly a hate crime and racially motivated. We were devastated. I had no way of knowing then that his death would change me or our family so much. I used to think that life would go on when someone dies – and it does – but when some people die, their presence was so prevalent in our lives that their passing leaves an unfillable hole of depression and despair. Life will go on, but we will never be the same.

__________

I lost my son Ronnie in a head-on collision with a tractor trailer. He was only 38 years old. It happened May 7, 2009 in Lucerne Valley Ca. the Thursday before Mothers Day and 3 weeks before he was 39 years old. Every day I wake up, he is the first thing on my mind and every night before I go to bed I look at his picture. I dream of him all the time. I planted a flower at the crash site and was watering it every week but it got to be so hard to do this. Everyone says it takes time. Time is all I have left. I kept a lot of his things and look at them all the time. Maybe someday this will get a little easier. I “will” see him again someday. I know I will.

 

__________

My beloved father passed on August 10, 2010 and I am still in shock. I cope by working, but as soon as I return home, pass his bedroom, walk down the hallway, view family photos on the bookshelf, counters, and walls I quietly weep to myself and keep thinking that he will walk out his room and ask what’s for dinner. As we ate our meal he would always tell me, ” I’m tired of living” and I would respond quickly by saying, “Oh, Dad you’re 85 and your grandmother lived to be 104”. He would laugh and say, “Old soldiers never die, they just smell that way!” I love him very much and I will always cherish the memories, but I have mixed feelings of sadness, guilt, love, and confusion. I will cope and heal as time goes by.

__________

I lost one of my twin sons at the age of 27 last year. I grieve every single day for him. People are so insensitive in that they say “well, you still have one son left.” Yes, that’s true, but my children are my heart & soul & it’s raining in my heart. Each child is different, they have their own personalities & I truly miss my son’s sense of humor, his generosity & just everything about him, especially his hugs for me. I don’t think we ever “get over” grieving. It hasn’t faded for me & I surly don’t want to ever forget how wonderful my child was & I do appreciate my other son, very much. I try to see him or call him as much as I can & as much as he allows! I tell him every time I talk to him that I love him. I too pray that there is another time & place where I will be reunited with my child.

__________

I lost my son 1 year, 4 months, 8 days and 1 hour ago. Every day I cry. I wake up every morning to the reality that he is gone. I have 2 of his shirts that he had on the day before he died with his scent still on them. I know I sound like I am nuts, but I go in my closet and look at his pictures and smell him. I live one day at a time. I don’t know how long this will go on (maybe till I am gone, who knows). I lost him in a way that is so hard to get over. But I believe that I will see him again some day.

__________

My father died 15 years ago and every day I write his name along with the names of my deceased brother, grandparents, uncle and aunt. They are not here to write their names…I do it in honor of them.

__________

I lost my son at the age of 14 due to suicide (popular in our school district at the time), that was 17 years ago and it still feels like yesterday. I did not go to counseling, did not take meds and was ok but had a lot of so called friends tell a lot of BS stories. I did have a long talk with my daughter about the issue and we came to terms with the issue. So I take the day off work every year on that day to reflect the good times we had that day was December 7,1993.

__________

I lost my fiancee to a fatal accident 2 years ago today. I still wear the ring he bought me every day. He was a local DJ and also taught me to. So at least once every couple months I will book a DJ party just so that when the music starts I can feel him again. I still wear his t shirts to bed at night, and talk to him. The pain was so awful I began experiencing panic attacks and night terrors, which still occur just not as frequently. I am currently seeing a life counseling therapist and taking anti-anxiety meds to help, but the best therapy is spraying his cologne on his pillow before I go to sleep.

__________

 

My twin sister was murdered in January of this year. It’s like the earth was knocked off its axis – I feel some days like I might have to drive myself to the pysch unit because I feel like I’m going crazy. However, it passes and I just continue to work through it one second, one minute, on hour at a time. Such a huge loss – miss her every day, all day long.

__________

 

when my cousin died, she was like my sister and we grew up together like sisters, i would send her emails and would IM her yahoo messenger…it wasnt a “not letting go” thing i think it was just “holding on to memories” thing, my way, we never used to see alot of each other physically but we talked ALL the time on messenger and emails..miss you sister-girl!

__________

I had a thought to pick up the phone and call my mommy yesterday to see how she was doing and to hear her sweet voice, but after a moment I remembered that she had died 2yrs ago. Yes in reality I never forget that she has passed away, yet sometimes for a moment I get lost in thought. Today when I get a sweet message on my phone, when it touches my heart to hear my little girls voice or hear my man tell me how much he loves me and there is joy in their voices, I think to myself…I better save this because you just never know… you never know when tomorrow may not come. Death has taught me so much about life and myself. My heart goes out to all of you that commented on this page.

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Suggestions for Someone Who's Grieving

By: James E. Miller

Something has left your life and changed it. However much you may wish otherwise, you will never be the same.
What has happened to you may be the most heart-wrenching experience you have ever known. Perhaps you have lost what you thought you could not possibly live without. Perhaps something has been taken from you that has given your life deep meaning and great joy. Perhaps you have been given news that threatens to be your undoing.

You may find that each day has become an agony for you, that you cannot escape your anguish. You may know what it’s like to finally fall asleep, only to discover that your torture does not leave you; it follows you in your dreams. When you awaken, it stabs at you once more. You may wonder how long you’ll be able to go on living like this. You may wonder if it will ever get better, or if there will be anything to hope for or live for again.


It’s possible that what has happened to you may not be the worst thing you’ve ever known. You may be able to recall times in your life when your situation seemed more trying than it does now. And yet, you may still find that the experience with which you’re now confronted leaves you shaken and unnerved. Your feelings may rush over you unpredictably, beyond your control. You may hurt deep inside. You may wonder how long your life will go on this way.


However long this troubling time lasts, chances are it will seem too long.


Almost always it goes on too long for people around you, especially those who do not understand how much your life has been affected. They may want you to return to normal more quickly than you’re able. They may not realize that your “old normal” may not be your “new normal.” They may act concerned if your sadness persists. They may resist your needing to talk about what has happened to you, and what is happening within you.


Your grieving may go on longer than you want it to. You may tire of feeling always tired. You may grow weary of your weariness. You may feel weakened by the continuing pain. Your task, however, is to remain in your pain long enough—not a day longer than you need to, but not a day less than your loss demands. For however uncomfortable this time is for you, it is serving a purpose. It is helping you heal. And all wounds heal the same way—from the inside out.


If you remember nothing else, remember this: you are not alone. Others have made the journey before that you are making now, and they have returned to lead lives that are both engaging and fulfilling. Others are making a similar journey at this moment and they are learning as you are learning. Others are around you who wish to support you and to do what they can for you. There are companions for you along the way. You may not have experienced that yet, but they’re there.


Not all the thoughts written here will be equally appropriate for you. Some will fit your situation better than others. Take the ideas and suggestions that suit you the best and offer you the most. Then leave the rest for other people, or for another time in your life. May you find here a sense of hope and the assurance that all is not lost. Yes, you have been hurt. Yes, your path is not easy. Yes, the way seems long. But, no, you do not have to suffer forever. No, you do not have to be completely overcome. No, you do not have to travel entirely alone. You can do what you fear you cannot. You can find ways to help yourself and ways to be helped. You can make this a time of growth, and you can become the person you wish to become.


In other words, you can heal. You can be whole again. You can be you.

 

The best way to handle your feelings is not to “handle” them but to feel them.


You may receive unhelpful messages from others about how to deal with your feelings as you go through this chaotic time of your life. You may receive such messages even from yourself. Here are three examples:
“You must be strong now.” Sometimes you’re expected to be strong for your own sake, and sometimes it’s for other people, usually those in your own family. “Be strong,” of course, has another translation: “Don’t show that you’re weak by putting your emotions on open display.”


“You’re handling this very well.” The translation here is, “You’re not crying and acting upset in front of others.” It’s reported that an entire generation took important cues about handling their loss from Jackie Kennedy on national TV in the days following JFK’s murder. Her private, reserved way need not be yours.


“Cheer up. You’ll be over this soon.” Many people know how to respond better to happy faces than sad ones. They have special difficulty when those faces stay sad for a long time. In a subtle way they’re saying to people like you, “Hurry up now. Let’s get this part over with.” They’re saying this more for their own comfort than for yours.


If you hear these or similar messages, you will do yourself a favor to ignore them. The best way to go through this process of dealing with loss is by following your own timetable and with your feelings firmly in place. The healthiest way to deal with your emotions is to feel them as they happen, whenever that is, wherever that occurs.
You may experience feelings you’d expect. You may be sad about what has happened and what it means for your life. You may feel depressed, even despairing. You may find that you’re more afraid than normal. You may feel lonely. You may be even more lonely when you’re with other people, including people you love. You may feel tired all the time. You may be easily distracted.


There are other feelings you may not expect to have. You may be angry, if not enraged. You may be unusually anxious and not understand why. You may feel a real sense of relief, as if a burden has been lifted from you. Afterward you may feel embarrassed that you felt so relieved. You may feel guilty, unexpectedly so.

 

Another sensation you may experience is this: almost no feeling at all. You may feel empty and numb. That’s a common reaction at first. It’s a sign that your body may be protecting you for awhile, until you are more ready to process all that has occurred.

What you are going through is an ordeal. It takes courage to face all you must face. It takes a huge amount of energy, and at a time when your energy reserves are in short supply. It takes dogged determination to keep doing day after day what is yours to do these days: to feel all that you feel.


You cannot escape your emotions. Your choice is simply this: you can experience your feelings and move through them as they surface, or you can put them off until another time. But you do not have the choice of putting them off forever. Somehow, sometime, your feelings will demand your attention. By then they may be even stronger and deeper than now.

Remember: the best way out is always through. The best way to get beyond your feelings is to experience them as fully as you can and as often as you need to.


Sometimes it makes perfect sense to act a little crazy.


Actress Helen Hayes describes her experience of adjusting to her husband’s death in this way: “I was just as crazy as you can be and still be at large. I didn’t have any normal moments during those two years. It wasn’t just grief, it was total confusion. I was nutty.”


Yes, these can be nutty times. Your sense of security may be shaken. Old ways of thinking may no longer be valid. Former ways of doing things may no longer be possible. You may feel you have lost your center.
In such circumstances it’s normal for you to act differently. You may have a hard time concentrating, and you may be more forgetful than you’ve ever been. You may find it difficult to make decisions. Or you may make decisions quite quickly, only to change your mind just as fast and just as often. You may not weigh carefully the consequences of what you decide.


Close friends may tell you that you’re acting a little strange. They may not tell you that with their words, but you can see it in their eyes. You may see it in your own eyes when you look in the mirror.


German dramatist Gotthold Lessing once wrote, “There are things which must cause you to lose your reason or you have none to lose.” If your loss has been severe, and if your pain is intense, you may have cause to lose your reason. You may feel and act not quite normal. That happens naturally when everything around you feels abnormal.


If there are signs this is happening to you, keep the following ideas in mind:


First of all, try not to panic. You’re actually in good company. Lots of people pass through “the crazies,” emerging with all their faculties fully intact. Remember that you sometimes need to fall apart before you can come back together in a healthier way.


Select one person whom you trust for their honesty and their maturity, and ask them to be your gauge. If you want feedback about how you’re responding, or if you want assistance with your decision-making, turn to that person. Don’t attempt to follow everyone’s advice — it won’t work.


Talk things out. Speak whatever is on your mind. You may find that some of your thoughts are irrational, but you won’t know that until you’ve heard yourself saying them out loud. Sometimes it’s only after you’ve spoken opposing ideas that you know both thoughts cannot be true at the same time.


Keep a journal about what’s going on inside. Then go back in a few weeks or a few months and see how your thinking is changing. Notice the ways you’re growing.


Take yourself lightly at times. While your life may feel justifiably heavy these days, it’s still possible you may begin to see the humor in some of the things you’ve said and done. Smile at yourself, and be forgiving. Remember your stories so you can retell them one day as a way of helping others, just as Helen Hayes has done for you.

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A Broken Child: Richard's Heartbreaking Story

By: Karen Lynn Vidra

My 14-year-old son, Richard, is in his room, with the door locked; and I can hear his deep, wrenching sobs through the door as he cries. He is probably having one of his horrible flashbacks again…

Richard was adopted when he was 7, 7 years ago; and his life has NOT been an easy one. He was born the child of an alcoholic father and an immature mother who was suspected of having mental problems; and from the start he proved to be a rather difficult and demanding baby. 

While he was not disabled in any way, he did, however, seem irritable and nervous, especially whenever his father went into one of his drunken rages or when his mother screamed at him to quit behaving so irrationally (when SHE had room to talk). He cried long and loud, and he often lay unattended in his crib for hours while his parents fought and argued.

One day, when his mother seemed at her worst, tragedy occurred. He was lying in his crib, crying as usual, when his mother got angry and grabbed a bottle of Clorox bleach. She poured a big handful of it into a small glass,and poured it into her baby’s mouth; that only sent him screaming all the harder, as the bleach was burning the child’s delicate throat; and then he started having breathing problems (for, unbeknownst to her, the bleach was caustic; and it burned his delicate throat and esophagal lining). That’s when Richard then quit breathing.

The father grabbed his now-limp infant son, and he drunkenly drove to the hospital; how he managed to stay ON the road and NOT hit ANY cars OR people was something that remains a mystery to this day; but then he was arrested; and the baby was forcibly taken away. He ended up having to have a tracheotomy in order to save his life; his airway was too swollen to get a tube down to his lungs via the mouth. It ended up that the child would probably need to have the tracheotomy for the rest of his life; there was just too much in the way of damage to his respiratory and digestive tracts.

The boy’s mother was also arrested on child endangering, neglect, and abuse charges. She joined her husband in jail.

The boy was put into foster care upon release from the hospital, and he languished in different foster homes for nearly 7 years. It was then when we had heard about him and his plight.

That’s when we made the decision to take him in, as our own child. He was now 7 years old.

Richard came to us about a month-and-a-half later; and we were immediately taken by this short, skinny, dark-skinned lad with the big black eyes and shock of wild blue-black hair that tended to hang in his eyes; and he smiled shyly as we hugged him and told him that we were thrilled to have him join our family.

What we didn’t know then was that Richard was prone to “flashbacks”, “flashbacks” to his once abusive childhood, and because of it he would turn violent and unmanageable. He would go around breaking things, screaming as though he was being killed, and trying to harm himself. It was really unnerving to see him whenever he would go into one of his rages.

The only thing we could do for our son was to place him into mental health counseling and to place him into a mental hospital until he could get some needed medication to control his out-of-control behavior. Plus we didn’t want him possibly endangering the lives of our younger or more vulnerable children……

Richard is now 14, and his behavior is MUCH improved; that is, he hasn’t needed to go into the mental hospital for over 6 months now, and he seems more happier and alert now than he was; but he still has his moments when the past comes flooding back; and then he cries; one must wonder what other horrible things he may have endured as a baby; how I wish I knew of a way to help him, so he doesn’t feel so alone, so scared, so vulnerable.

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I Want to Dance with My Father Again

By: Author Unknown

I sat alone in my car and waited for a break. The rain looked like thousands of winter icicles spiraling downward as it poured from the sky. I peered at the long sidewalk leading to the church doors. There was no way I was going to make a run for it. I’d spent a lot of time on my hair and used the last of my paycheck to buy the new dress I was wearing. I didn’t want to enter the service looking like a drowned rat. After all, it was Easter.

As I sat there, the repetitious clinking sound of the rain against my car lulled my thoughts to another place and time ~ to a previous Easter with my father.

“Hey, Dad.” I said.

“Well, how’s my little girl today?” he asked. Dad raised himself up in his hospital bed and flashed a grin.

“Happy Easter, Dad,” I said.

I leaned down and kissed my father on the cheek, while handing him his Easter gift. I had purchased it downstairs in the hospital gift shop. It wasn’t much, but it was all I could afford at the time.

“Well, look at what we have here,” Dad said. He held up the little stuffed Easter chick with pride. It was light pink, with feet made out of orange felt to match its beak. Attached to its head, was a gold, braided rope.

“I bought it for you to hang from the rearview mirror in your car, Dad.”

“Why thank you, honey,” he said. His bottom lip began to quiver. I bent down and hugged my father. I wanted to hold him forever, freezing that moment in time.

“Do you really like it, Dad?” I asked. His lip began to quiver again. His non-verbal communication had answered my question.

“So, how are you feeling today, Dad?”

“I’m feeling pretty good, little girl.”

“When are they going to let you come home, then?” I asked.

“I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see what the doctor says.”

“I miss you, Dad. I want you to come home – now.”

“I know,” he said. “I miss you, too.” He raised his hand and gently patted my cheek.

As I stood there looking at my father, I remembered the fun times we shared together. One of my fondest memories was when Dad used to dance with me. One dance session in particular, took place when I was about six years old.

I was sitting in the living room one morning, when Dad started dancing across the carpet. You would have never known he had just finished working the midnight shift at the local factory.

“Are you ready, little girl?” he hollered. He shook his finger, his feet, and his rump, dancing his version of the twist, while Chubby Checker played in the background. I giggled with glee.

“I’m ready, Dad,” I said.

I jumped up from my chair and joined him. I attempted to wiggle my bottom the way he was doing.

“Look, Mother,” he said. “Look at her go, Ev.” Dad cackled as he showed Mom the professional dancer he was creating.

I cherished those times with my father.

Now, just a few years later, he lay in the hospital bed before me, barely moving at all. I wanted to dance with my father, again.

I looked back over at Dad. I could see he was tired. Moments later, he laid his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes. Within seconds, he was snoring.

I reached down and picked up the Easter chick, which was still sitting on his lap, and set it on the nightstand by his bed. Tears filled my eyes as I looked back at him.

“I love you, Dad,” I whispered. I put my fingers to my lips, kissed them, and gently transferred my silent affection to Dad, barely touching his forehead.

I didn’t spend Easter that year in a church where Easter lilies adorned the altar, nor did I have a fine dinner spread out before me with all the fancy trimmings. Still, it was an Easter precious to me, because I spent it with my father.

Now, I sat in my car, alone in the rain.

A loud knock on my car window jolted me back to reality. A fellow church member had seen me sitting there.

“Hey, Deb, is everything okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” I said. “I’m just waiting for the rain to die down.” I hadn’t noticed the rain had stopped.

I looked up at my rearview mirror at the pink Easter chick which now hung in my car. It was hard to believe Dad was gone. I missed him terribly. Tears filled my eyes, and all of Heaven cried with me, as the rain began to fall again.

My reminiscing over, I hurried out of my car, and bolted for the church.

Once I was inside, the service started out with praise and worship. I wasn’t really into doing much of anything, because I thought about my Dad and began to feel sorrowful. Shortly after however, something happened. I felt a tugging on my heart and I realized something. I knew I wasn’t alone.

I had a Father in Heaven who was always nearby and watching over me. He was now the one, by His Spirit, tugging at my heart, asking me to dance with Him; just as my Dad did all those years ago.

I stood from my seat, as my Heavenly Father beckoned. “Happy Easter, Father,” I said. I took God’s hand, and began to sway to the music. It was once again Easter, and I was dancing with my Father.

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No Time to Say Goodbye

By: © Betty Sue Eaton

There are many things we do or are engaged in that we know when it’s time to say “Goodbye”, “It’s Finished”, “Project Completed”. Some of these activities are only hours long, days in duration, sometimes years in the making, but surely we all have an idea when the thing is done, over, finis, completed. And we know when to let go.

I can design, cut, grind, foil and finish a stained glass project in only a matter of hours if it isn’t too complex. Many times it may take several months to bring it to fruition, and the results are beautiful whether the project is for me or for a commission customer. 

Even if it is only a few hours long, we invested some of our time, talent, and heart into it.

My college education took me seven and a half years to accomplish from start to finish. It was a journey of learning both of text book and lecture material as well as life learning that I had no knowledge of before I enrolled.

It was a journey of absolute necessity if I was to survive in the coming years, and there was no question that it simply must be completed! When I handed in my last final exam and received a final grade from the professor, I knew that the arduous trip was finished, over, done!

But how do you know when its time to say “Goodbye” to a loved one whom you expect will not be with us for long? How do you know when their life is going to be over?

My friend of almost fifty years died suddenly, or so it seemed sudden to me. She was a loyal friend to me as a confidante, mentor, advisor, counselor, supporter, and sister not born into my own family. My husband and I visited her for a short time on our way back from a two-week’s stay with our daughter in another city. What can you chat about with such a friend in only a couple of hours? How can you cover all the things you would love to say in just a few minutes?

 

There is no way to sort out the most important things to begin with so most are left unsaid hoping your dear friend will read your thoughts in your eyes and tone of voice, in your gaze into her eyes trying to read her thoughts as well. Then it was time for us to get back on our way home in distant Utah, and we were gone.

Only a few months later, a phone call one morning told me that my very dear friend had passed away in a Lubbock hospital. They would only say she died of a lung disease, and because of my age, I should not plan to attend the memorial service. That was not difficult for me to accept as I had known for years she was battling emphysema. On that last visit to her home I noticed with shock that she was carrying around a small oxygen tank and was breathing from it as we visited. Even when I visited her and her husband before they retired and while I was still a cigarette smoker, she would excuse the smoke inside her home just to visit more without my going outside for my habit. Her door was always open to me anytime day or night, and often I took advantage of the offer and spent many weekends with them.

Her death came as a terrible shock to me. In my own desire to have her stay with us here in our mortal world, I denied her impending death. I knew it was coming yet I refused to even acknowledge the possibility, even when she wrote that she was so depressed at many of her other friend’s deaths she couldn’t even bear to raise the blinds and dress for the day. I chided her about that telling her that the ones who were left took joy and pleasure from just seeing her always cheerful face and hearing her caring voice.

Now she was gone. She was gone and I didn’t even get to tell her goodbye! I could never tell her how much she meant to my life and how much I loved her. It was too late! Maybe that is what grief is all about. Maybe we finally realize that it’s too late to tell our loved ones how much they meant to us, how much we loved them and how very much we will miss them. But when DO you say Goodbye?

In the case of my dear friend whose encouragement sustained me through the death of two of my children, a divorce, seven and one-half rigorous years of college and the privation that went with them, there were no “Goodbyes”, no confession of how much she meant to me and how much I appreciated her for the lovely person she was for me. I think that was what made the grief for her so deep and painful.

Then, I began to think rationally again and understood that through our last visit only a few months before, she could have told me but chose not to. I believe she wanted me to hold that optimistic glow I carried out of her home that day; and later, she would look back upon it and feed on it in the time she had left.

She was always there for others in whatever way she could help them. She was a giant of courage and encouragement until the very last breath she had. That is what I will remember and love her for in the time I have left.

So how do you know when it’s time to say your goodbyes? The time to say “Goodbye” is every day! Every day that we live, we should tell those we love just how much we do love them. We should tell them they are very special in our lives for being just who they are, and because God allowed them to come into our lives. Christians accept that God orders everything in our lives: our mates, our children, our families, our destinies. If we listen, He also tells when we should say “Goodbye” to our loved one who will inevitably be called home to Heaven and the home that Jesus told us He was going to prepare for us.

There is a saying in psychological circles of advice to married people experiencing difficulty in the union: Do not let the sun set on anger between you and your mate. I will enlarge that further: Do not let the sun go down on neglect between you and those who are significant in your life, be they husband or wife, family, or friend, for we do not know the hour when God will call any of us home.

 

The time to tell them how much they mean to us is everyday in some way, verbal or nonverbal. In doing so, we will never have to say as I did, “It’s too late! I never got to tell her goodbye!”

If you are grieving for a beloved friend who has been taken away, please remember they are now at home with God the Father in heaven where there are no longer any “Goodbyes”. May you find peace and comfort in that wonderful knowledge. God promised and He is always true to His word.

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Playing Hide & Seek with Grief: Recovering from Loss

Copyright 2011 by Harriet Hodgson

The church service had just begun and the congregation and guests were greeting one another. A friend, who knew four of my family members died in 2007, approached me and asked, “How are you?”

“I’m good,” I replied. “How are you?”

Widowed a year ago, my friend replied, “Oh, I’ve found that grief hides. When you think it’s gone you find yourself crying.”

I understood her comment. After losing my daughter, father-in-law, brother, and former son-in-law, there have been many times when grief reached out and grabbed me. These moments happen without warning and take me by surprise.


I expect to grieve on my deceased daughter’s birthday and I do. I expect to grieve on the 23rd of the month, the day she died, and I do. I expect to grieve on the anniversary of my father-in-law’s death, and brother’s death, and I do. But I didn’t expect to play hide and seek with grief.

 

The unpredictable moments of sorrow make me seek the causes. What triggered my grief? Could I have prevented it? Is there more grief work to do? “Grief hides,” as my friend put it so clearly, and I’ve found that it hides in the nooks and crannies of life.


Sometimes, when my granddaughter speaks just like her mother used to, I feel renewed grief. I feel joy as well. When I see someone using a walker, I’m reminded of my father-in law, and I grieve. My brother loved books and I volunteer at the library in his memory. Last week, without any warning, I felt a wave of sadness at his passing.


For someone like me, who has suffered multiple losses, there are many games of hide and seek. Some mourners have a different approach to the game and try to hide or suppress their emotions. But hiding from emotions only prolongs grief. Thankfully, I’ve always been honest with my feelings.


If I’m grouchy or feel down, give me an hour, and I can tell you why. As I grow older, I appreciate this personality trait more and more. I also appreciate my ability to identify gut feelings.


Daniel Goleman writes about gut feelings in his book, “Emotional Intelligence: Why it can Matter More than IQ.” According to Goleman, being able to identify gut feelings has advantages. This ability gives us the chance to “immediately drop or pursue” different paths with confidence and “pare down our choices.”


Nearly four years have passed since my daughter died. Of the four deaths, hers was the most painful. Despite the pain, I have learned from it and one of the things I learned was to accept the hide and seek nature of grief. I accept my feelings and move on. You see, I’m a lucky woman.


My multiple losses reminded me of the miracle of life. So I’m putting hide and seek nature of grief on notice: You may surprise me, but you will not defeat me. Happiness is mine, to savor each day and to share.

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The Greatest Accomplishment is Not in Never Falling, But in Rising Again After the Fall

By: Vincent Lombardi

These are the words I’m trying to live by. My name is Molly McMaster and I’m a colon cancer survivor.

I was diagnosed with Stage II colon cancer on my twenty-third birthday, February 19th, 1999. Since then, I’ve committed myself to raising awareness of the disease that could have killed me, and has already taken the lives of many friends.

I’ve lived in upstate New York for most of my life, but moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State University in 1995.

When I first arrived, I had visions of myself skiing, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking-basic “Colorado thoughts.” Never had I dreamed of the life that I was about to begin. Hockey! The best sport in the world!

I began playing in late 1995 and quite literally fell in love with the sport. Everything about the game made my heart race. Have you ever felt sweat trickle down your face and sting your eyes after a hard shift? Or smelled the salty, wet and sweaty palm of a hockey glove or an ice rink after a big game? Those are the things that I’ve grown to love.

I spent four years of my life living that game and learning a lot about myself through it. Every free moment I had was spent on the ice or in the weight room, and when I saw the U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team win the Gold medal in Nagano in 1998, I began having dreams of someday representing my country on the ice.

I was having the time of my life in Colorado until everything came to an abrupt halt in February of 1999. I’d been having severe abdominal pains since October of 1998, so extreme that on some days I couldn’t walk. Finally, after many tears were shed, I packed the car and drove back home to New York in hopes of finding the root of my pain. It didn’t take long.

I arrived in Glens Falls at 11:30 p.m. on February 11th, and within twelve hours, I was in the Emergency Room with a total blockage in my large intestine. “Did I swallow a tennis ball?” I asked myself.
My doctor performed emergency surgery the next morning and removed over two feet of my large intestine and a tumor the size of his two fists. I spent the next eight days recovering and calling the hospital my home.

Friday, February 19th, it was my twenty-third birthday and one I’ll never forget. My surgeon came to visit me that morning, and those first few moments he spent with me are still just as vivid today. He pulled the privacy curtain, sat on the edge of my bed and gripped my hand with a sweaty palm. He used big doctor words, and and “cancer” words that I’d never heard before…the ones he’d probably learned during his twenty years of medical school. Finally, he made it clear. The tumor he had removed was malignant. I had colon cancer.

I didn’t hear a single word out of my doctor’s mouth for the next twenty minutes, or maybe it was only five. I don’t even know. Time had stopped.

Have you ever thought about what it would feel like if someone told you that you had cancer? What would you do? I was twenty-three years old and had never even considered it. My initial thought was, “I’m going to die.” I’d already given up. Then I began thinking of the most perfect and painless way to kill myself. Running the car in the garage sounded good. And how could this have happened to me, anyway? I wasn’t at risk. It didn’t run in my family. I was a healthy, twenty-three year old female, who worked out regularly, only had an occasional drink, didn’t smoke or do drugs, and there I was with cancer.

During my chemotherapy, I had plenty of time to be angry at my doctor for misdiagnosing me with constipation, and I wanted to know why? I had had all the symptoms and she never even tested for colon cancer. I found out later that she never asked me an important question about my family history – “Do you have a family history of colon polyps?” Instead, she had only asked if there was a history of colon cancer. Soon after my diagnosis, I found out that my mother had a polyp removed at age 32, which meant that I should have been tested for it at age 22.

Since my diagnosis, I have met many more like me, young and misdiagnosed with colon cancer. I’ve made it my life to raise awareness by doing “crazy things” to draw attention to the disease. During the summer of 2000, I inline skated two thousand miles from New York to Colorado, in a trip called Rolling to Recovery, and my latest stunt has been the Colossal Colon.


Colon cancer is ninety percent treatable if caught early enough, and one of the onlyforms of cancer that can be removed before it becomes cancer, just by removing a polyp (a grapelike growth on the inside of the colon). Since the most common symptom of colon cancer is no symptom at all, everyone needs to get a colonoscopy when they turn fifty, no matter what they think their body needs.
If you are under the age of fifty and experiencing symptoms like I was, please see a doctor and be persistent. Only you know your body and only you know when something is wrong.

 

———-
Today, Molly is 30 years old and over seven years cancer free. She resides in Wilton, NY and in her free time she plays with the Arctic Foxes and the Hudson River Waves women’s ice hockey teams in Clifton Park, NY. She has received many awards, including the 2001 American Cancer Society’s Hope, Progress, Answers Award, the 2002 Adirondack Athlete of the Year, by the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board, 2002 Rotary Citizen of the Year, The Colon Cancer Alliance’s 2003 Voice Award, The Colon Cancer Network’s 90 in 9 Advocacy Award, and in 2003, Molly joined past winners Katie Couric and Marlo Thomas as the recipient of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Cancer Center Tavel-Reznik Award, which honors an outstanding leader in cancer education and awareness.


Molly has been able to tell her story in such publications as Parade MagazineAmerican Hockey MagazineandSELF Magazine, has been featured in Dave Barry’s column as well as on The Today Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live! She is also currently writing a book about her experience and speaks regularly on the subject of colorectal cancer. She remains an advocate because she connects to so many different people and hopes to be able to use that connection to teach people about this highly preventable disease.

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At The End of Your Rope? Be A Frayed Knot!

By: © Betty Sue Eaton

They were very happy in their eleventh year of marriage, her third and his third. Alcoholism, abuse, cheating, all this was the behavior of their former spouses, and both had just about given up on ever finding a happy life with someone. Then their world started to shake!

First Virginia underwent an hysterectomy and bladder suspension which was very painful and kept her off her job as Assistant to the County Attorney. But Jim was faithful and supported her all the way. After only a few months, just when things began to settle out and she could go back to work, she suffered a massive heart attack which resulted in a double by-pass.

Both Jim and Virginia were devout Christians and prayed that God would intervene and help her to heal and regain her health. She relates that she was dying in the hospital and sensed a tremendously beautiful blue calm; which seemed to be enveloping her in a sweeter and more comforting love than anything she had ever felt. She was awakened by Jim urging her to hold on and to fight to live. 

She said that she was angry with him for taking her away from the warmth and love she felt in the glow surrounding her.

After she was released from the hospital and came home, although not released from a doctor’s immediate care, Jim tried to persuade her to only go back to her job part-time and as he watched over her like a mother would her only child, she became more and more dependent on him for everything. She told me one day that she was afraid he was trying to make an invalid of her and she abhorred that. She was forty-nine years old.

Her health was tenuous but she slowly regained strength and continued to work part time in a job that she loved. Then her world came crashing down. Jim died suddenly at his job at a sign manufacturing company of anaphylactic shock from acute respiratory reaction to fumes around him. He was fifty-seven years old.

What has come about since then is nothing short of a miracle. Three months after Jim’s death, a devastated Virginia asked me if I would go with her to a grief counseling group where she could talk and share with others who had recently become widowed and were seeking help to understand how to survive as she was. I agreed and HOPE (Helping Others through Prayer and Encouragement) was begun with five core attendees. Other ladies came and went, but we remained true to the group meeting once a week in homes at first, then in the church that Jim and Virginia had helped to establish and build, and loved with all their hearts.

Her health remained touch and go, complicated by severe asthma and breathing difficulties accompanied with continuing small heart attacks; her grief knew no abatement. We prayed together, cried together and laughed together, and always studied God’s Word for encouragement and direction. We found it abundantly. Slowly Virginia’s attitude improved and she was actually smiling more than she was crying.

About six months after Jim’s death, with her longing to be with him in Heaven, her doctor wanted her to have a stress test, and since her physical ability precluded the treadmill, it was chemically induced. She said it was worse than anything she had ever before experienced and she feared she would die of the pain. She said that was when she determined that she REALLY wanted to live, and even though she missed Jim with everything in her, she told him, “Jim, you’ll just have to wait for me a little while, I want to live!”

And as Paul Harvey would say: “Now, for the REST of the story.”

Virginia made amazing steps forward in her health, worked full time, attended church every time the doors were open, took a twelve-week Evangelism Explosion course, faithfully called on many survivors of death in our small community, and progressed in her job. She was never too tired or too distressed herself to listen and council on the phone to others who knew she would help them over bad places in their own struggle with grief.

Perhaps the most amazing progress for her was selling the cabin that she and Jim had built together in our community and relocating to town where she could be closer to her church first, then her doctor, and just as much, her friends at work and in HOPE. She longed to have early morning coffee or breakfast out with her friends and associates. What a magnificent change came about her. She bloomed in her new solitary life, received a very large raise because of her excellent work as Assistant to the County Attorney which was a great affirmation for her.

Once again she enjoys her hobbies of machine knitting, handgun target shooting, entertaining her family from out of town, traveling and shopping with friends from work and HOPE, and just being alive. Since putting HOPE in abeyance for another time, she has begun a Bible Study group teaching others how to pray, study and worship the Lord in a concentrated,consecrated way, and has taken another twelve-week class in Evangelism Education.

During the past year, HOPE has been put on inactive status because she and the other ladies no longer feel the need to grieve as they did at the beginning. They all have moved past that stage of their lives and are looking forward now, not back.

Her motto should be: If you run out of rope, just tie a knot in the end and hang on for dear life! She did when there seemed to be no physical, mental or spiritual possibility to do so; and although she continues to suffer heart problems and breathing difficulties, she has survived while setting a blessed example for us who have lesser problems to cope with in our own lives.

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A Life Changing Cup of Coffee

By: © Betty Sue Eaton

Have you ever had a truth slammed into your gut like the fist of God getting your attention? I had one such experience about six months after my daughter, Paula’s death. As I visited with a new neighbor in our new place of residence, I thought to find comfort in a sympathetic woman about my age. She appeared in her driveway as I planted the flowers – mostly ‘mums’ from Paula’s funeral. She introduced herself as Kathy, and she was accompanied by her two beautiful little daughters, four-year old Elizabeth, and six-year old Elaine.

Chatting for a moment about the mums, I explained how I came by them. She invited me in for a cup of coffee and we continued to share our life stories with each other. I remarked at how much Elizabeth resembles Clyde, and Elaine looked just like her. She laughed and then told me a harrowing story of how she and Clyde came to have the girls.

She said that for four years they had been Mommie and Daddy to two little boys, and for two years they had been Mommie and Daddy to no one. I thought I had suffered the greatest loss any mother – or family- could possible go through, until I heard Kathy’s experience. It seems that she, her husband, Clyde, and their two sons and a nephew were returning to Midland after a summer retreat in Walla Walla, Washington. After a long night drive, they stopped to admire the vistas of the Grand Canyon leaving the two little boys, one aged 4 and the other eight months, in the back seat of the car asleep, while she, Clyde and the nephew got out and stretched their tired muscles. Suddenly, as they watched helplessly, the brakes on the car failed and the car with the little boys inside plunged over the precipice and were gone! Hearing this dreadful story, I was horrified. Her story hit me in the pit of my stomach like a fist and I felt my heart break.

She continued. In their church there were a large number of orphaned children and her girls were two of those. Two years after the death of their little boys, she and Clyde adopted Elizabeth and Elaine and never looked back. “Now, for two years”, she said, “We are Mommie and Daddy to two wonderful little girls. I am pleased that you think they look like us!”

Kathy taught me a wonderful lesson that day without even realizing it. Count your blessings even when one of them has been taken away! After all, I still had two of my children and for a time, she and Clyde had none of theirs. I couldn’t, and still can’t imagine what they must have endured with the loss their entire family at one time, and what strength they had to muster to survive such a dreadful tragedy! There is only one way they could have: They put their total trust in God. They never questioned His will, but instead, chose to move forward and reach out to two little girls who desperately needed a Mommy and Daddy.

I resolved that day, that morning, that I would not second-guess my loss anymore, but ins tead would appreciate all the more having had Paula for a short time and love Pam and Richard even more. I would thank God every day for the blessings He had showered on me and not complain when things did not go strictly according to me, because He is the Master, not me. Kathy will never know the impact her story had on me nor the great lesson she taught me over a cup of coffee, for which I will forever be thankful.

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Finding Laughter Again

By: © Ferna Lary Mills

Laughter. That strange emotion that causes us to breathe funny, makes our face wrinkle upwards, brings funny sounds from our throats and sometimes even causes tears to roll from our eyes. Sometimes it’s brought on simply by a word, or only a look, or a memory that suddenly comes to mind.

Laughter seems so inappropriate and foreign when we are in such deep stages of sorrow and grief. Yet laughter is still good for the soul. It allows healing to take place, stress to be released, and it bonds us together with one another when all of our bonds seem to have come loose at the seams. Yet, it’s so elusive and sometimes even unthinkable to believe we will ever laugh again.

After my mother died, I was so surprised when laughter came again, for it happened while preparing to go to her funeral. Yes, it felt so very inappropriate at the time, but it was good for the soul, and not just for me!

My parents had been divorced for 29 years. Upon learning of my mom’s death, my father drove 1800 miles to be with us kids while we buried our mother. Now, Dad being a very frugal man, owned only one suit . . . a black tuxedo he bought from Goodwill to wear to a friends wedding a few years ago. He was quite proud of his tux and bragged that it cost him only $10. Rather, he paid $6 for the tux and $4 to have it cleaned! He was so proud of his “bargain”!

When I finished dressing to go to my mother’s funeral, I turned to see Dad strutting into the room in his beautiful $10 tuxedo, complete with tails and a worn red silk rose attached to the lapel. I’m sorry, but I busted out laughing! We laughed together. Then we laughed and cried. But the tears washed out our souls and helped us to prepare for the lengthy and slow healing process. Yes, Dad did wear his tux to her funeral. However, I gently plucked the fake rose from the lapel and placed it in his pocket.

Only ten short months later, I ended up having to bury my father, too. But the memory of that tux still brings a grin to my face and a smile to my heart. By the way, we buried Dad in his favorite suit, but with a real red rose on the lapel. I know he would have been proud!

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Daddy's Hands

By: © Ferna Lary Mills

Daddy was a man of small stature, but he had a big heart, and big, strong hands. When I was very young, his hands were always calloused from hard work, trying so hard to take care of his family.


As I grew up, he had big hands to discipline with, and strong hands to hold on to. Any time I ever got into trouble, he was there to give me a helping hand, to pull me back up on my feet. Daddy always had warm hands, filled with love.

Then a time came when he had a major stroke. His right hand no longer worked as the stroke had paralyzed him on his right side. Suddenly, this man who was so independent, who never asked a living soul for a single thing, was forced to ask others for a helping hand. Daddy had been through wars, fought hunger, struggled to earn a living during tough times, and faced many crisis in his life. But this was the hardest thing he said he ever had to do: learning to ask others for help.

He struggled for months during physical therapy, determined with a will so strong that one day he would regain the use of that hand and be able to stand on his own two feet once again. Eventually, his determination paid off and he did regain some use of that hand, but not enough to suit him.

After he went home, he wrote me little notes that were barely legible, but proved his strong determination in learning to reuse that hand. He was so proud that he was able to write even short notes. We were both proud!

As he struggled with his health, Daddy continued to offer his helping hands to others, helping many in ways too numerous to count, in ways that only Daddy could.

Time passed by too quickly, and the day came that Daddy’s heart finally gave out, in spite of recuperating from the stroke and dealing with prostate cancer. I’ve felt so distraught that death took him so quickly and I wasn’t there to hold onto Daddy’s hands and to say goodbye. I felt like I had failed him.

He used to joke that he had no friends. He was quite a jokester. He also joked that he was never going to die, but rather he would just live forever, if only to prove he could. Daddy told two lies. He did die on Valentines Day, taking a piece of my heart with him. But the second lie was visible when so many of his friends filled the visitation room prior to the funeral. Each one had a special tale to tell of how Daddy was always there for them, with those great big helping hands.

Though I have many memories of Daddy, the one thing I will never forget is the strength and the love in his hands. Now, a power much higher than myself holds onto my sweet Daddy’s hands.

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One Fatal Mistake

By: Author Unknown

In a lush Victoria park, Mercedes had decided to swallow a tiny pink pill given to her by a friend.

 

The first time I really saw Mercedes-Rae Clarke, she was in Year 7, standing in the schoolyard, a tiny bird of a girl with big brown eyes and an impish smile. She was 12 years old then and my daughter Kate’s new friend.


I had heard about ”Merch” from Kate for months. Mercedes had moved into my daughter’s French-immersion class in Victoria, Canada earlier that year, a new kid thrown among a tight group of students who had been together since kindergarten.

Soon she was among the most popular in the crowd. All the boys had a crush on her, and all the girls wanted to be her friend, consulting her on hair and clothes and music and all the things 12-year-old girls spend so much time talking about. Kate would say, ”Merch says this” and ”Merch does that.”
But this was the first time I’d had a good look at her. And I thought: What a beautiful girl. What eyes! She had a big smile and a big laugh for someone so petite and delicate. The other girls towered over her.


Over the next 18 months, I got to know her, driving her in a carpool to dance class each week, often hosting the sleepovers that seemed to occur almost every weekend at someone’s home.


This is the Mercedes I knew: an adventurous, outgoing sprite who loved to shop and socialise, excelled at dance, loved to try out new hairstyles. My daughter Maddy, two years younger than Kate, idolised Merch because, unlike with some of the older girls, when Merch came over, Maddy wasn’t excluded. Merch would brush Maddy’s hair and give her a new hairstyle and include her in all the talk.


A video of Mercedes from a school camping trip last year shows her sitting by the campfire at night, stuffing one marshmallow after another into her mouth until she reaches an astonishing ten, cheeks puffed out like a crazy chipmunk, and her classmates doubling over in laughter. That was a typical Mercedes moment: an imp with eyes dancing in merriment, playing the crowd.


A few times, on dance-class nights, her mother, Sherry, would call to say she couldn’t get away from work just yet. Could Mercedes stay with us until she could pick her up? Sherry worked at a downtown funeral home as a mortician. I knew her call meant a family was having trouble with a death and she needed to spend extra time with them. ”Of course,” I’d say, knowing first-hand the juggle working mothers do to keep children safe, with friends.


Sherry was a hardworking, strong mother of three. Along with Mercedes, she had two sons: Chris, a married adult, and Kody, a year older than Mercedes. Sherry bravely left an unhealthy relationship with Mercedes’s father to forge a new life on her own in Victoria with her two younger children. They lived in the suburbs, but Sherry wanted Mercedes to have the benefits of a French-immersion programme near her work, and that meant a long commute to and from town for the two of them every day.


The last time Mercedes was at our house, before the fateful day that changed everything, Kate and Mercedes spent a lazy August afternoon, hanging around our backyard, jumping on the trampoline with Maddy and mugging and posing with our digital camera.


And then, around dinnertime on Monday, September 5, 2005, the day before she was to start Year 9, Kate burst out of her room, tears streaming down her face. Mercedes, she wailed, had tried the drug ecstasy. She had never tried any drugs before. She was now in hospital on life-support!


The day before, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in a lush Victoria park, Mercedes had decided to swallow a tiny pink pill given to her by a friend. She was with two friends; one had tried ecstasy before and said it was fun. That friend had bought three pills for about $10 each from a guy on the street in downtown Victoria.


When the three girls swallowed the little pink pills, Mercedes began almost immediately to vomit. Soon she complained of a terrible headache and that she couldn’t see. Then her eyes rolled back into her head, and her body contorted in a seizure. One of the girls ran to the nearby house of a family friend to get help.


When Sherry arrived at the hospital about 90 minutes later, Mercedes was unconscious, medical staff working around her. She never woke up again. Over the next 24 hours, she continued to have seizures, her blood pressure skyrocketed, her temperature soared, she had multiple heart attacks and resuscitations. She was placed on life-support on Sunday night. Everyone prayed a miracle would save her.


By late Monday night, Mercedes’s brain scan showed no activity: The tiny pink pill had rendered her brain-dead. Sherry was faced with what must be a parent’s most agonising decision: to disconnect her child from life-support, donate her organs and let her die. The medical staff gave the family time to say goodbye. On Tuesday, the halls outside Mercedes’s room were full of people: cousins, aunts and uncles, and friends. Sherry asked that close friends such as Kate come to see Mercedes.


For Kate and me, saying goodbye to Mercedes in the paediatric ICU is a devastating memory that will never leave us. She was lying, pale and motionless, in an ICU bed surrounded by machines, tubes in her arm and throat, her lungs rising and falling to the whoosh of a ventilator. Her beautiful brown eyes stared out, vacant and dull.


Mercedes was removed from life-support that Tuesday evening. Her organs were harvested for transplantation. Because Sherry was a licensed mortician, the hospital allowed her to collect her daughter’s body directly from the operating room. Sherry and her friend and colleague Bill wrapped Mercedes in a blanket and took her that night to the funeral home. There Sherry washed and prepared her daughter’s body for her funeral. To me the tenderness and despair of performing such a final act for one’s own child is heartbreaking.

For Sherry there are important messages she needs the world to know: Mercedes was a good kid from a good home who made a single bad decision.

Sherry says the coroner’s office told her a few weeks later that the drug was pure ecstasy – not laced with crystal meth, as rumour had it. Sherry also wants the world to know: ”Ecstasy is seen as the fun drug, the one to take to a party and have a good time with, not nearly as bad as crystal meth. But ecstasy can kill, too.”

And Sherry wants other kids to remember Mercedes. If they hear friends talking about trying ecstasy, she pleads, have the courage to tell a parent or a teacher: It could save a life. ”Mercedes made a mistake for all of you,” she says. ”Learn from her mistake.”

A few weeks ago, when we pulled out the digital camera for a family occasion, we stumbled upon a forgotten picture of Mercedes: that last day in August, caught in mid-air while jumping on our trampoline, big smile, hair flying, skinny arms and legs flailing – so alive and vigorous. So full of promise.

And my heart broke anew.

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Oklahoma

By: Clark W.

My last drunk began on December 31st 1984; it was literally a nightmare. As I drove to a New Year’s Eve party located in rural Oklahoma, I swore to myself that I would control my drinking. Around 1:00 AM on New Year’s Day, I blacked out. I later learned that I engaged the guest’s refrigerator in a fist fight. When asked to leave, I threw a whisky bottle at my host’s 80-year-old mother. I then drove towards a neighboring town to continue the celebration.

Taking the back roads to avoid the police, I accidentally drove my pick – up into a deep ditch, I was stuck. The temperature that night was minus 18º Fahrenheit and I was dressed in jeans and a light wind breaker, I decided to stay put. My truck ran out of gas and the heater quit producing heat. I became enraged and promptly tore the plastic heating vents from the dash and smashed them; I also stomped my accelerator into bits. I eventually passed out. While passed out, I dreamed that I was outside of my body floating outside the truck. Looking at my body slumped over the steering wheel, I remember promising that if I could return to my body, I would change.


I came too and started running down the country road towards some lights about a mile away. I fell down many times, but I finally made it. I was very cold. Going around to the back of the farmhouse, I knocked (Banged really) on the back door. I then scrapped the ice off the window and saw a blazing furnace inside. I broke the window with my elbow and reached through and unlocked the door, an older gentleman met me inside. Recognizing me from the area, it was a small town, he invited me in. I grabbed his furnace and babbled about something before he drove me home. When I later made my amends to this man, he would not tell me what I had said that night, knowing it would embarrass me. He also stated that when he grabbed his gun, something told him not to take it to the door.


As a result of an another bad drunk a few months before this night, I had promised my self that I would go to an AA meeting if another drinking disaster ever befell me, well this certainly qualified. My first AA meeting consisted of 6 guys whining about their problems, the basic message I got was “Life sucks and we can’t drink” and that maybe God would help them. As a hard core atheist, I was less than impressed and decided that AA was not for me. For 6 months I went to bars and would not drink alcohol. Although my life was a shambles, I was better off than when I drank. I moved in with my cousin in Dallas, Texas hoping to find work. Big city life did not agree with me. I was terribly lonely and quite frankly thought myself in desperate need of female companionship. Going to bars and not drinking was not working out.


Then one day, while looking through a Playboy magazine, a short article about AA caught my eye. The article said that coffee shops around AA clubhouses were just brimming with young ladies. The article explained that due to having shared their emotions at the meetings, these women were “ripe for the picking.” I decided that I would beat out the competition in the coffee shops by going directly to the AA meetings themselves. Thank God for Playboy magazine!


While I was not interested in a solution besides stubbornly not drinking, I enjoyed the meetings and the coffee shops afterwards, not just for the girls either. I genuinely enjoyed the friendship of AA members.

After 14 years of sobriety, I have found that my solutions to alcoholism have been directly related to my definition of alcoholism. For the first 2 months in the fellowship, when I said I was an alcoholic, I meant that when drinking I could not always control the amount I took in. Blacking out was my worst fear; this fear kept me from drinking. The solution to this allergic reaction was simple, just don’t drink alcohol. With this definition, I could live anyway I want, I chose anything but drink. The trouble was, I desperately wanted to drink. Every night I would fight the urge for just a few drinks.

 I would combat the impulse by reminding myself of my drunk a log. I would also go to lots of meetings. Being unemployed and lonely; I made 3 meetings a day. I loved to share and would always talk about my drunk stories and how my allergy made another horrific blackout a certainty if I were to drink. My only real solution to alcoholism was to remember my bad drunks and go to meetings as much as I could.


One day I was sharing about the allergy (what else?). After I shared, a man shared his feelings about the mental obsession alcoholics have with drinking, although I had heard this before, this time it had a profound effect. One thought crowded out all others. I thought “If I was a reasonable man, I would have quit drinking when I was 14 years old.” After the meeting I went back to my cousin’s apartment, she was working the night shift and would be gone for the evening.


I thought about my drinking history. I had in fact quit drinking when I was 14 years old (a few months after I started), but I didn’t stay quit, a few weeks later I convinced myself that I could control my intake if I just tried harder. I remembered all the bad drunks and blackouts, followed by quitting. I had quit many times, only to start again a few days, weeks, or months later. Always with a new plan for successful drinking. I had tried limiting drinks, wine only, beer only, etc. My quitter was in fine shape; I had a defective starter.


My definition of alcoholism changed that night. Yes, I had an allergy to alcohol all right, but it was coupled with a mental illness. This mental illness had always made me believe that, despite all evidence to the contrary, I could drink without bad consequences. Deep down I knew that no matter how many meetings I made, no matter how well I remembered my last drunk, this mental illness, alcoholism, would someday cause me to drink again.


I read and reread the chapter to the agnostic, especially the first paragraph. This paragraph asks me two questions about my drinking. If I answer yes to these questions, the paragraph tells me that I may be suffering from an illness that only a spiritual experience will conquer. I desperately wanted my alcoholism conquered. I wrestled with whether to pray or not. Since I hated the thought of believing in God, this was a tough one. Looking back at it, it seems funny. I didn’t believe in God, yet had an immense resentment against God. I mean, I don’t believe in the tooth fairy either, but I don’t have a resentment against him. I blamed God for my child hood, and thought it absurd that a loving God could have allowed all of that to take place. My new definition of alcoholism demanded a spiritual solution, what could I do?


When drinking I never really cared if people witnessed my vomiting, but frankly I was scared to death that someone would observe me on my knees praying. In addition to locking the apartment door, I braced a chair against it for added privacy. My words were something like this “God I don’t believe in you, but I don’t know what else to do. I cannot go on like this and will do what ever it takes to serve you if you are real.” An overwhelming presence rushed through me. I cannot fully describe it, other than I firmly believe it was the God of my understanding.


The next day I got a sponsor. I had heard “Tough Love John” share in meetings and was impressed with his knowledge of the 12 steps and the Big Book. His first advice to me was the best advice I have ever received in over 14 years of sobriety. John explained to me that the first 164 pages of the Big Book outlined the “program,” and was the only place that I would find specific instructions on how to recover from alcoholism. The fellowship was full of good advice on how to stay sober; but if I wanted to recover from alcoholism, I would need to follow the instructions laid out in the Big Book. John never gave me advice about jobs, girls, or anything else. He taught me to recover using the program. He knew that once I was returned to sanity, I could make up my own mind about such matters, with God’s help of course.

After a few months as a recovered alcoholic, I joined the Army. Being an all or nothing kind a guy, I joined up as an Airborne Ranger. The training was hard and demanding for a 26 year old man, and some of the advice givers in the fellowship thought it was a terrible mistake for an alcoholic to face such pressure and advised me to quit. I went through a lot in my five years as an Airborne Ranger and thank God that I was able to experience the spiritual and character growth that only certain trails can bring about, not to mention the many fine young men I was able to meet and try to emulate.

God has never abandoned me during my 14-year military career and I eventually realized a life long dream and became a Green Beret. I am currently stationed at Fort Carson Colorado and live in nearby Colorado Springs.


I met my beautiful wife at an AA meeting in Savannah Ga. we have been happily married now for 12 years (Playboy was right). We are members of the Sunday morning Breakfast Group. This group meets every Sunday at a local restaurant and enjoys breakfast and fellowship until 10 AM. At 10, the meeting starts, it is conducted like most meetings I have enjoyed around the world, with the exception of the last few minutes. The last person called to share is asked to discuss the importance of sponsorship and the rewards of belonging to a home group.

 

I recently did a five-month stint in Kosovo. For the first three months there were no meetings available to me. I read the Big Book and listen to Joe and Charlie Big Book tapes. Although I yearned for AA meetings, I found that I was much more diligent about adhering to the “Design for living that works.” My sobriety and peace of mind hinge on my relationship with the God of my understanding through the practice of the 12 steps. After three months, a small AA group started up on Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. I enjoyed several meetings there and we even got to work with a newcomer.


It just goes to show that armed with the program and the fellowship, we are never really alone.

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My Journey to Freedom

By: Laurie Glass

After years of struggling with my health, after years of giving and giving to others, and after several changes of direction in my life, I was spent on all levels. I then lost some things that were very important to me. As I began to grieve, I reached out for support from those around me. My pleas were met with silence, and I sank into depression.


I’d worked so hard, and I’d always try to do the right thing. Yet things fell apart beyond my control when I was in my 30’s, and I didn’t know how to start over yet again. I tried to look into the future, but it was blank. 

I looked inside, and I didn’t know who I was anymore. I also became angry with God for the way my life was turning out and distanced myself from Him.


I consciously began to restrict my food intake in an attempt to control at least one area of my life. I knew this was an anorexic behavior, but I reasoned I would do it temporarily just to get through a difficult time. But it didn’t take long before anorexia was controlling me. I took diet pills, and my doctor threatened to hospitalize me to get me off them. Although it was hard to do, I went off them on my own according to his instructions.


While grieving over losses, healing from hurts, questioning my life and purpose and so on, I was overwhelmed with my emotions as well as afraid to allow them to surface. I thought I would lose complete control. As it was, there were times I really should have been hospitalized. I was depressed and suicidal. In fact, in my mind, anorexia was a slow form of suicide. I went through some emotionally scary times. In time, I had to let some feelings surface, and I spent countless hours in tears writing in my journal. It was an emotionally excruciating time.


God pursued me and after some candid talks with Him, we became close again. It was wonderful having my Best Friend back. I learned how patient, forgiving and gracious He was, and I will always treasure that time in my life when He drew me back to Him.


I went through another job change and bought a small home. It was great to be settled in, but I still had underlying issues to work through.


I did well with my eating early on, but then I relapsed for a long time. I went on and off the diet pills several more times. At that point, my goal wasn’t to lose more and more weight, but I couldn’t accept the last bit of weight gain. So I got caught up in a gain-lose cycle. There were times I thought about trying to fight anorexia again, but I couldn’t think of a reason to try. Besides, I didn’t want to go to all of that hard work only to relapse again. On the other hand, I couldn’t take the ups and downs anymore, and I was getting sicker. So I decided to fight one more time. I was finally willing to see a dietitian and obtained a meal plan.

By this point, I’d worked through most of the underlying issues – the grieving, allowing my emotions to surface, journaling through tons of thoughts and feelings about God, relationships, the direction of my life and so on. I wrote verses, inspirational quotes and truthful statements on note cards. This was effective in changing my thoughts about myself and in alleviating my doubts that I would break free of the eating disorder. After living with anorexia for going on six years, I fought it harder than ever.

But I didn’t fight on my own. I leaned on God in a way I never had before. During those final months, I ate better, felt better about my life, had hope of breaking free of the eating disorder, and I didn’t look back. It was 2003, and after doing so much of the hard work of recovery, I knew I was very close to breaking free. Then on a day I call Freedom Sunday, God spoke to me in a very profound way and freed me of anorexia! It was an amazing experience!


Now I’m a new person who takes care of herself, is content with her life, laughs every day, has healthier coping skills and relationships, possesses a renewed hope, keeps healthy boundaries in this vulnerable area of her life, and is ever so grateful that God didn’t give up on her.


Now it’s my passion to reach out to those with eating disorders which I do through my writing as well as through my website, Freedom From Eating Disorders. www.freedomfromed.com There I offer encouragement and support as well as practical recovery helps. I want others to enjoy the same freedom I now embrace.

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My Journey from Darkness to Light

By: Patricia Potts

 

Patricia, mother of 5, writer, speaker and singer shares her story of hope and recovery. In her 20’s she lived through major dysfunctional depression then later learned she was bipolar.

Mother used to say that as a young girl I was either all the way up or all the way down! Little did she know that even at an early age I was displaying symptoms of bipolar illness. I was about 4 months pregnant with our fourth daughter when I was in my 20’s. My husband, Dan, came home from work one day to find no dinner and me sitting in the kitchen with our 2 daughters running around in a messy house. One had a dirty diaper, the other had hardly any clothes on.

A boy in my preschool had been out of control when the parents came to pick up their children and I was embarrassed and depressed about it. When Dan asked me why everything was such a mess I replied “You’re right, I’m a horrible mother and a terrible wife, I just can’t do anything right!” Grimacing, he went downstairs with the girls to watch T.V. so I could calm down, but I didn’t calm down this time.


Something snapped inside of me as I realized that no matter how hard I tried I could never make everyone happy. I could never be the “Patty Perfect” I so desperately wanted to be. All things considered, I also believed that my husband and children would be better off without me. I put on an old coat and left the house not knowing where I was going and not expecting to come back. The first night I spent on a cot in the basement of a stranger’s house. I realized that leaving my home meant loosing my preschool, my daycare, the trust of my husband and all semblance of self-esteem. When I returned three days later I wash shaky, fearful, confused and withdrawn. I then spent the next 3 months wading through dysfunctional depression. Much of my time was spent staring at the ceiling and wishing God would take me home while my mother-in-law took over with the house and kids. There was no internet searches or support groups that I knew of but I was blessed to have a good therapist who taught me many helpful ideas. Among the most significant lessons, however, came when I attended a workshop where I learned the four stages of overcoming loss. I applied those steps (denial, acceptance, rebuilding, sharing) and was finally able to begin to functioning again. About a year after my baby was born I began teaching classes at the library and community education about HOW TO UNDERSTAND AND OVERCOME DEPRESSION.

My next relapse came when I became overly involved in trying to help others going through depression. Along with some other women I started a magazine and a network for women suffering from depression. I spent most of one night typing bylaws for our new organization. The next morning I crashed. Depression rearing its ugly head again and I got sucked in.


That morning after the older kids when to school and I got someone to watch our preschooler I wiggled into a sleeping bag, and crawled beneath the kitchen then called a suicide hotline.

I was livid when I got an answering machine! Fortunately, when I tried a different number and I was able to talk to a woman who listened to my plight and suggested that I get to a psychiatrist. Her encouragement together with that of a friend led me to make an appointment.


The day before I went to see the psychiatrist I asked a dozen friends to pray for me at 11 while I was meeting with him. I didn’t want to be one of those people who had to try multiple meds to find something that worked. That day I was put on a medication that has worked for me for over 20 years (that is when I take it and use other tools of recovery.) I went through a few more relapses while I learned that, although exercise, cognitive therapy, herbs and the other ideas, I truly did need to stay on my meds.


My life today is far different than it was during my relapse days. Although I have my bad days, I have learned that with the help of medication, recovery tools and the example of others who are successfully living with mental illness I am able to stay in recovery and help others do the same.

 

My husband and I now have 5 children and 7 grandchildren. In moderation I also enjoy writing (I’ve written 2 book to help people with bipolar), speaking, teaching guitar and singing. I find life both challenging and fulfilling. It has been said “Trouble makes us one with every human being in the world.” As we face our troubles together as individuals blessed with bipolar may we find the positives in our illness and learn to harness it so we can be better people. If I can be of help to you please let me know. – Patricia


patriciapotts.com

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Emma's Story

You’d never pick him out as an abuser, he was small built and never got into fights and everyone who met him thought he was a sweet guy. When I was thrown out of home and had to live with him he very suddenly started to get rough. It was minor stuff like shoving me, being all up in my face, not serious stuff but looking back it started then. When I was pregnant he suddenly became very violent: what had been pulling my hair got to be him kicking me in the stomach. 

The day after I’d had the abortion was the first time he raped me. One morning he “accidentally” shoved me in the stomach so hard he pushed me out of bed and I screamed in agony. In the space of a short few weeks this was my life and I was dead inside. It really was that fast, the violence came like flicking a switch and I was instantly shattered by the horrific abuse.


A few people tried to get me to leave but by the time they were doing that I was already deeply traumatised by months of verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Then because I didn’t leave people said I must like it, that I must be making it up, that by not leaving I was choosing the abuse and I deserved it. I was so low and vulnerable that I believed what they said. I used to scream and scream for help and nobody would come, people would hear but ignore it. This makes me cry now writing it. People heard but they thought I wasn’t worth saving because it was my fault for staying.


After a few months I was a shell. I was getting so drunk I couldn’t walk every day of my sad life. On a good day I’d just pass out drunk at home, on a bad I’d get a beating. Fortunately most of it I’ve blanked out but what I remember has left deep wounds. When he beat on me it would be hours, shoving me against walls, twisting my fingers and banging my head against things … then he’d get aroused. I’d be sobbing and screaming hysterically, my poor face bright red and swollen from tears and I’d have to carry out degrading and painful sex acts. If I refused he’d rape me. This was my life.

During the years that we were together he’d worked himself into believing that I was responsible for everything that went wrong in our lives. If he made a mistake at work it would be my fault for distracting him, it was my fault he couldn’t get it up because I was so ugly and so on. This was fortunate because he met someone else and decided that because I was so awful and he was such a victim it was fine for him to chuck me and move her in.

I gradually rebuilt my shattered life and slowly realised that what had happened to me was domestic violence.
I’ve got over the worst of the problems but what still cuts me up is other people’s anti-victim prejudice, people saying that we deserve it for not leaving. When I told a friend I spent literally hours explaining why victim blaming is wrong yet a few months later she said she had “no sympathy” for victims because we’re “nobheads” and bring the abuse on ourselves. I gave her numerous chances to apologise but she refused despite knowing how deeply she’d hurt me. What surprised me is that she found being diagnosed with herpes so upsetting she suffered sexual dysfunction and had to go to counselling yet thinks that being traumatised by DV makes you an idiot – but I guess bigotry isn’t logical. Even after she moved to work in telematics she ignored my attempt to resolve things so eventually I had to cut her out.


Last time I spoke to my ex he was still martyring himself and making me out as the bad guy. He absolutely believes it, passionately believes that he was the victim and that I made a big deal out of nothing. I value every day that I’m alive even though I have permanent problems with my speech, memory, nightmares, flashbacks, hearing, sex, intimacy and physical scars because I know I’m lucky to have broken the cycle. If you’re reading this and you’re going through it I just want to say sweetie, you can escape this and whatever anyone says this isn’t something that you cause or deserve. I’m not a victim, I’m a survivor and you can make that change too.

 

~ Emma.

 

 

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The light on SAD

I self-diagnosed SAD when I was 17 or 18. I read about the condition and made the connection. I’d felt a “darkness” come over me for as long as I could remember around September each year and would withdraw from social activities and become nervous and anxious, feeling a desperate need to be at home and in the company of family – insecure and terribly clingy.


As a child, I would cry a lot and ask to go home from school in the winter months. I wouldn’t socialise with other children after school.

Even as an adult I couldn’t bring myself to make social dates during winter – a sharp contrast to my summer life where every day is filled with appointments and events.


During my college years, my attendance dropped every year between October and Christmas when I couldn’t discipline myself to get up and go into classes. Until the sun rose I couldn’t function or clear the negative feelings I was experiencing because it was dark outside. As a result, relationships with my tutors went downhill and my work suffered. I was passionate about the illustration course I was studying but the effects of SAD kept me trapped.


I discovered light therapy a few years ago after staying with my older brother who had bought a SAD light. While staying with him one weekend he was using it a few hours a day and I was exposed to the light. I wasn’t aware of it working for me until he switched it off and immediately I slumped into a depression. It was an epiphany – he switched off the light and I crashed… I realised how normal I’d been feeling while it was on. I wanted my own light and purchased one after I graduated.


Now I can get up in the mornings and go to my work. Living with my partner helps enormously as his support and encouragement really helps. Without him I’d not discipline myself at all! The Pharos offers some relief. I still hide away but feel more… normal. I’m less lethargic through winter days. My colleagues commented on my lighter moods just a few weeks after I’d bought the light box. They found me easier to work with than previously and I began feeling more productive.


I talk about my feelings with friends as much as I can – it helps me to admit this ‘SAD’ problem and gives them understanding of why I retreat from social life for a period of time.

 

My advice to anyone who can relate to my story and experiences is to try light therapy. I have never heard of anyone it doesn’t help. In addition, get a support network – tell friends, family and colleagues what you’re going through so they can at least understand what is happening to you. If a holiday abroad is affordable then get away in October. The effects of the sunshine and the whole ‘holiday feel good factor’ can last past Christmas.

 

 

http://www.lumie.com/help/success-stories/katie

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A Fresh Journey Through Loss

The day I lost my husband my heart felt ripped out, a feeling I had never experienced before. I felt clarity in the moment and confusion over where I was going, all at the same time. I wanted to cry at the injustice of a widow at 47 years of age. I had three boys and they each needed their father. My husband Joseph had always said the boys could get along without him. I’d tried to tell him he was wrong. Our boys, 11, 18, and 19, needed him more than ever. He had said he was certain they would be okay.

They were his boys, they were strong. How can you be okay when you lose your father? Their ages didn’t matter; the loss was real.


I hated that my kids saw their father waste away. I know it bothered Joseph tremendously, but it wasn’t something we talked about or could control. It was a difficult way to remember a loved one. He didn’t like anyone to see him like that, with sunken eyes and barely weighing anything at the end. He always joked, right up to the last 18 hours. It hurt that the kids will remember how he looked when he died, but it raises me up to know they also saw how he died-without complaint, fighting and doing his best to the end. Going about life the best he could.


Joseph died the way you think a man should die. Like in an old Western movie, with courage and dignity. Not once did he say “Why me?” If he ever thought it, he never said so. He was very matter-of-fact when telling anyone he was sick with cancer. If people were interested, he’d share the different things he was doing to beat it. He had elected not to do chemo and radiation, but instead went the route of alternative medicine.


Emotion rocked me up and down while my family lived with the knowledge that cancer was in our midst. Emotion and determination were the glue that kept me together for the entire 11 months he was ill. I always said to myself, “No matter what happens, we’ll be okay.” I still believe that, even now, almost five years after his diagnosis. There are still moments of loneliness that transcend the grief, but it is true time has a way of smoothing and healing loss. Memories of our life together aren’t forgotten, but remembered with a smile or reminiscent grin. I understand what it means when they say something is bittersweet. It applies to memories of a life shared and then broken apart. I feel we all heal in different ways and there is no prescribed way to go about it; it is each individual’s private journey. To some degree, we have the help of friends, family, and loved ones, but ultimately it’s our show.


The journey has been difficult these many months and years. The second 6 months I found more difficult than the first six months. The first several months I was caught up with keeping myself busy with business, working, and making money. I had to deal with death certificates, lawyers and social security, then there were insurance claims and survivor benefits and hospitalization coverage. The invoices for the hospital tests the last months of Joseph’s life were still coming in the mail six months after he’d been gone. We had a car payment I continued to pay, even though the bank told me I could stop since the car loan death benefit would pay off the balance. I had excellent credit, but if I had followed the bank’s advice, I would have had a mark against my credit since it took six months to receive the final payoff. We had bought the car three weeks before we found out Joseph was sick, so after requesting all of Joseph’s doctor reports, the insurance company finally paid off the remaining balance. These practical, mundane matters kept me focused on day-to-day living.


I remember after Joseph died I suddenly felt I had a lot of time to do whatever I needed to do, as if the days had grown longer. I could now leave the house, whereas I’d had the constant thought the previous eleven months that I had to make sure Joseph’s pain medicine was covered or there weren’t any doctor appointments that may be missed. It’s like I couldn’t figure how to pick up the previous threads of my life, since life for almost a year had centered on Joseph’s illness.


My strength in keeping myself on an even keel was out of concern for my kids’ welfare. I had no time to be lonely or even think about being lonely and it was easier handling the daily living that way. I kept very busy. For me, the hurt seemed to magnify and became more noticeable about five months after Joseph’s passing, right around our first wedding anniversary. It was a gnawing emptiness that at first hurt more when I saw other couples together.
The date of our anniversary my sister-in-law, my mother, and my oldest son called me on the phone. Their concern meant a lot, but I knew I would have to figure out how to deal with these dates in a way that worked for me. My kids took a picture of Joseph and I from happier times and had it enlarged and framed. They presented it to me with a card in which they had all written a little something. I was incredibly touched and I recall hugging each of them while I sobbed; their thoughtfulness something I’ll never forget.

The first Christmas after Joseph’s death was the most difficult in my memory. I went into a sort of depression, a mixture of sadness and self-pity, two weeks before the holiday and a few weeks after. I didn’t even know it was depression pulling me down until one day that heavy, sad feeling really hit me. I was so terribly alone and lonely. In my room, I would allow myself the luxury of tears. I use the words “allow myself” because for some reason I felt guilty hiding and crying.

Our family always spent Christmas at my parent’s house with my four brothers, my sister and all their families. It had been that way for years. I had always enjoyed being with family at this time, carrying on the tradition started when we were kids. However, the first year it was very difficult being around my happy, boisterous family, seeing the complete units. Mother, father, children. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Yes, it hurt. It wasn’t jealousy, I was just made acutely aware of the fact that I no longer had that complete unit. Sometimes it is so true that you don’t realize what you’ve lost until it’s no longer there. I walked around with this dull ache in my chest that wouldn’t go away. I put on the face, without even thinking about it, so everything would look fine; everyone would think I was fine. I could handle anything life shoves in my face. I’m strong, I told myself repeatedly. I don’t need anyone. That was my litany. I will not embarrass myself by crying or being needy. I couldn’t stand to be a needy, whining person. I understand it in other people but I told myself I’d never be needy or desperate. How could I embarrass myself by showing the true emotion inside, maybe even shedding tears in public? That was not me. Perhaps little snatches of it slip out now and then, but never all the gut-wrenching emotion I kept hidden.


Especially in front of my kids, I remained strong. I didn’t want them to be scared or worried that I was cracking up. Whether they knew it or not, they needed me more than I needed to break down. That was my thought, right or wrong. And maybe that is how my kids faced the world also. They kept it all together and sometimes I just wanted them to come to me so I could hold them close and reassure them that everything would be okay. I wanted to remember what our lives were like before everything turned upside down.


The boys rarely cried in front of me. They were really men in the making, taking it on the chin. I know we all had our moments of crying, but I only saw glimpses here and there. My boys kept their own counsel and perhaps they were taking their cue from me. Many times, I was operating in a revved-up mode.


In hindsight, I know keeping my emotions in control was just a way of handling life. At some point, I began to want someone in my life to fill up the empty hole inside me. I would be driving down the road, and I’d hear a song that struck a chord and it resonated in me. I’d start crying; deep, wracking sobs pulled up from the depths. Where did that come from? Just when I think I’m on an even keel, something as simple as a song sets me off. Was I heading for a breakdown?


I kept looking outside myself for help, all the time drawing closer to the truth that all answers must be found within. There are no quick-fix answers. I saw different professionals to discover the contentment within myself, and this questioning directed me on the road to finding the happiness within. I’m always willing to learn and listen. I’ve worked on myself for most of my adult life, but never more concentrated than in the several years. It’s like I’m both the experiment and the mad scientist directing the whole thing. Sometimes it is a scary prospect, thinking I was in charge of everything. There was no getting away from the truth, I was well and truly on my own, for the first time in my life. How can such a prospect be frightening and yet liberating at the same time?

 


Elaine Williams is a mother of three boys and a widow of four years. Her story is the story of many women

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Tsunami

Harumi Watanabe rushed home to her elderly parents as soon as the earthquake struck. “I closed my shop and drove as quickly as I could,” she said. But there wasn’t enough time to save them. “They were old and too weak to walk so I couldn’t get them in the car.”


They were still in the living room when the tsunami hit. Though she gripped their wrinkled hands with all her might, the force of the water was too strong.

Her mother and father were ripped from her grasp, screaming that they couldn’t breathe before they were dragged down. Her last words to them as the surge filled their family home with water, mud and carnage had been a desperate cry to “stay together”.


Watanabe was then fighting for her own life. “I stood on the furniture, but the water came up to my neck. There was only a narrow band of air below the ceiling. I thought I would die.”


Watanabe is one of the fortunate few residents to survive in Shintona, a coastal town near the centre of Japan‘s biggest earthquake since records began and one of the worst affected by the tsunami.


The nearby bay is filled with cars, concrete and half-sunken homes that have floated away from their foundations. A railway line has been ripped from the ground and twisted vertically like a garden fence. Cars and motorbikes lie broken and so roughly reparked by the tsunami that some balance precariously on their bonnets. Emergency and media helicopters buzz overhead and the bereaved sob by the side of the road. The air is rich with the rotting smell of disaster and death.


Japanese army personnel and rescue workers search for bodies amid the mud. Their work is sporadically interrupted by earthquake alerts and tsunami warnings, but they do not have to look far. The dead are wrapped in blue plastic sheeting and laid on military stretchers.


Their numbers rose as quickly as the dozen or so rescue workers were able to find and carry them.

“We have found 50 bodies here today and there’ll be more,” said an officer in the self defence forces as his team took a quick lunchbreak. “We’re putting more efforts into rescue elsewhere as there is very little chance of anyone surviving here.”


The death toll in and around this area looks certain to rise. Drive east from Sendai and there are several stretches of devastated coastline.

Helicopters buzz above Xintomei and Nobiru, where hundreds of bodies have reportedly been discovered. Further round the coast in Minami Shirazu, close to 10,000 people are reportedly missing after their town was engulfed by the tsunami.


The full impact is still to be revealed. Rescue operations have been hampered by disrupted communications and ruptured roads. Travellers to the region are confronted by long traffic jams, broken fuel supply systems and diversions around broken nuclear power plants.


Since Friday’s earthquake, which has been upgraded to magnitude 9.0, the confirmed toll from the multiple calamities has climbed to more than 1,300 deaths, 1,700 injuries and at least 1,000 missing people, according to the National Police Agency. Many believe that is just the start. The beleaguered residents of Japan’s north-east have been exposed to a cocktail of terror that would seem far-fetched even in a disaster film.


Following the massive quake and a biblical flood, hundreds of thousands of residents have also been evacuated from the site of three broken nuclear reactors. Chemists have been inundated with previously unheard of requests for potassium iodide, which can help minimise the risk to the thyroid glands in the event of a release of radioactivity.


So many aftershocks ripple across the region each day that many locals ignore the official advice that they hide under tables until the tremor has finished. This is dangerous, according to Takashi Yokota, director of the Earthquake Prediction Information Division of the Meteorological Agency, which warns of a 70% chance of a further quake of 7.0 magnitude or greater in the next three days.


Much of the concern is focusing on of the elderly. At Shintona, about 90% of the victims were described as old, suggesting this might become a defining characteristic of the disaster.


After the Sichuan earthquake in China, in which an estimated 90,000 people died, the focus was on building design and the large numbers of children who died in collapsed schools. In Shintona, however, buildings have – for the most part – been remarkably resilient while the elderly population have proved painfully vulnerable. Several locals said the young had been able to flee quickly after the tsunami warning was issued, but the old found it harder to run.

“There are many old people here,” said Jiro Saito, head of the local disaster countermeasures committee. “We have evacuation drills, but people could not get to the meeting place in time. The tsunami was beyond our expectations.We must reflect on our shortcomings.”


Japan is proud of having the world’s longest life expectancy, which is particularly evident in rural areas. 

Shintona’s large elderly population is evident in the intimate belongings now scattered in the muddy streets – 12-inch vinyl albums of Enka (Japanese blues) classics, a walking stick and tatami mats.


This community is home to one of Miyagi’s first old people’s homes. The care manager, Kiyoko Kawanami, said she was able to confirm only 20 of the 90 residents as safe. “We don’t know what happened to them. The tsunami hit while we were trying to organise an evacuation,” she said.


Kawanami took one group to the emergency shelter in Nobiru primary school. “On the way back I was stuck in traffic. There was an alarm. People screamed at me to get out of the car and run uphill. It saved me. My feet got wet but nothing else.”


The fate of the other residents remains unclear. Shigejiro Murayama had come to look for his lost brother. While his wife cried and sighed beside him, he silently progressed as quickly as he was able with a walking stick. But he had to turn back when he saw what had happened.


“There is no road left,” he laughed darkly. “This is a mess. Look at what has happened.”
In the nearby city of Sendai, smoke continues to billow across the sky from the fire at a petrochemical factory. The air is filled with the sound of sirens and birdsong.


Ai Matsuhashi is showing signs of post-traumatic shock. “I can’t sleep. I feel like the world is shaking all the time. I heard that is normal after a big earthquake, but I’m still worried,” she said .


In a first step towards rebuilding her life, she has tried to tidy up and repair the broken furniture and belongings. But it is a frustrating task because each time she cleans up, there is another aftershock that tilts everything back over again.


Since the electricity was restored on Saturday night, she has left the television on for comfort, but there are other worries “My biggest problem is the lack of a toilet. The authorities tell us we should use plastic bags. But I can’t bring myself to do that.”

Shortages of water, fuel and food are a major concern. The city and surrounding areas are filled with long lines of people and cars queueing up for water and petrol.


“We evacuated to high ground and a strong modern building so we are safe, but we haven’t had water or electricity since the quake,” said Yuta Kimura as she waited for her turn to use a well at a shrine in Matsushima.

The authorities have established refugee centres in municipal schools and gymnasiums, but several people said they were reluctant to go. “There is no point going to Sendai,” said Toshinobu Abe.

 

“They have just as little food and electricity as us. The refugee centres there are too crowded. We are better off seeking shelter at the temple near our home,” he added as he tried to salvage some clothes and blankets from the mud, weeds and fishing nets in his now uninhabitable home.

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Death With Dignity

My story is not about death as the title implies…it’s truly about a well-lived and joyous life. My mom was a vigorous women her entire life; captain of the cheerleading squad in high school; married a handsome, ambitious military man; mother and ever-vigilant guardian of nine children. She mastered every part of her life with a gusto and enthusiasm that few have the courage to muster. Strong, feminine and self-determined, Mom was a complete woman in an age where that just wasn’t the fashion.

It should be no surprise based on that description that you would find that she was a strong advocate of advance directives. Simply put, an advanced directive essentially is a legal tool that allows your wishes to be followed in the event where your incapacity prevents you from doing so yourself.

 

Her illness and eventual passing were sudden in terms of her vigor. She remained very active and virile despite problems with Coronary Artery Disease. She endured several rounds of angioplasty where the medical team inserts a balloon catheter and inflates it within the artery to increase the blood flow. It was only a matter of time I guess that she would eventually have to have coronary by-pass surgery.

 

When the time came for that surgery, she knew it wasn’t going to be routine. She already had the advanced directive drawn up but it’s what she did with it that makes her situation inspiring to others. She didn’t wait until her incapacity took away her ability to express her wishes. She took the time to make sure that we all had it before her surgery. She used the advanced directive as a foil to make the grieving process in case of her death much easier. Just in case, she started with the advanced directive but expanded to how much she loved her life, her husband and her children and that if something should go wrong to where she wouldn’t be the woman we knew her to be, that we should celebrate her life and let her go. She clearly and plainly laid it out that if God was going to take her, she had some things she had to do before that happened.

 

In reflecting her illness and death, what she was actually doing was stating terms. If she was going to die, she was going to do so on her terms. She was going to master her death just as she did her life. If she was going to be severely disabled from her surgery, then she told us plainly and simply…I want to die in my own bed with my family around me.

 

True to her premonition, her surgery didn’t go well. Self-fulfilling prophecy? And true to our promise and her wishes, we were able to take her home to her bed, with her loving family surrounding her and she took her last breath with her husband and family sending her off with tears and kisses.

 

We truly live our lives in seconds…moments. I share this story only to compel you to take the time and write your advanced directive in spite of whatever state of health you’re in. Then take that document the next step…tell your family you love them but just in case…here’s the play book. They’ll love you for thinking of them.

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I went to a party, Mom…

There are times when adversity seems to visit us in forms that we had never anticipated. We can live our whole lives attempting to do what we know is right. The things that our parents taught us echo in our hearts and we keep to the promises that we have made. But life is an interconnection between us all. What we do, one day, can affect all the tomorrows of another. In some cases, these actions can give hope to those around us. In some instances, the actions of others can damage that hope.

In our next illustration, we can see how the poor choices of one can adversely affect even those who have made a good choice. When we truly understand how close we all are to each other, then maybe we will consider our own actions. Not just in the light of what they may mean to their own circumstances, but what they may mean to others and those who are bonded to them, as well.

Fortunately there are those who take the time to illustrate these truths regarding our own interpersonal connections. These voices are intended to reach out to those who may have never considered how their actions affect others. But when you see these reactions through the eyes of those who have been touched by adversity, then you come one step closer to understanding the connected nature of humanity.

~ George Parker, N.D.

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Surviving Tragedy

By Dr. Randy Wysong

The loss of loved ones is inevitable. The tragedy is not so much for the one who has passed as it is for those who remain and suffer guilt, regrets and loneliness.

There is no adequate way to prepare for and no way to escape tragedy other than to die before anyone close to you does or be a recluse and not permit close relationships.

However, close, loving relationships are a wonderful part of life. Perhaps the pain we feel from the loss of a loved one is to teach us the very meaning of life, love, and to treat it well when we have it.


But everything should be in measure. To throw oneself totally into another person and lose self and independence is a formula for disaster. When the loved one is gone, meaning can be lost which in turn can jeopardize health and life. Love well, but always keep a part of yourself that can survive in the absence of the loved one.


Rejection by someone you love can bring almost the identical pain and suffering as losing someone to death. It can be even worse since the lost person’s presence continues as a constant reminder. The wound is irritated, scraped, reopened again and again.


The best way to survive tragedy is to plan for it. For one thing, if you are self-developing, as this book is encouraging you to do, you will have an independent life that you can fall back on. But also know beforehand that there will be no quick or easy healing. Pain and sorrow are part of the healing process. Do not assume life is ending or that the acute pain will remain forever.


Think of a tragic loss like receiving a deep knife wound to the brain. First there is the sharp and excruciating pain (for this metaphor forget that brain tissue has no pain receptors). Then there will be less, but more chronic pain. Brain/heart healing has inevitable ups and downs. Grieving is like any other wound. It can be reopened (like stubbing a toe on the mend) by a memory, a song, a visit or acquaintance and then re-closed. The further the distance in time from the event, the more quickly the wound re-heals when re-injured.

With more time (usually at least two years) the wound closes more completely. Once the ‘scar’ is in place, the pain is duller and continues to fade. Life becomes livable again even though the scar is never totally gone.

This natural healing process, in which time is the most essential element, is a reality all of us must understand to survive well through such an ordeal. The pain you feel is not unique and is not the most anyone has endured. Give yourself time to heal and do smart things that will speed the process and ease the suffering.

That is easy to say, almost impossible to understand or implement when tragedy strikes. During the healing stages you must force yourself to do certain things. Do them not because it is what you feel like doing (you won’t) but because it is necessary for your survival. Exercise, social contact, rest and good nutrition are essential. These are the factors your mind needs as building blocks for the healing process. Do not let your healthy routine stop. You need to buy time and the best currency is to continue with smart living.


Becoming active in a cause that helps others, or one relevant to the loss. Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the America’s Most Wanted television program are two such examples, can speed the healing process by distracting, forcing you to think outside of yourself to the feelings and needs of others, and gives that all important sense of control and purpose.


Determine now, before tragedy strikes, that you will do these healthy and interpersonal things to heal whether or not you feel like it.


People who stop eating and shut themselves in their room to mourn only delay healing and may even create life-threatening disease. The mind-body connection is very real. If you give up and wish death, your body listens. That is why so many people fall victim to serious illness and even die close in time to the loss of a loved one. Although you may feel like giving up, others love and need you. You have a responsibility to them and to yourself to treat your gift of life with the respect it deserves.


Tragedy is a universal and shared human experience. For those of you who are enduring personal tragedy, the heart of the rest of humanity aches for you and wishes for your speedy recovery. For those not experiencing a loss, love well while there is opportunity so there can be no regrets.

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It's just one of those Animalriffic days

Mom, Dad, Uncle Jim ~~ ~~ ~~ DON’T MOVE YET!!

He’s not my brother ~~ ~~ He’s just HEAVY!!

I promise I won’t do it again, Momma!

Just wait a couple’a years and try that again! YEAH!!

Come on, throw the ball, throw the ball, ~~ ~~ I’m ready ~~ ~~ yeah ~~ throw it!

Hmmmmm. I know you think you understand what you thought I said, but I’m not sure that what you heard is what I actually meant!

We gotta get a bigger bed!

Hey, can I have a bite’a that?

HEY!! What’s with this ‘warm spot’ ?

You woke me up to tell me THAT??

HIIIIEEEEEEYAAAAH!!!

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Motivational & Inspirational Quotes

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

 

Mother Teresa

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”

 

Seneca S. Eliot

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

 

Author Unknown

It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man
who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs and comes short again and again;
who knows great enthusiasms,
the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while
DARING GREATLY
so that his place shall never be
with those timid souls
who know neither victory or defeat.

 

Theodore Roosevelt

“Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been erected to a critic.”

 

Jean Sibelius

“The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.”

 

Lloyd Jones

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people

who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

Dale Carnegie

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, It is the only thing that ever has.”

 

Margaret Mead

“It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, ‘Always do what you are afraid to do.’ “

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Do not wait for your ship to come in, get in your boat and row out.”

Michelle C. Ustaszeski

“Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant.

There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.”

 

Johann Gottfried Von Herder

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.”

 

Thornton Wilder

“A champion is someone who gets up, even when he can’t.”

 

Jack Dempsey

“We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

 

Aristotle

“Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.”

 

Albert Einstein

“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”

John Muir

“The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without,

the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.”

 

Horace Bushnell

“Experience is the child of thought, and thought is the child of action.”

 

Benjamin Disraeli

“Do we not all agree to call rapid thought and noble impulse by the name of inspiration?”

 

George Eliot

“Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.”

 

Leon J. Suenes

“You can change your life with the way you set your thoughts.

Be positive, be free and you’ll be able to experience life from a different perspective.”

Rachel Lynn Cauchi

“The past cannot be changed, the future is still in your power.”

 

Hugh White

“Don’t let today’s disappointments cast a shadow on tomorrow’s dreams.”

Author Unknown

“Somewhere there’s someone who dreams of your smile,
and finds in your presence that life is worth while.
So when you are lonely, remember it’s true
Somebody somewhere is thinking of you.”

K. Blackburn

“The only place where dreams are impossible is in your own mind.”

Emalie

“As you travel through life, your dreams will guide you,
determination will get you there, and love will provide the greatest scenery of all.”

Michelle C. Ustaszeski

“If you want to get to the top in life, you are going to have to take the stairs.”

Michelle C. Ustaszeski

“It is sometimes hard to cross that bridge, try something new, or make that change.
But once you do, you will realize that things are usually never as bad as we imagine.”

Michelle C. Ustaszeski

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Author Unknown

“Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably,
and never regret anything that made you smile.”

Author Unknown

“The past is what we always tend to look back on, but remember the future is what we look to, to move forward.”

Charlee DeSa

“You can shine, no matter what you’re made of. Never give up in your doings.

Keep faith and hope alive, and all your dreams and aspirations will become a reality one day!”

Copyright © 2011 Mantse Richie

“I was smiling yesterday, I am smiling today and I will smile tomorrow

simply because life is too short to cry for anything.”

Ted Nelson

“I was smiling yesterday, I am smiling today and I will smile tomorrow

simply because life is too short to cry for anything.”

Ted Nelson

“When life gives you 100 reason to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.”

Emmanuel Tiwo

“People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be”

Abraham Lincoln

“Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching”

Thomas Jefferson

“Keys to success… research your idea, plan for success, expect success, & just plain do it! It amazes me how many people skip the last step! Practice being a “doer” and success will follow you every step of the way!”

Josh S. Hinds

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self- confidence is preparation.”

Arthur Ashe

“Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody is watching.”

Mark Twain

“You can have everything in life you want if you’ll just help enough other people to get what they want!”

Zig Ziglar

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Motivational & Inspirational Quotes

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams.Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

Pope John XXIII

“Earn as much money as you possibly can and as quickly as you can. The sooner you get money out of the way, the sooner you will be able to get to the rest of your problems in style.”

Jim Rohn

“Whatever you are, be a good one.”

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure.”

Jim Rohn

“If you want a confidence, act as if you already have it. Try the “as if” technique.”

William James (1842-1910)

“The way you give your name to others is a measure of how much you like and respect yourself.”

Brian Tracy

“When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”

Napoleon Hill

Author of 1936 classic Think and Grow Rich

The guy says, “When you work where I work, by the time you get home, it’s late. You’ve got to have a bite to eat, watch a little TV, relax and get to bed. You can’t sit up half the night planning, planning, planning.” And he’s the same guy who is behind on his car payment!

Jim Rohn

“Great minds must be ready not only to take opportunities, but to make them.”

Colton

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon–instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.”

Dale Carnegie


“You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.”

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

“To dream anything that you want to dream. That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed.”

Bernard Edmonds

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You don’t have charge of the constellations, but you do have charge of whether you read, develop new skills, and take new classes.”

Jim Rohn….master motivator

“The ideas I stand for are not mine. I borrowed them from Socrates. I swiped them from Chesterfield. I stole them from Jesus. And I put them in a book. If you don’t like their rules whose would you use?”

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)

“When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when We treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

“What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve.”

Napoleon Hill author of Think and Grow Rich


“Failure is an opinion. It is either an educational tool for starting over or an excuse breeding tool for saying it’s over.”

Doug Firebaugh

“There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.”

Dale Carnegie

An old man once said …There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good.
So love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don’t.
Life is too short to be anything but happy.
Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living

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THE OLD MAN

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meagre possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you’re looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . … . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .’I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . … lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he’ll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don’t mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. …Babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future … . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I’ve known.
I’m now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It’s jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. …. . ME!!

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Don't Quit

Author Unknown

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 have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things go wrong that you must not quit.

The Victor

C.W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Never Give Up

Author Unknown

In that dark lonesome place
between a dream dreamed
and a dream realized,

I have left a little light for you
so you will know that someone cares
and believes in your dream.

Just where it becomes the most dark
and difficult to find your way,
there is the light I left for you.

It will light your way,
through the doubt, the confusion,
and the fears,

It will stay with you
all the way to the realization
of your dream.

And when your dream has come true,
please go back to that darkest place
where you have been,

And set the little light there to give heart
to the next sweet soul that braves the path
to his or her dreams.

Dreamers are the architects of greatness.
There wisdom lies within their souls.
Dream long enough and hard enough
and your dream can be attained.

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By Changing Your Thinking

By Unknown (One of the classic inspirational poems)

By Changing Your Thinking,

You change your beliefs;

When you change your beliefs,

You change your expectations;

When you change your expectations,

You change your attitude;

When you change your attitude,

You change your behavior;

When you change your behavior,

You change your performance;

When you change your performance;

You Change Your Life!

 

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Time Waits for No-one

To realize the value of a sister/brother
Ask someone who doesn’t have one.

To realize the value of ten years:
Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year:
Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month:
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one minute:
Ask a person who has just missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second:
Ask a person who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have.

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21st CENTURY DESIDERATA

By George Parker, N.D.

Never allow the pace of modern life to stress you –

Stay cool, do not waste words, and learn to find your
satisfaction in silence.

Get on with everybody except those that try to put you down.

Have your say when you need to and make your point clearly –

Then concentrate on understanding what other people
think as well.

Do not get uptight about rude and pushy people
who disturb your inner person.

Nor frustrate yourself by competing aimlessly with other people, or feeling superior.

There will always be less important and more successful
people than yourself.

Focus on what is important to you and your loved ones.
Plan your future – together.

Care for the way you make your money,
and show an interest in what you do.

Appreciate your job and never become casual about the blessing of work.

If in business, be careful – scams and crooks are everywhere

At the same time, accept that many people, like you, are genuine and honest

Do not forget that they also aspire to truth and fairness.

Recognise that many people that you meet are idealists too


And that the world is filled with anonymous heroines and heroes.

Do not pretend to be anybody other than yourself –
Be sincere, and never abuse love shown towards you by another person.

The world can be a disillusioning and uninspiring place –
But, in all of this, love returns to us like the spring rains

As you grow older come to terms with age using the wisdom that you have gained –

And do not try to be a young fool in an older body
Build reserves of inner strength for difficult times that may lie ahead –
Do not assume that a lonely and troublesome death lies ahead for you.
Fear like this is often just the result of being battle weary, and alone.

Love yourself, and enjoy what you do –

You are as much a part of life as are the trees, the birds
and the stars.

Like them, you have both a right to exist and a role to play.

God is still in charge, and his plan is rolling out as he intends that it should be.

Make your peace with God, however you understand that creative power.

No matter how your life unfolds, and whatever troubles you may have,

Stay in touch with your inner self, which some may call their soul.

It is easy to blame God and your fellow man for the state in which you find yourself –

Rather accept that God’s creation and the creatures that live in it are beautiful And be joyful in life, and positive about everything.

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The True Story of Rudolf

By: Author Unknown

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob’s wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer. Little Barbara couldn’t understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad’s eyes and asked, “Why isn’t Mommy just like everybody else’s Mommy?” Bob’s jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob’s life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he’d rather not remember. 
From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression.

Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn’s bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn’t even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn’t buy a gift, he was determined to make one – a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal’s story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope.

Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about?

The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day.

But the story doesn’t end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print, “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores.

By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter.

But the story doesn’t end there either.

Bob’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of “White Christmas.”

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn’t so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

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Shining Through and Overcoming Adversity - Stories of Four Who Absolutely Are

By: Ed Mayhew

Some folks seem to shine when dealing with and overcoming major adversity, while others of us wilt at just the thought. In my own case, a mere broken fingernail greatly bothers me and rivets my attention until it can be filed down or trimmed smooth again. That some people appear able to deal with life-threatening health issues and repeated setbacks without breaking stride is somewhat mind boggling to me. How about you? Here are four who haven’t let adversity stop them.

Florida’s Sandy Scott took up competitive cycling at age 64. About a year later, in his third race, he had a horrific accident in which his neck was broken — a C1-vertebra fracture, a break that is most often fatal. His doctor advised him to have his vertebrae fused together and to give up vigorous activity, such as racing on a bike. Sandy, a former skydiver and airline pilot, had other ideas. After nine frustrating months of setbacks and unsuccessful attempts to heal, including wearing a neck brace, Sandy was finally healthy enough to get back on his bike.

In the three and a half years since his possibly fatal or paralyzing injury, Sandy has captured 12 Florida-state cycling titles in the 65-69 and 70-74 age groups, including state records in the 20K time trial in both age groups. Because he didn’t let adversity stop him, Sandy Scott is enjoying setting new personal bests and going faster than ever at age 70.

A three-pack-a-day cigarette smoker who’d smoked for 25 years, Texan John Fredrickson had clearly done some serious damage to his lungs. When he was told the damage included the development of deadly emphysema, that was a wake-up call. The ex-smoker decided to try running to improve his health and lung function and to lose some of his excess weight. At first he struggled to run even half a mile without having to stop and rest. After three weeks, however, he was able to run a whole mile and was noticing his lungs starting to clear and his poundage decreasing, so he stuck with it.

At age 53, John ran his first marathon and another just two weeks later. He was hooked. This spring, now a fit and healthy 71-year-old, he ran his 104th marathon. He now enjoys the challenge of seven to eight marathons each year. Think where John Fredrickson would be today, the quality of his life (if he were even still alive) if he’d let his tar-filled lungs and emphysema diagnosis stop him in his tracks.

This past January, Houston’s Judy Loy ran the Houston Marathon in 5 hours 30 minutes, a 12:36 per mile pace. Not bad for a 71-year-old who has had five knee operations, three since the rollerblade enthusiast took up running 10 years ago. Her doctors say that the long runs she does in training for the 26.2 milers (she’s run seven) is therapeutic; after the first six or seven miles of a run, the natural lubrication of the knees kicks in and they stop hurting and start to feel pretty good. As long as she doesn’t run too frequently, the doctors approve of her running and think it helps her operated on arthritic knees. They know that lack of movement is what does the most damage to one’s knees.

Because Judy Loy hasn’t let one operation after another stop her, she enjoys training for and running marathons — and training novices to be able to run them, too — by serving as as coach and mentor in the Katy Fit marathon training club.


Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. That’s one reason why 47-year-old Gary Resnick’s story is so inspiring. In January of 2009, Gary underwent six hours of surgery to deal with his stage-3 pancreatic cancer, during which his spleen, part of his pancreas and 19 lymph nodes were removed. This was followed up with six months of chemotherapy. Gary, however, wasn’t going to let a little malignancy stop him. He would, for example, keep his goal within reach by running the four miles to and from his cancer treatments; he was determined to run in the ING New York City Marathon in Novmeber of 2009 AND finish in under four-and-a-half hours.

In preparation for the NYC race, on March 29, a little over two months removed from his life-saving surgery, Gary ran a half marathon in an impressive (even for a completely healthy 47-year-old)two hours and six minutes. In May he bettered this time, running a 1:54 in another half-marathon tune-up. Now completely cancer free, on November 1, 2009, this father of three achieved his goal by running the NYC Marathon in 4:01:37. Continuing his amazing recovery, in April of 2010 he ran Boston in 4:00:30 or 9:11/mile. 

In 2009 alone, while dealing with this lousy hand life had dealt him, Gary ran 17 races and in the process, he raised about $9,000 for cancer research.

Sandy Scott, John Fedrickson, Judy Loy and Gary Resnick give us hope. They show us that we can look straight into the face of adversity and know that we don’t have to let our troubles get the better of us. Like these four inspirational heroes, not only can we overcome all manner of adversity, but we can choose to shine through it.

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Many people that you’ll run into will speak of Karma and can often be heard repeating canned statements such as “what goes around, comes around.” But you have to wonder just how many of us truly understands what it means to be connected to one another and to share in each other’s experiences.

 

If you toss a stone into a pond, you will see the ripples in the water echoing outwards, away from where the stone landed. So it is with our own actions. But just as the rock travels down to the depths of the pond and never bears witness to the ripples – so it is with us. We don’t usually get the opportunity to see all the effects our everyday actions have on others. But it’s important to know that they’re there. For good or ill.

 

Case in point. On October 13, in the city of Foshan, China a two-year old girl, named Yue Yue, wanders alone out into the street (in front of her parent’s shop). She is hit and run over by a van. The van hesitates and then continues on (running over the child again with its rear wheels). Now if this isn’t horrible enough in its callousness, consider this. As the young child lay bleeding in the street with her legs crushed, she is completely ignored by a total of 18 passing pedestrians! Worse still, the child is run over four more times by two additional vehicles! Finally, a woman stopped to help and the child is then soon discovered by her mother, who rushes her to a local hospital.

 

At this point, you’re left to wonder how so many people could just continue on with their day while virtually stepping over the body of an injured child? The answer, believe it or not, is quite simple. The focus of those who ignore the people that need their help are pointed inwards. Their world is a small place that revolves only around them. But before you point your finger, there’s more to this concept than you might be willing to see. While you may certainly have stopped to help that injured little girl, ask yourself this – how many opportunities have you let slip by, where you could have shown some small kindness to someone. Rather than doing so, did you just walk on past? Our next video illustrates the cycle that, we, as human beings, have the power to create by our caring.

 

And the little girl? I’m, sorry to report that Yue Yue passed away on October 21, 2011…

~ George Parker, N.D.

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Stories of Recovery: Chained to an Eating Disorder

By Anonymous

I’m about to share with you a secret that kept me in virtual chains for over 15 years of my life, and even though I’ve been healed for almost 10 years, I’ve only recently had enough courage to share my story with others.


When I first began writing about everything that had happened in my life, I thought back to my middle school & high school days.

I remembered seeing my friends & classmates in the halls – thinking I basically knew who they were & what they were about. But what I didn’t realize that they could be hiding something deep within them, causing them shame and fear. I thought that because they looked fine on the outside, they must be fine on the inside too. But, sometimes, even those closest to us feel empty & sad inside. And a few of us have done some pretty crazy things to compensate for those feelings. I’m here today to tell you what happened to me, and how my faith brought me through it.


Today I’m a wife, a mother, and a businesswoman. I’m involved with church and at my daughter’s school. This may seem kind of boring to you, but twenty years ago, the life I have today didn’t seem possible. I never thought I would make it here.


So as I go through the events of my life, I want you to keep in mind that there was a master plan through all of my heartache and pain, creating the miracle I am today.


On the outside, our family looked pretty normal. My dad was a good provider & a loving father and he worked very hard to make life easy for my mom. Looking back, I realize that was a very difficult task.


You see, my mom dealt with the complications from Juvenile Diabetes her whole life. The doctors told her she shouldn’t have kids – but to her insistence, she had my sister & me anyway. My mom tried to lead a normal life. She was a kind, sweet soul, and wonderful mother. However, she had trouble telling the truth and would cover things up or even lie to be sure nobody would get hurt or upset. She was also very emotionally fragile. She hated confrontation & would rather hide from problems than resolve them. We weren’t allowed to make waves or express any differences, in fear it would upset her. Everybody lived as if nothing was wrong. But in my heart, there was something very wrong. I just didn’t know what it was or how to deal with it.

My older sister was a very anxious child and needed a lot of my parent’s attention. So, I was inadvertently left to tend to my own emotional needs, and food became my comfort. I always felt like she was the favored one – and not only with my parents. This only got worse when she grew up to be this thin and beautiful teenager, and even though I was encouraged to be my own person & find my own interests; I was determined to be just like her! I lived in my sister’s shadow for years, consumed with trying to live up to how perfect I perceived her to be (that included being thin).

Throughout my adolescence, I felt insecure about who I was – inside & out. But by the time I got into middle school, I managed to hide my insecurities pretty well. I had friends & boyfriends, I was a cheerleader & in the Choir. But I started losing what little confidence I had when those boyfriends started breaking up with me because I wouldn’t “mess” around with them like other girls did.


When I started High School, I was done with being a “good girl”. I slowly stopped going to church and turned away from any friends that had kept me out of trouble.


I was desperately searching to fit in and be accepted by the “in” crowd and was determined to do it any way I could. That’s when I cashed in my first class ticket to Hell.


During the second semester of 10th grade I started dating a senior at my school, who gave me the attention I was looking for & soon he told me he loved me – but that came with a price. He too, started pressuring me to do things I wasn’t ready to do. Afraid of losing him like all the rest, I soon gave in and at 15 years old my innocence was gone.


Over the next year or so, this guy became a controlling, insanely jealous, manipulative person. He slowly turned me against my father & sister by telling me outrageous lies about them, and in spite of what my inner voice was telling me (the feeling you get in your gut), I began to believe everything he told me.


In the 12th grade, I began cutting school & sneaking out in the middle of the night to be with my boyfriend. My mom would cover for me so my dad wouldn’t find out. At the end of the year, I decided to move in with him. My dad was so furious!!! He told me if I left, to never to bother coming home again. So, in my rebellion, I walked out.
Soon I was under my boyfriends’ full control. I was so brainwashed that I did almost anything he wanted me to do. In the next few years I made a lot of exceptionally poor choices that I’m really ashamed of, and even though in my heart I knew it was wrong, I was too scared & confused to do anything about it.


By now I was being outright abused (emotionally, sexually and physically) but it was the best-kept secret around. Everyone thought he was the nicest guy. They thought I was nuts when I told them what was really going on.
My mom’s health started to decline rapidly. I tried to go home several times to make amends with my father & sister, but each time I tried, my boyfriend physically stopped me.

Desperate to get control in my life, at 20 years old my battle with anorexia and bulimia began. My boyfriend was constantly telling me how fat my legs were, so I decided to try to lose weight so he would stop taunting me. At first, I was starving myself – only eating an apple a day. But, after a while it was too difficult not to eat, and soon put the weight back on. Then, through a strange set of circumstances, I began using laxatives to lose weight. But, as my body grew dependant on them, I had to take more & more to get the same affect, and with that came awful side effects like massive diarrhea, vomiting, kidney infections, terrible cramping & passing out from electrolyte imbalance. 

But, I had lost 10 lbs and was getting compliments from everyone, so I continued to torture my body.


Now, my mom was in the hospital & soon she passed away. I missed her so much and couldn’t imagine my life without her! I was so depressed & I started praying that I would die too – just to make it all stop!


I dove into my eating disorder deeper than ever before. I lost another 10 pounds very quickly, and even though I knew I was too thin, I couldn’t’ stop. I was now feeling helpless. I would weigh myself 10 times a day to be sure I wouldn’t gain an ounce.

I was so dehydrated that I couldn’t walk from one room to the next without having to put my head between my knees. I would eat salty foods to feel better, but that just made me retain what little fluid I had left in me. So – I started taking mega doses of Vitamin B6 to lose that.


But, over the next several months I started noticing that my arms & legs were becoming numb and soon I was unable to walk or use my hands. When I finally went to the doctor, she told me I probably had MS. I completely lost it!


Thankfully, after many prayers, the tests revealed that I did not have MS. I had a vitamin B6 toxicity that had caused nerve damage and if I stopped, I would regain all feeling. Although I slowly healed from the nerve damage, my eating disorder became much worse, but I kept trying to ignore it.


With all that I had been through, I knew I needed to make some changes in my life. The first change was to either move out or marry this guy. Since I was too scared to try to leave again, I decided marrying him was my only choice. As you might imagine, my wedding day was not what I had dreamed it to be. Not only was I marrying an abusive man, I was sick with another kidney infection and could barely make it down the isle without passing out.


In the next couple years, my dad started sending me scriptures with little notes, saying that he loved me & that he was there for me if I needed him. Then my sister came back into my life, doing everything she could to help me. All of this made me stronger in the spirit & our relationships began to mend, but my body was literally skin & bones! At the age of 25 I hit my lowest weight –75 pounds.


Then one Sunday, I secretly went to church with some friends. That’s when I confessed my addiction for the first time. They laid hands on me & prayed for my recovery. I believe that was the beginning of the turning point for me. This is when my family & even my husband tried every way they knew how to get me to eat – they even tried stuffing burgers & fries down my throat but nothing was working. I was sent to therapy, but cheated my way through it. I remember going to the Sizzler with my counselor & having to eat everything on my plate – I was petrified! I was convinced that if I ate that scoop of tuna, I would gain 10 pounds. Bottom line – I didn’t want to be better. I just wanted to disappear. And that’s exactly what I was doing!


A few months later, my dad came to visit and saw me lying on the couch. I was near death’s door. That’s when he held me in his arms like a knight in shining armor and took me home to get well. Leaving my husband was very scary for me, but I knew that unless I left, I would die. During the next year, my ex-husband kept trying to get back into my life, using a whole new set of manipulations, but nothing worked. I had been given a new strength and after a year, he was finally out of my life for good.


Now, even though I was eating a little more each day and had put some weight on, I was still abusing laxatives and did everything I could to keep my dad from finding out. You see, laxatives were my way of purging the feelings I had been shoving deeper & deeper inside for years & I wasn’t about to give that up.


As time went on, I got a job and moved out on my own, but never let anyone get too close, in fear that they would find out my secret. I was now so tired of living this double life. It was like a wild roller coaster ride trying to figure out who I was & where I belonged. My relationships were short lived and meaningless. I wasn’t going to let anyone ever hurt me again. I kept trying to fool myself into believing that I was this free spirit, but was always left feeling empty inside. That’s when I started hearing that little voice in my heart again, telling me; “Jennifer, this is not who you are! You are worth so much more for this.”


Then, a few years later I met the love of my life – my present husband, who showed me what love, truly is. But, as with my father, he only knew of my anorexia. He had no idea I was still abusing laxatives. This secret continued for another 8 exhausting years and even though I hated what I was doing, I didn’t’ know how to stop! I remember sitting on the toilet – of all places, praying that something would happen to make me stop. I needed a power much stronger than my own to save me from myself.


Then, several months later I went to the doctor for a totally unrelated reason and was told I was pregnant. This totally blew me away! I never thought this could happen with all the abuse I had done to my body. This was a miracle and an answer to my prayers! But this meant that I would have to stop hurting myself, and that scared me to death! That’s when I totally surrendered my life to God and never took another laxative again. This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done! I’ve suffered long-term physical complications because all the abuse I did to my body, but I knew that my faith would get me through it. I should have died, but I believe the power of God saved me.


Today, I am healthy, I have a wonderful husband and daughter and my relationship with my father and sister is now closer than ever before.


As I look back on my life, I could wish I were wiser, wish I never lost my way, wish I could take the time back. But, instead of wishing my life away or feeling angry, I have been blessed with a very special mission. To share my “secret” with you, with the hope of keeping just one of you from taking the path I did.


It has taken me 45 years to discover my inner beauty & special gifts. I don’t want you to have to wait that long to find yours. And if you think life will all of a sudden be perfect if you look perfect on the outside – you’re wrong. Happiness doesn’t come from changing your circumstances. It comes from changing the way you see your circumstances.


Each of you have your own special gifts, and although they may not be the ones you thought you wanted, they are the ones uniquely chosen for you – and you alone? And when you use them, you will begin to see just how beautiful you are.


You also have your own inner voice that tells you when something’s not right – and when you need to escape a situation. Learn to listen to that voice (you’ll feel it in your gut).


I wish I had listened to mine, screaming at me & waving big red flags in front of my face, but I deliberately ignored it.


Some of you may be thinking that my story is pretty wild and that something like this would never happen to you. But, it COULD happen to you – it could happen to anyone here. It just takes one wrong choice to set you on a path to destruction.


So let me ask you – Are there secrets in your life that are keeping you in chains – preventing you from living the life that was intended for you? If there are, please confide in someone you trust. If you can’t talk to your parents, then talk to a counselor or teacher. Because you can’t be free if you don’t ask for help and you can’t love if you don’t love yourself. So, learn to love yourself –even the things you hate about yourself.


My whole life I hated my thighs, and one day my grandmother saw me fighting with them in the mirror and she told me I should be thankful that I have two healthy legs that carry me around. How sad that it took me all these years to finally listen to her.


So, think of this as your fork in the road of life – which road are you going to take?

Be true to yourself and above all else, respect yourself!

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Those of Us That Are Often Overlooked

Throughout the course of the day, we often consider the issues involving Human Rights and those who are suffering due to the greed and ignorance of others. And rightfully so, since the hope of humanity (and our own sense of hope) can be directly related to those that we see every day. But have you ever taken the time to see the hundreds of animals that are the subject of horrendous cruelty. Not just the cruelty inflicted on such loyal friends – such as dogs that are butchered alive and sold in Asian markets, but the ones that are subject to neglect, abuse and other forms of inhumanity.

For example, one of the most intelligent and loving creatures on the face of our world can be found in the affection of the cats. For those who have made cats their companions and have made a home for them, their true value is easily seen. The sound of a cat’s purr can lower one’s stress level and create a sense of peace that calms us through our deep spiritual connection with one another. Then there are those who would not even think twice of focusing their cruelty on one of these beautiful creatures as a means of reflecting their own ugliness from within.

The same holds true for one of the most intelligent and gentle of all creatures – the dolphin. Dolphins, like cats are also the subject of the callousness of others as they are slaughtered by the thousands, just for the sake of convenience. For hope to thrive, we must allow ourselves, not only to rise above this level of ignorance as humans, but to also stand up against these unacceptable injustices.

In our next offering, we show an illustration of just how sensitive and intelligent dolphins and cats can be. Even to the point of transcending the boundaries of different species in order to reach out and greet one another. As humans, our hope also lies in the ability to be sensitive to one another – despite our differences.

~ George Parker, N.D.

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A Baby Horse on its Mum's Lap

One of the greatest shortcomings of any human society is the inability to see just how closely we are related to the animal kingdom. Most of this is due to the fact that animals serve as food in just about every place you can imagine. But, unfortunately, human ignorance will always tend to creep in and, as a result, you will find those who will think nothing of inflicting great cruelty and suffering on animals. From those who feel the need to cut the fins off live sharks to those who butcher live dogs in the most horrendous ways. This is done either for a meal or the superstitious belief that animal pain will somehow grant the elusive gift of virility to those who don’t know any better.

However, not everyone is mired in superstition and ignorance. There are those of us who understand what can be seen in the eyes of animals. It’s more than the spark of intelligence. It is the same light of spirit that we see in our own eyes when we look into a mirror – or into the eyes of our loved ones. The limitation of non-verbal communication is no longer a factor at that point. It’s all that is required of us in order to understand the souls of those who exist in the animal world.


Here, we present some images that may illustrate to you what we mean when we ask you to look into the eyes of these creatures. I can only imagine that you will see the souls that lie behind those eyes. This is the world that surrounds us and makes ourworld complete. As humans, we are not alone here and we should take the responsibility to understand this and practice this in our daily lives. The gift of the animals is just part of the things in our world that offer us hope and companionship.

~ George Parker, N.D.

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A Loving Father

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible.

Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.

With tears, he opened the Bible, and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words … PAID IN FULL.

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$20 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 all 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 in God’s eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him. Psalm 178 states that God will keep us, “as the apple of His eye.” The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we are in ourselves, but in WHOSE WE ARE!”

You are special. Have a great day!

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The Father's Eyes

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game.This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn’t want to.

But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he’d get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.

When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a “walk-on.” Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.

The coach admitted that he kept him on the roste because he always puts his heart and soul into every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game.It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big play off game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?” The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.”Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today,” said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. “All right,” he said.”You can go in.”

Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown.

The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you’ve never heard! Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, “Kid, I can’t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?”

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, “Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!”

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Something for Stevie

I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counsellor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn’t sure I wanted one. I wasn’t sure how my customers would react. Stevie was short, a little dumpy, with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down syndrome. I wasn’t worried about most of my trucker customers. Truckers don’t generally care who buses tables as long as the food is good and the pies are homemade.

The ones who concerned me were the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded “truckstop germ;” and the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truckstop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie, so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.I shouldn’t have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger. Within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truckstop mascot. After that I really didn’t care what the rest of the customers thought.

He was a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was convincing him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus the dishes and glasses onto the cart and meticulously wipe the table with a practiced flourish of his rag.

If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truckstop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks.

Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.That’s why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Down syndrome often have heart problems at an early age, so this wasn’t unexpected. There was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, let out a war whoop and did a little dance the aisle when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, grinned. “Okay, Frannie, what was that all about?” he asked. “We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay,” she responded. “I was wondering where he was,” said Belle.

Frannie quickly told him and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie’s surgery, then sighed. “Yeah, I’m glad he is going to be okay,” she said, “but I don’t know how he and his mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they’re barely getting by as it is.” Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand a funny look on her face. “What’s up?” I asked. “That table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting,” she said, “this was folded and tucked under a coffee cup.” She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it.

On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed “Something For Stevie.””Pony Pete also asked me what that dance was all about,” she said, “so I told him about Stevie and his mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this.” She handed me another paper napkin that had “Something For Stevie” scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply, “Truckers.”That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he’s been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn’t matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy.

I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. We met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn’t stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting. “Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast, “I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. “Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you two is on me. I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession.We stopped in front of the big table; its surface covered with a mess of coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. “First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess,” I said, trying to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had “Something for Stevie” printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at dozens of napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it.

I turned to his mother. “There’s over $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving!” Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, too. But you know what’s funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table… best worker I ever hired.

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Sandpiper To Bring You Joy

She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me.
She was building a sandcastle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.
“Hello,” she said.
I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child.
“I’m building,” she said.
“I see that. What is it?” I asked, not caring.
“Oh, I don’t know, I just like the feel of sand.”
That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes. A sandpiper glided by.
“That’s a Joy,” the child said.
“It’s a what?”
“It’s a Joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy.”
The bird went gliding down the beach. “Good-bye joy,” I muttered to myself, “hello pain,” and turned to walk on. I was depressed; my life seemed completely out of balance.
“What’s your name?” She wouldn’t give up.
“Robert,” I answered. “I’m Robert Peterson.”
“Mine’s Wendy… I’m six.”
“Hi, Wendy.”

She giggled. “You’re funny,” she said.
In spite of my gloom I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me.
“Come again, Mr. P,” she called. “We’ll have another happy day.”

The days and weeks that followed belong to others: a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, an ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out of the dishwater. “I need a sandpiper,” I said to myself, gathering up my coat. The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was chilly, but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed. I had forgotten the child and was startled when she appeared.
“Hello, Mr. P,” she said. “Do you want to play?”
“What did you have in mind?” I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.
“I don’t know, you say.”
“How about charades?” I asked sarcastically.
The tinkling laughter burst forth again. “I don’t know what that is.”
“Then let’s just walk.” Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face.
“Where do you live?” I asked.
“Over there.” She pointed toward a row of summer cottages.
Strange, I thought, in winter. “Where do you go to school?”
“I don’t go to school. Mommy says we’re on vacation.”
She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.
Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like demanding she keep her child at home.
“Look, if you don’t mind,” I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, “I’d rather be alone today,”
She seems unusually pale and out of breath. “Why?” she asked.
I turned to her and shouted, “Because my mother died!” and thought, my God, why was I saying this to a little child?
“Oh,” she said quietly, “then this is a bad day.”
“Yes,” I said, “and yesterday and the day before and-oh, go away!”
“Did it hurt? ” she inquired.
‘Did what hurt?” I was exasperated with her, with myself.
“When she died?”
“Of course it hurt!!!!” I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off.

A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn’t there. Feeling guilty, ashamed and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.
“Hello,” I said. “I’m Robert Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was.”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much. I’m afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please accept my apologies.”
“Not at all — she’s a delightful child,” I said, suddenly realizing that I meant it. “Where is she?”
“Wendy died last week,” Mr. Peterson. “She had leukemia. Maybe she didn’t tell you.”
Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. My breath caught.

“She loved this beach; so when she asked to come, we couldn’t say no. She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly.” Her voice faltered.
“She left something for you … if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?”
I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something, anything, to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope, with MR. P printed in bold, childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues — a yellow beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy’s mother in my arms.
“I’m so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” I muttered over and over, and we wept together.
The precious little picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words — one for each year of her life — that speak to me of harmony, courage, undemanding love. A gift from a child with sea-blue eyes and hair the color of sand-who taught me the gift of love.

NOTE: The above is a true story sent out by Robert Peterson. It serves as a reminder to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living and life and each other. “The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.” Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of everyday traumas, can make us lose focus about what is truly important or what is only a monetary setback or crisis.

This weekend, be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug, and by all means, take a moment, even if it is only ten seconds, and stop and smell the roses.

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A Wake Up Call

By: Catherine Pulsifer

During the month of September, a dear friend of mine lost her husband suddenly in an accident. The tragedy was a shock to everyone.

This accident was sudden and certainly unexpected. It drove home the realization that you just don’t know when a loved one is no longer going to be with you. We sometimes take our love ones for granted, and we expect that they will be with us forever. However, as we all know, life does not work that way and sometimes we get a wake up call that shocks us and makes us stand back and realize how short life is.

In consoling her, I tried to imagine if I was in her shoes how would I feel. It was impossible to imagine what she was going through. What words do I say to help her?

Sometimes words just can not express our feelings. Sometimes our actions are much more meaningful than words. A hug can sometimes express more than our words will ever express. Sometimes, just being there to listen is more meaningful and helpful to people.

A SECOND WAKE UP CALL

As I was leaving the funeral parlor, I ran into a Marilyn. Marilyn has been a true friend to me over the years. She is one of those friends who is with you in the good times and is always by your side in the bad times. She has a sense of humor that makes everyone laugh and she makes everyone feel at ease. We chit chatted for a few moments, and then she asked me how my job was. So I started talking and talking and talking (am sure she wished she had never asked, ha) I was having a stressful week with my job and I was telling her all the issues and how I was feeling. 

She listened to me as I was raving about my frustrations, then without saying a word, she took her hands and placed them on my face, and said to me, “But at least you had a day.”

The touch of her hands on my cheeks, the calmness in her voice, and the words she spoke, “BUT AT LEAST YOU HAD A DAY”, hit me like a ton of bricks. All the frustrations, all the stress that was building up inside of me – came to a complete stop.

Since that day, when I start feeling stressed, I remind myself of Marilyn’s words – but at least I had a day! Things could be a lot worse, the stress of the situation always could be worse, but I am alive and I have a lot to be thankful for – so I shall not waste my days with stress and frustrations – Life is too short!

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A Mouse Looked Through The Crack in the Wall

Look around and you can see yourself surrounded by many others who are also making their journeys through life. But are we really disconnected from one another while travelling down our individual roads? It may seem that way at times. But nothing could be further from the truth. We live in one amazing, complex tapestry in which each thread of existence is somehow interconnected with every other. You may never get to actually witness how your actions and concerns are related to the stranger next to you. It may merely seem that we are all living separate lives with no reason to care about those we don’t personally know. But every now and again, like the mouse in our next story, we get to see the connections through our own “crack in the wall”.

~ George Parker N.D.

A Mouse Looked Through The Crack in the Wall

 

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
“What food might this contain?” The mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed this warning :
“There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said,
“Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me.
I cannot be bothered by it.” The mouse turned to the pig and told him,
“There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The pig sympathized, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse,
but there is nothing I can do about it but pray..
Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said,
“There is a mousetrap in the house!
There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse.
I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.”


So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap . . .
Alone.. .. .
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house
— the sound Of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it.
It was a venomous snake whose tail was caught in the trap.
The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital.

When she returned home she still had a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup.
So the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient:

But his wife’s sickness continued.
Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.
To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

But, alas, the farmer’s wife did not get well…
She died.

So many people came for her funeral
that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat
for all of them for the funeral luncheon.

And the mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn’t concern you, remember —

When one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life.
We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

YOU MAY WANT TO SEND THIS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER HELPED YOU OUT…

AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.
– REMEMBER –
EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON’S TAPESTRY.
OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto In this world is a FRIEND.!!!

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What Really Matters Most in Life?

I stumbled upon this rather quaint story involving a fictitious conversation between a simple Mexican fisherman and a Harvard MBA. It illustrates a very important concept when it comes to attaining the level of peace and tranquillity that represents true happiness in one’s life. It’s interesting to see how many times we tend to make ourselves dissatisfied with our life’s circumstances by looking at how complexity might somehow achieve serenity in the long run. So, we shift our focus on what we don’t have and work harder to achieve it – even at the expense of our families and our health. And when we look around and see that the things we have accumulated are not the things that matter in life, we become depressed. So after you’ve read this short tale, ask yourself “What simple joy can I focus on – right now – that will help me to feel calm and put a smile on my face?” The moment that you do this, you will know what really matters in life.

~ George Parker N.D.

Mexican Fisherman Meets Harvard MBA What Really Matters in Life?

A vacationing American businessman standing on the pier of a quaint coastal fishing village in southern Mexico watched as a small boat with just one young Mexican fisherman pulled into the dock. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. Enjoying the warmth of the early afternoon sun, the American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.

“How long did it take you to catch them?” the American casually asked.

“Oh, a few hours,” the Mexican fisherman replied.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American businessman then asked.

The Mexican warmly replied, “With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

The businessman then became serious, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

Responding with a smile, the Mexican fisherman answered, “I sleep late, play with my children,

watch ballgames, and take siesta with my wife. Sometimes in the evenings I take a stroll into the village to see my friends, play the guitar, sing a few songs…”

The American businessman impatiently interrupted, “Look, I have an MBA from Harvard, and I can help you to be more profitable. You can start by fishing several hours longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra money, you can buy a bigger boat. With the additional income that larger boat will bring, before long you can buy a second boat, then a third one, and so on, until you have an entire fleet of fishing boats.”

Proud of his own sharp thinking, he excitedly elaborated a grand scheme which could bring even bigger profits, “Then, instead of selling your catch to a middleman you’ll be able to sell your fish directly to the processor, or even open your own cannery. Eventually, you could control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this tiny coastal village and move to Mexico City, or possibly even Los Angeles or New York City, where you could even further expand your enterprise.”

“How long did it take you to catch them?” the American casually asked.

“Oh, a few hours,” the Mexican fisherman replied.

“Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American businessman then asked.

The Mexican warmly replied, “With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs.”

The businessman then became serious, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

Responding with a smile, the Mexican fisherman answered, “I sleep late, play with my children,

“Millions? Really? What would I do with it all?” asked the young fisherman in disbelief.

The businessman boasted, “Then you could happily retire with all the money you’ve made.

You could move to a quaint coastal fishing village where you could sleep late, play with your grandchildren, watch ballgames, and take siesta with your wife. You could stroll to the village in the evenings where you could play the guitar and sing with your friends all you want.”


The moral of the story is: Know what really matters in life, and you may find that it is already much closer than you think. .

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Repeat After Me

We hear it all the time. “Be happy with who you are.” It’s something that we tell ourselves and tell our children. But if we all truly listened to those words, I would imagine the cosmetic surgery industry would suddenly take a serious downturn. When I say “be happy with who you are”, I don’t mean that you should be satisfied with being overweight and unhealthy – that can be changed for the better. But if your self-image is damaged by a birthmark or scar – or a body shape that isn’t a replica of the latest fashion model’s, then consider the following images. Young people are especially susceptible to self-image problems and insecurities. These can sometimes manifest in horrific ways (drugs, self-mutilation, etc.). So take a moment to bolster your child’s self-image. Tell your daughter that she’s beautiful. And while you’re at it – say the same thing to yourself – ok?

~ George Parker N.D.

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Not happy? ... compared with whom?

When you think about the things in life that make you less than satisfied with the things you have, remember that there are those who have far less. For most of us, we tend to view our existence in terms of things that we would like to have, rather than being thankful for the abundance that has already been given us. While this may be only natural, given the materialistic society portrayed in the media, when we stop and take a good hard look at the situations faced by most of the world’s population, it tends to put things in perspective. If you’re not happy with your current wardrobe, consider the multitude of those with no acceptable clothes or shoes, at all! When you wish you had steak for dinner instead of a hamburger, think about a child who hopes to find a scrap of food amidst a trash pile. When your circumstances fall short of your desires, then consider these images and ask yourself, “Am I really so bad off?”

~ George Parker N.D.

If you think you are unhappy, look at them :

If you think your salary is low, how about her ?

If you think you don’t have many friends…

When you feel like giving up, think of this man…

If you think you suffer in life, do you suffer as much as he does ?

If you complain about your transport system , how about them ?

If your society is unfair to you , how about her ?

Are you still complaining ? Observe around you and be thanksfull for all that you have in this transitory life time.. We are fortunate, we have much more than what we need to be content. Let’s try not to feed this endless cycle of consumerism and immorality in which this “modern and advanced” society forgets and ignores the other two thirds of our brothers and sisters.

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A Duck’s Tale of Human Compassion

Every now and again, we hear an interesting story of how human compassion transcends normal boundaries and extends to the animal kingdom. In this particular case, we’re not just talking about person’s love for their pet dog or cat. We’re not even talking about those whose professions involve safeguarding the welfare of the creatures in the wild and those that live within the boundaries of everyday society. In this case, we’re observing an extraordinary act of caring for some of the smallest and most helpless creatures that began their existence in a potentially dangerous urban environment. You may have heard how a bank’s accounting clerk took that extra step to ensure the safety of a mother duck’s ten baby chicks, which were hatched on the concrete awning just outside his office window. Rather than see them fall to their deaths or killed en route to the local river, he took it upon itself to help them begin their new life’s adventure. Here is the story of his compassion towards the least among us.

~ George Parker N.D.

A True Duck Story

Something really cute happened in downtown Edmonton this week. Michael R. is an accounting clerk at the Bank and works there in a second story office. Several weeks ago, he watched a mother duck choose the concrete awning outside his window as the unlikely place to build a nest above the sidewalk. The mallard laid ten eggs in a nest in the corner of the planter that is perched over 10 feet in the air. She dutifully kept the eggs warm for weeks, and Monday afternoon all of her ten ducklings hatched.

Michael worried all night how the momma duck was going to get those babies safely off their perch in a busy, downtown, urban environment to take to water, which typically happens in the first 48 hours of a duck hatching.
Tuesday morning, Michael watched the mother duck encourage her babies to the edge of the perch with the intent to show them how to jump off. Office work came to a standstill as everyone gathered to watch.

The mother flew down below and started quacking to her babies above. In disbelief Michael watched as the first fuzzy newborn trustingly toddled to the edge and astonishingly leapt into thin air, crashing onto the cement below. Michael couldn’t stand to watch this risky effort nine more times! He dashed out of his office and ran down the stairs to the sidewalk where the first obedient duckling, near its mother, was resting in a stupor after the near-fatal fall. Michael stood out of sight under the awning-planter, ready to help.

As the second one took the plunge, Michael jumped forward and caught it with his bare hands before it hit the concrete. Safe and sound, he set it down it by its momma and the other stunned sibling, still recovering from that painful leap. (The momma must have sensed that Michael was trying to help her babies.)

One by one the babies continued to jump. Each time Michael hid under the awning just to reach out in the nick of time as the duckling made its free fall. At the scene the busy downtown sidewalk traffic came to a standstill. Time after time, Michael was able to catch the remaining eight and set them by their approving mother.

At this point Michael realized the duck family had only made part of its dangerous journey. They had two full blocks to walk across traffic, crosswalks, curbs and past pedestrians to get to the closest open water, the River , site of the famed “River Walk.” The on looking office secretaries and several Edmonton police officers joined in. An empty copy-paper box was brought to collect the babies.

They carefully corralled them, with the mother’s approval, and loaded them in the container. Michael held the box low enough for the mom to see her brood. He then slowly navigated through the downtown streets toward the River the mother waddled behind and kept her babies in sight, all the way.

As they reached the river, the mother took over and passed him, jumping in the river and quacking loudly.
At the water’s edge, Michael tipped the box and helped shepherd the babies toward the water and to the waiting mother after their adventurous ride.

All ten darling ducklings safely made it into the water and paddled up snugly to momma. Michael said the mom swam in circles, looking back toward the beaming bank bookkeeper, and proudly quacking.

At last, all present and accounted for: “We’re all together again. We’re here! We’re here!”

And here’s a family portrait before they head outward to further adventures…

Like all of us in the big times of our life, they never could have made it alone without lots of helping hands. I think it gives the name of the famous “River Walk” a whole new meaning! Maybe you will want to share this story with others. Doctor York told me she- had forwarded it to 20 people. It’s too good to lose!

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Spiritual Uplifting Quotes and Poems

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

~Albert Schweitzer (1875 – 1965)

German theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician.

“Go to foreign countries and you will get to know the good things one possesses at home.”

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

German writer, poet, novelist, playwright, natural philosopher, and diplomat.

“For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)

Famous American author, essayist, poet, and philosopher.

“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”

~Gladys Bronwyn Stern (1890 – 1973)

A writer who wrote many novels, short stories, plays, memoirs, biographies and literary criticism.

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

~William A. Ward (1921 – 1994)

Author of Fountains of Faith and one of America’s most quoted writers of inspirational maxims.

“Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.”

~Christiane Northrup

Dr. Northrup is the author of The Secret Wisdom of Menopause and a leading proponent of medicine and healing.

“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”

~Margaret Cousins (1905 – 1996)

Writer and editor of books and magazines.

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”

~Brian Tracy (1944 – )

A self-help author and the Chairman of Brian Tracy International.

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.”

~Eric Hoffer (1902 – 1983)

American social writer and philosopher.

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”

~Buddha

“Let’s be grateful for those who give us happiness; they are the charming gardeners who make our soul bloom.”

~Marcel Proust (1871 – 1922)

French novelist, essayist and critic.

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”

~Unknown

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”

~Joseph Addison (1672 – 1719)

English essayist, poet and politician.

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

~Melody Beattie

Author of Codependent No More.

“Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.”

~Author Unknown

“If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.”

~Rabbi Harold Kushner

Prominent American rabbi aligned with the progressive wing of Conservative Judaism.

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

~Epictetus (ca. 55–ca. 135)

Was a Greek Stoic philosopher.

“There is a calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy.”

~Ralph H. Blum

American New Age author of several books dealing with runes, including The Book of RunesThe Healing Runes, and The Rune Cards.

“Every time we remember to say “thank you”, we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.”
“You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.”

~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Author of Simple Abundance

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,
but to live by them.”

~John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917 – 1963)

Was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.”

~Johannes A. Gaertner (1912 – 1996)

German born professor, language tutor, bookseller, and writer.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

~Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC)

Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist.

“Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build their philosophy of life.”

~A. J. Cronin (1896 – 1981)

Scottish novelist, dramatist and writer of non-fiction who was one of the most renowned storytellers of the twentieth century.

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”

~Henry Ward Beecher (1813 – 1887)

A prominent, Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker.

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude.
Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.
Thankfulness may consist merely of words.
Gratitude is shown in acts.”

~David Oman McKay (1873 – 1970)
Ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church)

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

~Meister Eckhardt (c. 1260–c. 1328)

Eckhart von Hochheim was a German theologian, philosopher and mystic.

Today I Can... by Anonymous

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.
I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or
I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and
fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

Have a GREAT DAY! Unless you have other plans.

Be Thankful For…
by Author Unknown

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

A Prayer
by Max Ehrmann


Let me do my work each day;
And if the darkened hours of despair overcome me,
May I not forget the strength that comforted me
In the desolation of other times.

May I still remember the bright hours that found me
Walking over the silent hills of my childhood,
Or dreaming on the margin of the quiet river,
When a light glowed within me,
And I promised my early God to have courage
Amid the tempests of the changing years.
Spare me from bitterness
And from the sharp passions of unguarded moments.

May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit.
Though the world may know me not,
May my thoughts and actions be such
As shall keep me friendly with myself.
Lift my eyes from the earth,
And let me not forget the uses of the stars.
Forbid that I should judge others,
Lest I condemn myself.

Let me not follow the clamor of the world,
But walk calmly in my path.
Give me a few good friends who will love me for what I am;
And keep ever burning before my vagrant steps
The kindly light of hope.
And though age and infirmity overtake me,
And I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams,
Teach me still to be thankful for life,
And for times olden memories that are good and sweet;
And may the evening’s twilight find me gentle still.

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Looking past the illusion of words

Like a magician who has revealed the illusion behind his magic, the imagery of words can also be scrutinized. When we look back on a current event that is filled with doubts and situations that seemed insurmountable, we are really only looking at a negative dialogue that we choose to play for ourselves. At some point in the future, that same horrific dialogue may seem humorous when we realize that we really had nothing to fear at all. The same holds true with our fear of death and the unknown. Here is an interesting exercise in the composition of words and how the letters can be re-arranged to reveal a completely different perspective. While clever and entertaining, it can also serve to illustrate how words, themselves, can harbour meanings that are not readily visible to those who only look at the surface.

~ George Parker, N.D.

PRESBYTERIAN:
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

THE EYES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters:
HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE:
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS

DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES – LET’S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z ‘S

A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
I’M A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

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Playing With the Moon

The universe is the playground of the innocent. As such, we extend ourselves to fill the sky. There is no obstacle that we can’t overcome – because time is on our side.

When we reach, we capture that which seems far away. Then we hold the impossible in our hands and carry that wonderment with us wherever we go.

By holding onto our dreams, we eventually become larger than those things that we wished for. Until we are, once again, the innocent child in the playground. A person who, no longer, has to climb towards our goals. Because those goals have already been captured to decorate our world. And they serve to light the eventual peaceful end of our day.

~ George Parker, N.D.

Playing with the Moon


May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

– Irish Blessing

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Enjoy the truths of the words, and the smiles of the pictures.

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Stuart Wilde Affirmations

☀ I am infinite. I have all the time in the world. Things flow to me gradually, as needed.

☀ I utter the word ‘Peace’ twelve times each day, for ‘Peace’ is my dedication. I am at one with myself and all things.

☀ I am the gentle wave lapping on the golden shore of life – my emotions seek balance at all times.

☀ Let the mother of all things take me into her heart. Trusting, I let go.

☀ Change is natural for me. Within it I experience new and exciting aspects of myself.

☀ Waving good-bye, leaving and smiling, I release old energy. I walk confidently into the new day.

☀ In holding silence my spirit speaks to me in trust, all comes to pass given time.

☀ There are many things I do not understand. I like it that way!

☀ I am as one with the Golden Light of the God Force. It flows back and forth gently through my life.

☀ The way things are is the way they are. I accept that. In doing so it sets me free.

☀ There is strength in gentleness. I flow naturally along the path of least resistance.

☀ Prosperity, Creativity and Success flow from within me. I have the courage to create.

☀ My home is my sanctuary. Nothing enters her least it be of love and tranquility. So be it.

☀ My friendships lay in the treasure house of my soul.

☀ As I expand myself I grow more prosperous. Wealth is a part of my spiritual understanding. I open to receive all things.

☀ Life is a piece of cake. Chocolate cake!

☀ The spirit of nature calls to me from the wild. It is the God Force whispering in my ear.

☀ I am eternal, immortal, universal and infinite. So be it.

☀ My world is one of perception and strength. All things are possible.

☀ My body is graceful and slender. I select only foods that are nutritious and kind to my body.

☀ I control my life absolutely. I am stepping away from old habits.

☀ Truth is my friend.

☀ I communicate my needs to others in honesty and clarity.

☀ I utter the word ‘Love’ twelve times each day, for ‘Love’ is how my spirit calls to me from eternity.

☀ This is my day. I control each and every thing that comes to me. I accept complete responsibility for my life. I am power. So be it.

☀ I am truly apart of all things. The GodForce flows through me. I feel secure.

☀ The universe is abundant. Therefore I naturally feel abundant. All my needs are met.

☀ Courage is a natural part of my being. By facing life I transcend it.

☀ I feel good, therefore my life is good.

-Stuart Wilde-

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Affirmations for your Chakra


BASE CHAKRA or ROOT CHAKRA / MULADHARA

I am secure

I am grounded

I am strong

I am prosperous

I am healthy

I am balanced

 

SACRAL CHAKRA / SWADHISHTANA

I am well adjusted

I am creative

I am satisfied

I have a healthy libido

I have healthy relationships

 

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA or NAVEL CHAKRA / MANIPURA

I am successful

I am focused

I am productive

I am cooperative

I am flexible

I am empowered

I am confident

 

HEART CHAKRA / ANAHATA

I am loving

I am warm hearted

I am affectionate

I am accepting

I am forgiving

I am tolerant

I am compassionate

I am peaceful

 

THROAT CHAKRA / VISHUDDHA

I am expressive

I am a good listener

I am a good communicator

I am eloquent

I am calm

 

3RD EYE CHAKRA or BROW CHAKRA / AJNA

I am insightful

I am thoughtful

I am intuitive

I am alert

I am aware

I am wise

I am focused

I am intelligent

 

CROWN CHAKRA / SAHASRARA

I am spiritual

I am connected

I am in tune

I am divine

I live in harmony

I love life

I am fulfilled

 

Be Blessed Of Divine Light.

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Here’s To The Misfit’s & Rebels

The rebel’s the misfit’s

the one’s who didn’t fit in

to those that stand up

& give others a hand up

The loud ones & the quieter ones

the ones who make us laugh

to those that shout out & give a voice

to those who can’t get a word out

These misfit’s these rebels

the ones creating their own spells

to those who saw that things can be rearranged

& work on being the change

Here’s to us

The ones that people turn their nose up to

the one’s who keep going regardless

to those that have the fission of wisdom to create a new vision

The ones who feel the vibe

the turn of the tide

to those misfit’s & rebels

that went ahead knowing not what this path entails

without fear of being impaled

they still choose to set sail

they still choose to spread their wings

& flow with what life brings

Here’s to us

the misfit’s the rebel’s

the ones creating their own spells

the ones that have rearranged

& worked on being the change

Jazz

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♥ Love is the power that unifies the whole world and everything within it.

♥ All disconnected acts are simply a result of a lack of love.
They result from feeling fear, guilt, anger, hopelessness …

♥ Sending out loving vibrations, with no personal attachment,
is LOVE IN ACTION.

♥ Whether someone is hurting or hurting others, Love is the prescription.

♥ Deep at the center of your BEing is an infinite well of Love,
allow it to flow in you and through you.

♥ Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths,
open your heart and send it out to everyone and everything.

♥ When you bless even the most difficult situations in your life,
it starts to transform itself back to Love. It’s like magic!

♥ Whatever it is that you want for yourself,
give it to others – kind thoughts, kind words, kind acts …..

♥ There’s one truth that is useful to understand: everyone is craving Love to some degree
… it’s food for the Soul because it connects us back to who we really are.
We all want to go home … and yet, some have got themselves into a place
where they have been trained into self loathing.

♥ Self hatred is simply a lack of Love for Self and creates much unhappiness.

♥ When we feel Love, when we feel loving, we feel good.
We feel good because it’s true to who we really are and connects us back to the One Love.

♥ Those who take the time to learn self love, self approval and
self appreciation are the ones to uplift and inspire others to do the same for themselves.

♥ Loving yourself, appreciating yourself and approving of
yourself is the path to personal freedom.
When we truly love ourselves, we also fully love others.
One is never without the other. It’s all interconnected.
It’s like breathing – you cannot breathe out without breathing in.

♥ If you send out Love regularly (and that means to yourself too!),
you can expect miracles to happen.

♥ Why?

♥ Giving is Receiving.

♥ Receiving is the Art of Allowing all good things to come to you.

♥ Everything mirrors you – the world is merely a reflection of what you are putting out.

♥ Every judgement (positive or negative) you make about another is really a self judgement.
When you see the bad in others, it’s only because you loathe that part of yourself;
when you see the good in others, it’s also a reflection of who you are.

♥ When you vibrate Love energy, you will attract all the good stuff back to you
– this is Law of Attraction at work.

♥ Love energy is so powerful, it attracts to itself beautiful relationships,
abundance in all things such as finances and health … you name it, you can have it.

♥ Don’t take my word for it. Everything must come from direct experience.
Send love on a consistent basis and see what happens.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

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Be Thankful

by Author Unknown

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you’ve made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

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by Michael Josephson

Ready or not, some day 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, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on 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 will matter 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.

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The Warrior’s Prayer

I am what I am.
In having faith in the beauty within me,
I develop trust.
In softness I have strength.
In silence I walk with the Gods.
In peace I understand myself and the world.
In conflict I walk away.
In detachment I am free.
In respecting all living things, I respect myself.
In dedication I honour the courage within me.
In eternity I have compassion for the nature of all things.
In love I unconditionally accept the evolution of others.
In freedom I have power.
In my individuality I express the God Force within me.
In service I give of what I have become.
I am what I am:
Eternal, immortal, universal and infinite.
And so be it.

-Stuart Wilde-

A Warrior’s Creed

I have no parents: I make heaven and earth my parents.

I have no home: I make awareness my home.

I have no life or death: I make the tides of breathing my life and death.

I have no divine power: I make honesty my divine power.

I have no means: I make understanding my means.

I have no magic secrets: I make character my magic secret.

I have no body: I make endurance my body.

I have no eyes: I make the flash of lightening my eyes.

I have no ears: I make sensibility my ears.

I have no limbs: I make promptness my limbs.

I have no strategy: I make ‘unshadowed by thought’ my strategy.

I have no design: I make ‘seizing opportunity by the forelock’ my design.

I have no miracles: I make right-action my miracles.

I have no principles: I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.

I have no tactics: I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.

I have no talents: I make ready wit my talent.

I have no friends: I make my mind my friend.

I have no enemy: I make carelessness my enemy.

I have no armour: I make benevolence and righteousness my armour.

I have no castle: I make immovable-mind my castle.

I have no sword: I make absence of self my sword.

-Stuart Wilde-

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The Real Meaning of Words

We sometimes speak with very little meaning. Our words can sometimes be a mere reflex to our surroundings. But when you stop and think, “What do our words really mean?” the images that are brought to mind can, in many cases, mean far more than what we had originally intended. The things that we tell ourselves, for example, can become powerful tools which can create a reality of success – or failure. When we visualize positive outcomes in our lives, then those are the things that are made manifest in our existence. If you have any doubt as to the power of words and the images that are associated with them, look closely at the following words and pictures. The depth of emotion that they relate will make you think twice regarding your own words, in the future.

~ George Parker, N.D.

The Real Meaning of Words

Love

Sorrow

Innocence

Departure

Pain

Solitude

Music

Respect

Compassion

Friendship

Patience

Stranger

Rescued

Best friends

Divine

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"

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The Wayseer Manifesto

Currently, there is a video circulating on the Internet that is known as the Wayseer Manifesto and it is the work of author Garret John LoPorto. The premise of the video is a shout-out to those who have been suppressed when it comes to hiding their creative (and for many – genius gifts). In actuality, the suppression of these gifts has been so profound as to actually mask the gifts, themselves, so that they have become unrecognizable to their owners. So, in other words, a creative spark or impulse may be considered as an aberration to its owner should that spark be met with hostility or scorn by society at large. Certainly, it may never be properly rewarded within the lifetime of the exhibitor (see Vincent van Gogh and Edgar Allan Poe). The Wayseer Manifesto video is a call to using this rare aptitude to lead society into positive transformation.

This transformation is said to occur when our world and its prevailing concepts of reality are awakened to the true calling of humans on this planet. Those that are the vanguards of this change are called the “Wayseers”. They can also be known as healers, visionaries and spiritual leaders. It is these individuals who are said to bring all of humanity into an alignment with the concept of “The Way”.

When the Wayseers of the world are awakened to their true calling on this planet, a massive shift in the human condition will occur. Wayseers are the change agents of humanity – the innovators, the healers, the visionaries, the spiritual leaders and the entrepreneurs are examples of those who are here to lead humanity into alignment with the Way. That term “Way” can be associated with the “Tao”, the “Path to God” and other definitions that relate to higher purposes of human existence.

The philosophy of the Wayseers includes the concept that the potential innovators of society are able to see and understand various aspects of spirituality and the world that approximately 90% of humanity is unable to see. This, in turn, represents a threat to the other 90% of humanity which includes those that represent “authority”. Thus, the Wayseers are generally branded as dangerous revolutionaries. This also means that the Wayseers represent about a considerable number of people throughout the world, since 10% is not an insignificant number. However only approximately a few hundred thousand are in contact with each other and thus can be considered organized. This video is a call to action for other Wayseers to join a collective movement that is advertised online.

The author of this movement, Mr LoPoto, has battled his own issues with Attention Deficit Disorder and has since chosen to focus on his strengths, rather than the weaknesses of his affliction. He has encouraged others to do the same through creativity, rather than with drugs, which is highly commendable. His concept of stopping and determining that creativity should not be linked with insanity is also noteworthy and essentially correct.

However, we should also be aware that the use of our brain’s pre-frontal cortex (which tends to be looked down upon in the video) is needed in order to keep our behaviours in check. In truth, those within our society that are the most creative have needed those who are grounded in society’s conventions in order to help them pay the bills, clean the house, etc. But without these creative Wayseers, we would have never moved forward in our quest for truth through spirituality. Let’s hope that they will not be as suppressed by future generations. In any case, we believe that you will find the video quite entertaining and enlightening…

~ George Parker, N.D.

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A boy, a man & a donkey

An old man, a boy & a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey & the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.

The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Then, later, they passed some people who remarked, ‘What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.’ So they then decided they’d both walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride.

So, they both rode the donkey. Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.


The moral of the story?
If you try to please everyone, you might as well… Kiss your ass goodbye!

Have A Nice Day And Be Careful With Your Donkey

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Ripple Effect

I am a mother of three and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called “Smile.”

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special play time with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch…an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible “dirty body” smell, and there standing right behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was “smiling”. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, “Good day” as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them.


The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, “Coffee is all Miss” because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it ~ the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.


I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Thank you.” I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, “I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.” I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.


When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, “That is why God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope.” We held hands for a moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given, were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God’s sweet love.


I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God, share this need to heal people and be healed.


In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald’s, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.


I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. Much love and compassion is sent to each andevery person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS~NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

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Embracing Imperfection

“When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned toast in front of my dad.

I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember Watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

When I got Up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad For burning the toast. And I’ll never forget what he said: ‘Baby, I love burned toast.’


Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if He really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, ‘Debbie, your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired. And besides-a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!’

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All rights reserved. No reproduction without prior written consent of the copyright owners. (We sue. Be warned.)