There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park. Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad. Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word.
Many people passed by her, but no one would stop. The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes.
Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl. For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone.
As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl's dress was grotesquely shaped. I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her. Deformities are a low blow to our society and, heaven forbid if you make a step toward assisting someone who is different.
As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly. She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form. I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello."
The little girl acted shocked, and stammered a "hi," after a long stare into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty. I asked the girl why she was so sad.
The little girl looked at me with a sad face said, "Because, I'm different."
I immediately said, "That you are!" and smiled.
The little girl acted even sadder and said, "I know."
"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent."
She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and said, "Really?"
"Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all those people walking by."
She nodded her head yes, and smiled. With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said "I am. I'm your Guardian Angel" with a twinkle in her eye.
I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things.
She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job here is done."
I got to my feet and said, "Wait, why did no one stop to help an angel?"
She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're the only one that could see me" and then she was gone.
And with that, my life was changed dramatically. So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you.
--- Author Unknown
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Life's Struggles
A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.
The moth seemed to be stuck and appeared to have stopped making progress. It seemed as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth; so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But its body was swollen and small, its wings wrinkled and shriveled.
The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to and able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a small, swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
The man in his kindness and haste did not understand that the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was necessary to force fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight upon achieving its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets, and don't forget the power in the struggle.
--- Author Unknown
The moth seemed to be stuck and appeared to have stopped making progress. It seemed as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. The man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth; so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But its body was swollen and small, its wings wrinkled and shriveled.
The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to and able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a small, swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.
The man in his kindness and haste did not understand that the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was necessary to force fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight upon achieving its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets, and don't forget the power in the struggle.
--- Author Unknown
Woman And A Fork
There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and
had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in
order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss
certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures
she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the
young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.
'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.
'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried
with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing
quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and
from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I
love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of
attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of
the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and
say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favourite part because I knew that
something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish
apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my
hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to
tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears
of joy as he hugged the young woman good-by e. He knew this would be one
of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that
the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better
grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with
twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was
coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they
saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over
and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over
and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of
the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He
also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told
the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them
that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind
you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare
jewel , indeed They make you smile and encourage you to succeed Cherish
the time you have , and the memories you share ... being friends with
someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.
Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it means sending back
to the person who sent it to you.
And keep your fork.
...........
Unquote
Isn't it beautiful?
Pass it on.
had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in
order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss
certain aspects of her final wishes.
She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures
she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the
young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.
'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.
'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried
with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing
quite what to say.
That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.
'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.
The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and
from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I
love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of
attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of
the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and
say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favourite part because I knew that
something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish
apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my
hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to
tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears
of joy as he hugged the young woman good-by e. He knew this would be one
of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that
the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better
grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with
twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was
coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they
saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over
and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over
and over he smiled.
During his message, the Pastor told the people of
the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He
also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told
the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them
that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind
you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare
jewel , indeed They make you smile and encourage you to succeed Cherish
the time you have , and the memories you share ... being friends with
someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.
Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it means sending back
to the person who sent it to you.
And keep your fork.
...........
Unquote
Isn't it beautiful?
Pass it on.
A Prayer For The One Who Is Left
Lord, the trouble about
life just now
Is that I seem to have all
things which don’t
matter, and to have
lost all the things which do matter.
I have life;
I have enough money to live on:
I have plenty to occupy me:
but I am alone,
and sometimes I feel
that nothing can make
up for that.
Lord compel me to see
the meaning of my faith.
Make me to realise
that I have a hope
as well as a memory, and
the unseen cloud of
witnesses is around me;
that You meant it when
You said that You would
always be with me;
and make me realise that
as long as You leave me
here there is something that
I am meant to do;
and in doing it, help me
to find the comfort and the
courage that I need to go on.
life just now
Is that I seem to have all
things which don’t
matter, and to have
lost all the things which do matter.
I have life;
I have enough money to live on:
I have plenty to occupy me:
but I am alone,
and sometimes I feel
that nothing can make
up for that.
Lord compel me to see
the meaning of my faith.
Make me to realise
that I have a hope
as well as a memory, and
the unseen cloud of
witnesses is around me;
that You meant it when
You said that You would
always be with me;
and make me realise that
as long as You leave me
here there is something that
I am meant to do;
and in doing it, help me
to find the comfort and the
courage that I need to go on.
All Is Well
“Death is nothing at all, I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, let it be spoken without effort, without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind just because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere near, just around the corner.
All is well.”
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, let it be spoken without effort, without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind just because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere near, just around the corner.
All is well.”
You Never Will Be Old
You never will be old
with a twinkle in your eye,
with the springtime in your heart
as you watch the winter fly.
You never will be old
while you have a smile to share,
while you wonder at mankind
and you have the time to care.
While there’s magic in your world and a
special dream to hold,
while you still can laugh at life,
you never will be old.
….. Iris Hesselden
with a twinkle in your eye,
with the springtime in your heart
as you watch the winter fly.
You never will be old
while you have a smile to share,
while you wonder at mankind
and you have the time to care.
While there’s magic in your world and a
special dream to hold,
while you still can laugh at life,
you never will be old.
….. Iris Hesselden
A Prayer For Those Who Live Alone
I live alone, Dear Lord, stay by my side.
In all my daily needs be Thou my guide.
Grant me good health, for that indeed, I pray,
to carry on my work from day to day.
Keep pure my mind, my thoughts, my every deed.
Let me be kind, unselfish in my neighbour’s need.
Spare me from fire, from flood, malicious tongues,
from thieves, from fear, and evil ones.
If sickness or an accident befall, then humbly, Lord,
I pray, hear Thou my call, and when I’m feeling low,
on in despair, lift up my heart and help me in my prayer.
I live alone, Dear Lord, yet have no fear, because I feel
Your Presence ever near.
In all my daily needs be Thou my guide.
Grant me good health, for that indeed, I pray,
to carry on my work from day to day.
Keep pure my mind, my thoughts, my every deed.
Let me be kind, unselfish in my neighbour’s need.
Spare me from fire, from flood, malicious tongues,
from thieves, from fear, and evil ones.
If sickness or an accident befall, then humbly, Lord,
I pray, hear Thou my call, and when I’m feeling low,
on in despair, lift up my heart and help me in my prayer.
I live alone, Dear Lord, yet have no fear, because I feel
Your Presence ever near.
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