The Samurai and the Tea Master

This traditional story from japan is about the time a Samurai warrior challenged a tea master to a duel. It shows how if you are the master of yourself, you can be the master of anything.

A Samurai warrior is as spiritual as a monk. He is the ruler of his mind as much as of his body. he trains his spirit through the form of meditation known as Zen. He can sit still for hours on end. Gradually reducing his thoughts until his sole focus is on his breath. no base passion, fear, discomfort or excitement shall control him even for a single second. He can endure the bitterest cold or the fiercest heat. When faced with death itself, his mind is perfectly still. The odds, the dangers abnd the enemies may be massively against him and yet his concentration, as sharp as his sword, may cut through them all.

Yes, he is a spiritual being indeed-but his spirit is the distilled essence of violence.

Such self control is not confined to the fighters of Japan, however. The master of the Japanese tea ceremony performs his peaceful duties with just the same concentration and focus of attention. as this story from Ancient Japan shows.

Several centuries ago, a tea master worked in the service of Lord Yamanouchi. No one else performed the way of the tea to such perfection. The timing and the grace of his every move; from the unfurling of the mat, to the setting out of the cups, and the sifting of the green leaves, was beauty itself. His master was so pleased with his servant, that he bestowed upon him the rank and robes of a Samurai warrior. When Lord Yamanouchi traveled, he always took his tea master with him, so that others could appreciate the perfection of his art. On one occasion, he went on business to the great city of Edo, which we now Know as Tokyo.

When evening fell, the tea master and his friends set out to explore the pleasure district, known as the floating world. As they turned the corner of a wooden pavement, they found themselves face to face with two samurai warriors.

The tea master bowed, and politely step into the gutter to let the fearsome ones pass. Although on warrior went by, the other remained rooted to the spot. He stroked a long black whisker that decorated his face, gnarled by the sun, and scarred by the sword. His eyes pierced through the tea master's heart like an arrow.

He did not quite know what to make of the fellow who dressed like a fellow samurai, yet who would willingly step aside into a gutter. What kind of warrior was this/ He looked him up and down. Where were broad shoulders and the thick neck of a man of force and muscle? Instinct told him that this was no soldier. He was an impostor who by ignorance or impudence had donned the uniform of a samurai. He snarled, "Tell me, oh strange one, where are you from and what is your rank?"

The tea master bowed once more. "It is my honor to serve Lord Yamanouchi and I am hi master of the way of the tea."

"A tea-sprout who dares to wear robes of samurai?" Exclaimed the rough warrior.

The tea master's lip trembled. He pressed his hands together and said, "My lord has honored me with the rank of a samurai and he requires me to wear these robes."

The warrior stomped the ground like a raging bull and exclaimed, "He who wears the robes of a Samurai must fight like a samurai. I challenge you to a duel. If you die with dignity, you will bring honor to your ancestors. And if you die like a dog, at least you will no longer insult the rank of the samurai!"

By now, the hairs on the tea master's neck were standing on end like the feet of a helpless centipede that has been turned upside down. He imagined he could feel that edge of the samurai blade against his skin. He thought that his last second on earth had come.

The corner of the street was no place for a duel with honor, however. Death is a serious matter, and everything has to be arranged just so. The samurais friend spoke to the tea master's friends, and gave them the time and the place for the mortal contest.

When the fierce warriors had departed, the tea master's friends fanned his face and treated his faint nerves with smelling salts. They steadied him as they took him into a nearby place of rest and refreshment. There they assured him that there was no need to fear for this life. Each one of them would give freely of money from his own purse, and they would collect a handsome enough sum to buy the warrior off and make him forget his desire to fight a duel. If by chance the warrior was not satisfied with the bribe, then surely Lord Yamanouchi would give generously to save his much prized master of the way of the tea.

These generous words brought no cheer to the tea master. he thought of his family, and his ancestors, and of Lord Yamanouchi himself, and he knew that he must not bring them any reason to be ashamed of him.

"No," he said with a firmness that surprised his friends. "I have one day to and one night to learn how to die with honor, and i will do so."

So speaking, he got up and returned alone to the court of Lord Yamanouchi. There he found his equal in rank, the master of fencing, he was skilled as no other in the art of fighting with a sword.

"Master," he said, when he dad explained his tale, "teach me to die like a samurai."

But the master of fencing was a wise man, and he had great respect for the master of the tea ceremony, so he said, "I will teach you all you require, but first, I ask that you perform the way of the Tea for me one last time."

The tea master could not refuse this request. As he performed the ceremony, all trace of fear seemed to leave his face. he was serenely concentrated on the simple but beautiful cups and pots, and the delicate aroma of the leaves. There was no room in his mind for anxiety. His thoughts were focused on the ritual.

When the ceremony was complete, the fencing master slapped his thigh and exclaimed with pleasure.

"There you have it. No need to learn anything of the way of death. Your state of mind when you perform the tea ceremony is all that is required. When you see your challenger tomorrow, imagine that you are about to serve tea for him. Salute him courteously, express regret that you could not meet him sooner, take off your coat and fold it as you did just now. Wrap your head in silken scarf and do it with the same serenity as you dress for the tea ritual. Draw your sword, and hold it high above your head. Then close your eyes and ready yourself for combat."

That is exactly what the tea master did when, the following morning, at the crack of dawn he met his opponent. The samurai warrior had been expecting a quivering wreck and he was amazed by the tea master's presence of mind as he prepared himself for combat. The samurais eyes were opened and he saw a different man altogether. He thought he must have fallen victim to some kind of trick or deception, and now it was he who feared for his life. The warrior bowed, asked to be excused for his rude behavior, and left the place of combat with as much speed and dignity as he could mater.

And that was the story of The Samurai and the Tea Master. You can gain mastery over your mind and spirit, you can overcome almost any difficult of danger. In fact, the impossible will soon become possible.

The Last Cab Ride

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. One time I arrived in the middle of the night for a pick up at a building that was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

Under these circumstances, many drivers would honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. but I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxi's as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.

"Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice.

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small women in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie. By he side was a small nylon suitcase.

The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the women. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat may passangers the way I would want my mother treated."

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way I answered quickly.

"Oh, don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on the way to a hospice."

I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says i don't have very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a little girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. the women was already seated in a wheelchair.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers."

Almost without thinking, I bent over and gave her a hug. She held on to me tightly.

"You gave an old women a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that women had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. but great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.



A true story by Kent Nerburn

The Hotel Clerk

One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia, USA. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.

"Could you possibly give us a room here?"- the husband asked.

The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. "All of our rooms are taken," the clerk said. "But I can't send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night."

When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. "Don't worry about me, I'll make out just fine," the clerk told them.

So the couple agreed.

As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, "You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel. Maybe someday I'll build one for you."

The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn't easy.

Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.

The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a pale reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.

"That," said the older man, "Is the hotel i have built for you to manage."

"You must be joking." - the young man said.

"i can assure you I am not." said the older man, a sly smile playing around with his mouth.

The older man's name was William- Aster, and that magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk who became it's first manager was George C. Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the worlds most glamorous hotels.


Don't be afraid to reach and touch someone's life, you never know who's heart you may be touching.

How Big Is One

As a man walked a desolate beach one cold, grey morning he began to see another figure, far in the distance. Slowly the two approached each other, and he could make out a local native who kept leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. time and again he hurled things into the ocean.

As the distance between them continued to narrow, the man could see that the native was picking up starfish that had been washed upon the beach and, one at a time, was throwing them back into the water.

Puzzled, the man approached the native and asked what he was doing. "I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. you see, it's low tide right now and all of these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don't throw them back into the sea, they'll die up here from lack of oxygen."

"But there must be thousands of starfish on this beach," the man replied. "You can't possibly get to all of them. There are just too many. And this same thing is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down the coast. Can't you see that you can't possibly make a difference?"

The local native smiled, bent down and picked up another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea he replied, "Made a difference to that one."



Each of us is but one person: limited, burdened with our own cares and responsibilities. We may feel there is so much to be done, and we have so little to give. We're usually short of everything, especially time and money.

When we leave this shore, there will still be millions of starfish on the beach. Maybe we can't change the whole world, but there isn't one of us who can't change one person's whole world. One at a time. We can make a difference.

The tale of two pebbles

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The money lender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. he said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter.

Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they ley providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl who would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she doesn't need to marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. If she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the money-lender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Take a moment to ponder this. What would you recommend that the girl do?

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall into the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

"Oh, how clumsy of me!" she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."

The moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty. The girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

In Need Of A Vacation

I wish I would have made more money today with my trading. Only $120 in 4 hrs. I was really aiming for $250 for the day. Now I regret not following up on today's news, I was watching sports and it took my mind off the trading I should have been keeping my attention on. If I wasn't watching TV I would have made an extra $80 on each pair. Well I guess everything doesn't go the way we plan. Wish everyone a great weekend. If there is any places anyone has in mind for a great vacation please let me know. I am really interested in the Blue Lagoon.

Husband wakes Up With A Black Eye. But Never Expected His Wife To Do This.

Jack wakes up with a huge hangover after attending his company's Christmas Party. Jack is not normally a drinker, but the drinks didn't taste like alcohol at all. he didn't even remember how he got home from the the party. As bad as he was feeling, he wondered if he did something wrong.

Jack had to force himself to open his eyes and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins next to a glass of water on the side table. And, next to them, a single red rose! Jack sits up and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. he looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotless clean. So is the rest of the house. he takes the aspirins, cringes when he sees a huge black eye staring back at him in the bathroom mirror. then he notices a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red with little hearts on it and a kiss mark from his wife in lipstick:

"Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to get groceries to make you your favorite dinner tonight. I love you, darling! Love Julian"

he stumbles to the kitchen and sure enough, there is hot breakfast, steaming hot coffee and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating. Jack asks, "Son... What happened last night?

"Well, you came home after 3 AM, drunk and out of your mind. you fell over the coffee table and broke it, and then you puked in the hallway, and got that black eye when you ran into the door.

Confused, he asked his son, "So, why is everything is such perfect order and so clean? I have a rose, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me??"

His son replies, "Oh That! Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your pants off, you screamed , "Leave me alone, I'm married!!!"

Broken Coffee Table: $239.99 Hot Breakfast: $4.20. Two Aspirins: $.38. Saying the right thing, at the right time... Priceless!!!



From: postsforall.com

True Friend

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "no man's land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away." The lieutenant's advice didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

"I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, though, sir," said the soldier.

"What do you mean; worth it? responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead."

"Yes, Sir" the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him saying, "Jim..., I knew you'd come."





Moral: Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life. may each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS. A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out. War doesn't determine who's right. War only determines who left.

A Beautiful Story

One day, a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"I was great, Dad."

"Did you see how the poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden, and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden, and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches tot eh front yard, and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land we live on, and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."

The Three Races

In old times, fable retells the story of the young athletic boy hungry for success, for whom winning was everything and success was measured by such a result.

One day, the boy was preparing himself for a running competition in his small native village, himself and two other young boys to complete. A large cowed had congregated to witness the sporting spectacle and a wise old man, upon hearing of the little boy, had traveled far to bear witness also.

The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, but sure enough the boy dug deep and called on his determination, strength and power...he took the winning line and was first. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

A second race was called, and two new young, fit, challengers came forward, to run with the little boy. The race was started and sure enough the little boy came through and finished first once again. The crowed was ecstatic again and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, again expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

"Another race, another race!"- pleaded the little boy.

The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers, an elderly frail and a blind man. "What is this?"- quizzed the little boy. "This is no race."- he exclaimed.

"Race!"- said the wise man. The race was started and the boy was the only finisher, the other two challengers left standing at the starting line. The little boy was ecstatic, he raised his arms in delight. The crowed, however, was silent showing no sentiment toward the little boy.

"What has happened? Why don't the people join in my success?" he asked the wise old man.


"Race again", replied the wise man, "this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together." continued the wise man.

The little boy thought a little, stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady, and then took two challengers by the hand. The race began and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowed were ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled, gently nodding his head. The little boy felt proud and important.

"Old man, I don't understand! Who are the crowed cheering for? Which one of us three?"- asked the little boy.

The wise old man looked into the little boy's eyes, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, and replied softly, "Little boy, for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before, and for this race the crowed cheer not for any winner!"



From: http://academictips.org/

have a laugh

There was a beer party out in the woods and, all of a sudden there was a downpour of rain and thunder. Two young men ran for about 10 minutes in the pouring rain, and finally reached their car just as the rain let up. They jumped in the car, started it up and headed down the road, laughing and, of course, still drinking one beer after another.

All of a sudden an old man's face appeared outside the passenger window, and he tapped lightly on the window! The man on the passenger side screamed out, "Ahhhhhhhh! Look at my window!!! There's an old guy's face there!"

The old man kept knocking, so the driver said, "Well, open the window a little and ask him what he wants!" So, the passenger rolled his window down part way and, scared out of his wits, said, "What do you want?"

The old man softly replied, "Do you have any cigarettes?"

The passenger, terrified, looked at the driver and said, "He wants a cigarette."

"Well, give him a cigarette! Hurry!!" the driver replies.

So he fumbles around with the pack and hands the old man a cigarette and yells to the driver, "Step on it!", rolling up the window in terror.

Now going about 80 miles an hour, they calm down, and they start laughing again, and the passenger says, "What do you think of that?" The driver replies, "I don't know. How could that be? I am going pretty fast."

Then all of a sudden AGAIN there is a knock, and there is the old man again.

"Aaaaaaaah, there he is again!" the passenger yells.

"Well, see what he wants now!" Yells back the driver.

He rolls down the window a little and shakily says, "Yes?"

"So you have a light?" the old man quietly asks.

The driver throws a lighter out the window at him and rolls up the window and yells, "Step On It!"

They are now going about 100 miles an hour and still guzzling beer, trying to forget what they had just seen and heard, when all of a sudden again there he is more knocking!

"Oh my god, he's back!!!"

The passenger rolls down the window and screams in stark fear, "What Do You Want?"

The old man replies, "You want some help getting out of the mud?"

Great day!

Today has been great! I made around 70 dollars , good thing the money I lost was a small amount. but what really get's me excited is that this money was made 10 min. I keep telling myself I need to do this every hour, but sometimes things don't go the way we plan. At least I made some profit that can be added to my vacation expenses. Lately I have been studying more on the system that I am using, with Infinity Space Inc, and is quite easy as there is news to follow up on that helps me with the positions that I will Buy or Sell, sometimes Binary as well.

Grandma beats up Airport Security Guards.

Grandma beats up Airport Security Guards.

Charges were dropped yesterday against Ruth "Grammy" Gordon, an 83 year old wheelchair -bound grandmother, who was originally charged with assault and battery, and assault with a deadly weapon, because of an altercation she had last week with six airport security guards, that left all six hospitalized.

"Justice has been served", said the 95 -pound mother of three and grandmother of six, as she sat in her wheel chair, aided in her breathing by an oxygen bottle. "Now I'm going to sue every fool in the federal government for ignorance, stupidity, and just plain general incompetence. I'm an American, and I won't be treated like this."

The problem began last month as Gordon was attempting to board an airplane. "These guys are supposed to be some kind of professionals," she said, "but they're dumber than rocks. Here they were letting guys who looked just like terrorists walk through without searching them, and then pull me aside and tell me they're going to search me? I don't think so."

According to one witness, Bud Cort of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, one guard, "Who weighed about 300 pounds, looked like he was drunk, and had his shirt out, told this women she couldn't board the plane unless they search her. He was really rude. That's when the trouble started."

Videotapes showed that Gordon ran the guard sown with her motorized wheelchair, then sat on top of the screaming man while spinning her chair in circles. "Doofus was so fat he couldn't get up", said Gordon with a giggle.

One guard who attempted to pull Gordon 's wheelchair off of the screaming man from behind was hit over the head with an oxygen bottle and knocked unconscious. A third guard, who approached Gordon from the front, was also lefty dazed on the floor. Witnesses said she as crackling, "Put your hands on an old lady, will you?" as she bashed both guards. The tape also showed a fourth guard attempting to grab Gordon's wheelchair. Gordon removed a knitting needle from her purse and stabbed him in his left buttock. "What a wimp," she told reporters. He started screaming and grabbing his butt and running like a puppy that someone kicked.

"It was amazing," said another witness, a Scott Ryan. The whole crowed just stood there cheering and clapping. I mean, she was whupping butt."

A fifth guard that attempted to grab Gordon had the seat of his pants set with a cigarette lighter then had escaped detection. "He just went whoosh across the concourse, screaming and slapping at all these flames flying out of his rear," said Ryan.

A sixth guard did finally manage to get Gordon in a body hug.. "I think that was the wrong thing to do,"said another witness, who declined to be identified. "She just grabbed him by his greasy hair with one hand and cracked him across the jaw with her skinny fist. And down and out he went."

After all this, Gordon's chair was still on top of the first guard.

The tapes clearly showed her leaning over and yelling, "Apologize to me, you fat sumbitc*, or when I'm, done with you you'll just be a greasy spot on the floor!"

As the crowed roared, the guard cried, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Uncle! I won't do it again!"

Finally, Gordon surrendered without further incident, and was taken to jail and released on her own recognizance."We didn't have any choice," said an unidentified officer of the court. "Over 200 people showed up to support her. I think if we had demanded bail, there would have been a riot."

Over 20 lawyers offered to defend her for free. However, realizing the precariousness of the case, Gordon was not charged with anything. "I doubt there's a jury in the whole country that would have found her guilty of anything," said one of the lawyers.

"I'm flying again tomorrow," Gordon told reporters. "And I suggest no one at the airport so much as look at me wrong."

The old women on the moon

Mona was a young girl who lived in Mumbai. One night she saw the lull moon rise, climbing slowly across the sky. The moonlight was flooding her father's corn fields. It was so very beautiful that she praised God for all the wonderful things around her.

For her the moon seemed to be at a far distance, She looked at the moon and felt that somebody was sitting in it under the shadow of a tree. She had heard, "There was an old women who lived there. How lonely she must be," Mona thought for a while. She felt so sad to think of her.

Suddenly a moonbeam danced right into her room and bowed low and said, "The old women on the moon has read your thoughts and invites you for a visit. Won't you come with me? I shall bring you back in a few days."

Mona's parents were away on a visit and only the old servant was in the house. She joyfully accepted the invitation and said, "But how shall I get there? The moon is miles away."

"I shall take you there. All you need to do is touch the magic moon rays and sit on my back and by sunrise tomorrow we shall be to the moon."

Quickly Mona touched the magic rays and away she flew with the dancing. They crossed oceans and continents and Mona who knew her geography saw the outline of the world lade away. Higher and higher the moonbeam ascended. Stars and planets swirled past. She was so excited that she urged the moonbeam to fly faster and faster.

It was dark and the outline of the moon was clearly visible. The light grow brighter and brighter and Mona was almost blind by the shining glow. She could see deep valleys and craters and high mountains. She knew that no humans lived on the moon because there was no air and no living things grew there. She wondered how she would breathe and how the old woman lived. Doubtless, she had some magic powers. She kew that the glorious Sun reflected it's light on the moon.

At last they reached the summit of a mountain and the exhausted moonbeam circled low and gently landed at the entrance of a beautiful castle made out of moon-stones. Each gem glittered in every hue and the enchantment of the sense fascinated the girl.

A very old women, her white flowing hair almost touching the ground, gently greeted the girl and made her welcome. "You are the first human whom I have ever met. Are they all like you? I have watched the earth for millions of years. Tell me all you can about it. It is so lovely for me here."

"But how do you live here without air and water?" asked Mona.

"My child, once you touch the magic moonstone, you need nothing. You can live here forever and not want anything."

Mona was a gentle and kind girl and had great compassion for the old women. Every day she sat with the old women and told her stories of life an earth. She described the snow-capped mountains, the wide oceans, the green valleys, the bright meadows, the various beasts and songs of the birds and the laughter of the children. But she sadly concluded that the earth was not all bliss as there was so much discord between different countries and much despair in the hearts of men.

The old women listened to me carefully and said that humans would soon reach the moon too. Already she had seen strange shapes circling the hills. "Of course, those are the space capsules. They are piloted by men called astronauts and I know that one is actually going to land on the moon very soon. They don't need to touch magic moonstone to survive here. They have oxygen tanks and all sorts of scientific instruments to help them."

The next morning, Mona was exploring a crater, looking for pretty gems when she heard a strange shirr and was astonished to see an unfamiliar contraption land near her. She knew it was some kind of a space capsule and gazed at the young astronaut with wonder. He in turn was so astonished to see a pretty young girl hopping among the craters that he nearly dropped his instruments.

"Who are you and how did you land here?" asked the astronaut.

Mona laughed and told her story. "But don't you want to go back to earth?

"Oh yes...I would like to return. But first I must say good-bye to the dear Old Women on the moon. "She will be so lonely without me."

She made the old women a fond farewell and flew back to the beautiful earth with all it's life. The old servant shook Mona awake with a hard shake and said to her, "Wake up Mona, you have slept the whole day and now it is night and the moon is shining bright. Come and have your food."

Mona at once got up from her sleep and she jumped out of bed. She went to the window and saw if the old women ws still there. But she didn't see anything except deep shadows. She sighed and said, "Oh dear, I've only been dreaming."

Later on, Mona participated in a competition of story writing in her school. Mona had written about her wonderful dream and narrated the story very nicely. The judges liked her imagination and also selected her for the first prize. Mona was very happy and she shared her joy with her parents. Mona's parents were also very happy at what their daughter achieved and encouraged her to write on many things. Soon Mona became a writer and wrote many good stories with facts for children.

The Old women on the moon- The old women on the moon-the old women on the moon.

Moral: One should make use of one's hidden talents.

Building Bridges

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict.

It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.

Then the long collaboration fell apart.

 It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John's door.

He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox.

"I'm looking for a few days work," he said.

"Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"

"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at the farm.

 That's my neighbor, in fact it's my younger brother.

 Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us.

Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll get him better.

See that pile of lumber curing by the barn?

I want you to build me a fence-an 8 foot fence, so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.

The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing and nailing.

About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished the job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.

There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge....a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all, and the neighbor, his young brother was coming across with his hand outstretched.

"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've got a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.

"I'd love to stay." the carpenter said, "but, I have many more bridges to build.

Touching Life Story

A young man was getting ready to graduate 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 beautiful 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 stomped out of the house, leaving the bible.
many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.
He had a beautiful home and a 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.
How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

Don't we all.

Sand and Stone

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "Today My Best Friend Slapped  Me In The Face."

They kept walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who  had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning , but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "Today My Best Friend Saved My Life."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sands where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."


Learn to write your hurts in the sand, and to carve your benefits in stone

Great day

My trading today has been just great. I have made $158, I really need to keep this amount coming in everyday but it's a bit tough. I was very surprised how GBP/JPY  moved so dramatically, since yesterday it was hovering the 193.00 area and today it jumped all the way to 195.05. I really wasn't expecting for this to happen, just very glad that I bought the position instead of selling. All in all today is a good day.

Finding Happiness

Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar.

Suddenly the speaker stopped and started giving each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within five minutes.

Everyone was frantically searching for their name, pushing, colliding with each other, and there was utter chaos.

At the end of 5 minutes, no one could find their own balloon.

Now each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.

The speaker began: This is exactly happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is. Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness , you will get your own happiness.

And this is the purpose of human life.

Light Up the Darkness

In a room there were four candles burning. The ambiance was so soft you could here them talking.

The first one said, "I am PEACE, however nobody can keep me lit. I believe I will not go out."

It's flame rapidly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second one says, "I am FAITH. Most of all I am no longer indispensable, so it does not make any sense that I stay lit any longer."

When it finished talking, a breeze softly blew on it putting it out.

Sadly, the third candle spoke in it's turn. "I am LOVE. I have not gotten the strength to stay lit. People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them." And waiting no longer it goes out.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw three candles not burning. "Why are you not burning you are supposed to stay lit til the end."

Saying this the child began to cry. Then the fourth candle said, "Don't be afraid, while I am still burning we can re-light the other candles, I am HOPE."

With shining eyes, the child took the candle of HOPE and lit the other candles.

The flame of HOPE should never go out from our life and that each of us can maintain HOPE, FAITH, PEACE and LOVE.




Hope never abandons you. You abandon hope. 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.


From http://academictips.org/

Feeling Good

Following up with yesterdays post about my trading results. It didn't go so well as the currencies were jumping around everywhere. I didn't set a limit for my opened positions which made me lose about $25. But today I jumped into binary and made almost $15 in 10 min. All together I lost $10 from yesterday to today. I learned a good lesson about watching my positions more carefully and knowing the right time to start my trades. From now on I will go back to my Binary trading, as it is more exciting and I can't lose too much money. Well that's it for today. I need to make my profits back. Wish me luck. Great day to you all.

The Blind Man And the Elephant.

A long time ago in the valley of the Brahmaputra River in India there lived six men who were much inclined to boast of their wit and lore. Though they were no longer young and had all been blind since birth, they would compete with each other to see who could tell the tallest story.

One day, however, they fell to arguing. The object of their dispute was the elephant. Now, since each was blind, none had ever seen that mighty beast of whom so many tales are told. So, to satisfy their minds and settle the dispute, they decided to go and seek out an elephant.

Having hired a young guide, Dookiram by name, they set out early one morning in single file along the forest track, each placing his hands on the back of the man in front. It was not long before they came to a forest clearing where a huge bull elephant, quite tame, was standing contemplating his menu for the day.

The six blind men became quite excited; at last they would satisfy their minds. Thus it was that men took turns to investigate the elephant's shape and form.

As all six men were blind, neither of them could see the whole elephant and approached the elephant from different directions. After encountering the elephant, each man proclaimed in turn:

"O my brothers," the first man at once cried out, "It is as sure as I am wise that this elephant is like a great mud wall baked hard in the sun."

"Now, my brothers," the second man excl;aimed with a cry of dawning recognition, "I can tell you what shape this elephant is-hi is exactly like a spear."

The others smiled in disbelief.

"Why, dear brothers, do you not see," said the third man, "this elephant is very much like a rope," he shouted.

"ha, I thought as much," the forth man declared excitedly, "this elephant much resembles a serpent."

The others snorted their contempt.

"Good gracious, brothers," the fifth man called out," even a blind man can see what shape the elephant resembles most. Why he's mighty like a fan."

At last, it was the turn of the sixth old fellow and he proclaimed, "This sturdy pillar, brothers, mine, feels exactly like the trunk of a great areca palm tree."

Of course, no one believed him.

Their curiosity satisfied, they all linked hands and followed the guide, Dookiram, back to the village. Once there, seated beneath a waving palm, the six blind men began disputing loud and long. Each now had his own opinion, firmly based on his own experience, of what an elephant is really like. For after all, each had felt the elephant for himself and knew that he was right!

And so indeed he was. For depending on how the elephant is seen, each blind man was partly right, though all were wrong..

An ancient and well known fable from India.



From : http://academictips.org/

Blue Sky and Palm Trees

As I was asked how my FX trading is going, it reminded me that I should post today's positions I have placed. It's not to bad today, could be better. Also knowing that these positions have been opened in the past hour. I will show my results tomorrow, whether I am losing, or winning. I am still planning on my vacation here soon. Really do hope that my trading goes in a positive way. Well that's it for my trading today. I will be continuing with my short stories as well during the week.
Have a great day to all!

Laughter is the best medicine

Many years ago, Norman Cousins was diagnosed as "terminally ill". He was given six months to live. His chance for recovery was 1 in 500.

He could see the worry, depression and anger in his life contributed to, and perhaps helped cause, his disease. He wondered, "If illness can be caused by negativity, can wellness be created by positivity?"

He decided to make an experiment of himself. Laughter was one of the most positive activities he knew. He rented all the funny movies he could find- Keaton, Chaplin, Fields, the Marx Brothers. (This was before VCR's, so he had to rent the actual films. He read funny stories. He asked his friends to call him whenever they said, heard or did something funny.

His pain was so great he could not sleep. Laughing for 10 solid minutes, he found, relieved the pain for several hours so he could sleep.

He fully recovered from his illness and lived another 20 happy, healthy and productive years. (His journey is detailed in his book, Anatomy of an Illness.) He credits visualization, the love of his family and friends, and laughter for his recovery.

Some people think laughter is a waste of time. It is a luxury, they say, a frivolity, somethings to indulge in only every so often.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Laughter is essential to our equilibrium, to our well-being, to our aliveness. If we're not well, laughter helps us get well; if we are well, laughter helps us stay that way.

Love Life

Once upon a time all feelings and emotions went to a coastal island for a vacation. According to their nature, each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of an impending storm was announced and everyone ws advised to evacuate the island.

The announcement caused sudden panic. All rushed to their boats. Even damaged boats were quickly repaired and commissioned for duty.

Yet, Love did not wish to flee quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realized it was time to leave. Alas, there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope.

Just then Prosperity, "my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you."

A little later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, "Could you please take me in your boat?"

"No," replied Prosperity, "my boat is full of precious possesians, gold and silver. There is no place for you."

A little Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, "Could you help me, vanity? I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you."

Vanity responded haughtily, "No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet."

Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail.
"No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself."

When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone.

Love was growing restless and dejected. Just then somebody called out, "Come Love, I will take you with me." Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place.

On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, "Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?"

Knowledge smiled, "Oh, that was Time."

"And why would time stop to pick me and take me to safety? Love wondered.

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, "Because only time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world."

"The important message is that when we are prosperous, we overlook love. When we feel important, we forget love. Even in Happiness and Sorrow we forget Love. Only with time do we realize the importance of love. Why wait that long? Why not make love a part of your life today?


from: http://academictips.org/

The loser who never gave up

When he was a little boy his uncle called him "Sparky", after a comic-strip  horse named Spark Plug. School was all but impossible for Sparky.

He failed every subject in the 8th grade. He flunked physics in high school, getting a grade of zero. He also flunked Latin, algebra and English. And his record in sports wasn't any better. Through he did manage to make the school's golf team, he promptly lost the only important match of the season. Oh, there was a consolation match; he lost that too.

Throughout his youth, Sparky was awkward socially. It wasn't that the other students disliked him; i'ts just that no one really cared all that much. In fact, Sparky was astonished if a classmate ever said hello to him outside of school hours. There's no way to tell how he might have done dating. He never once asked a girl out in high school. He was too afraid of being turned down... or perhaps laughed at. Sparky was a loser. He, his classmates...everyone knew it. So he learned to live with it. He made up his mind early that if things were meant to work out, they would. Otherwise he would content himself with what appeared to be his inevitable mediocrity.

One  things was important to Sparky, however- drawing. He was proud of his artwork. No one else appreciated it. But that didn't seem to matter to him. In his senior year of high school, he submitted some cartoons to the yearbook. The editors rejected the concept. Despite this brush-off, Sparky was convinced of his ability. He even decided to become an artist.

So, after completing high school, Sparky wrote Walt Disney Studios. They asked for samples of his artwork. Despite careful preparation, it too was rejected. One more confirmation that he was a loser.

But Sparky still didn't give up. Instead, he decided to tell his own little life's story in cartoons. The main character would be a little boy who symbolized the perpetual loser and chronic underachiever. You know him well. because Sparky's cartoon character went on to become a cultural phenomenon of sorts. People readily identified with this "lovable loser." He reminded people of the painful and embarrassing moments from their own past, of their pain and their shared humanity. The character soon became famous worldwide:: "Charlie Brown." And Sparky, the boy whose many failures never kept him from trying, whose work was rejected again and again,...is highly successful cartoonist Charles Schultz. His cartoon strip, "Peanuts" continues to inspire books, T-shirts and Christmas specials, reminding us, as someone once commented, that life somehow finds a way for all of us, even the losers.

Sparky's story reminds us a very important principle in life. We all face difficulty and discouragement from time to time. We also have a choice in how we handle it.

From: academictips.org

Determination and Persistence

This is a real life story of engineer John Roebling building the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, USA back in 1870. The bridge was completed in 1883, after 13 years.

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. however bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of the bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headlines of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of john Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of the brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk.

"We told them so." Crazy men and their dreams." "It's foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.

In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task.

As he lay on his bed in the hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with hs finger on his wifes arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all it's glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to so.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a Never-Say-Die Attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.


From: academictips.org

Positive Thinking

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins."

He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it!" You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied,"Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or a bad mood." I chose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. you choose how people will affect your mood. you choose to be ina good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that i should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, "He's a dead man." I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything.”Ｙｅｓ,”　I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply... I took a deep breath and yelled, "Bullets!" Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if i am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived, thanks to the skill of the doctors, but also because of his attitude. I learned from him that everyday we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

Let this think in, then choose how you start your day tomorrow.


From: http://academictips.org/

By Francie Baltazar-Schwartz

The Story of a Woodcutter

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant and he got it. The pay was really good and so was the work condition. For those reasons, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he's supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.

"Congratulations," the boss said, "Go on that way!"

Very motivated by the boss's words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength," the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

Moral: Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to sharpen the "axe". In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever.

Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay "sharp"? There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to get close to our creator, giving more time for family, taking time to read etc...

We all need time to relax, to think and stay calm, to learn and grow. If we don't take the time to sharpen the "axe", we will become dull and lose our effectiveness.


From: http://academictips.org/blogs/the-story-of-a-woodcutter/

Vacation

Iv'e been too busy working on my writing and totally forgot to update my Foreign Exchange results. It's not much but close to $115 in a couple of hours. This is from the end of April, and Iv'e been trying to make this amount everyday, but it is difficult. Lately is been about 50-70 dollars a day. I really need to make my trades more smarter as I am planning for a vacation in the next couple of months. Anyone know some nice islands to visit on a $2,000 budget, for a 10 day period? If there is some cool places to journey please let me know. Well have a great day to all.

"Information Please"

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver　hung on the side of the box.

I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother used to talk to it. Then discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person- her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know.

"Information Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct time.

My first personal experience with this genie in the bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whackedmy finger with a hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.

The telephone! Quickly! I ran for the foot stool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information Please," I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.

"Information"

"I hurt my finger...." I wailed to the phone. The tears came rapidly enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"No,2 I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."

"Can you open the icebox?" she asked. I said I could.

"Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk, that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called "Information Please" and told her the sad story. She listened, then said the usual things grown ups say to soothe a child. But I was un-consoled. I asked her , "Why is that birds should sing so beautiful and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a hear of fethers on the bottom of the cage?"

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quitly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone. "Information Please".

"Information," said the familiar voice.

"How do you spell fix?" I asked.

ASll this took place in a small town in the pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often, In moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way to west college, my plane put down in Seatle I had about half an hour or so between planes. I spent 15 min or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then, without thinking what was I doing, I dialed my hometown operator and said, "Information Please"

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.

"Information."

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really still you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."

"I wonder," she said,　"If you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered, "Information."

I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she said.

"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," She said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago." Before I could hang up she said. "Wait a minute. Did you say your name was paul?"

"Yes."

"Well Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called. Let me read it to you. The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other words to sing in. He'll know what I mean." I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

Moral: Never underestimate the impression you may make on others.

From: moralstories.org