One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help.. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.'
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.
As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.
Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him.. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, 'And think of me.' He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .
After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin.
There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.'
Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard....
She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Everything' s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'
There is an old saying 'What goes around comes around.' Today I sent you this story, and I'm asking you to pass it on. Let this light shine.
Good friends are like stars.....You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. ~GOD BLESS!~
(thanks to Rommel for sharing this)
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
Coping with Common Stressors
EMOTIONAL and MENTAL STESSORS
Worrying
If it is in your control -- do something about it. Put all the energy you spend worrying into creating a solution to whatever is causing your worry. If it is out of your control -- dismiss it!
Unresolved problems with family members/ unresolved childhood trauma
Forgive your loved ones and ask for forgiveness. Seek out a loving and caring counselor or support group to help you heal emotional pain.
Anger
Find a way to constructively express your anger.
Job dissatisfaction
Find a purpose in life. Do something that gives you satisfaction. Help others.
Guilt and Shame
Practice honesty in all your relationships (especially with your self). Communicate your feelings openly.
PHYSICAL STRESSORS
Tension
Get a massage or exercise
Lack of energy or feeling weak
Exercise, eat healthy meals, get plenty of rest
ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS
Every day hassles
Learn to recognize your response to external situations and develop coping skills like breathing and relaxation exercises to help you stay calm and centered.
(Owen Clinic Online)
Start with Yourself
When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.
But, it too, seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.
And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family.
From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world.
(The above words are said to be written on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in the crypts of Westminster Abbey in London, England.)
The Window
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids 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.
The 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 next to 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 would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid 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 could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should hehave all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - and that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence--deathly silence.
The following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the 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. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
Moral of the story:
The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to our doorstep each morning, nor does it come through the window. And I am certain that our circumstances are just a small part of what makes us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never find lasting joy.
The pursuit of happiness is an inward journey. Our minds are like programs, awaiting the code that will determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our deposits. If we regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts, if we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and complain, if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative thought as it germinates, we will find that there is much to rejoice about.
(Author Unknown)
The Thirty Second Quiz
Don't bother getting a pen and paper... just read... if you can'tanswer them, just keep going.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They're the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worth while.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier? The lesson?
The people who make a difference in your life aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They're the ones who care.
(Author Unknown)
Set Yourself Free
Set yourself free from anything that might hinder you in becoming the person you want to be.
Free yourself from the uncertainties about your abilities or the worth of your dreams, from the fears that you may not be able to achieve them or that they won't be what you wanted.
Set yourself free from the past. The good things from yesterday are still yours in memory; the things you want to forget you will, for tomorrow is only a sunrise away.
Free yourself from regret or guilt, and promise to live this day as fully as you can.
Set yourself free from the expectations of others, and never feel guilty or embarrassed if you do not live up to their standards.
You are most important to yourself; live by what you feel is best and right for you. Others will come to respect your integrity and honesty.
Set yourself free to simply be yourself, and you will soar higher than you've ever dreamed.
(Edmund O'Neill )
Life is 90% how i react to it
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
(Charles Swindoll )
The Character of a Champion
"Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character."
- T. Alan Armstrong
Excellence is a habit
"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do.Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Valuing myself
I believe that if in my soul I deeply respect and value myself, people around me will sense that, and they too will value and respect me.
(Bo Sanchez)
Time to relax
I think you will find that if you arrange things so that you find time to relax and do nothing, you will get more done and have more fun doing it.
-Alan Lakein-
Full happiness
My experience was that the less I spent on myself and the more I gave to others, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become.
- Hudson Taylor -
Tests of life
The tests of life are to make, not break us. Trouble may demolish a man’s business but build his character. The blow at the outward man may be the greatest blessing to the inner man.
Maltbie D. Babcock
Stepping stones
Obstacles in the pathway of the weak become stepping stones in the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
Satisfaction
But when we spend less, we can work less.
When we work less, we can play more.
When we play more, we can take time to be better human beings.
We will earn money, but not at the expense of our faith, our loved ones, and ourselves.
The principle: satisfaction is not getting what you want, but wanting what you already have.
(Bo Sanchez)
Our thoughts
To a large extent our lives are made by thoughts and ideas. We become finally what we think. Over the years the things we read and hear and hold in our thoughts condition our minds and ultimately our lives.
- Norman Vincent Peale -
Not the critic who counts
Life/Courage
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; 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.
- Theodore Roosevelt-
