Tuesday, December 31, 2019

2020-01 - 21 Words...


In the spring of 1871, a young medical student picked up a book and read twenty-one words that had a profound effect on his future. These words not only helped him to become the most famous physician of his generation, but when he died, two huge volumes were required to tell the story of his life.

His name was Sir William Osler. Here are the twenty-one words that he read: _Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand._

The future is today; there is no tomorrow... 

Waste of energy, mental distress, nervous worries, all dog the steps of a person who is anxious about the future. The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today's work, superbly, today. 

This is the only possible way you can prepare for the future.

~ Author Unknown




By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

~ Benjamin Franklin

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

2019-50 - Blind Ambition...

Blind Ambition...

Charlie Boswell was blinded during World War II while rescuing his friend from a tank that was under fire.

He was a great athlete before his accident and in a testimony to his talent and determination he decided to try a brand new sport, a sport he never imagined playing, even with his eyesight... golf! Through determination and a deep love for the game he became the National Blind Golf Champion and even won the Ben Hogan Award in 1958.

Upon meeting Ben Hogan, Charlie was awestruck and stated that he had one wish and it was to have one round of golf with the great Ben Hogan.

Mr. Hogan agreed that playing a round together would be an honor for him as well, as he had heard about all of Charlie's accomplishments and truly admired his skills.
"Would you like to play for 1,000 per hole!"

"I can't, what would people think of me, taking advantage of you and your circumstance," replied the sighted golfer.

"Chicken, Mr. Hogan?"

"Okay," blurted a frustrated Hogan, "but I am going to play my best!"

"I wouldn’t expect anything else," said the confident Boswell.

"You’re on Mr. Boswell, you name the time and the place!"

A very self-assured Boswell responded "10 o’clock… tonight!"

~ John Kanary



Ambition is the path to success.

~ Bill Bradley

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

2019-49 - Just like marriage...

Nasrudin spent the entire autumn working his garden. The flowers had blossomed in the spring - and Nasrudin noticed a few dandelions appearing, which he hadn't planted.
Nasrudin tore them up. But the pollen had already spread and others began to grow. He tried to find a weed killer which only killed dandelions. A specialist told him any type of poison would end up killing all the other flowers. In despair, he went to ask a gardener for help.
"It is like a marriage" said the gardener. "Along with the good things, a few little inconveniences always appear."
"What can I do?" insisted Nasrudin.
"Learn how to love them. Although they are flowers you did not count on, they are still part of the garden."
~ Paulo Coelho

==========

"Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance, even celebration of another's personhood."

~ Author Unknown

==========

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

2019-47 - What, How, Who...

A little boy playing in his sandbox discovered a large rock. The lad managed to dislodge it from the dirt.

With a little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged but found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.

At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow moved across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me."

With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.

~ Rohan Matthew




To solve any problem ask yourself; What could I do? How could I do it? and, Who could I ask?

~ Rohan Matthew

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

2019-45 - Choose One Chair...

The world-renowned opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti recalls...

When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song. He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown, took me on as a student. I also enrolled in a teacher's college.

As graduation was nearing I asked my father, "Shall I be a teacher or a singer?"

"Luciano," my father replied, "if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose, you can only sit in one chair."

Pavarotti continues... I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven years to reach the Metropolitan Opera.

And now I think, whether it's laying bricks, writing a book - whatever we choose - we should give ourselves completely to it. Commitment that's the key. Choose one chair."

 
~ Luciano Pavarotti




Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.

~ Peter F Drucker


Tuesday, October 29, 2019

2019-44 - Be a Believer...

The professor stood before his class of 30 senior molecular biology students, about to pass out the final exam. 'I have been privileged to be your instructor this semester, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or grad school next fall,' he said to them.

'I am well aware of how much pressure you are under to keep your GPAs up, and because I know you are all capable of understanding this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic 'B' to anyone who would prefer not to take the final.'

The relief was audible as a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and departed from class. The professor looked at the handful of students who remained, and offered again, 'Any other takers? This is your last opportunity.' One more student decided to go.

Seven students remained. The professor closed the door and took attendance. Then he handed out the final exam. There were two sentences typed on the paper:

'Congratulations, you have just received an 'A' in this class. Keep believing in yourself.'
~ Harvey Mackay




Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable.

Wendy Wasserstein

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

2019-42 - Sharing...

A husband and wife had been living together for 30 years. On the 30th anniversary of their marriage the wife, as usual, baked a bun – she baked it every morning, it was a tradition. During breakfast she cut it across, buttered both sides, and, as usual, gave the top to the husband, but her hand stopped halfway...

She thought, "On the day of our 30th anniversary I want to eat this rosy part of the bun; I was dreaming about this for 30 years. Finally, I was an exemplary wife for 30 years and I raised good sons for him. I put so much efforts and health for the well-being of our family."

So she made a decision and gave the bottom of the bun to her husband, but her hands trembled – breaking the 30-year-old tradition!

Her husband took the bun and said to her, "What a wonderful gift you have given me today, my dear! 30 years I did not eat my favorite, the bottom-part of the bun, because I thought that it rightfully belongs to you."

~ Author Unknown




Share from your heart, and you'll do just fine.

~ Cathy Burnham Martin


Tuesday, October 8, 2019

2019-41 - Perspective...

Once a group of professors of an esteemed university were given a mandate to conduct a survey in a very specific area of human nature. The professors met and took a few weeks to put together a questionnaire comprising of various questions that delved into the human nature.

Finally, when the questionnaire was prepared, they had to get an approval to proceed from the board of chancellors. Once the go-ahead was given, they put out an advertisement in the local newspaper asking for volunteers.

Among the volunteers selected were a pair of twins who were raised by their alcoholic father.

One grew up to be an alcoholic and when asked what happened, he said "I watched my father."

The other grew up and never drank in his life. When asked what happened, he said "I watched my father."

Two boys, same father, but two widely different perspectives.

~ Author Unknown




Your perspective in life will determine your destination.

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

2019-40 - Kindness...

I just found out that there is a kid inn my daughter's school bus that keeps hitting her. I spent the whole evening coaching her on how to defend herself, and to get an adult to intervene.

Today she got home and I asked her how it went... I'm sad and yet also proud to say she didn't do what I told her.

She resolved the conflict her own way. She told the kid "I'll be your friend if you don't hit me."

That was the end of it. Six years of law enforcement, military training, crisis intervention, and two bachelors degrees and I never considered the kid might just need a friend, someone to show him kindness.

My daughter taught me a valuable lesson today.

~ Author Unknown






Love will find its way through all languages on its own.

~ Rumi

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

2019-39 - Should I Get Involved?

I was walking down a dimly lit street one evening when I heard muffled screams coming from behind a clump of bushes. Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked.

I was frightened for my own safety. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn't I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?

Already the girl's cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast. I could not turn my back on the fate of this unknown woman. I don't know where I found the moral, courage and physical strength, but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed.

I ran behind the bushes and pulled at the assailant. Grappling, we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped. Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl. In the darkness, I could barely see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock.

Not wanting to frighten her any further, I at first spoke to her from a distance. "It's OK," I said soothingly. "The man ran away. You're safe now."

There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in amazement. "Dad, is that you?"

And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Katherine.

~ Author Unknown




I am involved in mankind, and therefore never need to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

~ John Donne

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

2019-38 - Jewels under the Saddle...

Once a merchant purchased a fine camel after striking a hard bargain. On arriving home, he told his servant to remove the camel's saddle, but when doing so, the servant found a small pouch, filled with precious jewels.

The servant was overexcited!!! "Master you bought a camel... but see what came FREE along with it!!!" The astonished merchant looked at the jewels, but he thought, "I bought the camel, not the jewels. I must return them to the camel seller immediately!" The servant was aghast... "Master, no one will ever know." But the merchant headed right back to the market and handed over the velvet pouch back to the camel seller.

The camel seller was very happy, "I had forgotten that I hid these jewels in the saddle for safe keeping. Here, choose one of the jewels for yourself, as a reward." The merchant said "I paid a fair price for the camel and the camel only, so NO thank you, I do not need any reward." As the camel seller kept insisting, the merchant said, sheepishly smiling, "Actually I have already kept two of the most precious jewels for myself."

At this confession the camel seller quickly emptied the pouch to count the jewels and said,  "All my jewels are here. What jewels did you keep?"

The merchant responded, "The two most precious, my INTEGRITY, and my SELF-RESPECT."

~ Author Unknown




Integrity is the ability to do the right thing when you can get away with doing the wrong thing..

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

2019-37 - Never drive in neutral...

Dad and I were in the car. I was driving.

On the route, we went through, there was a long downward slope. I shifted my car's gear to neutral. It was nice and easy and our car was automatically breezing down the slope.

"Son, never drive in neutral gear."

"Dad, but it's a downward slope. I don't need to gear up."

"You don't need to, but you should. When you don't gear up, you lose control of the vehicle."

I often hear people say things like "Let's go with the flow.", or "Take life as it happens.", or even "I'm waiting for something to happen before I begin to do something." When we say things like these, we switch our gear to neutral. Life may seem nice and you'll automatically keep going.

However, if you don't gear up, you lose control of your life. You let people, situations, and environment drive your life.

Take control of your life. Never drive in neutral. Always gear up.

~ Aman Garg




Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do over what you don't.

~ Steve Maraboli

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

2019-36 - Selflessness...

A few years ago I was walking to pick my son up from school. We lived too close for a bus pick-up. It had become a ritual for my son and I to walk home daily.

On one of those afternoons it began to rain heavily, about halfway back home. My son was sheltered by his jacket, but I was getting soaked.

When a car pulled up to the curb with a lone male driver in it, I panicked and began walking faster. The man, apparently realizing my fear, got out of the car (getting wet himself), handed me an umbrella, got back in his car, and drove off.

This small, but wonderful gesture proved to me that even with all the chaos in the world, there are still some people who will go out of their way to help others. This man was not looking for public praise, or trying to look good for anyone. He just did something nice, on his own, with no ulterior motive.


~ Author Unknown




Everywhere in life, the true question is not what we gain, but what we do.   

~ Thomas Carlyle

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

2019-35 - A Bouquet for Mother...

A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away.

As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing.

He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars."

The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose."

He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers.

As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home. She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother."

She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.

The man returned to the flower shop, cancelled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's house.

~Author Unknown



Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it the present.

~ Joan Rivers

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

2019-34 - Belief... and Trust!

A person started to walk on a rope tied between two tall towers at several hundred feet above the ground. He is slowly walking balancing a long stick in his hands. He has his son sitting on his shoulders.

Everyone down were watching him in bated breath and were tensed. He slowly reached the second tower. Everyone clapped, whistled and welcomed him. They shook hands and took selfies.

He asked the crowd, "Do you all think I can walk back on the same rope now from this side to that side?". Crowd shouted "Yes, yes, you can".  "Do you trust me?" he asked.  They said "Yes, yes, we are ready to bet on you."

He said "Okay, can any one of you sit on my shoulder; I will take you to the other side safely."

Everyone became quite. There was stunned silence.

Belief is different. Trust is different.  For Trust you need total surrender.

~ Adolpho Lineman




Relationships survive on trust.

~ Yuvraj Singh

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

2019-33 - The Astrologer...

A man lived a long time ago believed that he could read the future in the stars. He was always busy worrying about the future and villagers often came to him, hoping to know what their future holds.

One evening as he was walking his eyes were fixed on the stars. He thought he saw that the end of the world was at near. As he was looking at the stars, he kept walking without looking down. Suddenly, he fell into a ditch full of mud and water.

He was sinking in the muddy water, and was madly trying to claw at the slippery sides of the hole. He was unable to crawl out and fearing for his life, he started screaming for help. His cries soon brought the villagers running.

As they pulled him out of the mud, one of them said, “You pretend to read the future in the stars, and yet you fail to see what is at your feet! This may teach you to pay more attention to what is right in front of you, and let the future take care of itself.”

~ Author Unknown




Life is all about perspective and how you look at something.

~ Whitney Wolfe Herd

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

2019-32 - The Tortoise and the Bird…

A tortoise was resting under a tree, on which a bird had built its nest. The tortoise spoke to the bird mockingly, "What a shabby home you have! It is made of broken twigs, it has no roof, and looks crude. What's worse is that you had to build it yourself. I think my house, which is my shell, is much better than your pathetic nest."

"Yes, it is made of broken sticks, looks shabby and is open to the elements of nature. It is crude, but I built it, and I like it."

"I guess it's just like any other nest, but not better than mine", said the tortoise. "You must be jealous of my shell, though."

"On the contrary", the bird replied. "My home has space for my family and friends; your shell cannot accommodate anyone other than you. Maybe you have a better house. But I have a better home", said the bird happily.

~ Author Unknown




What I love most about my home is who I share it with.

~ Tad Carpenter

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

2019-31 - The begging bowl...

Once a beggar saw the King walking and approached him. The King asked, "What do you want?"

The beggar said, "I have just this small begging bowl. Don't think about my worth. Fill it with something that you think you are worthy of. But remember one condition: the bowl has to be filled completely."

The King called his prime minister and told him, "Fill his bowl with precious gems so that he will remember for his whole life that he has met with an emperor."

But immediately there was a problem: the moment anything went into the bowl, it disappeared. The question of filling it seemed to be impossible. Slowly, all the precious stones disappeared. Then gold and silver. By the evening, the King himself was a beggar, and the bowl was as empty as it had been in the morning.

The King fell at the feet of the beggar and asked, "I have failed to fulfill my promise; forgive me. But what is the secret of your begging bowl?"

The poor beggar laughed. He said, "I found this skull of some dead man. I cut it in the shape of a begging bowl. The secret is, man's skull is so small, but even the greatest empire is not going to fill it. It will go on asking for more. The magic is in the human head. Everything disappears and the desire for more remains the same.

~ Author Unknown



Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe, the human head.

~ Michio Kaku

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

2019-30 - One Night In Instanbul!

It was May 25, 2005. A beautiful evening in Istanbul. Over hundreds of thousands of fans anticipating THE Night to Remember.

Liverpool v/s AC Milan. UEFA Champions League Final!

A few defensive errors led to a shocked score of 3-0 Milan at the halftime mark. This could even make the most optimistic person say, "The game is done.", but was it?

The 40,000 Liverpool fans started singing "Walk On with Hope in your Heart and You'll Never Walk Alone."

The Legendary Captain Steven Gerrard called his team and said "Lets give our fans something. Lets WALK".

The belief returned and what he world saw next was just speechless. From a bizarre first-half to a magical second half, the team had transformed from a cat in the backstreet to the King of the Jungle.

Gerrard  scored the first Liverpool goal, a wonder header. And the belief was strengthened. Liverpool were level within 15 minutes thanks to a Smicher sreamer, and a cool Xabi Alonso penalty rebound!

Eventually the match was decided by penalties and Liverpool won!

~ Author Unknown



That's how to WALK and yes, YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE.

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

2019-29 - Follow your passion...

"Yes, I am serious sir!" she said in all excitement. She was sitting in front of the college Principal on the day of admission. The college was in a distant town and was far from her small village.

"Your academic performance is great," the Principal began in a calm voice. "Pick whichever stream you want, but why this one? Do not expect other girls to join you! Which girl does this course? This stream is a monopoly of boys."

"Sir," she responded in her calm voice. "I have dreamed this! I want to do this! I know I can, and ever since I knew what I loved, I wanted to live this! Why should I curb my dream just because I am a girl? And do I look like a normal girl to you? Give me a chance and I will prove my worth." she replied. Her voice was firm.

The Principal knew at that moment, that she was more than the boy-cut hair and jeans. He looked deep into her eyes and they were sparkling with confidence. "What was your name again?" the Principal asked her while he looked into the admission form.

In a voice filled with enthusiasm, she replied. "Kalpana Chawla, sir."

~ Author Unknown



Follow your passion, and don't let anyone limit your dreams.

~ Donovan Bailey

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

2019-28 - Be the lion, not the wolf...

Once a young man left his village to meditate below a tree in a nearby jungle. He used to come back to his village twice a day for food.

One day, he noticed that there was a paralysed wolf near the tree, and a lion came to feed it every day. He thought that there is a message in this that he should not leave the place of meditation for getting food. Someone will get food for him as it is being done for the wolf. So, he stopped going to the village for food.

After few days he began screaming in pain of hunger as nobody brought food for him. One wise man saw him screaming and asked  what had happened to him. The young man told him about the message he received from the wolf, getting fed by the lion. The wise man told him that there was definately a message, but you chose to be a wolf instead of lion.

The message was that instead of sitting here like the wolf, you should go and help others like the lion, you will get your share of peace and happiness.

~ Neil Underwood



Our life is shaped by the choices we make. Choose wisely!

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

2019-27 - Know where to start...

Two guys were given a test of strength and were given five years to lift a bull which would be almost five times their own weight.

The first guy took a full grown bull and started to lift it without a second thought. No matter how harder he tried, the bull didn't budge. Each day he tried harder and harder exercising to his fullest potential.

The second guy went straight to a calf and started taming it. Each day he could effortlessly lift the calf while the first guy sneered at him thinking him crazy.

Five years passed and the first guy is still trying. The other bull has grown into its full size and so did the muscles of the second guy. With an incremental effort and a lot of patience he could finally lift the bull that his calf had grown into.

Always remember, before you learn anything it's important to know where to start. Start small. It's okay.

But if you have the patience to hold on and stick to it, some day it's going to be a game changer of your life.

~ Author Unknown



Big achievements come one small advantage at a time.

~ Jim Rohn

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

2019-26 - The mouse and the books...

When I was interned in Dr. Eiras Hospital, I began to have panic crises. One day, I decided to consult the psychiatrist in charge of my case...

"Doctor, I am overcome by fear; it takes from me the joy of living."

"Here in my office there is a mouse that eats my books", said the doctor.

"If I get desperate about this mouse, he will hide from me and I will do nothing else in life but hunt him. Therefore, I put the most important books in a safe place and let him gnaw some others. In this way, he is still a mouse and does not become a monster. Be afraid of some things and concentrate all your fear on them - so that you have courage in the rest."

~ Paulo Coelho



Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it.

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

2019-25 - One step at a time...

There was a young man who lived near a big hill. He always wanted to see the sunrise from the hilltop. So, one day, late in the evening, he took a petromax light and began, so he could reach the hilltop by morning.

Soon, it was dark, and he began to wonder whether to risk the trek with the petromax or not. At that time, an old man holding a chimney lamp passed him walking fast.

Looking at this the man was shocked. It's pitch dark in here and this old man, holding a chimney is walking so fast... he called out to the old man and asked "Hey, where are you going so fast with that chimney in your hand?"

The old man replied, "I am going to the hilltop son."

"What? I have a petromax with me and this light is not enough, how are you going to the hilltop with a chimney?"

The old man replied, "With this chimney I am able to see 10 steps, when I take the 10 steps, I can see another 10 steps, and so I will reach the hilltop by early morning. And with the light you are holding, you can see 25 steps... why are you sitting here confused and cursing this good light that you have."

~ Author Unknown



Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.

~ Vincent Van Gogh

Monday, June 10, 2019

2019-24 - The Seasons of Life...

There was a man with four sons. He sent them each on a quest to go and look at a pear tree that was far away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the last son in the fall.

When they had returned, he called them together to describe everything about what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The man then told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are – and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life – can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

~ Author Unknown



Don't judge a life by one difficult season.

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

2019-23 - Support...

Once a father and son went to a kite flying festival with a kite and a roll of thread. Soon, the son's kite was flying high. After a while, the son said, "Father, the thread is holding up the kite from flying higher. If we break it, it will be free, and will go flying even higher. Can we break it?"  So, the father cut the thread from the roller. The kite went higher, and the son was very happy.

But then, slowly, the kite came down and fell on the terrace of a building. The son sadly asked his father, "Father, I thought that after cutting the thread, the kite would fly higher, but why did it fall down?"

The father explained, "Son, at the height of life, we often think that some things prevent us from going higher. The thread was actually helping it stay higher when the wind slowed down, and when the wind picked up, you helped the kite go higher in the proper direction through the thread. But when we cut the thread, it fell down without the support you were providing it through the thread".

~ Rita Royson



Never forget who you are and where you come from. It's an important part of you that you will find strength and peace from.

~ Ariel


Tuesday, May 28, 2019

2019-22 - A Most Important Lesson...

During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely, this was some kind of joke.

I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'." "I've never forgotten that lesson. 

I also learned her name was Dorothy.

~ Richard Dickens



The true greatness of a person is evident in the way he or she treats those with whom courtesy and kindness are not required.

~ Joseph B Wirthlin

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

2019-21 - Freckles and Wrinkles...

An elderly woman and her grandson, whose face was sprinkled with bright freckles, spent the day at the zoo where children were waiting in line to get their cheeks painted by a local artist.

"You've got so many freckles, there's no place to paint!" a girl in the line said to the little fellow.

Embarrassed, the little boy dropped his head. His grandmother knelt down and said, "I love your freckles. When I was little, I always wanted freckles," while tracing her finger across the child's cheek.

"Freckles are beautiful." The boy looked up, "Really?"

"Of course," said the grandmother. "Why just name me one thing that's prettier than freckles."

The little boy thought for a moment, peered intensely into his grandma's face and softly whispered, "Wrinkles.    

~ Samuel Thorne




We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter.

~ Ellen DeGeneres

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

2019-20 - Beliefs...

A marine biologist once placed a shark into a large holding tank and then released several small fish into the tank. As expected, the shark quickly swam around, attacked, and ate the smaller fish.

The marine biologist then inserted a strong piece of clear fiberglass into the tank, creating two separate partitions with the shark on one side and a new set of small fish on the other. This time however, when the shark attacked, it slammed into the divider and bounced off.

It kept repeating this behaviour every few minutes, but to no avail. Eventually, the shark gave up.

The experiment was repeated several times. Each time, the shark made fewer attempts to attack the fish, until eventually the shark got tired of hitting the divider and simply stopped attacking altogether.

The marine biologist then removed the fiberglass divider, but the shark didn't attack.  The shark was trained to believe a barrier existed between it and the bait fish, so the bait fish swam wherever they wished, free from harm.


~ Author Unknown




Belief is the death of intelligence.

~ Robert Anton Wilson