2020-16 - Making the Best of You…

They say 'make the best of a bad situation.' But I believe the bad situation makes the best of you. Even the irritations of life can be useful. President Abraham Lincoln showed us how this is so.
One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the president and criticized him - sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a high level position.
Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the farmer's horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, 'Don't do that, friend. That horsefly is the only thing keeping this old horse moving.'
Even life's many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along when it's easier to go nowhere.
Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of you?
~ Steve Goodier

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“The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you.”
~ Tom Bradley
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2009-46 - Approaching Each Day...

Approaching Each Day…
I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new job relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to go to!
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with knowledge and adventure.
Today I can dejectedly murmur because I have housework to do or I can feel grateful for shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped, and here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me. And I shall decide what kind of day I shall have!"
How will you live THIS DAY?
~ Author unknown
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“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”
~ Robert Brault
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2020-12 - Winners Never Quit!

A little girl - the 20th of 22 children, was born prematurely, with polio, and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever. All these ailments contributed to a bad leg that some said would prevent her from ever walking.

At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it.

By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last.

For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running.

One day she actually won a race, and then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl - Wilma Rudolph, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

Winners never quit!

~ Author Unknown

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" Winners never quit and quitters never win."

~ Vince Lombardi

2020-11 - Don't Rest on Laurels

One day a field marshal requested an audience with Napoleon. As every good leader must, Napoleon agreed to hear him out. The field marshal brought news of a great victory he had achieved. He talked for a long time about his accomplishment, piling detail upon detail.

Napoleon listened closely throughout the entire narration, but said nothing. As the officer rambled on, Napoleon continued to listen politely, and the marshal interpreted this as encouragement. Surely, he thought, Napoleon will now give me the praise I so richly deserve.

When the marshal finally stopped talking, Napoleon asked him one question: "What did you do the next day?"

The field marshal was speechless. But the lesson was not lost on him. From then on, the officer understood that he should never rest on his laurels. So he left it to others to bestow the praise.

~ Brian Cavanaugh

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Nothing wilts faster than laurels that have been rested upon.

~ Percy Shelley

2020-10 - Value…

This story is attributed to Swami Vivekananda.

A young man who hailed from a rich family and had completed his education, approached the Saint and said, "Swamiji, every young man only wants to earn, grab and get more and more. I wish to give to society instead of taking from it. I need your guidance how to give to society."  

The youth was shocked when Vivekananda told him, "Fine. First go out and start earning some money."

He protested, "I didn't expect you, a sage, to say this to me."

Swami Vivekananda replied, "You can never give away anything unless you have earned it. Learn how difficult it is to earn, and then decide whether you will give away even a part of it."

~ Author Unknown

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“The value of a principle is the number of things it will explain.”
 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

2020-08 - Conformity...

One day a fairly intelligent fly came buzzing by a clean spider web. The spider called out, "Come in and sit." But the fly said, "No, ma'am. I don't see other flies in your house, and I am not going in alone!"

But presently the fly saw on the floor below a large crowd of flies dancing around on a piece of brown paper. It was delighted! It was not afraid as lots of flies were doing the same. So the fly came in for a landing.

Just before it landed, a bee zoomed by, saying, "Don'’t land there, stupid, that's flypaper!" But the fly shouted back, "Don't be silly, those flies are dancing. There's a big crowd there. That many flies can't be wrong." Well, you know what happened, the fly got stuck and died.

 Isn't it strange how some of us want to be with the crowd so badly that we end up in a sticky mess. What does it profit a fly (or a person) if it escapes the web only to end up stuck in the glue?

~ Author Unknown

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Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.

 ~ John F Kennedy

2020-07 - Faith Works...

There was an old man who operated a rowboat for ferrying passengers between an island and the mainland. One day a passenger noticed that he had painted on one oar the word "Works", and on the other oar the word "Faith". Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this.

The old man replied, "I will show you," dropping one oar, rowing only with the oar named "Works". Of course, the boat just went around in circles. Then he switched oars, picking up "Faith" and dropping "Works". And the little rowboat went around in circles again... this time in the opposite direction.

After this demonstration, the old man picked up both oars "Faith" and "Works", and rowing with both oars together swiftly coursed over the water. He looked at the passenger and said, "You see, that is the way it is in life as well as in rowing a boat. You got to keep both oars in the water, otherwise, you'll just go in circles."

~ Mina Kompolis

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We are twice armed if we fight with faith.

~ Plato

2020-06 - Perseverance

When he was still a young man, Beethoven decided to compose a few improvisations on a music by Pergolesi. He devoted months to this task and finally had the courage to publish it.

A critic wrote a full page review in a German newspaper in which he launched a ferocious attack on the music. Beethoven, however, was quite unshaken by his comments.

When his friends pressed him to respond to the critic, he merely said: "All I need to do is to carry on with my work. If the music I compose is as good as I think it is, then it will survive that journalist. If it has the depth I hope it has, it will survive the newspaper too. Should the people love it, I shall achieve immortality."

Beethoven was absolutely right.

Over a hundred years later, that same composition was played by a radio station in São Paulo.

~ Author Unknown

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Perseverance is a great element of success.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

2020-05 - Quest for Gold

Quest for Gold...

The image that is seared into my memory is the face of the Japanese gymnast Shun Fujimoto, landing a triple somersault twist dismount from the rings, his face scrunched in pain, yet he never moved an inch as he stuck his landing - even though he landed on a broken right knee.

Earlier, Fujimoto had injured his knee during the floor exercise. At the rings, he was hoisted to grab the rings where he performed a near-flawless routine. Then, everyone watching waited for the dismount, which he would have to stick perfectly to secure the gold for Japan.

He twisted and somersaulted through the air and stuck a perfect landing. His face registered the pain tearing through his broken right knee. Cheers erupted - for his heroic performance of courage earned Japan the Olympic gold medal.

Later interviewed about his extraordinary feat, Fujimoto said, "Yes, the pain shot through me like a knife and brought tears to my eyes. But now I have a gold medal and the pain is gone."

~ Author Unknown



People do not decide to become extraordinary.
They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.

~ Edmund Hillary

2020-04 - Stories…

Once upon a time, there lived a great teacher. Day after day his disciples would sit at the feet of this teacher listening to his instructions. Many people would come to visit and inevitably the teacher would engage them by telling a story.

One day a disciple asked, "Oh Master, why do you engage people by telling them these stories? Why don't you just give them your teaching straight out?"

The teacher answered, "Bring me some water."

Now the disciple knew his teacher to be a very disciplined man who had never asked for water at this time of the day. Nevertheless, he went immediately to fetch it. Taking a clean brass water pot from the kitchen, the disciple went to the well, filled the pot with water and returned. He offered it to his teacher.

"Why have you brought me a pot when I asked only for water?"

~ Author Unknown

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Who are we if not the stories we pass down?

~ Carrie Ryan

2020-03 - The Little Things...

Should you ever take a New York helicopter cruise and pass over the majestic Statue of Liberty, pay special attention.

Lady Liberty's steel-frame-supported copper body stands 305 feet above sea level. As your helicopter circles closer, look down at the top of Liberty's head and see how every strand of hair has been painstakingly formed in careful and minute detail, just as is every area of the statue's gown and body. That delicate metallic coiffure on the top of her head undoubtedly required many hours of extra weeks at Auguste Bartholdi's shop in Paris, weeks that the great sculptor could have saved, because so far as he knew, no one would ever see the top of Lady Liberty's head!

The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 by President Grover Cleveland. There were no airplanes in 1886! The Wright brothers wouldn't fly until seventeen years later. Bartholdi was well aware that only a few brave sea gulls would probably ever look down on the statue from above, and certainly no one would ever know if the strands of hair had not been meticulously shaped and polished. And yet, the master craftsman took no shortcuts. Every strand of hair, every curl, is in place.

~ Author Unknown

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In the successful organization, no detail is too small to escape close attention.

~ Lou Holtz

2020-02 - Are You Waiting To Be Called…

A young man once applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. When he arrived, a sign instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were called. The young man filled out his form and sat down with the other applicants. After a few minutes, he stood up, opened the door of the inner office, and walked right in.

A few minutes later, the employer escorted the young man out and said, "Gentlemen, thank you for coming, but the job has just been filled." The other applicants began grumbling. One said, "We never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That's not fair!"

The employer said, "I'm sorry, but for the last several minutes while you've been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse Code: 'If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.' None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his."

~ Author Unknown

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Are you listening, or are you waiting to be called?

~ Howard Thurman

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

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By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

~ Benjamin Franklin

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

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Ambition is the path to success.

~ Bill Bradley

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

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

~ Author Unknown

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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

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

~ Rohan Matthew

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

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

~ Peter F Drucker

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

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

Wendy Wasserstein

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

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

~ Cathy Burnham Martin

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

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Your perspective in life will determine your destination.

~ Author Unknown