Cheers

Be Your Year

The Butterfly...

Happy Kwanzaa

Kuumba – To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

This Christmas...

Merry Christmas

Best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful Christmas

and a happy and healthy 2020. 

Beautiful Things in Life

Happy Hanukkah

"The darkness of the whole world cannot swallow the glowing of a candle." — Robert Altinger

Being Kind

If you were arrested for being kind,

would there be enough evidence to convict you?

A Helping Hand

The best helping hand you will ever find

 is at the end of your own arm.

A Perfect Day

You cannot live a perfect day without doing something

for someone who will never be able to repay you.

~ John Wooden ~

Hardest Things to Say

Don’t Ruin...

I Like...

Don’t Give Up

Keep On Getting

You keep on getting what you've been getting

when you keep on doing what you've been doing.

Just Do It

Bag of Nails

   

     There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

     Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

     The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

     The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said "I hope you can forgive me father for the holes I put in you."

"Of course I can," said the father.

     It's not always anger, it is your actions in general. There are no "fresh starts" in life. There is no new beginning. Forgiveness comes easy for many people but the scars of the past, they never go away. Watch what you do today, because sometimes the price isn't worth the reward.

Remember Pearl Harbor

Your Mind is a Magnet

Happiness Tips

Erasers

This is to Have Succeeded

To laugh often and much; to win the

respect of intelligent people and the

affection of children; to earn the

appreciation of honest critics and endure

the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate

beauty; to find the best in others; to

leave the world a bit better whether by

a healthy child, a garden patch, or a

redeemed social condition; to know even

 one life has breathed easier because you

have lived.  This is to have succeeded.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

A Life Well Lived

A life well lived is a precious gift

Of hope and strength and grace,

From someone who has made our world

A brighter, better place.

It's filled with moments, sweet and sad

With smiles and sometimes tears,

With friendships formed and good times shared

And laughter through the years.

A life well lived is a legacy

Of joy and pride and pleasure,

A living, lasting memory

Our grateful hearts will treasure.e.

Music

Thanksgiving

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received.

Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling.

Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.

~ Henry Van Dyke ~

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not How Big...

What Money Can't Buy

          Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.  One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid 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, and their hobbies.  They shared their involvement in the military service during the war and how God had seen them through.  They spoke of their personal relationships to God and how much He had blessed them.

            Every day, when the man in the bed by 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 began to live, and long for, those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.  The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.  Ducks and swans played on the blue water while children sailed their multi-colored model boats.  Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst 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 morning he described a beautiful sunrise over the horizon.  Another evening he brought to life a magnificent sunset.  One day it was raining and he detailed all the hues of a double rainbow.  One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

            Although the other man couldn’t hear the band, he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window wove the scene with intricate detail.  During these daily visual excursions to the outside world, both men forgot about their pain and sickness.  At the end of each session they would pray together and thank God for the beauty of each day and for their families and loved ones.  Days and weeks passed.  Each day was filled with the mental images and descriptions of WHAT MONEY CAN”T BUY.

            One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths, only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.  She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.  As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other 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 up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside the window.  Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself.  He strained painfully to turn himself so he could see out the window beside the bed.  To his surprise, the window faced a blank wall.

           

The man called the nurse and told her of all the marvelous hours he had spent listening to his roommate describe what he saw outside that window.  Then he asked her what could have compelled his deceased friend to describe such wonderful things outside the window.  The nurse responded that the man in the other bed was legally blind and could not even see the wall.  She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you!”

This story puts this time of year into perspective, doesn’t it?  When you have some free time, stop and think about WHAT MONEY CAN”T BUY in your life and be thankful for those things.  There is tremendous joy in making others happy, regardless of our own situations.  Joy and happiness are doubled when shared.  If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy. 

Three Ways to Success

Light the Candle

We are not here to curse the darkness,

but to light the candle that can guide

us thru that darkness to a 

safe and sane future. 

~ John F. Kennedy ~

Stay Positive

Stay positive and happy.  Work hard

and don't give up hope.  Be open to

criticism and keep learning.

Surround yourself with happy, warm

and genuine people.

~ Tena Desae ~

What is Right

Start with what is right

rather than what is acceptable.

~ Frank Kafka ~

Looking Back

Politeness

Politeness is to the mind what beauty is to the face;

it is the reflection of a kind heart.

Keep Looking Up

The Happiest People

Advice From A Tree

Reflect

Reflect upon your present blessings,

of which every man has many,

not on your past misfortunes,

of which men have some.

~ Charles Dickens ~

Veterans Day

Self Care

My Best Day

Everyday is my best day...

I'm not going to have this moment again.

~ Bernie Siegel ~

How To Achieve 100%

We all want to perform at 100% of our capabilities.  Well, here's how you do that:

First of all, here's a little math to help you determine how to reach 100%.

IF:

A = 1     M=3

B=2       N=14

 C=3       O = 15 

 D = 4      P = 16

 E = 5      Q = 17

 F = 6      R = 18

 G = 7      S = 19

 H = 8      T = 20

 I = 9        U = 21

 J = 10      V = 22

 K = 11     W = 23

 L = 12      X = 24

 Y = 25      Z = 26

Then:

KNOWLEDGE = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = Only 96

Similarly,

HARDWORK = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11= Only 98

But interestingly,

ATTITUDE = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100

KNOWLEDGE and HARDWORK are important but they won't get you to 100%

Having a positive ATTITUDE...this is how you achieve 100% in life!

Remember Trees

Understood

Nothing in life is to be feared.

It is only to be understood.

~ Marie Curie ~

Nature

Halloween

 

Happy Halloween!

Repeated Gratitude

Look For Love

Don't search for flaws in others.

Instead, look for love.

Senses

Not the senses I have but what

I do with them is my kingdom.

~ Helen Keller ~

Big Things in Life

Most Important Ingredient

The most important single ingredient in the formula

of success is knowing how to get along with people.

~ Theodore Roosevelt ~

Trust the Journey

Climb Uphill

You cannot climb uphill

by thinking downhill thoughts.

Staying Positive

Best Day in the Year

Hope

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it,

casts the shadow of our burden behind us.

~ S. Smiles ~

Set An Example

Softest Pillow

There is no pillow as soft

as a clear conscience.

~ French Proverb ~

Happiness

Happiness is found along the way -

not at the end of the road.

~ Sol Gordon ~

Perception

Bag of Nails

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

The little boy then understood how powerful his words were. He looked up at his father and said "I hope you can forgive me father for the holes I put in you."

"Of course I can," said the father.

It's not always anger, it is your actions in general. There are no "fresh starts" in life. There is no new beginning. Forgiveness comes easy for many people but the scars of the past, they never go away. Watch what you do today, because sometimes the price isn't worth the reward.

Genius

Search for Joy

Savor the moment.  Search for a little joy,

and you will find a great deal of it in unexpected places.

~ Edge Learning Institute ~

Head in the Sand?

An ostrich with its head in the sand

is just as blind to opportunity as to disaster.

Nonsense

Realize Your Dreams

If you truly expect to realize your dreams,

abandon the need to be liked by all.

Conforming to everyone else's expectations

sacrifices your uniqueness and, therefore, your excellence.

~ Edge Learning Institute ~

A Diamond

It is said that Diana Nyad, the world's top female marathon swimmer,

had this reminder hanging above her desk in her room...

A diamond is a lump of coal that stuck with it.

Four Vital Ingredients

Four vital ingredients for good mental management:

Forgive yourself.

Forgive others.

Keep up with yourself (not others).

See yourself at your best.

~ Edge Learning Institute ~

Attitudes

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances,

but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.

Watch Yourself

Assuring Sucess

If people could only concentrate on their work

as wholeheartedly as they concentrate on their worries,

success would be assured.

Busy?

It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants.

The question is: What are we busy about?

~ Henry David Thoreau ~

Must Always Change

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves;

otherwise we harden.

~ Goethe ~

Fall

Happy Fall!

The Tide

Never worry because the tide is going out.

It always comes back.

What Wears You Out

It isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out;

it's the grain of sand in your shoe.

Dodging Work

Dodging work is the hardest work of all

and yields the poorest returns.

Failure

Don't be discouraged by a failure.

It can be a positive experience.

Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success,

inasmuch as every discovery of what is false

leads us to seek earnestly after what is true,

and every fresh experience points out some form of error

which we shall afterwards carefully avoid.

~ John Keats ~

Affirm

Believe!

Believe in your heart

that something wonderful

is about to happen...

Love your life!

Believe in your own power,

and in your own potential,

and your own innate goodness.

Discover in each new day

the magnificent, awesome

beauty of the world.

Wake up each morning

with the awe of just being alive.

Reach within to find

your own specialness.

Amaze yourself with the potential

of each new day!

Let those who love you help you.

Trust enough to be able to take.

Look with hope to the horizon

And live this day well.

Let a little sun out as well as in.

Create your own rainbows.

Be open to all your possibilities,

and all your dreams.

Steam Kettle

Remember the steam kettle?

Though up to its neck in hot water,

it continues to sing.

We Remember

The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom." —Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Art of Being Happy

The art of being happy lies in the power

of extracting happiness from common things.

~ Henry Ward Beecher ~

Solid Beliefs

If you don't have solid beliefs 

you cannot build a stable life.

Beliefs are like the foundation of a building,

and they are the foundation to build your life upon.

~ Alfred A. Montapert ~

Whatever Happens

Up To You

Life itself can't give you joy

Unless you really will it...

Life just gives you time and space...

It's up to you to fill it!

Self-Image & Habits

Our self-image and our habits tend to go together.

Change one and you will automatically change the other.

~ Maxwell Maltz ~

Back to School

Education is not preparation for life; 

education is life itself. 

~ John Dewey ~

Best wishes to all students for a productive and enjoyable school year. 

Labor Day

• Each year, Labor Day gives us an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions that working men and women make to our nation, our economy and our collective prosperity. It gives us a chance to show gratitude for workers’ grit, dedication, ingenuity and strength, which define our nation’s character.
• ~ Tom Perez ~
• Happy Labor Day!

Keep Aiming

Cheerful People

You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people.

Why not make an honest effort to confer that pleasure on others?

Half the battle is gained if you never allow yourself to say anything gloomy.

~ Julia Child ~

Positive Thinker

The positive thinker sees the invisible,

feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.

Great Secrets of Life

The longer you live the more you realize that forgiveness,

consideration, and kindness are three of the great secrets of life.

The Cracked Pot

  

      A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.  One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.  For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house.

     Of course the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.  But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.  After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

     "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

     "Why?" asked the bearer.  "What are you ashamed of?"

     "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house.  Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.  The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said. "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

     Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.  But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.  The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?  That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.  I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.  Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace this house."

Moral:

     Each of us has our own unique flaws.  We're all cracked pots.  But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.  You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.  There is a lot of good out there.  There is a lot of good in us!  Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

     Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life.  Or as I like to think of it - if it hadn't been for the crackpots in my life, it would have been pretty boring and not so interesting.

Life is Change