Things That Make Life Important

I grew up in the fifties with practical parents- a Mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it. A Father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. 

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dish towel in the other. 

It was the time for fixing things - a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, re heating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful; waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there'd always be more. 

But then my Mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. 

Sometimes, what we care about most goes away... never to return. 

So, while we have it, it's best we love it, and care for it; fix it when it's broken, and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage, friends, old radios, and old cars, children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and aging parents, and grandparents. 

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special, so keep them close!

Game Of LIFE

 

This game is called LIFE!

Seven rules to it;

1. Make peace with your past so it doesn't spoil your present.
2. What other people think of you is none of your business.
3.Time heals almost everything, give the time, sometime.
4. No one is a reason of your happiness except yourself.
5. Don't compare your life with other's, you have no idea what their journey is all about.
6. Stop thinking too much, it's alright not to know all the answers.
7. Smile! you don't own all the problems in the world. ;)

I Have Learned That...

I’ve Learned…That
the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve Learned…That
when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve Learned…That
just one person saying to me, “You’ve made my day!” makes my day.

I’ve Learned…That
having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve Learned…That
being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve Learned…That
you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve Learned…That
I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve Learned…That
no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve Learned…That
sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve Learned…That
simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve Learned…That
life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve Learned…That
we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve Learned…That
money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve Learned…That
it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve Learned…That
under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve Learned…That
the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I’ve Learned…That
to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve Learned…That
when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve Learned…That
love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve Learned…That
the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve Learned…That
everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve Learned…That
there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I’ve Learned…That
no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve Learned…That
life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve Learned…That
opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve Learned…That
when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve Learned…That
I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her, one more time, before she passed away.

I’ve Learned…That
one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve Learned…That
a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve Learned…That
I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I’ve Learned…That
when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve Learned…That
everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve Learned…That
it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.

I’ve Learned…That
the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

24 Things To Always Remember

1. Your presence is a present to the world.
2. You are unique and one of a kind.
3. Your life can be what you want it to be.
4. Take the days just one at a time.
5. Count your blessings, not your troubles.
6. You will make it through whatever comes along.
7. Within you are so many answers. Understand, have courage, be strong.
8. Do not put limits on yourself.
9. So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
10. Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
11. Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.
12. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
13. The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.
14. Do not take things too seriously.
15. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.
16. Remember that a little love goes a long way.
17. Remember that a lot goes forever.
18 Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
19. Life’s treasure are people together.
20. Realize that it is never too late.
21. Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
22. Have hearth and hope and happiness.
23. Take the time to wish upon a start.

24. AND DO NOT EVER FORGET., FOR EVEN A DAY HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE!

Other Side of Problem...

A Father was reading a magazine and his little daughter every now and then distracted him. To keep her busy, he tore one page on which was printed the map of the world. He tore it into pieces
and asked her to go to her room and put them together to make the map again.

He was sure she would take the whole day to get it done. But the little one came back within minutes with perfect map.

When he asked how she could do it so quickly, she said, "Oh... Dad, there is a man's face on the other side of the paper. I made the face perfect to get the map right." she ran outside to play leaving the father surprised.

Moral: There is always the other side to whatever we experience in this world. Whenever we come across a challenge or a puzzling situation, look at the other side. We will be surprised to see an easy way to tackle the problem..!!

Failure Is Part Of Learning

Once a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were.

Moral:
Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

Failure is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.

Instructions For Life

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Memorize your favorite poem.
3. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, “I love you”, mean it.
5. When you say, “I’m sorry”, look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don’t judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, “Why do you want to know?”
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mom.
16. Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
18. Remember the three R’s:
1. Respect for self;
2. Respect for others;
3. Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
21. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books and watch less TV.
27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll get to enjoy it a second time.
28. Trust in God but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
31. Read between the lines.
32. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray. There’s immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don’t trust a man/woman who doesn’t close his/her eyes when you kiss.
38. At least once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth’s greatest satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules then break some.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.