If I had my child to raise all over again,
        I'd finger-paint more, and point the fingers less.
        I would do less correcting and more connecting.
        I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my
        eyes.
        I would care to know less and know to care more.
        I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
        I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
        I would run through more fields and gaze at more
        stars.
        I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
        I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
        I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
        I'd teach less about the love of power,
        And more about the power of love.
   
                  By Diane Loomans
            from Condensed Chicken Soup for the Soul 
           Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor 
                 Hansen & Patty Hansen 

  
    
        In a small town in Spain, a man named Jorge 
   had a bitter argument with his young son Paco. The 
   next day Jorge discovered that Paco's bed was empty 
   - he had run away from home.
        Overcome with remorse, Jorge searched his soul 
   and realized that his son was more important to him 
   than anything else. He wanted to start over. Jorge 
   went to a well-known store in the center of town 
   and posted a large sign that read, "Paco, come home. 
   I love you. Meet me here tomorrow morning."
        The next morning Jorge went to the store, where 
   he found no less than seven young boys named Paco who 
   had also run away from home. They were all answering 
   the call for love, each hoping it was his dad inviting 
   him home with open arms.
   
                         By Alan Cohen 
        from A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul  
     Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen  

        In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a 
   roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone 
   would remove the huge rock. Some of the kingdom's wealthiest 
   merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. 
   Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, 
   but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the 
   way. Then a peasant came along, carrying a load of vegetables. 
   On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden 
   and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After 
   much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.
        As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he 
   noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. 
   The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king 
   indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the 
   boulder from the roadway.
        The peasant learned what many others never understand: 
   Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.
   
                      By Brian Cavanaugh 
             from A Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soul  
           Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor 
                    Hansen & Barry Spilchuk  

   
  There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew 
it was long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase
with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his 
journey.
  When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. 
She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The
boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about
to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old 
lady looked hungry, so he offered a Twinkie. She gratefully 
accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the 
boy wanted to see it again, so he offered a root beer. Once 
again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!
  They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never 
said a word.
  As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up 
to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned 
around, ran back to the old woman and  gave her a hug. She gave 
him her biggest smile ever.
  When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later,
his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.
  She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?"
  He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could
respond, he added, 
  "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
  Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her
home.
  Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked,
  "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?"
  She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her
son responded,she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."
   
                        By Julie A. Manhan
          from A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul 
       Copyright 1996 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen 

 
     
                   No moving parts, no batteries,
                   No monthly payments and no fees;
                   Inflation proof, non-taxable,
                   In fact, it's quite relaxable;
    
                   It can't be stolen, won't pollute,
                   One size fits all, do not dilute.
                   It uses little energy,
                   But yields results enormously.
    
                   Relieves your tension and your stress
                   Invigorates your happiness;
                   Combats depression, makes you beam,
                   And elevates your self-esteem!
    
                   Your circulation it corrects
                   Without unpleasant side effects.
                   It is, I think, the perfect drug:
                   May I prescribe, my friends . . . the hug!
    
                   (And, of course, fully returnable!)
    
                     By Henry Matthew Ward 
                     from A Cup of Chicken Soup 
                     for the Soul Copyright 1996 
                     by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor 
                     Hansen & Barry Spilchuk