INSPIRATIONS
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel.All claimed that they were the best.
The most important.
The most useful.
The favorite.
Green said: "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and
of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals
would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."
Blue interrupted: "You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing."
Yellow chuckled: "You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun."
Orange started next to blow her trumpet: "I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I
serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of
carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the
time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you."
Red could stand it no longer he shouted out: "I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."
Purple rose up to his full height: He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey."
Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination: "Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace."
And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.
In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak: "You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."
Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.
The rain continued: "From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow."
And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.
IF
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And- which is more- you'll be a Man, my son!
THE END
"I expect to pass through this
world but once; any good thing
therefore that I can do, or any
kindness that I can show to any
fellow creature, let me not defer
or neglect it, for I shall not pass
this way again."
-------- Stephen Grellet --------
1773 - 1855
A Life Worth Saving
A man risked his life by swimming through the
treacherous riptide to save a youngster being swept out to
sea. After the child recovered from the harrowing
experience, he said to the man, "Thank you for saving my
life."
The man looked into the boy's eyes and said, "That's
okay, kid. Just make sure your life was worth saving."
COMES THE DAWN
After awhile you learn the subtle difference
between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
and you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't mean security,
and you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises,
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes open,
with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
and learn to build all your roads
on today because tomorrow's ground
is too uncertain for plans, and futures have
a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After awhile you learn that even sunshine
burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate
your own soul, instead of waiting
for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really do have worth.
And you learn and learn...
With every goodbye you learn.
God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference.
Living ONE DAY AT A TIME;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the
pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this
sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make
all things right if I
surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy
in this life, and supremely
happy with Him forever the next..
Amen
By Reinhold Neibuhr
IF TODAY
If you planted hope today
In any hopeless heart
If someone's burden was lighter
Because you did your part,
If you caused a laugh
That chased some tears away
If tonight your name is named
When someone kneels to pray
Then your day has been well spent.
-- Author Unknown
GARDEN
Count your Garden By The Flowers,
Never by the Leaves that fall
Count Your Days by Golden Hours
Don't Remember clouds at all
Count your nights by stars Not shadows
Count your years with smiles Not tears:
Count your blessings Not your troubles
Count your age by friends Not years!
----author unknown
Dying
First I was dying to finish high school and start college.
And then I was dying to finish college and start working.
And then I was dying to marry and have children.
And then I was dying for my children to grow old
enough for
school so I could go back to work.
And then I was dying to retire.
And now, I am dying ...
and suddenly I realized I forgot to live.
Unknown source
