Monday, March 30, 2009

Attitude is Everything!!!

Self-appraisal

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits.

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation: The boy asked, "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? The woman replied, "I already have someone to cut my lawn."

"Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now." replied boy. The woman responded that she was very satisfied with the person who was presently cutting her lawn.

The little boy found more perseverance and offered, "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach, Florida." Again the woman answered in the negative.

With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all, walked over to the boy and said, "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."

The little boy replied, "No thanks, I was just checking my performance with the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady, I was talking to!"

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Experience thy Teacher!!!

"I am in desperate need of help -- or I'll go crazy. We're living in asingle room -- my wife, my children and my in-laws. So our nerves are onedge, we yell and scream at one another. The room is a hell.""Do you promise to do whatever I tell you?" said the Master gravely."I swear I shall do anything."

"Very well. How many animals do you have?"
"A cow, a goat and six chickens.""Take them all into the room with you. Then come back after a week."

The disciple was appalled. But he had promised to obey! So he took theanimals in. A week later he came back, a pitiable figure, moaning, "I'm anervous wreck. The dirt! The stench! The noise! We're all on the verge ofmadness!""Go back," said the Master, "and put the animals out."

The man ran all the way home. And came back the following day, his eyessparkling with joy. "How sweet life is! The animals are out. The homeis a Paradise, so quiet and clean and roomy!"

Anthony de Mello, SJ

Most of us are just about as happy as we make up our minds to be.

-Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

The disciple couldn't wait to tell the Master the rumor he had heard in themarketplace."Wait a minute," said the Master. "What you plan to tell us, is it true?""I don't think it is.""Is it useful?""No, it isn't.""Is it funny?""No.""Then why should we be hearing it?"


Anthony de Mello, SJ


Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.


--Henry David Thoreau

A gambler once said to the Master, "I wascaught cheating at cards yesterday, so mypartners beat me up and threw me out of thewindow. What would you advise me to do?"The Master looked straight through the manand said, "If I were you, from now on Iwould play on the ground floor."This startled the disciples. "Why didn't youtell him to stop gambling?" they demanded."Because I knew he wouldn't," was the Master'ssimple and sagacious explanation.

Anthony de Mello, SJ

We hang the petty thieves and appoint thegreat ones to public office.

--Aesop, Greek fabulist

Friday, March 20, 2009

Flower In The Desert

An Inspirational Story




This happened many many summers ago.



There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking...It was growing by itself...enjoying every day...and saying to the sun "When shall I be grown up"? And the sun would say "Be patient"---Each time I touch you,you grow a little"...And she was so pleased.Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand...And this is all she wanted to do---bring a little bit of beauty to this world.



One day the hunter came by---and stepped on her.---She was going to die---and she felt so sad.Not because she was dying ---but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.



The great spirit saw her, and was listening.---Indeed,he said ...She should be living...And he reached down and touched her---and gave her life.



And she grew up to be a beautiful flower...and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A Byte of Soul Food!

To get ‘u’ out of Monday ‘mourning’!
Keys to Good Communication

Good communication with almost anyone--your husband or wife, boss, coworkers, children, parents, or friends--depends on a few basic principles of people handling. Learn these, and you will be well on the way to happy, productive relationships.

Honesty. Good communication is built on mutual respect, and respect depends on honesty. If you want to get off on the right foot with others, be honest and straightforward from the start.

Tact. It's important to be honest, but it's also important to be loving and considerate in your presentation, especially with people who are naturally sensitive or when the subject could be sensitive.

Wisdom. Wisdom is what helps you be tactful. You can get wisdom through experience, or you can get it by asking God for it. He's promised it to you in the Bible, in James 1:5, if you ask Him for it.

Love. When people feel loved or cared for, it puts everything else in proper perspective. You may not do or say everything right, but if others see that you are motivated by love, little problems or misunderstandings won't become big ones.

Prayerfulness. A silent mental prayer is good in any situation, but sometimes praying together and out loud can help things click between you and in the spiritual realm like nothing else. Praying together creates a peaceful atmosphere and inspires unity, and when you acknowledge that you need the Lord's thoughts and help, He's happy to give them.

Positiveness. Being upbeat usually elicits a positive response. Encouragement and sincere compliments are always appreciated.

Initiative. Fear of being misunderstood or rejected often holds both parties back. Taking the first step expresses faith in the other person, which usually helps him or her overcome any reservations.

Timing. Knowing when to say something is often as important as knowing what to say. "A wise man's heart discerns both time and judgment" (Ecclesiastes 8:5).

Sensitivity. It's not good to be so sensitive to your own needs that your feelings are easily hurt, but it is good to be sensitive to others' likes and dislikes, needs, and moods.

Open-Mindedness. People's opinions and the way they approach problems are as different as the people themselves. Turning off your thoughts and being quiet long enough to let others express their feelings conveys respect and fosters positive, fruitful exchanges. People will be much more at ease with you and more likely to turn to you for advice if they know you will be open to what they have to say, even if you don't agree.

Empathy. Put yourself in the other person's position and try to understand the feelings that are behind what he or she is saying.

Patience. It's sometimes hard to listen to what others have to say without interrupting, trying to hurry them along, or finishing their sentences for them, but it's a way of showing love and respect, which pay off.

A Sense of Humor. A little laughter can be just the thing to keep potentially difficult exchanges from getting too intense. Lighten up!

Approachability. The dictionary defines approachability as "invitingly friendly; easy to talk to." When someone knows you will take time for him or her, you've won a friend.

Clarity. There would be a lot fewer misunderstandings between people if they didn't beat around the bush or rely so much on hints. Don't leave others guessing; say what you mean. If you're not sure they understand your point, ask them.

Effort. Sometimes communicating is plain hard work--but the rewards are worth it!

Consistency. People who communicate regularly understand each other better and are more likely to be able to work through problems when they come up.

Excerpted from The Activated Magazine
www.activated.org

This is the life....

God created the Donkey


and said to him.
'You will be a donkey. You will work un-tiringly from sunrise to sunset
carrying burdens on your back. You will eat grass,
you will have no intelligence and you will live 50 years.'
The donkey answered:

'I will be a donkey, but to live 50 years is much. Give me only 20 years'
God granted his wish.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
God created the Dog



and said to him:
'You will guard the house of man. You will be his best Friend.
You will eat the scraps that he gives you and you will live 30 years.
You will be a dog. ' The dog answered:
'Sir, to live 30 years is too much,give me only 15 years.
' God granted his wish.
........................................................................................................................................................................
God created the Monkey

and said to him:
'You will be a monkey. You will swing from branch to branch doing tricks.
You will be amusing and you will live 20 years. ' The monkey answered:
'To live 20 years is too much, give me only 10 years.'
God granted his wish.
.....................................................
Finally God created man


and said to him:
'You will be man, the only rational creature on the face of the earth.
You will use your intelligence to become master over all the animals.
You will dominate the world and you will live 20 years.'
Man responded:
'Sir, I will be a man but to live only 20 years is very little,
give me the 30 years that the donkey refused,
the 15 years that the dog did not want and
the 10 years the monkey refused.
' God granted man's wish
.....................................................
And since then, man lives 20 years as a man,
marries and spends 30 years like a donkey,
working and carrying all the burdens on his back.

Then when his children are grown,
he lives 15 years like a dog taking care of the house
and eating whatever is given to him,

so that when he is old,
he can retire and live 10 years like a monkey,
going from house to house and from one son or
daughter to another doing tricks to amuse his grandchildren.
That's Life.
Is'nt it?

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

What is Friendship??

Two men were traveling together, when a bear suddenly met them on their path. One of them climbed up quickly into a tree, and concealed himself in the branches. The other, seeing that he must be attacked, fell flat on the ground, and when the Bear came up and felt him with his snout,and smelt him all over, he held his breath, and feigned the appearance of death as much as he could.

The Bear soon left him, for it is said he will not touch a dead body. When he was quite gone, the other traveler descended from the tree, and, accosting his friend, jocularly inquired"what it was the Bear had whispered in his ear?" His friend replied: "He gave me this advice: Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger."

Misfortune tests the sincerity of friends

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Growing Good Corn

There was a Nebraska farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon...

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.

So it is in other dimensions. Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Unconditional Love

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me."

"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him."

"There's something you should know the son continued, "he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."

"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."

"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."

"Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Franciscopolice. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Franciscoand were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one leg.

The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are.