Archive for October, 2007

Bend, But Don’t Break

One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and
sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet,
watch the water rush downstream, and listen to the chirps of birds
and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo
trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return
gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died
down.

When I think about the bamboo tree’s ability to bounce back or return
to its original position, the word resilience comes to mind. When used
in reference to a person this word means the ability to readily recover
from shock, depression or any other situation that stretches the limits
of a person’s emotions.

Have you ever felt like you are about to snap? Have you ever felt like
you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the
experience to live to talk about it.

During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that
threatened your health. You felt emotionally drained, mentally
exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical
symptoms.

Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and
unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those
bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking
point then bend but don’t break. Try your best not to let the situation
get the best of you.

A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal. With
hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as
bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal
with if the end result is worth having.

If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show
resilience like the bamboo tree, bend, but don’t break!

A Wonderful Story

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white
beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said,
“I don’t think I know you, but you must be hungry”. Please come in
and have something to eat.”

“Is the man of the house home?” they asked.

“No”, she replied. “He’s out.”

“Then we cannot come in”, they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had
happened.

“Go tell them I am home and invite them in!”

The woman went out and invited the men in”
“We do not go into a House together,” they replied.

“Why is that?” she asked.

One of the old men explained: “His name is Wealth,” he said pointing
to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, “He is
Success, and I am Love.” Then he added, “Now go in and discuss
with your husband which one of us you want in your home.”

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her
husband was overjoyed. “How nice!!” he said. “Since that is the case,
let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!”

His wife disagreed. “My dear, why don’t we invite Success?”
Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the
house.

She jumped in with her own suggestion: “Would it not be
better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!”
“Let us heed our daughter-in-law’s advice,” said the husband to his
wife. “Go out and invite Love to be our guest.”

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, “Which one of you is
Love? Please come in and be our guest.”

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also
got up and followed him.

Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: “I only invited Love,
Why are you coming in?”
The old men replied together: “If you had invited Wealth or Success,
the other two of us would’ve stayed out, but since you invited Love,
wherever He goes, we go with him.

Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!

A Mothers Love

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while
she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had
been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read
it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: $.50
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see
the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen,
turned over the paper he’d written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me:
No Charge
For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for
you:
No Charge
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through
the years:
No Charge
For all the nights that were filled with dread and for the worries I knew
were ahead:
No Charge
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose:
No Charge
Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is:
No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there
were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and
said, “Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in
great big letters he wrote: “PAID IN FULL”.